Six Sentence Sunday

Did I mention that The Welcome Inn is romantic suspense?  In this excerpt Buck and Julianna are skinny dipping and have unexpected visitors.

Buck turned her around and pressed her gently into the grass. He stretched out beside her, and normal, rational, thought processes shut down as emotion and instinct kicked in. Her hands busied themselves exploring the contours of Buck’s body, and she gloried in the heavily muscled form under her hand.

A flash of light was the only clue that they weren’t alone. Buck raised his head in time to see two swiftly moving figures. With a cry of warning he jerked away from Julianna and sprang to his feet, but he had no time to do more before they jumped him.

The Battle of Gettysburg

2011 is the 150^th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War, a bloody conflict that almost tore the US in two.  Historically speaking, the importance of the Civil War was that the US remained one nation and therefore was strong enough to become a super power in the 20^th century.  For Americans, we celebrate the war as a vindication of freedom for thousands of Americans held in slavery. 

The turning point of the war was the Battle of Gettysburg which was fought July 1-3, 1863 at a little market town called Gettysburg which is located in Pennsylvania.  Before Gettysburg, the South had a good chance of winning the war.  General Lee had taken his army into Pennsylvania with the purpose of capturing the capital.  Afterwards, he planned to negotiate a peace agreement from a position of power.  If he had won the battle, there’s a good chance that the South would be a different country today.

On Tuesday, June 30, a Confederate brigade looking for shoes marched toward Gettysburg, but they spotted a long column of Federal cavalry and so they withdrew, telling their superiors that they would go back tomorrow to get the shoes. 

On Wednesday, July 1, they did go back.  Two divisions of Confederates meet a Federal cavalry just west of town at Willoughby Run, and they skirmished.  Anticipating a battle both Lee and his opponent General  George G. Meade raced to bring in reinforcements.

After fierce fighting, the Federals were driven back into Gettysburg where they regrouped beside a cemetery that stood on high ground.  This was a good chance for Lee to end the war because he outnumbered the Federals, and the retreat had disorganized them.  Lee ordered Confederate General Ewell to attack if possible, but Ewell hesitated and gave the Federals a chance to dig in along Cemetery Ridge and bring in some cannon and reinforcements. 

Confederate General James Longstreet told Lee that there was no way they could win now.  He suggested moving east between the Union army and Washington, establish a strong defensive position, and force the Union troops to attack them.

Believing his army could win, Lee ordered the attack to proceed.  He decided to attack the southern end of Cemetery Ridge which he believed was less well defended.  He might have made a different decision if Jeb Stuart and his cavalry had been around to scout for him, but he had sent Stuart to harass the Union troops, so Lee was blind until Stuart returned.

Around ten the next morning, July 2, Lee ordered Longstreet to attack, but Longstreet delayed and gave even more time for the Union to bring in troops and guns.  He attacked around four.  Some of the bitterest and most deadly fighting of the war took place, and names such as Little Round Top, Peach Orchard, and the Wheat Field became synonymous with carnage and courage in equal measure.

About 6:30 p.m. Gen. Ewell attacked the Union line from the north and east at Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill. The attack lasted until around 10:30, but was finally unsuccessful at Cemetery Hill, although the South seized some trenches on Culp's Hill.

Both sides withdrew to regroup.  There was a full moon, and all night long the wounded and dying lay on the battlefield filling the night with their cries. 

Lee decided on a big gamble.  He planned for General Pickett to attack the Union troops front and center on Cemetery Hill, the last thing the Union would expect.  At the same time General Ewell would try to take Culp’s Hill again.  Around 8:00 fighting broke out, but it stopped around 11:00.

General Longstreet again begged Lee not to attack, saying it was impossible to win, but Lee didn’t listen.  The battle began around 1:00.  Twelve thousand Confederates marched in an orderly row up Cemetery Hill, and then the slaughter began.

A fierce battle raged for an hour with much brutal hand to hand fighting, shooting at close range and stabbing with bayonets.  Briefly, the Confederates almost took their objective, a small clump of Oak Trees on Cemetery Ridge, but Union reinforcements swarmed in and repulsed the Confederates.   Pickett's Charge began to recede as the men drifted back down the slope.  Lee's army had been beaten back, leaving 7,500 of his men lying on the field of battle.   Confederate wounded and missing were 28,000 out of 75,000. Union casualties were 23,000 out of 88,000.

That night and into the next day Lee took his wounded and began a retreat into Virginia.  If General Meade had followed and attacked, he could have ended the war, but he didn’t.  President Lincoln was very angry about it and wrote a scathing letter to Meade about his conduct.

The tide of the war turned at Gettysburg.  Lee never again moved North, and from that time on, a Union victory was virtually assured.  Months later President Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address on the battlefield.  It was so short nobody thought it was any good, but over time our opinions have changed.  We now realize how truly inspiring the address was.  Click here to read it. 

The picture shows a view of Little Round Top.

Fashionista Friday: The Pippa Look

Speaking of Royalty

Last week we looked at Kate Middleton’s outfit, so today I thought we might as well look at her sister, Pippa.  Some people criticized Pippa for this outfit.  They said it was too casual to wear to a tennis match, but I liked it.  The combination of the denim with a flirty, white eyelet dress was a winner as far as I’m concerned.  Here’s a picture of the outfit. 

And here’s my interpretation of the Pippa look.

First the dress. 

Sorry, Pippa, but I like this one better.  This Lucky Brand Women's Palma Lace Shift Dress is available at Amazon for $149.00    It’s machine washable and made of 100% cotton.

Now for the jacket. 

 I love this because of the detail on the sleeves and the detachable rosette.  (Come to think of it, I love this whole look which was put together by Macy’s.)  I tried as hard as I could to show you the tiny little blue flowers on the cuff, but this is the best I can do.  They are very pastel and small.  You can buy the jacket for $34.99 at Macy's.

Here’s a possibility for the bag.  Pippa’s purse isn’t white. It’s an off white, so I found one from Converse in a pale sand color that looks similar.  You can find it at Target for $34.99.

We'll complete the outfit with these Tommy Hilfiger shoes. you can buy them on sale here for $26.99. 



Total cost for this outfit: $244.97.

Why I Love...Favorite Sidekick

Readers, I hope you've read the Trixie Belden books for girls.  If you haven't you're really missing out.  I bought my first Trixie Belden book when I was in the fourth grade.  I paid a whopping $.69 for it at a discount store.  I'd read about three pages before it hooked me, and the pages had big print.  This series was perfect for a girl.  Trixie the heroine was an amateur detective whom no bad guy could defeat.  She was fun, fiesty, and had a very understanding mother and father.  She and her friends belonged to a club called the Bob Whites.  If one of them was in trouble they'd whistle like a Bob White, and the rest of them would come running. 

Trixie's sidekick was a wealthy young lady named Honey Wheeler.  Honey had good parents who didn't mind loaning their horses, swimming pool, travel trailer, or anything else so Honey and Trixie could have adventures.  Honey wasn't as adventuresome as Trixie, but she faithfully backed up her friend no matter what Trixie got them into.  And there is the little matter of Honey's adopted brother Jim.  He and Trixie like each other.

If you'd like to get your daughter started on the series, start with the first one and work your way through.  The Secret of the Mansion is the first book, and it's where Trixie and Honey meet and find Jim.  Hey, you may like them yourself.

Delia Latham and Solomon's Gate

Readers, please help me welcome my special guest, Delia Latham.  Since some of you may not know Delia, so here’s a short biography to introduce her.

  Born and raised in a place called Weedpatch, Delia Latham moved from California to Oklahoma in 2008, making her a self-proclaimed California Okie. She loves to read and write in her simple country home, and gets a kick out of watching her husband play Farmer John. The author enjoys multiple roles as Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, but especially loves being a princess daughter to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. She loves to hear from her readers. You may contact her through her website or send an e-mail to delia AT delialatham DOT net.

Delia is writing today about why she chose Christian romance rather than another genre.  Here’s Delia!

Romance, Grandma? Really?

Don’tcha just love love?

I do. I hope I always will. And that, my friends—just in case you’re wondering—is why a 50-something grandmother would write an entire series of books based around a Christian dating agency.

(To be perfectly honest, when I got the first little mustard seed of an idea, I was eleven years younger, had only one grandchild, and hadn’t yet written a novel at all, much less a series of them.) Here’s what happened:

Some years ago, I read a series written by an author I’d never heard of at the time. Her name is Shari MacDonald, and she has an amazing knack for humor. One of the books in that series grabbed me by the imagination and would not let go. That book, A Match Made in Heaven, struck some kind of chord in me. It made me want to write the novel I’d been promising myself for years.

Now, let’s be reasonable here. That was well over a decade ago. Don’t ask me what that pivotal novel was actually about—I don’t have a clue, other than there was a dating agency involved. It made an impression on me, and got me thinking about the matchmaking profession. Wouldn’t it be fun, I thought, to write about a place where Christian singles could go to find—in King Solomon’s words—“he (or she) whom their soul loveth”?

I stored the idea away in my brain, and every once in awhile, I took it out and played with it (not my brain—the idea). I wrote two inspirational romances, neither of which had anything to do with a dating agency, and got them published. I started a couple of other manuscripts, which I still haven’t finished.

Then I woke up one day and it was as though something clicked in my heart—like God was saying, “It’s time. Let’s do it!”

In a perfect world, I disappeared into my office and emerged three days later with a completed manuscript, painstakingly edited and ready to send to a publisher.

Uh-huh. Whoever said this was a perfect world?

No. I still wasn’t completely there. I thought about the idea while I was doing dishes; I mulled it over while driving down the road all by myself; I worked out a fun little scenario or two as I lay in bed at night, instead of counting sheep; I created and discarded a number of storylines and subplots. Weeks, months, and more months went into mentally laying the groundwork.

By the time I actually did go into my office and start writing, I had several nice little scenes all cozied up in my head, just waiting to be put on paper. And…I was no longer just writing a book based around a dating agency. Now it was a series. Three books, maybe more (depending on how well you like them). Plus, God threw in a real surprise for me.

My dating agency would be no ordinary, run-of-the-mill love connection. Sometime during all of those mental writing sessions, it received a touch of the divine. Now it had an extraordinary connection to Heaven.

I’d love to tell you all about it, but then there’d be no need to read the book(s). And I really want you to read the Solomon’s Gate Series.

Destiny’s Dream released in December 2010, and Kylie’s Kiss followed four months later, in April 2011. (Come on, admit it. You’re a little bit curious about this series!) It’s available through White Rose Publishing and Amazon. I’m eager to hear what you find between its covers, because I’m thinking different people might find different things. Divine experiences often happen that way, you know.

The third book, Gypsy’s Game, should release later this year.

Come on in. I’ll leave the Gate open for you.

Here’s an excerpt from Kylie’s Kiss.

Rick settled into a seat across from Kylie and Clay and sat in silence for a moment, a slight frown drawing his dark brows together. Finally he looked up, first at Clay, then in her direction. “Kylie, I haven’t had a chance to share with you about Lea, though I believe Clay knows a little.”

Her heart sank and her gaze flew to her boss, who nodded. Yes, he knew about Lea, whoever she was. This didn’t sound good. “Who’s Lea?”

“She’s my little girl.” Kylie drew in a slow, deliberate breath, forcing herself to stay calm. So he had a daughter. As long as a wife wasn’t the next announcement, she could handle that.

“You have a child. How old is she?”

“She just turned six.” Rick’s expression softened as he spoke, and Kylie knew without a doubt that Lea was his life. His green eyes, startling against the olive of his skin, met hers without flinching. “She’s a special child, Kylie. Smart, beautiful, charming….” Kylie found herself fascinated by the adorable little self-derisive grin that played about his lips. “And sweet as cotton candy.”

Kylie couldn’t help smiling. “You don’t like her much, huh?”

“She is my heart and soul.” A little sheepish, but unrepentant.

“When do we get to meet this perfect child?” Clay’s grin lit up his craggy face. “Destiny’s already looking forward to it, but be warned—she’s going to try to keep her. My wife has a thing with kids, man. She loves ’em, and they always love her right back.”

Rick laughed a little, but his tone was serious. “I hope she still feels that way after she meets Lea.” He pulled a wallet from his pocket, then sat for a moment, saying nothing.

Puzzled, Kylie watched him run slender fingers through his thick black hair. Again and again he invaded the thick waves, managing to somehow leave them only slightly mussed. Finally he opened the billfold and pulled out a photo.

When he raised his head, revealing the torment in his eyes, her heart nearly stopped. What was wrong with Lea? Whatever it was, did Rick think it would make a difference in how she or Clay might feel about the child? If so, he certainly didn’t give them much credit.

“This is Lea.” He handed the photo to Clay, who smiled and passed it on to Kylie.

“She’s a cutie all right, my friend. You weren’t exaggerating. So what’s the problem?”

Kylie wondered the same thing. The photo showed a partial silhouette of an extraordinarily beautiful child. Unlike her olive-skinned father, Lea was a vision of light. Golden hair, porcelain skin, eyes the color of a robin’s egg. Kylie met Rick’s gaze, mystified by his obvious unease. “She’s lovely.”

“Thank you. I think so.” He pulled out another photo and handed it to Clay. “In spite of this.”

Kylie’s stomach clenched and threatened to revolt. Her boss’s flinch was slight, but unmistakable. Oh, dear God, please help me handle whatever this is with grace. How ironic that her first real prayer in years would be one of such a pitifully begging nature. Somehow she knew her reaction to this photo could mean life or death for her relationship with Rick. How strange that she’d be thinking in terms of a relationship now, when only moments before she’d been ready to concede defeat.

Clay nodded slowly, then met Kylie’s eyes. He held briefly to the picture even after her fingers closed on it. His words were directed to his friend, but his gaze held hers. “You’re right, my friend. Nothing could make this child anything less than perfect.”

He released the photo into Kylie’s grip. By now she did not want to look at it. Something in Rick’s eyes and Clay’s voice told her she could be in trouble. But what choice did she have?

Her eyes moved in slow, jerking movements from Clay’s face to the photo in her hands. She gasped, overwhelmed with sympathy—and total panic.

Another silhouette, shot from the opposite side of Lea’s face. Long, lumpy red welts stained her exquisite skin, puckering her cheek into an inhuman mask. Kylie had no idea she was crying until the tears tickled her face, even as her throat closed and her stomach lurched.

The photo fluttered to the floor as she leaped to her feet. Sending the two men a desperately apologetic look, she flew out of the room with a hand over her mouth.

Delia, thank you for coming today.  Readers, look at the lovely necklace and bottle of anointing oil Delia will be giving away at the end of the day.  She’s also giving away 4 copies of the Solomon’s Gate books.  Leave a comment to win, but be aware that the winner of the grand prize, the necklace, must post a comment today, June 27.

The pendant is about 2 1/2 inches long and the decoration is the same on both sides.
The oil is Hadas'sah Queen Esther Oil. Necklace and oil from The Master's Jewels.

Six Sentence Sunday: The Welcome Inn

In this excerpt from The Welcome Inn, Buck has taken Julianna home after a man tried to kidnap her at the grocery store.  The Welcome Inn is available at Wings Press.

For more Six Sentence Sunday click here.


It felt blazing hot in the room, and Julianna’s breathing sounded as if she had just run a marathon. She could honestly say that she had never felt this way before. She had never wanted a man in her life. She knew exactly how men operated, and she wanted no part of them, but tonight she couldn’t control her heart. "I need you, Buck," she muttered.

Buck was in such a hurry to get his shirt off that he popped two buttons.

Fashionista Friday: Channeling the Dutchess of Cambridge

Channeling the Duchess of Cambridge

I think Prince William got lucky.  Kate Middleton is one beautiful, poised young woman.  I also think she has incredible taste in clothes.  One of my favorites was the outfit she wore to meet the Obamas.  Here’s a picture of it in case you missed it.  Isn’t it elegant, understated, and just plain awesome?  The dress is by Reiss Shola, and so many people wanted to buy it that the website crashed.  The price isn’t bad either.  Only $340.00

But do you really want to have the same dress, or would you rather just have the look?  I don’t want to be a copycat, so I went looking for something that has the same feel, and this is what I found. (Picture by Pop Sugar)

This dress has a better pedigree than Kate’s dress.  It’s a Herve Legar which retailed for $1481.00, but you can buy it on sale here for $269.99.

Still a bit pricey?  Here’s a nice alternative at 2 Cute 2 Trendy.  Price? 39.99



If you don’t want something so low cut may I suggest this instead.

This is a bit more casual, but since I haven’t received an invitation to dine with the queen, this will probably do just fine.  It comes in military green which is shown, beige, and black. Fabric is sateen.  Get it for $27.99 at Target.

To accessorize the nude/beige dresses, I suggest we copy Kate who’s wearing black heels and carrying a black clutch purse.

If you’d like to do something really trendy with these dresses you could maybe wear a blazer or oversize sweater with them.  You could also put a shirt over it, and turn it into a cute skirt.

Word of warning!  If you’re pleasingly plump (like me) you’d probably be happier with something  else.  Try this Tina B cap sleeve with embellished waist.  It’s available at  Macy's for $89.00.  I think this dress would be exactly right for me.  It has the elegant, polished look that I like, but it would hide a few bowls of ice cream that somehow got stuck on my hips.  Michelle Obama's look would fit me pretty well too.