Month: September 2016

Quilts and Heirlooms

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments
Last week I needed to take some pictures for an upcoming project, so I dragged out Mama’s quilts. I really love Mama’s quilts (note: the plaid one is the only one she didn’t make). And one by one, she’ll be passing these along to each of her children (at least, that is the goal; she might have to hurry as she has twelve children…). 

Here are my current two personal favorites. 🙂 🙂 I’d say I have “dibs on the green one,” but one of my sisters has mentioned that she really likes it. And, as she has a guy in her life and I don’t yet, she just might get it. 😉

What heirlooms do you have around your home?

Two Civil War Books

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

I am quickly becoming a Civil War nerd. I mean, after all, I am writing a book that era, so why not buy books and find fun collection items? 😉  My reviews for both of these books are short, but that’s because there really was so much information to process from them. I took steady notes the whole time I read them both (plus got some great story ideas…). They were both worth the read to me.

The 18th Missouri

It took me a few months to read this, just because I’m a slow reader when it comes to processing information and taking notes. But I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the 18th Missouri regiment! It covered more of an overview of the regiment, but occasionally honed in to different soldiers or officers. Starting at the very beginning of the regiment’s formation, the book satisfactorily ended with an epilogue of sorts with a brief overview of various soldiers’ lives after the war(’til death).

Being a war book, there are definitely some gruesome tales as well as men taking God’s Name in vain. I didn’t notice many curse words (I was expecting more in a secular war book).

About the Book
Gives a history of the Union 18th Missouri Infantry from its formation in July 1861 to its muster-out in July 1865. The book uses first hand accounts such as letters and diaries.

Buy the Book on Amazon

Civil War Journal of a Union Soldier

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!! If you want an inside-look at a soldier’s life during the Civil War, this is it. From the rations to weather to casualties, a very thorough review of daily life was covered.

This book is invaluable to me as an author and I will definitely reference back to it.

About the Book

Harmon Camburn signed up for duty as a Union soldier two weeks after the first shots were fired in the Civil War. He served for the next three years, fighting in both Battles of Bull Run and other skirmishes of the War Between the States. His tour of duty ended with a shot through his lung and capture by Confederate soldiers. Fortunately, he survived his wounds and wrote about his time in the Union army. His great granddaughter, P.C. Zick, presents this journal along with additional annotations about the war in general. The journal weaves a tragic and compelling tapestry of war from the view at its center. Mr. Camburn’s sardonic and realistic view of war is worth remembering.
From the day of his enlistment in the Army in April 1861 in Adrian, Michigan, to his final days in the service of the army near Knoxville, Tennessee, the journal provides insight into the minutiae of a soldier’s life, from what they ate to the somewhat unorthodox method of obtaining food. It shows the horror of the battlefield to the joys of simply having the sun shine after days of rain.
Here is a personal account of war and all its sundry causes and effects from the eyes of a man who fought it.
Buy the Book on Amazon

Tracie Peterson | Author Interview

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Beyond the Silence by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley WoodhouseToday, bestselling author Tracie Peterson has taken some time out of her writing day and answered some questions.

How have you been able to write so many books? Is writing your full-time career? What does a normal writing day look like to you?
Writing is a full-time job for me as well as my ministry.  Years ago when I first got started, I knew that I wanted to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Bible application in each book to offer encouragement to the reader.  I also wanted to entertain the reader, as well as educate them.  I call it my 3E’s – Entertain – Educate – Encourage. I believe God has given me the creativity and imagination to come up with the various book ideas. Most writers would agree that stories are everywhere around us—you just have to open your eyes and see them.  A normal writing day?  There’s no such thing. 🙂 I try to start each day with prayer and Bible although that doesn’t always happen and sometimes it comes in the middle or latter part of the day. I try to write a chapter each day – that’s my overall goal when I’m actually writing the book.  Usually I have several books going on at once so while I’m writing one, I’m usually researching another, plotting out a third and sometimes reading galleys for a fourth.
When you get a new idea, what usually comes first (spiritual theme, plot, characters, setting, back story, other)?  
It just depends on the story – honestly.  Some books were born out of settings like Alaska or events like discovering Yogo sapphires. Others came to me via my impression of a strong character in a difficult situation.  It always various with each book.

What is the easiest part of writing for you? 
Writing the book. The writing is the easiest for me and the most satisfying.

What is the hardest?
Again it really depends on the book or series.  Sometimes the research is hard to get my hands on. Other times the characters are difficult to get my mind around. Sometimes plotting out the story gives me a hard time.  It really just depends on the story.

A Treasure Concealed by Tracie PetersonOut of the many books you have written, does any book, theme, or series stand out to you as a favorite — or one that holds a special place in your heart? 
They’re all really precious to me, because I know they were given to me by God.  One that comes immediately to mind was a book called The Long Awaited Child.  I think of this one in particular because of a letter I just received from a reader.  The book is about a woman who is struggling with infertility and longs for a child of her own.  I’ve never had that problem myself, but I felt led to write about it after hearing the sorrow of others who did.  The letter written by this reader left me no doubt that God’s hand orchestrated the story because she said, “I know you must have suffered this heartache like me, because you wrote so clearly about the deep emotional longings and daily problems I faced.”

Do you find your real life reflected on the pages of your novels?
Occasionally. Authors can’t help but put a part of themselves into their characters and conflicts.  What’s fun for me is when I think a character is going to respond to a situation in the way I would, but by the time I write the story I can see that a character of this particular nature would never respond that way.  It’s fun when characters take over the book.

20665062What are three non-writing things you enjoy doing?
I’m not sure anything about me is non-writing.   However, here are some things I enjoy.

Spinning wool.  I just recently took this up so that I would know how my book character felt about spinning and what all was involved.  I find it really relaxing and a lot of fun.

I also enjoy what my mom and I call, “porch time”.  I have a large porch that wraps ½ of my house.  I love to sit out there with my mountain view and read.

Long drives.  We live in such a beautiful place and long drives are extremely satisfying as we enjoy the beauty around us.  It really gives me a special time to praise God for all He’s given.

When did you realize that writing was your ministry? Was it easy for you to accept this calling, or did you have some struggles?
I always knew I was going to do some sort of ministry for God.  Even when I was very young I began to seek this out.  I thought for a long time I might be a missionary nurse or doctor as I had an interest in medicine.  I always loved writing, but wasn’t really sure how I could use that for God’s glory.  When He showed me how, I have to admit I was elated and that joy carries on.  I get to do something I love, travel, meet interesting folks, minister about God’s love and give it all to His glory, plus get paid.  What more could anyone ask for?

What is the #1 tip you’d give an aspiring writer?
28561657Go to conferences.  In this day and age of traditional publishing and even self-publishing, I believe the writer conferences are the best bang for your buck. Many editors and agents attend these conferences along with other authors and almost every conference I’ve ever participated in offered the attendee a fifteen-minute one-on-one appointment with editors and agents. This is a valuable opportunity to present yourself and what you write and while it seldom will net you a contract on the spot, it will often get you past the door in a far more personal way than just sending in a proposal.  Added to that are all the great workshops and speakers.  It can be expensive, but is definitely going to benefit the career of any aspiring writer.


Second, I encourage writers to read.  Someone once said good writers are good readers.  I believe that to be true.  I have encouraged new authors to read best-sellers as well as books that aren’t best-sellers.  I tell them to read the book once for pleasure and then go back through it and tear it apart.  Figure out why you think worked and didn’t work for the book. Write out the details of the characters – what they look like, what they do, what they’re afraid of, what their goals are.  Write out details about the settings, etc.  An aspiring writer can really teach themselves how to create better plots, characters and settings by doing this simple exercise.



Thank you so much!! I love reading about how writing is your ministry! What a blessing to have the focus of God first. I have enjoyed reading your books and look forward to what God allows you to write next!

About Tracie
Tracie Peterson

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than one hundred books. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana.

Visit Tracie’s web site at: http://www.traciepeterson.com

A Glimpse of my Life

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
Usually on Wednesdays, I try to post a new music video from YouTube… this past week was a little crazy and is continuing on that thread. I don’t usually do personal posts, but today I’ll give you a small glimpse of my life of late.
Last weekend, Mom, Elizabeth, and I trekked over to Texas for one of my friend’s weddings. The trip up there was looooong. So, I contented myself with listening to an audiobook with Mom…
Snapping random pictures…
And starting a book that I got last Christmas…
I was photographer for Courtney’s wedding, but I’ll post more of those pictures later. I’m still editing through them, but here’s a sneak-peek…
And, my cousin actually snapped one of me and Courtney. I almost forgot about it!
We went to the church our cousin pastors, left right after church, and got home late Sunday night. Had a day of relaxing/family day on Monday, then on Tuesday, loaded up the van and Dad, Mom, Timothy, and I headed down to Louisiana. Many of our friends in Mississippi donated cleaners, home-school curriculum, and money for us to help with the flood relief. 
This is how our van looked when we left the house… 
On the way, we stopped by a few stores to pick up tools and snacks at the recommendation of our friends living in LA who are already out there, helping with the flood relief.
Today starts our first day out there helping. We’re not exactly sure what we’ll be doing, besides connecting with our friends who have been actively working since the day the flood hit. I know it will be a busy time (as well as heart-rending), and covet your prayers. Not just for us, but for everyone who is hard at work here.

I’ve seen pictures and videos of Louisiana online, but they do not do it justice. This is barely scratching the surface of Louisiana’s devastation, vaguely showing a picture of the homes destroyed and lives altered. This was a subdivision where several people we know live, and it’s not even one of the hardest-hit areas. Pray for these people.
We finally got to our aunt and uncle’s last afternoon and sat around talking. It is amazing that, though Louisiana is facing so much devastation, we can still clearly see God’s hand at work. Complete strangers are bonding together, helping each other. Victims are being able to see blessing after blessing, and giving God glory. And best of all, souls are being saved. God IS able to use all things to work for His good — even a flood that destroys 11% of a state. 
So, while I was looking forward to entering September, getting back into teach piano and violin regularly, and putting aside time for writing, I have to say, I am not sad to be missing these weeks that I’m living in or the lessons that I’m learning.
What has your life been like, lately?

Scripture Designs 05

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

David wasn’t content to just live through a famine–he wanted to know the reason of the famine and took action to remedy the famine.
Is this my attitude towards spiritual famine? Do I seem to know why there is a famine, then take action when I know the reason? Or do I content myself with “just waiting the famine out?”




 There is so much in these two verses. First, we see a progression:

– thanksgiving to God
– fulfilling commitments
– calling in trouble
– glorifying God
We shouldn’t start every prayer with, “Lord, help me,” but with thanksgiving for how much He has already done for us!

Another thing to notice is that God does not deliver us from trouble for our glory or even our ease. Ultimately, God’s deliverance is for His glory. The last verse in this chapter further helps us understand: “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me…” (vs 23). When God delivers us, and we in turn praise Him, He is glorified (even though we were in a tough situation).

 Like as in Solomon’s time, God’s promises are contingent on our obedience. We cannot expect to claim His promises if we refuse to follow His ways and walk according to His Word.

"God Knows My Heart"

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

“What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)” 1 Kings 8:38-39

I’ve heard the phrase, “Well God knows my heart” (meaning, “He knows I intend to do well”). God knows our heart — yes, that is true. But do we know what God knows about our heart? It is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). God knows our heart is plagued by sin. He knows that it is impossible for us to “do good” APART from Him indwelling us. The beauty is that, though our heart is wicked, God is willing and able to cleanse our heart and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 51:10).

Two Shepherd Books | Book Review

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

I was recently in a thrift store and picked up what I thought was A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Turns out, it was another book in Phillip Keller’s “Shepherd Trilogy.” I finished reading it last week, and it was SO good. Since I was posting that review on here, I thought I’d back up and post a review of both of the “shepherd” books I had read. To find out more about the books, click the links on the titles.

I could quote half of the book…so perhaps I’ll just say you should read it. I have never known much about a sheep’s life (I heard a few lessons by Dr. Larry Guthrie), so reading about how Psalm 23 directly applies to the year of a sheep’s life (and, in turn, how it applies to believers with Jesus as our Shepherd), was really good! I finished the book with a “Wow!” Chapters 9 and 11 were probably the ones that stood out to me–talking about the rod and staff and then “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.” This little book leaves a lot to ponder and think upon!

(The only “disclaimer” is that the version I read was NIV, while I prefer KJV, if this would bother someone)

I’ll go ahead and share just a few quotes:
“All the long and complex history of earth’s religions, pagan worship, and human philosophy is bound up with this insatiable thirst for God.”

“It is in the quiet, early hours of the morning that they are led beside the quiet, still waters where they imbibe the very life of Christ for the day. This is much more than mere figure of speech. It is practical reality. “

“It is he who makes sense and purpose and meaning come out of situations which otherwise would be but a mockery to me.”

“He who has no sense of self-importance cannot be offended or deflated.”

“Instead of finding fault with life and always asking ‘Why?’ I am willing to accept every circumstance of life in an attitude of gratitude.”

In some ways, I think I liked this book better than his exposition on Psalm 23. It was a very good read with a lot of Scripture and parallels from real shepherds. I found fascinating the study of how Jesus enters into our lives vs. how the enemy enters. The enemy “sneaks over the walls,” Jesus waits to enter the right way, not deceitfully.

This book clearly portrays God as holy and righteous and man as worthless sinners — and yet evokes a heart of gratitude to our great Savior. I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it (my only personal qualm is that he used a few different Bible translations instead of going to the original languages to explain some of the verses).

There were so many quotes I liked. And I can’t narrow down which few to share, so here are all of them…
“The only One who really has a right to manage the fold of my life is not myself, but God.”

“If we are not sensitive to the overtures of His Spirit and quickly responsive to the distinct promptings of His Word, we are not going to go anywhere with Him.”

“It simply is not enough just to agree with what God’s Spirit may have said to us. It goes far beyond even becoming emotionally exercised about what we have heard. It is possible for people to weep tears of bitterness or remorse yet never move toward God. It is equally ineffective for individuals to become merely ecstatic about some spiritual issue, for, when the emotion has passed, they are still standing precisely where they were before the call came from Christ.”

“It is presumption of the worst sort to claim His commitments to us, made so freely and in such generosity, while at the same time refusing to comply with His commands or wishes because of our own inherent selfish desires.”

“The moment I deliberately do something definite either for God or others that costs me something, I am expressing love.”

“He who has no sense of self-importance cannot be offended or deflated.”

“We are often quick to forget our blessings, slow to forget our misfortunes.”

“What Christ asks us to do as His followers is to concentrate on keeping close to Him….There is simply no substitute for this wondrous relationship with Him in a warped world.”

“We enjoy the joy of the Lord to the degree we are indwelt by the very Spirit of God. We express the love of God to the measure we allow ourselves to be indwelt by God Himself.”

“We love Him because He first loved us.
We love others because He first loved us.
We love at all because He first loved us.”

“A good environment does not guarantee good men. But noble men do generate an improved environment.”

“The man who would know God must be prepared to give time to Him.”

Roseanna White | Interview

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment
22383696This week, I’m excited to be interviewing one of my top favorite authors, Roseanna White. Granted, I have not read all of her written work (yet), but everything that I have read has had a great balance of realism, Christianity, and history.
Writing is only a part of your life. How do you juggle being an author, homeschooling mom, and everything else that life entails?
It’s mostly a matter of priorities. I get up at 5:30 every day so I have 2 solid hours of writing time before I need to worry with starting the day in terms of feeding children and doing our school. Throughout the rest of the day, I rely on a handy-dandy list (I’m NOT a list person, but this became necessary, LOL) that helps me remember all my many jobs and order them according to the most pressing. Housework, ahem, usually gets pushed pretty far down the list. School and writing come first, then editing and my design work.
Lists are amazing! My days definitely go much smoother with them.
Your books have a lot of depth to them with both plot and spiritual themes. When you get an idea, what usually comes first (the plot idea or spiritual theme/lesson)?
Actually, step one for me is usually the characters. =) From the characters come both the plot and the spiritual themes. My best friend/critique partner and I always joke that we know the characters’ backgrounds and the journey we want to take them on, but when we’re talking about it, we usually say, “And then, you know, plot stuff happens.” Those details get filled in later, LOL. For me, it’s all about that character journey. Who are they, and who are they going to be by the end of the story? The paths God might take them on to get them there are usually not too set in stone.
Ah, characters. That would probably be my weakness. 😉
What is the easiest part of writing for you?
Generating ideas, I think. My agent once called me her “idea girl.” I just love coming up with new book ideas, or even new possibilities for where to take my characters in a book I’m already writing—which certainly makes the editing process more fun than it might be otherwise!
What is the hardest?
Execution. Finding the time to turn that sparkly idea floating around in my brain to words worth putting to paper. There are many days when it’s hard to write—but it’s also an integral part of who I am, so always worth the effort!
Have you had a character you just didn’t want to let go after “the end?” If so, which one(s)?
I’m honestly usually ready to move on to the next project (shiny new ideas! LOL), but I also know I’ll spend a lot more time with my characters in edits, so that helps too. I usually don’t get too sentimental about leaving them behind until I’m at the end of a series, when I won’t get to sneak them into the pages anymore. 😉 I think with my Ladies of the Manor Series, I was particularly sad to say goodbye to Whitby. He wasn’t a main character, but he was in many ways a driving force of the whole series. And just such a cool father for Brook in The Lost Heiress. =D
I think I’m going to be sad to say “goodbye” to a few of those characters in the Ladies of the Manor series! 🙂
15709082I know many authors say that “to pick a favorite book is to pick a favorite child,” but do any of your novels stand out to you as being more of a personal favorite than the others?
It is like that! LOL. But there are a few that are super-special, yes. The Lost Heiress because it’s a rewrite of the first book I ever wrote, when I was 13. And A Stray Drop of Bloodbecause it took me 6 years to write it, so it traveled with me for a looooong time before it became my first published book.
Do you find your real life reflected on the pages of your books?
Bits and pieces make their way in. =) Not generally anything recognizable—I certainly don’t dine with dukes and duchesses, LOL. But clever things my kids say will find their way into the mouths of the children in my stories. Lessons I learn are learned by the characters—or, actually, quite frequently I learn a lesson throughmy characters. And love, of course. The love my heroes and heroines find, with each other and with God, are always a reflection of what the Lord has given me. =)
Who are the authors that have most inspired you?
L.M. Montgomery was my first favorite—I was definitely a kindred spirit of most of her heroines. =) Lori Wick’s Kensington Chronicles are what made me fall in love with British settings. Then came Francine Rivers, who showed me how to make a story weep with emotion. Orson Scott Card, for his dialogue and wit. Frank Peretti for spiritual conflict. Those are just a few of dozens of authors I love, but they’re the ones who shaped me most early on.
What is the #1 thing you’d say to an aspiring writer?

We all have a journey. Sometimes our writing is for its own sake—it doesn’t need publication or praise. Sometimes it’s for others. But no matter the journey, we need to remember that it’s ours. That it shapes us into the person and the writer God wants us to be. Our path will never look like anyone else’s, and that’s as it should be. If you love it, respect the dream and fight for it. But never think you’re at the pinnacle, either of your path or your skill. There’s always something new to learn. New steps to take. Enjoy every step!
Love that! Thank you so much for taking your time to answer my questions!

About Roseanna

Roseanna M. White grew up in the mountains of West Virginia, the beauty of which inspired her to begin writing as soon as she learned to pair subjects with verbs. She spent her middle and high school days penning novels in class, and her love of books took her to a school renowned for them.

After graduating from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland, she and her husband moved back to the same mountains they equate with home.

Roseanna is the author of two biblical novels, A Stray Drop of Blood and Jewel of Persia, the historical romance, Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland, and the historical, romantic suspense Culper Ring Series (Ring of Secrets, Whispers from the Shadows, and Circle of Spies). She is also the senior reviewer at the Christian Review of Books, which she and her husband founded, the senior editor at WhiteFire Publishing, and a member of ACFW, HisWriters, and Colonial Christian Fiction Writers.