Travelers Rest

By Ann Tatlock

Bethany House Publishers, 2012

352 pages

When I read, many factors play into how I’ll rank a novel, but three typically stand above the rest: prose, character, and story. It’s a rare novel that meets all three criteria and an ever rarer novel that excels in all three. When an author achieves this, the result is a page-turning, prose-savoring novel that draws the reader in emotionally, making you care deeply for the characters.

TRAVELER’S REST by Ann Tatlock is one such novel. It’s no surprise for me, though, as Ann Tatlock’s work frequently end up on my Favorites list, as this one has. This is definitely a book I will read again and I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy thought-provoking fiction.

Story Description

A YOUNG WOMAN determined to honor her commitment...

AN INJURED SOLDIER convinced life is no longer worth living...

A RETIRED DOCTOR certain it's too late to be forgiven... 

Jane Morrow has a dilemma. She's engaged to Seth Ballantine, a member of the National Guard's 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and he's returned from Iraq severely wounded. Jane hasn't seen him for nearly a year, and with trepidation, she heads to the VA hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is being treated. Seth isn't happy to see her. He'd asked her not to come. He wants to end the relationship. But Jane loves him, and despite his injury, she's determined to convince him that they can have a life together. Her faith has never been strong, yet she hopes God will answer her prayers and tell her what to do. The answer she finds may not be at all what she expected...

About the Author

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy-Award-winning novel All the Way Home. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association "Book of the Year" in fiction for both All the Way Home and I'll Watch the Moon. Ann lives with her husband, Bob, and their daughter, Laura Jane, in Asheville, North Carolina.

Visit her website at www.anntatlock.com.

Author Spotlight on Sharon Hinck

One of the priceless benefits of becoming a writer has been meeting and making new friends. Over the past few years I have had the privilege of getting to know author Sharon Hinck. She has become a mentor, encourager, and best of all, a friend. Once I'm published, I pray I can handle the responsibility with half the grace as she.

So, I'm thrilled to let people know about the re-release of Sharon's novel, The Restorer's Son as an Expanded Edition (through Marcher Lord Press). I'm not typically a fantasy reader, but Sharon's Sword of Lyric novels are different. She draws the reader in using real-world characters, making it easier to identify with them even as they're drawn into a foreign world.

Sharon's a gifted storyteller and I encourage you to give her Restorer novels a try. You won't be disappointed.

THE RESTORER'S SON-Expanded Edition

Book two in the groundbreaking Sword of Lyric series, The Restorer’s Son won a Carol Award (2008) for speculative fiction.

Plunged again into the gray world of Lyric and Hazor, Susan and Mark search frantically for their teenage son, Jake. All signs hint that a trusted ally has betrayed them and threatens their son. A target of assassins and more political intrigue, false leads and near misses beset their path, which leads them into the dark prisons of Hazor before the One’s purpose is revealed.

Cast out by those he trusts, the new reluctant Restorer prefers to cross swords with the One rather than submit to His will. Pursued by his calling, he journeys to Sidian, where he finds a boy without a home, a king with burning questions, and a nation torn by darkness. As he embraces the tasks the One has set before him, this new Restorer learns that the One requires his all—perhaps even his life.

This new expanded edition of The Restorer’s Son includes an in-depth devotion guide for readers who want to dig into the spiritual themes of the book, bonus scenes providing glimpses of the story through a variety of characters, and fun extras including links to songs and recipes.

Sharon, I love all the new interactive features! What a clever way to add dimension to your book. What was it like developing this material for the new edition? 

     Books are like children. I treasure each of them in different ways, and among the novels I’ve written, I try not to have favorites. However, I confess that The Restorer’s Son has an extra special place in my heart. Because of that, it was fun to revisit the characters and world of this story. Kieran’s attitudes were loosely inspired by a verse in Judges where Gideon is told God will use him to save his people. Gideon’s response is basically, “If God is for us, why have all these bad things happened to us?” It’s a question many can relate to, and part of the reason that Kieran is such a beloved character.

     The new devotion guide gives readers an opportunity to dig deeper into the Biblical inspirations that helped inform the book, as well as find personal application. About forty pages of new content, including bonus scenes and a new song composed for the book, make this edition a new experience.

How did you decide where to put in bonus elements? 

     Working with the publisher, we decided it was important to keep the flow of the story intact and free from distractions. So the book is designed with a large back-of-the-book section that can be used either after finishing the story, or during the reading of the main story. Small symbols and page numbers at the end of chapters direct readers to bonus scenes, and QR symbols in the margin invite readers to explore audio files, or recipes, or rules for playing Perish – all without interrupting the story.

     It was important to me that people would feel that it was worth the investment to own The Restorer’s Son-Expanded Edition, even if they had a copy of the original edition, so we packed this book with lots of added value. 

As someone who owns all the original Sword of Lyric releases, I can't wait to get my new copies. It sounds like the new features will be very entertaining. But, besides an entertaining read, what do you hope people experience in The Restorer’s Son-Expanded Edition? 

     My hope is that readers will catch glimpses of the way the One speaks to each of us in the language we understand, and that we can go to Him with our difficult questions. For those who are walking very painful roads, I hope the story will help them feel acknowledged. The journey is hard, heroic, and sometimes frightening. But we are never alone. 

That's so true. We are never alone. Part of that is having people in our lives to cheer us on our life journey and, in this writing business, having cheerleaders is so important. Who is your biggest cheerleader(s)?

     My absolutely best cheerleader (although he’s never shaken a pompom) is my husband. All the best qualities of my male heroes are inspired by him, and he patiently listens when I’m full of discouragement and doubt about my work.

He sounds like my husband (and no, he's never shaken a pompom either) who's encouraged every step in my writing journey. Everyone's path to publication is different and inspiring. Could you briefly describe yours?

     I felt God nudging me to move into writing again. I had done a bit of writing for magazines, and a lot of writing for newsletters, scripts, marketing material, etc. during my work in the arts. I joined a Christian writing group, continuing to pray for direction about WHAT to write. I assumed God would guide me to go back into writing magazine articles. But all the writers in the group were working on novels, and it was so FUN hearing what they’d created each month. The thought took hold. What if I wanted to write a novel? Which genre? What kind of story? What sort of story would I like to read? Who would the protagonist be? What would be her core struggle? I created Susan Mitchell and threw her into an alleyway in Shamgar where a sword fight was going on...and The Restorer unfolded from there. When the manuscript was finished I brought it to a writer’s conference and accepted representation from an agent who liked the work. I kept writing, and it was actually my fifth finished manuscript (TheSecret Life of Becky Miller) that was first contracted, all the Restorer series sold soon after that. It’s so fun to see those stories have a new life. 

Thank you so much, Sharon, for stopping by Spire Reviews today! I hope you'll visit again when The Restorer's Journey-Expanded Edition releases.

~*~*~

An interview with Sharon Hinck at Inkspirational Messages following the release of The Restorer-Expanded Edition:

http://inkspirationalmessages.com/2012/01/chatting-with-sharon-hinck

To order The Restorer’s Son-Expanded Edition: http://urlcut.me/aM3

Kindle version: http://urlcut.me/aM2

Sharon Hinck writes “stories for the hero in all of us,” about ordinary people experiencing God’s grace in unexpected ways. Known for their authenticity, emotional range, and spiritual depth, her novels include contemporary fiction such as The Secret Life of Becky Miller or Stepping into Sunlight and the groundbreaking Sword of Lyric fantasy series which includes The Restorer’s Son–Expanded Edition. She’s been a Christy finalist and has won three Carol awards.

Sharon’s undergrad degree is in education, and she earned an M.A. in Communication. When she isn’t wrestling with words, she enjoys speaking to conferences, retreats, and church groups. She loves interacting with visitors at her website and blog: www.sharonhinck.com and http://sharonswriting.blogspot.com/

Lost and Found

by Ginny L. Yttrup

B&H Publishing Group, 2012
352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1433671715

Have you ever read a novel that speaks to your soul? One that gives you gut checks as you read? That's exactly what happened as I read Ginny Yttrup's sophomore novel, Lost and Found.

In this story, Jenna Bouvier loses things: watches, diamonds ... her health, beauty, and worst of all, herself. She and her husband, Gerard, live with her mother-in-law, Brigitte, who manipulates everything and everyone around her. She's controlled her son to the point of making him a weak man, one who's afraid to stand up for his wife. All Jenna wants to do is please Brigitte, and she loses herself in the process.

Adding substance to this story is Andee Bell, a powerful businesswoman with a scarred past, someone who refuses to be hurt again, and Matthew MacGregor, a quirky spiritual director who guides Jenna, trying to help her find herself again.

This story explores emotionally destructive relationships and what it means to take up your cross and follow Jesus. When you look at your life, whom do you aim to please? Your husband maybe? How about your father? Maybe a friend? To what extent will you go to try to win their approval? What will you sacrifice? In Jenna's case, she sacrificed who she was. Her desire to please her mother-in-law transcended pleasing God. In effect, she'd made her mother-in-law her idol.

Jenna's journey to finding herself again, with the aid of Matthew, is a beautiful story. I especially enjoyed Matthew's character. I loved his unleashed love of God and his ability to see God in others. His joyous attitude added the perfect touch of levity to an otherwise very serious book.

My one minor complaint has to do with the back cover copy (see Back Cover Copy or Synopsis). It gives away too much information, including a plot point that doesn't happen until near the end of the book. So, if you don't like spoilers, avoid reading the description. Even so, knowing this will not spoil your enjoyment of the book.

Author Ginny Yttrup has proven herself to be a top-notch novelist with Lost and Found, following up last year's phenomenal debut, Words. She not only tells a great story, but she has the gift of changing your heart. Her characters are multi-faceted and very believable. Her prose sings, melding together story and character to create a stirring concerto. I can't wait to read more from Ginny Yttrup.

Ginny L. Yttrup is an accomplished freelance writer, speaker, and life coach who also ministers to women wounded by sexual trauma. She has two grown sons and lives in California.

Jenna Bouvier's blog: http://iluminar.me/
http://ginnyyttrup.com/