Upon the recommendation of my friend Dana, I read Elizabeth Berg's The Year of Pleasures this week. I finished it last night, and I really enjoyed it.
Berg is a writer like no other. She has a way of describing that is wonderful and unique. One of my favorite phrases is "sausage-and-egg voice." I mean, really. That's just awesome.
I think finding the pleasure and joy in everyday life is what we should all be doing, every day.
Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!!
This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series begins in July from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.
ABOUT THE BOOK
After a tour of duty in a war-torn country, embattled former Navy SEAL Max Jacobs finds himself discarded and alienated from those he loves as he struggles with war-related PTSD. His wife, Sydney, files a restraining order against him and a petition for divorce. Max is devastated.
Then a mysterious a man appears. He says he's organizing a group that recycles veterans like Max. It's a deep-six group known as Nightshade. With the chance to find purpose in life once again, Max is unable to resist the call of duty and signs on.
The team handles everything with precision and lethal skill...until they're called upon to rescue a missionary family from a rebel-infested jungle and avoid a reporter hunting their identities.
Will Max yield his anger and pride to a force greater than him...love?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Nightshade, go HERE.
Watch the trailer:
Pattie's Review:
Oh wow! I literally stayed up till early this morning to finish this book. I could not put it down and I knew I could not sleep until I finished. It was a riveting story. At first, as usual with a large cast of characters, I was grateful for the list at the front of the book. After awhile, though, I could keep everyone--and their military handles--straight.
Ronie Kendig has done a fabulous job of blending a little romance and a lot of military jargon into a riveting story.
Fans of Dee Henderson's True Valor series will probably enjoy this book, although I must say that Ronie's novel is much more military ops than romance. I'd rate the graphic description level at PG-13, which is more than the usual Christian fiction, but less than say, Stephen King.
My friend Dana is always good for a book recommendation. This latest one is no exception. I picked up my own copy of Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project yesterday and I'm engrossed in it already.
I completely identify with the author's position: I'm generally a happy person, but I could be more appreciative and happier in general. She says, "I'm happy, but not as happy as I should be."
I have blessings galore, but often feel an emotional sort of malaise. I don't know if I'm just a malcontent, or a latent pessimist, or what my problem is.
Hence, this book and this project.
Yesterday I purchased the book after spending time wandering around Barnes & Noble (a happy time for me). Then my youngest daughter and I went to Joann's craft store and wandered around. I ended up finding yarn on sale--it's from the Debbie Stoller (of Stitch & Bitch fame) line. I also found a free crochet pattern for a striped scarf, and I decided to make it with the two instead of the four colors. I'm not really a crocheter, but since I thought it might be faster than knitting, I went ahead and started it yesterday.
One thing that also makes me happy is starting new projects. My problem generally comes in the middle, when I can't see the end and get discouraged. But finishing things also makes me happy, so let's see if we can figure out the happies in the middle of things.
Today's episode of Focus on the Family will be online for about 30 days or so. You can click on this link, then click on the title of the broadcast to listen online.
My voice is at the beginning. It's a little odd to hear myself talking outside my head...
May God be glorified and His people encouraged through our words today.
Thanks to Sara for the opportunity to help over at Wives of Faith, and also thanks to Emily from Focus on the Family for finding my chaplain's wife blog and interviewing me on the phone.
