Avon Inspire (April 2010)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold twenty-six novels to numerous publishers. She has written a seven book contemporary series for Avalon books. She also published The Love Letter, a western for Avalon. Five Star Expressions published Suddenly, You in February of 2007. This novel is a historical western set in the mountains of Colorado.
Shelley has written nine novels for Harlequin American Romance. Cinderella Christmas, her first novel with them, reached number six on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list. Her second book with them, Simple Gifts won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice award for best Harlequin American Romance of 2006. The Mommy Bride, was chosen by Romantic Times Magazine as one of their TOP PICKS for May, 2008.
Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for Harper Collins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. HIDDEN and WANTED the first two novels of her ‘Sisters of the Heart’ series, were chosen to be Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/ Literary Guild Book Club. FORGIVEN, book 3, has received glowing reviews. Avon Inspire will release four novels by Shelley in 2010.
Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelors and masters degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two teenagers, and is an active member of her church.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Tim Graber arrives in Sugarcreek to help his aunt and uncle with spring planting. At first, Tim doesn't fit in with his many cousins and their crowded lifestyle. But when he meets Clara Slabaugh, the local school teacher, he understands why the Lord brought him to Sugarcreek.
Clara is shy and quiet. Scarred from a fire when she was small, Clara has resigned herself to living alone and caring for her mother, who tells her that no man will ever see past her scars, and that Clara needs to keep teaching in order to make ends meet.
Her father passed away years ago, and her mother depends on her. But the scars mean nothing to Tim. He appreciates her quiet nature and her wonderful, loving way with children. Yet Tim has a sweetheart back home in Indiana. As these two hearts struggle to determine their path, tragedy strikes, and every other worry seems insignificant in comparison.
Though they now face a life they never imagined, will Tim and Clara have the faith to step out and risk everything for a chance at true love?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Spring's Renewal, go HERE.
Back Cover Review:
Spring’s Renewal gives a taste of Amish lifestyle, thoughts and expectations that is intriguing to outsiders like me. The characters are endearing and their motivations and struggles authentic. I do wish that there was less “telling” in this story and that the characters “murmured” in dialogue less often, but I still found myself thoroughly enjoying Spring’s Renewal.
My Tangent (about the Amish in our area, but not directly related to this book)…
In Pennsylvania, there are areas where you see the black horse-drawn buggies traveling up and down the road with the ladies in long dresses and bonnets. In fact, just today on the way to Reading there was a buggy coming and going at the same time as us!!!
When my family came to visit, we went to Lancaster and toured an Amish farm that is open to the public. It felt more like a tourist-site than authentic. I think it was their way of meeting outsiders’ curiosity more than allowing them into their world. It is intriguing to what great lengths they go to not use electricity and automated equipment. Maybe if we really want to be “green” we should live more like them, but there it is…do I really mean what I say? Hmm…I don’t think that I’m on a “green” crusade, but I do think that we have a responsibility to take care of our environment.
Their way of life is interesting. They seem very devout to God and living “Plain,” but closed off from the world. I don’t think that encouraging people to live like them is part of their motivation – its more about being separate – and to me, they are missing an important element in what God has called us to do…to tell everyone we know about the good news of Jesus Christ. Just think, what if you had won a Grand Prize of 20 million dollars and learned that anyone who simply asked could win this same amount, would you tell your friends? Duh. I would hope so! (Only selfishness and greed could hold us back). Well, do we believe that we’ve been told the way to live forever in Heaven or not? I do. And I believe that Jesus is the only answer. Am I acting that way though? These simple questions and living this – I make it so much more difficult than it is.
1 comment:
Interesting thoughts Gretchen. Thanks for sharing!
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