A FRAGILE HOPE - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus More

Welcome back, Cynthia. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions? 

Two women who may never know of their influence on this story stirred my heart and emotions during the research for A Fragile Hope. Their videos are online. I’d be happy to share the links with those who have read the book, if they contact me. To share them before they read A Fragile Hope would give too many spoilers. So all I can say is that their courage and determination in the face of unbelievable odds helped me know hope was possible in the situations Josiah and Karin faced in the story, the outrageous can be true, and what love looks like when it is stretched beyond recognition.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar?

I have several exciting events coming up in the next few months. In fact, it would almost be easier to tell you the days I’ll be home! I’m heading to Little Falls, Minnesota, at the end of April for a women’s afternoon event on the 25th, followed by a library event the next night—the 26th—from 6:30-8:00 in Upsala, Minnesota. They have a great library and librarian who is a big, big fan of Christian fiction. That Saturday, the 29th of April is a multi-author book signing at Bethany Books and Gifts in Baxter, Minnesota. Gabrielle Meyer will join me for that one.

In May, I’m journeying BACK to Minnesota to speak at a book club tea on the 7th, then the Minnesota Christian Writers’ Guild on the 8th. I’m speaking/teaching at the Cedar Falls Writers’ Workshop in early June, then leading worship and serving on faculty at the Write-to-Publish conference on the Wheaton College campus immediately after that. Toward the end of June, I’m serving at CBA’s UNITE gathering in Cincinnati. In July, I breathe. J

Sounds wonderful. If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why?

Since I live in the heart of Wisconsin, and spring is always slow in coming, I think I would choose someplace warmer with a longer growing season and avocadoes for 42 cents. San Diego is appealing, and it’s within driving distance of my birthplace—Oceanside. However, I would miss lilacs and a white Christmas.

If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be?

My counsel on this subject hasn’t changed a lot, despite the changes in the industry. I strongly advise connecting with ACFW—American Christian Fiction Writers—as one of many means by which to grow in the craft as a novelist. Attend conferences that offer education plus networking plus camaraderie with other writers (ACFW is a great example), and learn how to wait with grace. No matter the publishing path, waiting will always be part of the journey.

You’ve been asked to be in charge of a celebrity cruise. Who would you ask to take part, and why? (AS in what program, singers, etc. [it doesn’t have to be writing related])

Chip and Joanna Gaines (from HGTV’s Fixer Upper) would provide the program, entertainment, and humor. They’d let me talk about spiritual restoration a time or two. My family would use it as a reunion and provide the music. Only Chip and Joanna are celebrities, but it would still be fun.

I love that show and the fact that they’re so open about their faith and love their family. Tell us about the featured book.

A Fragile Hope is a story that asks the question, “Where does a relationship expert turn when his wife leaves him and can’t explain why?” Josiah Chamberlain’s life’s work is threatened by his wife’s unexplained distance—and then threatened further when she’s unexpectedly plunged into an unending fog. Josiah quickly finds that his expertise, quick wit, and clever quips are no match for a relationship that is clearly broken. Betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love

Please give us the first page of the book.

CHAPTER ONE

This wave of pain will pass. So will the next.

Life’s hard seasons rock us. Hold on.

Some years, spring comes early.

~ Seedlings & Sentiments
from the “When Sorry Isn’t Enough” Collection

She punched the blender’s Off button hard enough to rock the unit. Not good. All she needed was for that slurpy mixture to go flying across the shop. Maybe Josiah had a point about the blender noise. She couldn’t think with it whirring. How could she expect him to?

But thinking could be dangerous.

“I love this one.”

The voice came from behind her. She had no trouble discerning who it belonged to. She gripped the handle tighter to override the slick of her sweating palms.

“Karin, did you hear me? I said I really like this one.”

She lifted the blender pitcher from its base and held it close to her body. Not a traditional self-defense posture. With his work cap too far back on his head to hide the questioning crease in his forehead or the tuft of artificially bleached-blond hair that teased the creases, Wade Frambolt waited for her response.

“It’s part of our ‘When Sorry Isn’t Enough’ collection,” she said as casually as she could manage. “Still so new, the ink isn’t dry yet.” She should turn, empty the contents of the blender onto the mold-and-deckle screen prepped for it. She should.

Wade’s mouth drew up on one side. “I don’t know how you two keep coming up with these things. You find a way to express what people are thinking but don’t know how to say.”

Karin’s tension eased one notch on an emotional belt with its holes punched too close together. Not much help. “We’d better be able to do that, or we shouldn’t have gotten into this business.” Her nervous laugh belonged to a fourteen-year-old girl, not a business professional. With a husband.

Wade pulled at his lower lip. She followed the path of his gaze. The shop. Her shop. Seedlings and Sentiments.

Where can we find you on the Internet?

http://www.cynthiaruchti.com or http://www.hemmedinhope.com

http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage

http://www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti

When your life's work revolves around repairing other people's marriages, what happens when your own marriage begins to fall apart? Find out what happens to Josiah Chamberlain in Cynthia Ruchti's new book, A Fragile Hope. Feeling betrayed, confused, and ill-equipped for a crisis this crippling, he reexamines everything he knows about the fragility of hope and the strength of his faith and love. Love seems to have failed him. Will what's left of his faith fail him, too? Or will it be the one thing that holds him together and sears through the impenetrable wall that separates them?

Celebrate the release of A Fragile Hope by entering to win Cynthia's Sign of Hope Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Fragile Hope
• A metal wall scripture hanging

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on May 3. The winner will be announced May 4 on the Litfuse blog.

Thanks so much for this opportunity to touch base with your readers, Lena!

Thank you for sharing this new book with me and my readers. Your books deal with the hard stuff with grace and truth. All of them have changed my perspective in some way. That’s why readers come back to your books over and over.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

A Fragile Hope - Christianbook.com
A Fragile Hope - Amazon
A Fragile Hope - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

RESTORING CHRISTMAS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book

Dear Readers, I was hooked on Cynthia Ruchti books when her first novel was published. Now I wait eagerly for the next one to come out. I loved last year’s Christmas book. I haven’t read this one, because my copy hasn’t arrived yet, but it will go to the top of my to-be-read pile.

Welcome back, Cynthia. Why did you become an author?

I was motivated to become an author because of the way the written word impacted my life, the way story changed me, moved me, educated me, expanded my compassion and understanding. I longed to be able to interpret life through words for someone else, for my readers.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job?

Such a difficult question for me. Sometimes I think I could be happy as a wedding planner, or a photographer, or a florist. At one time, I went back to college with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher. But there’s something to be said for pursuing a career as a secret Bed and Breakfast inspector.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why?

Before Downton Abbey captured my attention, I might have answered differently. I might have chosen a Little House on the Prairie time period, despite its challenges. But the costumes, the immaculate manners, the culture, and the architect of the Downton Abbey aristocracy—minus the arrogance, secrets, and drama—is captivating to the imagination.

What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to?

Hawaii. Someday. Someday…

How about a foreign country you hope to visit?

Italy and France are running neck-and-neck on my wish list.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently?

At the recent ACFW conference, Ted Dekker challenged us to consider God’s admonition that our spiritual survival depends on “renewing our minds” applies to all areas of our lives. That had a significant impact on the way I view disappointments and distresses.

Tell us about the featured book.

Restoring Christmas is the story of a woman who sets out to restore a neglected fieldstone farmhouse and earn herself a spot on the Heart-and-Home Christmas renovation special. What she doesn’t expect is to restore a life.

Alexis Blake has one chance to land her own show on the Heart-and-Home network and nothing—not an uncooperative client, a job site without indoor plumbing, or a challenging videographer—is going to stand in her way.

Elsie, at seventy-plus, is far from the ideal client, but she knows exactly what she wants her fieldstone house to look like, and no designer can tell her otherwise.

Gabe Langley, the man with the camera, is caught in the middle, and it is his wisdom and warmth that just may be the bridge that will bring these two women together. Can they restore more than just a house and save Christmas memories from being lost forever?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Roasted chestnut latte? How can that be a bad thing?

           

Alexis Blake shuffled forward in line as two of the three customers ahead of her finished paying for their beverages. The only person left now in the chasm between her and coffee stepped up to place his order. A defensive linebacker-sized guy with espresso hair curling over his collar. Alexis caught sight of the chalkboard boasting the Caffé Tlazo breakfast special of the day. Wild mushroom and crispy shallot quiche. Not her typical organic yogurt and blueberry quick-fix breakfast. And not what she expected from an unpretentious café in an unpretentious town along the western shore of Lake Michigan.

           

Algoma. She rehearsed it in her head for the sake of any sensitive locals: Al (as in Pal) GO-muh. The town might have shared Lake Michigan with Chicago more than two hundred miles to the south, but it had little else in common with the metropolis. Alexis hadn’t seen much more of shore-hugging Algoma than what edged the road that brought her to town. The highway wove through farmland and orchards, slowing her down with interspersed villages clustered around a cheese factory, winery, or connection to the “Old Country.”

           

She’d sat at the stop sign in Algoma too long where Highway 54 decided it was done, the highway creators as startled by the view as she was, apparently. The road teed with a wide-sweeping vista of Lake Michigan and the curious, skinny red lighthouse at the tip of the breakwater. Turning south at the tee would have taken her toward Kewaunee by way of Alaska. The town, not the state. North led to the heart of her destination, home to the most important client she’d never met. Would soon meet. Right after Alexis signed the contract with the videographer.

After a flood of email exchanges, she was about to meet the local videographer who could either propel her career forward or ruin it.

           

While she waited for the linebacker to finish gabbing with the barista, she checked the clock on her phone. Fifteen minutes. She had fifteen minutes to place her order and get settled before George Langley arrived. Not much breathing space, but the drive from Green Bay, across the stubby base of Wisconsin’s thumb, took longer than expected. As had picking out an outfit that said “confident but approachable.” She unbuttoned her wool coat. Late October. Too warm for wool. Too cold for a lighter jacket.

           

Alexis scanned the customers already seated. As eclectic a mix as the artsy décor. Nobody matched the description of the George Langley she’d seen on the website, a man with silver hair, distinctive bushy eyebrows, and sparkling deep-water eyes.

The chatty guy in front of her turned after slipping a dollar into the tip jar and headed toward the small, mismatched tables scattered throughout the compact café. A room that looked as if it had lived an earlier life as a screened-in porch held additional tables and chairs—slate-topped wrought iron, patio-style.

           

No. No, no, no. The ex-football player chose the one table he couldn’t have, the one by the windows in the southeast corner. The spot where she and George were destined to plot out the next eight weeks of her life, and maybe longer. Maybe the next eight, ten, twenty years, if the audition video went well. No. This guy could not have that table.

           

She corrected the details of her fumbled order—her fault—focused on the task at hand, added more to the tip jar, and launched herself toward the corner table.

           

“Excuse me, sir. Would you mind moving to another spot? I’m meeting someone here.” She tapped the slate tabletop with her index finger. “Here.”

           

“No can do.”

           

Nice smile. Nice try. “I’d really appreciate it. I’ve never met the man before and…”

           

“Blind date, huh? Breakfast blind date?” He nodded as if contemplating. “Uncommon, but not unwise.”

           

A waitress set a blue-green and chocolate brown pottery mug in front of the irritant. The foamed milk on top sported a design that looked like a cross between a heart and a fern leaf. Classy touch.

           

“It’s a business meeting,” Alexis said, pulling her laptop case off her shoulder as if that would convince him.

           

“Me, too. Here. Right”—he tapped with his index finger—“here.”

I love this opening, Cynthia. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to keep in contact with readers through facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, twitter.com/cynthiaruchti, or my website—http://www.cynthiaruchti.com

Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing this holiday treat with us. By the way, I love your new headshot.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Restoring Christmas - Christianbook.com
Restoring Christmas: A Novella - Amazon hardcover
Restoring Christmas: A Novella - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

SONG OF SILENCE - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book, Plus Much More

Dear Readers, I’m thrilled to have another Cynthia Ruchti book for you. When I read her first novel, I was hooked. Her writing is unique, and her stories are always different from any others that are out there. And that’s a good thing.

Welcome, Cynthia. How did you come up with the idea for this story?

The more I talk with women readers, especially at speaking events, the more we seem to share a common bond about a little-discussed season of life—the front edge of retirement years. My husband has been semi-retired due to workplace cutbacks since he was fifty and now punches a time-clock only two days a week, although the time-clock has matured to a computerized click. As a writer, I work from home—long hours, intense hours. Most work-at-home women can imagine the reaction I hear when I say, “He’s home all…the…time.” That statement is met with a collective, knowing, “Ohhhhh…”

It’s not a bad thing to be near the person you love and have committed your forevers to. But that season offers challenges rarely talked about. It’s a new dance for a married couple. How do they maneuver when their ideas about almost everything from wake and sleep schedules to agendas for the day to noise-versus-quiet to the meaning of a deadline to television and recliners and “Are you busy?” have completely different meanings for husband and wife?

In Song of Silence, I added other layers to that common glitch. Charlie retired early and loved the idea of having nothing he had to do anymore, other than putter in his garden and go fishing once in a while. Lucy was forced into way-too-early retirement when her role as a music educator in their small town school was cut due to budget problems. Art and music—gone. Lucy’s passion—gone.

But in any good novel, one conflict isn’t enough. Lucy’s song is silenced in multiple ways. Her journey to reclaim it lies at the heart of the story.

Growing up with a music educator father certainly informed the passion part of the telling of Lucy’s story. And my main character is named for a favorite music teacher from grade school—Lucy, who just happens to be married to a man named Charlie.

I so understand. Since my husband and I are in our 70s, we had to work through that season of life. Since I’m still a working author, he often volunteers in various ministries in our area. If you were planning a party with Christian authors of contemporary fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

I know you’d like me to name names, but I have a concept in mind, rather than specific authors. I’d set a table in front of the fireplace, bring in comfy upholstered wing chairs rather than my stiff dining room chairs, serve a delightful meal prepared by—oh, say—The Barefoot Contessa, and greet my guests. Two would be general market authors like Sue Monk Kidd or Jodi Picoult or Anne Tyler, so I could gain their perspectives on stories that draw readers like…um…bees to honey. Two would be long-experienced Christian contemporary fiction authors like Lisa Wingate, Gina Holmes, or Nicole Baart who all write family drama, so I could tap into their thoughts about the meshing of story creation and emotion. But I might also want to include those who write in a genre outside my own, because there’s so much we can learn from one another. Because I do on occasion have the joy of sitting across the table from Rachel Hauck, Colleen Coble, Robin Caroll, Brandilyn Collins, Cara Putman, Becky Melby, Kathryn Springer, and others whom I admire, I would sit with them the NEXT night at dinner! My last two of the six would be chosen from among the many new faces on the contemporary fiction scene. Most of them are writing contemporary romance. I’d love to have the opportunity to sit face-to-face or elbow-to-elbow with younger writers who are intentionally choosing to write women’s fiction where romance is an element but emotion steals the show, where the conflicts are real-life conflicts.

Now let’s do that for a party for Christian authors of historical fiction, what six people would you invite and why?

I would choose those who not only write well, tell great stories, but are crazy-thorough with their research. Writers like Sarah Sundin, Karen Barnett, you Lena, Julie Klassen, Lynn Austin, Karen Witemeyer…

Thank you for including me. I’d love spending time with those authors. Many times, people (and other authors) think you have it made with so many books published. What is your most difficult problem with writing at this time in your career?

Authors continually invest time and energy to discover new readers who’ve not yet read their books. And new ways to connect with them meaningfully. But a daunting challenge is also pressed upon us—whether by our own intents, our publishers’ expectations, or the God of excellence who called us to this role—to make the next book even better than the last. It’s not a “problem,” but instead a challenge that serves to sharpen me, as it should.

That is so true. Tell us about the featured book.

Music taught Lucy love and beauty. Could silence teach her hope?

Lucy and Charlie Tuttle agree on one thing: they’re committed to each other for life. Trouble is, neither of them expected life to look like this. Charlie retired early, but Lucy is devoted to a long-term career…until the day she has no choice.

Forced to retire from her positions as music educator in a small Midwestern K-8 school, Lucy can only watch helplessly as the program her father started years ago disintegrates before her eyes. As the music fades and a chasm separates her from the passion of her heart, Lucy wonders if her faith’s song has gone silent, too. The musical score of her life seems to be missing all the notes.

When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees—and hears—everything.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

—Kahlil Gibran

Lucy removed her reading glasses and watched Ellie’s thin, thirteen-year-old fingers splay against the girl’s too-flat stomach. “Try it,” Lucy said.

“I don’t have much breath.”

“I know.” The confession drilled so much deeper than it would have coming from any of Lucy’s other students. “Please try.”

She watched as Ellie struggled to fill her scarred lungs from the bottom without moving her upper chest or shoulders. The girl’s hand moved an inch.

“Now, inhale and exhale without letting your hand move at all.”

“I can’t.”

Lucy tilted her head, eyebrows raised, wordlessly urging a response from Ellie.

Ellie smiled. “Time to be brave? Braver than I feel?”

“Right.” Lucy traced the girl’s line of sight to one of the dozens of motivational posters on the wall. Be Brave. Braver than you feel. Next to it, Right or wrong, blow it strong. Beside that one, Practice doesn’t make perfect. It makes possible. Lucy’s favorite, Just so you know, dogs don’t eat music homework.

“Deep breath from the bottom of your lungs. Push your abdomen out to allow air in. Hold it. Now two small breaths in and out without moving your hand. There! You did it!”

Ellie pressed her lips together but couldn’t stop the smile that overrode her efforts. “I didn’t think I could.”

“Now, let’s try that technique for these four measures.” Lucy pointed to the sheet on the music stand. “Keep that expansion in your tummy, even though you’ll have to breathe. See if it doesn’t help you maintain that beautiful tone you’ve been working on.”

The girl raised the silver flute to her pursed lips, a mix of eagerness and skepticism on her face. She exaggerated the movement of her abdomen, her striped shirt proving her obedience, and played the specified measures. Ellie’s eyes flashed her reaction before she lowered her flute. “That,” she said, “was awesome!”

Tears tickled Lucy’s sinuses. “Yes, it was.”

“Does that work with singing, too? Could I join choir next year? Is there room for me?”

Laughter poured out of Lucy’s mouth, but it originated in her heart. “Four brilliant measures and you’re ready to tackle singing, too?” As quickly as the laughter erupted, it died. Her choir? Next year?

“My doctor says he owes you.” Ellie’s flute lay in her lap, the thin fingers cradling it. She stifled most of a cough. “He says he never would have thought of music as cystic fibrosis therapy.”

I never thought my first chair flutist would muscle through CF to keep playing. “I’m glad it’s helping.”

“GDBD,” she said, running her fingers over the instrument. “Good days, bad days?”
Ellie looked up. “Do you text?” Incredulity. 
Lucy took no offense. Even at a few months shy of fifty-six, she must have seemed ancient to a thirteen-year-old. Despite her sassy haircut. And artsy earrings, thanks to Ania’s jewelry-making skills. “Is today a good day, Ellie?”

The girl lifted her flute then pointed to the line of notes on the page, as a pool player might point to the pocket where she intended the eight ball to land. “Mrs. Tuttle, any day I’m breathing is a considered a good day.” She inhaled without moving her shoulders and played the measures as if running a victory lap. Which she would likely never do. Run.

Lucy was three hours away from another school board budget-cut meeting. Could she keep breathing? The discussion had crept too close to destroying scenes like this one with Ellie. Only Lucy’s dogged sense of propriety had kept her from storming the school board’s line of tables and chairs last time. If it crept much closer...

Lucy turned her attention back to her admiration for a thirteen-year-old’s breathless ability to muscle through.

Wonderful! How can readers find you on the Internet?

They can connect with me—and please do!—through my website: http://www.cynthiaruchti.com or http://www.hemmedinhope.com (My tagline for all my stories is, “I can’t unravel. I’m hemmed in hope.”), or through http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage or http://www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti and http://www.pinterest.com/cynthiaruchti. You can find images of how I pictured my characters and the setting on the Pinterest Song of Silence board.

Thank you so much, Lena! You’re a gem!

As the music fades and a chasm separates her from the passion of her heart, will Lucy's faith song go silent, too? Find out in Cynthia Ruchti's new book, Song of Silence. The musical score of her life seems to be missing all the notes. When a simple misstep threatens to silence Lucy forever, a young boy and his soundless mother change the way she sees—and hears—everything.

Celebrate the release of Song of Silence with a blog tour and giveaway. Two winners will be chosen!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Song of Silence
• A $150 Visa cash card

One second place winner will receive:

• A copy of Song of Silence
• A music-themed prize pack filled with goodies hand-picked by Cynthia

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on May 9th. The winners will be announced May 10th on Cynthia's blog.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Song of Silence - Christianbook.com

Song of Silence - Amazon

Song of Silence - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

AN ENDLESS CHRISTMAS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book

BIO: Speaker and award-winning author, Cynthia Ruchti draws from 33 years experience writing and producing a daily radio broadcast to tell stories hemmed in Hope through her novels, novellas, devotions, and nonfiction. She serves as the professional relations liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. Cynthia and her husband live in the heart of Wisconsin.

Dear Readers, I’ve known and loved Cynthia Ruchti for a long time. And her books are always wonderful reads. Since the beginning of October, I’ve been reading mostly Christmas books. There are a large number of new Christian Christmas releases. An Endless Christmas stands out as one of the best. A unique storyline and characters who marched into my heart and took up residence there kept me turning pages as fast as I could. A heartwarming story that lingers, this book is sure to become a traditional favorite that will be read year after year. You won’t want to miss this one.

Tell us about your salvation experience.

A love for God, the Bible, and Jesus had been planted in my heart almost since birth, or at least since I could recognize the word God and the look of reverence on my parents’ faces. Respecting the Word of God and appreciating Jesus and His love almost came naturally, growing up in that sweet atmosphere. But when I was five years old, I was confronted with my need for doing more than just thinking about Jesus. During swimming lessons that summer, the instructor’s insistence on the buddy system “in case someone got in trouble in the water” brought me face-to-face with the idea that even a child could die. I wanted the assurance that if something happened to me, then or ever, I would have a home in heaven with the God I loved. I can almost hear the screen door slamming behind me all those years ago when I rushed home after swim class, kneeled by the ratty tweed couch, and asked my parents to help me commit my life to Jesus as my Savior. No turning back. No turning back.

I was also reared in that kind of home, and I asked Jesus into my heart when I was seven years old.You’re planning a writing retreat where you can only have four other authors. Who would they be and why?

My daughter, Amy, who has a writer’s heart and is one day going to write more than the wittiest Facebook posts ever.

My granddaughter, Grace, who also has an exceptional gift.

My other granddaughter, Hannah, because her flair for the dramatic may mean she too is on a path toward writing emotion-packed stories (and because she’d never forgive me if she weren’t invited).

You, because you’d make them all feel at home. J

That sounds like a fun retreat. I’d love interacting with all of you. Do you have a speaking ministry? If so, tell us about that.

Yes, I speak frequently for women’s groups and retreats. I love the relationships that form at these events and the ability to in that way, too, tell stories hemmed in hope. I have the outrageous privilege of serving as one of the speakers on a Women’s Retreat CRUISE in April, from Tampa to Key West to Cozumel and back. What a thrill to have been asked to participate in that event.

Wow! That sounds like fun. I love cruises. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you and how did you handle it?

One of the most embarrassing was during a duet my girlfriend and I sang in church when we were young teens. It was a sober song, but we got the giggles and couldn’t get rid of them. My friend’s mother was our pianist and shot us a searing “evil eye.” But that just made it all the funnier. We never did pull ourselves together. But we were asked again and somehow managed to overcome the temptation to allow it to happen again.

People are always telling me that they’d like to write a book someday. I’m sure they do to you, too. What would you tell someone who came up to you and said that?

I would tell people—and often have—to get to the best writers’ conference they can afford. It’s such a good first step, because they will either feel like they’ve finally found what they’ve been looking for, or the realities of what it takes to become a writer will convince them there are other ways to lose sleep.

Tell us about the featured book.

An Endless Christmas is the story of Christmas week with the Binder family. When grandson Micah Binder proposes to his girlfriend and she says “No,” the week seems off to a rocky start. But the Binder family’s response becomes part of Katie Vale’s journey to the heart of Christmas.

Please give us the first page of the book for my readers.

“What did she say?”

A carol played in the background. Carols perpetually played in the background at the Binder’s cottage at Christmas, Katie Vale had quickly learned. The music almost covered the whispered “What did she say?” that made the rounds of the room built for two that now held twenty.

           

“She said no.” Dodie Binder—matriarch and tone-setter—leaned closer to her husband Wilson whose smile collapsed, stroke-like, when she repeated the answer in his good ear.

           

“She said no?” He wasn’t the only one asking for clarification.

           

Katie fingered the heirloom ring. In her hand, not on it. A square-cut diamond surrounded by tiny sapphires. A narrow, glitter-edged ribbon looped through its circle. Moments earlier it had hung on the Binder’s tinseled Christmas tree. “I said…”—she apologized to Micah Binder with her eyes and with all she couldn’t express—“no. I can’t accept this. I can’t—”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

http://www.cynthiaruchti.com, http://www.hemmedinhope.com, http://www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, http://www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti, http://www.pinterest.com/cynthiaruchti

Thank you, Lena. It’s always a joy to stop by for a chat!

And, Cynthia, it's a joy to host you. With the growth of the readership of the blog, we always have new readers who haven't read any of your work. I'm happy to introduce them to other Christian authors.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

An Endless Christmas - Christianbook.com
An Endless Christmas: A Novella - Amazon
An Endless Christmas: A Novella - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

ALL MY BELONGINGS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book on This Blog, Plus More

Bio: Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, nonfiction projects, speaking events and a history of 33 years of on-air storytelling through The Heartbeat of the Home radio broadcast. 

Her books have been recognized by Retailers' Choice, RT Reviewers' Choice, Family Fiction Readers' Choice, ACFW's Carol Award nomination, and other honors. All My Belongings is her eighth release (including three non-fiction books). Ruchti has also written articles for numerous magazines and industry publications and currently serves as Professional Relations Liaison for American Christian Fiction Writers. 

Ruchti lives in Wisconsin where she spends her days diving into words, worship, and wonder. It is her delight to serve on her church's worship team and creative arts team. One of her greatest joys is helping other writers grow in their craft. Cynthia and her husband have been married for 40-plus years and have three grown children and five grandchildren.

And, dear readers, All My Belongings and my book, Catherine’s Pursuit are both finalists in the Can Gold Scroll Awards for Novel of the Year. I’m honored to be considered with her book.

Welcome Cynthia. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

Seasons in life bring us to a place of a far deeper understanding of a Scripture verse we may have seen many times, even memorized. I feel that way right now about the verse that says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” God has provided publishing opportunities and a great relationship with my publishing house. He’s blessed me with contracts into the future—both fiction and nonfiction. But all that comes with a sober realization that I’m responsible to handle these gifts well, to give every opportunity my all, and to stay alert to the needs of others—both family and readers—while on this journey. Every book challenges me personally, so whether fiction or nonfiction, I finish the project changed. What do I see on the horizon? More of that! More insights into the human heart, and God’s heart, and what happens when they touch.

Tell us a little about your family.

I’m married to my grade school sweetheart. We met when I was in fifth grade and he was in sixth grade. We married young—he was 21 and I was 20—but we’d already been in love for eight years! Three years into marriage, we added our beautiful daughter Amy to the family. Three years later, a son. When she was eleven, our daughter stomped her feet and said, “Why won’t you have another baby!” We calmly told her that our family was large enough. God thought differently. When said daughter was thirteen, we welcomed another son into our world.  Raising teens and a toddler at the same time offered us all kinds of growth potential as parents. Now, all three are grown. They’ve blessed us with five grandchildren. So far. My husband is semi-retired, so we’re doing the dance of figuring out how best to not get in each other’s way. It seems most joys in life come with a flip side called challenge.

Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

As I’ve grown as a writer, I’ve expanded not only my bookshelf capacity (I think we’re up to five full-sized bookcases at the moment), but my reading breadth as well. I read more and a wider variety. Reading great writing makes me a better writer, no matter the genre.

What are you working on right now?

Any day now, I’ll receive the edits for my 2015 novel from Abingdon Press—As Waters Gone By. Oh, that book took a lot out of me, in a good way! Emotionally taxing, it also is a balm, an ointment for broken hearts. Can’t wait for that one to hit the shelves, too! I have a nonfiction due to the publisher on August 1st, and am working on that right now. It’s tentatively titled Tattered Souls: Embracing the Mend. That book is complementary to last year’s Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices.

What outside interests do you have?

Music is a large influence in my life. I sing on the worship team at church and sometimes lead worship in other venues. If I’m in a setting with no music for more than a day or two, I start to twitch. God has often used music as a way to reach me when few other things could. I also love to travel and dream about new places to explore.

How do you choose your settings for each book?

So far, all of the settings for my books have had some kind of influence on me personally. In All My Belongings, the location to which the main character runs is my birthplace—Oceanside, California. I’m not sure now when or why I made the decision to choose Oceanside. But I’m glad I did. Now, to have a book signing in Oceanside! Maybe next winter when here in Wisconsin we’ll be battling dangerous wind chills again. Some of the locations have been a matter of “It absolutely has to happen here.” Others have had a less pointed, but definitely Midwestern feel, in part because it allows writing true seasons, and because it’s what I know best. I’d love to write Southern fiction—my mind somehow thinks that way—but I couldn’t do it justice without an incredible amount of research. Self-fulfilling prophecy?

If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

The Mary who was the first to see Jesus alive again. I’ll bet she’s still telling that story.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I wish I’d known that each rejection formed a tread or a riser for the staircase that would eventually lead to publication…if used that way. I wish I’d known that timing had less to do with my being educated enough and more to do with when God knew my heart would be ready…and my readers ready for the stories I write. Relaxing into His timing would have removed some anxiety for me.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

I’m still dreaming smaller than God’s imagination. We all do. I’m practicing dreamer bigger.

What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

Here are three among many:

Define success the way God does—obedience to Him. The math works out better that way.

Apply yourself diligently to learning, no matter how long you’ve been writing…and then apply what you’ve learned!

Resist comparisons. No other writer’s journey will be exactly like yours. Nor should it. If the path God takes you on has far more twists than others, it’s because He’s creating a more compelling plot out of your life!

Tell us about the featured book.

The dedication page of All My Belongings reads: “To those who feel homeless when they aren’t, whose journeys take exceptional courage, whose hearts tell them the love they seek is possible, present, and not at all what they imagined. It’s ocean-deep and laced with grace.”

A new identity can’t protect Becca from a past that refuses to go away.

Where do you turn when changing your name doesn’t give you the anonymity you want? When running hundreds of miles away isn’t far enough? When your search for a place to belong lands you right back where you began?

One phone call destroys all the hope Becca Morrow has for a life beyond the shame of her past. Further discredited by the death of her elderly, ailing patient—the mother of the influential businessman, Isaac Hughes—Becca’s new life is shattered and her longing for love slips away. Working to clear her name, Becca must learn to see the beauty in the ugliness of dying, to accept the tenderness in forgiveness, and—at last—discover that where she belongs isn’t as much about her family history as it is about her faith in the One to whom she’ll always belong.

Please give us the first page of the book.

The coffee tasted like burnt marshmallows. The charred bits. Jayne set the vending machine cup on the corner of her advisor’s desk.

            Patricia Connor smiled over half-glasses. “Don’t blame you.” She nodded toward her oversized thermal tankard. “I bring my own from home.”

            Home.

            “I’m surprised you wanted to see me today, Jayne. Aren’t they—?”

            “Yes.” Jayne directed her line of sight through her advisor’s office window, over the tops of the century-old oaks and maples lining the campus, toward the courthouse in the center of town.

            “And you didn’t want to be there?” The woman removed her glasses as if they interfered with her understanding.

            Oh, I’m there. I’ve been there every agonizing moment. Several little shards of me are embedded in the hardwood floor in that courtroom. What’s left of me wants an answer from you. “I need to find out if I can reenter the nursing program where I left off.”

            Patricia leaned back in her nondescript office chair. “And you have to know today?”

            “Yes.”

            Her advisor’s head shook so slightly, Jayne assumed the movement originated in the nervous bounce of the woman’s knee, not her neck. “We have…concerns.”

            “My grades were good.”

            “It’s not that. Most nontraditional students are committed enough to pull decent grades.”

            Twenty-seven and nontraditional. In every way. Jayne leaned forward and added, “And work two jobs while doing it.” She wouldn't look out the window again. Her future lay here, in this decision. “If you’re worried about the financial aspect…”

            “Aren’t you? Word is, you’re tapped out with what your family’s gone through.”

            She’d shelved the word family a year and a half ago, the day she found out her father’s middle name was Reprehensible. Bertram Reprehensible Dennagee. Her mother didn’t think she could endure the pain one more day. Her father made sure she didn’t.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love connecting with readers and invite them to find me at www.cynthiaruchti.com, www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, or www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti.

Thank you so much, Lena! It’s always a joy to talk to you…and your readers.

We love having you, Cynthia.

Cynthia Ruchti asks what it takes to overcome your past and become who you were meant to be in her latest novel, All My Belongings. Cynthia has woven a heart-wrenching tale of forgiveness, grace, and learning what it means to truly belong.

Cynthia is celebrating the release of her latest novel with a fun giveaway and a live webcast event!

 
One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card
• All My Belongings by Cynthia Ruchti

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the All My Belongings LIVE webcast event on June 11th. Connect with Cynthia for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Cynthia will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of All My Belongings and join Cynthia and friends on the evening of June 11th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 11th!

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Google+, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

RAGGED HOPE - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book, Plus Much More

Readers, I've hosted Cynthia when each of her two novels, They Almost Always Come Home, and When Morning Glory Blooms, released, and I read them. They are the kind of stories that you can't put down, so I was pleased to help share this nonfiction title with you.

Welcome, Cynthia. What would you like for our readers to know about you personally? 

I’m an observer. Of everything. That explains my fascination with details like a tendril on a morning glory and the small twitch when a child is asked, “Honey, does he hurt you?” I notice subtle changes in temperature. (I can always tell when the furnace is just about to kick in.) Heightened powers of observation are useful for an author. The path a raindrop takes as it wriggles down the surface of a bubbled window might become an evocative detail in a scene in a novel. The forward curve of the shoulders of a woman with a shattered heart deepens my empathy, which in turn deepens my ability to communicate through story in nonfiction. I pray those details also make me a better listener and, in my faith, a better worshiper, catching the glorious subtleties of how God reveals Himself through nature and through the human heart.

Tell us about your family.

My husband and I have been married for 41 years (we met in elementary school). We have three children, a daughter and two sons. Five grandchildren—so far—complete the family. Our home is a 100-year-old house on ten acres in the heart of Wisconsin, near cranberry bogs and cornfields, dairy farms and…and that’s about it.

Have you written other nonfiction books?

Although Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices is my first full-length non-fiction solo project, I was one of four authors who wrote devotions for the book His Grace is Sufficient…Decaf if Not (Summerside/Guideposts). I’m one of the authors who wrote forty devotions each for the 2014 edition of Guideposts’ annual devotional, Mornings With Jesus. During the years I wrote and produced “The Heartbeat of the Home” radio program, the ministry created books that were compilations of past broadcasts that fit certain themes. Before the broadcast retired in 2012, we had more than 95 books in print.

Do you have any other books in the works right now?

In addition to Mornings With Jesus 2014, I’m also anticipating the release of another full-length novel in 2014, All My Belongings (Abingdon Press). Both nonfiction and fiction projects are calling to me. They’re keep-me-awake-at-night stories waiting to be told.

What kinds of hobbies and leisure activities do you enjoy?

Give me a good book, a cozy beach chair on a sandy shore by an ocean or one of the Great Lakes, and an endless supply of sun tea or hot tea, and I’m happier than I ought to be. I love to travel. Most of my bucket-list items involve travel. I’m waiting for that dance-and-shout moment when my hitherto unused passport gets its first international stamp. As far as hobbies, knitting was once a high priority, but it has had to slink into the background while I keep up with deadlines and serve as American Christian Fiction Writer’s Professional Relations Liaison. Music is an ever-present accompaniment to my life.

Why did you write the featured book?

Ragged Hope was written to tell the untold stories—to give voice to those who don’t make the headlines but pay a dear price because of the choices of those who do. We see them all around us—the husband with an emotionally distant wife, the grandparents sacrificing their retirement years to raise their grandchildren because the kids’ parents are in jail or rehab, the elderly woman devastated by an ethics-challenged financial planner, the spouse of an alcoholic…

Not only are they bearing consequences not of their own making, they’re often handed lifelong challenges that wear hope thin. When hope’s edges grow frayed, what then?

What do you want the reader to take away from the book?

A fresh appreciation for hope’s tenacity. A renewed assurance that God not only sees but cares. And a deeper understanding of how we can reach out in a meaningful way to lessen the fallout for those suffocating under the ash cloud of someone else’s bad, misguided, thoughtless, or even criminal choices. The hope God offers may seem to hide temporarily. But it’s there, waiting to be uncovered. The stories reveal how survivors found a holding-on place. The reflection questions get us thinking about how well we’re surviving or about what we can do more effectively to express how much we care about those around us caught in the fallout.

Where on the Internet can the readers find you?

Readers can find me at www.cynthiaruchti.com, www.facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, or www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti. I love interacting with readers and look forward to carrying on the discussion about the kinds of subjects addressed in Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices.

Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing this book with us. I can think of a number of people I know who need to read this.

Cynthia Ruchti  is celebrating the release of Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People’s Choices (Abingdon Press) with a $200 Visa Cash Card "Hope" Giveaway and Facebook Party!

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card
• Ragged Hope by Cynthia Ruchti

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 31st. Winner will be announced at the "Ragged Hope Author Chat Part on August 1st. Connect with Cynthia for an evening of encouragement, laughter, and more! Cynthia will also share an exclusive look at her next project and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Ragged Hope and join Cynthia on the evening of August 1st for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Hope to see you on the 1st!

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
Ragged Hope - Christianbook.com
Ragged Hope: Surviving the Fallout of Other People's Choices - Amazon.com

Christian Book Store

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book on this blog. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.
Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WHEN THE MORNING GLORY BLOOMS - Cynthia Ruchti - One Free Book

Welcome back, Cynthia. Why do you write the kind of books you do?

I tell stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark. Like many other Christian fiction authors, my personal goal is to create stories that build character and relentlessly pursue hope, family-friendly stories even if the families face their own dysfunctions, stories of how to build an enduring love rather than a temporary less-than-fulfilling attraction, characters who face crises without collapsing, or collapse without staying that way. I want to show them addressing realistic needs in a realistic way...which sometimes means heart-wrenching and soul-challenging, in an environment that recognizes dumb choices lead to harsh consequences and smart choices don't always work out like we'd hoped.

I want to create entertainment that doesn't celebrate the baser side of humanity but knows it's there, that evil exists in our world and imaginary worlds. I want to tap into the heart of humankind that rejoices when truth wins, that knows a real hero when it sees one.

I write stories of family angst. But they’re books with an ever-present thread of grace and joy in the outcome whether the book ends with a happily-ever-after or a tenacious, indestructible hope.

The stories come from life turned on its edge, from life as we wish it were, from life as it is only with its masks removed, from life with a splash of imagination, from life after we’ve healed enough to look at it authentically.

And I love your stories. Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life?

The day my daughter told me she and her husband were expecting, we were together, celebrating Christmas, and I was holding another newborn grandchild in my arms. I blubbered with joy through the entire celebration. It became a family joke about “the holiday of happy tears.” That was also the day my daughter and her husband donated a new computer for the radio ministry I wrote and co-produced for 33 years. A much-needed computer. Talk about an overload of happy crammed into one glorious day! (I remembered the babies instantly, but didn’t recall the incredible gift of that computer until just now. So many scripts written, so many stories told on that donated computer!)

How has being published changed your life?

If I’ve ever been bored in life, it sure isn’t now! Every day brings a new opportunity and a new challenge. I love every aspect of writing, editing, publishing, marketing…and spend a lot of time studying to grow in those areas. Having six books on the shelves soon with more to come in the next couple of years, I find that the change is in scope rather than in focus. I’m doing what I’ve always done—love God and encourage people. He’s given me the opportunity to reveal His heart through story to a broad audience of readers through books, and one-on-one with the people He brings across my path every day.

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading a non-fiction by Janet Thompson—Dear God, He’s Home!—a book about surviving having a husband around the house…a lot. I’m also reading the novel The Messenger, by Siri Mitchell. Lately, I’ve been reading high quality poetry right before bedtime. It makes me feel smarter. It also makes my dreams more curious. J

What is your current work in progress?

I’m excited about the research and the storyline for a Christmas novella for B&H called Merry Christmas, Mine, based on the Merry Christmas zinc mine of Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Each of the four novellas will be set in a different era of history in the fascinating town not far from where I grew up. My novella—What’s One More?—has a cast of characters that have won my heart. Merry Christmas, Mine releases in 2015. The cast of authors for this project includes Kathryn Springer, Sarah Forgrave, and Becky Melby.

I’ll look forward to featuring that Christmas book, too, if the four of you will allow. What would be your dream vacation?

I’ve never had a vacation longer than a week or two, unbound by a schedule, and away from the continental United States. My dream vacation would be schedule-less for the most part, with no fixed endpoint or destination, but include a dreamily wandering through the seaport villages of Italy, France, and Spain. Sweet sigh!

How do you choose your settings for each book?

My 2014 Abingdon novel—All My Belongings—is set in the area of my birthplace, near Oceanside, California. It was fun dreaming about daily life in the place where I only lived for the first eight days of my life, and haven’t yet been back to visit. It’s on my Bucket List!

When the Morning Glory Blooms is set in the Midwest. The characters reflect a Midwest mindset and values, though from three completely different eras. Ivy’s apartment in the 1950s is an apartment I remember from childhood.

My debut novel—They Almost Always Come Home—was set in a very specific area of the Canadian wilderness because it’s a location that holds my husband’s heart.

Other books in the works and previously published are set in places I either know well or long to know better.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why?

Is it fair if I answer “my agent”? Wendy Lawton and I see each other at industry events, smile and wave as we speed on to our assignments. Every other year we have a nugget of face-to-face time at the Books & Such retreat. We email and talk by phone. But if I had a whole evening to listen to her wisdom and hear her stories, that would be as sweet as homemade caramel sauce!

I totally understand. My agent and I only get together at professional events, but we’ve become such good friends online. Face time would be so precious. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading?

I don’t have as much time to do this as I’d like, but I love designing on a dime, finding inexpensive or repurposed items to use in home decorating. And music is ever-present in my life.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it?

Balancing work-related writing assignment time and novel-writing time is always a challenge. I’m more conscientious about maintaining a better balance these days. But it doesn’t come naturally. I’m a firstborn with a strong sense of responsibility. Recreation doesn’t score as high on my priority list as it should. But those “breathing” times of rest, recreation, and refreshment are so necessary. I write better when I’m breathing. J

What advice would you give to a beginning author?

Without question, I advise beginning authors to join ACFW, if they write fiction. It’s one of the single smartest things a writer can do—for the education, the camaraderie, the sense of community, and the opportunities it offers. I also encourage new writers to consider the cost. Are they willing to invest the time, soul, and effort it will take to seriously pursue writing as more than a hobby or occasional lark.

Tell us about the featured book.

When the Morning Glory Blooms is uniquely set in three very different eras but in the same area, different social cultures but with the same challenge—unplanned pregnancy. Anna is a young woman in the 1890s, compelled by family obligation to open a home for unwed mothers. When she is near the end of her life in the 1950s, she’s cared for in a nursing home setting by Ivy, a young single woman with new life growing inside her and with her boyfriend serving in Korea, unaware of the child. As Ivy takes care of Anna, she’s commissioned to commit Anna’s memories to paper and finds her own answers on the pages. The present day story is told from the perspective of a mother of a teen mom. My prayer is there’s enough mystery to keep the reader wondering, enough emotion to keep the tissues close, enough grace and hope to leave the reader grateful, and a compelling enough story to make readers want to share it with a friend who loves to read or a friend who’s heart is breaking.

This is a subject close to my heart. Please give us the first page of the book.

The hand on her cheek weighed no more than a birthmark. It fluttered, stirred by the breeze of a dream, but remained tethered to Becky’s face.

Her neck stiffened. A neutral position was out of the question. She was trapped at an odd angle between the arm of the porch swing and the breath of the child.





With one foot planted on the porch’s floorboards, and the rest of her a cradle, Becky kept the swing in motion. A smooth backstroke. Hesitation. Then as she lifted her foot, the forward stroke was accompanied by a two-toned creak the baby must have thought was white noise.





Becky guessed thirteen pounds. The bulk lying stomach-down across her torso like a seatbelt might have come into the world a wisp of six pounds—less than a gallon of milk. But seven hundred bottles later, give or take, and he could hold his own against a Costco-sized bag of sugar.



A sweat bee buzzed a fly-by. Becky waved it off. Baby drool puddled at the top of her breastbone. She let it be, let it be.

The rich, woody scent of the neighbor’s cottonwoods melded with the lingering aroma of her caramel latte, the one in her favorite pottery mug on the small table just out of reach. The mug, her book, sanity—so much seemed just out of reach.





The baby lifted his head. Feather lashes still closed, he nestled the opposite cheek into the hollow of her neck. She patted his diapered bottom with a rhythmic, unspoken “Shh. Back to sleep, little one.”





The buzz returned, but not above them. Underneath Becky’s right hip, her cell phone thrummed. She reached for it, motionless except for the espionage-worthy stealth of her retrieve arm and the unbroken choreography of her swing foot.





The phone buzzed again. She held it away from her, saw the familiar caller ID, and hit the “talk” button with her thumb. “What’s up, Lauren?” An opportunity, no doubt. Chance du jour.





A finals study group that included two brainiacs and a certified member of the National Honor Society had invited Lauren to a cram-fest.





“Please don’t stay out late.” Becky felt the vibrations of her words in her chest. The baby lifted his head and nestled, facing the other direction again.





Not late, Lauren answered. No. But Becky did realize the group would have to go get something to eat after studying, didn’t she?





Becky disconnected the call. She may or may not have remembered to say good-bye.





The baby oozed awake and pushed against her chest until he’d raised himself enough to lock gazes with her. Those denim-blue eyes looked so like his father’s, if her suspicions were correct about the child’s paternity. She brushed strands of cornsilk hair off his cherub forehead.





“Your mommy called.” Becky kissed one barely there eyebrow, then the other. “She says hi.”


My book just arrived yesterday. I can’t wait to get started on it. How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to interact with readers. They can find me at www.cynthiaruchti.com, www.hopethatglowsinthedark.com, www.facebook.com/cynthiaruchtireaderpage, or www.twitter.com/cynthiaruchti and other social network places.

Thank you, Lena, for always serving as a gracious host and introducing us to books worth reading!

And thank you, Cynthia, for sharing this one with us.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.
When the Morning Glory Blooms - paperback
When the Morning Glory Blooms - Kindle


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