Since summer is over, I’m indulging in all my favorite authors, in this order:
* Kim Vogel Sawyer: “Beneath a Prairie Moon” (My favorite author!)
* Betsy St. Amant: “All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes” (Fun read!)
* Francine Rivers: “The Masterpiece” (River’s newest release)
* Margaret Brownley: “A Match Made in Texas”
* Ginny L. Yttrup: “Lost and Found”
* Randy Ingermanson: “Transgression”
* Susan May Warren: “Storm Front” (Another “fun read!”)
* Denise Hunter: “Honeysuckle Dreams” (My second favorite author!)
Cynthia Ruchti and Jerry Jenkins should be in this list too, but I’m still waiting on them from the library. 🙂
During the summer of 2018, I had a plan…
…to read authors who are comparable to my genre, writing style, etc. My genre is 1) Christian, 2) Romance, 3) Contemporary, 4) Drama.
Technically, “romance” is automatically contemporary and drama, but I have to clarify it is not “romantic comedy” or “romantic suspense”… and not “historical” either.
What defines a “Christian” novel?
In my reading, I’ve also noticed “Christian” doesn’t necessarily mean the gospel will be explained anywhere between the two covers. Maybe not even in the “Dear Reader” letter or in the acknowledgements. I’ve learned this is intentional. The term “Christian” can mean a novel which is considered “clean,” as in no descriptions of sex and no swearing. The other end of the spectrum is full-blown gospel message within its pages. I’ve learned that I’m “full-blown gospel.” It what I want to tell. It’s what I like to hear and read. Not “God is love,” but “Jesus died for the sins of the world.”
I learned that I don’t like “Love Inspired” novels. I realize I want a deeper plot than “Do I love her?” I’m interested in healing. I want to read about the gospel healing inwardly.
“Romance”… or “Women’s Fiction”? What’s the diff?
Whereas “romance” revolves around a relationship between a guy and a girl, “women’s fiction” revolves around inward healing. Bingo!
But some women fiction novels I read were utterly sad. I realized I need a bit of romance. Cynthia Ruchti and Ginny L. Yttrup made a great mix for me.
A Word about Reviews
I don’t write reviews. Why? Because what I like about a book, might not be what you would like. What I don’t care for, maybe you rave about. And I get that. My preferences are – how can I say this? – MY preferences. And it’s okay if no one in the world gets it.
Therefore, I’m simply listing books I read over the summer… and the books I haven’t gotten to yet. I had to stop because school started. So…. I’ll finish this list NEXT summer.
Where did I get the list of authors, anyway? Good question!
My list is comprised of Steve Laube Agency’s agented authors (since I found Kim Vogel Sawyer’s name there and freaked! She’s been my favorite author for a while now!) and Women of Faith Fiction (which Denise Hunter is a part of). My goal is to find authors similar to those two. I love how they present the gospel and I love their writing styles too. Plus, they both write romance! I’d really like to have other similar and just as great authors to learn from… and I found three from my reading! Only one romance novelist and the other two seem to read more like women fiction (with some romance!). But hey! “My” preference, right?
So… yeah… A LOT of the titles were NOT romance. Anyway! As I mentioned above, I learned a lot!
And, as I also mentioned, my studies are over. It’s CHALLENGING to read an entire book when I’m not crazy about the first three chapters. (Read: my preference!) But I didn’t think it was fair to put it in my list of “not interested” if I didn’t FINISH it. (Don’t you hate that too? Someone has a strong opinion about an artist, a musician, a movie… but then you learn he/she never actually listened to the music? Hasn’t watched the WHOLE movie? Whatnot? I want to scream, “You can’t have an opinion if you didn’t watch the whole thing!”)
*deep breath*
When I started reading “Home” by Ginny L. Yttrup, this is exactly what happened. I wasn’t crazy about it. I actually put the book down. I simply wasn’t interested. And I read a different book in the meantime. But I couldn’t allow myself to include Yttrup’s book on my “I read it and didn’t like it” list if I didn’t finish to the end. So…
I picked it up again and continued reading. And I LOVED it! (‘Cuz there was romance in it! The husband really loved his wife! Yay!!!)
PLUS, the gospel was presented as key for both main characters. Double “yay!” So…. Yttrup made my list!!!
Criteria:
I have two criteria to make my list (of “Yes! Read again! And learn from this author!):
1) “Relationship” and
2) “Gospel message presented CLEARLY.”
(One exception is Becky St. Amant. She doesn’t write the gospel in her novels… but I so enjoy her writing. It’s such a relief to laugh out loud sometimes! It’s clean. It’s romance. All of the other authors in my summer reading list have made both criteria.)
Without further ado!
Studies are over! But this is my list…
List of “HAVE READ” from April, 2018 to September, 2018:
Alexander, Johnnie: Where She Belongs
Ball, Karen: What Lies Within
Bliss, Lauralee: Till Death Do Us Part
Boyd, Austin: Nobody’s Child
Brownley, Margaret: A Lady Like Sarah (A Rocky Creek Romance)
Carlson, Melody: Blade Silver (Color Me Scarred)
Carter, Lisa: The Deputy’s Perfect Match.
Coble, Colleen: The View from Rainshadow Bay
Daniels, Georgiana: Shadows of Hope.
Ganshert, Katie (short story) Love in the Details
Gillenwater, Sharon : Megan’s Hero
Hake, Cathy Marie: Serendipidity
Hancock Murray, Tamela: Courage of the Heart
Hauck, Rachel: The Wedding Chapel
Jones Gunn, Robin: Gardenias for Breakfast
McDonough, Vickie: (short story) Beloved Enemy
Perry, Trish: Tea for Two
Ruchti, Cynthia: A Fragile Hope
Rue, Nancy and Stephen Arterburn: Healing Waters: A Sullivan Crisp Novel
St. Amant, Betsy: (short story) Love Takes the Cake
Snelling, Lauraine: A Breath of Hope
Turansky, Carrie: (short story) Shelter in the Storm
Wade, Becky: (short story) The Perfect Arrangement
Yttrup, Ginny L.: Home
List of “NOT READ YET”
Bricker, Sandra D.
Bylin, Victoria
Dornbush, Jennifer
Davis, Susan Page
Blackburn, Lynn Huggins
Caroll, Robin
Eason, Lynette
Goddard, Elizabeth
Gutteridge, Rene
Hancock, Karen
Harris, Leann
Hart, Beth Webb
Hickman, Patricia
Hunt, Diann
Hurnard, Hannah
Jones, Jenny B.
Kendig, Ronie
Laureano, Carla
Lott, Bret
MacLaren, Sharlene
Malla Nunn
Obenhaus, Mindy
Orchard, Sandra
Randel, Tara
Robertson, Paul
St. John, Patricia
Samson, Lisa
Sheldon, Charles M.
Stockett, Kathryn
Tracy, Pamela
VanLiere, Donna
Walker, Laura Jensen
Walsh, Sheila
~ Do you recognize any authors? I’d love to hear what you thought!
~ Any authors I should add? Let me know!
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