Lizzie's Top 10 Posts of 2012!!!

Hello Bookworms!!!,

                As we progress through the second month of 2013, I have taken a look back over the books I made posts about in 2012. There were so many good ones!! I wanted to share my top 10 favorites with you! (Please bear in mind that I enjoyed them all so much I couldn’t make one more important than the other so these are in no particular order).

1.       An Entirely New Country – Alistair Duncan

a.       An Entirely New Country is a biography of the 10 year period in which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes adventures, lived and worked at Undershaw. While there, Doyle wrote The Hounds of Baskervilles. What’s the coolest part about this book? 50% of the proceeds go the Undershaw Preservation Trust to help in the effort to preserve Undershaw.

b.      Read the full post on An Entirely New Country Here! : http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/05/entirely-new-country-by-alastair-duncan.html

 

2.       Carol’s Christmas – N.E. David

a.       Carol’s Christmas is a heartwarming novella about a father and daughter pair who rekindle their father/daughter relationship during one Christmas. It is a great read for travelling or just staying at home curled up with a cup of coco and a book one evening.

b.      Read the full post on Carol’s Christmas Here! : http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/12/carols-christmas-by-n-e-david.html

 

3.       The Champion – Carla Capshaw

a.       The Champion is about a young gladiator who is charged with caring for and protecting a young woman who has run away from her father’s anger. What neither of them realizes is that through this, they will find the love they need, in their Creator and in each other.

b.      Read the full post on The Champion here! : http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-champion-by-carla-capshaw.html

 

4.       Night – Elie Wiesel

a.       This is a heart-wrenching true story written by a real survivor of the holocaust. Readers, this book IS NOT for children. It is VERY graphic. I urge you and encourage you to read this book. It will open your eyes.

b.      Read the full post on Night here!: http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/06/night-by-elie-wiesel.html

 

5.       Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier

a.       A young woman meets and soon marries a handsome stranger with a past. She knows he loves her but the only thing everyone else says is how different she is from Rebecca. Who is Rebecca? And what happened to her? The truth is more shocking that she could have imagined.

b.      Read the full post on Rebecca here! : http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/08/rebecca-by-daphne-du-maurier.html

 

6.       Death of a Dreamer – M.C. Beaton

a.       Hamish MacBeth is an red-haired police officer is a small town. However his little city seems to attract more mysteries than any large city. Now that a newcomer in town has been murdered, and the other newcomer is the prime suspect, Hamish must work fast to find out what really happened and why. The answer will shock and amaze you!

b.      Read the full post on Death of a Dreamer here! : http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/07/death-of-dreamer-by-mc-beaton.html

 

7.       In the Shadow of the Sun King by Golden Keyes Parsons

a.       This book kept me on the edge of my seat! The frist installment in a short series, In the Shadow of the Sun King is a story about a mother who must try using an old connection with a king to save her family. Will a long lost connection be enough? Or must she resort to other means?

b.      Read the full post on In the Shadow of the Sun King here!: http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/02/summer-pick-2012-in-shadow-of-sun-king.html

 

8.       Here Burns My Candle – Liz Curtis Higgs

a.       This first of two books inspired by the life of Ruth will enthrall you! Lots of twists and turns to keep you reading! You will laugh, cry, and cheer for the characters and even be disappointed when the book ends!

b.      Read the full post on Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs here: http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/04/here-burns-my-candle-liz-curtis-higgs.html

 

9.       The Help - Kathryn Stockett

a.       The Help is the book behind the award winning movie The Help starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and many more! You will enjoy this book just as much as the motion picture!

b.      Read the full post on The Help here!: http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/03/spring-pick-2012-help-by-kathryn.html

 

10.   Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

a.       Readers, I am an avid Jane Austen fan and her book Sense and Sensibility will not disappoint! An engaging story of love lost, love found, and the bonds of family will warm your heart!

b.       Read the full post on Sense and Sensibility here!: http://seelizzieread.blogspot.com/2012/06/sense-and-sensibility-by-jane-austen.html

Here's to more great posts in 2013! Until next time!,
                                     Lizzie

See Lizzie Read's 5 Minute High 5 with Author Liz Curtis Higgs!

Hello Bookworms!
       I have a vry special treat for you this week! I have an interview with a wonderful author! She is kind, talented, and I have reviewed several of her books here on See Lizzie Read (Including making her latest work A Wreath of Snow one of our Christmas Books of the Week a few weeks ago)! If you haven't guessed (or read the title ;) ) already, its Mrs. Liz Curtis Higgs! Here's what Mrs. Higgs had to say!

Liz Curtis Higgs

1. Several of your historical fiction books mirror the lives of people recorded in The Bible. What leads you in your decisions on whose lives to use?

Much as I love storytelling, I’ve been a Bible teacher for 30 years, and a novelist for just the last 15, so teaching God’s Word is always my first priority.

Sometimes when I read certain accounts in the Bible, I long to explore the rest of the story. Since we’re clearly told not to add to Scripture (Deut 12:32, Rev 22:18), I decided the best way to dig deeper into the stories of the biblical characters who’ve intrigued me—Leah, Rachel, Dinah, Naomi, Ruth among them—might be to write historical novels inspired by their stories, yet set in a different time and place. So, Thorn in My Heart, my first Scottish historical, tells the story of Leah and Jacob set in the Scottish Lowlands in 1788.
 
2. Some of your fiction and non-fiction books (Here Burns My Candle, Mine is the Night, and The Girl's Still Got It) revolve around the life of Ruth. What about Ruth has captured your attention and made you want to share her story with the world?

Ruth is unquestionably one of the Bible’s good girls, yet I’ve always been fascinated by her back story. Growing up in Moab, worshiping false gods, perhaps making sacrifices to Chemosh—oh, my. Lots there to consider. She is in many ways the last woman a good and godly Israelite like Boaz should marry, the last person you would expect the Lord to graft into the lineage of David, and therefore into the lineage of Christ.

Yet God clearly chose Ruth, protected Ruth, provided for Ruth, and redeemed Ruth through his servant, Boaz. I’ve been immersed in her story for the last 5 years and have loved every minute!
 
3. When you go to write one of your books, do you already know how it will turn out or does the inspiration come as you write?

For my novels, I have a general idea of where I want the story to go and how it might end, but I let my characters lead the way. I spend a long time getting to know my characters before I start telling their stories. Even then, they usually stop me after a few thousand words and say, “Look, you’ve got this all wrong. Just follow us around, and write down what we say and do.”

That’s when the writing process gets fun for me. I literally run to the computer each morning to see what’s going to happen next. Though I do create a plot line at the start of things—mostly to assure my editor and myself that we have a valid story in hand—the finished product is often quite different than the original outline!

4. At what age did you begin to write? And when did you know that this was the ministry you had been called into?

I wrote my first novel, such as it was, at age ten—a cozy mystery. very much in keeping with the Nancy Drew books I loved at that young age. More notebooks filled with stories followed all through my teens. I was the editor of my school newspaper, majored in English in college, and wrote a lot of really bad poetry.

But it wasn’t until I embraced the grace of God at age twenty-seven that I began to seriously consider any sort of writing ministry. I was a radio personality at the time, with many opportunities to share my testimony. I began teaching the Bible for women in my region as well, which led to more speaking events, and eventually, to writing.

My first book was published twenty years ago. My thirtieth book, A Wreath of Snow, was just published, with contracts for many more in the years to come. I’m so incredibly grateful for the support of my faithful readers and my wonderful publisher, WaterBrook Press.

5. What advice do you have for young women today who are trying to remain faithful to Christ?

Such a good question, Beth! Women of all ages face challenges in remaining faithful, but for younger women, I think it’s especially difficult. Not only because our culture has thrown virtue and chastity and piety out the window, but also because there are so many distractions, especially online.

Making time for Bible study, for fellowship with other believers, and for service in Christ’s name may be tough, but it is so, so worth it. We grow in Christ when we’re in community with his people and immersed in his Word. I’m grateful for every opportunity that takes me away from my computer and out into the greater world.

 

God’s blessings on you and your readers in 2013!

 

There you have it readers! I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed getting it ready for you all! A special thanks to Liz Curtis Higgs for working with me to bring an interview for you all! Mrs. Higgs you are a wonderful, talented woman and you are a blissin' too a' yer readers!

Until next time!,
        Lizzie <3

 

 

 

Liz’s latest nonfiction, available from your favorite bookseller:

The Girl's Still Got It: Take a Walk with Ruth and the God Who Rocked Her World

“A perfect blend of humor, extensive research, descriptive language, and insightful commentary.” Publishers Weekly Starred Review

 

Find out more about Liz’s books, messages, and heart for the world:

Website: http://www.LizCurtisHiggs.com

Bible Study Blog: http://www.LizCurtisHiggs.com/blog

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/LizCurtisHiggs

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/LizCurtisHiggs

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lizcurtishiggs/sets/

 

 

 

Liz’s latest fiction, available from your favorite bookseller:

A Wreath of Snow

“Tender, touching and sweetly Victorian, A Wreath of Snow is a story of the importance of finding your way to peace through truth, a tale imbued with the romance of the times.” USAToday.com

Discover more about Liz’s Scottish historical fiction:

Website: http://www.MyScottishHeart.com

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/MyScottishHeart

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/MyScottishHeart

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lizcurtishiggs/a-victorian-visit-to-stirling-scotland/