Welcome to the Courage Chronicles!
This has been such a fun project, made even more special because it’s being shared by five friends. This is the fourth time Sarah, Regina, Joanne, Amanda, and I have put our heads and hearts together to bring something special to historical romance readers. In the past, we’ve been honored to bring you the Hope Chronicles, the Christmas Chronicles, and the Trust Chronicles. (The first time around, Amanda and I were still just dreaming about writing books!) Now we’re all published authors, and I’m overwhelmed with how the Lord has blessed the faith of our little circle.
Painting?
In the past three Chronicles projects, we played to our strengths–writing. This year, since we’re discussing courage, we stepped WAY outside our comfort zones to try something new. I can’t remember who first suggested it (Amanda? Joanne?), but I remember getting the message, “How about a watercolor painting?”
Oh, my. That would take courage! I don’t think I’ve played with watercolors since grade school, even though I wrote a novel about an artist in Yosemite. We found a simple kit that included a video tutorial and each took a turn adding our bit to the painting. Then, we packaged it up and mailed it on to the next person.
We chose a mountain sunrise scene because each of us felt like it spoke to something in our stories. Since my novel, Ever Faithful, takes place in Yellowstone National Park, the image seemed ideal to me.
All this week, we’ve taken turns posting a video where we talk about our novels and courage. You also get to see us working on the painting!
Giveaway Details
After you view the clip, enter to win the giveaway of the painting (plus a copy of each of these 5 books). You can find my giveaway form here. To enter, you’ll need to submit the special clue found in the video, so be sure to watch that first!
The event runs May 6-10, 2019, with the giveaway closing May 17, 2019 at 9 am EST. The giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. You can enter one time for each author, in any order you choose. The posts are located at:
Monday, May 6, Regina Jennings’s Post
Tuesday, May 7, Sarah Sundin’s Post
Wednesday, May 8, Amanda Dykes’s Post
Thursday, May 9, My Post (Um, you’re already here! Watch the video below to get the hint you need to enter the contest.)
Friday, May 10, Joanne Bischof’s Post
Karen’s video clip
Here is today’s video! Pay attention for the clue you’ll need to enter the giveaway.
Two Quick Excerpts from Ever Faithful
One from Elsie . . .
And because I can’t resist… one from Nate.
An empty hollow took up residence in his gut, but for once it wasn’t a lack of food. He’d eaten better in the past two weeks at the army’s conditioning base in New Jersey than he had his entire life. This felt more like a chunk of his soul had gone missing. Two years had passed since Sherm’s death, but sometimes grief still sprang at Nate out of the shadows, like the old pit bull at Barone’s junkyard—especially when he was alone. He’d never figured himself to be the type of sissy to moan over being away from his family, but then, he’d never been more than twenty miles from Brooklyn in his life.
Nate rolled off the cot. Since sleep refused to cooperate, he might as well use the meager facilities they’d dug during the daylight hours. He eased his way through the line of sleeping men, careful to avoid jarring any feet hanging in the aisle.
He ducked outside, the brisk air stealing his breath in an instant. Glancing up at the night sky, everything else inside him stilled as well. Stars scattered from one horizon to the next, spilling across the dark background like the lights of Manhattan. Nate closed his mouth, but he couldn’t take his eyes away from the scene playing out above his head. The sky back home had never looked like this. He could almost touch it, brush his fingers against the glittering edges of the distant stars. “God.” He breathed the word, more in reverence than in vain. What other response could a man have in the face of such wonder?
The chill cut through him, icy air curling around his neck and arms. He drew his elbows close and wrapped his hands around them to protect what body heat he had left and started toward the outhouse.
Although nearly two hundred men had arrived, it had still taken ages for them to erect the massive tents and dig the latrines, not calling off work until well past dusk. The division captain, a brusque man in his late thirties, had warned them that they’d answer to reveille at dawn, just like any of his other soldiers.
There had been plenty of jokes about Yellowstone’s grizzlies and buffalo on the train ride in. The thought curdled in Nate’s stomach. He knew how to handle a mugger, but a bear? He wouldn’t have a clue.
Nate opened the door to the latrine.
A pair of beady eyes glared at him from within, a violent hiss cutting through the night air.
Nate jumped back and lost his balance before landing hard on the snow-crusted mud. His heart jumped to his throat. Had he conjured up a bear with his very thoughts?
A loud chittering emanated from the confined space as the creature jumped from a shelf and lumbered into the open. A mask covered its pointy face and rings decorated its tail. He’d seen raccoons in Brooklyn hanging out around the trash cans and dark alleys, but rarely ones this size.
He scooted backward, allowing the perturbed creature to make its escape. As his pulse slowed, Nate rolled to his knees and got to his feet, brushing the snow from his trousers. “Sorry, fella,” he called after the critter. “Didn’t realize this one was occupied.”
Finally . . .
If you haven’t entered the contest yet, what are you waiting for? Find the form here. Thank you for joining us on this adventure! Be sure to look for Joanne Bischof’s post tomorrow.
Interested in trying some painting of your own? You can find kits like the one we used–and many others–at Letsmakeart.com.
