Serenity

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Promises, Promises

Barbour - July, 2008

by

Amber Miller

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hi, I’m Amber, but my friends call me Tiff, short for Tiffany, my first name. Writing had always been a hobby, a way for me to express my innermost thoughts and feelings in a way I sometimes find difficult with the spoken word — although my friends will tell you ’shy’ is not in my vocabulary. Thanks to the gentle nudging of a fellow author — Tracie Peterson — in 2002, I took the next step in my writing career and joined the American Christian Fiction Writers. I owe all so many there a hearty hug of appreciation for their constant encouragement and unselfish assistance. I feel a lot more confident thanks to their support and love. For those of you who are also fiction writers looking for a wonderful support group, check them out!

I got involved with web design in 1997, when I was asked to take over running the official web site for the television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. That eventually led to a series of negotiations where I was offered the job of running world-renowned actress Jane Seymour’s official fan site. That has branched into doing web sites for a variety of clients, including: authors J.M. Hochstetler, Trish Perry, Kathy Pride, Louise M. Gouge, Susan Page Davis, and Jill Elizabeth Nelson, actor William Shockley (the voice of AT&T and Sony) and many others. With the help of a handful of other web site “technos,” Eagle Designs was born! Feel free to visit and see our other clients.

Books are a definite passion. Why else would I be writing and publishing them? I firmly believe that a good book can take you away from all of your problems, into a world you’ve never seen. My favorite food is Italian; I sing all the time, and I once worked with my church choir to do a professional recording for a music CD of our performances.

I am in my 30’s, married the love of my life in July 2007, and live in beautiful Colorado, but I love to travel and visit new places. Ultimately, my dream is to own horses and live in a one-level rancher nestled in the mountains. For now, I will remain where I am and do what I love—design web sites and write.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Raelene Strattford knows God has promised never to leave or forsake her. But after the catastrophic deaths of her parents, she doesn t believe it. What kind of God would take a girl’s family and leave her alone in a wild land where women have no voice? Gustaf Hanssen has admired Raelene from afar for a while, but his poor attempt at courting her in the past has made him unwelcome in her life. When Gustaf promises Raelene’s dying father that he will take care of her, he finds himself bound to her happiness, her success, and her well-being in ways he never imagined. To keep his word must Gustaf really oversee all of Raelene’s affairs, find her a husband, and maintain her farm, while she does nothing but scorn him? Can God reach through Raelene’s pain and self-centeredness and give her the love that awaits, if only she will accept His will?

If you would like to read the first chapter, go HERE

At this time,
Promises, Promises can only be purchased through the
Heartsong Book Club.

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MY REVIEW:

You are immediately drawn into Raelene’s grief. I lost my mother suddenly, but I had a great support system in place with my husband of 23 years, and my children who loved my mom as much as I did. Amber Miller, with her talented gift of writing, puts you right there, with Raelene, with the thoughts and emotionsshe is experiencing. The grief, the aloneness and yet fierce independence and determination to do it herself, Its all there. You know, all through the book that Gustaf will be her knight in shining armor, it has to be. And yet, Amber ties all these other characters into the storyline, and even though your heart is telling you “it’s Gustaf, it’s Gustaf”, your reading mind isn’t quite so sure. Much like life. In your heart of hearts, you know God is there with you, every step of the way. But, your head allows the world to interfer, and often God is questioned, is doubted, is put in the backseat, because we are so sure we can “do it outselves”. But, much like Raeline, we learn that we will find peace only when we allow him to be the center of our lives.

I enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down, and I would come home and sit down and read, rather than get on the computer like I often do.

And leave a comment to win a copy of this book

Tags: Blog Tours