ELIANA HAS SECRETS
Daring Eliana Van Horn aims to make her mark by joining her father as his photography assistant - disguised as a young man - on a survey expedition to the remote Four Corners.
Living in the shadows of his native heritage, trail guide Yiska Wilcox is thrown off course when the shadow catcher's daughter opens up the uncharted territory of his heart.
Some fun "history" about Carla:
She's a bonafide New Englander, born in Massachusetts and now living in Maine
Her ancestors were among the first settlers in Newbury, Massachusetts in 1636 ~ and included a few Plymouth pilgrims in 1620
She's a web designer and literacy advocate as well as author
She's married to her real-life hero, Brad, and has two grown sons
Her favorite historical period is the 18th-century though she loves history, period!
Learn more about her and upcoming books by visiting her beautiful blog/website, CarlaGade.com
If you'd like to be in the drawing for The Shadow Catcher's Daughter, please leave a comment for Carla below. Winner announced this coming Monday, May 7!
Hi Carla,
ReplyDeleteI know if Laura has highlighted you on her blog you are to be put on my to be read list! I am so glad you are here.
Where did you get your idea for this book?
A new reader for you,
Stacie
Thank you so much, Stacie! Well, I don't usually write stories set in the west, though I do enjoy reading them, but when I was asked to write one I just jumped at the chance. It was a lot of fun researching the area and writing it really stretched my writing and research skills so it was an adventure for me! If you visit my blog you'll find a few interviews that tell more about how I came about this project and the research involved.
DeleteI can't wait to read this book! Seems like I've been waiting forever. :) I'll be getting a copy, so don't enter me into the contest. I'm just so pleased for Carla and happy to see her being published.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting today, Lori! Yes, and you will get a package of Devil Dogs as a prize for your wait! LOL!!!We all look forward to good things from you as well on your forthcoming first novels.
DeleteOoh, ooh, I want to read this! A Red Shirt hero? Yep, I'm in. :-) Thanks, Carla, for this opportunity! And thanks for hosting a giveaway of TSCD, Laura. Praying you have a terrific weekend! :-D
ReplyDeleteGwendolyn, I wasn't sure the publisher would accept my hero, but I'm so glad they did. His backstory moved me as I learned about the Navajo and The Long Walk that his mother had to endure. It's tricky trying to balance things like historical perspective and political correctness with the way "Indians" (Native Americans...) behaved and were treated, even "half-breeds" (see, it sounds terrible to say the word now, but that was what they called mixed nationality then), I've heard a few liken Yiska to "Sully" from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Women, though I do hope he stands out as having some of his own unique characteristics. I miss him already!
DeleteAlways exciting to welcome a new author to the historical Christian fiction market. I'm a "fan" before I even read her first book! Thank you for the opportunity to win a copy, Laura.
ReplyDeleteMary, thank you so much for visiting today! I appreciate your encouragement and especially that of your enthusiasm for new authors, like me!
DeleteBlessings!
Carla, I'm super excited to read your book! I love the intrigue of twists and turns of women in our history. When I talk to women who don't read historical novels, they assume women in history all acted as they were supposed to - but how neat it is that we still had active imaginations and beautiful dreams to reach beyond society's "mold" for the standard that was set before us as women. Thank you for contributing to our knowledge towards this! Yeah for a new book on the horizon!!!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I just love reading about female protagonists with dreams to expand their world. I think of the many women before us, who by living their dreams, have made it possible for us to live ours today - and that includes female authors! I hope you'll enjoy reading about Eliana's occupation as a photographer and her hardships and adventure as she pursues her goals.
DeleteWow congrats Carla! I absolutely love learning about new authors. This sounds like a really interesting read, I love "Red Shirt Heros"!! Thanks for entering me in the drawing Laura and thanks for introducing us to new noteworthy authors~ I look forward to checking out her book!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cassie! It's such an exciting time for me to see my first book published. I found the history for the book fascinating as I researched it. I hope that comes across as I share it throughout the novel.
DeleteI love "Red Shirt Heros", too. Laura creates the best of the best. And she is so sweet to highlight me here today!
Hi Carla!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to meet you :) Your book sounds wonderful, definitely one I would read and no doubt thoroughly enjoy! Laura's right, it's rare to find CBA books with Native Americans, their culture and what it means for them to come to Christ. She had me fall in love with her Red Shirt and I've been looking for ones along that vein ever since. Now I've found one from you and I'm looking forward to reading it, especially if the hero is like Red Shirt! :)
And, I LOVE the name of your heroine! One day, Lord willing, when I get married and have a little girl I want to name her Eliana! Not sure if you knew but it means "God has answered" - I love when a great name has a great meaning!
Laura, thank you for introducing me to Carla and for offering her book here! Carla, again, it was very nice to meet you and I pray God will bless you, your book and your future works richly!
Blessings,
Amanda
Thank you very much for your kind thoughts, Amanda. Sometimes the CBA does shy away from controversial topics, and the Native Americans in our country is one of them. I do hope I handled it well, especially during some of the sensitive things I included in the novel. And I hope you enjoy Yiska as much as I did as he "told" me his story, including his journey to faith in Christ.
DeleteThat's awesome that you plan to name a daughter Eliana. I learned the meaning of her name and that is what helped me choose it, as did Yiska's which means "after the night has passed." I've included that in the book. I'm very intrigued by character names and like the meanings to have some significance relating to the character.
Congratulations Carla! I'm so happy for you and love the premise of this novel. I know Does the new release make up for that sore wrist?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the little tease, Laura. I didn't know about the hero's background. All very interesting! have a nice weekend, ladies!
Thanks for coming by, Debra! Yes, the new release does make up for the wrist injury. I'm still floating on air! Although I do have some deadlines looming for my next 2 books, but I am on the mend.
DeleteCarla,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to see you here, I was thinking Laura would probably spotlight you soon. You were one of the first ACFW members I connected with online and I will always remember what you shared about the blessings of homeschooling your children and how that time is so short. I'm so excited your book is releasing now, seems like there were some hiccups, but God's timing is perfect :)
Thanks, sweet Julia! Laura is so gracious to have me here. So encouraging! It has been a long road, and yes, hiccups with this release, but praise God His timing is indeed perfect. In so many ways, and yours will be too! Blessings!
DeleteCourting Morrow Little was the first book I read by Laura and I loved it especially the hero Red Shirt. So I am very interested in reading your debut book. If I don't win it will be going on my wishlist for sure. Thanks for the giveaway and congratulations.
ReplyDeletesweetdarknectar at gmail dot com
Thank you so much, Amy. Laura sure does know how to create a hero and I know many of us have been inspired by her beautiful writing. I hope you will enjoy reading about Eliana and Yiska.
DeleteI am so glad to "meet" another New England Girl. Best wishes on your first novel, Carla.
ReplyDeleteJeanne Doyon
www.jeannedoyon.blogspot.com
Jeanne, thank you! Yes, it is fun to meet other New Englanders! We grew up pretty near one another come to find out, and here we meet in cyberspace. What a blessing.
DeleteHello lovely Laura and congratulations Carla :) It must be so exciting for you to release your debut novel and there's no better place than Laura's blog to be showcased!
ReplyDeleteHugs xo
Thank you, Rel! It is very exciting for me to see this long time dream finally come true. Laura has been so kind to have me here! I'm enjoying visiting with everyone very much.
DeleteHi Carla,
ReplyDeleteOh your book sounds wonderful. I love these kinds of stories, with heroes like "Red Shirt" and "Sully". I, too, have been facinated with stories about the Native American people and I'm constantly looking for books about them. I was close to the Four Corners area about three years ago, but didn't quite make it there. Not enough time. But the southwest has always intrigued and inspired me. Such a beautiful and vast place to explore. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your book. I'm eager to read it. :)
Thank you, Laura, for introducing us to Carla.
bookwarp(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi Angi, thank you for your kind comments! I so wish I could have visited the Four Corners in person as well, especially while researching the story. I was so amazed to learn how undeveloped the land in that area was even as late as 1875 (when my story is set). I felt like I was on a journey of my own as I adventured through my resources. I hope you'll enjoy the book!
Deletethanks for the chance to read this beautiful story ;)
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
So glad you stopped by, Karen! I hope you'll enjoy reading The Shadow Catcher's Daughter some day soon.
DeleteThanks so much to everyone for their warm welcome of Carla!! It's so fun seeing the comments come in and reading what people have to say about the book and history, etc. Carla, you're such a gracious hostess:) I appreciate you taking time out to answer everyone's comments. You all are the best!!
ReplyDeleteAn email entry just came in from Bille D. in Kentucky - bless you, Billie, for wanting to read Carla's debut! Love those KY readers:)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Billie! Blessings to you!
DeleteWell, I am supposed to go to bed but I saw the email (I have been getting LauraFrantz.net notifications since she first had a blog, I think!) Anyway,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to congratulate our friend, Carla, on her debut book. I started reading
it and it is great! Many blessings and I am SO glad for you, sweetie!
I appreciate the warm welcome and encouragement from everyone! Laura, you are such a dear friend and I'm so blessed that you had me here today.! My heart is overflowing!
ReplyDeleteCarla, so happy to meet you! When I saw that you're a descendent of early colonials, I got excited. :) My ancestor, Samuel Hubbard, immigrated to Salem, Massachusetts from Suffolk, England in 1633 and his daughter, Ruth Hubbard, was the first white child born in Springfield, Mass. I have a rich ancestral tie to New England, but I am a Midwestern girl, born and raised in Minnesota. I had a chance to visit New England a few years ago, but I wasn't able to do any family research (the trip was too short). :( I dream of going and spending some time just researching and soaking in New England, it is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour story sounds amazing! I'm so happy Laura introduced you today. (Hi, Laura!)
So nice to meet you here, Gabrielle. Yes, I believe our ancestors were neighbors, indeed! New England is such a wonderful place, and Essex county, Massachusetts has so much history. We hope to go there this summer to do some more research and look around at our ancestor's homesteads. There is a ton of info online. Stop by my genealogy blog and you might even find some resources to get you started. http://familyhistory.wordpress.com.
DeleteGabrielle, So interesting to learn about your family hx - my first thought was that your ancestors may very well have known Carla's as communities were so closeknit and small back then. Love that thought!! New England is certainly historically rich and beautiful. I'd love to go back myself.
ReplyDeleteCarla, love that your heart is overflowing - mine, too! Thanks for making this post such a wonderful one:)
A Red Shirt type hero? Count me in! ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chance to win this book, Laura! :)
~Amber
amberstokes[at]corban[dot]edu
Amber, I've been thinking of you as you graduate!! SOON, I'm thinking:) Thanks for taking time out of what must be a very busy schedule to be here and enter the drawing. You're a blessing!
DeleteNo one can really compare to Laura's Red Shirt, but Yiska is an interesting character I think you'll find. Eliana thinks so...
DeleteYou had me at Red Shirt type hero. And then you throw in the photographer assistant part. Sounds like a wonderful book to me!!!! Congrats on your debut! ~ any
ReplyDeleteAmy, Thanks for the warm words for Carla:) I know you like those type heroes ~ and the photography angle as well! Oh, how I wish I had a book for everyone!! You all sure bless me...
DeleteGood grief, yes my name is not Any. Lol. Thanks, Laura!
DeleteI knew just who you were, dear Amy:) Glad I'm not the only typo-prone writer!!
DeleteSweet Peripety, lovely name! Oooh, then I think you shall like a few choice scenes very much!
DeleteSounds interesting! Please enter me in the giveaway! :)
ReplyDeleteMelanie
frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com
Christian Bookshelf Reviews
Melanie, So happy to have you in the drawing!! Thanks for entering and commenting. Bless you:)
DeleteA Red shirt type hero is definitely my cup of tea! Count me in if I'm not too late:)
ReplyDeleteestephen81@fsmail.net
Never to late, my friend:) So happy to see you. Hope you're having a blessed Scottish spring!!
DeleteIt was snowing at the weekend LOL. Typical Scottish spring! haha.
DeleteEva, I'm chuckling as I've been writing a post entitled, "Scottish Spring" the last couple of weeks. Maybe I'll add some snow!!
DeleteGlad you stopped by Eva! I hope you enjoy Yiska!
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie, I hope you'll get a chance to read The Shadow Catcher's Daughter and enjoy Eliana and Yiska's adventure.
ReplyDelete