Today is Bragging Monday... well, not officially... But it is for me!
Today I get to brag about Natalie Replogle, a dear friend I've gotten to known through MOTTTs these last few years. She has been an inspiring presence in our group, always sharing her truthful, funny, raw and often (if not always) Spirit-led insights with me and the ones in the group.
So, we all knew she had been "working on a book" for the past few years. And I had already resolved in my head that whenever this book came out, I would be all over it!
So... THE BOOK IS OUT and I'm so proud of Natalie for publishing her very first "baby" out into the world (Wait... did that sound funny? Oh well... sorry, girl!)!
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| A Rescued Heart by Natalie Replogle |
I also have the privilege of posting the last few Q/A's of her Blog Tour, along with some book reviews. My OWN humble review will be at the very end... so, READ ON!
How did you balance writing a book while raising a
young family?
Lots of caffeine and very little sleep. I
tried to do my best to not let it affect my time with the family. It started as
a hobby and I made sure to keep it that way. I tried to only write during my
free time when my kids were sleeping. This is the one area that worked for me
with having a husband gone often (my husband is a pilot). The nights when he was gone, I worked on my
book as much as I could, that way when he was home I could spend my free time
with him. When I first started writing the book it was easier because I only
had two kids, but once I had my third it got a bit tricky. I had to get more
creative with my time. I sometimes went in writing spurts and I always
had a pad of paper with me wherever I went. Like waiting in the school pick up
line, when the kids were watching a movie, as I watched the kids play in the
sandbox or ride bikes; I would write down ideas and prepare for scenes so when
I did have time to write I was already prepared and knew what I wanted to do
and say. Once we knew this was turning
into more than just a hobby and I was going to get published, my husband
blessed the socks off me and would give me evenings away to go to a coffee shop
and write/edit. I seriously couldn’t have done it without his encouragement and
support. Overall, I don’t really know if I balanced the best I could have, the
housework got the raw end of the deal that’s for sure, but the family stayed
fed, had clean clothes (from a basket that sat unfolded for a week – ahem,
moving on) and loved, that’s all that matters, right?!
How many rejections did you get before your book
was published?
I think I lost count around 19. Most of the
publishing houses are set up now that you can’t contact them directly. You have
to go through an agent first and then they work to find you a publisher. To do
this, you begin by sending a query letter out to agents and if they are
interested they will contact you and ask to see more material (out of all of
them, I only had one agent ask for more). Why I say I lost count is because a
lot of them will not even respond to your letter, they just let it be known that
if you don’t hear from them, then they are not interested. After about a year
and a half of pursing agents, the Lord brought to my attention White Feather
Press – a small Christian publishing company that I could contact directly. I
sent them my manuscript, they loved it, and here we are now!
Book Reviews:
"This new author is amazing! In a world that
can bring so much pain and hurt, the writer captures the real meaning of this
life, to honor our Heavenly Father and He will bring joy, forgiveness, hope,
but most important Love into our lives. Trusting in God can bring such a
beautiful journey to your life. You will be captured in this story from the
first chapter to the last!"
"A Rescued Heart will NOT disappoint! It is
a beautiful story about pain and rejection, but also redemption, healing, and
love. I have read a TON of Christian fiction, and this was one of the best. The
characters are easy to relate to and realistic. Sometimes in Christian fiction
novels, things are TOO good to be true. However, in this novel, the characters
are REAL, their feelings and emotions are raw, and they respond the way I might
when stretched, hurt, and/or challenged. This novel tackles the hard issue of
domestic abuse, and I appreciate how the author, Natalie Replogle, exposes the
truth, from all sides, in a sensitive, yet informative way. I think this book
would be an exceptional read for anyone, but especially meaningful for someone
coming out of a hurtful relationship or abuse. It clearly
shows God's redeeming love and how He walks alongside us through even the most
challenging life experiences. I can't wait for the next book!"
My OWN humble review...
I know I said it was Bragging Monday for me... and as much as you're thinking: "Well, Helen's just biased... she'll say all these nice things about Natalie's book, because... well, because she's a friend.
But I'll try to be as honest as I can.
A Rescued Heart is a romance fiction book, the first book of her 4-book Come To My Rescue Series. I've stopped reading romance novels a number of years ago. I used to be hooked on all the Nicholas Sparks books, I mean, seriously... I would read every single one of them, and even tried to "convert" my other friends into reading them. We had a "secret" club and everything! Anyway, needless to say, I've "grown out of it" and it had been YEARS since I even touched a romance story... until I picked up A Rescued Heart.
When I started reading, I could hear Natalie's voice on each page (by the way, Natalie... audio book coming soon?), but after only a few pages, the characters in the story, Ava, Matt, Kim, Ray, Jules, all started to have a life of their own! I gave them faces and different voices, all while Natalie worked her magic in developing them into beautiful characters residing in Rockford, IL.
This book managed to envelope themes of grief & loss, human nature & sin, hurt & healing, forgiveness, redemption, God's unconditional love, and our finding our true and only identity in Christ. Despite the high emphasis on the "love story" between two characters, I found the issue of Domestic Violence much more striking and revealing to the eyes of my heart. I was hurt, angry, broken, and fascinated by the reality of those who live under the lies of their guilt & shame. Very powerful statements of our current society. Pure evil in our world.
As a mother of 2 young children, and being super pregnant at the moment, I managed to read this puppy in less than a week! Can't wait for book #2!
Okay... last but NOT least!
How could I tease you with such a review without blessing ONE OF YOU with a COPY OF THE BOOK? So, here's a GIVEAWAY just for you!!!
And if you just CAN'T wait to get your hand on this book, you can find it HERE or HERE.
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