Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Egyptian Law for Building Churches Angers Christians

Coptic Christians seek solace in their faith, 
while facing turmoil in Egypt.

(AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

A general view of the Cave Cathedral or St. Sama'ans Church on the Mokattam Hills overlooking Cairo, Egypt.

After long hoping for an end to restrictions on the building of churches, many of Egypt's Christians are infuriated and feeling betrayed after lawmakers passed a law August 30, 2016, giving authorities broad powers to veto construction for vague reasons including worries over 'national security.'
http://accesswdun.com/print/2016/8/439763


                       (Photo: Reuters)

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The Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, a faith with ancient Christian roots in Egypt. This current holder of this position is Theodoros II or Tawadros II, who was selected as the 118th pope on November 4, 2012.

He is also Patriarch of the See of St. Mark Cathedral, and in the photo above leads the Coptic Christmas Eve Mass in Cairo January 6, 2014.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Why Reader Reviews are Important

Did you know August 2016 is Write-An-Amazon-Review Month? No? I didn't either until I read Helen Hollick’s latest blog post on the subject.

This staunch supporter of Indie Writers and successful author in her own right puts it very succinctly why reviews are so important to us authors; so I won’t repeat what she said.

Rather, I urge you to read her excellent post here:

https://ofhistoryandkings.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/are-reviews-important-yes.html

And now, I better go and read another great Indie book out there so I can put my “review where my mouth is.”

Especially, since I "bragged" about my summer reading list on the B.R.A.G. blog. 

Most of the books on my reading-wish list have either been chosen to be on the Historical Novel Society's winner list (an association where Helen is a founding member), or were selected as B.R.A.G. Medallion Honorees for excellence in writing. 

So, whenever you see this medallion on a cover, you can be assured that it has passed the most rigorous selection.

Thus, while enjoying a great read, I thought I might as well glean some pointers from the best.

And now, don't forget to write that review. Time (and August) is running out. And know, the diplomatically critical ones are often the most helpful to an author...just don't go overboard if you find some negatives to report; writers are people too.

But we all appreciate your time and effort in Writing that Review on Amazon (or any of the other retailers from where you may be purchasing your reading).



Thursday, August 18, 2016

My Review of Regina Jeffers' ANGEL COMES TO DEVIL'S KEEP

Manners, Mayhem, Murder – and Love

...all in the rarefied setting of the British Regency Period.

There are two things I don’t like in a “review.” Spilling the plot so as to become a spoiler; and “I usually don’t read this genre.”
Well, as for the latter, I don’t. Yet, thanks to the author’s deftness in staying “in style” and her flawless writing, I began to enjoy the unraveling story to the point where I was reading instead of doing some previously planned chores.
Having grown up in a somewhat formal European environment, I found it easy to slip into the speech pattern of the British aristocracy with its often painfully reticent demeanor. Trust me, the veiled tongue lashings nevertheless carried a deliciously sharp sting.
It was refreshing to have mayhem and murder heaped upon one without the now sadly so prevalent usage of foul language, nor were there any explicit sex scenes to groan over; however, flowing from the masterful pen of Ms. Jeffers, it all stayed intricately suspenseful and—indeed—exquisitely titillating.
I know how much research it takes to write proficiently about a certain period. Everything has to be correct: mannerisms, speech and clothing, everyday life, titles, social expectations and restrictions as well as locations. As Ms. Jeffers has written many novels in the Regency Romance genre, I suspect by now it may well be second nature to her – and it shows.

No matter what the obstacles, the desires, the ambitions, in the end it all came down to what hasn’t changed over time: The Quest for Love. Indeed, I shut off my Kindle with a satisfied sigh: Well done, Ms. Jeffers. Your readers will be happy with this one.


You can buy your copy at these sites:


Tuesday, August 9, 2016

A New Regency Romance by Regina Jeffers

 Today, it is my pleasure to introduce to you
Regina Jeffers,
the prolific and award-winning author of historical cozy mysteries, Austenesque sequels and retellings, as well as Regency era romances.

She has worn many hats over her lifetime: daughter, student, military brat, wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, tax preparer, journalist, choreographer, Broadway dancer, theatre director, history buff, grant writer, media literacy consultant, and author.


Living outside of Charlotte, NC, Jeffers writes novels that take the ordinary and adds some mayhem, while mastering tension in her own life with a bit of gardening and the exuberance of her grand joys.

Her newest book in her Regency Romance genre is:

Angel Comes to the Devil’s Keep


To give you a little taste, here is a brief Description:

Huntington McLaughlin, the Marquess of Malvern, wakes in a farmhouse, after a head injury, being tended by an ethereal "angel," who claims to be his wife. However, reality is often deceptive, and Angelica Lovelace is far from innocent in Hunt's difficulties. Yet, there is something about the woman that calls to him as no other ever has.

When she attends his mother's annual summer house party, their lives are intertwined in a series of mistaken identities, assaults, kidnappings, overlapping relations, and murders, which will either bring them together forever or tear them irretrievably apart. As Hunt attempts to right his world from problems caused by the head injury that has robbed him of parts of his memory, his best friend, the Earl of Remmington, makes it clear that he intends to claim Angelica as his wife.

Hunt must decide whether to permit her to align herself with the earldom or claim the only woman who stirs his heart--and if he does the latter, can he still serve the dukedom with a hoydenish American heiress at his side?

Here are a couple of Early Reviews:

The story is charming, with interesting and realistic characters, a complex plot with plenty of surprises, and a sweet romance woven through it all. The author has a good command of what it was like to be a woman in nineteenth-century England--almost as if she had been there. She really did her research for this one.

Angel Comes to Devil's Keep is a well-written tale of courage and sacrifice and what women went through in order to marry well in Regency England. The author did her homework and it shows in an authenticity that we don't often see in Regency romances.

Purchase Links:
Amazon-Kindle         Nook                  
Amazon-Print            Kobo           Smashwords 
                                              
(eBooks and Print copies available ~ Print copies include an autographed bookplate)


Check out all of this writers books on the Amazon-Author Page forRegina-Jeffers

Follow Regina on SOCIAL MEDIA:

Every Woman Dreams Blog - reginajeffers.wordpress.com
Austen Authors Blog - austenauthors.net
Website (excerpts, news and events, reviews, etc.) - www.rjeffers.com

Follow her on Twitter @reginajeffers     https://twitter.com/reginajeffers

And look for her on Pinterest, Goodreads, and LinkedIN