All week long, I’ve dropped by the porch to enjoy the conversation surrounding Firefly Island, this newest release from the remarkable Lisa Wingate, and every night I’ve treated myself to a little more of the love between Mallory, and Daniel, and Nick– and the mystery surrounding Jack West who was all bad, or maybe all good, or somewhere in between. Every page pulled me further into the drama. I needed to know how, when, where, what and why!
Tonight I savored the last pages of a story I didn’t want to end and said so long to people I’ve grown to care about. It wasn’t a good-bye because I know I’ll be thinking about them for a while. I’m sure of it. Lisa’s characters make a habit of staying behind long after you think you’ve left them on the page. Only after they’ve finished entertaining you, do you realize that they’ve been teaching you as well. I remember the following jewel without looking back to find it in the pages. (Forgive me, Lisa, if it’s not verbatim!) In a piece of marital advice, Mallory’s sister reminds her that if she is going to fight with her husband she should be careful to, “Fight about a position, not the person.” She explains that “you can change your mind about a position, but what you say about the person during the argument will always be there.” Wise words, Belle Monday.
I’m going to echo Rachel on this one. Lisa Wingate can flat out write! She may be my friend, but she can also count me as a fan.
Hugs, Shellie
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson is an author, speaker, and radio host from Louisiana who writes non-fiction while wondering how on earth her talented friends spin tales like Firefly Island. You’re invited to visit her at her corner of the web, http://www.allthingssouthern.com
**WIN A COPY OF FIREFLY ISLAND AND BE INDUCTED INTO THE
PRECIOUS PEPRECIOUS PEARL CLUB, TOO! (to learn more about Precious Pearl Club, click here)**
To celebrate the release of Firefly Island, Lisa’s publisher is giving away 5 copies of Firefly Island (one each day) and Lisa is inducting a new Precious Pearl Club member each day!(adorable groundhog not included)**
To ENTER: answer the question of the day: What about you? Have books brought you together with friends in special ways? Leave a comment and share your Sisterhood Of the Book with us!
To learn more about Alice, Cindy, and Paula’s Sisterhood Of the Book, in their own words, check out there special feature below today’s post!
Blue Moon Bay one of BOOKLIST’S 10 Must Reads Of 2012!
Firefly Island hits shelves in February, 2013!
Click for sneak peek at Blue Moon Bay
Click for sneak peek at Firefly Island
31 comments
Kd Brown says:
February 15, 2013 at 5:52 am (UTC -5 )
I can’t wait to read Lisa’s books and then be able to share them with my special friends and family. Sharing great books truly is a wonderful way to stay connected to loved ones across the miles! Thanks.
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:02 am (UTC -5 )
I’ll second that, Kd. And I loved how Lisa wove that message into the book!
lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:54 pm (UTC -5 )
Thank you Kd. You are so right. Book connections are precious, especially across the miles.
Beth Webb Hart says:
February 15, 2013 at 6:37 am (UTC -5 )
Loved this, Shellie. And that marital advice is very valuable. You are so right – you don’t realize all you’ve been taught by a L. Wingate book until you look back. The gift of reading that keeps on giving…
XO,
BW
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:03 am (UTC -5 )
Indeed, BW! Have a lovely day. This weekend I get to delve into Moon Over Edisto from another of my fav authors.
Looking forward to it!
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 8:27 am (UTC -5 )
Thank you, Beth, Shellie, and Kd. You girls are making me all sniffly this morning. Luckily, I’m on the porch in my sweats today and I have no makeup on (yes, scary I know–aren’t you glad this is a cyber-meeting?) so there’s really nothing to ruin.
Belles, thank you for all the precious words about Firefly Island this. They mean so much because I love you girls and treasure the God-given storytelling gifts in each of you ;o)
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:04 am (UTC -5 )
You’re welcome, Lisa! They are very much deserved!
Sabrina says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:03 am (UTC -5 )
Sharing books are like sharing a whole different world with friends. My friends and I were that way even in middle school with Judy Blume books and it has grown over to Karen Kingsberry and now LISA!
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:06 am (UTC -5 )
Karen Kingberry! Was just thinking about her y/day. I’m knee deep in a particular Bible study that reminded me of her. Must go find that book. It’s around her somewhere…
lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:49 pm (UTC -5 )
I am honored to be in such great company. Thank you, Sabrina!
Jennifer McIlwain says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:55 am (UTC -5 )
Have books brought me together with friends in special ways…ABSOLUTELY! And in two specific ways:
1. There is a young college aged girl in our church that loves Christian Fiction and we have grown together in our mutual love of reading. We share many of our books between the two of us…it has led to sweet fellowship!
2. I also share many of the books I read and review with the Senior Adult Ladies at my church. They love to read and circulate books through their group and have so enjoyed many of the books and authors I have been blessed to introduce them to.
Love you Lisa Wingate!!!
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:55 pm (UTC -5 )
What wonderful ways of connecting through books. Stories are a fantastic way to build fellowship across generations!
Shellie Rushing Tomlinson says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:09 am (UTC -5 )
Ah, getting blessed by a book and and passing it on. I do so love to see that! Way to go, Jennifer!
Margie Lundy says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:26 am (UTC -5 )
I love discussing/arguing about books with some online friends. Another fun thing I’m getting to do these days is share them with my daughter (13). We’re usually on opposite sides when it comes to the love choice, but that makes it fun!
Julie Cantrell says:
February 15, 2013 at 12:21 pm (UTC -5 )
Margie, I love your point about reading with your daughter. My favorite reads these days are whatever my kids are reading, because it gives us something to talk about and opens up reasons to talk about those serious topics that are sometimes tricky to navigate. Remember as a teen thinking when you read a book that someone “gets me”? I loved feeling that an author someone understood exactly what I was going through. I love how stories still give kids (and adults) that sense of connection, and Lisa is one of the best at achieving that in her stories.
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:56 pm (UTC -5 )
Waving! Hi Margie!!! Reading with your children such is a great way to connect… and a great way to grow new readers ;o)
Cyndi W. says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:28 am (UTC -5 )
As my church’s librarian, I share lots of good books with friends, discussing ones I think they’d enjoy based on their preferences, etc. One in particular stands out… there is an older lady that was a big fan of the Thoene books and we would discuss them in depth. She’d let me know when a new one was fixin’ to come out and she’d always pre-order it. She now has advanced dementia and those times are just memories… for me… but ones I will always treasure.
Julie Cantrell says:
February 15, 2013 at 12:19 pm (UTC -5 )
Oh, Cyndi W…there is no greater saint in the world than a good librarian! Thanks for your service, and on behalf of authors everywhere…thanks for sharing our stories with readers! I bet that older friend sure would love for you to show up and read her a bit of a Thoene book. She may not know who you are, but I bet those characters and stories would connect with her in some real way. Happy reading! j
lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 9:57 pm (UTC -5 )
Precious memories, and yes, Julie is right–there is not greater treasure than a dedicated librarian!
Virginia Rush says:
February 15, 2013 at 12:22 pm (UTC -5 )
Shellie, I know….Jack West …now he could be a whole new book and his rascal son, but wouldn’t you love to know if he is good, bad, or in between. will he find love again. the mystery of his wife and child and more details…I would love that. and I think Aunt Donetta and the girls need to visit Moses Lake…I miss them… So you are right the characters do stay with you a long time…and that is saying alot for me, since I forget alot of books after I lay them down. I read entirely too much, too fast….I need to savor the story…but I’m a fast reader.
and SouthernBelle is my sisterhood…..LOL…
great week ladies….I loved it….have so much fun….now ya’ll have a great weekend.
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:00 pm (UTC -5 )
Hi Virginia! It has been a great week!
By the way, Donetta and the girls make an appearance in Moses Lake #4, coming in Feb 2014!
Virginia Rush says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:20 pm (UTC -5 )
oh man, you just made my night Lisa, what fun….I didn’t dare to dream it would actually happen….way tooooo fun. Moses lake will never be the same…..
and yes a wonderful week on the belles….just hate that Shellie has the flu….poor girl….
Jorie says:
February 15, 2013 at 1:38 pm (UTC -5 )
I love listening to all the different ways people are interconnecting with reading circles!
We each have our own special way of using books + reading as a method of connection, and I always find that to be something to celebrate! Even better, noting that a few of you are in inter-generational book circles, where I would think the observations would be quite varied and stimulating!
I’ve been enjoying dropping by in the afternoons, reading the posts, and getting to know the bloggers a bit better here at Southern Belle View! I look forward to each new post, and stopping by for a spell! I mimic the blessings for the weekend, as we are having a splash of nice weather here too!
Ooh, on a side note: Ms. Wingate!? Your books are quite popular right now in my library,… as I noted that they are either checked out or being waited on in que! I am most eager to see them acquire Firefly Island, as I saw that they already have Moses Lake’s series in both print + digital formats. My preferences are traditional bindings, but I understand the merits of ereaders even if I do not use them.
Ms. Cantrell, Ms. Tomlinson, Ms. Hauck, and Ms. Hart… I am happy to report you all happily represented as well! Which means, I now get to become acquainted with books by each of you! How wickedly delightful is that!?
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:09 pm (UTC -5 )
Hi Jorie!
We’re so glad you join us on the porch often! Thank you for sharing your “book sisterhood” stories. Thanks for letting us know we have a place in your library, too! What a blessing ;o)
Rachel Hauck says:
February 15, 2013 at 1:52 pm (UTC -5 )
Shellie, great minds “read” alike!
So proud to be a belle on this porch with all y’all.
Rachel
Cammie Delph says:
February 15, 2013 at 3:35 pm (UTC -5 )
Loved this post, and I can’t wait to read the book! My mom and I have always shared a love for the same types of books. We pass them back and forth, talk about them on the phone, bring them up in conversation. She and her sisters read a series together and they talk about it constantly. When I lived over 18 hours away from my mom, reading a book “together” always made me feel closer to her. I just recently introduced her to Lisa Wingate’s books, and we are now passing those back and forth! It’s been great!
Jorie says:
February 15, 2013 at 5:55 pm (UTC -5 )
Ms. Delph,…
have you ever been so engrossed into your conversation about characters that have struck your fancy, that in the midst of re-telling your Mum all about this new character your getting to know, and the world by which they live,.. that others around you get interested!? This has happened to my Mum and I, especially at coffeehouses! Laughs. Apparently, we get so wrapped up in talking about them, that people think their bonefide flesh and bone! As if they could walk in the door at any minute!! Of course, this is a credit to the authors who pen their stories, but I suppose in a small way, its a credit to how much as readers these characters curl up inside our lives and stay for a spell!
Mum usually likes to read books alongside me, same as your Mom, however, when time is short, she’d rather I just fill her in every so many chapters, and we have this long conversation all about a book, whose characters start to feel like long lost relatives and friends! A bit quirky too, as you know there are always the supporting characters that tickle your funnybone, too!
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:01 pm (UTC -5 )
LOL! My mom and I sometimes have conversations, plotting out the stories I’m working on. We have certainly gotten some strange looks =D
karenk says:
February 15, 2013 at 8:04 pm (UTC -5 )
loved this posting…it put a big smile on my face.
i cannot wait to read lisa’s latest masterpiece
Lisa Wingate says:
February 15, 2013 at 10:03 pm (UTC -5 )
Hi Karen! So glad to find you on the porch!!
Brandi F says:
February 22, 2013 at 11:25 pm (UTC -5 )
I agree with you Shellie! Lisa’s books always leave me with thoughts to ponder. Of course she also makes me laugh. Her characters are fleshed out nicely to the point of making you feel as if you already know them.
P.S. I’m still laughing and sharing your toilet bugger story!