A PALACE ON THE PLAINS by ERICA VETSCH



  THE STORY:
            This story is found in The Homestead
Brides Collection, which is an awesome compilation of stories from a sampling of Christian romance’s best authors. “A Palace on the Plains” takes place on the Nebraska plains in 1873. It is a gentle love story between Julia Farrington, a traveling seamstress, and Cyrus Haskell, a homesteader, who is a teensy bit cantankerous but only in the best way possible.
            It is a girl who is “more than pretty enough for a second look” and “all prickles and bravado” meets a man who is a “stubborn, gentle, appealing, infuriating homesteader.”
            He cannot imagine why a city girl like her would want to stay in a sod house out on the plains, and she can’t imagine how anything else could make her happy.
                                    

LANNA’S…                       

            favorite thing about the story:
            The ROMANCE!! When I read a romance, I want to feel the attraction between the characters. You know what I mean? Like I want to know that they like each other because I can feel it happening. Well, “Palace on the Plains” delivers in spades! The reader can feel the romance blooming from the very first meeting between the hero and heroine. It definitely gave me my reading romance fix.

            favorite literary component:
            This question could have so many answers! So, I’ll pick the thing that drew me into the story from the very beginning: From the first scene the characters are engaging.            
            In my experience, CHARACTERIZATION is sometimes under-developed in short stories. By the end of the tale, we might know what happened and have a larger sense of how the characters feel about the outcome of events, but the really-getting-to-know-the-characters feel that I so love about good writing is too often not found in short stories.
            HOWEVER, that is definitely not the case in Palace on the Plains. Vetsch uses narrative, dialog, and description to give the reader a clear picture of the characters from the get-go. And, the characters are not one-dimensional. Julia Farrington is spunky yet lacks self-confidence and Cyrus Haskell is cranky yet protective. The secondary characters are a large part of the story and, again, are well-developed and charming.
            You will fall in love with the Haskell boys from the very start - and it only gets better from there.


            favorite tidbits:
            My favorite character is Cyrus Haskell. He is a little bit ornery, a lot bit serious, and all kinds of lovable. Here is a little taste of Cyrus via his thoughts:
            “Of all the useless bits of fluff ever found prancing across a train platform, Miss Farrington took the biscuit.”
            “[Cotton’s] sturdy body relaxed and his mouth opened as he drifted off to sleep in her arms. Lucky Cotton.”
           

            favorite things about the author:
            I love Erica’s online presence and her interaction with readers and potential authors. She is humble, quite funny, and giving of her time and expertise. And her love of family and friends speaks loudly through the computer screen in a testament of how we should all love – with a showering of affections and praise.
            She is that person that you might know only online but with whom you really want to hang out. I want to invite her to a writer’s retreat and laugh more than I write. ;)
           

ERICA VETSCH:

Erica is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and romance, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical romances. Whenever she's not immersed in fictional worlds, she's the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.


ERICA'S...
           favorite thing about writing A Palace on the Plains: 
           The research! I learned all about the Easter Blizzard of 1873 and knew I wanted to put it into the story. I also got to learn all about how sod houses were constructed.  

           favorite character from A Palace on the Plains:
           Cotton and Titus.Those little boys just stole my heart.

           favorite tidbits: 
           It's so difficult to choose! I loved Julia's first impressions of the soddy, and Cyrus's first impressions of Julia.
 
           Erica's five favorite frivolous things in life:
           1. Binge watching NCIS
           2. Red nail polish
           3. Frozen Free Fall game on my Kindle.
           4. Sugar free popsicles.
           5. Singing in the car to the radio


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38 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I love it...obviously. LOL You'll enjoy the entire book as there are lots of good authors represented.

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  3. Think my comment disappeared....if it posts twice, just delete the duplicate, sorry!

    God first, love, laughter, finding fun things to do together, respect and cherishing one another is what makes a home to me!

    Erica Vetsch sent me to your blog via FB, so here I am :-) Yay, new blog to follow! Thank you for the chance to win a copy of this book. I've also shared on Facebook and retweeted you on Twitter.

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    1. Thank you so much for the shares! Nice to "meet" you!

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    2. I should add, thanks for the book review of Erica's story! My first one I read of hers was "The Cactus Creek Challenge", where her humor spilled over on every page :-) Not to mention, falling in love with two toe-headed twin boys with a penchant for trouble! I am honored to be on her street team since that books launch and connect with her often on FB. She's a delightful, warm and welcoming person & author. I'm so glad you find her to be the same! Congrats on being a new blogger, I wish you many blessings for it.

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    3. She is delightful, isn't she! It's such a great word to describe her. And thanks for the blessings - I'll take them!

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  5. I enjoyed your review and I look forward to reading more blog posts from you. What makes a house a home? People who genuinely love and care for each other, no matter their relationship. God as the cornerstone and the One given top priority. A willingness to share and a willingness to care!

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    1. I love that you included "no matter the relationship." It is so true that blood does not make family. :)

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  6. My BFF (hubby), Jesus, Love and most of all, BOOKS make my house a home!

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  7. Family makes a house a home - with God at the center. Let me just say that I have had the privilege of having Erica join my book club (Tantalizing Ladies Tea - A Christian Book Coterie) several times now. It is always a pure delight to have her join us! She is super sweet and has a great sense of humor! Fortunately we haven't scared her off yet as she keeps coming back when we invite her.

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    1. How cool is that?! I might have to start a book club! Do you think she'll travel to Texas to visit us? ;)

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  8. The people in a house make it a home. Indoor plumbing and Air conditioning help ;)
    I love these collections and have several other titles. I would love to have this one.

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    1. LOL I am a fan of indoor plumbing and A/C myself! The books are great, aren't they?

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  9. So excited!!!! Looking forward to reading this collection!!! Love Erica Vetsch!!!!

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    1. I'm a big fan of Erica Vetsch - if you couldn't already tell! This collection is super good.

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  10. The people you share a 'house' with make the 'home'.

    wfnren at aol dot com

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  11. I agree that family makes a house a home, but now my family is gone and it's just me here. My house is still a home because I am surrounded by things I love, my books and things that belonged to beloved family members now gone, or that were given to me by loved ones. When we surround ourselves with family and/or things we love, we are home.

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    1. Agreed. Love makes all the difference, no matter how it happens!

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  12. A peaceful place to come home to.

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    Replies
    1. Don't you love the feeling of, after a day out and about and away, you get to come home and soak up the peace?

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  14. Family , faith and unconditional love.
    Jhdwayne@peoplepc.com
    Deana

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    1. I am reading/doing The Love Dare - it is reminding me of what unconditional love means and how it should be an integral part of every marriage & home. Very interesting read.

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  16. Being with family at any of our homes feels like home to me! Can't even begin to tell you how much I love Bride Collections and this one looks like a beauty and a great read! Thank you for your kindness in offering it for a giveaway!

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    1. I agree with you - my parents' house is just as much a home as my own! It is all about the people there! And you're welcome! Blessings!

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  17. I I enjoyed living in a small town several years ago when my children were small. We knew almost everyone in the town a little something happened everyone was willing to pitch in and help. We had close Neighbors. And we were always visiting and letting the kids play together.

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