Today I’m blogging with Australasian Christian Writers and talking about New Years Writing Resolutions. Hope to see you there!
http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/2015/01/new-years-writing-resolutions.html
Merry Christmas!
I hope you’ll enjoy a wonderful Christmas celebration with your loved ones. May the New Year bring you many blessings and opportunities.
I’m taking a short break from blogging over the Christmas and New Year break, returning in early 2015. See you next year đ
Friday Weekend Escape to Hungary â Beautiful Budapest (Winter)
 by Marion Ueckermann
How good itâs been to be in Budapest again these past five days and to show my husband, Noel, the sights of this beautiful city. A city of lights, of statues, of amazing architecture, of incredible interiors, of history, of culture, of tempting aromas, and of fun. Truly a fascinating city offering far more than I had ever imagined. Go right now and put a visit to Budapest on your bucket listâyou wonât be sorry.
City of Lights: Christmas lights line the city streets, aging buildings, and trams, while spotlights illuminate amazing architecture, bridges, and statues.
City of Statues: Heroes, Heroines, Saints, and Kings are forever entombed in a brazen hue.
City of Amazing Architecture: Castles, Chapels, Basilicas, Hotels, Houses of Parliament, Synagogues, Museums, Stations ⌠they all feature exquisite craftsmanship.
City of Incredible Interiors: Almost every building you enter, whether it be a coffee shop, hotel or basilica has a unique interior. Of special fascination are the roofs. You would have seen some of those from the Basilica photos in last weekâs blog. The interior below is from a wonderful coffee shop called Lotz Bookcafe where we each had a speciality hot chocolateâŚwhich was literally like drinking melted chocolate.
City of History: Budapest is a city filled with history but what intrigued me most was the amount of Jewish history. Not surprising though as, prior to the holocaust, Hungary had the largest population of Jews outside of Israel. A huge percentage of these were murdered during the holocaust. Many memorials to the victims have been erected. We saw the mass graves at the Great Synagogue. The thing that touched me most though was the Shoe Statues along the Danube River. During the holocaust, Jews were lined up beside the river, told to take their shoes off, and then shot. Their bodies would be swallowed up by the river below.
City of Culture: Opera is huge in Budapest and very affordable (depending where you sit, of course). The Nutcracker was showing this past week but unfortunately tickets were sold out. We were fortunate though when we visited the Basilica to have an orchestra playing live there.
City of Tempting Aromas: Budapest is alive with aromas. Two of my best were the Chimney Cakes sprinkled with your choice of vanilla, chocolate, almond, cinnamon, walnut, and hot mulled wine in a variety of fruity flavors. Another tempting aroma was chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
City of Fun: Christmas markets, an ice rink in the park, Ferris wheel, Segway city tours, Horse drawn carriage rides, Danube River cruisesâŚjust a few of the fun things to see and do.
A Fascinating City: Budapest is simply fascinating. We went to the Invisible Exhibition where we sawâŚnothing. For one hour we went about blind as we lived the life of a blind person. We felt our way in pitch darkness through a virtual apartment, then out into the âstreetâ to the market to get fruit. After that we walked through a forest to a woodcutterâs cottage, then to a museum and finally a pub where we ate chocolate and drank a coldrink (if we had coins with which to pay). And of course, our guide wasâŚa blind person. It was a real eye-opener into the world of the visually impaired.
Another fascinating concept we were introduced to was the ruin bars. We visited the most famous one, Szimpla. All over the city, ruined buildings have been ârenovatedâ to be used as bars. As you can see, the ruined look is very much part of the theme of this enormous multi-level, multi-roomed city bar where nothing goes to waste. Bicycle tyres are used for tables, and carrots are sold and served by the bunches instead of peanuts.
Today, as you read this blog, Iâll be making my way from Helsinki to Lapland, home of Santa Claus. Thereâs still so much Noel and I want to still see and experience in beautiful Budapest. The fascinating sweet shop I wrote of in my blog last week, the chocolate shop, the drinking chocolate bar, the Peanut Bar (which is actually called âFor Saleâ), the Turkish Baths, Buda Castle, the Great Market ⌠Thankfully weâll be back shortly after New Year and we can finish what we started last weekâdiscovering as much as we can of this amazing city.
He needed the island to himself. So did she.
Three weeks alone at a friendâs summer cottage on a Finnish lake to fast and pray. That was Adam Carter’s plan. But sometimes plans go awry.
On an impromptu trip to her family’s secluded summer cottage, the last thing Eveliina Mikkola expected to find was a missionary from the other side of the worldâin her sauna.
Determined to stay, Eveliina will do whatever it takesâfrom shortcrust pastry to shortsâto send the man of God packing. This islandâs too small for them both.
Adam Carter, however, is not about to leave.
Will he be able to resist her temptations?
Can she withstand his prayers?
Helsinki Sunrise is available to purchase from Pelican Book Group, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube.
Watch the Passport to Romance book trailer on YouTube.
Marion Ueckermannâs passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven, and her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise (White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series). Her second Passport to Romance, Oslo Overtures, will be published in 2015.
Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.
Connect with Marion Ueckermann:
Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire
Â
Permission to use images obtained.
Friday Weekend Escape to Hungary – Beautiful Budapest (Summer)
By Marion Ueckermann
For weeks Iâve been singing the Budapest song by George Ezra. My heartâs in BudapestâŚna, na, a doobie doo. The first two lines were all I knew for quite some time (and Iâve discovered incorrectly too). The closer today has come, the more Iâve learnt of the song. Heart is actually house, and doobie doo is actually Iâd lose it all.
Iâm so excited! Tonight I wing my way up the continent of Africa, and after a brief stop-over in Doha, Qatar, itâll be only a few more hours until my husband and I land in Budapest. But the Budapest that waits will be very different from the one we visited for a few hours in the summer of 2012. No doubt, the snow covered city (please let there be snow…apparently theyâre experiencing a warm winter) will be equally as fascinating, and even more beautiful.
After we had experienced our summer cottage vacation in Finland some thirty months ago, we flew to Budapest where we caught a bus to Romania and spent a week helping to build houses for the Romanian gypsies. But thatâs a story for another blog. On the way back to Finland for our long-haul flight home to South Africa, we had a layover of several hours in Budapest. While my hubby stayed at the airport to look after our luggage (he had a sore leg and didnât want to go sight-seeing), my son, Kyle, his wife, Tiia, and I caught the bus and train into the city center along with two of their missionary friends, Samuel and Sara. Iâm so glad we didânot only was it such a beautiful city to see, but it was that visit that drew Kyle and Tiia to set up their office for Re-birth in Budapest.
It is said that Budapest and Prague are two of the most beautiful cities in Europe because they were not damaged by the wars.
Here are some places we saw (unfortunately I donât know the names of many of the places, but perhaps Iâll get to know some of them on this trip).
The statues on the buildings were fascinating…magnificent works of art.
I loved the intricate lamp posts, curved streets and paved alleyways.
This is the beautiful University that my daughter-in-law attended.
A fruit shop, flower shop and pharmacy (yes, thatâs what that strange word means).
From the moment you spot its spires in the distance, St. Stephenâs Basilica has you spellbound.
The artwork of this cathedral is breathtakingâfrom the large mosaic paved area that greets you outside, to the carvings, sculptures, paintings and pipe organ inside.
One cannot help but stand and stare in awe once inside St. Stephenâs Basilica. The craftsmanship of the architecture and all the trimmings surrounding that is almost inconceivable. Itâs simply, beautiful.
In one part of the outer area, colorful stained glass windows let light into the room that houses them.
Theyâre so exquisite that one almost doesnât notice the strange phenomenon in the room their beauty brightens.
Inside this glass reliquary lies the right hand of Stephen, the first King of Hungary, in whose honor the basilica is named.
In closing, what would this blog post be if I didnât post a picture of the famous Danube River. Da-da-da-da-da, la-la la-la⌠What is it about this city that makes me want to sing all the time?
I trust that youâve enjoyed taking an escape with me to beautiful Budapest. I am so looking forward to visiting the following places that my son and daughter-in-law have discovered during the time theyâve been living in Budapest: the colorful sweet shop; this death-by-chocolate coffee shopâNoir ChocoBar; the outdoor ice-rink in the city park; and the love lock park at ErzsĂŠbet square. Here couples inscribe a lock with their names. The lock is chained alongside a myriad of other locks and then the couples walk hand in hand across the Danube and toss the key into the river.
I plan to visit one of the 80 geothermal springs (medicinal baths) in Budapest this coming week so hopefully Iâll have some photos of those to show in next weekâs blog â Winter Budapest.
But more than all the awesomeness the beautiful city of Budapest has to offer, Iâm looking forward to seeing this beloved sight tomorrow â my son and his wife (who are also my cover models for Helsinki Sunrise).
He needed the island to himself. So did she.
Three weeks alone at a friendâs summer cottage on a Finnish lake to fast and pray. That was Adam Carter’s plan. But sometimes plans go awry.
On an impromptu trip to her family’s secluded summer cottage, the last thing Eveliina Mikkola expected to find was a missionary from the other side of the worldâin her sauna.
Determined to stay, Eveliina will do whatever it takesâfrom shortcrust pastry to shortsâto send the man of God packing. This islandâs too small for them both.
Adam Carter, however, is not about to leave.
Will he be able to resist her temptations?
Can she withstand his prayers?
Helsinki Sunrise is available to purchase from Pelican Book Group, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble
Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube.
Watch the Passport to Romance book trailer on YouTube.
Marion Ueckermannâs passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven, and her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise (White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series). Her second Passport to Romance, Oslo Overtures, will be published in 2015.
Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.
Connect with Marion Ueckermann:
Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire
Â
Permission to use images obtained.
Friday Weekend Escape to Pokhara, Nepal with Melissa Gijsbers
Today weâre escaping for the weekend with my Aussie author friend, Melissa Gijsbers, to Nepal. Melissa is sharing her memories of Pokhara, where she lived for a few years when she was younger. Enjoy!
~~~~~
I havenât been there for nearly 30 years, but join me on an escape to Pokhara in Nepal. I would like to take you on a tour of the places I remember most.
First stop on our tour is the place we used to live. Back then, it was a two-bedroom, single storey, unfinished house. I shared a bedroom with my three siblings. We would play on the roof and have BBQs with buffalo steak that had been marinaded overnight to help it be tender enough to eat!
The house may have been small, but there were spectacular views, especially from the outside toilet!
Down the road in one direction, it will take you to the âShining Schoolâ, the two room primary school where I was a student. It is also the school mentioned in Swallow Me, NOW! as Samâs favourite primary school.
Going in the other direction from the house, you will end up at the bazaar. You can buy all sorts of things from little shops and carts. I used to go there with my mum. Doing the weekly shopping in Pokhara was different than going to the supermarket here in Melbourne!
It has been a long time since Iâve been to Pokhara. My parents went back earlier this year and told us it has changed a lot. The house we lived in has been finished but the bazaar is still there.
All Sam wants to do is to fit in at her new school.
Feeling alone, and desperately trying to find her place in the world, she concocts an AMAZING story –
BUT it backfires on her, and she becomes known as the âEvil Geniusâs Daughter!â
Can her life get any worse?
Melissa Gijsbers lives in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, with her two sons and pet blue tongue lizard. Between 1983 and 1986, her family were missionaries in Nepal. She enjoys catching up on the events of the day over mugs of hot chocolate with her sons after school.
Website: www.melissagijsbers.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MelissaGijsbers
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MissieK
Friday Weekend Escape to the Wood, Marble and Bronze of Kerimäki and surrounds
by Marion Ueckermann
Itâs good to be here…again…taking you all on another Finnish weekend escape. Weâre not travelling far from where we stopped in Savonlinna last weekend, and although some twenty-three kilometers away, the town of Kerimäki was consolidated with Savonlinna two years ago.
But before we leave quaint Savonlinna, thereâs somewhere I need to take you firstâa park close to the center of town. My husband, Noel, and I had fun here creating our own âWhereâs Wallyâ photos behind this huge bronze statue.
Another interesting statue we found in Savonlinna was close to Olavinlinna Castle. Known as the âSpirit of the Castle,â this tall, full-figure metal statue is of Danish knight, Erick Axelsson Tott, clad in armor and gazing toward the castle he had foundedâOlavinlinna. The statue was erected on the Tallisaari Island on the 500th anniversary of the castle.
Another famous Savonlinna statue is âThe Black Ram.â A black ram (or some other sheep) was kept in the castle. The ram was to be served on St. Olafâs Day as a sacrificial feast, representing a bridge between old pagan traditions and Christian worship. The last ram of the castle died around 1728 by drowning in a river, marking the end of the tradition. This statue was presented to Savonlinna on its 325th anniversary.
If youâll indulge me, Iâd like to make one last stop at another statue before we head on over to Kerimäki. We had travelled twenty-five kilometers south from Kerimäki. About thirty kilometers (as the crow flies) before the Russian border, we found this fascinating statue outside Punkaharju at Lustoâthe Finnish Forest Museumâof an old lumberjack and horse moving enormous logs. Isnât the detail exquisite?
 
In Kerimäki we stopped at a Finnish cemetery. Our friend wanted to visit her fatherâs grave. Iâve never been in such a beautiful and tranquil cemetery before. Uniformed headstones of even size and shape marked each grass-covered grave, while bright flowers brought color to the dark marble blocks. A forest of trees offered shade to the final resting place of the deceased.
Not far from the cemetery, a tall, orangey-yellow and white wooden church reaches nearly thirty-seven meters into the sky. Built between 1844 and1847, the Kerimäki Church is the largest Christian wooden church in the world.
With over 1670 meters of pews, the church seats over 3,000 people and with standing room can hold up to 5,000 at any given time. A short distance from the church thereâs a gift shop housed in the bottom of the tower (see right hand insert below).
With its pews, columns, galleries, tie-beams, arches, domes and lanterns, this beautiful church is certainly a masterpiece of carpentry.
Because the church canât be heated, itâs only used in the summer for services, weddings, festivals and concerts. In 1953, a small church was built beside the huge church so that religious services could be held in the winter. But early on Christmas morning, parishioners gather in the old church and hundreds of candles fill the icy interior with a warm atmosphere.
âCome to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.â Contained in the altarpiece, these words of Jesus are the motto of the Kerimäki church.
I loved the true story our friends told us when they took us to the Kerimäki Church of the year that black smoke was seen billowing out of the top tower. The fire brigade was called and the townâs people came to help put out the fire in this wooden church. When the firemen scoured the building they could find no sign of a fire, no smells of a fire, and yet the black smoke was a visible sign of one. Upon inspection up in the tower, they discovered the âblack smokeâ was actually swarms of mosquitos. In a blog on International Christian Fiction Writers, I wrote about the one thing I never expected in FinlandâŚthe infestation of mosquitos in the summer. Seems that year, even the Finns werenât expecting it.
I trust youâve enjoyed your visits to Finland, sans mosquitos. In two weeksâ time, Iâll take you on an escape to beautiful Budapest. Hopefully soon, youâll get to experience a different Finland with meâthe winter wonderland including Santaâs home in Lapland.
He needed the island to himself. So did she.
Three weeks alone at a friendâs summer cottage on a Finnish lake to fast and pray. That was Adam Carter’s plan. But sometimes plans go awry.
On an impromptu trip to her family’s secluded summer cottage, the last thing Eveliina Mikkola expected to find was a missionary from the other side of the worldâin her sauna.
Determined to stay, Eveliina will do whatever it takesâfrom shortcrust pastry to shortsâto send the man of God packing. This islandâs too small for them both.
Adam Carter, however, is not about to leave.
Will he be able to resist her temptations?
Can she withstand his prayers?
Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube.
Watch the Passport to Romance book trailer on YouTube
Helsinki Sunrise is available to purchase from Pelican Book Group, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
MARION UECKERMANNâs passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven, and her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise (White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series). Her second Passport to Romance novelette, Oslo Overtures, will be published in 2015.
Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.
Connect with Marion Ueckermann:
Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire
Permission to use images obtained.
Her Tycoon Hero featured on Foreign Affaire (plus giveaway)
Her Tycoon Hero is the featured book for November on the Foreign Affaire blog. We’re also giving away a print copy of Her Tycoon Hero (worldwide) at Foreign Affaire.
BOOK AND AUTHOR OF NOVEMBER: Her Tycoon Hero by Narelle Atkins
http://foreignaffaire.com/2014/11/03/book-and-author-of-november-her-tycoon-hero-by-narelle-atkins/
Down Under in Sydney, Australia ~ Setting for Her Tycoon Hero
http://foreignaffaire.com/2014/11/10/down-under-in-sydney-australia-setting-for-her-tycoon-hero/
Ryan Mitchell ~ Sun-loving Water Baby Tycoon Hero of HER TYCOON HERO
http://foreignaffaire.com/2014/11/17/683/
Ryan Mitchell ~ A Few of Our Tycoon Hero’s Favorite Things
http://foreignaffaire.com/2014/11/18/ryan-mitchell-a-few-of-our-tycoon-heros-favorite-things/
Cassie Beaumont ~ Her Tycoon Hero’s Recovered and Restored Heroine
Cassie Beaumont ~ Heroine of Her Tycoon Hero ~ A Few of Her Favorite Things
Narelle Atkins ~ Up Close and Personal
http://foreignaffaire.com/2014/11/24/narelle-atkins-up-close-and-personal/
Narelle Atkins ~ On Writing
http://foreignaffaire.com/2014/11/27/narelle-atkins-on-writing/
Heartsong Presents December New Releases
My fourth fiction book release with Harlequinâs Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line, Her Tycoon Hero, released last month in November. Today Iâm posting information on all the new Heartsong Presents releases for December.
Four Heartsong Presents books are released each month under the Love Inspired brand: two contemporary inspirational romances and two historical inspirational romances. The Love Inspired range of books include contemporary romance (Love Inspired), historical romance (Love Inspired Historical) and romantic suspense (Love Inspired Suspense).
North American readers can purchase books from the Harlequin Reader Service. International readers outside the USA and Canada can purchase the print books online from Amazon and The Book Depository (free international shipping). If youâre looking for inspirational (Christian) romances to read, please check out the Heartsong Presents and Love Inspired books.
THIS ISN’T WHAT DETECTIVE DAN ROBINSON PLANNEDÂ
When he promised to watch over his late partner’s wife and daughters, Dan didn’t expect to fall for beautiful widow Jessica Michaels. She’s the one woman Dan shouldn’t pursue, but can’t resist. Though his growing feelings warn him to stay away, Jessica needs him now more than ever.
Jessica’s always thought of Dan simply as her husband’s friend. But as he spends time helping her with the girls, Jessica realizes her true feelings for Dan are much more than platonic. Torn between love and loyalty, can Jessica and Dan build a future together without betraying the past?
Read a FREE sample at Amazon.com
JEFF SHAW EXPECTS A BLUE CHRISTMAS THIS YEARÂ
Reeling from a broken engagement, Jeff doesn’t feel like celebrating. Especially with his ex-fiancĂŠe’s younger sister, Natasha Brickson. But Natasha is determined to immerse Jeff in Christmas cheer, and to his surprise, her tender care begins to mend his heart. Unlike his ex, Natasha is warm, compassionate and lovely inside and out.
Natasha’s always stood in her sister’s shadow, so she doesn’t expect the man of her dreams to notice her. But when their friendship becomes something more, can Jeff convince Natasha that he was engaged to the wrong sisterâŚand give her the Christmas gift of a lifetime?
Read a FREE sample at Amazon.com
ANSLEY POTTER JUST FOUND OUT SHE’S AN AUNTÂ
âŚof three endearing orphaned children. Only Seth Dobson isn’t planning to relinquish custody of his nephew and nieces. But Ansley didn’t come all the way to Prairie Chicken, Kansas, to give up without a fight. She’s determined to be part of the children’s lives, even with the handsome farmer opposing her at every turn.
As the children’s paternal uncle, Seth is happy to do his Christian duty. Just when he and the kids are finally becoming a family, here’s this Boston beauty who isn’t afraid to stand up to himâŚor to danger. Can two strangers who are constantly surprising each other create something special and lastingâtogether?
Read a FREE sample at Amazon.com
FOR CHARLES YOUNG, ALL’S FAIR IN LOVE AND WARÂ
The British soldier scorns the trappings of society lifeâincluding a society wife. So a posting in the remote San Juan Islands is perfect for him. But when an American girl crosses enemy lines, she turns his structured world upside down.
As smart as she is fetching, Rachel Thompson’s only experience with romance is the books she devours. But her father is determined that his spirited daughter make a suitable match. And a British officer could never be suitable. Can this real-life Romeo and Juliet triumph over the oddsâŚor will their romance trigger the unthinkableâwar?
Friday Weekend Escape to Savonlinna and the Opera Festival, Finland
By Marion Ueckermann
I hope youâve been as excited to see the sights of the quaint town of Savonlinna, located in the south-eastern Lakeland district of Finland, as Iâve been to show them to you. Narelle, thank you for hosting me again.
With the amount of water surrounding Savonlinna, it was no surprise that one of the first things to greet us were the boats. Some moored, waiting for a sunny weekend; some seemingly abandoned; show boats taking tourists sightseeing; and yachts banked up on the green verges of the lake.
It was the single wooden âviking-typeâ rowboat that really caught our attention and had us fascinated by its beauty and perfection.
 As we strolled through the town, we came across a quaint area of cobbled streets and vintage-style shops with colorful window boxes.
It was here that we began to spot the black-suited musicians pressing forward, instruments in hand, clearly on a mission as they made their way toward Olavinlinna Castle. They were performing in the eveningâs opera. How fortunate we were to be in Savonlinna at the time of the Savonlinna Opera Festival, and that summer of 2012, they celebrated their centenary. One hundred years of opera within this medieval castle.
The month-long festival is held annually during July and attracts a total audience of around 60,000 opera goersâ2,500 at every performanceâfrom all over the world (about a quarter hailing from outside Finland). The castleâs Great Court is covered with a giant marquee, and a stage and stands are set up inside this courtyard.
We looked on amused as patrons dressed in fancy clothes, ice-cream cones in their hands, ambled down the same route as the musicians to attend this major society event. We soon learned that it didnât matter whether it was summer or winter, whether out to play, entertaining guests, or on the way to the opera, for the Finns, thereâs always time for ice-cream.
We followed their path which stopped at the 15th century three-tower castle. This northernmost medieval stone fortress was fascinating, but unfortunately, we could only view it from a distance. At the bridge, we could go no further. Only opera ticket holders could cross the watery divide to the castleâsome of those tickets selling for a whopping 250 Euro (of course, those were the best seats in the house). In its short season, the festival offers seven operas on one of the most unique opera stages in the world with unsurpassed atmosphere and magnificent acoustics. The 2012 operas were: La Fenice, The Flying Dutchman, Aida, The Magic Flute, Peter Grimes, Den fjerde nattevakt (The Fourth Watch of the Night), and Free Will (created collaboratively by a worldwide web community).
Some great links for photos of the operas and behind the scenes shots:
http://www.pinterest.com/savonlinnaopera/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Savonlinna-Opera-Festival-Oopperajuhlat/100486158860
Olavinlinna Castle was built by a Dane, then conquered by Sweden and Russia. It helped to protect the border against neighboring Russia.
The next time we took a drive into Savonlinna from the summer cottage, we decided to take a tour of the castle. It was a rainy day, and there was nothing much else to do. It was a good decision.
The castle was fascinating. Access via the footbridge; spiral staircases leading to the citadel towers; the Kingâs Hall used for receptions and banquets, and the hagioscopeâa small chamber located in the wall of the southern side of the chapel for persons who were not allowed in the chapel itself. Faint fragments of al secco wall paintings are still to be seen against the stark white walls of this tiny chapel in the heart of the castle.
Oh the history that echoed through those ancient stone passageways and thick-walled chambers. I particularly loved the one story the tour guide told of when the castle was under Russian rule. The Swedish army came to attack the castle but their siege failed. Their plan to scale the high walls with ladders mightâve been successful had they not arrived at the foot of the castle by boat and discovered theyâd forgotten to pack the ladders.
The best part of visiting the castle had to be the backstage tour. It was incredibly interesting. I found this YouTube video which gives a little glimpse into this. For a good laugh, track the sub-titles with the audio J https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxWucTA52NM
Next week Iâll introduce you to some fascinating wood, marble and bronze structures of this areaâthe largest wooden church in the world situated in Kerimäki; a tranquil Finnish cemetery; and creatively crafted bronze statues.
He needed the island to himself. So did she.
Three weeks alone at a friendâs summer cottage on a Finnish lake to fast and pray. That was Adam Carter’s plan. But sometimes plans go awry.
On an impromptu trip to her family’s secluded summer cottage, the last thing Eveliina Mikkola expected to find was a missionary from the other side of the worldâin her sauna.
Determined to stay, Eveliina will do whatever it takesâfrom shortcrust pastry to shortsâto send the man of God packing. This islandâs too small for them both.
Adam Carter, however, is not about to leave.
Will he be able to resist her temptations?
Can she withstand his prayers?
Watch the Helsinki Sunrise book trailer on YouTube.
Watch the Passport to Romance book trailer on YouTube
Helsinki Sunrise is available to purchase from Pelican Book Group, Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
MARION UECKERMANNâs passion for writing was sparked in 2001 when she moved to Ireland with her husband and two sons. Since then she has published devotional articles and stories in Winners, The One Year Devotional of Joy and Laughter (Tyndale House Publishers), and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miraculous Messages from Heaven, and her debut novelette, Helsinki Sunrise (White Rose Publishing, a Pelican Book Group imprint, Passport to Romance series). Her second Passport to Romance novelette, Oslo Overtures, will be published in 2015.
Marion blogs for International Christian Fiction Writers and Beauty for Ashes. She belongs to Christian Writers of South Africa and American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives in Pretoria East, South Africa in an empty nest with her husband and their crazy black Scottie, Wally.
Connect with Marion Ueckermann:
Website / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest
Blogs: A Pebble in my Pocket / Foreign Affaire
Permission to use images obtained.
ACRBA Blog Tour The Songs of Jesse Adams by Peter McKinnon
 16 – 20 November 2014
is introducing
 The Songs of Jesse Adams
Acorn Press
By
Peter McKinnon
 
About the Book
Set in the turmoil of social change and political unrest of Australia during the 1960s, The Songs of Jesse Adams traces the meteoric rise of a boy from the bush â a farmerâs son who breaks away to follow his heart, his dreams and his love of music. But, as Jesse travels with his band and the crowds gather, it becomes clear that something else is afoot. This rock singer captivates and transforms a host of fans who hear his songs and encounter his touch.
Lives are changed in unexpected ways and the enigmatic Jesse becomes a symbol of hope and freedom for those on societyâs edge. But not all will celebrate the rising tide of influence of this charismatic figure whose words and actions challenge those in power â the media, the politicians, the church. In one tumultuous week this clash of ideals comes to a head â with profound consequences.
Awash in all the protest and collapse of conservative Australia, the colour and madness that was the sixties, The Songs of Jesse Adams is a tale of conflict, betrayal and tragedy, but ultimately the triumph of love.
*Warning this book contains some language that some readers may find offensive*
About the Author
For seventeen years, Peter McKinnon held senior roles in some of Australiaâs largest corporations, with a focus on human behaviour and organisational effectiveness. This culminated in his appointment in 1999 as Executive General Manager, People & Culture, of Australiaâs then largest financial organisation, National Australia Bank.
In late 2006, Peter was approached to head up the global human resources function of World Vision International(WVI), based in Los Angeles. WVI is the worldâs largest humanitarian aid organisation, with over 40,000 employees in 100 different countries and countless volunteers working in highly diverse and challenging settings.
When he returned to Australia in late 2009, he committed to pursuing his creative interests more directly and began to write. âThe Songs of Jesse Adamsâ is the result.
Peter has been published in publications as wide-ranging as the âAgeâ, âThe Australian Womenâs Weeklyâ and â4 x 4â magazine and regards winning a Pacific cruise for his writing as his crowning achievement in this field ! He has also written and produced several musicals.
Peter is a qualified psychologist, has studied theology, worked briefly as a minister and served on the Council of the MCD University of Divinity.
He lives in Melbourne with his wife Julie. This is his first book.
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Narelle:Â The Songs of Jesse Adams is different to the books I usually read. It’s a fictional story with Christian content that’s written for a general market audience. The story touches on confronting social issues that will probably offend conservative Christian readers. It has edgy content that doesn’t just prick the so-called ‘Christian bubble’, but blows it apart with dynamite. The book contains strong language that isn’t usually found in the typical Christian fiction book. If you’re offended by reading bad language and blasphemy, this book probably isn’t for you.
I really liked the story premise. The Songs of Jesse Adams is an allegory of the gospel story, set in Australia in the late 1960’s. If Jesus had lived during this time in history, what would he be doing? Who would he be hanging around? More importantly, who would he offend with his message of love? We follow the character of Jesse Adams, a country boy who forms a band and becomes a well known singer. A charismatic man who draws a crowd and inspires people to follow him.
If you know the gospel story, you’ll follow the basic plot and discover which characters are inspired by specific Biblical characters. The story has a strong, authentic Australian flavour and includes many colloquial expressions that were common in the 1960’s. For example, nong (idiot), cocky (farmer), grog (liquor), yarns (stories), loos and dunnies (toilets), and chinwag (chat).
One reason this story is different to my usual choice of reading material is my personal preference for fiction written from a purist point of view. The Songs of Jesse Adams is written from multiple viewpoints, including omniscient (narrator) viewpoint, and there is head hopping within scenes and paragraphs. I can understand why the author has chosen to use multiple viewpoints. It stylistically fits the allegory and the original Biblical narrative story format. The reactions of the people who encounter Jesse are an important aspect of the story.
At times I found the first half of the story difficult to follow because we were introduced to a large cast of characters. I like to become absorbed in a character’s viewpoint, get to know them and become invested in their story journey. It’s harder to do this when we’re moving between a number of character’s heads in a short space of time. I did re-read a few sections to get a handle on what was happening and which characters were involved. Once I passed the half way mark, it became much easier to read and follow each of the main characters. I suspect I’m more sensitive to head hopping than the typical reader, and others may not even notice the viewpoint changes.
I recommend The Songs of Jesse Adams to readers who are looking for gritty, real-to-life fiction that isn’t sugar-coated and challenges their thinking on contemporary social issues.
I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher.
