25 Book Reviews

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Win A Great Book By Popular Author, Vannetta Chapman! Leave a comment on this blog to be eligible to win a copy of this brand new book!!

                                   "Joshua's Mission"

       By Vannetta Chapman

It is my pleasure to provide you with an interview with Vannetta Chapman, a great author and friend. Her newest book , "Joshua's Mission" is just about to be released and I must say, it is her best yet!! It is a story of the Amish genre , however unique in its setting as well as development of the plot. If you are tired of the "ordinary" Amish fiction, then this is definitely one you should read! 

My rating: Character development - Five Stars
               Plot Development - Five Stars
               Interest Level and Intrigue- Five Stars
The characters in this book were so realistically and well developed, that they immediately became part of me and my world. I so wanted to envelope them with my love and prayers as they went through unbelievable struggles and challenges. My heart hurt for them as the worst of the worst conditions arose. 


The plot was fast moving and kept me glued to the page! Full of unexpected twists and turns, it kept me up long after my bedtime. I just HAD to know what would happen next. 

Vannetta has put her heart and soul into the creation of this novel. Her research into the history of Port Aransas was clearly evident as the story unfolded. God's wish for all of us to care, love and forgive is the theme throughout the book. These thoughts remain with you  and yes, cause you to ponder upon your life and how you can change to  help others and and supply their needs.

I LOVED "Joshua's Mission"! Don't miss this five star book!!



Joshua’s Mission  Setting: Port Aransas, Texas


Thank you for inviting me to visit your blog today. I’m very excited about the release of Joshua’s Mission (2-1-16), which is book 2 in my Plain & Simple Miracles series. TheAmish characters in this book live in Cody’s Creek, Oklahoma. That’s a fictional town, but it’s based on Chouteau, Oklahoma, which is east of Tula.

The bulk of the action happens at Port Aransas, Texas. In my story, a category 4 hurricane hits the gulf and pretty much levels the town. Then volunteers start arriving, all sorts of people from near and far, and among those volunteers are my smallish group of Amish who are serving with Mennonite Disaster Services.


1. Basics about Port Aransas. Port A is the only town on Mustang Island, and is located across the bay from Corpus Christi. There are approximately 3,500 residents in the town, though there are a lot more during summer tourist season. The University of Texas Marine Science Institute is also located here.

2. Past hurricanes. Port A has sustained hurricane damage in the past. The 1916 hurricane destroyed nearly everything. There have been other hurricanes to hit the area, including Carla in 1961 and Celia in 1970.

3. Visiting.  I had a wonderful time visiting the Port A area. We went in October, so there wasn’t a lot of tourists, but there was still plenty to do. And yes, it was warm enough to swim. We walked up and down the beaches, visited local restaurants, spoke to the museum curator, stopped by city hall, and interviewed at length one of the local realtors. Everyone was very helpful, and everyone we spoke to said it’s not a matter of IFthere will be another hurricane, but WHEN. They are doing their best to raise building codes and of course have very detailed evacuation plans. We also went out on a tour boat that took us around the bay. The crew caught a net full of fish which they let us see and touch before throwing them back in. (Yes, this a scene in the book).

4. Truth vs fiction. Much of what you will read in Joshua’s Mission has already happened. The actual hurricane scenes are from my imagination, but I used firsthand accounts of past hurricanes to make them plausible. The Tarpon Inn and giant shark exist in the downtown area, and the tour boat is exactly as I describe it – right down to the man who handled the fish having only one arm (see picture). This guy was amazing.

5. MDS. The heart of this story is about how people help one another and how they fall on their faith in difficult times. My husband has worked with Mennonite Disaster Services in central Texas, where they have shown up to help many times. The scenes I depict of MDS volunteers rebuilding are fictional, but I interviewed MDS administrators as well as read their book describing their organization.

6. Additional reading. If these subjects interest you, I highly recommend the following books: 

• Mennonite Disaster Service, by Brenda D. Phillips.
• Images of America: Port Aransas, by J. Guthrie Ford and Mark Creighton
• 1919 The Storm, by Murphy Givens and Jim Moloney

Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you ever visited the Texas coast? If not, tell me your favorite beach or vacation spot. 

Vannetta Chapman

Bio and Links

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She discovered her love for the Amish while researching her grandfather’s birthplace of Albion, Pennsylvania. Her novel, Falling to Pieces, was a 2012 ACFW Carol Award winner for best mystery. Chapman was a teacher for 15 years and currently writes full time. She lives in the Texashill country with her husband. 

http://www.amazon.com/Joshuas-Mission-Plain-Simple-Miracles-ebook/dp/B018676F02/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8




This book was provided by the author for a fair and honest review.

To be entered into a draw for a copy of this magnificent book , just leave a comment on this blog. The draw will take place on Feb. 15th. Please make sure to leave your email address along with your comment so that you can be contacted. 

GOOD LUCK!

18 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great book but it can be no less than great when written by Vannetta.

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  2. Of course, Port Aransas is one of my favorite places on earth. I have a long list of people I want to gift copies of this excellent book, so I would love to win one here. :)

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  3. Thanks so much for having me on your blog, Karla.
    And I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed JM!

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  4. This sounds like a very interesting read. I would be thrilled to add this book to my collection. Thank you. meashy@verizon.net

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  5. I hope to visit the Texas coast one day. My fav vacation spot is in SC because that is where our son and daughter-in-love live. :-)

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    1. Hi Melissa. You visit Texas and I'll come visit SC. :)

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  6. Thanks for a chance to win this book. It sounds wonderful.
    seraphinangel7(at0aol(dot)com

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  7. Even though I lived in Texas for four years, we never got to see the coast. My favorite vacation spot is Florida because its always warm there.
    Amish fiction is my favorite genre and I would love to read Vannetta's book.
    Marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Merry

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  8. I am looking forward to Vannetta's new release - it sounds exciting! She always does a great job of fleshing out characters who are easy to care about. guruontop@hotmail.com

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  9. Lots of great information in this book I don't know about, but would love to learn! My favorite genre is Amish Christian fiction, so I know this book is for ME!
    susanlulu@yahoo.com

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  10. Karla has never led me wrong with her reviews. When she talks about Vannetta's characters, believe me, they have always remained with me long after the story ends. Can't wait to get my hands on this book!

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  11. I have never been disappointed with any of Vannetta's books, and I am so excited to read Joshua's Journey.

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