Sometimes I Write

“Something both terrible and wonderful has happened. I can’t explain now…” -Becca

After receiving news of her sister Becca’s abrupt disappearance, Claire Trowling must piece together the shadowy remnants of a past she’s long forgotten in order to find her. A cryptic note scrawled in Becca’s handwriting leaves more questions than it answers. When a stack of mysterious letters bound by a rare necklace is found, Claire races to discover the secrets that hold her family captive. Suspenseful and full of intrigue, Skizzer takes you on a transcontinental hunt for answers, weaving seamlessly between the distant past of childhood and the urgency of the present.

This was the first of my “summer of fiction” reads. While most of my blog tour books have focused on Chick-lit and Mom-lit, this one took me down the path of mystery and intrigue. A. J. Kiesling’s debut novel kept me turning pages as the story of two sisters and the secrets of their family’s past unfolded with heart breaking questions and discoveries mixed with hope in new beginnings, and the stirrings of reawakened love.

I was swept up into the adventures of the young Claire and Becca, imagining myself sitting on the lush grass of the beautiful English garden where they had visited as girls. I could see myself kicking up dust as I walked the dirt road to the old church on the grounds of the rectory. My heart beat faster while exploring the thick woods behind the house and meeting the old woman there. I smiled with appreciation at the awkward moments of young love and laughed at Becca’s dramatic and bold approach to life. I ached for Rainey (Becca’s husband) and his desperation to find her when she disappeared, and loved the friendship bond that Claire and Rainey shared as they worked together to track down the most beloved person in their lives. I cried at the revealing of Becca’s reason for disappearing and I thanked God for…wait…I’m not going to tell you. You’re going to have to read it for yourself. 🙂

I love a book that draws me into the story as if I’m a silent, invisible observer going through the events and emotions as they unfold right in front of me. A.J.’s characters are endearing while her descriptions of the landscape and settings of her tale made my heart long to remember my own childhood stomping grounds as well as the wish to visit someplace new and foreign to me – England’s tranquil countryside.

Skizzer was an adventurous, sweet, sometimes sad, and redeeming story and I’d love to give you the opportunity to win a copy of the book. Leave me a comment at the end of this post and I’ll put your name in the hat. This contest will be a bit shorter than usual because I leave for Camp Zenith on Saturday. I will announce the winner on Friday, June 13th along with the winner of Megan’s CD (It’s not too late to enter that contest – click here)

There is an additional contest being held at the tour host’s blog to win a $40.00 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice. Just visit Amy’s blog and leave her a comment answering this question:

What’s the most important thing you’ve ever lost and then found?

A.J. Kiesling will select the winning response based on originality and sizzle! Good Luck to you all! Amy also listed the schedule for the blog tour if you’re interested in reading what some of the other bloggers have to say about this book, which is available for purchase HERE.

A.J. (Angie) has worked in the Christian publishing industry since 1985 as an author and editor. She is the author of numerous books, including Skizzer (a novel, Revell), Where Have All the Good Men Gone? (Harvest House), Jaded: Hope for Believers Who Have Given Up on Church but Not on God (Revell), and Soul Deep: Prayers and Promises for Cultivating Inner Beauty (Barbour). She also ghostwrote Live Like a Jesus Freak (Albury), the popular follow-up to D.C. Talk’s bestseller Jesus Freaks.

Learn more about A.J. Kiesling and her other books on her website.

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I loved that Megan’s characters were real and engaging. Though I’ve not yet reached the stage of life the main character Linda is in, I could relate to many of her frustrations. I too have had to learn to navigate the changing seasons of the marriage relationship, work in a job where I was poorly treated and overloaded, and watch a close friend suffer through deep pain in her own marriage. I’ve also shared some of the same joys Linda has; watching my children grow up and noticing the little changes in their personalities as they begin to make choices of their own, celebrating wacky occasions with girlfriends, and rediscovering the strengths of the man I married and love so dearly – even when he doesn’t “get me”. It’s hard to fight your way back from dissatisfaction in marriage, but Linda tackles the challenge with gusto. When life gets tough, she prays for help and falls back on her habit of spending time meditating on the word of God while sitting in her favorite chair. It reminds me of my own comfort rituals and how safe and restorative they are when life seems to spin out of control.

I always look for a common thread to hold onto when I read a novel. You know, something I can grasp as a reminder that we’re all a little bit alike and usually more than we think we are. This book’s thread was Linda and her daughter sharing tea, and their family enjoying Chinese take-out. These are a few of the pleasures in my life. I also loved that the family has some hard times, but they stick together and are stronger for it in the end.

There is so much more I could tell you about this book, but if I reveal it all then you wouldn’t have a reason to read it now would you? Here are a few things others have had to say about it:

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