Shattered Image

I wanted to let you all about this wonderful debut novel by my friend, Stacy Monson. Shattered Image is an important look into how society says we must appear to the outside world, versus how we really should view ourselves. 

Kiera Simmons’ career as a high-profile fashion model ends abruptly when a failed relationship nearly lands her in jail. Now she forges a quiet life helping teens understand their eternal value in a world saturated with the distorted messages of society.

Peter Theisen is on the fast track to everything the celebrity life promises, with every step of his meteoric rise in the music world orchestrated by his ambitious manager.

Their sweet, unexpected romance is threatened by her past and his future, a life-changing diagnosis, and financial devastation. As they struggle to find their way back to each other, and to the One who matters most, the allure of wealth and fame may jeopardize everything.

What people are saying about Shattered Image:

“This is a must read book. I generally read only non-fiction books but, the story line intrigued me and Stacy's writing style pulled me in. What a great inspirational story! I can't wait for the second book.”

“This book was a really fun read. Clean. No worries if your teen daughter wants a "romance" novel. I think this author will go far with this series.”

“Once I started reading I had a hard time putting this book down. I could smell the fresh air by the lake in Minnesota. I could feel the heartbreak several different times and then I could feel God's love.”

Stacy Monson writes stories that show an extraordinary God at work in ordinary life. Her current release, Shattered Image, is the first book in the Chain of Lakes series. A member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), she is the current secretary and past president of MN-NICE, as well as the area coordinator for Minnesota. Residing in the Twin Cities, she is the wife of a juggling, unicycling physical education teacher, mom to two amazing kids and two wonderful in-law kids, and a very proud grandma.

Her debut novel, Shattered Image, released in April 2015. Book 2 in the Chain of Lake series, Crisis of Grace, releases September 2015.

Author Links:

Website:  www.http://stacymonson.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/StacyMMonson

Twitter:  https://www.twitter/@stacymonson

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/stacymonson/

Amazon Author Page:  https://www.amazon.com/author/stacymonson

Goodreads:  click for my Goodreads page

Summer Reading

Summer is going fast already! Of course, not liking heat, bugs, sweat, dirt, yard work and high utility bills, I am not a fan of summer. However, I do love to curl up with a cold drink and "an improving book" (as my beloved Jeeves would say), and I have a huge stack that I'm eager to dive into.

Here are a few I'm especially looking forward to:

Until That Distant Day by Jill Stengl and Sactuary for a Lady and The Soldier's Secrets by Naomi Rawlings. Having just finished a French Revolution book myself (Decadent Deceit, coming out at the end of August, 2015), I can't resist other novels set during that period. And, in Christian fiction at least, they are few and far between.

Melanie Dickerson's fairytale-inspired series, starting with The Healer's Apprentice. I love fairytales, and I've been wanting to dive into this series for a long time now.

Marylu Tyndall's pirate series, starting with The Reliance. I read and loved the first two books years ago and just had the privilege of reading the ARC for the fifth book in the series, The Reckoning. The pirate hero reminded me of Killian Jones, and  how could I possibly resist that?

Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl and the rest of her fantasy series. I started the first book several months ago and was captivated by the writing and the story. Then, sadly, other obligations got in the way and I had to set it aside. I'm eager to get back to it.

Lisa Bergren's River of Time Series. This was another series I started and really enjoyed and then was forced to set aside because of real-life deadlines. I loved the characters in these time-travel books, and I want to get reacquainted.

Tiger's Paw by Kimberly A. Rogers. This is a novella, the prequel to her long, ambitious urban fantasy series. Rogers is imaginative and has the skill to touch minds and hearts with her writing. I'm eager to find out where her characters will take me.

And, somewhat related to each other, I want to read The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah and Poirot and Me by David Suchet. Hannah's book is a new Poirot mystery sanctioned by Agatha Christie's estate, and how could I miss the story of how actor Suchet spent twenty-five years as the incarnation of Christie's classic Belgian detective?

I could go on for several pages on the subject of books I want to read. And I have deliberately not included any of the wonderful books by my fellow Inkwell writers. First off, there are too many to list here. And if you want to see them all, you can look at our books page.

So what's in your TBR pile? And why?

Vivian Maier-Quiet Genius

By Lisa Karon Richardson

With a consummate eye for composition, tone, and mood, Vivian Maier captured mid-century urban America as no one else. One of the most talented photographers of the 20^th century she was nevertheless a complete unknown until the time of her death. It wasn’t until a storage unit she had rented was auctioned for non-payment that the world was introduced to her genius. Luckily an amateur historian, John Maloof, bought thousands of her undeveloped negatives for $380.

When he began looking through them he knew he had found a treasure. He then went on a search for their creator, but he found her obituary instead. She had slipped on ice and hit her head. Since then he has championed her work, bringing it to worldwide acclaim.

An exceedingly private woman she nevertheless left an incredible body of work of over 100,000 images as well as audio and video recordings that reveal much about America from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Vivian Maier was born in New York City to a French mother and Austrian father. It doesn’t appear that her home life was particularly settled. By the age of 4, census information indicates that she and her mother were living with Jeanne Bertrand, a famous portrait photographer. Shortly thereafter she and her mother went to France where she spent several years. She returned to the US in 1939 with her mother, and then again in 1951 alone.

Upon her return she went to work as a nanny. An occupation she held for the rest of her working life. She moved from New York to Chicago, and loved to travel the world, and she gravitated toward the less fortunate wherever she went.

Personal accounts from people who knew Vivian indicate that she was a non-conformist, also opinionated, highly intelligent, and intensely private. She wore a wide brim hat, a long dress, wool coat, and men’s shoes. And she was never without a camera when she left the house. On her days off she would obsessively take pictures, but she never showed her photos to anyone.

Self-Portrait, Vivian Maier

Vivian captured the transient moments of the day-to-day and ended up documenting an era. I find her story fascinating. Part of the reason is, I think, that I can identify with her. Doing an ordinary job, but craving the chance to create something more. To be something more.

Can you identify with the urge to create; be it art, or stories, or music?