I first heard the name Ocieanna Fleiss at monthly meeting for Northwest Christian Writers Association a few years ago.
But, we weren’t rejoicing over publication of her Christian fiction romances, we were praying in fear and trembling for her life. This beautiful, young, healthy mom of four went into cardiac arrest while watching television with her husband a few days prior.
Just like that, her heart stopped.
The news stopped our hearts.
Our president, Gigi, led us in prayer. We learned later how many people across the world were praying at the same time for the same thing. A miracle.
We selfishly did not want this woman to leave this earth, her family, her friends, her ministry.
I didn’t know at the time, she was writing this book with Tricia Goyer, another talented writer. This obviously means the Lord answered our prayers for Ocieanna’s healing, because the book was recently published. I was thankful to be asked to be a member of their launch team.
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I opened the book as soon as the mail arrived. I began reading. I stayed up way too late. Yep, that’s me the very next morning, finishing the book in my PJ’s. Yes, you are so astute, they’re on inside out. Thanks for also noticing I didn’t even comb my hair. Good thing you can’t smell my coffee breath.
Priorities, girls, priorities!
I’ve had a few personal hardships in my life, especially in the past year. I can’t read floofy books from authors that don’t understand the deep trials of life. They gotta’ give me something I can use to keep living, breathing and believing.
Ocieanna won me over as a friend and sister in the Lord because of her sensitivity and faithfulness to the Lord. Yet though He slay her, still she trusts Him.
She won me over as an author because her writing touches the agonies of my heart.
p. 26, “Some scars weren’t visible, but the pain was the same. She should have remembered that. Remembered that when tragedy hit, the ripples went far, as each absorbed a small part into itself.”
Women also need to be reminded the first true love they need to find is the love of our Savior. Then their heart is ready to seek and keep the love of a godly man. Their hearts need healing to find love; they need love to find healing.
This is the journey Ginny takes in Glacier Bay, Alaska, entwined by old letters to the similar journey of an early pioneer, Ellie.
Warning:
Do not read this book without time, Kleenex and coffee. Once you start, you will NOT want to put it down. Sleep becomes optional.
And if you really want to lose more sleep because you can’t put down a good book once you start it, follow these two amazing friends and writers to
Montana, yea, my home state! and
Washington, my current home.
(Click on any book to buy on Amazon and read reviews.)
I’m giving away a free copy of Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska with a random drawing. Chocolate may or may not be involved. I like to keep women in suspense.
How to win:
1. Leave a comment and your email address. I’d love to know if you’ve read these authors before.
2. To increase your chance of winning this book, follow this link to find other bloggers who are hosting give-aways.
Terms and Conditions:
My drawing will be Friday, January 11th at noon, Pacific time. Check back to see you if you the blessed winner!
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I pray each of you may have your heart nestled safely in the love of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I’d love to have you join me as I write through life’s journey. Click 
on the sidebar and provide your email address to become my newest friend and follower. Thank you!
would love to read this book
I’ve read both the other books that they wrote together, and loved them!
wmmahaney(at)att(dot)net
Your hair is awful beautiful for not being brushed!!! [email protected]
Hi, Sweetie! Thanks for stopping by. Yep, the key is to keep hair long. It doesn’t get as greasy fast and you don’t have to comb it in the morning. 🙂 Actually, when it was straight, I didn’t do this, but now that it is curly, it just seems to work.
Would love to win a book – [email protected].
I haven’t read these – would be nice to find new authors to enjoy.
You would enjoy them, Trisha! I’m reading the WA LFY right now and the Gospel was clearly presented in the chapter I just read. Sometimes in Christian romance they just kiss and go to the church in the end and that’s not good enough for me. I love true conversion and actual growth of my characters, even if they are only imaginary friends.
I actually haven’t read these authors before, though I’ve heard good things and this one looks amazing! shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com
Veronica, you wouldn’t be disappointed. I’m reading LFY in WA currently and just basking in their words. These two women have suffered and know how to draw you into the suffering of their characters. And, happy endings are always encouraging, aren’t they?
Have not read from these authors. But I love a good book that keeps you in touch with it in one or many ways. Would like to be able to read get this book. 🙂 Thanks for sharing and many prayers for Ocienna.
Keren, thank you for stopping by and joining the give-away. Thank you for joining in with prayers, as well. We love to rejoice in the miracle of her life!
I’ve read Tricia but not Ocienna. What an incredible story and privilege to see what the power of prayer can do! I love your humor and voice in everything you write and can’t wait to be giving away one of YOUR books someday. 🙂 I’ll even wear my jammies inside out for ya!
[email protected]
P.S. liking the new digs your website is sporting!
I have that in writing, MKN!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate you walking the writers path with me. Blessings to you.
Sign me up! I have never read these authors, nor even anything but children’s novels in the past few years, so I think it’s time! Besides, I love Alaska. It is my adopted home state, I own a house there, I have an AK driver’s license, and Bruce and I have covered a lot of distance. I’m eager to see if there are any commonalities in the book. Mindy, since you were on the launching team (Kudos!), you should put in a word for a novel in North Dakota! Also, I could use your help. I need a friend I can trust to offer me some guidance and feedback on the children’s historical fiction novels I’m working on. Interested? You’d probably have to come to Hawaii and visit me. 😉
All expense paid vacation? You bet. There’s an amazing author I met who lives in Hawaii now, Robin Jones Gunn. I am writing her biography at the time for an anthology our writers group is publishing. So, you first need to find a writing group and conference in Hawaii! Huge source of wisdom and encouragement. You could even find a critique group there. So, Janet and I wanted to come to Hawaii, but my months filled up. Am speaking at my first writers conference in March, we have ours in May…..but I need to come see that HOUSE YOU LIVE IN! I mean, I need to come see you, even though you are living in the house in FROM HERE TO ETERNITY! So, email the jist of what you have questions about and I’ll see how I can help you! Hmmm….both end up writers…..go figger….love you!
I would like to sit down and read and forget about what is going on around me.
I think that is my number one reason I read, escape. In my head, though, I’m saying it like in NEMO, ES-COP-AY! 🙂 But, you prolly knew what I was saying before I even phoniced it out for you. I like to visit other people’s worlds and solve their problems, even when I can’t solve my own. Hope all is well with you, dear friend!
I have I think all of Tricia’s fiction books (2012 and earlier) and the other two books that Tricia and Ocieanna collaborated on.
Jasmine A.
montanamade(at)gmail(dot)com
Are you living in Montana now, Jasmine? It’s my favorite state. I grew up in Helena, MT and get back there as often as I can, usually once a year. I love, love, love Montana! Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Yep I still live here. I have never lived more than 200 miles from where I was born in Missoula.. Of course I still have a lots of years left…. Maybe Alaska someday…
Sign me up! I am always looking for good books to read while nursing. By the way, it has been way too long since I’ve see you!
Ah, yes, being the human milk machine, a delightful time of life I actually miss. 🙂 Good time to read, then you relax and is better for baby and milk. If I didn’t read, I would sit and fidget about all I had to do.
We very much miss the dear believers from the MN/ND area. It doesn’t get easier with time, it gets harder because we’re missing all the weddings, delicious babies, etc. Won’t heaven be wonderful? To be with all those we love in the Lord at the feet of the Savior? But, hopefully I’ll see you before then….:)
I have not read anything by this author, but I am intrigued
Cathy! It will be an escape from the mountains of laundry you have to do and the oceans of dirty dishes…
Congrats on being on the launching team!
I have always been intrigued with Alaska, watched Sarah Palin’s Alaska, Gold Rush Alaska, Janette Oke’s Alaska book, was promised by my Grandpa that he’d take me there about 10 years ago… he forgot and I never went. 🙁 Always had a dream of watching the famous dogsled race that’s 1,026 miles. I’d love to read the book.
I would NOT have noticed your pants inside out if you hadn’t mentioned it. I was thinking how delightful it looked to be in such a peaceful state… I’m not sure I know how to do that these days unless I go out to a snowbank and sit while the kids watch their obsession of Curious George. Neighbors might think I’m a bit odd though.
Ya’ can go stir crazy in the midwest during the winter, both mom and kids. You could always let the kids sit in the snowbank and YOU watch Curious George…
Jeta would run away down the middle of the street. Jayla would scream about the snow. Molly would get mad about her sock sliding down her boot and Mia would be mad because no one was sledding with her. No, it’s better if I go to the snowbank, I’d enjoy it more. 🙂
Hi Mindy, I’d like to enter. I don’t think I’ve read anything by these authors yet.
Thank you for visiting my blog, today Carol. I love it that years later, our families are still meeting up at Bible camp. Blessings to your family!
The book sounds very good and I’d love to read it! I have never heard of the authors, but I love to read!
I appreciate you taking the time to stop by today and leave a comment, Rachel! I love to read, too, and sometimes that’s why other things don’t get done around here…important things like making dinner and doing laundry….oops! 🙂
Hi Mindy! I like the title of your blog. 🙂 I especially like the fact that you want to write about the reality of life with its tangible joy and pain. It is overwhelming to think that we are loved the way the Lord loves us. Thanks for the reminder! Though I have not read these books, I’m not sure I have time to right now, though I did want you to know I read your post. 🙂
Thank you so much for your kinds words, Joanna, they mean a lot to me. What a sweet bit of encouragement you left today!
Sign me up! Always love a good read I can’t put down! Love and hugs Mindy! [email protected]
Amy! Missing you, girl! Even Scott was mentioning you the other day! 🙂
I am always looking for a good read. Enter me in.
Thanks for stopping by, Cecelia! I always appreciate company. 🙂
Sure! enter me in… and no, I’ve never read these authors before. But somewhere I’ve heard of this “story” with the author – Ocieanna. Was praying…
Bevy, I know your heart and I know you’ll appreciate the faith of these two women. Thanks for praying for Ocieanna, amazing you heard all the way on the east coast…The Lord and His people are amazing!
Hey Mindy!
The book sounds really good although I’ve never heard of the author before. I really loved the book Redeeming Love and the way you talk about these books reminds me of that one. I would love to be in the drawing! Thanks Mindy! 🙂
Becca, thanks for stopping by. Was just perusing through pics the other day and found the cute one of you as a teen with my Baby Beka. Miss those days when we were able to visit for a weekend!
Nope, haven’t read them or even heard of them. But I love that one is written in WA! 🙂 Girl, we need to meet again for another diet coke at “our” place. Let me know when you’re up for it. I am still getting over being sick so it won’t be this week, lol!
Love the picture of you, especially the inside-out jammies…..
yea, got me some style, huh?
Alaska is one place I’d love to visit!! No, I haven’t read this book or any of her other books. I have not read a novel in many many years. You have a wonderful day, Mindy!!
My husband’s dream is to go to Barrow, AK, the city in the US that is the farthest north. I didn’t really want to go until I read this book!