Ebook Deals and Steals

Happy December! Did you know you can give eBooks as gifts? In this post, I highlight some of my favorite authors to read anytime of year. Snap them up while the festive deals last!

Looking for a quick holiday read? Love Comes to the Castle, a Christmas novella by my mom, Susan Page Davis, is available now for just $0.99. It's the first in the Christmas at Barncastle Inn series. I'm currently reading this lighthearted inspirational romance, and it's SO much more fun than the literary fiction tome I just gave up on (which shall remain nameless). Also check out my mom's Web page, www.susanpagedavis.com.

I'm always watching for fun-to-read stories about teachers. For a limited time, The Teacher's Bride by Kathleen Fuller, first in the Amish Brides of Birch Creek series, is just $1.99 for Kindle. Looks like a good one!

Just in time for Christmas, Colleen Coble's eBook Christmas Collection: Silent Night, Holy Night, All Is Calm, All Is Bright is available for $2.99. Several of Coble's other books are discounted now, too, so check out those Kindle deals!

Dalene Vickery Parker and Linda Gilden's Words To Live By: 52 Ordinary Words That Lead to an Extraordinary Life is just $1.99 for Kindle. I have given this book to a fellow teacher as a gift, and she loved it as much as I do.

The MacArthur Topical Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Every Major Topic Found in the Bible is a #1 bestseller in Christian Ministry books on Amazon. Right now, the Kindle edition is only $1.99.

This one I purchased as a paperback, but the Kindle edition is now on sale for $1.99. I've begun reading The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent to my kids, and it's already been a great blessing. John Piper's writing is clear and piercing, conveying a whole lot of thought in a few words. Each day's meditation is just two pages, perfect for our busy mornings before school.

I hope you find some time to savor a good book this December! Check out my previous posts to find out what I'm currently reading (and why!). Follow me on Goodreads as I try to crush my 2019 reading goal!

The Outlaw Takes a Bride Is Finalist in Will Rogers Medallion Awards

I wanted to share the news that my mom's book The Outlaw Takes a Bride is a finalist in the 2016 Will Rogers Medallion Awards. For those of us who love clean romance novels, that's good to hear. The Bible tells us to "approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ" (Philippians 1:10 KJV). It's nice to see inspirational fiction being picked as a finalist in a prestigious contest like this one.

Susan Page Davis did an interview here for her newest book, River Rest, earlier this summer. I just finished reading that one, and it was sweet and fun, though it did make me homesick for Maine.

Also making me miss my home state is another of my mom's new books, Tearoom for Two. It's a contemporary cozy mystery from Guideposts Books.

I hope you've enjoyed some good reading this summer, and not just those very important professional journals and ed books! Leave a comment to share your summer reads, then hop over to Facebook to congratulate Susan!

Goodies in the Mail

When I checked the mail today, I was thrilled to find two books waiting for me.

The first was my own personal copy of River Rest, my mom's new inspirational historical novel. If you haven't had a chance to read last week's interview with Susan Page Davis, do check it out and pass it on.

The second book in my mailbox was Dalene Vickery Parker's Christian Teachers in Public Schools: 13 Essentials for the Classroom. Dalene has guest blogged here, and she was kind enough to send along a copy of her book to give as a door prize at my Faith and the Public School Teacher presentation in July. Thanks, Dalene!




I'll also be presenting Choose Your Own Adventure: Writing and Publishing Narratives Using Digital Technology. In this session, teachers will learn to apply choose-your-own-story structure to narrative fiction or nonfiction writing. Using Google Drive, teachers will learn to link story pages to form narratives with alternate endings.

Hope to see you in Twin Falls at the College of Southern Idaho on July 12!

Just a Few More Hours!

River Rest by Susan Page Davis

In just a few hours, our book giveaway ends! Make sure that you have clicked on our Rafflecopter in the interview post and followed the directions.

In a hurry? Order your copy of River Rest by Susan Page Davis in paperback, or for Kindle or Nook.

Follow Susan @SusanPageDavis or on Facebook.

Giveaway winner will be announced on this blog shortly after the contest ends at midnight, EST. Thanks for joining us this week! It's been fun.

There's Still Time To Enter Our Free Book Giveaway!

It's been fun to see so many new faces at Christian Teacher, Public School this week! So many Christian book lovers! Don't forget, there's still time to enter our giveaway. Inspirational author Susan Page Davis has agreed to give away a copy of her new book, River Rest, the perfect summer read or gift for that encouraging Christian teacher in your life. I've made new friends and reconnected with some "old" ones just by having my mom as a guest this week. Thanks, Mom!

Giveaway ends at midnight EST on Saturday (despite the sometimes wrong time countdown on the Rafflecopter gadget. . .), so check back soon to see if you're the winner!

Follow Susan @SusanPageDavis or on Facebook.

Stop by next week for Unstructured Play Week on Christian Teacher, Public School!

An Interview with Susan Page Davis, Author of River Rest

Available now at Amazon.com

I'm thrilled to introduce my mother, inspirational author Susan Page Davis. Susan is the author of more than sixty books and has won her share of awards along the way. Her new book, River Rest, is available now from Tea Tin Press.

Before we get started, check out our contest! You can enter to win a copy of River Rest just by posting a comment below (required for entry) or by stopping by Susan's Facebook page (bonus entry!). Mention "Christian Teacher" when you post. Contest ends at midnight EST on Saturday, June 25th. We teachers love freebies!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Winner chooses the format, either paperback (USA only) or ebook (available for Kindle or Nook).

Amy: Hi, Mom! Let's start out with some background on the book River Rest. What was your inspiration for the story?

Susan: River Rest is purely fiction, but many of the events in it were inspired by things that really happened in my family. My great-aunt Belle left a journal she wrote in the 1920s and ’30s. It gave such a vivid picture of life in rural Maine that I wanted to write a story in that setting. I decided to push it back to 1918, near the end of World War I, because of the added tension, and because my grandfather (Aunt Belle’s brother-in-law) served. I adapted some details of his story to fit my heroine’s brother.

Aunt Belle noted so many cultural things in her diary—who she voted for, the famous boxers of the day, the way the neighboring farm boys were building tractors out of truck chassis, and all the community events and gossip. She never had children of her own, but she doted on her nieces and nephews. I think I would have loved her.

Amy: Cool. I remember you sharing details from the old diary years ago when you first transcribed it. Tell us more about Judith, the main character inspired by great-aunt Belle.

Inspirational author Susan Page Davis

Susan: Judith has left her teaching job to help her family. In real life, my grandmother (Aunt Belle’s sister) was a schoolteacher before she married my grandfather. Judith has a lot in common with both my Nana and Aunt Belle. She loves her bird feeder, she learns to make quilts, and she cooks many of the same things my Nana served. Her life on the farm is a lot like theirs was.

Amy: I was looking at some of Nana's fudge recipes recently in the family cookbook. I don't think I have the knack for candy making that she had. Like your character Judith, you taught school, and then you homeschooled your six children.

Susan: Yes, I taught in a Christian school after graduating from college, and then I substitute taught for a short time. I later homeschooled for about 30 years with the six of you.

Amy: And a good job you did of it, in my humble opinion. Is there a certain Bible verse that is important to the story? What spiritual themes do you bring out?

Susan: Matthew 11:28-30 is at the front of the book. The last part of that is,

“...and ye shall find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The Christian theme is spiritual rest/peace. Judith feels inadequate. Her mother always seemed so serene and at peace, and she chose the farm’s name, River Rest. But Judith can’t seem to latch onto that restfulness. She also becomes very concerned about being an example to the younger children and especially keeping watch over her next-younger sister, Christina. She assumes the mother role and finds it challenging and sometimes wearisome.

Amy: I guess every Christian woman can relate to that! It sounds like this book will appeal to readers who are looking for clean historical romance. Who is the target readership for the book?

Susan: This book will appeal to a wide range of readers. Judith is young, about 21, and her brother who gets drafted is 19, so young people who like historicals should like it, but it will also appeal to older readers who remember doing things the old way. Some of the activities mentioned, like apple picking, making butter, cutting ice, and quilting, might bring back memories for older readers. The quilting bee, where Judith helps her female relatives make a quilt for an aging uncle, reminded me of times spent with my own mom, sisters, aunts, and cousins. Some of my most cherished memories are of times spent doing productive work with people I love.

Amy: I'm a beginning quilter myself, so I'm always glad to read about quilting in fiction. It's such an important tradition in rural America. The ninth-grade literature anthology I use contains the short story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, and I use it to springboard to a lot of other quilt-themed activities. Even the boys seem to enjoy it.

I'm looking forward to reading River Rest. Thanks so much for joining me, Mom!

Susan: I'd like to add that there are discussion questions in the back of the book for book clubs, etc. Thank you for having me.

Amy: And one more reminder to enter to win a copy of the book by leaving a comment for Susan below! Mention "Christian Teacher" when you post on Susan's Facebook page for a bonus entry.

Buy River Rest here. Don't forget to share Susan's interview and follow her on Twitter @SusanPageDavis!

May we all remember to take time for resting in the Lord.

Coming Soon: An Interview with Susan Page Davis

Coming Monday, stop by Christian Teacher Public School for a mother/daughter interview I'll be doing with my mom, inspirational author Susan Page Davis. You can enter to win a copy of her new book River Rest, available now from Tea Tin Press. Winner chooses paperback or ebook format.

Susan's books have won several awards including the Carol Award for her novel The Prisoners Wife; the Inspirational Readers' Choice Award for The Prisoner's Wife and The Lumberjack's Lady (Maine Brides series); and the 2012 Will Rogers Medallion Award for her novel Captive Trail (Texas Trails series). Visit her website at www.susanpagedavis.com or follow her @SusanPageDavis.

River Rest, Inspirational Fiction for a Teacher's Heart

Inspirational fiction author Susan Page Davis (my mother) has written over sixty books, but her newest, River Rest, is close to her heart. The story was inspired by the antique diary of a young woman in rural Maine.

"Unable to depend on her father to heal the crumbling family, Judith is afraid to trust the mysterious neighbor, Ben, who lives with his own grief.

"In rural Maine in 1918, Judith Chadbourne gives up her teaching job after her mother’s death to help her father with her five siblings. But when her father sinks into deep depression and her brother Joel is drafted, the household chores and farm work may overwhelm her. Neighbor Ben Thayer offers to buy their farm, shocking Judith and angering her father. An outsider from New York, Ben seems rich and mysterious, but his heart aches from his own loss. Judith accidentally breaks the antique crystal Christmas ornament her mother loved. The splintering star echoes her family’s shattering. Ben’s efforts to help make Judith suspicious, but when Joel falls critically ill at the army camp, Ben’s aid brings the beginnings of trust. After the armistice, the community and family start to recover from the strain of the war, but Judith learns independence is lonely. When Ben is injured, she is the only one who can help him. Can love take her beyond the frozen Maine winter?"

Available now in print or Kindle from Tea Tin Press.
Find Susan's other books here, or stop by her Web site to enter to win free books.

The Public School Teacher as Homeschool Mom

The recent "guidance" from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education may have you wondering about a subject that is taboo among public school teachers: homeschooling your own children. It's a tough topic, partly because so many people are ignorant of state laws regarding homeschooling. Besides thinking homeschooling is illegal, many people think it's neglectful. You'll have some assumptions to overcome.

One assumption people will make is that if you teach in a public school, you should be loyal to the system and all that it stands for. Meaning, keep your child in school. Another is that you won't be able to manage homeschooling and holding down your job--one or the other will suffer. Still another is that your child will automatically fall behind. I've heard it many times: the one-time homeschooled child re-enrolls in public school, and teachers whisper about placement testing to find out "which areas have the most gaps." But homeschooling doesn't have to leave gaps. It fills many that the public school cannot.

It is true that many parents who withdraw their children from public school in order to homeschool them are unprepared to do so. They may sign their child up for online classes, or they may try following a more traditional curriculum. Either way, it takes time and dedication to make it work, and some families just aren't up for the task.

But parents should not let the difficulty of the journey keep them from making a positive change in their child's education. God calls some parents to remove their children from public school. If you're one, know that public opinion ultimately does not matter. Homeschooling is legal, affordable, and fulfilling. And there are people and organizations there to help you.

This topic isn't purely academic to me. I was homeschooled K-12 by my mom, inspirational author Susan Page Davis. I know whereof I speak. Now, even though I teach in the public school system, I made the tough choice to homeschool one of my kids. My middle child is enrolled in the public school where I teach, while my husband and I homeschool our firstborn using Google Docs as a planning interface. I create lessons that align with the state standards, linking to relevant Internet content and tapping into Reagan's God-given interest in art and science. It's not perfect, but she's thriving--something she was not doing in public school.

Every homeschool family has a personal reason (or reasons) for choosing home as school. No matter your beliefs, home is the best place to teach values. Now that the White House is reaching in and illegally bullying students and staff of America's public schools, I expect homeschooling to attract a new wave of followers. If you're among them, here are a few parting thoughts.

1. The Left does not like homeschoolers. If you do it, do it well. Document everything. Have your child create a learning portfolio. Know your state's laws.
2. Join a homeschool co-op. Other parents can help supplement your teaching, and you and your kids will make lifelong, like-minded friends.
3. Teach your child the Word of God, and prayerfully trust God to bring that child into the flock.
4. Tap into select activities of the public school system, from music or PE class to extra-curriculars and even testing.
5. Embrace liberty. It comes from God because of His love.

Homeschooling is not for everyone. Do your research before taking the plunge. For starters, Reader's Digest recently posted 13 Things Homeschoolers Wish They Could Tell You. And here, read David French's reasons why it's time to declare independence from public schools.