Blog Tour Featured Book: Ontario by Heidi Nicole Bird

It’s blog tour day at 80 Acres and a Book! Please welcome my guest Heidi Nicole Bird as I feature her book Ontario

 

Ontario by Heidi Nicole Bird

Book Blurb

“Don’t worry, Ontario, I’ll never leave you. You will always have me here to protect you and your brother.” 

Those words from a childhood memory would haunt Ontario Stratton for the rest of her life. Losing her father had been difficult enough, but her life would change even more drastically at the beginning of her senior year of high school. Only weeks into the school year Mrs. Stratton abandons her two children for a more carefree way of living. Suddenly thrown into a very different life, Ontario clings to her brother Eddy, her new legal guardian, and to no one else. Could she trust anyone anymore? Even her best friend isn’t there for her. . .

In order to feel like less of a burden on her brother, Ontario gets a job at the local fifties-style diner. It is there that she meets her new “family,” including the oh-so-intriguing Austin, the only one who can help her truly heal. In time, Ontario discovers that Austin has his own demons, and that he needs her just as much as she needs him. Some things in Ontario’s life begin to come together again, but others continue to fall apart. Though her world seems to be breaking, she is introduced to a kind of happiness she has never known before, and her new found friends show her that maybe, just maybe, she can learn to love again.

Heidi talks about the inspirations she finds in photographs and how they tie in to Ontario

Few things inspire me like a good photograph. While I don’t always use photos to give me inspiration for stories, Ontario certainly benefitted from the help of some great visuals, and I thought I would share some of these pictures with you. Maybe it will help you visualize the story. If nothing else you can enjoy some great photography!

I originally wanted to use a photo of a girl holding an umbrella for my cover art. Like, I wanted it so bad, for one huge reason. When I was looking for cover art ideas I found one picture and it took my breath away. Just by staring at the picture an entire scene popped into my head, and it was the scene that would bring everything in the story together. I needed something for the climax, the glue, and that picture provided for me the inspiration I needed. While I didn’t end up using the image, I will forever love it, and whoever created it, because it really made the story happen.

Here’s another photo that I used. Not really for inspiration, but for reference. I don’t want to give away any of the story, so let’s just say that there’s a point in the story when Ontario wears a slightly modified version of this dress. I was searching for 1950s dresses and fell in love with this one, so I put it in the story.

Here’s another fun picture I used for reference in the story. Isn’t that a great hairstyle?

 

And here’s one more. Tell me you want this car! Well, okay I guess it’s possible that maybe you don’t, but I do! And it was perfect for a couple of scenes in the book.

So there you go, a little insight into how I see some of the things you will come across while you are reading Ontario!

 Author Bio

Heidi Nicole Bird has been writing for as long as she can remember and it is her favorite thing in the world. Heidi is a regular NaNoWriMo participant and is mostly a young adult fantasy writer, but also likes to write juvenile fiction and other genres. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Brigham Young University and she looks forward to exploring the genre of historical fiction. Heidi lives in Utah with her family and three dogs, and loves working from home as a full time writer.

Also by Heidi Nicole Bird, Through the Paper Wall

http://www.amazon.com/Through-the-Paper-Wall-ebook/dp/B00BF1MNT4

Links:

www.facebook.com/HeidiNicoleBird

www.twitter.com/HeidiNicoleBird

http://heidinicolebird.blogspot.com/

Links to Ontario:                                                            
Paperback                                      
Kindle Store
Ontario on Goodreads

Thanks for sharing your book with my readers, Heidi. Good luck with the blog tour.

The tomb is OPEN. . . we are FREE

Today I write as a contributor to the Christian Writers Blog Chain. Our theme this month—Open. 

With the Christian Writers.com Blog Chain topic for March being ‘Open’ and today being Easter, what else could I write?

Victory over the Grave by Bernard Plockhorst

In the twilight of the morning, Mary and Mary Madalene realized that their Lord was risen.

In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
⁶ He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  (Matthew 28:1, 6, KJV)

The tomb is open, He is risen . . . we are free! This is the theme of my family’s Easter Day. In fact, it is the theme of our life. Our hope is in Christ, Him crucified, risen, and coming again. We’ve based our entire hope upon Him. And it feels great! God is so good to us, even when times our difficult we hold to the truth of God’s goodness. Why? God sent His son to walk this world so that we might be saved. Jesus offered himself a sacrifice, He was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world! (Revelation 13:8)



Hanácké kraslice, a traditional way of decorating

Easter eggs in the region of Haná, the Czech Republic

Do not mistake me, we love celebrating Easter by decorating eggs, hiding and hunting them. That is great fun for my kids. But our hearts sing for joy at the true meaning of Easter—Jesus Christ risen and alive, sitting at the right hand of God the Father as our advocate, our great high priest.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16, KJV)

So, come boldly to the Lord!
 

Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross of Calvary (And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Luke 23:33, KJV) But He is risen! We have the promise of a new life in Christ and a place in heaven upon our death. It’s as simple as that! Follow Christ, for He is alive, so shall we live forever!

⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 15:52-58, KJV. Please read this entire chapter for full understanding.)

These words spoken by C.H. Spurgeon bring home this point.

The stone rolled must evidently be regarded as the door of the sepulcher removed. Death’s house was firmly secured by a huge stone. The angel removed it and the living Christ came forth. The massive door, you will observe, was taken away from the grave—not merely opened—but unhinged, flung aside, rolled away! And now Death’s ancient prison is without a door! The saints shall pass in, but they shall not be shut in. (C. H. Spurgeon, March 28, 1869, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington)

Purple Crocus flowers, a herald of spring

Have a blessed Easter Day and a Happy Spring!
Stephanie Boles
Inspirational~Historical author of the
5-star Called to His Purpose series
Harem & Pirate Genre Christian Fiction
Writing is my ministry, not my job.
StephanieBoles.com
Arabian Gems Blog:
StephanieBolesBooks.blogspot.com

How to Accept Christ into your Heart and Life

⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9-10, KJV)

Read the entire Easter Story from the Bible in the book of Matthew in Chapters 26-28

A Poem

The Day of Resurrection

The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad;
The passover of gladness,
The passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
From earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over,
With hymns of victory.

Our hearts be pure from evil,
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection light;
And listening to his accents,
May hear, so calm and plain,
His own "All hail!" and, hearing,
May raise the victor strain.

Now let the heavens be joyful!
Let earth the song begin!
Let the round world keep triumph,
And all that is therein!
Let all things seen and unseen
Their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen,
Our joy that hath no end.

(Christian Poetry by John of Damascus
Translation by John Mason Neale,
Public Domain)

 

Photo Credits:

All photos/pictures are in the public domain

The theme for the Christian Writers.com Blog Chain

(CWBC) for March is "Open." Click the dated links below and enjoy my friends’ posts throughout the month.

3/1: Terrie Thorpe, Light for the Journey

3/13: Jacky Brown, JayBees
Blog

3/16: Deborah K. Anderson, Faith, Fiction, & Unvarnished Truth

3/19: Carol Peterson, From
Carol's Quill

3/20: Victor Travison, Lightwalker's
View

3/28: Lynn Mosher, Heading Home

3/29: Marsha Burdick, Walking
on Water
3/31: Stephanie Boles, 80 Acres and a Book

Standard Poodles: Great Dogs

Standard Poodles Are Great Dogs – What More Could You Want? (via dog remote control)

Standard Poodles are great dogs. We own a lovely standard black bitch called Bobbie. She is everything that we want in a dog. Indeed Standard Poodles offer so much as they are affectionate, clever, great family dogs, athletic, trainable, etc., etc. And as they don’t shed their hair so they can go…

Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger!

I know, I'm a bad blogger, a very bad blogger. I can just imagine the Blogger police coming to arrest me! Le sigh.

I haven't been around Blogger much in February. I'm working like a mad-woman to complete my current WIP so I can submit it to a publisher. Rewrites slowed the process and put me behind schedule with my blogging.

As to any updates about our old house remodel, I haven't done much work on the old house. I've been far too busy writing and merely 'keeping up' with my life. My husband is currently creating an office for me by remodeling part of the old side porch. I'm so excited about having an office space again. Since we moved to the old house (old meaning 115 years old, but 'new' to us), my writing space is an area tucked behind the sofa in the living room. It works for now. I'll share photos of the new office once it's complete.

Blessings, and please look for links to the publication of Sahara Dreams, the second book in my Called to His Purpose series. Yes, I know it's been a long time coming, but I would not change the time I took off from my writing to spend with my father-in-law while he was dying of cancer. I will always cherish those years.

I will try and blog more frequently in March.

Blessings!