Hello lovely friends,

My husband and I just returned from a trip to Tennessee and North Carolina (see below for pix and deets), where I’m happy to report that spring is in full swing. Back in the Pacific Northwest, as of this writing, we’re not quite there yet, though harbingers abound — a couple of fleeting days of warmth(ish) and sunshine, and just this morning, I was relishing hearing birdsong sounding all around.

Isn’t it amazing how a few months of winter makes us so eager for spring? Though I often find winter hard, I’m grateful for it because it makes me delight in the arrival of spring all the more.

I think God was on to something when He created us to respond to the seasons this way. The cycle of the seasons tells our souls something profound about the sorrow of death, hope of rebirth, and promise of resurrection.

Speaking of seasons, here’s an intriguing article on what our favorite season say about us. Is spring your fave? You might crave new experiences. Love summer? Maybe you’re upbeat and outgoing. A fan of fall? Could be you love the chance for a fresh start. Winter your scene? You’re likely an introverted homebody. Or maybe, like me, you claim a bit of all of these–in which case there’s something for you throughout the year, regardless the season!

What I’m Reading

Code Name Edelweiss by Stephanie Landsem. As I shared in an earlier post, Stephanie is on my (very) short list of favorite histfic novelists. I’ve been a fan of Stephanie’s ever since reading The Thief, which became one of my most recommended reads in historical fiction. I wasn’t sure I would love Code Name Edelweiss, only because as a reader I’ve not had stellar success with histfic of this ilk. But in addition to the lovely cover art, it had Stephanie Landsem’s name on the cover, so I was willing to take a chance. And, friends, Stephanie did not disappoint. Though she weaves historical detail into every page, it doesn’t distract but rather contributes to the story, allowing the unique plot and compelling characters to shine. In Liesl Weiss, Stephanie has created a complex and engaging protagonist.

Where the Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner. This contemporary Christian fiction came recommended by author Becca Kinzer, and I’m here today to second her rec. So. Good. Loved this book! It’s contemporary women’s fiction, with an original pairing of main characters — an ambitious and charming thirty-something from Seattle, and a quirky, at-the-end-of-her-life middle-aged woman. (No, let me put your minds at ease, this is not a romance.) It had a certain gravitas without being weighty — in fact, it was at times slightly comic, yet never frivolous. Smartly paced and deftly developed, it was a book I looked forward to returning to and was sorry when it was over. Happy to see this author has a good backlist! I intend to explore it.

Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers. I consumed this extremely accessible look at progressive Christianity in huge, satisfying gulps. In easily digested bits, it basically deconstructs deconstruction–that pervasive, insidious phenomenon that has been infiltrating the contemporary Christian church, otherwise known as progressive Christianity. And while none of what is being questioned is new in the historical sense (doubters and apostates have of course been amongst believers since the very beginning of Christendom), it is alarming to see its influence today. Another Gospel? clearly explains why historical Christianity makes so much rational sense. Always has, always will.

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian. Bohjalian is for me usually hit-or-miss. His latest, The Lioness, lands unexpectedly somewhere in between. His hits over the years have included Midwives (which totally wowed me) and The Flight Attendant, but many more misses.  I felt The Lioness was perhaps hyped more than it warranted, and the full potential and gravitas of the premise doesn’t quite materialize, IMO. Still, the juxtapositioning of a ’60’s Hollywood star with an African photo-safari proved unique and intriguing. And if it matters to you, it was relatively clean in terms of language and sexual content. If you’re interested, I’d not recommend you spend your money on the hardback; check it out from the library instead.

When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris, Susan Meissner. This title piqued my interest not only for its collaborative authorship (featuring some of the finest voices in historical fiction), but because for me, personally, it was fascinating to read this story set in a place I once lived–the Philippines. The story itself is of the Angels of Bataan–the until- recently largely untold story of the medical nurses abandoned in the Philippines by General MacArthur upon his retreat from the islands, until his return.  I found myself googling so many of the geographical references, which I knew from my childhood; in this context, they took on an entirely new relevance–Manila and Baguio and Corregidor, to name a few. Though I felt the story lacked a certain amount of narrative drive, it was also refreshingly chaste and balanced in its representation of events. Fans of WWII fiction will appreciate reading about this relatively unknown aspect of recent history. If you’re drawn to stories of this type, I strongly recommend Teresa Messineo’s The Fire By Night.

Pretty Little Pieces by Carmen Schobel. I adored this gem of a novel. I explain why here.

What I’m Watching

Inspector Lewis. Based on characters developed by mystery novelist Colin Dexter and picking up where the Inspector Morse series left off — only, IMHO, so much better. Official description: “Five years after the death of his mentor, Inspector Morse, Lewis is now an inspector himself and back at Oxford. He’s teamed with a new sidekick, Detective Sergeant James Hathaway, and he’s anxious to prove himself.” Love the Oxford setting, the interplay between Lewis (Kevin Whately) and sidekick Hathaway (Laurence Fox), and the winning formula its writers have found for spinning a good story. My husband and I are almost to the end of watching their 8-season run, and I’m so sad.

Crash Landing on You. In Korean with English subtitles. At times I’m thinking, Oh my goodness, what am I watching? Is it comedy, is it drama, is it romance? Okay, it’s a pretty thorough mix of all three, this wildly popular K-drama set against a highly whitewashed North Korean backdrop. This came recommended to me by my mother-in-law (who lived three years in South Korea), and my daughter and I have been gradually working our way through this long series while said daughter is home for breaks from school. While it’s more than a little over-the-top, Crash Landing is also refreshingly chaste, and curious viewers might be interested in watching, if only to see what all the fuss is about.

What I’m Listening To

The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill by Christianity Today. I would have never anticipated this long-form journalism-as-a-podcast to draw me in, but it absolutely did.

Quick take: “Founded in 1996, Seattle’s Mars Hill Church was poised to be an influential, undeniable force in evangelicalism—that is until its spiraling collapse in 2014. The church and its charismatic founder, Mark Driscoll, had a promising start. But the perils of power, conflict, and Christian celebrity eroded and eventually shipwrecked both the preacher and his multimillion-dollar platform.”

I started listening when my husband recommended it, after it had been recommended to him by other leaders in our church. The story is a cautionary tale, for both leaders and laypeople, dissuading the thoughtful listener from believing, It could never happen to me. It did take me a handful of episodes to be completely hooked, but once I was, I couldn’t get enough and was sorry when it was over. It’s just so well done. I haven’t looked, but if this piece hasn’t won awards for thoughtful and in-depth reporting, it should.

Mars Hill Church was of course happening right in my backyard for about two-thirds of the time I’ve been living near Seattle. I was never a part of Mars Hill, nor did I personally know anyone who was, but I’d heard about it, and it’s fascinating now to look back and realize what was happening just right there.

I recommend the bonus episodes as much as I do the main episodes, including and especially this very thoughtful and thought-provoking CT Reports on Itself, which explores what an internal investigation of sexual harassment at Christianity Today can teach about the broader implications of the Mars Hill story. The interview is conducted with Christianity Today editor Andrea Palpant Dilley, whom I chatted with here on the blog way back in the day.

What I’m Up To

So yes, Scott and I traveled in March to Tennessee and North Carolina to reconnoiter the area in the hopes of moving there soon. We flew into Nashville, TN and out of Charlotte, NC. Along the way, we connected with friends in the area and talked with them about the pros and cons of life in these regions.

While we were bummed to hit a patch of unseasonably cold and cloudy weather — NOT what we were hoping for! — we did manage to see some sunshine and signs of spring. Highlights for us included a night at the Grand Ole Opry, with dinner at the opulent Opryland Hotel; visits to the Gallery of Iconic Guitars (GIG) at Belmont and Belmont Mansion; a visit to our friends’ 47-acre farmland spread in Tennessee; and two restful days and nights at Peace Ridge in North Carolina, hosted by fellow author Maggie Wallem Rowe and her husband, Mike.

On one especially memorable evening (and chilly! 20 degrees at the top!), Mike and Maggie wisked us into the Smoky Mountains chasing a sunset — which we just managed to catch, as these photos show.

Book News

And finally for now, my publisher has arranged for a BOGO for both Her Memory of Music and Shadow Sister on Amazon. For a limited time, buy the print book get the eBook for free!

Every purchase helps to fund freedom for a person living in poverty, because 100% of profits from these book sales are donated to International Justice Mission. IJM is a global organization that partners with local law enforcement to protect people living in poverty from violence. Buy a book, protect a person.

Happy reading, and happy spring, friends! 🌷🌷

❤️ Katherine

P.S. This just in:

With thanks to Tyndale Publishers for providing me a free copy of Code Name Edelweiss to review. All opinions are mine.

Featured image by Jill Wellington of Pixabay