Here we are, the last day of the tour! What a ride it has been, just like the writing process for this story! So today, I thought I would share some things that almost happened in this book, but were cut or altered through the editing process! Let's Hop In!

Originally...

|| Alvin and Jeremy were captured at Cold Harbor! In a random accident that leaves Alvin blind, the two are captured by the Federal Army and packed off to Camp Douglas in Chicago. This didn't end up working in the story, unfortunately for the facts I wanted to use, fortunately for Alvin and Jeremy ;)

|| Burdy was wounded at Cold Harbor! This battle was going to be an emotion driven focal point of the story, but again, it just did fit and ramped up the action so early in the story, there was no way I could top that climax and keep people reading.

|| Seth went into shock at the Crater. When you read the book, I think you will agree that the way it turned out worked out better ;)

|| Mrs. Mason was expecting! While I haven't ruled this out entirely for a character in book 5, originally, Mrs. Mason was down with morning sickness during the summer months. It just wasn't working, so out it came.

|| Andersonville was center stage of it's own plot line! I have long desired to tell the story of Andersonville, a prison that is at the center of some hot controversy. Armed with a documentary put together by respected historians, personal research and eye-witness accounts, I was prepared to set the record straight. But, this book was way too long, it was difficult to tie this line in with the rest of the book and overall, I had way too much to share about other things. So that will have to be a story for another day.

|| Someone joined the military. In fact two unrelated somebodies. But because of spoilers, I cannot divulge who :)



And now...for the Title reveal of book 5!


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So exciting to finally get to share the title of the final book in this series! Check out my Updates page for information on how the process is going!

Today is your last chance to enter the giveaway! Winner is announced on Monday!

And hop over here for three book reviews!

Leona@ greatbooksforgodsgirls.wordpress.com
Katja@ old-fashionedbooklove.blogspot.com
Kassie Angle@ soldiergirlstories.com

That wraps it up for now! Thank you all for all your help and for hanging out this week for the tour!

God Bless!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello again! This week should hopefully make up for me not posting all month ? Today I have a few new things to share about A Song of Home!

So what do I mean by a few new things? Well, these are things I have never done in published work before. There are three new things total for us to discuss, so let’s dive in!

When writing A Song of Home, I realized that part of my story needed to dip back into 1863. I had no idea how to pull this off until I remembered a lovely little technique called a Prologue. For those who don’t know, this is a “chapter before chapter 1”, which generally shares information that is important, but that takes place before your actual story starts. For me, I used it to transport the reader into the end of December 1863 and the very beginning of January 1864. The information is important, so don’t skip reading it before you jump into Chapter 1!

I’ve mentioned here before that I have many Confederate ancestors. One of them makes an appearance in A Song of Home! His name is Joshua Bowman. He served in the 37th, N.C. Regiment under Gen. A.P. Hill and had quite the exhausting career in the military in his three years of service. But you’ll have to read the book to learn about that!

It’s no secret that in general I do not like people tampering with history to accommodate their stories. You should never sacrifice historical fact for a good plot twist. You make your story fit history, or you’ve deceived your readers. (You can read more about this here.) My opinion has not changed. However, I got an amazing and unique opportunity to tweak my story to accommodate a sad, but little known bit of history by inserting one of my characters into the shoes of a real person. The catch? No one knows the rank or identity of this historical hero. His name is lost to history. All we know is that he was a Confederate officer. Nothing more. I consulted others who shared my view to make sure I wasn’t taking too much liberty in having one of my characters represent him and they all encouraged me to go for it. A note about this is included in the back of the book.
 
Today’s Blog Stops
Laura Guenot@ beautifulthingsbylaura.com
Natalie Claire@ kenmorepines.wordpress.com
 
And don’t forget to enter for a chance to win 4 eBooks!

And feel free to pre-order your copy of A Song of Home today! $14.00 + $3.00 S/H. Upon receiving your payment, a copy will be reserved for you! And if you would like to begin reading as soon as your payment is processed, I will gladly send you an eCopy of the story for you to enjoy until I receive my print copies!

That’s all for now! See you tomorrow!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

I'm so excited, I don't even know where to start! I've been waiting for this story to release ever since I found out it was even being worked on. And when Kassie asked me to Beta? I was over the Moon! I was so excited to share this with all of you and so honored to participate in her blog tour! So without further ado, let's jump right in! (Points to you if you caught that I used Jump on purpose XD)

Where to even begin! This book made me laugh one minute and cry the next! It was such a touching story. The part that really got to me was when Layla was reading letters written to Mavericks mother...I've talked with a gold star mom on multiple occasions and she read me a similar letter...such a touching scene!

Andrew is probably my favorite character. I mean, he's a Ranger and a runner...and he's such a compelling lead.

That's not to down play Layla and Ranger and Jaydon though! This family is so sweet together and the dynamics of their relationship...and the tragedies that pull them tighter are so heart-breakingly beautiful!

The message of the story is so powerful. Hope, perseverance, God's hand in our lives and the desire to honor our heroes...ah! I can't say enough good about this book. And there's even a Police Officer line in the story! And of course, the balloons...

Because the story does deal with war injuries and PTSD, I would recommend this for 14+ for understanding. The book is clean and all, and there are no gory descriptions.

O To Be Like Thee still has my heart, but this book...nope, can't even compare them. They are both so good!

*I received an e-book copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own*

What inspired this story, especially the aspect of a double amputee?
Well, the story’s inspired by {a song} which isn’t about the Army or amputees unless you’ve got an imagination. XD The whole double-amputee part kind of just happened. I just wanted to bring together a three-legged dog and an amputee in a story. It was just an image I had in my head I wanted to write about.
 
What is one thing you want your readers to take away from this story?
There’s usually more to a person’s story than meets the eye. Maybe you’ll never know it. Maybe you will. People may be struggling in ways you will never know, and some heroes aren’t so obvious. And—maybe my favorite line of the story—you never know who’s trying to make a hero proud.
 
What has God taught you through the writing Tattered Wings?
If He tells you to do something, don’t give up. Not-so-little-known fact: I didn’t really want to write Tattered Wings. It’s my stubborn story for a reason. But not giving up is one of the themes of the story…and I’m so glad I didn’t give up on it. Because when you don’t give up, it will be oh so worth it.
 
How has your perspective on life changed through writing this story?
(how did she come up with these) Y’know, that’s a good question. Yeah, maybe the answer’s I’m more determined than ever not to give up. Or maybe the answer is that you can actually navigate between both the civilian and military world and it won’t always make sense and that’s okay.
 
Tell us about Maverick (just anything you want, girl). *He's a side Character that is never on scene in the story*
He’s my reckless Texas cowboy named after Lane Frost who loves animals and is such a softie but he will fight with a vengeance when he needs to because he’s basically a working dog at heart. (Don’t tell him I said that.)
 
If you could meet one of your characters, which would you want and what would you say to them?
I think I’d want it to be Layla, just so I could tell her the one thing she’s not sure she wants to hear: I know and I’m sorry. Everything’s gonna be okay and you are so brave. And by the way your dog is super cute, not that I’m biased.

(adds under my breath: “I know what I’d really want to say to a character. This is for you, Maverick.”)

*Reads that line and tears up...*
 
What piece of advice, based on your experience with this book, would you give writers?
Write the story that’s in your heart. I don’t care how hard it is. Just write it. Somebody needs to read it, and somebody’s heart will break in the best way possible over it. Don’t compare your stories to each other. Just don’t. You’ll still love them all, I promise.
 
How can we reach out to people like Layla and Andy?
In this essay I will…. X’D Just kidding. There’s a lot I could tell you. But at the end of the day, be respectful and just be a friend. Andrew’s struggles are a lot more visible than Layla’s. Saying not to treat them any differently isn’t helpful when they’re so unlike the average person you meet on the street. But don’t ever treat someone like they’re from a different planet just because, say, they’re a double amputee. Just say hi. How you doing. Crazy weather we’re having, right? And by the way…thank you; we really do appreciate it.
 
Okay, what inspired Isaiah?
(Fun fact: I don’t think I’ve shared this story before.) Okay, so I needed a battle buddy for Andrew, and Isaiah’s story just grew from there. My crazy Southern kid is based on a soldier from Alabama who was working the gate at Ft. Hood, saw my mom’s West Virginia license plate, and made it his personal mission to faithfully tell us “ROLL TIDE” every time he saw us. That was, one, how we found out WV was playing Alabama in the Super Bowl, two, how the poor boy earned the undying title Private Roll Tide, and three, how we ended up with a soft spot for all things Roll Tide. A good five years later, if pre-deployment Isaiah isn’t so Private Roll Tide… <33
 
Parting thoughts? (Literally, anything you want😉)
(First thing that came to mind; couldn’t resist and it’s kinda fitting…) “All we ask is that you don’t forget, ‘cause the war’s not over when the fighting ends—haunted souls and memories, Airborne Ranger Infantry.”

I'm not crying...<3

Okay, so that is it for now! Click here to purchase the eBook and here for a print copy!
Have a Blessed Day!
Rangers Lead the Way!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22

Hello! I know I normally post on Fridays, but I have a very special post for you today. As you probably know my family represents the Fundamental Broadcasting Network (You can see a post here and here about FBN!) and March 18-23 is our Share-a-thon! It’s when our listeners call in and donate to keep the network running. The preachers (my dad being one of them) talk and preach live on air, sometimes groups will sing and prayer requests are taken. It’s a wonderful time! So today, I thought I’d give you a behind the scenes look at what happens at FBN Share-a-thon!

Share-a-thon begins at 7:00 a.m. EST at 520 Roberts Rd, Newport, North Carolina. My dad and I usually get there early to meet with others for prayer. Then, I head to the kitchen to talk with Mrs. E., our breakfast lady. I’m good friends with her daughter and I always enjoy getting Mrs. E. to myself for about half an hour. I get my breakfast (decaf coffee and a bowl of the best ever grits with bacon!) then prepare to head in for my shift. Most of the time, I at least start out answering phones at 8, but sometimes, others volunteer for that shift.

Now, I’m what I like to call a floater! I have phone shifts of my own, but I hang around to fill in for people who have to cancel or need to get something to eat or may just be running a little late.

We have three phones used to answer calls. When they ring, you can hear it on air! We answer, “Hello, FBN Spring Share-a-thon, may I take your promise?” People tell us the amount they would like to promise our station and whether it’s a onetime amount or something they want to give over six months. Then we collect their name, address, how they listen and any prayer requests or testimonies they would like to share.

I’ve had the privilege to talk with many people over the years and hear amazing stories first hand. There is a woman who I’ve talk to three times who gives in memory of her son. He was a Navy SEALs and died in a helicopter crash. We’ve cried together over the phone and once she called me back so she could read me a letter a buddy of his wrote to her after her son passed. He told her that there wasn’t a day go by that her son didn’t witness to the guys on his team. What a testimony!

Another lady calls every year to give and she told me about a young couple she was witnessing to, helping the young man get employment and transportation, plus talking them out of aborting their baby! She’s working hard to reach them! What a blessing!
I don’t know about you, but I get nervous praying in front of others. I was on the phone once with a woman who was struggling with several situations trying to discourage her in her walk with God. She began to cry, asking us to pray for her. I was about to pass the phone to my mom, who was on shift with me, so she could pray with her. Lo and behold, the other phone rang! I would have to pray with her! So, I did! God helped me overcome my fear and the lady seemed truly grateful. I hope she didn’t hear how shaky my voice was!

This is what FBN is about, helping others in their spiritual lives, whether it’s encouragement they need, or salvation!

I was on the phones with my dad one day and a man called asking about being saved. I transferred the call to my dad, since it was a man. He was very upset, afraid God hated him because of a specific sin in his life. Dad explained that God didn’t hate him, just his sin. After about fifteen minutes, my dad was able to lead him to the Lord! He talked with our pastor and he asked if we could send him “a King James Bible,” because he had heard that was the good one! We sent it to him along with some literature for new Christians.

Another time, a young Marine from New York dropped by, asking if he could donate some Sweet Potatoes they had left over from a party. He knew lots of churches had food closets. (I’m curious as to what kind of party it was, lol! I haven’t thought of Sweet Potatoes as party food!) Anyway, he drove past several churches on his way to our church. His family were Baptists, so he decided that’s the kind of church he wanted to deliver the food to. But there were other Baptists churches on his way, yet he came here. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

Mrs. Robinson, our secretary, got my dad off the radio to come talk to him. Long story short, the Marine got saved!  We never saw him again, but we know that one day, we will see him again. I don’t know what ever became of the Sweet Potatoes…
I think that’s all I’ll share for now. But please, tune in if for no other reason than to hear what God is doing at 520 Roberts Rd. and around the world! He is a Marvelous, Matchless Savior!

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Jeremiah 33:3
King James Bible

Have a blessed day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22
P.S. Tune in and see if you can figure out which voice belongs to my dad!

It’s 2019. I am in shock! 2018 passed so quickly and so much has changed! Can you believe it’s the start of a new year? It’s already January! At this point, you are probably thinking, “Wow, Ryana Lynn, did you just now notice? We all saw it coming.”

Okay.

I will move on from this totally random rant, the perfect way to start this year’s blog calendar!

Let's start over.

Hello everyone! Welcome to Life of Heritage Corner! We are rolling into our 4th year on the web and it’s been so encouraging to see the growth! For all of you that are new, I thought it would be fun to give you an introduction to me and my blog. I wanted to do a tag, but I couldn’t find one I liked…so anyway, here we go!

1. My name is Ryana Lynn Miller. I go by Ryana Lynn, even though I have never gotten up my nerve to introduce myself to anyone in person by that name. I hope to change that this year though!
2. I am a born-again, Independent Baptist PK. That’s Preacher’s Kid, lol! My family represents the Fundamental Broadcasting Network, out of Grace Baptist Church in Newport, N.C. We travel full-time, spreading the news about FBN. We have free apps for Apple and Android devices, so give a listen and let the station know what you think! You can find more info @ www.fbnradio.com!
   
3. My favorite Scripture is Jude 22, my favorite chapter is John 3 and my favorite books of the Bible are 1&11 Samuel and the Book of Luke.
4. I am a redhead 😉 I also have blue eyes, making me part of the rarest hair and eye color combination in the world!
   
5. I am one of seven kiddos! I’m the third oldest and the oldest at home. I am also aunt to six amazing little ones that I love to the moon and back! And only one of them is redheaded, just like me 😉
6. I am Pro-Life and that is reflected in my site name, Life of Heritage. I value life as the battleground of Liberty and a sacred right given by God. Without Life, there cannot be Freedom. I am thankful for my country, the ancestry God gave me and the mission He has entrusted to me. I try to reflect that through the atmosphere here at Life of Heritage.
7. I love to write, lol! I have published three Novels in The Battle for Heritage Series (there are two more to go!) and one Novella, Coffee Shop Christmas.
8. I am a History Buff and will enthusiastically squeal over how amazing the Founding Fathers and Stonewall Jackson were with like-minded friends 😉 The War Between the States is my favorite time era, followed by WWII and The Revolution.
   
9. I have a deep respect for the military (used to live near Cherry Point) and hope to someday write a series spring-boarding off of 9/11. I was 5 when that tragedy took place and it has impacted me deeply.
   
10. I love our First Responders and think that just as we thank our servicemen for their service to our country, we should do the same for the Police, Firemen, and EMTs.
    

Before we go farther, I would like to invite you to subscribe to my blog! You will receive an email every time a post goes live, get insider information, a chance to give feedback for the blog and exclusive content!

I’ve worked out a schedule for the blog that will give you an idea of what to expect here at Life of Heritage Corner!

One the 1st of the month (or close to it, depending on my schedule) I post my monthly wrap-up, an overview of our ministry, life events, reading/book reviews, writing updates and goals for the upcoming month.

On the first Friday of the month, I will post a devotion, either something all-encompassing or specifically for young ladies. My apologies to any guys who may read this blog 😊

2nd Friday of the month will be a bookish post! Either a book tag, book list, book review…you name it, it’s possible, lol!

3rd Fridays will be dedicated to something History related. It might be something from my ongoing Soldier Life Series or 10 Totally Random facts, a bonus book review, or a totally new series…something I have in the works! Mostly, I am posting about the War Between the States, since that is my current setting for my novels. But, I may stray from it here and there with something from another period, like WWII. It all depends on my current mood, lol!

4th Fridays are going to be writing days! I love writing and these posts will be series I start on the subject, updates on my current WIP (Work-in-progress), or Writing Tags. I have some fun stuff in the making, so stay tuned!

There are 4 months with an extra Friday in them. So, these posts will not have a specific theme. Also, there are times when one of the Fridays runs into a holiday, historic event or my monthly wrap-ups. On such days, I will do my utmost to either bring you two posts that week or combine the topics in some way. Bear with me, I’m still figuring out my calendar, lol!

You can check my Writing Updates page for monthly updates on my current WIP. I’m thinking of changing up the page a little, so keep an eye out!
 
Now, people like the choose a word or phrase as their theme word for the year. I am late jumping on board this bandwagon, but I think it sounds so neat! So, without further ado, my word for 2019 is…

In these days we are living in, it is so important to stand up for the cause of Christ. To not allow ourselves to compromise just to please the crowd. Of course, we are not to go looking for a fight, but we are not to back down from the standard God has given us. This year, I want to stand up for what I believe in, in a Christian, feminine way. Will you join me, ladies? And to any gentlemen who may be reading this, will you purpose in your heart to Stand like the men of the Bible who faced hardships, giving us someone to look up to for an example? I challenge you, be a man or woman of God and Stand up for Jesus!

This conversation isn’t over! Join me on Friday for a devotion on the topic!

Well, I think that’s everything for the time being! Happy 2019!
Have a blessed day!
Ryana Lynn
Jude 22