Interview with Kimberly Brook Williamson, Coloring Book Artist

In case y'all haven't noticed, I love my people. That's why I felt a bit chagrined when I realized I have failed to introduce one who a) has been there for me forever and ever amen, and b) happens to be published! She has been my sidekick and instigator, my editor, my study partner, my co-worker, my roommate, and always my friend. This phenomenal woman is fiercely faithful, legit full of grit, and super talented. On that note, I introduce you to my dear friend Kimberly Brook Williamson.

Woman by Grace Interviews Kimberly Brook Williamson

WBG: Biography points I shouldn’t miss:

KBW: Lifelong resident of Arkansas, almost life-long friend of yours! I come from a long line of creative and musical people, and drawing makes me feel connected to them.

WBG: I have enjoyed your artwork for years. When did you decide to publish your doodles as a coloring book?

KBW: Thank you! I started publishing my doodles about 4 years ago, though I have been drawing for ages. I began drawing pretty regularly in around 2014. I have always doodled, and suddenly it became ‘my medium’ through an interesting series of events.

WBG: Where did you get the idea to compile your doodles into a coloring book?

KBW: I started posting my doodles to my Facebook page, and a lot of people said they were good.   The drawings kept coming, and I hated for them to just sit on a shelf in a book, when they could be shared with others who might appreciate the option of adding their own color. I love to color too, but I can draw a lot more places than I can color. Drawing is just a more portable and compact art form for me. 

WBG: Where do you find inspiration for your doodles?

KBW: Sometimes I just start drawing lines. Sometimes I fold the paper in random ways; sometimes measured and symmetrical. I might have an interestingly shaped item on my desk that I could trace that gives me a jumping-off point. I might get a prompt from a friend!  Some of my best work came about by request. :D

WBG: Are there hidden gems or themes in your doodles?

KBW: There are generally little gems that you might catch, and as far as themes, yes. I like to work with the elements. Fire, Water, Earth, Air. Sometimes North, South, East and West. Sometimes sun and moon. Sometimes I just put on an audio book and start drawing. I always have really interesting outcomes when I do that. For example: While listening to Harry Potter, I was just sort-of mindlessly drawing and suddenly realized that there were owl shapes in my piece. 

WBG: Do you color your doodles?

KBW: Yes. But I never color one before I scan a picture of it in black and white for a future book. It seems rude not to share :)

WBG: How many designs are featured in your coloring books?

KBW: There are usually around 40 drawings in each book, but I don’t have a set number.

WBG: What do you hope others get from your coloring books?

KBW: I want people to relax. This world is chaotic. It needs peace and color. Drawing is my therapy. If someone else finds a benefit to adding color, then it can be their Color Therapy.

WBG: Are there other places people can find your art?

KBW: Actually yes :) I painted a couple of quilt squares during this year for the Arkansas Quilt Trail.  You can find a link to it online if you would like to drive around and see these squares in person (I think I saw some in Goshen on my last visit to your house!) And they will also be on the AQT website eventually. :) I love a good project, and anything I earn goes to support future artistic endeavors, basic needs, whatever happens to be most pressing at the time. :) 

Find this gem along the Arkansas Quilt Trail.

Arkansas Quilt Trail square by Kimberly Brook Williamson.

WBG: Is there anything else you would like to share with my readers?

KBW: I have some pretty significant mobility issues, and drawing is one of the things I can do when I can’t do much else. It helps keep my mind sharp and my heart soft; my troubles dull and my purpose clear.

WBG: Do you like to drink coffee or tea while you create?

KBW: I do like a good cuppa. Either will do! Coffee with cream and Tea with honey!

WBG: What other creative outlets do you enjoy?

KBW: I play the piano. I sing. I hum some sort of tune almost constantly. (sorry to those who tire of that! :p)I paint. I crochet. I write. My current writing project is a piece about my son Riley, who has some special needs of his own. I am up to his tenth year in the book, and he is currently 15. Every time I make a little progress in the book, he gets older! I imagine 10 is as good a place as any to stop. The entire book is a poem. I have been rhyming since I could write! If I ever wrap that up and get it published, maybe you can ask me about it. 

For now, it will have to suffice to say-that’s a tale for another day!

Thank you, Emily, for taking the time to do this. It means a lot to me to be able to share joy, especially in a world so easily darkened with fear and worry. I appreciate the opportunity to increase my reach. I just want to be a blessing, and want you to know that you are one! :)

Kimberly's coloring books make great gifts and are currently available on Amazon. Visit her author page here ✎ or click the images of her coloring books below to link directly to them. You can also find Kimberly online at the following social media links:

Blog * Facebook * Instagram * YouTube

Volume 1

 

Volume 2

Volume 3

Thank you, Kimberly, for taking the time to share your talents with my readers. And for the many years of friendship, both behind us and before us. May God continue to bless you and yours!

Book Review - To Dwell Among Cedars

Y'all know I can get misty eyed and a bit emotional over pretty much anything; I'm not going to deny it. However, there is a short list of books that actually hit so hard that I have to put them down, cry it out, and pick them back up again. Exceptionally well written biblical fiction does that to me. It happens when an author plucks facts from the Bible and weaves them carefully and prayerfully into a story so well written that I am carried into the events. It happens when the lightning strikes and I can feel it in my chest, when a tree is engulfed in flames and I can feel the heat, when guilt and shame reverberate in my own soul and when understanding, mercy, and grace are poured out so that I can feel them on my own head. All of these experiences accompanied my reading of To Dwell Among Cedars, the first book of The Covenant House series and latest release from Connilyn Cossette.

 Arisa and Lukio are just children when the Ark of the Covenant is hauled into their Philistine city of Ashdod and unceremoniously dumped at the feet of their patron god, Dagon. Arisa recognizes it as the subject of tales and songs long shared with them by their Hebrew slave, and faithfully heeds Azuvah's urgent pleading to follow the Ark, which the Philistines return to the Hebrew people when they realize it seems to have brought a curse upon them. Arisa's reverence for the Ark and its power lead her to a place of peace.

To Dwell Among Cedars is the kind of book I prefer to read in print so that I can easily highlight and reference quotes that really stick out for me. Here are a few of the many:

✐"My mother reached up to cup my cheeks in her palms, her diminutive size no match for the large heart that lived inside her chest." What a beautiful sentiment! Lord, may I be that kind of mother!

✐"You were there in that valley eight years ago. You know who protects the Ark." Praise the Lord! The One who protects the Ark also protects my loved ones!

✐"But you are not his God, Eliora. You cannot save him from himself. That task is Yahweh's alone." That's one to cling to when you're the kind of person who wants to fix everything for everyone. It's the kind of fish-slapping truth I need to be reminded of fairly often; can I get an "Amen!" there?

To Dwell Among Cedars is now available for purchase from your favorite bookseller. You can find it locally or online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Christian Book.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine. 

Book Review - Burden of Proof

 Legal thriller? Yes. Quantum physics and time travel? Really? Well, yes. Prodigal with the mother of all second chances, who broke my heart and caused me to put a major dent in a box of tissues? Yes to that, as well.

Davis Bunn delivers all of the above in Burden of Proof. Ethan has spent his life living the way he wanted, doing what he wanted, and running from his regrets. But then he is given a chance to right those wrongs, an opportunity to care for and show unselfish love for those he hurt most. The question is, will he be able to right those wrongs and heal those wounds before time runs out?

I got a bit worried when Sonya started talking about mind-body states and transitioning, but Bunn has a knack for building characters and setting scenes that make the theoretical work. It is exactly this theoretical vs. literal gap that works with the emotional turmoil and hits you right in the prodigal to make Burden of Proof a solid read.

Burden of Proof by Davis Bunn is available now from your favorite bookseller. Find it at your local store or order it online from: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Christian Book. 

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Softly Blows the Bugle

When Elizabeth Kaufman's brother, Jonas, returns from the Civil War with a friend in tow, Aaron Zook is a broken man. His missing limb is the only visible reminder that life after the war is very different from his life before, but it is not the only thing gone from Aaron's life. His father, grandfather, and family farm are gone as well, leaving Aaron as untethered and unsure as he is unsteady. Elizabeth knows she shouldn't be glad that her husband, Reuben, is a casualty. However, she is relieved that she is no longer subject to his cruelty. She has found peace in her singleness and is prepared to live the rest of her life taking care of her parents, siblings, and their families. She certainly has no feelings for Aaron Zook, and Aaron has no intentions to stay in Weaver's Creek. Of course, our feelings and intentions are pliable in the Author's hands.

Jan Drexler offers up this story as the third installment in her series, The Amish of Weaver's Creek. While I try to read series books in order, even going to the very beginning before reading a book for review, I managed to look over that tidbit before beginning Softly Blows the Bugle. I was well into the book before I realized the oversight, and too committed to stop long enough to read the first two books, The Sound of Distant Thunder and The Roll of the Drums. There were a few instances that I felt I might have gained some insight by reading those books first, but Softly Blows the Bugle reads well as a stand alone book. The author builds Weaver's Creek in a way that is beautifully mapped in my mind. Her characters have depth and quickly become familiar to the reader.

Softly Blows the Bugle by Jan Drexler is currently available from your favorite bookseller. Feel free to click the links below to by from these online retailers:

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/AmazonBugle

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/BNSoftlyBlowsBugle

Christian Book: https://tinyurl.com/CBBugle

Thank you to the publisher and the author for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions within this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Conqueror

 Let’s just start with the cover of The Conqueror by Bryan Litfin. I can feel the heat and fury radiating off the exceptionally handsome dust jacket. My husband took one look and announced that he is going to want to read it as soon as I finish. Though his preferred genre is nonfiction and technical, the statement does respect the fact that this beautifully designed graphic does its job to pique the reader's interest. 

To start a book with maps and a detailed historical note is to get my attention. The author has given us context and set expectations for the time period and socio-political climate in which the story is set. There is no doubt that he has done extensive research, a trait I greatly respect in any historical fiction. Litfin’s historical note was the proverbial carrot I eagerly followed into a work of fiction meant to illuminate history. There is one thing to consider, however, when reading The Conqueror; Litfin clearly states in the historical note that he has "...tried to add a certain realism to my story that reflects the way things really were." While this spurred me on initially, I later realized this should have been my first clue that things were going to get graphic. I'm a big girl, and I can handle it, but it's not a choice I typically make.

Bryan Litfin certainly is a master at crafting moments of intrigue and intense battle scenes. I could practically feel the heft of the spatha in my hand, the thunderous quaking of the earth beneath the boots of legions, the spray of blood on my skin. Litfin's writing style from the military perspective is spectacular. His crafting of political intrigue, superb. The stark contrast between the Christian lifestyle and that of the pagan society around them is highlighted at every turn: the mysterious, yet peaceful, sacraments of the Christians vs the chaotic and violent sacrifices of fickle pagan gods, the sacred nature of intercourse between a Christian husband and his wife vs the pagan sentiment that sex is a political tool and method of exerting dominance. The sexual tension between Rex and Flavia is more overt than I would prefer, though it does effectively portray the pull between what the eye sees, the body feels, and the morals dictate for the greater picture. I think it contributes to the contrast between Christian and pagan opinions of sex; the author effectively prods our emotions in that regard, certainly more than I would have chosen.

In The Conqueror, Bryan Litfin explores the contrast between the two very different cultures sharing the same time and space, while also portraying the reality that the One True God is available to all. All in all, I enjoyed this book and appreciated its realism within historical context. However, I do feel that I should temper my recommendation by stating that this book veers to the edge of propriety within the realm of Christian fiction. Still, it is important to realize and remember these things, pondering what those who came before us in the faith endured to advance the cause of Christ.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - Point of Danger

I have a rule about suspenseful books.

It says that if you open your book with a statement like, "The package was ticking," you had better deliver. Thanks, Irene Hannon; you kept my heart pounding until the very last word of Point of Danger. There is no doubt the first novel of her Triple Threat series snatched my attention from the get-go and didn't let go.

Eve Reilly is a conservative talk radio host who holds nothing back for the sake of being politically correct, so it's no surprise that she has gotten used to hate mail. Neither is it surprising that she's not going to back down when things escalate to a point of action. Police detective Brent Lange is tasked with trying to determine the source of the particularly nefarious package as other suspicious incidents unfold around Eve. The deeper he digs, the more involved the plot seems... and the more involved his heart becomes.

Irene Hannon has woven an intricate web of social and political intrigue based on events we have seen unfolding as we watch the evening news, which made Point of Danger very relevant, very real, and very intense. I picked up this book, read her opening declaration, and promptly informed everyone in my house to go away until I had completely devoured it. (Thankfully, they love me enough, and know me well enough, to do just that!)

Point of Danger is currently available from your favorite bookseller. Here are some links, because I'm helpful like that.

Christianbook: https://tinyurl.com/y4awulw7

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/y5yrdlfm

Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/y5sx8nv9

Thank you to the author and the publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.

Book Review - The Key to Love

The kind of romance that leaves you breathless, a love story worthy of the pedestal upon which she has placed her parents'; nothing else is worthy of Bri Duval, and she's quite happy to stay single until she finds it. With her parents gone, she has nothing left to teach her about love, aside from a collection of letters to her mother that reveal a romance to which no other compares.

As head baker at the Pastry Puff, Bri fills the role her mother previously held, caring for the patrons who are her small town neighbors and perpetually trying to find the missing secret ingredient to her mother's famous macaron recipe. She knows everyone in Story, Kansas, until the day Gerard Fornier walks through the door of the Pastry Puff and rubs her the wrong way. Gerard is writing an article about the love lock wall and the love angels of the Pastry Puff, and he may be the ticket to saving the bakery from declining sales. The trouble is that Gerard is hardly a fan of love and manages to clash with Bri at every turn.

The other problem is that Bri most certainly is not falling in love with Gerard and Gerard is not, under any circumstances, falling in love with Bri. And when Bri's romantic foundation is shaken to its core, Gerard is not supposed to be the one to console her. Is it possible that this love-foul adrenaline addict can help save the Pastry Puff, the love lock wall, and her hopes of a fairytale romance? You'll have to read the book to find out!

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant is available August 13, 2020 from your favorite bookseller.

ChristianBook: https://tinyurl.com/CBKeytoLove

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/AKeytoLove

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/BNKeytoLove

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions in this review are my own and are completely genuine.