Four Free Guides for the Novels

1. You’ll find a Reader’s Guide included at the end of each novel, with thought-provoking questions designed to suit any reading group. If you prefer to work with a printed copy of the Reader’s Guide, or if you own an earlier printing of Thorn in My Heart, which did not include a Reader's Guide, you will find them on our Web site:
     Thorn in My Heart Reader's Guide 
     Fair Is the Rose Reader's Guide
     Whence Came a Prince Reader's Guide
     Grace in Thine Eyes Reader's Guide

2. Our Galloway Guide introduces readers to various locations and landmarks in the Scottish Lowlands, all of which appear in this series of novels. You can access the Galloway Guide via our Web site:
     Galloway Guide.

3. As for Bible Study Guides, I’ve prepared probing questions with commentary, designed for a one- or two-session study after you have read the novel(s) and discussed the material in the Reader’s Guide. You’ll find the Bible Study Guides on our Web site:
     Thorn in My Heart Bible Study Guide
     Fair Is the Rose Bible Study Guide
     Whence Came a Prince Bible Study Guide
     Grace in Thine Eyes Bible Study Guide


Print out as many copies as you need of the above Guides for your group.

  Suggested Schedule for the Novels

1. Have your group members read the novel(s) on their own before your first meeting. I’d allow two weeks for them to read each book, or whatever seems practical. Encourage them when they finish (but not before!) to look over the Reader’s Guide for each novel and choose two or three questions they’d really like to discuss when you meet. Please note that Thorn, Rose, and Prince are a trilogy that be read in order; Grace is a stand-alone novel and can be read independently from the other three.

2. Gather for your first meeting and review selected questions from the Reader’s Guide. You may not be able to cover all the questions, and that’s fine. I wouldn’t spend more than one meeting discussing the novel, because what comes next matters much more!

3. At the end of that first gathering, distribute copies of the Bible Study Guide, available free via our Web site (see links above). Members will need a Bible and perhaps a notebook in which to jot down their answers to the questions. Have them work through the Bible study at home, respond to the questions, and come prepared to share their answers at your second meeting. If you find this is more material than you can cover in the allotted time, choose a sampling of questions from those offered. Whether you do a full or modified study, be sure to read through the entire passage from Genesis before you begin.

You will quickly discover that certain details from the biblical story are not included in these novels, quite by intent. However, the emotional and spiritual issues inherent in the biblical story are indeed addressed with great care in the novel, and the thoughts, motives, and feelings of Jamie, Leana, Rose, and Davina are meant to closely parallel those of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, and Dinah.

Creative Ideas for Your Group

Take a virtual tour of Galloway and share the photos with everyone:
     Photos of Scotland

Have some Celtic music playing before, during, or after you gather. Here are some good suggestions:
     Scottish Music

Serve a delicious Scottish treat or two...and hot tea, of course! How about scones or shortbread?
     Scottish Recipes

Thanks again for gathering together to read my novels!

Encouraging Words (and More Great Ideas) from Book Clubs Like Yours...

"How I wish you could have been there last night! We had twelve ladies and it was just the best time. We laughed and cried and I just know the Lord was glorified. Our discussion leader did a great job. She used posters showing the family tree of both families (the book and the Bible). It was very interesting to see how closely the two stories follow each other. She also used a poster of pictures downloaded from your Web site. The pictures were an added plus to help us enjoy the study of the book. We went through the book, sharing our feelings, our mutual dislike of Lachlan and sorrow for Leana. Each lady also got a neat gift bag with all your little goodies inside plus a rose and a candle. We also enjoyed some Scottish desserts for refreshments. I just can't tell you how real the story was to us and how real you are to us. Thank you, thank you, for your wonderful story, and for sharing your faith with us."
   —The Lord's Bookshelf Book Club, First Baptist Church of Blooming Grove

"Our church is excited about new and different ways of doing things, so I suggested we give your Thorn in My Heart book discussion/Bible study a try. The idea went over wonderfully. I had 10 women in the group!! All the women are so into the book. Everyone participated in the discussion and is looking forward to each week.
   "For our group, it seems to be working best to discuss as we go. At the beginning of our group time, I ask where everyone has gotten to and make sure not to discuss anything past that. We've been setting goals for each week so that we can all try to stay together. I have selected questions from your reader's guide that would match where we are in the story.
   "I was surprised that some in my group are not familiar with the Jacob/Esau story. I'm looking forward to the Bible study section so that they can see the parallels with Thorn in My Heart. I think major light bulbs will come on! Thanks for great reads and great group material online!!"
   —Penny from Kentucky

"Thank you so much for the wonderful book Thorn in My Heart. We just completed our 4-week Bible Study at church...truly a great success. It was a very intimate time with the ladies and we got so much spiritual blessing from it. The book was wonderful, the scripture reading was wonderful, and the time with these ladies was wonderful! We can't wait for Fair Is The Rose. Keep up the great work!"
   —Jodi from Ohio

"Our women's ministry at church started a book club and our first book to read was Thorn in My Heart. I couldn't put it down! We kept calling each other and saying, 'I'm where such and such is happening, where are you?' Our club, which is called, The Lord's Bookshelf, is meeting for our first official book review, and Jamie, Leana and Rose will be the guests of honor!"
   —Vickie from Texas

"Thank you for sending us all those studies, bookmarks, and magnets in time for our first book review on Thorn in My Heart. We went over every point [in the Reader's Guide]. It was amazing how one could relate in various ways in our own lives to the characters in the book, so we got to know each other better. Our next meeting will be after we have read the sequel. After which we will do both Bible studies on both books. You are a great writer, and we are all enjoying your books."
   —Jan from California

"Thorn in My Heart captured everyone's heart and each one had so much to share about how they felt about the characters and the situations they found themselves in. The setting of the book led to more discussion; this was enhanced by our menu of Scottish food (some of us made scones and oatcakes for the very first time) and Scottish music playing in the background. Having done the Loved by God study ahead of time, we had a good grasp of the biblical concepts and storyline, but your book helped us empathize with the likely emotional responses of the main players and understand their ostensible motivations and the conflicts they grappled with. It put "flesh" on the printed word of Scripture.
   "For some creative fun I had little tote bags for each lady filled with "symbols" of the story. It was similar to a pop quiz and they had to guess where they fit into the story, i.e. blue embroidery floss for the Scottish bluebells Leana embroidered on her nightgown, Hershey kisses for the stolen kisses between Jamie and Rose, Macintosh apple scented Yankee candles for the apples Leana gave out to the children on Valentine's Day, cinnamon sticks for the herbs and spices Leana and Neda cooked with.
   "Thank you so much for sending the personalized autographed bookplates and other keepsakes. They were well-received and the tangible personal link to the author of our selected book was especially appreciated. Many of us are just holding our breath waiting for Whence Came a Prince to find out if anyone lives happily ever after. How we desire it to be so. We appreciate your generosity for everything you sent to make our book club a success.
   —Verna from Oklahoma

"We finished our Fair Is the Rose study. Once again, thank you for providing us with an exciting story that really sparked interesting Bible study and good discussions. It's amazing how both these books (Thorn and Rose) gave us real insights into how the actual Biblical characters might have felt. I have a shameful tendency to read something in the Bible and pass over it without seriously stopping to think...hey, these are real people with real feelings experiencing really difficult circumstances. How would I react in their shoes? How might they have felt as this was going on? Your books brought the Bible story to life and helped us to look at it from a new, personal, and more in-depth perspective."
   —Nancy from Oklahoma

 updated 12/11/2008