Seeds of Summer

Title: SEEDS OF SUMMER
Author: Deborah Vogts
Publisher: Zondervan
May 2010
ISBN: 978-0-310-29276-0
Inspirational/contemporary

Natalie Adams is a former rodeo queen, but now she’s a twenty-two year old orphan, left in charge of the family ranch, two younger half-siblings, and dying dreams of getting a college degree. Natalie doesn’t even know where to begin.

Jared Logan is a new pastor to the community, serving in his first parish. He repeatedly comes to Natalie’s rescue, but Natalie is loath to accept help from anyone—especially his. When the church resists Jared’s suggestion to change, and with his involvement with Natalie’s family, Jared begins to question his calling.

When Natalie’s absent step-mother suddenly reappears with her own plans, Natalie is forced to choose between her own desires or the needs of the family. What will it take for her to face her fears—to find a future and a hope?

SEEDS OF SUMMER is the second book in Ms. Vogts Seasons of the Tallgrass series, but it easily stands alone. Natalie, though still a very young adult, has a lot of challenges on her shoulders, more than most have at that age, but she seems quite capable. Jared is an idealist pastor, fresh out of seminary and facing the harsh realities of his chosen profession.

I enjoyed getting to know Natalie and her siblings, as well as Jared, in this book, and viewing the Kansas prairie though the pages of this book. I highly recommend SEEDS OF SUMMER as well as the first book in the series. This is definitely an author to watch. A yummy sounding recipe, and a sample of Blades of Autumn, the third book in the series is included at the end of the book. $10.99. 304 pages.

Author Bio: Deborah Vogts and her husband have three daughters and make their home in Southeast Kansas where they raise and train American Quarter Horses. As a student at Emporia State University studying English and journalism, Deborah developed a love for the Flint Hills that has never faded. In writing this series, she hopes to share her passion for one of the last tallgrass prairie regions in the world, showing that God’s great beauty rests on the prairie and in the hearts of those who live there.

Q: What are three things about yourself that would surprise your readers?
A: 1) I sold Princess House Crystal when I was in high school.
2) I LOVE camping in the Rocky Mountains
3) When I was a teenager, I wanted to be a concert pianist.

Q: Is there a place you have always wanted to visit? A vacation spot, historical monument, overseas, etc?
A: Like most people, I think it would be fun to go to Europe and travel the countryside for a month, but I don’t suppose that will ever happen, as I have an aversion to flying. That said, I think it would be awesome to travel across the United States in an RV with my husband. I love the mountains, so I’m sure that would be in our travel itinerary.

Q: If you could have dinner with 2 people, who would they be?

A: I’d like to visit with movie producers, maybe Larry Levinson or Michael Landon Jr, and try to convince them to make a movie out of my book! For my newest release, we could get Megan Fox to play Natalie and Keanu Reeves to play Jared Logan. 

Q: What one event would you love to be at? Historical or future?

A: I think it would have been neat to have lived in the late 1800’s when the American West was being settled. I love historical fiction and always try to include in my book research various historical aspects about my setting. I especially enjoy reading journals or nonfiction books about ranching and the Flint Hills. Writing a historical novel may well be something I try to tackle one day.

Q: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing?

A: I’d do more work at home. More gardening and canning. More baking and sewing. More music involvement at our church. And I’d do more quilting and scrapbooking!

Q: Do you have a favorite hobby?

A: I like to take walks with our two golden retrievers or dig in the dirt in my flower beds or garden. I also enjoy playing the piano, baking something, sewing or scrapbooking!

Q: Is there something about you most people wouldn't know?

A: I am weird in that I LIKE to mow. We have a large yard, so it takes me about two hours on an industrial-sized mower, but I enjoy this time to just think or sing. LOL. Yes, I sometimes sing when I mow. It’s also a good time for me to pray or to plot out scenes in my current writing project.

Q: Have you ever had a horrendously embarrassing moment that you ended up using later in a novel?

A: The time I threw up on a small plane. I actually used my own experience in my first book, Snow Melts in Spring, when Mattie gets sick on her trip back to Kansas.

Q: What is the happiest day in your life thus far?

A: The day I married my husband. We were actually high school classmates, but it wasn’t until after our 5th year class reunion that we started dating. We married on Valentine’s Day 1990, and he’ll always be my valentine!