In this second “Battle of the Books” episode, Angela Ruth Strong and I “battle out” our takeaways and insights into the books we read, what we imagine about each character, and so much more.  Basically, I begged shamelessly for MORE of all the stuffness, but while we won’t get a series out of this book, she is writing a football-themed rom-com next and a bit of flash fiction!.

It’ll be a kick in the pants… or the ball.  Or a ball.  Or something!  I can’t wait, how about you?

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What Deep Subjects Did We Tackle with Laugher in Our Book Battle?

Just a few minor things like submission, divorce, pain in marriage, the seven-deadly sins… Nothing too deep. Ahem.

One thing I mentioned in the episode is a favorite poem of mine.  I’m sharing it here.

The Fool’s Prayer by Edward Rowland Sill

The royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: “Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!”

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the monarch’s silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: “O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

“No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool:
The rod must heal the sin; but, Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

“’T is not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
’T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.

“These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

“The ill-timed truth we might have kept—
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung!
The word we had not sense to say—
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

“Our faults no tenderness should ask,
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders—oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

“Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool.”

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
“Be merciful to me, a fool!”

Here’s a great reading

Since we already hashed out all the spoiler warnings, the main idea of what this “battle of the books” thing is all about in our last episode show notes HERE, I decided just to put the Blessing Bentley synopsis in and… tell you about our giveaway!

Blessing Bentley (book 1 of the Marriages of Conviction series)

GIVEAWAY!

Angela and I are each giving away a prize box of books and whatever else we think of to throw in.  These will be UNIQUE (what each one comes up with and does) so I decided to do two unique giveaways.  Here’s how to enter.

First, comment below.  Tell me which of the books you have read or want to read first.

THEN… go HERE and follow ANGELA’s instructions there).  And here’s the official disclaimer that only Angela and I are responsible for this giveaway and it isn’t sponsored by anyone but us.

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