Wednesday, January 17, 2018

Wandering Wednesday: Amsterdam and the Netherlands + A Giveaway!


By Lisa Harris @heartofafrica 

One of the things our family has been blessed to do is travel together. Sometimes it's for ministry, like language school in Brazil. Other times we've been able to stop in Europe on the way from Africa to the United States, where we usually visit friends. The opportunity to set my stories in some of these locations with my Love Inspired Suspense books has been so much fun for me, and releasing this month is Deadly Exchange which was set in Amsterdam. Several years ago, our family stopped in Holland for a few days to visit friends and see some of Amsterdam. I loved the chance to incorporate some of the things we saw while we were there including a brief mention of Corrie ten Boom, one of the first places we visited just outside of Amsterdam. Her testimony of her family risking their lives to save the Jews during the war has always been so powerful to me, and in my story, my heroine feels the same way. She talks about the impact of visiting her house and her prayer that God would use her.



We also were able to visit the countryside outside of Amsterdam where part of my story takes place, in an older estate. Some of my favorite scenes are the windmills in the background and the fog along the water. We were even able to visit a place where they make the decorative wooden clogs.






And no trip to Amsterdam is complete without trying some raw herring. I love fish and grew up on smoked salmon, so for me it wasn’t bad at all. But I can't say that all of my family felt the same!


Taking a boat ride through the city was a lot of fun, and honestly, one of my favorite ways to see a city. I love all the houseboats and bridges and of course Amsterdam's unique architecture.





And lastly, you can't forget about all the bikes in Amsterdam. I confess, I never tried to ride one, especially in the city, but I love the idea of riding bikes everywhere. In fact, the first scene is of my heroine on her way home on her bike she affectionally named Archie.


While I have such great memories of our time in the Netherlands, I took my heroine through a much different experience in Deadly Exchange. Chased across Amsterdam by a human-trafficking ring, social advocate Kayla Brooks refuses to help them recapture Mercy, the young girl she rescued from their clutches. And there's only one man Kayla can turn to for help: her ex-fiance's brooding older brother, Levi Cummings. Armed with only a few clues, Kayla and Levi must bring down the crime ring. . .or lose their lives in the process.


Giveaway


I'm giving away an ebook copy of Deadly Exchange. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post and/or on Monday's New Release Post. Receive two entries in the drawing by commenting on both posts! I'll pick the winner from the comments Monday, January 22 at 10pm EST.

Read a FREE sample of Deadly Exchange at Amazon.com

About Lisa Harris



LISA HARRIS is a Christy Award finalist for Blood Ransom and Vendetta, Christy Award winner for Dangerous Passage, and the winner of the Best Inspirational Suspense Novel for 2011 (Blood Covenant) and 2015 (Vendetta) from Romantic Times. She has over thirty novels and novella collections in print. She and her family have spent over thirteen years working as missionaries in Africa. When she's not working she loves hanging out with her family, cooking different ethnic dishes, photography, and heading into the African bush on safari.

28 comments:

  1. I love Amsterdam! I visited for a week-long training course when I was working in London, and then my husband came and joined me for the weekend. We visited Anne Frank House, but I didn't know there was a Ten Boom Museum - I'd love to visit that as well!

    I also have memories of the food and the architecture. I'm from New Zealand, so was fascinated by all the old buildings in Amsterdam. One night our work group visited a fondue restaurant for dinner. The building the restaurant was in was built before Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand. That was mind-boggling.

    Thanks for sharing your memories of Amsterdam!

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    1. What a wonderful place to have a course, and I'm glad you were able to see some of Amsterdam! How fun!

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  2. I have always been interested in The Netherlands but I think its cos of the tulips. I read a sisterchicks book set there and they went to visit the Ten Boom Museum also and it was really moving. I would not be trying the herring.

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    1. Somewhere packed away, I have photos of my first trip to Holland and the tulips. Absolutely stunning! Unfortunately when we went last year, they weren't in bloom, but definitely something to see if you can!

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  3. Love this post, Lisa. And love the sound of Deadly Exchange so I grabbed it off the Aussie Amazon site. Fiona maybe taking on a short term gig in Amsterdam starting in a few weeks and we've already agreed I'd pop over for the end of it. I'm excited to explore this city as everyone I know who has visited loves it. But I will pass on the herring. Having tried that once before many years ago at a client lunch, I vowed I'd never have it again.

    Safe travels back to Africa, my friend.

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  4. That sounds fantastic! I hope you'll be able to go. I always love exploring new places, and this is such an interesting city, along with the surrounding countryside which is also so unique. As for the herring. . .I suppose most people not from there would hesitate! :-) Safe travels!!

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  5. Oh! This sounds like a wonderful read! Thanks for an opportunity to win!

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  6. Marj Ward tried to leave a comment, but is having problems, so here's a comment for you Marj for the giveaway!!!

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  7. This sounds like a great read! I enjoy the interesting details from different places. :)

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    1. It is a fun way to learn about other places. Thanks for stopping by, Susanne.

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  8. What great pictures! There's nothing like being there to bring your bookalive. And congratulations on all your awards!

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    1. Thanks Donna. I don't always get the opportunity to visit my settings, but it sure is fun when I can!!

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  9. The only part of Amsterdam I have seen is the airport. Lol. Would love to see more. I love your books and this sounds like a great one. Thanks for the chance to win!

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  10. We had a really long layover in Amsterdam back in 2000. We got to get out and explore the city, but not the countryside, although I did enjoy flying over the tulip fields. Looking forward to reading your book, Lisa!

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    1. Now that must have been stunning. Flying over the tulip fields. How fun! They really are incredible when in bloom!

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  11. Amsterdam sounds like a beautiful city to visit!

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    1. It really is! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Amy!

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  12. Erin Randall Laramore is having issues as well leaving a comment, so you're here now Erin!

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  13. A great story. But once again I goofed...read it on Kindle only to discover I ordered it in paperback too...oh well, a friend will receive a little gift �� My husband and I went to the Philadelphia flower show last year...largest in the nation. The theme was Holland...it was amazing!

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  14. I've left a comment on the previous post as well as here.

    The Corrie Ten Boom museum looks like an interesting place to visit. If I were to go there for a vacation, that would be one destination I'd put on my list. How fun to see the both the Dutch clogs and all those bicycles! Wow, I've never seen so many in my life :-O I'm not sure I'd try the raw herring though, and I like sushi...lol! Maybe just to say I did, I would!

    Thanks for sharing your trip Lisa & the book giveaway chance!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Trixi! Glad you enjoyed the photos of Amsterdam! And you're right. So many bicycles. I was amazed!

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  15. I swear I left a comment here yesterday, but I am not seeing now. Sorry if this is a duplicate. Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the chance to win. I commented on the other post as well.

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    1. You're here now, Melissa!! Thanks for stopping by!

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  16. Fabulous post, Lisa! Your photos from Amsterdam are stunning, and I’ll also skip sampling the raw herring. I’m loving the Wandering Wednesday posts on our blog. Thanks for sharing Amsterdam and the Netherlands with us. :)

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the photos, Narelle! I enjoyed going through them again!!

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  17. We visited missionary friends in The Netherlands a few years ago and have so many of the same photos!!! We loved our time there needs have often stopped in Amsterdam on our flights from Africa to America. Can't wait to read your book!

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  18. Thanks so much to all of you who stopped by! Erin, you're the winner of Deadly Escape. I'll be in contact with you soon. Congratulations!!

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