Category: Blogoversary

9th Blogoversary Celebration - Cover Reveal of A Cowboy To Rely On by Jill Kemerer

12/7/2021

A lonely rancher. His brother's surprise widow.
Can they find their way home?

Still processing his grief, Jet Mayer is shocked to learn his late brother had a secret wife and child. Though he's neck-deep running his family's ranch, nothing will keep Jet from supporting Holly and little Clara. But Holly wants to follow her own path—even if Jet’s the steadfast man she once wished for. Can they somehow reconcile their dreams to make a forever life together?

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1335759009

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9th Blogoversary Celebration - Darlene's Day Guest from author Darlene L. Turner (Giveaway)

12/7/2021

13 Comments

Some secrets are dangerous…
But uncovering the truth could be deadly

Border patrol officer Madison Steele knows her sister Leah’s fatal car crash was no accident. Someone’s willing to kill to cover up a pharmaceutical company’s deadly crime of distributing tainted drugs. Now they are after Madison to tie off loose ends. But with her high school sweetheart, Canadian police constable Tucker Reed, at her side, can Madison expose the company’s deadly plan before she becomes the next victim?

ASIN: ‎ B08SHY87JQ

Darlene’s Day

by Darlene L. Turner

Want a look into a writer’s life? Television shows us living in luxury and going on many trips. That may be the case for some best-selling authors, but not the case for the majority of writers. So, what does a typical author’s day look like? Here’s mine.

I wake up at 5:30 a.m. and spend time with the Lord. After a cup of coffee, I head to my office to catch up on emails and get my social media posts ready.

Then it’s time to get writing! I work on blogs or my current WIP. Of course, there’s also research. Some days an author can get buried in discovering new things to help make their book be authentic.

Here’s a peak at my writing office. I love the bright colors and the sunflower blanket was cross-stitched by my dear mother. It’s such a cheery place to write!

At some point in the day I like to take a break to go for a walk in the fresh air. For the days when it’s raining (I do walk when it’s snowing though!), I head to our treadmill.

In the evenings, I go on social media and respond to those who’ve commented on my posts, building relationships with readers and other authors. Sometimes I zoom with other writers to either brainstorm ideas or do writing sprints. I live in Canada, so it’s so great to connect with writers all over the world. Such fun. Love my writing community.

Most weekends I spend at my computer creating blogs, my next manuscript, or connecting with readers. What do I do in my spare time?

I love to read, knit, watch movies, and tole paint. This is painting figures and scenes onto wood surfaces (see picture). It’s one of my favorite things to do to relax.

I’ve been asked if there are any treats I like to have while I write. I normally have a cup of coffee beside me. My fave? Either raspberry chocolate or pumpkin spice. I love anything pumpkin! I’ve included a yummy muffin recipe.

I hope you’ve enjoyed getting a sneak peek into a writer’s life. Each day can bring a new and exciting adventure. Blessings!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¾ tsp salt
2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ cup light or dark brown sugar
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (canned or fresh)
½ cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
¼ cup orange juice
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt by whisking them together.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin, oil, and orange juice.
Pour these wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix together using a spatula or wooden spoon. There will be some lumps. Don’t overmix.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill muffin liners ½ to ¾ full.
Bake 17-18 minutes.
Remove from oven and transfer from tin to cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Darlene L. Turner’s love of suspense began when she read her first Nancy Drew book. She’s turned that passion into her writing
and believes readers will be captured by her plots, inspired by her strong characters, and moved by her inspirational message.

Darlene won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense twice and an ACFW Genesis award. Her debut
book, Border Breach, (Love Inspired Suspense) won the 2021 Canadian Word Award in the romance category, plus it was a
double winner at the Selah Awards, taking third place in the First Novel and Romantic Suspense categories. She’s represented
by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. Her next book, Safe House Exposed, releases February 22, 2022.

Darlene met her husband Jeff at the turtle races in Ontario, Canada. She loves flavored coffee and plaid shirts.
You can connect with Darlene at www.darlenelturner.com where there’s suspense beyond borders.

Facebook : Twitter : LinkedIn : BookBub : Pinterest : Instagram : Goodreads :

It's Time For A Giveaway!

I would like to give away one reader an ecopy of my latest book, Lethal Cover-Up.
Leave a comment and you could win!

Giveaway ends December 14th, 2021 at 11:59 pm (MST)

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9th Blogoversary Celebration - Excerpt from The Secret Of Emerald Cottage by Julie Lessman (Giveaway)

12/7/2021

17 Comments

She’s sweet & cozy mysteries. He’s fun & cozy flings.
Till a deadly secret reveals not-so-cozy things.

Twenty-six-year-old Molly Stewart—ex-Navy nurse and former evidence technician for the Charleston Police Department—has been burned by love. So when her friend, Pastor Chase Griffin, begs her to move to scenic Lake Loon to be a nurse and companion for Miss Lilly, his elderly landlady, she jumps at the chance. The secluded and cozy cottage on a clear mountain lake seems the perfect place to heal from her fiancé’s betrayal as well as indulge in one of her greatest passions—cozy romance. First with reading them by the bookcase and then hopefully, if dreams come true, solving them one day as a licensed detective. But when Miss Lilly’s estranged great nephew shows up, it’s no mystery as to why he and Molly butt heads. Because it only takes one stolen kiss—while she’s sleeping, no less—to discover he’s an even bigger player than the ex-fiancé who broke her heart.

When international playboy and Irish soccer star Brec McGill learns his long-lost great aunt is in a coma from a drowning accident, he rushes to her side. Not only is he anxious to reconnect with his only living relative he spent summers with as a boy, but her cottage on Lake Loon, Georgia is the perfect respite to heal from game injuries and escape a tabloid scandal. At thirty-three he’s disillusioned with the game, his fiancée, and life in general, craving nothing but a little peace and solitude to get his head on straight. But when he discovers his aunt’s cottage is not only inhabited by a crusty Aunt Lilly he hasn’t seen in ten years, but a pretty prude of a nurse as well, his plans take a nose-dive in the lake. Because suddenly it appears not only was Aunt Lilly’s accident no accident … but somebody out there wants to see them all dead.

ASIN: ‎ B09B6GB9WK

WHOO-HOO, HAPPY 9th BLOGOVERSARY to my good friend, Jasmine Augustine! To celebrate, I am giving away an e-copy of my new 50/50 romantic suspense (50% mystery/50% romance versus the usual 80/20), The Secret of Emerald Cottage.
To whet your appetite, be sure to watch this very cool trailer/video my artist hubby did, followed by a sneak peek at the first chapter below. And, just an FYI—I’m having lots of realllly cool giveaways going at my Journal Jot blog, too, so I hope you check them out.
Ready? Here we go!

EXCERPT FOR THE SECRET OF EMERALD COTTAGE

It is He who reveals the profound and
hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with Him.
--Daniel 2:2

CHAPTER ONE
Savannah, Georgia, Late Spring

“I was a fool, Molly. Forgive me? Please?”
Forgive him? Body numb, Molly Stewart stood rooted at Miss Lilly’s front door, staring at the man who had broken both her heart and her trust, and wondered if she actually could.
Today was to have been their wedding day at a pretty little church in Charleston. Instead here Tyler stood on the wraparound front porch of Miss Lilly’s secluded cottage on Lake Loon, more handsome than a louse had a right to be. Those piercing gray eyes were as repentant—and deadly—as she’d ever seen. Hands plunged deep in the pockets of his favorite Rock Revival jeans, he offered an awkward shrug, his rolled-sleeved, buttoned-down shirt emphasizing broad shoulders and a well-defined torso. “These last six months without you have been awful, babe, convincing me I made the biggest and most brainless mistake of my life.”
Yeah, me too. Cocking her hip, Molly slapped her arms into an impatient fold, not about to let Tyler Madsen disarm her again. “Well, I certainly concur with brainless.” Her eyes narrowed to slits, as thin as her patience. “What do you want, Tyler?”
That hard-sculpted jaw tensed as he threaded a hand through wheat-colored hair shorn on the sides. His Adam’s apple ducked twice, a sure sign she’d rattled his confidence, which wasn’t easy to do. “I rather hoped it would be obvious,” he whispered, catching her off-guard when he reached to caress her face with tender fingers. “I want ‘us’ back.”
She jerked away, arms glued to her waist in self-defense as she took a step back, warning bells going off in her head over the warm shiver he’d produced. She’d been head over heels for a solid year, ready to spend the rest of her life with him, so naturally his touch still affected her. Her mouth compressed in resolve. But she was also ready to spend the rest of her life forgetting him, too, and had a six-month head start, thank God. “There is no ‘us,’ Tyler. I wonder if there ever was.”
“There was and you know it, Molly,” he said quietly, gently tugging one of her hands free to draw her close. “Because despite my asinine mistake, we still love each other.”
“Loved!” she hissed, breaking free to thump him hard on a chest that felt like rock. “Past tense, buster, so you can just take your seductive song and dance and—”
Her gasp was silenced when his mouth took hers, melting her to the door with a kiss that reminded her of all she had lost.
A friend.
A husband.
A love for a lifetime.
“Forgive me, Molly—please?” He gently touched his forehead to hers. “Give me another chance, and I swear I will do everything in my power to make it up to you.”
“Ty …” She felt herself weakening, memories of their last year resurrecting the faintest glimmers of love and hope that she’d worked so hard to bury beneath a mountain of hurt. “I don’t think—”
Her resistance was swallowed up in another dangerous kiss so possessive, all her walls came tumbling down when he pulled away. Suddenly, his handsome face dissolved into a haze, disappearing into the same nightmare she’d lived for the last half year. A groan trailed from her lips as her head thrashed back and forth in her bed. “No, don’t leave again, please,” she murmured in her sleep, “just kiss me, please …”
Her body finally relaxed when he did—gently, softly—vaguely aware it had to be a dream because the scent was all wrong—not the vanilla musk scent of Ty’s Stronger With You cologne she’d given him for Christmas. No, this was more of a peppery scent with a hint of lilac and lavender, confirming it wasn’t Ty she was kissing at all, but someone else.
Lost somewhere between semi-consciousness and a slumber induced by a bleary-headed cold and a 2:00 a.m. dose of Nyquil Severe Cold & Flu, she burrowed deeper into the downy softness of her bed, never wanting the kiss to end. Definitely had to be a dream because Ty was her past, and yet this tender brush of lips against hers felt so real! So right.
Breathing in the heady scent of pine trees that surrounded both Miss Lilly’s Emerald Cottage and the glimmering glacial lake outside her open window, she allowed her subconscious to fade back into sleep, desperate to return to Prince Charming.
“Wake up, Princess.” A husky voice with a hint of a brogue breathed into her ear, accompanied by a trace of that delicious peppery scent, and she literally groaned out loud, unwilling for the magic to end. Rolling on her side, she yanked the cover sheet over her head, longing to slip away once again …
“Uh, excuse me, Goldilocks, but I think you’re sleeping in my bed.”
Her eyes snapped open beneath the sheet while she gasped, frozen for a split second before she jerked her Glock 36 from under her pillow. Launching from her bed, her limbs shook like Jell-O as she stood there in her ratty tank top and penguin shorts, arms extended. “Who are y-you?” she rasped, heart pummeling her ribcage while she trembled, taking shaky aim at a man in a sculpted T-shirt and jeans who made Prince Charming look like a frog.
Light blue eyes flared in surprise as he raised massive palms in the air, a lazy smile easing across lips way too full and sensuous for a man. “Whoa, take it easy, lass. I’m Miss Lilly’s great nephew, Brec McGill, but you can call me Papa Bear if you like.”
“How did you get in?” she demanded, snatching her cell phone from the nightstand before backing toward the door, punching 9-1-1 in just to be ready. Hands quivering, she tucked the phone into her shorts, rattled that a Greek god had entered her room and she’d never even heard him come in.
With an impressive bulge of a bicep, he casually scratched the back of his head, his smile patient as he tossed a set of keys in the air. He slipped them into the pocket of jeans so snug, they bordered on indecent. “A key. From Aunt Lilly. A long time ago.”
“Wait a minute.” She swallowed hard as she wiped her lips, gaze narrowing when the memory of her dream came back. “Did you … kiss me?”
“Depends.” One edge of his mouth crooked as he tipped his head, flashing the deepest, most dangerous dimples she’d ever seen. “Did you like it?”
Stance stiff, she jerked the gun higher, satisfied when it wiped the smile right off his face.
Taking a quick step back, he thumped a taut chest with a blunt thumb while he stared her down. “Look, Goldilocks, this is my room, and you were sleeping in my bed, so suppose you tell me who you are, aye?”
Her chin jutted up. “I am Miss Lilly’s temporary caretaker and companion, Nurse Molly Stewart. The one who left umpteen voicemail messages and a telegram that you never bothered to answer, I might add.”
He actually winced, which gave some small comfort that there may be a shred of concern somewhere deep down in this great nephew who hadn’t visited his aunt in years.
He cuffed the back of his neck. “About that,” he said with a sheepish look, “I’ve had a bit of bother lately with the press, so I’ve been off the grid, so to speak.” He gave an awkward shrug. “New cell phone, new apartment, dodged voicemail, you know?”
Expelling a silent sigh, Molly slowly lowered her gun. Yes, she knew. Miss Lilly had already filled her in on her notorious great nephew, the infamous Irish soccer star embroiled in a nasty scandal. The same nephew Miss Lilly’d been praying for since he went astray after college—both from her and from the faith she’d tried so hard to instill.
“But I finally got the telegram,” he continued in a rush, a definite apology lacing his tone as he buried his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans. Those broad shoulders lifted briefly. “So, here I am.” His thick, dark brows tented in concern as he pinned Molly with a pointed gaze that held a touch of vulnerability. “How is she?” he whispered.
“Better.” Rolling her neck, Molly felt the tension slowly seep from her body. “She’s out of the coma and resting comfortably—”
“Coma?” His voice cracked as his golden tan bleached to pale. “She was in a coma? The telegram just said she’d fallen and was in the hospital, for criminy’s sake.”
Molly arched a brow, her manner cool. “She did fall, Mr. McGill—into the lake, as a matter of fact. Which resulted in a coma when she almost drowned. But she came out of it before I sent the telegram—which was a last resort, mind you, after all the phone calls.”
A groan rattled from his throat as he tunneled thick fingers through short curly hair—almost black—appearing as if he actually cared or at least putting on a pretty good act. He glanced at his watch. “Where is she? I want to see her right now. And I want to know everything.”
“All in good time, Striker Boy,” Molly said as she waved the gun toward the door, adding her own twist to his team nickname of “Striker Man” since he was his team’s primary scoring threat. “It’s barely six a.m. and we’re not going anywhere till I’ve had a shower and a cup of coffee, so don’t be in such a hurry.”
She suddenly remembered the brazen pass he’d made by kissing her while she was sleeping, and both her ire—and her gun—rose to new heights. “Oh, wait—you weren’t in a hurry, were you? Since you just arrived a week after the fact.”
Those blue eyes thinned to slits of sapphire. “It’s ‘Striker Man,’ for your information, Goldilocks,” he said in a gravelly voice as tight as hers, “and I detest guns, so stop waving that thing at me. I took the redeye as soon as I got the blinkin’ telegram, so don’t act like I don’t care about my aunt.”
Eyes wide, Molly feigned surprise as she placed a hand to her cheek. “Oh, forgive me, please, but I didn’t realize seeing your aunt once every ten years qualified as ‘caring.’”
Too late she saw the flicker of pain in his eyes, pools of regret and guilt that shamed her before he quickly looked away, shoulders slumping while he gouged the bridge of his nose. “It was twice,” he said quietly, the weariness of his manner reminding her he’d just flown twelve hours on a cramped plane in the middle of the night. “But I’m here now, Miss Stewart, and I would very much like to see my aunt.”
Oh, way to welcome the prodigal home, Molly, she thought with a pinch in her chest, heat warming the back of her neck over kicking a man when he was down. She was the Christian here, after all, and he was not, a point that caused Miss Lilly great pain whenever they’d discussed her wayward great nephew.
The same wayward nephew who’d just kissed me while I was asleep, for pity’s sake!
For pity’s sake, indeed. And Brec McGill’s, apparently. Because if Molly knew one thing for sure about Miss Lilly, it was that no matter how infrequently she saw her nephew, she longed to see him healthy and whole, both spiritually and emotionally.
“Deep down he’s a good boy,” she’d often say with that faraway look that told Molly he was her number-one priority before she went home to her Savior—that the nephew she loved would return to his, restoring the faith she’d worked so hard to instill. And that sure wouldn’t happen if Molly didn’t reflect the love of the merciful God she also espoused, forgiving this lost soul for abandoning the aunt who loved him all of these years.
Unleashing a heavy sigh of regret that mirrored that in his eyes, Molly placed her gun on the nightstand and gave a side nod toward the door. “Visiting hours are at ten, so you can either catch a few winks in the guest room before we leave, or you can wait for me in the kitchen. Where,” she said with a quirk of her brow, “I will happily whip up breakfast—something fast, hearty, and nutritious—plus coffee while I fill you in on the state of Miss Lilly and her affairs.”
A sense of peace settled over his features like a truce, making him appear all the more fatigued. Offering a tired smile, he nodded to the novel splayed open on her bed, her favorite Agatha Christie cozy mystery that she’d been reading before nodding off. He tilted his head to read the title. “Sparkling Cyanide?” he said with a scrunch of his nose.
“Research,” she said with a slight heft of her chin, “for a book I plan to write.”
He gave a slow nod with a twitch of a smile. “And hopefully nothing to do with breakfast, I trust?”
Head tipped, she crossed her arms with a shadow of a smile. “The jury’s still out, Soccer Boy.”
He gave a slow nod, mouth sliding into a smile that instantly slid into a yawn. “No wonder you were out cold, then. Cozy mysteries are better than a sleeping pill in my opinion—too sweet for my tastes. I like a lot more action, so I’m a Steven King fan myself.”
She angled a brow. “Makes perfect sense. And your favorite is Misery, is it?”
He paused on his way to the door to shoot a wry smile over his shoulder. “Hilarious, Goldie.” Hand on the knob, he turned, his weariness belied by a twitch of a smile that reminded her all over again just how handsome he was. And dangerous to a woman’s emotional health per the tabloids she’d read.
“Breakfast would be absolutely grand, lass,” he said in a husky tone that held more than a hint of tease. “And if you’re willing to forgive me for both my abominable lack of attention to Aunt Lilly and stealing a kiss?”—he had the audacity to give her a wink—“I’ll forgive you for stealing my room.”
“Forgiven,” she said with a pert lift of her chin, matching his shadow of a smile with one of her own. “The lack of attention to Miss Lilly, that is, Strike-Out Boy. But the sheer annoyance from the other?” She wrinkled her nose as she crossed her arms in a taut fold, dismissing him with a nod of her head to close the door. “Something tells me I’ll need that for self-defense."

Julie Lessman

A lover of all things Irish, Julie Lessman writes close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.

Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, Heart of San Francisco, Isle of Hope, and Silver Lining Ranch series, Julie was American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered over 21 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Reader’s Choice Awards, Julie’s novels also made Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015, Best of 2014, and “Essential Christian Romance Authors” 2017-2020, as well as Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction.

Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. Contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Julie is generously giving away an e-book copy of The Secret Of Emerald Cottage.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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9th Blogoversary Celebration - This Or That Interview with Amy Lillard (Giveaway)

12/7/2021

6 Comments

Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author Amy Lillard's uplifting new series unites a
"Widows Club" of women who share solace, friendship, and faith in the Amish community
of Paradise Valley, Missouri. In this series starter, a young pregnant widow running a
B&B meets a handsome outsider who begins to make her believe in love again.

When her young husband died unexpectedly, Millie Bauman thought her life was over too--until she learned she was carrying his child. Now, as she awaits the baby's arrival, Millie's sure her future will revolve around motherhood, the B&B she runs with her Aunt Sylvie, and the beloved Whoopie Pies her Widows Club whips up each week. But when a handsome newcomer arrives in town, Millie is intrigued, and the club wonders if Millie might find a second chance at love...

Henry King plans to stay in Paradise Valley long enough to take care of some family business, and hopefully mend the heartache of his own lost love. As Henry and Millie cross paths, it's clear their neighbors are gently trying to play matchmaker. Not wanting to disappoint, the two pretend to play along--but life gets complicated when a true and tender affection grows. As Millie gets ready to welcome her baby, they must rely on faith and fate to decide if they should risk their hearts on love again...

ASIN: B091MZJYZJ

This Or That Interview with Amy Lillard

#1. Coffee or Tea?
coffee

#2. Print or E-reader?
e-reader

#3. Ice Cream or Pie?
neither (but both)

#4. Early Bird or Night Owl
early bird

#5. Introvert or Extrovert?
extrovert

#6. Historical or Suspense?
both--even better if they're together

#7. Green or Pink?
both

#8. Chocolate or Strawberry?
strawberry

#9. Cats or Dogs?
cats

#10. Mountains or Beach?
beach

#11. Cake or Cookies?
neither (but both)
To explain my answers about sweets--I love them all, but we've changed our eating habits in Chez Lillard and we don't eat them any longer. It sounds heartbreaking and maybe even was the first three weeks or so, but it's all good now!

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
The Bible verse that seems to be on my mind a great deal lately is Psalm 4:10--

Especially this time of year we start rushing around and doing this and that and the other. This is the time when I start looking at new writing projects and what I want to achieve in the upcoming new year. But it's best to take the time to slow down. Stop. breathe. Be still. Once you're quiet, you can listen, and then you can let God lead the way.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Amy is generously giving away a print copy of Marry Me, Millie

(USA Only)
Please allow until after the holidays for the book to arrive.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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9th Blogoversary Celebration - Excerpt from Secret Sabotage by Terri Reed (Giveaway)

12/7/2021

9 Comments

The crash was intentional…
But he can’t remember why.

With no memory of the crash that landed him in a hospital, Ian Delaney is determined to uncover who sabotaged his helicopter—without the protection of his family-appointed bodyguard. But Simone Walker’s used to stubborn clients and won’t let Ian leave her sight. To catch an unknown traitor, they must rely on each other…or the next attack could prove lethal.

ISBN-13: 9781335554802

Pre-Order

Excerpt from Secret Sabotage

Once Nick left and it was just the sheriff and Simone in the room with him, Ian addressed Alex. “Keep me updated on any and everything you find out.” He could see the man wanted to argue. “Alex, don’t cut me out of the loop trying to protect me. The best way for you to protect me is to give me information.”
Alex gave a beleaguered sigh. “Ian, this town owes you a lot. Not only did you rebuild the sheriff's department after it burned down, you've helped by using your helicopter during several search and rescues, including when Maya, Brady and I were being hunted on the mountain. I owe you a lot. I will tell you what you need to know when you need to know it.” He then focused on Simone. “We are all trusting you to keep him safe, not only from the bad people who want him dead, but also from himself.”
Ian barely refrained from snorting in protest. Like anyone could control him. He didn’t need a babysitter. He needed answers.
“Roger that,” Simone said, her gaze cutting to Ian’s with purpose in the dark depths. She really was pretty and feisty. And there was something about her that made him want to know more, to dig deep into her mind and find out what made her tick. Not a usual occurrence for him. Must be the pain medications or the bump to his head.
Alex gave a sharp nod and left the room.
Ian stared at Simone, who stared back at him unflinching. He let out an aggravated breath. He doubted she’d let him past her stoic walls, even if he tried. “This is maddening.”
“I would imagine so,” she said crisply. “The best thing you can do for yourself is to heal and to let your brain remember what happened. And the only way you’re going do that is if you rest. I’m going to draw the blinds, shut the lights off, and pray you’ll uncover the secrets locked inside your mind with some sleep.”
He’d pray so, as well.
Why did he take comfort in knowing she was a woman who prayed?
In the darkened room, he could barely make out her silhouette as she moved to the corner and sat in the chair. He doubted he’d be able to rest with her only a few feet away. She gave off such a dynamic energy that he felt buffered by it. But her words were true. If he could remember what happened, what had sent him out in his helicopter, it would save all of them a great deal of grief and send her on her way. And that would be the best thing for them all, because he had a feeling spending time with Simone wouldn’t be easy. A thought he didn’t want to examine.
He closed his eyes and sent up a prayer that God would bring the memories back. He willed his body to relax and cleared his mind, allowing sleep to claim him.
Hours later, Ian awoke with a start. Somebody hovered at the side of his bed. He blinked the sleep away to realize a male nurse was about to put a syringe into his IV line. Was he scheduled for some sort of medication the doctor neglected to mention?
The green glow from the monitors illuminated the menace in the man’s face.
“Hey!” Ian grabbed for the hand with the syringe.
The door to his room's small bathroom burst open and light spilled out, silhouetting Simone in the doorway. “What are you doing?” Simone’s voice cut through the tension of the room.
The nurse spun toward Simone then moved out of Ian’s line of sight. There was a scuffle, a curse, and then the door to the room banged open, allowing the light from the hall to spill inside, stinging Ian’s eyes.
His heart hammered in his chest. He yanked the IV catheter from of his hand, flinching at the sharp bite of pain.
Someone had just tried to kill him.
Again.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To enter the giveaway answer comment below with your answer to Terri's question...

(USA Only)

Giveaway ends December 14th, 2021 at 11:59 pm (MST)

What thing would you do if
you were never embarrassed?

For me it would be sing in public. Ha!
Terri

9 Comments

Happy 9th Blogoversary!

12/7/2021

3 Comments

Yes, we are celebrating Tell Tale Book Reviews's

Blogoversary!

And we have some great things going on!
Spotlight from:
Terri Reed
Regina Scott
Guest Post from:
Darlene L. Turner
An Excerpt from their newest release from:
Julie Lessman
A Cover Reveal from
Jill Kemerer
Interviews with:
Dana Mentink
Amy Lillard
and Giveaways

Hurry and check it all out!

Join the Fun

Look for new posts throughout the day!

3 Comments

8th Blogoversary Celebration - Uncharted series by Keely Brooke Keith Spotlight (Giveaway)

12/7/2020

11 Comments

Naomi McIntosh is running from her family’s oppressive expectations and the loathsome man her father has demanded she marry. Renaming herself to live incognito, she takes a housekeeping job at the Inn at Falls Creek and promises God this false identity will be her last.

When shepherd James Roberts goes home to the Inn at Falls Creek for his sister’s wedding, he doesn’t expect the woman who once broke his heart to be working there. No matter how much he wants to be with Naomi again, he can’t go along with her charade, especially since he is trying to persuade his father to make him the inn's heir.

Though Naomi yearns for a future with James, if she confesses her deception to everyone, her estranged fiancé will find her. And the longer James goes without telling his family the truth about Naomi—and their growing relationship—the further he jeopardizes the inheritance. But just when their relationship looks promising, the inn proves to be a poor hiding place from Naomi’s past.

Uncharted Freedom weaves past and future in a faith-filled story of life in a hidden land. If you enjoy the rural setting and wholesomeness of frontier romance and Amish fiction, you’ll adore Uncharted Freedom.

ASIN : B08KWNRC7B

Previous Books In The Series

Prequel Series

Our Uncharted Reviews

Keely Brooke Keith

Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a futuristic twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist).

Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving 80s kid. She grew up in a family who moved often, which fueled her dreams of faraway lands. When she isn't writing, Keely enjoys teaching home school lessons and playing bass guitar. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Keely Brooke Keith is very generously giving away winners choice of:
e-books of the entire 12 book Uncharted series OR a $25 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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8th Blogoversary Celebration - Q&A with author Jen Turano (Giveaway)

12/7/2020

22 Comments

After spending her childhood as a street thief, Gabriella Goodhue thought she'd put her past behind her until a fellow resident at her boardinghouse is unjustly accused of theft. Using her old skills to prove her friend's innocence, Gabriella unexpectedly encounters Nicholas Quinn, the man she once considered her best friend—until he abandoned her.

After being taken under the wing of a professor who introduced him into society and named him as his heir, Nicholas is living far removed from his childhood life of crime. As a favor to a friend, Nicholas agreed to help clear the name of an innocent woman, never imagining he'd be reunited with the girl he thought lost to him forever.

As Gabriella and Nicholas are thrown together into one intrigue after another, their childhood affection grows into more, but their newfound feelings are tested when truths about their past are revealed and danger follows their every step.

ISBN-13: 9780764235313

Q&A with author Jen Turano

1. Did you enjoy writing as a child or is it something that came in adulthood?
Hmm…bit of a tricky question. I would say I was more of a reader as a child, although I always loved my English and writing classes throughout school, and always took writing classes for my electives. I also always penned all the skits for my sorority, and then wrote copy for the fashion shows I coordinated once I graduated from college and entered the world of fashion. It wasn’t until I penned a middle-grade for my son as a bit of a lark, though, that I realized I really enjoyed getting the stories that were always roaming around my head onto paper, and I just sort of went from there. It took a very long time to break into the publishing business, but it’s been a wonderful second career for me.

2. Most of your books have some pretty fun(ny) animal characters. If you could be any animal, which one would you choose and why?
I’d probably enjoy being a dog, but only if I got a super cool family to live with – one who’d take me on adventures a few times a day, feed me delicious food, and then let me nap in out of the way places where I wouldn’t be disturbed.

3. Your novels are something of a blend of genres; historical romance, romantic comedy, and an element of suspense – what made you choose to take them in that direction?
I enjoy writing the unexpected because it allows me to keep my stories fresh. When you add a bit of comedy, throw in a touch of a mystery, and then set all of that in the Gilded Age, it’s easier for me to craft stories that I hope will attract, and then keep, a reader’s attention.

4. What were the last three books you read?
Because I’m writing a first draft for the third book in ‘The Bleecker Street Inquiry Agency,’ I’ve mostly been reading non-fiction for research purposes. I just finished “Camp Chronicles” by Mildred Phelps Stokes Hooker that a friend sent me because he thought I might like to use the camp setting for one of my future stories. Before that, I read an early copy of Grace Hitchcock’s “My Dear Miss Dupre,” coming out this spring from Bethany House – highly recommend that one. And then I also just finished “The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus” by Jamie Jo Wright, another book I can highly recommend.

5. If you were to go back in time to the era in which your books are set, what single item would you most want to take with you?
I’d say my cellphone because I seem to be rather attached to it, but since it wouldn’t work, I believe I’d take a medicine bag with me, filled with all those antibiotics they didn’t have back then, like penicillin, and I’d definitely take a couple bottles of Advil.

6. This year has been a very difficult one for everyone, but, in the spirit of the comedic elements in your stories, what was the funniest thing that has happened to you in 2020?
Oh, which one to choose…I think I’ll go with the time this summer when I was out on the trail (I spend a lot of time on that trail because I like to get in about 10 miles a day.) This year, what with how none of us have been going anywhere, I decided that since I had nowhere to wear cute outfits, and, again, I did major in fashion back in the day, that I was going to spiff-up my workout

outfits. I’ve settled on skorts – they’re rather flirty and they’re incredibly comfortable. Anyways, on this particular day, I was wearing a new skort, and it had these shorts that were separate from the skirt part and there were these snaps. Well, I was in a hurry so didn’t bother to attach the shorts to the skort, thinking it was really no big deal. Big, big mistake. At one point, I stuck my phone into the back pocket and the next thing you know, the weight of the phone caused the skirt part to fall down – as in fall down past my knees. Hahahaha. Turns out those snaps really were there for a reason, and wasn’t it just too bad that there happened to be a ton of people on the trail that day who saw me? Thank goodness for those little shorts, although I normally wouldn’t be caught dead outside in shorts quite that short.

7. Through all of your published novels and novellas, do you have a favorite cover?
“A Change of Fortune” will always be my favorite, probably because, not only is it gorgeous, but it was my very first published book. “Storing Up Trouble” comes in a close second.

8. What do you do to recharge your creativity?
Odd as this is going to seem, I clean. For some reason, the mindlessness of cleaning clears my thoughts and allows new stories ideas to form.

9. In research for this series, or your most recent one, what were you most surprised to learn?

Another tricky question – This series revolves around women who are not of high society, and Gabriella, the heroine of “To Steal a Heart,” grew up in Five Points, which was just a horrendous place to live. In researching that area, I ran across accounts of unscrupulous landlords, and there was a time when they resorted to renting out rooms they stuck in the middle of buildings, which meant there were no windows. Disease was rampant, and it wasn’t until the late 1880’s that authorities began to step in and insist that all rooms rented had windows.

10. Choose quick! Chocolate or strawberry?
Chocolate

Thank you so much for having me on your blog, Jasmine. It’s always a pleasure.
I hope everyone is able to enjoy their holiday season. Stay safe, wear a mask,
and know that there will be an end to this madness at some point. We just
need to do what we can to assure all of us make it to that end.

God bless!
Jen

Jen Turano

Named One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. Shes been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When shes not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO. Readers may find her at www.jenturano.com - https://www.facebook.com/jenturanoaut... , https://www.instagram.com/jenturanoau... or on Twitter at JenTurano@JenTurano.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Jen Turano is generously giving away a print copy of To Steal A Heart

(USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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8th Blogoversary Celebration - Book Interview featuring Shatter The Silence by Carol J. Post

12/7/2020

1 Comment

The hidden wounds bleed the worst…

Tia Jordan almost died at the hands of an abusive, cruel husband and carries the scars, both inside and out. She is using those experiences to help other women and children find solace. Right now, her abused women’s shelter is bursting at the seams. When she learns she’s heir to a huge two-story house outside of town, she thanks God for unexpected blessings, until a grandson shows up with another will, threatening to contest hers.
For the past several months, Jason Sloan has kept his nose to the grindstone, watching his mother’s cancer treatments dwindle away his savings. When he learns the inheritance he counted on has been left to Tia and her shelter, he’s torn. With his mother and him having been forced to flee an abusive situation themselves, Tia’s cause hits too close to home. All disagreements take a back seat, though, when he and Tia find themselves working together to fight an unseen foe. But which one of them is the target?

Pre-Order

ASIN: B08LP9V3TC

Book Interview with author Carol J. Post

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
In the first book in the series, Flee the Darkness, I have a very minor character who runs a domestic violence shelter. I thought that this character would make a good heroine, with the shelter an interesting setting for a romantic suspense novel. Thus, Shatter the Silence was born.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
From the start of plotting to the final edits, right about four months. Research is always an important part of the writing process, and it’s always helpful when I have needed “experts” within my circle of acquaintances. While I was working on Shatter the Silence, I found out that one of the young ladies in my sister’s church had done extensive work with domestic violence shelters in Virginia, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. I asked her if she would mind answering questions about domestic abuse and the shelters where she has worked, and she was more than willing. Throughout a series of phone calls, she probably spent a total of three hours patiently answering all of my questions. This gave me an inside glimpse into the challenges these women (and sometimes men) face.

#3. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
My favorite characters are the hero and heroine, Jason Sloan and Tia Jordan. They were both victims of domestic abuse and have deep scars. Their similar experiences, as well as their shared faith, create an invisible bond, but events pit them against one another when Jason’s grandmother leaves the inheritance he had counted on to Tia and her shelter.

#4. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
No one is too damaged to receive healing.

#5. What made you choose some of the specific locations in this book?
The series is set in a fictional town in Central Florida, where I’ve lived for most of my life. An earlier, shorter version of three of the books in this series are the first ones I had published with Love Inspired Suspense back in 2013 and 2014. I’m rewriting and expanding those three and adding two new stories to the series. (Shatter the Silence is one of those new books.) As a newbie author back then, I went with the advice “Write what you know.” While Florida didn’t feel like an exotic location since I’d lived here for so many years, it required very little research. Besides, I figured people living in other parts of the country or world might find Florida interesting, maybe even a little exotic.

#6. How did you name your characters?
Every so often, I meet someone with a cool name and think, “That would make a great hero/heroine name.” For example, sometime back, a young man named Coulton came to work at my bank as a teller. I changed the spelling a little and Colton is the hero in Bodyguard for Christmas.

More often, though, I come up with character names by googling “boys/girls names popular in the 1990s”

(or whatever decade is appropriate). Jason was a popular name in that time period, and I’ve always liked it. I can’t remember where I got Tia’s name. At the time I named her, I had no intention of writing her story. But it worked out—fortunately, I hadn’t given her an un-heroine-sounding name!

#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
I don’t know about funny, sad or embarrassing, so I’m categorizing this under “whatever.” Domestic violence awareness is a cause that is dear to me. I have two close friends who were in abusive relationships and eventually escaped. These are two of the strongest women I know. Both of them have children, so they haven’t been able to completely cut ties with their abuser, although one friend got a restraining order after her ex tried to kill her.

I’ve been with my other friend on several occasions when she’s had to call her ex-husband regarding their kids. Although the physical abuse has stopped, the name-calling and other verbal abuse hasn’t. I could hear his raised voice coming through the line, could make out the cruel comments. But my friend doesn’t let anything rattle her or get a rise out of her. Each response was calm, unemotional, and no longer than necessary. After one such conversation, I told her, “You’re better at grey rocking than anybody I know.” She didn’t know what I meant. She had perfected the technique for interacting with manipulative and abusive people without having ever heard of it.

Escaping domestic violence is never easy. My expert said victims return to their abusers an average of seven times before embracing healing. Both of my friends are free only because someone paid enough attention to see the signs, then put in the effort to help them get out of their abusive situations.

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
Two related verses -

God doesn’t promise we’ll never have heartache, but He does promise to be with those who trust Him. He wraps His arms of love and comfort around us and never leaves us to suffer alone.

Carol J. Post

From medical secretary to court reporter to property manager to owner of a special events decorating company, Carol’s resume reads as if she doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. But one thing that has remained constant through the years is her love for writing. She currently pens fun and fast-paced inspirational romance and romantic suspense stories. Her books have won several awards and been nominated for two RITA® awards and an RT Reviewers’ Choice Best Book Award.
Carol splits her time between sunshiny Central Florida and the mountains of North Carolina. She’s also a popular speaker, presenting workshops on a variety of craft topics.

Besides writing, she works alongside her music minister husband singing and playing the piano. She also enjoys sailing, hiking, camping—almost anything outdoors. Her two grown daughters and grandkids live too far away for her liking, so she now pours all that nurturing into taking care of two sassy black cats.

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8th Blogoversary Celebration - Life As A Writer Interview with Amy Lillard (Giveaway)

12/7/2020

10 Comments

For the Amish of Pontotoc, Mississippi, all roads lead to faith, family,
and tradition, even when the path is unconventional—especially at Christmas . . .

Tillie Gingerich is so in love with Melvin Yoder that she agrees to leave her conservative Amish home to live with him in the English world. But when the struggle to make ends meet leads to conflict, and reveals troubling weaknesses in their relationship, Tillie returns to Pontotoc—pregnant and unmarried. Her loving family accepts her, but to convince the rest of the community, they must turn to the bishop. Distraught, Tillie runs away on Christmas Eve—only to get as far as an isolated house on the edge of town.

Levi Yoder, Melvin’s upright distant cousin, is grieving the loss of his wife and wants to be alone. He is hardly pleased to open his door and find a pregnant woman––a painful reminder of all he’s lost. But with an ice storm approaching, he can’t turn Tillie away. Yet as morning nears, the miracle of Christmas brings unexpected challenges, opportunities—and promises for
the future . . .

ASIN: B082WS34V2

Our Review

Life As A Writer Interview with author Amy Lillard

1. How did you become a writer?
I hate to say it, because it sounds so trite, but I suppose I’ve always been a writer. I think writers, like poets, painters, and other artists simply are. How I became published is another story altogether.

2. Are you a ‘plotter’ or a ‘panster’?
Plotter. Major plotter. I spend at least the first week in writing a book, writing out a chapter by chapter outline. I especially do this with mysteries so I can tell before I start that the clues are placed right, I have enough clues, suspects, red herrings, and action.

3. How long does it usually take to finish writing a book?
Anywhere from four to eight weeks. Most of this depends on how well the abovementioned outline holds together. Sometimes my characters take one look at it and say, “nah…this is what really happens.” That’s when I scramble to keep up with my own imagination.

4. What does the typical writing day look like for you?
I’m up a five a.m. writing by five-thirty, and I don’t usually stop for the day until around two. In between all that, I squeeze in journal writing, yoga, a regular workout, food, and all the normal distractions like email and Facebook. Though I do try to keep five-thirty to nine completely about writing and only writing.

5. What do you do to inspire creativity?
I guess I’m just a creative person by nature. I usually have to rein in my creative side instead of inspire it. To me, everything is inspiring. Which is probably why I have more ideas than I will ever be able to write.

6. What would be one thing you wish readers knew about authors or the writing life?
This is my job. I do it all day, every day. Even on the days when I’m not writing, I’m writing. (FYI I try to take weekends off, but it never really works out that way.) So I get kind of awh, shucks, ma’am when people shake their heads in amazement and say they don’t know how I do it. I do it because that’s what I do. I’m a writer. I write.

7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever that has happened in your life as a writer.
My editor at Kensington prints out each book I send to him and marks the copy in red pen. (This is pre-COVID, of course). The first time I sent anything to him, I got it back with all the normal editorial correction marks on it. But because I love writing humor, I misinterpreted the ‘interject quotation marks’ mark for a smiley face. I thought I had made him laugh. Uh, no. Well, maybe, but he doesn’t mark those places at any rate. And here I thought I was truly being funny!

8. What authors have influenced you the most?
Alfred Lord Tennyson said, “I am a part of all that I have met.” So I would say that “I am a part of all that I have read.” And since I grew up reading, I have read a lot. Stephen King, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Sandra Brown, Danielle Steele, Dean Koontz, and a trillion-gazillion Harlequins have made me into the writer and reader I am today.

9. How do you choose your characters’ names?
I still have an old copy of Name Your Baby on my bookshelf, but I keep a running tab of names I like on a computer file. The other day I was watching a movie and I liked one of the characters names so I wrote it down. It was a docu-drama so I can’t use anything but his first name, but it definitely went on the list. If I turn to my list and I can’t find anything that strikes a chord, I go to the internet. Usually a search for one name leads to about five more being added to the list.

Naming characters for contemporary books is different than naming characters for Amish stories, of course, so I keep a listing for each. And then there’s the dreaded call from your editor to change someone’s name in a story for whatever the reason. For example, in the Main Street Book Club mysteries, Chloe was originally named Eddie (short for Edwina) but the editors didn’t like two male-ish names, Arlo and Eddie for the two main characters. Since Arlo was the main-main character, I kept her name and changed Eddie to Chloe. FYI- Stanley was my father’s name and where Arlo’s surname comes from.

10. What part of the writing process do you like the least?
Galley edits. Hands down. That’s when the production editor—the guy who makes the story file into an actual book—sends a copy of the pages as they will appear when the book is printed. This is the last time I get to look at the book and only big mistakes are corrected. I hate doing this because there is always more that I want to change than I know they will let me change. Pretty much only missing words, wrong words, or bad formatting is corrected at this point. It’s hard for me to let go wishing that I could reword something or that I used the same word really close together. But that’s the perfectionist in me, I suppose.

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your heart/mind.
I write a lot of different types of stories in several subgenres. But that’s exactly the way I read, so to me it’s natural. I know it might seem confusing to some since I write Amish romance, contemporary romance, mysteries, and such, but to me…well, I just want to tell stories. The stories I tell are driven by the characters in them—even the mysteries—and I tell them the best way I can. Or rather the way I feel moved to tell them. I would just ask that when picking up a book of mine that you have never read before, or perhaps in a genre that you have not read before, have an open heart and an open mind. You just might find something there you like as well.

Amy Lillard

I’m a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, Fibro Warrior, and Squirrel Princess.
I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I’ve retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I’m from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty-five years and have a son–a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course!
I love homemade tacos, nail polish, and romance novels–not necessarily in that order. I’m a big fan of classic country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I’m shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter.

I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twilight series (I’ll get to it or I won’t, either way I’m good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I’m alone on this last one, and again, I’m good with it.)
Favorite movies–(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940’s movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven’t seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn’s and Audrey’s. WEBSITE

It's Time For A Giveaway!

Amy Lillard is generously giving away a print copy of An Amish Husband For Tillie

(USA ONLY)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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8th Blogoversary Celebration - A Holiday Heart by Denise Weimer Review & Excerpt

12/7/2020

2 Comments

On the verge of starting her own company—and a fling with the hot star of a TV saga—Atlanta film makeup artist Ashlyn Jennings is willed a mysterious box containing a key from her grandmother’s estate. Mamie Lou, the former Hollywood B-lister who inspired Ashlyn’s path in life, always demonstrated a flair for the dramatic. But did Mamie Lou really expect her to put everything on hold to clean out a mountain cabin no one even knew about? And right at Christmas? When Ashlyn arrives at White Falls Lodge armed with cosmetic bags and designer shoes, little is she prepared to be stranded by a snow storm, irritated by the handsome resort owner who seems determined to peel away her facade, and redirected by a God Ashlyn wants to forget, through Mamie Lou’s real gift … the secret story of her grandmother’s past.

ISBN-13: 9798681887058

Buy

My Review

Will she find what she seeks at Christmastime?

I've read and enjoyed several of Denise Weimer's books so I knew I would be in for a treat with A Holiday Heart. It was everything I had hoped for and a little more. With Hallmark movie vibes this story is filled with sweet romance, a little mystery, some important life lessons, fun and quirky characters, and plenty of Christmas spirit.

A Holiday Heart is a quick read, coming in at around 145 pages, making it the perfect choice for a cold December afternoon with a cup of cocoa and a good book. It's a charming story and is surprisingly hard to put down for a novella. While it's a little different from the other Denise Weimer books that I've read, it was a great read and I can say without a doubt that holiday romances are something that she does well.

Denise Weimer's book is the 9th in the Georgia Peaches series but I honestly didn't feel like I was missing anything not having read the previous 8. A Holiday Heart is a complete story unto itself and is a must read this holiday season!

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives A Holiday Heart by Denise Weimer a 4 Bark rating.

(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Excerpt from A Holiday Heart

The scent of cedar wafted around them as they walked into the two-story living room.

Ashlyn breathed out an exclamation as she admired the stacked-stone fireplace and loft with shuttered windows that looked over the living space. “Oh, wow.”

Jake smiled at the approval in Ashlyn’s tone. It would’ve rankled if she’d turned her nose up at their best cabin. “I had the maid clean and put fresh sheets on the bed downstairs. The kitchen is stocked with dishes and the linen closet with towels.”

“You mean I can stay here?” Astonishment lit her eyes, then she quickly held out her hand. “I mean, I’ll pay, of course. I just didn’t assume—”

“Of course you can stay here. And of course you won’t pay.” When she started to protest, he added, “Think of yourself as Mamie’s guest.” Except for a muffled thank you, that silenced her. He led her into Mamie’s bedroom, where a gray-and-burgundy wedding ring quilt set the mood for salt-glazed pottery and watercolor mountain vistas.

Ashlyn touched a pitcher with a spray of branches decorating the dresser. As her gaze sought his in wonder, she blinked tears away.

He was softening up to her by the moment, maybe because he understood grief all too well. “Mamie was a huge supporter of local artists. There wasn’t an art show, play, or book signing she didn’t attend. She was well loved here.” To break the mood, he opened the walk-in closet, displaying a collection of clothes and shoes.

“My goodness.” Ashlyn entered, held the sleeve of a fall sweater up to her nose as if to capture a long-gone scent. “These were all hers.” She covered her mouth, and her back convulsed.

Oh no. He’d expected her to exclaim over all the work before her, not have a breakdown. But the reaction showed him something he needed to know about Mamie’s granddaughter.

Jake cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you alone. I just wanted to point out that there are two more bedrooms upstairs, and I’m afraid all the closets are full. Dillard has several secondhand stores. If you want to let me know when you’re ready for a run in, I can load up my truck.”

Ashlyn glanced back at him, wiping her eyes. “Thank you. I just … how am I supposed to decide what to keep and what to give away? And why did she choose me to come here instead of my mom?”

For a moment, Jake saw a lost little girl behind the perfect façade. “I know one thing, Ashlyn. Your grandmother never did anything without a reason. If she picked you for this task, she believed you were the best person for it.”

Denise Weimer

Denise Weimer writes historical and contemporary romance and romantic suspense, mostly set in her home state of Georgia. She’s authored almost a dozen traditionally published novels and a number of novellas. As managing editor of the historical imprints of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, she also helps others reach their publishing dreams. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

WEBSITE

2 Comments

8th Blogoversary Celebration - Cover Reveal from Heather Woodhaven (Giveaway)

12/7/2020

10 Comments

Cover Reveal from Heather Woodhaven

Have you ever seen something but when you point it out to someone else later it looks completely different? And you wonder if your eyes had played tricks on you? A few years ago I had to start wearing glasses. It started as only having to wear them for driving but gradually moved to needing them even for the television that's less than six feet from the couch. Change is hard, so I stubbornly would squint out the window each morning to greet the day. Until one morning I looked out and saw six black and white blobs in my yard. What on earth? Did my husband plant something new out there without my knowledge? Wait. They were moving! They looked the size of cats. But how could that be? I ran and got my glasses. Six puppies from next door had crawled underneath our fence and were romping about in our yard. They spotted me and I had six puppies jumping on the backdoor! Because it was only six in the morning, I managed to get the puppies moved back to their own yard before anyone else had woken up. At breakfast, I told them the tale and my family looked at me with skepticism. "Were you wearing your glasses?"

Honestly! I pulled out the photo I'd taken as proof. But what if I hadn't taken a photo and what if what I'd really seen was a murder? And what if when I took someone to the scene, it became "understandable" how I would arrive at such a conclusion based on the scene. In other words, no one believes me! That was the initial nugget of the idea for the book now called, "Deadly River Pursuit." It's not out until March, but today I'm revealing the cover.

Make a note in the comments about what book you are currently reading and Jasmine will draw a winner to receive a copy of my most recent books:
Chasing Secrets and Wilderness Sabotage.
Paperback winners in the U.S. only.
E-book available for international winners (or if that's what you prefer)

10 Comments

8th Blogoversary Celebration - This Or That Interview with author Erica Vetsch & character Cilla Haverly from Joy To The World

12/7/2020

1 Comment

Inspirational Regency romance with a Christmas twist from three best-selling authors

In Joy to the World, three popular romance authors come together to offer a heartwarming collection of holiday Regency romance. Based on lines from a beloved Christmas carol, these three novellas have depth, faith, and satisfying stories all packed into the perfect length for readers to curl up and take a brief break from their holiday busyness.

"Heaven and Nature Sing" by Carolyn Miller
Two music lovers, deeply devoted to each other, were on the brink of engagement when family circumstances drove them apart. How can they ever overcome both their obligations and their fears to find their way back into each other's arms?

"Far as the Curse Is Found" by Amanda Barratt
One winter night, a woman struggling to provide for her illegitimate child encounters a scarred veteran of the Napoleonic Wars on the streets of London. Can love conquer the darkness of two broken pasts?

"Wonders of His Love" by Erica Vetsch
A Scots portrait painter finds work at a noble manor house over the holidays. He never imagined he'd fall in love with the emotionally frozen widow there. Now he wants nothing more than to thaw her heart.

ISBN-13: 9780825446696

Our Review

This Or That Interview with
Erica Vetsch & Cilla Haverly

Thank you so much, Jasmine, for allowing me to help you celebrate your blog’s birthday! Congratulations!

Today I’ll be answering the questions from a This Or That Interview, both as myself, and as my heroine Cilla Haverly. A bit about Cilla: She was widowed quite young, while expecting her first child. Her husband was the heir to the Haverly dukedom, and when he died and her baby was born a girl, the title passed to her husband’s younger brother. Now she feels caught in stasis. She is the companion to her mother-in-law, mother to her infant daughter, but who is she really? What does her future hold? Cilla goes on journey of a bit of self-discovery in Wonders of His Love, found in the Joy to the World Regency Christmas collection.

#1. Coffee or Tea?
Erica Vetsch: Tea! I love the smell of coffee, but I don’t drink it. I love Earl Grey Tea, and my current favorite is Crème of Earl Grey from David’s Tea.

Cilla Haverly: I love tea. A nice tea break in the late afternoon, a chance to catch a bit of rest, to refresh. Ah, bliss. I prefer Darjeeling.

#2. Print or E-reader?
Erica: I’m a hybrid. I read fiction on my ereader and nonfiction in print. Most of my nonfiction is for research, and I like to flip through the book, making notes, flagging pages with sticky notes, looking at maps and charts and pictures. I read fiction at night before I fall asleep, and it’s nice to use an ereader so the light doesn’t bother my husband.

Cilla: E-reader? I don’t have much time to read these days, what with my responsibilities to my mother-in-law and caring for my infant daughter, but when I do get a chance to read, I take recommendations from my sister-in-law, Charlotte. She’s well-read, and she always has a new story to talk about.

#3. Cake or Cookies?
Erica: I like a good cookie. Chocolate Chip is #1, but I like oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodles, biscotti. Cookies go great with tea. ☺

Cilla: Tea cakes. Our cook makes such lovely little cakes for afternoon tea. They’re tiny and light, with a hint of citrus peel that complements a hot cuppa so well. My little girl, Honora Mary, loves a good biscuit, which you Americans call cookies.

#4. Early Bird or Night Owl?
Erica: I tend more to the night owl side of things. I stay up way too late reading most night. ☺

Cilla: Our schedule varies. When we’re in the country, early mornings are normal, but during the London Season events are scheduled to run late into the night, so we tend to have a lie-in after a party or ball.

#5. Introvert or Extrovert?
Erica: Introvert. I like my alone time, I recharge by being alone, by disappearing into my own head and story worlds. I’m blessed because I married an introvert, so we’re not pulling against each other in that regard.

Cilla: I believe I am an introvert. Until recently, I went to the extreme of not speaking up for myself, and being an introvert contributed to that. But lately I’ve been feeling a bit restless and have decided that an introverted nature is not an excuse for not standing up and voicing an opinion now and again.

#6. Historical or Suspense?
Erica: I love both! I love historical, especially if they have a bit of mystery to them. And I love suspense/thrillers/police procedurals, too.

Cilla: I prefer historical fiction and the history books my sister-in-law recommends. I don’t read things that are too…intense? The recent publication of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein…no thank you!

#7. Green or Pink?
Erica: Between the two, I’ll take green. Red is my favorite, and I don’t wear a lot of or own a lot of pink things.

Cilla: Pink. I love pale, rosy pink in dresses, in draperies, in flowers.

Bonus. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
The verse that came to mind is

It’s been a bit of a roller-coaster year, hasn’t it? And yet one thing for certain has not changed. God has not forsaken us, and He is trustworthy.

Erica Vetsch

Best-selling, award-winning author Erica Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. She’s a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota, and she married her total opposite and soul mate! When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks. You can connect with her at her website, www.ericavetsch.com where you can read about her books and sign up for her newsletter, and you can find her online at https://www.facebook.com/EricaVetschA... where she spends way too much time!

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8th Blogoversary Celebration - Interview with author Terri Reed (Giveaway)

12/7/2020

8 Comments

He’ll do anything to protect a baby in jeopardy…

When a call from a friend in trouble leads Nick Delaney and Deputy Kaitlyn Lanz to a car crash that killed a single mother, they become the baby’s protectors. Now figuring out why someone is after the child is the only way to save her. But they must find answers soon…or this baby’s first Christmas might just be Nick’s and Kaitlyn’s last.

ISBN-13: 9781335403223

Thank you for inviting me and my book Christmas Protection Detail to be a part of your celebration. Here’s a bit about the book for your enjoyment.

#1 What was the inspiration for this book?
This is the third book in my Bristle Township series. I knew that I wanted to write Nick Delaney’s story. He’s a wealthy man who lives a carefree life and I needed to shake him up a bit. I also knew that I wanted to pair him Sheriff Deputy Kaitlyn Lanz. From the moment these two met in the first book in the series, Buried Mountain Secrets, the sparks flew. And then again in the second book, Secret Mountain Hideout. I needed something to bring these two together, something unique that neither of them had any experience with. A baby! From there the story exploded on to the page as these two had to learn to put aside their differences and work as a team to protect an innocent child.

#2 How long did it take to finish writing this book?
I began plotting this book at the top of October 2019 and then I sent the proposal, which is the first three chapters and synopsis, to my editor on November 15. I heard back from my editor the first week of January 2020 with approval to finish. At that point, I started writing the rest of the book and turned in the complete on March 16, 2020.

#3 Do you have a favorite character in the book?
My favorite character alternated between Nick and Kaitlyn. I always enjoy developing characters and love the ones I'm working with in each book. Kaitlyn was a bit stuffy and judgmental of Nick based on her perceptions and his public antics. It was great fun to reveal the real Nick through the story and blow Kaitlyn's expectations to smithereens. It was also a delight to watch how Nick navigated learning how to take care of a baby all the while dismantling Kaitlyn's defenses.

#4 What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
I hope readers will take away the sense that until we look past the surface to what lies at the heart of another, we can't really know them. It takes courage to let down walls, to dig deep and to let others in, but it is so worth the risk.

#5 What made you choose some of the specific locations in this book?
The location of Bristol Township was established in the first book of the series, Buried Mountain Secrets. But I wanted for Nick and Kaitlyn to be stranded somewhere unfamiliar. I pulled up a map and picked a place that was perfect for a survivable plane crash. I read everything I could about the area. It’s always a fun challenge learning about new places and having to describe the setting without having actually been there.

#6 How did you name your characters?
I don’t have some mysterious naming process. I just run through names in either baby naming sites or specific heritage sites until a name pops out at me that fits the character I’m building.

#7 Tell us something funny that happened involving this book?
One of my beta readers of the first book adamantly wanted Deputy Kaitlyn Lanz to fall for Ian Delaney, Nick's oldest brother. She argued with me that they belonged together and told mutual friends that Ian and Kaitlyn were perfect for each other. I disagreed. It was Nick Delaney who created sparks with Kaitlyn in each of the first two books. I knew they had to have their own story. When my friend read the beginning of Christmas Protection Detail, she conceded that Nick and Kaitlyn were a perfect match. She also begged me to write Ian’s story, which is coming out next fall!

This verse is one I hold dear whenever I’m afraid, and I used it as the verse for Christmas Protection Detail because Nick and Kaitlyn had to be reminded of this very thing.

My next book comes out in April 2020. Alaskan Rescue is the story of Alaskan State Trooper, Hunter McCord, and his canine, Juneau, who rescue Alaskan Husky breeder, Ariel Potter, from a mountain cliff and soon realize someone is trying to kill her. Dog and man do everything in their power to keep Ariel safe but end up losing their hearts to the gusty and beautiful Ariel.

I’d like to giveaway a copy of a backlist book, Murder Under the Mistletoe, to a commenter.
In the opening of Christmas Protection Detail, Kaitlyn and Nick are decorating a tree.
They each provide a special ornament.
Do you have a special ornament that is a must for your Christmas tree?

Terri Reed

Terri Reed’s romance and romantic suspense novels have appeared on Publisher’s Weekly top twelve, Nielsen’s Bookscan top fifty, Amazon Bestseller and featured in USA Today. Her books have been finalists in Romance Writers of America RITA contest, National Readers’ Choice Award, Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award and finalists three times in American Christian Fiction Writers The Carol Award contest. Her novel A Family Under the Christmas Tree was adapted into a Hallmark movie retitled Picture a Perfect Christmas. Contact Terri @ P.O. Box 19555 Portland, OR 97224

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8th Blogoversary Celebration - Interview with Calista York from Courting Misfortune by Regina Jennings

12/7/2020

2 Comments

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she's assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she's sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children's home. He'll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently seems to be putting her in harm's way.

Calista doesn't need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can't let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.

ISBN-13: 9780764235344

Interview with Calista York from
Courting Misfortune by Regina Jennings

#1. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
My name is Calista York, and I am looking for a job as a nurse, or an interior designer, or a florist. Or maybe the reason I’m here because I’m completing my last assignment for graduation. I’m from Kansas City, but I have family here in Joplin. Please don’t tell them that I’m here. My parents think I’m in finishing school. I’m not making any sense, am I? It’s better not to ask.

#2. What is the ONE thing you just CAN'T do without?
I have a retractable metal baton that I keep in my pocket. It’s the size of my lip balm, but with a flick of my finger it becomes a dangerous weapon. It’s the only protection Mr. Pinkerton allows me to carry.

#3. What do you most fear?
Living a life that doesn’t matter. I want to help people, and I’ll face a lot of scary situations to do that.

#5. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
Can I make a wish that is impossible? I’d wish that I could keep my job traveling the country, solving crime, but still be able to drop my disguise and be honest with people – especially a certain man.

#4. What is your greatest strength and your greatest flaw?
My greatest strength is my daring. Once I’m convinced of what I should do, nothing is going to stand in my way. My greatest flaw, I’m so intent on my goals, that I fail to appreciate the people I meet along the way.

#6. What do you hope that people will learn from your story?
I hope they are encouraged to follow their calling wherever it leads them.

#7. What comes next for you and where do you see yourself in the future?
I see myself solving this case and being accepted as a permanent Pinkerton agent. After that, I have no idea, because I never know where my next assignment will take me. I haven’t really thought about leaving. I don’t want to think about it. There are a lot of things in Joplin that I’m growing to love, and leaving is going to be harder than I thought.

Regina Jennings

Historical romance author Regina Jennings is the winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award, and a finalist for the Christy Award, the Golden Quill, and the Oklahoma Book of the Year Award. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at the Oklahoma National Stockyards. She lives outside of Oklahoma City with her husband and four children and can be found online at www.reginajennings.com.