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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Jesus Can...Give You A Purpose by Christian Writers Collective, LLC - (Give.away)

3/21/2025

Can Jesus give you purpose?

He most certainly can! You’ll find plenty of proof in the pages of this book. Its 46 testimonies display Jesus’ power to give purpose to people all over the world, whether they were shot and left for dead during a political revolution in Africa or struggling with loneliness and suicidal thoughts in small town America. Jesus Christ brought a unique purpose to every writer featured in this book. And He can do the same for anyone who reads it. We dare you to put Jesus to the test today!

Whether you’re looking for God’s truth yourself or want to share the gospel with family, friends or acquaintances, books from the Jesus Can … series may be the perfect solution.

Give You Purpose is the 3rd volume in this inspirational series published by the Christian Writers Collective, LLC.

Genre: Inspirational, Christian, Self-help
Release date: December 5, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Stephanie from
Christian Writers Collective, LLC

Question: What part of the writing process do you like the least?
Answer: Proofreading. That’s all I care to say about that topic.

Question: What drew you to take on this topic through nonfiction versus fiction?
Answer: We publish authentic Christian testimonies. While we encourage our writers to craft their testimonies well, there is no room for fiction. As it says in the Bible, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)

Question: Did you have a specific demographic in mind while writing this book?
Answer: No. If you’re old enough to receive Jesus as your savior, you’re old enough to have your testimony in a Jesus Can™ book. In my article for our current book, Book 3, Jesus Can… Give You Purpose, I write about what a blessing it was to pray with my 4 1/2 year-old son as he asked Jesus to be his savior. My son is now 41 years old and he still has a close relationship with the Lord. For legal reasons, a parent or legal guardian has to give up permission to publish the testimony of anyone under 18 years old. I would love to see the testimonies of more teens and 20-somethings in our books.

Question: What do you hope your readers will remember after finishing this book?
Answer: I want our readers to remember that Jesus Can save anybody.

Question: Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
Answer: The circumstances surrounding the publication of Book 3, made it the biggest book we’ve published, so far, and also our most challenging to finish. It was especially challenging for a small group of people that worked extraordinarily hard to get this book into print. This passage in the Book of Mark, Chapter 10, reminds me of these faithful servants of God:

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.
(Mark 10: 28-29 NIV)

More from Stephanie

Hi, my name is Stephanie Reynolds. I am the founder of the Christian Writers Collective, LLC, which publishes the Jesus Can book series. I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I’ve lived here most of my life. Like many Baby Boomers and only sisters from a family with three children, I have had the privilege of caring for both of my parents during the last months and/or years of their lives. What an honor it was to be present when my mom received Jesus as her savior just a few months before she passed in 2014. It was the Homegoing of my spiritual mom, Mrs. Naomi Walker, on October 8, 2019, that inspired me to publish Books 1 and 2 of this series on October 8 in 2021 and 2022. That’s because God gave me the courage to share my calling to publish books “to help spread the gospel far and wide,” for the first time at Mrs. Walker’s Homegoing Service. I believe God confirmed His calling by taking Mrs. Walker home to Heaven on October 8, my 61st birthday. I’m excited by the release of Book 3 of our series, Jesus Can . . . Give You Purpose.

It was my privilege to care for my dad during the last five years of his life. He went home to Heaven in February 2024. This book is dedicated to him.

The Jesus Can . . . Give A Helping Hand Fund

For every copy that you purchase, a portion of this book’s net profits for two years will be given to an organization or individual that shares our primary mission: To spread the Gospel far and wide.

Our first honoree for this grant was an easy and obvious choice: Literacy & Evangelism International (LEI), located near Atlanta, GA, and staffed by missionaries Bob & Mary Mulloy.

The selection of LEI was easy because 29 of the 46 articles in this book are testimonies from individuals served by or affiliated with LEI. Bob and Mary’s testimonies are counted among the 29.

Atlanta is the ideal location for LEI because it is the home to the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport (ATL), the world’s busiest airport. Many of the people arriving at ATL from over 150 nations choose to make metro Atlanta their new home. As evidenced by the writers in Jesus Can Book 3, Bob & Mary have had the opportunity for 16 years to minister to many individuals, including three writers in Book 3 who are victims of violence in Africa, escapees from the killing fields of Cambodia, and a Haitian woman that was buried alive for three days.

It is our prayer that this grant will help them serve the diverse mission field in Atlanta for many more years, for it’s in Jesus’s name that we pray, Amen.

Stephanie Reynolds

The Christian Writers Collective, LLC founded in 2020 by Stephanie Reynolds of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the CWC is a growing organization with writers worldwide. Our ultimate goal is to feature 100 members/writers in each Jesus Can book and to publish 10-12 books each year, equivalent to the publication pace of the popular Chicken Soup for the Soul® series. We want to reach millions each year with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ. We pray that you’ll join this fast-growing moment as a reader, a writer, or by giving Jesus Can books to others. Thanks in advance for your participation!

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Stephanie is giving away the grand prize of
a $75 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54171

Blog Stops

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 12 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 13
Fiction Book Lover, March 14 (Author Interview)
Vicky Sluiter, March 15 (Author Interview)
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 15
Simple Harvest Reads, March 16 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, March 17
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 18
For the Love of Literature, March 19 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 20
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 21 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 22
Blossoms and Blessings, March 23 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, March 23
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 24
Artistic Nobody, March 25 (Author Interview)

2 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - CAST 1 Peter 5:7 by Richard Nilsen (Give.away)

3/14/2025

7 Comments

Discover the profound art of casting your cares to God and surrendering your problems to the Creator of the universe. We are thrilled to introduce you to CAST – 1 Peter 5:7, a life-changing new book from author Richard Nilsen.

Based on the popular verse, “Cast all your cares on God for He cares about you,” CAST offers practical and spiritual guidance on how to overcome worry, fear, anxiety and stress in your life.

You will learn how to trust God with your problems, how to find peace in His presence, and how to experience His love and care for you. CAST is more than just a book, it’s a journey of faith, freedom, and personal transformation. Whether you are facing personal, relational, or global challenges, this book will give you an entirely new perspective on how to cast your cares on the One who can handle them all.

Genre: Christian non-fiction
Release date: November 14, 2023

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Richard

#1. What was the inspiration behind this book?
I have gone through multiple bouts of anxiety and depression during my 54 years of living, but God has always pulled me through. I learned how to cast my cares to Him, and like all of my writings, I wanted to help others learn how to do that. It’s life changing.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
While working a full-time job, I wrote this book ‘on the side’ over the course of three years.

#3. Did you have a specific demographic in mind while writing this book?
My target audience is the Christian who is struggling in life and having a difficult time ‘casting their cares’ to the Lord. Or, they simply have never been instructed how to do this successfully. God cares for us and wants us to cast all our cares to Him.

#4. What do you hope your readers will remember after finishing this book?
I want the reader to know how to cares their cares to Jesus, and most importantly, that this skill will be second nature to them.

#5. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
Although I wrote an entire book about one verse, CAST – 1 Peter 5:7, my favorite verse and one that I repeat often to myself is Romans 15:13,

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing that by the power
of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope.”

More from Richard

If you had told me I would write a 168-page book based on one verse in the Holy Bible, I would have said you were crazy. God works in mysterious ways, and I believe He inspired me to write this book, a project that took three years to complete, in order to help others who are struggling.

During the process of battling earth-crushing anxiety and depression, I learned how to cast my cares to the Lord and leave them with Him. The result: He would take care of all my cares and handle my problems for me. What I discovered is that casting your cares is a skill that one has to learn. It is not something that you just do without any practice and without the correct foundation. Learning to cast your cares on God can be a struggle at first, but it is a pathway to a God-fearing and eternal mindset. Once you learn the art of casting your cares to the Creator of the universe, your life will never the same.

I have always felt compelled to help others, and writing has always been for me the best way to convey my thoughts. When my college sweetheart and wife of 4 ½ years died in a tragic accident, I wrote the free grief guide “The Road to Recovery” specifically for the victims of the September 11th tragedy. I later converted that work into an e-book for distribution online and through Amazon. CAST – 1 Peter 5:7 is another book based a difficult time in my life and how God pulled me through.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I promise that discovering how to cast your cares to our Lord is a skill you will not regret learning! Join me on this adventure.

Richard Nilsen

Richard Nilsen is the author of several self-help books in the Christian market, including “The Road to Recovery,” “Sleep Great for Life,” and now “CAST – 1 Peter 5:7.” He lives in Tarpon Springs, Florida with his wife of 25 years and three beautiful daughters.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate his tour, Richard is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54176

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 5
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 6
Vicky Sluiter, March 7 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, March 7
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 8
Fiction Book Lover, March 9 (Author Interview)
Abba‘s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 10
She Lives To Read, March 11
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 12
For the Love of Literature, March 13 (Author Interview)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 14 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, March 15 (Guest Review from Marilyn)
Blossoms and Blessings, March 16 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, March 16
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 17
Artistic Nobody, March 18 (Author Interview)

7 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Truth Cursed by Angie Dickinson (Give.away)

3/13/2025

4 Comments

Speaking the truth can be a dangerous thing.

Cressida Hoth is alone in the world. Orphaned and unwanted, she is inflicted with a peculiar curse by her mischievous aunts and banished to a finishing school in the secluded kingdom of Dernmont. Students train in every accomplishment suitable for young ladies: music, dancing, etiquette…and strangely, poison-making, fencing, and lock- picking.

The school is a front for a rebel spy ring, and when her training is complete, Cressida is selected to join a mission to infiltrate the kingdom’s royal court. She has been thrown unceremoniously into a world of ball gowns and espionage, but she is still under a curse, and it threatens to expose them all.

Defending her teammates and her secret, Cressida discovers that the kingdom’s buried history and the truth behind her curse run far deeper than she imagined.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Release date: February 18, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Will her curse be her downfall...or save her?

I picked up Truth Cursed partly because I've really enjoyed the publisher's books in the past, but, even more because the title was just so intriguing. I can tell you that from the outset the story more than lived up to my expectations. Honestly, I wish more books of this quality had been available when I was teenager.

Even as an adult reader Angie Dickinson had me captivated from the start. Her worldbuilding skills are stellar and you immediately feel like you are right there with Cressida as she navigates school, a royal court, world changing secrets, oh, and that pesky little curse she has had for much of her life.

Truth Cursed kept me up into the wee hours of the morning as I just had to know what would happen next. The blend of fantasy and suspense – with the slightest touch of romance – was simply perfect. And the way Angie Dickinson chose to spin to origins of the curse instead of relying on the old standbys was both original and interesting. Cressida herself is such a fun character with strengths and flaws that I couldn't help but like her.

There was honestly nothing to dislike about Truth Cursed. It's a standalone novel so you don't have to wait ages for the next installment and Angie Dickinson has all of the loose ends nicely wrapped up by the end. I truly enjoyed every bit of Truth Cursed and and I will be looking for more from Angie Dickinson in the future. I think she may quickly become one of those authors that I will read as soon as I see their name on the cover. She might already even be there....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Truth Cursed by Angie Dickinson a 5 Bark rating.

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

More from Angie

A few years ago, while I was pregnant with my third child and feeling an itch to write a story, a question popped into my mind. Could I write a relatable main character who is cursed with a peculiar impediment that affects every relationship and interaction? What would that look like and how challenging would it be? This was the beginning of my journey toward creating and learning to know and love Cressida, the main character of Truth Cursed.
This book became an ode to so many of my favorite things: girlhood friendships, mystery, fantasy, ballgowns, hidden weaponry (poisons! blades!!), court intrigue, an epic castle setting, sweet romance, and coming-of-age character growth that is anything but graceful. In many ways this story is old fashioned for this fast-moving publishing world, embracing an amalgam of the story types that I grew up reading and wishing to read.
As I wrote, I discovered my reader, and she was younger me. So I wrote for her, for my own future teens, and for every reader who loves to fall into a cozy, wholesome, and intriguing story. I’ve attempted to present my reader with a mirror and true hope as they unravel the mystery and adventure of Truth Cursed. I will forever be thankful to my Creator for the opportunity to share Cressida’s story.

Angie Dickinson

Angie Dickinson is a lifelong lover of magical stories that point to truth, hope, and redemption. She received a B.A. in English Literature and is now a fantasy writer, living in the woods of Michigan with her husband and four children. Angie is saved by grace alone and is in awe of her Savior’s unrestrained love. She is blessed by her big, boisterous family and is fond of Earl Grey tea, reading too late at night, and taking every opportunity to share her passion for fantasy and fairy tales.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Angie is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54166

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 4
cecereadsandsings, March 4
Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, March 5
Allyson Jamison, March 5
Texas Book-aholic, March 6
By the Book, March 7
Lily’s Corner, March 8
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 9
The Lofty Pages, March 10
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 11
Inspired by Fiction, March 12
Hannahbandanarama, March 12
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 13
Faery Tales Are Real, March 13
Holly’s Book Corner, March 14
Blogging With Carol, March 15
For Him and My Family, March 16
Labor Not in Vain, March 17

4 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Jake Rogers' Planet by Philip Wilder (Give.away)

3/10/2025

7 Comments

Jake is about to embark on a perilous
adventure through an alien wilderness
filled with hidden wonders and hazards.

While backpacking with his father, Jake Rogers discovers a mysterious portal and accidentally plunges headfirst into an alien world. Stranded on this bizarre planet, he must evade predators, adapt to the strange elements, and navigate the ever-changing landscape to return home. However, as Jake stumbles upon technologically advanced alien ruins, a chilling question arises: Are the aliens still alive?

Even on this terrifying journey, God reminds Jake of the profound verse: “Do not fear, for I am with you.”

Genre: Christian YA Science Fiction
Release date: February, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Philip

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
During my time as a missionary in the Middle East, I often wrestled with loneliness. I missed my family, my home, and my friends. I felt so far away from them and had the nagging fear in the back of my mind that God would call me to the Middle East for the rest of my life.
After a few months of praying over this fear, I was spending the day alone with God and decided to watch The Martian. While watching it, I realized that being stranded on another planet would terrify me. It brought all these deep fears to the surface. Then, God showed me that even if I was this guy stranded on another planet. Even if I would likely never see another person and would spend the rest of my life alone. Even then, God would still call me not to fear. Beyond this, I wouldn’t need to fear. God knows everything I need and want. He knows my future. Certainly, He knows what was best for me. I can trust Him more than I can myself. So if He leads me down a path that terrifies me, I can know deep down that He's doing something good even if I can't see it.
This realization hit me hard, and immediately got me thinking about how I could capture this profound truth in a story.

#2. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Jake is probably my favorite character I’ve ever written. He doesn’t have any flashy skills or abilities like characters I’ve written in other stories, but he has a subtle and deep strength that grows more and more evident as the story continues. Who he is feels so deep and rich. He’s relatable, which gets fun as he faces out-of-this-world scenarios. He’s also hilarious, and I love how he views his crazy situation through the lens of a video game. There are so many funny lines that I wish I could share if they didn’t contain spoilers.

#3. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
My hope and prayer is that readers will learn through this book that they do not need to fear because God is good. Sometimes He asks us to do hard things and make sacrifices, but giving up anything in this world in exchange for a closer relationship with him is always worth it. I also hope readers will walk away from this book equipped and inspired to take any wild steps of faith God is laying on their hearts.

#4. How did you name your characters?
Normally I try to pick cool names, but in naming Jake I wanted the most normal and modern teen boy name I could think of. I did this because I want readers to relate with him and feel that they are flung into this world with him. I didn’t want a crazy name because there’s something powerful about a normal person facing a bizarre world. I wanted readers to think, “If Jake can learn to trust God and not fear on that planet, then I can trust God here with this decision.”

#5. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
I don’t often cry, but I cried writing the end of the book. When I read it to my wife we both had to stop numerous times to shed some tears. We weren’t certain if they were happy or sad tears, neither of us could explain why we were crying. It felt like a flood of emotions for Jake had to flow out of us before we could continue.

#6. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
People often want to know about me because I’m “the author”, but let me tell you about my wife. Our society overvalues success and accomplishments but doesn’t give enough credit to those who simply want to help others. That’s my wife, and she’s incredible. The way she cares for our little boy every day. The way she loves our neighbors, gives generously, and goes out of her way to serve others is incredible. Anyone can write a book, but not everyone can genuinely love others the way she does. I hope to be more like her one day.

More from Philip

Fear is a dangerous enemy.

At the age of 22, I felt God calling me to become a missionary in the Middle East—not for a week or a month, but a year (that eventually became two). Having never traveled outside the US or moved away from my home city of Denver, I was overwhelmed by fear. I’d be moving to a foreign land where I didn’t know a single person and doing work that wasn’t widely accepted there. I spent many sleepless nights wrestling with God’s gentle prompting.

Fear is inevitable in a Christian’s walk, but its power diminishes as we learn to lean into God and trust Him with the unknown. No matter where a believer is on their faith journey, God always guides us to step outside our comfort zones.

The inspiration for this novel came in 2016 while I was living in the Middle East. While watching The Martian, I realized that even if I were stranded on Mars, millions of miles from humanity, God would still call me to trust Him and not fear. That realization was life-changing: no matter what we face, God assures us nothing is worth fearing if we walk in joyful obedience.

Moving to the Middle East was terrifying and far from easy, but God was always present when I needed Him. In following God to take this step, I realized another beautiful truth: God knows what we need, love, and desire more than we do.

My firm belief is that God has wired each of us to love and enjoy different things because He wants to lead us down a unique path, where He desires to see the deepest parts of our hearts come alive. Walking this path is hard and full of fear. It requires letting go of dreams and trusting God will fulfill the right desires at the right time.

This is the journey Jake faces in Jake Rogers’ Planet. The fears he wrestles with are the same ones I had to navigate to declutter my mind and follow God.

I hope this book will help believers overcome their own fears and follow God. My prayer is that everyone reading this novel will be inspired by Jake’s story to take wild steps of faith to follow God on the wondrous adventure he has in store for them.

Philip Wilder

Philip Wilder has been writing since the age of seven. He’s authored two nonfiction books, is a ACFW Genesis Contest finalist, and is currently a Realm Makers Aurora Contest double finalist. He’s spent two years as an undercover missionary in the Middle East, gone sky-diving, and traveled to 35 countries. Philip works with the Great Commission Alliance to train and equip believers around the world. He’s passionate about using fiction to inspire believers to live adventurous lives of faith.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate his tour, Philip is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card,
plus a signed hardcover copy of the book, a bookmark, and a vinyl sticker!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54168

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 7
Simple Harvest Reads, March 8 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, March 9
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 10 (Author Interview)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, March 11
Blossoms and Blessings, March 12 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, March 13
Artistic Nobody, March 14 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 16 (Spotlight)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 16
Stories By Gina, March 17 (Author Interview)
cecereadsandsings, March 17
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 18
Guild Master, March 19 (Author Interview)
Little Homeschool on the Prairie , March 20

7 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Sabotage At Cedar Creek by Janice Thompson (Give.away)

3/7/2025

7 Comments

Who Would Sabotage the New B&B?
Breathe in the nostalgia of everything old red
truck in book two of a new cozy mystery series

It’s summertime in Mabank, Texas, and the Hadley family’s new antique business is open and running well with Tilly, the red antique truck, as its mascot. Raelynn Hadley enjoys driving Grandpa’s truck around as she seeks out antiques for her family’s store.
Raelynn is excited that her best friend, Tasha, will soon open a new vacation rental to accommodate the area’s growing tourism, but an unexpected act of sabotage threatens to spoil all that Tasha has worked for.
Raelynn immediately gets to work sleuthing out who could be behind the crime. Could it be the bitter neighbor, intent on spoiling Tasha’s plans? Perhaps it’s a nearby resort owner, worried about the potential loss of revenue. Maybe it’s the former owner’s daughter who was left out of the will and believes the home should be hers. Or maybe it’s the squatter who had taken up residence in the home before renovations. Raelynn is determined to solve the mystery for her friend in time for opening day.

Genre: Mystery/Christian Fiction
Release date: February, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Who could want to sabotage a vacation house....

It's more outrageous madness and mayhem in Mabank, Texas! Yes, I just finished the second Little Red Truck Mystery and boy, was it a doozy! Janice Thompson once again brought her madcap characters to life in a story that made laugh even as I tried to puzzle out who-done-it.

Sabotage At Cedar Creek was a very enjoyable read and featured everything that I cozy mystery should have. I had an even harder time putting this one down than I did the first book, Tracking Tilly. There were so many delightful mystery threads to guess at and a few surprising angles to consider.

One thing that really stood out to me in Sabotage At Cedar Creek is the need to not judge people solely on first appearances. Janice Thompson really brings home through an entertaining story that each of us has our own history filled with choices, mistakes, circumstances, and sometimes people are so much more than they seem.

Oh, and a friendly piece of advice...make sure you have a snack while reading this book because all of that delightful sounding food from Blue Bell ice cream to peach pie to gumbo will make you HUNGRY...

I got a kick out of this book and now I am very much anticipating the third Little Red Truck Mystery where I know I will find more mystery, fun, and Texas....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives Sabotage At Cedar Creek by Janice Thompson a 4 Bark rating.

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

More from Janice

Travel with me to East Texas to celebrate the 4th of July. Let’s meet at Cedar Creek Lake, a vast expanse of water tucked in and around some of the sweetest little Texas towns you’ve ever seen: Gun Barrel City, Mabank, Payne Springs, Eustace, and Seven Points, just to name a few.

Along the edge of the lake you’ll find 320 miles of idyllic shoreline, dotted with homes, campsites, and cabins for rent. And right there, on the prettiest patch of land imaginable, you’ll discover a newly renovated vacation home, recently purchased by a local gal named Tasha. Her quaint fixer-upper is just about ready for its first guests and she’s giddy with excitement.
Also thrilled is Tasha’s BFF, RaeLyn Hadley! RaeLyn has grown up near the lake and loves this place. She can hardly wait to see her bestie’s dream come true.

Of course, not everyone in the Cedar Creek area is happy to see Tasha’s new vacation rental open for business. Behind the scenes, evil lurks. Nefarious plans are already in motion, though RaeLyn and Tasha can’t yet see them.

Days before the house is listed, the beautiful home is vandalized! Clearly, someone wants to stop Tasha in her tracks. But, who would sabotage the inn. . .and why? RaeLyn won’t quit until she’s got answers, but she needs your help.

What role will you play in this tale? Visit the inn. Get to know the gals. Help them figure out the whodunit. Spend time in town with the locals, celebrating the 4th of July. I promise, you’ll have a blast. There are quilt shows, cupcake walks, and more Texas BBQ than you can eat in one visit.

Your belly will never be empty as you set out to help RaeLyn and Tasha solve this crime. Just don’t let all of those handsome Texas fellas distract you from the task at hand. They have a tendency to do that.

Hang on for the ride, folks, because an East Texas tale is one that’s always filled with twists and turns! So, what are you waiting for? Jump into that little red truck and let’s hit the road, headed to Cedar Creek Lake!

Janice Thompson

Janice Thompson hails from south Texas. She is a Christian author and mother of four grown daughters. Janice has written over forty books.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Janice is giving away the grand prize package of
a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54164

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 27
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 28
Texas Book-aholic, March 1
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 2
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 3
Pause for Tales, March 3
She Lives To Read, March 4
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 5
Blogging With Carol, March 6
Labor Not in Vain, March 6
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 7
Stories By Gina, March 8 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, March 8
For Him and My Family, March 9
Lily’s Corner, March 10
Holly’s Book Corner, March 11
Lights in a Dark World, March 12
Leslie’s Library Escape, March 12

7 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - The Unraveling Of Emlyn DuLaine (Give.away)

3/4/2025

7 Comments

A shattered heart, a fate foretold.
The world undone by tales of old.

Emlyn DuLaine just wants to know what happened to her sister, Camille, seven years ago on the fateful day she vanished—literally. Emlyn witnessed Camille unravel and disappear, but no one believes her. Since they think she’s crazy, the least the cops could do is solve Camille’s case. Is a little closure too much to ask?
But Emlyn’s life is upended when she is pulled through a portal into the fantasyland of her childhood imaginings—a magical library holding the storyworlds of every story ever published. And trouble is brewing in the land of Rivenlea. Rogue characters threaten their plot lines, and broken classics are beginning to crumble, but Emlyn only wants to find Camille.
As she searches for her sister, Emlyn begins to learn the reality of Rivenlea and her own origins. A nefarious plot is afoot, and the line between fact and fiction is becoming hopelessly blurred. The truth threatens the storyworlds, Rivenlea, and Earth—the fabric of creation, itself.

Genre: YA Fantasy
Release date: February 4, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

Absolutely wonderful start to a new fantasy series....

I fell in love with Lindsay A. Franklin's writing a few years ago with her Weaver Trilogy so when I saw her name on The Unraveling Of Emlyn Dulaine I didn't even bother to read the blurb before setting about getting my hands on the first Rivenlea Sphere book.

The Unraveling Of Emlyn DuLaine more than lived up to my expectations. Lindsay A. Franklin is at her best with the introduction to her new Rivenlea Sphere series. The worldbuilding is exquisite with the perfect blend of familiar and fantastical. The titular character is just the right sort of heroine for a novel that will appeal to both YA and adult fans. Emlyn is smart but makes mistakes, she is fearful but will do anything to find her missing sister. She is a true contradiction just like we all are.

One of the things that I loved best about The Unraveling Of Emlyn DuLaine, aside of the vividly painted world of The Rivenlea Sphere, is the emotion packed within the story. Lindsay A. Franklin really gets to the heart of the fears and insecurities of a girl who has been seriously traumatized by witnessing the disappearance of her sister and the subsequent disbelief of the people around her. I was completely drawn into her story and 100% emotionally invested as I read.

I found the book to be impossible to put down and when I turned the last page I felt a little lost without the characters and setting. I am an adult reader but that made no difference to my sheer enjoyment of the tale. The only bad thing about it is that now I have wait what currently feels like forever to read the second book and find out what happens next to Emlyn and the others....

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives The Unraveling Of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin a 5 Bark rating.

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

More from Lindsay

“It’s always been broken.”

Those were the words God put on my heart when I cried out to him in 2020 as I tried to plot The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine. My cry and the fact that I was plotting a novel were not exactly connected at first–though outlining does usually result in some weeping and gnashing of teeth for me. But I released my last novel in 2020 and happened to be working on my new series, The Rivenlea Sphere, when the world was suddenly thrown into chaos.

Being creative in the midst of a global pandemic and significant social unrest is not easy. In fact, I found it impossible. I stared at my unfinished outline, asking myself and God, “Why is everything so messed up? Why is this world so broken?” I know the theological answer to that question, but sometimes, the soul aches. Sometimes, it feels like the whole world is falling apart in a way it never has before.

When God reminded me that this world has, since the fall of man, always been broken, he also reminded me that he’s always been in the business of rescuing us, giving us hope, and pointing us toward a better future–one that is complete and holy. One that is fully redeemed.

Over the next two years, an underlying brokenness that begs for solution wove itself into my storyworld. The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine is intentionally whimsical and fun, filled with references to beloved classics and packed with wry humor. There’s a magical library, a sassy dragon, a fish-out-of-water protagonist determined to dodge every YA trope being thrown her way. But underneath it all is the idea that this world isn’t what it was originally designed to be–and there is hope on the horizon.

Lindsay A. Franklin

Lindsay A. Franklin is the Carol Award–winning author of The Story Peddler, ECPA best-selling author of Adored, and Managing Editor of Enclave Publishing. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. Lindsay lives happily among the rain and evergreens of the Pacific Northwest with her scruffy- looking nerf-herder husband, their three (nearly) grown geeklings, and three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats).

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Lindsay is giving away the grand prize of
a $75 Amazon Gift Card and a hardcover copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54162

Blog Stops

Madi’s Musings, February 25
Inspired by Fiction, February 26
Artistic Nobody, February 27 (Author Interview)
Book Butterfly in Dreamland, February 27
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 28
Blogging With Carol, March 1
Blossoms and Blessings, March 2 (Author Interview)
The Lofty Pages, March 3
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 4
Texas Book-aholic, March 5
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 6 (Author Interview)
cecereadsandsings, March 6
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 7
For Him and My Family, March 8
Fiction Book Lover, March 9 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, March 10

7 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - The Necessity Of Kindness by Marbeth Skwarczynski (Give.away)

2/14/2025

5 Comments

“Be ye kind” is a simple command,
so why is it so hard for people to follow?

When the Lord opened the door for Denise’s husband, Topher, to Pastor the beleaguered Rhodes Baptist Church, she agreed to return to their hometown. Opening a bakery, supporting Topher in his ministry, and volunteering at Sylvie’s school aren’t nearly as challenging as trying to dismantle the harmful teachings that have taken over the church. Ideas masquerading as ‘biblical truth’ and ‘traditional Christianity’ resulted in spiritual bullying and a dwindling congregation. Denise is determined to help Topher guide the church toward the love and kindness of Christ.
Sixteen-year-old Sylvie is angry at being ripped away from the only home she’s known—and from her church, friends, and boyfriend, Owen. She pretends that moving to Rhodes is an adventure and admits she’s looking forward to attending a “real” school and making new friends. She’ll help her parents with their church and work at her mom’s bakery, but this isn’t the life Sylvie wants. Everything is different now, and it isn’t fair.
Sometimes, it feels like the bullies are winning.

Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Release date: October 21, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Marbeth

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
Denise Stade has been in the series since the beginning but always as a side character or “visitor” in other novels. I wanted a story centered on her as she returned to the hometown and church where she was raised. I love the character and am so proud of her determination to be a success while lifting everyone around her. We need more Denises in the world.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
About a year from start to finish.

#3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I chose contemporary Christian fiction because I wanted the voices of my characters to be immediately recognizable. Although the issues they face have been around for a long time, they have only recently been discussed openly (which is why they’ve been around so long).

#4. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
I admire Denise. She’s much smarter, talented, and independent than I am.

#5. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
How easy it is to be kind. It’s a Fruit of the Spirit for Christians, yet it is often portrayed as a weakness. Instead, it takes great strength to stand in the face of bullying and choose to be kind.

#6. How did you name your characters?
Since many of the characters appeared in book one, Plague of Lies, they got their names from baby name lists and an occasional television character. New characters were inspired by people/places in the news/documentaries, and some have variations of names from my former students.

#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
I wrote this book about a challenging and life-changing move during an extremely difficult year. We had multiple financial crises, including having our car totaled in an accident and not being able to replace it. Not long after that, my mother fell while in a nursing facility where she was undergoing therapy to help her balance. By the time I got to my sister’s house, my mother was in hospice and lived for only a few days after I arrived. I remained with my sister to plan the funeral and to help her and her husband. The two invited my husband and me to move in with them since we all needed help and knew we could assist each other. We were here only a month before my brother-in-law died of a brain hemorrhage, just before Thanksgiving. Through it all, I thought I was doing fine, but the truth is, I let a lot of things slide because I couldn’t keep up with everything. I’m getting back on track now, but 2024 beat me up. And yet, I’ve never experienced so much kindness. Our family gatherings this year have been sweet and refreshing.

#8. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I started writing when I went back to college in my thirties. Before that, I was a nanny and decided I didn’t want to wipe poopy butts for the rest of my life. Every day, I’d drop my kids off at school and then go take classes at the local community college or work at the college library. Just before I graduated, I begged our pastor to please let me teach literature to the high school class at the school. Their teacher hated literature and let everyone know it. As a result, the students hated it, too. By the time the school year came around, I was on the schedule to teach literature once a week, but because Christian schools have a knack for adding more and more responsibilities, I was also tagged to teach Bible for every elementary class, Jr. High history, and 5-6th grade reading, science, and history. My husband taught 5-6th grade and became the financial director/school administrator/principal. Eventually, I became the history and literature teacher for the 7-12th grade students. I taught for 18 years before I quit and began writing novels.
My oldest son, who had returned to his alma mater to teach math and computers, left the year after I did and is now a software engineer. My husband left the year after that and now drives for a ride-share company. My younger son was the first to go and has a podcast called Preacher Boys that exposes abusive practices in IFB churches.
We didn’t realize until we left how toxic our church had become. All of us had issues with depression, anxiety, and exhaustion. We had hectic schedules and very few benefits. When we walked away, we left with nothing (no retirement, no savings) but at least we have each other.
And lots of material for future novels.

#9. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
When my youngest son was 17, a new family joined our church the day they visited. I thought that was odd at the time, since most people like to attend for a while before becoming members. The husband/father was immediately plugged into several ministries (also odd) including teaching 6th grade Sunday school, leading music, and directing the choir. By the next week our pastor was encouraging me to have my son work with the man since they had a mutual interest in videography (my son was already making videos for the church). When I relayed the messge to my son, he told me tha the man had already told him he planned to take over my son’s ministry. I confronted the man, in front of the pastor, and thought the matter was settled. It turned out the man and his wife pulled my son into an empty Sunday school room and chastised him for being disrespectful. The wife made it clear that her husband had said no such thing and that he didn’t lie.
The next week my son handed me a stack of articles and court documents he’d printed off. It turned out the man had a bench warrant and had been arrested for molesting a girl at his previous church. I handed those papers to my husband (a deacon) and told him to give them straight to the pastor (we’d been trained to look to him for guidance). I watched my husband hand them over and the expression on the pastor’s face change. I fully expected our pastor to pick up the phone and call the police. Instead, the pastor instituted at coverup to “protect the man’s family.” We were told that the deacons would keep an eye on him and would not allow him to be a part of leadership. The man balked at every restriction and constantly tried to put himself back in the spotlight. After we left the church/school, The same man was filmed sitting on the bench at a school basketball game, offering advice to the teen players. My son, now an adult with a child of his own, used his platform as a podcaster, to expose the man and he and his family were finally forced to leave the church and school.
A year later, the basketball coach was fired for molesting a student.
If I could go back in time and change one thing about my life, I would pick up the phone and call the police myself. I would have let my child know in no uncertain terms that I believed him and that his safety meant more to me than anything.

#10. What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
Read what you love. Life is too short to slog through books that you don’t like. Don’t be afraid to try something new, but don’t feel like you must finish a book you’ve come to dread. Let it go. Pick up another.

#11 Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
Remember that the Bible lists the fruit of the Spirit for a reason.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

More from Marbeth

No one warns you that some bullies grow up to be—bullies.

But some people go from victim to victorious. They stand up for others, leading them away from preferences used to bully others into submission and toward the freedom of God’s love.

Marbeth Skwarczynski

Though born on the east coast, I spent most of my life in the American Southwest, eventually settling in California where my husband and I raised two sons. Later we welcomed two fantastic daughters-in-law and four grandchildren into our family. After teaching history and literature for eighteen years, I resigned to write full-time. That new career move was paired with a physical move to beautiful Nevada, where I continue to write happily.
My preferred genre is Christian contemporary fiction. I keep my characters grounded in the real world and the real problems that Bible believers face today. While they grow, learn, and find possible solutions to their issues, my characters must also deal with the detritus of the past. Living well today doesn’t mean that yesterday is erased. I write what I know, either first-hand or through close observation, injecting the joy, happiness, and humor that comes with spiritual freedom and love.

While they grow, learn, and find possible solutions to their issues, my characters must also deal with the detritus
of the past. Living well today doesn’t mean that yesterday is erased. I write what I know, either first-hand or
through close observation, injecting the joy, happiness, and humor that comes with spiritual freedom and love.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Marbeth is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54153

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 7
Vicky Sluiter, February 8 (Author Interview)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 9 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 9
Simple Harvest Reads, February 10 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 11
For the Love of Literature, February 12 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, February 13
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 14 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 15
Blossoms and Blessings, February 16 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, February 17 (Author Interview)
Stories By Gina, February 18 (Author Interview)
Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, February 18
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 19
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, February 20 (Author Interview)

5 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Echo Nova by Clint Hall (Give.away)

2/13/2025

3 Comments

Dash Keane is about to become
the biggest star in history.

As a poor teenager living in the Dregs, Dash Keane can only escape his dismal reality by competing in illegal rooftop races and staying up late to watch the timenet with his younger brother.
When there is an opportunity to participate in a competition set thousands of years in the past, he uses his rooftop racer skills to catch the eye of Mr. Myrtrym, head of entertainment for the massive Dominus Corporation.
It is the chance of a lifetime when Dominus Corp. hires Dash to be a timestar—the focus of his own series in which he must survive some of the most dangerous periods in history, including the Cretaceous period, feudal Japan, the Wild West, and the Golden Age of Piracy. But when empathy for the people of the past conflicts with the desires of his new employer, he must decide whether the price of fame is worth it, a decision that may cost him everything.

Genre: YA Science Fiction
Release date: January 14, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Clint

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
First off, thanks for having me on your blog!

It was a handful of different things, really. For one, I had just finished working on another project (which hasn't been announced yet) that was very large and epic. While I absolutely loved (and still love) working on that project, I wanted to do something different; I wanted something a bit lighter and faster.

Echo Nova came out of that.

The idea came from my desire to find a different take on time travel. In many time travel stories—stories I love, by the way—you must be careful about going back in time because any changes you make to the past will impact the present. Step on the wrong flower or sneeze on the wrong person, and you might suddenly be erased from existence!
But what if that wasn't the case? What if those "ripples of change" in the timestream only moved as fast as time itself, meaning that the changes never caught up to the "present moment," which also moved at the same speed down the timestream?

Once I came up with that idea, everything else fell into place.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
Writing a book usually takes me about a year, which was the case for Echo Nova. I like to do a lot of pre-work before I start writing. I have extensive character sheets and other world-building materials that I complete before I get started.
I also like to plot meticulously ahead of time. Many nights, I'm at my whiteboard charting out the journeys of the different characters or graphing the progression of their emotional states against their external circumstances. All that work usually takes a few months; I take a few more months to create the first draft.

Of course, there are months of editing and revising, which is one of my favorite parts of the writing process. I enjoy sitting down to work for a few hours and knowing that my book has improved.

#3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
Honestly, I'm not sure! I didn't grow up a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan, although I was always big into superhero fiction. And when I was 16 years old, I saw The Matrix, which absolutely blew me away.

I think I would've been a huge sci-fi/fantasy fan as a kid, but I didn't have anyone to introduce me to it. My older sister and parents weren't really into it. I don't think I watched the complete original Star Wars trilogy until I was in college, around the same time that I first read Ender's Game. I didn't read The Chronicles of Narnia until I was married.

But I think the inherent sense of hope, wonder, and adventure in sci-fi and fantasy really speaks to me. I've always been a dreamer. There's a certain feeling I get when I can see the moon during the daylight, peeking through the blue sky a little before the Georgia sun sets. It reminds me that there's so much more out there than what's currently happening in my life—possibilities that I could never imagine.

Sci-fi/fantasy stories are great places to explore those ideas and emotions.

#4. Do you have a favorite character(s) in this book?
Without giving too much away, it's Sheriff Duffy. Let's just say he's contradictory in many ways. He's the most feared gunslinger in town, but you wouldn’t guess it by looking at him, and he's not particularly proud of that.

More than that, he understands people and even empathizes with those who are trying to kill him. He does what needs to be done but doesn't judge anybody. He often tries to help, even after he's had to use bullets to stop them from whatever horrible act they were committing.

Also, he's hilarious. Readers are going to like him.

#5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
Something I think readers should know about me is that I didn't grow up in church. My parents were believers, and we went to church occasionally, but it wasn't part of our daily lives. My faith didn't become real to me until I was in high school when I was invited to play for a local church's basketball team. To do this, I was required to attend church at least once a month, so I started going to the youth group on Wednesday nights.

The great part about this experience was that faith was my choice, not my parents’. And they were wonderful about it. They dropped me off at church absolutely any time I wanted to go. But they didn't attend themselves; the only time they set foot in that building was to see me get baptized.

Overall, that was fine, but I sometimes felt like an outsider. It wasn't anyone's fault; the youth group was welcoming, and I made incredible friends. However, I lacked many of the same cultural touchpoints because I hadn't grown up like them. As I mentioned, I hadn't read The Chronicles of Narnia. I didn't know about Newsboys or DC Talk. I had no idea that Larry was a cucumber (he is the cucumber, right?).

I definitely didn't know my way around the Bible. When the youth minister told us to go to a certain book, finding it took me much longer than everyone else. I vividly remember being told that we would read from Proverbs. As I flipped helplessly through my Bible, completely lost, my friend kindly leaned over and whispered, "It's kind of in the middle."
But I wouldn't change it. I am very much the product of outreach, and I understand what it's like to feel like you don’t belong inside even the most well-meaning church. God has certainly used my experience to give my writing a unique perspective, and I'm grateful for that.

More from Clint

Time is our playground
What happens when the past becomes the ultimate adventure?

If we could travel back in time, but nothing we did in the past affected the present, would we still consider the past to be “real”?

And if not, how would that “un-realness” impact the way we treated the past and, more importantly, the people who inhabited it? Would they still have fundamental human rights? Would they be protected by laws? Or would we see them as another resource to be exploited?

These are the driving questions behind Echo Nova, though I didn’t have these themes in mind when I started writing the book. I just wanted to write a fast-paced, fun story about a young hero going on adventures through time.

But as I began world-building and plotting, I faced the same issue as so many sci-fi writers before me. In time travel stories, the people going into the past often need to be careful not to make changes that would alter the future. Say the wrong thing to the wrong person in the past, and you might cause a ripple effect of changes that would prevent you from ever being born!

Of course, the problem of being unable to change anything can make for an exciting story with high stakes and lots of tension. The hero must walk a proverbial tightrope to achieve a difficult mission while altering as little of the timeline as possible.

But what if that wasn’t the case? What if the ripples of change in the timestream moved at the same speed as time itself, meaning that if we did alter something in the past, those changes never caught up to us?

For example, if we went back to 2004 and chopped down a tree, it would take 20 years for that “new” reality with the missing tree to reach 2024. But by then, we in the “present” will have moved forward 20 years to 2044, and we’d still have our tree.

If the present is unaffected, the past could become our playground. We could do whatever we wanted.

While that sounds great at first, as I developed the story, I realized that there could also be dire consequences, both in the past and the present.

In Echo Nova, the world’s governments have decreed that because changes to the past don’t impact the present, the past is not “real” but only residual energy and not under the protection of nations and their laws. Corporations can purchase past periods, mining them for valuable resources and owning the people of the past—called “echoes”—like property.

Time travel has also become a pastime of the wealthy. If you have enough money, you can travel back in time to go on a dinosaur safari, watch gladiators battle in the Colosseum, or attend a feast hosted by Cleopatra.

For everyone else, the past is mainly experienced through broadcasts operated by these corporations. These broadcasts feature people called “timestars” who go on adventures in the past to entertain people in the present.

But exploiting humans for our own personal gain and entertainment has terrible consequences, even for those who may claim that they’re “only watching.” When we start to view people as anything other than individuals with rights, flaws, intrinsic value, and everything else that makes us human, the damage goes both ways – hurting those who have been dehumanized as well as those who are guilty of dehumanizing, even if they did so passively.

For instance, while working on this book, I watched the O.J. Simpson documentary and was struck by how people behaved during the infamous Bronco chase. Here was someone accused of a heinous crime, fleeing police while threatening to end his own life, and people responded by flocking to the streets and overpasses to watch. They held up homemade signs while laughing, waving, and smiling for the multitude of news cameras. This wasn’t real life to them. It was part of the show.

As an author, it’s hypocritical for me to be overly critical of entertainment. Further, I believe there is incredible value in well-told stories, both real and fictional, across all mediums. And sometimes, I’ll even admit that I need to turn my brain off and watch something relatively mindless for an hour or so.

But if we’re not careful, we can lose pieces of ourselves on the altar of entertainment.

Echo Nova explores these questions, as well as our culture’s relentless obsession with fame and the dark places in which we can find ourselves in our pursuit of it.

If that all sounds a bit heavy, the book also features pirates, gunslingers, and temporally displaced sea dinosaurs.

After all, sometimes you just need to read something fun.

Clint Hall

Clint Hall is a storyteller, speaker, and podcast host. He has been writing stories since middle school, where he spent most of his time in class creating comic books. (Fortunately, his teacher not only allowed it; she bought every issue.) Known for instilling a sense of hope, wonder, and adventure, Clint is the author of Steal Fire from the Gods (finalist for several awards), and has been published across multiple anthologies and magazines. Find him at ClintHall.com or “The Experience: Conversations with Creatives” podcast, available on all major platforms.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate his tour, Clint is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card, a signed copy of the book, and a bookmark!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54146

Blog Stops

The Lofty Pages, January 31
Simple Harvest Reads, February 1 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, February 2
Denise L. Barela, February 3 (Spotlight)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 4
Artistic Nobody, February 5 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 6
For the Love of Literature, February 7 (Spotlight)
Wishful Endings, February 7
Guild Master, February 8 (Author Interview)
Blossoms and Blessings, February 9 (Spotlight)
For Him and My Family, February 9
Fiction Book Lover, February 10 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 11
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 12 (Spotlight)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 13 (Author Interview)

3 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - When The Avalanche Roared by Lauralee Bliss (Give.away)

2/6/2025

6 Comments

The Day Hope Seemed Swept Away
Enjoy a series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives.
Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Lillian Hartwick has been in the small railroad town of Wellington, Washington, caring for her cousin and assisting the postmaster when February snows bring all train traffic to a halt. Slow-witted but kind Griffin Jones, who works odd jobs for the railway while enduring taunts from other workers, has tried his best to gain Lillian’s interest, but she is engaged and waiting her fiancé’s arrival from California. Predawn thunderstorms on Tuesday, March 1, 1910, trigger a devasting avalanche, sweeping two trains down Stevens Pass. Lillian and Griffin work together to help survivors, including Griffin’s tormentors. In the midst of the catastrophe their feelings for each other grow. But is it enough when Lillian’s fiancé finally arrives in the spring, ready to claim her as his own?

Genre: Historical Christian Fiction
Release date: January, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

A single instant. Nothing will ever be the same....

The Day To Remember series has been a fascinating one. Each story featuring a different disaster that changed the lives of the survivors and the landscapes around them. Some of them changing history as well. I'm honestly a bit surprised that I had never heard of the Wellington Avalanche before this book, especially considering my love of history and relatively close proximity to its location. Part way through reading When The Avalanche Roared I looked it up online and found a photo of the disaster and I must say that it is impossible to even begin to comprehend the power of nature and the horror of what the people went through.

I must admit that the story started out slow for me. And, as important as the disaster itself was, it was the aftermath that really spoke. The grief, questioning, and anger of the characters as they grapple with how God could have allowed such tragedy is where When The Avalanche Roared truly shines. Lauralee Bliss' heart wrenching portrayal of a town pulling together through unimaginable loss and horror, coming to terms with what they've been through, and slowly forging a new life is one that won't be quickly forgotten. It was that part of the story that I read straight through unable to put the book down.

As with the rest of the A Day To Remember series, this book was emotionally moving. Lauralee Bliss' contribution to the series is not to be missed especially if you enjoy fiction based on true and dramatic events.

Tell Tale Book Reviews gives When The Avalanche Roared by Lauralee Bliss a 4 Bark rating.

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

More from Lauralee

Pure Joy
Lauralee Bliss, Author of “When the Avalanche Roared”

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds… James 1:2 NIV

How does one equate a scripture like this with the death and destruction inherent in natural disasters? It seems an oxymoron to expect joy when faced with twisted metal and broken lives, such as in the deadliest avalanche in American history depicted in When the Avalanche Roared. Even now I think of the natural disaster of the hurricane that just recently destroyed mountain communities in western North Carolina, with homes and lives swept away in an avalanche of water and mud. So it was back in March, 1910 when a mile wide bank of snow detached from Windy Top in the northern Cascades of Washington State, slamming into three parked trains near Wellington, sending cars and sleeping passengers tumbling into the ravine. Over ninety lives were lost.

This could be considered a trial of supreme magnitude. Yet scripture commands we consider joy in the midst of it. The word joy evokes smiles and laughter, peace and satisfaction. It brings to mind Jesus resting in the boat in the midst of a raging storm, tossed about on high waves while the disciples huddle together in abject fear. After He calms the seas He asks them, “Where is your faith?” It demands the human mind look away from apparent destruction to something higher. To look beyond what one sees to the unseen. To trust God even when nothing appears trustworthy.

When the Avalanche Roared delves into the flames that spark, not from smoldering locomotives in a ravine, but within a small rail town that banded together in the wee hours of a frigid morning to rescue others. The destruction is evident. But the grit and determination of those who dug out people from heavy snow solidified by rain and cared for the suffering while their town remained isolated from the world speaks of a picture far greater than the picture of destruction. So it is today with communities swallowed by mud and trees and splintered fragments of homes as reminders of a destructive hurricane. Beyond the visual are the outpouring of help and compassion and holding the hands of those weakened by disaster in gestures of hope and resolve. And in this, a new birth of joy is realized.

God created us to find joy in struggle, to develop perseverance to achieve a goal despite what is thrown our way, to realize that when we do, we truly lack nothing. And therein we find lasting peace even in the midst of catastrophe.

Strangers unite to help the hurting.

A friend flew from Florida to North Carolina and arranged with this store owner for a free truckload of water for communities devastated by the hurricane.

Lauralee Bliss

Lauralee Bliss has always liked to dream big dreams. Part of that dream was writing, and after several years of hard work, her dream of publishing was realized in 1997 with the publication of her first romance novel, Mountaintop, through Barbour Publishing. Since then, she’s had twenty books published, both historical and contemporary. Lauralee is also an avid hiker, completing the entire length of the Appalachian Trail both north and south. Lauralee makes her home in Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Lauralee is giving away the grand prize of
a $25 Amazon eGift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54145

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 30
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 30
Stories By Gina, January 31 (Author Interview)
Pens Pages & Pulses, January 31
Texas Book-aholic, February 1
Blossoms and Blessings, February 2
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 2
Simple Harvest Reads, February 3 (Guest Review from Marilyn)
Life on Chickadee Lane, February 4
Connie’s history classroom, February 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 5
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 6
Betti Mace, February 7
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 8
Cover Lover Book Review, February 9
Holly’s Book Corner, February 9
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 10
For Him and My Family, February 11
Pause for Tales, February 12
Leslie’s Library Escape, February 12

6 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Securing Charity by Julia David (Give.away)

2/5/2025

6 Comments

Has God and all that is good truly abandoned her?
After a fearless Swedish man intervenes to save her from a brutal attack, Charity Baldzo, a Roma beauty with a hidden disability and a lineage shrouded in mystery, escapes to her mother’s farm. But as she grapples with her past and the scars it left, will she ever find the safety she desperately seeks?
Ari Johansson’s world spirals into chaos after his act of bravery turns to tragedy. The vengeful hand of the man who assaulted Charity strikes back, slaughtering his sheep as retribution. Now, Ari’s brother languishes in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and flames devour his home and barn, leaving him with nothing but a future of despair. The only glimmer of hope is Charity, who now cares for his young nephew, Soren.
As desperation mounts, Ari is reluctant to lean on the fierce Roma women. But when Charity’s mother proposes an unexpected deal—one he should refuse—he’s faced with an impossible choice. Could marrying the beautiful Charity and securing the neighboring land be the key to ensuring Soren’s safety and freeing his brother?

Attraction sparks between them, but can their disparate worlds coexist? Can they navigate their differences and build a future together?
PG- A clean and swoon-worthy historical romance with deep veins of grace, courage, and heart-hugging acceptance. Curl up and escape to a happy ending.

Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
Release date: October 17, 2022

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Julia

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
My inspiration for Charity’s physical challenges was my daughters friend who has a shortened arm and deformed hand. Now a freshman in college, she sings and plays guitar and also is a photographer. This Multitalented young lady shot the covers for book 2 (Freeing Nohl) and 3 (Finding Cora).

#2. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Charity Baldzo speaks most to my heart. She’s a complex character who’s been devalued for much of her life, but through her journey, she discovers her true worth. I believe that because we’re all created in His image, that inherent value must come to life. By helping others, Charity finds herself—and I find her story incredibly powerful and inspiring.

#3. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
I believe life and people can never fully define you. Charity, for example, had plans to find her worth through a special school, but it was through helping others that she discovered true value and love in unexpected places. I think that’s something many of us experience—we trust God and start down one path, only to find ourselves on a detour… or is it really a detour?

#4. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
I absolutely love Soren in this book. Children bring such humor and unexpected honesty to a story. For Charity, seeing herself through his pure eyes helps her realize her true beauty. Many of the secondary characters in my stories serve a similar purpose, gently adding layers of truth that we all need to hear.

#5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
When I was 18, I sang "I Surrender All" in a beautiful chapel in the Redwoods, thinking it was a one-time declaration. Little did I know, surrendering would become a continual choice. In the midst of marriage, parenting, and navigating the highs and lows of life, I’ve found myself repeatedly declaring, "I surrender all." For me, surrender means I don’t need all the right prayers or answers—I just need to stay close to God and trust Him where He leads.

More from Julia

Fun fact: My daughter’s dear friend is a talented photographer who was born missing half of her left arm. Her agility and confidence are truly inspiring, and she served as a major inspiration for our heroine, Charity.”

My favorite part of being an indie author is witnessing how God provides the perfect cover models just when I need them. Each of my books features amazing ladies (and gentlemen) from my Northern California area, and I absolutely love creating the costumes myself.

Below are photos of our heroine, Charity, showcasing costumes that are largely sourced from Goodwill. I truly enjoy the creative process!

Julia David

Julia David is an Amazon #1 ranked romance author, serial DIY’er, and certified life coach. Addicted to Hallmark movies and baking, she believes it’s crucial to have some predictable things in life. Her tagline, ‘Escape to an Era Where True Love Prevails’, was from her own reason for reading stacks of books.
Married and a mother to five, she also loves to camp and hike around the Pacific Northwest.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Julia is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54143

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, January 28 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 29
Vicky Sluiter, January 30 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, January 30
Texas Book-aholic, January 31
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 1 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 2
For the Love of Literature, February 3 (Author Interview)
Madi’s Musings, February 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 5 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, February 5
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 7
Blossoms and Blessings, February 8 (Author Interview)
Books You Can Feel Good About, February 9
Holly’s Book Corner, February 10

6 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Treasures Of The Wise by Tracy L. Smoak (Give.away)

2/4/2025

1 Comment

Stories have been written throughout the centuries about the search for gold. But the true treasure we all need is easier to find than we think. For the wise person, treasure that will not be wasted, tarnished, or stolen can only be found in God’s Word.

Join author and educator Tracy Smoak on a thirty-day journey around the world as she showcases coins to highlight the beauty of the eternal treasure given to us from God. Each devotional is short but filled with riches beyond what the world can offer, as well as photographs of unique international coins and snippets of information about them.
Start your day off as one of the wise, who seeks after priceless insights offered by our Heavenly Father.

Genre: Pictorial Devotional
Release date: December, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Tracy

#1. What was the inspiration behind this book?
We can see God’s blessings everywhere, and His love is extravagant. For example, I watched a black swallowtail caterpillar inch along parsley in the backyard. Amazing color patterns with lime green, black stripes and bright banana-yellow dots pointed to a careful Artist who makes even insects beautiful. My goal is to remind us that value isn’t determined just by dollars.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
The actual writing of the verses and reflections took only about six months. However, learning how to do the photography took about three years, with practice from two previous pictorial devotionals (Living Water to Refresh Your Soul and Arranged with Love). Then getting a contract took another year and half as the first publisher didn’t work out. The second publisher needed 18 months more to create interior files and finish production. The traditional book business isn’t fast.

#3. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
One funny thing that happened was trying to photograph the baby cardinals before the mom got back to the nest. I was outside early in the morning cutting gardenias to arrange inside because I love the fragrance. I noticed there was a veil of moss hanging inside the head-high bush. When I reached to pull out the moss, I discovered that the mom bird had artfully hidden her nest behind it. Then the little birds started chirping like crazy because they sensed the motion and thought breakfast had arrived. I ran to get my camera, then had to balance on tiptoe to angle the lens just right, all the while hoping the mom wouldn’t come back too soon to see me.

#4. What people influenced you the most while writing about this topic?
My parents had their own business when I was growing up. They made sure my sisters and I had exposure to good money management principles. For example, I was rewarded with an allowance on my report card. A’s earned more than C’s! Then I worked in their office in summers and learned how to track invoices and payments. They also made me write out a line-item budget for monthly expenses before I went to college. Their constant coaching emphasized the importance of being a good steward of the resources you have.

#5. Did you have a specific demographic in mind while writing this book?
Reading the Bible for new believers can be intimidating. I wanted to create a text that was easy to navigate but rich in content with truth. My goal is to focus attention on why something is valuable rather than just accumulating more possessions.

(Here is a link to my YouTube channel with a short video I made to introduce the devotional and a key Bible verse about money management: https://youtu.be/sdL5m8Pw2R8.)
---Tracy Smoak, tracysmoak.com

More from Tracy

Laying Up Treasures

The word “treasure” can send mixed messages. On one hand, that noun can bring forth images of pirates commandeering others’ gold and valuables. We all get a gleam in our eye from time to time and dream of great wealth.

The verb form of “treasure” means to hold something dear, such as a photograph of loved ones. This object may have no special worth, other than sentiment. What priceless object do you protect? Is it a leather baby shoe stored in a tiny box or a beaten-up, old baseball glove?

Either way, what we pursue—and hold—as our prized possession reveals much about our priorities. Is our contentment based upon acquisitions? If so, we find ourselves on a merry-go-round ride that leaves us dizzy. No matter how much we get, we still want more. This constant demand is damaging.

“Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9 NIV).

To be well off, we need to put our hope in God, who richly provides us with all that we need and more.

“The emptiness we try to fill with earthly things stems from the desire for more of God,” said author and teacher Nancy Jenkins (Bibledolls: A Panorama of 28 Biblical Women).

To live well, we are advised to complete a wealth of good deeds. We are to be generous and willing to share. “In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:19 NIV).

Today’s prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us act on opportunities to do good for others. We appreciate your many
gifts and find contentment in this moment, just as things are, with You by our side. Amen.

Tracy L. Smoak

A native Floridian, Tracy L. Smoak grew up riding horses and climbing citrus trees. Her passion is to encourage others in their faith journey. Smoak contributes to Guideposts. Ambassador International released her debut novel, Who Brought the Dog to Church?. Bold Vision published her Bible study about encouragement titled Refuge of Grace: Finding Your Safe Place.
She loves photography, and Treasures of the Wise is the third devotional with her original images. Living Water to Refresh Your Soul features tranquil lake scenes while Arranged with Love showcases floral landscapes.
Smoak holds a master’s in Education and a bachelor’s in Communication. At her church home she leads small-group Bible studies.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Tracy is giving away the grand prize of
a hardcopy of the color devotional!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54144

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 29
Lots of Helpers, January 29
Leslie’s Library Escape, January 30
Simple Harvest Reads, January 31 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 1
For the Love of Literature, February 2 (Author Interview)
SHE LIVES TO READ, February 3
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 4 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, February 5
Blossoms and Blessings, February 6 (Author Interview)
Mary Hake, February 6
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 7
Cover Lover Book Review, February 8
Artistic Nobody, February 9 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 10
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 11

1 Comment

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Tracy by Jennifer Lynn Cary (Give.away)

2/1/2025

5 Comments

Her heart can’t take more breakage…
…He’s been wounded enough
Yet they’re becoming best friends without ever having met.

Tracy Callahan has learned that relationships aren’t for her. The struggling glass artist puts up barriers to keep romantic entanglements from causing more pain. However, her feelings are growing for her roommate’s brother, despite having never seen him in person.
How can just his voice on the phone hold that much attraction?
Danny Mitchell left a large part of himself in Viet Nam and is learning how to navigate life back here in the states. It’s better to just avoid the public. As long as he doesn’t have to see anyone in person, he can pretend he’s his old self, and the caller on the other end of the phone won’t know the difference.
But Tracy is breaking through, resurrecting feelings he thought were dead and gone.
They might find a way to make a telephone relationship work. Unless meddling loved ones get involved.

When that happens, can Tracy and Danny’s friendship survive meeting face-to-face?
Or could there be something more than friendship in store for them? Maybe a God-designed masterpiece built from their broken parts?
Return to 1973 Kokomo, Indiana where the legend of the cardinal in the sycamore can still prove true love.
You will enjoy this sweet, quirky tale of hidden worth, because sometimes what we need is right in front of us.

Genre: Sweet, Wholesome Romance (Retro)
Release date: October, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Jennifer

#1. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I’m a child of the 1950s, grew up in the 60s and 70s. So many memories, and I didn’t see anyone writing about that time period. It started when God gave me the idea for Relentless Heart. It was a retelling of the Book of Ruth set in 1968 Viet Nam and Indiana. All the feels and memories and iconic vocabulary and moments came rushing back. At the same time, I’d started reading more romantic comedy than anything else and wanted to try my hand. Throw in the inspiration of 60s music and it was a perfect storm. I know my stories aren’t technically romcom because I write in third person. I also know that there’s controversy about whether the Viet Nam era is historical or just barely still contemporary. That’s why I like to say it’s in the retro niche—of the historical or contemporary genre, whichever the reader chooses. I find it is comfortable and fun, and in many ways simpler, but still with the same problems and concerns.

#2. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
That you are loved and special and God gives you purpose and hope. Everyone wants to belong in some way. I pray that after reading Tracy, readers will know God sees them, loves them, and is there for them always.

#3. How did you name your characters?
Well, the girls’ names are easy. I pick the song for the title and there ya go. 😉
However, then I need to come up with last names and hero names. The last names come from street names or old businesses or family names from the area. If I choose a family name for that, I make sure to have a first name that’s not part of that family, and if possible, have them have come to Kokomo from somewhere else. In Cracklin’ Rosie, I thought I’d made up a last name only to find it was the name of a business that sponsored the yearbook back then. But I gave that character a different hometown so that helped. Hero names can be harder. I have favorite names and don’t want to use the same one over and over. So now, unless they are a reoccurring character, I use the name once. I look at baby names from the 1940s and early 1950s for ideas too.

#4. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
This was a little of all three. I wrote a scene in Tracy that I really thought was killer. Just wonderful. And then someone told me it was impossible. The only problem was I’d seen it happen with my own eyes, back during the time period. I did a little adjusting to accommodate in case anyone else thought the same, but I added a note in the back stating how I got that inspiration and that it really could happen.

#5. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
Wow, get comfy, this could take awhile. No, just kidding. I’ll give you the Reader’s Digest version.
I’m originally from Kokomo, the town where the Weather Girls is set. And it set in that time period for many reasons, but one big one is because we moved to Arizona in 1972. So in my head, I remember what that era in Kokomo looked like.
I ended up attending three different high schools—Kokomo and then two others because we rented a house before we bought one. So, it was like having three freshman years. I got good at being a chameleon. Which in the long run was a good thing. I learned how to meet people and make new friends. Then I was a speech/theatre major in college but didn’t finish. Instead, I met my husband, and we started our family—three daughters and one son. I finally did go back and finish out my degree and became a teacher—I truly loved teaching. We lost our son to CF in 1999, but our daughters all grew up and married, and we now have three wonderful sons-in-law and three beautiful and adorable and brilliant grandchildren. (Yes, I brag on them, that’s what gramma’s do 😉)
Both my husband and I are retired but somehow in wanting to write as a hobby now that I was home, I’ve ended up with a second career. I wouldn’t change that for anything.

More from Jennifer

Have you ever met characters in a story that stayed with you, even when they weren’t the main characters? That’s what happened to me after I wrote Runaround Sue. Sue’s brother and her roommate seemed to hit it off so well, and I loved those characters.

It only made sense to give Tracy and Danny their own story.

However, I will confess that I had planned to make a character named Tracy because of the song, “Tracy” by the Cufflinks. It’s such a happy, bouncy tune and I thought that fit Sue’s roommate.

I do need to add that I relied on a childhood friend for some Danny’s antics. At one point I was told that something he did wasn’t possible. The problem was, I knew it was because my friend, Maureen McKay did that very thing. Maureen had a personality like Tracy’s and determination like Danny’s.

A few years ago I was back in Kokomo for a special wedding anniversary party. I noticed a guy sitting at a table and went to talk with him. At that time, I was combing faces for someone I’d known back when I went to school there. He had that look, but as we talked, it was obvious we didn’t know each other.

A little later I told my cousin about that, and she said that he was ahead of us in school, but he had a younger sister who would’ve been about my age. I knew immediately why he’d looked familiar. He was Maureen’s big brother.

I searched him and his mother out quickly and let them know I remembered Maureen. I mentioned a few of our escapades. Then I told them that my husband and I had lost a son, and that the kindest thing anyone could say was that they remembered our Ian. So, for that reason, I wanted them to know I remember Maureen.

And that’s why Tracy is dedicated to the memory of my friend Maureen McKay.

Jennifer Lynn Cary

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of
a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a signed copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54137

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 21
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 22
Texas Book-aholic, January 23
Vicky Sluiter, January 24 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, January 24
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 25
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 26 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 27
Simple Harvest Reads, January 28 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29
For the Love of Literature, January 30 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 31
Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 1 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, February 2
Blossoms and Blessings, February 3 (Author Interview)
Leslie’s Library Escape, February 3

5 Comments

Epic Book Launch - It's Fight Night! by Todd Woodfill

1/31/2025

0 Comments

It’s Fight Night: Lessons For Men on Samson’s Fight uses the story of Samson to challenge men to examine their lives through the lens of strength and weakness. Designed for personal or group study, this Bible study delves into the complexities of Samson’s journey, asking men to reflect on their God-given strengths and areas of vulnerability. By exploring themes of divine purpose, failure, and redemption, this study invites men to seek guidance from God as they grow in faith and understand their true potential. Become a warrior, step into the ring and discover timeless lessons on strength, weakness, and grace.

Genre: Men’s Bible Study
Release date: October 2024

Excerpt from It's Fight Night!

Know Your Opponent Then You Can Defeat Him
Victory in the ring requires knowing your opponent. For men, this often means acknowledging personal weaknesses and temptations. Samson underestimated his enemies and paid a heavy price. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to identify the areas where you are most vulnerable and develop strategies to overcome them. With God’s strength and wisdom, you can stand firm against the challenges that threaten to take you down.

Knocked Down But Not Out
Samson’s greatest moment of victory came after his greatest failure. Even when he was blinded and chained, God’s purpose for his life was not over. This chapter reminds men that no matter how far they’ve fallen, there is always hope for redemption. God’s grace is sufficient to restore and renew. Whether you’ve been knocked down by poor choices, failures, or circumstances, this chapter encourages you to get back up and step into the life God has for you.

Todd Woodfill

Todd Woodfill is a modern-day Renaissance man whose life could be inspirational if it didn’t so closely resemble a comedy sketch. Married to his absolutely amazing, beautiful, intelligent, and talented wife Holly for a whirlwind 30 years so far, he couldn’t imagine doing life without her support. With four incredible children and one extraordinary grandchild, who refer to Todd as Dad, Papa, dork, old timer, and weirdo, Todd has been blessed far more than he deserves. Passionate about mental health and suicide prevention, men’s ministries, Legos, boxing, and pursuing God, Todd is a man of many talents and clearly a master of none. But who else can seamlessly switch from being a Jordan sneaker connoisseur to a boxing enthusiast, all while building men’s ministries and helping those with mental health challenges.

Heck, this guy can be found passionately discussing the virtues of mental wellness, only to break into a joyful song from a
Disney classic, spreading cheer like a modern-day Mary Poppins with a passion for Christ. His life is a whirlwind of laughter,
love, and an unshakable faith, making him the ultimate blend of humor and heart in a world that often takes itself too seriously.

Blog Stops

Excerpt One: https://www.devotedtohope.com/itsfightnight
Excerpt Two: https://www.amoderndayfairytale.net/2025/01/its-fight-night-epic-book-launch.html
Excerpt Three: https://storiesbygina.com/2025/01/31/its-fight-night-epic-book-launch-with-celebrate-lit-publicity/
Excerpt Four: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/its-fight-night-book-excerpt/
Excerpt Five: https://montanamade.weebly.com/tell-tale-book-reviews/epic-book-launch-its-fight-night-by-todd-woodfill
Excerpt Six: https://nannie3.blogspot.com/2025/01/its-fight-night.html
Excerpt Seven: https://www.guildmaster97.com/posts/its-fight-night-lessons-for-men-on-samsons-fight-epic-book-launch-excerpt/

0 Comments

Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Change Rushes West by Monique Bucheger & G.L. Rasmussen (Give.away)

1/21/2025

7 Comments

Twelve-year-old Ginnie West has always been haunted by her mom’s tragic accident—and by the fact that her mom’s prized trick-riding horse, Eternal Love, was sold shortly afterward.

When Ginnie and her twin brother, Toran, uncover new clues about where Eternal Love might be, they embark on an exciting journey to find the horse that holds so many memories of their mother. With her horse, Calliope—who, as it turns out, is Eternal Love’s daughter—Ginnie faces a mystery filled with unexpected twists, family secrets, and plenty of challenges along the way.

As she races toward answers, Ginnie learns that sometimes the past isn’t as far away as it seems, and love can be found in the most surprising places. Change Rushes West is a heartwarming adventure about family, friendship, and finding hope in the most unexpected moments.

Genre: Upper MG
Release date: January 8, 2025

Click here to get your copy!

More from Monique

Hello Everyone,

Change Rushes West has been a long-time coming for me. It explores Ginnie’s relationship with her mom’s horse, Eternal Love. Ginnie’s mom’s tragic accident really shaped the entire series. From the beginning, I knew that losing the horse was a sore spot for Ginnie. I always wondered what happened to Eternal Love after she was sold—it felt like an unresolved part of Ginnie’s story.

The idea of bringing them back together has been in the back of my mind for years, but I didn’t seriously explore it until one night G.L. and I brainstormed ways to tie up some loose ends in the series as well as figure out what story arcs to add to this book.

That brainstorming session was pivotal. We started imagining what Ginnie’s journey to find Eternal Love would look like and realized it could be so much more than just a search for a lost horse. It could be a way for Ginnie to reconnect with her mother, heal from that loss, and explore how life moves forward—even when it feels like it’s standing still.

I also loved the idea of Calliope, Ginnie’s horse, being Eternal Love’s daughter. It felt like a beautiful connection between Ginnie’s past and present, between the mother she lost and the person she’s becoming. It added another layer of emotional depth to the story. I wanted Ginnie’s journey to feel like a true adventure, but also an internal one, where she learns that not all endings are sad—sometimes they’re just the beginning of something new.

Writing Change Rushes West was a way to bring Ginnie full circle, and I think readers will enjoy the mystery and the twists along the way. There’s family drama, of course, and the West family is as dynamic as ever.

However, at its heart, this story is not only about Eternal Love, the horse her mother was seldom apart from, but about the emotional love—both the kind you lose… and the kind you find, when you least expect it.

Monique Bucheger

Monique is a bestselling author, a certified Farland Fiction Coach, and an empowerment speaker, dedicated to championing the underdog, in both her writing and real-life adventures.
Having a heart for families in crisis, Monique creates stories that capture the essence of real-life challenges and triumphs, with a touch of humor.
Monique’s upper middle-grade series, ‘The Ginnie West Adventures,’ delves into sensitive and weighty themes such as parental loss, abandonment, and overcoming abuse. She delivers stories not only for tween readers, but for those young at heart.

Drawing from her experiences nurturing a dozen of her own children and fostering over a hundred more, Monique’s
experiences shape her books, creating novels in a number of genres, including a historical family saga, contemporary
family dramas, a fun picture book, and a middle grade series weaving whimsy and heart into her tales.

G.L. Rasmussen

A country boy by birth and by choice, Gary spent his youth working on the family farm, for local farmers and ranchers, on horseback or playing sports. Offered scholarships in Agriculture and Advertising Design, he opted for the bright lights and big city. Eight years in the advertising field convinced him that wasn’t where he wanted to be.
Gary freelanced in design and illustration, converted his love of writing for advertising to a newspaper column about the country lifestyle. He has also worked as a ranch manager, cowboy, rancher, and horse trainer. An avid painter and author, Gary shares his talents through mentoring others, is a past president of the Western Art Guild and Idaho Writers League and is an active member of Western Writers of America.

Gary and his wife, Margie are the parents of four children and ten grandchildren and have traveled extensively
throughout Europe, Great Britain and the United States.

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Monique is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54136

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 14
Vicky Sluiter, January 15 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, January 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 16
Simple Harvest Reads, January 17 (Author Interview)
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 18
For the Love of Literature, January 19 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, January 20
Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 21 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 22
Blossoms and Blessings, January 23 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 24
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 25 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 26
A Reader’s Brain, January 27 (Author Interview)

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Celebrate Lit Blog Tour - Wrapped Up In You by Jennifer Carr (Give.away)

1/20/2025

3 Comments

Nash Montgomery is always up for a good time. But when a senior prank goes too far, his baseball scholarship is put at risk, threatening the future everyone expects him to follow. The consequences earn him community service at a local youth center where he discovers a passion that defies the path he thought had been laid out for him.
Cassidy is a talented musician trapped under the weight of her mother’s ambitious dreams for her. Desperate to carve out her own identity, she struggles to find her voice amidst the noise of others’ expectations.
Their worlds collide in Nashville when both earn a spot on Real American Country, a new reality TV competition for aspiring country stars. As they navigate the pressures of the spotlight, they’ll have to decide if they’re chasing their own dreams—or someone else’s. And along the way, they’ll discover that getting wrapped up in the right person can bring out the best in themselves.
Wrapped Up in You is a heartwarming tale about breaking free from the expectations of others, finding love, and discovering that the best path is the one you create for yourself.

Genre: Sweet New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release date: October 1, 2024

Click here to get your copy!

Interview with Jennifer

#1. What was the inspiration for this book?
I accidentally started writing a series I’ve dubbed Real American Country. It centralizes on a group of contestants who are selected to appear on a reality TV show for aspiring country music artists and that show happens to be called Real American Country. Book one (Fall When You’re Ready) was supposed to be a standalone.
Instead, characters kept demanding I write their stories. If you’ve read Fall When You’re Ready, you may have caught glimpses of Cassidy Raye Stanton starting around Chapter 42. And you really only see Nash Montgomery’s name mentioned in conversation. But for whatever reason, these two got my attention and I needed to know why. When I started prodding, they delivered.

#2. How long did it take to finish writing this book?
I started writing it while the first book was in edits in October 2023. The first draft didn’t take too long but to get to a place where I was happy with the final product was about eleven months. I sent it to ARC readers September 1 and it was published October 1, 2024!

#3. What drew you to write in this particular genre?
I absolutely love romance books, but what really draws me in are the stories that focus on the emotions and the characters, rather than just what happens behind closed doors. When I started writing, that’s what I wanted to capture—the emotional journey of falling in love. It’s about those little moments that make your heart skip a beat, like a lingering glance or a meaningful touch. Do you remember how powerful a single whispered word can be? That’s the magic I want to bottle up in my stories.
For me, the best part is when characters grow together. They face life’s challenges, support each other, and come out stronger on the other side. It’s not just about falling in love, but about how love can make you a better person.
That’s why I write sweet contemporary romance—because the stories I want to tell are about heartfelt connections, emotional growth, and the kind of love that lifts you up, not just romantically, but as a whole person.

#4. Do you have favorite character(s) in this book?
Can you keep a secret? OK, good. Yes, I do. And they aren’t the main characters! One of my favorite character duos is Jet and Cody in Wrapped Up in You. Cody (short for Cordelia) is Nash's younger sister. She's a constant bright spot in everyone's day. And Jet is a kid who needs Nash as much as Nash needed him.
Nash becomes the big brother Jet never had and Jet helps send Nash down the path fate cooked up for him.
If I thought I could, I'd write Jet and Cody's love story RIGHT NOW because the two of them are precious in the few glimpses we get of them. Alas, my TBW (to-be written) pile is already too tall as it is!

#5. What do you hope your readers will take away with them when they read this book?
Wrapped Up in You is a story of love, music, and the sacrifices we make for those who hold our hearts. In the end, it’s about finding your way back to the one who feels like home—even if it means taking the long way around. It’s a story about taking charge of your future and trusting your gut even when the weight of everyone else’s expectations is heavy.
I hope readers come away with a sense of hope and a reminder that love isn’t always easy, but when it’s real, it’s worth fighting for. I want them to feel inspired by the emotional growth of the characters, the power of trust, and the importance of following your heart—even when it leads you down unexpected paths. Ultimately, I want readers to see that love is about more than just finding someone; it’s about building a life together and supporting each other through all of life’s challenges.

#6. How did you name your characters?
My characters’ names usually show up when they do! It’s funny, there have been instances where I name a character and then halfway through the manuscript I decide I don’t like the name for some reason and I’ll change it. Or there’s one draft I was writing where I named one guy Dan and another Danny and they had the same job and I didn’t realize it until I went back and proofread it and got confused! So Dan became Scott haha! I do try to stick to time appropriate names when necessary. If I’m writing “in the 1990s” then I hover around names I remember being popular then. I have found myself on the Baby Names website to double check!

#7. Tell us something funny, sad, embarrassing, whatever, that happened involving this book.
Wrapped Up in You was 10,000 words heavier before the final round of edits! I love words. I always want the reader to know EVERYTHING about everything so trying to come to grips with needing to cut scenes is hard for me. We cut about 10,000 words about two weeks before it went to ARC readers and I cut every single one of them in protest. Then I re-read it and knew it had been the absolute right decision.
Then I got an e-mail from an ARC reader telling me that a sentence somewhere in the first two pages was duplicated… so I got to cut a few more words after that!

#8. Tell us a little about yourself, your family, friends.
I'm Jennifer Carr. I'm a wife (married my best friend that I met when I was 13), homeschooling mom (1 teenage daughter who is an artist and looks just like her dad), part-time farmer (we just downsized to chickens only but there were goats not long ago!), social media addict (Queen of the Doomscroll!), and an avid reader (I’ll give anything a try). I'm a lover of coffee, music, learning, animals, and writing. I have a degree in Psychology, a Master's in Marriage & Family Counseling, and certifications in Life Coaching, Health and Wellness Coaching, and am a certified Brain Health Professional. I also taught high school AP Psychology for several years. Then I wrote a book... and my world shifted on its axis.
In March 2023, I launched a podcast in hopes of cultivating a community geared toward creatives—authors, musicians, artists, etc. My goal has been to foster a platform where we can share ideas, support one another's work, and create a network of resources creatives need along their journey.

#9. If you could change one thing in your life, past or present, what would it be?
If I could change one thing in my life, it would be learning earlier to surround myself with people who support me as much as I support them. For the longest time, I lived in a world where almost every relationship I had was one-sided. I poured my heart and soul into friendships and relationships, always being the one to give more, only to find myself burned out and, eventually, abandoned once the support fizzled then stopped.
Looking back, I wish I had recognized sooner that I deserved mutual support—people who genuinely had my back, who lifted me up the same way I did for them. It’s a tough lesson, but one I’m grateful for now. Relationships, whether personal or professional, should be balanced, with love and support flowing both ways, and I’ve learned the importance of setting boundaries and recognizing when someone isn’t offering that same energy in return.

#10. What one piece of advice would you like to give readers?
If you love a book or even just like a book, please leave at least a star-rating for it somewhere! Whether it’s Goodreads, Facebook, Amazon, or some other social platform, drop a quick line with some stars and share the love!
Authors, especially self-published authors, bank on word-of-mouth for the majority of their marketing so we live for the ratings and reviews.
Also, if you love something about a book, I promise you the author would LOVE to hear from you! (Case in point, this author would LOVE to hear from you!)

#11. Share with us a thought, Bible verse, whatever is on your mind/heart.
It’s OK to be yourself. We often feel pressure to fit into molds or expectations that others set for us, but there’s real freedom in embracing who we truly are. It’s OK to be imperfect, to have quirks, and to live authentically. The world needs the unique perspective that only you can offer.

But, it’s best to be who you were created to be. We’re all created with purpose, and it’s not just about being yourself, but becoming who God designed you to be. It’s about leaning into your God-given gifts and strengths, even when that path may be challenging or countercultural. There’s a deep fulfillment in aligning your life with God’s purpose for you, trusting that His plan is greater than anything we could imagine for ourselves.

More from Jennifer

Wrapped Up in You is book two of the Real American Country Series. But don’t worry, it can definitely be read as a standalone! The series follows a reality television country music competition and some of the contestants as they pursue their dreams of becoming country music recording artists. This book follows the story of Nash Montgomery and Cassidy Raye Stanton as they each navigate the pressures of the spotlight. They’ll each have to decide if they’re chasing their own dreams—or someone else’s. And along the way, they’ll discover that getting wrapped up in the right person can bring out the best in themselves.

Wrapped Up in You is a heartwarming tale about breaking free from the expectations of others, finding love, and discovering that the best path is the one you create for yourself.

One of my favorite things about writing this series is coming up with custom playlists for each book. If you love country music or just want to see what all the fuss is about, here’s the playlist that goes along with Wrapped Up in You: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2hXjkRFytj9tPFpitHRdEf?si=d0209225ac1f41e0

I’m Jennifer Carr. I’m a wife, homeschooling mom, baker, part-time farmer, social media addict, and an avid reader. I’m a lover of coffee, music, learning, animals, and writing. I have a degree in Psychology, a Master’s in Marriage & Family Counseling, and certifications in Life Coaching, Health and Wellness Coaching, and am a certified Brain Health Professional. I also taught high school AP Psychology for several years. I’ve always loved writing. Complete transparency alert – I never set out to become an author. I know, that probably sounds unlikely considering, but it’s true. I sat down one day and decided I wanted to write a story because I needed to know how a dream I’d awoken from ended. It snowballed and turned into chapters and eventually into an entire book. When I finished that book, I needed to make sure my characters were OK and thriving so I wrote the second book.

It was at that point I realized that being an author was something I could see myself doing for a really long time. So, I’m
still writing and loving every minute of it. When I’m not writing, there’s a good chance I’m reading and drinking coffee!

It's Time For A Giveaway!

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of
a 6-Month Kindle Unlimited Subscription and an eBook copy of the book!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54131

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 15
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, January 16 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, January 17 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 17
For the Love of Literature, January 18 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, January 19
Tell Tale Book Reviews, January 20 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, January 21
Blossoms and Blessings, January 22 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 23
Artistic Nobody, January 24 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 25
Stories By Gina, January 26 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, January 26
For Him and My Family, January 27
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, January 28 (Author Interview)

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Interview with Stephanie from
Christian Writers Collective, LLC

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace in believing that by the power
of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope.”

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23

More from Lauralee