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Blog Tour -A Shattered Life Restored by Marshalee Patterson
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Meg nodded and gave him a little smile before she pulled on the lock and exited the car. As she walked towards Ernie’s grave, she breathed deeply in and out to get her breathing back to normal. The sight of other graves made her think about all the family she had lost back home in Jamaica, her life now without Ernie with a baby on the way, and what Jeanne had just said to her.
Marshalee Patterson was born in Kingston, Jamaica. She has loved reading since she could walk. Growing up without a television sparked in her a love for reading and the world of imagination. Some of her favourite novels were written by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre and Victor Hugo, as she found she liked the true to life stories that we all can relate to. She wrote her first novella-Predestined Love after travelling to Italy and wanted to write a romance novel about it, only she didn’t know that God had plans for her and that story, when he changed the direction of what she originally had in mind. It was then that she knew she was called to write stories to uplift and inspire readers, showing them how to find God in their struggles and the faith to trust Him through it. She is a lover of nature and the tranquillity of it. She finds the outdoors refreshing and peaceful. Marshalee loves Spanish ballads and dances salsa very well.
Young Whit Giveaway by Phil Lollar & Dave Arnold
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ABOUT THE BOOK
This Odyssey book series explores the history of the much-loved character John Avery Whittaker. The series introduces newcomers to the larger world of Odyssey. For readers who are already Odyssey-philes, the novels provide the history of the franchise’s most important character.
Whit and his family (father, Harold; stepmother, Fiona; half-sister, Charlie) have just moved to Provenance, NC, in the middle of the Great Depression. Harold will be teaching at nearby Duke University. Not-quite-10-year-old Johnny soon makes a friend in Emmy, who lives across the street and joins him in his adventures. At his new school, he encounters a bully who makes his life miserable, and he makes a new friend in Huck, the custodian. Both of them play key roles in the mysteries and action.
The central mystery in book 1 involves Confederate gold missing since the end of the Civil War and the question of whether Johnny’s ancestor was the coward and thief who stole it, as everyone believe.
MY REVIEW
Young Whit is a wonderfully well-written children's adventure tale that takes place in the 1930's in Provenance, N.C. Whit's father is a professor at Duke University.
The story is full of action, new relationships, bullies, mystery and suspense. As an adult, I enjoyed reading Young Whit and was captivated by Whit's intellect and ability to solve mysteries. His humor was also enjoyable.
The other characters were well-developed and added depth to the story. The ending was amazing, setting up the adventure for the next story in the series. This book would keep a younger child interested and an adult entertained as well.
Guideposts Academy-How to Tell a Great Story
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Master storytellers from Guideposts will teach you how to make your story compelling and entertaining, following a formula that has worked at Guideposts for over 70 years. You take the course at your own pace and you can repeat the modules as many times as you would like.
TOP FEATURES: With over two hours of video lessons, this creative writing course will teach you all the essentials to writing a great story:
12 video modules (captions available) to guide you in your creative writing journey
Digital Workbook with a summary of main points from each module
Full lifetime access to the course and its materials
Quiz for each module, to test your knowledge
Certificate of completion when you finish the course
Instructions on how to submit your story to a publisher for publication.
Compatible in all web browsers
30 Day Money-Back Guarantee
My Review
How to Tell a Story is a worthwhile class for new authors, as well as, a refresher on story basics. As a new writer I found the course lessons with video instruction and workbook to be an excellent pairing in order to fully grasp the content.
The course covers crafting the beginning, tips on keeping the reader engaged, creating memorable characters, conflict todrive the storyline, proper dialogue, and to create an ending that wraps everything up nicely.The lessons really get to thebones of great writing.
I would highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to try their hand at short-story writing to writing a full-length novel. The lessons learned can be adequately applied to both.
Oher Reviews
Guideposts Academy 5 Stars
By Patricia Parish
July 8th, 2018
This course an incredible opportunity for me. No university could have done better. So much for so little money. I thank you all so very much. Will be sending something to you all regularly even if all I get is rejections! So grateful for the helpful information, I am tearing up as I write this. Patricia (Pat) Parish, Blessings to the teachers and all your personnel.
Rating: 5 of 5
Quick Course that is Very Helpful
By Barbara Litchfield
April 30th, 2018
Thus course is excellent! The short recorded sessions with Edward, Rick, Colleen, Jim, and Amy, were full of helpful information for writers in any genre. The workbook download helped me with note taking and reinforced the learning. I also am grateful that I can retake the course whenever I need a refresher. It is definitely worth $24.99.
Rating: 5 of 5R
Blog Tour & Giveaway for The Christmas Prayer by Wanda Brunstetter
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About the Book
Book Title: The Christmas Prayer
Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter
Genre: Historical Christmas Romance
Release date: September, 2018
Beloved, bestselling author of Amish fiction, Wanda E. Brunstetter takes readers on a journey in 1850 along the California Trail.
Only the brave—or foolhardy—would attempt a cross-country journey late in the season. Three wagons meet up in Independence, Missouri, in April 1850, and their owners decide to keep forging ahead despite many setbacks and delays. December finds them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when a sudden snowstorm traps them, obscuring the trail.
Cynthia Cooper is traveling with her mother and the man she has promised to marry. But as Christmas is upon them and they are hunkered down in a small cabin, she is forced to reevaluate her reasons for planning to marry fellow-traveler Walter Prentice. When a widowed father heading to a California ranch and a gold prospector both show an interest in Cynthia, she weighs her dreams for marriage alongside her responsibility to care for her mother. Can love win over her timid heart?
Click here to purchase your copy!
My Review
The Christmas Prayer is set in Missouri in the 1850's. Cynthia and her mother travel cross-country
to a new life in California, traveling by wagon train with Cynthia's fiance. They miss the wagon train
leader and a company of three wagons led by an inexperienced trail guide set off on their journey. The
story is laced with hardships of extreme cold, lack of food, and an adequate place to stay out of the
weather. The descriptions of the countryside made me feel like I was traveling along with them.
It is a wonderfully well-written Christian christmas story laced with inspirational instances of
God's love providing for them in their time of need. The characters were well-developed and seemed to
fit the time period well.
The Christmas Prayer if filled with hope, new-found love, and inspiration and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
About the Author
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda’s stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
Guest Post from Wanda
A cross-country journey in 1850 leads to high mountain danger—and romance.
Only the brave—or foolhardy—would attempt a cross-country journey late in the season. Three wagons meet up in Independence, Missouri, in April 1850, and their owners decide to keep forging ahead despite many setbacks and delays. December finds them in the Sierra Nevada Mountains when a sudden snowstorm traps them, obscuring the trail.
Cynthia Cooper is traveling with her mother and the man she has promised to marry. But as Christmas is upon them and they are hunkered down in a small cabin, she is forced to reevaluate her reasons for planning to marry fellow-traveler Walter Prentice. When a widowed father heading to a California ranch and a gold prospector both show an interest in Cynthia, she weighs her dreams for marriage alongside her responsibility to care for her mother. Can love win over her timid heart?
Find out in The Christmas Prayer from NY Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
Try this Exclusive Bonus Recipe Found Inside the Book!
Cynthia’s Fried Apples
Instructions:
Without peeling, quarter as many tart apples as you would like. Lay apples close together, skin side down, in frying pan with salt pork fat or butter. Cover until well steamed then uncover and brown both sides, turning and watching closely to prevent burning.
Blog Stops
Among the Reads, September 18
The Avid Reader, September 18
The Power of Words, September 18
Lighthouse Academy, September 18
Just Commonly, September 19
Carpe Diem, September 19
A Baker’s Perspective, September 19
Blossoms and Blessings, September 20
Britt Reads Fiction, September 20
Random Thoughts From a Bookworm, September 20
Connie’s History Classroom, September 21
Luv’N Lambert Life, September 21
Not Enough Time for Books, September 21
D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 22
Lis Loves Reading, September 22
Literary Reflections Book Blog, September 22
Babs Book Bistro, September 23
Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 23
Janices book reviews, September 23
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 24
Mary Hake, September 24
Two Points of Interest, September 24
Inspiration Clothesline, September 25
Inklings and notions, September 25
Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 25
Fiction, Faith, and Fun, September 26
Girls in White Dresses, September 26
Book by Book, September 26
Splashes of Joy, September 27
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 27
The Morning Chapter, September 27
The Mimosa Blossom, September 28
Pause for Tales, September 28
Have A Wonderful Day, September 28
Miss Tina’s Amish Book Reviews, September 29
To Everything A Season, September 29
Cafinated Reads, September 29
Bibliophile Reviews, September 29
Quiet Quilter, September 30
Southern Gal Loves to Read, September 30
proud to be an autism mom, September 30
Texas Book-aholic, October 1
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 1
Bigreadersite, October 1
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Wanda is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card and a free copy of The Christmas Prayer with an autographed book plate inside!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!
Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/d297/the-christmas-prayer-celebration-tour-giveaway
Review of A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep
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Book 2 in Reader Favorite Michelle Griep’s Charming Once Upon a Dickens Christmas Series
London, 1853: Innkeeper’s daughter Mina Scott will do anything to escape the drudgery of her life, for there’s nothing more mundane than serving customers day after day. Every minute she can, she reads and dreams of someday becoming a real lady—and catch the eye of William Barlow, a frequent guest at the inn.
William is a gentleman’s son, a charming but penniless rogue. However, his bachelor uncle will soon name an heir—either him or his scheming cousin. In an effort to secure the inheritance, William gives his uncle the impression he’s married, which works until he’s invited to bring his wife for a visit.
William asks Mina to be his pretend bride, only until his uncle names an heir on Christmas Day. Mina is flattered and frustrated by the offer, for she wants a true relationship with William. Yet, she agrees. . .then wishes she hadn’t. So does William. Deceiving the old man breaks both their hearts. When the truth is finally discovered, more than just money is lost.
This is the second book in the Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series and it was as entertaining as the first one that I read. Michelle Griep is a master storyteller and weaves wonderful characters that pull you in and keep you engaged in the story.
This one is set in 1853 London and is filled with struggles, deception, love, and forgiveness and definitely keeps you turning the pages. Mina Scott is a delightful and strongly opinionated woman with a warm and loving heart, but is tired of her mundane life and wishes for more. When she gets involved in a deceptive scheme with William Barlow things start to turn bad. Their relationship is filled with lies that pair off one Barlow family member against the other. The lies told by Mina and William to his uncle are told with all good intentions but come back to haunt them both.
I loved the references to Dickens and the Christian aspects of the story that were very inspirational. All in all, a very enjoyable and entertaining read written with old English style of the time period that brought the story to life.
I received a copy from the author and voluntarily chose to review it.
Review of Christmas at Mountain Mist by Pamela Ferguson
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Did you come here to visit or to hide?
Dr. Brady Thomasson has his hands full. Christmas is two days away and he’s the physician in charge at Lilac’s senior living community. A mysterious illness, blizzard conditions, and a skeleton staff would be enough to keep even the most seasoned medical professional on his toes. Will the unexpected arrival of his former girlfriend distract him from his duties?
With a brewing scandal about to crash down on her head, environmental lawyer Camille Zignetti drives through a snow storm to spend Christmas with her ailing grandfather. Certain she will pay a price for her employer’s bad behavior, could Brady blame her for wanting to hide from a situation she’d helped to create?
Lilac. Where paths cross, sparks fly and love blooms.
By Award-winning author
Camille, an environmental lawyer decides to join together with a famous actor-turned-environmentalist-activist that isn't what he appears to be. Brady, her ex, warns her not to work for him but she ignores the warning. Camille gets thrown a curve when she leaves town to avoid the press to visit her grandfather that needs her assistance at Mountain Mist Retirement Home. Camille & Brady are thrown back together but can they repair the damage from the past?
This was a lovely story of family struggles, relationships, love, and forgiveness. Well-written with great characters that kept me engaged the whole time. Loved the ending that wrapped everything up nicely.
I was given an ARC copy by the author and voluntarily chose to review it.
Fall Into Books $250 Giveaway 9/10-10/10
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Fall Into Books
$250 Cash Giveaway
September 10th to October 10th
Enter for your chance to win $250 in PayPal Cash or a $250 Amazon Gift Code!
A HUGE thank you to this fabulous group of sponsors who made this giveaway possible. Be sure to stop by and show them some love!
Sponsor List
B. Kristin McMichael Simple Wyrdings
Giveaway Details
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 10/10/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com.
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded.
No purchase necessary.
You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you.
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers, and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for Seeing Green
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Don’t Let the Shadow of Envy Color Your Joy
You know that feeling, don’t you? That heart sting when someone else receives the very thing you desire. When your best friend announces her engagement. When your sister says she’s pregnant. When your coworker gets the promotion. You tell yourself you’re happy for her, but something casts a shadow. That something is envy.
What if, in those moments, you were able to turn away from the green glow of envy, and see the spotlight of God’s glory shine on your friend? What if your first response was joy?
Join Tilly Dillehay as she uncovers seven common sources of envy and challenges you to change the way you think about God’s glory. In doing so, you will learn to rejoice with others, you will experience greater contentment, and you will discover how to truly love your neighbor as yourself.
My Review
Seeing Green made me aware that there are a lot of subtle ways that envy can creep into your character. It is different than a lot of other sins and temptations we may deal with. Seeing Green is written with easy to read descriptions and strategies to apply to everyday life and is a valuable resource to refer to often.
Tilly Dillehay holds a degree in journalism from Lipscomb University. In the past, she has been the editor of a weekly newspaper and of a lifestyle magazine, and now she serves as homemaker and mother to two little girls. She writes at www.justinandtilly.com and contributes occasionally to The Gospel Coalition. She is the host of The Green Workshop, an event for women on the subject of envy that is held at local churches. Tilly's husband, Justin, is a pastor in the small town east of Nashville where the family resides.
SEEINGGREEN25 – for 25% off Seeing Green, from August 20 – September 30, 2018. It can be purchased at this link: https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/books/seeing-green-9780736974943
One Night Beautifully Illustrated Advent Calendar-Back the Kickstarter!
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My Review
The calendar was inspired from the book of Luke and is very well illustrated with wonderful calligraphy, hand-drawn images and a story.
It is very well made with sturdy construction for years of use. It would look lovely on top of a table or fireplace mantle and is sure to be the center of attraction during the holdiays. Any family can enjoy reading each 24 days leading up to Christmas to start a new tradition.
Enter to Win a Copy of "Reload Love!"
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Will we try to forget all the things we’ve seen?
Or will we see, really see, and then let our emotions
lead us into a new way of living?
This is the story of one woman who refused to look away from atrocities on her television screen. Lenya Heitzig allowed her heart to break at the plight of refugees and the deaths of innocent children, and then she begged God for a job to do.
In this gritty, passionate story, Lenya details the epic way God answered her prayers—how a spark came to life turning weapons of war into something beautiful. Experience the hope found in a children’s playground as you journey with her through the jungles of Burma and the war-torn streets of the Middle East.
Though the shape of your heart and passion may look very different, you will find hope and inspiration in ordinary people who go to incredible lengths to share God’s life-giving love.
Author Lenya Heitzig’s heart is to reach out to hurting people through tangible acts of love. She is the founder of Reload Love, a ministry which touches the lives of children affected by terrorism. Lenya also serves as the executive director of she Ministries at Calvary Church, pastored by her husband, Skip. www.lenyaheitzig.com
My Review
Reload Love is a very heart-wrenching read, but one filled with the undeniable power of God. Lenya, leaves her home and travels with her crew from Reload Love as they put their dreams into action.
I was inspired by Lenya's strength and her willingness to boldly go where ever God wanted to use her. I also admired her for her ability to face the atrocities of the aftermath of ISIS and press on to meet with the many victims of war.
Lanya's organization, Reload Love, is an amazing example of what can be accomplished when you are led by God and are willing to make the hard choices. A very inspiring read.
By subscribing, you confirm you're at least 13 years of age and you agree that you want to enter to win a copy of Reload Love and agree to receive occasional emails from Harvest House Publishing, Lenya Heitzig, and FrontGate Media. 5 Winners selected on 10/30/18. This page is designed by FrontGate Media. You may unsubscribe from these email communications at any time.
