FOREVER YOURS THIS CHRISTMAS - Sherry Kyle - One Free Book

Bio: Sherry Kyle is a graduate of Biola University and the author of contemporary women's fiction and historical romance, as well as her new Christmas romance novella, Forever Yours This Christmas. Sherry also writes award-winning middle grade books, including The Christian Girl’s Guide to Style and Love, Lexi: Letters to God, as well as ECPA finalist, True Heart Girls Devotional: God’s Promises for Me. When Sherry isn’t writing, she enjoys walks along the ocean and decorating her beach home. She lives in California with her husband and four children.

Welcome back, Sherry. Why did you become an author? Even though I have a degree in Communications from Biola University, I became an author years ago because I wanted to do a job where I could stay home with my children. I’ve always been a creative person who loved to read, so being an author seemed like a natural fit.

If you weren’t an author, what would be your dream job? If I weren’t an author, I’d probably be an interior designer. My husband and I have remodeled our 1977 beach home three times in the last eight years—including the kitchen, adding a half bath, master bath, and pantry, as well as an office addition. I had so much fun designing the floor plans and picking out the finishes.

If you could have lived at another time in history, what would it be and why? If I lived at another time in history, it would be the early 1900’s, mainly because of the fashion—the puffed, frilly blouses that were embellished with lace collars and broad ribbon ties, and hair that was parted down the middle and worn in a chignon with a broad-brim hat adorned with flowers, lace, ribbons, and feathers. Doesn’t that sound romantic? I write about this time in history in my two historical romance novels, Watercolor Dreams and Road to Harmony.

What place in the United States have you not visited that you would like to? I would love to go to Idaho and visit my sister. My niece is getting married in April, so I just might get my chance to go there, depending on the pandemic.

How about a foreign country you hope to visit? I hope to go to Paris with my husband one day and get a picture of us standing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

What lesson has the Lord taught you recently? God is bigger! Right now my family is going through a difficult season because my young eleven-year-old niece is battling brain cancer. Abbie had a tumor removed in August after a routine eye examination showed enlarged optic nerves, and an MRI confirmed the mass. She has completed radiation and is now undergoing chemotherapy. Our family motto is, “God is bigger” because we believe God is going to restore her to complete health.

Tell us about the featured book. Forever Yours this Christmas is a heartwarming story about the gift of giving, the importance of helping family, and the irresistible feeling of falling in love at Christmas.

Amy Carrington is the owner of Second Time Around, a charming consignment shop at the heart of the close-knit community of Winterberry, Colorado. But her business won’t survive if the neighboring construction company overtakes her parking lot to build another townhome—and during the Christmas season, no less. 

Wes Harding, co-owner of Sunshine Builders, didn’t expect to dance with the consignment shop owner at the community benefit dinner but when he does, sparks fly. As he spends time with Amy, he wants to do everything in his power to help her business succeed, but suddenly he finds himself caught between the wishes of the pretty shop owner and loyalty to his sister, CEO of their construction company and a single mom who depends on him.

Will his divided loyalties extinguish Amy’s dreams…along with any chance they have for a future together?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Amy Carrington locked the front door and flipped the closed sign of Second Time Around, her upscale consignment shop on Main Street. Nestled in the mountains of Winterberry, Colorado, the clapboard building, once a small home, had roughly a thousand square feet for the gently used clothing, home goods, and handmade scented candles the store carried.

She leaned against the back of the door and took a deep breath. The holiday season was a busy time. Besides the usual day-to-day workload, she'd baked a batch of her popular snickerdoodle cookies early this morning and had decorated the store with Christmas cheer to make window-shoppers stop and come inside. With the number of customers today, her efforts were already paying off. 

But would it continue until Christmas?

She adjusted the sign in the front window announcing the Christmas drive. Each year, she gave a large portion of her income to her favorite charity, a nonprofit organization that helped kids suffering from cystic fibrosis and provided support to families. Amy knew this organization all too well. When she was sixteen, she’d lost her little brother to the disease. Each year she made it a game of sorts, to outdo the amount she’d given the previous year.

This year was going to be a challenge—because of Sunshine Builders.

The construction company had broken ground three months ago and construction was in full force. The loud machinery next door deterred those wanting a peaceful shopping experience, and Amy was already tired of the beeping, banging, and drilling. Thank goodness, today was Saturday and she had a reprieve.

You can read a preview of the first chapter and part of the second chapter here.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

You can find me on these social media sites:

Website: www.sherrykyle.com

Blog: http://www.sherrykyle.com/category/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sherry.kyle.7

Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSherryKyle

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sherrykyle

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sherrykylebooks/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sherryannkyle/

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/sherry-kyle

Thank you, Sherry, for letting me share this new book with my blog readers. I look forward to reading it.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3aOoIzr

https://amzn.to/34QQkA4

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book. 

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

THE BREACH - Diane and David Munson - One Free Book

Welcome, Diane and David. How did this book come about? When we began writing The Breach eighteen months ago, the working title was Justice Unmasked. It is our twelfth novel featuring Federal Agent Eva Montanna and her FBI partner, Griff Topping. Although each of our novels stand alone, our readers have watched Eva adjust to life’s events for the past fifteen years as we’ve written about her exciting and dangerous job, and her devotion to her husband Scott and her three kids. In The Breach, we show what happens when Eva is doxed and the challenges she faces in tracking down her enemies. We show Eva, and Griff too, growing in their Christian faith in the age of corruption, cyberhacking, and cell phone texting, all while they are pursuing justice and trying to protect their families. Because we wrote this during the Covid pandemic, we believed readers would be weary of hearing about masks, so we changed the title from Justice Unmasked, to The Breach. It really fits the storyline perfectly, and we are glad we made the change. Jesus stands in the breach!

Tell us about the book’s cover and what makes it unique. The cover draws the reader into Eva’s fight and also into David’s career as an NCIS and DEA Special Agent where he often wore aviator sunglasses. These sunglasses have become a trademark of Federal agents. Can you picture those dark glasses worn by the Presidential Secret Service Agents? The aviator sunglasses on the cover of The Breach are a special touch, reflecting green (the color of money) computer programming code in one lens and “access granted” in the other. The cover features the U.S. Supreme Court building and the American flag because this thriller peels back layers of intrigue involving a Federal court case and judge as Eva and her fellow agents battle hackers gaining access to our government secrets, Eva’s cell phone, and that of her teenage daughter.

Please explain and differentiate between what’s fact and fiction in the book. In our earlier thriller, The Camelot Conspiracy, which sprang from David’s contribution to the investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, we fictionalized the retelling of the events leading up to Lee Harvey Oswald’s involvement in the killing of Kennedy. So, on the last page of Camelot, we listed the events which were true and those we fictionalized. We did the same thing in Stolen Legacy which included the Monuments Men during WWII. Since we write about real cases and David’s experiences as a Federal agent and Diane’s as a Federal prosecutor, our books are all based on real cases and events, but we fictionalize them by changing names, places, and dates. Much of what we write in our latest novel actually happened to us and/or our colleagues, and is still happening today.

How much research did you have to do for this book? Readers might assume because of our legal/justice careers we’re able to write realistic crime stories without much research. But in fact, all twelve of our thrillers have required considerable research. We want readers to have the most authentic experience possible. This new release incorporates research we did while visiting Israel, our experience of living and working in Washington, DC, as well as our travel and research to Amish communities in Berlin, Ohio, and Nappanee, Indiana. Because John Lapp, a new character who enters the life of our main character, Eva Montanna, we researched a new topic. John Lapp is an agricultural college instructor in Ohio and a computer expert too. We delved into organic farming practices, cybercrime, and also life and customs on Amish farms. Eva discovers John was born into an Amish family and that he advises Amish farmers regarding raising organic crops. We consulted with a cybercrime experts, and were blessed by an Amish friend reading through the Amish portions and suggesting changes.

What are some of the most interesting things you found about this subject that you weren’t able to use in the story? When John Lapp visits an Amish farm for the first time in his life to advise Eli Miller how to grow the best possible organic produce, John learns much about the life he would have known had his mother not left him with an urban Christian family to raise due to her terminal illness. We enjoyed our brief venture into Amish life, but because we write thrillers, this aspect needed to blend in seamlessly with the other sub-plots in The Breach. We cut out several farming scenes though they were vivid reminders to David of his grandfather and wonderful times spent as a child on Grandpa’s farm.

What inspired and surprised you while you were writing the book? The time we spent in Israel, and especially in the Galilee region, the land where Jesus lived and spent much of his ministry, inspired and motivated us throughout the writing of this novel. Also, John Lapp’s character took on a life of its own! We had planned to include him in this thriller, but we were surprised by how much he added.

And on a lighter note, this project brought us each an interesting dynamic. As we wrote about John Lapp helping Eli to learn about growing organic food, Diane became more aware of the benefits of eating organic, especially for a woman’s need to avoid GMO’s and milk additives. At the same time, David’s curious mind saw organic foods as a means for unscrupulous business persons to make increased profits on fraudulently-labeled foods. Now it takes us twice as long to shop for groceries, as there are ongoing tugs-of-war between the grocery shelves and our shopping cart.

What do you hope the reader takes away from the story? Our careers were hectic and at times frightening. We saw threats against ourselves, others, and against the safety of our societal underpinning on a regular basis. In our latest thriller, we write about Eva and Griff facing similar challenges as well as Judah, their Israeli Mossad counterpart. We’ve just celebrated Christmas, and we look forward to Easter, which would not have happened but for Christ coming as an infant. Thankfully, because Jesus the Christ came to redeem mankind, He stepped into The Breach, and we know at the end of each day that God is bigger than any threat and He is in control. He is sovereign. What a wonderful God we serve!

What is the next project you’re working on? We wrote The Breach during the recent pandemic, and we praise God for His help and direction. Our future projects are in His hands. While our careers have given us a seemingly endless supply of danger and excitement from which to launch thrillers, we are praying about the next book as several ideas are germinating. May the Holy Spirit water them and make them grow!

What do you do when you have to get away from the story for a while? When we are not writing, David is a fiddler. He finds endless projects on which to fiddle. Meanwhile, Diane loves to read and do Bible studies. Together, in addition to singing in past church musical productions, we both enjoy driving to new country settings and photographing God’s creation.         

Please give us the first page of the book.

“Guilty! Darin Hilton is guilty!” Judge Reginald Ginsburg pronounced the verdict in such a loud voice, his words bounced around the crowded courtroom like a boomerang.  

“The defendant is guilty on all counts!” the judge bellowed again.

 “I think Ginsburg likes saying the word guilty,” FBI Special Agent Griffin Topping whispered to the federal prosecutor sitting beside him. “But not nearly as much as I enjoy hearing it.”

An eerie silence filled the federal courtroom. Finally, the truth seemed to sink in, with the bevy of court watchers coming alive and gasping, “Arghh!” all at once.

A shrill female voice shouted from behind Griff, “Darin, no!”

“Quiet in the courtroom!” Judge Ginsburg commanded. “Or you will be cleared.”

Griff had been the case agent during the swift two-day trial, and was seated at the prosecutor’s table on the other side of the courtroom from Hilton and his defense lawyer. Reporters dashed out to file reports before the noon news. Griff suppressed a smile in the midst of the swirling chaos.

He glanced at Patrick O’Rourke, the Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA), who’d just chalked up another conviction.

 “Ginsburg gave me fits that he might find Hilton not guilty,” Griff confided to Patrick. “I kept track of how many times he ruled for the defense during the trial.”

The way Patrick stared straight ahead without flinching, Griff decided the AUSA expected the guilty verdict all along. Then Patrick surprised him by saying, “Me too.”

Patrick clenched his hands on the table, his knuckles white, which told Griff the guilty verdict also caught the seasoned AUSA off guard. Griff had even shared with his wife over a hurried cup of coffee this morning that he was concerned the judge might let Hilton off. Dawn shone with her usual beacon of encouragement.

Her words, as she’d filled his coffee mug, floated through his mind: Take heart, darling! I’m praying the judge will discern the truth of the evidence and find justice.

Griff’s wife often prayed for him to be safe while doing his dangerous job, and she lived out her faith in the trenches, too. As a federal probation officer, she worked for Judge Ginsburg and other judges in the courthouse to ensure convicted defendants adhered to judicial orders of incarceration and supervision. Dawn would be thrilled to know her prayers were answered.

How can readers find you on the Internet? Our website at http://www.dianeanddavidmunson.com/ contains more information about us, as well as a subscription link for our newsletter, a description of our earlier books, and the option to get autographed copies of each one. For those who want to get an iTunes or Nook version they are available at iTunes, Barnes and Noble, or the Kindle and print version are available at Amazon.com.

Our FaceBook author page is: https://www.facebook.com/Diane-and-David-Munson-143446772367345

Thank you, Diane and David, for once again allowing me to feature one of your wonderful suspense novels with my blog readers. I’m eager to read it, and my husband will red it as well.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3pB9NwR - Paperback

https://amzn.to/2WTSyu6 - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link: Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

WINNERS!!!

 IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Traveler (NM) is the winner of The Promise Keeper by Sherri Stewart. 

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If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.  

Ward Tanneberg gave me permission to share his Christmas post with you:

First Touch (a Christmas story)   I hold her for the first time in Seattle.          She is wearing white.          I take her hand and her tiny fingers grasp hold of mine.          Soon she closes her eyes and sleeps in my arms.          She is a dream come true.   THREE YEARS LATER we place a small basket on our living room floor, then kneel to gaze at its contents. She stares without comment or movement for a time. At last, reaching purposely over the edge of the basket, the girl who wore white touches her little brother’s hand for the first time. A smile replaces her serious look, her fingers now brushing against his cheek. She had known he was coming. Now he is here. His reality confirmed by a touch.   And just like that our family is complete.   Only a few things remain unfinished. Learning to          eat without spilling          crawl without bumping          walk without falling          share without fighting          catch without dropping          discover without wavering          read without hesitating          add without error          accept without judging. Little things like this.   I watch mother and daughter lean over the basket, touching his feet. The top of his head. His hands. A little smile forms across his tiny face. A new pair of eyes attempts to focus on the world ... his new world.   Then, in the midst of this wonderful moment, my thoughts scroll back the pages of time.          Weeks.                   Months.                            Years.                                     Centuries.   TO A DARK CAVE where straw is scattered over sawdust shavings on a stone floor. No squeaky clean delivery room here. It smells like animals, not baby powder. The only light is that of a candle, producing an eerie shadow-dance on the walls. The viewing room is a stable.   The man who just helped his wife deliver her first baby ... a boy ... wraps the child in a small blanket brought along for the occasion. Carefully he lays the newborn in the best available cradle ... a manger.   A smile replaces seriousness on the young mother’s face. She reaches out for her husband. Their lips touch. Gently he lifts her in his strong arms until she can reach across the manger’s edge. She strokes the baby’s feet. The top of his head. His hands. A little smile forms on his tiny face. A new pair of eyes attempts to focus on the world ... his world!   They had known he was coming. Now he is here. His reality confirmed by a touch.   Only a few things remain unfinished now ...[1]

[1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ~John 1:1,14

 

 

CAROLS AND CANDLELIGHT SERVICE

James and I volunteer at Gateway Church's North Richland Hills campus. We attended this service there at 11:00 am Sunday. 

It has become a tradition for our family to attend the CAROLS AND CANDLELIGHT SERVICE at the Southlake campus together. So when we finished we drove out there to meet most of them for the 1:00 pm service. It was wonderful, so I wanted to  share it with you.

SOWN IN PEACE - Joy Avery Melville - One Free Book

Bio: As an award winning author, Joy Avery Melville’s heart’s desire is to be the author God has called her to be by sharing Him with readers in such a way they long to have a deeply committed personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord.

Fully intending to write Historical Romance—had in fact— she had no plans to deviate from that. God had something else in mind for that “call” He’d made on her life back in 1967. A mere eighth grader at the time, she had no clue about the topics she’d be drawn to write about.

Surrendering to the genre God placed on her heart has given Joy new insight into the hearts and lives of those who too often hurt in silence.

The settings of Joy’s books are near where she lives in Schoolcraft, Michigan, with her husband of nearly 47 years and their 2-year-old Yorkie, Is-A-Bella Bindi, (Is-a-beautiful little girl) who thinks she’s a much larger breed with tomboy tendencies.

Joy loves to hear from readers and will respond!

Welcome back, Joy. Why do you write the kind of books you do? Believe me when I tell you, IT WAS ALL GOD! I was happily writing Historical Romance, and he brought me to an abrupt halt with a newscast. He nudged, prodded, until I got the message that He wants me to write Christian Contemporary Women’s Fiction, and He's allowed me the joy of writing Romance into the stories.

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? When I married Jerry, my husband of 47 years. I don’t even think having children and grandchildren surpasses the marrying the man-of-my dreams, though they’ve all ranked pretty high.

How has being published changed your life? I have been so blessed by the FB messages, emails, and reviews on Amazon as to how my books have touched the hearts of readers. Lots have said how good a read they are, but the personal things that have been said have humbled me so much. A couple really had me in tears – one was after a gal had read Meant For Her, telling me that something that a character did due to his spiritual beliefs, touched her in such a way, she went to God about it. The second was from a younger woman who read Sown In Peace, who suffers with PTSD. She thanked me profusely for affirming all she’s gone and is going through with it. She has refused to loan her copy out, because she fears not getting it back, so she directs family and friends to the Amazon link, telling them they have to read it.
God has affirmed His calling in so many ways, but those messages tell a story of their own.

What are you reading right now? I’ve put aside my writing, editing, mentoring until after the holidays, so I got out all of my Christmas books with the hope I can settle in my cozy library with a cup of hot cocoa and read, read, read!

What is your current work in progress? In January, I plan to pick up my Kept For Her (book 2 of the Intended For Her Series) and work on the self-edits. I had to write a Prologue, and change the first two chapters, because I had used that portion of the story when I revised Meant For Her – oops. I would love to have the story ready for a professional editor later in January and start working with her to get it set to publish in early Spring – LORD WILLING!

Of course, I’ll want to feature it on my blog when it releases. What would be your dream vacation?       A cabin in the north woods (even if it’s the piney wood just to the north of our house on our own property – but a cabin would have to be built first – gulp-) I’d love to have the sound of a stream nearby, a fire in the fireplace, enough creature comforts that I wouldn’t have to use an outhouse or go without running water. Lol – I’d take my writing, knitting, some good books to read after putting in hours of writing/editing. Yes. I write/edit/revise on vacation, because I love, love, love what I do!

How do you choose your settings for each book? Since I write about places near where I live, the settings come fairly naturally to me. I do take author-license by putting houses where there may be none in order to fit the story, but in my Author’s Note, I make sure readers know that.

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? That’s hard to answer. Many come to mind... spiritual giants, authors who’ve really touched me with their stories, and I’m honestly not sure which one to choose. Gail Gaymer Martin (author) was used by God to touch my life at a very significant point, and I’d love to spend some more time with her – catching up and conversing about our writing. Franklin Graham would be a spiritual giant I’d love to spend an evening talking to... my husband would jump at that as well. The man has done so very many things to touch lives in so many different areas. His work with the men and women of the military with PTSD is phenomenal and gets very little deserved attention. I’d love to know how he knows which new thing to begin.

Probably the way you know which thing to begin. What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? I touched on that question earlier when I said I’d take knitting on vacation. I also do crocheting and stamp art. I do very little of it now, because I’m so caught up in writing and revising my work. I do edit and mentor other writers, but I even get to do that at the level I used to.

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? Satan and his attempt to derail the books God has asked me to write. He didn’t use to bother me during the writing of my first books, but got irritated by the message in the novels as I got closer to publication with two of them. My health has been a big issue this last year, so it’s tough getting my brain to function on all cylinders. Overcoming the things has been through prayer and the many prayers of my Journeys To Joy Influencer Team. Those women are warriors. Sometimes, I have to set a timer, work until the timer goes off. Then I spend some time walking and praying and maybe getting a cup of coffee or tea before going back to my chair and resetting the timer. Perseverance is a word God whispered into my heart for 2019. I found out why before the year was up.

What advice would you give to a beginning author? I’d give the very same advice Ane Mulligan gave me back in 2012 or 13 when she said, “Joy, I sense you’re trying to hurry right to publication. Step back... Don’t rush the process. Enjoy the journey.” She went on to tell me, “Learn all you can about the writing industry, the guidelines about the best way to write, but listen to the inner voice, telling and showing you when you’ve done it well.”

Incidentally, Ane later brainstormed my tag and marketing brand with me one afternoon. Between the two of us, we came up with FICTIONAL JOURNEYS TO JOY BY JOY. Most of my novels begin with one or more characters having faced a detour on their personal journey to joy.

Tell us about the featured book. Sown In Peace is my first wounded warrior novel. Like my other stories, I researched and read, and listened to those who’ve been through the issue(s) in the novel. I wanted to speak to some who’d been there/done that in regards to war, and the Lord gifted me two amazing men. I thought I’d learn statistics, logistics, and those acronyms used by the military, but what I came away with was way beyond those things. Sown In Peace is about a female soldier who came home with PTSD and had no idea what really was going on in her head and heart. The story takes place in 2014-15, before many of the things were instituted that they have today to help our men and women coming back from war, having lived through much they’ve not been really prepared for. She has some interpersonal conflicts with her family, and that does not help her situation, but God had a plan for her life, as He does for everyone. She journeys through her issues to find joy.

Please give us the first page of the book.

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then Peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruit, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” ~ James 3:17-18

 Afganistan ~ Foward Operating Base (FOB)

~July 4, 2014

Heated words pinged against the outside wall of the port-a-john. Military Police Staff Sergeant Victoria Archer leaned, dipping her head, trying to catch the rapid torrent of dialogue. Why was the angry conversation in Dari at a U.S. FOB camp? Men’s voices. Too bad she was suffering brain-fog. If only she’d studied the local language more.

Spending a lot of time with children in the village at her last post, she’d traded some English for Dari. Ten-year-old Adiva had caught on fast, and one of her little sisters, Lina, hadn’t been far behind her. A grin tugged at her dust-crusted lips. Port-a-johns weren’t as soundproof as the latrines on stateside bases. Well, unless you don’t count the ones when in the field at For Hood. Different story with those. She’d have traded any one of them for her private bathroom back in Three Rivers, Michigan. That would have been nice.

Tori, back from a forty-eight-hour convoy mission, had hurried to the latrine area as soon as she could leave after the after action review, having obtained her post-mission assignment. The AAR had taken longer than normal with two jokers in their midst.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

joyjournaling@gmail.com (email)

https://twitter.com/Journeystojoy

https://www.joyaverymelville.com (website)

https://www.journeystojoy.net (blog)

https://mewe.com/i/joyaverymelville

http://facebook.com/joy.averymelville

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19615880.Joy_Avery_Melville

https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Avery-Melville/e/B07Y9BQLHX

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joy-avery-melville

Thank you, Dear Friend, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I’m eager to read it. I have a grandson who came home from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3hfCufC  - Paperback

https://amzn.to/3nXN0KU - Kindle

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

SABOTAGED CHRISTMAS - Carole Brown - One Free Book

Bio: Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. She has found that the traveling and ministering has served her well in writing her novels. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?

Welcome back, Carole. As an author, I know it takes a lot of people to birth each book. Who were the people involved in the birthing of this book, and what were their contributions? It all began when my first agent wanted me to write a few romance novels for a certain publisher. That's where it began, with that agent. I didn't get a contract then, but several years down the road...

I reworked the story into a romantic cozy mystery...and found my niche and a publisher.

My critique partner is always a big help. I hire a professional editor who tightens the story. Of course, there's the cover artist.

If you teach or speak. What’s coming up on your calendar? Right now, I have a marketing topic to present in March, 2021 online. With all going on in the world, physical events are put on hold. But I also stay busy promoting through various avenues with contacts, fans, etc.

If you had to completely start over in another place, where would you move, and why? Hmmm. Probably an island (or a warm beach) with a few people and a few stores to carry the necessary items I might want. Give me that, my family and some friends, and I'd be happy in paradise!

If you could only tell aspiring novelists one thing, what would it be? My favorite would be:  Never, never, never quit. Learn, study, get over yourself, and keep going. Find YOUR journey. It won't be the same as others, probably, but it will be yours. Clasp it tight and write.

Tell us about the featured book.

Blurb: Toni DeLuca, the Italian owner of DeLuca Construction, finds herself confronted with doubts about her father and his possible deceptions—all because of the mysterious pink notes she's been receiving.

Relations with Perrin Douglas who has a troubling history—but the first man in years who's interested her—is building to a peak. Yet Perrin's own personal problems and his doubts about women and God, keep getting in the way.

Gossip, a Spanish proposal, an inheritance, and a sabotaged construction business may ruin Christmas for Toni's employees as well as her own happiness.

Will a mysterious person succeed in pulling off the biggest scam Appleton, West Virginia, has ever seen? And will this culprit destroy Toni's last chance at happiness with the man of her dreams?

Buy the book here:

amzn.to/3ouVdWO

Please give us the first page of the book.

Antonietta DeLuca’s glance probed the dark shadows in the front yard of the Wisecup job. The streetlight lit up the orange-leafed maple tree, setting it on fire. The tree limbs dipped and swayed to the whispering music from the autumn wind. Fallen leaves crackled to the left of the empty house she faced. Something moved, and Toni shifted to stare at the spot. With a screech, two cats shot past her and crossed the street, yowling like demons in the night. Hands shaking, Toni glared at the scattering offenders and leaned against the mailbox, dragging in deep breaths.

She shouldn’t have come by herself, but she’d never worried about that before. Her supervisor had begged her to avoid lonely places by herself. Yet she’d needed to do the final inspection of the repairs before signing off on one of their last big projects of the year. With Christmas coming and a long winter ahead, that meant money in her pocket and her employees’ pockets.

Drawing in another deep breath, she started up the sidewalk and pulled from her pocket the key to the house. The lock clicked, and a faint, far-off shuffle brushed against her senses. Head cocked, she listened. Had that sound come from inside the house? Her lips whispered a prayer even as she twisted the knob and gave the door the slightest push.

Down the long hallway a light bounced from one of the side rooms.

Bounced?

A candle? No, a flashlight. Someone was in this house. 

Where can we find you on the Internet?

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author

FB Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/183457429657732/

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Carole-Brown/e/B00EZV4RFY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1427898838&sr=8-1

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/browncarole212

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carole-brown

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/browncarole212/?hl=en

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-brown-79b6951a/

Thank you, Carol, for sharing this Christmas book with my blog readers and me. I just love reading holiday stories.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

JESUS CAME FOR ME - Jared Kennedy - One Free Book

Bio: Jared Kennedy, MDiv, ThM, is the co-founder and managing editor of Gospel-Centered Family, a ministry that helps churches and families share Jesus with the next generation. He also serves as the Children’s and Family Ministry Strategist for the Sojourn Network, and is an adjunct professor at Boyce College.  

He is the author of The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible, Are You Close to God?, Jesus Rose for Me, Jesus Came for Me, and God Made Me for Worship. He has also helped to develop two VBS programs, Proof Pirates and Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet. 
 
Kennedy blogs regularly at Gospel Centered Family and contributes to The Gospel Coalition, ERLC and He Reads Truth.  He and his wife, Megan, have three daughters. 

Welcome, Jared. I'm happy to introduce you to my blog readers.

About the book: Every Christmas, we celebrate the coming of the Messiah, but what does that mean for the youngest members of the family? Jesus Came for Me: The True Story of Christmas by Jared Kennedy helps little ones learn about the birth of Christ in a personal, memorable way. Created for children ages two to five, this beautifully illustrated board book begins with the announcement of John the Baptist’s birth to Zechariah and ends with the visit of the wise men. They will learn that Jesus is always present, and he helps us believe and wait for him.

Q: Jesus Came for Me sets out to teach toddlers and preschoolers about the true story of Christmas. How much are children that young able to grasp the importance of Jesus as the promised Savior? You know, toddlers and young preschoolers are learning by rote and by recognition. Here’s what I mean by that. Little kids are learning to repeat back stories, verses, and biblical truth; sometimes they do that without a whole lot of thought about what the words and stories mean. But those basic concepts are foundational; learning these truths are essential for kids if they’re going to grow up to have a more mature faith later in life.

Think about this for a moment. Two-year-olds typically have a 200-word vocabulary while three-year-olds have a 1,500-word vocabulary. That’s 1,300 words in a year! Even if we’re faithfully learning the “word of the day” along with Alexa, adults might only learn 350 or so new words in a year. But our youngest kids are learning so many brand-new truths! So, when you read to your preschooler about basic Bible concepts—God’s promise, Jesus being both God and man, his miraculous birth and the angels’ announcement, or even the word, Christmas—they’re just learning those words and their significance for the first time. Later on, preschoolers will be able to recognize biblical concepts that have been taught before. And, by God’s grace, they’ll spend their whole lives learning to trust the God those stories point them to.

Q: Do you begin the retelling of the story on the night of his birth or do you tell more leading up and following his actual birth? The board book begins with the announcement of John the Baptist’s birth to Zechariah and ends with the visit of the wise men. 

Q: How do you interject thoughts and questions into the book to make the Bible story more personal to the little readers? Each of the three stories that make up the book is accompanied by brightly colored illustrations by Trish Mahoney that both highlight the story and add fun interactive elements to keep even the youngest child’s attention. Each of the stories also ends with a question that parents and caregivers can use to further reinforce a key truth such as: “Have you ever had a wait a long time? Will you share the good news like the shepherds?” 

I’d encourage parents to read the book slowly, to point out the facial expressions on the people’s faces, and talk with their children about how each person in the story reacted to the events of Christmas. Point out how the birth of Jesus in a Bethlehem stable and the announcement to poor shepherds isn’t what we’d expect when a king is born. 

Q: Jesus Came for Me isn’t your only new release. Can you tell us a little about your other new book, God Made Me for Worship? God Made Me for Worship focuses on teaching kids about the key movements in a church worship gathering, including the call to worship, praise and adoration, confession, assurance, passing the peace, ministry of the Word and sacraments, and benediction and sending. 

My goal with that book was to help parents help their kids understand why we’re intentional about worship, encouraging them to engage not just to manage behavior during a worship gathering, but to invite kids to respond to God along with the whole church body.

Q: How can my readers find you on the Internet? gospelcenteredfamily.com. I can also be found on Twitter (@jaredskennedy).

Thank you, Jared, for sharing this new book with my blog readers and me. It looks like a wonderful way to help children learn about God.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

https://amzn.to/3pbu6AE

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com 

WINNERS!!!

IMPORTANT: Instructions for winners  - When you send me the email, make sure your subject line says this: Winner - (book title) - (author's name) If you don't do this, your email could get lost in my hundreds of emails per day. I WILL SEARCH FOR POST TITLES STARTING THAT WAY.

Some people don't read the instructions of how to enter. Unfortunately, they don't have a chance to win. so next time you come and leave a comment, be sure to read all the instructions if you want a chance to win.

Wendy (NE) is the winner of Jessie's Hairy Christmas by Laura Domino. 

Patty (SC) is the winner of The Escape by Lisa Harris.

Marie S. (TX) is the winner of Two AUTUMNS ONE Spring  by Elizabeth Ann Boyles.

If you won a book and you like it, please consider giving the author the courtesy of writing a review on Goodreads, Amazon.com, Christianbooks.com, Barnes and Noble, or other Internet sites. Reviews are such a blessing to an author.

Also, tell your friends about the book you won ... and this blog. Thank you.

Congratulations, everyone. If you won a print book, send me your mailing address:
Click the Contact Me link at the top of the blog, and send me an Email.

If you won an ebook or audio book, just let me know what email address it should be sent to. Remember, you have 4 weeks to claim your book.  

A TEXAS MOON - Laura Kestner - One Free Book

Welcome back, Laura. Why do you write the kind of books you do? I want to write something suitable for any member of my family to read. Something entertaining and uplifting. 

Besides when you came to know the Lord, what is the happiest day in your life? I find it difficult to pick just one day. My wedding day, birth of my children, birth of grandchildren, seeing my name on the cover of a book, all rank right up there. I’m blessed and grateful. 

I agree with those choices, but I can add birth of great-grandchildren. How has being published changed your life? I work longer hours, for less pay, than I did in my previous jobs (newspaper work), but I’m happier and more fulfilled. 

What are you reading right now? His Holiday Prayer by Tina Radcliffe. 

What is your current work in progress? I’m working on the fourth book in my current series (the first three were Remember Texas, A Texas Promise, and A Texas Moon). I’m also working on a cozy mystery, and I’m in the editing stage of a romantic suspense. Hope to finish all three in 2021. 

What would be your dream vacation? Visiting England, Ireland, and Scotland. 

How do you choose your settings for each book? So far, my books are all set in the tiny town of Moccasin Rock, Texas. The setting, and characters, were inspired, in part, by research I did for newspaper stories, particularly historical features. Small Texas towns are rich in history: gun-toting preachers who presented the gospel in brush arbors and tabernacles, train-robbing outlaws, etc. So, I asked myself two questions when I stumbled across something interesting: What if? and What Now? Then I let my imagination run wild. 

If you could spend an evening with one person who is currently alive, who would it be and why? I would enjoy a chance to spend time with a Texas Ranger, for research purposes.  

What are your hobbies, besides writing and reading? Photography, genealogy, and visiting small town museums (a treasure trove of inspiration and information for an author). But my favorite pastime is spending time with my family. 

What is your most difficult writing obstacle, and how do you overcome it? I have a short attention span. I would love to say that I sit down at my computer and write a chapter, or even a scene, every morning at a specific time, but I’m easily distracted. I write in fits and spurts. I’m most productive when I don’t fight that. Some of my best scenes have come to me while washing dishes, or riding in the car, or trying to sleep. I’ve learned to keep notebooks and pens in every room of the house and in the car.  

What advice would you give to a beginning author? Don’t quit. There’ll be days you want to, maybe days on end, but there truly is nothing like holding your first book in your hand. The hard work is worth it. Also, look for contests to enter in your genre. Judge commentary and critique can be so valuable.

Tell us about the featured book. When a medicine show stops near Moccasin Rock, Texas, life changes for Dr. Nathaniel Calhoun in a way that has nothing to do with elixirs and tonics, and everything to do with the arrest of a beautiful young woman named Lenore.

She’s a swindler, a pickpocket, and a part of his past he’d rather forget.

Lenore Adams spent her life traveling across the south with a medicine show, dreaming of a home, family, and roots—and for a brief time after meeting Nathaniel—believing it was all possible. Lenore understands why he isn’t glad to see her in Moccasin Rock though. She once tricked him, robbed him, and wronged him in other ways he doesn’t even know about.

Now, Lenore longs to be the kind of woman Nathaniel wants…and will want to keep. But will he ever trust her? Forgive her?

They are both still struggling with just those questions when a tornado strikes Moccasin Rock and suddenly there’s no time to focus on regrets or second chances.

In addition to caring for the injured, mourning the dead, and helping rebuild the town, Lenore and Nathaniel must deal with an escaped outlaw, questions of faith…and friends who aren’t at all what they seem. 

Please give us the first page of the book.

Moccasin Rock, Texas

April 1892

Nathaniel Calhoun dropped down on the side of his bed, yawned and closed his eyes.

He’d spent most of the night sewing up a man who’d picked a fight with a bull, and lost, but thankfully, would live to tell about it. Now all Nathaniel wanted was sleep. He leaned toward the bedside candle just as a sharp knock sounded at the back door.

 “Come on, open up,” his brother called out. “I got a prisoner at the jail that needs doctoring.”     

Nathaniel was up, into the kitchen, and throwing the door open while still pulling his clothes on. Buttoning his shirt, he tried to read the expression on Eli’s face.

“Saloon fight?”

 “Headache.”

That was different.

Within minutes Nathaniel was fully dressed and following his brother out onto the street and into the jail, then nearly running him over when Eli stopped just inside the door.

Craning his neck to look past him, Nathaniel caught sight of a woman pushing open a cell door and slipping through. She froze when she saw Eli.

Raising her hands, she gave him a shaky smile. “Sheriff, I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

“And I didn’t expect you to make such a miraculous recovery while I was gone,” Eli said. He turned to Nathaniel. “Sorry, looks like I got you out of bed for nothing. The way this woman was carrying on I thought…” 

Eli continued talking but Nathaniel was no longer listening. He was looking. And not believing his eyes. The woman wore a resigned expression when addressing his brother, now she was gazing at Nathaniel, wide-eyed and fearful.     

And she should be afraid.

Eli glanced back and forth between them. “Everything okay?”

Was it? Nathaniel couldn’t answer that question.  

“Do you know her?” Eli said.

And he didn’t want to answer that one. 

How can readers find you on the Internet?

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauraconnerkestner/  

On Twitter: @LauraConnerKest

My website: lauraconnerkestner.com

Thank you, Laura, for sharing this book with my blog readers and me. I will be reading it soon after the holidays.

Readers, here are links to the book.

https://amzn.to/3r8ZelU - Paperback

https://amzn.to/34oPw5r - Kindle 

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. You must follow these instructions to be in the drawing. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory or country if outside North America. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Goodreads, Feedblitz, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link:

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com