#TuesdayTreasure: Guest Post by Coleen Coble!

Good Morning Friends and Welcome to the last Tuesday Treasure of June 2015!

Hard to believe, right?

Last week I told you I was going to Pigeon Forge, TN to watch my granddaughter dance in a national competition...well they got Platinum and we had a wonderful time! I'll share photos and notes later but today I have a very special guest post for you from multi-published, award winning author Coleen Coble!

Enjoy...

One thing I treasure above all else is relationship. That applies to family and to friends who are as close as family. Sometimes those relationships can be challenging, but they are always worth the work it takes to stay close. 

I wrote The Inn at Ocean’s Edge while dealing with my sister-of-the-heart’s approaching death from ovarian cancer. Diann Hunt was like a sister to me in every way. I walked a steep and shadowy road with her, but every minute spent in her presence was a joy. She taught me so much about how to seize every bit of joy from every day. She showed me how to face death with courage and faith. I wanted to explore how God gives us people in our lives to fill in what we lack. Diann was a person like that for me. I never had a sister and wanted one when I was growing up. Di became my sister in every sense of the word.

Her passing left a huge hole in my life, but it also encouraged me to look for things of eternal value. Does a friend need an encouraging word today? Take the time to give it. Does my mother need lunch out? Stop writing for an hour and a half and go spend it. I might not get the chance tomorrow. 

I love how God sees what we need in our lives and sends it our way if we take the time to look. That woman in the pew in front of me might become the sister I need. That older gentleman with a cane might have a story to tell that will encourage me today. Or my story might encourage him. We are all connected but we have to take the time to see!

Best-selling author Colleen Coble’s novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, the ACFW Carol Award, the Romance Writers of America RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers’ Choice and the Booksellers Best.

She has more than two million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers. She lives with her husband, Dave, in Indiana. 

To keep up with Colleen Coble, visit www.colleencoble.com, become a fan on Facebook (colleencoblebooks) or follow her on Twitter (@colleencoble). 

God promises in Psalm 68:6 He will place the lonely in families, and in The Inn at Ocean’s Edge (Thomas Nelson/April 14, 2015/ISBN: 978-1401690267/$15.99), author Colleen Coble paints a picture for readers of how comfort, acceptance and love can come from the most surprising sources and in the most dire of circumstances. 

In the first installment in the new Sunset Cove series, Coble introduces us to Claire Dellamore, who — at first glance — seems to have lived an idyllic life. Even to Claire, her childhood seemed like a fairytale, and a vacation to Sunset Cove is her way of thanking her parents.  

The minute she steps inside the grand Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Claire Dellamare knows something terrible happened there.

The Inn at Ocean's Edge can be purchased at Amazon in Hardcover, Paperback, for Kindle, at Audible and on MP3CD!

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this special treasure. Check back weekly for Thursday Thoughts, Saturday Spotlight and of course Tuesday Treasures!

Until next time take care & God Bless!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Tara Elizabeth & Denounced

Good Morning from Pigeon Forge, TN!

Today is our last morning here. We'll head back to Louisiana sometime later and arrive home sometime tomorrow...but never fear, as promised, here's your Saturday Spotlight as we welcome Tara Elizabeth back with Denounced, book 2 in her Exalted trilogy!

Mena, an Exalted trainee, is the on the other side of a difficult choice: to leave the United Republic of the Saved with Ryker or return with Ethan and be United. Her decision changes everything . . . things she never considered. She has to overcome shocking realizations and tough challenges in the new life she has chosen. The people she thought she knew are not who she thought they were. Secrets come to light that were never meant to be known, by Exalted and citizens alike. 

The truth about the Republic is worse than Mena thought possible. Though she struggles, she continues on her mission to save the people of the Republic from the emotion-controlling drug called the Pump and set them free. She will do whatever she has to do for them and the people she loves.

Denounced can be purchased at Amazon in Paperback and for Kindle!

Check out ALL of Tara's books on her Amazon Page.

Tara is a graphic artist, wife, mother, and Red Vine lover who writes Young Adult Fiction, mostly Dystopian/Sci-Fi novels with a splash of Romance and a hint of sarcasm. Tara grew up in the Deep South surrounded by bayous, magnolia trees, crawfish and great people and, as she says.... "My culture is a huge part of my life, and you can see some of those details in my writing." She is a member of Bayou Writers Group.

You can find out more about Tara by visiting her Website, Facebook Page,  GoodReads Page and/or connecting with her on Twitter.


Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this week's Tuesday Treasure, Thursday Thoughts and today's Saturday Spotlight. 

Hope to see you next week!

Until later...take care & God Bless...

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Guest Post by Kate Flora

Good Morning!

As I mentioned Tuesday, I am on a min-vacation in Pigeon Forge, TN but as promised we have a special guest today for Thursday Thoughts!

Often, when I’m speaking at library or bookstore, someone in the audience will remark, sadly, that they always wanted to write but never got around to it and now they are too old. It gives me a chance to talk about my late mother, A. Carman Clark. Always a columnist, country-living writer, and mentor, as well as an avid reader, in her seventies, she complained to her local librarian that she couldn’t find any mysteries to read. Too many of them, she thought, were too full of blood and gore and violence to appeal to an older reader. Others featured characters who lifestyles and tastes were so lavish that they felt unreal to a frugal Maine woman.

After listening to her complaints, the librarian replied, “Well, Mrs. Clark, if you don’t like what our library has to offer, why don’t you write a mystery of your own?”

And so she did. At the tender age of eighty-three, my mother published her first Amy Creighton mystery, The Maine Mulch Murder, http://amzn.to/1N6dO2w featuring a 60-something freelance editor, a body in the sawdust shed discovered when she went to get sawdust to mulch her strawberries, and a local constable who was her long-ago first love.

I like to share this to show that if you dream of writing, it is never too late to chase that dream.

Kate Flora is the author of 14 books. Her titles include the star-reviewed Joe Burgess police series. And Grant You Peace won the 2015 Maine Literary Award for Crime Fiction. Redemption won in 2013. Her nonfiction includes the Agatha and Anthony nominated true crime Death Dealer, and Finding Amy, co-written with Portland, Maine deputy chief Joseph Loughlin, which was a 2007 Edgar nominee. With retired Maine game warden Roger Guay, she has co-written a memoir, A Good Man with a Dog. Her next Thea Kozak mystery, Death Warmed Over, will be published in 2016.

A former Maine assistant attorney general in the areas of battered children and employment discrimination, she’s a founding member the New England Crime Bake, the Maine Crime Wave, and a founder of Level Best Books. She served as international president of Sisters in Crime. Flora teaches writing for Grub Street in Boston.

http://kateflora.com

How inspiring! I agree with Kate, it's never too late to chase a dream, or build a new one! No matter what challenges you've faced in the past, God always has a great plan for your future and the 'future' begins every morning!

Something to think about!!
"Inspirational with an Edge!" (tm)

#TuesdayTreasure: Vacation

No special post today. Getting ready for a long distance/short turn around vacation trip to Pigeon Forge, TN to watch my Angel Girl Dance.....

However, there will be a guest for Thursday Thoughts and of course, as always a Saturday Spotlight special guest so be sure and drop back by!

Until next week take care, God Bless and remember.....Vacations....always something to treasure.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Diane Burton & The Case of the Bygone Brother

Good Morning!

Today we're shining the spotlight on Diane Burton with one of her Alex O'Hara novels, The Case of the Bygone Brother.

Why I Write in Different Genres

by Diane Burton

When I first started writing back in 1993, I tried to write a straight romance. Didn’t work. Each of those still-under-the-bed stories had a romance, all right, but also adventure and suspense. I couldn’t write a Harlequin romance for anything. Maybe I’d better tell you what I read. All genre fiction. (I’m not crazy about “literature”, though. Read enough in college.) I read mystery, romantic suspense, military adventure/suspense, historical romance, science fiction romance, young adult, inspirational romance. The list goes on and on. So it seems natural to me to write in the genres I enjoy reading.

My first published novel was a science fiction romance. I’ve been crazy about exploring space since America started sending astronauts into space. I’ve written a total of six sci-fi romances—five published and one that will come out this summer. I’ve also published a romantic suspense. I do love mixing romance, adventure, and suspense whether it’s here on Earth or off in outer space.

Since I enjoy reading mysteries, I thought I’d write one with a female PI. When I was a kid, Nancy Drew was my hero. My latest book THE CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER is a little different from the traditional mystery. No dead body in the beginning but plenty of suspense tempered by some humor. It’s set in a small, fictional resort town on the shores of Lake Michigan. Since I live in West Michigan, I know the area well. The strong Dutch influence here is due to settlers from The Netherlands in the 1800s and evidenced by the names of people and businesses. Also evident is conservatism and thrift. I capitalize on all that in my story. Since some of my ancestors came from The Netherlands, I use many of their last names for characters and businesses, including the title character, Harry Anslyn. But other nationalities also came to West Michigan, hence the private investigation firm of O’Hara and Palzetti.

Small towns (in the off-season) where everyone knows everybody and gossip runs rampant are a pain in the tush for PI Alex O’Hara. She bought out her dad and his partner’s investigation agency when they retired and is barely making ends meet until a femme fatale shows up offering her a boatload of money. All she has to do is find the femme’s lost brother. Alex manages to get herself into a lot of scrapes—most of her own making. Complicating matters is the return of Nick Palzetti, son of the original partner, and Alex’s teenage crush. Worse, someone doesn’t want her to find the brother.

Blurb:

Alex O’Hara finally gets a case that will give her bottom line a much needed boost. She might even be able to change her diet from ramen noodles to prime rib. All she has to do is track down a man who’s been missing for over ten years. Piece of cake . . . until an old flame arrives and a mugger roughs her up with orders to back off.

Excerpt:

I dreamt about Harry Anslyn last night. An endless loop of a blond man in Dutch costume—black vest, hat, and baggy pants wearing wooden shoes—who popped up from behind cars and buildings and saying, “You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man.”

I really needed to think about something else. Like Ellie’s latest heart throb.

Cup of coffee in hand, I sat on the floor with my back against the sofa, my tablet on the coffee table. I could sit at the dining room table, but I sat at a desk all day downstairs. They—you know, the ubiquitous ‘they’—say that a change of position encourages a different way of thinking. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

With the apartment a tad chilly—I hate turning on the furnace before Halloween—I stayed in my flannel sleep pants and a long-sleeve thermal shirt. I pulled on a quilted flannel workshirt. Do I have fancy sleepwear or what?

After searching several databases, I found more references to Craig MacKenzie but nothing I didn’t already know. A face-to-face meeting would give me a better idea of his character. My first thought was to pose as a reporter doing a piece on oil and gas exploration in Michigan. If their relationship led to Ellie’s hoped-for conclusion, how would she explain that her maid of honor was an imposter and a liar?

Maybe I needed to give this more thought. After a couple of minutes, I remembered Pop had a contact in the local oil and gas business. The guy had been a resource for a case last year. The oil and gas industry in Michigan was small enough that this guy was sure to know MacKenzie. I raced downstairs. The case file would be in the cabinet in Tony’s old office. I unlocked the door, flipped on the light, and was half-way across the room when a blur came off the brown couch. I whirled around and froze.

Nick Palzetti stood in a half crouch. His Glock 9 mil pointed straight at me.

The Case of the Bygone Brother is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, and Kobo.

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides the science fiction romance Switched and Outer Rim series, she is the author of One Red Shoe, a romantic suspense, and The Case of the Bygone Brother, a PI mystery. She is also a contributor to the anthology How I Met My Husband. Diane and her husband live in Michigan. They have two children and three grandchildren.

For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor

Goodreads: Diane Burton Author

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/

Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf

 Thanks for visiting today's spotlight. Hope you'll drop by next week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time...take care & God Bless!

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Guest Post by Brooke Lynn

Hello Friends,

You're in for a treat as today you get TWO Thursday Thoughts posts.... that's what happens when I'm so busy I can't think straight and look at my calendar wrong LOL!

Today we welcome Brooke Lynn back to our blog. So without any more interruptions here she is....

“What Happens when our Heart Deceives us”

I witnessed gut-wrenching heartache and pain women experienced from affairs.  I worked with these women, lived in a neighborhood with some, and their pain seemed horrendous. Their hearts were broken, torn apart, crushed without an inkling of hope remaining. I scoffed and made snide, judgmental remarks about people I knew having affairs. How could they ever stoop so low and put themselves in that place? What made them do this awful and disgusting thing?  

Wedding vows are precious and priceless; verbalized before a Holy God. They are meant never to be broken. I couldn't wrap my mind around the idea.  My thoughts were full of condemnation and disapproval. What’s adultery -some sleazy infatuated sex, or a grand affirmation to make you more confident and secure? 

Women give themselves completely to their husband, surrendering their hearts and lives, trusting one man to love them unconditionally for the rest of time. Some give up careers, hopes, dreams, and pieces of themselves to be together as one. These women have children, families and declare "all-in". Then like a thin pane of glass, shattered into a million pieces; it’s a disaster. All of it’s simply ended because of an affair.

The thought of this happening to me, consumed me with fear. So, I prayed a lot. I prayed for protection over my husband and my marriage. I asked God to never allow me be cheated on or traded in. I begged that provocative women would stay away from him and not lead him into temptation. I knew I couldn't handle it, if it were me. I would be forever broken beyond repair if my husband had an affair.

What I discovered about myself was; I was a hypocrite.

I confess that it was me who devastated my husband when I ended up having an affair. I believed I was too good to ever cheat, and yet I found myself running into the arms of our Pastor. I have all the excuses in the world for this happening, and trust me I tried to rationalize it. The truth is that there was no excuse. It was awful. The truth is awful; and it may make you hate me.

It began with “innocent” flirting and secretly enjoying my Pastor's companionship and attention. We became emotionally involved talking over the phone, emailing, and spending time together. I pushed guilty thoughts and all conviction to the back of my mind; choosing to live in denial. He was having marital issues suffering with an alcoholic wife; I was emotionally abused by my husband having a pornography addiction. This made it okay for us to have each other; so we said.

But in reality we each had our own deep rooted problems and we exaggerated the issues of our spouses to justify our own actions.

We were sick; all of us. And don’t think for a moment I justify my actions; I do not.

I was looking to another man to meet my needs for love and acceptance. I was following my feelings. I was living in a deep dark hole of deception, believing all the lies in my head. I believed God wanted me to leave my husband and be with my Pastor. I trusted and respected him since he was a Pastor and he had counseled couples; including myself and my husband for marital problems. I couldn't see it; but I never should have trusted someone for marriage counsel when their own marriage was chaotic and falling apart. 

My Pastor encouraged and assured me I deserved better than the husband I had, and he said he was that better man. I took his every word to heart and leaned on him to see me through all my problems; including filing for divorce. I kept telling myself he was a man of God whom I could trust. I placed him on a pedestal and allowed him to manipulate me. 

The situation was a heart breaking time of turmoil and grief for everyone. I separated from my husband and had an affair with my Pastor for nine months before running to God for help. Faithfully, God reached down His hand and pulled me out of the deepest sinking hole I'd ever fallen into. 

The unbearable emotions and feelings of guilt, shame, and embarrassment were pressing deep into my soul, hurting intensely as pain unable to be medicated. And in that moment, in pain and shock, my whole world crashed in on me. I didn't know what to do; I never thought this would happen to me. I looked around to see what was left and asked God how to pick up the pieces of my life. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle; I obeyed God and went back to my husband asking forgiveness; my husband forgave me and took me back with open arms. 

Trust me when I say nothing about any of this was easy. We spent thousands of dollars in legal fees,

sold our home, split up our children, damaged their souls, and hurt each other deeply. But perseverance and determination to do what we believe God wanted from us; motivated us to put our marriage back together.

Restoring our marriage took patience, determination, time, and counseling. We worked hard putting our marriage back together and learned many lessons in the process. Ten years later; we don’t have a perfect marriage and we still have our days; but what we do have is each other, along with a beautiful family who beat the odds and devastation of divorce. And it’s all because of Jesus!

Author Bio:

Brooke Lynn is a writer and a speaker who passionately lives — reaching others with God’s word and love. She is a survivor of abuse, sharing her past pain and recovery to encourage others with hope. Brooke resides in the Washington D.C. area, has been married for nineteen years, has two children and loves dogs.

“Raised by Strangers” is available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com

Please visit my website at: www.BrookeLynnBooks.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/BrookeLynnAuthor1

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/BrookeLynnBooks

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

#ThursdayThoughts: Self Worth/Value

Well I'm a little late posting but as they say, better late than never.

Last week we talked about getting paid for your worth.

Today I'd like to discuss Self Worth / Self Value.

In today's society there is a value put on everything and many people won't pay more for an item or service than what they perceive it is worth.

On the other hand, some folks won't charge appropriately for their products and/or services because of their feelings (or lack there of) of Self Value and Self Worth.

Now I'm not saying you should price your products/services so high the person needing them can't afford to purchase or hire you.

But neither should your price be so low folks won't think they're getting decent, reliable, quality products/service for their investment.

Here are a few rules of thumb when setting your prices: 
Research Industry Standard

If you are new to the business/service/product you are selling then set your prices lower than industry standard, but enough that you feel satisfied.

Once you have a few years experience, or more than 1 quality product, raise your prices to reflect that.

Be honest with yourself! If your sense of self worth/value don't match up to the prices you'd like to make then do the spiritual/mental work to get in alignment with what you're doing, where you're at and what your goals are.

After all, if you don't value yourself and the work you do, no one else will either!

Something to think about!!
"Inspirational with an Edge!" (tm)

#TuesdayTreasure: #SpringFlingRomance by @anitaphilmar!

Good Morning and Welcome to another Spring Fling Romance blog post. These are winding down but don't worry, up next will be a couple of Rocking Summer Romance books! So without much further ado.....

Spring is in the air. The butterflies are fluttering along with the fairies from flower to flower.

This is why I love spring the possibilities to a new world are awaking, creating endless new ideas, a rebirth of life, and exciting stories.

Hope you enjoy Fairy Fun. A little fairy tale to get one’s blood a pumping.

*Anita writes erotic romance*

Here's the blurb for her book, Fairy Fun.....

Dedrick Forester, Prince of Endole, is fast approaching the end of his fairy cycle, which means losing his ability to fly, transforming into a wood gnome, and having to choose a mate. Until then he just wants to have fun...and lots of sex.

King Rosewood of Evermore is determined to see his daughter wed, but Chloe loves the freedom of fairy flight too much to settle down as a frumpy old wood gnome. She escapes and spreads her wings to reach new heights...like air sex with a stranger.

Combine her passion with Dedrick's and sparks light up the sky. Both discover pleasure beyond their wildest fantasies. But neither is prepared for the emotional connection. Now Dedrick must convince Chloe that losing her wings doesn't mean there aren't other ways to fly? 

Excerpt: 

“Most fairies love flying, but there are advantages to having your feet on the ground.” Mel picked up a coco-shell cup and placed it under the spout before pulling back the lever. The rich aroma of chocolate filled the area.

Wow, just a whiff and the wicked scent calmed Dedrick’s racing hormones.

After filling the shell, Mel placed the drink in front of Dedrick. “You don’t have long before you’re pass the age to fly any ways.”

“Have you ever done it while flying?” A soft female voice whispered near Dedrick’s right shoulder.

He turned.

A fairy with dark auburn hair stood a few steps away. Her sea green eyes held a teasing glint and a come-hither smile welcomed him closer. He dropped his gaze and scanned her lush body.

Purchase from:
The Wild Rose Press

Amazon UK | CA | AU |

Kobo | B&N

All Romance

Find Anita Philmar everywhere

Website:  http://www.anitaphilmar.com/

Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com

Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/

FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar

GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar

Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar

#SaturdaySpotlight: The Serpent Beguiled Eve by Acacia Slaton

Good Morning Friends,

It is my pleasure to bring you this Saturday Spotlight by Acicia Slaton and PrimeStar Publicity....

A young married woman with two daughters deals with her husband's infidelity and his struggle with homosexuality. She seeks spiritual counsel, but when he refuses to cooperate with spiritual leaders, other than on a surface level, she has to make the most important decision of her life.

This story, Acacia’s story, gives readers a deeper understanding of the pain caused by infidelity (for the spouses and their children.)  It also shows there is hope beyond the grief for those who put their faith in the promises of God. 

This book, The Serpent Beguiled Eve,  will help anyone in a relationship. It's not just about infidelity. It's about moving on, with or without your partner. It's about dealing with the aftermath. It’s about learning to love yourself and truly understanding how the power of forgiveness can heal your life.

Excerpt: Chapter 12 The Spirit of Perversion (page 53)

David isolated himself more and more with his games, playing five hours a day on weekdays and more than fifteen hours a day on weekends.  I attempted to get him to agree to us reading the Bible aloud together each morning. Out of frustration, he threw the Bible across the bed and onto the floor.

I knew something was terribly wrong.  One night while I was asleep, the spirit of The Lord spoke to me in an audible voice.  He whispered, “It’s the spirit of perversion that has blinded his eyes and closed his ears to where he can’t see or receive the truth [the word of God].”  I awoke and looked over at David.

“David, the weirdest thing just happened as I lay asleep: the Lord spoke to me.” I repeated the words. David smirked and stared off into the distance.  

“It’s funny you said that because your pastor told me the same thing,” he said.

The Serpent Beguiled Eve can be purchased in paperback at Amazon and is currently part of KindleUnlimited!

Acacia Slaton is a graduate of Oral Roberts University and also has a graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.  She is an author of an award-winning book titled Launch Out Into The Deep.  Launch Out Into the Deep is a recipient of a Mom's Choice Award, a Dove Award, and won the Silver Award for Christian Living in the Readers Favorite annual contest. 

Find out more about Acacia by visiting her Website!

Thanks for stopping by friends! Hope to see you again soon.

IMW...take care & God Bless.

PamT

PS: Don't forget... contests for Circles of Fate are only going on for 1 more week so enter today!

#ThursdayThoughts: Knowledge + Experience = Value

We've all heard the old adage, "knowledge is power" and the many variations that go along with that....

© Stephen Vanhorn | Dreamstime.com | Knowledge Is Power

The more you know the more valuable you are.
Knowledge & Experience = job security.

Yada, Yada, Yada.

But how many times in life are we REALLY paid our worth?

Better yet, how often do we charge what we're worth?

As a freelance writer/editor/promotions person I'm often faced with the issue of knowing what to charge. I know what the industry standards are, I also know how it is to need these services and yet not have the budget for them.

Add to that I love what I'm doing and I love helping people and well....there's a fine line that often gets blurred or crossed out altogether when it comes to getting paid for my work, my knowledge and my experience.

© Arcady31 | Dreamstime.com - Experience Sign Photo

We've also heard..."Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life."

That's bull LOL! Most of us who do what we love work harder and longer than in a "normal" 9 to 5 job. 

Just ask any self-employed/freelance/contract labor professional. Ask any teacher for that matter.

Here's the deal....as much as I love helping people and sharing what I've learned, my knowledge and experience ARE valuable and I deserve to be paid for doing what I love most!

Yes, like many people I too take advantage of free stuff....like royalty free photos which can be found at Dreamstime, videos and tutorials on YouTube, etc., but I always try to pay something....whether that's a simple acknowledgement and link back to the origin, a byline, or a gift/donation to the provider.

So when I offer my knowledge and experience to you like I have by putting these articles on my website, if you can pay then please do. And, if you ask for my services and I don't know what to charge or you can't pay what I would normally charge, at least offer something, pay what you can, and/or set up a payment arrangement and honor it.

After all, Knowledge+ Experience + Time are valuable.

Something to think about!!
"Inspirational with an Edge!" (tm)

PS: Speaking of FREE things...don't forget you still have multiple chances to win a copy of Circles of Fate! Details HERE.

#TuesdayTreasure: Guest post by MJ Schiller!

Good Morning and Welcome!

Today it is my pleasure to bring a new friend to Tuesday Treasure, MJ Schiller talking about something she treasures dearly....

Yep. They’ve gone and done it. Just like people told me they would from the start. My kids have grown up too fast. This past weekend we celebrated my triplets’ graduation from high school. They will be attending college at the University of Missouri-Columbia in the Fall. Mizzou happens to be where my husband and I met. The fact that all three have chosen to go there does not, however, indicate that we brainwashed them. The fact that we played the Tiger’s fight song to them in utero, however, MAY indicate a degree of influence on their decision. ;)

For their graduation party I decked the place out in our alma mater’s black and gold, even going so far as to fill vases with candies in those colors. I ordered a banner that had a picture of my husband and I leaping victoriously into the air, “arms raised in a V,” to quote Pearl Jam, huge grins on our faces. The caption read, “We are so sad the kids are leaving!”

But the truth is, I am sad. I enjoy my kids’ company. We have certain TV shows we watch together. We share stories of our day every afternoon. So as the date for them to leave our little nest draws near, I am going to treasure this summer. Every minute of it. So, yes, we are holding on a little tighter with each hug, paying closer attention to each other’s presence throughout the day, and using every breath over this summer to enjoy being a family.

I know they will be back. And my husband and I have season tickets to watch a little Tiger football with them. But they will never be my babies, or my toddlers, or pre-teens, or young adults again. We will, more than likely, never all live under the same roof again. Life goes on, so treasure the time you have with your loved ones, through each and every precious stage. Soon it will be time for my kids to create their own families, and I will be happy for all that lies ahead of them.

Hmm…do you think it’s too early to make a Tiger baby blanket for our first grandchild?

Treasuring time together is a lesson my characters must learn in my newest release, BLACKOUT, for you never know when that time is up…

Here’s a blurb to give you a hint about what I mean by that:

Max. The consummate ladies’ man.

He’s good looking, but not an absolute knockout. With Max’s charm though, he could have any woman he wants. Once he meets Faith, he doesn’t want anyone else.

Eli. He is a knockout.

But a dark past shadows him and holds him captive. Drinking dulls the pain, but meeting Faith makes him want to change all that.

Faith. She loves them both.

When a blackout brings her together with Eli, she’s happier than she’s ever been before. When another blackout tears them apart, Max is there to pick up the pieces. But can she forget the man who first made her whole?

What have you been holding onto lately?

If you treasure a good book, check out BLACKOUT at: http://amzn.com/B00YDYJECO

Preorder for only 99¢! The price is $3.99 on release, June 15^th.

 Wow!

Hope you enjoyed this week's treasure. Find out more about MJ and her writing by visiting her blogsite.

Come back for Thursday Thoughts & Saturday Spotlight!

Until later take care & God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Susan Coryell with Beneath the Stones!

Good Morning!

Today let's welcome Susan Coryell to our blog with her novel, Beneath the Stones.....

Q: What genre is BENEATH THE STONES?

A: Actually the novel is a stand-alone sequel to A RED, RED ROSE. Both are cross-genre cozy mystery/Southern Gothics.

Q: What are the outstanding themes in BENEATH THE STONES? 
A: The major theme is that what happened in the past can come back to haunt us in the present. Layers of history--events, people, even emotions can affect us now and in the future.

Q: Setting?

A: Set at contemporary Moore Mountain Lake in Southern Virginia, BENEATH THE STONES reflects Civil War happenings at Overhome Estate where Ashby Overton lives.

Q: Tell us a bit about your protagonist, Ashby.

A: Having inherited Overhome Estate, her decades-old ancestral home, twenty-five year old Ashby deals with spirits from the past as she tries to save her beloved home from financial ruin and prepare for her wedding at summer's end. She is plucky, resourceful, optimistic, and increasingly aware of her sixth sense.

Q: Why would we want to read BENEATH THE STONES?

A: There are mystery, history, romance and ghosts. What's not to love?

BIO:

A career educator, Susan has taught students from 7^th grade through college-level. She earned a BA degree in English from Carson-Newman College and a Masters from George Mason University. She is listed in several different volumes of Who’s Who in Education and Who’s Who in Teaching.  Susan belongs to Author’s Guild, Virginia Writers, and Lake Writers. She loves to talk with budding writers at schools, writers’ conferences and workshops. Her young adult anti-bully novel EAGLEBAIT is in its third edition for print and e-book, updated with cyber-bullying. EAGLEBAIT won the NY Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age," and the International Reading Association's "Young Adult Choice."

A RED, RED ROSE, first in a cozy mystery/Southern Gothic series, won a literary award with the Library of Virginia. BENEATH THE STONES, the sequel, was released in April of 2015.

The author has long been interested in concerns about culture and society in the South, where hard-felt, long-held feelings battle with modern ideas.  The ghosts slipped in, to her surprise.

When not writing, Susan enjoys boating, kayaking, golf and yoga. She and her husband, Ned, love to travel, especially when any of their seven grandchildren are involved.

Please visit Susan Coryell’s website: www.susancoryellauthor.com and blog: www.susancoryellauthor.blogspot.com or contact her on Facebook and Twitter.

Ashby Overton has everything to look forward to, including a promising writing career and her wedding at summer’s end. But, Overhome, her beloved historic family estate in Southern Virginia, is in financial peril and it is up to Ashby to find a solution.

Interfering with Ashby’s plans is a dark paranormal force that thwarts her every effort to save Overhome.  Supernatural attacks emanate from an old stone cottage on the property rumored to be a slave overseer’s abode, prior to the Civil War. As the violence escalates, Ashby begins to fear for her life. Who is this angry spirit and why is his fury focused on Ashby?

Mystery, suspense and romance flourish against a backdrop of Civil War turmoil and ancestral strife--where immortality infiltrates the ancient air breathed by all who inhabit Overhome Estate.

Excerpt: 

Luke climbed down cautiously, the old boards of the steps groaning and

creaking under his weight. When he reached the bottom, he turned, held out

his arms and said, “Come on down, Ashby. Just go slow.”

“Not to worry. I’ve done this before,” I told him, reaching for the first

step with my foot. Carefully, I moved toward the bottom, one step at a time, leaning against the wall for support. I was half-way there when it happened—so suddenly that I had no time to react. Frigid air swooshed down on me from

behind, freezing my face so that I screwed my eyes tight shut at the same

time something strong and determined pushed against my back violently—so

violently that I stumbled, then tumbled forward, to be caught in Luke’s

outstretched arms from several stairs below.

“Whoa!” Luke exhaled from the impact of my body on his. “My God, Ashby.

What happened?”

I slumped against him, unable to utter a single word, my breathing shallow

and rapid. At last I found my voice. “Something pushed me, Luke. I don’t

know what—or who—but it was powerful and deliberate.”

Luke glanced up to the top of the stairs. “Nothing there. I’m going back to

the loft to look.”

I stopped him. “I doubt you’ll find anything.” I sniffed the air, expecting

a new infusion of foul odor. “And what would you do if you did find

anything?”

Just then we both heard it. Hollow, chilling, trailing away from us with

every syllable: “Go away. He’s dead. He’s dead. He’s dead....”

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed the spotlight!

Visit next week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Don't forget the contests for Circles of Fate is going on until June 20th so enter today!

Until later.... take care & God Blesss!

PamT