#SaturdaySpotlight is on Wendy Kendall @wendywrites1 & Kat Out of the Bag!

Good Morning and Welcome to the final Saturday Spotlight of February 2021!

I am SO happy to say we've weathered the Winter storm and are enjoying nice, mild days with temps ranging from the 50's - 70's... my kind of weather! A little more rain than I like, but hey, spring is certainly on the way.

Today's as visited before so please give Wendy Kendall a huge round of applause as she shares with us her book, Kat Out of the Bag.....

My fingers tremble in delightful anticipation as I write because it's a privilege to appear in award winning author Pamela Thibodeaux's spotlight. Pamela's novels entertain, enlighten and encourage today's women. In my cozy mysteries I'm inspired by the extraordinary actions of ordinary women. Four generations join in the investigation in Kat Out of the Bag when purse designer/amateur sleuth Katherine Watson is confronted with a murder that hits too close to home.

Katherine is opening Purse-Onality: a women's history purse museum. Purses show amazing insight into the lives of the women who carried them. At Katherine's gala opening, the town mayor is murdered.  Working to solve the mystery, Katherine matches wits with local cop Jason Holmes and his K-9 partner Hobbs. They disagree often, but discover an undeniable attraction. Katherine's mother and grandmother provide helpful perspectives into clues. Young college student Amber who manages the museum gift shop, aids in the investigation. They'll have to focus their efforts and combine forces to find that killer before Katherine becomes the next knock off.

Her great grandmother had survived a London bombing in the basement of a store in the rubble of a building and was able to crawl out between destroyed buildings on either side, despite her fears. A shiver curved all the way around Katherine's baent spine. Self-confidence was what got her through hard times. She could find the right answer to every situation through persistence, hard work, creativity and luck. Why was she giving up? . . . 

Thank goodness for bargain priced old locks. She reattached the chain and pushed her purse behind her hip so it could rest on her back. Katherine had never been so grateful for freedom. She breathed deep, happy. That's when the lights went on in the room. Katherine froze. What she focused on first was the gun.

Buy Links:  Amazon 

Barnes & Noble,   Google Play,   Kobo

Wendy Kendall has a passion for purses and stories of the women through history who carried them. Her cozy mystery Kat Out of the Bag is the first book of the In Purse-Suit Mystery Series, introducing Katherine Watson an international purse designer/sleuth. The prequel novella is Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash. Wendy is a blogger, editor, speaker, project manager, and syndicated columnist. Catch exciting author interviews on her YouTube podcast—A Novel Talk. Also fun topics on her two YouTube podcasts – Wendy Kendall In Purse-Suit of Fashion and when she joins other authors on The Cozy Mystery Quartet. She's a hiker, biker and avid reader and loves her two sons, Alex and Brad and her Purrada cat.

Connect with Wendy on her Website and/or Facebook (Wendy Kendall, Mystery Author) and follow her on Twitter @wendywrites1 and Instagram (wendyekendall).

Thank you, Wendy for sharing your book with us! That is a BEAUTIFUL Shepherd! Lovely cover too. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings.

Hope you enjoyed Wendy's post, friends, and that you'll check back weekly for more Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Barbara Britton @BarbaraMBritton

Good Morning!

Well, we've moved out of freezing temperatures into warmer weather. Still below comfortable in the mornings but nice in the afternoons. More rain heading our way and I'm sure there'll be more cool fronts and cold snaps up through Easter. Speaking of which, we're a week into the Lentin season - How are you doing with your fasting, prayers and almsgiving or other Lentin practices? Whether your particular religion observes Lent, it never hurts to set aside 40 days each year to spend more, quality time with our Lord.

Enough from me though, let's welcome my fellow Pelican Book Group author, Barbara Britton back as she shares some thoughts with us on the importance of having writer friends. Take it away Barb!

Thanks for having me back on Wednesday Words, Pam. I’m sharing about some of my friends today.

Many people think that writers are introverts typing away in a writing cave on a story they hide from prying eyes. While many writers are introverts, a lot of books wouldn’t see the light of day without writers having friends. I am blessed to have friends who read and critique my writing before any publisher gets a look at my manuscript. I’m thankful for the comments that help shape my stories.

Recently, I sent my opening chapter to my critique group. Half of the group was confused by the first paragraph. They thought the dog was in the vehicle with my main character. The dog wasn’t in the car, so immediately I knew the picture in my head wasn’t translating to the page. 

Every writer has strengths and weaknesses. I love to write dialogue and action scenes. I struggle sometimes with inner thought and having a character reason their actions inside their head. My writing friends help me know when to go deeper into my character’s motivations or emotions.

Critique groups are also great for accountability. If I have a chapter due to my writer friends by Tuesday, then I have a deadline to meet. When I’m stuck on a chapter, well, I can ask for help brainstorming the scene. A flurry of ideas and possibilities is better than my lone train of thought.

You’ve probably heard Proverbs 27:17. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Building a writing support group is key to writing a successful story. Every writer has unique perspectives, talents, and experience. Don’t be afraid to have a trusted group of friends help you become a better writer. You could say that after my critique group on Tuesday, I’m crafting Wednesday’s words with the help of my friends.

After I finished my series on the daughters of Zelophehad, I was sad to end my time with these five brave sisters. In the most difficult of circumstances, they had each other for support and encouragement. The girls didn’t have a writing support group, but they had a similar sister support group. Make sure you have people to encourage you along your pathway to publication.

Where can you find a writing critique group? Professional writing organizations. Local writing groups. Online groups. Friends and family that will give you an honest opinion. Writing contests can give you feedback, but remember the comments are subjective and aren’t geared toward your writing level. Check local colleges and libraries, too.

BIO: Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. Barb is published in Biblical fiction and enjoys bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her stories. Her Christian WWI Historical launched in 2020 with “Until June.” Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb’s books at http://www.barbarambritton.com/books.html  Connect with Barb on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, or BookBub.

While the Israelites struggle to occupy the Promised Land of God, Mahlah bat Zelophehad is orphaned and left to care for her four sisters. But daughters of the dead are unable to inherit land, and it will take a miracle for Mahlah to obtain the means to care for her sisters and uphold the vow she made to her dying mother. 

Mahlah must seek Moses, the leader of her people, and request something extraordinary—the right for a daughter to inherit her deceased father’s land. A right that will upset the ox-cart of male inheritance and cast her in the role of a rebel. 

But, God is the protector of the orphan and the widow, and five orphaned daughters need His help. With God, anything is possible. Even changing man’s tradition.  Find “Lioness” on Amazon.

You are so right, Barbara, having friends who are also writers can help us tremendously in our own endeavors. Thank you for sharing with us today. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends, and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight. You can check out Barbara's previous Wednesday Words with Friends post HERE and Saturday Spotlight posts Here and Here.

Until next time take care, stay warm and safe and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Fredric C. Hartman PhD & The Breakthrough in Two Acts

 Good Morning and Welcome!

Well we've had our worst and hopefully only freezing week here in SW Louisiana. Today should be our last day of below freezing temperatures - I hope! It's been years since we had snow (2018) and even longer since we've had temps in the teens, and trust me, we are just not cut out or prepared for this kind of hard, cold weather! Anyway, today's is the first audiobook tour of 2021. Hopefully we'll see a few more but for now, please welcome Dr. Fredric C Hartman with his book, The Breakthrough in Two Acts.

Author: Fredric C. Hartman PhD

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki, Gabrielle de Cuir, & Justine Eyre

Length: 6 hours 34 minutes

Publisher: Skyboat Media

Released: Dec. 15, 2020

Genre: Self-Development

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Erin Stevenson @ESQwrites & Home to You

Good Morning from FROZEN....

Yep, that's what it is here in SW Louisiana. We've had snow since Sunday night and it's not going away too soon with these freezing temps. I am SO DONE with Winter. Like you haven't heard that before LOL!

Today is is my pleasure to welcome Erin Stevenson back to our blog as she talks about her book, Home to You, another of her St. Clair family series. Take it away, Erin....

When it came time to think about design elements for the second book in the St. Clair Family series, Home to You, I got feedback from beta readers saying that they really wanted to see an actual home on the front cover. 

So the search began. 

**SPOILER ALERT**

At the end of the book, the characters moved into a log home (one of my lifelong dreams) so I started looking online for a good photo. I finally landed on the perfect one but couldn’t find it in any of the stock photo libraries, so I began to trace it to its source, and found it on a website for Town + Country Cedar Homes, a custom log and cedar home company in Michigan. It was their Stoney Creek model. 

I decided to simply ask them if I could use the image on the book cover. The worst that could happen is that they would say no, or ignore the request. So I clicked on the “contact us” button, and began my e-mail: This is probably the craziest request you will ever receive…

The next morning, I had both an e-mail and a phone call from their VP of Marketing. They were thrilled and honored. So was I! I offered to give them credit for the photo and include their web address. And they posted this on their website when the links were up. Everybody wins! Feel free to visit and like their page. 

I’m still dreaming of a log home. I told them that if the book gets made into a movie, I’ll buy a piece of land and have them build this home on it! 

Brandon St. Clair is one of Minneapolis' top orthopedic surgeons. Still crushed by his wife's sudden death almost a year ago, he's struggling to care for their two young daughters and find the will to keep going. Their one wish is something Brandon can't fulfill, and it breaks his heart. Morgan Anderson is a highly respected art therapist in Chicago. Her work gives her great fulfillment, but her personal life is lonely and lacking. A deep personal secret has kept Morgan from succeeding in any long-term relationship, and she's ready to give up. Brandon's brother is married to Morgan's sister, and they meet at a family event. Their initial dislike of one another plus the fact that they live in different states almost guarantees that they'll never connect. But sometimes God—with a little help from a pink-haired matchmaker named Rosie—can make what seems impossible, possible.

About Erin.....

Erin has been writing fiction since 2014. She has published independently and with Pelican Book Group and Winged Publications and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Writing is like breathing to Erin. Stories are running through her mind during most of her waking hours, and by the time she sits down at the computer, the words flow and time ceases to exist. 

Erin was raised in Illinois and has lived in many places in the U.S., including on both coasts, but is a Midwest girl at heart. She spent many years as an educator from pre-school through college levels, and currently works in training and internal communications for a global corporation.

When she’s not writing, Erin loves spending time with her children and grandchildren, and playing in the garden (which equates to mostly pulling weeds) at her central Iowa home. Her secret indulgence is plain M&Ms.

Find out more about Erin and her books by visiting her Website.

Connect with Erin on Social Media! Facebook: ESQwrites

Twitter: @ESQwrites and Instagram: ESQwrites

Check out Erin's previous posts HERE and HERE.

Oh my goodness, Erin, MY dream home is a log home also! Love that the manufacturer allowed you to use the picture on your cover! Amazing how generous people can be. 

Good luck and God's blessings with your books.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care, God bless and stay warm.

PamT

**UPDATE** Erin is in Houston, TX and may not be able to drop by due to power outages but said she'll get here ASAHP.

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Beverly Bateman @kelownawriter & Death Southern Style!

Good Morning and Welcome to what is the C-O-L-D-E-S-T weekend and upcoming week this winter in SW Louisiana.

You've heard me lament before that I am NOT a Winter person so I won't bore you with that again. Instead, I'm just going to introduce our Spotlight guest....

Beverly Bateman has shared words with us and been in our spotlight before so please welcome her back with her newest release, Death Southern Style....

When Perrine Dupré dies under suspicious circumstances her daughter, Julie Ann Dupré, returns to New Orleans to find the truth about her mother’s death. She uncovers a family secret, hidden for years. Now someone is trying to kill her. Will the little dog who appears after her mother’s death help her? Is the sexy detective out to help her, or is he part of police corruption?

Detective Connor O’Reilly, a native of New Orleans, comes from a family of police. He’s an honest cop but realizes there is corruption in the division. His father may have died as part of that corruption. He meets Julie Ann, checks out her mother’s death and finds it was badly handled. Julie Ann deserves the truth and he wants to find it for her. 

Julie Ann and Connor work together to unravel the real reason behind Perrine Dupré’s murder, Julie Ann’s mysterious past, and why people want her dead, while developing their challenging relationship. Can they both survive? And can their relationship survive?

Excerpt:  Perrine Dupré hurried down the street. She needed to get home. Dark New Orleans clouds hovered overhead. Thunder rolled. Large drops of late May rain pelted the streets of the French Quarter. It sounded like hail as the fat globs bounced off the pavement behind Perrine. The ozone mixed with the scent of magnolia and the smell of shrimp and fish cooking in the area. 

The older African American woman struggled against the wind. It whipped her umbrella inside out. She clutched it tightly so not to lose it. Rain blurred her vision. Thunder crashes caused her to jump. She stumbled up the three steps to her front door. Her daughter was coming home for a visit. Perrine’s pulse increased and a smile sneaked out.

Perrine loved her New Orleans. She hated to travel, but two years ago she’d gone to New York to see Julie Ann and her new business. It was a mass of busy airports and crowded flights, but she’d enjoyed seeing the city and staying in her daughter’s apartment. Her daughter had showed off her new interior design business, introduced Perrine to a few of her friends and dragged Perrine to some of the typical tourist activities. Julie Ann had been getting her designing business established then and had a challenge taking time off to leave and come home. Recently she’d taken on a partner. It freed up a little extra time. Tomorrow Julie Ann would be home in New Orleans and Perrine could give her a big hug.

Juggling her parcels, umbrella and the key Perrine jabbed it in the direction of the lock. Finally, the key found the opening and turned.

Thunder rumbled a little louder, sounding like pins crashing in a bowling alley.

Perrine turned the doorknob and froze. 

One of her psychic visions flashed in front of her. Her shoulders sagged. A man stood inside. Her visons didn’t lie. She wasn’t going to see Julie Ann after all. And she'd miss their regular telephone call tonight, too. 

She wasn’t prepared to die. A single tear shimmered down her cheek. Her heart pounded. She clutched her parcels to her chest. Why now?

Lightning flashed. Thunder crashed again. 

He waited for her to come inside.

Beverley Bateman now lives in Medicine Hat, Alberta. She recently moved from the Okanagan Valley in BC, Canada. Instead of vineyards, orchards, lakes, and mountains she has ranches, farmers and a close community. She lives there with her husband and her Bichon-poodle rescue dog. During the cold Alberta winters, she snowbirds to Arizona and does glass fusion, watercolor painting and plays the ukulele besides working on her latest romantic suspense. Hunted, Missing and Targeted are part of her Montana series. She also has her Holly Devine series; A Cruise to Remember, and a Murder to Forget. Don’t Go is her darker romantic suspense.

Find and connect with Beverly at the following locations....

Website – https://www.beverleybateman.com

Blog - http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

Twitter @kelownawriter

Facebook Authorpage - http://www.facebook.com/AuthorBeverleyBateman?ref=hl

Pinterest  http://pinterest.com/okwriter

Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Beverley-Bateman/e/B008M01F5E

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/beverley.bateman.18?fref=ts

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7052567.Beverley_Bateman

Get your copy of Death Southern Style at Amazon!

Sounds like another great book to your repertoire, Beverly. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight, Friends and that you'll drop by each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care, God bless and stay warm.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Valerie Massey Goree

Good Morning!

According to the National Weather app, we're in for some cold, wet weather over the next few days - with the possibility of snow! Yeah, we get snow every now and again. I think the last time was 2017 so I know the kids are looking forward to that. Me? Not so much. Alas, we'll take what we get and pray for the safety of all those Cajun's out there who really don't know how to drive in snow or ice. 

I'll be glad when Winter is over. I know, I know, I'm wishing my life away. I AM trying to take things one-day-at-a-time though and do my best and let God handle everything else. 

I just don't like cold weather - especially when it's raining.

Enough about me though. Please welcome our guest Valerie Massey Goree back as she shares with us her writing journey.. Take it away, Valerie!

My Writing Journey

I know you’ve probably read many posts on this subject, however, my journey did not start off well. 

I grew up in the former British Colony of Rhodesia, now called Zimbabwe in Central Africa. We followed the British educational system, and many of our teachers were from England. Although I believe we received an excellent education, some of the teachers were straitlaced and well, cold. I distinctly remember the teacher we had for 7th grade English. After we wrote our essays, she’d have us stand in front of the class and read them out loud. Then, she would critique our work and allow students to add their pros or cons. 

At the time, I didn’t know that I had OCD tendencies. I followed instructions to the letter. I had no imagination outside of the assignment. My math work was immaculate, not always correct, but all my columns of numbers lined up perfectly. 

The essay topic for this class assignment was to write about things we collected, for instance coins from foreign counties. My older brother had just left home and had given me his stamp collection. As you might imagine, the tiny square or rectangular stamps lined up next to each other on their special pages indulged my ‘OCDness’. Well, whoop-de-doo. I had something to write about. So I planned my essay, and began writing. 

Mrs. Teacher—I remember what she looked like, but not her name—walked around the room and commented on what kids had written. One student received flowery compliments because she chose to write about two of her collections. I could do that. I collected many things that caught my OCD ‘eye’, items that met my desire for symmetry, or variations in color or size.

I completed my essay on my stamp collection, then added a few paragraphs about how I collected buttons and liked to sort them into colors, then line them up on the parquet flooring in my bedroom. I so wanted to receive compliments and couldn’t wait for Mrs. Teacher to hear my composition. 

I have no idea what she said about my stamp collection because all I remember are her harsh words about how silly it was for a thirteen-year-old to be playing with buttons!

As you can imagine, creative writing was not high on my list after that. In fact, I hated writing and dreaded every writing assignment that came my way, even in University. I only began to open up to putting words on paper when I was in my forties. 

My latest novel is a revised version of the first book I wrote, way back when word processors were the rage. Although Forever Under Blue Skies, set in Australia, is my sixth published novel, as you can imagine, it is very close to my heart. My maternal grandmother was born is Australia. I relied on details from my great-great-grandparents’ family tree for my story, even to using the town of Bendigo. Now, my family never lived on a sheep station, but that’s where the fiction part came in. 

What was life like on a sheep station in 1983? Follow Marlow’s journey to find out. 

Travel to Australia to solve a family mystery? Sure, Marlow could do that. But she didn’t take into consideration the vast outback, nor the owner of the sheep station. Widower, Jake Barclay, is everything her late husband was not—honorable, considerate, a pure gentleman. She came prepared with sunscreen, but hadn’t built a high enough screen around her heart. 

Jake was dubious about Marlow’s reason for visiting his station and thwarts her plan at every turn. Until he sees how she interacts with his vulnerable, young daughter. 

If they solve the coded message, can Marlow return to Texas, or will Jake offer her a forever home in the outback?

About Valerie: American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award winner Valerie Massey Goree resides with her husband on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula of Washington State.

After serving as missionaries in her home country of Zimbabwe and raising two children, Glenn and Valerie moved to Texas. She worked in the public school system for many years, focusing on students with special needs. Now retired in Washington, Valerie spends her time writing, and spoiling her grandchildren. 

Novels include: Deceive Me Once; Colors of Deceit; The Stolen Lives Trilogy, Weep in the Night; Day of Reckoning; and Justice at Dawn, to be released soon. Valerie’s latest novel Forever Under Blue Skies, is now available from Amazon.

Valerie loves to hear from her readers.

Visit Valerie’s website to learn more about her books: www.valeriegoreeauthor.com and connect with her on FaceBook. Check out her last post HERE. Get your copy of Forever Under Blue Skies at Amazon.

What a journey, Valerie! Thank you for sharing. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book.

Hope you enjoyed Valerie's post, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on ME @psthib & Tempered Joy and Truth

Good Morning,

Well, it's been a while since I shared something personal. I am so excited to share with you that Tempered Joy is available in audio and Tempered Truth is up for preorder! 

Here is a little information on both.....

All around rodeo cowboy and heir to the Rockin’ H Ranch, Ace Harris is determined not to fall in love.  He’s only loved one woman in his life, his mother, and no one can even come close to filling her boots. Lexie Morgan thinks rodeo cowboys have rocks for brains and a death wish for a soul.  A broken childhood and the death of her father and best friend leave her doubting and questioning God (despite her years of religious upbringing) and afraid of love. Can two young people who clash from the onset learn to trust in the healing power of God and find love and happiness amidst tragedy and grief? 

Excerpt: Her eyes narrowed when he took a step closer. “Ace,” she warned and wielded the brush like a lethal weapon.

Raising his hands where she could see them, he watched her try to brush some semblance of order to the thick mass of unruly auburn hair. The simple chore made him want to sink both fists in the silken locks and gave him a whole new insight to the word erotic.

Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkled vivid green and spewed wrath. She glared at him as though the tangled tresses were his fault alone. Her chest quivered with each breath she took. He took another step closer and could feel her tremble. Locking his gaze with hers in the mirror, he reached around her and picked up a bandanna off the dresser. He ran it through his fingers in what could have been a caress then slid the cloth beneath her hair and left it trailing over her shoulders.

With hands that shook, Lexie pulled the ends together and tied her hair back into a ponytail. Those bright gray eyes had gone soft and warm, like liquid metal. Mouth dry as dust, she swallowed hard.

 

Purchase Links:

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Tempered-Joy-Audiobook/B08PZK1BNF

Kindle http://amzn.to/1uto0eH

Amazon Print: http://amzn.to/1xwIx12

Nook http://bit.ly/1mF4Lhp

B&N Print: http://bit.ly/1R62HtU

Smashwords http://bit.ly/14KH0bX

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tempered-joy

 I have 10 codes for a free audiobook to anyone who wishes to review the book. Leave me a comment and I'll send you one.

Fate declared them neighbors. Scandal insisted they were brothers. The fact that they looked enough alike to be twins only added fuel to the rumors flying about their parentage. 

For fifty-plus years Craig Harris and Scott Hensley have enjoyed a bond nothing can sever. 

Not the insinuations that they share the same father. 

Not the years of strife and grief and heartache.

Not even death.

Will the truth set them free or will it destroy the friendship that has lasted a lifetime?

Excerpt: February 28th, 2005

Craig settled in for the seven-plus hour drive to Scott’s home in Lafayette, Louisiana. His daughter-in-law sat in the back seat so she could take care of his granddaughter should she awaken. Her continued weeping unnerved him. “Lex, please, you’ve got to get a hold of yourself.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do if he dies, Craig. I don’t think I can handle it. He’s my father. I’ve already lost one father; I’m not ready to lose Scott too. Oh, God, I can’t believe this is happening!”

“We don’t yet know how he’s doing. Trina said he’s stable. Whatever the situation, what he and Trina, need from you now is your strength and your faith. Besides, being this upset is not good for you, especially in your condition. Nor is it good for Tamera Joy.”

She sniffled. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

He glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled as she rubbed her gently rounded abdomen, then returned his gaze to the road. “No need to apologize. Let’s focus on the positive here.” Easier said than done but I hope she can get it together. Neither my heart, nor my nerves, can take much more of her crying.

Craig swallowed the bitter bile of fear in his throat. Hard to believe barely two months ago Scott sat at his kitchen table toasting the holidays, the upcoming New Year, and their joy over their second grandchild. Now he clung to life in a hospital room.

Pre-Order your copy at Amazon today for only 99 cents!

Hope you enjoy today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Kara O'Neal @KaraONealAuthor & The Ranger's Vow

 Good Morning and Welcome!

Kara returns today to share with us information on another installment in her Pike's Run series, The Ranger's Vow...

I’m happy to share my newest release, THE RANGER’S VOW from the Texas Brides of Pike’s Run series! This story allowed me to delve into the life of Sherry Forrester, a feisty, care-free, loyal lady who sews, shares kisses behind haystacks, goes skinny dipping, and has no wish to get married.

She has her life all planned out and is quite happy with her choices.

But then…

A devil-may-care Texas Ranger shows up and changes all her rules.

And isn’t that always the way? We have a plan, then God laughs and shakes it up. Happens every time. When I was younger, I feared that shake up. I tried to control it. Even bartered with Him when I prayed.

But now that I’ve lived, well, enough years, I’m so glad He’s in charge. Because good gracious, if I had to always steer, Heaven only knows where I would’ve ended up.

So, if you’ve got your long-term goal, and you’re rowing straight and can almost touch it, if the stream becomes rapid, just wait. It’ll straighten out again in the way it should. It might mean heartache along the way, and it might take a few months or even years to quiet the raging river, but it WILL be right.

His will is perfect. His timing is perfect. Just trust Him and all will be well.

Sherry has no wish for a husband, but one night with a Texas Ranger…why not?

One night can’t become two…

Sherry Forrester has her life just as she wants it. No attachments. No pressure from her parents to marry. A little bit of money and the freedom to be the lady she desires. When a stranger rolls into town, mysterious and gorgeous, her interest is piqued. Sherry swore she wouldn't give away her heart, but she longs for one night of passion, and the newcomer is perfectly capable of supplying that.

Texas Ranger Luke "Rip" Calhoun is hoping for a few diverting weeks in Pike’s Run. Along with promising to help the local sheriff catch a wily garter thief, he looks for challenging card games, good whiskey and a willing woman. When Sherry Forrester catches his eye—who wouldn't want her after stumbling upon her skinny dipping?—he does the hardest thing ever and waits for her to choose him to warm her sheets for a night. And only one night. For Luke made a long-ago vow never to let love ensnare him.

But what neither plans on is the hand of fate changing their paths…

Excerpt

Luke caught a flash of pale skin as someone arced beneath the water. His breath stilled when the figure broke the surface, revealing a woman about twenty yards from him swimming to the opposite bank. Luke froze, careful not to move a single muscle lest this be a dream and he woke.

All he could see of the woman was her head as she glided away from his side of the creek. Was she naked? He glanced toward the other side and discovered clothes folded on a rock. He could determine the colors, and white peeked between light blue fabric. He knew plenty about women’s garments, and most of their underthings were white pieces of angelic sweetness. Which meant the lady enjoying the water was as bare as could be.

A smile tugged the corners of his lips, but before he could be accused of peeking more than he already had, he dismounted and used his horse to hide her from his view. At the moment, he couldn’t pull Zeus away for anything, so Luke was stuck until the animal decided he was finished. Of course, Luke didn’t want to leave. While he couldn’t see, and hadn’t seen a damn thing, it was nice being near a woman who courted risk and went skinny dipping.

Hell, there was nothing between her and that water. Not one stitch. His mind conjured all sorts of images as the sounds of her body cutting through the stream reached him.

When a screech met his ears, he knew she’d caught sight of the drinking horse and perhaps its owner’s legs. He let out an exhale and waited for the outburst.

“Who’s there?” she cried. “You get out of here.”

He should, but he wouldn’t. He was never more grateful for his stubborn mount. “I can’t, ma’am. My horse has a mind of his own.”

“Ha! A gentleman would find a way.”

He used his bandana to wipe his brow as he remained hunched over in order to keep hidden. “A man has to take care of his horse, ma’am. Can’t survive without him.”

There was a splash. Had she left the creek—or hit the surface with an irritated hand?

“A convenient excuse so you can spy on me.”

He chuckled. “Ma’am, I can’t see, and didn’t see, one thing, I assure you.”

“You assure me? And what good is that? I don’t even know who you are.”

Damn, but he wished he could look at her. “Nope, you don’t.”

A silent moment, then, “That’s it? You aren’t gonna tell me your name?”

“You gonna tell me yours?”

“Not on your life. Why would I let some drifter know who I am?”

“Drifter? Is that what I am?” He’d been called worse.

“Well, how would I know?”

“Then why’d you call me that?”

Zeus lifted his head, looking toward the lady who shared his creek. Luke kept himself from pushing the horse’s nose back to the water in order to prolong this moment normally only possible in nighttime fantasies. Of course, in his dream the lady usually invited him in.

“Would a gentleman spy on a woman as she bathed?”

“If he’s smart, he would.”

“Ha! So you did peek.”

He grinned and watched a grasshopper jump over the toe of his boot. “I admit I looked, but it’s just my luck I couldn’t see anything. You’re too far away.”

Zeus snuffled then turned his head toward his master. He blinked at Luke as if he wondered what the hell the woman was doing skinny dipping in his drinking water. Luke stroked the black then exhaled. He’d have to leave this sprite.

“I feel sorry for you that you didn’t manage to see anything,” she continued, her tone without an ounce of pity. “I don’t mind telling you I’m as pretty as a picture.”

He laughed outright. “I’ve no doubt of that, ma’am, and I can promise you my mind paints a perfect image, so don’t you fret.” He tugged on Zeus’ reins.

She made a noise that was half-laugh, half-disbelief.

He left the idyllic setting, Zeus following behind him. A smile stayed on his lips as he mounted up once he was out of her line of sight. What a damn fine welcome.

About KARA: Born and raised in Texas, I had to make the state the setting for my first series. From the food to the fun, like floating the rivers, it is the fire in my blood that inspires me. My family and friends take center stage in my books. My sisters and best friends are my heroines, and my husband created my favorite hero. Love and family are the point of my stories, and I seek to entertain, relieve stress, and inspire people. Books can take one on a journey that one can relive over and over. I am extremely grateful to those authors who did that very thing for me. I learned and I fell in love with their words and characters. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Find and Follow Kara at the following SM platforms....

Website –  www.karaoneal.com

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Get your copy of The Ranger's Vow where all great E-books are sold. Be sure to check out all of the Texas Brides of Pike's Run series! See all of Kara's visits to our blog HERE.

Oh, Wow, Kara this books sounds as enticing as the rest! And you are SO right about the way God sometimes shakes up our plans LOL! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it and all of your books.

Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll stop by weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Also, if you're in the mind for free books, check out NN Light's monthly giveaway (see sidebar)! I sent January's winner her copy of My Heart Weeps and Love in Season is up for grabs in February so enter today!

Guess that's all for today so until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT