#SaturdaySpotlight is on M. Jean Pike and Superheroes!

Good Morning and Welcome,

It has been a L-O-N-G while since M. Jean Pike visited with us and I'm looking forward to hearing what makes her new book, Superheroes, so special. Will you tell us?

Thanks for having me back Pam!

Superheroes is a story about ordinary people who, empowered by extraordinary love, become capable of things they wouldn’t have thought possible. It is a story about a young man with special needs who dreams of becoming a superhero, about a man whose love for his brother comes at a price he wasn’t prepared to pay, and about the woman whose heart refuses to give up on love, even at the cost of her own dreams. It’s about sacrificial love. Transformational love. Jesus love. The kind of love that steps in when disaster strikes, when faith is pushed to its limit, and courage is the only choice left. It is a story about the kind of love that can turn flawed and broken people into superheroes.  

How Interesting! Give us more Please...

Sure. Here's the Blurb...

At twenty-one, Abby Callahan leaves her parent’s home for a rented motel room in Redford’s Crossing. She has no friends, let alone a boyfriend, so why did she tell her controlling sister she’s bringing a date to a family party? With only one week and no prospects, she needs a miracle.

Rory St. George needs a cashier for the store he manages, and Abby is the perfect choice. When he invites her out, hoping to propose a job offer, she agrees to go---if he will accompany her to a family party. Rory’s plans don’t include a relationship, but he’s drawn to Abby in a way he didn’t anticipate.

A series of misfortunes threaten to end their relationship before it begins. With the odds stacked against them, can their newfound love survive? She’s new in town. He’s from the wrong side of town.

When disaster strikes, can love turn ordinary people into Superheroes?

And an Excerpt...

Rory stuffed his change in his pocket.  A man stepped into line behind him. Two more people came through the door. His window of opportunity was closing fast. He stood aside while Abby sold the man six scratch-off lottery tickets and a case of soda. If he didn’t leave now, he’d be late getting back to work. Go away, Tommy. 

As if on cue there was a crash in the back of the store, followed by a child’s mournful cries. 

“Now what did I say?” a woman bellowed. “Didn’t I tell you not to touch stuff? Look at what you did!” 

Tommy muttered under his breath and went to the back of the store to investigate. Thank you, Lord.

Knowing Tommy would likely be back within minutes, Rory pushed the words out. “Hey, did you hear about the light show at the college next Saturday?” 

“Yeah, I saw a poster about it on campus. It sounds amazing.”  

“So, I ended up with an extra ticket. It’s not the same as an actual meteor shower, but it might be a close second. Think you can get the night off?”

Instead of the smile he’d hoped for, her mouth dipped in a slight frown. “I already requested next Saturday off. But I’m having dinner with my parents at Hannibal House.”

Blooming heck.

He composed his face to hide his disappointment. “Fancy.” 

“It’s their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary,” she explained.

“Ahh.”

“Shoot. I’d love to take you up on the laser show ticket, but I can’t.”

“I get it. No worries.” Now he’d have to think of something else.

“Unless … would you want to go with me? Dinner is at six, and the show isn’t until eight.”

“Oh…”

“Never mind.” She flapped her hands at him. “It would be awkward for you. My whole family will be there.”

Tommy was replacing the mop in the utility closet and Rory was beyond late for work.

“No, it’s cool. We can have dinner with your family first. If you’re sure it’s OK that I tag along.”

“I’m sure,” she said quickly. “Are you sure?”

He shrugged. “Why not?”

She bit down on her bottom lip. Then her face changed, as if something monumental had just occurred to her and she grinned at him. “Great.”

He’d tried to be low key about it, frame it as just a couple of friends hanging out together for the evening. He hoped she hadn’t misunderstood. But why else would she have that thunderstruck expression on her face? Why was she looking at him like he was some kind of superhero? Like he was one of the seven wonders of the world? Like some kind of miracle had just occurred. 

What a Beautiful Excerpt! Now give us the low-down on you and tell us where we can find Superheros...

Sure, Pam, here's my "official" bio and links:

Changing seasons. Unexpected blessings. Love that lasts forever. These are a few of M. Jean Pike's favorite things. With a writing career that has spanned two decades, Jean combines an insatiable curiosity about humans and why they do what they do with her faith in God to bring readers unforgettable tales of life, love, and the inner workings of the human heart. Her short works have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul and the Lutheran Digest. Superheroes is her twelfth novel. 

Find out more by visiting her Web/Blogsite.

Superheroes can be found at Amazon, PBG, B&N, GooglePlay, Kobo and Apple books.

Perfect. Twelve novels is an amazing accomplishment! Thank You, SO much for sharing your book with us today. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessing on all of your work.

Hope you'll check out M. Jean's book, Friends, and that you'll come back each week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Be sure to check out the books in our sidebar as well as our Featured Author and Teaser Tuesday pages and be on the lookout for Autum Reads in collaboration with KeukaRoots.com!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on LoRee Peery & Shelter in the Night ~ Worship through Verse Vol. 1

Good Morning and Welcome,

Today's guest has been a regular since I started this feature and I am SO please to bring her back! Thank you, LoRee for dropping by with your new book today. Tell us about it...

Thanks, Pam. Writing any kind of poetry was never on my creative agenda.

Rather than dealing with the pandemic lockdown in 2020, I dealt with months of shoulder pain. I had a reverse replacement in June of 2020. The surgeon also did repair on a broken acromion (the flat bone connected to the clavicle) that forms the top curve. I found out later the pins were just “floating.:” So that part of the operation hadn’t worked, and I needed surgery again three months later.

I often awoke in the wee hours around three a.m. with my Bible turned to the Psalms. Psalm 91:1 says He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

He definitely proved to be my Shelter in the Night, thus the name for the first of four journals that I filled during those months.

Those months weren’t the first that I’ve called various waiting places over the years. The conclusion I’ve reached is that what touches my life is according to God’s time, and I’m not meant to ask why. For whatever reason, to build character, patience, or perseverance, that waiting period happened in 2020.

Due to the pain that woke me, I spent those wee hours of many sleepless nights reading my Bible and followed God’s Word by pouring out my frustration and praise through what I called LoRee’s modern-day psalms. Lamentations turned to praise, all with adoration for the Lord God who calls me His daughter, and I filled four journals.

The other titles in the series are Looking Beyond Self, Gratitude for All Moments, and Finding Peace and Strength.

Wow, LoRee, isn't it amazing how beauty comes from ashes? Tell us more please...

Yeah, God's purpose and plan never ceases to amaze me! Read on...

Blurb: Do you ever awaken in the middle of the night, beset by thought of the worries of the day? Do you ever awaken with the feeling that God wants you to pray for someone or some thing? Do you pray, flounder in your prayer or immediately fall back to sleep?

Through the verses of Shelter in the Night, volume 1 in the Worship through Verse devotionals, the author pours out sorrows and joys much like the Old Testament psalmists. Whether you need shelter or reassurance, this collection can bring peace, hope, and solace.

Excerpt

Psalm 127:3

Children are a heritage from the LORD,

offspring a reward from him.

The Master Healer

Where is my faith?

I’m shaking inside, Lord

Sick to my stomach

“All” I can do is pray

You’ve blessed me

With fourteen grandchildren

One was injured today

On the football field

You knew beforehand

He belongs to You

Be with my son and his wife

Be their comfort and strength

May we all turn to You

And receive calm and peace

You are the only Source

Of ease and healing

You’ve settled me down

Reach my family with Your Spirit.

Beautiful, LoRee! Tell us more about yourself and how we can find you...

Sure, here is my "official" bio and links to connect with me!

Nebraska author LoRee Peery is a country woman who writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. 

She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. The book of her heart, Touches of Time based on her father’s unsolved homicide, resulted in personal relief. She is who she is by the grace of God, and has expressed that wonder in four volumes of devotional poetry.

LoRee has been blessed to live in the country most of her life and sometimes agrees with.

Connect with her through her Website, or on Facebook. Find all of her books on Amazon or at Pelican Book Group.

You can also find LoRee's previous visits to our blog HERE, friends!

Meanwhile, be sure to check out our Featured Author Page and Featured Books (in the sidebar).

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Susan Lyttek & Three Impossible Tasks

Good Morning!

July is winding down and Summer is in full swing here in SW Louisiana. Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please give Susan Lyttek a huge, warm, W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Thanks for visiting with us today Susan, please give us some insight into your book, Three Impossible Tasks.

So nice to be here, Pam! Every series needs an “Empire-Strikes-Back” moment. For the Portal Watchers, Three Impossible Tasks is that book. I planned it as a story to make everything go wrong that could possibly go wrong. It is the story when evil appears to be winning and the good guys fight against despair. To be honest, it was the most fun to write because I could throw whatever at my characters and then figure out how they would deal with it. 

In the dedication to the book, you get an idea of my mental state while I wrote it. Yes, it was fun, but it was intense, too. And it’s my prayer that its intensity reveals to teens and other readers just how strong they are and how much adversity they can survive.

Dedication excerpt: To the two at home who endured my obsessed state while I was writing this: my hubby, Gary, and my son, Karl. I thank Gary for last minute runs for food when I forgot to cook and just being amazing. I love you, honey. I thank my son Karl for helping me come up with horrific scenarios for my characters as well as picking up emergency bubble teas to keep me fortified. You two are wonderful and have no idea how grateful I am.

* * *

Oh how interesting! Give us more please...

Thanks. Here's the blurb and a short excerpt...

With the new ability to create portals, Subja's scientists unleash vicious and ravenous beasts on the population of Telba. Bern, Garth, Ne-tel are each given separate tasks to complete on their own.

Bern must convince Telantia to emerge from the safety of the city and fight for the citizens of Telba.

Garth must take technology from Subja's fortress.

Ne-tel must travel to the Gold Coast to raise an army.

All three must succeed if Telba is to have hope for a future, but even Prophet Nevv says these tasks are impossible.

Excerpt:

Something was seriously wrong. 

Half stumbling, he made it to a narrow portion of the creek. Collapsing next to it, he hurriedly rolled up his pant leg, took off his shoe, and plunged the leg into the cold water. 

The shimmer of water over his leg revealed an eight-legged creature fastened to his leg. He ran his hand over the large white spider and felt nothing. It was as if the spider did not exist. 

And yet. 

He splashed water vigorously over the apparition to remove it. Two red eyes turned to look at him. 

Garth didn’t care if a Vil found him. He prayed that someone could help him. And to vent his fear and his need, he screamed.

* * *

Three Impossible Tasks sounds like a wonderful read, Susan. Now tell us more about yourself and how we can connect with you and where they can find your book.

Thanks, Pam. I hope YA readers enjoy the world I've built for The Portal Watchers series as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Readers can connect with me through my Website/Blog, Facebook Author Page and Personal Page, GoodReads and on X. 

Three Impossible Tasks can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through my publisher, Pelican Book Group.

My bio is as follows...

Author of the Portal Watchers YA fantasy adventures, Susan Lyttek loves to encourage readers and writers on her blog at sajlyttek.com. Some of her favorite things include going to the gym with her hubby, cruising open highways in her 5-speed manual Subaru, and trying new recipes out on unsuspecting guests.

* * *

Wow, THANK You, Susan for sharing with us today! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings.

Thank You friends for supporting Susan today. Be sure and check out the books featured in our sidebar and watch for our upcoming Featured Author page.

Until next week, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Tanya Hanson & Royalty at the Ranch!

Good Morning and Welcome to the LAST post of 2022 and the last of our All Christmas thru Christmas feature. 

Today we welcome Tanya Hanson back to our blog. It's been quite a while since Tanya visited but I'm excited to share with you her latest Christmas novella, Royalty at the Ranch which takes place on Hearts Crossing Ranch! Take it away, Tanya....

Merry Christmas, fillies and friends! My years in the Petticoats and Pistols corral are among my happiest writer memories, and best of all are the authors here who still help support my books. I specially need to thank Pam today for letting me piggy-back on her post—I’m flying home from Hawaii (a lock-down trip we had to use now or lose), so I won’t be able to comment…but anybody interested in receiving a complimentary arc to read and afterward leave an honest review at Amazon etc, please email me at tanhanson@aol.com. 

Now, I know these are busy days, but Royalty at the Ranch is a short and sweet faith-based (but not judgey) Christmas e-story. How can a prince also be a cowboy? Well, “Brodie” is incognito at Hearts Crossing Ranch until dedicated royal-watcher Addie him…but knows he’d never be interested in her. Too many scars from a childhood accident. Will she ever be surprised!

I so enjoyed creating my fictional kingdom of Dornfeld and naming my cowboy prince after our little Danish grandson. His mama was our exchange student when she was fourteen. Now married with a family of her own, she still calls us Mom and Dad! Although no DNA, she’s always the daughter of our heart!  

Wishing you all tons of holiday blessings!

~Tanya

www.tanyahanson.com

A handsome prince spending Christmas incognito at her family' s ranch? Addie Metcalf' s royal-watching heart is thrilled! She recognizes “ Brodie” right away, but scars from a childhood accident assure her he' ll only be a friend. Besides, he' s not interested in trusting God, and that' s a deal-breaker for Addie. Life at Hearts Crossing Ranch is as much about faith as it is about love.

Recently graduated from college, Prince Anders longs to work in underdeveloped countries helping with sustainable agriculture programs. When he meets Addie, and discovers she' s studying health sciences with the goal of helping out communities after major disasters, he' s enamored. He never thought he' d meet someone with such similar goals... but Addie' s a Christian, and Brodie left that behind when his best friend died.

Will the Lord work a miracle and bring these two together before the last Christmas snow melts at Hearts Crossing Ranch?

Tanya Hanson lives on California's central coast with her firefighter husband. Her passions are travel, family, and volunteering at the local horse rescue. She loves cowboys so much she took a wagon train trip around the Tetons. Find out more about Tanya by visiting her website: www.tanyahanson.com and/or Amazon Author Page.

Get your copy of Royalty at the Ranch at Amazon. 

See Tanya's previous visits and find out about Hearts Crossings Ranch HERE.

Well that's it for 2022 folks! I love and appreciate you ALL for supporting me and my guests throughout the year.

Until next time, take care, God Bless & Happy New Year!

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Izzy James!

Good Morning Friends,

I'm going meet a friend at United Way to pack Literacy Kits for Pre-K thru 5th grade students in our community, so I'm not going to take up much of your time but turn the blog over to today's guest, Izzy James. Take it away Izzy....

Have you ever been completely misunderstood? I mean really misjudged with no opportunity to make your case? 

When I was in the fifth grade, I was chosen to be in a gifted math class. I loved math then and I love it now. The class was small, maybe eight students at most. I do not remember the teacher or all of my classmates, but I remember the day I got kicked out. 

My teacher had put a puzzle on the board for us to work on, whoever solved it first won the prize. I know now that the puzzle was a Sudoku. I had never seen one before. We worked on it during class, and two of my classmates solved it together. My teacher was so impressed she had them fill out their answer on the board for all of us to see. The project was over, my classmates had won the prize. 

I thought it was so clever and interesting a puzzle I wondered if it could be solved another way. So, I copied down their solution and put it in my papers to be thought about later. My teacher saw the imprint of my copied solution when she came by to check some other of my work. She told me, loud enough for the whole class to hear, that she would not tolerate cheating in her class and that I was to leave and never come back again.

Even as I write this, feelings of embarrassment and humiliation pink my cheeks. I went to a small parish school and there was no speaking up or explaining ever. My teacher misunderstood my intention, judged, and convicted me without any input from anyone including me. At that age it never occurred to me to argue or even tell my parents. The verdict had been handed down and I went back to regular math class.

Reed Archer is in a slightly different situation in that he was not a good little girl who would never cheat anyone. In fact, he’d been a bit of a hellion before he left the Virginia Colony to complete his education in England. While there, he found friends in some devout young men who caused him to give his life to Christ. In The Woodcarver’s Snow-Kissed Christmas, Reed has come home to the community who is predisposed to think badly of him. He has hopes that childhood friend Ann Wright will look favorably on him and consent to be his wife.

His hopes were misplaced.

Ann Wright is not interested in a man who can always be found at the heart of trouble. She wants a man who will be a partner, not a lord. Nothing about Reed Archer indicates that he could be that man.

Can a risky proposition at Christmastide make them see each other in new light and bring a happily-ever-after for both of them?

***

Izzy James is the pen name of Elizabeth Chevalier Hull. Elizabeth grew up in coastal Virginia surrounded by the history of the founding of our nation. She lives there still with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books. Connect with Izzy by visiting her Website and signing up for her Newsletter, or on Facebook, Instagram and Bookbub! Chec out Izzy's previous visits to our blog HERE.

Reed Archer is a man with a past. His new-found faith in God will not be believed by those who know his history. 

Ann Wright is a woman who wants to control her future. Her skill as an artist drives her need to be independent in a time when women usually must rely on the men in their lives to make decisions for them.

Can a risky proposition at Christmastide make them see each other in new light and bring a happily-ever-after for both of them?

Get your copy of The Woodcarver's Snowkissed Christmas at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or Google Play 

Hope you enjoyed today's post 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 Mary Marelli & Moon Over Montana!

Good Morning from Natchitoches, LA!

Yep, we brought the camper up Thursday and are having a lot of fun exploring our northern neighbors. Today's guest is new to me and our blog so PLEASE give Mary Marelli a Huge W-E-L-C-O-M-E as she shares with us her book, Moon Over Montana....

Megan Donovan's broken engagement has left her aimless with only one place to go: Montana. Her estranged grandfather has left the broken-down ranch of her mother's youth. Trouble is, Mom's memories of that time are so tainted that Megan doesn't want anything to do with the place.

The wild horses that David “Cam” Campbell protects from rustlers need a sanctuary to roam free. What better location than Old Man Jenkins' acreage adjacent to his own successful ranch? But Cam's gotten off on the wrong foot with Megan, and that gal's not selling—not unless Cam can convince her that it's best for everyone involved.

But is giving Megan a reason to leave, really the best he can do?

Excerpt: A soft whinny echoed across the valley. Megan gasped. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she turned her camera toward the sound. The thunder of hooves built slowly and then intensified as a herd of wild mustangs galloped through. A chestnut stallion stood watch over his domain, a sorrel mare by his side. The mighty leader whinnied and tossed his head. Majestic, devoted, and brave, he guarded his herd of mares and foals.

Cam pointed. “This is what it’s all about. This is my passion. My crusade, if you wish. This is what I’m fighting to preserve.”

Megan’s bottom lip trembled, and she lowered her camera. “They’re beautiful.” She shook her head. “No. That doesn’t do them justice. They’re magnificent. So regal and loyal.” She turned toward Cam. “They are, you know. Loyal. They’re a family.”

Cam nodded. “That they are, and I wish more people saw it that way. Look at them. They’re not causing any harm. Cattle don’t graze down in that hollow. It’s too dangerous to drive them down. As long as the horses stay here, they’re safe. It’s when they stray onto the range we rode though, that they’re in danger.”

“Rustlers?” Megan asked.

“That’s what I think.” 

****

Mary K. Marelli lives with her husband on a private lake nestled in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania.  Her writing is inspired by a variety of true life experiences, and a cause dear to her heart, the preservation of America’s wild horses. Find out more about Mary by visiting her Website and connecting with her on Twitter and Facebook!

Get your copy of Moon Over Montana at Amazon or Pelican Book Group.

THANK You so much, Mary for sharing with us today! We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book(s).

Moon Over Montana sounds like a great reads friends so check it out and come back next week for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Stacey Weeks @WriterSWeeks & The Sycamore Standoff!

Good Morning Friends,

It's a beautiful day here in SW Louisiana. We've been getting rain pretty much every day so things are lush and green. Please pray for our neighbors in TX, they're in desperate need of some. THANKS!

Today's guest has visited several times before, so please welcome Stacey Weeks back with a peek into her brand new novel, The Sycamore Standoff....

She wants independence. He wants her affections. They’ll have to face her past for any chance of a future.

Meg Gilmore escapes an abusive relationship and rebuilds her life, but her victory is short-lived. Change threatens her new refuge, and she underestimates her adversary. But Meg is a fighter. She will do whatever it takes to protect what she loves. Her past catches up with her present and uproots everything she has built, including a fragile and growing friendship with a kind and generous man. The freedom and love Meg has always wanted is hers for the taking, but she’ll have to confront what truly terrifies her to claim it.

Excerpt: Something wasn’t right. Meg Gilmore stopped abruptly on the sidewalk in front of her cedar-sided historical home. As she squinted at the tiny one-bedroom bungalow, the hairs on the back of her neck lifted, and an unseasonal shiver rippled down her spine. Her backpack slipped off her shoulder and landed on the ground with a thud.

The Canadian flag mounted to the right of the front door rippled in the warm, late-afternoon breeze. The vintage mailbox remained closed. Tulips and daffodils waved a happy greeting from their sunny spot in the front garden. Nothing was trampled. Nothing appeared out of place. Everything looked just as she’d left it this morning. 

Yet it all felt wrong. The double-check-your-locks, peek-in-the-closet, and look-behind-the-shower-curtain kind of wrong. Meg’s legs quivered, and she settled a hand over her midsection. She couldn’t explain why. There was no reason for the chill filling her core. 

She instinctively shrank back. She hadn’t felt this kind of inexplicable apprehension since . . .  well, she really didn’t want to think about that. She forced her spine to straighten and picked up her bag. She wasn’t the same person she was back then. She sucked in a deep breath, marched to the front door, jabbed her key into the lock, and twisted. The lock clicked open as she would expect, and she gave the door a trepidatious shove. 

Her breath shot out of her. See. Everything is fine.

Finding a house that she loved in a historical neighborhood in Sycamore Hill had been one more rung on her ladder toward independence. Sure, she didn’t own it. And yes, it was the smallest house on the street. But she’d scraped together the first and last month’s rent to secure the place while studying as a full-time student at Grander University and working part-time at The Muffin Man. And she’d done so all by herself. 

Her keys clinked against the ceramic rim of the shallow, catch-all bowl she kept on the entry table. In less than a minute, she moved through the entire house, tidying a stack of books here and a throw blanket there. She snagged her journal from where she’d left it this morning on the round table in the breakfast nook. Everything was fine. Normal. Just as it should be. Just as it had always been since she arrived in Sycamore Hill. But if that were true, why did an invisible weight press on her chest, making it difficult to take in a full breath?

She hugged her journal. Journaling usually filled her soul with a cathartic calm—the kind of peace missing from her messed-up insides right now. Her counsellor-turned-friend, Kim—trustworthy from the days Meg lived in Sycamore Hill’s local shelter, Life House—would tell her to work it out on paper. But she’d graduated from their program nearly a year ago, and she didn’t want to write. She wanted to talk. 

Lord, You say to pray about everything, so here it is. Something feels off. Her eyelids fell closed, and she inhaled a focused, deep breath. Help me remember that You are with me always.

A sudden vibration in her back pocket made her yelp, and then she laughed. She rubbed her palm over her galloping heart as she tried to force her uncooperative gaze to focus on the text message from Eli. Meet me at Alfred in 10?

She gave it a thumbs up, and the reply went out with a quiet whoosh. She was being ridiculous. This was ridiculous. Meg tossed her knapsack onto her bed as she passed the open bedroom door. The smooth, undisturbed quilt sagged under the weight of her textbooks. The bedroom was the only separate space in the house, if you didn’t count the restroom. Having come full circle, Meg sat down on the small bench near the front door. She had no logical reason for her rising panic.

But it happened like that sometimes. Coming out of nowhere and gut-punching the breath from her lungs.

A burning sensation scorched the back of her throat. She tugged off the ballet flats she’d worn to school and pulled on a pair of socks and sneakers. Outside the paned glass back door, the sun remained high in the sky, having only partly begun its descent into evening. Hours of daylight remained—not that she needed hours. She lived only five minutes from every amenity Sycamore Hill offered its residents. Meg shut and locked the door behind her and headed toward the center of town. With every step that put distance between her and her house, the creepy feeling of being watched receded, and her labored breathing eased. 

By the time Meg rounded the corner onto Main Street, she almost felt normal again. Her boss from The Muffin Man bakery called out a cheery good afternoon as she passed. She smiled. Grabbing breakfast-to-go at the bakery that employed her had become part of Meg’s morning routine, her one treat on a tight budget.

Her steps hitched. All the articles she’d read advised women with a past like hers to avoid predictability in their schedule, but it had been so long since . . . Her chest constricted. Had she made herself too easy to find?

Her phone vibrated again. Running late.

Meg had hardly read the message before someone brushed past her, nearly sending her phone to the sidewalk. Her breath stalled in her throat as she fumbled to maintain a hold on the device.

“Sorry,” mumbled a woman, hurrying past her before turning toward the bank.

Meg sagged and sent Eli another thumbs up. Everything was fine. As she crested the gentle incline of Main Street, the magnificent sycamore she’d nicknamed Alfred came into view. The tips of its full crown waved hello, and the quivering in her belly settled. Its rich and familiar aroma soothed her erratic heartbeat. The shade beneath Alfred’s protective branches was her go-to place for solace. And today, she needed solace.

But then she spotted a chain-link fence imprisoning it. A padlock. A public notice.

As if a fist had reached into her chest and squeezed, her heart wrenched. 

Meg raced toward the tree, hitting the barricade with the power of a gale-force wind. She rattled the locked gate, shaking loose a poster pronouncing: The Future is Yours. Come Home to a New Horizon Property.

She picked it up. Condos? She tore her gaze from the poster to Alfred’s patchwork bark that exposed white, green, and cream-colored inner layers. Alfred mattered more than condos. The massive sycamore fig—the singular remnant of an ancient forest from another era—stood as the sole survivor of his community. He was a fighter. Like her.

Stacey writes faith-filled contemporary romance and romantic suspense with strong female leads and imperfect heroes. She is a multi-award-winning author, conference speaker, and Bible study teacher. She loves to read and will try almost any creative pursuit at least once. Stacey lives in Ontario with her husband of 25 years and three children. When she is not writing, she is probably jogging the trails, homeschooling her kids, or trying out a new recipe. Find out more about Stacey and her work by visiting her website or connecting with her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/writerSWeeks 

Twitter: @writerSWeeks  and Instagram: @writerSWeeks   Sign up to receive here newsletter HERE and get a free short story.

Get your copy of The Sycamore Standoff HERE and check out Stacey's previous visits to our blog HERE.

Wishing you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book, Stacey! 

Until next time friends, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Penelope Marcez!

Good Morning!

Lot's of stuff going on this week. On Saturday I have an author event out of town then next Wednesday, I'm headed to Bandera for a few days! So without much further ado, please welcome Penelope Marcez back to talk about her new book, Angel of the L Train.

I grew up in a house across the bay from New York City. I now live a bit farther inland, but not by much. Many people in the area commute to New York City every day to go to work. I’ve enjoyed going to the museums in New York, seeing the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty (multiple times), the Coney Island Aquarium, and the World Trade Center many years ago. However, I never knew much about taking the subways until one of our daughters moved to Brooklyn. Then I learned about the G train, the E train, and the L train—among others.

On the subway trains, I was entertained by a wide variety of subway musicians, a few rats, a poetry writer, and the guy who beats plastic buckets. I learned it is far, far better to ride the trains at off-peak hours if you want to get a seat. The subways are usually extremely efficient at getting you where you want to go most of the time—except when they’re not. New York City is a very busy place.

I realized if I included this country’s largest city as a setting in a book, I needed to include the New York City subway. Angel of the L Train is a story about a young woman who grew up in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey but gets a job at a tabloid in Manhattan. But working for a media company that deals in gossip is a huge mistake for a young woman with a big secret.

Thea Ahern desperately needs a job, so when she lands a job at LetSlip, a New York City gossip magazine, she takes it even though it will mean hiding her heritage. When she helps a man who is attacked on the subway, she's hailed as the Angel of the L Train, and people notice her striking resemblance to a once famous actress. This sparks a renewed interest in Paris Hulette and her whereabouts. What happened to the award-winning actress after her husband shot her? And is Thea Ahern really the actress's daughter?

Thea's coworker, John, understands what it means to hide from your past, and so he shields Thea from the ensuing media frenzy. She falls for him, and he falls for her, but LetSlip's CEO orders John to investigate Thea. Now he has to choose between protecting Thea or losing his job.

When LetSlip's CEO is murdered while John is in the building, John is thrust into the public spotlight along with Thea, and his past is revealed. Can Thea ever trust him again? And can he ever be forgiven for what he's done?

Interested? Here’s an excerpt from the beginning of the book.

Thea Ahern twisted her hands in her lap as she sat in front of the huge polished desk of LetSlip’s CEO. The receptionist in the notorious gossip magazine’s human resources office took one look at Thea and sent her directly to this office, which seemed odd. Still, this interview was the first one she’d managed to get, and while LetSlip’s reputation might be unsavory, it was a job—and she needed money.

As the petite CEO studied Thea’s portfolio, Thea glanced at the huge, abstract painting covering the wall on her left. She clamped her jaw together in an effort to prevent displaying any trace of emotion. Her mother created that work of art ten years ago or so. Sorrow pierced Thea as she remembered her mother’s joy in splashing the canvas with the vivid colors. It spanned the entire wall, brightening up the otherwise drab office.

“I’m impressed with your work.” The woman stated from across the other side of the massive desk.

“Thank you, Ms. Capello.” Thea gave a tentative smile as a sense of relief flowed through her.

“Please, call me Salbatora. We use first names only at LetSlip. We’re all family here.” The woman shoved aside Thea’s portfolio. “You haven’t lived in Brooklyn for long. I can tell by your accent. Where did you grow up?”

“In south Jersey,” Thea answered.

“Down the shore?” The woman tapped her well- manicured fingers on the shiny desk.

“Sort of, actually in the Pine Barrens.”

“I’ve never been there.” The woman turned her head to stare at the painting on the wall.

A strange chill slid up Thea’s spine. 

Penelope Marzec grew up along the Jersey shore. She started reading romances at a young age and fell hopelessly in love with happy endings. Two of her inspirational romances won EPIC’s eBook Award and another was a finalist in that contest. Her paranormal, Irons in the Fire, was a nominee for a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice award. Her Christian historical, Patriot’s Courage, placed First in the Inspirational category of the 2021 National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest. 

Visit her website at penelopemarzec.com for more information. 

Angel of the L Train will be released on August 12, 2022. It is now available for pre-order at: Amazon.

Pelican Book Group  Apple  Nook  Kobo

Check out Penelope's previous visit to our blog HERE.

Oh my, Penelope, this sounds like a really intriguing book! Good luck and God's blessings with it!

Hope you enjoyed Penelope's post as much as I did, friends and that you'll come back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Barbara Britton @BarbaraMBritton & Jerusalem Rising!

Good Morning,

Well graduation ceremonies are over (for me) and my birthday has passed. I don't feel old enough to have a granddaughter and great-niece graduating high-school but the numbers don't lie...born in 61 & 61 yrs young. 😁 

'Nuf about me, let's welcome Barbara Britton back with her book, Jerusalem Rising! Take it away Barbara....

Thank you for having me back on the blog, Pam.

Recently, I taught chapel to elementary students at a Christian school. I spoke on the Bible building contractor Nehemiah. When I asked the students what Nehemiah was famous for, they knew he rebuilt Jerusalem’s wall. What they didn’t know is that Nehemiah had been on his knees praying long before he made the journey to Jerusalem to restore the glorious city.

Nehemiah was cupbearer to King Artaxerxes and lived in the palace at Susa, far from his hometown of Jerusalem. When Nehemiah’s brother brought the report about Jerusalem’s wall being in disrepair and the gates burned, Nehemiah became sad. The Bible tells us he fasted and prayed. (Nehemiah 1:4)

Nehemiah was so sad about the news; his face was downcast in front of the king. A big no-no that could get you killed. Artaxerxes inquired about Nehemiah’s sadness and when Nehemiah replied, the king asked, “What is it you want?”

Nehemiah shot an arrow prayer to God for guidance. (Nehemiah 2:4)

Eventually, Nehemiah heads to Jerusalem to rebuild the city with the king’s blessing. The king also bestowed wood from the royal forest, letters of passage, and a cavalry for protection. Not bad for the cupbearer turned construction manager. Nehemiah’s troubles aren’t over because lots of bad guys show up. A writer’s dream! With all this drama, I couldn’t resist writing a book based on Nehemiah, chapters 1-8.

“Jerusalem Rising” follows the daughters of Shallum as they help restore the wall around Jerusalem. The reference to these women wall builders can be found in Nehemiah 3:12.

Nehemiah needs all the help he can get!

Book blurb:

When Adah bat Shallum finds the governor of Judah weeping over the crumbling wall of Jerusalem, she learns the reason for Nehemiah's unexpected visit—God has called him to rebuild the wall around the City of David.

Nehemiah challenges the people of God to labor on the wall and in return, the names of their fathers will be written in the annals for future generations to cherish. But Adah has one sister and no brothers. Will her father, who rules a half-district of Jerusalem, be forgotten forever?

Adah bravely vows to rebuild her city's wall, though she soon discovers that Jerusalem not only has enemies outside the city, but also within. Can Adah, her sister, and the men they love, honor God's call? Or will their mission be crushed by the same stones they hope to construct?

Excerpt:

“So that is why you came?” Adah shifted her lamp. “Not to collect taxes but to set up an office here and bring in workers to rebuild the wall?”

He nodded. “You found me inspecting the wall tonight. The City of David will be a stronghold again.” The shadows dancing on his face could not soften his stare, which bore into her gaze like a hammered tent peg. “This wall will rise and these gates will be secured. God has made it clear to me what we must do.”

She trusted God. Or at least she had before her mother’s eyesight darkened. A year ago, she had prayed for a miracle from God for her mother. No healing came. And where was the rain? She had prayed for showers for the fields. Othniel had prayed. Her father had prayed. The soil remained parched. People went hungry. But if Nehemiah had truly heard God’s voice, perhaps Adonai was showing His favor to His people once again. “When will the stone masons arrive?” She didn’t know much about resurrecting a wall, but the king had renowned craftsmen.

“King Artaxerxes gave me letters for safe passage and a leave from the palace. I have access to the forests in the south. But as for workers, those already living here will secure this city.”

Her shoulders sagged. “We have no army. The drought has left families without food and coin—

“Adah.” His address held a tone of chastisement. “Do you believe in God’s provision? In answered prayer?”

“Uh, yes.” Her answer was not resounding, yet it was true. Once. She rolled back her shoulders and stood soldier straight. Gershom’s insult of her family would not stand. “Whatever you need from the household of Shallum, we will provide it for you.”

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction from Bible Times to present day. Her Tribes of Israel series brings little-known Bible characters to light. She also authored a WWI Historical set in Alaska. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. Find out more about Barb’s books on her website, barbarambritton.com, or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

You can purchase Jerusalem Rising on Amazon, B&N, or wherever books are sold and check out Barbara's previous posts HERE. 

Great story, Barbara, thanks for sharing! Wishing you ALL the best of luck and God's blessings.

Until next time, friends, take care and be Blessed.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes LoRee Peery @LoreePeery

Good Morning!

My heart is so full this morning I might burst. I am so happy and grateful for my life and excited about the year to come. I know I'm getting ahead of myself because 2022 is a week away, but I can't help it. God is SO GOOD! He constantly amazes me. No, I can't recount a "big" miracle that happened this week or since I last shared with you here or in my newsletter. What I can say is this....

Because my Redeemer lives, I can face tomorrow.

The miracle is simply the joy of His Presence in my life - heart, mind, soul, quickening my mortal body. The miracle of every breath I take. The miracle of sunshine to warm my soul and rain to moisten the parched areas of my life. The miracle of family and friends (like YOU) and loved ones.

God is SO Good and as we celebrate His birth this weekend, let us vow to remember and celebrate Him every day, every moment of our lives.

Today's guest is not new but it has been a long while since she visited so please welcome my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, LoRee Peery back to our blog...Take it away LoRee!

Words Matter

Readers and writers live in a world of words. Words matter. The most important words are in the Bible, from God’s heart to our hearts and minds. Words can build up and words can tear down. Words help overcome fear by their truth. Encouraging words are precious.

Multiple words came to me from July 2020 through September 2021. I wrote just under 900 modern-day psalms. Most often, it seemed those words didn’t penetrate my brain, they just poured from pen onto paper. Since then, I have cherished and soaked them in.

Words make me think about my brain, which God made fearfully and wonderfully along with my body. Does our Creator see words written through brain matter? Such imagination is beyond me. As a child I learned about the telegraph and that Alexander Graham Bell gained a patent for the telephone in the early 1800s, enabling people to talk to one another from a distance. How can words travel through wire?

I also never “got” the essence of electricity. Words have told me there is electrical-like power in our bodies. On the job, my introduction to computers included Ram and Rom. They were mere words to me. The first computers were the size of a closet. Modern-day computer chips are small enough to wear in a wristwatch and many minuscule devices. Those scientific discoveries are mind-boggling.

Around 1990, again on the job, I was introduced to the word-wide web. Cyberspace is as far as outer, outer space to me when it comes to comprehension. But I love reading info at the click of a mouse. Recently, I could only access my country internet a handful of times in a six-week period. I relied on reading and writing for my word fix. And I admit how frustrating it was. But God worked it out and I’m up to speed now (pun intended).

Also recently, I had reason to be humbled and embarrassed over the misplacement of words. Those modern-day psalms I mentioned? They fill four journals. I decided to give the last one, Worship through Verse, as gifts to those I love. I had them printed and spiral bound. I used one of my nice winter pictures as a cover, and then wrapped up around 20 before I realized the mistakes. Every writer needs a proofreader before words go out in print. I could beat myself up, but why should I? The two typos, one omission, and another correction can be easily explained with a few words. 

Words matter. With words, I express my hope for the Lord to shine upon each and every one of you, and that you glorify Him with the words you read, speak, and write. Pam, thank you for Words with Friends.

Jeremiah 31:3

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

Never Ending Story

The story of Jesus

Is a never-ending story

His love surrounds us

As high as highest heaven

As deep as ocean waters

From the east to the west

His story never ends

He came before me

Love that defies comprehension

Is the wonderful truth

The world is in His hands

Yet, He encompasses me

Jesus is never ending

His love is never ending.

Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. Her Frivolities Series launched her releases, and the book based on her father’s unsolved homicide, Touches of Time, was a personal relief. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author. Connect with LoRee: www.loreepeery.com  and/or

https://www.facebook.com/LoReePeery   Find her publications at Pelican http://tinyurl.com/kwz9enk 

And Amazon https://www.amazon.com/LoRee-Peery/e/B004UAGL2W/ref 

LoRee's newest Christmas book is available now as part of PBG's annual Christmas Extravaganza!

Cautious observer Nicasia is at the Wilber Hotel for a wedding. She is careful when it comes to small spaces due to an attack as a teen, but intrigued by the antique phone booth, she steps inside to investigate.  

A just man with a star, Logan grew up at the end of the nineteenth century in a very religious home. But his reverend father led two lives and left Logan believing there was something wrong with him. 

Boom!  

Nicasia is bowled over and knocked to the floor by a force that comes out of nowhere. Where had the man been hiding? 

Logan is drawn to the 21st century maiden, but will he stay in the future?  

Get your copy of Christmas Phone Booth at Amazon, B&N and PBG!

Check out LoRee's previous visits HERE.

Thank you SO much LoRee for sharing your heart and words with us! 

I hope you enjoyed LoRee's post as much as I did, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time take care, God bless and remember.... A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles

PamT

#WednesdayWordwithFriends Welcomes Kristen Joy Wilks

Good Morning,

Well after several days of rain last week we're back to cooler temps at night and sunshiny days! Last month Kristen was in our spotlight with two rom-com books about chickens. Let's see what she has to share with us today....

How Pet Chickens and Homemade Traps Inspired a RomCom

I am the proud mom of three sarcastic teenage boys. They are hilarious. But once upon a time, I was the proud mom of three middle grade boys who lived and breathed all things chicken! No, not eating chicken. We were gifted with pet chickens and believe me, those feathery gift-birds wormed their way (ha!) into every aspect of our lives. 

Long summer days were wiled away training chickens to do tricks. Yes, a chicken will do just about anything for snacks. Although I had stern rules about chickens in the house, the boys smuggled those hens inside, onto bunk beds, into blanket forts. They built tree forts for their chickens and could be spotted high up in the branches with a blanket, a book, and a chicken cuddled close. They begged for weird gifts such as chicken diapers and chicken sweaters. Not sweaters for themselves, nope, sweaters for their chickens to wear. Thankfully, their grandmother is a talented knitter and all three received sweaters and leashes for their chickens one Christmas. The chickens visited the boys’ school for show-n-tell. The boys even played chicken games at recess and a variety of children could be spotted running around the playground clucking and flapping enthusiastically. 

Chickens are very hard to catch, especially if you are over the age of twelve. But all three of my boys could catch their hens with aplomb. If I needed help, and I always did, they would come to my rescue. 

I started imagining what might happen if some beloved pet chickens got loose in a dangerous location. How would book characters figure out how to catch them? So, I dreamed up a dangerous place: a mountain highway. Both a deadly road and vast acres of forest were there, just waiting to menace innocent barnyard fowl! Then I imagined a reason to be hauling a trailer full of chickens over a mountain pass in the first place: moving to a new town. Then I put in a ticking clock: the most special hen has to be back in time for the talent show at her boy’s new school on Monday! 

More perils were needed!!! I looked through our chicken books (we have several) and discovered that skunks will sometimes eat chickens. Perfect! Skunks could menace both chickens and humans. I had attempted to tell the boys’ chickens apart from their cousins’ birds without much success and so I added some look-a-like hens. But why would there be a chicken coop in the forest? I added a spooky mountain cabin surrounded by NO TRESPASSING signs. Now, I grew up in a mountain home surrounded by NO TRESPASSING signs (my grandfather went a little wild with them) and one of the things my brother and I did when we were bored was to build traps! We had watched “Home Alone” one too many times and it seemed like a great idea. We had a log and a boulder attached to trip wires that were supposed to roll down the hill. Our mother was horrified and made us dismantle them for fear that a forest service worker would be maimed. So, I made up some bored mountain children to build traps around my spooky cabin and its chicken coop. 

So so fun!!! 

Finally, the finale. In my misspent youth, my brother and cousins and I dug a snake pit. Yes, a snake pit. We had recently watched “Indiana Jones” and thought that a snake pit was just the best idea ever! It took a long time as the dirt is like concrete in Eastern Washington, but finally, our pit was complete. Then, four excited children spent all day catching gardener snakes. I think we ended up with twenty-one disgruntled serpents for our pit. Then, we carefully crafted a tripod out of logs so that each of us could have the chance of being dangled over our pit. I volunteered to go first! Only, I was too tall. My head touched the bottom and the snakes were crawling through my hair and it wasn’t as scary as we had hoped. Sadly, we discovered that almost touching the snakes if far more terrifying than having them in your hair and realizing that they really aren’t doing anything particularly menacing there. So, my shorter cousin stole my place as the damsel in distress and it was all very fun and terrifying. 

Of course, I had to menace my poor heroine with exactly the kind of creative children that we were back in the day! Shelby is not nearly as blasé about snakes either.

So, if you find the plotlines of Chicken Crossing and Dandelion Floofums to be unrealistic, well you simply didn’t know the right kind of crazy kids growing up. We were a bit rowdy but it certainly comes in handy when creating insane situations for RomComs! 

What is the weirdest pet/project you had as a child?

*****

Kristen Joy Wilks is an author, camp photographer, and the mom of three teenage boys who have pet chickens. She writes about what she loves: the quiet of the forest, the ill-considered schemes of unstoppable children, and the love of loyal pets who will never leave your side … as long as you pack meal worms! Chicken Crossing and Dandelion Floofums are available in paperback and e-book. Or, try one of her chicken-themed books for free by signing up for Kristen’s quarterly newsletter at http://www.kristenjoywilks.com/. I’m also on social media and love to hear from readers! Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Chicken Crossing

Paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Free to newsletter subscribers.

Dandelion Floofums

Paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Free to newsletter subscribers.

How funny, Kristen! My son is a duck lover but chickens? I think I've heard it all now!

I hope you enjoyed Kristen's post as much as I did, friends and that you'll check out her books and that you'll stop by weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kristen Joy Wilks & TWO RomCom Books!

Good Morning,

You know the old adage, "it's good to go but it's good to be home." After a long, busy week in Alaska and nearly 40 hours to get home due to flight changes, I can certainly attest to that LOL!

Last year I was so happy to introduce you to Kristen Joy Wilks with her PBG title, Yellowstone Yondering. Today Kristen joins us with two RomCom titles so please give her a big, WELCOME! Take it away, Kristen....

Why did the chicken cross the road?

The machinations of poultry are difficult to decipher. Add an infuriating youth pastor, a terrifying crash at highway speeds, and trap-building kids too bored for their own good and you have something a little more serious than a knock-knock joke. 

After the local librarian foolishly agrees to haul a trailer full of chickens over the pass, an unexpected crash sends fifteen beloved hens scattering into the wilderness. Shelby and the exasperating Jack must locate, capture, and return the chickens to his nephew before the talent show at the boy’s new school on Monday. The problem: chickens are incredibly difficult to catch. Especially when dispersed throughout the wild. When they take refuge in a coop occupied by twenty identical hens and guarded by multiple NO TRESPASSING signs and a pair of bored mountain children who have been watching way too much TV, tensions rise and feathers fly. Can Shelby thwart an alarming collection of unlikely traps and find the chickens before they are devoured? Imagination and ingenuity go so very wrong in this epic clash of inventive child verses accidental chicken thief.

Excerpt: 

Shelby gasped for breath, still gripping the wheel. A chicken landed on the wind shield. Oh, no! First a bear and now she’d hit a chicken. No, the chicken was fine. Just a little ruffled. Shelby tried to unclench her hands from the wheel while Avery whooped with excitement, little arms held high as though they’d just done a loop de loo on a roller coaster. Two more chickens landed on the front of the car. One of them clucked and laid an egg.

Shelby gulped down great sucking breaths and stared at the chickens, then the egg.

The chickens!

They were on a mountain pass. She was parked both in the middle of nowhere and also right beside a highway. A more dangerous location for domesticated fowl would be difficult to find and yet Shelby had brought Jonathan’s beloved flock into just such a place. Then she’d promptly smashed their coop wide open. The chickens. The smart and talented pet chickens whom she’d been charged with safely moving—those chickens—were loose.

Chicken Crossing is available now: Paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Free to newsletter subscribers.

A chicken on the run!

When her traveling chicken coop explodes and scatters everyone into the wilderness, Dandelion Floofums must rescue her boy from evil kidnappers. But how can she succeed when she has to escape insane forest humans, a plethora of pesky traps, and The Stripy Death Kitty who is intent on making her his next meal? God is clearly not a chicken or He would have taken better care of her special boy! Can Dandelion Floofums save her boy and figure out if she can trust her Creator, or will The Stripy Death Kitty win the day?

Excerpt: 

Straw and wood splinters filled the air. Feathers flew. Dirt and gravel erupted all around. The trailer creaked once and then flopped over onto its side with a thump. The roof fell off and fading sunlight streamed into the coop.

Dandelion Floofums ruffled her feathers and gave a cluck. Her plan had worked perfectly. Thanks to the bear that she had called, every hen in the flock was free! It was time to jump onto that bear and ride their way to Jonathan and a fabulous victory! 

Dandelion Floofums is also available now: Paperback, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Free to newsletter subscribers.

Kristen Joy Wilks is an author, camp photographer, and the mom of three teenage boys who have pet chickens. She writes about what she loves: the quiet of the forest, the ill-considered schemes of unstoppable children, and the love of loyal pets who will never leave your side … as long as you pack meal worms! Chicken Crossing and Dandelion Floofums are available in paperback and e-book. Or, try one of her chicken-themed books for free by signing up for Kristen’s quarterly newsletter at http://www.kristenjoywilks.com/. I’m also on social media and love to hear from readers! Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Wow, Kristen, these books sound like a lot of fun! Good luck and God's blessings with them.

Hope you enjoyed the spotlight today, 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