#SaturdaySpotlight is on Liz Flaherty @LizFlaherty1 & Reinventing Riley!

Good Morning!

We've enjoyed some beautiful weather this past week. A couple of really cold mornings but comfortable days and evenings. I love this time of year when we can keep the windows open all day and it's perfect.

Anyaway, today's guest visited back in May and now we get a sneak peek into Liz's book, Reinventing Riley! Take it away Liz....

Rye Winters grew up in Chicago, and she loves it there. After many years in a small-town subdivision, the forty-something widow is champing at the bit to go back. She’s sold her business and her house and made plans right down to the kind of apartment she wants to lease or buy—no more lawn-mowing or weed-eating for her! She’s not going to need a car—which is great because she hates to drive. She’d reinvented herself once—she could hardly wait to do it again.

But before making her final move, she goes to Fallen Soldier, Pennsylvania, population 2922, to be her best friend’s “widow of honor” in her wedding.

Where she meets the preacher, falls in love with a cottage on the lake, and can’t stop looking at a downtown building that has so many possibilities. Hmm… 

Blurb:

He’s afraid a second time at love wouldn’t live up to his first. She’s afraid a second round would be exactly like her first. 

Pastor Jake McAlister and businesswoman Riley Winters are in their forties and widowed. Neither is interested in a relationship. They both love Fallen Soldier, the small Pennsylvania town where they met, even though Rye plans to move to Chicago, and Jake sees a change in pastorates not too far down the road. Enjoying a few-weeks friendship is something they both look forward to.

However, there is an indisputable attraction between the green-eyed pastor and the woman with a shining sweep of chestnut hair. Then there’s the Culp, an old downtown building that calls unrelentingly to Rye’s entrepreneurial soul. And when a young man named Griff visits Jake, life changes in the blink of a dark green eye.

Excerpt: “Hello!”

Speak of the…well, no, not the devil. Speak of the good reverend, and there he was, walking toward her. His hands were in the pocket of a dark peacoat, and he wore a black-and-white stocking cap that looked familiar. “Syd made your hat, didn’t she?” she said in greeting. 

“She did. She also made me one in Philadelphia Eagles colors, but since this is Steelers country, I’m careful where I wear it. I’m waiting for her to learn to make socks.”

Rye laughed. “That could be a long wait and several hats away.” Although Syd was determined to master knitting socks, she was definitely having trouble accomplishing it.

“Did you enjoy the wedding?”

“I did. It was beautiful and the service was perfect.”

“It’s one of my favorite things in the pastorate.” He grinned. “Even if the groom takes off without paying me.”

He changed directions and joined her, and they started walking again. 

“What was your wedding like?” she asked, then bit her bottom lip. “I’m sorry. Would you rather not talk about it?”

“I like talking about it, and about Ashley, but no one here except Clay knew her, and most people don’t like bringing it up. Thank you for not being one of them.”

“I like talking about Ben, too, sometimes. Especially happy times. Did you have a formal wedding?”

“Not at all. We’d just finished finals and I was getting set to go on the road for a summer tour with the rock band I was with in college. Ash was planning a mission trip with people from her church, but we didn’t really want to be apart. We knew there would be more mission trips, but chances for doing another tour were slim to none, so we gathered up as much family and as many friends as we could and got married in a state park. Very flower-child-like. It was great. Then we got onto the band bus—which had seen better days with better bands, believe me—and took off. You’ve heard of the Summer of Love from the sixties? Well, this was the summer of flat tires, electrical storms, and equipment breakdowns.” He laughed, his eyes alight. “It was a great time. We wanted some semblance of privacy, so whenever we didn’t have hotel rooms provided by the venue, the other guys stayed on the bus and Ash and I slept in a tent.”

Rye had to suppress a shudder. She remembered sleeping in a tent for a few weeks between apartments and paychecks once. Granny had called it an adventure, but Rye had been old enough to recognize it as something else.

“What about you?” he asked. “Big wedding? Courthouse?”

“It was big, but I hardly knew anyone who was there. Ben’s parents were very…social. Even though they liked me and accepted me, I was pretty much just the one on top of the cake who was wearing a dress.”

He smiled at her. “You don’t impress me as the type, if it is indeed a type.”

She shrugged. “I wanted the life Ben offered. It didn’t hurt me to conform.”

Jake raised his eyebrows. “If you’ll pardon my saying so, that sounds like a world-class whopper. It didn’t hurt you? Really?”

Other than Syd, Rye didn’t think anyone had ever asked her that. She’d had such a good life compared to what growing up had prepared her for. Even Ben’s disorder, once she understood it, hadn’t stood in the way of that goodness. She frowned, not sure how to answer. “Everyone gets hurt, don’t they?” she said slowly. “Don’t we all give up part of ourselves for others?”

It was his turn to hesitate. “I think we do.” He grinned. “Believe me, being a rock-and-roll guitar player and singer had to go by the wayside when God started making different decisions for me.” 

“You couldn’t be both a pastor and a rock and roller?” She stopped suddenly enough her foot slid on the light coating of snow on the paved walkway.

He caught her effortlessly and tucked her arm into his. “I couldn’t and be good at either one. And I may as well admit that I really wanted to play rock and roll and teach music for the rest of my life. Being a clergyman had never even been part of the picture.”

USA Today bestselling author Liz Flaherty started writing in the fourth grade when her Aunt Gladys allowed her to use her portable Royal typewriter. The truth was that her aunt would have let her do anything to get her out of her hair, but the typewriter and the stories it could produce caught on, and Liz never again had a day without a what if… in it. 

She and Duane, her husband of at least forever, live in a farmhouse in central Indiana, sharing grown children, spoiled cats, and their grandkids, the Magnificent Seven. (Don’t get her started on them—you’ll be here all day.)

Find her at https://linktr.ee/LizFlaherty

Get your copy of Reinventing Riley at Amazon.

Sounds like a wonderful story, Liz! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends and that we'll see you next week for another edition of Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until then, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Casey Dawes & Return to Promise Cove!

Good Morning Friends,

It's been a long and busy week. I've ordered the print proof of Kyleigh's Cowboy so (hopefully) both print and Ebook will be available simultaneously. Today I'll be attending Bayou Writer's Group meeting and next Thursday I'm heading to Nacogdoches, TX to my son's house for about 10 days. But, enough about me!

It's always a pleasure to introduce you to a brand-new-to-me-our-blog author and today is no exception so please give Casey Dawes a huge W-E-L-C-O-M-E as she shares her book, Return to Promise Cove with us!

She’s a middle-aged rule follower. But there aren’t any rules for a dead husband with secrets or a second chance at love.

Kelly Richards is forced to return to the tiny town of Promise Cove, Montana to handle an unexpected inheritance. She’s determined to sell the place quickly and go back to the life she knows. But a chance encounter with a first love makes her question everything she believes is true.

After a grueling career in the New York City police force, Ryan Svoboda came home to Promise Cove. Kelly’s unexpected return upsets his carefully constructed life. Can he tell her how he feel—how he’s always felt—before it’s too late?

Excerpt: As she walked up the steps, Kelly automatically deadheaded the flowers that lined the path. The gardening service they’d hired when they first bought the property had been skilled at choosing what to plant and diligent about maintaining it.

When she reached the top step, she noticed a large white envelope from one of the expedited mail services. How long had it been there? She always went in through the garage, so she wouldn’t have seen it. And she hadn’t received any messages telling her that something was on its way.

The return address was from Henderson Law Offices in Whitefish, Montana. Something about her grandmother?

She opened the bright red door and went to the kitchen to open the envelope and quickly scan the letter. She struggled to comprehend it.

Slowing down, she read it a second time.

It seemed her grandmother who had passed during the winter had left her an entire retreat center in Promise Cove, Montana.

But there were conditions.

Return to Promise Cove is a clean, later-in-life romance and is on sale at Amazon for only 99cents now through the 23rd so grab your copy today!

Casey Dawes writes non-steamy contemporary romance and inspirational women’s fiction with romantic elements.

She and her husband are traveling the US in a small trailer with the cat who owns them. When not writing or editing, she is exploring national parks, haunting independent bookstores, and lurking in spinning and yarn stores trying not to get caught fondling the fiber!

Find out more about Casey and her books by visiting her Website and Amazon Author Page and connecting with her on FaceBook, Instagram, BookBub and Pinterest! Sign up to receive her newsletter and get a free collection of short stories!

Thank you SO much, Casey for sharing with us today. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings in ALL things!

I thank YOU, also FRIENDS for your continued support of me and my guests. I hope you'll continue to drop by weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordwithFriends Welcomes @LizFlaherty1 Liz Flaherty!

Good Morning Friends,

You may have heard Liz Flaherty mentioned here on the blog before as a gift card winner Sept 2020, but she has never been a guest so please offer her a huge SW Louisiana W...E...L...C...O...M...E!

I kept looking at today’s date in my datebook when I chose it to be a guest on Pam’s blog. And looking. What was so familiar about it? Why did it matter? On a gloomy and wet April morning, I remembered. And, for a couple of moments there, I was sad.

My senior-in-high-school boyfriend and I had a fraught relationship. I was the one who liked more, tried harder, cried copious tears over every argument, and thought life would probably end if we weren’t together forever. On May 11, two weeks before both of our graduations, we went to his prom. I can’t remember now why we went to his instead of mine, but that was how it worked out. I loved my dress, hated my hair, and was soooo excited.

But, you know, it wasn’t fun. We as a couple weren’t fun, either. Although we laughed that night, I knew in my heart of hearts that we were done. He’d asked me to the prom coming off of a fight, and I think he’d regretted it. Retrospect is so 20/20, isn’t it?

It was the last date we had. I only saw him a few times after that, after we’d both married. I was happy. I don’t know if he was, although I hope so. The reason May 11 stuck out in my mind was that it was a day that changed the rest of my life. It was when I learned (although I would have to relearn it again and again) that the word relationship requires more than one active member. 

In a sweet but not quite inspirational romantic novel, Life’s Too Short for White Walls, Joss leaves her 25-year marriage when her husband falls in love with her sister. Bewildered by a new beginning she didn’t want, she drives to her grandparents’ farm in Banjo Bend, Kentucky, not even sure it was still there but knowing she needed to be in a safe place. She can’t even begin to think of trusting another person with her heart.

But the farm is a campground now, owned by Ezra McIntyre. The former pilot and college professor suffers from “a little” PTSD and although he knows he needs the new beginning the property offers, he’s also terrified of it. In his relationship with life, he doesn’t want to be an active member.

Lives change, so often in the space of a conversation, an event, or even a senior prom, and we learn from those changes. And relearn. Life’s Too Short for White Walls is a story so dear to my heart for those reasons. I hope you try it and that you like it, too. 

I’m a big fan of sending out prizes (I’m a retired postal worker who still loves getting mail; figures, doesn’t it?) so I’ll be offering one up to a commenter. Thank you to Pam for having me here and to you for reading. Hoping all your life changes are happy ones!

Liz Flaherty is rather bewildered by where she’s at in life. She doesn’t feel…er…elderly, but the truth is that she is. The Magnificent Seven grands have grown up on her, her own kids are all now older than she is, and her husband Duane has the same firm hold on her heart he’s always had. 

Connect with Liz thorough her Website, on Facebook, Twitter @LizFlaherty1 and sign up to receive her newsletter!

 Still reeling from her divorce, Joss Murphy flees to Banjo Bend, Kentucky, where she'd been safe and happy as a child. The family farm is now a campground. Weary and discouraged, she talks owner Ezra McIntire into renting her a not-quite-ready cabin.

With PTSD keeping him company, Ez thrives on the seclusion of the campground. The redhead in Cabin Three adds suggestions to his improvement plans, urging color and vibrancy where there was none.

Neither is looking for love, yet the attraction they share is undeniable. Can the comfort of campfires, hayrides, and sweet kisses bring these two lost souls together?

Get your copy at B&N, Amazon & Apple Books!

Hope you enjoyed the post friends, be sure and leave a comment to be eligible for a prize from Liz.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on.... Me

Good Morning Friends,

My scheduled guest was unable to be here today so, instead of tossing someone into the spotlight unaware and unprepared, I decided to take today to visit with you myself.

When I started writing years and years ago, my intention was simply to write the kind of romance I love to read....strong, alpha male heroes and strong, yet gentle, sensitive and, maybe just a little delicate, heroines. Well, even if she thought herself strong, the man in her life appreciated and understood she still needed his strength and protection.

So very different from the stories of today where the female is just as tough and .... I don't know, capable is the word that comes to mind.....as the man.

That was my plan.

But God had another agenda, one I discovered the day I recommitted my life to Him and asked to write something that gave Him glory.

Many people are not thrilled with my "Inspirational with an Edge" writing, saying that you can't have that much sensuality and "gritty realism" or characters that get angry and curse or attempt suicide in a 'Christian' novel. Which is why I don't claim to write Christian, but Inspirational fiction.

Even though I love to read a clean, chaste, Christian romance, it's just not what I write.

So for those authors and readers who prefer traditional Christian books, I ask your forgiveness and grace if you've been dissatisfied with my books.

And for those of you who would like to read something different than trad CF, yet do not want today's versions of traditional romance, I invite you to give my books a try.

In fact, one lucky person who leaves a comment will get the Ebook of their choice of my titles (self-pubbed OR PBG)!

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll join me each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

PS: sign up to receive my newsletter and get a FREE story!

#ThursdayThoughts: Guest post by LoRee Peery

Good Morning Friends!

It is my pleasure to bring you this guest post by my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, LoRee Peery and while I'm introducing her, let me take a moment to wish her a very Happy & Blessed Birthday!

Do Names have Meaning?

I’m convinced names carry significance. Various cultures and history record an individual’s name as revealing who that person is, be it family, vocation, or location. There are even accounts of people going unnamed until who they are personality- or character-wise is discovered.

Have you ever looked up the meaning of your name? Mothers-to-be often check out baby name books before making selections. I have to admit I didn’t choose that route in naming my first two children, but before I decided on my youngest daughter’s name, I looked up the meanings of names on my list. God must have spoken to my heart, because I went with my first choice, which means a song.

My paternal grandmother died before I was born, and I was named for her best friend. My mom chose Loree for my name. I enjoy hearing how “pretty” it is, though not everyone knows how to say it. I was excited to discover my Latin name means victorious, based on the crown of laurel leaves placed on a victor’s head during Olympic games.

When I started school I got tired of correcting those who called me “Lori,” so I finally accepted that mispronunciation. I carried that name until around 1980, a couple years after my mother’s death. Mom didn’t name me Lori. I capitalized the R to make people consider how to say my name, and corrected anyone who pronounced it incorrectly.

One of the first writing workshops I attended had to do with naming character. As an author, I strive for my characters to reveal aspects of earthly Christian character, so I put thought into their names.

The hero of my upcoming release, Paisley’s Pattern, has always been troubled by his name. Instead of viewing Robin as “bright shining fame,” a form of excellence, he blames his mother for naming him after a bird. She did have a hippie phase and changed her surname to Paisley. He scoffed at that one too.

I had fun with transposing hero and heroine names in this story. Paisley Robbins is the heroine and their mixed-up names is the reason they became acquainted before this story begins. Paisley and Rob both grow in their spiritual lives as the story evolves. She tries to get Rob to see that his earthly name will change in heaven. At least four verses in the Bible refer to believers receiving new names in heaven.

God knows us by name, and gives us a new name. Names must matter to God. He changed a few that are recorded in the Bible. The familiar ones in Genesis are Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel. In Matthew He changed Simon to Peter.

Many places in the Bible, Christians are addressed as beloved. How about that for a precious name? I believe and look forward to receiving a new name, though my earthly name reflects that I am a victorious overcomer.

LoRee Peery

Redeeming Grace with a Sense of Place

What an interesting post! I must admit, until recently I didn't check to see what my characters' names meant. They just came to me. But in a current WIP I researched names to fit the people in the story.

LoRee Peery is a lifelong Nebraskan who thanks her mother for teaching her to read when she was four. She has devoured books ever since. She and her husband have tackled some interesting projects over the course of their married life. For one, they built the home they live in with their own hands. They used to want more acres further away from city life, but one day LoRee realized they had their “greener on the other side of the fence” already. All it took was removing the hedge made of trees and bushes. LoRee feels grounded in her sense of place and considers it humbling to be redeemed by grace. She is blessed to have five children and eleven grandchildren. One-on-one time playing cards or Scrabble provides cherished moments and memories. Find out more about LoRee by visiting her website or connecting with her on Facebook and Twitter!

Paisley's Pattern releases May 8th from Pelican Book Group but find ALL of LoRee's titles HERE!

Well Friends, I certainly hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll join me in wishing LoRee a Happy Birthday!

Leave a comment & you just might win your choice of one of LoRee's E-books!!

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

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: #TheInheritance

Good Morning!

My guest today was unable to be here so I thought I'd spotlight one of my books for you so here goes....

The Inheritance is about the chance we all long for…the chance to start over. Widowed at age thirty-nine and suffering from empty nest syndrome, Rebecca Sinclair is overshadowed by grief and loneliness.  Her husband has been deceased for a year, her oldest child has moved to New York in pursuit of an acting career and her youngest child is attending college in France. Having spent over half of her life as a wife and mother, she has no idea what God has in store for her now.  Will an unexpected inheritance in the wine country of New York bring meaning and purpose to her life and give her the courage to love again?  

US Postal worker Raymond Jacobey has been in love with the little widow since he first set eyes on her.  A wanderer searching for the ever-illusive soul mate, Ray has never stayed in one place too long. Raised by self-centered, high-power executives, he’s longed for the idyllic life of residing in a cozy house in a small town with the love of his life. Will he gain the heart of the lovely widow or will he lose her to the wine country of New York?   

Excerpt: The icy New York weather matched the chill in Rebecca’s heart. Sitting at the kitchen table within the warmth of the cottage, she nursed a cup of coffee. She hadn’t talked to Raymond in over two weeks. Instead, she’d spent many a sleepless night plagued by doubt, insecurity and unanswered questions. She thought about him constantly, torn between calling and leaving him alone. Although many nights of tears followed by prayer and Bible reading helped her come to terms with what she’d learned about her husband, she still had no idea of what to do about Ray.

“Oh, God,” she murmured, feeling an overwhelming sense of loss and sorrow. “What now? What have I done? What am I going to do about Ray? I miss him so much.”

Closing her eyes, she swallowed the hard lump of emotion clogging her throat and let the tears come. She heard the rattle of the mailbox then a knock on the door.

Not wanting the letter carrier to see her in such distress, she waited until he left before getting up to see what he’d delivered. Lifting the envelopes out the box, she caught a whiff of fragrance. Turning them over, she saw why. Scented stickers covered the entire backside of every envelope.

“Oh,” she gasped, covering her lips with trembling fingers. Hope flared in her heart. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she looked around. “Ray?”

The Inheritance can be purchased at the following places...

Amazon for Kindle http://amzn.to/19J6Dxf

Ebook @ Pelican Book Group http://pelink.us/1cvBm29

Softcover @ Pelican Book Group http://bit.ly/1scLTVf

Well friends, hope you enjoyed this spotlight. Stay tuned next week for more Tuesday Treasure, Thursday Thoughts and of course another Saturday Spotlight!

PamT

Tuesday Treasure - Battlefield of the Heart by EA West

Good Morning!

Today we have a guest for our Tuesday Treasure.....

E.A. West, author of sweet and inspirational romance, is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn't laid it down yet. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting. She lives in Indiana with her family and a small zoo of pets. You can connect with E.A. West and learn more about her books in the following places:

Blog
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Amazon

E.A. West....Providing journeys of hope, one story at a time.....

What started out as a bit of research for a sociology paper quickly turns into much more than Cindy ever expected. But can she survive Danny’s PTSD long enough to form a relationship with him? Cindy Waymire, a college senior in search for a topic for an upcoming sociology paper, finds more than a topic when she meets Army veteran and college freshman Danny Flynn outside the student union. An undeniable attraction to this troubled veteran leads her on a difficult and wind-ing path that brings her to a crossroads — get into a relationship with a man who has serious mental health problems or turn her back on one of the best men she’s ever met. Can Cindy set her fears aside and follow her heart, or will the ghosts haunting Danny’s mind end their relationship before it begins?


Excerpt:

A dark-haired guy with an athletic build, not more than an inch or two taller than her height of five foot nine, stood scanning the area as though he was lost. Clean-shaven, with just a hint of a five o’clock shadow along his jaw, he wore a T-shirt and jeans, both fitting just tight enough to hint at lean muscles. Cindy considered taking a candid photo and sending it to her girlfriends, but her cell phone was in her purse and digging it out would be too obvious. Maybe she could find another way to share this cutie with them.

His actions reminded her of her own during her first semester there. She’d had to ask someone where to find buildings so many times. Without those sympathetic upperclassmen, she would have been perpetually lost. If he was a new student, that made her the sympathetic upperclassman. She stopped near him and smiled.
“Hi, can I help you find someplace?”

He didn’t seem to hear her. She moved closer, thinking he might not realize she was talking to him. “Excuse me.”

He twisted and grabbed her wrist with startling speed. She screamed as he spun her around, bringing her arm behind her and forcing her to the ground as he said something unintelligible, but undeniably commanding. As he put a knee on her back and pulled her other arm, she heard people running toward them and prayed they could help. The guy was strong and no amount of struggling did any good. He just tightened his grasp on her wrists and applied more pressure with his knee, making it difficult for her to draw in a breath.

“Danny, let her up!” a male voice said as the running steps stopped beside them.

“He’s a threat.”

He? Before Cindy could figure out what the guy was talking about, she felt some of his weight lift from her back.

“She’s a noncombatant, Sarge,” a third male voice said.

The grip on her wrists loosened. “What?”

“You’re in the States, man.”

“Crap!” He released her wrists, and his weight lifted from her completely.




Battlefield of the Heart is available from many online retailers including:

Astraea Press

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Smashwords

Well Friends, hope you enjoy this Tuesday Treasure - sure sounds like a good book to me!

Stay tuned next week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts & Saturday Spotlight!

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

Spiritual Power

My Tuesday Treasure post on Nora Robert’s trilogy that depicts modern day witches and their craft, started me thinking about spiritual power and how easily available it may be to access.

Acts 10:38 tells us that “God anointed Jesus Christ with the Holy Ghost and with power...”

I'm not going to get into semantics here. The subject of Holy Ghost (or spiritual) power available to us is controversial in even the most devout Christian groups. But what I do want to talk about is the fact that this power is all around us, and how everyone has the ability to tap into that power and to create their world. 

In fact, I believe we do. 

In recent years a new emphasis has been put on spiritual and physical laws of the universe, mainly the law of attraction, which I believe is referred to in the bible.

Job 4:8 states, “Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity and sow wickedness, reap the same.”

Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”  Now I understand this particular scripture is referring to believing and confessing Jesus as Lord, but follow me here for just a minute.

The Law of Attraction states, “Like attracts like.”

Therefore, if you are constantly speaking, feeling and projecting negativity, you will attract those things and circumstances back to you—in other words, you will reap what you sow.

I have heard many preachers and teachers of God’s word say that if you want what God has, you have to say what God says. In other words, quote scripture (Romans 10:17).  We are even taught…. Let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich.

Dr. Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, and numerous other spiritual leaders of our time tell us over and over that if we want to change our lives, we have to change our thoughts and our words.

Couldn’t this be a practical example of the spiritual power available to us – the power to change our lives and ultimately the world we live in?

Something to think about!

PS: speaking of spiritual power - my book, In His Sight deals with the power (or gift) of psychic ability. Check it out!

Grade school teacher Carson Alexander has a gift—a gift that has driven a wedge between him and his family. Worse, it’s put him at odds with God. Feeling alone and misunderstood, Carson views God’s gift of prophecy as the worst kind of curse…that is until he meets Lorelei Conner, landscape artist extraordinaire, and perhaps the one person who may need Carson and his gift more than anyone ever has.  

Lorelei Connor is a mother on the run. Her abusive ex-husband has followed her all over the country trying to steal their daughter. Distrusting of men and needing to keep on the move, she’s surprised by her desire to remain close to Carson Alexander. Through her fear and hesitation, she must learn to rely on God to guide her—not an easy task when He’s prompting her to trust a man.

Can their relationship withstand the tragedy lurking on the horizon?

In His Sight is available through the Publisher, Amazon & Barnes and Noble!

Saturday Spotlight - Patty Froese!

Good Morning Friends and welcome to another edition of Saturday Spotlight!

Today our guest is friend and fellow PBG author, Patty Froese with her newest release, Eye of the Beholder.

Tricia Hunter was an extraordinary beauty…before a horrible bus accident left her irreparably scarred. In an effort to accept the things she cannot change, she heads to her uncle’s cabin for some time alone.

Forest ranger Jesse Reynolds recognizes Tricia the minute he sees her, but nothing flickers in her eyes. That’s fine by him. The same accident that stole her good looks killed his fiance, and he simply can’t bring himself to feel sorry for Tricia like everyone else in her life seems to do.

Thrown together in the autumn woods, they are faced with the past, an uncertain future, and a struggle to find out why God allows terrible things to happen.


Excerpt:

He turned abruptly back towards the door. “Take care. Winter comes early some years. Like I said, I’ll be around.”

Tricia nodded, attempting to appear more confident than she felt.

“Oh.” Jesse placed his hand on the door knob. “Your uncle keeps an ax behind the door.”

“I have wood.” She nodded towards the pile next to the hearth. It must have been left over from whoever used the cabin the month before, along with the half bag of plastic cups sitting on the kitchen counter.
Jesse laughed out loud and shook his head. “You’ll need more than you’ve got there. The wood pile is behind the cabin, but you’ll need to chop it into smaller pieces.”

“How much do I need, exactly?” She eyed the ax uncertainly. Wood didn’t burn that quickly, did it? The idea of chopping wood sounded tedious. She turned towards Jesse with a smile, letting her eyes linger on his a little longer than necessary. The movement was one of habit, a learned behavior that used to get her what she wanted. “You wouldn’t want to give a girl a hand, would you…” She allowed her smile to sparkle in her eyes. “Jesse, was it?”

“That’s right. Jesse.” His tone was dry, and then an amused smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He rubbed one hand over his chin, the sound of his stubble against his palm rasping softly. “If I were you, I’d start chopping, Ms. Hunter.” He gave her a grin and dropped his hat back onto his head. “You’ve got time before dark.”

She sent him a tight smile and he met her gaze, his expression unreadable.

“Take care, now.” He pulled open the door and disappeared into the chilly morning.

As his footsteps clomped down the front steps, she let out a frustrated sigh. Once upon a time, a man would have stumbled over himself in his eagerness to chop wood for her.

She shut the door and leaned against it. Obviously, those days were over. A brilliant smile bought her nothing. A flirtatious laugh held the promise of something no one wanted any longer. Instead, she was left with the reminder that she had two legs and a back strong enough to chop wood. Try as she might to be a bigger person, it was annoying. She was no longer the woman she used to be, and, frankly, she didn’t have to like it.

You can purchase Eye of the Beholder directly from Pelican Book Group or Amazon!

Patty started writing seriously when she graduated from her degree in English Lit. She horrified her parents by quitting her full time job for a part time position, moving into a tiny dive of an apartment and writing like mad every spare minute. It paid off, and she produced her first published novel. Ten years later, she's married, has a child and is still pounding out novel after novel. She no longer starves.





Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this spotlight! Check back next week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course another Saturday Spotlight!

Take care & God Bless!
PamT

Saturday Spotlight - The Covering by Dana Pratola!

Good Morning Friends!

Today's Spotlight is my friend, Dana Pratola with her book The Covering. I've read this book and highly recommend it to those who love edgy, sensual Christian fiction!

Now more about Dana in her own words.....

God has blessed me with a wonderful husband and three dynamic kids, all of whom are destined to make wide, colorful splashes in this world. We live in New Jersey with our Maltese, Lola, and German Shepherd, Jett. I have no hobbies to speak of, unless you include writing. I don’t.

God gave me a passion to write Christian Romance. These books don’t contain explicit sex scenes, but my characters have real desires, struggles and choices to make. A lot of the time they make the wrong ones. No subject is prohibited but good always triumphs. This is not your mother’s Christian fiction. 

BLURB: What do a Christian woman and a faithless biker have in common? The devil of course.

EXCERPT: Vaulting from the bed, Gunnar slapped at his body, desperate to quench the consuming flames that caused his flesh to bubble and his skin to pucker and shrink away.

He tried to scream, but the nauseating stench of sulfur robbed his breath.

If he could just pass out from the pain it would be over. But he’d been asleep and that hadn’t prevented this. Sleep prompted the nightmares.

His heart pounded so fast and hard, he expected it to explode in his chest, but he wouldn’t be so lucky. Then, as quickly as the flames ignited, they vanished, and he collapsed to the floor, shuddering and wheezing. He sucked in as much air as he could with his face pressed into the carpet fiber.

As usual, the images of hell and its demons slowly dissipated, as did the pain. Though he would recall being racked with unspeakable agony, the only lasting physical effects would be strained muscles acquired from his ineffectual fight. Even now, his entire body throbbed.

When he was able to release his white‐knuckle grip on the carpet, Gunnar pulled himself up to sit on the  

edge of the bed and dropped his head into his hands. He wouldn’t survive another night of this.

Purchase your copy of The Covering  HERE!

Find out more about Dana by visiting her Website, FaceBook page or following her on Twitter @DanaPratola

Well friends, I hope you enjoyed this Saturday Spotlight! Stay tuned next week when we host another great author and his or her book(s)!

Until later...take care, be blessed and remember.... Ask(in trust)~Believe(with faith & passion) ~Receive(with gratitude)~Share the blessing!

 

Good Morning Friends,

Today is a special spotlight with friend and fellow author, Carol Ann Erhardt with her latest book, Trapped.

Inspirational romantic suspense writer, Carol Ann Erhardt, touches the hearts and emotions of her readers. Fans categorize her books as emotional, suspenseful and inspirational. Carol Ann spent her early writing years working at a corporate job and writing late at night. Her first novels, contemporary romantic suspense, sold well, but she didn’t feel fulfilled—in fact, felt as if she’d compromised on what her heart wanted to write. She began praying for God’s guidance in her writing. In the quiet solitude of prayer, God showed her the path He wanted her to take. Her third novel was an inspirational romantic suspense. Now she writes each and every day hoping to bring messages of hope, happiness, and inspiration to those who read her novels. She gives all the glory to God. Find out more about Carol Ann by visiting her website.

She’s a woman who doesn’t trust cops. He’s a cop. She’s determined to keep her past a secret. He’s determined to find out what she’s hiding.

High school bus driver, Summer Grant, flees from death threats and winds up trapped in Havens Creek, a small town not far enough away from danger. With a broken leg and no transportation, she is forced to accept the hospitality of strangers. Staying with the police chief’s sister and five-year-old daughter in an isolated mountain home might be the ideal place for her to hide until she can get back on her feet, but if the man she’s hiding from learns her whereabouts, no one will be safe.

Havens Creek Police Chief, Jake Taylor, always protects his own. He feels duty-bound to help Summer when she ends up in his small town claiming she has no family. He has a soft spot for strays, but this two-legged one is hiding something, and he’s determined to solve the mystery. An unwanted attraction draws them together. Evil threatens to rip them apart.

Trapped, Book One in Havens Creek Series can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Now....a word from Carol Ann.....


I’m often asked where I get ideas for my books or characters. Every author’s process is different. Some are great plotters who spend months outlining and character sketching prior to beginning the actual writing process.


There are places you can learn about various plotting and organizing tactics, programs which will do this for you as you fill in the basics…none of these work for me.


When writing TRAPPED, my first vision was of a woman who loved animals and spent her days caring for the ones others had abandoned. Slowly this idea turned into a man with these characters, a man who had another profession which required him to be strong and protective. Thus, Jake Taylor was born. Jake is the Chief of Police in Havens Creek, a small mountain community in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. He was once married and his wife died in a car accident after they had a bitter argument. Now he carries the burden of guilt even though he couldn’t have prevented what happened.


He has a sister and niece he loves and feels extremely protective of…sometimes too much. And he is a man who rescues abandoned animals and cares for them.


So I had a main character and some secondary characters. Now I needed a good plot and a heroine. In reading a newspaper article about a tragic school bus accident, the plot for TRAPPED was born. Summer Grant, a lonely woman with a lot of baggage, became the school bus driver. The accident was not her fault…the death of the high school football star was not her fault…but the angry father of the boy needed someone to blame.


Thus began the intricate weaving of plot to bring Summer and Jake together. Jake’s sister, Becca, was a big part of this story and as TRAPPED drew to a end, I knew I had to write another book and feature Becca to give her a happily ever after as well.


The second book in the Havens Creek series will be published in June 2012 and the third book in December 2012.


God has also laid on my heart to write a very difficult series on forgiveness around a tragedy that would destroy a “forever” kind of friendship. This three book series hopefully will be out in 2013. There is no great blessing than being an author who is employed by God!

Hope you enjoyed this spotlight!

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

Saturday Spotlight - Clare Revell!

Happy Saturday Morning Friends!

Hope you week was pleasant and successful and your weekend doubly so. Please join me in welcoming Clare Revell back to Saturday Spotlight today with her new book, Cassie's Wedding Dress.

Clare lives in a small town in England with her husband of 19 years and her three children. Writing from a early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fanfiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, reading, sewing or keeping house or doing the many piles of laundry her children manage to make, she's working part time in the breakfast club at one of the local schools. She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of three registrars.

Steeplechase jockey Cassie Hinton's dream was to walk down the aisle in her medieval wedding gown to become Mrs. Jack Chambers. Injured in the Grand National, she returns home...only to find Jack is now the Pastor of her parent's church.

Jack Chambers, now a widower and single parent, still has feelings for Cassie, but she sees him as nothing more than a Pastor. Even if he could change her mind, there is still his position to consider.
With the Royal Wedding fast approaching, Cassie makes her dress, little dreaming of the consequences of doing so.

Excerpt:
“Everyone else has photos of the royal couple and ribbons, silver bells, hearts and balloons. I wanted something more sophisticated but this…” she gestured at the window, “…isn’t it.”

“Maybe tie it in with what Danny sells. After all, the bakers did a wedding cake and the printers did invitations.”

Cassie nodded, her mind whirling. “Yeah…thank you.”

Jack glanced at his watch. “I’d best be off and get Lara from school. She complains if I’m late. I hope you find a solution to your problem.”

“Thank you. Bye.” Cassie smiled and turned back to her display, watching Jack’s reflection in the glass as he walked away. He’d always been a Godly man, even as a teenager, and despite everything that happened he kept his faith—unlike her. Her life and her faith lay in ruins.

She used to hope he’d ask her out one day, but it never happened. And now it never would. She was down and out before anything even got started.

He was a pastor, and she was his parishioner. A fallen- without- hope- of- redemption parishioner, at that. Strike one.

He was a widower with a small daughter. Strike two.

Her leg—her disability. No man would ever want a one-legged ex-jockey. Strike three.

Cassie's Wedding Dress is available now from White Rose Publishing

During her blog tour, Clare will be giving away a copy of Cassie to one commenter who leaves an email addy, picked at random from all the blogs. She'll make the draw on Tuesday 18th 6pm - well US time (that'll be the crack of dawn on Wed 19th here) And will post the result on her blog on Wednesday.

And Don't Forget~Pelican Book Group (White Rose Publishing & Harbourlight Books) is giving away a Kindle! Details HERE.

Good luck everyone!
~Blessings~
PamT

New Release from White Rose Publishing!

Good Morning Friends!

Well, my schedule of Saturday Spotlight guests ran out for a couple of weeks but don't worry, I still have a special treat for you!

This week we welcome Tanya Stowe to the White Rose family, and she brings us an inspirational story of healing...and not just spiritual healing, but physical healing, as well. You're sure to find your heartstrings stretched to the limits in this faith-filled and exciting historical novella.

Lacy Butler is graced with the gift of healing. She can save strangers-even those undeserving-yet fails to save her mother. Rejecting her gift, God, and society, she's content to live alone high above the mining town of Harperville. But her solitude is shattered when Royce Darnell builds a water flume through the middle of her mountain. To protect her sanctuary, Lacy sabotages his efforts. Little does she expect Royce to track her through a blizzard and end up half frozen to death on her doorstep. She can heal him, but why should she when he threatens to steal her peace...and her heart?

With the livelihood of the miners and their families depending on his project, Royce refuses to stop building, no matter how good the reason or how lovely the masked saboteur turns out to be. Besides, he's convinced God wants Lacy to use her gift for good and not to hole up in her cabin like a reticent recluse afraid of human contact. But first, she must learn to trust, and Lacy doesn't trust anyone, not Royce and especially not God. Soon Royce finds himself in a battle to save the two things he loves the most-Harperville and Lacy. Is his faith strong enough to save them both?

Tender Touch is available now!

Also, did you know WRP has a digital book club? Yeah! and you can get 20% off of every ebook you purchase all the time! Get details HERE.

Oh, and one more thing....White Rose authors and staff put together a FREE cookbook just in time for the holidays. Download your copy today!

While you're over at WRP, check out the New Releases, Special Deals & Featured Titles!

Well friends, that's about it for this week. I'm heading back to the Silver Spur guest ranch in Bandera, TX for the week on Monday. I'll try to drop you a note or two while I'm there, but if not.....

Take care, Be Blessed and have a BLESSED & HAPPY Thanksgiving!
PamT

Special Spotlight - Mary Manners!

Hello Friends,

It is with great pleasure I bring to you this special spotlight on a brand new White Rose author, Mary Manners with her debut release, Mended Heart.

Mary Manners Bio

I live in the foothills of the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains with my husband, Tim, our daughter Danni, and the cherished pets we’ve rescued from local animal shelters…dogs Molly and Abby and cats Lucky and Gus.

I enjoy the outdoors and am looking forward to cooler autumn weather. I enjoy cultivating flowers, taking long walks with my wonderful husband, and reading romance books while lying in a hammock beneath our century-old shade trees.

Shane Calkin is a former bad-boy-wannabe fighting to raise his spunky niece and a rambunctious puppy.


Jade McAllister nurses a wounded heart as she struggles to escape her mother’s rejection…and Shane’s.

Nine years have passed since they last saw each other, and a terrible secret looms. Will the secret destroy them, or have the years taught them how to trust…and to love?


Excerpt:

“What are you doing here?”

Shane slid two English muffins into the toaster and pressed the lever to warm them. “Claire let me in an hour ago. She had to get to the hospital.”

Jade brushed fingers through long strands of wavy hair and tossed her head to work out the tangles. Her eyes glittered beneath sunlight that streamed through the window over the sink, and she pulled the edges of her powder-blue terrycloth robe tighter before cinching the belt. “I’m not a charity case. I don’t need a babysitter.”

He let the comment slide. “Nice slippers.”

She glanced down to see two fuzzy bunny heads staring back at her.

“Claire bought them for me--a gag gift last Christmas.” The pink of a blush crept up her neck. No matter she wasn’t wearing a lick of makeup and that her hair was matted and tangled--she still looked beautiful.

“I made you breakfast.” He reached for the muffins as they popped from the toaster, nicely browned. He gave each a healthy slap of butter as Jade looked on. The aroma of eggs and crispy bacon filled the air.

“I’m not hungry.” Like a traitor, her stomach chose just that time to let loose a rumble that could have rivaled an earthquake.

“Your belly begs to differ. Did you eat anything at all last night?”

She crossed her arms over her stomach and ignored the question.

Mended Heart is available NOW from White Rose Publishing!

Well folks, hope you enjoyed this special spotlight - I just love Mary's tagline...."Where friendships blossom and love blooms."  Find out more about Mary at her website: http://marymannersromance.com/

Until later....take care, be Blessed & remember....when the going gets tough the tough get on their knees.
PamT

Saturday Spotlight - Laura Shinn

Good Morning and Welcome to Another Edition of Saturday Spotlight!

Today's guest is author Laura Shinn with her book, Someone to Watch Over Me; Angels of the Realm series/book 1.

My writing didn't truly begin until I became a junior in high school. A friend encouraged me to write a short story, like the one he was writing, and I gave it a shot. It was a spin-off between Mork and Mindy and Star Wars. Needless to say, my first attempt was pretty bad.

Over the next few years I read like crazy, mostly historical novels. I didn't begin reading contemporaries until I got married several years later. I decided I wanted to write a time travel like the one my favorite author wrote. Constance O'Day Flannery became my first inspiration to become a published author. {Since then I’ve had the honor of meeting and learning from many different authors: Suzanne Brockmann, Madeline Baker, Christine Feehan, Michele Bardsley, Jo Beverley, Rebecca J. Vickery, Rita Hestand and many more.}

I love to read and the desire to write comes to me daily. New ideas for novels pop into my head at the most inconvenient times, in the shower and while driving my car (Oops! You didn't read that one...). The idea that you can create a magical or mysterious world with only the touch of your fingers to a keyboard delights me.

While in college, at Howard Payne University in Brownwood Texas, I majored in English {minored in Art} and wanted desperately to become a published author. I've continued to work on my writing, editing and cover design skills and hope to one day achieve the same level of talent as many of my favorite authors.

I have a wonderful husband, Jay (since 1986) and two boys, Josh (born 1991) and Nathan (born 1998). We currently live south of Fort Worth, TX. We have four dogs, three rescued from the local pound, and a Schnauzer we named Elsie May.

Deep within the forest, David—a Guardian—watches over a hunted child and her mother. David has battled, protected and encouraged human authorities for centuries as an Avenging angel, since the dawn of Earth’s creation. But now he faces a new challenge…and a new problem. How does an Avenging angel under new assignment become a Guardian, and how should he cope with his growing feelings for Sarah, the child’s mother?

Time has run out and a hitman is on their trail. Forced to run, they must find the evidence to protect Nicole before a ruthless killer finds them. Determined to win Sarah’s heart and still maintain his heavenly status, David accompanies them on their quest. Will the Lord allow David, Sarah and Nicole to be a family…a mortal one?

Excerpt: Outside, within the realm of supernatural creatures, David hovered easily as he watched over Nicole. He wasn’t visible at the moment and didn’t need to be. The man, Louis, was a good protector. And Nicole, under his kind attention, progressed at a normal rate. Nicole smiled often and spoke several times a day. David was pleased with her recovery. She deserved so much happiness.

David turned his head in time to see Sarah looking out the kitchen window. His eyes followed her retreating back as she turned away. How he wished he could see beyond the cabin walls as easily as he passed through them. Even angels were given limitations.

Though Sarah was human and needed human contact and love, David’s heart ached nonetheless when he remembered the sweet embrace Sarah shared with Louis. He wished for one brief moment in time to be human as well. A man with a soul and something to offer his beloved. Then it would be possible for him to share Sarah’s life, experience her love and return it wholeheartedly.

However, such was not the case. Nor could it ever be.

David looked up towards the heavens, recognizing the Lord’s voice inside his head. Immediately, he knelt on one knee. The Lord’s words filtered down to him in the instant he spoke.

Prepare for battle. Evil comes with the dawn.

David lowered his head in confirmation and understanding. Earthly evil did not exist on its own. It was conceived and carried out from the minds and will of Satan’s minions. Before the evil men arrived, there would first be a battle in the air. Only the victor there would find victory later at the cabin. Victory was his intention and sworn vow. He would not fail.

Because it was imperative Nicole listen and obey his command, David appeared before the child and spoke calmly, but with authority.

“Go inside. Stay there with your mother and protectors. Leave for no reason until I return. Do this now.”

“Yes, I will,” Nicole answered, entirely too serious for a child her age.

Louis’ head popped up from his position on the ground. Nicole stood over him with her wooden stick, or pretend sword, against his chest. Louis, the bad guy, lay defeated.

Louis smiled and asked, “Will what, Nicole?”

His humor faded quickly when he noticed her attention was focused not on him but on the tops of the forest trees above his head. Who is she speaking to?

Nicole never answered. With the speed of the very young, she turned quickly and, like a shot, ran the twenty-five feet toward the cabin.

Alarmed by the drastic change in her behavior, Louis rolled quickly to his feet and pulled his .45 from his belt holster, following right on her heels. A quick search around them revealed nothing. What spooked Nicole? To his surprise, she quickly closed and locked the door behind him. She looked as cool as a cucumber. What the devil is going on?

To view more of Laura Shinn’s works or cover designs, visit: http://laurashinn.com/


This novel available at the following locations:
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/11287 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Someone-Watch-Over-Me-Angels/dp/1451559070/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271519689&sr=1-2

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Someone-to-Watch-over-Me/Laura-Shinn/e/9781451559071/?itm=4&USRI=Laura+Shinn

Look for more spotlights on Laura and her books in the future!

Until later...take care & be Blessed!
PamT