#WednesdayWordswithFriends..... I am D.O.N.E!

 I'd wish you a good morning and for all intents and purposes it IS a good one....supposed to be lovely weather today, I've been home nearly a week since running from Hurricane Laura.... 

BUT

Here we go again. Hurricane Delta is heading right for Louisiana and although the "projected" track is East of me, we're still going to feel it's impact.

I'd hoped to share good news with you but not much has happened in a week. Still playing catchup and if we have to evacuate again, I'll be doing that for the rest of the year.

UGH.

Prayers appreciated and while you're praying, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, Barbara Britton, has a post about Managing Publication with Cancer. I think you'll find it interesting and encouraging. 

It is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If you haven't read Tempered Dreams or The Visionary you're missing out on great stories of hope that deal with this issue. 

  

Get a peek into my window and a peek into Tempered Truth on DV Stone's blog today!

Oh, before I forget, the winner of September's gift card is 

Liz Flaherty!

Not much else to talk about Friends. I hope you have a blessed day and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care, be safe and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Jess @AnAudiobookworm Promotions!

Good Morning Friends,

Since June is Audio Book Month and I'm participating in N. N. Light's Book Heaven huge audio book promotion (see sidebar) and since I've done audio book blog tours through Audio Bookworm Promotions, I thought it would be fun to interview Jess at ABWP and see what made her choose to focus on promoting audio books in lieu of print or E. So please give her a huge WELCOME!

●    What inspired you to start Audiobookworm Promotions?

Simply put, the need for it. If there had been someone, anyone, already doing this, I never would have been driven to start. But there just wasn't anyone giving audiobooks the promotional attention I felt they deserved.

I started out as an audiobook blogger at The Audiobookworm. When I saw some of my fellow book bloggers participating in book tours, I wanted to join. I approached several large blog tour companies and was told that there simply wasn't a market for audiobook blog tours. One of the largest companies actually told me that they ran one or two audiobook blog tours per year.

Compare that to Audiobookworm Promotions, where we run an average of three audiobook blog tours per week. Audiobookworm Promotions is the first blog tour company specializing in audiobooks and catering to listeners. Our mailing list of over 400 bloggers was compiled with audiobook promotion in mind. We tour audiobooks in every genre. I'm so proud of what we have achieved in just 4.5 years.

●    What makes you prefer audiobooks over print or E-books?

A lot of things, but the first to come to mind is: Multitasking. I'm a busy individual. As ironic as it sounds, promoting audiobooks really cuts into my time for listening to them. Fortunately, the great thing about audiobooks is that they enable a degree of multitasking not available to traditional book readers.

A prime example is listening to audiobooks while driving. This is a hugely popular activity for commuters. I like to listen while I work. Others listen while they work out! The list of listening activities is practically endless.

For so long, audiobooks have been underestimated, not only as a viable method of media consumption, but as an industry. That viewpoint has led to a “younger sibling” perception when compared to traditional books. But I try really hard not to have this ebooks vs. audiobooks mentality. To me, any type of literature consumption is a win! Do what works for you and don't judge someone else for doing what works for them.

●    Where do you see the audiobook industry in 1 year? 5 yrs?

○     You know, that's hard to say because I'm terrible at making predictions, but I think it's safe to assume that this industry is going to continue growing and expanding. I think it will become much more mainstream than it already is now.

○     Just in the last few years, since I've been working in this industry, I've already seen it evolve so much.  I remember when I first started, podcasts were really huge. They were the trendy thing. Everyone was listening to podcasts during their commutes and downtime. I don't think the popularity of podcasts has diminished any, but I've always said that podcasts are the gateway to audiobooks. It seems like now all those folks who were so hooked on podcasts for the last few years are finally making their way into the audiobook community. I think that will continue, because almost everyone who discovers podcasts will eventually make their way to audiobooks at some point, so there will be this steady flow of new people discovering a love for the format.

○    I also think that we'll see more diversification among retailers. When I first started promoting audio books, Audible (Amazon) had almost a total monopoly on audiobook retail. But recently, that has started to shift. They’re still a giant in the industry, of course, but some real competitors have also popped up. For example, my preferred listening service is actually Scribd and I know a lot of people, myself included, who have switched from an Audible membership to a Scribd subscription because of the different subscription model. I think we'll see more retail options and pricing models like that in the years to come.

○     And that's just from the consumer perspective. There's also been a shift on the production end with many authors choosing to go with someone like Author’s Direct over ACX (also Amazon owned) to produce and distribute their audiobooks. And I think that's fantastic! Not because I'm anti-Audible or Amazon, but just because I feel that more options benefit consumers and authors.

●    What does it look like when you get the chance to relax and listen to an audiobook?

      It could look like any number of things.

○It could look like me relaxing in bed at night listening to an audio while I fall asleep and then having to frantically back track the next morning to find the exact spot where I fell asleep.

○It could also look like me sitting at my desk working on audiobook promotional tasks while listening to an audiobook, like right now!

○But more likely, it would look like me sitting outside on my back porch, drinking a cup of coffee, admiring the verdant rural scenery and probably coloring, since that's my favorite thing to do while listening right now (seriously, try it!).

●    When you’re not promoting audiobooks, what are you doing?

   ○Listening to them! No, really. I'm still an avid audiobook listener. It's what got me into this business and four years later, it hasn't changed. The number of books I'm able to hear on an annual basis certainly has, though. But I try not to get too caught up with the number of audiobooks I consume each year. To me, everything is about quality over quantity.

   ○What has changed, however, is the length of audiobook I listen to now. 20+ hour audios used to intimidate me, but now I crave them. So even though I may only hear three or four audiobooks a month, that usually means they are really long ones, or that I was particularly busy with audio promotion that month, because it definitely cuts into my listening time.

●    Give us 5 fun facts about you/Audiobookworm Promotions

○     I'm a huge Elvis fan, but I've never been to Graceland. Not yet, anyway,  but it's on the bucket list.

○     I wrote my Master's thesis on audiobooks! Well, on how listening to something affects the brain versus reading. Essentially, both have their merits, but the best method of comprehension and information retention is reading and listening at the same time, which is why we should all have our subtitles on when we watch television!

○     Audiobookworm Promotions is the first blog tour company specializing in audiobooks. We host over 100 audiobook tours each year and currently work with more than 380 bloggers.

○     Before going to grad school, I was vice president of a local animal rescue organization and regularly fostered kittens.

○     I'm an amateur genealogist. It's a terribly addicting hobby and one of the only leisure activities I can’t do while listening to an audiobook, because it requires too much concentration.

Wow, THANKS, Jess for sharing your passion for audio books with us today! I know I'm excited and grateful for the audio book fans who've picked up Tempered Hearts, Tempered Dreams and Tempered Fire and I can't wait to get the rest of my titles out in audio. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with Audio Bookworm Promotions!

Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Don't forget to leave a comment and enter into my monthly drawing for a gift card!

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Tempered Dreams

Good Morning!

My scheduled guest could not be here today so I'm improvising. Guess it doesn't hurt to share my books with new followers so here goes.....

Dr. Scott Hensley (introduced in Tempered Hearts) has built a wall around his heart since the death of his wife and parents.  Katrina Simmons is recovering from scars inflicted on her as a battered wife.  Can dreams be renewed and faith strengthened?  Can they find joy and peace in God’s love and in love for one another? 

Excerpt:“Spend the day with me,” he urged. “We’ll go to my place. I’ll take a short nap after which we’ll do whatever your little heart desires.” 

“Anything?” she teased.

Her voice was as enticing as silk and just as alluring. Her excitement set fire to his blood. “Anything.” he assured in a thick voice.

His smoldering gaze, as tender as a caress and just as potent, lowered to her lips, lingered, then raked over her in a hungry gesture before returning to capture hers in a heated embrace. Trina felt as though he was touching her in the most intimate of ways. Her cheeks grew hot, her breath lodged in her throat. Desire washed over her in angry waves. She swallowed hard and tucked trembling hands in her lap, desperately trying to form a coherent sentence. “Please, Scott, don’t look at me like that.”  

He could actually feel her trembling response across the table. His voice lowered another notch. “Like what?”

Trina shook her head. “Like you’re starving to death and could eat me up. Didn’t you have enough food?”

Pushing his plate away, Scott stood and held his hand out to her. Trina placed a trembling one in his firm grip. Pulling her gently to her feet, Scott raised it to his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles. “Food is not what I’m hungry for,” he informed her in a husky whisper.

Trina waited as he paid for their meal then followed him to the parking lot as gracefully as possible on legs that wobbled. He paused and in a silent gesture, signaled for her to give him her car keys. His fingers brushed sensuously over her wrist and palm, grasping hers gently when she placed them in his hand. 
Locking his heated gaze with hers, Scott raised their clasped hands to his lips, this time lingering over the kiss. He nibbled on her knuckles, teasing the back of her hand with his mouth, then, in one swift movement, turned his attention to the sensitive flesh of her palm and wrist, relieving her of her keys and her senses.

Trina felt the caress to the very core of her being. She moaned, leaning against his hard frame when he pulled her closer. His heat enveloped her until she burned with him, for him. And his lips had never even touched hers.

Purchase Links:

Kindle http://amzn.to/1vJEqjk

Amazon Print:http://amzn.to/1q4Q8hV

Nook http://bit.ly/1QjniHY

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

Smashwordshttp://bit.ly/173ypSN

Audio: http://bit.ly/TemperedDreamsAudio

I am offering a FREE audio copy to ANYONE who wants one so leave a comment and let me know!

You will also be put in the monthly drawing for a gift card.

THANKS for visiting.

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Tempered Dreams in Audio!

Good Morning Friends,

We've been having some beautiful weather here in SW Louisiana....cool nights and days in the 70's...PERFECT if you ask me! I'd love it if we had this year around.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

My scheduled guest could not be here today so I thought I'd take this time to share some exciting news with you....

Tempered Dreams is now in audio!

For those of you who are new to me and our blog, here is the blurb and an excerpt.....

Dr. Scott Hensley (introduced in Tempered Hearts) has built a wall around his heart since the death of his wife and parents.  Katrina Simmons is recovering from scars inflicted on her as a battered wife.  Can dreams be renewed and faith strengthened?  Can they find joy and peace in God’s love and in love for one another? 

Excerpt: “Spend the day with me,” he urged. “We’ll go to my place. I’ll take a short nap after which we’ll do whatever your little heart desires.” 

“Anything?” she teased.

Her voice was as enticing as silk and just as alluring. Her excitement set fire to his blood. “Anything.” he assured in a thick voice.

His smoldering gaze, as tender as a caress and just as potent, lowered to her lips, lingered, then raked over her in a hungry gesture before returning to capture hers in a heated embrace. Trina felt as though he was touching her in the most intimate of ways. Her cheeks grew hot, her breath lodged in her throat. Desire washed over her in angry waves. She swallowed hard and tucked trembling hands in her lap, desperately trying to form a coherent sentence. “Please, Scott, don’t look at me like that.”  

He could actually feel her trembling response across the table. His voice lowered another notch. “Like what?”

Trina shook her head. “Like you’re starving to death and could eat me up. Didn’t you have enough food?”

Pushing his plate away, Scott stood and held his hand out to her. Trina placed a trembling one in his firm grip. Pulling her gently to her feet, Scott raised it to his mouth, brushing his lips across her knuckles. “Food is not what I’m hungry for,” he informed her in a husky whisper.

Trina waited as he paid for their meal then followed him to the parking lot as gracefully as possible on legs that wobbled. He paused and in a silent gesture, signaled for her to give him her car keys. His fingers brushed sensuously over her wrist and palm, grasping hers gently when she placed them in his hand.

Locking his heated gaze with hers, Scott raised their clasped hands to his lips, this time lingering over the kiss. He nibbled on her knuckles, teasing the back of her hand with his mouth, then, in one swift movement, turned his attention to the sensitive flesh of her palm and wrist, relieving her of her keys and her senses.

Trina felt the caress to the very core of her being. She moaned, leaning against his hard frame when he pulled her closer. His heat enveloped her until she burned with him, for him. And his lips had never even touched hers.

Part of me feels guilty for not coming up with a smart, witty post for today but to tell you the truth, I'm plain wore out. Medicare AEP is 1/2 over (ends Dec. 7th) and it's been B...U....S....Y! So busy in that I had to schedule brake maintenance on my car at 7:30 this morning. I'm even working on Saturday!

Never fear though, our Saturday Spotlight will be up before I head into the office.

After it's over though, I hope to get back to posting each month and promise to do my best to share meaningful words with you - Friends.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Linda Rondeau & It Really is a Wonderful Life!

Good Morning Friends and Welcome to the first Saturday Spotlight of November!

The holidays are barreling down upon us. I'm hoping to have Tempered Dreams in audio by Black Friday. Keep watching for updates on that.

Meanwhile, please welcome my friend and fellow author, Linda Rondeau back to our blog. It's been a while, but she's been in our spotlight a couple of times before, and today she gives us a peek into her newest release, It Really is a Wonderful Life.

If that don't beat all....Linda's title fits right in with my Wednesday Words with Friends post LOL! Take it away, Linda....

Midville newcomer and Iraq War widow, Dorie Fitzgerald, despises the frigid Adirondack wasteland that has now become her home. After twenty failed job interviews, she questions the wisdom of moving to be near her parents. Desperate to belong, she joins the local Community Theater, in production for It’s a Wonderful Life.

Jamey Sullivan has put his professional life on hold in order to run the family business and to help his ailing father. He signs on for Midville’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life, although he hopes to receive a Broadway casting call any day now.

When these two meet, they are instantly attracted to one another. However, ambition, demanding children, and a romantic rival threaten to squash their growing love for one another. Each must discover that the best things in life are found where your heart resides.

It Really is a Wonderful Life is set in the beautiful Adirondack mountains, a perfect backdrop for a Christmas romance.

Excerpt: Dorie threw the letter and shrugged as it landed on top of the leftover peanut butter sandwiches. Maybe she should finish reading the letter, just in case she’d misunderstood the opening paragraph. She picked up the memo again and flicked off the residue along its edges, skimming the next few lines. When done, she subdued the urge to scream. The kids were asleep—finally.

As she read, she mouthed the words with clenched jaws. “Thank you for your interest in Bargains Galore. I am sorry to inform you that the position for which you applied has been filled. Blah, Blah, Blah. Sincerely James Paul Sullivan.”

Regardless of the perfumed words, they still stung.

“What is it with this town?” She ripped the rejection into pieces and tossed it into the trash. “I can’t even get a job at the local dollar store. Somebody, somewhere, must need someone with a business degree.”

Focus on the positives, Dorie. Mom’s voice echoed in her memory. She’d spent a great night with the children—her favorite people. A read-a-thon and Fern Gully and bedtimes with no rebuttals from Josh or squalls from Emma … all huge positives.

When the kids went to sleep, however, the night resembled a desert crossing—interminably long and arid. She settled into the recliner—Devon’s chair—and flipped through the television channels. Nothing of interest. Just news, reruns, or cartoons.

She clicked off the television and picked up the newspaper. With a discordant sigh, she skipped over the first seven pages and turned to the classifieds. Scanning the five employment ads, she screeched an entire sonnet of Midville condemnations, then threw the paper at the wall.

Now her tirades beamed toward her late husband. “Devon, you had no right to get yourself killed fighting a war nobody cares about anymore. How do you expect me to raise these kids on my own when I can’t even get a job?”

Boomer’s bark brought her back from the edge of uncontrolled rage, a precipice she teetered on all too often these days. He nudged the crumpled newsprint in her direction. Some people believed Irish setters could read minds. But last she knew, they couldn’t read newspapers. Maybe he sensed something there—something good.

A breeze from the open window stirred its pages.

She bent over to pick it up. A jelly smudge brought attention to the announcement, Midville Players casting call. Who would have thought a puny town like Midville would have a drama group?

Curiosity numbed her anger. “Midville Players will hold auditions for their upcoming Christmas production of It’s a Wonderful Life—”

Did she dare? She’d played an angel in a Christmas pageant once. That was a lot of fun, and her teacher said she was the best angel. This would be different, though. Still, what was the worst that could happen?

You’d look like a fool and find new depths of rejection.

Discretion warned her to avoid any more opportunities for failure.

“Now don’t let your mind go there, Dorie,” she said aloud. Talking to herself was becoming a bad habit. Then again, who else did she have to talk to besides Boomer?

He barked as if to say he’d heard her.

She gazed at the article again. Why not go for it? Devon had always encouraged her to try new things. Besides, didn’t Daddy say the best way to find a job was to network? Since moving to Midville four months ago, her only networking had been with her parents’ retired church friends. Time to find a circle of friends closer to her age.

She picked up her cell and called her lifeline. “Mom, will you watch the kids for me tomorrow night?”

It Really IS a Wonderful Life is inspired by the author’s true experiences in a small town Community Theater. During her twenty years as an actor, producer, and director, the author met and married her best friend in life. The couple now reside in Hagerstown, Maryland, where they are actively involved with their local church ministries and spend time with their children and grandchildren. Most of Rondeau’s works reflect the beauty and friendliness of the northern Adirondack Region, where this book is set. Readers may connect with the author through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads. Follow the authors blog, Snark and Sensibility, on her website www.lindarondeau.com and signup for the author’s newsletters.

Coming soon: A Christmas Prayer  A Country Music star, a newspaper journalist, and a 12-year-old autistic child each pray seemingly opposing Christmas prayers. How will God answer?

Social Media Links

Facebook:

Instagram

Twitter’

Goodreads

Pinterest

Can anyone say "Hallmark Movie?" GREAT excerpt, Linda, thanks for sharing! Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.

Meanwhile, get your copy of It Really is a Wonderful Life at Amazon.

Until next time, take care, God Bless and remember....Life is what you make it so make it your BEST day/life  ever!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on.....

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Saturday Spotlight in August, 2019!

Well, we were hoping for a cool front....hasn't happened yet. My guest today could not be here, so I thought I'd just share some news of my own....

As you know, Tempered Hearts has been out in audio since June. It's doing pretty well and has garnered a few good reviews on Audible. 

You can check those out HERE.

If you've never tried audio books before, I encourage you to give them a try. You can get Tempered Hearts free with your 30 day trial through Audible HERE!

Tempered Dreams, is now in production and hopefully will be out before Christmas! Stay tuned for more info on that.

The Visionary has been getting a little more attention. First with the interview on Discover the Story and then with a review from Reader's Favorite Book Reviews. You can check that out HERE.

And last but not least, I've submitted my latest book, My Heart Weeps, to a NY publisher!

Hopefully we'll have some news on that. Meanwhile, here's a jpg I shared on Instagram with a quote from the book....

That's about it, friends! I hope you have a blessed Labor Day weekend!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Q&A with T.I. Lowe

Good Morning and Welcome!

It's raining -again- here in SW Louisiana. Seems we can't go a whole week much less two without rain. Alas, it's H-O-T already - 90+ degrees! So rain is a good thing when it lowers temperatures a few degrees. Except for the increased humidity LOL! A firm example of taking the good with the bad.

Today's guest, T. I. Lowe is brought to us by Tyndale Publishing and is giving us a peek into the why's and wherefore's behind her book, Lulu's Cafe.

What inspired you to write Lulu’s Café? The story of Lulu's Café came from me trying to wrap my mind around why a close loved one wouldn’t leave her abuser. I sat down with my mother, who was a survivor of domestic abuse in her second marriage, to discuss why a woman wouldn’t leave an abusive situation. This was during her battle with cancer, and we had long conversations about the topic of abuse during her chemo treatments. The most profound bit she shared with me was, “You can’t fully understand unless you’ve been there.”

First, I thanked God that I hadn’t been there, and then I prayed for those who were to find the strength to get out. The story developed from me wanting to understand, and it also became a creative outlet during the hardest days of my life as I could do nothing but watch my mother slowly succumb to the disease. Leah helped me to better grasp the mind-set of an abused woman who had been so beaten down and brainwashed that she truly did not see any way out. Plus, it was such a gift to be able to create for her a happily ever after! It was near the end of my mother’s battle and I needed that gift of hope myself.

How do you expect the novel to resonate with your audience? What are you most excited for your readers to experience through reading this story? Leah SURVIVES! Praise God, she survives. Even in a devastating situation, there is a way out. A popular highlighted passage from the book is a quote from Lulu. “I know the bad can’t be ignored. It’s everywhere, and I have no doubt that you have survived something horribly bad, but don’t overlook the good. Please remember good is like treasure. You have to seek it out. And remember how rewarding it is when you find it.”

What role does faith play in this story? The story displays other characters’ faith and how that eventually draws Leah to discover her own faith in God. I hope it will be a reminder to readers to be a light and share their faith with others.

What lessons or truths do you hope people take away from Lulu’s Café?
-It’s never okay to be mistreated in any way, whatsoever.
-We need to understand and be empathetic to others and their situations, leaving judgment out of our thoughts.

As an author, what did you particularly enjoy about writing this story? I loved the opportunity to spotlight small-town culture. Southerners have a more laid-back approach to living, and we love to love on people with food! It was fun to also showcase the lighter moments of life, and I hope readers had a laugh or two while reading this story.

Can you tell us about your inspiration for the main character in this book, Leah Allen?  Leah represents every abandoned child and every abused woman. She has a big role to fill, yes, but it was such an important one to take on. The world can feel hopeless in these situations, so Leah has to show readers to never give up and to seek help. To lean on those who cross your path and offer support.

This story is about leaving a past of pain and hurt and starting over. How do you hope this encourages your readers? I hope if someone is in an unhealthy situation that they will seek help after reading this book. I also want readers who are untouched by domestic abuse to be more aware and to be willing to reach out to those in need. We need to take off our blinders.

You say that because Leah is accustomed to cruelty, the kindness she meets in her new life is overwhelming. Can you talk more about that?  We are comfortable with what we know. In Leah’s case, a life of cruelty and setbacks is all she knew before landing in Rivertown. Like a skittish animal, she takes a while to trust, and rightfully so after what she endured. I hope readers will be encouraged to do the same after surviving difficult times.

What was your inspiration for the setting of this book? Can you tell us more about your inspiration for Lulu’s Café itself?  I’m from a small town in the country where family and friendship are important. I wanted Leah to discover this and to show her there was a better, simpler way of living than what she’d experienced. Southern charm and hospitality is like butter melting on a warm, fluffy biscuit. Who wouldn’t be drawn to it?

What can you tell us about the love connection that develops between Leah and Crowley? What difficulties do they face, given Leah’s past? It was a slow progression for them to get to that love connection, but Leah needed quite a bit of time to heal, both physically and emotionally, before even considering another relationship with a man. A friendship was formed first, so their relationship had a firm foundation to build upon. However, Leah struggled with opening up to Crowley and he struggled to understand why, but the Southern gentleman didn’t give up on her. The patience and compassion he so freely gave to Leah was exactly what the fragile woman needed.

In what ways do you hope this story connects with contemporary Christian women? I've had several readers contact me or leave reviews, sharing how my books were relatable. Many shared their personal stories (devastating stories in some cases) with me and how they fell away from their faith during those dark times. It never ceases to make my heart warm and give me goose bumps when they say through my stories, they have found their way back to God. Redemption and transformation are front and center in Lulu's Café. The understanding of forgiving yourself is important as well.

T. I. Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. Go figure. Writing was always a dream, and she finally took a leap of faith in 2014 and independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of ten published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. A wife and mother who’s active in her church community, she resides near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with her family.

What a wonderful premise, T. I. ! Much like my book, Tempered Dreams. Good luck and God's blessings with it!

Hope you enjoyed today's Wednesday Words with Friends, folks and that you'll check back weekly for more great guests. Also, stop by on Saturday and see who is in our spotlight. Pick up your copy of Lulu's Cafe at Amazon.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Random Ramblings on Friendship

Hello Friends,

Please know I do not use that term lightly and I DO appreciate each and every one of you for your support over the years.

If you're new to reading my work and/or following me -- Welcome! I pray you're aren't disappointed in what you find here on my blog.

Now on to my thoughts about Friendship....

We talk about BFF's and all of our friends which a lot of time, include mere acquaintances. So, I wonder, do we really appreciate the true friends in our lives?

The Bible teaches us that a "true" friend sticks closer to us than a brother but I wonder, would we really stick close to our 'friends' in their toughest times?

What about when they are doing something we don't approve of?

Now if you know me at all, you understand I never write to judge or criticize but to uplift and encourage and yes, if what I write makes you think and evaluate then that's great too!

I guess the point of these random ramblings is this: Love and appreciate the friends in your life. Uplift them when they are down. If you can help them see the error of their ways in some situations, do so with love and peace, not judgement and criticism. 

Most of all, be the kind of friend you would like to have!

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

PS: Speaking of Friends....I recently published the Tempered Series Bundle which includes all 4 of the Tempered Novels (Hearts, Dreams, Fire & Joy) as well as Lori's Redemption....all at a lower price than if you bought them individually!

You might ask how this relates to this post on friendship. This line in the book description explains it all..... Start at the beginning and follow these beloved characters throughout the years as love crosses the lines of age and strengthens the bonds of friendship.


The Tempered Series Bundle can be purchased through Smashwords for any electronic reading device! It is also at Barnes & Noble for Nook and should be showing up at Amazon soon too!

#TuesdayTreasure: History

Good Afternoon!

Well it's been a busy morning for me (nothing unusual right?). It's also been a while since I shared with you something I treasure. But before I do, Authors Helping Authors a promo group I belong to (actually I belong to 2 of these of the same name -- like I need something else to confuse me LOL!--anyway, one is differentiated from the other by the acronym MYAHA) this other group is the one through which we do different blog hops.... Y'know the Eggcerpt Exchange, Rocking Summer Romance, etc... Well we are embarking on Spring Fling Romance blog exchange/hop. So watch for the hashtag (#SpringFlingRomance) and this graphic to discover some great authors and books in the coming weeks. 

Okay....now to something I treasure....

I've never been a big history buff but I do enjoy visiting historical places. This past weekend, a special friend and I visited my home away from home, Bandera, TX and toured a historic church I'd like to share with you.

St. Stanislaus was constructed in 1855 and, if I remember correctly, is listed as the oldest Polish Catholic Church in the Texas and the 2nd oldest Catholic Church in the US. This church is decorated with stained glass windows and wall murals the like of which I've not seen. The area behind the altar is absolutely gorgeous!

Upon entering the sacred building we were given a spiral binder with descriptions of every stained glass window and mural as well as the history of the church and the saint after which it is named.

As it was Easter weekend, the Blessed Sacrament (Eucharist) was exposed and set out for adoration.

Absolutely lovely! 

While walking through the building I could actually feel God's Holy Presence within the walls and it reminded me of a conversation between Katrina Simmons and Scott Hensley (the h/h in Tempered Dreams) as they toured the St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, LA and how true those words are....

“God is in this place. Don’t you feel Him?”

Scott smiled tenderly, and nodded. He chose his words with care. “There’s no doubt the Holy Spirit of God dwells in special places of worship. Some more than others. But Trina, His desire is to dwell in here.” He touched her heart.

“Take what you feel in this place and carry it with you, knowing God is within. That’s when you’ll find your greatest peace, your greatest strength. The Bible says I will never leave you nor forsake you. Jesus said, ‘The Kingdom of God is within you.’ More than anything God wants to live in our hearts and minds. He wants us to know He’s there, to trust in that and to believe in His presence from the deepest part of our hearts and souls. Then and only then will you experience the kingdom of God on earth.”

This is definitely one trip and a piece of history I'll treasure forever. If you ever get a chance to visit Bandera, Texas make sure you take time out of your vacation to visit St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, a piece of history we, Catholic and non-Catholics alike should All treasure.

 And it goes without saying you should visit the Silver Spur Guest Ranch too!

**NOTE:** photos borrowed from Church's website**

Tempered Dreams can be purchased at the following places in formats mentioned....

Kindle http://amzn.to/1vJEqjk

Amazon Print: http://amzn.to/1q4Q8hV

Nook http://bit.ly/1b1jrNu

B&N Print: http://bit.ly/13l0LK4

Smashwords http://bit.ly/173ypSN

Well friends, I hope you enjoyed this Tuesday Treasure! Stay tuned for more great Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights.

Until later take care, God Bless and remember.... It is important to not only remember who we are but Whose we are and where we came from!

Something to think about.....

Pamela S Thibodeaux

"Inspirational with an Edge" ™

Guest Post by Janet Elizabeth Lynn!

Good Morning Friends and again, Welcome!

Today Janet shares with us a dream that came true....

Why do I write?  People often ask me that often. I respond, “It’s been a life long dream.”

I’m a Clinical Speech Pathologist. I’ve enjoyed my profession for 35 years and wouldn’t change it for the world. Yet in the back of my mind I ways wanted to write. One day I woke up and said to myself, “If you don’t try you’ll never know.” So I took classes, seminars, work shops, and started writing.

          At first I tried Romantic Comedy; I thought the novel was funny. But no one in my critique group laughed, I thought it was funny! So I tried Romance. I just tried writing, talking to published romance writers, but couldn’t get it right. I was frustrated; I knew I could do it. Then one Saturday I attended a seminar, Dean Koonz was speaking. A really nice guy with a wonderfully encouraging speech. So I approached him and told him how frustrated I was. He gave me the best advice, “Write what you enjoy reading.”

I went home and started writing, the results was in my first murder mystery, SOUTH OF THE PIER. It was like the flood gates opened. After nine murder, cozy and now NOIR mysteries, I can’t stop writing, ideas just seem to flow.

I decided I would continue writing until I run out of ideas, and that doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon. “Why not try different types of mysteries,” I thought. So I partnered with my husband, Will Zeilinger, a published author himself; and my wish came true, SLIVERS OF GLASS, a 1955 Noir mystery.

South of the Pier can be purchased at Amazon for Kindle!

Slivers of Glass can be purchased at Amazon in print and for Kindle!

What a beautiful story and testimony that when you follow your heart and God's leading, dreams can come true! Find out more about Janet and her books by visiting her website or blog.

And speaking of dreams coming true...don't forget about my novel, Tempered Dreams (book 2 in the Tempered series) which is also available at Amazon (Kindle), B&N (Nook) and Smashwords!


Hope you enjoyed this special Wednesday post. Tomorrow Janet will share some thoughts with us and check back Friday, Saturday and Sunday as she visits with us all week!

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

Tuesday Treasure: Simple Things

Happy Tuesday Morning and I pray it is a Blessed one for you out there!

A couple of songs have been running through my head this morning.... the Christmas jingle about "my favorite things" and the tune sung by Kenny Chesney about the simple things in life.  This brought to mind a question....

How often do we really appreciate the simple gifts we are blessed with on any given day?

The more I study and experience living in alignment with God/Jesus/Holy Spirit/Angels & Saints, the more I'm beginning to realize the necessity of gratitude for the simplest things.

Like sunrise splashing color across the sky & weeping its tint onto the hills.

After all, gratitude (thanksgiving) is one of the most basic courtesies. 

All of the spiritual leaders I study tout the value of gratitude for everything in life, even (especially) the simplest. So as you go about your day today, think of all the treasures in your life....and send up prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving for each and every one of them....then, do the same for the dreams in your heart.

Speaking of dreams....  just a reminder....Tempered Dreams (and the entire series) is available in Ebook @ Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and Smashwords and will soon be available in print!

Dr. Scott Hensley (introduced in Tempered Hearts) has built a wall around his heart since the death of his wife and parents.  Katrina Simmons is recovering from scars inflicted on her as a battered wife.  Can dreams be renewed and faith strengthened?  Can they find joy and peace in God’s love and in love for one another?  

Read an excerpt HERE!