Saturday Spotlight: Tanya Stowe

Good Morning!

I pray you've enjoyed a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving week! As we round out another month and head into the Christmas season, I'd like to encourage you to take time out to enjoy the upcoming holidays. I know, easier said than done. We've got work, and shopping, and parties and...well...who has time to take "out" and enjoy?!

Make the time. A few minutes each morning and/or evening, a moment or two during lunch, before or after church; we have 1440 minutes in every day...surely you can take a few to breathe deep and reflect on the good things in your life.

Without further ado, please join me in welcoming PBG author, Tanya Stowe with three new releases....

Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…gifts of the spirit and miracles, mysteries and exotic travel, even an angel or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a journey to the Old West or to contemporary adventures in foreign lands…be prepared for the extraordinary. Find out more about Tanya by visiting her Website or connecting with her on Facebook!

Alex Marsden dragged Penny Layton out of the gutter and promised her a happy-ever-after-love with a house and a white-picket fence. But the Civil War changed their paths. Separated twice by circumstances beyond their control, Penny learned to survive on her own, but lost hope. Five years later when Alex miraculously returns to her, Penny doesn't believe in happy endings or miracles. Will Alex's faith and love be strong enough to drag Penny out of the gutter one more time? Tender Trust will be available Dec. 13th!

At twenty-one, Lea Dale is well-adjusted and happy, despite the facial scars she's carried since infancy. She has friends in high places (with a connection to angels); possesses colorful vision (since for some reason she can see auras around folks); and her family and friends adore her. Corrective surgery is a possibility, but not one Lea has felt the need to consider…until wealthy investor Laren Meadows walks into her life and turns it upside down. Suddenly, Lea is painfully conscious of her lack of perfection, given Laren's flawless looks and ultra-charming personality. What a blessing that he's attracted to her despite her scars—and even her special angel seems to approve of the match.

Then a secret from Laren's past threatens to destroy any hope of a future for the two of them. Now there's only one way for Lea to know if Laren's love is true, but taking that action could mark the end of their relationship.

Can love survive such a tangled mess of physical and emotional scars?

Lea's Gift is written with author Delia Latham and is part of her Solomon's Gate series and will be available Dec 1st! 

Layne Mabrey is on the run. Determined to hide their Down Syndrome daughter from the world, her ex-husband wants to have six-year-old Chloe institutionalized, but Layne will go to any lengths to keep her child. Dex Beckett falls immediately in love with both Layne and Chloe, but Layne can't afford to get close to anyone--not even the shy, gentle cowboy next door. She and Chloe have to be ready to run at any moment. Concerned that Chloe's sudden creation of an imaginary friend could be used to substantiate her father's claims, Layne is shocked when Dex offers an unbelievable opinion about the child's invisible visitor. But there's more to Heart's Haven than meets the eye. Is it possible a Christmas miracle awaits Layne and Chloe on the Heart's Haven Angel Tree?

A Cowboy Christmas is part of the Hearts Haven series and will be available Dec. 20th. Find out more about all of the titles by visiting their blog and/or Facebook page!

Well friends, hope you enjoyed this spotlight! Three great novels from a talented and prolific author, two of which are Christmas stories....which fits nicely in the Holly Jolly Blog Hop! Find more great Christmas Cheer by following the hop and visiting the participating blogs listed below.

Until later...take care, Be Blessed and remember....You must feel love and let love envelop, empower and overwhelm you to the point where love has only one place to radiate – outward – into every situation you encounter and every life you come in contact with.

Something to think about....

"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

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Thursday Thoughts: Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well it's finally here, the one day we set aside to say Thank You each year. Although I appreciate the holiday, I believe gratitude is or should be a way of life. Every day and in every situation, we can find something to be grateful for.

Illness wrack your body? Thank God for what doesn't hurt or which organs and systems work with 100% efficiency the way He created them to function.

Loneliness pervade your life? Thank God for the material substances you have.

Grief overwhelm? Thank Him for the family and friends still alive and thank Him for the time you shared with that/those loved one(s).

Have more month than money? Thank Him for what you DO have, after all, some folks have less than you.

There's an old saying that whenever you complain about something you lack, look around and you'll find someone who is less fortunate.

No matter where life has brought you thus far, take a moment to reflect on all you have to be thankful for and vow to make the changes in your heart and mind, thoughts and words, so that every day is Thanksgiving Day! 

Now here's a little poem I wrote several years ago that I'd like to share with you again.....

A day set aside for grateful hearts

To express gratitude to God for gifts He imparts.

Since His mercies are new every morning, Dear

Shouldn’t we Thank Him each day of the year?

When you gather with family and those you love

Please remember to give Thanks and Praise to God above.

Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever! (1 Chron. 16:34)

And since tomorrow (11/29) is my beloved's birthday, I'd like to share with you a poem I gave him for Christmas back in 2006... 

I searched the town over, both near and far

To find a card to express how special you are.

No words touched my heart

or tickled my ear

Nothing could explain

how much I hold you dear.

Not a phrase or verse, no prose or art

Can articulate the deepest sentiments of my heart.

You’ve supported my efforts

until all my dreams came true

Even still, there are no words

that voice how much I love you.

So I offer you these simple words straight from my heart,

Not much I know, but hopefully a start.

You hold a place in my heart

that none can surpass

And my love for you will forever last.

Please accept this as it’s meant with love and good cheer

And know your love blesses me each day of the year!

Merry Christmas , My Love!

                          Your Love

  

Happy Birthday Terry.... RIP

Don't forget the "Holly Jolly Blog Hop" where you can visit authors all over the web who are spreading the Holiday cheer!

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Tuesday Treasure: Heavenly Haven by Christine Lindsay; Part of Kathi Macias's "12 Days of Christmas" Anthology

Good Morning from Bandera, TX!

Yep, I'm back at my home away from home on this glorious day Thanksgiving week. We are hopping busy but that's what makes this place so full of energy and spirit.

Today it is my pleasure to welcome once again, Christine Lindsay with her contribution to a Christmas anthology written by another dear author friend, Kathi Macias.

Irish-born Christine Lindsay writes multi-award-winning inspirational historical novels. Her great-grandfather and grandfather both worked as riveters on the Titanic. Several more of her ancestors served in the British Cavalry in India, seeding Christine’s long-time fascination with Colonial India, and became the stimulus for her series Twilight of the British Raj. In her novels, SHADOWED IN SILK and CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT, Christine delights in weaving the endless theme of God’s redemptive love throughout stories of danger, suspense, adventure, and romance.

The Pacific coast of Canada, about 200 miles north of Seattle, is Christine’s home. Like a lot of authors, Christine’s chief editor is her cat. Connect with Christine on her website www.ChristineLindsay.com, or drop by her blog for inspiration www.ChristineLindsay.org or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest  

Heavenly Haven by Christine Lindsay 

Avalanches happen to other people, not us. Marital problems happen to other people, not us, especially nine days before Christmas. At least that’s what Jack and Shaina Burke thought. Married for ten years, avalanche control expert Jack, and Shaina, only wanted to celebrate their December anniversary in a romantic way, until the shifting snows on the mountain bring havoc tumbling down upon them. 

What readers are saying about Heavenly Haven: 

Christine Lindsay has written a wonderfully descriptive (which she is an expert at!) holiday story guaranteed to delight your senses and warm your heart!---Diana Flowers, Christian Fiction Reviewer 

A lovely Christmas story different to what I was expecting. Nice quick read. The only problem was I would love to read more---Jenny Blake, Christian Fiction Reviewer 

Now that's what I call a romance! This was a wonderful novelette about a married couple---Kathryn Svendsen, Christian Fiction Reviewer 

Heavenly Haven is available as an Ebook on Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, and Kobo for only 99 cents. 

Sounds like a great story in a book full of great stories! 

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this Tuesday Treasure. Don't forget, I am participating in the Holly Jolly Christmas Blog Hop so visit often and drop by the other participating blogs listed below to get into the Christmas spirit!

Until later....take care, God Bless and remember....As we journey through this special time of year, we give Thanks, share Joy and spread lots of Cheer. Let us keep in mind that life is a gift and offer God praise, and always remember to keep the holidays, Holy Days.

Pamela S Thibodeaux
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

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Saturday Spotlight: Marianne Evans & Maria's Angel

Good Morning Friends,

Well I hope you're enjoying the beautiful fall weather. This week's spotlight is Pelican Book Group author, Marianne Evans with her latest release, Maria's Angel, part of the Hearts Haven series.

Marianne Evans is a multi-award-winning author of Christian romance and fiction. Her hope is to spread the faith-affirming message of God’s love through the stories He prompts her to create. Readers laud her work as: ‘Riveting.’ ‘Realistic and true to heart.’ ‘Compelling.’ 

Marianne’s novel, Devotion earned the prestigious Bookseller’s Best Award from Greater Detroit Romance Writers of America.  Hearts Communion earned Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year honors in the Romance category as well as best inspirational romance from the Ancient City Romance Authors, a chapter of RWA. Her novella Finding Home earned the Selah Award for excellence in Christian fiction and Evans has also earned acclaim in such RWA contests as The International Digital Awards, The Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence where she has been a finalist twice, and the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence contest.  

Happily married and the mother of two, Marianne is a lifelong resident of Michigan who is active in a number of a number of Romance Writers of America chapters, most notably the Greater Detroit Chapter where she served two terms as President. She’s also active in American Christian Fiction Writers and the Michigan Literary Network. 

Connect with Marianne at her website, blog, Facebook and Twitter! 

Now here's a peek into Maria's Angel.....

A mechanic, a widow, a broken-down car. Sometimes life’s purpose is found by accident 

Blurb: 

Trying desperately to find her way following a season of loss, Maria Wilde is literally at the end of her road, stranded in Angel Falls, Texas. She's on her way home for Thanksgiving in a car jam packed with her worldly possessions and the greatest treasure of all, her six-month-old daughter, Lilly. 

Brody Lang is a mechanic at the gas station where Maria finds herself temporarily sidelined. He's got the faith of an angel and willingly helps her out of a jam. Sensing God's intervention, Brody is compelled to help Maria find the road ahead.  

But can he work past the steel blockade widowhood has erected around Maria's heart? Can Brody and his friends at Heart's Haven convince her that re-claiming life and holding on to God's grace can lead Maria not just into new life, but a second chance at love as well? 

Excerpt: 

Repairs completed, Brody stood behind the cashier's station, initiating a brief explanation of the work he had done. Maria listened while he used words like coolant pumps, tensioners, pulleys, and dust debris that had accumulated in the metal ridges of some mechanical component or another. She did her best to follow but came away fairly certain he spoke a foreign language.  

That's when it happened.  

Brody Lang picked up the list of goods she had carefully scribed. He studied the page for a second or two and nodded. Then, he looked straight into her eyes. “Paid in full.” 

He ripped the paper into tiny shreds, which he tossed into the trash.  

Maria tried to spear him with a firm glare but was so grateful for his generosity that her heart didn’t reside in the attempt. So, she decided to strike a deal. “Fine—but I'm paying you the fair price for fixing my van. No negotiating, either. I want the bill, and I'll pay you back just as soon as I'm able. Deal?” 

She extended her hand for a let’s-make-it-official seal of the agreement. When he took hold, she was struck once more by the appealing, protective strength of his touch. A sensation of wistfulness sang through her tired, aching spirit.  

“Deal, but I'm on to you, Maria Wilde.” 

“What do you mean by that?” He didn't release his hold right away, and Maria found she didn't mind. There was nothing awkward or untoward about the connection. It simply was, so she allowed herself to enjoy...but only for a moment.  

“You're letting me win a battle so you can win the war.” 

Laughter bubbled through her chest and released in a carbonated sound of delight. Brody Lang really was a terrific man. 

Maria's Angel is available now from Pelican Book Group, Amazon,Barnes and Noble & Christian Book

Get more info on other Hearts Haven titles at the group blog and on FaceBook!

Well Friends, thanks for stopping by and checking out the latest spotlight. Stay tuned for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights!

Until later...take care, God Bless and remember....Our attitudes and actions can sabotage the good God is trying to get to us. Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if our attitudes and actions have anything to do with the circumstances in our life.  If this is the case, then change your thinking. Focus on love and your life will reflect the change in you.

Something to think about...

"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

Thursday Thoughts: Holidays...

Good Thursday Morning!

Well, it's been a fun (but BUSY!) couple of weeks. I drove in to Louisiana on Monday the 11th so I could spend time with my brother who was in from Alaska for his annual visit. Tuesday (19th) I brought him to the airport in Houston then came back and this coming Sunday I'll be heading back to Bandera and the Silver Spur Guest Ranch where we are packed solid through Thanksgiving week, so it doesn't look as though things will slow down anytime soon.....In fact I get tired just thinking about it LOL!

One week from today is Thanksgiving and a mere 4 weeks later is Christmas and then a whole new year is upon us.

For many folks, the holidays can be a time of stress and mixed emotions as we strive to make the memories good ones despite the year(s) past. Add to that grief over loved one's who've passed away or moved out of our life for whatever reason, and the holidays can leave one lonely and/or depressed.

This year let us all take a deep breath and remember what the season truly is about....or in all actuality, what EVERY day should be about.

What's that? you ask...

Life, love, peace, hope, joy, happiness, bliss, gratitude, blessing, giving, receiving, sharing....forgiveness....

As we move into the holiday season please take a moment to reflect on all of the GOOD in your life and with honest intention, vow to do this on a daily basis. Because when you focus on the beautiful things, the things to be grateful about, those things will magnify and outweigh the not-so-great.

Something to think about!
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

PS: Beginning today I am participating in a Holly Jolly Blog Hop so be sure and check back often as I'll be linking up with other bloggers to bring you tons of holiday cheer!

Oh and one more thing...if you're a Pinterest fan, I've got several boards up that might interest you so check 'em out!

Tuesday Treasures: Guest Post by Jayne E Self!

Good Morning Friends,

It is with great pleasure I  bring you this Tuesday Treasure from my friend and fellow author, Jayne E Self...

I loved Jacque Cousteau’s TV Specials. As a kid growing up in central Canada the seemingly infinite mysteries of the ocean mesmerized me. I dreamed of becoming an oceanographer. I read, studied, memorized. And then I got on a boat. 

I quickly discovered a degree of motion sickness that trains, planes or automobiles cannot begin to engender.  

In His graciousness, however God has satisfied my passion for the sea with the seashore. I have summered by the ocean, even lived by the ocean, and its ever-changing nature still beckons me.  

I think that’s because, for me, the ocean is a metaphor of God. It is infinite, boundless, gentle, and frighteningly powerful—all at the same time.  

With each wave it shifts sandbars, tumbles rocks, and reshapes the land. It washes away and deposits anew. Shells, driftwood, seaglass—treasures lost become treasures found. 

The rhythm of the waves echo the prayers of my heart. And as I walk along the shore, no matter the weather or the season, I can always hear His voice. 

Jayne E. Self lives in Ontario, Canada. Her mysteries, Murder in Hum Harbour (2011) and Death of a Highland Heavyweight (2012) have both won Word Awards—Canada’s largest Christian writing awards. 

 

 Available Now in Ebook & Print!

                                                        Available Now in Ebook & Print!

You can find more about Jayne, her writing, and her blog at jayneself.com "where faith and mystery converge." 

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this special guest post. Stay tuned for more great Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights!

Until next time...take care, God Bless and remember.....What you sow you reap, 30, 60 & 100-fold!

Something to Think About...

"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

Saturday Spotlight: Christine Lindsay & Captured by Moonlight

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

I sincerely hope you are enjoying my Tuesday Treasure and Thursday Thoughts post along with these weekly spotlights where I bring you great authors and their books.

Today I welcome Christine Lindsay back to the blog with her book, Captured by Moonlight Book 2 of the series Twilight of the British Raj.

Prisoners to their own broken dreams… 

After a daring rescue goes awry, the parched north of India grows too hot for nurse Laine Harkness and her friend Eshana. The women flee to the tropical south…and run headlong into their respective pasts. 

Laine takes a new nursing position at a plantation in the jungle, only to discover that her former fiancé is the owner…and that Adam has no more to say to her now than he did when he crushed her years ago. Why, then, is she still drawn to him, and to the tiger cub he is raising? 

Eshana, captured by her traditional uncle and forced once more into the harsh Hindu customs of mourning, doubts whether freedom will ever again be in her future, much less the forbidden love that had begun to whisper to her. Is faith enough to live on? Or is her Savior calling her home? 

Amid cyclones and epidemics, clashing faiths and consequences of the war, will the love of the True Master give hope to these searching hearts? 

Excerpt: 

Searing pain jabbed into Adam’s calf.  

He cried out. Light from the headlamps reflected two pinpoints of light. A snake scuttled into the bush, and Laine started to rush in his direction. 

“Wait, Laine. Don’t come closer.”  

“What is it?” she shouted over the gale. 

“A snake.” He clenched his fists and bit down on his lip with the throbbing in his leg. “Ruddy thing bit me as I plodded along in my size ten boots. Blast! I should have known better.” He looked back at her. “Stay where you are. There might be more than one.” 

He studied the ground in the dim light. Unable to see any sign of movement, he shivered. The blasted reptile had gone. All he’d been able to see in that quick flash was that it was green.  

Laine, heedless of his warning, joined him. “Where is the wound?” 

“I told you to stay where you were.” 

“Is it your leg?” 

“My calf.” 

She slipped her shoulder under his arm and swung her arm around his back. “Stay calm. Do you hear me? No panic. Lean on me. Put as little weight on that leg as possible. I want to get you onto the truck box.” 

He put his weight on her shoulders, and she walked him back to the vehicle.  

“Balance yourself against that,” she said. “I’m going to hop up there, and if you push with your arms then I’ll pull. I’ve got to get you lying down.” 

“I can make it up.” 

“Sorry, me luv, but I’m giving you a hand anyway.” She spoke in a fake Cockney accent, no doubt the one she used to cajole many a soldier into treatment or help them withstand the terror of dying. 

She hauled him up, and without a word had him soon lying down, covered with a blanket that the rain quickly soaked. 

Her hair dripped and hung down as a curtain to frame her face as she pulled off his boot and ripped the bottom of his trouser leg up to his thigh. She bent to examine the punctures at the side of his left calf and then left him to go to the cab. A moment later she returned with her medical bag. “You know the routine, no panic.” 

“I know, and I assure you, Matron, I’m doing my best.” 

“No talking. Save your strength. That’s the ticket.” 

He watched Laine screw open the wooden cylinder of the snake-bite kit and remove the lancet. He did know the routine only far too well. She had to clean the wound and hope the crystals did the trick. After that, unless he could get to a dispensary they could only pray the snake hadn’t injected a fatal amount of venom.  

“What kind of snake was it?” she asked in her no-nonsense nursing tone counterbalanced with the jovial Cockney.  

“Not sure...there are two types of green snake in this area. If it was the least venomous, the whip snake, I’ll be sick for a few days but live.” 

“And the other?” 

“Bamboo pit viper. I think you should know...if it was the viper...the outcome is...less optimistic, I’m afraid.” 

She stopped momentarily. So momentarily only someone who knew her as well as he did would notice. But she resumed her brisk composure and took the lancet in her hand with the container of potassium permanganate on the floor at her side. “Well, you’re my patient now, and I don’t allow morbid talk on my ward. As I’m sure you’re aware, this will hurt. 

So lie back, soldier. Grit your teeth. And think of England.” 

Captured by Moonlight can be purchased in Print or Ebook!

Click here to view Captured by Moonlight Book Trailer

Irish-born Christine Lindsay writes multi-award-winning inspirational historical novels. Her great-grandfather and grandfather both worked as riveters on the Titanic. Several more of her ancestors served in the British Cavalry in India, seeding Christine’s long-time fascination with Colonial India, and became the stimulus for her series Twilight of the British Raj. In her novels, SHADOWED IN SILK and CAPTURED BY MOONLIGHT, Christine delights in weaving the endless theme of God’s redemptive love throughout stories of danger, suspense, adventure, and romance.

The Pacific coast of Canada, about 200 miles north of Seattle, is Christine’s home. Like a lot of authors, Christine’s chief editor is her cat. 

Find out more about Christine by visiting her Website. Check out Christine's last visit with her book, Shadowed in Silk HERE!

Thanks for stopping by Friends! I pray you have a Blessed & Happy Life!!

Until later...take care, be blessed & remember.....God uses people, places and circumstances to enrich our lives that we may, in turn, be used by HIM to bless the lives of everyone we come in contact with.

Something to think about....

"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™