#SaturdaySpotlight: LoRee Peery & Paisley's Pattern!

Good Morning Friends,

Well the trip last week to Sam Rayburn lake in TX was wonderful. Caught quite a few fish. I'll be sharing that sometime in the future on Tuesday Treasure.

Also, beginning Monday June 1st, I have 2 contests going on in which you have the opportunity to win 1 of 5 copies of Circles of Fate! You'll see the announcement in the sidebar here on the blog but you can also get all the details HERE.

All that said, it is my pleasure to bring fellow Pelican Book Group author and friend, LoRee Peery back to the blog with her latest release, Paisley's Pattern!

Christian romance author LoRee Peery writes to feel alive, as a way of contributing, and to pass forward the hope of rescue from sin. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. LoRee clings to I John 5:4 and prays her family sees that faith. She has authored the Frivolities Series and other e-books. Her desire for readers, the same as for her characters, is to discover where they fit in this life journey to best work out the Lord’s life plan. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and author. She’s been a reader since before kindergarten. One day she slapped a story in her lap. “I could write better than this.” (Lofty assumption, eh?) Her dear hubby challenged, “Why don’t you?” Thus her writing journey began many moons ago. Connect with LoRee through her website, twitter and Facebook! 

Paisley and Rob love each other, but neither is willing to correct what needs to be fixed in their relationship, so Paisley relocates out of state. When she discovers a secret that may repair Rob’s view of his past, she reaches out. Rob is still bitter over Paisley’s inability to commit and her habit of running, but he believes she sincerely cares for him, so he investigates her claim to have found his unknown heritage. After the emotional turmoil of meeting a family he knew nothing about, Rob’s love for Paisley convinces him to reconcile their differences. His world is incomplete without Paisley. However, she is reluctant to move forward, and has an opportunity to flee again. Will Rob help convince Paisley the answer is not to move again, but lies with the Lord, or will Rob lose Paisley forever?

Excerpt:

Rob attended to the slider, two open windows, and checked for unlocked doors. He returned to the great room.

Paisley rummaged in the kitchen beyond the dividing island. Her long layered skirt floated around her as she moved. She met his gaze and gave him what he called her secret smile. Women were complex creatures.

“You’re oblivious,” he said.

She gracefully slid coasters and placed tall glasses on the table in front of the couch. “Oblivious to what?”

He grazed a finger down her hairline, tucking her hair behind one ear. “You are lovely. Others see it. It’s one of the things that first drew me to you, because you are unaware of how you glow from within. You are interested in others and put them first.”

Her eyes drifted shut.

He used his left hand to trace her hairline. “You don’t give guys flirty looks and you aren’t prideful. The way you came to Rainbow’s aid and how you’ve worked so hard on the Waverly house, your actions are admirable.” He threaded his fingers into the hair at her nape and lifted the heavy mass off her shoulders. He smoothed the ends at her collarbones, inhaling her light floral scent before releasing the gold. Cupping her face in both hands, and moved in to sip the nectar of her sweet lips.

Don’t leave me again, my lovely lady. His plan was to show her she couldn’t live without him. He feared his dark world would return and last forever if that happened.

****

Would Paisley ever breathe again?

Rob curled her hair away from the damp skin of her neck and deepened their kiss.

Her toes ignited.

Her cognition sank into an endless sea of sensation. Her whole world at this moment in time was encapsulated in Rob. He surrounded her and invaded her sanity.

His heavy breathing as he pulled back told her their connection got to him as well.

The heat of his touch left a trail of awareness down her side as his fingertips brushed her ribs.

He released his hold on her arms.

Her knees noodled.

They slumped to the couch together.

He leaned forward and she raised her arms to shoulder height, palms out.

She couldn’t meet his gaze.

Rob coughed. Then he chuckled. And he laughed wholeheartedly, a sound she’d never heard. Even Sara in fine performance, hadn’t brought forth such a heartfelt reaction.

The beautiful tones astonished Paisley because Rob’s world had been so glum. What a thrilling, full-of-life, beautiful sound.

Still unable to look him in the eye, she giggled like a teenaged girl who entertained a boyfriend while babysitting.

“Hey, you two, you guys woke me up!” Sara stood in the doorway rubbing her eyes. “What’s so funny anyway? Are you two still telling redneck jokes?”

Paisley snorted, choking down more laughter.

Paisley's Pattern is available at Pelican Book Group and Amazon

Hope you enjoyed the spotlight!

See you next week.

Until then...take care and God Bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Winning

Good Morning Friends,

My guest for today was unable to be here so I thought I'd take a moment and talk about winning.

We're programmed to win in many areas of our lives and sometimes taught to do so at any cost.

But I wonder, is this always what's best?

What values are we teaching if we put more emphasis on "winning" than personal growth and development or building relationships, compromise and compassion?

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

Speaking of winning .... the winners of American Sniper box sets are....

Tanya Hanson and Patricia Preston!

Congratulations Ladies and Thank You to EVERYONE who visited and commented on the blog post.

Until next time...take care and God Bless!

#TuesdayTreasure: #SpringFlingRomance with Kim Headlee!

Hello Again!

Today I have another great book featured on the Spring Fling Romance blog hop. This time we're visiting with Kim Headlee......

Why I Love Spring.....

When God created the world, He had to make it functional, of course. He didn't have to make it beautiful, and yet He did. The dancing bands of the aurora's display, the giggle of a child, the caress of silk on the skin, the first whiff of coffee and bacon in the morning... but never is that beauty more evident than in the sights and sounds and smells of the season of rebirth and hope. It is my hope that you enjoy all these sensory delights as much as I do!

Spring flowers play a major role in God's rebirth process, of course. My paranormal historical romance Snow in July presents a rebirth metaphor, often using flowers too: a rebirth from the winter of angst, grief, fear, and hatred into the spring of acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, and love.

AUTHOR BIO:

Kim Headlee lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia with her family, cats, goats, and assorted wildlife. People and creatures come and go, but the cave and the 250-year-old house ruins—the latter having been occupied as recently as the mid-twentieth century—seem to be sticking around for a while yet.

Kim is a Seattle native and a direct descendent of twentieth-century Russian nobility. Her grandmother was a childhood friend of the doomed Grand Duchess Anastasia, and the romantic yet tragic story of how Lydia escaped Communist Russia with the aid of her American husband will most certainly one day fuel one of Kim's novels. Another novel in the queue will involve her husband's ancestor, the seventh-century proto-Viking king of the Swedish colony in Russia.

For the time being, however, Kim has plenty of work to do in creating her projected 8-book Arthurian series, The Dragon's Dove Chronicles, and other novels under her new imprint, Pendragon Cove Press.

YouTube video interview: http://youtu.be/DV5iKrEIROk

FOLLOW KIM:

BLOG – http://kimiversonheadlee.blogspot.com/

NEWSLETTER: mailto:info@dawnflight.com?subject=Subscription_Request

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/KimHeadlee

GOOGLE+ - https://plus.google.com/+KimHeadlee

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/KimIversonHeadlee

PINTEREST – http://www.pinterest.com/kimheadlee/

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – http://www.amazon.com/Kim-Headlee/e/B001KE2LK2

GOODREADS – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/845537.Kim_Headlee

LINKEDIN – http://www.linkedin.com/in/kimheadlee/

YOUTUBE CHANNEL – http://www.youtube.com/user/gyanhumara

Sir Robert Alain de Bellencombre has been granted what every man wants: a rich English estate in exchange for his valiant service at the Battle of Hastings. To claim this reward, the Norman knight must wed the estate's Saxon heiress. Most men would leap at such an opportunity, but for Alain, who broke his vow to his dying mother by failing to protect his youngest brother in battle, it means facing more easily broken vows. But when rumors of rampant thievery, dangerous beasts, and sorcery plaguing a neighboring estate reach his ears, nothing will make him shirk duty to king and country when people's lives stand at risk. He assumes the guise of a squire to scout the land, its problems, and its lady.

Lady Kendra of Edgarburh has been granted what no woman wants: a forced marriage to an enemy who may be kith or kin to the man who murdered her beloved brother. Compounding her anguish is her failure to awaken the miraculous healing gift bequeathed by their late mother in time to save his life. Although with his dying breath, he made her promise to seek happiness above all, Kendra vows that she shall find neither comfort nor love in the arms of a Norman…unless it snows in July.

Alain is smitten by Lady Kendra from the first moment of their meeting; Kendra feels the forbidden allure of the handsome and courtly Norman "squire." But a growing evil overshadows everyone, invoking dark forces and ensnaring Kendra in a plot to overthrow the king Alain is oath-bound to serve. Kendra and Alain face a battle unlike any other as their honor, their love, their lives, and even their very souls lie in the balance.

BOOK TRAILER: http://youtu.be/vFsaD1jCLLU

In the following excerpt, Kendra, alone with the badly wounded and unconscious Alain, confronts her fear of her inherited paranormal healing gift, the activation of which is catalyzed by touching dried Christmas blooms from the Glastonbury thorn tree. That fear is born from the failure on her previous attempt to use the flowers to save her dying mother, several years earlier. The petals had ignited in her hands, causing a lurid rash whose scar has left a permanent reminder of her failure and anguish.

EXCERPT

As she reached for the packet again, fear froze her hand.

The Glastonbury thorn’s Cristes-mæsse flowers were reputed to work miracles for the pure of heart. Yet how could she be “pure of heart” when she harbored venomous hatred for the man who had murdered her brother? How could she look her Norman bridegroom in the eye and proclaim her fidelity to him while she felt herself succumbing to this squire’s forbidden allure? How could she reconcile the months of despising England’s new king for what he had done to her people, her family, and her very existence?

“I can’t!” Sobbing, she buried her face in her hands. “I just can’t. The thorn won’t work for me. I am not worthy.”

Power does not come without sacrifice. But for Alain’s sake, and yours, you must endure the thorn.

For Alain’s sake.

Raising her head and drying her face on the sleeve of her gown, she gazed at the man—the Norman—who’d already sacrificed God alone knew how much for her sake. His chilled, waxy face convinced her that whether she was betrothed to another man or not, and whether Alain was kin to Del’s murderer or not, she didn’t want him to pay the ultimate price.

She had no right to permit him to make such a sacrifice.

The very least she could do for him was sacrifice a small piece of herself.

She drew a deep, shuddering breath, released her hatred as best she could, and pressed the packet between her palms.

***

Author's Note: Cristes-mæsse is the ancient Saxon word for Christmas

BUY & TBR LINKS

AMAZON KINDLE US – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L6K50V2

AMAZON KINDLE CA – http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00L6K50V2

AMAZON KINDLE UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00L6K50V2

AMAZON KINDLE AU – http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00L6K50V2

AMAZON PAPERBACK – http://www.amazon.com/dp/0990505502

BARNES & NOBLE NOOK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snow-in-july-kim-headlee/1119853202?ean=2940149693818&itm=1&usri=2940149693818

BARNES & NOBLES PAPERBACK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snow-in-july-kim-headlee/1119853202?ean=9780990505501

ITUNES – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id892162990

KOBO – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/snow-in-july

SMASHWORDS – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/450831

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22398941-snow-in-july

SHELFARI – http://www.shelfari.com/books/37731943/Snow-in-July

#SaturdaySpotlight: Duane Lindberg & Kingdom of the Rings

Good Morning from Sam Rayburn Lake, Texas!

Yep I'm on a fishing trip (don't laugh I love to fish!). I'll share the experience later on either Tuesday Treasures or Thursday Thoughts but today, Saturday Spotlight is brought to you courtesy of Prime Star Publicity. So without much further ado....Here's our guest!

Duane R. Lindberg was born and raised in the Scandinavian hinterland of northwestern Minnesota. His paternal grandfather was born on a Viking Age farm in Ringsaker, Norway near the burial mounds of ancient kings.

Duane received his BS in Chemistry from the University of North Dakota, a MTh from Luther Seminary, St. Paul, a Doctor of Divinity degree from the American Lutheran Theological Seminary, and an MA and PhD in American Studies from the University of Minnesota.

Following a brief career as a research chemist and as an officer in the US Army Chemical Corps, Dr. Lindberg studied for the Lutheran ministry and served congregations in North Dakota and Iowa.

Rev. Lindberg­ has served as the Presiding Pastor (Bishop) of the American Association­ of Lutheran Churches from 1987 until his retirement in 1999.

Duane and his wife Mardell reside in Waterloo, Iowa. They are blessed with five children and eleven grandchildren.

They volunteer in their community through the Sons of Norway, Rotary, and Valley Lutheran School.

They are encouraging their grandchildren in their commitment to their faith and in many activities, including academics, sports, music, and the study of the Norwegian language and culture.

The KINGDOM OF THE  RINGS is our American story-the story of our people-of the 55 million who emigrated from Europe to North America in 19th and 20th centuries.  This story focuses on the victories and defeats, joys and sorrows, of those who broke the sod of the prairie plains, built the farms and ranches, towns and cities, schools and churches.  This is the story of the Faith in and the Vision of God's promised fulfillment which strengthened and sustain them as they face the trials and tribulations, the challenges and opportunities of life in the New Land.  As symbolic of all immigrant groups-from the British Isles, the German states, the Latin lands, the Slavic nations and the Scandinavian countries, I have focused on the nearly 1 million immigrants from Norway-their Christian Faith which inspired them, their commitment to hard work, honesty, individual initiative, and respect for law which drove them, and the tensions which they experienced, created by their desire to adjust to their new homeland without losing their identity......This is Your Story and My Story

Excerpt from Prelude (page 1):

The boy stood, head bowed, beside the open grave. A brisk prairie wind dried his tears but left trails on his cheeks. When he heard the first spade-full of earth thump against the coffin,

he squeezed his fist around the golden Ring which Far (father) had given him the day before he died. Far had told him the story of the Rings, a tale from thirteenth-century Norway. It was at the time when pilgrims from Europe and the Middle East followed the “Pilgrims’ Way”

(pilegrimsleden), to the “healing spring” at St. Olaf ’s grave in the Nidaros Cathedral at Trondheim. . . .

But where did the tale of the three interlocking golden Rings begin? How did the golden Rings get caught up in the great European migration of the nineteenth century? How did they find their way first to the “Land of the Midnight Sun” and then to the new “Promised Land” of America? What is the “Coptic Secret” which was hidden for centuries and was finally revealed in the light and shadows of the “City on the Hill?”

The Kingdom of the Rings can be purchased at Amazon in Hardcover or Paperback and directly from Nordskog Publishing!

Wow... Thank YOU Duane for serving our country!!! 

Hope you enjoyed the spotlight. Check back weekly for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course Saturday Spotlight!

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

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: What Happened to the GOOD Commercials?

Hello Friends,

I wrote this back in 2009 (as you can tell by some of the content) but I believe it's still relevant today....

© Artistashmita | Dreamstime.com - As Seen On TV Photo

I can still see the curly-headed little boy swinging his feet off the wharf, holding a fishing pole, singing…. “My bologna has a first name; it’s O-S-C-A-R....” He ends the ditty with “How’s that?” followed by a million dollar smile.

What about the precocious red-head arguing with her grandfather that asparagus does NOT go good on a Ritz cracker and with a roll of those bright green eyes informs him, “it’s asparagis not asparagoose, silly.”

And speaking of Ritz crackers, how about the toddler talking to his infant brother…. “Hi Jack, boy they really love you but you know when they really love you? When you get peanut butter on a Ritz cracker.” Mom hears on the baby monitor and brings up a snack, after which, he goes back to the crib and says, “I’m glad we had our little talk.”

How about being bombarded with the burger ‘king’ break dancing to a rap singer about square butts. The fact that the song is about Sponge Bob (who isn’t the best influence over our children and grandchildren anyway) is bad enough but then the singer ends the commercial with “Booty is Booty,” catapulting the disgusting to downright degrading.

How does such an attitude help our children learn morality? How does this encourage respect for the opposite sex in our boys? How does this help them become better men? How does this promote self esteem and self respect in our young girls?

How do any advertisements - whether television, magazine, or radio - which promote anything less than human kindness and dignity benefit anyone?

Children are vulnerable and susceptible to peer pressure and influenced easily by the media - therefore the media should maintain an honorable - or at the very least respectable - code of ethics that promote equality, respect, dignity and simple human kindness.

Now as an author, I know all about reaching your target audience but don’t these marketing experts realize their target audience have parents who drive them to these establishments and when the parents disapprove, off goes the television and down go the visits to said establishment.

What ever happened to the good commercials? Like the little boy and his big brother drinking orange juice and the little guy, his voice laced with adoration…. “If I drink oansh juice will I be big as you?”

C’mon marketers! Bring back advertisements that touch our hearts and make us want to buy your product.

I'd love to see some great commercials with kids like there used to be and I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts!

Leave a comment and who knows, you might win a surprise gift!

Until next time...take care and God Bless!

PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: #SpringFlingRomance with @TinaGayle!

Welcome Friends to another Spring Fling Romance post, this one by the founder of this promotion group, Tina Gayle.

Why do I like Spring?

I love the nature’s slow rebirth from brown to green.

The sound of the peaceful silence of winter turning to the soft melody of birds singing to the joyous sound of life.

Flowers dancing in the wind, attracting the butterflies and pollenating the future.

The refreshing rains that sparks new buds to form on once bare trees.

All the wonders of spring remind me of the new opportunities out there to be the best I can be.

Have a great spring and a wonderful summer.

Tina 

Tina Gayle grew up a dreamer and loved to escape into the world of books.

After years of working in the business world doing a variety of jobs, she decided to try her hand at writing and hope to incorporate the joy of being a woman into her books.

Married twenty-five years, she and her husband love to travel and play golf.  She can’t wait for Mike to retire so they can do more of both.

Read the first chapter of any of her books by visiting her website.

Find Tina Gayle everywhere

Home - www.tinagayle.net
Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
Google + - https://plus.google.com
Linkin - http://www.linkedin.com/pub/tina-gayle/11/689/759

Brie Sullivan has a new baby girl and there are a million things to do, but Brie doesn’t have the energy to keep up. Why? She’s still grieving for her husband and suffering from baby blues, but she won’t let that stop her. She’s come up with the answer--find a new husband to be the father of her kids.

Jason Clark has been doing everything he can to help Brie. He loves her but can he accept her proposal of marriage knowing she’s not thinking clearly about the future?

Comments from Reviews for IT Exec’s Baby (2nd book of the Executive Wives Club series)

“IT Exec’s Baby is almost a love story in reverse. The marriage comes first, then the sex, and finally the love - at least from Brie's point of view. It is tender and poignant at times, and full of strong descriptive passages.”

“What I love about series books. Every book gives you more about the characters that you've fallen in love with during the first book.”

“IT Exec’s Baby is a riveting story of a woman with numerous problems.”

Excerpt:

With the warmth of the sun beating down on her head and the sound of her children’s laughter ringing in her ears, Brie spread her arms and spun in a circle.

She raised her voice and called to her kids as she walked to the railing of the upper deck. “You better find a good hiding place because ready or not here I come.”

With Isabella down for a nap, Brie drew in a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air and the freedom from being stuck inside the house. The kids had convinced her to play with them outside. She loved the easy game of hide-and-go-seek. Glancing over the rail, she scanned the backyard, searching for Ethan’s and Allison’s young forms.

A giggle sounded from below the deck.

Brie stepped down a few stairs to search the patio below. Still unable to catch a glimpse of her children, she continued down the staircase, listening for sounds that might give her a clue to their whereabouts.

Not seeing either one of them, she hugged the back wall and silently slipped to the corner of the house that had concrete steps, which led to the front yard.

Determined to catch one of her kids heading for home-base, Brie refrained from peeking around the corner. The squeak of a tennis shoe alerted her to someone’s arrival.

Ready to grab them the minute they rounded the corner, Brie stayed out of sight. A shadow fell across the patio, and Allison’s young form raced past.

Jumping out to grab her, Brie touched her daughter’s shoulder.

Allison’s wail of surprise vibrated off the bottom of the deck and pierced through Brie’s brain. Undeterred by the noise, she caught her daughter’s arm and spun her around.

“I got you.”

“No,” Allison screamed again.

Read the 1st chapter at http://www.tinagayle.net/BirthChpt.html

Purchase at

www.smashwords.com
www.barnesandnoble.com
www.kobobooks.com
www.itunes.apple.com
At Amazon

Hope you enjoyed this Spring Fling Romance! Watch weekly through June 20th for more!

Until later...take care, God Bless and Have a Wonderful Spring-filled day!
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Tara Elizabeth & Exalted!

Good Morning Friends!

This week we welcome Tara Elizabeth back to our Saturday Spotlight with another of her wonderful books, Exalted (Book 1 in the trilogy by that name).

After the fall of mankind, the Exalted became the protectors of the people. As an Exalted trainee, all Mena ever wanted was to be strong, to serve and to fearlessly protect the people of the United Republic of the Saved. All Exalted feel the same. In fact, that’s all they feel. Only when Ryker, an outsider, crashes into Mena’s life, does she learn that people are meant to feel much more.

In this bleak future, set in what’s left of the southern United States, the trainees must compete in three Trials to earn their position amongst the strongest Exalted. In these Trials, female is pitted against female and male against male in demonstrations of weaponry, fighting and survival skills. The outcome: the United Ceremony, pairing trainees together for life based on how they place. The ultimate hope is to breed stronger Exalted and even better protectors. 

Upon learning from Ryker that the supplement she's taken her entire life is actually an emotion-blocking drug, her path takes an unexpected shift. Without the veil of “The Pump” blocking her emotions, Mena struggles with competing in the Trials and with her new, confusing love life. She’s experiencing new feelings with not one but two different guys, will Mena choose to leave with Ryker and be free or stay with her childhood friend, Ethan, and be United? 

Exalted can be purchased at Amazon in print and for Kindle!

Check out ALL of Tara's books on her Amazon Page.

Tara is a graphic artist, wife, mother, and Red Vine lover who writes Young Adult Fiction, mostly Dystopian/Sci-Fi novels with a splash of Romance and a hint of sarcasm. Tara grew up in the Deep South surrounded by bayous, magnolia trees, crawfish and great people and, as she says.... "My culture is a huge part of my life, and you can see some of those details in my writing." She is a member of Bayou Writers Group.

You can find out more about Tara by visiting her Website, Facebook Page,  GoodReads Page and/or connecting with her on Twitter.

Thanks for dropping by.... Have a Blessed Day!

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Celebrating the Day of Ascension with Marilyn Leach!

Good Morning Friends and Welcome!

Today we have a very special guest speaking about a very special subject: The Ascension of our Lord Jesus.....

Can you imagine?

Crowds of people line a cobbled road where excitement dances so vibrantly it’s almost palpable. Men, women, and children, crane their necks, and listen to hear the strains of jubilant instruments alive with music. They anxiously await the sighting of the colorful lead banner in the Ascension Procession which visually proclaims that the enemy of our souls has been slain, that Christ has overcome in ascendancy and now sits at the right hand of God. They wait with excitement to view those who follow after in joyful parade: the churchman dressed in regal garments along with choirs and players of instruments, and laymen of the church who fall into the steps of celebration. Finally, the crowd’s patience is rewarded when the Ascension Procession finally comes into full view and hearing. Cheers of elation sound from onlookers and the road is filled with ineffable joy. That was how the Day of Ascension was recognized in Medieval Europe.

Today is May 14, 2015, The Day of Ascension for the Christian church in this year. Since my latest Berdie Elliott mystery, Into the Clouds, takes place on Ascension Sunday and following, I decided to share with you here the many observances of the holy day.

Just a quick look at it in history tells us that it was first celebrated as a church event in 68 A.D.. However, our first evidence of the church observance wasn’t until 385 A.D..

Ascension Day occurs forty days after Easter, inevitably on a Thursday, although many churches choose to recognize it on Ascension Sunday, that is, the first Sunday following the actual fortieth day. Ascension Day falls between April 30, and June 3, depending on the date of Easter. It is in acknowledgment of the event when the disciples gathered together with the resurrected Jesus Christ and witnessed the amazing sight where He was assumed into heaven as told in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50-51.

There are several special observances around the world, but because the setting of my Berdie Elliott mysteries is England, I focused on the former and current practices found in that country.

* For those who lit a Pascal candle at Easter, and everyday throughout the forty days, on the Day of Ascension they discontinue use and put it away.

* As described in the opening paragraph, there were processions from one church to another, sometimes from one village to another that included music, churchman, banners, and followers. This practice lasted several centuries, into the eighteen hundreds, but, sadly, is seldom practiced today. Only in a few isolated rural communities is the procession practiced.

* It was said that if Ascension Day was sunny, crops would be plentiful. But if it was rainy, it would be a poorer harvest.

* Many churches sang hymns, said prayers for blessings, presented first fruits of the spring, and also held field blessings where the local clergyman came to the newly sown grounds and asked for God’s benevolence upon them. This is still practiced in a few country churches.

* The pastor and congregation of a church would process around the foundation boundary of the church property and pray for God’s ascended protection.

Modern day Ascension observances are generally practiced within the church walls. The last Ascension Sunday observance I attended had readings around Christ’s assumption, with an otherwise usual service or liturgy. However, red helium balloons were attached to the ends of the pews, red being the color of the liturgical season, which were released into the sky by the church youth following the service.

My Berdie Elliott mysteries all revolve around a liturgical church holy day: Candle for a Corpse takes place at Advent, Up from the Grave is a Lenten mystery. In my story, Into the Clouds, St. Aidan of the Wood Parish Church holds the first Ascension Procession in fifty years. The hustle and bustle of preparation is realized in a well attended parade through the small English village that lifts spirits and celebrates God’s glory. Hugh Elliott, Berdie’s husband who is the parish vicar, is at the helm, of course. The mystery begins when someone who began the procession doesn’t arrive at the village green where the parade ends in celebration . It falls to Berdie Elliott, vicar’s wife and sleuth extraordinaire, to find the missing person and solve the mystery. It was great fun to write, and, hopefully, an enjoyable read for all.

So, today, we the church, recognize the ascendency of Christ, who was taken into heaven to sit at God’s right hand. If no one has said it to you yet on this special Thursday, have a blessed Ascension Day, and pass it on.

At the age of nine, Marilyn wrote her first play with a childhood neighbor, “The Ghost and Mr. Giltwallet”.  It was a mystery.  And she’s been writing in one form or another, hobby or livelihood, since.  As well as teaching art, she’s had the opportunity to co-author several plays that have been performed on both church and secular stages, as well as two screenplays.  Marilyn has had the good fortune of “discovering her roots” while visiting England where she developed lasting relationships with wonderful people there.  It has greatly impacted her writing.  A great fan of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and David Cook’s Hetty Wainthropp series, Marilyn was inspired to write her Berdie Elliott Mystery series, which takes place in a small English village where the vicar’s wife, Berdie Elliott, is the divine sleuth.  Marilyn lives lakeside in a cottage on the outskirts of Denver near the foothills.

Find out more about Marilyn and her books by visiting her website.

Into the Clouds can be purchased at Amazon and Pelican Book Group.

Hope you enjoyed this guest post. Check back weekly for Tuesday Treasure, Saturday Spotlight and of course, Thursday Thoughts!

Until next time take care & God Bless!
PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: American Sniper/American Hero

Good Morning Friends,

I didn't see the movie American Sniper but know many who have and all were amazed, impressed and saddened by the life of Chris Kyle. Now, Warner Brothers is donating up to $1,000,000.00 (One Million $$) to Wounded Warrior Project from proceeds of the sale of physical and digital versions of this story!

When Grace Hill Media sent me this information and asked that I help promote, I just knew it would be perfect for today's post...Afterall, what better to treasure than a National Hero?

I am giving away 2 of these box sets so leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you should you win one!  *The Contest will run from May 12 - May 19*

If you don't happen to win, they will be on sale at Amazon and other places May 19th.

Here's the Press Release.....

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

“The best film of the year.”

— Kyle Smith, New York Post

EXPERIENCE THE MOST LETHAL SNIPER IN

U.S. HISTORY WHEN

AMERICAN SNIPER

ARRIVES ONTO BLU-RAYÔ COMBO PACK, DVD and DIGITAL HD ON May 19, 2015 FROM

WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Warner Bros. to donate up to $1 million to

Wounded Warrior Project

Burbank, CA, April 15, 2015 – From director Clint Eastwood comes “American Sniper,” arriving onto Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD on May 19 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, A Mad Chance Production, A 22^nd & Indiana Production. “American Sniper” stars Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, whose skills as a sniper made him a hero on the battlefield. But there was much more to him than his skill as a sharpshooter. 

A two-time Oscar® nominee for his work in “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle,” Cooper stars alongside Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, Cory Hardrict, Kevin Lacz, Navid Negahban and Keir O’Donnell. 

Oscar®-winning filmmaker Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby,” “Unforgiven”) directed “American Sniper” from a screenplay written by Jason Hall, based on the book by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The autobiography was a runaway bestseller, spending 18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, 13 of those at number one. 

The film is produced by Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan. Tim Moore, Jason Hall, Sheroum Kim, Steven Mnuchin and Bruce Berman served as executive producers.

“American Sniper” will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack and includes the film in high definition on Blu-ray disc, a DVD, and a digital version of the movie in Digital HD with UltraViolet. Fans can also own “American Sniper” via purchase from digital retailers.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will donate a portion of the proceeds across physical and digital sales to Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP). One dollar of each purchase will be donated up to $1,000,000 from April 21, 2015 through December 31, 2015, void in Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Mississippi and South Carolina. To get involved and learn more, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.com.

The mission of Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower Wounded Warriors. WWP’s purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public’s aid for the needs of injured service members, to help injured servicemen and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, nonpartisan organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. To learn more about WWP’s life-saving programs and services, please visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs.  

SYNOPSIS  

From director Clint Eastwood comes “American Sniper,” starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, whose skills as a sniper made him a hero on the battlefield. But there was much more to him than his skill as a sharpshooter. 

Navy SEAL Chris Kyle is sent to Iraq with only one mission: to protect his brothers-in-arms. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield, and as stories of his courageous exploits spread, he earns the nickname “Legend.” However, his reputation is also growing behind enemy lines, putting a price on his head and making him a prime target of insurgents. He is also facing a different kind of battle on the home front: striving to be a good husband and father from halfway around the world.

Despite the danger, as well as the toll on his family at home, Chris serves through four harrowing tours of duty in Iraq, personifying the spirit of the SEAL creed to “leave no one behind.” But upon returning to his wife, Taya (Sienna Miller), and kids, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind. 

BLU-RAY AND DVD ELEMENTS

“American Sniper” Blu-ray Combo Pack & Two Disc DVD contains the following special features:

·         One Soldier’s Story: The Journey of American Sniper

Join director Clint Eastwood and his creative team, along with

Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller, as they overcome enormous creative and

logistic obstacles to make a film that brings the truth of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle's story to the screen.

·         Making of American Sniper

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS

On May 19, “American Sniper” will be available for streaming and download to watch anywhere in high definition and standard definition on their favorite devices from select digital retailers including Amazon, CinemaNow, Comcast, Flixster, iTunes, PlayStation, Vudu, Xbox and others. “American Sniper” will also be available digitally on Video On Demand services from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.

ABOUT DIGITAL HD WITH ULTRAVIOLET

*Digital HD with UltraViolet allows fans to watch a digital version of their movie or TV show anywhere, on their favorite devices. Digital HD with UltraViolet is included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs. Digital HD with UltraViolet allows consumers to instantly stream and download movies and TV shows to TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones through UltraViolet retail services like CinemaNow, Flixster, VUDU and more. For more information on compatible devices go to wb.com/ultravioletdevices. Consult an UltraViolet Retailer for details and requirements and for a list of HD-compatible devices.

BASICS

PRODUCT                                                                            SRP

Blu-ray Combo Pack                                                               $44.95

Two Disc DVD Amaray (WS)                                               $28.98

Standard Street Date: May 19, 2015

DVD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French

BD Languages: English, Latin Spanish, Canadian French, Brazilian Portuguese

DVD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French

BD Subtitles: English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Brazilian Portuguese

Running Time: 132 minutes

Rating: Rated R by the MPAA for strong and disturbing war violence and language throughout, including some sexual references.

DOLBY ATMOS    DOLBY AUDIO   [CC]

The Credits

About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

Publicity Contacts

For Product Information

Edelman Public Relations

James Bradicich, 323/761-6545

James.Bradicich@edelman.com   

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Stuart Herriott, 818/977-2712

Stuherriott@hotmail.com

For Online Media Outlets

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Alyssa Some, 818/977-0074

Alyssa.Some@warnerbros.com

-wbhe-

BOX ART: https://edelmanftp.box.com/s/1zhagmzq3pch4bannrl599b12t0tiir1

#AmericanSniper

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanSniper

**Check out this Exclusive Clip from the DVD!**