#ThursdayThoughts with Kathy Bailey

Good Morning!

Been a crazy few weeks for me. On the 12th my dad and I flew to AK to visit my brother and his family including a brand new grandbaby (for him, great for dad and great niece for me). We returned on the 21st and on the 22nd I embarked on moving. Hopefully, September will be somewhat quieter LOL!

As you well know it is always a pleasure to bring you a brand new author and today is no exception!

Kathy Bailey is a newly contracted author with Pelican Book Group. Her upcoming novel, an Oregon Trail romance with a reunion & secret baby will be out sometime next year, meanwhile, please give her a great big welcome as she shares some thoughts with us on doubt....

            I have always loved the story of the Apostle Thomas, maybe too much. You remember Tom, the follower of Jesus who didn’t believe the breathless, glowing reports from the Empty Tomb. Who had to touch the nail prints and put his own hand against Jesus’s shattered side before he believed.  But when he did, that was that and he went on to win a portion of the known world to his Lord. I’m a little bit of a skeptic, I like to touch and see and hear and smell, and so Thomas’s story always connects with me.

            It’s easy to doubt in the current literary climate. Publishing houses merging, lines and imprints closing, and the dreaded “platform” requirements. (I was scared of “platform” until someone explained to me that it’s basically talking to people on line about what I love, which is writing.) While self-publishing has shed its stigma and smaller boutique publishers are filling a niche, writing fiction is still one of life’s riskier propositions. Ten editors can say “no” without drawing blood once, but do you really want to face an eleventh?

Here are some times when I doubt:
1. When I receive a rejection.
2. When I receive contest feedback that doesn't "get" the story. I'm usually pretty good about contests and taking my lumps, but occasionally the judge and I are not on the same page. Possibly not on the same planet.
3. When I'm away from the keyboard for too long and I let the doubts take over because I have nothing else to think about. IF I’m writing, there is always hope.
4. When I read something that is much, much better than I could have done, at least at this stage of my career.
5. Used to be, when an online or physical friend signed with an agent or publishing house that I hadn't had success with, or when someone got published in a relatively short amount of time. I've grown out of that, I realize that in today's market a success for one is a success for the rest of us. A metaphorical rising tide lifts all Christian fiction boats.
6. Whenever I try to do it myself instead of depending on the Lord, and His timing.

I'm contracted now but still feel doubts. Am I a one-trick pony? Am I a pony at all? We'll see.

My husband is an ordained elder in our denomination, and has served several churches in various capacities. He often quotes his first pastor and mentor who told him, “Be very certain of your call. There will be times when it’s all you’ve got.” The same can be said of the call to write. The world will knock you down, if it notices you at all. You’ll deal with unfair business decisions, such as a line closing the week after you sell to them, and the whims and idiosyncrasies of others. It’s a subjective business. It’s a crazy business. It’s an inexact science.

And if you’re called to write Christian fiction, it’s your business.

There will be times you doubt, and each of us has his or her own way of overcoming doubt. For me, nothing works better than powering my way through. Write something. Write anything. Cull out what was good, and write it again.

Keep an encouragement file with a record of your sales, contest finals or anything else that gives you hope.

Get on your knees, then get back to the keyboard.

The Apostle Thomas went on to preach in Greece and India, founding a Christian sect in India that continues to this day. He gave his life for his faith in 72 AD. He overcame his doubts, gloriously, and fulfilled his call.

Wow, Kathy we all go through doubt...great thoughts!
Now, here's a little more about Kathy in her own word....

            I’m a freelance writer with 35 years’ experience in the nonfiction, newspaper and inspirational fields.  Born in 1951, I was a child in the 50s, a teen in the 60s, a young adult in the 70s, and a young mom in the 80s.  It’s been a turbulent, colorful time to grow up, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it and written about most of it.  I spent 35 years in print journalism, magazines and newspapers, before semi-retiring to pursue my first love, Christian fiction. My debut novel, an Oregon Trail romance not yet titled, will release Sept. 20, 2019 with Pelican/White Rose Publishing.  I’ve finaled in the 2014 Unpublished Maggies, 2015Tara Awards (first in my category), 2015 Lone Star Awards, semi-finaled in the 2015 Genesis Awards, was the overall winner in the 2016 Phoenix Rattler contest, finaled in the 2017 Phoenix Rattler and Indiana Golden Opportunity, and am a finalist in this year’s Genesis contest.

            I can be reached at ampie86@comcast.net; through my Web site, www.kathleendbailey.weebly.com, through Facebook or LinkedIn. 

Hope you enjoyed today's post and you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Robb T White

Good Morning!

Well I returned from my Alaska vacation and am trying to get caught up and back in business. Today's guest is new to me and our blog and brought to us from Class Act Books so please give Mr. Robb T White a huge welcome!

Under the names Terry White, Robert White, and Robb T. White, Robert White has published dozens of crime, noir, and hardboiled short stories, and three hardboiled private-eye novels.  A lifelong reader of crime fiction, he published his first story in Gary Lovisi's Hardboiled magazine. Since then, he has published several dozen crime stories, and a collection of mainstream stories in 2013. An ebook crime novel, "Special Collections," won the New Rivers Electronic Book Competition in 2014. 

White was born, raised, and continues to live in Ashtabula, Ohio.

Weaker sex?  Not hardly!

The female is definitely deadlier than the mail.  Short stories about ladies who can hold their own.

Excerpt:

Be careful what you wish for, Regina.

Her mother’s words. Sometimes she could hear her mother’s voice in the house.

The Vindicator piece on Bodycomb’s death was two paragraphs.

He was found floating in Lake Milton, a popular summer resort area for fisherman seventeen miles east of Austintown just off the Interstate 80 overpass. Shot by a small-caliber weapon in the back of the head. The important information was in the second paragraph: Bodycomb, it noted, was running a dog-fighting network among three states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia for a loose-knit West Virginia crime family connected to the Pittsburgh LaRizzo family.

Damn you, Leo.

She was blowing through caution lights, ignoring the honking of cars, as she beelined for the office on Market.

Like a script from a cheap thriller, he was there, wearing the same clothes and unshaven, big jowls dark with stubble, pong of body odor in the overheated single room.

“You promised me full disclosure, total honesty,” she said.

She threw the paper across his desk.

“Here it is in case you missed it.”

Be calm, Regina, she told herself. She wasn’t going to lose her temper and a new job in that order.

“I did and I meant it, Baby,” Leo said.

He glanced at the paper sideways and pushed it back to her. He’d obviously read it.

“You asked me—no, you demanded I call somebody. I did,” he said.

He disgusted her with those wagging jowls and big stomach. She noticed his belt was undone and a patch of curly belly hair exposed.

Probably jerking off in here, the freak.

“I suppose you’ll tell me when the mood strikes.”

“I meant the second case—your next case,” Leo said. “Full disclosure, just like you want.”

Her indignation petered out at the prospect. “So tell me about it,” she said.

Bodycomb was moving in on Donnie Bracca’s territory with his dog-fighting, Leo said.

“He can kill all the dogs he wants in West Virginia,” Leo said. “But Donnie B. controls gambling around here.”

“Donnie Bracca was your real client all the time,” Baby said.

“It’s like this, kid. They don’t blow each other up in cars no more. Gentlemen’s agreements, all nice and polite. But rules have to be followed. Bodycomb went rogue.”

She bit back a retort: You mean, like your own father?

Leo went on, waxing large, a hopeless Mafioso lover, although a real mafia man, a made man, could see Leo couldn’t be trusted. But even the Aryan Brotherhood used outside associates to get things done. Leo could be useful if you couldn’t buy a cop or scare off an investigative reporter snooping in shady politics or business deals.

She didn’t feel bad about Bodycomb’s death. After all, she'd wanted to kill the guy herself.

“Damn it, Leo,” she said. “You should have told me this in the beginning.”Baby moved in the direction Bodycomb’s vehicle had taken. After A couple of hundred yards through meadow grass up to her knees, she stopped and listened. Moving on, she dodged stunted bushes that popped up out of nowhere to snag her clothing. The foliage grew less dense. She found the parallel ruts of the Road Runner’s tracks and kept moving, straining her eyes to see light ahead. If Bodycomb was hiding assets from his soon-to-be ex-wife, he was taking a lot of trouble over it.

After five minutes of faster walking in the grooves, she heard barking coming from the right. She saw the first glimmer of light in the distance. The terrain was sparse but small slopes refracted the light source so it appeared and disappeared with every rise of the ground. A single dog barking became two, then three and finally a pack. Beneath their howls, men’s voices.

When she got close enough to make out words, she lay flat on her belly and put the binoculars on a cluster of men beside a ramshackle barn surrounded by cages of dogs in the beds of trucks beside a squared string of light bulbs a dozen feet from the ground. It looked like a crude boxing ring for backyard brawlers.

Its purpose became clear in the next few minutes. It was a dog-fighting pit.

Dangerous Women is available for Kindle and in Paperback!

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts with Tessa Afshar

Good Morning!

We arrived home late last night from Alaska so you still may not hear too much from me until I recover and catch up after 10 full days with little/no computer access LOL!

No worries though, I've got a very special guest today.... Tyndale author Tessa Afshar shares some thoughts and her new release with us.

Welcome Tesa!

Love Never Fails

If you have ever attended a wedding in a church, chances are you have heard someone read 1 Corinthians 13. It is such a familiar passage that we sometimes forget to listen to it. But the words in that passage are remarkable. At the end of the section, Paul makes the most extraordinary claim of all: “Love never fails” 1 Corinthians 13: 8 (NIV).
     But those of us who have been touched by the wounds of wrecked relationships, strained marriages, broken friendships, divorce, and repeated disappointments have had a different experience. Love does fail. In spectacular, heart-wrenching ways. What are we to do with this discrepancy?
     This is the lesson that Ariadne, my new heroine in Thief of Corinth, has to learn. Ariadne lives in first century Corinth. After the wreckage of her parents’ divorce, she is very aware that other people’s love fails. By the end of the book, she becomes aware that her own love has failed as well. In the process of this transformation, of recognizing her own fractured love rather than focusing on how other people have failed her, she comes face to face with her need for God. She learns an important lesson.
     God covers our gaps.
     In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul prays something striking. He prays that the followers of Christ may have power “to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” (Ephesians 3:18-19).
     He prays for believers to have supernatural power, the Spirit’s power, in order to grasp the love of Christ. In other words, we need supernatural help from the Holy Spirit to receive love and hold on to it. Need the Spirit’s power merely to experience love. The kind of love God wants us to taste requires a move of God.
     The flesh that has never tasted such a love in this world is incapable of grasping it. We cannot live like beloved sons and daughters because we don’t know what the Father’s perfect love, offered to us through Christ, really feels like.
     But in Christ, we can learn to experience boundless love. And to give it.
     We will still fail to love perfectly. But like Ariadne, we learn two lessons: clinging to Jesus will mean we fail less often, and when we do, God’s perfect love covers our failures.
    One of the first things I learned about my husband was that he was an early morning person. By 9 PM his eyelids started growing heavy. While we were dating, I noticed a sweet tendency in him. He hated to say goodbye. Even though it was long past his bedtime, he would linger for one more word. One more minute with me. We didn’t spend the extra time on any life-shattering discussions or important chores. We merely enjoyed one another’s presence.
    He was willing to pay the price of sleeplessness, exhaustion, and mounting tasks left undone, just so he could be with me a little while longer. Now that I know him better, I realize how much those late nights cost him and am amazed by the sacrifice. It remains one of the sweetest memories of our courtship.
     I have come to realize that we need to linger with Jesus in the same way. To pay the price of staying with Him just a bit longer. Linger to enjoy one more moment with Him. To grasp how wide and long and high and deep His love really goes. His love never fails.

What a lovely thing Tesa....certainly some thoughts for us to ponder today. Thanks for sharing!

Tessa Afshar is the award-winning author of Bread of Angels, Land of Silence, and several other historical novels. Land of Silence won an Inspy Award in the general fiction category and was voted by Library Journal as one of the top five Christian fiction titles of 2016. Harvest of Gold won the prestigious Christy Award in the historical romance category, and Harvest of Rubies was a finalist for the 2013 ECPA Christian Book Award for fiction. In 2011, after publishing her first novel, Pearl in the Sand, Tessa was named New Author of the Year by the FamilyFiction-sponsored Reader's Choice Awards.
     Tessa was born in Iran and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She then moved to England, where she survived boarding school for girls and fell in love with Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte, before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDiv from Yale Divinity School, where she served as co-chair of the Evangelical Fellowship. She serves part-time on the staff of one of the oldest churches in America. But that has not cured her from being exceptionally fond of chocolate. Visit her online at www.tessaafshar.com. Her newest release, Thief of Corinth can be found at Tyndale and at Amazon.

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Bishop Ken & Pastor Sheila Giles

Good Morning Friends!

Our guests today have visited with us before....Bishop Ken & Pastor Sheila Giles have shared treasures and thoughts with us so please welcome them back.....

A Word from the Author

Prayer will become the highest priority in the lives of those who read this book. Especially, to those considering marriage, currently married and responsible for children. The book further communicates how God has created, through the covenant relationship of marriage, leadership roles that are established in spiritual unity. Also, this book highlights how the proper working of the husband and wife in their leadership roles secures the blessings of the Lord in the marriage, family and broader society.

The Leadership roles of the husband and wife are paramount to God's plan of blessings in the marriage, family, generations and broader society. Therefore, obedience to God and His word establishes God's order and facilitates the proper working and functioning of the marriage and family. Thus, establishing the peace, joy and increase the Lord has purposed in and through the marriage and family. Learn more in the newly released book: Prayer, Marriage and the Leadership Roles of the Husband and Wife, which can be obtained HERE.

Bishop Ken Giles and his wife Pastor Sheila Giles have decades of combined experience in Ministry and Christian Counseling. They both did undergraduate work at Prairie View A&M University Texas and were active in evangelistic work. Pastor Sheila Giles has served in church leadership for over two decades. She has a Master of Divinity from Houston Graduate School of Theology and is in the process of completing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Texas Woman's University.

Bishop Ken Giles began full-time ministry in 1993 as an inner-city Missions Leader in Dallas, Texas, while at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship under Dr. Tony Evans. He later served there as Assistant Executive Director of their nonprofit corporation. In 1998, he returned to his hometown of Beaumont, Texas, and served as Pastor of Outreach at Cathedral of Faith Baptist Church and Executive Director of their nonprofit corporation. In 2000, Lincoln Bible Church was planted in the Beaumont/Port Arthur area and is now located in the Greater Houston Texas area where Bishop Ken Giles and his wife, Pastor Sheila Giles provide servant leadership.

Bishop Giles has a Master of Education Administration from Prairie View A&M University and a Master of Theology from Southeast Texas Theological Seminary. He is in the process of completing a dual doctorate in Christian Education and Theology from Kingsway Theological Seminary.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends and that you'll drop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts with Diane Burton

Good Morning!

It is always a pleasure to bring back a previous guest. Diane Burton has shared treasures and been in our spotlight so please welcome her as she shares some thoughts with us today....


Thanks so much, Pam, for inviting me to your blog today.

When someone says write about anything, I’m overwhelmed. So many thoughts. How do I choose? I try to narrow down the choices. What’s important to me? That’s easy. Family. Five years ago, we moved to be close to our only (at the time) two grandchildren. Last summer, my son and his family moved close to us. After twenty-some years, my whole family is close by. I can see all the grandkids (now there are 5) any time. And they can visit.

Not growing up with grandparents close by, I didn’t realize the importance. Now, as a grandparent myself, I do. I can share my experiences. I can tell them stories about their mother/father. Show them pictures of their mommy/daddy when they were little. We play games like “who’s this?” with family pictures. I can tell them about my parents (now deceased) and my grandparents. Family history can be passed on.

I know I’m blessed to have family close.

In my new release, NUMBERS NEVER LIE, a romantic suspense, Maggie loses her brother in a car accident. With her parents deceased, she’s lost her whole family. Devastating. That loss becomes an impetus for her to discover if it really was an accident.

NUMBERS NEVER LIE
A Romantic Suspense
By Diane Burton
Release Date:  July 9, 2018
Length: approx. 80,000 words
Available at Amazon  http://a.co/gUmO9wZ
Free with Kindle Unlimited

A shocking secret brings danger to Jack Sinclair and his sister Maggie.

As kids, they were the fearless threesome. As adults, Jack's an accountant; Drew, a lawyer; Maggie, a teacher and camping troop leader. Upon returning from a weekend camping trip, Maggie receives horrifying news. She refuses to believe her brother Jack’s fatal car crash was an accident. If the police won’t investigate, she’ll do it herself. Convincing Drew Campbell to help is her only recourse.

Drew Campbell was too busy to return his best friend’s phone call. Too busy to attend a camping meeting important to his teen daughter. Too busy to stay in touch with Jack. Logic and reason indicate Jack’s accident was just that--an accident caused by fatigue and fog. Prodded by guilt, he’ll help Maggie even if he thinks she’s wrong.

A break-in at Jack’s condo convinces Maggie she’s right. Then her home is searched. What did Jack do that puts Maggie in danger?

Excerpt:

“Ms. Sinclair?” the sheriff deputy said. “I’m calling about your brother, Jack Sinclair.”
Alarm shot through Maggie’s veins. She heard bits and pieces through the roar in her ears. “Regret to inform you . . . accident . . . early yesterday morning—”
She slid to the floor, the kitchen cupboard at her back. The phone clattered on the white vinyl.
“Ma’am?” the man on the phone said. “Can we call someone for you? Ma’am?”
Maggie pressed her forehead against her knees and shook.
“Maggie? What is it?” Drew picked up the phone.
She could still hear the deputy. “Ma’am? Are you all right?”
When she didn’t answer either of them, Drew talked to the deputy. She barely heard his words. After he replaced the receiver, she raised her head. “Jack is dead.”
His face reflected the anguish crawling through her. “I know.”

Numbers Never Lie is available at Amazon.

About the Author:

Diane Burton combines her love of mystery, adventure, science fiction and romance into writing romantic fiction. Besides writing science fiction romance, she writes romantic suspense, and cozy mysteries. Diane and her husband live in West Michigan. They have two children and five grandchildren.
For more info and excerpts from her books, visit Diane’s website: http://www.dianeburton.com

Connect with Diane Burton online

Blog:  http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/
Twitter:  http://twitter.com/dmburton72
Facebook:  http://facebook.com/dianeburtonauthor
Goodreads: Diane Burton Author
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/dmburton72/
Sign up for Diane’s new release alert: http://eepurl.com/bdHtYf

Wow...sounds like another great read, Diane! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book.

Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends, and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures with Rebecca Wetzler

Good Morning from Alaska!

My dad and I flew up here on Sunday (12th) and will return to Louisiana on the 22nd. I am unplugging (no computer, writing longhand...) while on this vacation, but never fear, I've scheduled our guests posts for the duration.

Today's guest was introduced to you last month when she shared some thoughts with us so please welcome Rebecca Wetzler back to share something she treasures....

TREASURE YOUR FAITH

What is faith? Webster defines it as ‘allegiance to duty or a person; firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust, something that is believed especially with strong conviction.’ What do you have faith in?  We can have faith in ourselves, in our innate abilities, in family loyalty, in the education system, in the country’s ideals, in those in leadership roles, or in a ‘Higher Power.’  There are things we have faith in that we take for granted.  We have faith in gravity to keep our feet on the ground; we believe the sun will come up in the morning, we know wind is a powerful force though we cannot see it.

Why do we need faith?  The faith pendulum swings from what we take for granted to what we need to survive. Unless a person knows what and why they believe, they can be swayed to follow the latest trend.  It’s not a big deal if we are talking about fashion sense, but it is critical to know what you believe to have a solid sense of self.  Everyone needs a sense of purpose and meaning for life.  Without faith in reliable truths, we can drift through life without direction, without achieving our God-given potential, and end up being persuaded to go places and do things we never intended.  Also, it is key we believe in reliable truths, not ones that will eventually deceive and fail us.

How can we grow faith?  I believe to have a sense of self a person needs to be nurtured spiritually.  My spiritual faith comes from the Lord, it is one of my greatest treasures.  He provides the true foundation upon which I base the essentials of my character, my morals, my ethics, and he governs how I treat others.  My faith grows continually through circumstances where he proves over and over I can trust him.  While, for example, I can trust the education system to impart knowledge, I do not necessarily have faith it will produce wisdom.  I can trust my wages pay on my bills, although I do not have faith money brings happiness. With God, however, I can trust that the end result of spiritual faith in him will bring growth in all areas of my life.  When we lose faith in others, in ourselves, in things around us, that’s when our faith in God can grow. He sustains my hope while I struggle in the valley of disappointments, and he celebrates my victories when I am on the mountaintop of success.  When life is not going my way, I know where to look for continual encouragement and direction; when life is going well, I know who deserves my thanks and trust.

So again, what is faith?  I like the Hebrews 11:1 definition: ‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’  Substance implies materiality, something of weighty importance.  Evidence attests reality, something actually exists.  Spiritual faith is of utmost importance, a treasure worth so much more than anything of earthly material value.  It’s unfortunate that sometimes I reach rock bottom before I observe his outstretched hand patiently waiting, waiting for me to find a little faith, even faith as small as mustard seed, to take hold of his promises. Once I chose to believe, spiritual faith wells up from deep within my soul, it spreads a warm glow of hope throughout my being and re-establishes the tone of complete trust in the Lord.  Faith makes all the difference in my life, the difference to believe there is unseen evidence that he is at work for my good regardless of my circumstances. By treasuring faith, I have learned to find blessing in brokenness, joy after a night of mourning, peace while the storms of life rage.  I live by faith in God because I can sense his presence with every fiber of my being.  May your soul find and treasure such faith to bring more meaning into your life.

Rebecca Wetzler, originally a California girl, has lived in Alaska since she was eight years old.  The oldest of five children, she was often needed in the surrogate mother role; therefore, she matured quickly. From early in life she was an avid reader, and subsequently developed an interest in someday writing her own books. Her favorite school subject was English writing assignments. To support her two children, she completed an accounting degree, towing her interest in writing along by minoring in English. Her successful career included advancing from an accounts payable clerk to a financial analyst­—a far cry from the Christian author of her heartfelt dreams.    

She has been a believer from her earliest memories as a small child in Sunday School asking Jesus into her heart. As her life progressed, Rebecca has realized her faith gives her a steady spiritual regrounding to weather the drama of real life, and she wants to share the spiritual truths with others so they may also follow God’s light past the world’s darkness.  Bread Box for the Broken is her first book, and she has ideas for more devotionals, some Bible studies, maybe Christian romance fiction with mystery and suspense.  It is important for her to share that faith in Christ is her foundation for challenging and purposefully overcoming life-long struggles with loneliness, self-esteem, depression, chronic pain from migraines and a permanently injured neck, and finally unexplained heart failure. Forced to early retire, she really doesn’t know what the future holds, but she knows Who holds her future.

Rebecca J Wetzler

www.rebeccawetzler.net Holy Spirit Dove blog

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-j-wetzler-7b763a49/

https://www.facebook.com/authorrebeccajwetzler/?ref=bookmarks

https://twitter.com/rdove1919

Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Meanwhile, Rebecca's book, Breadbox for the Broken can be purchased at her website in print and Ebook as well as Amazon for Kindle and in print also!

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Tony Paul de Vissage and Absinthe Eternal

Good Morning!

Last year I introduced you to Tony-Paul de Vissage and his book Essence of Absinthe. Today Tony returns with a sneak peek into book 3 of his trilogy, Absinthe Eternal so please welcome him back!

David Varine, star of Ghost Search International, a highly-rated supernaturally-themed reality show, is on assignment. At the request of the New Orléans Historical Society, he’s come to the Big Easy to prove the stately old mansion called Nouvel Espoir is haunted.

It’s said the spirit of Absinthe, accursed son of the original owner, haunts the mansion, with his lover, but David’s a skeptic. He doesn’t believe in ghosts, curses, and any of that ‘supernatural hogwash.’ He’s only in the ghost-hunting business for the money.

Once inside Nouvel Espoir, however, David’s skepticism rapidly disappears. There are too many odd things happening, things he can’t ignore. When his cameraman arrives, the two will be forced to face whatever walks the mansion by night.

Absinthe wants something from them…but what…?

EXCERPT:

As I arrived at the top of the stairs, however, I saw that the door to what I’d already begun to think of as my bedroom was ajar.

Hadn’t Kathy pulled it shut as she followed the others out? I remembered…every room they went into, she entered first but was always the last to leave, shutting any doors behind her.

“Maybe it didn’t close properly.” I spoke aloud, one of my defenses against latent creepiness. Some people whistled in the dark; I talked to myself. Loudly.

Crossing to the door, I stopped, then looked back.

“Something’s different. What…?” It took me a moment to realize I’d walked through the cold spot on the landing, only now, it wasn’t cold. Hurrying back, I stood where I’d experienced that frosty breath and icy shiver. I exhaled, blowing out loudly.

Nothing. Not even a wisp of vapor.

An episodic cold spot. Never seen that before. I didn’t like that.

Abruptly, I got that someone’s-watching-me feeling, that little prickle of the skin.  I spun, pushed the door wider and hurried inside…and skidded to a halt, staring at the figure sitting in the chair.
The Absinthe mannequin reclined in the hearthside chair, exactly as it had before.

“Well, now.” To my own ears, my voice sounded forced, too loud. “How did you get back in here?”

I was certain Kathy had been with the group as we went downstairs. Did she linger behind, going back into Étienne’s bedroom and retrieving the figure, replacing it in the chair before she joined the others? 

Possibly. I couldn’t say definitely she was with them every minute. All I remembered was watching her guide everyone to the front door.

Maybe she had orders that the mannequins had to stay in their assigned room, and she’d removed it only to placate that one uneasy tourist, and then had to put it back.

“Unh-uh.” I held up a finger, waggling it back and forth as if the mannequin were about to offer some excuse for its return.  “None of that.”

It remained silent, of course, staring at me out of those remarkable green eyes.

I asked myself what I would’ve done if there had been a sound just then, even the creak of a beam…

What the hell’s the matter with me? I never get spooked like this. Anger rose at that.  I’m David Varine, GSI’s chief investigator, and scary stories don’t frighten me. Besides, I don’t believe in this stuff.

Stooping, I wrapped an arm around the figure’s waist and lifted it as Kathy had. It was remarkably light. Carrying it across the hall, I opened the door to the other bedroom, and with the barest hesitation, stamped inside.

I dropped the figure unceremoniously into the chair, Damned if it doesn’t resemble the portrait. The face was framed by black, shoulder-length hair. It had the thickness and texture of real hair. I wondered if it was. Had some human’s flowing locks been purchased for this artificial being?
Thinking back to what Kathy had said about Absinthe, I realized if he’d actually looked like this. If so…oh, the boy must’ve been a beauty…the killer handsome kind.

I rummaged mentally for my college French. “Bon nuit.” With a jerky bow—and why did I do that?—I hurried to the door and went out, slamming it behind me.

I was stepping across the threshold into my own room when I heard the faint creak. I glanced back.
The door to Étienne’s room slowly and gracefully swung open.

My...oh my!.....if you're into Sci-Fi, fantasy, horror and thrillers this sounds like your kind of read! Absinthe Eternal can be purchased in paperback exclusively from Class Act Books! Also available on Kindle.

A writer of French Huguenot extraction, one of Tony-Paul de Vissage's first movie memories is of being six years old, viewing the old Universal horror flick, Dracula's Daughter on television, and being scared sleepless—and he’s now paying back his very permissive parents by writing about the Undead. 

TP currently has 22 novels published with Class Act Books.  His novel The Night Man Cometh was voted one of the Top Ten horror novels of 2011 by the Preditors & editors Readers Poll for that year, and in 2013, the first entry in his Second Species series, Shadow Lord, was awarded the same honor. The Last Vampire Standing placed second as Best Paranormal Romance of  2012 by the Paranormal Romance Guild.

Learn More about Tony-Paul at: Facebook Pinterest 
Amazon Author’s Page and Twitter: @tpvissage

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll join us weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts with David Arp (AKA Boo Riley)

Good Morning!

Well, you're in for another treat as I, once again bring you a new-to-me author to share some thoughts with us.....

When I see a family—parents and children—in passing, I watch the children. Are they clinging to each other? Are they walking apart from Mom and Dad? Do they make eye contact with strangers or, more importantly, with their parents? I didn’t used to look at kids in this manner, not until I began writing “Me and Jake”, and looked back some events in my life.

Siblings fight because they are comfortable in their relationship and they know that the love is unconditional. They’ll never leave each other. Call your brother names. Tell your mom you hate her. They’ll forgive you. The love of/from family is the closest to God’s unconditional love as you can experience in this lifetime.

On the other side of that coin: “Never treat a friend like family. They don’t have to put up with you.”

It’s not always true, but siblings who cling to each other and never fight are uncomfortable in a relationship with someone, somewhere. Whether divorce, parents fighting, abuse, or any number of questionable circumstances that causes them to guard and cherish the only relationship they know they can count on for comfort and stability.

 It’s been said that a man’s home is his castle and so it is. To some it might be a prison too.

David Arp (AKA Boo Riley) was born in Arizona, raised in Texas, and lives in Colorado. He’s 60, but has only spent half of the past 40 years at home. The other half he traveled and worked the oilfields of the world, from the deserts of the Middle East to the vast oceans offshore. When he’s not busy on a drilling rig, he spends his time writing, floating a river in his raft fly fishing, horseback, or hunting. Find out more about David by visiting his Website and connecting with him on Facebook. David's book, Me and Jake is available now at Pelican Book Group and Amazon in Ebook and Print!

Thank you so much David for sharing with us. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book.

Hope you enjoyed today's post as much as I did and that you'll stop by regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures Guest Post by Matt Mikalatos

Good Morning!

It is with great pleasure I bring to you another new-to-me Tyndale author as Matt Mikalatos shares something he treasures with us. So please give him a great, big WELCOME!

This may seem a strange sort of treasure, but there it is: my hammock. My wife bought me that hammock when I graduated from seminary. (You may notice evidence of other treasures in the balloons behind it . . . our youngest daughter just had a birthday!)
Every summer day I have a tradition. I spend at least a half-hour in my hammock. It could be reading a book, or hanging out with my wife, or talking to the kids. On special occasions there might be a nap. On the worst days there could be wasps involved and a great deal of swatting and nervous shouts.

The core of the treasure, though, is this: my family wholeheartedly supports this tradition. They come to spend time with me on the hammock, but they don't come to ask for work to get done, or for me to fix problems. The hammock is a place for our family where any one of us can get away for a momentary break from whatever pressing business happens to be going on elsewhere in the household.

One of the things I love about this tradition and this hammock is that it returns me to the world refreshed and more appreciative of the other things going on in our lives. My family loves it too. For Father’s Day last year, they bought me another hammock that’s easier to take with us places, and a third hammock small enough to throw in a backpack for trips to the park or for when we’re traveling.

I hope you have a space like this, where you can get away (even without leaving) and enjoy a few moments of rest and relief. Most often, I use this space for my summer reading . . . nothing from work, just escapist books that I most enjoy, with no guilt or acknowledgment of pressing deadlines.

If you’re looking for a book for your treasured hammock time, I hope you’ll consider The Crescent Stone, a fantasy novel I wrote that is specifically designed to be the sort of entertaining summer read I most enjoy when I’m hanging (yes, I had to use this pun at least once) in the back yard.

Matt Mikalatos writes books (surprise!). In the past, Matt worked as a high school teacher and a comic book clerk, but currently focuses on nonprofit work devoted to helping people love one another despite their differences. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife, three daughters, two unicorns, a gryphon, a dragon, and three brine shrimp. Find out more by visiting his Website.

His latest book, The Crescent Stone can be purchased at Amazon and Tyndale.

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back regularly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Suzanne D Williams & She Loves Me In The Spring

Hello and Welcome!

Today it is my pleasure to introduce to you another new-to-me author!

Best-selling author, Suzanne D. Williams, is a native Floridian, wife, mother, and photographer. She is the author of both nonfiction and fiction books. She writes devotionals and instructional articles for various blogs. She also does graphic design for self-publishing authors. She is co-founder of THE EDGE.

To learn more about what she’s doing and check out her extensive catalog of stories, visit www.feelgoodromance.com or link with her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/suzannedwilliamsauthor or on Twitter at twitter.com/SDWAuthor.

Brielle Hensley had her future all planned out. She’d designed the perfect wedding, picked the most beautiful dress. From the reception to the start of her married life, she knew what came next. Standing at the altar, however, her groom nowhere in sight, all those plans crumbled around her. She should have known better. The last thing her fiancé would ever do was embrace commitment.

Bradford Barrow wanted to kill his younger brother for running out on his bride. He’s not really that surprised, though. Being a husband, taking on the responsibility of having a wife, was far more something he’d do himself. He’d always been the dutiful son, the faithful employer. His entire life is about doing what’s expected of him and checking off the tasks on his ever-present lists.

Yet, sent to make a formal apology the next day, he and Brielle make a rash decision – to go on her honeymoon together. She needs to shake off his brother’s betrayal, and he needs to do something impulsive for once. Except, what begins innocently enough soon takes on a life of its own, and it could be that the acceptance they’ve both been looking for comes from the most spontaneous thing of all – love.

Excerpt:

The fact she was supposed to be on her honeymoon hit her with a jolt, and the remaining portion of the word became a long cry. Her legs gave one once more, and once more, Bradford caught her, but this time she gazed upward with the strangest urge to kiss him. His head dipped the tiniest bit as if the same urge gripped him too, then both of them yanked back, her stumbling into the lamp, which shivered at the contact, the lampshade tilting oddly sideways.

“You … should go,” he said.

Brielle focused. “Go where?”

“On the honeymoon. Be spontaneous like you said.”

Go on the honeymoon. Well, she could. The room had been reserved, although she’d missed her flight, but surely, there was another aimed right for the islands. But spend six days alone? Doing what? If she knew herself, she’d watch TV and cry a lot. Raid the in-room fridge.

“I’m never spontaneous either,” he continued. “Good ol’ Bradford, stodgy bachelor chasing Mommy’s skirts until he turns forty.”

“Come with me.”

She started that she’d said it, and he started that he’d heard it, apparently.

“You want me to come on your honeymoon?”

“Well … yeah. You said you weren’t spontaneous, and I know I’m not. So let’s try together. I’m sure the room has a couch or something one of us could use, and we’ll do all the things me and Walton had planned. It’ll be more fun with somebody. Keep me from crying and …” Once more, her face threatened to dissolve into tears.

“No, no, don’t cry.” Bradford rushed toward her. Grasping her shoulder with one hand, he blotted her tears, unsuccessfully, with his fingers. “Walton’s an ape. I’m so angry at him for this. He has the most beautiful woman willing to put up with his antics and …” He silenced suddenly. “I would never run out on you. You are beautiful. I … I really like the red hair.”

Brielle smiled, in spite of her mood.

“And, I guess, moments ago we almost …” He hushed again.

“Yeah, we did.”

Stating it made them both laugh, though it sounded jittery. The sound faded into awkward silence.

“Are you serious about me going with you?” he asked, breaking it.

Thinking on it, she nodded. It was crazy, but in a cool way. She could either seize the day, as they said, and make this weekend the best she’d ever had, or she could sit here and mourn something that, being honest with herself, shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Walton was handsome and funny and a half-dozen other adjectives, but they’d had nothing in common. She’d known that all along but denied it. She was the girl with the list, and he was the guy, scribbling on the page. She needed, not a scribbler like him, but a pencil, someone who liked the list, but checked those boxes.

“Your mom …” she began.

“Loves you,” he finished. “She’ll think I’m nuts and try to talk me out of it, so I won’t tell her yet … I’ll go.”

Brielle leapt in place. “Y-you will?” She blinked.

He nodded. “You pack a bag, and I’ll run home and grab a few things. I’ll come back for you in, say half an hour?”

“O-okay.”

Tickets. She needed to see about plane tickets. She could do that while he ran home. And pack her things, which were mostly packed already … except for the portion she’d pulled out when she got home yesterday. The sexy negligee she’d cut into tiny pieces. But she wouldn’t need a negligee for six days with Walton’s brother.

A lump formed in her throat.

Bradford felt his pocket for his keys and, releasing her, dashed for the door. “Half an hour. I’ll be back. I promise. Bradford Barrow never misses an appointment.” Smiling at her from the opening, he turned his back and pulled it shut behind him.

She’d bet that was true. Still … Had she just agreed to spend six days in a honeymoon suite with Walton’s older brother? Was that spontaneous or stupid?

She Loves Me In The Spring: The Non-Honeymoon (Barrow Bros. Brides Book 1) can be purchased at Amazon!

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts with Jacqueline Seewald!

Good Morning Friends!

It is ALWAYS a pleasure to welcome a dear friend to our blog and today's guest is no exception. Jacqueline Seewald has shared treasures with us and been in our spotlight but today she's here to share some thoughts so please give her a huge WELCOME!

As I grow older, I can’t help noticing the rapid changes in our society. Technology has changed our lives in both good and bad ways. I still refuse to use a smart phone although most of the people I know can’t understand this. As of now, I keep a flip phone just in case of emergencies and still use a landline. You can’t find a telephone booth anymore and so you really must have your own phone when you travel about.

Last Thanksgiving, one son and daughter-in-law invited the family and some friends over for dinner. I couldn’t help noticing that one of our daughter-in-law’s friends sat down after the meal on a couch with her husband and two sons. They did not speak or look at each other or anyone else. They simply took out their phones and proceeded to text or surf the net. I found this troubling.

I set my latest young adult novel, WITCH WISH from Black Opal Books, in 1985, a time when teens were communicating verbally with others not using electronic devices. The story is set in motion with a bit of magic but it actually examines the human psyche. Although the protagonist is a teenager, the novel is a good read for adults, like my two previous young adult novels published by Clean Reads/Astrea Press, THE DEVIL AND DANNA WEBSTER and STACY’S SONG.   

Here is an excerpt from the beginning of WITCH WISH: 

Central New Jersey, 1985

My sister Ailene pulled the car to the side of the road, reached over and opened the door on the passenger side.

“Get out right now!” Ailene spoke through gritted teeth.

“No way!”

“Yes, way. You’re an obnoxious brat. I don’t have to put up with you, and I won’t for another minute.”

Maybe I had gone a tad overboard in the rude department today, but she’d deserved it. I had to stand and wait while she giggled and gossiped with her airhead friends by the lockers for what seemed like forever. I stood there being ignored and feeling like a leper. Then finally when she finally turned to me all she said was: “Come on. Hurry up.” Like she’d done me this great honor giving me a ride home.

Now she was all indignation. Well, I wasn’t going to stand for it. “I’m not getting out of the car,” I said.

Unfortunately Ailene’s taller and weighs more than I do. She shoved me out, hurled my backpack after me and drove off, burning rubber. She didn’t even look back. So there I stood at the side of a rural road with no idea exactly where I was.

Ailene had veered off the main highway when traffic stopped. There’d been an accident on the highway. No way of getting through any time soon. That pissed her off too. She’s not the most adaptable individual.

It was a warm afternoon. I didn’t mind walking, but the road was totally unfamiliar. I’d have to travel back in the direction of the highway. From there, I could find my way. Maybe my sister had done me a favor. Anything was better than being around her. She found me annoying but I felt the same way about her.

 As I walked, I fantasized.

Cheerleader shot dead at football game--mystery as to who pulled trigger. As a student of journalism I considered this possible headline. Were I to murder my sister, I wouldn't want to be caught.

Don’t judge me in haste. If you had a sister like Ailene, you'd probably hate her too. I’d like to say Ailene was nasty, selfish and spoiled, but it wouldn't be true. I have my share of faults. Lying isn't one of them. The truth? Ailene was polite, intelligent, beautiful, and even charming—when it suited her.

So why did I hate her? Maybe because she was everything I wished I could be but didn’t think I ever would be. Someone like Ailene, who was so much better than most people, you envied, idolized or hated her. It wasn’t easy living in the same home with perfection day after day.

A house came into my line of vision. It was an old Colonial with white clapboard shingles and black shutters that had paint peeling. There was an old woman sitting in a chair with all kinds of items set out on folding tables in cardboard boxes. I guess she was having a garage sale. I figured I’d stop and ask for directions back to the highway. She was kind of creepy looking dressed all in black. But she was the only person around. So I walked over to her. She stood up, smiling through crooked yellowed teeth.

“I’m kind of lost,” I said.

She nodded. “I can see that.” She had dark, penetrating eyes. She studied me in an eerie way that made my blood freeze.

“Can you direct me back to Route 516?”

“Certainly. But first why don’t you look at these things I have for sale. They are unique.”

“Sure,” I said, figuring to humor the old gal.

I began looking around. She had a lot of weird stuff, old crap that I had no interest in. But I figured if I offered to buy something I maybe could get the directions quicker. So I glanced at the stuff on one of the tables. A polished wooden box caught my eye.

“I see you like my music box. Actually, I have a bit of a collection.” She picked up the box and wound it up. “It plays Fur Elise by Beethoven.”

I listened and liked what I heard. “How much does it cost?”

“Whatever you can afford.”

I was surprised. I checked the pocket of my jeans. I had some allowance money with me but there wasn’t much. “I’ve only got four dollars.”

“Just the right amount,” she assured me. “There is just one thing about the box itself.” She hesitated. “You see, how should I put this, the box has a certain unusual quality. If I bestow ownership upon you, the music box will grant you a wish.”

I blinked and stared at her open-mouthed. Clearly the old lady was a few slices short of a loaf.

“Sure,” I said, trying to appear agreeable and humor her. “Great.”

“You don’t believe me, do you?” She gave me a knowing smile. Then she laughed, except I swear it sounded more like a cackle. The wind lifted her long, steel gray hair giving her an otherworldly look. “It’s all right. I don’t mind. But I think I should warn you. Once you open the box and make a wish out loud, you won’t be able to take it back. You get only one wish, you understand. So think carefully about it. Make certain you wish for something you truly want.”

You can read more about the novel here:

https://black-opal-books.myshopify.com/products/witch-wish

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DRB3VVH

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/witch-wish/id1401568260?mt=11

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/witch-wish-jacqueline-seewald/1128937209?ean=2940162153894

Comments welcome!

Multiple award-winning author, Jacqueline Seewald, has taught creative, expository and technical writing at Rutgers University as well as high school English. She also worked as both an academic librarian and an educational media specialist. Nineteen of her books of fiction have been published to critical praise including books for adults, teens and children. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies such as: THE WRITER, L.A. TIMES, READER’S DIGEST, PEDESTAL, SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY MAGAZINE, OVER MY DEAD BODY!, GUMSHOE REVIEW, LIBRARY JOURNAL, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY and THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR. Her writer’s blog can be found at: http://jacquelineseewald.blogspot.com

Thanks so much Jacqueline for visiting with us today!

I pray you've enjoyed Jacquie's post as much as I have friends and that you'll check back weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God Bless.
PamT