#WednesdayWordswithFriends A Note from Me.....

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Wednesday Words with Friends post for September, 2020!

It's been a while since I posted something personal for you, Friends. Too Long. A lot has happened since July 1st. My Heart Weeps released on August 18th as planned but the blog tour began on August 11th with the last stop today on Linda Nightingale's blog. The audiobook released on August 29th.

Remember there are a total of 6 prizes (1 per person) to be given away in October to friends who have followed and commented on the blog tour spots. Each one can be found HERE and it's not too late to participate! Each link is updated to the actual post and I will continue to check for late visitors and you will be counted in the giveaways.

On August 26th we had to evacuate due to Hurricane Laura who attacked our coast with a vengeance, leaving devastation in her wake. Few people avoided damage of some sort - if only the loss of necessities like power and water to conveniences like internet and cable. My daughter's house had to be completely gutted. And then.....

My Dad Passed Away.

To say things are in a turmoil is an understatement, but alas, God is still on the throne and we continue to survive one day at a time.

My goal for this blog has always been to share good news, uplifting information and happy times with you but life isn't always good, uplifting or happy. 

That said, despite our losses, our family HAS experienced good news. We have two new babies on the way! My brother will receive a new grandchild and a new great grandchild in 2021. My uncle who has battled lung cancer seems to have won - he received a diagnosis of NED (no evidence of disease!!!) from his doctors this week. We, as a community, are returning to work and school and picking up the pieces of our lives and are determined to come back stronger than ever.

In a time when our entire country is in upheaval, the folks of SW Louisiana are pulling together and all those who've shown up to help us are GREATLY Appreciated!

More good news.....

Tempered Joy is in audio production and Tempered Truth is in the final editing stages! I look for both to be released by Thanksgiving, definitely in time for Christmas. I just realized I haven't shared the cover for Tempered Truth here on my blog! Here ya go.... please forgive this oversight.

Well friends, this about wraps up my life in a nutshell for the past two months. I hope and pray you are all blessed and prosperous!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on T. I. Lowe @TILowe and Sea Glass Castle!

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Saturday Spotlight in September 2020!

To say it's been a crazy month in a ridiculous year is an understatement. Alas, next week we enter into the last quarter of 2020 and I'm sure I'm not the only person praying 2021 is a much better year.

Today's guest has shared her new Carolina Coast trilogy with us over the last few months, so please welcome Tonya (TI) Lowe back with a peek into book 3, Sea Glass Castle. 

Sophia Prescott is still mending from the embarrassment of a highly publicized divorce from a pro football player, and the now-single mother is back in Sunset Cove, surrounded by the supporting love of her family and the Sand Queens. Sophia doesn’t think there’s any hope for starting over until an unexpected trip to the pediatrician’s office gives her a second chance after all.

Dr. Weston Sawyer knows all about lives shattering into millions of pieces. His own all but ended when a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and barreled head-on into his pregnant wife’s sedan, killing her instantly and leaving Wes with a soul so wounded that it has refused to heal. He packed up and left swampy southern Alabama for South Carolina with the hope of fading into the sleepy coastal town of Sunset Cove. Instead, feisty brunette Sophia Prescott will have him braving something different and entirely unexpected. If Sophia and Wes can take the leap to give love another try, they just might find that hope has a way of coming back around and weaving into one’s heart.

Excerpt: Darkness was a gift that hid most anything Sophia Prescott wanted to keep at bay—the ruins of her marriage, the still-fading scars, and the inner debris of her self-worth, which had been scattered about so severely that she was pretty sure there was no hope of mending it. The shadows graciously did their part to shroud life, even if it was for only a brief period on Mondays. Every Sunday her parents kept her two-year-old after church, overnight, and until nightfall on Monday. During this time of seclusion, Sophia kept to the shadows and let herself fall apart before having to pull herself back into a presentable form for her son. Collin deserved her whole. Not broken.

But Mondays she broke.

Hunkered down underneath a thick quilt, Sophia pried her eyes open when the soft click of the door closing caught her sluggish attention. Knowing what was coming, she braced herself for the fight, fisting the blan-ket in both hands and squeezing her eyes shut.

A few forceful tugs and struggling grunts came from the other side of the blanket be-fore the darkness was snatched out of her grasp. Blazing light poured in through the windows as the little sprite fluttered around the room to open even more curtains.

“Stop it, Opal!” Sophia screeched. “Too bright!” She buried her head beneath the pillow, hoping to escape the light and what-ever her busybody friend was up to.

“Nonsense. It’s a beautiful summer day. One that begs for you to be outside enjoying it. Come on. Let’s go be one with nature.” Opal jostled the bed.

Sophia lost her grip on the pillow, opening her eyes just in time to see it fly across the room. “I live on a golf course. Nothing I want to go be one with,” she grumbled, sit-ting up to fix her best friend with her best glare.

Opal’s sparkling green eyes never dulled of their merriment. At the moment, they appeared to be holding a measure of amusement too. “There’s beautiful land-scaping on this golf course. Don’t let my dad hear you sassing about his place.”

“I’m paying him rent for this condo, so I can sass about it all I want.” Sophia rubbed her eyes, wishing when she reopened them, the darkness would be back. But she knew Opal Gilbert Cole too well. There was no other option but to go along with her. “What do you want?”

“I want lots of things.” Opal grinned, twisting her golden-red curls into a messy bun, the blonde tips flickering every which way. “But I’ll settle for you helping me solve a mystery today.”

Oh my what a hook! Love that cover, too Tonya. Thank you for sharing.

Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family

Sea Glass Castle can be purchased at Amazon in print and on Kindle and other online and brick & mortar stores where Christian Fiction is available.

Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll stop by each week for more Wednesday Words with Friends as well as Saturday Spotlight!

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

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes DiAnn Mills @diannmills

 Good Morning,

Today's guest is no stranger to our blog so please welcome the lovely and talented Mrs. DiAnn Mills back as she shares some words with us on Brainstorming Your Novel. Take it away, DiAnn!

Brainstorming Your Novel 

Novelists often reach a plateau in which the perfect idea won’t coming materialize. The plot germ is there, but the theme, setting, characters, and storyline seem to spin out of control. Solution? Our writing needs a brainstorming session

By using the acronym, BRAINSTORMING, a writer can bring the whirling to a halt and anchor the story onto a firm foundation.

Believe in our gift to write. We understand the craft, and we’re continually educating ourselves to add more tools and techniques.

Realistic writing is what sells. No matter the genre, the storyline must be credible with realistic characters who react and respond according to the traits we’ve assigned them.

Analyze the basic idea. How can we grow our characters by making their goals difficult, perhaps impossible to reach?

Inspire readers through the story to attempt and achieve great things. Fiction is truth. Jesus spoke in parables, and through His stories people gleaned meaning and purpose to their lives. Don’t preach the message. Let the reader see the characters by the way they tackle life’s challenges.

Name the book and characters. Why is this important? Because the title of a book gives the writer passion for the project. Who wants to wake up each morning to the thrill of working on novel X? In the same way, our characters deserve names that mean something significant in the novel. 

Show don’t tell. Propel the story into action by incorporating body language, explosive emotion, purposeful dialogue, and unique settings. 

Technique is essential to every story. To make sure the plotting is tight, pose the following four questions before writing each scene.

1. What is the point of view character’s problem or goal?

2. What does the point of view character learn that he/she didn’t know     before? New Information.

3. What backstory is revealed? (Hold back in the first approximately fifty pages. Also hold back on faults/weaknesses for the first approximately fifty pages.)

4. How are the stakes raised for the point of view character?

Organize the notes and thoughts into a file: plotting, research, characterization, and the original source of information. If the writer is an outliner, now is the time to create a story outline. If the writer is a panster, the next step is personality driven.

Research is vital to every successful novel. If a novel takes place in a backyard, then research the weeds there. Whenever possible, visit the setting during the season of your story. Interview those who have the same careers or experiences as the story characters. Use the services of a library, chamber of commerce, Internet exploration, and any other means of research to root the reader into the story.  

Motivation is the key to every successful novel. We were motivated to begin a writing career. I was motivated to write this blog post. You were motivated to read this post. Our characters are motivated by their wants and needs. Discover the character’s wants and needs to see what he/she will do to achieve them. 

This list is only the beginning to brainstorm a story. Are you ready to position your fingers on the keyboard and speed off on another adventure?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She is a 

storyteller and creates action-packed, suspense-filled novels to thrill readers. Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. 

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is the director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference, Mountainside Retreats: Marketing, Speakers, Nonfiction and Novelist with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion for helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. 

Connect with DiAnn here: www.diannmills.com

Airborne can be purchased through Tyndale or wherever great Christian fiction is sold. I've read this book and it is a great adventure! Check out my review on Amazon!

I love the way you've broken down brainstorming for us DiAnn! We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new release.

PamT

No #SaturdaySpotlight Today

 Good Morning,

If you've followed me for long you know this is something I try to avoid but my scheduled guest lost her husband in July and was unable to be here today.

That, on top of all this hurricane recovery efforts PLUS the loss of my dad a couple weeks ago, well, I just can't do anything today.

Yes, I have lot's of authors who'd love to fill in, but I didn't have time to give them advance notice.

So...as much as I hate to disappoint you, dear friends, there is no Saturday Spotlight today.

Thank you for understanding.

God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Carol James @CarolJamesAuth

Good Morning and Welcome!

Hurricane cleanup again today. We're in a RV park so far away it's difficult to go in every day but I do  my best to go every other day. Alas, life goes on....

Carol James returns to share some insight on The Power of Words. Take it away, Carol.....

 

       “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I can’t remember the first time I heard or even said these words, but years and wisdom have proven their falseness. Words may not cut or bruise, but the pain they inflict often lasts years longer than the six weeks required to mend a broken arm.

            “The pen is mightier than the sword.” I do remember the first time I heard these words in history class. We discussed how, in using words to influence a person’s thoughts, you can transform someone. Words, not swords, have the power to cause true heart-change. That one idea began my love affair with words.

            Several years ago, a friend invited me to a women’s conference. It was a time when my life was in a drought. Certain God had called me into a new ministry, I’d begun writing. After numerous rejections and some harsh critiques, which all writers receive, I began to question my decision. Writing was too much work. Too hard. Too painful. If I wasn’t being successful, maybe I hadn’t really been called.

            In addition to the mental pain, I’d been having unexplained back problems, and the thought of sitting for hours in a stadium seat was torturous. But I went. Because time with my friend was priceless.

            As we entered the huge arena, I recognized the background music. Sovereign Over Us, a song written and sung by my church’s worship pastor, Aaron Keyes. What a fun coincidence! Of all the recordings they could have chosen, one by a person I knew. A song I’d sung many times in church. A reminder of God’s sovereignty.

            We found our seats. Mine had an envelope on it. I glanced around the huge convention center. Each seat held an envelope. Thousands of seats, thousands of envelopes.

            I opened mine. Snoopy. I love Snoopy! And he was sitting at a typewriter struggling to find the right words.

            Then I opened the card. Someone had handwritten a Bible verse inside. “Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed. Save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. Jeremiah 17:14”

            The song about God’s sovereignty, the verse about healing, even the typewriter, of all things. I can’t remember the teaching from that weekend. I’m sure it was fabulous. But I will never forget what God said to me through the song and the card. The words were streams in my wasteland.

            Oh, the power of words! We all have the responsibility to use our words for good. To build up rather than tear down. To heal rather than hurt. As a Christian writer, my task is to use words not only to tell a story but also to show God’s love.

            The woman who volunteered her time to inscribe my card most likely had no idea the depth of truth the words would speak to my heart. But she was obedient, and the words she wrote were powerful, life-changing.

            Words. Powerful. Life-changing. Heart-changing. Maybe that’s why John tells us Jesus is the Word.

            In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. John 1:1,14

Carol James is an author of inspirational fiction, in particular redemptive romance. She lives in a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the works of other authors of inspirational fiction.

Her debut novel, Rescuing Faith, was an Amazon number one best seller. 

Carol enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, traveling with friends, and serving in the production department at her church. And most days, in the late hours of the night or the wee hours of the morning, she can be found bringing her newest novel to life.

Connect with Carol at the following locations....

www.carol-james.com

Facebook.com/CarolJamesAuthor

https://www.instagram.com/caroljamesauthor

https://twitter.com/CarolJamesAuth

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19149238.Carol_James

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carol-james

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3duHqKc

Get your copy of Carol's newest release, Season of Hope at Amazon, Pelican Book Group (Ebook), and Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Oh, Carol what a lovely story. I adore it when God speaks to me like this! Thank you so much for sharing!

Good luck and God's blessings

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Ramona K Cecil @RamonaCecil & The Time for Healing

Good Morning and Welcome,

If you've followed me for long, you know how I LOVE to introduce to you a new-to-me and our blog a fellow Pelican Book Group author and today is no exception. Let's let her introduce herself - take it away, Ramona......

Hi! I’m Ramona K. Cecil and I live in southern Indiana. I’m a wife, mother, grandmother, poet, and author of historical romance novels for the Christian market. My husband and I have been married for forty-seven years and are now empty-nesters. We have two grown daughters and three young-adult grandchildren. We make our home in Seymour, Indiana, the “small town” made famous in rocker John Mellencamp’s song of the same name. I’ve always loved history, especially the history of my Hoosier state. Like The Time for Healing, many of my stories are set in Indiana’s past. When not writing, my hobbies include reading, gardening, and visiting places of historical interest.

My latest novel, The Time for Healing, released August 7th with Pelican Book Group. This award-winning story is inspired by a real-life event—The Pigeon Roost Massacre—that happened in 1812 about thirty miles south of where I live. 

  

Oh wow, how interesting! Now give us a little more info on your award-winning book.....

Winner - Best in Fiction Indiana Faith and Writing Contest 2014

Ginny Red Fawn McLain, a Shawnee medicine woman, is thrust back into the world of her birth family twelve years after her abduction. While she eschews the Christianity preached by her birth uncle who found her, Ginny's heart refuses to shun his friend and fellow Christian minister, Jeremiah Dunbar. Jeremiah is immediately smitten with his friend's long-lost niece. But unless Ginny Red Fawn joins Christ's fold—something she adamantly resists—any future with the woman he loves is impossible.

Excerpt:

A soft, moist touch against his lips jerked Jeremiah awake. At the sight of the white Indian girl kneeling over him, myriad emotions darted around his chest like a bevy of barn swallows. Surely she had not… 

Red Fawn dipped her finger into a little wooden bowl then touched it to his lips, moistening them with an oily salve. “I am sorry to wake you, but the sun is rising in the sky, and your friend asked me to bring you medicines.” 

Jeremiah pushed up to a sitting position on his woolen-blanket cot. Heat suffused his neck and face at his initial mistaken impression of her actions. He poked out the tip of his tongue to taste the oil she’d spread over his cracked lips. The sweet, light taste told him it must be either plant or mineral based. 

“It is sweet birch oil,” she said, answering his silent question. “It will heal your lips and make the skin soft again.” Her smile transformed her features from comely to breathtakingly beautiful. 

“You speak English well.” He found it surprising that she hadn’t lost the language of her childhood during her years with the Shawnee. 

She set the bowl aside. “My father wanted me to keep the white man’s language and to teach it to him and my mother. He said it would be good for our family and our tribe when dealing with the whites, so we spoke it often in our home.” 

“Where is Zeb?” Jeremiah cleared his burning throat and glanced around the longhouse. He needed to direct his thoughts away from this girl who made his heart hammer like a woodpecker’s beak on a dead log.

 “He has gone to Chief Great Hawk’s lodge to tell him what is written in the book you brought,” she said, her voice turning harder. She walked to the fire, bent over a steaming iron pot, and stirred its contents with a shaved stick. 

She spoke as if the Bible was new to her, but Zeb said the Shawnee had taken her at the age of six. Jeremiah recalled his own sixth year vividly. That year, his family had traveled from Kentucky to Indiana, and his mother gave birth to his brother Joel in the Conestoga along the way. He and his seven-year-old sister, Dorcas, had kept three-year-old Lydia occupied by fishing for crawdads on a creek bank during Mother’s travails. It seemed inconceivable that this girl, who remembered her given name as Ginny McLain, had no memory of her parents or Zeb and his wife, Ruth, setting her on their laps and telling her stories from the Scriptures. 

“Surely, you remember the Bible. I remember the Bible stories my ma and pa told me and my sisters when I was six.” 

She stopped stirring the sweet-smelling contents of the pot and became still. At her silence, hope leapt in Jeremiah that perhaps he’d jogged a long-buried memory in her.

Without answering him, she grasped the pot handle with a scrap of wool material to protect her hand, lifted the pot from the fire, and set it on a flat rock. She dipped an earthen bowl into the pot and then carried the vessel to him. She set the bowl on the ground in front of him. “When it is cool enough, drink it. It will heal your sore throat.”

As she walked out of the longhouse, an ache not associated with his illness throbbed in Jeremiah’s chest. Regret filled him. God had given him an opportunity to share Christ with Red Fawn, and he had squandered it.

The Time for Healing can be found at Amazon, B&N, Thrift Books and Book Depository.

Connect with Ramona on her website, Facebook and twitter.

NICE excerpt, Ramona. Good luck and God's blessings with your book!

Hope you enjoyed today's guest friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Ramona is giving away an E-copy of The Time for Healing to one lucky person so leave a comment!

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Jacqueline Seewald

Good Morning,

Today is the day we say our final goodbye to my dad. I appreciate all the love and support you have shown and covet your continued prayers for me and my family as we continue to navigate these weeks after the hurricane and his death.

Today's guest is no stranger to our blog, so please welcome Jacqueline Seewald back to share some words with us on branding. Take it away, Jacqueline!

A Question of Branding

Should authors use their real names on their writing or should they use pseudonyms? Is branding a help or hindrance to writers? There’s been a lot of discussion among writers as to whether it benefits authors to be branded--by that I mean that writers want to market themselves by promoting their name, associating their name with a particular type, genre or style of writing. The premise? This is the best way to build a readership. For instance, when we see the name Nora Roberts we immediately think of romantic suspense. “Nora Roberts,” real name Eleanor Marie Robertson, also writes under “J.D. Robb” for her mystery series. The name Stephen King is immediately associated with horror, but he has chosen to write under other pseudonyms as well. Jayne Ann Krentz writes her contemporary romances under that name, her sci-fi/fantasy under Jayne Castle, and her historical romances under Amanda Quick. The advantage is that fans know what to expect.

Many writers choose to use pen names. They write in a variety of genres and assume a different nom de plume for each. The theory is that it will confuse readers if writers use the same name for different types of work. There is also a tendency for publishers to try to place writers in neat categories. It’s more convenient to connect a name to a particular format. Harlequin was famous for insisting that writers have romantic sounding nom de plumes.

But what if you resist branding? Are you destroying your chance to be taken seriously as a writer or build a readership? I don’t have the answer to this question. I can only admit that I don’t limit myself to one particular format in my writing. My books are not “in the box.”  

As of now, twenty of my books are published by a variety of publishers, some large, some small. I have written romantic suspense, mysteries, historical romances, YA mysteries and romances, as well as children’s books and stories. All of these appear under my own name.

However, there is an exception. When I write short stories from a masculine viewpoint, I use my initials. My novella THE BURNING also appears under “J. P. Seewald” for that reason. A lot of female writers do this because men seem to prefer reading stories and novels ostensibly written by other men, especially when presented from a masculine viewpoint. 

Likewise, there are a number of male authors who write women’s fiction/romances as well as mysteries under female pseudonyms.

I hope you will consider reading my writing. My most current novels are: 

BLOOD FAMILY (Kim Reynolds mystery #5 published by Encircle)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088D4QZPP

http://encirclepub.com/product/bloodfamily/

HIGHLAND HEART (historical romance published by Luminosity) now available

in pre-publication to order:

https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Heart-Love-Time-War-ebook/dp/B08DLBZ61K

https://books.google.com/books/about/Highland_Heart.html?id=YfryDwAAQBAJ

What is your opinion? Does branding by name recognition benefit writers or is it not really that important to you as a reader? Your thoughts and comments are 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. Fifteen of her books of fiction have been published to critical praise including THE INFERNO COLLECTION, THE DROWNING POOL, THE TRUTH SLEUTH and DEATH LEGACY. Newly released in September is her co-authored mystery THE THIRD EYE. Her short stories, poems, essays, reviews and articles have appeared in hundreds of diverse publications and numerous anthologies.

THANKS Jacqueline for sharing your words of wisdom with us! As a reader, I don't worry about branding but as a writer, my brand is easy..."Inspirational with an Edge" (tm). 

Good luck and God's blessings with your new releases!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Hannah Rowan & Can't Buy Me Love / LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End

Good Morning,

Well, we're moving the RV into Louisiana, about an hour east of home. Amidst all this hurricane madness, my daddy passed away Wednesday (9/2) - Prayers appreciated. Alas.... the show must go on....

Today's guest is new to the blog so please welcome Hannah Rowan as she tells us about a brand new collection of stories! Take it away, Hannah....

After a long hiatus, I’m delighted to return to writing by participating in the Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End box set with 13 other Romance Gems authors. My Story, Can’t Buy Me Love, brings lottery winner Moira Campbell and wealthy ex-playboy turned handyman Noah Ramsey to Last Chance Beach. For the first time in her life, Moira doesn't have to worry about money, except for her concern about people wanting to take advantage of her generosity. Noah grew up with privilege and is absolutely certain people are attracted to his wealth. Both happen upon Last Chance Beach, where they are able to fashion new lives away from prying eyes and greedy outstretched hands. When sparks ignite between the two, both must decide whether to risk revealing their true identities to trust in love.

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End, 14 all-new romantic short stories set in the island paradise where Dreams go to live again, and Wishes may come true. The beach houses, condos, and hotels are full for Summer's End, but there's still time left to find love, new romances, second chances, hot alpha males, heartwarming heroes, love at first sight, romantic delight—and time left for enemies to become lovers and opposites to attract.
Throw another log on the beach bonfire and celebrate LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End, stories created especially for this romance collection by NY Times and USA Today bestselling authors and other bestselling and award-winning authors. These summer love stories will thrill the hopeful romantic in you. Some are sweet: some are sizzling! Some are humorous; some are serious. All will make you want to book a vacation to this island of legend and love.

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer's End, the place where soul mates find each other and love at first sight happens all the time!

Can’t Buy Me Love - Excerpt

One minute he was standing in the newly remodeled kitchen. The next he was nearly knocked off his feet, enveloped in a happy, squealing female body as she threw her arms around him, and improbably jumped up and down at the same time.

“Thank you so much,” she said. “You put in a good word for me, didn’t you?”

“I might have.”

She fit so nicely in his arms. He hugged her tighter, savoring the mix of feminine curves and finely toned muscles. He drew in the now-familiar scent of suntan lotion and some sort of citrusy shampoo, and finally gave in to what he’d been fantasizing about since his first glimpse of her stretching outside her car.

With her arms still looped around his shoulders, she leaned back, grinning up at him. “This is just the best news,” she said.

As he watched, her grin slowly faded. He felt the moment she grew aware of his body pressing into hers. Her eyes widened, blinked, and she licked her bottom lip. And that was that.

He threaded his fingers through her hair, drew her head closer, leaned in to taste those lips himself. She hesitated just for a moment, but then her arms tightened around him and she gave herself over to the kiss.

Seconds, minutes, long undetermined stretches of time passed while he lost himself in the sensation of soft lips, silky hair, seductive scent. His body responded with an insistence he hadn’t felt in ages, with a wonder he hadn’t felt maybe even since his first few romantic encounters as a young man. She made no move to pull away, and her soft sighs had his head spinning.

Finally, they pulled apart, but continued to look into each other’s eyes. Both breathing hard. Was she as affected by the intensity of that kiss as he was? He certainly hoped so.

Freebie:

 The companion to the box set is a free recipe book, Cocktails At Last Chance Beach, that contains recipes that our heroes and heroines may have enjoyed during their time at the beach, or which readers can sample while enjoying the stories.

 

About Hannah Rowan

Hannah Rowan wrote her first book at the age of seven, with blonde, brunette, red-headed, and black haired heroines whose names began with the letters A, B, C, and D. Oddly enough, it was never published. But Hannah has since been a local reporter, confession author, book reviewer, humor columnist, and magazine writer. She published romantic comedy with Kensington Precious Gems, and one of the first e-books back when people thought e-books would never catch on. She is currently at work on a romantic comedy series and a women’s fiction novel.

A life-long Jersey girl, Hannah lives in northern New Jersey with her hunky husband and two frogs named Fred and Ethel. When she’s not writing, Hannah enjoys her work at an assisted living facility, going to water aerobics and swimming, and taking long hikes in a new-to-her park with the Hunk as often as possible. And of course, she often stays up far too late, reading.

 

Find Hannah Online:

AMAZON | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | BOOKBUB

 

Wow, Hannah, this collection certainly seems like a great bunch of reads! Good luck and God's blessings with it.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends. Until next time, take care, God Bless and remember to hug your loved ones because you never know when it'll be your last chance!
PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Theresa Hall @TheresaLynnHall

Good Morning,

Last month Theresa spotlighted her debut Love Inspired Suspense novel, Accidental Target. Today she'll share some words with us on prayer - perfect since many are praying now for our recovery from Hurricane Laura. But first, let's congratulate our August gift card winner......

LoRee Peery!

Congrats LoRee, I appreciate your support of my guests. Now, take it away, Theresa....

Down to the Ground

My husband recently took on the task of repairing our travel trailer. What we thought was a “small” leak in the bedroom with only softened spots on the floor, turned out to be a huge mess that had been going on for longer than we thought. Typical, right? I think that’s how all home improvement projects go. Thankfully, he’s great at carpentry and knew just what to do—tear it all out. And I mean all of it. Half of the walls, all the floor, the bed, the closets, everything! We could literally see the ground below.

My husband is still working on the trailer. It wasn’t a quick fix and it’s taking him a lot longer than he expected. We had planned to use it this summer but things didn’t work out. And that’s okay. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or what, but I seem to have a lot more patience now than I used to. Just like that travel trailer, I remember a few times when I was a huge mess and I needed a lot of time to be fixed. I would let little things bother me and, big things stress me totally out. I was torn down, right to the ground. Even though I prayed to God for answers, I wasn’t really listening to Him or I wouldn’t have let the little things get to me so much.

When we pray about our problems, God does hear us. He’s works on us a little at a time until one day we look back and realize how far we’ve come. God never wants to see us torn up, fragile, or defeated. He wants what’s best for us and in His time, He will see us through the darkest of days. 

A few years ago, when my oldest son became a police officer he told me he was getting a tattoo. Of course, I gave him the lecture about make sure it’s something you can live with, etc. I’m not a fan of tattoos for myself, but when your kids grow up they have their own minds. Needless to say, I was happy when he showed it to me. Here’s what it says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 

That is one of my favorite verses because it comforts me and reminds me that God is always taking care of me. On a side note, the trailer may be ready for some fall camping. I’ll keep you posted!

Theresa Hall is an award-winning author of Christian fiction whose stories include military, law enforcement, and first responder heroes. As a native Texan, she loves to write suspenseful stories that happen in small Texas towns with old fashioned Southern values. She’s also a first grade teacher who loves to cook, read a good suspense, and binge-watch episodes of Dateline and Discovery ID. She is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America) and ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers). She actively promotes fellow Christian Fiction authors on her blog and can be found online at her....

 Website, Facebook, Twitter @TheresaLynnHall, Pinterest   and Instagram.  Accidental Target can be purchased at Amazon, B&N, Harlequin.

I hope you get that camper up and running, Theresa and enjoy some fall camping. I don't know what we would have done without this RV during this hurricane!

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Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT