#SaturdaySpotlight is on Heidi Gray McGill and her Discerning God's Best series Book Bundle - Collection One

Good Morning from Daytona Beach, Florida! 

My daughter and I drove up Tuesday/Wednesday for NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance National Competition to watch my son's teams from Stephen F. Austin State University! I'll be sharing the results of the competition on my travel blog, Bathroom Blues next week. I hope you'll drop by there and see who won what.

Prayers appreciated for safe travels home to us and ALL the teams. - THANKS!

Now, on to our spotlight...

If you've followed me for long, you know that I LOVE hosting authors and their books in hopes that you, Dear Reader Friend, will find some new favs. Sharing a brand-new-to-me author is always the most exciting for me and today's guest is one!

Welcome Heidi, please tell us about your Discerning God's Best series and why you wrote it...

My heartfelt thanks, Pam for welcoming me to your blog and giving me the opportunity to introduce my stories to your readers!

It’s a joy to share the heart behind my Discerning God’s Best – Collection One bundle, and I’m grateful for spaces like this where faith and fiction meet to inspire and encourage.

When my world shifted—first through vision loss from retinitis pigmentosa, then through the sudden closing of the ESL program I founded and directed—I lost the platform I had used to share Christ. The ministry I loved was gone, my daily rhythms were upended, and I couldn’t see what God was doing next.

But God did.

In the quiet, He gave me stories. Stories of resilient women and steadfast men in the 1800s who, much like us today, faced detours they didn’t choose and seasons they didn’t understand. Each character wrestled with questions I knew well: Can I trust God’s timing? Does He truly see me? Is His plan still good when mine has fallen apart?

Those stories became my Discerning God’s Best series. And now, I’ve gathered the first works into one seamless collection so readers can experience them back-to-back, walking through the characters’ intertwined journeys without missing a beat.

In the collection, you’ll find Desire of My Heart, where a marriage of convenience forces two people to lean on God’s provision when their own resources fall short. 

With All My Heart is a story of forgiveness and second chances, where hearts once closed slowly begin to heal. 

In the tender Christmas novella Stitched on My Heart, a woman discovers resilience and love after loss in a land where both are hard won. 

And in the bonus short story Where Hearts Belong, a snowbound encounter changes the course of two lonely lives forever.

Read together, these stories offer more than individual adventures; they weave into a larger tapestry of hope, healing, and faith’s quiet triumph. You’ll step from one character’s world into another’s, experiencing a frontier community where lives touch, paths cross, and God’s fingerprints are everywhere.

This bundle is perfect for readers who love to binge-read without losing the thread of the journey. By the last page, my prayer is that you’ll feel as if you’ve lived alongside these characters—sharing their trials, rejoicing in their victories, and seeing your own faith strengthened.

If you’re ready for a reading experience that blends historical romance with timeless truth, I invite you to begin with the Discerning God’s Best – Collection One. Let’s walk this path together… and see where God’s best might be waiting for you.

The entire Discerning God’s Best – Collection One bundle is just $9.99—a savings of over $3.00 compared to purchasing the books individually, or you can enjoy it at no extra cost with your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Although I am spotlighting this Collection One Bundle, the Discerning God's Best series consists of 6 books with #7 on the way! So, if you decide you love the Collection One Bundle, be sure to check out, Matters of the Heart, Healing of the Heart, Written on My Heart and Keeper of My Heart.

  

Book 7, Vision of My Heart Releases September 15th but is available for Pre-Order now!

Heidi Gray McGill is an award-winning Christian fiction author who blends historical romance with timeless faith. Legally blind from retinitis pigmentosa, she writes stories that reflect God’s grace and the beauty of His perfect timing. Her Discerning God’s Best series invites readers into richly drawn 1800s settings where love and faith triumph over life’s challenges. 

Heidi lives near Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband of over thirty years and treasures time with her grandsons, a well-cooked meal, and a competitive game night. Learn more and download her free prequel at HeidiGrayMcGill.com. 

 

THANK You, So Much, Heidi for sharing your wonderful books with us! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on all of your endeavors!

Hope you enjoyed meeting Heidi as much as I did, Friends, and that you'll check back each week for another episode of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Read Happy!

PamT

Happy Easter!

I love this photo as, (for me), it depicts the beauty of the Resurrection beautifully.

I am taking this weekend off so there is no Saturday Spotlight but be sure to check back next week when Heidi Gray McGill shares her Discerning God's Best series!

I want to take a moment and THANK Each and Every one of YOU, Dear Friends, who visit on a regular basis and make this blog and our Saturday Spotlight so popular.

I APPRECIATE You more than words can express!

Until next time, be sure and check out our Featured Author, Carol J Post and all the great books she has to offer.

Oh one more thing...

Tempered Hearts is on sale through Kobo for the entire month of April!

In case you're new to the blog here are the deets...

An innocent veterinarian. A jaded cowboy. Will they get burned under a Texas sun or find the heat that leads to happily ever after?

Craig Harris has sworn off relationships. He’s been burned and betrayed too many times to count. But when he crosses paths with the hot-tempered veterinarian his grandfather hired for the summer will he let go of hurt and mistrust to find the true love he’s always longed for?

Tamera Collins is in no mood to put up with an arrogant jerk cowboy even if he is her boss. Grieving too-recent losses leaves her wary of the strong attraction between her and Craig. Can she overcome heartache and shattered faith and open up to their blossoming love?

Tempered Hearts is the first installment of a 6-part family saga where love crosses the lines of age and strengthens the bonds of friendship, and where faith is passed down through the generations proving the sovereignty of God.

How about an excerpt...

Tamera awoke in a mild state of panic and confusion. Glancing around, she realized where she was and who was beside her. A blush warmed her cheeks as she struggled to sit up. She released the filly and fumbled with the front of her gown. 

“I couldn’t sleep.” she explained, glancing into the steel gray eyes. His gaze, soft and warm like liquid metal, made her blush harder as he brushed strands of hay out of her hair with a gentleness that seemed out of character.

Craig knew he was treading on dangerous ground, that people were expecting them, but couldn’t seem to get past the moment at hand. “I guess a kiss is out of the question,” he queried, his voice tender, gaze unwavering.

Emotions, raw and unfamiliar, shivered through her. Tamera attempted to scoot away from him, emitted a shaky little laugh and tried to quench the feelings escalating to frightening proportions. “A kiss? Why would you want a kiss? I didn’t think you even liked me.” 

Craig wound his hand in her thick hair, stopping her movements. “Like has nothing to do with desire,” he moaned and crushed her to him as his mouth covered hers in a thorough kiss. “Absolutely nothing,” he assured as she clung to his shirt and trembled in his arms.

Tempered Hearts can be found at Amazon and other Online Retailers  at the normal price.

Guess that's all for now, Friends.

Until next week, take care, God Bless and enjoy a safe and Happy Easter!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jenelle Hovde & No Stone Unturned!

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Saturday Spotlight for March 2026! 

My how time flies when you're having fun and 'fun' is what this blog is all about. After all, what can be more joyous than finding a brand new author/book?

Jenelle Hovde is just that! Brand-new-to-me and our blog and I'm delighted to introduce her to you! Thanks for visiting us, Jenelle, tell us about your book, No Stone Unturned, and why you wrote it...

Awww, Thanks Pam!

I wrote No Stone Unturned because I’ve always been drawn to the idea that the past still speaks—through broken tiles, buried stories, and the forgotten places that shape a community. When I learned about the real Roman mosaics discovered in the English countryside, I was captivated by what it would mean for a young woman like Bridget Littleton to uncover history in a world that rarely took her ambitions seriously. At the same time, Rafe’s journey grew out of my desire to write about a wounded hero determined to restore something—his home, his family legacy, and his own sense of worth. Placing these two strong-willed characters at odds over the same patch of earth let me explore themes of healing, courage, and calling. More than anything, it allowed me to write a fun enemies-to-lovers story within my Regency Bluestocking series—with The Light of Stars to follow.

Here's the Blurb: She wants to uncover the past. He wishes to build a future. In this Regency romance set in rolling hills of West Sussex, two opposing wills discover their fate may lie in the common ground.

Miss Bridget Littleton’s passion for history and antiquities defies most social conventions, even in her small village nestled in the beautiful English countryside. When a local farmer discovers an elaborate mosaic buried in his field, Bridget dreams of making a name and future for herself by excavating the Roman ruins. Unfortunately, her quest puts her at odds with the ambitious new lord who recently inherited the title and Hawthorn Abbey from his estranged uncle.

Recovering from wounds of both body and spirit, Captain Rafe Hawthorn is intent on restoring his long-neglected ancestral home. His plans to rebuild the abbey’s once thriving orchards require a road that will pass straight through Bridget’s potential trove of artifacts. He will not―cannot―fail again, even if he is moved by Bridget and her passion.

Yet this impasse might not be their greatest obstacle. A natural disaster and a series of suspicious accidents threaten both their plans, along with the livelihood of the nearby villagers dependent on their success. With their dreams in the balance, Bridget and Rafe must work together to fend off an unexpected enemy that may prove more dangerous than either could have imagined.

And a couple of teasers...

No Stone Unturned can be purchased at Amazon for Kindle, in Paperback, Hardcover and Audio, at B&N and through Tyndale.

Wonderful! Now give us the lowdown on you...

😂 Here you go...

Jenelle Hovde writes regency romance, cozy mysteries, and Biblical era fiction. She especially loves antique stores and vintage books. Often found writing at the Florida beach, she navigates homeschooling with her family and manages two saucy cats who insist on interrupting her creative endeavors.

Stay updated with her latest works and musings by subscribing to her newsletter at jenellehovdeauthor.com.

THANKS, Jenelle! We certainly wish you the best of luch and God's blessings with your writing and life.

Hope you enjoyed meeting Jenelle as much as I did friends, and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight. 

Jenelle is giving away 1 paperback copy of No Stone Unturned to a lucky person so leave a comment to get your name in the drawing!

Until next time, take care, God bless and Happy Reading!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Lilies for Sandi; Part of A Hint of Holiday Romance

Good Morning Friends,

My scheduled guest is having computer issues and not able to make it today and we've rescheduled her. So, I thought I would share the blurb and an excerpt from my Easter story, Lilies for Sandi which is part of A Hint of Holiday Romance collection.

Can two hearts broken by unfulfilled dreams find healing, wholeness, and restoration? 

Sandi and Brett did everything backwards. They got pregnant before the wedding and had a baby instead of a honeymoon. Since, Brett has resented the fact that his dreams of a football career have been cut short and wonders how long it’ll take God to forgive him for his mistakes. 

Sandi has played second fiddle to Brett’s dreams and desires to the point of not knowing herself any longer and fears her marriage will never be a true one because of their failures

Excerpt: Without stopping to second-guess himself, he picked up the spray of Easter lilies he’d brought in case he got up the nerve to approach her and opened his car door while calling her name.

She turned, and an assortment of emotions flitted across her features. The door opened behind her, and Karla stepped out.

“Everything all right out here?”

“I’d like to talk to Sandi, if it’s OK with her.”

Sandi eyed the flowers in his hand then gave Karla the bags and murmured something to her. Karla acknowledged the words with a nod, took the packages, and went back inside.

Brett held the bouquet toward her. “I know these are your favorites. Hope you don’t mind that I picked them up.”

She buried her nose in the fragrant blooms then raised her gaze to his once more. “What are you doing here, Brett? I haven’t seen or heard from you in weeks.”

“I’d hoped we could go to church together Sunday.”

“I thought your games were Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

 “They normally are, just not on Easter Sunday. I know we haven’t gone to church much through the years of our marriage, but I’ve been attending a Bible study with the coach and some of the team members. I figured this was a good time to start going again. I’d like to take you and Candie with me then maybe out to lunch so we can talk. Karla is welcome to come along if you and she want it that way.”

“I’m sorry, Brett, but we’ve already made plans with our families to have lunch and an Easter egg hunt for the little ones. You’re welcome to join us though.”

Brett bit back his disappointment. The last thing he wanted was a family outing when he hadn’t been part of the familial unit for months. “How about an early breakfast, then church? I promise to get you back in plenty of time for the festivities you’ve planned. I’d really like to talk to you, Sandi, to apologize for the way I’ve treated you and to see if there’s a chance of you coming home.”

He reached for her, and she stiffened. Hope and despair collided on her face, churned into anger. Color exploded in her cheeks. She jerked away. “You think it’s that easy, Brett? Just bring a bunch of flowers and sweet talk your way back into our good graces after all this time? You’ve a lot of nerve thinking that.”

“I don’t think that at all, Sandi. Easter’s a time of resurrection, reconciliation, and restoration. I’d hoped we could at least start to work out our differences, most of which, I know are my fault. Have you hardened your heart so much that I don’t even stand a chance?”

A Hint of Holiday Romance can be found at Amazon for Kindle, in Paperback and at other online retailers HERE.

I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for another episode of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Happy Reading!

PamT

*Image by ALESSA ABRAMOFF from Pixabay

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Dana Gautreaux & Whispers in the Storm: A Journey Through Grief

Good Morning and Welcome to another edition of Saturday Spotlight. Today's guest has not been in the spotlight before but her book was featured in the sidebar back in November. Now, Dana is giving us a full look into Whispers in the Storm: A Journey Through Grief.

Thanks for joining us, Dana. Please tell us why you wrote this book and share with us the blurb and an excerpt...

Thank you, Pam. This book was written in purpose and calling—to do something real enough to touch the deepest pain a person can ever feel.

My goal was to be real, raw, and honest—to say what so many of us feel but are afraid to speak out loud. I didn’t write Whispers in the Storm to explain grief or to make sense of it, because some pain has no explanation. I wrote it to show that even when life breaks us apart, God still meets us there.

Every page was written from the middle of the storm, not from the other side of healing. It was obedience—a way to show that faith can tremble, hearts can shatter, and God can still be good.

This story is proof that He can take what nearly destroys us and use it to help someone else survive. Because hope doesn’t erase pain—it anchors us through it.

Here is the Blurb: Whispers in the Storm: A Journey Through Grief is my story of losing my son, Logan, and wrestling with God in the hollow ache that followed. There were days I could barely breathe and nights I begged for answers that never came—but even there, He met me. Not with explanations, but with presence.

As grief reshaped my world, God began weaving women into my life—souls who held space when I couldn’t stand on my own. He wove us together through heartbreak, and I walked beside them through their own storms.

This book is for anyone who has ever whispered, “Where are You, God?” and still found hope breathing softly through the brokenness.

And an Excerpt: This tribe didn’t just offer me comfort; it offered me communion and a divine sisterhood that whispered, “You are not forgotten. You are not walking alone.”

We prayed together, cried together, and sat in silence together. We bore witness to each other’s pain, but more than that, we carried each other’s hope when it felt too heavy to hold alone.

We didn’t try to fix each other, rush the pain, or silence the ache. Instead, we sat with it, held space for it, and honored the weight of what we carried without trying to make it smaller. Sometimes healing begins not with answers, but with someone simply saying, “Me too.”

These women taught me that healing isn’t a straight line; it’s a winding, sometimes stumbling path, covered in prayer, paved with tears, and lit by the flickering flame of hope.

Some days, that flame barely flickers, but it never goes out.

Sometimes, your storm is like a hurricane—violent, loud, and devastating. It knocks the wind out of you and leaves behind wreckage that takes years to rebuild.

Sometimes, it’s a violent thunderstorm—sharp, sudden, and cruel. The skies crack open, hail pounds down without warning, and it feels like everything around you is breaking. You’re soaked in grief before you even know what hit you.

Sometimes, the turmoil inside you is a firestorm—hot, consuming, and relentless. It scorches everything in its path, leaving only ashes behind. And when the flames die down, you’re left staring at a landscape you no longer recognize, wondering how anything can grow again.

Other times, that turmoil is more like a barren wasteland, like a sandstorm in the desert. It doesn’t roar; it whispers. It’s dry, quiet, and disorienting. You can’t see where you came from, and you’re blinded to the path ahead. It feels like the call of God has gone silent.

But even there—especially there—God meets you. Even in the wilderness, silence, and chaos, He’s there. And in His love, He sends others to walk beside you and to be the light when your world goes dim.

If we listen closely enough, there are always whispers in the storm—whispers of grace, mercy, and courage. These whispers are from God, gently reminding us, “I am still here.”

Love often shows up in the smallest of ways. Sometimes, a hand on your back when you can’t breathe, a card that arrives just when you’re unraveling, a friend who says, “You don’t have to be strong today.” This was the kind of love these women gave me. It wasn’t just support, but a fierce, tender compassion that wrapped around my grief like a holy covering.

How Beautiful, Dana! It is so important to have a support system in the middle of grief. I'm sure your book will bless many people. Please tell us where we can find it and how we can find out more about you!

Thanks again, Pam. Whispers in the Storm can be found at Amazon for Kindle, in Hardcover and in Paperback. 

You can find out more about me by visiting my Website or connecting with me on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok @danagautreauxauthor.

Wonderful! Wishing you the best of luck and God's blessings in all things, Dana. Friends, if you know of someone who could benefit from Dana's book or from connecting with her, PLEASE get them a copy or have them contact her through her website.

Until next week, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Katherine Willson & The Price of Power

Good Morning and Welcome to the first edition of Saturday Spotlight of March 2026! Where has time gone?! I mean, seriously, wasn't Christmas just the other day? 😆

As I mentioned last week, one of my greatest pleasures with this blog is hosting brand-new-to-me authors and we have another one today.

Kathrine Willson, author of The Darington Files and the Phantom of the Opera-based series A Tale from the Darkness, writes character‑driven historical  fiction that combines realism with believable and relatable characters. 

Welcome, Katherine! Please tell us about The Price of Power...

Thanks, Pam. I'm excited to share with you, The Price of Power, a slow‑burn romantic suspense set in 1960s Los Angeles, blending police procedural grit with emotional depth, where loyalty can be lethal and the truth always comes at a cost.

Here's the Blurb: Katherine Butler buried her fiancé three years ago—and with him, the future she thought she’d have.

When she’s asked to reopen Jack Tierney’s death, Katherine expects answers. What she doesn’t expect is betrayal, corruption, and the unsettling realization that Jack may have been killed by his own brothers in blue.

Assigned to oversee the investigation is Captain Justin Darington—Jack’s closest friend and the one man Katherine never allowed herself to think about. As the case exposes a deadly conspiracy within the LAPD, Katherine and Justin are forced into an uneasy partnership where trust is fragile, attraction is dangerous, and the truth carries a body count.

With her career, her safety, and her heart on the line, Katherine must decide how far she’s willing to go for justice—and whether she can risk loving again in a world where power wears a badge.

And an Excerpt: She looked up again. “Seven different bullets submitted for testing, four different weapons submitted including Jack’s. Four bullets extracted from victim… match none of the weapons surrendered for testing. And three do.”

“Okay,” Dare said, setting his cup on the desk. “So, whose weapons do we have a match for?”

She frowned as she glanced up. “Beecher, apparently.”

“Does it say if it was the fatal—?”

“It was… not. It says here that it was extracted from the left scapular region.”

“So… Beecher could have been behind Jack when things hit the fan. A shot goes wild in the panic and confusion and he hits Jack in the shoulder.”

“The other bullets extracted from the victim,” she continued, “were right thigh, left knee, one in his abdomen, and…”

“And?” Dare prompted.

She looked up again. “The other two rounds were extracted… from center mass. His heart.”

“His heart?” Dare grabbed the autopsy report and flipped pages. “Heart… ruptured. Catastrophic damage.”

She swallowed. “The shots exploded his heart.”

Dare leaned back. “He was ambushed.”

She shook her head. “He was set up.”

OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES ARE...

Shadow of Suspicion     Murder on Mulholland    Murder at the Museum

Wonderful, Katherine! Now please tell us a little more about yourself and where we can find you and your books.

Thanks again for having me Pam. Here is my official bio and links...

Kathrine Willson, author of The Darington Files and the Phantom of the Opera-based series A Tale from the Darkness, writes character‑driven historical  fiction that combines realism with believable and relatable characters. In The Darington Files, her work focuses on flawed institutions, moral ambiguity, and the personal cost of pursuing justice, their work explores what happens when loyalty collides with truth—and when the past refuses to stay buried.

Drawing inspiration from mid‑century Los Angeles, classic noir, and deeply researched investigative detail, the series centers on complex protagonists navigating power, corruption, and connection in a world where doing the right thing is rarely simple.

When not writing, the author can usually be found researching obscure historical details, chasing chickens with her grandson, or mapping out plot points with her partner in crime (solving), her mom.

Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram or GoodReads.

OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR:

A Tale from the Darkness Series (Based on Phantom of the Opera/Phantom reimagined)

A Tale from the Darkness;  Raising Gustave;  Son of the Phantom;  Phantom of Normand; and

Angel of Music

All books can be found at Amazon for Kindle (FREE in KU) and in paperback.

Wow, THANK You, Katherine! We are so glad you joined us today and wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on all of your work.

Hope you enjoyed today's guest, friends and that you'll join us weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care, God bless and Happy Reading.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Dakota McGraw & Testing the Waters!

Good Morning and Welcome,

One of my greatest pleasures in hosting Saturday Spotlight on this blog is to introduce to you a brand-new-to-me author and our guest today is one of those! Thanks for joining us, Dakota, please tell us about your book, Testing the Waters...

Thank You for having me, Pam. Testing the Waters is an Espionage/Spy/Multicultural/Suspense Romance with an action rating of 5+ here is the blurb...

Brenda Jackson is no stranger to danger—but when her boss offers her the chance to go international as a spy, it’s a whole new world. Tasked with taking down an opium and human trafficking ring, Brenda steps into the shadowy underworld of espionage with a new partner—Terrance Blaine, a grizzled MI5 operative with a reputation for cold precision.

As they chase leads across multiple countries, sparks fly between Brenda’s fierce determination and Blaine’s brooding authority. They’ll have to navigate deadly threats, uncover a web of international corruption, and survive each other’s temperaments. But when betrayal hits too close to home, Brenda’s skills and resolve will be tested like never before.

Fast-paced, sharp, and filled with tension, Testing the Waters is a thrilling ride of action, espionage, and a partnership that could either save them—or tear them apart.

AND an Excerpt: Later, in the training hall, things escalated. Blaine wasn’t about to let the pistol stunt slide.

“Gunplay’s one thing,” he said, tossing her a judo gi. “But let’s see what you do when someone’s trying to choke the life out of you.”

Brenda smirked, catching it. “Careful, old man. You might not get back up.”

They squared off on the mat. Blaine came at her hard and fast, fists precise, his military training ingrained in every strike. But Brenda wasn’t just holding her ground—she was countering with uncanny timing, sliding into the space between his punches, anticipating the arc of his elbow before he even swung.

She’s reading me, Blaine realized, tightening his jaw and clenching his fists a little too hard. Every feint, every shift of his weight, she was already there. Not reacting—predicting. No civilian cop should’ve been able to do that, yet here she was, moving like she’d been in his head long before the fight began.

He pushed harder, throwing combinations sharp enough to break down most opponents, but she slipped past them, like she knew where he’d be before he did. This isn’t just training—it’s instinct. God help me, it’s beautiful.

Oh my goodness, sounds amazing! Now please tell us why you wrote Testing the Waters, where we can purchase it and find out more about you...

Sure!

I wanted to create a series that features over-the-top characters—imperfect, flawed, yet able to rise to the occasion when it matters most. My goal was to keep readers guessing about who the real "bad guy" is and challenge the typical hero's journey. I wanted to explore the complexities of Blaine, the ultimate alpha male character who, despite being the brooding, chauvinistic, "tough guy," has deep vulnerabilities and cracks in his character. And the twist? He meets a heroine who not only brings these vulnerabilities to the surface but is the only one he trusts enough to show that side of himself. This makes their dynamic unique—a push and pull where strength and vulnerability coexist, creating tension, excitement, and, of course, a deeper emotional connection.

Testing the Waters is the first book in the series, and I have never had more fun writing than with this one. I’m already in love with Terrance Blaine, the main character. He’s everything I wanted in a hero—strong, complicated, and with enough cracks in his armor to make him real. I can also relate to Brenda. She’s the strong woman who can hold her own against Blaine (and he hates it at times, but at that same time he loves it), but knows how to use her feminine charms to knock him off balance when the time is right. It’s the perfect blend of power and subtlety, and I’m really enjoying how their dynamic plays out.

On top of the character dynamics, my personal travels around the world have been a major influence in shaping these stories, and I’ve always wanted to write about my travel in some form and fashion, and this series is perfect for that.  I’ve been fortunate enough to visit some truly exotic locales. These travels allow me to incorporate vivid settings into the book, bringing an authentic atmosphere to the narrative. The diversity of cultures, landscapes, and challenges I’ve encountered have helped create rich, adventurous environments that feel both real and thrilling, adding an extra layer of excitement and intrigue to the plot.

The Blaine and Brenda series promises to have twists and turns, action, a bit of romance, and never a dull moment. I love going wild with these characters, putting them in crazy, dangerous situations and seeing how they get themselves out of them. Each book is an adventure—one I can’t wait to share with readers!

You can purchase Testing the Waters at Amazon, Apple, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, OR directly from my website, where you can find more about me and my books, and see what’s Coming Soon! Be sure and follow me via the social media links there!

Wonderful, Dakota!

We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this new series.

Hope you enjoyed Dakota's visit with us friends and that you'll check back each week for another Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time read happy!

PamT

Saturday Spotlight is on ME & My New Journal: Giving on Purpose How 30 Days of Conscious Giving can Chang Your Life

Good Morning and Welcome!

My scheduled guest could not make it today so I thought I'd tell you about my brand new upcoming release: Giving on Purpose How 30 Days of Conscious Giving can Chang Your Life.

Here's the Blurb: What if the key to abundance isn’t giving more—but giving in balance?

We’ve been taught that it’s more blessed to give than to receive. But what if receiving is just as sacred as giving? And what if the two were never meant to exist apart?

The Giving on Purpose journal invites you to explore the powerful, often misunderstood connection between giving and receiving. If you’ve ever felt like you give endlessly—your time, love, energy, or resources—yet struggle to receive in return, this journal was created for you.

Through guided reflection and intentional prompts, Giving on Purpose gently opens your heart and mind to conscious giving—helping you recognize where imbalance may be blocking blessings and how aligning giving with receiving can transform your spiritual and emotional well-being.

✨ Inside, you’ll discover how to:

• Release guilt around receiving

• Recognize your worthiness to receive from God

• Cultivate deeper gratitude in everyday life

• Restore balance between generosity and abundance

By the final page, readers experience a renewed sense of self-worth, a deeper belief in their God-given worthiness to receive, and a lasting attitude of gratitude.

Give freely. Receive boldly. Live abundantly.

Giving on Purpose: How 30 Days of Conscious Giving can Change Your Life is your invitation to do all three—without guilt, fear, or limitation.

And an Excerpt: There is Always Something to Give

Before I received the revelation that inspired this journal, I, like many, feared giving. Especially money. For much of my life, my intentions to obey and/or give were overruled by all the reasons why I couldn’t. Not always, but when there was more month at the end of my money or when I felt prompted to give but questioned whether that was truly God or guilt or just me. But as I’ve grown and matured and come to realize the truth of how powerful giving is, I do my best to act immediately when the urge hits.

Another misconception we have around giving is that money is the only commodity that truly counts. Not so!

Do you own a garden and give fruit and vegetables to your family, friends, and neighbors? Are you a hunter who shares the meat you harvest with food banks or needy families?

When he was alive, my husband loved satsumas, so we planted two trees in our yard. Every year he’d gather bags and bags of these sweet citrus fruits and give them away.

Once he went to get a haircut and a lady was talking about her husband’s diabetes and how much he loved satsumas but how expensive a small bag was. My husband went home and brought back two plastic bags full for her! He didn’t know this woman or her husband. He just enjoyed giving whatever and whenever he could. 

He also loved to make jelly…you guessed it, to give away. No matter the cost, time or energy that went into making pint jars of gooey goodness, he was always willing to share the joy he experienced in doing this.

Why I Wrote Giving on Purpose  How 30 Days of Conscious Giving can Chang Your Life: Many people give automatically, it's just part of our nature. But then, at some point, some folks get frustrated or resentful because you feel like you're giving and giving and getting nothing in return. But the truth is we are always receiving! Scripture and the Universal Law of Divine Compensation tell us that when we give, it shall be given unto us good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over! I really believe this project will revolutionize the way we think about giving and receiving / sowing and reaping.

The Kindle version is up for preorder but the paperback and hardcover editions release March 22nd - I know that's a Sunday! - but it's the date God gave me 😇

I am also running a Kickstarter campaign. Similar to GoFundMe, Kickstarter is for creative projects. I'm hoping to raise enough funds to do some REAL advertising and promotion and get this book out into the world. 

Please consider supporting me in this endeavor. You can do so HERE.

THANKS!

Guess that's all for now. Tune in next week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight where I feature another great author and his or her book(s)!

Until then, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Veronica Lynch & For Keeps!

Good Morning and Happy Valentine's Day!

Today I am at The Charmed Page bookstore in Lake Charles with a couple of other local authors signing books and celebrating the 1 yr. anniversary of the store's opening! They acutally opened in January but the day we were supposed to celebrate was canceled due to weather. Cold, Nasty. Ugh!

I am SO looking forward to spring!

But enough about me. Today's guest visited once before but it's been a while so please give Veronica a huge SW LA W-E-L-C-O-M-E back and I'm turning the spotlight on and over to her. Take it away Veronica and tell us why you wrote For Keeps...

When the opportunity to contribute to a Valentines anthology for the Wild Rose Press, I knew immediately I wanted to pay tribute to a few of the exceptional police officers I’d worked with while serving as director of a 5-county regional rape advocacy program in Western New York State. The phone call between the heroine Meg and her lover Kee occurred during one of those really hideous days which all advocates experience as they work for and with abused and battered women and children. 

As I recall, I’d just come off an ugly encounter with a disbelieving, lazy, don’t-break-a-sweat cop and was feeling quite low. Out of the blue, Sergeant Joe Murphy—from an entirely different department—called to check on a case we’d worked on. He really did say something about my barracuda style of advocacy, then gave me the line of ‘if I was any better, I’d scare myself.”

I started laughing—kept on laughing because I couldn’t seem to stop—then began blubbering like a fool. He immediately realized something was wrong and proceeded to talk me through my feelings and helped bring a certain degree of resolution. That was my friend Joe: kind, professional, always ready to protect and serve.

He is who and why I wrote For Keeps.

OH what a lovely story! Thanks for sharing that memory with us. Now how about a blurb and excerpt...

Sure, here ya go...

Blurb:  

Meghan Muldoon is at a crossroads in her life: struggling to balance the demands of a high stress vocation as an advocate for victims of violence with her feelings for Keenan Rossi, a man who wants to make their relationship permanent. On Valentine's Day, a series of routine crises force Meg to question staying in a profession which fulfills her both professionally and spiritually—or devoting the rest of her life to the one person who completes her. 

           Which one is For Keeps?

Excerpt: 

“Crime Victim Services. How may I help you?”

The caller's voice was low, husky, and exquisitely male. “Do you know the difference between a barracuda and a victim advocate?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “Lip gloss.”

“Well damn,” Kee muttered. “You already heard it.”

“An oldie but a goodie, pal.”

“Aren't we all. How you doin' on this gorgeous February day, gorgeous?”

Bringing his handsome face to mind took no great effort. They had worked together for more years than either cared to count. When the relationship progressed beyond professional Meg felt they should keep things under the radar. At first Keenan agreed, claiming he wasn't in the mood tor any crap from his peers about exploring his feminine side. But after a while he began to push for something more permanent. And she wasn't so sure she was ready for that, especially marriage. Meg liked being able to come and go as she pleased, responsible only to herself, and for herself. 

Even though she heard the tease in his voice now, she was still smarting from last night so proceeded with caution. “Not too bad. How's by you?”

“Lemme tell you, cara. If I was any better, I'd scare myself.”

Beautiful! Now give us the lowdown on how readers can reach you and where they can find For Keeps...

Thanks Pam, here is my bio and links and links to purchase For Keeps...

Legal nurse consultant, victim advocate, sexual assault nurse examiner Veronica Lynch has been there and done that--many times over. She often travels from her home close to the shore of Lake Ontario to the Saint Lawrence River/Thousand Islands Region of Northern New York State as well as the historic Adirondack and Catskill Mountains, looking for settings for her books which feature strong characters who stand for the less thans in this world. 

Over the years, she has been called many things, not all of them flattering. The name she treasures most is Nana to the four brightest lights in her life: Meredith and Ashlin, Owen and Kieran.

Find, Follow and Connect with Veronica via the links below...

Blogs: www.WildWomenAuthorsx2.blogspot.com

   www.WildWomenReviews.blogspot.com

Bluesky: @VeronicaLynch.bsky.social

Amazon: Veronica_Lynch/B01MCQTZJ?ref=ap_rdr&is_

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/WildWomenAuthors

  www.Facebook.com/VeronicaLynch 

Goodreads: www.Goodreads.com/author.Veronica_Lynch

Instagram: @VeronicaLynchAuthor

Get your copy of For Keeps at Amazon for only $0.99 cents!

Also at: B&N, GoodReads, BookBub, The Wild Rose Press

THANK YOU so much, Veronica for sharing with us today! Wishing you lot's of success with your books.

That's all for today Friends. Check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight where you'll find great authors and their books.

Oh, and check out my YouTube channel: A Novel Lunch™ where you'll find writing tips and advice and interviews with the authors we love!

Until next week, Happy Reading.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Daniel Abbott and The Dark Queen!

Good Morning!

It is always a pleasure to introduce to you a brand new to our blog author and his or her books. Today's guest is just that so please help me welcome Daniel Abbott and his book, The Dark Queen.

Thanks for joining us, Daniel. Please tell us why you wrote The Dark Queen and share your blurb and an exerpt...

You're welcome, Pam! I'm thrilled to be here. I wrote my book for a myriad of reasons...

I wanted to lay the framework to tell something so much bigger and grander. To write my take on good vs evil and to impart tidbits of my philosophy about life, faith, love and perseverance against trials, troubles and the tribulations of the day to day. 

I also wanted to encapsulate so very much in my overall writing beyond merely a need to tell stories. To motivate and give hope. To inspire and draw out the best from anyone who would read them.

AND, to express my personal faith in a manner similar to Lewis and Tolkien and in such a way as to be approachable to any and all who might find themselves lost in the pages.

Here's the Blurb: A Kingdom built in–but not of–the world shrouded in a veil of secrecy.

Today is the big day for Princess Zaariah. She has her mind set to go relic hunting and to return successful, as to prove her right to inherit the throne. Never would she have guessed the chain of events that this day would set in motion for her, nor how her destiny would be forever changed. Where once she would have been content to inherit her father's kingdom one day and live a simple life as its ruler, now she will have to set out and build one of her own.

The task set before her is no small matter: Build a kingdom of such size and might that it would rival the great kingdoms of the world-all while being hidden from those very kingdoms. In the world but not of the world and shrouded in a veil of secrecy.

She'll set out, recruiting any who would align with her cause and aid in building her secret kingdom; and with any luck, somewhere along the way prove-to herself if no one else-that she is worthy to wield the dark blade of the eternals.

And an Excerpt: There was a silence as the unlit room grew dark, only to be broken by Akeer's voice. "I am never without fear; it is what keeps us alive. The Nordens have a saying 'every warrior's first battle is with fear, he is an immortal foe, and every day he comes back fresh to fight. Overcoming and subduing him gives one the power to take the glory of battle or to be welcomed in the halls of eternity'...So I ask again, 'Having second thoughts?"

Zaariah stood still as a stone, then slowly went to the vanity in front of her mirror and withdrew a note and cast it upon her bed before giving Akeer a weak smile that told him come hell or high water, she would not be beaten.

"None," she said as she grabbed her pack and armed herself with her dueling spear and dagger. 

Wonderful! Now please tell us a little more about yourself...

I am a God-fearing man. A loving father. An accomplished bartender, hobby blacksmith, amateur storyteller, and certifiable goofball, LOL!

I have been writing for several years and The Dark Queen is the first of a 3- part fantasy series. 

I love hearing from readers so feel free to reach out to me at: danielabbottpublishing@gmail.com

Thanks again for having me on your blog today, Pam. I hope your readers enjoyed this peek into my debut novel and will check it out.

We appreciate you sharing with us, Daniel and wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with The Dark Queen and the other two books in this series!

Fantasy lover Friends, grab a copy of The Dark Queen on Amazon.

Until next time take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Gail Pallotta & Dangerous Shadows!

Good Morning and Welcome to the final edition of Saturday Spotlight for January 2026!

Can you believe this month is over already? I, for one am GLAD - it hasn't been one of the better months for me and I'm ready to move out of this crazy, chaotic energy. Enough about me. I'm gonna let Gail take over and share her latest book with us. Take it away, Gail...

Thanks, Pam!

Dangerous Shadows, Discipleship Series Book 3, brings together the characters from Hidden Danger and Dangerous Detour, Books one and two. They’re all stand-alone books, but it’s three times the fun to read all of them. 

I wanted to weave the importance of Jesus’ messages of discipleship and forgiveness into these stories. He waits with open arms to forgive everyone who reaches out to Him, barring none. We know it’s important to spread the Good Word, because the Bible tells us in several places. For one, in Mark 16: 15, Jesus tells the apostles to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” 

In addition to a faith element, all three of the books contain mystery and suspense, two of my favorite genres. 

Blurb: Shaken from an assault in the library parking lot at Hilltop College in Western North Carolina, crime reporter Emily Hanover contacts her ex-fiancé, private investigator Nick Lancaster. When the college hires Nick to recover quartz and ancient maps stolen from the library, Nick insists there’s a connection between the theft and Emily’s attack. As Nick and Emily face danger from an elusive stalker, their romance rekindles. Nick’s sidekick, Hucklesford, spots two suspects, so he and Nick go undercover. While Nick’s surveillance points to illegal gambling and murder, Hucklesford’s investigation leads him to the college cross-country team. Can Nick and Hucklesford, along with Emily, connect the stalker, theft, college student, and gambler’s murder to solve this baffling mystery? Will Nick and Emily find true love? 

Excerpt: Emily Hanover walked to her sporty car in the parking lot at Hilltop College. Trees with bare limbs and evergreens in the forest beside the school spoke of winter still hanging on.

Heel clicks resounded behind her.

She peeked over her shoulder—no one, just a view of the large brick library.

Footsteps snapped in sync with hers.

She picked up her pace.

Silence fell.

She glanced back. A shadow. Checking her watch, she breathed easier. Was it the shadow of the bear? Even though she’d never seen it, she’d heard a bear’s shadow appeared in the North Carolina Mountains between five-thirty and six-fifteen in the afternoon in February and March.

The shadow of the bear didn’t follow people, but seemed to spring forward going from one hill to another. Silly her. Shadows didn’t make noise.

A man ducked behind an evergreen.

She pressed her key fob, her heart pounding as she charged toward her car. Panting, she scooted in the driver’s seat. Her finger shook as she punched the starter button. She mashed the pedal to the floor, and the engine roared. Letting up on the gas, she drove the speed limit while checking the rearview mirror. Cars, trucks, and SUVs followed her.

Dangerous Shadows can be found at Amazon for Kindle (FREE in KU!), in Paperback and Audio (FREE with your Audible Trial Membership)!

Check out the entire series HERE. 

Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A 2013 Grace Awards finalist, she’s a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner and a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist. She’s published nine books, short stories and several hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She loves to connect with readers. 

Sign up for Gail’s Newsletter and connect with her through her Website, on Facebook, LinkedIn, BookBub, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Check out Gail's previous visits to our blog HERE and HERE.

THANKS Gail!

Hope you enjoyed our spotlight today and that you'll check back weekly for more great authors and their books.

Until next time, read happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Ida Flowers & Jessie's Passion

Good Morning!

It's C-O-L-D here in SWLA. In fact it's going to be cold for several days here and across the nation so what better thing to do than curl up with a good book?!

Although you might recognize this book from a previous sidebar ad, our guest is brand new to the blog so please welcome, Ida Flowers! 

Take it away Ida! Tell us all about Jessie's Passion, and yourself...

Thanks for having me, Pam! I write—and read—historical fiction because it transports me into the past and all its fascinations without requiring me to give up the ice in my Tom Collin’ses and my warm daily shower. I write women’s fiction because the needs and desires of women are universal across time and space, and I write Southern fiction because, simply, I am a Southerner.

Jessie’s Passion is the story of a strong-willed, impetuous young woman—much like I was at her age—who is determined to have what she wants no matter what the cost. But at the heart of her character is the knowing that she is right. She has an unshaken belief that she is meant to be with the man she loves and in the end, she is proven right. 

Jessie’s Passion is set against the backdrop of the Stamp Act and the Regulator movement in the South Carolina colony in the 1760s. I have done extensive research and much of the background of this story is based upon a book I bought at a library sale that contains the diaries of a traveling minister during the time of the Regulators. I used it to fact-check my writing when my characters were experiencing events and to see what the weather was like that season. My research contributes to the cohesion of the story and makes it believable, makes us think it could have actually happened—and probably did. 

South Carolina, 1765. A group of wealthy young friends. A colony terrorized by outlaws. A young woman obsessed.

Jessie Maclaine, the youngest of the group of friends from the Carolina Lowcountry, is a spoiled, passionate girl determined to have her own way and marry Robbie Stewart, who still sees her as the tag-along pest of their childhood. Her every waking thought is focused on making him to see her as a woman, and in her dreams, he belongs to her. Robbie Stewart is the eldest of the group and the heir to Brianag, his uncle’s plantation. He is far too occupied with tormenting the agents responsible for enforcing the Stamp Act and helping his deceased father’s family defend themselves against outlaws in the Backcountry to pay any attention to Jessie—except when he finds an opportunity to tease her. As unrest builds in the colonies and the outlaws continue their rampages in the mountains, Jessie learns that the world is bigger than youthful desire and that choices made impetuously are followed inevitably by consequences—some of which are irreparable.

Excerpt: I grew so weary at times I felt that I must get down and rest; but then I thought of Robbie, ill and calling my name, and this thought spurred me forward. The McDonald boys laughed and joked together with Kevin. The Creek boys went ahead and behind, watchful and quiet.

As the sun was setting, we reached the village. The people came forward to greet us. An old woman with gray hair and linsey-woolsey clothes, and odd ornaments adorning her neck, stood at the forefront.

At last memory rang true, and a shock thrummed through me. I remembered her now. I had been frightened of her when I had awakened at last from my illness. I remembered her blue eyes. I stared at her with confusion. She was not an Indian. Why did she live at the Creek village, and why was she called Old Creek Woman, when she was clearly a white woman?

Kevin lifted me down, and my knees gave way beneath me. He held me up on one side while Bobby held me on the other. My feet and legs tingled painfully as the blood returned.

"Robbie-Jessie," said the old woman, and I remembered that she had addressed me thusly before. 

I tried to curtsey to her with the men holding onto my arms. "Madam," I said.

"Come," she said, and I followed her, stumbling.

She lifted the curtain on one of the houses and ducked beneath it. I bent down and followed her. At first, I could see only the fire, but then my eyes adjusted and I looked where she pointed. I stumbled forward and fell to my knees.

"Robbie," I said, "Oh, Robbie, my love."

He did not respond. My heart stopped. I thought for one appalling moment that he was dead. I put my ear to his lips and felt his breath, reached beneath the skins that covered him and felt his heartbeat, rapid and thin, beneath his burning skin. My own heart began to beat again, and my tears flowed swiftly, dropping onto his face, as I kissed him over and over. "Oh, Robbie, my love, my only love," I whispered. "Oh, Robbie, Robbie."

 

Jessie's Passion can be found at Amazon and other online retailers HERE.

Fascinated by historical fiction from the time she first read about Laura Ingalls at the age of eight, Ida Flowers began writing novels at the age of eleven. She wrote dozens of stories over the years, in spiral notebooks and on the backs of discarded printed copy paper and on a word processor. She got distracted by motherhood and working for a living and hurricane survival, but being a writer was never eradicated from her dreams. 

Now an empty-nester, Ida spends as much time as possible traveling and researching the history of women in Early America while working on the series of novels set in Colonial South Carolina. 

Connect with Ida (aka: Trina Morgan) on her Website, Blog, Facebook and X.

Wonderful! Thanks again, for visiting with us today, Ida!

Until next time, stay warm Friends.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Meryl Brown Tobin & Broome Enigma

So glad you could join us this wintry morning. 😊

Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please join me in giving Meryl Tobin a huge SW LA ...

W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Hope you're staying warm over there in Australia today, Meryl. It's chilly here pretty much all over the US and definitely too cold for my blood here in Louisiana. Please tell us about your book and what makes it special to you.

Thank you, Pam. It's nice to visit your blog. Thank you for inviting me. My husband Hartley and I have travelled extensively throughout the Australian Outback and love Broome, the setting of my novel. On one of our trips a handsome, suntanned, but unsmiling young man dressed only in jeans and sandals, was the maintenance man in one of the caravan parks at which we stayed.  

Because he didn’t ‘fit’ and I wanted to make him fit, I played the  ‘What If?’ game until I came up with a plausible reason. Once I came up him as my hero, Joe, and my setting Broome, a heroine, a title and the outline of a plot soon followed.

What makes it special

1.  To me: Apart from it being my debut novel and so a big thrill to have it published, it’s the response of readers as I didn’t know what to expect. Readers who have been to Broome tell me they can picture all the places I describe and those who haven’t been there feel as though they are visiting it with my characters. Some have now put a visit to Broome on their bucket lists.

2.  To my readers: I’ll let them speak for themselves. Here are some of their comments....

Kathryn McKean: I liked the innocence of the main characters, the setting and the suspense and I always love a happy ending. I felt sad to finish the novel. I felt like I had lost some new friends that I had made and whose company I enjoyed. 

 

Felicia Di Stefano: Finished your book. Very much a page turner kept me up till 1.30 am one morning. 

Wow what a thriller. Would never have worked out the end!

Anonymous: Just as well...[for the ending] as the sexual tension had built up unbearably!!

Rose Chapple: I can imagine it as a movie or series, but I guess that's another thing altogether. I hope it's doing well, and that the American market is taking off. You might be personally responsible for an increase in tourism!

Valwyn Beggs: I was transported into another world, the Broome Underworld, in your novel. What a thriller! So many twists and turns! I was soon lost every time I tried to follow a car chase.

Janne Morrison: Just had to let you know I have just finished reading 'Broome Enigma' and absolutely loved it!!!  I could not stop reading it and was disappointed when it finished - I hope there is a sequel in the pipeline!! Such a great assortment of very relatable characters and plausible and fascinating storyline.  Totally unpredictable and so many twists and turns made it such very enjoyable reading - thank you!!!!

Andrea Francesconi: I thought it was interesting that you set the story back in the 80s - the pre mobile/internet world! I can't begin to imagine how daunting it would be to take off for parts unknown without the luxury of immediate communication options. I think that this provides an opportunity for tension to build and develop to a climax... Thanks once again for the book, it has now migrated to my bookshelf along with other treasured books.

Great feedback! Can you share your cover, blurb, an excerpt and where we can find Broome Enigma & your bio with us please...

I'd be happy to!

Blurb: On a working holiday in Australia's cosmopolitan Outback town of Broome in 1986, Jodie, a young book designer and artist is open to romance and adventure.

 At the holiday village where she is staying, she meets Joe, a young man who works there. Despite the strong attraction between them, the many unknowns about his earlier life keep them apart. To try to uncover his mysterious past, they travel to Perth and back to Broome and are drawn into not only bizarre but also dangerous situations.

Is Joe the person she thinks he is, or is he some alter ego? Can Jodie and Joe stop their relationship from developing until they have answers and know if he is free to love her?

Excerpt:  A big gust of wind rocked the van and flung Jodie hard against Joe. He pushed her off.

“Joe, it’s me, Jodie! Wake up, wake up!”

“Jodie, is that you?” He threw his arms around her and buried his head in her chest.

She brushed his hair back from his sweating face.“Take it easy, Joe. Take deep breaths. It’s okay. It’s going to be okay.”

He stopped shaking and pulled back from her. “What’s happening?”

“It’s the cyclone. Don’t you remember?” Another huge gust shook the van and sent Jodie sprawling on Joe’s bunk and into the wall. “Ow, that hurt!” 

She picked herself up and rubbed her head.

The van rocked violently again. Joe and Jodie grabbed for handholds.

“Quick, come into my bed with me, Joe. It will be safer there.” Tripping and feeling their way along the wall, the two made their way to the double bed and clambered in.

Her breathing coming in short spasms, she lay on her back and took deep breaths. The storm whined and screeched about her, and the roof creaked and scraped. “Oh, my god, the roof’s going to take off any minute!”

Joe’s arms enveloped her. “Hush, everything will be all right. But will you be okay if we have to make a run for it?”

“Yes.” She let out a sob. “But I like our chances better in here than out there.”

Joe kissed her forehead. He pulled her closer and they lay locked against each other while the storm raged around them.

Broome Enigma is on sale on at least 40 websites in at least 16 countries including Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, UK and USA AND at GoodReads.

MY BIO: A former secondary teacher, Australian writer, Meryl Brown Tobin has published 22 books, including a novel, travel book, educational puzzle books and poetry books, and hundreds of poems, puzzles, short stories, articles, cartoons and comic strips. A guest on Ch7’s children’s TV program The Book Place, she and a presenter read her children’s picture storybook LEFTY.

Apart from family and home, her interests include travel, bushwalking, conservation, current affairs and social justice issues. The Tasmanian Tiger fascinates her, and she’d love to prove it is not extinct. 

Connect with me at the following links...

https://sites.google.com/view/merylbrowntobin-author

https://www.facebook.com/meryl.tobin.18

https://amazon.com/author/meryl-brown-tobin23

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6422807.Meryl_Brown_Tobin

https://bsky.app/profile/merylbrowntobin.bsky.social

https://broomeenigma.allauthor.com/

Wonderful! Thanks SO much for sharing your book with us today, Meryl. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings in all things.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight guest friends and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Oh, and be sure to check out our Featured Author and Featured Book (in the sidebar)!

Until next time, Happy Reading.

PamT