#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jaylon Martin & I Talk to Horses!

I met this young man a decade or more ago when he walked into a Bayou Writers meeting already a published author at 16 years of age and have been impressed with him ever since. Welcome, Jaylon! Tell us about why you wrote, I Talk to Horses... 

Thanks for having me, Ms. Pam! I wrote the poetry collection “I Talk To Horses” to inform my readers on the impact equine therapy has had on me. I started visiting Almosta Ranch, located in Sulphur, LA, in April 2024. That is where I bonded with my horse best friend Beau. I started equine therapy in order to heal from a painful past that was intertwined with addiction and mental abuse that I experienced in my final year of college. Since then, I actively inform others about equine therapy and the positive impact it can make. I consider I Talk To Horses my favorite book I ever written, coming from someone who’s written five books. The reason is because of the healing headspace I was in.

Love this, Jaylon! As you know, I too experienced the healing presence of horses and ranch life after my husband passed away. So excited for you and this book. Give us more please...

Sure, here is the Blurb...

Although I began living a life that embraced sobriety, there were still a lot of past traumas I needed to unpack.

Growing up, the sight of horses always excited me—I admired them deeply. I never knew there was a kind of therapy that incorporated them. This is called equine therapy, a therapeutic process that involves the presence of horses. After a year of loss and rediscovering who I truly am, I felt this was exactly what I needed.

Almosta Ranch was where my equine therapy journey began. It was there that I met many loving horses—especially Beau, who became one of my best friends. My bond with these horses encouraged me to view my past through a new lens: one of forgiveness—for myself and others—and of self-love.

The 22 poems in this book are about more than healing—they are about experiencing transformation, showing love from a distance, and truly letting go of the things that have weighed me down.

“Many wonder about the change in me, and I never reveal what my source is. Happily, in this book, I reveal...

I Talk to Horses.”

Folks can read an excerpt and purchase the book on Amazon.

The album, I Talk to Horses is also available on all music streaming platforms! All 22 poems! This is a blend of spoken word accompanied by country music instrumentally performed by Taylor Fillion.

How Wonderful, Jaylon!

How about a little information on yourself and where readers can find out more about your body of work...

Sure... My name is Jaylon J. Martin, and I was born and raised in Lake Charles, LA. I started writing books at age 13 and began to publish them at age 16. Sci-fi, poetry-self-help, and fantasy are my holy trinity of genres I enjoy to write. Whether if I’m labeled as a writer or author, I prefer to be titled as a storyteller, which has been a dream of mine ever since I was three years old. My motive is to give my readers an enjoyable time through the pages and touch their souls and hearts with my words. It’s always a gift to write and as a storyteller, I never expect anything in return. All of my books can be found on Amazon. Readers can find out more about me by visiting my Website where they can sign up to receive my newsletter, and Amazon Author Page as well as Facebook, Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn. 

Thank You, So Much Jaylon, for sharing I Talk to Horses with us today! You are certainly an ispiration to everyone who meets you and we wish you the Best of luck and God's blessings on this, and all of your projects. 

Hope you enjoyed Jaylon's spotlight friends and that you'll check out his work. Stop by every week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight and be sure to check out our Featured Author and Featured books in the sidebar as well as our collaborative promotion of Autumn Reads with Keuka Roots.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jodie Bailey & Tracing Killer Evidence

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Saturday Spotlight of August, 2025!

Can you believe we're heading into the last few months of the year already? 

Me either, but let me tell you it's been an amazing ride so far. 😊

When I started putting this week's guest information up, I wondered... 

"I've known Jodie for years! Why hasn't she been here before?! 

"Je ne sais pas," as the French would say. "I don't know," in English, but I'm sure glad she's here now.

Welcome, Jodie! Please tell us a little about yourself...

Thanks, Pam, I often wondered myself why I never got around to visiting your blog. Thank YOU for having me now!

I am a New York Times, USA Today and Publishers Weekly Best-selling author who writes “soul-stirring suspense” filled with love, faith and intrigue. My novel, Crossfire, was an RT Reviewers' Choice Award winner that was commended for addressing "the stigma associated with mental health services and the military." 

Besides (and above) all that, I am -first and foremost- a mom and Army wife who believes dark chocolate cures all ills. I live in North Carolina with my husband and a lab-husky mix. 😊

Love it! Now tell us about your book, Tracing Killer Evidence and why you wrote it...

Tracing Killer Evidence was such a blessing to write, because it was part of a continuity with other Love Inspired authors. It's always fun to work together, to get to know one another's characters, and to work them into my own story. It's a challenge to look back at prior books in the series and forward to the books after mine in order to wave in the right threads and make sure that we don't wind up with inconsistencies or plot holes. (And yay for the editors at LIS, who are rock stars at keeping everything together and making sure it all flows!) 

This book is about forgiveness, which is something I think we all struggle with. I wanted to look at how God calls us to forgive and to show it at work in a very broken relationship. I always learn so much when I'm writing a "God story," and He is definitely still working on me on that one!

Isn't HE always working on all of us on that?! LOL! Can you give us a sneak peek into the book and where we can find it?

Sure... Here is the blurb...

A string of unsolved kidnappings…A K-9 team out for justice…

Forensic artist Isabella Whitmore narrowly escapes an abduction attempt in the Dakota Badlands, only to find herself targeted by a mysterious assailant. With the help of FBI special agent Liam Barringer and his K-9, Guthrie, Isabella must uncover the identity of her would-be murderer. Is the culprit the elusive kidnapper turned serial killer who’s targeting Isabella because she matches his victim profile? Or has her secret past finally caught up with her? As the attacks escalate, Isabella and Liam must find the truth and stop the danger before it’s too late.

And an excerpt...

A dark sedan had slammed on its brakes in front of them. It had no license plate and no bumper stickers or identifying marks. Other than the make and model, there was nothing distinct about it.

The car didn’t move as Liam backed farther away then slammed on the brakes again a safe distance up the highway.

Isabella slammed against the headrest. She swallowed hard and gulped air, begging God for mercy for her swirling stomach and her spinning head. Begging Him for safety from this relentless assault.

After long moments where the only sound in the vehicle was the three of them breathing, the sedan suddenly gunned the engine and roared away with tires spinning. When it had gone about a tenth of a mile, the headlights and taillights vanished.

“He shut them off.” Liam smacked the steering wheel, then eased the SUV to the side of the road.

“You’re not going to follow him?” Her motion sickness forgotten in her ire, Isabella disentangled her hand from Guthrie’s collar as she threw her right hand toward the fleeing vehicle. “He’s going to get away. We can catch him. We can—”

“And do what?” Liam snapped. “I have no backup. Say he slams on the brakes and opens fire. Say he has an accomplice and lures us into a trap before help gets here. As much as I want to put an end to this, I’m not going to charge into the unknown when I have you in the vehicle with me. You’ve been through enough, and we’ve had too many close calls. This guy is escalating, and I don’t like it. Clearly, he’s fixated on you, and this is more dangerous than we thought.”

Everything in her deflated as a chill wrapped around her. Her body, her mind, her heart…they all went numb.

Liam called Cheyenne and repeated their location and everything that had happened.

Ahead of them, in the opposite lane, several emergency vehicles appeared, lights flashing in the distance, racing closer.

She no longer cared. She no longer felt anything. All she wanted to do was sleep.

The same overwhelming emptiness had engulfed her on the night before her planned wedding, when she’d closed the door behind her father and brother and sank against it, sliding to the floor. That night, they’d demanded she convert her “FBI fiance’” into a patsy for their criminal organization. Refusal meant death for Liam. They couldn’t risk her being married to a federal agent if he wasn’t working for them as well. 

So to protect Liam, she’d left him behind. Where she should have been overwhelmed by anger and grief at her family’s vile demand, she’d felt nothing. The gulf that had opened in her heart was too expansive, and it seemed to swallow her whole.

It was the same now.

It had taken years for her to heal the last time, and part of her still felt like it lived in that abyss. The last thing she’d ever wanted was to feel so dead again, but she was overwhelmed and broken.

She’d lost herself, and the idea that this emptiness could be permanent terrified her more than any killer ever could.

You can find Tracing Killer Evidence at Amazon , at Harlequin.com, and of course your local book retailer that carries Love Inspired titles.

Wonderful, Jodie! Thank you for joining us today. We certainly wish you the BEST of luck and God's blessings for continued success with your writing and life in general. 

Hope you enjoyed Jodie's spotlight friends and that you'll come by weekly to find more great authors and their books. Check out her other titles HERE and find out more about her by visiting her Website.

Until next time, take care and keep reading.

PamT

PS: One of Jodie's backlisted titles is a Keuka Roots' Autumn Reads book!