#SaturdaySpotlight is on Annette M Irby & Christmas on the Islands!

Good Morning and Welcome to this week's edition of All Christmas thru Christmas. 

Our guest visited in 2011 so it is my pleasure to have Annette M. Irby back on our blog. Good to have you here again, Annette. Please tell us about your Christmas on the Islands box set...

It's good to be back on your blog, Pam. Thank you for having me!

I remember a couple of decades ago when I spent the entire Christmas season reading Barbour Publishing’s four-in-one Christmas novella collections. They inspired me. Reading them helped introduce me to various Christian authors. I thought, I’d like to write Christmas novellas one day.

Another piece of this puzzle was that as I wandered through a brick-and-mortar bookstore well over a decade ago, I wanted a collection set in the Pacific Northwest, something beachy. But there was nothing like that on the shelves.

So, why not write Christmas novellas, set in the PNW? And voilà! A series idea was born: Washington Island Christmas. With this boxed set, they’re all combined in one place.

These books are sequels to my full-length summertime novels set on Puget Sound. That series is called Washington Island Romance.

My hope is that readers feel transported to Christmas in the Northwest where they can enjoy the scent of conifers, delight in the sea views, and smell the snowy Cascades or Olympics. We might have rain, but that’s all the better for curling up with hot cider or cocoa and diving into a holiday story!

OH how wonderful! I bet Christmas is lovely on the Sound and Islands. Can you share a blurb of each story with us?

Sure...

Visit Puget Sound and the Salish Sea islands in this series of holiday novellas! Enjoy getting to know new characters, with some cameo visits from previous friends. Here you'll find heart-warming scenes, layered family dynamics, romance, and hope in Jesus.

A Christmas Duet

An uninspired composer.

A distressed pianist.

And the duet that brings them together.

Sequel to Cascade Award-finalist novel, Finding Love on Whidbey Island, Washington.

Following a breakup, professional cellist Kate Fleming’s well of inspiration has run dry. Her musical ensemble is counting on her to write several cello and piano compositions for their next album. She’s rented a beautiful beach house on Whidbey Island for the Christmas season. But the atmosphere may not be inspiring enough.

Church music director Zach Tillmon would love to book a professional musician for the upcoming Christmas program. His number-one choice is out of reach. But perhaps the newcomer wouldn’t mind sharing her talents with the congregation.

When these two perform together, sparks fly. But their lives aren’t settled, so a romance is out of the question. Or is it?

Join them near picturesque Puget Sound at Christmastime for a delightfully musical love story.

A Christmas Romance

A wannabe novelist with writer's block.

A best-selling children’s book author with a knack for story.

And the romance they brainstorm together.

Sequel to the Selah Award-winning novel, Finding Love on Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Bookshop owner Peyton McKinley lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington. An inspired reader, she writes wholesome romance novels, dreaming of publication. Unfortunately, a past breakup has soured her on relationships. When a literary agent wants to see her manuscript as soon as she can finish it, writer’s block stalls her progress.

Best-selling picture book author and illustrator Eli Jaxon has relocated to Puget Sound to be nearer to his family. He’s on deadline for his next Prescott the Proper Peacock volume, but worry for his niece distracts him. Past mistakes keep him closed off to dating.

When Peyton needs help with her story, previously married Eli volunteers to help her brainstorm. Can they deny their attraction, or will they live their own Christmas romance?

Join them near picturesque Puget Sound at Christmastime for a delightfully bookish love story.

A Christmas Gift

A stateside farmer.

An international boy-next-door model.

And the Christmas reunion that brings them back together.

Seven years after Finding Love in Friday Harbor, Washington.

Aurora “Rori” Teagan can’t escape her genes. Though she’d be in demand, following her mother’s modeling career path is unthinkable. Instead, she works her family’s farm with her father on San Juan Island, determined to build her own life. But change is in the air this holiday season.

Jonah Cahill hasn’t been home for Christmas since his dad died years ago. When the opportunity arises, he joins his best friend and returns to Friday Harbor, where he grew up. He’ll have to face what he’s avoided in the States, while a challenging situation in Europe remains. Anxious to see Rori, he’s worried that old feelings will reemerge. Problem is, he hasn’t resolved everything from his last overseas relationship.

Her brother’s best friend has changed a lot since he left the island. The wonder of Christmas inspires connection and romance, but their lives are on two different continents. Will Rori and Jonah find love before the Christmas lights come down?

Revisit Friday Harbor and some familiar characters in this Christmas novella set in the Salish Sea.

AND And here’s an Excerpt from the Chapter One of A Christmas Duet:

The evening’s chilled, salty wind brushed Kate Fleming’s hair away from her face. Leaving her cello wedged under blankets inside her sporty station wagon, she locked the doors and headed toward the stairs. She’d rather cross Puget Sound on the Whidbey Island ferry’s upper deck.

Lights from the terminal and other vehicles shimmered off the water as she found a spot on the main level. Salty air blew in whenever someone opened the outward doors. But here, inside, as people spilled into the space from the vehicle levels below, heat. Faint Christmas carols played overhead, and Kate tried not to flinch at how tinny the music sounded. Her best friend, Haley, accused her of being a music snob. So be it. Her compositions now garnered national attention. The Piano Guys had opened doors for instrumental musicians to find a larger audience.

Fellow passengers milled around, choosing their own nooks for the sail across Puget Sound to Clinton, Washington, from Mukilteo.

A passenger walked by with a paper cup piled high with whipped cream, and Kate caught a whiff of chocolate steam. Just what she needed. Her fingers were still frozen from waiting in her car for the second ferry to arrive. She’d turned off her engine like everyone around her, forgoing heat to protect waiting passengers from breathing exhaust fumes.

She slipped from the vinyl bench seat and made her way to the concessions area. The café was one large square, near the center of the boat, with space to walk around and choose snacks or beverages. The aroma of popcorn and the odor of coffee were the strongest. But she found a banana muffin in the case and waited her turn to pump cocoa into a cup. Then, she squirted a dollop of whipped cream and got into the cashier line.

The scent of leather wafted off the man in front of her. His sherpa-lined brown leather jacket shone in the ferry’s interior lighting. He stood a few inches taller than herself, cell phone in hand and plastic, wireless earbuds jutting straight down about an inch from his ears. They were about five people back in line and Kate sipped her cocoa, knowing the risks of whipped topping decorating her nose. She reached for a napkin, glancing over at leather-jacket guy. His phone tilted, and she caught a glimpse of the screen.

The MP3 player app displayed an oh-so-familiar album cover—hers. Well, her ensemble’s. Whoa, this guy who looked a bit like a lumberjack, with his jeans—and was that plaid flannel under his jacket?—listened to her music? Instrumental? She’d peg him for country or classic rock but not cello with piano. She tucked herself behind him in line again, unable to squelch a smile. She wanted to ask his opinion. Did he like the melodies she’d invented? Which instrument did he favor? Her ensemble included a guitarist, pianist, and a vocalist who rarely sang words. And of course her cello, the lead instrument on several tracks of their latest record.

Lumberjack Guy hummed a familiar refrain, and she caught her breath. Plenty of background noise droned on the boat. But this guy’s baritone voice carried easily. Clear and smooth. She could listen to him all evening. Was he a musician as well?

~*~  ~*~ ~*~

Perfect. Now tell us about yourself and where we can find you and this lovely collection.

Of course. Here is my "official" bio... 

Award-winning author Annette M. Irby has enjoyed writing stories since her teen years. If she’s not writing, she’s reading for review, or editing. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and has worked as a freelance editor nearly twenty years. Her book, Finding Love on Bainbridge Island, Washington, won a Selah Award in the contemporary romance category. More recently, her book Finding Love on Whidbey Island, Washington, finaled in the Cascade Award Contest. Married over thirty years, she makes her home with her family in the Northwest.

You can connect with me and sign up to receive my Newsletter via my Website. Find and follow me on Facebook, Amazon, BookBub and X: @AnnetteMIrby

Christmas on the Islands can be found at Amazon for only $3.99 or FREE in KU!

THANKS again, Annette for visiting with us and sharing your lovely Christmas collection. We wish you the Best of luck and God's Blessings on these and all of your books!

Well Friends, only one more Christmas book to share with you after today and it's all over until next year. 

Until next time, I pray your New Year celebration is blessed, happy and safe!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills & 3 Christmas books!

Merry Christmas Eve!

The holidays are meant to be joyous and happy but I know it's not always so for some folks. If you're one of them, hang in there, it's almost over. 

Today's guest is not new and a favorite of mine. Please welcome DiAnn Mills back as part of our All Christmas thru Christmas feature with 3 of her Christmas books. Take it away, DiAnn....

Enjoy a collection of 10 delightful original Christmas short stories that you’ll want to share with loved ones during this beloved season.

 

Titles include 1) The Sugarplum Shoppe, 2) The Christmas Traveler, 3) The Year Santa Slept Thru Christmas, 4) DollyAnna’s Miracle, 5) Merry Mayhem, 6) The Reindeer Apprentice, 7) Christmas at the Writer’s Haven, 8) Love on Wheels, 9) The Rebel Snowman of Wintersville,  and 10) JPS Christmas Angels.

 

Quick and fun to read with your entire family.

Get your copy of Christmas Stories HERE.

This historical novella  tells of the tender romance between Emma Leigh Carter and Thad Benson, who work together at the Jones Inn outside Philadelphia in the 1850s.

Thad struggles with his dream of medical school and his growing attraction to Emma. Emma puts aside her feelings for Thad because she must help her family during her father’s illness. Then Emma coordinates a Christmas gift exchange for the Inn’s owner and Thad draws her name.

Get your copy of Dreams and Secrets HERE.

Zack Kahler heads back to Texas with two homeless eight-year-old twins in tow. But soon Zack finds his hands full as he tries to run a newspaper, recover from a lost love, and keep his unruly charges out of trouble. 

Boardinghouse worker and life-long outcast Chloe Weaver has had her fair share of hurt and rejection. When Zack and the twins show up on her doorstep, more than one wounded heart is stirred with love. Can the love of Christmas present a miracle to heal these Texan hearts?

Get your copy of A Texas Legacy Christmas HERE.

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She 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 teaches writing all over the country. 

Connect with DiAnn here: www.DiAnnMills.com

Check out DiAnn's previous visits HERE.

Thank You, SO Much DiAnn for sharing your Christmas books with us! We wish you the best of luck, God's Blessings and a Merry Christmas!

Until next week friends, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Carol James @CarolJamesAuth & Choosing Christmas!

Good Morning,

Today's guest is not new to our blog but please welcome Carol James back as she shares with us her newest Christmas book, Choosing Christmas as part of Pelican Book Group's Christmas Extravaganza and our All Christmas thru Christmas feature!

Take it away, Carol....

My mother used to always talk about the “Spirit of Christmas.” She made certain my brother and I knew Christmas was not about what we got, but about what we gave and what Christ gave for us. So much of life is formed by what we choose. Even when we have no choice in what happens to us, we do have a choice in how we react. In Choosing Christmas, both Angie and Adam have suffered painful pasts which could have crippled them, but they have chosen to rise above the circumstances. Adam’s story is inspired by a true event that occurred when a tragic accident struck a mission team from some churches in our area. And while Adam could have stayed mired in self-pity, he makes the choice to trust in the love and sacrifice embodied in Christ and his coming at Christmas. He chooses the Spirit of Christmas.

Blurb: 

Heartbroken over the unfair loss of a position in the school where she teaches, Angela Taylor is determined to find an assistant principal position. 

Adam Thornton has struggled for years to overcome the physical and emotional effects of a devastating accident that occurred when he was a teenager. A successful real estate attorney and part-time handyman, Adam uses his gifts and talents to serve others.

When Angela is hired as an AP at the school where Adam's mother is the principal, Angela and Adam find they share a past... an unexpected connection. And they must choose whether to surrender to the pain of that past or find hope for the future in the spirit of Christmas.

Excerpt: Static crackled from the old intercom box on the wall above the whiteboard. “Ms. Taylor, Dr. Jernigan would like to see you in his office.”

“Thank you. Please tell him I’ll be right there.” Angie pulled her make-up bag out of the bottom desk drawer and ran her brush through her hair. She refreshed her lipgloss and powdered her nose. Then she stood and slipped on her suit jacket. Her students had teased her about being dressed up today, but they’d just have to get used to it. 

Excitement fluttered her stomach as she headed down the hall. The school board had met last night and made their decision. She drew in a calming breath and forced back the tears. Grammy and Poppy would have been so proud. 

As Angie entered the main office, Mary Jo winked from behind the front desk and then nodded toward the door behind her. “They’re waiting on you.”

Smiling, Angie walked across the office and rapped on the door. When Will opened it, she stepped inside. He nodded toward the sofa behind her. “Ms. Taylor, you remember John Carlton.”

Not a surprise that the president of the school board would be here, too. She turned and offered her hand. “So very nice to see you again, Mr. Carlton.”

“And you, as well.” He grasped her hand and then gestured toward the sofa. “Won’t you please have a seat?”

She perched on the edge of the cushion and folded her hands in her lap. Will dropped into the chair across from them.

Mr. Carlton smiled. “As you’re probably aware, the board met last night to consider filling the position of assistant principal.”

Angie nodded, her heart skipping with excitement.

“Thank you for your application. Your résumé’s quite impressive. You’re an excellent teacher and have been a faithful employee.”

So far, so good. 

“Unfortunately, we’re unable to offer you the assistant principal position at this time. The school needs a candidate who has more experience in personnel management. Someone with an advanced degree.”

She shot a glance toward Will. His eyes were fixed on his lap. Turning her attention back to Mr. Carlton, she countered, “I appreciate your position, however, my master’s will be completed before this school year ends.”

He nodded. “Dr. Jernigan reminded us, and for that reason, we’d like to offer you the newly created position of upper elementary Lead Teacher. It would mean a ten percent increase in salary beginning in January. I’ll have the job description and salary information sent to Dr. Jernigan before the end of the semester. With an updated contract, of course.” He stood and shook her hand. “Pray about it.” 

Then the two men shook hands and Mr. Carlton left.

This had not gone at all the way she’d expected.

Will slipped onto the sofa beside her and grasped her hand. “Angie… I’m so sorry. I tried.”

Tears threatened.

“Say something.” He sandwiched her hand between both of his.

“You know I’m qualified for that position, even if I don’t have my degree yet. I have the right experience. I know the curriculum backward and forward. I even helped write some of it.” She would not cry. “You shouldn’t have had to ‘try’ anything.”

“I know.” He rubbed the backs of her hands with his thumbs. “Baby, the board felt…they thought the offer of the lead teacher position would be a good compromise. And maybe in a few years…”

“Good? For who?” She pulled her hands away. “And ‘personnel management,’ really? Do they not realize exactly how many ‘personnel’ I manage every day?”

“The board knows you’re an excellent teacher…. That’s why they’re creating this position for you. They don’t want to lose you.”

“They’ve already hired someone, haven’t they?”

“Angie…” He shook his head. “I really can’t say.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Shouldn’t.” He broke eye contact. “Let’s just say, the board really didn’t have much of a choice.”

“People always have a choice.”

He huffed. “It’s the nephew of one of the church elders. He just got his master’s in admin and wants to move back here to be close to his mom. She’s sick, and he needs to take care of her.” He shook his head. “I’ve told you more than I should’ve.”

Angie’s heart ached for the nameless young man. “I am sorry.” She drew her hands away and stood. “But I’ll have to think about things. I’m not sure this is the future I want.”

“Angie, don’t make it any harder.” Will stood and rested his hands on her shoulders. “I pushed all I could without making them suspicious. I understand you’re hurt, but you should be grateful they created a new position for you.”

Grateful? If she looked at it from his perspective, maybe. But from hers? It stung like a slap in the face. “I’m qualified. You shouldn’t have had to push.”

“In a perfect world…yes.” He drew her close. “Go home. Take the rest of the week off and pray about it. I’ll have Mary Jo get a sub.” He whispered across the top of her hair. “Neither the school nor I want to lose you.”

Raised as an Air Force brat, the longest Carol James ever lived in one place was a year and a half. Maybe that’s why when she and her husband bought their first home over forty years ago, they stayed put.

The author of five full-length novels and five Christmas novellas, Carol loves creating stories of Redemptive Romance—intriguing, transformative tales with happy endings.

Visit her website to sign up for her newsletter and receive a free short story: https://www.carol-james.com

Get your copy of Choosing Christmas at Amazon, B&N, PBG, GoodReads, Kobo or BookBub and check out Carol's previous visits HERE.

Wow, Carol your excerpt ended on a great hook! Thanks for sharing Choosing Christmas with us. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book and of course, a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Hope you enjoyed Carol's post, friends and that you'll check back each Wednesday and Saturday for more All Christmas thru Christmas.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends All Christmas thru Christmas!

Good Morning!

If you LOVE Christmas themed stories, beginning today through Dec. 30th right here on our blog will be All Christmas thru Christmas - where every Wed. and Sat. you'll get a peek into a Christmas romance.

Click on graphic to purchase your copy today!

I was going to do another spot on Keri's Christmas Wish but since I featured it here for NN Light's 'Christmas in July Fete' I thought I'd share a few Christmas Confessions...

1.      I always buy Eggnog at Christmas because it’s the best time of the year to sit, reflect and enjoy the smooth, creamy drink.

2.      In my opinion, Christmas fruitcake should be outlawed – it’s just plain nasty LOL!

3.      I better get up Christmas morning and find Heartland Season 14 under the tree or else I’m going to literally break down and cry because it’s one of my FAVORITE TV series. The Chosen ranks number 1 LOL!

4.   The best thing about Christmas is the almost tangible love, peace, joy and goodwill toward men that seems to be more prevalent during this season.

5.      My Christmas dinner is usually a feast, or a free-for-all or take-out and my favorite dish is cornbread dressing and I’ll be drinking Wine.

Hope you enjoyed this short, sweet post and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God Bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Izzy James!

Good Morning Friends,

I'm going meet a friend at United Way to pack Literacy Kits for Pre-K thru 5th grade students in our community, so I'm not going to take up much of your time but turn the blog over to today's guest, Izzy James. Take it away Izzy....

Have you ever been completely misunderstood? I mean really misjudged with no opportunity to make your case? 

When I was in the fifth grade, I was chosen to be in a gifted math class. I loved math then and I love it now. The class was small, maybe eight students at most. I do not remember the teacher or all of my classmates, but I remember the day I got kicked out. 

My teacher had put a puzzle on the board for us to work on, whoever solved it first won the prize. I know now that the puzzle was a Sudoku. I had never seen one before. We worked on it during class, and two of my classmates solved it together. My teacher was so impressed she had them fill out their answer on the board for all of us to see. The project was over, my classmates had won the prize. 

I thought it was so clever and interesting a puzzle I wondered if it could be solved another way. So, I copied down their solution and put it in my papers to be thought about later. My teacher saw the imprint of my copied solution when she came by to check some other of my work. She told me, loud enough for the whole class to hear, that she would not tolerate cheating in her class and that I was to leave and never come back again.

Even as I write this, feelings of embarrassment and humiliation pink my cheeks. I went to a small parish school and there was no speaking up or explaining ever. My teacher misunderstood my intention, judged, and convicted me without any input from anyone including me. At that age it never occurred to me to argue or even tell my parents. The verdict had been handed down and I went back to regular math class.

Reed Archer is in a slightly different situation in that he was not a good little girl who would never cheat anyone. In fact, he’d been a bit of a hellion before he left the Virginia Colony to complete his education in England. While there, he found friends in some devout young men who caused him to give his life to Christ. In The Woodcarver’s Snow-Kissed Christmas, Reed has come home to the community who is predisposed to think badly of him. He has hopes that childhood friend Ann Wright will look favorably on him and consent to be his wife.

His hopes were misplaced.

Ann Wright is not interested in a man who can always be found at the heart of trouble. She wants a man who will be a partner, not a lord. Nothing about Reed Archer indicates that he could be that man.

Can a risky proposition at Christmastide make them see each other in new light and bring a happily-ever-after for both of them?

***

Izzy James is the pen name of Elizabeth Chevalier Hull. Elizabeth grew up in coastal Virginia surrounded by the history of the founding of our nation. She lives there still with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books. Connect with Izzy by visiting her Website and signing up for her Newsletter, or on Facebook, Instagram and Bookbub! Chec out Izzy's previous visits to our blog HERE.

Reed Archer is a man with a past. His new-found faith in God will not be believed by those who know his history. 

Ann Wright is a woman who wants to control her future. Her skill as an artist drives her need to be independent in a time when women usually must rely on the men in their lives to make decisions for them.

Can a risky proposition at Christmastide make them see each other in new light and bring a happily-ever-after for both of them?

Get your copy of The Woodcarver's Snowkissed Christmas at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, or Google Play 

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Barbara Britton @BarbaraMBritton & Christmas at Whispering Creek!

Good Morning,

It's a rainy day here in SW Louisiana. A line of storms moved in during the night and we've had lot's of wind and rain. What better to do on a gloomy day than relax with a good book and this time of year, a Christmas romance! Please welcome Barbara Britton back as she shares her new relase with us....

Thank you for having me back on the blog, Pam. I am thrilled to share about my first contemporary romance novel. It’s a Christmas novel, too. I’m known for writing Biblical Fiction, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to write about something I lived through—breast cancer. It would be difficult to write cancer into a storyline in Bible Times.

My young heroine, Samantha, is a breast cancer survivor. I’ve had breast cancer in my rear-view mirror for 6 years. Praise the Lord! I added a brief account of my journey at the end of “Christmas at Whispering Creek.” I hope you enjoy my story which is two stories—one fiction and one real.

All Samantha Williams wants to do is to use her teaching degree to instruct a classroom of second graders. But, after a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of twenty-three, and failed reconstruction surgery, Sam finds herself without a job and temporarily living with her parents. This isn't the life Sam expected. When a family friend dies and leaves Sam a house and land in Whispering Creek, Tennessee, Sam must decide if leaving Wisconsin for Southern living is in her lesson plans.

Nashville native, Cole Donoven, left his family' s electrical business to write country music. When Cole' s song-writing partner and girlfriend dumps him for a country music star, Cole abandons Nashville to hole up in Whispering Creek and compose one more song. The last thing Cole expects to find in the sleepy small town is a deceased friend, estate squabbles, and a Northern beauty. Will the chaos in Whispering Creek help create a bestselling song for Cole and possibly help him find a life-long collaborator?

Excerpt: Samantha eased away from Cole’s warmth not wanting to seem too needy. She was the queen of log throwing after all. But had she shared too much? Cole’s arm remained at her back, firm and comforting. 

     He picked up the string cheese. “How about some spoiled mozzarella.” 

     Sniffling, she laughed at his ploy to lighten the mood. “They’re expired. But totally edible.”  

 

     “How long have you been boyfriend‐free?” Cole’s comforting arm slid away as he stripped plastic from their second course of dinner. She missed the kindness in his touch. 

     Not long. “Since Thursday at lunchtime.” Would Cole think she was on the rebound? 

     “Three days?” He handed her the first roll of cheese. “I think you need this more than me. After three days, I was laying around in bed.” His leg jiggled as if he readied to run from this topic. “I didn’t get a good‐bye. I got a note on my kitchen table. Had to figure out what I had done to get left for another man. I’m not sure I ever will know the answer.” His gaze glanced over her head and out into the tree‐lined moonlight. 

     This wasn’t Christian of her, but in Sam’s book, Jillie Lynn became lower than a nightcrawler. How did you ghost someone as sweet as Cole? 

     “If I’m honest.” She swallowed a hunk of cheese, nearly choking. “Our relationship had been strained for months. Karlton traveled to cement a law firm offer—” 

     “Your ex was an attorney named Karlton?” Cole stroked his chin while a grin played with his mouth. “I don’t know whether to laugh or to punch the guy.” Cole’s protective streak had her sitting tall on the wooden bench. 

     “A week ago, I would have said laugh, but today, I’m OK with a punch. Nothing too bloody.”

     “Man, your boyfriend leaves, and then you find out about Ted?” 

     “A half‐hour later.” She jabbed an unwrapped cheese stick his direction. “And while I was on the phone with Chester, I saw Karlton and his neighbor holding hands as they walked across his apartment complex.” Rehashing Karlton’s betrayal to a handsome friend didn’t seem so bad. Cole had more emotional awareness in his thumb than her ex did in his entire designer‐suited body. “How’s that for a neat, tidy bow?”

Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast, Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She writes Christian Fiction from Bible Times to present day USA. Her Tribes of Israel series brings little-known Bible characters to light. Her novel “Christmas at Whispering Creek,” is a compelling, yet fun story, shining a light on breast cancer. Barbara has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out more about Barbara and her books on her website www.barbarambritton.com.

You can buy Christmas at Whispering Creek at Amazon, B&N or wherever books are sold. And you can check out Barbara's previous visits HERE.

Oh, Wow, Barbara, I am SO excited for you with your debut contemporary romance and a Christmas one at that! Good luck and God's blessings with it!

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

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes LoRee Peery @LoreePeery

Good Morning!

My heart is so full this morning I might burst. I am so happy and grateful for my life and excited about the year to come. I know I'm getting ahead of myself because 2022 is a week away, but I can't help it. God is SO GOOD! He constantly amazes me. No, I can't recount a "big" miracle that happened this week or since I last shared with you here or in my newsletter. What I can say is this....

Because my Redeemer lives, I can face tomorrow.

The miracle is simply the joy of His Presence in my life - heart, mind, soul, quickening my mortal body. The miracle of every breath I take. The miracle of sunshine to warm my soul and rain to moisten the parched areas of my life. The miracle of family and friends (like YOU) and loved ones.

God is SO Good and as we celebrate His birth this weekend, let us vow to remember and celebrate Him every day, every moment of our lives.

Today's guest is not new but it has been a long while since she visited so please welcome my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, LoRee Peery back to our blog...Take it away LoRee!

Words Matter

Readers and writers live in a world of words. Words matter. The most important words are in the Bible, from God’s heart to our hearts and minds. Words can build up and words can tear down. Words help overcome fear by their truth. Encouraging words are precious.

Multiple words came to me from July 2020 through September 2021. I wrote just under 900 modern-day psalms. Most often, it seemed those words didn’t penetrate my brain, they just poured from pen onto paper. Since then, I have cherished and soaked them in.

Words make me think about my brain, which God made fearfully and wonderfully along with my body. Does our Creator see words written through brain matter? Such imagination is beyond me. As a child I learned about the telegraph and that Alexander Graham Bell gained a patent for the telephone in the early 1800s, enabling people to talk to one another from a distance. How can words travel through wire?

I also never “got” the essence of electricity. Words have told me there is electrical-like power in our bodies. On the job, my introduction to computers included Ram and Rom. They were mere words to me. The first computers were the size of a closet. Modern-day computer chips are small enough to wear in a wristwatch and many minuscule devices. Those scientific discoveries are mind-boggling.

Around 1990, again on the job, I was introduced to the word-wide web. Cyberspace is as far as outer, outer space to me when it comes to comprehension. But I love reading info at the click of a mouse. Recently, I could only access my country internet a handful of times in a six-week period. I relied on reading and writing for my word fix. And I admit how frustrating it was. But God worked it out and I’m up to speed now (pun intended).

Also recently, I had reason to be humbled and embarrassed over the misplacement of words. Those modern-day psalms I mentioned? They fill four journals. I decided to give the last one, Worship through Verse, as gifts to those I love. I had them printed and spiral bound. I used one of my nice winter pictures as a cover, and then wrapped up around 20 before I realized the mistakes. Every writer needs a proofreader before words go out in print. I could beat myself up, but why should I? The two typos, one omission, and another correction can be easily explained with a few words. 

Words matter. With words, I express my hope for the Lord to shine upon each and every one of you, and that you glorify Him with the words you read, speak, and write. Pam, thank you for Words with Friends.

Jeremiah 31:3

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying:

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”

Never Ending Story

The story of Jesus

Is a never-ending story

His love surrounds us

As high as highest heaven

As deep as ocean waters

From the east to the west

His story never ends

He came before me

Love that defies comprehension

Is the wonderful truth

The world is in His hands

Yet, He encompasses me

Jesus is never ending

His love is never ending.

Nebraska country girl LoRee Peery writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective, focusing on the romance. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Historical, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. Her Frivolities Series launched her releases, and the book based on her father’s unsolved homicide, Touches of Time, was a personal relief. She is who she is by the grace of God: Christian, country girl, wife, mother, grandmother and great-, sister, friend, and author. Connect with LoRee: www.loreepeery.com  and/or

https://www.facebook.com/LoReePeery   Find her publications at Pelican http://tinyurl.com/kwz9enk 

And Amazon https://www.amazon.com/LoRee-Peery/e/B004UAGL2W/ref 

LoRee's newest Christmas book is available now as part of PBG's annual Christmas Extravaganza!

Cautious observer Nicasia is at the Wilber Hotel for a wedding. She is careful when it comes to small spaces due to an attack as a teen, but intrigued by the antique phone booth, she steps inside to investigate.  

A just man with a star, Logan grew up at the end of the nineteenth century in a very religious home. But his reverend father led two lives and left Logan believing there was something wrong with him. 

Boom!  

Nicasia is bowled over and knocked to the floor by a force that comes out of nowhere. Where had the man been hiding? 

Logan is drawn to the 21st century maiden, but will he stay in the future?  

Get your copy of Christmas Phone Booth at Amazon, B&N and PBG!

Check out LoRee's previous visits HERE.

Thank you SO much LoRee for sharing your heart and words with us! 

I hope you enjoyed LoRee's post as much as I did, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time take care, God bless and remember.... A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles

PamT

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Lynn Austin @LynnNAustin

Good Morning!

Please take a moment to join me in prayer for those affected by the tornadoes last week. We know from experience how devastating natural disasters can be but the loss of life due to these is just awful. Thanks Friends.

Last month, Lynn shared with us her Christmas book so today we're getting a look behind the scenes of Lynn's writing of The Wish Book Christmas.

1. What prompted you to write a Christmas novella?

I love Christmas stories and the Christmas movies that our family watches year after year. (My favorite is How the Grinch Stole Christmas.) I have always wanted to write a Christmas-themed book but never had time—until the pandemic struck and all of our travel plans, family get-togethers, church events, and other fun activities were canceled, giving me plenty of extra time. My idea was to write a Christmas novella that was a mini sequel to one of my full-length novels, giving readers an enjoyable update on some of their favorite characters. The Wish Book Christmas brings readers back to the people and setting they first met in my novel If I Were You.

2. In The Wish Book Christmas, what message do you hope to convey about Christmas? 

Christmas is about the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ, given to us in love by our heavenly Father. He should be the focus of all that we do to celebrate. Christmas shouldn’t be just a spending spree with long lists of all the presents we need to buy and the gifts we hope to receive. Instead, it’s a time to return God’s love by freely giving ourselves, our time, and our talents to others, expecting nothing in return. This is the best way to glorify God and celebrate His Son’s birth at Christmas.

3. Please tell us a bit about the setting of your novella. 

The Wish Book Christmas takes place in a small Connecticut town in December of 1951. Christmas is one month away, World War II is in the rearview mirror, and Americans are enjoying renewed prosperity along with a “baby boom.” The main characters, Eve Dawson and Audrey Barrett, are British war brides who are struggling to raise their fatherless sons in the postwar bungalow they share. Readers first met Eve and Audrey and their five-year-old sons, Harry and Bobby, in my novel If I Were You, but this novella also reads very well as a stand-alone story.

4. Can you provide a brief backstory of your characters? 

Eve Dawson and Audrey Clarkson Barrett were childhood friends in England, where they grew up. Audrey and her wealthy family owned Wellingford Hall, a huge estate where Eve and her mother worked as servants. Their friendship flourishes in spite of their differences, and when World War II begins, the women enlist in the British army together, driving ambulances. They each fall in love with an American soldier and give birth to a son. But Audrey marries her son’s father and Eve does not. Audrey prepares to join her husband in America, but her plans end in tragedy when her husband dies suddenly. She decides to remain in England. Eve, who has no way to support her son and herself, decides to steal Audrey’s identity and move to America in her place. Eve’s deception is uncovered four years later when Audrey and her son arrive in America unannounced. Unscrambling the mess and restoring the friendship provides the plot for If I Were You.

5. Your novella is set in 1951. Why do you feel the themes of this story are so relevant, both then and now? 

I think 1951 and 2021 are both times of great change and also prosperity. In both eras, the values and traditions of the past are being questioned and, in many cases, discarded for something new and modern. This is especially true of biblical values. As suburban life becomes busier and more secular in both time periods, the true meaning of Christmas as Christ’s birth is lost as the holiday becomes commercialized. In both 1951 and 2021, we long to recover the simple beauty and meaning of the holiday.

6. This story is a nostalgic harkening back to the iconic Sears Wish Book catalogue. Was this catalogue part of your childhood Christmases? Please explain. 

Oh yes! The Sears Wish Book was something my two sisters and I looked forward to every season. I remember the three of us poring over it together the way the two boys in my novella do, choosing among page after page of toys and dreaming of finding them all beneath the tree on Christmas morning. Like the mothers in the novella, our mother also made us limit our choices—which was often difficult to do! The catalogue would be limp and dog-eared by the time we gave Santa our final lists.

When I was researching this novella, I was surprised and pleased to find back issues of the original Sears Wish Book online, dating back to the 1940s and ’50s. It was great fun to be reminded of all the toys from my childhood. And although the prices seemed ridiculously cheap by today’s standards, parents probably found them costly at the time.

7. If someone is standing in a bookstore considering your novella, what might you say to them to encourage them to read it? 

We all need a reminder now and then that Christmas isn’t about creating the perfect “Hallmark Christmas” with all the trappings and trimmings—and exhausting ourselves and our credit card limits in the process. The Wish Book Christmas offers inspiration for keeping the true meaning of Christmas at the forefront as we celebrate Christ’s birth. Readers with children and grandchildren will find some ideas for managing their kids’ expectations and teaching them to give.

8. What is your hope for this novella? 

My hope is that The Wish Book Christmas will rekindle the joy of giving and inspire creativity in shaping our Christmas traditions. The beauty of Jesus’ birth can be celebrated in simplicity and should be shared with neighbors who don’t know Him. I think most children are naturally generous, and I hope the story inspires parents to teach their children new ways to give at Christmas.

9. What lessons from this story do you hope will resonate with your readers? 

One of the characters in the novella, Eve Dawson, has a difficult time accepting God’s forgiveness for her past mistakes, feeling that she has to do something to earn it. I hope the message is clear that Jesus is God’s gift of grace to us so that our past can be forgiven. Like Eve, we can have a new life and a new beginning in Christ. 

10. How did writing this story change you and your own perspective of Christmas? 

I love to lavish presents on my children and grandchildren, but writing this story reminded me that it’s more important to teach them, by my example, how to give generously to others. I want to reach out to my neighbors in new ways this Christmas and pare down all the expectations of what makes a “perfect” holiday.

Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction and was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. Lynn and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western Michigan. Visit her online at lynnaustin.org or on Facebook, Twitter @LynnNAustin, 

Pinterest and GoodReads.

Check our Lynn's previous visits to our blog HERE.

Thank you, so much, Lynn for sharing the story behind The Wish Book Christmas. Wishing you and yours a Blessed Holiday season!

Well friends, only 4 more posts this year. I hope you'll join me for each of them!

Until next time take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Lynn Austin @LynnNAustin & The Wish Book Christmas!

Good Morning!

We've been bombarded with Christmas since July and, baby, it's cold outside so what better time than to feature the lovely and talented Lynn Austin with her nostalgic Christmas novella, The Wish Book Christmas to remind us all of the true meaning of Christmas. Take it away, Lynn....

Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor’s yellow Lab—since a dog topped the boys’ wish list for Santa.

In the charming tale that follows, Audrey and Eve are surprised to find their own hearts healing from the tragedies of war and opening to the possibility of forgiveness and new love.

Excerpt: Harry finished his lunch first, leaving the crusts of his bread behind. Bobby copied him—he hated the dry

crusts, too—then followed him into the living room, after putting his dishes in the sink. They were trying 

to decide what to play when Harry spotted a colorful magazine on the coffee table that hadn’t been there when they’d left for kindergarten that morning. “Look, Bobby! That’s Santa Claus—see? He’s the one who’s going to bring us toys for Christmas. Now do you remember?”

Bobby picked up the magazine and studied it. The cover showed a fat, white-bearded man in a red suit 

putting presents beneath a Christmas tree. Santa held one finger to his lips as if saying, “Shh . . . these presents are a secret . . .”

“He looks sort of like Father Christmas,” Bobby said, “with his white beard. But Father Christmas wears 

a green coat, I think. And he isn’t this fat.” He opened the book to see what was inside and saw pictures of all sorts of toys.

Harry grabbed the book from him. “Oh, boy! Look at all these cars and trucks!”

“Mummy, is Father Christmas the same as Santa Claus?” Bobby asked as she walked through the living 

room. She was carrying a basket of dirty laundry on her way to the basement.

“Yes, love. Children call him by different names in different countries. By the way, did you and Harry forget that we’re going to see Santa Claus in the Christmas parade tonight?”

“Tonight?” Bobby asked.

“Yes, after we eat supper.”

“Yay!” Harry cheered, bouncing in place. “We can sit on his lap afterwards and tell him all the toys we 

want him to bring us.”

Taken from The Wish Book Christmas by Lynn Austin. Copyright © 2021. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries.  All rights reserved.

Lynn Austin has sold more than one and a half million copies of her books worldwide. A former teacher who now writes and speaks full-time, she has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction and was one of the first inductees into the Christy Award Hall of Fame. One of her novels, Hidden Places, was made into a Hallmark Channel Original Movie. Lynn and her husband have three grown children and make their home in western Michigan. Visit her online at lynnaustin.org or on Facebook, Twitter @LynnNAustin, 

Pinterest and GoodReads.

Check out Lynn's previous visits to our blog HERE.

The Wish Book Christmas sounds amazing, Lynn. Thank you for sharing it with us! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on this book also.

Hope you enjoyed Lynn's visit, friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT