Premier Blog Sponsor: Top of Blog; All Pages

Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER:

I do not read every book/author I spotlight or book tour I host!
Readers, Please research and use wisdom before buying

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.*

Showing posts with label pelican book group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pelican book group. Show all posts

Saturday, August 16, 2025

#SaturdaySpotlight is on M. Jean Pike and Superheroes!

Good Morning and Welcome,

It has been a L-O-N-G while since M. Jean Pike visited with us and I'm looking forward to hearing what makes her new book, Superheroes, so special. Will you tell us?

Thanks for having me back Pam!

Superheroes is a story about ordinary people who, empowered by extraordinary love, become capable of things they wouldn’t have thought possible. It is a story about a young man with special needs who dreams of becoming a superhero, about a man whose love for his brother comes at a price he wasn’t prepared to pay, and about the woman whose heart refuses to give up on love, even at the cost of her own dreams. It’s about sacrificial love. Transformational love. Jesus love. The kind of love that steps in when disaster strikes, when faith is pushed to its limit, and courage is the only choice left. It is a story about the kind of love that can turn flawed and broken people into superheroes.  

How Interesting! Give us more Please...

Sure. Here's the Blurb...

At twenty-one, Abby Callahan leaves her parent’s home for a rented motel room in Redford’s Crossing. She has no friends, let alone a boyfriend, so why did she tell her controlling sister she’s bringing a date to a family party? With only one week and no prospects, she needs a miracle.

Rory St. George needs a cashier for the store he manages, and Abby is the perfect choice. When he invites her out, hoping to propose a job offer, she agrees to go---if he will accompany her to a family party. Rory’s plans don’t include a relationship, but he’s drawn to Abby in a way he didn’t anticipate.

A series of misfortunes threaten to end their relationship before it begins. With the odds stacked against them, can their newfound love survive? She’s new in town. He’s from the wrong side of town.

When disaster strikes, can love turn ordinary people into Superheroes?

And an Excerpt...

Rory stuffed his change in his pocket.  A man stepped into line behind him. Two more people came through the door. His window of opportunity was closing fast. He stood aside while Abby sold the man six scratch-off lottery tickets and a case of soda. If he didn’t leave now, he’d be late getting back to work. Go away, Tommy. 

As if on cue there was a crash in the back of the store, followed by a child’s mournful cries. 

“Now what did I say?” a woman bellowed. “Didn’t I tell you not to touch stuff? Look at what you did!” 

Tommy muttered under his breath and went to the back of the store to investigate. Thank you, Lord.

Knowing Tommy would likely be back within minutes, Rory pushed the words out. “Hey, did you hear about the light show at the college next Saturday?” 

“Yeah, I saw a poster about it on campus. It sounds amazing.”  

“So, I ended up with an extra ticket. It’s not the same as an actual meteor shower, but it might be a close second. Think you can get the night off?”

Instead of the smile he’d hoped for, her mouth dipped in a slight frown. “I already requested next Saturday off. But I’m having dinner with my parents at Hannibal House.”

Blooming heck.

He composed his face to hide his disappointment. “Fancy.” 

“It’s their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary,” she explained.

“Ahh.”

“Shoot. I’d love to take you up on the laser show ticket, but I can’t.”

“I get it. No worries.” Now he’d have to think of something else.

“Unless … would you want to go with me? Dinner is at six, and the show isn’t until eight.”

“Oh…”

“Never mind.” She flapped her hands at him. “It would be awkward for you. My whole family will be there.”

Tommy was replacing the mop in the utility closet and Rory was beyond late for work.

“No, it’s cool. We can have dinner with your family first. If you’re sure it’s OK that I tag along.”

“I’m sure,” she said quickly. “Are you sure?”

He shrugged. “Why not?”

She bit down on her bottom lip. Then her face changed, as if something monumental had just occurred to her and she grinned at him. “Great.”

He’d tried to be low key about it, frame it as just a couple of friends hanging out together for the evening. He hoped she hadn’t misunderstood. But why else would she have that thunderstruck expression on her face? Why was she looking at him like he was some kind of superhero? Like he was one of the seven wonders of the world? Like some kind of miracle had just occurred. 

What a Beautiful Excerpt! Now give us the low-down on you and tell us where we can find Superheros...

Sure, Pam, here's my "official" bio and links:


Changing seasons. Unexpected blessings. Love that lasts forever. These are a few of M. Jean Pike's favorite things. With a writing career that has spanned two decades, Jean combines an insatiable curiosity about humans and why they do what they do with her faith in God to bring readers unforgettable tales of life, love, and the inner workings of the human heart. Her short works have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul and the Lutheran Digest. Superheroes is her twelfth novel. 

Find out more by visiting her Web/Blogsite.

Superheroes can be found at Amazon, PBG, B&N, GooglePlay, Kobo and Apple books.

Perfect. Twelve novels is an amazing accomplishment! Thank You, SO much for sharing your book with us today. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessing on all of your work.

Hope you'll check out M. Jean's book, Friends, and that you'll come back each week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Be sure to check out the books in our sidebar as well as our Featured Author and Teaser Tuesday pages and be on the lookout for Autum Reads in collaboration with KeukaRoots.com!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

Saturday, August 2, 2025

#SaturdaySpotlight is on LoRee Peery & Shelter in the Night ~ Worship through Verse Vol. 1

Good Morning and Welcome,

Today's guest has been a regular since I started this feature and I am SO please to bring her back! Thank you, LoRee for dropping by with your new book today. Tell us about it...

Thanks, Pam. Writing any kind of poetry was never on my creative agenda.

Rather than dealing with the pandemic lockdown in 2020, I dealt with months of shoulder pain. I had a reverse replacement in June of 2020. The surgeon also did repair on a broken acromion (the flat bone connected to the clavicle) that forms the top curve. I found out later the pins were just “floating.:” So that part of the operation hadn’t worked, and I needed surgery again three months later.

I often awoke in the wee hours around three a.m. with my Bible turned to the Psalms. Psalm 91:1 says He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

He definitely proved to be my Shelter in the Night, thus the name for the first of four journals that I filled during those months.

Those months weren’t the first that I’ve called various waiting places over the years. The conclusion I’ve reached is that what touches my life is according to God’s time, and I’m not meant to ask why. For whatever reason, to build character, patience, or perseverance, that waiting period happened in 2020.
Due to the pain that woke me, I spent those wee hours of many sleepless nights reading my Bible and followed God’s Word by pouring out my frustration and praise through what I called LoRee’s modern-day psalms. Lamentations turned to praise, all with adoration for the Lord God who calls me His daughter, and I filled four journals.


Wow, LoRee, isn't it amazing how beauty comes from ashes? Tell us more please...

Yeah, God's purpose and plan never ceases to amaze me! Read on...

Blurb: Do you ever awaken in the middle of the night, beset by thought of the worries of the day? Do you ever awaken with the feeling that God wants you to pray for someone or some thing? Do you pray, flounder in your prayer or immediately fall back to sleep?

Through the verses of Shelter in the Night, volume 1 in the Worship through Verse devotionals, the author pours out sorrows and joys much like the Old Testament psalmists. Whether you need shelter or reassurance, this collection can bring peace, hope, and solace.

Excerpt

Psalm 127:3

Children are a heritage from the LORD,

offspring a reward from him.


The Master Healer

Where is my faith?

I’m shaking inside, Lord


Sick to my stomach

“All” I can do is pray


You’ve blessed me

With fourteen grandchildren


One was injured today

On the football field


You knew beforehand

He belongs to You


Be with my son and his wife

Be their comfort and strength


May we all turn to You

And receive calm and peace


You are the only Source

Of ease and healing


You’ve settled me down

Reach my family with Your Spirit.


Beautiful, LoRee! Tell us more about yourself and how we can find you...

Sure, here is my "official" bio and links to connect with me!

Nebraska author LoRee Peery is a country woman who writes fiction that hopefully appeals to adult readers who enjoy stories written from a Christian perspective. These include novels and novellas for women and men in the Contemporary, Romance, Time Travel, and Mystery/Suspense categories. 

She writes of redeeming grace with a sense of place. The book of her heart, Touches of Time based on her father’s unsolved homicide, resulted in personal relief. She is who she is by the grace of God, and has expressed that wonder in four volumes of devotional poetry.

LoRee has been blessed to live in the country most of her life and sometimes agrees with.

Connect with her through her Website, or on Facebook. Find all of her books on Amazon or at Pelican Book Group.

You can also find LoRee's previous visits to our blog HERE, friends!

Meanwhile, be sure to check out our Featured Author Page and Featured Books (in the sidebar).

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

Saturday, July 26, 2025

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Susan Lyttek & Three Impossible Tasks

Good Morning!

July is winding down and Summer is in full swing here in SW Louisiana. Today's guest is brand new to our blog so please give Susan Lyttek a huge, warm, W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Thanks for visiting with us today Susan, please give us some insight into your book, Three Impossible Tasks.

So nice to be here, Pam! Every series needs an “Empire-Strikes-Back” moment. For the Portal Watchers, Three Impossible Tasks is that book. I planned it as a story to make everything go wrong that could possibly go wrong. It is the story when evil appears to be winning and the good guys fight against despair. To be honest, it was the most fun to write because I could throw whatever at my characters and then figure out how they would deal with it. 

In the dedication to the book, you get an idea of my mental state while I wrote it. Yes, it was fun, but it was intense, too. And it’s my prayer that its intensity reveals to teens and other readers just how strong they are and how much adversity they can survive.

Dedication excerpt: To the two at home who endured my obsessed state while I was writing this: my hubby, Gary, and my son, Karl. I thank Gary for last minute runs for food when I forgot to cook and just being amazing. I love you, honey. I thank my son Karl for helping me come up with horrific scenarios for my characters as well as picking up emergency bubble teas to keep me fortified. You two are wonderful and have no idea how grateful I am.

* * *

Oh how interesting! Give us more please...

Thanks. Here's the blurb and a short excerpt...

With the new ability to create portals, Subja's scientists unleash vicious and ravenous beasts on the population of Telba. Bern, Garth, Ne-tel are each given separate tasks to complete on their own.

Bern must convince Telantia to emerge from the safety of the city and fight for the citizens of Telba.

Garth must take technology from Subja's fortress.

Ne-tel must travel to the Gold Coast to raise an army.

All three must succeed if Telba is to have hope for a future, but even Prophet Nevv says these tasks are impossible.

Excerpt:

Something was seriously wrong. 

Half stumbling, he made it to a narrow portion of the creek. Collapsing next to it, he hurriedly rolled up his pant leg, took off his shoe, and plunged the leg into the cold water. 

The shimmer of water over his leg revealed an eight-legged creature fastened to his leg. He ran his hand over the large white spider and felt nothing. It was as if the spider did not exist. 

And yet. 

He splashed water vigorously over the apparition to remove it. Two red eyes turned to look at him. 

Garth didn’t care if a Vil found him. He prayed that someone could help him. And to vent his fear and his need, he screamed.

* * *

Three Impossible Tasks sounds like a wonderful read, Susan. Now tell us more about yourself and how we can connect with you and where they can find your book.

Thanks, Pam. I hope YA readers enjoy the world I've built for The Portal Watchers series as much as I enjoyed writing it. 

Readers can connect with me through my Website/Blog, Facebook Author Page and Personal PageGoodReads and on X

Three Impossible Tasks can be found at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through my publisher, Pelican Book Group.

My bio is as follows...

Author of the Portal Watchers YA fantasy adventures, Susan Lyttek loves to encourage readers and writers on her blog at sajlyttek.com. Some of her favorite things include going to the gym with her hubby, cruising open highways in her 5-speed manual Subaru, and trying new recipes out on unsuspecting guests.

* * *

Wow, THANK You, Susan for sharing with us today! We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings.

Thank You friends for supporting Susan today. Be sure and check out the books featured in our sidebar and watch for our upcoming Featured Author page.

Until next week, take care and God bless.

PamT


Saturday, June 7, 2025

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Marilyn Leach & All Hallows Dead: A Berdie Elliott Saints Day Mystery

Good Morning Friends,

Today we welcome, Marilyn Leach back to our blog with the fifth book in a series that heralds the intrepid English vicar’s wife and gifted sleuth, Berdie Elliott, as an ascendant crime solver.  All Hallows Dead is a current-time whodunit that’s rooted in England’s ancient past. 

Thanks for being in our spotlight, Marilyn, can you tell us what inspired you to write a Saint's Day mystery?

Thank You, Pam, for having me back on your blog! The easy answer is to explore the North of England and breathe in the rich heritage of abbey ruins, wind-swept villages, venerable churches, brooding skies, and the North Sea, inspires creative thought and the centuries-old history generates story ideas. Short autumn days and long blustery nights are just the right season to read All Hallows Dead with a hot cup of tea close at hand.  Cheers 😊

I hear you, Marilyn. I went to England last year and you're right, the magnificent architecture and the country's history can certainly get the juices flowing. (You can read about my trip HERE). Tell us more about All Hallows Dead...

Sure, here's the Blurb...

How can a sixteenth century saint help solve a twenty-first century crime?

When Berdie Elliott, vicar’s wife and sleuth extraordinaire, attends a church course with her husband in the North of England, she bumps into her former newspaper boss who calls upon her to investigate beguiling circumstances that spell murder.  From the landed Cavendish family to the local pub’s manager, Criswell Abbey and its village are steeped in a centuries-old mystery.  The legend of a departed churchman, a mysterious bell tower, England’s tangled history, a delayed marriage proposal, and a wily parrot all help Berdie to declare the truth in All Hallows Dead.  

And an Excerpt...

Berdie Elliott and her best friend, Lillie Foxworth, often find themselves in hot water, and they’re not brewing tea.

What I found is absolutely priceless. There’s….” Berdie stopped when she became aware of clip-clop steps in the nave. “Shh.” She put her index finger to her lips.  

“Why shush?” Lillie didn’t make her voice particularly quiet. 

Berdie raised her brows and pointed toward the nave. “Someone’s about the place,” she whispered. “We can’t let on that we’re in here…”

The steps outside became louder. They were advancing toward the tower. 

Lord have mercy.  

There was a hesitation.  

Berdie held her breath. She realized instantly that whoever was on the other side of the door, was perhaps one who knew all the secrets of this place which could mean she and Lillie were in very real danger. 

Oh my, intriguing from the get go. How can we find out more about you now, Marilyn?

Here's my "official" bio Pam, including places readers can connect...

At the age of nine, Marilyn wrote her first play with a childhood neighbor, “The Ghost and Mr. Giltwallet”.  It was a mystery.  And she’s been writing in one form or another, hobby or livelihood, since.  As well as teaching art, she’s had the opportunity to co-author several plays that have been performed on both church and secular stages, as well as two screenplays.  Marilyn has had the good fortune of “discovering her roots” while visiting England where she developed lasting relationships with wonderful people there.  It has greatly impacted her writing.  A great fan of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and David Cook’s Hetty Wainthropp series, Marilyn was inspired to write her Berdie Elliott Mystery series.  It takes place in a small English village where the vicar’s wife, Berdie Elliott, is the divine sleuth.  Marilyn lives lakeside in a cottage on the outskirts of Denver near the foothills.

Find Marilyn at... www.amazon.com and www.pelicanbookgroup.com

Check out Marilyn's previous visits and the other books in her series: HERE 

Get your copy of All Hallows Dead at Amazon & Pelican Book Group.

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Kristen Joy Wilks & The Volk Advent!

Good Morning!

Christmas is over for most of us but we're not quite finished with our All Christmas thru Christmas feature here on the blog. The last post will be on Saturday Spotlight Dec. 31st. Please welcome Kristen Joy Wilks back as she shares with us her Christmas novella, The Volk Advent!

An orphaned Siberian teen loses her job and home on Christmas Eve. Left on the streets to freeze, Faina flees to an abandoned castle for shelter. At the castle, she discovers the animal-torn body of a local recluse. No wonder Eurasian wolves are not recommended for the first-time pet owner. Can a girl with no past, preserve her future from accusations of murderer and a pack of escaped wolves?

Excerpt: The howling wolves… I’m afraid I was not as accustomed to that.

Oh sure, we had wolves. Deep in the misty forest, along remote stretches of the dark Lena river, behind the stone pinnacles that slashed the thick forested ridges. Siberia was deep within wolf territory. Most of the time the creatures stayed where they belonged. But these wolves were different. They lived in a vast, crumbling castle that crouched like a shadow on the edge of town.

What? A castle in Siberia seems unlikely? Of course it is. Who in their right mind would build a castle in the far north? But that is the question isn’t it? Right mind, was Kirill Volkov in his right mind? It’s hard to say. The man did own wolves, after all. 

The castle sat, long and gray and dark, at the edge of town. Three stories of rain-streaked stone topped by a black slate roof. Row after row of leaded glass windows glared out into the Siberian gloom. Only one or two of them ever showed a glimmer of light. It had remained exactly the same for the past eighty years. 

Kristen Joy Wilks lives in the beautiful Cascade Mountains with her camp director husband, three fierce sons, and a large and slobbery Newfoundland dog. She has blow-dried a chicken, engaged in epic Nerf battles instead of washing dishes, and stared into incredibly twinkly eyes while considering earnest advice such as: “I don’t think you should try so hard not to swear at Daddy, Momma.” 

Her stories and articles have appeared in Nature Friend, Clubhouse, Keys for Kids, The Christian Journal, Thriving Family, Splickety, Spark, and Havok Magazines. Her story Day of the Cyclones is included in Nancy B. Kennedy’s book Miracles and Moments of Grace: Inspiring Stories from Mothers. Pelican Book Group published her debut novella Copenhagen Cozenage, as well as The Volk Advent, Athens Ambuscade, and Spider Gap. 

When Kristen is not refraining from profanity or helping transport chickens into tree forts, she loves to write about the humor and Grace that can be found hidden amidst the detritus of life. Much like the shiny quarter one member of their household swallowed and then found in the pot five days later. If God is good enough to grant us these gems, she figures that someone should be putting them to the page. Be sure to try one of her books for free by signing up for Kristen's newsletter on her website

Find and Follow Kristen on the following SM sites...

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/booksdogskissesandfrogs

Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/kristen_joy_wilks_author/

BookBub  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kristen-joy-wilks

YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrHo7X4WicBiVHl93uzIV4A

Pinterest  https://www.pinterest.com/kristenjwilks7/

Amazon Author Page  https://www.amazon.com/Kristen-Joy-Wilks/e/B016FREUPM?ref

Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14422377.Kristen_Joy_Wilks

Get your copy of The Volk Advent at the following locations...

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

The Volk Advent sounds like a wonderful Christmas story, Kristen. Thank you for sharing it with us!

Until next time friends, take care and God Bless.

PamT

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

#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

Saturday, November 5, 2022

#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

Saturday, October 15, 2022

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Katie Clark @KatieClarkBooks & A Dim Hope!

Good Morning!

It's been a while since Katie has visited us so please welcome her back with her YA Christian Fantasy A Dim Hope!

Amber is in trouble. Her sister is dying—and so is her homeland. The Lifeforce stones that power their world are waning, and no one knows why. When the rulers of the land prepare a scientific expedition to study the place where the veins of the Lifeforce run deep, Amber is forced to travel as a servant with the expedition. Though Amber has longed for adventure, her dream always included her sister. Now her only wish is to return home with a cure before it's too late.

Crops are wilting, food is scarce, and sandstorms, avalanches, and earthquakes threaten to doom the expedition. Besides this, there are more sinister forces at work. Quiet arguments and missing supplies lead Amber to believe their efforts are being sabotaged. She uncovers clues, but the real source of their trouble—and hope—lies in places she never expected.



KATIE CLARK started reading fantastical stories in grade school and her love for books never died. Today she reads in all genres; her only requirement is an awesome story! She writes young adult speculative fiction, including her romantic fantasy novel, The Rejected Princess, her Beguiled Series, and her dystopian Enslaved Series. You can connect with her at her website, or on social media @KatieClarkBooks.

Get your copy of A Dim Hope at Amazon.

THANKS Katie for sharing your book with us!

We appreciate you and wish you the best of luck and God's blessings.
PamT

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes Carol James @CarolJamesAuth!

Good Morning and Welcome!

Before I turn the blog over to today's guest let me take a moment to Thank each and every one of You who have patiently followed my virtual book tour for Kyleigh's Cowboy. Your love and support mean the world to me! This week I'm sharing excerpts on Patricia Kiyono & Alina K Field's blogs. If you've pre-ordered the book through Amazon - THANKS AGAIN! If you haven't, you can not only order but read it 1 week early through Smashwords! Click HERE for details but hurry! This is a limited offer.

Now without much further ado, please give Carol James a huge hug as she returns to share with us some thoughts on The Sacred Call of the Christian Writer. Take it away, Carol!

Why am I writing? What were my goals and motivations when I began? Did I want to achieve fame and fortune? Have a book (or two) listed on the New York Times best-seller list? Be able to support my family or make a nice little nest egg for my retirement? I can imagine some of you snickering right now…

None of these is a bad reason to pursue writing. All of them have value. But for a Christian writers there can be only one reason to write. Because you’re called.

I love writing redemptive romance. One reason is because it’s formulaic and has a built-in timeline that helps me craft the story. Hitting four major plot points (Inciting Event, Point of Commitment, Black Moment, Satisfying Ending) help me with pacing and keep me on track. But what happens between those four points?

Before I put the first words on paper, while the ideas are spinning around in my imagination. I choose a Bible verse or two (Oftentimes, I’ll have one verse for the hero and another for the heroine.) and a hymn or Christian song as the foundation for the story. As I write from point to point, I constantly circle back to the truths expressed in the verses and the lyrics of the song. It’s the best way I’ve found to help me stay “on message.”

As a Christian writer, I’m called to step into the deserts of my readers’ lives and bring them hope and truth. But how do I measure that? In the story of the ninety and nine, the Good Shepherd leaves the many to find the one. I hope this is as much encouragement to you as it is to me. Touching the life of one, or two, or three with my writing is as valuable as touching the lives of a multitude. 

So, be faithful to your calling, whatever it is, and trust God with the rest.


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.

Wife, mother, grandmother, and dog-mama, Carol loves writing stories of redemptive romance. When asked the difference between redemptive romance and standard romance, she replied, “A standard romance has two main characters––a hero and a heroine. A redemptive romance adds a third. God.”

Sign up for her quarterly newsletter and receive a free short story: https://www.carol-james.com/staying-in-touch.html 

Connect with Carol: 


Oh MY, Carol....what a lovely message and SO timely as I release a new book! THANK YOU.

Hope you enjoyed Carol's post, Friends and that you take her words to heart as you share your gifts and talents with the world. Speaking of gifts, check out Carol's latest release, A Time for Singing at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, GoodReads, Booktopia, BookBub and Pelican Book Group.

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

THANKS for dropping by, Friends. Until next week, take care and God bless.
PamT


Wednesday, October 5, 2022

#WednesdayWordswithFriends Welcomes LoRee Peery!

Good Morning Friends,

I returned home Sunday from Nacogdoches and back into my normal routine. Been steadily proofing, pruning and tweaking Kyleigh's Cowboy and I'm excited to get the final files uploaded this week. More on that later. Our guest today is no stranger to our blog, so please welcome LoRee Peery back as she shares with us some thoughts on heaven....

Heaven is My Home

Peas isn’t here—only the pod. Peas shelled out and went to God. 
–written on a tombstone in England.

Have you ever been in situations where, “I don’t belong here” came to mind? After all, one of Christ’s promises is found in John 14:2 where He tells us He left earth to prepare a mansion for us in heaven.

Rejoice! The victory over life and death on earth was won. I look forward to my heavenly dwelling place, where I’ll sing and shout in my Lord’s presence. Just imagine a city with streets of gold (see Revelation 21), and rather than sun high in the sky, light spreads from the Son of God. 

I can only imagine. There will be no more pain or sorrow in heaven. I’ll meet Old and New Testaments saints. There will be a reunion with loved ones. Possible surprises over some people I know who will be there. Heaven is where any earthly crowns we accumulate are for His glory. The image in my mind of heaven sets my focus on Jesus, rather than things of earth.

The opening lines of a hymn from childhood have run through my thoughts as I write. “I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home.” In my Christmas novella, Christmas House, Pepper’s childhood home was a storage unit. Her family ignored holidays. As an adult, Pepper decided to decorate her first cottage home for Christmas year-round.

Imagine that. Christmas decorations in every room for twelve months. In the story, Pepper doesn’t know the real Christmas story until she’s introduced to Christians. The owner of miniature donkeys is a believer, as well as Foxx, the hero. Foxx invites Pepper to a church service where she hears the full gospel message.

Her spirit is awakened as understanding blooms. I’ve never been so bold as a novelist with the message of salvation. Before long, the real meaning of Christmas unfolds in Pepper’s heart. Her life blossoms while at the same time, Foxx is dealt a life-changing blow. But those chapters flow to the reader’s heart and reveal how Pepper and Foxx overcome. They, like us, look forward to lives in God’s hands.

My individual chapter on earth is backstory in God’s story of my life. He’s prepared for me an eternal home in heaven. God’s Word assures me that life here is but a breath. A vapor. A whisper on the wind. Heaven is my inheritance. Ephesians 1:4 assures me that God chose me before the creation of the world. Just imagine!

Change Your Mind
This land is not
My eternal home

A heart set on heaven
Is a heart set apart

My God is with me,
A spiritual connection

His Word transforms
My way of thinking

God is the only Truth―
Acceptable, good, perfect

I place my thoughts
On heavenly themes

My eternal home
Sets earth as backstory.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you (Psalm 73:25). I can’t conclude without the comfort found at the end of Psalm 23…and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I know my eternal home is in heaven. Do you know beyond a doubt where yours will be?

Thank you, Pam, for allowing me to visit Words with Friends. May all of you enjoy fall and the coming holidays as you, too, look forward to heavenly homes.

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


Find her publications at Pelican http://tinyurl.com/kwz9enk


Catch up on LoRee's previous visits HERE and check out LoRee's 2022 Christmas Extravaganza novella, Christmas House to be released on Oct. 14th!

Pepper Rainwater has just bought the first real home she' s ever had, and she' s decorating and celebrating Christmas with everything she has. The neighbor' s miniature donkeys and meeting Foxx interrupt her life. Can she turn from all she' d been taught and trust strangers?

A startling discovery after his father' s death forces Foxx Haven to face an unknown past. His life has been a lie. He' s distracted from work for the first time— by his heritage and his new neighbor. Can he fight his attraction to an unbeliever and discover his new life chapter at the same time?

Miniature donkeys and learning about Christ have a profound impact on Pepper. But God has a mighty work to bring her hurting soul and Foxx' s new perspective into alignment. Can hope override hurting souls and enable a happily-ever-after?


What beautiful sentiments, LoRee! Thank YOU for sharing and good luck and God's blessings with your new book!

Hope you enjoyed today's post, Friends 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

Saturday, September 10, 2022

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Mary Marelli & Moon Over Montana!

Good Morning from Natchitoches, LA!

Yep, we brought the camper up Thursday and are having a lot of fun exploring our northern neighbors. Today's guest is new to me and our blog so PLEASE give Mary Marelli a Huge W-E-L-C-O-M-E as she shares with us her book, Moon Over Montana....

Megan Donovan's broken engagement has left her aimless with only one place to go: Montana. Her estranged grandfather has left the broken-down ranch of her mother's youth. Trouble is, Mom's memories of that time are so tainted that Megan doesn't want anything to do with the place.

The wild horses that David “Cam” Campbell protects from rustlers need a sanctuary to roam free. What better location than Old Man Jenkins' acreage adjacent to his own successful ranch? But Cam's gotten off on the wrong foot with Megan, and that gal's not selling—not unless Cam can convince her that it's best for everyone involved.

But is giving Megan a reason to leave, really the best he can do?

Excerpt: A soft whinny echoed across the valley. Megan gasped. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she turned her camera toward the sound. The thunder of hooves built slowly and then intensified as a herd of wild mustangs galloped through. A chestnut stallion stood watch over his domain, a sorrel mare by his side. The mighty leader whinnied and tossed his head. Majestic, devoted, and brave, he guarded his herd of mares and foals.

Cam pointed. “This is what it’s all about. This is my passion. My crusade, if you wish. This is what I’m fighting to preserve.”

Megan’s bottom lip trembled, and she lowered her camera. “They’re beautiful.” She shook her head. “No. That doesn’t do them justice. They’re magnificent. So regal and loyal.” She turned toward Cam. “They are, you know. Loyal. They’re a family.”

Cam nodded. “That they are, and I wish more people saw it that way. Look at them. They’re not causing any harm. Cattle don’t graze down in that hollow. It’s too dangerous to drive them down. As long as the horses stay here, they’re safe. It’s when they stray onto the range we rode though, that they’re in danger.”

“Rustlers?” Megan asked.

“That’s what I think.” 

****

Mary K. Marelli lives with her husband on a private lake nestled in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania.  Her writing is inspired by a variety of true life experiences, and a cause dear to her heart, the preservation of America’s wild horses. Find out more about Mary by visiting her Website and connecting with her on Twitter and Facebook!

Get your copy of Moon Over Montana at Amazon or Pelican Book Group.

THANK You so much, Mary for sharing with us today! We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book(s).

Moon Over Montana sounds like a great reads friends so check it out and come back next week for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

Saturday, September 3, 2022

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kathy Bailey & Redemptions Hope!

Good Morning!

Welcome to the first Saturday spotlight of September 2022! 

WOW this year is really flying by, but it's ALL Good!

Today's guest is not new but her book is. Tell us a little about Redemptions Hope before we get the official blurb, Kathy....

“Redemption’s Hope” is the third and last installment of my “Western Dreams” series, following “Westward Hope” and “Settler’s Hope.” The novel takes Janny Thatcher, a secondary character in the first two books on the ride of her life, from the Oregon Country to New Mexico to San Antonio to New Orleans and back, as she looks for her dream and finds herself in the bargain. 

White Bear, the Cheyenne brave, has a foot in two worlds but feels at home in neither. He longs to reconnect with the spirited white woman who had sought refuge with his family three years before. Is his true home with “Blue Eyes,” the woman he knew for only three days?

Only if he finds her.

Wonderful! Now let's get the official blurb....

Two distinct sets of villains. Two orphaned children. A man without a country and a woman with too much past...All in a rambunctious young country where anything goes, especially in the West. Seriously. What can go wrong?

In this latest installment of the best-selling series, "Western Dreams", join Jenny and White Bear as they cross the historic West in an epic story peppered with grit, guns, and glory that award-winning author Kelly Goshorn calls "a sweeping tale of faith, dedication, and perseverance set in the American west."

"...masterful wordsmithing!" says Clarice G. James, author of "The Least of These," "Party of One," "Double Header" and "Manhattan Grace."

Read an excerpt of Redemptions Hope and get your copy at Amazon.

Kathleen Bailey is a journalist and novelist with 40 years’ experience in the nonfiction, newspaper and inspirational fields. Born in 1951, she was a child in the 50s, a teen in the 60s, a young adult in the 70s and a young mom in the 80s. It’s been a turbulent, colorful time to grow up, and she’s enjoyed every minute of it and written about most of it. 

Bailey is the author of the Western Dreams series. “Redemption’s Hope” joins “Westward Hope" and “Settler’s Hope” to tell the story of people who settled out West. The books are published by Pelican/White Rose Publishing, a small firm out of New Mexico. In addition, she has published two related Western Dreams novellas with Pelican’s Christmas Extravaganza series. 

While Bailey has always dreamed of publishing fiction, her two Arcadia Publishing projects, “Past and Present Exeter” and “New Hampshire War Monuments,” made her fall in love with nonfiction and telling real people’s stories. She lives in Raymond, New Hampshire.

Thank you, SO Much, Kathy for sharing your new book with us! Wishing you the best of luck and God's blessings with it and all the rest!

Friends, if you'd like to know more about Kathy's other two books in this series as well as other works, check out her previous posts HERE.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

Saturday, August 27, 2022

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Carol James @CarolJamesAuth & A Time for Singing!

 Good Morning My Dear Friends and Welcome!

It's been a rainy week here in SW Louisiana and although we'd been in a drought situation for quite a while, we're all feeling quite a bit soggy now and saying, "ENOUGH!" 

Why is it Mother Nature seems to be in a bad mood most of the time and go from one extreme to the next? Take a chill pill already LOL!

Regardless of the weather, it's always a beautiful day when I have the priveledge of spotlighting a fellow author and his/her newest release and today is no exception! Take it away, Carol.....

 Charlee Bennett is running from her past. Once deserted by her musician ex-fiancé, she’s vowed to avoid anything that reminds her of the pain of his betrayal.

Chance Jackson is starting over. Hoping to redeem the mistakes of his earlier life, he hopes to become the music and worship pastor of the largest church in Crescent Bluff.

Charlee tries to convince herself she should not be attracted to Chance. But then she discovers an old letter hidden in the secret drawer of an antique desk. The pain expressed by its author resonates deep within her.

Can the words of long ago soften Charlee's heart and help her to discover that there is a time for singing?    

Excerpt:
So, who would it be tonight? 

From her table in the back corner, Charlee Bennett surveyed the inn’s small dining room. The only empty chair sat across from her, a sure sign she’d soon have a dinner companion. 

She smoothed the white linen napkin in her lap and sipped her water. Over the past few years, these monthly weekends at the Wayfarer Inn had become her favorites, times of pampering among the plodding. 

A tall man who definitely wasn’t from Crescent Bluff stepped into the doorway and leaned on the old oak pulpit now serving as the hostess stand. Michael presented his best maître d’ smile and then consulted the reservations list. The new diner nodded. Michael gathered a menu and silverware and turned in her direction. 

Perspiration prickled her face. Oh, no. Not this man. Anyone but him. Please…not a musician. She could spot them a mile away. After following Jake around for a year and then dating him for two more, she knew the look. PR. Painstakingly Relaxed

Last month, she’d shared dinner with a trial judge from Amarillo, and the month before that, a retired humanitarian aid worker from Uganda. Not only had both men been fascinating, they’d also been safe. Both were old enough to be her grandfather. But as Michael led tonight’s guest toward her table, only one word resonated within her. 

Danger.

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.

Wife, mother, grandmother, and dog-mama, Carol loves writing stories of redemptive romance. When asked the difference between redemptive romance and standard romance, she replied, “A standard romance has two main characters––a hero and a heroine. A redemptive romance adds a third. God.”

Sign up for her quarterly newsletter and receive a free short story: https://www.carol-james.com/staying-in-touch.html 

Connect with Carol: 

Get your copy of A Time for Singing at Amazon, B&N, Kobo, GoodReads, Booktopia, BookBub & Pelican Book Group.

Check out Carol's previous visits HERE.

Good luck and God's blessings with A Time for Singing, Carol, the book definitely sounds like another hit! 

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight as much as I did, Friends and that you'll check back each week for another edition of Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care & God Bless.
PamT