#ThursdayThoughts with Katie Clark

Good Morning from Durant, OK!

I drove up on Tuesday to spend a few days with my friend, Nona and to attend a writing workshop this Saturday with Donald Maass. SO looking forward to it, but enough about me!

Katie Clark has shared our spotlight and some treasures with us so today let's see what thoughts she has to share.....

Have you ever felt God’s tug on your heart? His whisper in your ear? His gentle push to make a change?

Have you ever squared your shoulders, gritted your teeth, and stubbornly insisted you want it your way? I am always ashamed when I find myself in this very situation. As much as I want and intend to follow God’s leading in my life, sometimes it’s harder than other times to give my will over to God.

Often, I find the need to remind myself to “die daily”. I know, I know. That can be so much easier said than done! But we are blessed in that we have a merciful and patient Heavenly Father. What helps me get through these times of tug-of-war with God?

I find a few things helpful. First, I remind myself of why I’m on this earth. Is it to do this or that? To have this or that? No, it’s not. I’m here to bring glory to my Creator—He’s the one who gets to choose my path, because I’ve given Him that rein. Second, I pray. Sometimes a lot! I have to pray that God will give me His desires. That He will help me be who He wants me to be. (This isn’t always easy, especially when I don’t want what I feel Him pushing me towards!)

But when I actively work on changing my attitude in a situation, a mysterious thing always happens. I find myself changing my mind. I don’t want the things I thought I wanted, after all. And what’s more, I find I can live without those things I so desperately wanted just a short while ago.

Is it always so cut-and-dry? No, not always. Some problems are bigger than the average “thought” can deal with. Sometimes people are taken to Heaven before we’re ready. Sometimes people lose jobs, or find out they’re terminally ill. Blessedly, many problems aren’t this enormous—we only think they are for a little while.

And so, the next time I feel that tug on my heart, I pray I can be more receptive to the message attached to it!

Bio: 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 inspirational romance for adults as well as young adult speculative fiction, including her YA supernatural novel, Shadowed Eden, and The Enslaved Series. 

You can connect with her at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

The Rejected Princess can be found at Amazon for Kindle and Paperback & at Pelican Book Group in Ebook and Print along with Katie's other titles!

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and as always, Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Katie Clark & The Rejected Princess!

Good Morning!

Yep, it's the last Saturday Spotlight in April....hope your weather is as lovely as ours is here in SWLA. I sent sunshine and flowers in my last newsletter email as well as a special gift so if you haven't signed up to receive it, do so HERE.

Last month, fellow Pelican Book Group author, Katie Clark shared something she treasures with us but today we're getting a peek into her latest release, The Rejected Princess. Take it away Katie....

When Princess Roanna Hamilton’s parents arrange a marriage with a prince of Dawson’s Edge—the mysterious and backwards kingdom to the south—Roanna reluctantly agrees, accepting that peace must be put ahead of her lifelong relationship with Prince Benjamin of Lox.

But when Roanna is introduced to Dawson’s royal family, strange mind-bending anomalies are awakened within her, and she discovers the Dawsonian royal family holds secrets of their own.

Roanna becomes locked in a battle between kingdoms. Rebels wish to eliminate people who possess powerful anomalies. With threats growing daily, Roanna comes to realize the danger she is in—not to mention how her own family, and Benjamin’s, would react if her anomaly was revealed.

Tensions rise when Lox is attacked. If Roanna is to save herself and her future, she must stall her marriage and squelch the growing rebellion—all while discovering how deeply her power runs. But will Prince Benjamin and her family accept her when the truth of her heritage is finally revealed?

Excerpt: Princess Roanna of Chester’s Wake had only been to the dungeon once in her life, but that one trip had scared her enough that she never wanted to return. Now, ten years later, Roanna worked in the palace libraries side by side with Prince Benjamin of Lox, her lifelong friend and cohort in crime all those years ago, as they sorted socks, coats, and blankets to take to the Rejected in the orphanages. 

“I just want to look around the dungeon for a little while.” Ben’s voice pulled her gaze toward him. 

Roanna hated the dark and dank dungeon, which reeked of bodily fluids. The place gave her chills.

Thunder boomed overhead, and Roanna gasped. Pressing her eyes closed, she took a deep breath to calm herself. Perhaps she was being silly.

Ben quirked an eyebrow at her and grinned. He leaned against the library wall and turned to the windows as rain dumped loads of water into the western gardens of her family’s palace at Chester’s Wake. Ben was taller than her, and his dusty-blond hair was parted messily to the right side. He was handsome, as so many hopeful girls had told him before. Not that he seemed to care about that.

Roanna finished tying a ribbon on the package she’d put together. She set it to the side and grabbed more supplies. Ben had been with her that fateful day in the dungeon ten years ago—the new cook’s assistant had dragged them there after catching them stealing cookies from her platter. She’d said it was to teach them a lesson they’d not soon forget. The assistant was fired that very day, and Roanna swore off even the thought of a life of crime.

Now, the idea of returning to the scene of their punishment all those years ago did not appeal. Why would he want to explore the dungeons, anyway?

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 inspirational romance for adults as well as young adult speculative fiction, including her YA supernatural novel, Shadowed Eden, and The Enslaved Series. 

You can connect with her at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter.

The Rejected Princess can be found at Amazon for Kindle and Paperback & at Pelican Book Group in Ebook and Print along with Katie's other titles!

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and as always, Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God Bless.

PamT

#TuesdayTreasures Guest Post by Katie Clark

Good Morning!

March is marching right along (yeah, pun intended LOL!) anyway... St. Patrick's day is this Saturday. If you're wondering about the St. Patrick's Romance Giveaway - click on the graphic in my sidebar and get all the details...70 authors, 70 books, 70 gift cards, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire and much more! Check it out....

Today's guest has visited before, on 4 different Saturday's to spotlight her YA Distopian Enslaved series.

Katie returns to tell us about something she treasures.

Take it away Katie.....

Hi Pam! Thank you so much for having me. When I think about Treasures, there are so many things that come to mind. My family, my Bible, my church. It can be hard to narrow down and focus on a single treasure! However, often times it’s especially easy to focus on treasuring my children, so that’s where I’ve decided to go today.

We can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, and this causes us to take certain relationships for granted. It might be children or parents, your spouse, or your siblings. It could be any relationship at all! Sadly, it often isn’t until one of those people leaves us for Heaven, we realize how our hearts ache for more time to treasure them.

Frequently, I have to make an effort to show my children how I treasure them—because one never knows when we won’t have that relationship to nurture anymore. For me that means putting down the computer; turning off the internet; setting aside the cleaning for a little while. More reading storybooks, playing patty cake with the baby, and going outside for a game of catch.

There are so many things I treasure, but today I am happy for the treasures of my children.

Wow...what a lovely post, Katie and cute kiddos! Thanks for sharing.

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 inspirational romance for adults as well as young adult speculative fiction, including her YA supernatural novel, Shadowed Eden, and The Enslaved Series. You can connect with her at her website, on Facebook, or on Twitter. Her latest book, The Rejected Princess is available now at Amazon in Print and for Kindle and directly from Pelican Book Group!

Well Friends, I hope you enjoyed today's post and take a few extra moments today to treasure your loved ones...especially your children. And, I hope you join me each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT