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“I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”- Psalm 138:2

Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Phoebe's Secret ~ Sydney Tooman Betts

Phoebe is starting in a new area and moved from the north to the south.  She find people have a different way of life in the new world and there was a murder that she can't get off her mind.  She tries to over come this the new ways of life, but finds herself being caught up in finding out more about this mystery and the people in this town. 
If you like a mystery/historical read this is for you.  It takes place in an era of 1800's when life was very different in each part of the country you lived in.  It was a read that takes you back into time.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book: Phoebe’s Secret
Author: Sydney Tooman Betts
Genre: Christian Fiction, Historical Mystery
Release Date: June 20, 2020

In April of 1843, Phoebe’s family hears about a murder while they are traveling to their new home in the Shenandoah Valley. They arrive to learn the victim attended the church her father has agreed to pastor and the crime took place on a leading church member’s plantation.
Eager to make new friends, Phoebe forms a unique relationship that propels her into the middle of the mystery, and she begins to question several acquaintances’ motives. Will she uncover their secrets before the plantation owner’s charming son discovers hers?

Click here to get your copy today!

About the Author

Sydney Tooman Betts resides with her husband near the extensive cavern system that inspired the setting for several chapters in her series The People of the Book.
While single, Ms. Betts (B.S. Bible/Missiology, M.Ed) took part in a variety of cross-cultural adventures in North and Central America. After marrying, she and her husband lived in Europe and the Middle East where he served in various mission-support capacities. Her teaching experiences span preschool to guest lecturing at the graduate level.
Before penning her first novel, A River too Deep, she ghost-wrote several stories for an adult literacy program.

More from Sydney
Proverbs 25:11 says, “Words spoken fitly are like apples of gold in settings of silver.” I was not a great reader as a child, but I loved stories. We remember stories, whether told through movies, good sermon illustrations, parables, or simple  novels.
Think of something you’ve read in the Bible. Did an instructional verse, a narrative, or a parable leap to mind? Stories have power because we can relate to them. We ourselves in the shoes of the main character and ask what we might do in the situation. Mysteries, a new genre for me to write, are a little different. You are in the puzzle with the main character, working out the solution as you both come across the clues. I hope you will enjoy joining Phoebe in her first mystery as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Recipe:
Sally Lunn Bread
1 cup water
1 cup milk
¼ pound unsalted butter
8 cups of high-gluten or bread flour
⅔ cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
¼ cup yeast
6 eggs
In a saucepan, combine water, milk and butter. Heat until the butter is very soft.
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients with half the flour. Add the warm liquid, and mix well to form a smooth batter.

Add 3 eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add another cup of the flour, and mix well. Add the second 3 eggs, one at a time. Add the remaining flour, and mix until the flour has been incorporated and the batter has formed a smooth ball. The dough should be less firm than bread and more firm than a batter.
Put the dough in a clear bowl with a little oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Proof until double in volume. Divide the dough between two bund pans or two loaf pans, or one of each. Proof again until risen and doubled in volume.  Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes. Makes 20 servings.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sydney is giving away the grand prize package of $25 Amazon gift card and a softback copy of Phoebe’s Secret!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 


Monday, September 28, 2020

Whitestick ~ Jacqueline Middler


This is the true story of Jacqueline's life and going through having 2 abortions, drug use, alchol abuse, dealing with depression and beating herself up everyday for her actions.  This is a wonderful short read book, that can't and shouldn't be missed.  It is an eye opener for both sides of this issue in today's world.  The after effects that an abortion has on the body, heart and soul is so explained in this book. Jacqueline does not hold back and this is an excellent story that you can't put down.  Everyone should read this and think about how they feel, really feel after putting the book down, don't listen to media or friends... you need to think for yourself after ready this touching story.  She does a wonderful job of telling it all and putting her life out there for all to see.  This women has been on both sides of the issue and she can really say, I have walked in your shoes.  She has done and felt it and now tells about it.   EXCELLENT read for mature people that need to look into this powerful issue in today's world.  I found this book touching and really making me think about this and how this is not only a great resource for people to read, but true and touching about life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book:  White Stick
Author: Jacqueline Middler
Genre:  Memoir
Release Date: May 13, 2020

When a positive pregnancy test upends her carefree coed life, Jacqueline Marie decides to end the life of her unborn child. That abortion and the one that followed not only destroyed two lives but also wrecked Jacqueline’s soul.
Unprepared for the emotional wounds abortion inflicts, Jacqueline turns to drugs and alcohol to mask her pain, but nothing she does assuages her deep-seated guilt. When staying with relatives in Florida—intended to give her a fresh start—she hears the gospel message, and while reading the creation story and promises of God, she encounters a God who loves her despite her choices.
As she experiences God’s grace and forgiveness, Jacqueline is able to finally forgive herself. Now a doula and a voice for the unborn, she shares her story to help other women who have had abortions know that healing and redemption are possible through Jesus.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

[Insert Author Picture Here]
An avid reader and devoted mother of three, Jacqueline Marie gives voice to the women who have had abortions and live with the regret and shame of that decision. White Stick is her debut work, birthed from the years-long journey to healing and redemption and her desire open the eyes of the world to the harm this choice brings to women. She has a degree from Johnson & Wales in marketing, with concentrations in English and psychology.

More from Jacqueline

White Stick was written in hopes of freeing women from the bondage of shame and guilt that comes with the choice of Abortion. This book purpose is to shed light on the after effects of what this choice does to a women’s soul and life. This choice is not the quick decision or the “easier choice” that the media portrays but can effect every one of your choices after for the rest of your life. Only Gods love and Jesus’s grace can free you. I was a Christian many years before I was able to forgive myself. Until you forgive yourself it is hard to walk in the pans God has for you. You the reader are able to walk with me through my abortion to redemption. This is a raw honest look at the devastation this choice brings.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jacqueline is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

King of Tennessee ~ David Alan Shorts

This is a young teen science fiction read.  It is about a town that disappears with the exception of Stewart that feels this is a dream and finds out it is reality, he is dealing with a murder and helping a friend with her needs.  This is a drama, suspense, mystery that is a faith based adventure.  If you enjoy a read that keeps your mind and imagination going then this is the book for you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.




About the Book

Book:  King of Tennessee
Author: David Alan Shorts
Genre:  YA/Teen Fiction
Release Date: July, 2020

It was an ordinary day in Tabersville, Tennessee, until nearly everyone in town disappeared. Middle-school trouble maker, Stewart Rainquest, soon turns this nightmare into a dream come true as he sets about living like a king in his small southern town.  Things take a turn for the worse as members of the biker gang Stewart idolizes commit murder before his eyes. While doing his best to keep his distance from the killers, Stewart learns how to drive a car and meets Gina, a high school student battling cancer. Their friendship leads them through wild adventures, but only time will tell if Stewart will learn the truth about what happened to everyone in his town.


Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author
David Alan Shorts has a passion to teach kids things which matter for a lifetime, rather than just the next test or Sunday School lesson. He has written many books, short stories, and magazine articles, along with musicals, plays, and songs. His three children keep him busy and constantly evaluating life through the eyes of youth. He has taught music to thousands of kids in Northern California for more than twenty years. When he’s not doing what matters most, he enjoys flying model airplanes and working out.

More from David
My son and I had just finished watching a Mad Max movie when a conversation began about post-apocalyptic movies and what the Bible has to say. The Apocalypse is real and is described in some detail in the Bible. So, why aren’t all apocalyptic stories told from a Christian world view? That was when I began creating King of Tennessee as an attempt to give depth in today’s contemporary post-apocalyptic stories. It combines action and adventure while still keeping the life-changing message of God’s salvation in the novel.
I would like this to be the book the makes “apocalyptic” a Christian word again. This can be the book that gives some kids a second thought about God, when they might have dismissed Him as meaningless otherwise.

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, David is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and signed copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Saturday, September 26, 2020

The Secret Life of Lady Evangleline ~ Jan Davis Warren


This is book one of the Secrets Book series.  This book takes place in medieval times and the times of having Kingdoms and Kings.  When Evangeline is abandoned by her husband and is dealing with the loss of her daughter, she takes on a different identity, during the day she is Sister Margaret Mary and then in the evening she becomes the Fox, to help with stealing for the poor.  Then Lord Stanton is grieving for his losses of his wife, he is raising their daughter.  But then he meets a nun who seem familiar to him.  What does this all mean?  Is there more to this nun that he meets?

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys the medieval reads.  The book is filled with emotions, love, faith, suspense, drama and inspirational.  This book takes you to a different time and world.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book
Book:  The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline
Author: Jan Davis Warren
Genre:  Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: September 22, 2020

Everyone believes Lady Evangeline is dead, so why not let them? Her survival depends on it.

After escaping from assassins and healing from her injuries, Evangeline Stanton finds refuge in a crumbling abbey. Her physical scars are nothing to the wounds left by the death of her daughter and abandonment of her husband. She spends most days disguised as Sister Margaret Mary, but when necessary, she dons the disguise of the recently deceased bandit, the Fox, to steal from the rich and help the starving children and widows who come for aid.

Lord Henry Stanton still grieves the death of his beloved wife, Evangeline. Raising their young daughter is now the most important role in his life, even though the child serves as a daily reminder of the love he and his wife once shared. He may never shed the weight of his guilt for not protecting Evangeline from the band of outlaws who killed her, as well as the lies sown by his sister-in-law, which he allowed to separate him from his wife just before her death.

When Henry’s ailing father-in-law sends an urgent request for help to manage his lands, he has no choice but to take his daughter with him to Castle Brighton. But the nun who comes to care for the sick man catches Henry’s notice from the first moment he catches sight of her. When the life of their precious daughter is threatened, can they overcome the lies and secrets of the past and join forces to save their daughter before it is too late?

 Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Jan Davis Warren is a mother, grandmother, and a young-at-heart great-grandmother. Her wonderful husband passed away the same year she won the ACFW Genesis Award for Romantic Suspense. That win and many others are encouraging reminders that God wants her to continue writing even in the tough times. Learn more at www.janwarrenbooks.com.

 More from Jan

Hello Dear Reader,

That you are reading this means you come from some hearty and courageous ancestors. Over thousands of years, they survived good times and bad, plagues, famines, wars, and all manner of tribulations. No matter how many different places around the globe your ancestors ventured, or where they lived and died, you are living proof they existed.

 This thought never crossed my mind while writing and winning awards with contemporary romantic suspense, westerns, and even sci-fi. It wasn’t until Lady Evangeline stirred me with her story that I was lured into writing about the Middle Ages. I was even more surprised when I won RWA Faith Hope & Love chapter’s, Touched by Love historical category and the overall award with The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline. Thus began my next exciting adventure, for I had never written a medieval.

While doing research for the time period, I was humbled by the revelation that I’m alive because of ancestors further back than my genealogy has thus far revealed. They survived not only the medieval era, but many other difficult, even horrific times over the centuries before my birth. You and I are truly blessed by our ancestors’ perseverance. We are alive at such a time as this for a reason. Help us Lord to be the light so others might find You and through You life eternal.

Blessings!

Jan Davis Warren

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jan is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

 Click HERE



She Writes for HIM ~ Cynthia Cavanaugh

This is a hardcover devotional/personal study book that covers real stories and how these women overcome to lean on GOD.  This book has 5 parts that covers Shame, Loss, Abortion, Depression/Anxiety, Betrayal.  Each Part consists of women telling their stories, resilient truth of what the bible says (book/verse), resilient prayer and at the end is resilient Action with questions of reflection, bible verses and a place for you to journal your thoughts.

I would recommend this to any women that wants to have a great resource and know that you are not dealing with your issues alone.  Each chapter is written by women of faith that have touched our hearts through the years with their experiences and writings.... Carol Kent, Dawn Scott Damon, Nikki Godsil, Kristen Clouse, Tamara Andress, Tanya Glanzman and that is just the firs part of the book, there are 5 parts in all.  This book can be read cover to cover or skipped around, you read what you want and what you need.  It is a great hardcover with very sturdy pages for many readings and page turnings. It could be used as a bible study, book group or friends getting together.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book:  She Writes for Him
Author: Cynthia Cavanaugh
Genre: Women’s Issues
Release Date: May 12, 2020

It’s not often we speak about abortion, shame, betrayal, depression, anxiety, and loss in our circles of faith. It can be uncomfortable as we try to reconcile why a good God allows suffering and pain. Life is messy, and yet we need not silence these stories.
She Writes For Him: Stories of Resilient Faith is written by brave women who have boldly ventured out to tell their hard stories. These resilient women have found that God can be trusted in the midst of difficult and tragic circumstances. They have found God’s redemption in their pain and their willingness to look doubts in the face and claim God’s steadfast love over their trials.
This book is Redemption Press’s debut in a series meant to infuse hope and courage to others who have experienced a similar journey, that they might know they are not alone and can find healing.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Managing Editor

Managing Editor Cynthia Cavanaugh is a speaker, life coach, and award-winning author of Anchored: Leading through the Storms and Live Bold: A Devotional Journal to Strengthen Your Soul. She is the strategic marketing coach for Redemption Press, and you can find her at www.cynthiacavanaugh.com, Facebook, and Instagram, and her new podcast, Soul Anchor.

More from Athena

In May 2019, while driving home from the Northwest Christian Writers Renewal with the sun out and the mountain in view, God gave me a vision of a movement. He gave me the name “She Writes for Him,” and I knew it would start as a book compilation, then a podcast, and finally a conference.

Here we are a year later, and She Writes for Him: Stories of Resilient Faith launched on May 12, 2020. Featuring Carol Kent, Tammy Trent, and Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith, 27 brave women share their hard stories of abortion, depression and anxiety, betrayal, loss, and shame.

The second edition is already taking submissions, and best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs leads the lineup of contributors sharing on suffering, cancer, mental health, addictions, and abuse for She Writes for Him: Stories of Living Hope.

My hope in this book series is to address topics that have long been a struggle for the church to be the safe place it needs to be for those still hurting from wounds of the past. Those of us who love the Lord but have trauma in our pasts and are still on our healing journey need to be encouraged by others who have walked in our shoes. Perhaps we haven’t even started our healing journey yet, convinced we are the only one struggling the way we do or are too ashamed to admit our failures of the past. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, this compilation of brave women will encourage you to process your pain and experience the redemption in your areas of struggle.

Athena Dean Holtz, publisher and creator of the She Writes for Him compilation series.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cynthia is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a copy of the book signed by herself as the managing editor!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Perfect ~ Nancy E. Wood

This is book one of a trilogy series for young teen readers.  Gina is the daughter of a pastor and has certain standards she is expected to be PERFECT in everything.  She learns that doing everything for everyone is a way that takes away from who she really is.  She is trying to do school, volunteering at church, helping friends, helping with her little sister and also having to deal with what she wants to do when she graduates.  She meets the new guy in town, Joel that befriends her and supports her to make changes for her and no one else.  Can she decide what is best for her? Can she please everyone and still keep her faith?

I would recommend this to any young teen reader.  It is an easy, fast moving read that can be read in an afternoon.  It is about growing up and the trials and tribulations that come with high school life.  It is a good book that deals with today's teens of wanting to be accepted and feeling you have to perfect in everything, when all you have to do is accept yourself for who you are.      

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book

Book: Perfect
Author: Nancy E. Wood
Genre: Contemporary YA Fiction
Release Date: September 1, 2020

Isn’t that something everyone wants to be?
Gina has done everything she could to please her parents, gain her friends’ approval, and get that one guy’s attention, but it never seems to be enough. There’s no pleasing everybody.
She’s struggling just to get through the year when a mysterious guy abruptly decides to become part of her life and disrupts everything she’s ever believed in.
Could he actually be right? Is perfection really unattainable? Or by listening to him will everything she’s worked for fall apart?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Nancy E Wood was born into a missionary family and lived in Hungary until she turned twenty. Her whole childhood, she loved reading and stories, writing some of her own, but never believing she actually had the talent to be an author. Speaking multiple languages, she never thought she would be good enough in any to become a wordsmith.
Her senior year of high school, she was encouraged to write short stories, one of which turned into Perfect, a novel that couldn’t stay short. After sharing it with a few people, she decided to get it published a couple years later. She went to college in Florida, where she studied English and Music. After graduating, she married and moved to California. She published her second standalone book, I’ll Take the Lie, in the summer of 2019 and is currently working on a sequel to Perfect. She also runs a blog for young women, where she writes relatable and motivational posts that point to God. She has also done some speaking in different Christian schools and youth groups, encouraging teens to pursue Christ through some of the most difficult years of their lives.

More from Nancy

You’re not good enough. No matter how much you do, you’ll never do enough. No matter how good you look, you’ll never be pretty enough. No matter how little you eat, you’ll never be skinny enough. No matter how kind you are, not everyone will like you. You’ll never be enough.

These words, or something very similar, have echoed in my head since I was a kid. I don’t know when it started, and I certainly don’t know when these words will fade away forever from my mind and heart.

I was born in Budapest, Hungary. My parents are missionaries, and they raised me to love God from the very beginning. I got saved really young, and church was my life. My parents reminded me many times that I was the example, and that my little sisters looked up to me, so I had to be careful about how I acted. My whole life, I was taught that I had to be good, had to please authorities, and had to do the right thing no matter what. But what was the right thing? And what if it didn’t please the authorities?

For much of my life, I was torn. I was told that something was not right, but to me it seemed perfectly fine. I wasn’t happy. I was confused. I was living my life according to other people’s expectations. I didn’t know what was right or wrong. I felt like a horrible person, even when I was doing “the right thing.” What was wrong with me? So many times I felt alone, even though I had many friends. Nobody could understand me.

Nothing about this lifestyle changed until my senior year, the year I had my first boyfriend. He was studying to be a psychologist and helped me change my thinking. Other than having constant conflicts with my parents, who weren’t too thrilled about my dating somebody, he opened up my eyes to how much people-pleasing had taken over my life. I realized I had so many masks for each person I was around, that I didn’t even know who I was underneath. Long story short, I thought a lot about who I was. I started questioning what I believed and why. I started writing “Perfect,” which has a lot of parallels to my life then.

God was there through it all. I didn’t know how to defeat it, but I took a step. I talked to my parents. I told them about all my bitterness, of trying to live up to standards I didn’t believe in, of all the things I did that I didn’t enjoy doing. I told them how much I wanted to please them, but how I felt like I always fell short. They were extremely surprised, and then supportive. We were able to work through years of hard feelings on my part that they hadn’t even been aware of.

More steps. I used to write and not share it with anyone. I was afraid of what people would say. When I finally decided to open up and show people, I was overwhelmed at the good feedback. Instead of judging me, people could relate! I wasn’t alone in my people pleasing. I take little steps all the time when I do something I’m not comfortable with; giving hard advice, telling someone something they don’t want to hear, going to other people for help, seeking mentors, opening up to people.

Am I completely free? No, not yet. There are times I still come under the icy grip of doubt and fear. What if people stop liking me? What would happen if I disappointed someone I love and they don’t forgive me? But I know that I am a lot farther along than I was years ago. I may never be perfect, (in fact, let’s just admit that’ll never happen), but I can keep taking steps, getting closer to God and farther from my perfectionism. And now I know that I’m not alone.

I may not be perfect, but I believe God can still use me.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Nancy is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Wish Upon a Star ~ Tabitha Bouldin

This is a very short book that you can read in only a few hours.  It is one of those fun afternoon reads that is predictable, but a fun and enjoyable predictable.  When single father Bryce moves back to his home town with his 6 year old daughter to open back up the small town bookstore that went out of business.  His daughter, Anna is happy to be moving but he one dream and goals is to have a mother for Christmas.  Can Bryce find a mother for Anna in time for Christmas?  Will Anna get her wish for Christmas? Or will her heart be broken?

I would recommend this book to those that enjoy a fast, quick book. It is more of a story that you would see on the Hallmark Channel during Christmas.  It is a good, happy read and there is some avoidance's that Bryce comes across, but in the end can he make Anna's wish happen?  Read this one when you need a good pick me up and want some happiness in your reading world.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book

Book:  Wish Upon A Star
Author: Tabitha Bouldin
Genre:  Holiday Fiction
Release Date: December 1, 2018
Bryce Masters had everything he needed…or so he thought. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, would disagree. They were going home, moving back to Jingle Junction where Bryce would take over the local bookstore just in time for Christmas. Losing his wife, Molly, during the birth of their daughter six years ago was tragic, but Bryce has no idea just how much it weighs on young Anna’s heart until she confesses her deepest wish. What Anna wants for Christmas is a mother, but Bryce’s heart is not ready to love again. Only God can give Bryce the desire to make Anna’s wish come true. Only He can heal the hurt and open Bryce’s heart to the power of love. But Bryce will have to be willing to listen. And when the perfect woman reveals a secret that could devastate them all, will Bryce be able to look beyond what was and accept what might be?

Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Tabitha Bouldin has a Bachelor’s in creative writing from Southern New Hampshire University, where she graduated with honors. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has been published with Chicken Soup for the Soul. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, you’ll find her curled up with a book. Tabitha’s genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart.

More from Tabitha

Wish Upon a Star owes its existence to Hallmark’s Christmas movies. I could, and often do, watch their Christmas movies all through the year. Doesn’t matter how cheesy the storyline, I love them all. While I wanted to bring that sense of fun and feel-good romance, I needed a little oomph. So, I took some inspiration from “The Christmas Shoes” by NewSong. For the record, I love Hallmark and NewSong equally, so putting the two together was a natural fit.
The intention wasn’t to make a sad Christmas story, but there’s some pain Bryce has to manage while learning to love again. The best things come from overcoming that thing you never thought you could do. When you press on, with God’s guidance and with His approval, anything is possible. Bryce needs this reminder that even in the darkest nights, God is there.
Wish is part of the funky town I created and dubbed Jingle Junction, a place where it’s all Christmas all the time. Jingle Junction has only a few rules. First off, you can have any business you want, as long as the business name is an alliteration. Second, community is the name of the game. When someone’s in need, everyone pitches in to help.
For this story, I wanted to highlight homecoming. To do that, I needed Bryce to have a reason to come back to Jingle Junction. That’s where the song came in. If you don’t know the song, it’s about a little boy who wants only one thing for Christmas, and that’s a pair of shoes for his dying mother. I listen to “The Christmas Shoes” at least a dozen times a year. It’s heartbreaking but wonderful. It has that bit of hope I needed for Wish. For my story, Bryce’s daughter, Anna, lost her mother when she was born. The only thing she wants is the one thing she’s never had: a mother. It’s also the one thing Bryce cannot give.
The plan had always been to return to Jingle Junction. Bryce wants to raise Anna in the hometown where he was born, and he’s finally gotten the opportunity to make good on the plans he and his wife made when they first learned of her pregnancy. It took him six years to make good on his promise, and he’s not sure he’s made the right decision.
Wish Upon a Star is one of those books where I wanted to challenge myself by writing only from the male point of view. Although I always write alternating point of view in my romances, Wish has always been Bryce’s story. A story of coming home.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tabitha is giving away the grand prize package a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

until I met you ~ Tari Faris

This is book 2 of the Restoring Heritage series.  When Libby Kingsley takes on the challenge of a new job of librarian in the town of Heritage, she is shocked that the library is actually in a basement with everything outdated.  She sets out to make this a new and revised library with bringing her plans to the community only to be turned away.  Austin Williams is the town organizer and the one making the town be updated and the town square be finished.  When Libby starts to reach out and try to get funds for the library needs, she is stepping on Austin's plans.  This leads into both of them bumping heads and also finding a few things in common.  Can they work together or will the Libby be heartbroken?   

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a fun and relaxing read.  It has many more characters and issues going on that blend in with the main characters that just keep you reading.  I found this as a good book that is about family, faith, forgiveness and encouraging people to follow your dreams.  This is the second book in the series, but can be read as a stand alone as I have not read any of the other books in the series and was able to follow this story without any problems. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

 



Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Scrumptious Independence ~ Melissa Wardwell

This is book 2 of the Independence Island series.  When Beth moves from Michigan to South Carolina on Merriweather Island to live in the cottage her grandmother left her.  While Beth is following her grandmothers ideas of persuing her love for cooking, she also meets Scott a long lost friend from the time she would visit the island during the summer.  When Scott is determine to help Beth overcome the hurtful loss of her grandmother and forfill her passion for cooking, could this be more than they both expected?  

I would recommend this read to any age and wants a good afternoon read that will take you to a relaxing place.  This is the type of book you read to just go to another world and relax.  It is a fun read that has some drama and romance that keeps you interested in reading and becoming attached to the characters.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book


“Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
And so is Beth’s cooking! It’s a good thing, too. After a lifetime of her family’s smothering embrace, a whole new world opens to her with the passing of her beloved grandmother.
Armed with an inheritance she never expected and orders on how to use it, Beth sets off for Merriweather Island and fulfillment of a lifetime of dreams.
Or so she hopes.
What she didn’t hope for was what most women would—a man who fills her thoughts at the most wonderfully unwelcome times. She doesn’t have time or space for a relationship, but how do you tell love to just go away?
Of course, starting over in a new place is never easy, especially as an outsider in a small community. Add to that a mayor who has her dander up and a woman bound to make her life miserable, is it any wonder that Beth begins to doubt God’s and Gram’s plans?
With her heart betraying her resolve and challenges to her faith, Beth finds it takes bravery she didn’t know she had to discover just how scrumptious independence can be.
This “Merriweather book” is the second in a new series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Island Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
Click here to purchase your copy!

About the Author

Melissa Wardwell resides in Owosso, Michigan with her husband Jonathan, three children, a cat, and two pitbulls.
Besides writing, she enjoys reading, having coffee with friends, and spending quality time with her husband kayaking and fishing.
Melissa likes to joke about the voices in her head, but it is those voices have inspired her to write several romance novels such as “I Know the Plans” (a story based in her hometown of Owosso) and “Finding Hope in Savannah”. When she is not penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books on her blog, Back Porch Reads.
To see more from Melissa Wardwell, visit www.melissawardwell.com

More from Melissa

“Lord, I don’t know how I can keep doing this.”
That was my prayer one evening in 2019 as I made my way to praise practice. I knew that writing was something God had called me to (because He never seems to call you to do something you enjoy) but the finances were just not there to publish another book. I felt lost in the uncertainty of the path moving forward and I needed a light. I had just shared all my concerns with my parents and left with my dad’s words ringing in my head. Are you writing to gain notoriety or are you writing for God?
The next morning, CelebrateLit had a post looking for submissions for a new and innovative series. Hope burst within me and I know I needed more information. I followed instructions and spoke with Sandy Barela and Chautona Havig. The more I was told, the more excited I became because I knew I needed to be part of this collection.
Ideas were hatched, characters began to talk, and a book proposal was sent. I continued to work on the development of characters and the mobile business knowing in my heart that God had given me this opportunity. I wouldn’t do things halfway. And when the confirmation email came, I was ready to share the beautiful story and characters that developed.
Beth is a food truck proprietor, so that means she spends most of her time cooking. In an effort to grow her recipes, I have been making videos of me cooking some of our family’s favorites as well as raiding my mom’s recipe box. The result is some amazing food to share.
Every book, pre-order card, and my YouTube channel has recipes on it. And so will this tour.
With it being summertime, our family doesn’t want those heavy meals so sometimes chips and sandwiches are all we need in the evenings. One favorite is my chicken salad.
Now, this recipe is easily substituted with other things like however, you like your chicken.

Melissa’s Chicken Salad
Feeds 4 (unless you have big eaters.)
2 cans of chicken (you can use cooked but this is quick and easy
1/2 cup of red grapes – halved
1/2 cup celery – diced
Make sure you rinse all of this well as you prep the salad
Dressing
1 1/2 cup of miracle whip (you can use mayo)
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp of sugar
Mix everything together and serve on your favorite bread option or on a bed of lettuce. I like mine in a pita pocket or on lettuce. This time it was with a pita pocket with a side of lightly salted chips and a pickle.
Now, just a little side note, you can add what ever veggie or fruit you like. Apples and cucumbers would be a great addition as well. So, don’t feel like you have to do things exactly like I do. Make it your own.

Bon appétit

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melissa is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Jack ~ Chautona Havig

This is book one of the Ballads from the Hearth Series.  This is a western Christian romance set in th e1800's time.  Jack has a hard time trusting due to his past issues, when he meet Hazel they strike up a relationship that needs to overcome the troubled past and trust issues.  Hazel has a life of faith, family and being a nice and humble person.  Her and Jack are opposites, but find they are attracted to each other.... the problem starts when others feel they need to cause trouble and make Hazel question Jack's trust.

I would recommend this to those that enjoy Chautona books and anyone that likes a read that is relaxing and takes you back into time.  This is a different style of writing than I am used to reading from this author, but enjoyed seeing another style of writing from her. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book

Book:  Jack
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre:  Historical Western Romance
Release Date: January 26, 2016


Women are trouble—lying, cheating, untrustworthy bundles of trouble.
Jack Clausen doesn’t need anyone but his horse and a boss who won’t interfere in his personal life—or lack of one.
Sure, he’s a lonely cowboy, but better lonely than brokenhearted.
If only he hadn’t met a girl who made him hope that honest and true women do exist. Maybe he wouldn’t be riding off into a snowstorm with a fresh determination to avoid women—indefinitely.
When Hazel Meissner sees a cowboy risk life, limb, and horse to save a child, she knows he’s someone special. When he finally gives her his heart, she considers herself the most blessed woman alive.
However, when he rides off without a word, she wonders if her heart will survive the loss.
One broken man. One trusting woman. One orchestrated misunderstanding that tears them apart. What’ll it take to bring Jack home again?
It’s Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing mashed up with the old ballad, “Cowboy Jack.”  Don’t miss a cast of characters inspired by the Bard himself—especially Dirk and Deborah (Benedick & Beatrice).
Jack: a lot of hullaballoo on the prairie.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

 More from Chautona

The Inspiration I Hate to Love

The plaintive notes of a ballad filled the living room. People sat on couches and chairs or stood in the doorway, listening. Three steps up the staircase, out of view of most of the room, a little girl sat, chin in her hands, listening.
If you looked close, you’d see freckles dotting her nose and crooked teeth that never were too large for her mouth like most children’s were. Just a bit closer, and you’d see wide, hazel eyes riveted to the man with the guitar seated on the hearth. To his right, a cup of coffee and sometimes a shot of whiskey.
With a voice like Jim Reeves (the non-twangy Reeves, mind you), the songs told stories, like all ballads do—a little blind girl praying for her father’s future happiness, a girl of thirteen who barely escaped a massacre in 19th century Wyoming. “Hazel eyes,” the man called her. California Joe—he was a real man, although not as good of one as the song made out.
Sometimes the man sang happier songs, but most of them were slow, western ballads that could keep Nicolas Sparks writing for decades.
And the little girl loved them all—especially California Joe and one about a cowboy who left his sweetheart alone on the prairie after a quarrel. One called “Cowboy Jack.”
As you’ve probably surmised, I was the little girl, and that man who sang and stirred the hearts of our family at nearly every gathering was my father.

How I miss those days.

For years, I wanted to give Jack a happier ending. See, the song goes like this. A lonely cowboy (with a heart so brave and true) meets and falls in love with a maiden (with eyes of heaven’s own blue). Alas, as with all good romances, the couple quarrel and Jack rides away. He finds a new band of cowboys and would have been just fine, but someone asks him to sing a song to “drive all cares away.” Alas, the song he devises is one about a “lonely maiden who waited for her Jack.”
Of course, he rides off to ask forgiveness. It’s all his fault. He arrives too late. She died of a broken heart on the “lonely prairie where skies are always blue.”
After I began writing, the idea came to me to turn those songs Dad sang—old ones that had been passed on and down through many different versions—into novels. I’d write all the subtext the songs left out.

I’d give them happy endings.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. One by one, I figured out how to do it, but Jack… well, I didn’t want to change the stories. I just wanted to leave on hope instead of despair
Shakespeare to the rescue!
I was watching Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado about Nothing adaptation, and the answer came to me so clearly. It had the solution I needed. So, I smooshed the song and the play together. Inside, you’ll find the characters Shakespeare created (including Dirk and Deborah and their biting repartee—they steal the show!) in the setting and with the elements of the ballad, too.
Dad’s older now. His hands are gnarled with age, swollen with arthritis. His mind is slipping away. Today, you’ll find his guitar at my house. My son now owns it, but he doesn’t know the songs I heard played on the old Goya. Still, when I take it out of the case, tune it up, and pluck the strings, everything shifts. Suddenly, I’m nine years old again, sitting on my uncle’s stairs, just out of sight, watching. Listening. Heart breaking.
See, I’ll never hear my father play again, and I can’t play either. So, the songs will have to live on with stories of Mary, Jethro, Maggie… and of course, Jack.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of the book and a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Sunday, September 20, 2020

About, Face, Rest, Intent and Purpose ~ Tonia Colleen Martin

This is a 3 book set, it consist of hardcover books that each are written in poem form.  They are not for everyone and are for those that are into poetry reading and the arts.  I would not recommend this for young or teen readers as the subjects are heavy meaning and for mature readers.  I didn't get these books as I am not a poetry reader and do not enjoy that type of reading.  The illistrations were strange to me and so very disturbing for my taste.  I am sure that the arts and creative readers and artists may find this set an enjoyable read, however, I am sad to say that I just couldn't relate or understand these books.  This is not meant to be a bad review because the author is reaching a certain type of reader and I am not one of those readers she is writing for. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book

Book:
About Face, Rest, and Intents & Purposes
Author: Tonia Colleen Martin
Genre: Illustrated Poetry
Release Date: 2019 and 2020


The terrible accident happened too long ago to remember the specifics. Having lost what she doesn’t remember owning, it takes the miracle of crossing paths with Hush, Shush and Silence, to reveal the truth. The shock of realizing she struggled to maintain an identity never meant to be hers, floors her. From a position of surrender, the surface of her tears mirrors who she has always been but hasn’t seen and does not know. Unimaginable possibilities, surprising choices and thrilling freedom ensues.
At the core of all anxiety is mistaken identity. About Face invites readers to consider who they might be apart from other people’s expectations and who they might become.

A perennial gift book for the stressed and beleaguered. Falling into the growing category of children’s books for adults, Rest: An Invitation to Freedom, lures readers out of frenzied productivity into a state of peaceful contemplation. Written for exhausted high achievers, this story is suitable for office lobbies, coffee and bedside tables.
“The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. At its best, the fairy story or fantasy is far from being a flight from reality; it is, rather, a flight to reality.”- JRR Tolkein
“The trumpet of imagination, like the trumpet of the Resurrection, calls the dead out of their
graves.” – GK Chesterton
“Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” — C.S. Lewis
   
This story took longer to live than to transcribe. For daydreamers, truth-seekers, joy-feeders, and those longing to let your heart instruct your mind, this little book is for you. Falling into my own stylized category of children’s book for adults, Intents and Purposes, chronicles the path of a life abandoned by disconnection and loneliness as it moves to the threshold of hope and contentment.
Both text and illustrations are mine. Although countless versions reside in my constantly reconfiguring memory, this compilation seems to be its truest version.



Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

I earned my MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, received the Hallberg Award for Art; Best of Show, Blue Line Gallery, Membership Medley; published in The Arts in Religious and Theological Studies; Ruminate Magazine; Metonym; Sierra College Journal.

More from Tonia

They are ready! Finally! These three illustrated books are condensed chronicles of various phases of my spiritual development. Over the years, I’ve learned that the deepest matters of the heart seem to be resistant to the confines of words. Images aid in the capture of emotions, but even still, the heart is shy. It runs from impatience and requires a concentration of listening and a suspension of judgment.
Each one of these books hovers over distinct territories and touch down in depths most avoid. I struggle to put my experiences into a kind and beautiful package, hoping to lure readers into places of feeling many might avoid. Not realizing they would be officially released during this unnerving pandemic, I am now so grateful for the message of hope that invites readers into possibilities and faith in our merciful Father of Lights who brought all things into being and is, even now, administering Peace to those who simply ask and expect. For those who suffer in the unknown, as I have and often do, I invite to include the reading of these missives of encouragement and their distribution of the message of Hope hidden in their pages.  They were written to uplift you on the days when you can find no words for your longing, no relief for your uncertainty and a deep desire for encouragement.  I am eager to get them out in the world.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Tonia is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Saturday, September 19, 2020

The Peacemaker ~ Elisabeth Bennet

This book is a 60 day ennegram devotional read about the NINE - The Peacemaker.   This book describes what an enneagram is and the nine traits.  It covers the 9 personality trait of  the Peacemaker, which is the number nine trait of the enneagram diagram.  This book will help you know if you are a peacemaker and how to describe the feelings and thoughts of peacemakers. It covers strengths, weakesses, problems and the growth of peacemakers.  How to avoid the unhealthy traits of a Nine and what to expect when you are a healthy nine.

I would recommend this book to those that enjoy reads about physcology and personality traits.  If you are a peacemaker then this is a good read for you if you want to learn how to grow as a peacemaker.  Elisabeth writes books of the enneagram traits and if this is not our personality trait, look for her book on the one that fits you coming in the future dates. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.

About the Book

Book: The Peacemaker
Author: Elisabeth Bennet
Genre: Christian Living
Release Date: September 8, 2020

The Enneagram is an ancient personality typology using nine points within a circle to represent nine distinct personality types. This sixty-day devotional is for the Peacemaker, number 9 of the Enneagram personality types. This devotional will help Peacemakers, and those who love them, to better understand how God created them and how best to use their unique gifts to serve Him and love others. It features a full explanation of what the Enneagram is and how it benefits people, followed by a full description of what it means to be a 9, including their deadly sin, sloth, and their greatest strength, their gut feelings. Also covered are motivations, fears, childhood wounds, the lost message they long to hear, their deadly sin, and defense mechanisms, as well as common subtypes, wings, and where they are in the head/heart/gut triad. The sixty days are split into six 10-day topics that include uniqueness, weakness, strength, pain points, and how Peacemakers react in times of stress and growth.


Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Elisabeth Bennett first discovered the Enneagram in the summer of 2017 and immediately realized how life-changing this tool could be. She set out to absorb all she could about this ancient personality typology, including a twelve-week Enneagram Certification course taught by Beth McCord, who has studied the Enneagram for more than twenty-five years. Elisabeth started her own Enneagram Instagram account (@Enneagram.Life) in 2018, which has grown to more than 55,000 followers. Since becoming a certified Enneagram coach, Elisabeth has conducted more than one hundred one-on-one coaching sessions, focused on helping her clients find their type and apply the Enneagram to their lives for personal and spiritual growth. She has also conducted staff/team building sessions for businesses and high school students. She has lived in beautiful Washington State her entire life and now has the joy of raising her own children there with her husband, Peter.

Endorsement for The Peacemaker

“Elisabeth has written a delightful devotional full of important information for those who want to grow in their own self-awareness and relationship with Christ. I highly recommend reading this book so you can experience transformation on a much deeper level that will bring about the change you desire in life.” —Beth McCord, YourEnneagramCoach.com, author of 10 Enneagram books
“I have been craving a devotional that would not only strengthen my relationship with Christ, but also authentically ‘get me’ as an Enneagram four. This simply knocks that out of the water. I find that, as a four, it’s hard to conform and give in to a generic devotional, and this is anything but that. Beautifully constructed for my four heart.” –Audrey Bailey, artist, mental heatlh advocate, creator of Brush and Barley digital brand (@BrushandBarley)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Elisabeth is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!

Friday, September 18, 2020

Pretending to Wed ~ Melissa Jagears

This is book 2 of the Frontier Vows series.  Nolan is a rancher that only wants to make his father proud, by ranching with his handicap and being able to run the ranch.  When he learns that in order to keep the ranch after his father passes he must marry.  With no one special in his life, he finds Corrine, who also needs to have a special person in her life.  When they decide to marry in an agreement of a marriage of conveneince that will serve both their needs.  With both of them having certain circumstances will this marriage be just what they both need?

I would recommend this to anyone that likes a Christian Historial romance read.  It is a story about trust, love and faith.  It has drama, romance and faith all wrapped into one.  It is one of those feel good reads, that you don't want to end.  This is book 2 but can be read as a stand alone. I didn't read book 1 and had no problems reading this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book

Book: Pretending to Wed
Author: Melissa Jagears
Genre: Christian Historical Romance
Release Date: May 28, 2020

It’s a match made in heaven…as long as they don’t fall in love!
The ranch Nolan Key has spent decades working for, even lost a leg for, is now his—or at least it should be. But an absurd clause in his father’s will means he’s in danger of losing the place to his lazy, undeserving cousin. Nolan finds himself scrambling to save his home—by proposing marriage to the town laundress.
Corinne Stillwater’s hands have betrayed her. Numb from hours of doing the same work over and over, her hands will only heal, according to the town doctor, if she gives up the laundry and marries. But she’s been stung repeatedly by love before, so that is one remedy she can’t swallow.
When Nolan offers Corinne a marriage in name only, how can she refuse? Such a partnership could give them the security they seek, but what if the ranch isn’t as secure as they believe, and their lives—and dreams—aren’t quite as compatible as they thought?
Pretending to Wed is the second book in the Frontier Vows Series by award-winning Christian romance author Melissa Jagears. If you like marriage-of-convenience stories that deal with the nitty-gritty of making a relationship work, you’ll love this authentic romance set in a time gone by that tackles issues still relevant for today.


Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Award winning author, Melissa Jagears, is a homeschooling mom who writes Christian Historical Romance into the wee hours of the night. She lives in Kansas with her husband and three children. Her ebook novella, Love by the Letter, is her ACFW Carol Award winning novella and free to try. You can learn more about her, her books, and where she hangs out online at www.melissajagears.com

 More from Melissa
The Elusive Electrical Spark to Awaken Frankenstein’s Monster
The plot of Pretending to Wed just wasn’t coming together for me. I had the romantic dilemma, but I didn’t love the characters. They were boring. And if I’m going to write a book, a.k.a. read it a bazillion times, I have to really want to read the book myself. I decided to take a break from the weeks of struggle and read. I was recommended a book because of the author’s great voice (I can’t recommend it because it’s not a clean novel), but I loved the fact that the heroine was a scientific illustrator. I wondered if I could give my heroine a scientific hobby and came up with inventing. That single character tidbit was the jolt that awakened Frankenstein’s Monster. She came alive! The research into what she could have patented at the time led my imagination to the egg hatching romance scene in the middle of the story and I was hooked! I couldn’t wait to read my book that didn’t yet exist.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Melissa is giving away the grand prize package of a Gift Certificate for the winner’s Choice of Book (up to 16.99 plus S&H) from Melissa’s Local Christian Bookstore, Faith & Life Bookstore, and a signed copy of Pretending to Wed!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 

Different like me ~ Xochitl Dixon

This is a children's book about diversity and being different.  It covers how people all look different, have different passions and deal with different disabilities that people have.  I like how it covers children of different nationalities and handicaps, but in the end they all have the same feelings and enjoy doing the same things.  

I would recommend this book to children and families to read together.  This is a book that is has a great story and really cute.  It will reach children because of the illistrations and story line.  Some reviews mentioned that the drawings were scary, I did not see this at all. They also said that children who looked alike were grouped on the pages and not mixed, this is not true.... the children are not grouped they are mixed and I thought this book would be an excellent edition to any childs book library, espically in today's world and how media covers this subject everyday.  Great Book!!!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.


About the Book

Book: Different Like Me
Author: Xochitl Dixon
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Release Date: August 4, 2020

Celebrate our differences and uncover what we have in common on this whimsical journey that reminds everyone that no matter how different, all of us are a part of God’s wonderful creation.
Whether in looks, cultural background, physical prowess, or academic excellence, there are no two children exactly alike. Different Like Me helps them know that being unique is good and that God has made them as they are for a purpose.

 Click here to get your copy!

 About the Author

Xochitl Dixon, author of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace and the children’s picture book, Different Like Me, serves as a regular contributor to Our Daily Bread and Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures. She equips and encourages others to grow closer to God and others, nurturing spiritual growth through prayerful study and application of Scripture. Sharing God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth, she enjoys serving Jesus with her service dog, Callie. She likes singing, art, photography, hanging out with her husband, Alan, and sons, AJ and Xavier, and connecting with readers at www.xedixon.com.

 More from Xochitl
Why I Wrote Different Like Me
What are you?
That question used to trigger anger, frustration, and sadness, especially when people responded in disbelief because my answer didn’t fit the stereotypes they’d accepted as truth. My insecurities deepened, causing me to hate my own light-but-not-white reflection. Years later, when I became a mom of two black sons, I didn’t want them to suffer similar insecurities. I didn’t want them to think their worth as people could be determined by the opinions, expectations, or biases of others. I wanted my sons to love God, to love the way God created them, and to love all the people God created. But my desires and best-intentions couldn’t protect them the ignorance and hate so prevalent in our fallen world.
One day, during a trip to an ice cream shop, an adult male glared at my five-year-old son and said, “What are you?” The sting of his words ripped the scar off the wound on my heart that I thought had healed.
Asking God to help me forgive, I sought ways to help my sons rejoice in their uniqueness and God’s creativity in designing all of His people. While studying my Bible, I began learning how to embrace my identity in Christ. The more I learned about God’s love for me, the more I began to accept I worth loving and the more I began to love others.
I wrote Different Like Me in 2001, shortly after receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Originally, I had planned to use the poem to teach my sons how to celebrate our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people. But the Lord kept nudging me to share the story with others.
In 2016, my agent and an editor read Different Like Me, loved it, but couldn’t move forward with publication. The following year, I signed a contract for my first full-length devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I set Different Like Me aside as I worked on the other projects the Lord had entrusted to me.
In 2018, shortly after submitting Waiting for God to my editor at Our Daily Bread Publishing, my agent and the editor who had loved Different Like Me in 2016 surprised me with two contract offers.
I scrambled to prepare my first children’s picture book proposal with the help of my friend and prolific children’s book author, Crystal Bowman. I submitted the proposal to several editors before prayerfully deciding to accept a contract from Our Daily Bread Publishing.
Then, I began praying for an illustrator who would avoid stereotypes and include children with special needs as heroes, not sideline characters. Bonnie Lui did a fabulous job. She weaved her own beautiful story into the gorgeous illustrations that breathe life into the whimsical rhyming text I’d written almost two decades earlier. Bonnie even created a character inspired by my service dog, Callie, a Border Collie/Hound mix we’d rescued in 2018 from a kill-shelter after God moved us from California to Wisconsin.
Earlier this year, as I prepared for the August 2020 release of Different Like Me, tragedy divided our world. I truly believe God delayed my path to publication so that He could prepare hearts to receive the message of love, unity, peace, and hope that He has brought to life through each page of Different Like Me.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Xochitl is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of Different Like Me with a bookmark, sticker, coloring page with a 4-pack of crayons, a key chain, a fish-out-of-water finger puppet, lollipop, and book bag, as well as a $25.00 Amazon gift card to encourage readers to build up their collection children’s picture books that celebrate diversity!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!