Monday, July 31, 2017

Abiding Mercy

Abiding Mercy 

An Amish Mercies Novel #1 

Paperback, ebook,  

July 4, 2017

by Ruth Reid

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson 
  • ISBN-13: 978-0718082444

Faith faces an impossible situation: Should she do the right thing and bring heartache to nearly everyone she knows or deny her true self and always wonder . . . what if?
Sixteen-year-old Faith has worked full-time in her parents’ restaurant since she finished eighth grade. She loves her Amish community—and the romantic attentions of her longtime friend, Gideon.
When her sister seems to be getting too friendly with Englischers, and her parents are in a buggy accident, Faith wants to escape into her dream of joining the church and getting married.
But then a local newspaper runs a story about a child named Adriana who was kidnapped fifteen years earlier, and everything Faith has held true comes into question.
Suddenly the community Faith has known her whole life seems unreal. Can she even trust her own family? And how will she ever find home again if she no longer belongs in the world she knows best?

My thoughts:  ABIDING MERCY is the first book in Ms. Reid's newest series with Thomas Nelson. I love the way she incorporates angels into some of her books and the red-headed mysterious man who randomly appears, disappears is a nice touch. 

I did not like Faith's sister, Olivia, at all. She was spoiled, selfish, and hateful and I don't see what Gideon ever saw in her. 

Gideon was a very sweet young Amish man. He was quick to step in and help Faith when her parents were in an accident and even willingly did "women's work" something many Amish men won't do. Faith was very sweet too, and when her world is disrupted struggles to find her footing while still obeying everything her parents said -- I don't think she would've been so quick to accept Englisch clothes, especially jeans the first time she tried them on in real life. 

There is absolutely no sexual tension in the story (for readers who like a super clean, sweet romance) and there is good faith message that is not at all preachy. The story is also a bit slow, making it ideal to read on a busy day as you can put it down and pick it up easily without say, burning dinner. 

Fans of Amish fiction will likely love ABIDING MERCY.  I'm glad this story finally made it into print as it was a long time coming. Congratulations, Ruth Reid! 

I received a copy of this book free and all opinions are my own. 

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Over Maya Dead Body

Over Maya Dead Body 

Serena Jones Mysteries #3 

Paperback, ebook, hardback

July 4, 2017

by Sandra Orchard

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Revell 
  • ISBN-13: 978-0800726706


Crime doesn't take a vacation

FBI Special Agent Serena Jones arrives on Martha's Vineyard with her family, ready for a little bit of R&R and a whole lot of reminiscing as they celebrate the engagement of an old family friend. But crime doesn't take a vacation, and she's soon entangled in an investigation of a suspicious death tied to an antiquities smuggling ring.

When her investigation propels her into danger, Serena must stay the course and solve this case before anyone else dies. But just how is she supposed to do that when the two men in her life arrive on the scene, bringing with them plenty of romantic complications--and even a secret or two?

Award-winning author Sandra Orchard keeps readers guessing with this fast-paced mystery laced with romance.

My thoughts:  OVER MAYA DEAD BODY was just as fun and quirky as I thought it would be. Serena is an FBI agent who seems to about as clueless as they come, especially about the  love stuff. I started to try to figure out who-dun-it, made my initial guesses, and then got caught up in the story and forgot to try and make my final guesses. I was admittedly more interested in who would win Serena's heart. Nate, the good ole boy who manages her apartment and has oh, so many secrets, or Tanner, her FBI co-worker who trained her for her job. 

And while the romance was hot, the mystery was just as intriguing, but not terribly scary. In themes with the other books, this is an art mystery, this time with smuggled artifacts and people are turning up dead.  I am pleased to say my initial guesses as to who-dun-it were spot on despite the numerous red herrings planted in the story. 

The faith message is rather weak, but slightly present. There was one untied string which may or may not mean another book in the series--since it was alluded as to who the killer might be. 

I enjoyed reading this book. I received a free copy of OVER MAYA DEAD BODY. All opinions are my own. 


Saturday, July 29, 2017

Fraying at the Edge

Fraying at the Edge: A Novel 

The Amish of Summer Grove #2 

Paperback, hardcover, ebook 

August 16, 2016

by Cindy Woodsmall

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: WaterBrook 
  • ISBN-13: 978-1601427014

Family, community, faith, and love.
These “quilt blocks” sewn together made Ariana’s beautiful life.
When they are pulled to pieces,
will anything familiar remain?

The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend living Englisch, can steady the tilting ground between Ariana’s two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?

At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and a deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.

New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?

Fraying at the Edge is the second novel in The Amish of Summer Grove series.

My thoughts: Wow. FRAYING AT THE EDGE was an emotional read that I so was not expecting. I mean I should have been, I read Ties that Bind earlier this month.  It was so emotional, with Ariana missing her family, being forced into a world she wanted no part of and having everything stripped away except a friendship with Quill that she didn't want. Likewise, Skylar, going from being a not exactly only child, but one with everything handed to her -- and a drug addiction, to being one of like a dozen children in a small house with a family that is dirt poor.  How would either girl survive the culture shock? 

Quill. Oh. My. Word. I am so in love with him. And Abram. They are both so wonderful, thoughtful, beyond awesome men. I am looking forward to reading Gathering the Threads (releasing next month, squeee!) so I can read more about them.  And yes, I have my wants about how I want this series to end, but whether they go the way I want or not, I know I'll be engaged. 

This is a series you will want to read in one sitting, starting at the beginning with Ties that Bind, Fraying at the edge, and Gathering the Threads, so you might want to start now at the beginning.  I absolutely loved the first two books in this series. There is a reason why Ms. Woodsmall is one of my favorite Amish authors.  

I was given a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own. 

Friday, July 28, 2017

The Road Less Traveled . . . For a Reason! by Laura V. Hilton



THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED . . . FOR A REASON!

Camping is not one of my favorite activities. My idea of roughing it is a little more civilized. Like maybe a hotel with a complimentary breakfast -- kind of like Bessie in my story Married By Mistake featured below. My family has a different opinion. My husband, Steve, is former Navy stationed with the Marines, and used to the military’s version of camping. My son sleeps outside in the backyard for fun. Since we live deep in the forest, it’s not a stretch to imagine bears, raccoons, mountain lions, and other wildlife. They are very real, present, and accounted for.

When Steve and I were first married, my mom and two of her friends decided to go camping at Petit Jean State Park near Russellville, Arkansas. Mom invited Steve and me to go with them. Steve was all for it. And ready to leave, yesterday. I was considerably less excited, but told Mom we’d be there, asked what we could bring, and started praying for clean bathrooms and showers, without an army of bugs and spiders spying on me as I shower.

I can’t remember whether we went to Petit Jean in the spring or the fall. The temperatures weren’t hot during the day, but in the comfortable range, and the nights were down-right cold. Mom had camp cots and sleeping bags left from the days when we went camping for weeks every summer with Mom’s and Dad’s friends. The ones that had the same “roughing-it-is-fun” idea as my parents—and it was. Sometimes.



Anyway, we slept on cots. Mom, Steve, and I in the same tent. Their friends had a small travel trailer which I thought probably beat cots and tents in terms of amenities. I am more of a night owl while Steve is an early bird. I stayed up late at night, reading by the lantern or talking with Mom’s friends (also night owls) by the fire while Steve and Mom fell asleep with the birds. Steve and Mom got up at some odd hour of the night when I was still happily sleeping and started preparing breakfast and making plans for the hiking we’d do later on the trails at Petit Jean. When breakfast was almost ready, Steve came into the tent to wake me. He slid his icy hands into the sleeping bag I was snuggled in and touched my feet. I sat bolt upright and said “Get your cold feet off my warm hands!”

Steve about rolled with laughter. That was when he discovered that when I first wake up, when my mind’s on something else, or when I am exhausted, words and phrases come out in weird order. He already knew I talk without words going through any sort of mental processing beforehand.  My mouth opens and words emerge I have no memory of saying. Like when we got engaged. We only knew each other two months. We were right in the middle of a water gun fight in my apartment, and this is where details get rather cloudy. I remember laughing. Racing to the sink to refill the water guns. Both of us getting soaked. Then the mood changes. And he stands there in all seriousness and says “Yes.”

Yes? Wait. Obviously, I’d asked a question. But for the life of me, I didn’t have a clue what words had exited my mouth. “What did I say?”

He’s still standing there, all serious, water gun angled toward the floor. “You said, Marry me.  I accepted.”

I’m sure my mouth hit the floor and I got the deer-in-the-headlights look.  “No. I didn’t mean that.”

He shrugs. “Too late. I already accepted.”

And so I found myself engaged. And two months after that, married. We’ve been married close to thirty years now, so I believe God proposed for us.

My children find my speech equally amusing and unsettling. They are used to me saying weird things. Like, “Go see if there’s a mailbox in the letters.” Or, “Get the refrigerator out of the carrots.” I’m also known to get common sayings all mixed up and wrong. Unfortunately, my fingers have the same problem as my mouth. Things come out wrong or without realizing I said them. I claim it’s part of my Pennsylvania Dutch heritage—after all, I had to go through speech therapy as a child due to the German way of saying certain words. For example, the word “three.”  My family all said “Tree.” As in, “I ate tree cookies.” That wasn’t acceptable in public schools. So I had to go to therapy to learn how to pronounce three. I also know my family got their word order mixed up all the time, like I do. “Go get the cookie jar out of the cookies.” All the people, in the Michigan community my grandparents settled in after leaving the Amish (German settlers) spoke the same way.

I had to learn to be completely reliant on God for words. Pray often. When asked to speak in front of the church or at a library, I do serious praying that the words will come out in the right order.  After being laughed at a lot as a child, I learned that silence is best. And unless I know someone and feel comfortable around them, I remain quiet.

That is something I struggle with now. As a pastor’s wife, as a homeschool mom, and as a writer, God is constantly forcing me out of my comfort zone. Just like those long ago camping trips with my mom and dad, and – later – Mom and Steve, I am out of my element when asked to speak at libraries, in front of a church group, or at a ladies meeting. When asked to contribute to blogs I struggle to come up with something valuable to say. I learned I do much better when I give both the words that come from my mouth and the words that come from my fingers completely over to God.

With my husband reminding me, “Breathe, breathe, breathe. You got this.” As well as a lot of prayer, I have found that “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)





Hope for Happy Endings Is Renewed in Nine Historical Romances
 
Meet nine women from history spanning from 1776 to 1944 feel the sting of having lost out on love. Can their hope for experiencing romance again be renewed?

Love in the Crossfire by Lauralee Bliss - Trenton, New Jersey, 1776
Gretchen Hanson watched her beau go off to war and never return. She soon falls for an enemy scout who stumbles upon her farm. If Jake is discovered, it could mean death for them all. Will Gretchen let go of love or stand strong?
 
Daughter of Orion by Ramona K. Cecil - New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1859
Whaling widow, Matilda Daggett, vows to never again give her heart to a seaman. But when debt drives her to masquerade as a cabin boy on a whaling ship, a young harpooner threatens both her vow and her heart.
 
The Substitute Husband and the Unexpected Bride by Pamela Griffin - Washington Territory, 1864
Cecily McGiver, a mail-order bride, arrives in the rugged Washington Territory shocked to find herself without a husband—that is until Garrett, a widower, offers to take the position. Can the challenges that face them lead to love?
 
The Prickly Pear Bride by Pam Hillman - Little Prickly Pear Creek, Montana Territory, 1884
Shepherdess Evelyn Arnold left her intended at the altar so he could marry the woman he really loved. Dubbed Miss Prickly Pear, Evelyn is resigned to a loveless life and the ridicule of her neighbors. When Cole Rawlins sweeps her out of a raging river, she realizes even a prickly pear can find love.
 
The Widow of St. Charles Avenue by Grace Hitchcock - New Orleans, 1895
Colette Olivier, a young widow who married out of obligation, finds herself at the end of her mourning period and besieged with suitors out for her inheritance. With her pick of any man, she is drawn to an unlikely choice.
 
Married by Mistake by Laura V. Hilton - Mackinac Island, 1902
When a plan to pose for advertising goes awry, Thomas Hale and Bessie O’Hara find themselves legally married. Now Bessie and Thomas must decide whether to continue the charade or walk away. Either choice could ruin them if the truth gets out. 
 
Fanned Embers by Angela Breidenbach - Bitterroot Mountains, Montana/Idaho border, 1910
Stranded in the treacherous railroad camp after her husband’s murder, Juliana Hayes has no desire to marry a ruffian like Lukas Filips. Can she release prejudice to love again? Or will they even survive the fiery Pacific Northwest disaster to find out?
 
From a Distance by Amber Stockton - Breckenridge, Colorado, 1925
Financial Manager Trevor Fox sets out to find a lady to love him and not his money, then meets and falls for an average girl only to discover she’d deceived him to protect her heart after he unknowingly rejects her.
 
What the Heart Sees by Liz Tolsma - Hartford, Wisconsin, 1944
American Miriam Bradford is shocked to see Paul Albrecht, her summer fling from Germany in 1939, escorted into church as a POW. Can they rekindle their romance amid the overwhelming objections of almost everyone in town–including her father? 


 
 
Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with almost twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write and Putting on the New.

Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.

When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.

twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton

Purchase my books:



Thursday, July 27, 2017

40 Days of Healing





Write Now Literary is pleased to announce The Book Blast Tour for 40 Days of Healing by Danyelle Scroggins. July 27, 2017
Publication Date: June 12, 2017
Genre: Inspirational
ASIN: B072MS2TLR
ISBN-10: 154806775X

ISBN-13: 978-1548067755

About the Author

Pastor/ Author Danyelle is the Senior Pastor of New Vessels Ministries North in Shreveport, Louisiana. She studied Theology at Louisiana Baptist University, has a Psychology Degree from the University of Phoenix, an Interdisciplinary Degree in Psychology /Biblical Studies from Liberty University, and is presently working on a Master’s in Religious Education from the Liberty University. Pastor Danyelle owns Divinely Sown Publishing LLC and is the author of both Christian fiction and non-fiction books. She is the wife of Pastor Reynard Scroggins Sr., the mother of three by birth and two additional by marriage.





About The Book 

40 Days Of Healing takes the reader through 40 days of fasting in hopes of being delivered from the "IT" that has caused separation between them and God, and gives them the opportunity to journal their most personal prayers, thoughts, and intentions. 40 Days Of Healing is also a complete guide to 40 days of fasting and spiritual renewal. It is an opportunity for mind renewal in your mind, body, and spirit. It is saturated with wonderful scriptures to help usher you into your healing.

















Connect Socially
Website: http://www.danyellescroggins.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/danyellescroggins
Purchase Links
Amazon ebook: http://a.co/0ukPKm3
Amazon paperback: http://a.co/5eplEHW
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2uAOlPd
Tour hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours www.wnlbooktours.com
Follow the tour: http://wnlbooktours.com/danyelle-scroggins/



Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Beneath Copper Falls

Beneath Copper Falls 

Rock Harbor Series

Paperback, ebook, hardcover

July 11, 2017

by Colleen Coble


  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Thomas Nelson
  • ISBN-13: 978-1401690328

Dana has already learned that love isn’t safe . . . but could it be different in Rock Harbor?

As a 911 dispatcher, Dana Newell takes pride in being calm in tough circumstances. In addition to her emotionally-charged career, she’s faced enough emergencies in her own life. She recently escaped her abusive fiancé to move to tranquil Rock Harbor where she hopes life will be more peaceful.

But the idyllic town hides more danger and secrets than it first appeared. Dana is continually drawn to her new friend Boone, who has scars inside and out. Then she answers a call at her job only to hear a friend’s desperate screams on the other end. Soon the pain in her past collides with the mysteries of her new home—and threatens to keep her from the future she’s always wanted.



My thoughts:  Like many other readers, I loved Ms. Coble's Rock Harbor series, set in an area of Michigan that I know and love. And although I have never written Ms. Coble asking for more books in the series, I was glad when  BENEATH COPPER FALLS came out. 

I enjoyed getting to know Dana and Boone. I knew a bit about Dana's job thanks to my son's time working for the sheriff department and it was fun learning about Boone and what made him tick. 

The suspense - as my daughter said "sounds scary." I asked if she wanted to read it and she said no, she doesn't do scary. She punctuated it with a shudder.  It wasn't really all that scary, but as the reader I was kept awake one night trying to figure out who-dun-it and by the time I got up in the morning I had it figured out and then I had to finish the book to see if I was right.  

Ms. Coble does an excellent job with the red herrings and I think one has to be more than somewhat familiar with the genre to figure out her who-dun-it before the end, which is good because it will keep readers guessing! 

It was also great to revisit Bree, Kade, Adu, Laurie, Mason, and other familiar Rock Harbor characters--not to mention the Search and Rescue dogs. 

Great story.  There is a weak faith message and a couple uses of soft swear words for those who are bothered by mild swearing. I was given a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.


Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Anything But Simple: My Life as a Mennonite

Anything but Simple: My Life as a Mennonite 

Paperback 

July 25, 2017

by Lucinda J. Miller 

  • Series: Plainspoken
  • Paperback: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Herald Press 
  • ISBN-13: 978-1513801605

Like her grandmother, Lucinda J. Miller wears long dresses and a prayer covering. But she uses a cellphone and posts status updates on Facebook, too. Anything but Simple is the riveting memoir of a young woman’s rich church tradition, lively family life, and longings for a meaningful future within her Mennonite faith. With a roving curiosity and a sometimes saucy tongue, Miller ushers us into her busy life as a young schoolteacher.
Book 5 in the Plainspoken series. Hear straight from Amish and Mennonite people themselves as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book includes “A Day in the Life of the Author” and the author’s answers to FAQs about the Amish and Mennonites.

My thoughts: Memoirs are not preferred reading material for me, but this book sounded interesting.  I like Lucinda Miller's voice, she writes open, honest, and real, and this book is definitely organized in a realistic readable way, not jumping back and forth to little kid and adult. If it does it is only because the childhood incident relates to something as an adult.  It was fascinating realizing how similar Ms. Miller and I were brought up, although my Amish grandparents made a slightly larger jump of the fence from Amish to United Brethren. I grew up canning and dressed simply (in dresses) and other very plain things, though I never did wear a Kapp. 

If you are fascinated by all things plain and want a real, honest-to-goodness look at what it is like to grow up Mennonite, then Ms. Miller's ANYTHING BUT SIMPLE: MY LIFE AS A MENNONITE would be a great book to pick up.  It also includes a day in the life of the author and a list of questions she answered. 

A good read.  

Monday, July 24, 2017

Book Spotlight and Giveaway of Unraveled by Jo Huddleston


UNRAVELED by Jo Huddleston

Jo is offering an eBook copy for a giveaway. Be sure to leave contact information. 


JO HUDDLESTON - BIO

Jo Huddleston is a multi-published author who writes novels inspired by her fascination with the 1950s and her love of her native American South. Novels in her endearing Caney Creek series, her West Virginia Mountains series, as well as her stand-alone release, Tidewater Summer, are sweet Southern romance novels. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Literary Hall of Fame at Lincoln Memorial University (TN). Visit Jo at her website (www.johuddleston.com) where you can sign up for her mailing list and read the first chapters of her novels and novellas.

Unraveled Back Cover Blurb:

Alice loses herself in grief and can’t find her way back.

In 1954, twenty-six-year-old Alice Patterson undergoes a pregnancy loss that affects everything and everyone she touches. Emotionally and physically drained, she must come to terms with her traumatic loss or risk losing her husband, her best friend, and her sanity.

Her best friend JayNell and her husband Paul offer Alice support and comfort. She persists in her grieving, which hinders her healing. The doctor advises there is no normal recovery period for what Alice has undergone. Time is her best ally.
In her small southern Mississippi town, her church Sewing Circle’s new project triggers an unsettling setback to Alice’s recovery. Afterward, she succumbs to suspicions of Paul’s infidelity that causes her collapse, from which she may not recover.

Paul’s unspoken goal is that they will recapture the love they held for one another on their wedding day. He’s hopeful that the approaching spring season will bring a reawakening of the Alice he married, as it brings a newness to all living things.



Book’s Purchase Link:

Links to Huddleston Online:
Website and blog (Read novel first chapters here): http://www.johuddleston.com
Sign up for Jo’s mailing list: http://bit.ly/1ZFaZwG
Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/2cfSroU
Facebook author page: http://bit.ly/2aqFEeT
Facebook personal page: http://on.fb.me/1Ubic69
Inspirational blog: http://bit.ly/2gttKVr
BookBub Profile: http://bit.ly/2liB0G3

Excerpt:
Chapter 1
Tuesday, March 2, 1954—Talasia, Mississippi
Alice Patterson bolted upright in the bed and listened for what had awakened her. She heard nothing out of the ordinary. Only the hushed, even snores from her husband Paul’s side of the bed. The black hole in her recurring nightmares must have invaded her subliminal mind—again. She had awakened before she sank into its depths. Paul still slept. Obviously, she hadn’t screamed out this time.
She eased from beneath the covers, pushed her feet into house slippers, and grabbed her pink terry cloth robe lying across the foot of the bed. After stepping into the hall and pulling the door shut, she stuffed her arms into her robe and tied the sash around her waist. She knew her house, even in the night, and walked to the darkened bedroom next to hers and Paul’s.
 Pale light from the street lamp outside huddled beyond the curtains covering the lone window. Standing in the middle of the room, she peered toward the baby bed, then her gaze focused on the rocking chair with the golden cushions padding its back and seat. She went to the small chest placed against the wall across the room and opened the music box sitting atop it. The tiny box played its shrill rendition of “Brahms’ Lullaby.”
Alice sat in the rocking chair and idly moved it with one foot grazing the hardwood floor, her arms empty. She remained there even after the music box played its last note. Blinding light burst from the hall and pierced the darkness of the room to reveal the baby bed. Empty.
Paul’s voice reached her through the night. “You all right?”
Would she ever be all right again? She turned toward the open door where her husband’s silhouette stood in dark contrast to the brightness behind him. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“It’ll be daylight soon. Come on back to bed. If you can’t sleep, at least you can rest your body. You need to conserve your energy to help regain your strength.”
Paul repeated what Dr. Stallings had told her before he released her from the hospital ten days ago. But what did she need her strength for? She no longer carried the baby they’d both dreamed of. Her body was now empty like her arms and the baby bed.



Sunday, July 23, 2017

Wow!: The Good News in Four Words


Wow!: The Good News in Four Words 

Hardcover 

July 18, 2017

by Dandi Daley Mackall (Author), Annabel Tempest (Illustrator)

  • Age Range: 3 - 6 years
  • Grade Level: Preschool - 1
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Tyndale Kids 
  • ISBN-13: 978-1496418142

For anyone looking for a fresh way to present the gospel to young children, Wow! The Good News in Four Words is a perfect resource. This whimsical and fun book outlines the gospel in a simple and memorable way (for both adults and kids!), using fun words to highlight the story. The book will present Creation/Genesis (Wow!), The Fall (Uh-oh . . .), Redemption/Jesus’ Life and Sacrifice (Yes!), Restoration/The New Heaven (Aaahhhh), ending with one last Wow because we get to go out and tell the Good News!

My thoughts: Wow!: The Good News in Four Words is a cute and creative way to share parts of the gospel with children (and adults) using four words to tell the story. This is not a book to use with children raised in church who know the gospel forwards and backwards, but if your church has a bus ministry, or a good news club or other ministry that reaches out to unchurched neighborhood children then this book would be awesome for them.  It is worded in such a way that the person reading the story can expand on it if the listener asks questions, so they might get the whole truth instead of a watered down version of it. 

Definitely unique and and timely ministry resource with more people unchurched than ever before.


Saturday, July 22, 2017

Interview with Toni Shiloh and #giveaway!!

 Today we welcome Toni Shiloh to my blog. Toni is very graciously giving away an ebook of her new story Finding Love. To enter, answer the question in blue below. Please leave contact information. 

Toni, good to have you stop by. Tell us about Finding Love – a brief blurb

Delaney Jones has finally started to pick up the pieces of her shattered life after the death of her husband, Parker. Just as she adjusts to a new normal, in walks Army soldier, Luke Robinson. When she finally makes the decision to trust him, the world deals her a heavy blow.

Sergeant First Class Luke Robinson can’t get over his part in the death of Delaney’s husband. Hoping to assuage his guilt, he offers to lend a hand. He never counted on the feelings she evokes with just a smile. Will his secrets widen the gulf, or will he finally find absolution?


Is there one particular message or “moral of the story” you hope readers walk away with?

That no matter what you’re going through, you can trust God to see you through it. Trust is so hard to surrender to, especially when we’ve been hurt in the past. But unlike people, God is faithful and worthy of our trust.

What one question would you like us to ask your readers? 

When you stepped out on faith and trusted God, how did your life improve?

Tell us about the giveaway you’re offering. 

I’m offering an eBook copy of Finding Love.

How did Finding Love get started? 

It’s book two in my Maple Run series. When I finished book one, I knew I wanted Delaney’s story to be one of the books. Since some of the other characters refused to talk to me, I decided to tell her story. I’m so glad I did! I enjoyed writing her tale.

Tell us about your research process. 

Usually I have to do research on jobs and setting. Almost all of my books are in a different place. Fortunately, since this is book two in the series, I didn’t have to do more research for the setting. But I did have to look up information for my hero’s job as a paratrooper.

What impact did your research have on you personally? 

I enjoyed the research and learning something new. It solidified my desire never to jump out of an airplane, lol.

How do you see yourself in your character’s story, if at all? 

I’m just the person doing the typing, lol. I think the only similarity Delaney and I have is we both have boys. In fact, I used them for inspiration while writing about her twins.


While you were writing Finding Love, do you think it mattered where the book was set? 

Yes! Since it’s set in the fictional town of Maple Run, I had a perfect vision in my mind. I don’t have every store or place perfectly placed in my mind, but it has a feeling and a mood I hope welcomes the reader.

Share your bio: 

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and president of the Virginia Chapter.

You can find her on her website at http://tonishiloh.weebly.com


Social media and buying links  Buy links – http://amzn.to/2r2NmFZ  

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Hope – A Supernatural Abstraction #Devotional by Laura Poole

  Hope – A Supernatural Abstraction   “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words.” ~...