15-Minute Painting: Effortless Watercolor

Learn to create simple, colorful works of art using easy, step-by-step watercolor painting techniques that require minimal time, effort, and only the most basic supplies.

An ideal "first book" for absolute beginners, 15-Minute Painting: Effortless Watercolor uses large brushstrokes and minimal, colorful palettes to help budding artists create light, carefree paintings in practically no time at all. After a quick overview of the basic tools and materials, including papers, brushes, and paints, and a brief introduction to choosing and mixing colors, Effortless Watercolor demonstrates how to use just a few brushstrokes to create lively works of art in a simple, modern style.

From vibrant birds and florals to expressive landscapes and still lifes, follow along with these step-by-step projects to create quick-and-easy masterpieces—a perfect formula for artists just getting started. Effortless Watercolor provides a unique introduction to watercolor painting, from choosing the right brushes and paints to creating inspired works of art using easy painting techniques—no experience required.

Books in the 15-Minute Series are perfect primers for beginning artists who want to learn the basics. Designed to be used as artist notebooks, these interactive workbooks include prompts and exercises that allow beginning artists to test out their skills directly inside the book.

My Thoughts:  This is a book packed full of information, well written, easy to follow, and lots of photos!  This is a wonderful book for those just starting out in watercolor, or those interested to see what it may entail.   With plenty of exercises and demonstrations for techniques and equipment needed, the reader will enjoy and get a lot of information from this book

I  received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tamar: Rediscovering the God Who Redeems Me

 

If God can choose the Canaanite Tamar to continue the line through which Christ would come, can anything keep Him from weaving your story into His redemptive plan?

Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah, is the first woman listed in the lineage of Christ. Mistreated, widowed twice, betrayed, and used as a prostitute... it seems impossible that God could redeem her story, but His plan of redemption was prewritten for all eternity-and nothing can get in His way.

Through this six-week, in-depth Bible study, you will discover that no matter life's twists and turns or your sins and failures, there is a God working behind the seen, redeeming it all for His glory.

I've posted Shadia's Bible studies on here before  Hagar: Rediscovering the God Who Sees Me (Bible Study) (Behind the Seen: Exploring the Bible's Unsung Heroes)

Legion: Rediscovering the God Who Rescues Me (Bible Study) (Behind the Scene: Exploring the Bible's Unsung Heroes)

Once again Hadia has written a study that really makes the reader think and apply the Bible.  

If you are searching for a good Bible study, this is it.   Written by the author of Hagar and  Legion: Rediscovering the God Who rescues me.   the first study in the series Rediscovering the God Who Rescued Me;  Shadia Hrichi.   This author has an enjoyable way of teaching the Bible.   It's informative, and exciting to dig into the Bible with Shadia.  The readers will learn so much and enjoy as they learn. 

Hey everyone, I am part of a book launch team for an incredible Bible study, that is being released on October 19!  I have read through the first 3 weeks and I love this and recommend it to anyone looking for a new study.

I will be posting a full review soon!  I have enclosed a link to Shadia's author facebook page.

Shadia Hrichi Author Face book page

Today I am sharing a link to a video of author ShadiaHrichi talking about her new book.   This is a great study that has encouraged me, and has made me think deeper about Hagar and what God wants and has for us as His children.

Full Review:

What do you think of when you hear the name Tamar?  Who was Tamar?  When I was invited to do a book launch on the Bible study of Tamar, I was intrigued.  This is one that I really wanted to do. 

We all know that Tamar was the wife of  Er, son of Judah, but we need to read the story to find out more about Tamar and why she is the subject of redemption.  From this story, we can learn that God redeems us all and it does not matter what choices we have made, good or bad God will redeem us if we ask!

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to review this study.   It's an easy 6-week study that can be extended into 12 weeks if so desired.    If you are looking for a Bible study I urge you to give this one a try.

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I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Scarlet Pen Celebration Tour

 

About the Book

 

Book:  The Scarlet Pen

Author: Jennifer Uhlarik

Genre: Christian Historical Suspense

Release date: July 2021

 

Engaged to a Monster

Book 12 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.

In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?

 My Thoughts:  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books in this series.  This book takes us to Ohio and the wild west of Nebraska and Iowa, where a young woman is deceived by her fiancee.  Wonderfully written, this book grabs the reader's attention until the very end.  This book is based on true facts.  This is what makes the stories so interesting is the fact that they are based on true crimes.  It is hard to fathom sometimes how these crimes could possibly have been committed.  If you like mystery and true crime books this is a must-read.  A crime of counterfeit and murders will certainly entertain.

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Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a preteen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a BA in writing, she has won five writing competitions and was a finalist in two others. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenage son, and four fur children.

 

More from Jennifer

Hello, Readers! For all who might never have read one of my stories or come across me, it’s great to meet you! I’m a wife, a mom, a (young!) grandma, and an author—among many other things. My author tagline is “Where Grit Meets Grace.” If you’re familiar with my writing at all, you’ll know that most of my stories at least touch on a bit of the difficult side of life. Death, abandonment, war, addiction, or who knows what else you might find. The Scarlet Pen is no different.

 

Given that this novel is the final installment in Barbour’s True Colors series, the story revolves around a true crime from history—in this case, the murders of serial killer Stephen Dee Richards—AKA the Nebraska Fiend. Anytime you’re dealing with someone so depraved as he, you’ll find plenty of “grit” to write about. But that’s only half of my tagline. Remember, it’s “Where Grit Meets Grace.”

 

While I love a story that delves into difficult topics and, in some cases, pushes the characters right to the edge of what they can handle, I also love a truly redemptive story. When I was asked to write for this series, the ideas that drew me the most were the ones that had something redeeming in the actual history. There were plenty of interesting historical killers I could’ve chosen where I could have manufactured a positive, even happy ending through the fictional characters in the book. In the case of Stephen Dee Richards, there was no manufacturing needed. The “grace” part was already written. The end of Stephen’s story is precisely why I chose to write about him. I hope you’ll find it as though-provoking and compelling as I did. Happy reading!

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, July 29

Genesis 5020, July 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29

For Him and My Family, July 30

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 30 (Author Interview)

Christian Bookaholic, July 30

Southern Gal Loves to Read, July 31

Inklings and notions, July 31

Britt Reads Fiction, July 31

Remembrancy, August 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 1

Betti Mace, August 2

Rebecca Tews, August 2

deb’s Book Review, August 2

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 3

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 3

Blogging With Carol , August 3

Older & Smarter?, August 4

Connie’s History Classroom, August 4

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, August 4

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 5

Bigreadersite, August 5

Godly Book Reviews, August 6

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 6

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 6

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 7

Back Porch Reads, August 7

Mary Hake, August 7

Through the fire blogs, August 8

sodbuster living, August 8

Connect in Fiction, August 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 9

Texas Book-aholic, August 9

KarenSueHadley, August 9

Pause for Tales, August 10

For the Love of Literature, August 10

Blossoms and Blessings, August 10

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 11

Spoken from the Heart, August 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Scarlet Pen!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

Click Here to Enter!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Silver Shadow Celebration Tour

 

 

About the Book

 

Book:  The Silver Shadow

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Historical/Suspense

Release date: May 2021

 

A Shadowy Figure Is Intent on Harming Denver’s Women

Book 11 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

Denver of 1900 is still a dangerous place to be following the silver crash of 1893. And of out of the dark comes a shadow intent on harming wom

en. Ambitious young Denver newspaper reporter Polly Blythe is searching for the big story that’s going to launch her career. On Friday evening, August 24, 1900, she gets her break when two women are cracked over the head within a two-minute walk of each other. But policeman Edwin Timmer thwarts Polly’s ideas of a serial criminal. . .until the shadowy figure strikes again. Will the reporter and the policeman team up to find the culprit before he strikes too close for comfort?

 My Thoughts:  The True color series never disappoints, and author Liz Tolma delivers a suspenseful story.  This is a true historical mystery that contains some fictional characters.  The main character Polly Blythe is determined to make her own way in life.  She has a winning personality that everyone likes.  Readers who like mysteries will certainly enjoy the twists and turns of this one, as the author keeps the reader trying to guess what will happen next.

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Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

 

More from Liz

One of the most popular questions I’ve gotten from many readers of the True Colors Crime series is how do I come up with the ideas for the books? For the first two, Becky Germany, acquisitions editor at Barbour Publishing, had the ideas. That made my life easy. I just had to fictionalize it, and I had a book. But when I was putting together the proposals for The Gold Digger and The Silver Shadow, it was up to me to find the true crimes I wanted to use.

 

I went online and scoured historical crime blogs and books for ideas. I wanted crimes that I could work easily with, that made for compelling stories. As I was doing this, my husband and two daughters and I were driving home from Georgia. We were somewhere in Indiana. Don’t ask me why I remember this when I can’t remember what I had for dinner last night, but I do.

 

And then on Google Books, I discovered a book about crimes the world had forgotten. The first one in there sounded so good. Not too grisly, something that no one would be able to guess the culprit very easily. It was perfect. Imagine my excitement when Becky told me they would be publishing The Silver Shadow.

 

Then I sat down to research it more. And I could hardly find anything! What? Where was all the information on this? There had to be more. That chapter in the one book couldn’t be all there was. He had to get his information from somewhere.

 

Eventually I did come across some articles from various Colorado newspapers with a few details. Not many at all. None from any of the Denver papers, even though that’s where the crimes were committed.

 

In the end, that’s all the information I discovered. In a way, it was freeing. I could write whatever I wanted, and no one would be the wiser. Even if they did some research and some digging, there wasn’t much to find. I was able to take the facts that I did have, combine that with what I found out about Denver in 1900, and put it together in a story. I tried to use historical details wherever I could, but of my four True Colors Crimes books, this is the most fictional of them all.

Blog Stops

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 25

lakesidelivingsite, May 25

Reviewingbooksplusmore, May 25

For the Love of Literature, May 26

Bigreadersite, May 26

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 26

Texas Book-aholic, May 27

Genesis 5020, May 27

Christian Bookaholic, May 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 28

Vicky Sluiter, May 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 28

The Write Escape, May 29

Betti Mace, May 29

Inklings and notions, May 29

Southern Gal Loves to Read, May 30

For Him and My Family, May 30

Rebecca Tews, May 30

Older & Smarter?, May 31

deb’s Book Review, May 31

Blogging With Carol, May 31

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 1

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 1

Remembrancy, June 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 2

Pick a Good Book, June 2

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, June 2

Connie’s History Classroom, June 3

Godly Book Reviews, June 3

Mary Hake, June 3

Through the Fire Blogs, June 4

Melissa Wardwells Back Porch Reads, June 4

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 4

KarenSueHadley, June 5

Amanda Tero, Blog, June 5

Tell Tale Book Reviews, June 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 6

Grace-Filled Writer, June 6

Pause for Tales, June 6

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, June 7

Blossoms and Blessings, June 7

Daysong Reflections, June 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card 

and copy of The Silver Shadow!!

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

Click Here to Enter!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Lainey of the Door Islands Celebration Tour

 

 

About the Book

 

Book:  Lainey of the Door Islands

Author: Judy Ducharme

Genre: Historical Fiction and Young Adult Fiction

Release date: July 24, 2020

 

Walk with Lainey into the world of Door County and its islands in the late 1800s, a time of shipwrecks, lighthouses, and strong individuals who never gave up. Lainey becomes one of those rugged individuals as she faces tragedy and hardship. Her aunt and uncle, the lighthouse keepers on tiny Pilot Island, demonstrate the toughness needed to survive, but Lainey takes it a step further with her spunk and grace and becomes a shining light to all those around her. With humor, faith, close friendships and the young man who interferes with her ability to function, Lainey of the Door Islands will capture your heart, and she’ll inspire you to know that no matter what happens, God has a plan to prosper and not to harm.

 My Thoughts:  This story will capture your heart, based at the turn of the century when ships depended on lighthouses, this story will intrigue all who read it.  Lighthouses were so important and were used to guide the ships. Today there are very few if any working lighthouses.  It was interesting to look into the lives of the lighthouse keepers to see what their day-to-day living was like.  Add in the storyline of the characters and you have a wonderful story.   The important thing to take away from this novel is that God is there for you no matter what happens.  We must learn to depend on Him for everything, through the good times and in the tragic moments of our lives. Readers will truly enjoy this novel.  

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Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

 

Judy DuCharme grew up with Lake Huron next to her back yard and has always loved the water. She, her husband, daughter, and son moved to Door County in 1984. After teaching 5th Grade at Gibraltar School for 22 years, Judy followed the calling that tugged at her all her life to write. Lainey of the Door Islands is her 7th published book and she is the recipient of numerous awards. She also writes for Guideposts Magazine. If you visit Door County, you may find her hiking in the woods, jet skiing on the bay, worshipping at her church, teaching a Bible study, cheering for the Green Bay Packers, playing with her amazing grandson, or sitting outside enjoying the beauty around her.

 

More from Judy

Door County, where I live, is the destination of 3 million people in the summer and fall. Lainey of the Door Islands, my seventh published book, is the culmination of my desire to write a book about this wonderful area where I live. Tourists and residents alike love all things Door County, past and present. One day as I traveled on the ferry between Washington Island and the mainland of Door County and gazed out at tiny Pilot Island, I said again to myself, ‘I need to write a book about Door County’. I don’t recall if it was that day, the next, or two days later, but the story dropped into my spirit. I sat down at my computer and wrote well into the second chapter in one sitting. I said to my husband, “I’m writing and I can’t stop.”

Blog Stops

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, May 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 23

Texas Book-aholic, May 24

lakesidelivingsite, May 25

Blogging With Carol, May 25

The Write Escape, May 26

ABBA’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 27

Inklings and notions, May 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 29

Simple Harvest Reads, May 29 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Connie’s History Classroom, May 30

For Him and My Family, May 31

Godly Book Reviews, May 31

She Lives To Read, June 1

Mary Hake, June 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 2

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 3

deb’s Book Review, June 4

Pause for Tales, June 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Judy is giving away the grand prize package of a 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! Click the link below to enter.

Click Here to Enter!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have 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 Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”