Thursday, July 30, 2020

nspired Artistry Celebration Tour!



About the Book



Book:  Inspired Artistry
Author: Pamela Poole
Genre:  Non-fiction, Devotional
Release Date: March 30, 2020

Spirit-filled creative expression is an outreach for Christians to be ambassadors of the Kingdom.
This insightful devotional explores how the imprint of our Creator on all mankind makes it natural for Christians to embrace their unique gifts. Through Scripture, true stories, prayer, and study questions, readers will explore how every person born has a meaningful gift to contribute joy and beauty in the world. Led by the Holy Spirit, believers can live higher than the corrupting influences that distort Christ’s intent for our personal Inspired Artistry.

The pages of Inspired Artistry contain delightful illustrations and pages for readers who journal to write their own “Inspired Musings.”

My Thoughts:  I fell in love with Pamela Pool's writing with her  "Painter Place Saga.  This devotional relates to the readers' creativity.  This devotional will bring you closer to God and help you understand how valuable your gifts are.  We all have gifts given to us from  God, some of us just don't know what they are.  As you read through this devotional, you will be encouraged and inspired as you learn about gifts that are given to us.  I believe that my favorite of the devotionals is "Your Calling" and the Value of Your Work."  This is a wonderful book that is full of wisdom and well written.  The other bonus is the beautiful artwork of the author.   I was eager to read this devotional and was not disappointed.  This would make a wonderful gift of encouragement to anyone.
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Click here to get your copy!



About the Author



Pamela Poole’s love for the South inspires all her books and paintings. She and her husband Mark currently live in Raleigh, NC, but she’s hoping to get back home to the Lowcountry of SC someday.
If making her fictional stories public was a step of faith, writing her first devotional was a leap! Believing all Christians have a sphere of influence, she wanted to be certain that sharing her views was a process grounded in Scripture. Pamela believes nothing is wasted for a child of God. Using examples learned through challenging experiences, she reveals accounts of true events that only her family knew about before. Years of teaching art, teaching Bible Studies, leadership roles, membership in guilds and associations, mentoring, painting, exhibiting, and writing books has provided her with a wealth of hard-won lessons to share.
Pamela lives life loving Jesus and her family as a wife, mother, and Gigi, and she is blessed with true friends. She is a member of the National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society and PaintNC. Readers and art enthusiasts alike can enjoy her Youtube channel for painting demos, art history lessons and projects, and peeks into an author’s life. Her blog can be found on her art and publishing websites. Her illustrations for FREE coloring pages are her contribution to a cause she cares about, the healing that happens through art, and they can be downloaded on her websites. To enjoy the latest content, sign up for her newsletters and follow Pamela Poole, Artist and Author and Southern Sky Publishing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

More from Pamela

“I don’t have a talented bone in my body.”
“I can’t even make stick people.”
“I’ve never taken art classes.”
As an artist, teacher, author, and craft lover, I’ve heard statements like these all my life. My favorite is when my art students came to the first class saying, “I can’t even draw a straight line!” Flashing them my most engaging smile, I would respond brightly, “Me, either! I always use a ruler.”
Every person on the planet has a special gift of creativity. It is the stamp of our Maker, in whose image we are made. From the opening verses of the Bible, creativity is the first attribute that God reveals about Himself to mankind.
Christians have talents, but they do not think of them as creativity or as having any value in their faith or outreach to the world. Inspired Creativity—Embracing the Creative Calling is my first devotional, written to encourage my sisters and brothers in Christ to discover and develop their unique gifts. I base the book on the authority of Scripture, and I use personal stories to apply the biblical principles to real situations.
Many people shy away from their talents because of the rejection and ridicule they could face from those whose tastes run differently. I understand this well and have the scars to prove it after decades of participating in professional organizations, art exhibitions, classes, art galleries, and the online book market. Readers can look at any author’s reviews and see they will range from mean and scathing to helpful and glowing. By publishing this devotional, I have set myself up for criticism by sharing what I’ve learned and how it all fits into a biblical Christian worldview. Knowing how vulnerable creative Christians feel, I point out in this book that if we are abiding in Christ and following His lead, our work is inspired as both a healing, spiritual growth activity for our souls and something He may call us to share. We must get past our dread and remember we work to please Jesus, not mankind. Since when did Christ’s enemy not attack those who talk about Him or reach out in His name?
When writing Inspired Artistry, I faced a few scary moments when relating experiences in my creative life that only my husband and son knew had happened. But nothing is wasted when believers walk with Christ, and I obeyed the tug on my heart and the spiritual certainty that I traveled those roads for such a time as this. It is my prayer that readers will discover and embrace their creative gifts for their role as ambassadors of the Kingdom to come!
Note to readers who color and journal: the print version of this devotional has coloring and journaling pages.


Blog Stops

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Pamela is giving away the grand prize package of Inspired Proverbs Coloring Journal, Tin of Colored Pencils, and a print copy of Inspired Artistry – Embracing the Creative Calling!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 


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.”



Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Tempting Tait Celebration Tour



About the Book

 

Book:  Tempting Tait
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Release Date: July 30, 2020

He chose to be a dad before he realized he’d need a wife, too.

When Tait took in an abandoned girl, he had no idea it would change his life.

Tait Stedtmann–accountant, fledgling do-it-yourselfer, and all-around nice guy. He’d been more than a little interested in Bentley Girard and had finally worked up the courage to ask her out. That was before that fateful day at the rest stop when he saw a girl shoved from a car and abandoned there.

She’s not like any girl he’s ever met, and now she’s given him an ultimatum.  Adopt her baby, or she’ll abort it.

Eden doesn’t think he’ll do it. She can have the abortion and move on with her life–far away from these creepy Christians in Fairbury.  But when Tait agrees, she finds herself keeping her word… and the pregnancy.

Nine months later, Tait is wracked by guilt as relief sets in when Eden leaves and terrified as he decides he can’t do this daddy thing alone. Bentley figured out how to make marriage happen for her.

Would she help him, find someone, too?

Tempting Tait is the second in the Marriages of Conviction series.

My Thoughts: This is a wonderful book, full of humor but also covers a very delicate topic of abortion.  Chautona Havig has a way with words.  She has a way of inserting humor into her storyline which makes for some wonderful reading.   The characters are great; one can not help but love Tait.  He's the all-round gentleman that women just love.  Despite such a controversial topic, this book is fun to read.  This is one that you won't want to miss.
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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

How One Man Turns A Mess into a Miracle
It’s been ten… maybe fifteen years since Eden Pohl waltzed into my brain and settled in. Despite my focused attention on other books, her taunts never strayed far from my hearing.
If you really believed what you say about abortion, you’d tell my story.
You just don’t want to have to write the messy stuff.
Ouch. Worst of all, she was wrong.  And she wasn’t.
I don’t mind attacking the hard things when it’s the right time, but I only had half a story. I knew what would not happen but not what would.
So, she languished there in what is probably the longest pregnancy in fiction.
After my friend, Sandy, killed my dreams of combining Tait and Bentley’s stories and added Tait’s (and therefore Eden’s) into a series, things clicked.  Duh. Tait would need a wife. Being a single parent is hard. It isn’t how God designed things, you know? We’re supposed to have help.  A spouse, extended family, the church.
But sometimes things don’t work in this fallen world.  Sometimes we find ourselves parents—even by choice—without the daily support of another parent. Not only that, sometimes our own parents aren’t in a position to be able to help. Age, illness, or distance can remove us from the God-given networks we should have and don’t.
Finally, our decisions sometimes cause us to isolate ourselves even from God’s family, and the result can mean we don’t have that help that we otherwise would.
One verse came to mind over and over when I planned out the rest of Tait’s story. 
Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
Sometimes the words tried to transform themselves into, “It is not good for a father to be alone, so God will find him a helper parent suitable…”
And I had to silence that voice.
First, because we don’t just change Scripture to suit our purpose. Or rather, we shouldn’t.
Second, because that’s even more out of order than having a baby before marriage.  It happens sometimes—sometimes by choice, as in Tait’s situation. However, the healthiest marriage will usually put a strong emphasis on the marriage relationship first (after the Lord, of course) and then focus on the children.  Why? Because it is best for the children if their parents are in unity. Children find security and strength in knowing their parents love and are committed to each other.
So many times, I started to put that emphasis in the wrong place struggled to get it right. Then one day I realized that this was the very thing I needed to do.  Show that struggle.  I needed to show that Tait’s focus was wrong—that he created problems he could have avoided simply by being a good daddy… but also by being an even better husband.
I hope you’ll enjoy Tait’s story, and I pray that his heart for the unborn will touch your life in a real and tangible way.

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, July 29

Godly Book Reviews, July 29

Among the Reads, July 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 30

Texas Book-aholic, July 31

Book of Ruth Ann, July 31

Inklings and notions, August 1

Cultivating Us, August 1

For Him and My Family, August 2

Read Review Rejoice, August 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 3

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, August 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 4

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, August 4

Aryn The Libraryan 📚, August 5

deb’s Book Review, August 5

Older & Smarter?, August 6

Back Porch Reads, August 6

Through the Fire blogs, August 7

Daysong Reflections, August 8

Pause for Tales, August 8

She Lives To Read, August 9

Spoken from the Heart, August 9

Artistic Nobody, August 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 10

Lots of Helpers, August 11

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 11

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a paperback copy of Tempting Tait and an original watercolor of “Tait’s Wedding”!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 


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.”

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Befriending Your Monsters



We all know that the monsters we see on film or read about in books aren't real, but often we miss how those fake monsters can put fur, flesh, and fangs on the very real fears that haunt us. Pastor Luke Norsworthy shows you how to face your monsters, like the monsters of comparison (
I am what others say about me), more (I am what I have), and success (I am what I do), and discover how they are warnings that invite you to become a truer version of yourself and have a deeper connection with your Creator.

You'll never completely eradicate your monsters and the fears they represent, but if you befriend them, they can lead you into becoming God's truest intention for you.


My Thoughts: We all have things that we are afraid of.  This book is written to help us fact those things that make us afraid.   The book begins with illustrations that look into the different types of "monsters" for fears that we may have.  This book enables us to face what frightens us and enables us to be the person God wants us to be.  This book is very helpful and useful.   

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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.”

A Dream Within A Dream


Trudi Coffey only realizes that she hasn't seen Samuel Hill in weeks when the FBI shows up asking questions about him. After a strange encounter with an armed man demanding her help and an attack by a member of the Boston mob looking for someone named Dream, Trudi manages to find Samuel--or rather, he finds her. He's made some pretty powerful enemies, but right now his full attention is on protecting Dream from the mob. Because Dream has something they want--the map to the location of artwork stolen from the Gardener Museum during the infamous 1990 heist.

With danger closing in from all sides, Trudi and Samuel will have to call on all of their allies to keep Dream safe and discover the identity of the people who have been hunting down Samuel. The real questions are whom can they trust? And who will make it out of this thing alive?

My Thoughts: Looking for a good mystery thriller?  This is it.  The action begins on the very first page and doesn't end until the last.  The characters are great, and the plot is easy to follow.   The authors have done an amazing job of creating a storyline that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats.    I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from these authors. 

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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.”

Monday, July 6, 2020

Texas Twins Abduction Celebration Tour!


About the Book



Book:  Texas Twin Abduction
Author: Virginia Vaughan
Genre:  Inspirational Romantic Suspense
Release Date: June 2, 2020

This twin’s past is a blank…

And she might not have a future.

Waking up in a bullet-ridden car with a bag of cash and a deputy insisting she’s his ex-fiancée, Ashlee Taylor has no memory of what happened—or of Lawson Avery. But with her twin missing and someone hunting her down, she must trust him with her life. Can Lawson save her and her sister—even as Ashlee’s forgotten secrets become an inescapable trap?

My Thoughts: This is a book you can't put down! Action-packed from the very beginning, this novel gives the reader a thrilling adventure.    A story that shows God can change anyone and help them turn their lives around.   A case of mistaken identity has an ex-fiancée and the police searching for the truth.   In this well-written novel, the reader is introduced to an adventure that has everyone scrambling for clues.  Who is this woman?  Is it Ashlee or Bree?  A story of action and romance, one that all should read and will love.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Click here to get your copy!


About the Author


Virginia Vaughan is a multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense. Blessed to come from a large, southern family, her fondest memories include listening to stories recounted by family and friends around the large dinner table. She was a lover of books even from a young age, devouring gothic romance novels and stories of romance, danger, and love. She soon started writing them herself. A former investigator for the State of Mississippi, Virginia utilizes her criminal justice background with her love of writing to transform words into powerful stories of romance and danger.



More from Virginia

Thanks for joining me for a brand new adventure. TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION is the first book in my new Cowboy Lawmen series and it’s a departure from what I normally write. I love writing about cops and serial killers so when my editor first suggested the cowboy/western theme, I was hesitant. I’m a city girl at heart so this was so far out of my comfort zone! But I couldn’t resist for long. After all, who doesn’t love a cowboy? Thankfully, I found a way to merge what I loved—law enforcement, FBI, US Marshals—with the cowboy/family themed books my editor wanted to see by making my group of hero brothers a family of law enforcement types with ties to the family ranch. The best of both words. Score!
Book one in this new series, TEXAS TWIN ABDUCTION, begins with my hero, little brother Lawson Avery, in a quandary. All he ever wanted out of life was to run his family’s Texas ranch, but his ex-fiancée Ashlee’s final words to him as she skipped out on their wedding was that his desire for the simple life made him unambitious and unworthy of her love. Her words broke him, sending him searching for something more meaningful to do with his life, eventually winding up as a deputy in the sheriff’s office. But, despite law enforcement being in his blood, Lawson finally realized that life wasn’t for him and made plans to return to the ranch. However, his plans are sidetracked when he finds Ashlee unconscious on the side of the road in a bullet-ridden car with no memory of him or their past together. When it becomes clear that someone wants her dead, Lawson steps in to act as her protector. But will digging into the mysteries of her past cost him the future he still longs to have with her?
I hope you enjoy this book and this brand new series! Look for the next book—older brother US Marshal Miles Avery’s story—coming in TEXAS HOLIDAY HIDEOUT this October.

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, June 24
Bigreadersite, June 24
Simple Harvest Reads, June 28 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Betti Mace, June 29
Genesis 5020, June 29
Emily Yager, July 3
Hookmeinabook, July 4
EmpowerMoms, July 5
Mary Hake, July 5
Hallie Reads, July 6

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Virginia is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card and a copy of Texas Twin Abduction!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! 


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.”

Sunday, July 5, 2020

The Green Dress Celebration Tour


About the Book



Book:  The Green Dress
Author: Liz Tolsma
Genre: Christian Historical Suspense
Release Date: June 2020

Death Seems to Follow Harriet’s New Friend

Book 6 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History

When Harriet Peters came to Boston in 1882, the Robinson family took her in like one of their own, and Harriet became closer to Lizzie Robinson than her own siblings. Now, four years later, Lizzie is deathly sick, failing quickly just like several others in her family have done over the past few years. How can so many in one family die from the same mysterious illness? Harriet doesn’t have answers, but she is determined to help the family, bringing in a new-to-the-neighborhood doctor, Michael Wheaton.

As Harriet and Michael close in on the answer, putting their own lives at risk, can the cause be found before anyone else dies?

My Thoughts:  This is a gripping story of one family as they lose one member after member to the same eerie circumstances.     This is the 5th book in the series "True Colors".  This story is hard to put down; and as you read you have to remember that this storyline is based on true life.   How can people be this evil?  Does greed lead people to do hideous crimes?  It seems to.  This is a novel that the reader will not be able to put down.  It is definitely a bing read.   The author keeps the reader entertained from the very first word until the last.   If you love a good mystery, this is a book that needs to be read.   I can't wait to read the next in the series.  Don't worry, if you haven't read any of the other books yet,  this is a stand-alone read; but you will certainly want to read the others in the series.

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Click here to get your copy!




About the Author



Liz Tolsma is a popular speaker and an editor and the owner of the Write Direction Editing. An almost-native Wisconsinite, she resides in a quiet corner of the state with her husband and is the mother of three. Her son proudly serves as a U.S. Marine. They adopted all of their children internationally, and one has special needs. When she gets a few spare minutes, she enjoys reading, relaxing on the front porch, walking, working in her large perennial garden, and camping with her family.




More from Liz

We’ve all been there—started a letter or an email or even a list, didn’t like what we had, crossed it out or hit the delete button, and tried again. Now imagine that happening when you’re writing a novel.

That’s what occurred with The Green Dress. Finding the perfect place to start a novel can be tricky, but when you’re trying to balance fact with fiction, it’s even harder. I needed the fictional heroine, Harriet Peters, to have a good reason to come into contact with and become close to the factual Robinson family. And I needed for the hero, Michael Wheaton, to meet Harriet early on. So I dove into the story. Five chapters later, the hero and heroine hadn’t yet met. The book wasn’t working.

I scrapped those chapters and started at a different point. At first, it seemed to be going better. I was happy. Until I got to the fifth chapter, when I realized again that the book wasn’t working. Frankly, it was boring. So those ended up in the virtual trash bin. Meanwhile, the clock was ticking on my deadline. I was desperate to find the right starting point, at a place with high tension. Finally, I had an “aha” moment, and the story flowed from there. That’s how the first five chapters (and the rest of The Green Dress) came to be.

—Liz Tolsma

Blog Stops

Rebecca Tews, June 27
Genesis 5020, June 29
Emily Yager, June 29
Robin’s Nest, June 30
Bigreadersite, July 1
Betti Mace, July 3
Remembrancy, July 4
Vicky Sluiter, July 5
amandainpa, July 6
Hallie Reads, July 8
Artistic Nobody, July 9 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway


To celebrate her tour, Liz 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!


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.”