M. Jean Pike's Blog, page 6

A Bubbleicious Celebration!

Today marks seven weeks since I started my healthy eating plan. Seven weeks without a single cookie or cupcake, without so much as a taste of ice cream. I had planned to splurge on something delicious when I reached the two-month mark (just to make sure my taste buds were still working properly ) But with Superheroes releasing tomorrow, today seemed like a good day to celebrate. When I thought about what I might like for my splurge I didn’t have to think any farther than that sinfully delicious Jackson County specialty known as “The Bubble.”  So this afternoon my friend Sharon and I headed to beautiful, downtown Jackson to a sweet little family owned ice cream shop called Michael’s.

To my knowledge, Michael’s is the only place in the world where you can get a “bubble.”

A Baby Bubble

The bubble comes in three sizes — baby, regular and large. Normally I would have gotten a regular sized bubble and craved more. After seven weeks of being sugar free, I could barely handle the sweetness of a baby bubble. I wasn’t able to finish it. But I sure gave it my best

If you’re wondering what this wondrous concoction is, this is how their website describes it: Renowned for their signature “bubble” sundae—a delightful fusion of vanilla ice cream, marshmallow cream, chocolate sauce and roasted peanuts—each bite transports you to a blissful paradise.

Paradise, indeed!

Miss Emma spots an intruder in the yard!

That Walmart bag was clearly up to no good. Thank heavens I have a vigilant watchdog

Beyond Measure

I’m feeling blessed beyond measure by this lovely endorsement for Superheroes by Christian Fantasy author Susan Lyttek!

A Message on the Sidewalk

It was a cool, breezy 73 F this morning, so Miss Emma and I took advantage of a morning off and headed to the park.

We felt blessed to come across this message on the sidewalk

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1

Reminders of God’s love are everywhere

Quiet Miracles

Life seems so loud anymore. Some days I am completely overwhelmed by the noise; radios blasting, vehicles roaring down my street, headlines screaming, everyone shouting to be heard. This week I have been taking time to notice the quiet beauty all around me and to appreciate God’s amazing creation. Wishing you a day of quiet miracles, my friends

A beautiful verse from Jeremiah and a bench by the lake

This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16

Some days I feel weary before the day even begins. Today is one of them. Lord, help me to find the good way today. Help me find rest for my soul…

On small towns with big secrets and getting noticed in the book world

I have a fascination with small towns. I did most of my growing up in a small village in Western New York. Now I live in a small town in Southern Ohio. In between, there have been dozens of places I’ve called home, from larger cities to towns that were barely on the map. I love the sense of small- town community, the “we’re all in this together” vibe. I love the quaint shops and cafes, the festivals and celebrations. I love the secrets small towns hold.

Back in 2021 I set my hand to writing a series of books set in a small town called Redford’s Crossing. Same backdrop, different people and scenarios. Redford’s Crossing is none of the towns I have lived in. And it is all of them. The Little Things came out in 2023, and people really seemed to like the place. It was followed by King of Hearts last year. Superheroes is the latest installment.

 I’ve never been a ‘hard sell’ promoter. I’m not good at that. Truthfully, I would much rather write than actually promote what I have written. But there’s so much noise in the book world anymore, so many books shouting to be heard. Little books like mine get lost in the ruckus So consider this my attempt at soft- sell marketing.

If you like clean, faith filled, unpredictable stories set in charming small towns, head over to my publisher’s bookstore and read a page or two of Superheroes. And if you like what you find, they are offering the ebook at a pre-release price of just $3.00. Oh, you can also get it at Amazon

Either way, thanks for taking the time to read my post. And for those who have preordered, reviewed, and promised to review, from the bottom of my heart, thank you! I appreciate you so much!

Little Free… Biscuit Box?

More and more, Little Free Libraries are popping up all over town. We even have a Little Free Puzzle Library. But recently, Miss Emma and I heard of something new. A Little Free Biscuit Box — So of course, we had to go and check it out:)

We found the biscuit box as promised, and thankfully it was filled with treats!

Milk Bones. Yum Yum!

The Little Free Library beside it was also well stocked I picked up a book called The IT GIRLS by Karen Harper. I’m not familiar with her at all, but I loved the cover!

And I left behind a copy of Frankie’s Heart.

I love the idea of leaving books and puzzles I’ve enjoyed for others to enjoy, too.  I live in a super small space and though I’d love to keep every book I read, I don’t have the room. This is a nice way to share the reading love

Do you have a Little Free Library where you live? If so, do you visit it?

So thrilled!

Early reviews are starting to come in for Superheroes and I am so thrilled. If you write stories, you know how it is. You spend months getting to know your characters, moving them from place to place, scene to scene, writing and deleting their dialogue, then writing it again, hoping that in the end readers will connect with them. That your story will be meaningful. That it will matter. And that people will actually want to read it in the first place Superheroes is my twelfth full length novel, and I am just as excited for its release (August 22!!) as I was with my first book.

I’ve spent the afternoon creating a little promo video and I wanted to share it with you. No pressure or arm twisting (I hate that!) because I know Christian Romance isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But if it turns out it is your cup of tea, my publisher is offering the ebook at a pre-release, preorder price of just $3.00! It’s also available for pre-order as a Kindle book.

A Purse Snatching Gone Awry

If you’ve been around here for awhile, you know that Miss Emma is my fur baby. She is my goodest girl. She is a perfect blend of Labrador gentleness and Beagle stubbornness. I love her dearly. But as they say, she’s not the sharpest tool in the shed. Outside, getting her tie- out chain tangled is a daily occurrence. She gets tangled around my glider swing. Around my Rose of Sharon tree. Around the lawn chairs. Yesterday my sister came for coffee and Emma somehow managed to get tangled up in her purse. Trying to escape, she got tangled around the rocking chair. If she was hoping for a smooth getaway, it was a colossal fail