Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 28
July 24, 2020
#SaturdaySpotlight is on T. I. Lowe & Driftwood Dreams
Good Morning from Troy, Alabama!
Some of you may have noticed my new promo picture on some, or all, of my social media sites and/or website. I'm not a fan of cameras and not near as photogenic as my daughter and granddaughter so every ten years is enough. I know the depiction on this blog isn't very large so here is a larger one for you.....
Enough about me, let's get on with our guest!
Last year I attended the Dixie Youth World Series in Monroe, LA and our South Carolina team won undefeated. This year, we're in Alabama for the games which will take place in Ozark, AL. Neat how this works out so well with today's guest whose book being spotlighted is # 2 in her "Carolina Coast" series.
Tonya has shared Beach Have n (book 1) on Wednesday Words with Friends and in a Spotlight. We also found out quite a bit on Driftwood Dreams (book 2) last month in her WWwF post but today we're getting a peek into the novel!
Josie Slater has allowed the circumstances anchoring her in Sunset Cove to become a life sentence. Since her mother’s death years before, she’s spent most of her waking hours helping her dad run the Driftwood Diner. As her best friends, Opal and Sophia, make their dreams come true, Josie watches her own art school aspirations drift on by. But when a French-speaking Southern gentleman from her past moves back from Europe, Josie is launched into a tizzy of what-ifs and I-sure-do-hope-sos.
August Bradford left Sunset Cove six years ago to sow some life oats and conquer his ambitious career goals. Finally ready to lay down some roots, the successful artist is back in town and determined to win Josie’s heart. When he enlists Josie’s help in the preparations for a children’s art camp, Josie finds herself unleashing her artistic side in a way she hasn’t since before her mother’s death. August hopes to convince Josie to paint a life with him, but the problem is convincing her to let go of her apprehensions and give him—and her dreams—a fair chance.
Excerpt: Standing in the midst of the ebb and flow of her daily chaos always gave Josie Slater the same feeling as standing in the surf—it was ever-changing, yet she felt trapped in the same spot with her feet slowly sinking in the sand. She absently handed an order slip to a passing waitress while ringing up the couple sitting at the counter in front of her.
“This place is amazing.” The middle-aged man handed over a couple of bills.
“Why, thank you.” Josie offered a polite smile along with his change. She didn’t even have to be present in the moment anymore to serve up generous portions of Southern hospitality to tourists.
“The candied pecan waffles were deli-cious,” the wife added as her husband helped her off the stool.
The couple had been sitting there chat-ting Josie up for the better part of the last hour about their thirtieth wedding anniver-sary trip to the Grand Strand. They were both dressed in brand-new swimwear and were pasty white, except for the fresh streaks of sunburn across their noses. Even if they hadn’t told her, they were broadcasting their tourist status. Josie often wondered why vacationers couldn’t figure out how to properly apply sunblock. Over the years she’d seen various red-and-white stripes, Rudolph noses, hairline sunburns, and handprints.
Even with their neon noses, Josie thought they were the cutest and wondered if such happiness was ever going to be in the cards for her. Seemed the only card she owned was the one that kept her rooted behind this counter, parroting courteous responses to customer accolades.
The man wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “And just think, we were about to walk on by, but the people piling in and out of this old building made us curious enough to step inside.”
“A hidden gem is what Driftwood Diner is.” The wife added a generous tip to the old-fashioned milk can that served as the tip jar for counter service. “It’s the best meal we’ve had since arriving.”
Josie couldn’t agree more. She was right proud of the establishment created at the hands of her parents. The timeworn, rusted shanty sat proudly, even with its arthritic lean to the left, on the sand of coastal South Carolina and had been a prominent fixture in the Sunset Cove community for nearly four decades. Its breakfast fare was legendary, and it usually took just one taste of the bis-cuits and gravy to have a newbie hooked for life. Josie’s father replaced the traditionally used ground sausage with chopped shrimp, taking the already-decadent dish over the top.
“Y’all have a good time at the beach, and be sure to come back for lunch.” She waved goodbye to the couple.
“Oh, we will. I have to try the shrimp burgers.” The husband waved one last time before guiding his wife out the screen door.
Josie continued on autopilot, gathering dirty dishes and wiping down the counter while her mind wandered toward happier thoughts of the upcoming weekend meeting with the Sand Queens.
Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.
Connect with her on her Author Page, T.I. Lowe’s Website Instagram Twitter (@TiLowe) and Facebook
Get a copy of Driftwood Dreams at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold. Don't forget to pick up book 1 in the series, Beach Haven !
Thanks for this peek into your book, Tonya, we are SO looking forward to hearing more on book 3 in the series!
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll check back each week for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlights.
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT
Some of you may have noticed my new promo picture on some, or all, of my social media sites and/or website. I'm not a fan of cameras and not near as photogenic as my daughter and granddaughter so every ten years is enough. I know the depiction on this blog isn't very large so here is a larger one for you.....
Enough about me, let's get on with our guest!
Last year I attended the Dixie Youth World Series in Monroe, LA and our South Carolina team won undefeated. This year, we're in Alabama for the games which will take place in Ozark, AL. Neat how this works out so well with today's guest whose book being spotlighted is # 2 in her "Carolina Coast" series.
Tonya has shared Beach Have n (book 1) on Wednesday Words with Friends and in a Spotlight. We also found out quite a bit on Driftwood Dreams (book 2) last month in her WWwF post but today we're getting a peek into the novel!
Josie Slater has allowed the circumstances anchoring her in Sunset Cove to become a life sentence. Since her mother’s death years before, she’s spent most of her waking hours helping her dad run the Driftwood Diner. As her best friends, Opal and Sophia, make their dreams come true, Josie watches her own art school aspirations drift on by. But when a French-speaking Southern gentleman from her past moves back from Europe, Josie is launched into a tizzy of what-ifs and I-sure-do-hope-sos.August Bradford left Sunset Cove six years ago to sow some life oats and conquer his ambitious career goals. Finally ready to lay down some roots, the successful artist is back in town and determined to win Josie’s heart. When he enlists Josie’s help in the preparations for a children’s art camp, Josie finds herself unleashing her artistic side in a way she hasn’t since before her mother’s death. August hopes to convince Josie to paint a life with him, but the problem is convincing her to let go of her apprehensions and give him—and her dreams—a fair chance.
Excerpt: Standing in the midst of the ebb and flow of her daily chaos always gave Josie Slater the same feeling as standing in the surf—it was ever-changing, yet she felt trapped in the same spot with her feet slowly sinking in the sand. She absently handed an order slip to a passing waitress while ringing up the couple sitting at the counter in front of her.
“This place is amazing.” The middle-aged man handed over a couple of bills.
“Why, thank you.” Josie offered a polite smile along with his change. She didn’t even have to be present in the moment anymore to serve up generous portions of Southern hospitality to tourists.
“The candied pecan waffles were deli-cious,” the wife added as her husband helped her off the stool.
The couple had been sitting there chat-ting Josie up for the better part of the last hour about their thirtieth wedding anniver-sary trip to the Grand Strand. They were both dressed in brand-new swimwear and were pasty white, except for the fresh streaks of sunburn across their noses. Even if they hadn’t told her, they were broadcasting their tourist status. Josie often wondered why vacationers couldn’t figure out how to properly apply sunblock. Over the years she’d seen various red-and-white stripes, Rudolph noses, hairline sunburns, and handprints.
Even with their neon noses, Josie thought they were the cutest and wondered if such happiness was ever going to be in the cards for her. Seemed the only card she owned was the one that kept her rooted behind this counter, parroting courteous responses to customer accolades.
The man wrapped his arm around his wife’s shoulders. “And just think, we were about to walk on by, but the people piling in and out of this old building made us curious enough to step inside.”
“A hidden gem is what Driftwood Diner is.” The wife added a generous tip to the old-fashioned milk can that served as the tip jar for counter service. “It’s the best meal we’ve had since arriving.”
Josie couldn’t agree more. She was right proud of the establishment created at the hands of her parents. The timeworn, rusted shanty sat proudly, even with its arthritic lean to the left, on the sand of coastal South Carolina and had been a prominent fixture in the Sunset Cove community for nearly four decades. Its breakfast fare was legendary, and it usually took just one taste of the bis-cuits and gravy to have a newbie hooked for life. Josie’s father replaced the traditionally used ground sausage with chopped shrimp, taking the already-decadent dish over the top.
“Y’all have a good time at the beach, and be sure to come back for lunch.” She waved goodbye to the couple.
“Oh, we will. I have to try the shrimp burgers.” The husband waved one last time before guiding his wife out the screen door.
Josie continued on autopilot, gathering dirty dishes and wiping down the counter while her mind wandered toward happier thoughts of the upcoming weekend meeting with the Sand Queens.
Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.Connect with her on her Author Page, T.I. Lowe’s Website Instagram Twitter (@TiLowe) and Facebook
Get a copy of Driftwood Dreams at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold. Don't forget to pick up book 1 in the series, Beach Haven !
Thanks for this peek into your book, Tonya, we are SO looking forward to hearing more on book 3 in the series!
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll check back each week for more Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlights.
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT
July 22, 2020
#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Kathy Bailey!
Good Morning Friends!
Well, July is marching right along. The small writing retreat I attended in Nacogdoches, TX last week was a huge success. We had so much fun and, most importantly, every one of us accomplished our writing goals for the time we were there. I'm heading out tomorrow for Ozark, AL to attend the Dixie Youth World Series but never fear, Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight will still go on. Speaking of which, today's guest is not new to our blog, although it has been a while since she shared thoughts and words with us so please welcome Kathy Bailey back to visit with us!
How shall we then give?
When my husband was in Bible college, we operated on a sliver of a budget. At one of our lowest points I made fish chowder with a can of sardines my mom had sent me in a care package. Needless to say, we did not have weight problems.
In our small town a middle-aged couple ran a small family nursing home. My husband took on the responsibility of giving them a short religious service on Sunday afternoons, and I went along. After he preached to the dozen or so residents, the owners usually invited us to supper. The wife of the pair always apologized for the meal, explaining that she “just put out a few little things.” Her “little things” included three or four varieties of cold cuts, cheese, sandwich rolls, potato salad, macaroni salad, and several varieties of gelatin salads. It was more food, cumulatively, than we had seen all week.
And the blessed woman often packed leftovers with the comment, “Maybe you can use these. I hate to throw them out.” She made us feel like we were doing her a favor for taking, again, more food than we’d seen all week.
This should have been a Christmas post, and maybe some day I’ll recycle it into one. But it’s equally timely now, as we pick up the pieces of the first worldwide pandemic most of us have ever known.
How did we give?
Did we share our toilet paper, or give up our place in line? Did we tuck a gas card into someone’s Bible, or pick up extra take-out for a friend? Did we pay anything forward, knowing that reciprocation probably wouldn’t happen in this life?
There’s an art to giving. While we shouldn’t devalue our gift, we also shouldn’t make the recipient feel devalued. It’s important to help them retain their dignity. It’s important to approach them with respect. “Can you take this off my hands? I’ve outgrown it/my kids have outgrown it/I bought too much/there was a huge sale and I couldn’t resist.” You will know.
It’s also important not to attach strings. If it’s a gift it’s gone. You can comment if you see the recipient wearing or using the gift, but it ends there. Give and move on.
There’s a fine line between “charity” and “justice,” and I’ve spent years working it out, first as a recipient, then as a giver. A friend who was down on her luck got upset one time when our church gave her a gift card. “I don’t want charity,” she snapped. We had to lead her to the understanding that if it’s from people who know you, and love you, it’s not charity. It’s justice.
Charity is when you drop a buck in the Salvation Army kettle, or write a check to support people you’ll never see. Needed, necessary, but faceless.
Justice is when you see a need in front of you. A family member, a friend, a church associate. You see it and you take care of it, to the best of your ability. Or you get someone else to take care of it. Because it’s in your face. Because it’s the right thing to do.
And, very often, justice knows WHAT to do. If you know the person who needs your help, you can tailor your giving. The young widow whose “Santa gifts” are provided through a Giving Tree, but who still needs help with stocking stuffers. The first-time parents, just home from the hospital, who could use a heat-able meal—and paper plates. Charity doesn’t know where its dollars go. Justice knows not only where, but why.
At its shining best, justice isn’t “just” about giving. It’s a bridge between people living out God’s plan on this earth, and someone who needs to know that God loves them.
Kathleen Bailey is a journalist and novelist with 40 years’ experience in the nonfiction, newspaper and inspirational fields. Born in 1951, she was a child in the 50s, a teen in the 60s, a young adult in the 70s and a young mom in the 80s. It’s been a turbulent, colorful time to grow up, and she’s enjoyed every minute of it and written about most of it.
Bailey’s work includes both historical and contemporary fiction, with an underlying thread of men and women finding their way home, to Christ and each other. Her first Pelican book, ‘Westward Hope,” was published in September 2019. This was followed by a novella, “The Logger’s Chrsitmas Bride,” in December 2019. Her second full-length novel, “Settler’s Hope,” was released July 17, 2020.
She lives in New Hampshire with her husband David. They have two grown daughters.
For more information, contact her at ampie86@comcast.net; @piechick1 on Twitter; Kathleen D. Bailey on Facebook and LinkedIn; or at www.kathleendbailey.weebly.com.
After years of wandering, Pace Williams expects to find a home in the Oregon Country. He doesn't expect is to fall in love with a fiery Irishwoman bent on returning home to avenge her people.
Oona Moriarty expects one thing: to exact revenge on the English overlords who took her home. She doesn't expect to fall in love with a man who looks like he's been carved from this Western landscape.
Together they vow to trust the unexpected and settle into a life, but when Pace's ancient enemies threaten to destroy the life they're building, Oona must choose between helping the man she loves and seeking the revenge she craves.
Get your copy of Settler's Hope at Amazon.
Thank you so much, Kathy for sharing your thoughts on giving. I love how God provided for you and your husband! We should all be willing to meet the needs of others as we see and are able.
Friends, Kathy is giving away THREE different prizes to 3 lucky winners! An e-book of Settler's Hope (book 2 in the Western Dreams series). A paperback of Westward Hope (book 1 in her Western Dreams series), AND A New England gift pack. *Paperback and gift pack, US only.
Leave a comment to enter her giveaway and for a chance to win my monthly gift card!
Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care, God bless and remember....you can't out-give God! PamT
Well, July is marching right along. The small writing retreat I attended in Nacogdoches, TX last week was a huge success. We had so much fun and, most importantly, every one of us accomplished our writing goals for the time we were there. I'm heading out tomorrow for Ozark, AL to attend the Dixie Youth World Series but never fear, Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight will still go on. Speaking of which, today's guest is not new to our blog, although it has been a while since she shared thoughts and words with us so please welcome Kathy Bailey back to visit with us!
How shall we then give?
When my husband was in Bible college, we operated on a sliver of a budget. At one of our lowest points I made fish chowder with a can of sardines my mom had sent me in a care package. Needless to say, we did not have weight problems.
In our small town a middle-aged couple ran a small family nursing home. My husband took on the responsibility of giving them a short religious service on Sunday afternoons, and I went along. After he preached to the dozen or so residents, the owners usually invited us to supper. The wife of the pair always apologized for the meal, explaining that she “just put out a few little things.” Her “little things” included three or four varieties of cold cuts, cheese, sandwich rolls, potato salad, macaroni salad, and several varieties of gelatin salads. It was more food, cumulatively, than we had seen all week.
And the blessed woman often packed leftovers with the comment, “Maybe you can use these. I hate to throw them out.” She made us feel like we were doing her a favor for taking, again, more food than we’d seen all week.
This should have been a Christmas post, and maybe some day I’ll recycle it into one. But it’s equally timely now, as we pick up the pieces of the first worldwide pandemic most of us have ever known.
How did we give?
Did we share our toilet paper, or give up our place in line? Did we tuck a gas card into someone’s Bible, or pick up extra take-out for a friend? Did we pay anything forward, knowing that reciprocation probably wouldn’t happen in this life?
There’s an art to giving. While we shouldn’t devalue our gift, we also shouldn’t make the recipient feel devalued. It’s important to help them retain their dignity. It’s important to approach them with respect. “Can you take this off my hands? I’ve outgrown it/my kids have outgrown it/I bought too much/there was a huge sale and I couldn’t resist.” You will know.
It’s also important not to attach strings. If it’s a gift it’s gone. You can comment if you see the recipient wearing or using the gift, but it ends there. Give and move on.
There’s a fine line between “charity” and “justice,” and I’ve spent years working it out, first as a recipient, then as a giver. A friend who was down on her luck got upset one time when our church gave her a gift card. “I don’t want charity,” she snapped. We had to lead her to the understanding that if it’s from people who know you, and love you, it’s not charity. It’s justice.
Charity is when you drop a buck in the Salvation Army kettle, or write a check to support people you’ll never see. Needed, necessary, but faceless.
Justice is when you see a need in front of you. A family member, a friend, a church associate. You see it and you take care of it, to the best of your ability. Or you get someone else to take care of it. Because it’s in your face. Because it’s the right thing to do.
And, very often, justice knows WHAT to do. If you know the person who needs your help, you can tailor your giving. The young widow whose “Santa gifts” are provided through a Giving Tree, but who still needs help with stocking stuffers. The first-time parents, just home from the hospital, who could use a heat-able meal—and paper plates. Charity doesn’t know where its dollars go. Justice knows not only where, but why.
At its shining best, justice isn’t “just” about giving. It’s a bridge between people living out God’s plan on this earth, and someone who needs to know that God loves them.
Kathleen Bailey is a journalist and novelist with 40 years’ experience in the nonfiction, newspaper and inspirational fields. Born in 1951, she was a child in the 50s, a teen in the 60s, a young adult in the 70s and a young mom in the 80s. It’s been a turbulent, colorful time to grow up, and she’s enjoyed every minute of it and written about most of it.Bailey’s work includes both historical and contemporary fiction, with an underlying thread of men and women finding their way home, to Christ and each other. Her first Pelican book, ‘Westward Hope,” was published in September 2019. This was followed by a novella, “The Logger’s Chrsitmas Bride,” in December 2019. Her second full-length novel, “Settler’s Hope,” was released July 17, 2020.
She lives in New Hampshire with her husband David. They have two grown daughters.
For more information, contact her at ampie86@comcast.net; @piechick1 on Twitter; Kathleen D. Bailey on Facebook and LinkedIn; or at www.kathleendbailey.weebly.com.
After years of wandering, Pace Williams expects to find a home in the Oregon Country. He doesn't expect is to fall in love with a fiery Irishwoman bent on returning home to avenge her people.Oona Moriarty expects one thing: to exact revenge on the English overlords who took her home. She doesn't expect to fall in love with a man who looks like he's been carved from this Western landscape.
Together they vow to trust the unexpected and settle into a life, but when Pace's ancient enemies threaten to destroy the life they're building, Oona must choose between helping the man she loves and seeking the revenge she craves.
Get your copy of Settler's Hope at Amazon.
Thank you so much, Kathy for sharing your thoughts on giving. I love how God provided for you and your husband! We should all be willing to meet the needs of others as we see and are able.
Friends, Kathy is giving away THREE different prizes to 3 lucky winners! An e-book of Settler's Hope (book 2 in the Western Dreams series). A paperback of Westward Hope (book 1 in her Western Dreams series), AND A New England gift pack. *Paperback and gift pack, US only.
Leave a comment to enter her giveaway and for a chance to win my monthly gift card!
Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care, God bless and remember....you can't out-give God! PamT
July 18, 2020
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Shirley Raye Redmond & Courageous World Changers!
Good Morning and Welcome!
Well the writing retreat in Nacogdoches, TX I talked about on Wednesday was a great time. I doubled my word count on the current WIP. One friend met her goal of 10K words added to hers and the other finished and published a short story as well as added to her overall word count also! I absolutely love getting together with writers to actually write. Of course we took regular breaks to visit and brainstorm or simply get away to rest our minds but then we were right back at it and it paid off. Alas, now we're back to our normal routines juggling life and writing. But hopefully the inspiration will carry us through to completion of our individual projects.
Enough about me though!
Our guest has visited before, both on Wednesday Words with Friends AND in our Spotlight so I'm turning the blog over to her now. Take it away Shirley.....
Faithful Christian women are salt and light in their communities. They all make a difference. But some have such a vibrant faith that—like a stone tossed into a pond— their influence ripples throughout the world. The fifty women included in this book fall into that category. Each took seriously Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18 that, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Blessed with a variety of talents from writing and preaching, to teaching and nursing, these women used their gifts to glorify God. From aviators and athletes to musicians and mathematicians, many of them forged their faith in the fires of persecution, prejudice, and pain. Several entered the mission field. Others took their faith into the world of politics and medicine. They were (and are) strong, smart, and sometimes outspoken. They recognized Jesus as Lord of everything—from arts and sciences to education and athletics. Brief cameos include Corrie Ten Boom, Mahalia Jackson, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Sabina Wurmbrand and Ni Kwei-Tseng Soong and 44 other inspiring women.
Excerpt: Brave and adventurous at an early age, Elisabeth Elliot was only twelve when she prayed, “Lord, I want you to do anything you want with me.” She attended Wheaton College, where she studied classical Greek, hoping to translate the New Testament for unreached people groups. She married Jim Elliot in 1953. They joined four other families on the mission field in Ecuador.
While living with the peaceful Quecha tribe, Jim attempted to make contact with the Waorani—a violent tribe known for their revenge killings. Neighboring tribes called them Aucas or savages. When Jim and four others were killed, Elisabeth insisted, “This is not a tragedy. God has a plan and purpose in all this.”
Together with Rachel Saint, the sister of one of the murdered missionaries, Elisabeth took her toddler Valerie to the Waorani village, where they lived for two years in a tiny rain swept hut, eating roasted monkey limbs and other local fare. She hoped by forgiving those who’d killed her husband, she might teach them about God’s mercy and grace. Her courageous faith won several in the tribe to Jesus and inspired millions of Christians around the world. When
Elisabeth returned to the United States in 1963, the Waorani were no longer a violent culture. Elisabeth married again and began her speaking ministry across the United States. She also wrote twenty-four books, many of them inspirational bestsellers. Today, the tribe she evangelized continues to grow in the Christian faith.
Amanda Berry Smith (1837-1915) The Orphans’ Champion
Born a slave in Maryland, Amanda was one of thirteen children. Her parents were married, but lived on different plantations. Devout believers, they raised their children to love Jesus. At thirteen, Amanda performed the tasks of a housemaid. She was fifteen when her father purchased her freedom. Together they moved north to Pennsylvania.
Amanda married at seventeen. She endured poverty and hardship. Her husband enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, but never returned. Four of her five children died as babies. Her second husband died from cancer. Each tragedy drew her closer to God. When Amanda began her preaching ministry, she joyfully distributed Bible tracts on street corners. She sang at revivals. For forty years, both black and white Christians invited her to preach at their events.
Amanda became instrumental in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and helped to establish the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Despite her popularity, Amanda felt the sting of racism, saying, “I think some people would understand the quintessence of sanctifying grace if they could be black about twenty four hours.”
As her reputation grew, Amanda evangelized in Great Britain and India. She served as a missionary in Liberia in Africa for eight years. After returning to the United States, she raised funds to build an orphanage for destitute black children in 1899 in a small town near Chicago—the first establishment of its kind. She worked tirelessly for the rest of her life to support the orphanage.
An award-winning writer, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God and three inspirational novels, PRUDENCE PURSUED, VIPER’S NEST, and AMANDA’S BEAU.
Her children’s book, LEWIS & CLARK: A PRAIRIE DOG FOR THE PRESIDENT (Random House) was a Children’s Book of the Month Club selection.
Shirley Raye holds an M.A. in literature and has been married to her husband Bill for over forty years. They live in New Mexico and are blessed with two grown children and four precious grandchildren. Touch bases at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook.
Get your copy of Courageous World Changers at Amazon, B&N and Christian Book.com
Wow, Shirley, these sound like some very interesting stories! Good luck and God's blessings with the book!
Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
Well the writing retreat in Nacogdoches, TX I talked about on Wednesday was a great time. I doubled my word count on the current WIP. One friend met her goal of 10K words added to hers and the other finished and published a short story as well as added to her overall word count also! I absolutely love getting together with writers to actually write. Of course we took regular breaks to visit and brainstorm or simply get away to rest our minds but then we were right back at it and it paid off. Alas, now we're back to our normal routines juggling life and writing. But hopefully the inspiration will carry us through to completion of our individual projects.
Enough about me though!
Our guest has visited before, both on Wednesday Words with Friends AND in our Spotlight so I'm turning the blog over to her now. Take it away Shirley.....
Faithful Christian women are salt and light in their communities. They all make a difference. But some have such a vibrant faith that—like a stone tossed into a pond— their influence ripples throughout the world. The fifty women included in this book fall into that category. Each took seriously Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18 that, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
Blessed with a variety of talents from writing and preaching, to teaching and nursing, these women used their gifts to glorify God. From aviators and athletes to musicians and mathematicians, many of them forged their faith in the fires of persecution, prejudice, and pain. Several entered the mission field. Others took their faith into the world of politics and medicine. They were (and are) strong, smart, and sometimes outspoken. They recognized Jesus as Lord of everything—from arts and sciences to education and athletics. Brief cameos include Corrie Ten Boom, Mahalia Jackson, Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Sabina Wurmbrand and Ni Kwei-Tseng Soong and 44 other inspiring women.
Excerpt: Brave and adventurous at an early age, Elisabeth Elliot was only twelve when she prayed, “Lord, I want you to do anything you want with me.” She attended Wheaton College, where she studied classical Greek, hoping to translate the New Testament for unreached people groups. She married Jim Elliot in 1953. They joined four other families on the mission field in Ecuador.
While living with the peaceful Quecha tribe, Jim attempted to make contact with the Waorani—a violent tribe known for their revenge killings. Neighboring tribes called them Aucas or savages. When Jim and four others were killed, Elisabeth insisted, “This is not a tragedy. God has a plan and purpose in all this.”
Together with Rachel Saint, the sister of one of the murdered missionaries, Elisabeth took her toddler Valerie to the Waorani village, where they lived for two years in a tiny rain swept hut, eating roasted monkey limbs and other local fare. She hoped by forgiving those who’d killed her husband, she might teach them about God’s mercy and grace. Her courageous faith won several in the tribe to Jesus and inspired millions of Christians around the world. When
Elisabeth returned to the United States in 1963, the Waorani were no longer a violent culture. Elisabeth married again and began her speaking ministry across the United States. She also wrote twenty-four books, many of them inspirational bestsellers. Today, the tribe she evangelized continues to grow in the Christian faith.
Amanda Berry Smith (1837-1915) The Orphans’ Champion
Born a slave in Maryland, Amanda was one of thirteen children. Her parents were married, but lived on different plantations. Devout believers, they raised their children to love Jesus. At thirteen, Amanda performed the tasks of a housemaid. She was fifteen when her father purchased her freedom. Together they moved north to Pennsylvania.
Amanda married at seventeen. She endured poverty and hardship. Her husband enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War, but never returned. Four of her five children died as babies. Her second husband died from cancer. Each tragedy drew her closer to God. When Amanda began her preaching ministry, she joyfully distributed Bible tracts on street corners. She sang at revivals. For forty years, both black and white Christians invited her to preach at their events.
Amanda became instrumental in the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and helped to establish the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Despite her popularity, Amanda felt the sting of racism, saying, “I think some people would understand the quintessence of sanctifying grace if they could be black about twenty four hours.”
As her reputation grew, Amanda evangelized in Great Britain and India. She served as a missionary in Liberia in Africa for eight years. After returning to the United States, she raised funds to build an orphanage for destitute black children in 1899 in a small town near Chicago—the first establishment of its kind. She worked tirelessly for the rest of her life to support the orphanage.
An award-winning writer, Shirley Raye Redmond is the author of Courageous World Changers: 50 True Stories of Daring Women of God and three inspirational novels, PRUDENCE PURSUED, VIPER’S NEST, and AMANDA’S BEAU.Her children’s book, LEWIS & CLARK: A PRAIRIE DOG FOR THE PRESIDENT (Random House) was a Children’s Book of the Month Club selection.
Shirley Raye holds an M.A. in literature and has been married to her husband Bill for over forty years. They live in New Mexico and are blessed with two grown children and four precious grandchildren. Touch bases at shirleyrayeredmond.com or Facebook.
Get your copy of Courageous World Changers at Amazon, B&N and Christian Book.com
Wow, Shirley, these sound like some very interesting stories! Good luck and God's blessings with the book!
Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
July 15, 2020
#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Barbara Britton!
Good Morning from Nacogdoches, TX!
A couple friends and I have been here since Sunday afternoon for a short writing retreat. Double blessing for me as I get to visit my son too. If you haven't filed your taxes, today is the day. We were given a reprieve when the IRS extended the file date until July - something I don't recall ever happening before, but many people will put off until the last moment what they had the ability to do months ago. Human nature I guess. I'm happy to admit mine are done so that's one less thing on my plate to worry about. But enough about me!
Our guest today has been in our spotlight with her book Until June and Benjamin so please welcome Barbara back to share some words with us on Encountering Invisible Wounds.....
My latest release was a bit different for me. I usually write Biblical Fiction, but “Until June” is set in Alaska in 1918 and not in Bible Times. Why a WWI Historical? Many years ago, I took an Alaskan cruise with my family. We ventured to a lodge outside of Juneau and heard a story about how a WWI veteran and a nurse stayed at the lodge year-round. In winter, when the river froze, the couple was cut off from society. A man and a woman alone in a lodge? That was the beginning of “Until June.”
What would make a veteran decide to go to a remote lodge instead of staying in Juneau? I thought of a veteran I met in a VA Hospital in Waco, TX many years ago. I remember meeting him, but he won’t remember meeting me. The veteran was living in another reality due to post-traumatic stress disorder. In WWI, soldiers experienced severe trauma that affected their lives as well. The disorder was called being shell-shocked.
In “Until June,” Geoff Chambers overcomes the hardships of war and learns to live again due to the persistence of his caregiver. PTSD is a heavy topic, but I hope I have brought it to life with respect and humor that shows the realities of war.
Until June can be purchased on Amazon, B&N and other book retailers.
Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She is published in Biblical fiction and enjoys bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her stories. Look for Barb to venture into Christian Historical fiction with “Until June.” Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America, and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out about Barb’s books on her Website. She is also active on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Thank you so much, Barbara for sharing your inspiration behind Until June. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your life and writing!
Hope you enjoyed the post, friends. Barbara is travelling today but she will check in and visit with you when she gets a moment so please leave her a comment.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
A couple friends and I have been here since Sunday afternoon for a short writing retreat. Double blessing for me as I get to visit my son too. If you haven't filed your taxes, today is the day. We were given a reprieve when the IRS extended the file date until July - something I don't recall ever happening before, but many people will put off until the last moment what they had the ability to do months ago. Human nature I guess. I'm happy to admit mine are done so that's one less thing on my plate to worry about. But enough about me!
Our guest today has been in our spotlight with her book Until June and Benjamin so please welcome Barbara back to share some words with us on Encountering Invisible Wounds.....
My latest release was a bit different for me. I usually write Biblical Fiction, but “Until June” is set in Alaska in 1918 and not in Bible Times. Why a WWI Historical? Many years ago, I took an Alaskan cruise with my family. We ventured to a lodge outside of Juneau and heard a story about how a WWI veteran and a nurse stayed at the lodge year-round. In winter, when the river froze, the couple was cut off from society. A man and a woman alone in a lodge? That was the beginning of “Until June.”What would make a veteran decide to go to a remote lodge instead of staying in Juneau? I thought of a veteran I met in a VA Hospital in Waco, TX many years ago. I remember meeting him, but he won’t remember meeting me. The veteran was living in another reality due to post-traumatic stress disorder. In WWI, soldiers experienced severe trauma that affected their lives as well. The disorder was called being shell-shocked.
In “Until June,” Geoff Chambers overcomes the hardships of war and learns to live again due to the persistence of his caregiver. PTSD is a heavy topic, but I hope I have brought it to life with respect and humor that shows the realities of war.
Until June can be purchased on Amazon, B&N and other book retailers.
Barbara M. Britton lives in Southeast Wisconsin and loves the snow—when it accumulates under three inches. She is published in Biblical fiction and enjoys bringing little-known Bible characters to light in her stories. Look for Barb to venture into Christian Historical fiction with “Until June.” Barb is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Romance Writers of America, and Wisconsin Romance Writers of America. Barb has a nutrition degree from Baylor University but loves to dip healthy strawberries in chocolate. You can find out about Barb’s books on her Website. She is also active on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
Thank you so much, Barbara for sharing your inspiration behind Until June. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your life and writing!
Hope you enjoyed the post, friends. Barbara is travelling today but she will check in and visit with you when she gets a moment so please leave her a comment.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
July 10, 2020
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kristen Joy Wilks & Yellowstone Yondering!
Good Morning!
If you've followed me for long you know I absolutely LOVE to promote new-to-me authors. Our guest is a fellow Pelican Book Group author who has never had the opportunity to visit - until today! So please welcome Kristen Joy Wilks with her book, Yellowstone Yondering ....
When a free-spirited wildlife photographer loses her Scottish terrier in a herd of bison, she sets out to rescue her furbaby before he is devoured. But will she succeed when Yellowstone National Park is chock full of boiling, bubbling, and rampaging hazards (both mammalian and geographical) — not to mention a rule-obsessed park ranger whose many rescues thwart her efforts to find her poor pup?
Excerpt: He handed her a stack of pamphlets, not only on pet regulations within the park, but also papers that listed safe camping techniques, wild animal safety, and motorcycle repair for beginners. Where did he get all of this material? Surely the park did not concern itself with what kind of leather polish she used on the seat of her vehicle. “I noticed that you are not wearing biking leathers.” “Of course not. I look terrible in black.” If possible, his scowl increased in intensity. “Also, it is incredibly hot. If I don’t crash, I’ll be fine.” The ranger handed her a pamphlet showing a number of grievous injuries and mangled motorbikes, some of them still in flames. “I’ve compiled a list of motorcycle accidents in the park from the last decade. Please consider the purchase of protective garments appropriate to your mode of transportation.” Kayla snatched the paper out of his hand and squinted at his name tag which read ALEXANDER BRANDT in precise block lettering. “I’ll take it into consideration, Ranger Brandt. Can I go?” Mr. Brandt shook his head and indicated her camera and the equipment tucked inside the open saddle bag. “All park animals are wild. Stay one-hundred yards from bears and wolves and at least twenty-five yards from bison, moose, elk, big horn sheep, deer, and coyotes.” “Of course they’re wild. Surely, everyone in this line knows that?” “Yes, you would think so. Yet somehow I’ve spent the entire summer discouraging park goers from sneaking up to place their children, children mind you, on the backs of rambling bison and grazing moose for photos. Yesterday, a group of twelve tourists were snapping selfies not five feet away from a Grizzly with cubs and so I say again, the animals are wild!” The ranger paused a moment to collect himself. “OK, then, let me assure you of my sanity. I am fully aware that these are bear-infested wilderness areas. I swear never to perch my dog upon wildlife of any kind and will personally tackle any parent who attempts to do so. Safety first … you can let me through anytime now.” The ranger raised one brow and lowered his sunglasses. “You might want to skip the tackling part. They would most likely sue.” Man, his eyes were blue … and intense, apparently he had no intention of shortening the lecture. “Now, do not feed any of the animals. Even a marmot can give you Bubonic Plague.” Bubonic Plague, really? Kayla snatched her park pass from his hand and was about to pull forward when he gave her just the hint of a smile. It transformed his stern expression, pulling her gaze to those blue eyes and bringing out a single dimple in his cheek. Annoying and cute. How charming. As Ranger Brandt stepped back and waved her forward, he managed to smash her glimpse of Mr. Dashing with some unsolicited wisdom. “Remember, no one will enjoy your beautiful photos if you get an antler gouged through your eye.” Kayla glanced back and smiled. “Actually, nothing increases sales like the tragic death of the artist.” As Ranger Brandt’s eyes hardened and he opened his mouth to reply, Kayla revved the engine and kicked Canary into gear. Author Bio:
Kristen Joy Wilks lives with her camp-director husband, three fierce sons, and a slobbery Newfoundland dog. She has blow-dried a chicken, smuggled bacon into the movie theater, and fought epic Nerf battles instead of washing dishes. Kristen writes about the humor and Grace God gives amidst the detritus of life. Connect with Kristen on her Website, Facebook, Pinterest. Get a copy of
Yellowstone Yondering
at Amazon, B&N and PBG. Watch the Trailer HERE.
Wow, Kristen, this book sounds really wonderful! I've been to several National Parks but Yellowstone isn't one - yet. Hopefully soon!Good luck and God's blessings. PamT
If you've followed me for long you know I absolutely LOVE to promote new-to-me authors. Our guest is a fellow Pelican Book Group author who has never had the opportunity to visit - until today! So please welcome Kristen Joy Wilks with her book, Yellowstone Yondering ....
When a free-spirited wildlife photographer loses her Scottish terrier in a herd of bison, she sets out to rescue her furbaby before he is devoured. But will she succeed when Yellowstone National Park is chock full of boiling, bubbling, and rampaging hazards (both mammalian and geographical) — not to mention a rule-obsessed park ranger whose many rescues thwart her efforts to find her poor pup? Excerpt: He handed her a stack of pamphlets, not only on pet regulations within the park, but also papers that listed safe camping techniques, wild animal safety, and motorcycle repair for beginners. Where did he get all of this material? Surely the park did not concern itself with what kind of leather polish she used on the seat of her vehicle. “I noticed that you are not wearing biking leathers.” “Of course not. I look terrible in black.” If possible, his scowl increased in intensity. “Also, it is incredibly hot. If I don’t crash, I’ll be fine.” The ranger handed her a pamphlet showing a number of grievous injuries and mangled motorbikes, some of them still in flames. “I’ve compiled a list of motorcycle accidents in the park from the last decade. Please consider the purchase of protective garments appropriate to your mode of transportation.” Kayla snatched the paper out of his hand and squinted at his name tag which read ALEXANDER BRANDT in precise block lettering. “I’ll take it into consideration, Ranger Brandt. Can I go?” Mr. Brandt shook his head and indicated her camera and the equipment tucked inside the open saddle bag. “All park animals are wild. Stay one-hundred yards from bears and wolves and at least twenty-five yards from bison, moose, elk, big horn sheep, deer, and coyotes.” “Of course they’re wild. Surely, everyone in this line knows that?” “Yes, you would think so. Yet somehow I’ve spent the entire summer discouraging park goers from sneaking up to place their children, children mind you, on the backs of rambling bison and grazing moose for photos. Yesterday, a group of twelve tourists were snapping selfies not five feet away from a Grizzly with cubs and so I say again, the animals are wild!” The ranger paused a moment to collect himself. “OK, then, let me assure you of my sanity. I am fully aware that these are bear-infested wilderness areas. I swear never to perch my dog upon wildlife of any kind and will personally tackle any parent who attempts to do so. Safety first … you can let me through anytime now.” The ranger raised one brow and lowered his sunglasses. “You might want to skip the tackling part. They would most likely sue.” Man, his eyes were blue … and intense, apparently he had no intention of shortening the lecture. “Now, do not feed any of the animals. Even a marmot can give you Bubonic Plague.” Bubonic Plague, really? Kayla snatched her park pass from his hand and was about to pull forward when he gave her just the hint of a smile. It transformed his stern expression, pulling her gaze to those blue eyes and bringing out a single dimple in his cheek. Annoying and cute. How charming. As Ranger Brandt stepped back and waved her forward, he managed to smash her glimpse of Mr. Dashing with some unsolicited wisdom. “Remember, no one will enjoy your beautiful photos if you get an antler gouged through your eye.” Kayla glanced back and smiled. “Actually, nothing increases sales like the tragic death of the artist.” As Ranger Brandt’s eyes hardened and he opened his mouth to reply, Kayla revved the engine and kicked Canary into gear. Author Bio:
Kristen Joy Wilks lives with her camp-director husband, three fierce sons, and a slobbery Newfoundland dog. She has blow-dried a chicken, smuggled bacon into the movie theater, and fought epic Nerf battles instead of washing dishes. Kristen writes about the humor and Grace God gives amidst the detritus of life. Connect with Kristen on her Website, Facebook, Pinterest. Get a copy of
Yellowstone Yondering
at Amazon, B&N and PBG. Watch the Trailer HERE.Wow, Kristen, this book sounds really wonderful! I've been to several National Parks but Yellowstone isn't one - yet. Hopefully soon!Good luck and God's blessings. PamT
July 8, 2020
#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes Clarissa Rivera!
Good Morning Friends,
Clarissa Rivera, Content Marketer at Taos Footwear has visited us before with wonderful information on Getting Healthy and choosing your Footwear. Today she shares some tips on disinfecting your shoes. This information has been both relevant and disavowed by the CDC but hey, you never know what to believe or when it'll come in handy so let's welcome Clarissa back.
Take it away Clarissa.....
Removing and Disinfecting Your Shoes: The Benefits of Both During COVID-19
It’s always important to guard against germs. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this may be more crucial than ever. You need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay safe.
That’s why you should remove your shoes before entering your home after you’ve been out. Additionally, it’s a good idea to disinfect your supportive sneakers, favorite sandals, and every pair of shoes that you wear on a regular basis. The following points will help you better understand why.
The Benefits of Removing Your Shoes Before Entering Your Home
Keeping Your Home Clean
You might not want to hear this, but odds are good your shoe soles are much dirtier than you realize. Most shoe soles are actually dirtier than toilet seats.
You don’t want to track germs into your house or apartment. Removing your shoes before stepping inside will help you avoid doing so.
It’s also important to understand that research shows 100% of shoes contain fecal matter. Regardless of how careful you think you are, or how clean you think your neighborhood is, the sad truth is your shoes are almost certainly home to fecal matter and bacteria. On top of that, because shoes rarely get a chance to shed bacteria (bacteria accumulates every time you step outside in your shoes), bacteria appears to remain present on shoes longer than on virtually any other surface.Avoiding Covid-19 Spread
The coronavirus is new. We’re still learning about how it spreads. That said, while person-to-person transmission appears to be the most common way the virus infects others, the CDC’s research also indicates you may contract the virus by simply coming into contact with a surface that’s also been in contact with the virus.
This is another good reason to remove your shoes before entering your home. You can’t be too careful these days. There’s no reason to risk bringing the virus inside with you.How to Disinfect Your Shoes
Removing your shoes before going inside is definitely beneficial. That said, to optimize your safety, it’s also a good idea to disinfect your shoes.
You can do this easily with some shoes by merely cleaning them in your washing machine. Use hot water to kill the germs.
However, in some instances, shoes are made of delicate materials (such as leather and suede) that won’t hold up in a washing machine. To disinfect these types of shoes, use a rag or soft bristled brushed with a mixture of warm water and soap. You can also use rubbing alcohol to disinfect them thoroughly. Just make sure you also wash your hands and forearms after doing so. Of course, when your shoes are made with very delicate materials, you want to rinse them gently and carefully.
Of course, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you should try to limit outside excursions as much as possible. That said, you still need to go out to buy groceries and perform related tasks. Keeping your shoes clean and removing them before coming inside will help you stay safe.
Hope this information is beneficial to you ALL and that you'll do whatever necessary to keep yourself and your loved ones safe!
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT
Clarissa Rivera, Content Marketer at Taos Footwear has visited us before with wonderful information on Getting Healthy and choosing your Footwear. Today she shares some tips on disinfecting your shoes. This information has been both relevant and disavowed by the CDC but hey, you never know what to believe or when it'll come in handy so let's welcome Clarissa back.
Take it away Clarissa.....
Removing and Disinfecting Your Shoes: The Benefits of Both During COVID-19
It’s always important to guard against germs. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this may be more crucial than ever. You need to make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay safe.
That’s why you should remove your shoes before entering your home after you’ve been out. Additionally, it’s a good idea to disinfect your supportive sneakers, favorite sandals, and every pair of shoes that you wear on a regular basis. The following points will help you better understand why.
The Benefits of Removing Your Shoes Before Entering Your Home
Keeping Your Home Clean
You might not want to hear this, but odds are good your shoe soles are much dirtier than you realize. Most shoe soles are actually dirtier than toilet seats.
You don’t want to track germs into your house or apartment. Removing your shoes before stepping inside will help you avoid doing so.
It’s also important to understand that research shows 100% of shoes contain fecal matter. Regardless of how careful you think you are, or how clean you think your neighborhood is, the sad truth is your shoes are almost certainly home to fecal matter and bacteria. On top of that, because shoes rarely get a chance to shed bacteria (bacteria accumulates every time you step outside in your shoes), bacteria appears to remain present on shoes longer than on virtually any other surface.Avoiding Covid-19 Spread
The coronavirus is new. We’re still learning about how it spreads. That said, while person-to-person transmission appears to be the most common way the virus infects others, the CDC’s research also indicates you may contract the virus by simply coming into contact with a surface that’s also been in contact with the virus.
This is another good reason to remove your shoes before entering your home. You can’t be too careful these days. There’s no reason to risk bringing the virus inside with you.How to Disinfect Your Shoes
Removing your shoes before going inside is definitely beneficial. That said, to optimize your safety, it’s also a good idea to disinfect your shoes.
You can do this easily with some shoes by merely cleaning them in your washing machine. Use hot water to kill the germs.
However, in some instances, shoes are made of delicate materials (such as leather and suede) that won’t hold up in a washing machine. To disinfect these types of shoes, use a rag or soft bristled brushed with a mixture of warm water and soap. You can also use rubbing alcohol to disinfect them thoroughly. Just make sure you also wash your hands and forearms after doing so. Of course, when your shoes are made with very delicate materials, you want to rinse them gently and carefully.
Of course, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you should try to limit outside excursions as much as possible. That said, you still need to go out to buy groceries and perform related tasks. Keeping your shoes clean and removing them before coming inside will help you stay safe.
Hope this information is beneficial to you ALL and that you'll do whatever necessary to keep yourself and your loved ones safe!
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT
July 4, 2020
#SaturdaySpotlight is on April Jones @akejones & The Curse Breaker!
Good Morning and Welcome!
Happy Independence Day, America! Hope you've had a chance to check out the Celebrate Canada/America Bookish Event put on by N. N. Light's Book Heaven. Good luck if you've entered the rafflecopter giveaway!
If you've followed me for long you know it is always a pleasure to introduce to you a new-to-me author. Today's guest, April Jones has read, written, or edited her way through numerous fictional worlds. When she's not teaching or writing, she spends her time trying to learn other languages or keeping her mischievous cat from eating the pet fish. She received her bachelor's in English and her M.F.A. in creative writing.
A Tennessee native, April currently lives in Michigan with her husband and three children. You can find her poems and short stories published in various literary magazines across the internet and in print. You can also check out her debut novel, The Curse Breaker. For more information visit her website thepathtostory.com
Find out more about April and connect with her on the following social media sites...
Facebook: Facebook.com/editorapril
Twitter: @akejones
Instagram: aprilkelleyjones
Website: thepathtostory.com
So nice to meet you, April! Now tells us more about your book....
Eris's sister is missing, and Magic is definitely to blame! Eris knows only Magic can bring her back, but even as a Light Magic born, is she strong enough to save her sister?
Knox is cursed to spend his days as a corpse and his nights trying to find the prophesized girl who can break the curse. If he can't find her by his 20th birthday, he'll stay dead forever.
Eris and Knox will discover there are scarier things in their path other than curses and half-truths. If the Queen of the Underworld has her way, everything and everyone will die. The only thing standing in her way is the curse breaker, and Eris will have to choose between saving herself or everyone she loves.
Excerpt: The Queen paced in front of her blood-red throne. After so many years, she was finally going to meet the thief who had stolen her amulet. And when she did, she was going to slowly sever every one of their limbs, one by one, before feeding their soul to Madame. The thought made her smile a wicked smile. That would teach them to steal from the Queen of the Underworld. Stupid humans were always trying to prolong their lives in the most feeble ways. Tonics, magic, deals. Death was something that could never be avoided entirely, but they didn’t seem to think that universal rule applied to any of them.Three more months and her amulet would call to her like it always did when she could get free of this place, and then she would have her revenge. Whoever they were, they had been granted twenty years that did not belong to them, and she would make sure they paid for that stolen time. That was part of her job, after all, not that she was complaining.
“I apologize for being late, your Majesty.” Madame hurried in, a little out of breath.
The Queen turned and stared at a slightly disheveled Madame. Normally her long hair was braided and wrapped elaborately around her head, causing her to look like a long-lost ancient queen from the human world.
“We can discuss that in a moment. I called you here because I have a proposition for you.”
“I am but your humble servant, your Majesty.” Madame feigned humility they both knew she did not possess.
The Queen rolled her eyes and continued. “If you can find the insect that stole my amulet before three months are up, I will give you a special treat.”
“I will find the human. I will make it suffer.” Madame smiled.
“No. You will not touch a hair on its head. Bring it to me, and I will deal with it.” Madame looked disappointed but nodded.
The body of a girl suddenly appeared in the air in front of them, along with one of her servants. Madame examined the girl for a moment, but then seemed to lose interest once she realized the girl was neither alive nor dead. The Queen walked over and swept the girl’s long black hair back enough to see her face. She scrunched up her nose at the young girl’s beauty.
Snapping her fingers again brought new servants running.
“Take her and put her with the rest of the cursed.”
The women gently plucked the girl from the air. The Queen wondered how many bodies lay waiting in the limbo between life and death. Not that she would forgive the vermin that had stolen her amulet, but she would enjoy watching the human be tortured by all the souls it had trapped prematurely in the Underworld. Eternity would not be long enough for all the lives that heartless human had taken trying to break the curse that came with stealing something born from the Underworld’s power. Since the human had not been able to break it thus far, she continued to collect bodies stuck in the in-between, their lives connected to the cursed one’s. When that insect finally died, so would all of those souls, and she would have a lovely new collection of pets.
The Queen smiled to herself as she watched one of the servants wrap her arms around the girl’s legs while the other wove her arms around the girl’s back. Slowly they carried her out, leaving the Queen to her thoughts again.
Get your copy of The Curse Breaker at Amazon.
~~~~~~~
Oh my what an excerpt! Love your cover too, April. Thanks for sharing. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back often for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight. Don't forget N. N. Light's Book Heaven's "Christmas in July Fete" with 5 gift cards up for grabs! Keri's Christmas Wish is featured along with a bunch of other Christmas books!
Guess that's all for now folks. Until next time take care, be safe & God Bless. PamT
Happy Independence Day, America! Hope you've had a chance to check out the Celebrate Canada/America Bookish Event put on by N. N. Light's Book Heaven. Good luck if you've entered the rafflecopter giveaway!
If you've followed me for long you know it is always a pleasure to introduce to you a new-to-me author. Today's guest, April Jones has read, written, or edited her way through numerous fictional worlds. When she's not teaching or writing, she spends her time trying to learn other languages or keeping her mischievous cat from eating the pet fish. She received her bachelor's in English and her M.F.A. in creative writing. A Tennessee native, April currently lives in Michigan with her husband and three children. You can find her poems and short stories published in various literary magazines across the internet and in print. You can also check out her debut novel, The Curse Breaker. For more information visit her website thepathtostory.com
Find out more about April and connect with her on the following social media sites...
Facebook: Facebook.com/editorapril
Twitter: @akejones
Instagram: aprilkelleyjones
Website: thepathtostory.com
So nice to meet you, April! Now tells us more about your book....
Eris's sister is missing, and Magic is definitely to blame! Eris knows only Magic can bring her back, but even as a Light Magic born, is she strong enough to save her sister?Knox is cursed to spend his days as a corpse and his nights trying to find the prophesized girl who can break the curse. If he can't find her by his 20th birthday, he'll stay dead forever.
Eris and Knox will discover there are scarier things in their path other than curses and half-truths. If the Queen of the Underworld has her way, everything and everyone will die. The only thing standing in her way is the curse breaker, and Eris will have to choose between saving herself or everyone she loves.
Excerpt: The Queen paced in front of her blood-red throne. After so many years, she was finally going to meet the thief who had stolen her amulet. And when she did, she was going to slowly sever every one of their limbs, one by one, before feeding their soul to Madame. The thought made her smile a wicked smile. That would teach them to steal from the Queen of the Underworld. Stupid humans were always trying to prolong their lives in the most feeble ways. Tonics, magic, deals. Death was something that could never be avoided entirely, but they didn’t seem to think that universal rule applied to any of them.Three more months and her amulet would call to her like it always did when she could get free of this place, and then she would have her revenge. Whoever they were, they had been granted twenty years that did not belong to them, and she would make sure they paid for that stolen time. That was part of her job, after all, not that she was complaining.
“I apologize for being late, your Majesty.” Madame hurried in, a little out of breath.
The Queen turned and stared at a slightly disheveled Madame. Normally her long hair was braided and wrapped elaborately around her head, causing her to look like a long-lost ancient queen from the human world.
“We can discuss that in a moment. I called you here because I have a proposition for you.”
“I am but your humble servant, your Majesty.” Madame feigned humility they both knew she did not possess.
The Queen rolled her eyes and continued. “If you can find the insect that stole my amulet before three months are up, I will give you a special treat.”
“I will find the human. I will make it suffer.” Madame smiled.
“No. You will not touch a hair on its head. Bring it to me, and I will deal with it.” Madame looked disappointed but nodded.
The body of a girl suddenly appeared in the air in front of them, along with one of her servants. Madame examined the girl for a moment, but then seemed to lose interest once she realized the girl was neither alive nor dead. The Queen walked over and swept the girl’s long black hair back enough to see her face. She scrunched up her nose at the young girl’s beauty.
Snapping her fingers again brought new servants running.
“Take her and put her with the rest of the cursed.”
The women gently plucked the girl from the air. The Queen wondered how many bodies lay waiting in the limbo between life and death. Not that she would forgive the vermin that had stolen her amulet, but she would enjoy watching the human be tortured by all the souls it had trapped prematurely in the Underworld. Eternity would not be long enough for all the lives that heartless human had taken trying to break the curse that came with stealing something born from the Underworld’s power. Since the human had not been able to break it thus far, she continued to collect bodies stuck in the in-between, their lives connected to the cursed one’s. When that insect finally died, so would all of those souls, and she would have a lovely new collection of pets.
The Queen smiled to herself as she watched one of the servants wrap her arms around the girl’s legs while the other wove her arms around the girl’s back. Slowly they carried her out, leaving the Queen to her thoughts again.
Get your copy of The Curse Breaker at Amazon.
~~~~~~~
Oh my what an excerpt! Love your cover too, April. Thanks for sharing. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back often for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight. Don't forget N. N. Light's Book Heaven's "Christmas in July Fete" with 5 gift cards up for grabs! Keri's Christmas Wish is featured along with a bunch of other Christmas books!
Guess that's all for now folks. Until next time take care, be safe & God Bless. PamT
July 1, 2020
#WednesdayWordswithFriends ~ DV Stone wins June gift card giveaway & Two great contests for YOU!
Good Morning Friends,
The first thing I'd like to do is congratulate....
D. V. Stone!
She is our JUNE gift card giveaway! CONGRATULATIONS, Donna!
I've teamed up with NN Light's Book Heaven for two promotional events this month.
First is the Celebrate Canada/America Bookish Event where you can win an E-copy of all 24 books featured including Circles of Fate ! Click on the graphic below to enter. Check out all the titles HERE.
Next up is their Christmas in July Fete. Keri's Christmas Wish will be featured in this promotion and there are 5 gift cards up for grabs! Click on the graphic below to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway. Get a look at the books featured HERE.
I have one more bit of exciting news... Tempered Truth is finished! I'll be doing a cover reveal soon so stay tuned. If you're signed up to receive my newsletter, you'll see it first. If not, you'll have to wait LOL! I plan on publishing the book sometime later this year when the audio version of Tempered Joy releases.
Meanwhile, if you haven't pre-ordered your copy of My Heart Weeps , do so now while it is available for only 99 cents. The price will increase incrementally after publication on August 18th. I've approved the first 15 minutes of the audio version so hopefully it will release along with the print and Ebook simultaneously.
Not much else happening in my world. Preparing for Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 - Dec. 7) in my day job and trying to stay busy writing, editing and promoting. I have started working on another WIP (work in progress) tentatively titled Kyleigh's Country Christmas OR Kyleigh's Cowboy. I'll determine the final title when the book is finished and I know the length as well as whether Christmas plays a big part in the overall story.
Oh, one more thing! Smashwords is having their annual July Summer/Winter sale and all of my titles, along with hundreds of other books are available at reduced prices so be sure to grab your next supply of books to keep you occupied throughout the long days of summer.
Guess that's about all for now, Friends. I pray you and yours are safe, healthy and happy during this season of turmoil in our country.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
The first thing I'd like to do is congratulate....
D. V. Stone!
She is our JUNE gift card giveaway! CONGRATULATIONS, Donna!
I've teamed up with NN Light's Book Heaven for two promotional events this month.
First is the Celebrate Canada/America Bookish Event where you can win an E-copy of all 24 books featured including Circles of Fate ! Click on the graphic below to enter. Check out all the titles HERE.
Next up is their Christmas in July Fete. Keri's Christmas Wish will be featured in this promotion and there are 5 gift cards up for grabs! Click on the graphic below to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway. Get a look at the books featured HERE.
I have one more bit of exciting news... Tempered Truth is finished! I'll be doing a cover reveal soon so stay tuned. If you're signed up to receive my newsletter, you'll see it first. If not, you'll have to wait LOL! I plan on publishing the book sometime later this year when the audio version of Tempered Joy releases.
Meanwhile, if you haven't pre-ordered your copy of My Heart Weeps , do so now while it is available for only 99 cents. The price will increase incrementally after publication on August 18th. I've approved the first 15 minutes of the audio version so hopefully it will release along with the print and Ebook simultaneously.
Not much else happening in my world. Preparing for Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 - Dec. 7) in my day job and trying to stay busy writing, editing and promoting. I have started working on another WIP (work in progress) tentatively titled Kyleigh's Country Christmas OR Kyleigh's Cowboy. I'll determine the final title when the book is finished and I know the length as well as whether Christmas plays a big part in the overall story.
Oh, one more thing! Smashwords is having their annual July Summer/Winter sale and all of my titles, along with hundreds of other books are available at reduced prices so be sure to grab your next supply of books to keep you occupied throughout the long days of summer.
Guess that's about all for now, Friends. I pray you and yours are safe, healthy and happy during this season of turmoil in our country.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
June 26, 2020
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Clare Revell @ClareRevell & her "Say a Prayer" series!
Good Morning!
Well, another month has passed and there is still no reprieve in sight with Covid-19 nor the civil unrest. I. Am. SO. T-I-R-E-D of the negativity....and that's all I've got to say about that!
Today's guest is no stranger to our blog. Clare Revell has been here numerous times with many of her books and let me tell you, folks, there are a ton of them! This lady cranks them out quicker than anyone I know! And they are all excellent stories.
This time Clare is sharing with us her brand new series, released entirely last month. Take it away Clare....
DC Zander Ellery isn't sure which he dislikes the most: New partners, rookie female officers, or cases he can't solve. Right now he has all three.
DC Isabel York is fresh out of uniform and out of the proverbial frying pan into the fire as her personal and professional lives clash with her first case—ten stolen works of art.
When a postcard arrives addressed to Isabel with a cryptic message on it, it's just the beginning. The mystery deepens as the first of the stolen paintings is found alongside a dead body—bound and gagged and left posed in prayer at the place depicted in the postcard.
Are nine more murders coming? Can Zander and Isabel find the missing paintings and solve the murder before another victim falls?
Amazon UK Amazon US
As the body count increases and more paintings are recovered, DC Zander Ellery and his partner DC Isabel York are under increasing pressure to catch the killer the press have dubbed the Prayer Slayer.
A few tenuous links are all they have between the deaths of three young, pretty women. The new Chief Superintendent is only adding to the pressure and seems to be picking on Isabel more than any other officer.
Torn between his urge to protect his partner and his need to solve the case, Zander sits his sergeant's exams, hoping once they are over, he won't be so distracted. But a rocky relationship with his girlfriend and one more murder only adds to his stress.
Amazon UK Amazon US
With trouble on the streets, DS Zander Ellery is under even more pressure to solve the case of the Prayer Slayer.
His partner DC Isabel York is convinced she is being targeted, as all the postcards the Slayer sends are addressed only to her.
With Zander and Isabel pulled in different directions, the body count escalates, until the case explodes in a direction no one could foresee—Something that will test everyone to the limits of their experience and faith.
Amazon UK Amazon US
Just when things couldn't get much worse, they suddenly do. With DS Zander Ellery in jail, his partner DC Isabel York fights to clear his name. Not an easy task when she is suspended from duty and the evidence against him is compelling.
Finally, pieces begin to fall into place, but to catch the Prayer Slayer once and for all, both officers must walk down a dark path where their very souls are at risk of being taken.
Amazon UK Amazon US
Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town just outside Reading, England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, their three children, and unfriendly mini-panther, aka Tilly the black cat. Clare is half English and half Welsh, which makes watching rugby interesting at times as it doesn’t matter who wins.
Writing from an early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fan fiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, she can be found reading, crocheting or doing the many piles of laundry the occupants of her house manage to make.
Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions, thus, although the spelling may be American in some of them, the books contain British language and terminology and the more recent ones are written in UK English.
The first draft of every novel is hand written.
She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of four registrars.
She can be found at:http://clarerevell.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ClareRevellAuthorhttps://twitter.com/ClareRevellhttp://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/https://uk.pinterest.com/ClareLRevell/https://www.instagram.com/clarerevell/https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B005NZT2O2https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005NZT2O2http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=45https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4476220.Clare_Revellhttps://www.bookbub.com/profile/clare-revell
Newsletter Sign Up - http://eepurl.com/chtmdHWOW, Clare...what a great premise for a series. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it!
Well Friends, that's all for today. Remember, it's your last chance to enter my monthly drawing and I've added the option to get 1 month Audible membership into the mix so be sure to leave a comment!
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
Well, another month has passed and there is still no reprieve in sight with Covid-19 nor the civil unrest. I. Am. SO. T-I-R-E-D of the negativity....and that's all I've got to say about that!
Today's guest is no stranger to our blog. Clare Revell has been here numerous times with many of her books and let me tell you, folks, there are a ton of them! This lady cranks them out quicker than anyone I know! And they are all excellent stories.
This time Clare is sharing with us her brand new series, released entirely last month. Take it away Clare....
DC Zander Ellery isn't sure which he dislikes the most: New partners, rookie female officers, or cases he can't solve. Right now he has all three.
DC Isabel York is fresh out of uniform and out of the proverbial frying pan into the fire as her personal and professional lives clash with her first case—ten stolen works of art.
When a postcard arrives addressed to Isabel with a cryptic message on it, it's just the beginning. The mystery deepens as the first of the stolen paintings is found alongside a dead body—bound and gagged and left posed in prayer at the place depicted in the postcard.
Are nine more murders coming? Can Zander and Isabel find the missing paintings and solve the murder before another victim falls?
Amazon UK Amazon US
As the body count increases and more paintings are recovered, DC Zander Ellery and his partner DC Isabel York are under increasing pressure to catch the killer the press have dubbed the Prayer Slayer.
A few tenuous links are all they have between the deaths of three young, pretty women. The new Chief Superintendent is only adding to the pressure and seems to be picking on Isabel more than any other officer.
Torn between his urge to protect his partner and his need to solve the case, Zander sits his sergeant's exams, hoping once they are over, he won't be so distracted. But a rocky relationship with his girlfriend and one more murder only adds to his stress.
Amazon UK Amazon US
With trouble on the streets, DS Zander Ellery is under even more pressure to solve the case of the Prayer Slayer. His partner DC Isabel York is convinced she is being targeted, as all the postcards the Slayer sends are addressed only to her.
With Zander and Isabel pulled in different directions, the body count escalates, until the case explodes in a direction no one could foresee—Something that will test everyone to the limits of their experience and faith.
Amazon UK Amazon US
Just when things couldn't get much worse, they suddenly do. With DS Zander Ellery in jail, his partner DC Isabel York fights to clear his name. Not an easy task when she is suspended from duty and the evidence against him is compelling.Finally, pieces begin to fall into place, but to catch the Prayer Slayer once and for all, both officers must walk down a dark path where their very souls are at risk of being taken.
Amazon UK Amazon US
Clare is a British author. She lives in a small town just outside Reading, England with her husband, whom she married in 1992, their three children, and unfriendly mini-panther, aka Tilly the black cat. Clare is half English and half Welsh, which makes watching rugby interesting at times as it doesn’t matter who wins.Writing from an early childhood and encouraged by her teachers, she graduated from rewriting fairy stories through fan fiction to using her own original characters and enjoys writing an eclectic mix of romance, crime fiction and children's stories. When she's not writing, she can be found reading, crocheting or doing the many piles of laundry the occupants of her house manage to make.
Her books are based in the UK, with a couple of exceptions, thus, although the spelling may be American in some of them, the books contain British language and terminology and the more recent ones are written in UK English.
The first draft of every novel is hand written.
She has been a Christian for more than half her life. She goes to Carey Baptist where she is one of four registrars.
She can be found at:http://clarerevell.comhttps://www.facebook.com/ClareRevellAuthorhttps://twitter.com/ClareRevellhttp://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/https://uk.pinterest.com/ClareLRevell/https://www.instagram.com/clarerevell/https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B005NZT2O2https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005NZT2O2http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=45https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4476220.Clare_Revellhttps://www.bookbub.com/profile/clare-revell
Newsletter Sign Up - http://eepurl.com/chtmdHWOW, Clare...what a great premise for a series. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it!
Well Friends, that's all for today. Remember, it's your last chance to enter my monthly drawing and I've added the option to get 1 month Audible membership into the mix so be sure to leave a comment!
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
June 23, 2020
#WednesdayWordswithFriends welcomes T. I. Lowe @TILowe back with Q&A on book 2 in her Carolina Coast series!
Good Morning Friends,
Well June is more than half over and it doesn't look like we'll be getting to the beaches anytime soon, especially with the crowds of people ignoring the warnings about this crazy virus spreading so easily! Unless of course, we can find a camping spot with a tiny slice of private oasis then I'm all there LOL!
With this in mind, now is the perfect time to welcome T. I. Lowe back with book 2 in her Carolina Coast series, Driftwood Dreams .... Take it away Tonya....
What inspired you to write Driftwood Dreams?Don’t we all want our dreams to come true? Absolutely, but how many times do we assume our dreams are too big? I want readers to see that doesn’t have to be the case. To not allow circumstances or the boxes that people tend to put us in to hold us back. I say go for it!
What are you most excited for your readers to experience through reading this story?The passion of creativity and the excitement of giving in to our dreams. August just romances Josie right into going for it!
What role does faith play in this story?It takes a heavy dose of faith to dream. Just giving over our hopes and desires to God to do as he sees fit, knowing that sometimes means the answer is no. But we won’t know if we don’t pursue it.
What lessons or truths do you hope people take away from Driftwood Dreams?The Bible verse for this book is “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:15-16). We all have unique gifts, discovered most times through our dreams. We are to use our gifts to shine a beautiful light on just how wonderful God truly is.
As an author, what did you particularly enjoy about writing this story?The oldest member of the Knitting Club has a more prevalent part in this story. Dalma Jean is considered a senile old lady whom everyone thinks they need to take care of, but the clever woman ends up taking care of people in a sneaky way that was so fun for me to reveal to the reader, at times even before revealing it to other characters. Fans of Lulu in Lulu’s Café will definitely fall in love with this eccentric yet wise lady.
What was the most difficult part of writing this story?This is a sweet contemporary romance, so the difficulty of not presenting issues too darkly was always on my mind while sharing Josie’s bout with depression. We all have seasons of despair, so I wanted her experience to be relatable to readers. And I loved how she used her experience with depression to reach out and offer support to a friend going through a dark season.
Can you tell us about your inspiration for the main character in this book, Josie Slater? What about August Bradford?I think we all have a little Josie Slater in us, holding back from pursuing what we view as an unattainable dream. I know I can relate, considering it took me nearly forty years of living to pursue my dream of becoming an author. Hello, folks! It’s never too late! And what woman wouldn’t want a handsome, charming man encouraging her to pursue those dreams? My hand is raised and waving like a wild woman. How about yours? Ah, August . . . I dare you not to fall for him! Such a sweetie, that one.
Can you tell us more about your inspiration for Driftwood Diner?Driftwood Diner is Josie’s family restaurant, which was the dream her parents had that they made into their reality. The dilapidated facade of the diner represents the idea of how one person’s dream and life goals can look nothing like another’s, and you know what? That’s totally okay! Josie’s parents’ dream never fit her, and finally—through much persuasion and a firm, figurative kick in the backside from her father—Josie comes to terms with this fact and moves on to chase after her own dream.
What can you tell us about the second-chance story of Josie and August?We’ve probably all had that one crush from our teen years that left the what-ifs whirling around in moments of nostalgia. Well, these two are perfect examples of that. Both were attracted to each other but didn’t do anything about those feelings, just leaving them behind along with their youth. Luckily, Josie and August are presented another chance, and readers will have front-row seats to witnessing their love bloom into something beyond simple crushes and stronger than a wistful what-if.
In what ways do you hope this story connects with contemporary Christian women?We as Christian mothers, sisters, and friends have a tendency to focus on supporting others. We are fabulous cheerleaders, supporting our children, husbands, and friends in their ambitious pursuits, but we can barely muster an atta-almost-girl for ourselves. What better way to encourage others to make their dreams into reality than leading by example?
Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.
Connect with her on her Author Page, T.I. Lowe’s Website Instagram Twitter (@TiLowe) and Facebook
Get a copy of Driftwood Dreams at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold. Don't forget to pick up book 1 in the series, Beach Haven !
Check out Tonya's previous posts HERE HERE and HERE.
Thank you so much for joining us again, Tonya. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new series.
Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight. Don't forget to leave a comment on the blog and enter my drawing for a gift card of your choice or perhaps a 1 month Audible membership!
Also, NN Light's Book Heaven's "Celebrate Audiobook Month" event is still going on (see sidebar) be sure to enter the contest to win one of 5 different gift cards!
Until next time, take care, God bless and be safe. PamT
Well June is more than half over and it doesn't look like we'll be getting to the beaches anytime soon, especially with the crowds of people ignoring the warnings about this crazy virus spreading so easily! Unless of course, we can find a camping spot with a tiny slice of private oasis then I'm all there LOL!
With this in mind, now is the perfect time to welcome T. I. Lowe back with book 2 in her Carolina Coast series, Driftwood Dreams .... Take it away Tonya....
What inspired you to write Driftwood Dreams?Don’t we all want our dreams to come true? Absolutely, but how many times do we assume our dreams are too big? I want readers to see that doesn’t have to be the case. To not allow circumstances or the boxes that people tend to put us in to hold us back. I say go for it!
What are you most excited for your readers to experience through reading this story?The passion of creativity and the excitement of giving in to our dreams. August just romances Josie right into going for it!
What role does faith play in this story?It takes a heavy dose of faith to dream. Just giving over our hopes and desires to God to do as he sees fit, knowing that sometimes means the answer is no. But we won’t know if we don’t pursue it.
What lessons or truths do you hope people take away from Driftwood Dreams?The Bible verse for this book is “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:15-16). We all have unique gifts, discovered most times through our dreams. We are to use our gifts to shine a beautiful light on just how wonderful God truly is.
As an author, what did you particularly enjoy about writing this story?The oldest member of the Knitting Club has a more prevalent part in this story. Dalma Jean is considered a senile old lady whom everyone thinks they need to take care of, but the clever woman ends up taking care of people in a sneaky way that was so fun for me to reveal to the reader, at times even before revealing it to other characters. Fans of Lulu in Lulu’s Café will definitely fall in love with this eccentric yet wise lady.
What was the most difficult part of writing this story?This is a sweet contemporary romance, so the difficulty of not presenting issues too darkly was always on my mind while sharing Josie’s bout with depression. We all have seasons of despair, so I wanted her experience to be relatable to readers. And I loved how she used her experience with depression to reach out and offer support to a friend going through a dark season.
Can you tell us about your inspiration for the main character in this book, Josie Slater? What about August Bradford?I think we all have a little Josie Slater in us, holding back from pursuing what we view as an unattainable dream. I know I can relate, considering it took me nearly forty years of living to pursue my dream of becoming an author. Hello, folks! It’s never too late! And what woman wouldn’t want a handsome, charming man encouraging her to pursue those dreams? My hand is raised and waving like a wild woman. How about yours? Ah, August . . . I dare you not to fall for him! Such a sweetie, that one.
Can you tell us more about your inspiration for Driftwood Diner?Driftwood Diner is Josie’s family restaurant, which was the dream her parents had that they made into their reality. The dilapidated facade of the diner represents the idea of how one person’s dream and life goals can look nothing like another’s, and you know what? That’s totally okay! Josie’s parents’ dream never fit her, and finally—through much persuasion and a firm, figurative kick in the backside from her father—Josie comes to terms with this fact and moves on to chase after her own dream.
What can you tell us about the second-chance story of Josie and August?We’ve probably all had that one crush from our teen years that left the what-ifs whirling around in moments of nostalgia. Well, these two are perfect examples of that. Both were attracted to each other but didn’t do anything about those feelings, just leaving them behind along with their youth. Luckily, Josie and August are presented another chance, and readers will have front-row seats to witnessing their love bloom into something beyond simple crushes and stronger than a wistful what-if.
In what ways do you hope this story connects with contemporary Christian women?We as Christian mothers, sisters, and friends have a tendency to focus on supporting others. We are fabulous cheerleaders, supporting our children, husbands, and friends in their ambitious pursuits, but we can barely muster an atta-almost-girl for ourselves. What better way to encourage others to make their dreams into reality than leading by example?
Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.Connect with her on her Author Page, T.I. Lowe’s Website Instagram Twitter (@TiLowe) and Facebook
Get a copy of Driftwood Dreams at Tyndale, Amazon OR wherever books are sold. Don't forget to pick up book 1 in the series, Beach Haven !
Check out Tonya's previous posts HERE HERE and HERE.
Thank you so much for joining us again, Tonya. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new series.
Hope you enjoyed the post friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight. Don't forget to leave a comment on the blog and enter my drawing for a gift card of your choice or perhaps a 1 month Audible membership!
Also, NN Light's Book Heaven's "Celebrate Audiobook Month" event is still going on (see sidebar) be sure to enter the contest to win one of 5 different gift cards!
Until next time, take care, God bless and be safe. PamT
