Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 38
August 17, 2019
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Erin Lorence & Fantastic Surviving!
Good Morning!
Have I got some exciting news for you! I'll share that at the bottom of today's post but first please welcome Erin Lorence back to share her book, Fantastic Surviving (#2 in the Dove Strong trilogy).
The Reclaim begins May 15th, and sixteen-year-old Dove Strong can’t do a thing to stop it... or can she? With only weeks until her people attack the unsuspecting nonbelievers, Dove accepts her recommission for peace. Her journey is a success... until she runs into an old nemesis. Then a family member dies, and she is arrested as a terrorist as well as the prime murder suspect. Dove’s punishment? She must survive the unforgiving Chihuahuan Desert under the judging eye of every television-owning nonbeliever in the country. Saddled with a hostile camera crew, Dove fights to reach civilization while enduring Satan’s elements as well as a mysterious Amhebran coder who haunts her steps. Dove is strong. But is her faith strong enough to survive an ultimate friend betrayal as well as a decision of whether to sacrifice another family member to stop the May 15th attack?
Excerpt:
We huddled together. Someone swallowed. Someone else’s breathing was too loud. Minutes passed. Would we still be rooted here when morning dawned, held hostage by this wild animal with a vendetta? I couldn’t take this waiting game.
I chin-gestured at Wolfe. “You. Jump on Darcy.”
“What?”
“Shh. Like you did on that cougar in Texas.” I didn’t take my eyes off of the Benders’ pet [Darcy the bobcat].
“Geesh, Dove. I had the element of surprise—"
“Then move fast...” I gave him a one-handed shove forward, “and surprise her.”
My mistake because that small movement triggered the feline. She sprang.
Erin Lorence lives in Bonney Lake, Washington with her husband, Brian, and their two daughters, Brooke and Savannah. Her lifelong love of reading, her gratitude to God, and her enjoyment of hiking in Central Oregon all inspired her to write the Dove Strong Trilogy.
Find out more by visiting Erin's Website and Blog or connecting with her on Facebook.
Get your copy of Fantastic Surviving on Amazon.
Hope you enjoyed today's post. Check out Erin's previous spotlight on Dove Strong (book 1 in the trilogy).
Now for my exciting news....
Join me at 8am on Discover the Story for an interview with Andrea Boeshaar on my novel, The Visionary. Discover the Story also airs on iHeartRadio later today, so if you're a fan/listener of iHeartRadio, PLEASE listen in!
The Visionary will also be featured on Sorchia Dubios's blog Monday and just received a 4-Star review from Readers Favorite! While you're checking out the review, enter Readers Favorite's monthly giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle copy of The Visionary.
Oh and one more bit of news....I just approved the first 15 minutes of Tempered Dreams audio! Hopefully it won't be long until we have a release of the audio version!
As you can see, lots of exciting things going on! Hope you'll drop by weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
Have I got some exciting news for you! I'll share that at the bottom of today's post but first please welcome Erin Lorence back to share her book, Fantastic Surviving (#2 in the Dove Strong trilogy).
The Reclaim begins May 15th, and sixteen-year-old Dove Strong can’t do a thing to stop it... or can she? With only weeks until her people attack the unsuspecting nonbelievers, Dove accepts her recommission for peace. Her journey is a success... until she runs into an old nemesis. Then a family member dies, and she is arrested as a terrorist as well as the prime murder suspect. Dove’s punishment? She must survive the unforgiving Chihuahuan Desert under the judging eye of every television-owning nonbeliever in the country. Saddled with a hostile camera crew, Dove fights to reach civilization while enduring Satan’s elements as well as a mysterious Amhebran coder who haunts her steps. Dove is strong. But is her faith strong enough to survive an ultimate friend betrayal as well as a decision of whether to sacrifice another family member to stop the May 15th attack?Excerpt:
We huddled together. Someone swallowed. Someone else’s breathing was too loud. Minutes passed. Would we still be rooted here when morning dawned, held hostage by this wild animal with a vendetta? I couldn’t take this waiting game.
I chin-gestured at Wolfe. “You. Jump on Darcy.”
“What?”
“Shh. Like you did on that cougar in Texas.” I didn’t take my eyes off of the Benders’ pet [Darcy the bobcat].
“Geesh, Dove. I had the element of surprise—"
“Then move fast...” I gave him a one-handed shove forward, “and surprise her.”
My mistake because that small movement triggered the feline. She sprang.
Erin Lorence lives in Bonney Lake, Washington with her husband, Brian, and their two daughters, Brooke and Savannah. Her lifelong love of reading, her gratitude to God, and her enjoyment of hiking in Central Oregon all inspired her to write the Dove Strong Trilogy.
Find out more by visiting Erin's Website and Blog or connecting with her on Facebook.
Get your copy of Fantastic Surviving on Amazon.
Hope you enjoyed today's post. Check out Erin's previous spotlight on Dove Strong (book 1 in the trilogy).
Now for my exciting news....
Join me at 8am on Discover the Story for an interview with Andrea Boeshaar on my novel, The Visionary. Discover the Story also airs on iHeartRadio later today, so if you're a fan/listener of iHeartRadio, PLEASE listen in!
The Visionary will also be featured on Sorchia Dubios's blog Monday and just received a 4-Star review from Readers Favorite! While you're checking out the review, enter Readers Favorite's monthly giveaway for a chance to win a Kindle copy of The Visionary.
Oh and one more bit of news....I just approved the first 15 minutes of Tempered Dreams audio! Hopefully it won't be long until we have a release of the audio version!
As you can see, lots of exciting things going on! Hope you'll drop by weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
August 14, 2019
#WednesdayWordswithFriends : Gratitude
Good Morning Friends,
Well, today's guest couldn't be here so I get to share some thoughts with you on a word that, for years, has been a "buzz" word.
GRATITUDE is one of those words we love to hate.
What?
Hear me out LOL!
I love to be reminded to share and show gratitude and yet, I hate the fact that I have to be reminded.
Shouldn't gratitude come as naturally as breathing?
Yeah, it should but how often do we remember that?
I know I tend to forget so easily to show gratitude at all times and in all situations.
So I'm going to take a moment to share some gratitude with you....
I am grateful for the creator of this beautiful meme reminding me to be grateful. I don't know who Angie KK is or where/how I came across this and saved it to my computer but I appreciate such a lovely reminder.
I am grateful for Each of YOU my friends, family, fans and fellow authors! For your love and support and the many ways you show those attributes and bless my life.
I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for every blessing ever bestowed upon me and the many blessings to come.
These are a FEW of the things I am grateful for and hope to spend time every day expressing thanks to not only those lovely people directly responsible for these blessings, but to God for all He has gifted me with from the gift of life and love to every, single, breath I take. In fact, I'm making a commitment to do so right now and hope you'll not only join me but hold me accountable.
I recently read a short book, The Gratitude Jar , in which the author tells how her life changed by practicing gratitude every day for thirty days. Check it out!
The practice in this book is to write what you're grateful for on little slips of paper and put them in a jar (or container) designated for the task. I think it's a great idea but so is a gratitude journal or simply sitting around the dinner (or breakfast) talking about what you're grateful for. Any daily practice of gratitude works!
Doesn't matter how we express gratitude, only that we do.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and hope you'll drop by this weekend and see who's in our Saturday Spotlight!
Meanwhile, as you go about your day, please remember to show and share gratitude.
I'd love to know if and how gratitude has changed your life.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
Well, today's guest couldn't be here so I get to share some thoughts with you on a word that, for years, has been a "buzz" word.
GRATITUDE is one of those words we love to hate.
What?
Hear me out LOL!
I love to be reminded to share and show gratitude and yet, I hate the fact that I have to be reminded.
Shouldn't gratitude come as naturally as breathing?
Yeah, it should but how often do we remember that?
I know I tend to forget so easily to show gratitude at all times and in all situations.
So I'm going to take a moment to share some gratitude with you....
I am grateful for the creator of this beautiful meme reminding me to be grateful. I don't know who Angie KK is or where/how I came across this and saved it to my computer but I appreciate such a lovely reminder.
I am grateful for Each of YOU my friends, family, fans and fellow authors! For your love and support and the many ways you show those attributes and bless my life.
I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for every blessing ever bestowed upon me and the many blessings to come.
These are a FEW of the things I am grateful for and hope to spend time every day expressing thanks to not only those lovely people directly responsible for these blessings, but to God for all He has gifted me with from the gift of life and love to every, single, breath I take. In fact, I'm making a commitment to do so right now and hope you'll not only join me but hold me accountable.
I recently read a short book, The Gratitude Jar , in which the author tells how her life changed by practicing gratitude every day for thirty days. Check it out!
The practice in this book is to write what you're grateful for on little slips of paper and put them in a jar (or container) designated for the task. I think it's a great idea but so is a gratitude journal or simply sitting around the dinner (or breakfast) talking about what you're grateful for. Any daily practice of gratitude works!
Doesn't matter how we express gratitude, only that we do.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and hope you'll drop by this weekend and see who's in our Saturday Spotlight!
Meanwhile, as you go about your day, please remember to show and share gratitude.
I'd love to know if and how gratitude has changed your life.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
August 10, 2019
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Laura Tolomei & Virtus Sex
Hhhhmmmmm, bet the title of that novel got your attention!
Good Morning Friends,
Today's guest is new to me and our blog and is brought to us by Personalized Marketing Inc. so let's see what it's all about.
This book was previously published as Virtus, The Sex but has been completely revised and doubled in size with the addition of many new scenes.
When Prince Duncan Caldwell loses his way home and knocks on a stranger's door, looking to find shelter, he doesn't know his life is about to change forever. Not because he can't tear his gaze away from the beautiful woman who opens that door, but more so because she's a stranger yet he can't shake the feeling she belongs to him. And discovering she's been banned from his home can't stop the vortex of his feelings nor the truth of his world from crashing down on him.
This is just the beginning of the Virtus Saga, where nothing is as it seems. Not the world, since its all-pervading sex drive hides a scary lack of violence. Not the people, since soul mates Prince Duncan Caldwell and Lord Christopher Templeton share a love that is unrivaled until that fateful knock on Ylianor Meyer's dilapidated shack.
This book starts the love and the passion that entwines fiery sex into this intricate three-way relationship. It's a unique connection, laced with jealousy and violence that are unknown to their world. This is not just another erotic dark fantasy series. This is the making of a trio. Of three remarkable characters that must overcome their uncontrollable lust to face the truth about themselves and their planet if they want to defeat the darkness about to devour them. To be as one whilst three! To share power and love in equal measures. This is their real challenge, the lesson they must learn. Otherwise, how will their world survive?
Excerpt
First, there was music.
Sweet, mellow and smooth, it filled the void until he drowned in the velvety thickness of the notes, with the ever new and different tunes. And he loved it, even if it wasn’t his creation, taking pride in directing the exquisite songs, also guided by that one voice. A soft whisper ever-present in his system, it didn’t blend with the rest of the sweet melody. It kept to the fore, echoing above all other sounds.
Then there was light.
Not just one. Thousands of colored flashes dispelled the darkness and connected to each note, anticipating or delaying it according to the rhythm, shifting to adapt to the new melody. And he liked to watch how light matched the music, how it delineated the tune even before it became sound. It was all part of the novelty of being the mastermind behind this foreign world, so very different from his original one.
Control was never enough, though. The more I had, the more I craved. That was when the nightmares began. Filled with all sorts of violence, from torture to carnage, they were foul and terrifying, yet also exciting to the point I relished each and everyone like a thirsty man deprived of water for far too long. Best of all, they awakened a completely new pleasure that required immediate fulfillment in increasing dosage.
Wow, Laura, this sounds like a fascinating series for those who read erotic dark fantasy, now tell us a little about yourself...
If you really want to know, I was born in 1965 in Rome, Italy, but soon started my travelling career. At the age of five, my parents took me to Lagos, Nigeria, where I grew up free and hot like I've never been since. I loved it there and still think of it with nostalgia. Anyway, it was also where I learned English.
After my African experience, I was ready to tackle the US. I lived in Atlanta, GA, five teen-age years, attending the Crestwood High School, where I started my writing career by publishing a short story Nostalgia on the Crestwood Journal. Very thrilled about discovering my new talent, I went ahead during college, writing for the Emory University journal The Phoenix. Three articles mark my first-and last-steps in journalism, "The peace Corps", "WAMM, Women Against Military Madness," and "Lesbism".
After my American experience, I moved back to Rome, but still kept living from time to time abroad, spending several months in Mumbay India, a country I always felt very close to me in more ways than one.
Today, I write both in Italian and English, mostly fiction of various genres, from fantasy erotica, to mysteries up to plain ordinary life stories.
Feel free to look over my current and future projects by visiting my website www.lallagatta.com. Get your copy of Virtus Sex from Amazon.
Remember friends, check back with us weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
Good Morning Friends,
Today's guest is new to me and our blog and is brought to us by Personalized Marketing Inc. so let's see what it's all about.
This book was previously published as Virtus, The Sex but has been completely revised and doubled in size with the addition of many new scenes.
When Prince Duncan Caldwell loses his way home and knocks on a stranger's door, looking to find shelter, he doesn't know his life is about to change forever. Not because he can't tear his gaze away from the beautiful woman who opens that door, but more so because she's a stranger yet he can't shake the feeling she belongs to him. And discovering she's been banned from his home can't stop the vortex of his feelings nor the truth of his world from crashing down on him.
This is just the beginning of the Virtus Saga, where nothing is as it seems. Not the world, since its all-pervading sex drive hides a scary lack of violence. Not the people, since soul mates Prince Duncan Caldwell and Lord Christopher Templeton share a love that is unrivaled until that fateful knock on Ylianor Meyer's dilapidated shack.
This book starts the love and the passion that entwines fiery sex into this intricate three-way relationship. It's a unique connection, laced with jealousy and violence that are unknown to their world. This is not just another erotic dark fantasy series. This is the making of a trio. Of three remarkable characters that must overcome their uncontrollable lust to face the truth about themselves and their planet if they want to defeat the darkness about to devour them. To be as one whilst three! To share power and love in equal measures. This is their real challenge, the lesson they must learn. Otherwise, how will their world survive?
Excerpt
First, there was music.
Sweet, mellow and smooth, it filled the void until he drowned in the velvety thickness of the notes, with the ever new and different tunes. And he loved it, even if it wasn’t his creation, taking pride in directing the exquisite songs, also guided by that one voice. A soft whisper ever-present in his system, it didn’t blend with the rest of the sweet melody. It kept to the fore, echoing above all other sounds.
Then there was light.
Not just one. Thousands of colored flashes dispelled the darkness and connected to each note, anticipating or delaying it according to the rhythm, shifting to adapt to the new melody. And he liked to watch how light matched the music, how it delineated the tune even before it became sound. It was all part of the novelty of being the mastermind behind this foreign world, so very different from his original one.
Control was never enough, though. The more I had, the more I craved. That was when the nightmares began. Filled with all sorts of violence, from torture to carnage, they were foul and terrifying, yet also exciting to the point I relished each and everyone like a thirsty man deprived of water for far too long. Best of all, they awakened a completely new pleasure that required immediate fulfillment in increasing dosage.
Wow, Laura, this sounds like a fascinating series for those who read erotic dark fantasy, now tell us a little about yourself...
If you really want to know, I was born in 1965 in Rome, Italy, but soon started my travelling career. At the age of five, my parents took me to Lagos, Nigeria, where I grew up free and hot like I've never been since. I loved it there and still think of it with nostalgia. Anyway, it was also where I learned English.
After my African experience, I was ready to tackle the US. I lived in Atlanta, GA, five teen-age years, attending the Crestwood High School, where I started my writing career by publishing a short story Nostalgia on the Crestwood Journal. Very thrilled about discovering my new talent, I went ahead during college, writing for the Emory University journal The Phoenix. Three articles mark my first-and last-steps in journalism, "The peace Corps", "WAMM, Women Against Military Madness," and "Lesbism".
After my American experience, I moved back to Rome, but still kept living from time to time abroad, spending several months in Mumbay India, a country I always felt very close to me in more ways than one.
Today, I write both in Italian and English, mostly fiction of various genres, from fantasy erotica, to mysteries up to plain ordinary life stories.
Feel free to look over my current and future projects by visiting my website www.lallagatta.com. Get your copy of Virtus Sex from Amazon.
Remember friends, check back with us weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and another Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
August 7, 2019
#WednesdayWordswithFriends Guest Maxine Douglas!
Good Morning
Today's guest, Maxine Douglas is a member of Authors Helping Authors promo group and has just released the first in a seven book series called The Widows of Blessings Valley. She is new to our blog so please give her a warm welcome!
Webster defines grief as “emotional suffering caused by or as if by bereavement” and a widow as a “woman who has lost her husband by death and has not married again.” If these definitions were as simple as they sound.
To the Widows of Blessings Valley , these two words mean so much more. They mean living their lives without the one they gave their hearts and souls to. The one they vowed to love forever. It means crying themselves to sleep at night. It means trying to go on in a new life without knowing how. It means knowing no matter how much they try to heal they never really completely do. No matter how much they think they’ll never love again, they will but differently.
They say time heals all things. That may be true or may not. All I know is the scab on my heart and soul was slowly peeled off and bled again over the months I wrote this book. But I had to write it regardless of my pain, tears, and sorrow.
I cannot promise the next ones will be the same. I'm not sure I want to feel the heartache all over again. Regardless I will tell their stories...the Widows of Blessings Valley .
US: https://amzn.to/32Dg4gN / UK: https://amzn.to/2Y2o3QUGoodreads: https://bit.ly/2Z1bBCe / BookBub: https://bit.ly/2XY83o1
Maxine Douglas writes in many genres and has found a love for the western historical romance. In her new series Widows of Blessings Valley, Maxine draws from her experience as a widow. A Wisconsin native, Maxine resides in Chickasha. While Maxine may miss her family and friends in the north, she loves the mild winters Oklahoma has to offer. She has four grown children, two granddaughters, and a German Shorthair Pointer. And many friends she now considers her OK family.
Maxine’s western along the Chisholm Trail, The Marshal’s Bride, was a 2017 International Digital Award Finalist in the Western Historical-Short category.
Maxine is a current member of Romance Writers of America, Wisconsin Romance Writers of America, Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and its affiliate Oklahoma Romance Writers Guild, Inc.
Find out more by connecting with her on Goodreads / Author Blog / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Mailing List Signup / BookBub
My Review of Elizabeth
4- Stars
The Widows of Blessings Valley - Elizabeth is a sweet story filled with a kaleidoscope of emotions. We watch as two wounded people come together with new hope into new life and love.
Widowed from a mining accident, Elizabeth struggles with grief and guilt when Auggie, a man scarred both physically and emotionally hires her as a seamstress for his hotel. The two become friends, albeit a bit reluctantly and love soon blossoms.
Widowed myself ten years ago, I found the emotions Elizabeth struggled with to be an honest reflection of what a woman goes through after losing the love of her life.
Hope you enjoyed today's Wednesday Words with Friends, friends and that you'll visit weekly for more great information and drop by on the weekends for Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
Today's guest, Maxine Douglas is a member of Authors Helping Authors promo group and has just released the first in a seven book series called The Widows of Blessings Valley. She is new to our blog so please give her a warm welcome!
Webster defines grief as “emotional suffering caused by or as if by bereavement” and a widow as a “woman who has lost her husband by death and has not married again.” If these definitions were as simple as they sound.To the Widows of Blessings Valley , these two words mean so much more. They mean living their lives without the one they gave their hearts and souls to. The one they vowed to love forever. It means crying themselves to sleep at night. It means trying to go on in a new life without knowing how. It means knowing no matter how much they try to heal they never really completely do. No matter how much they think they’ll never love again, they will but differently.
They say time heals all things. That may be true or may not. All I know is the scab on my heart and soul was slowly peeled off and bled again over the months I wrote this book. But I had to write it regardless of my pain, tears, and sorrow.
I cannot promise the next ones will be the same. I'm not sure I want to feel the heartache all over again. Regardless I will tell their stories...the Widows of Blessings Valley .
US: https://amzn.to/32Dg4gN / UK: https://amzn.to/2Y2o3QUGoodreads: https://bit.ly/2Z1bBCe / BookBub: https://bit.ly/2XY83o1
Maxine Douglas writes in many genres and has found a love for the western historical romance. In her new series Widows of Blessings Valley, Maxine draws from her experience as a widow. A Wisconsin native, Maxine resides in Chickasha. While Maxine may miss her family and friends in the north, she loves the mild winters Oklahoma has to offer. She has four grown children, two granddaughters, and a German Shorthair Pointer. And many friends she now considers her OK family.
Maxine’s western along the Chisholm Trail, The Marshal’s Bride, was a 2017 International Digital Award Finalist in the Western Historical-Short category.
Maxine is a current member of Romance Writers of America, Wisconsin Romance Writers of America, Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and its affiliate Oklahoma Romance Writers Guild, Inc.
Find out more by connecting with her on Goodreads / Author Blog / Newsletter / Facebook / Twitter / Mailing List Signup / BookBub
My Review of Elizabeth
4- Stars
The Widows of Blessings Valley - Elizabeth is a sweet story filled with a kaleidoscope of emotions. We watch as two wounded people come together with new hope into new life and love.
Widowed from a mining accident, Elizabeth struggles with grief and guilt when Auggie, a man scarred both physically and emotionally hires her as a seamstress for his hotel. The two become friends, albeit a bit reluctantly and love soon blossoms.
Widowed myself ten years ago, I found the emotions Elizabeth struggled with to be an honest reflection of what a woman goes through after losing the love of her life.
Hope you enjoyed today's Wednesday Words with Friends, friends and that you'll visit weekly for more great information and drop by on the weekends for Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
August 3, 2019
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Rachel Billups and Be Bold: Finding Your Fierce!
Good Morning!
Wednesday I promised to share the results of the Dixie League World Series. Drum roll please......
North Charleston won the tournament Undefeated! A wonderful, exciting week but now we're getting back to norm.
Today's guest is new to me so please welcome Rachel Billups with her book, Be Bold: Finding your Fierce.
For anyone who’s ever felt put down, unsure, underestimated, or overlooked, these biblical stories encourage you to recognize your own power and potential to be bold.
From the “thin slice of life” where she grew up with her family in Appalachia to success as pastor of a large church, Rachel Billups’s life stories show strength and grace even in the midst of doubt and wondering. With her brand of fierce she worked through years of school to become an accomplished pastor and mother of four. She took nothing lying down and found that being bold was the only way to be alive. In Be Bold, she weaves her stories into the lives of biblical characters. You will find redemption and insight in Sarah’s story, inspiration in Mary’s call, and ministry and community in Paul’s letter to Timothy. For anyone who hopes to find the fierce in their own lives, Billups’s work leads the way. In both her personal experience and her telling of Bible stories, Billups shows how being bold can bring you closer to God and God’s plan for your life.
Product Features:
Readers will learn to identify their own personal sources of strength.
Offers key insights into biblical stories of strength through the author’s stories of growth and hope.
Recognize Your Own Power and Potential to Be Bold
Tipp City, Ohio – April 16, 2019 In Be Bold: Finding Your Fierce , (Abingdon Press, April 2019) Rachel Billups, ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, shares her own “thin slice of life” stories from growing up with her family in Appalachia to success as pastor of a large church.
Billups’s life stories show strength and grace even in the midst of doubt and wondering. With her brand of fierce she worked through years of school to become an accomplished pastor and mother of four. She took nothing lying down and found that being bold was the only way to be alive.
Be Bold weaves her stories into the lives of biblical characters. Readers will find redemption and insight in Sarah’s story, inspiration in Mary’s call, and ministry and community in Paul’s letter to Timothy. For anyone who hopes to find the fierce in their own lives, Billups’s work leads the way. In both her personal experience and her telling of Bible stories, Billups shows how being bold can bring you closer to God and God’s plan for your life.
For anyone who’s ever felt put down, unsure, underestimated, or overlooked, the biblical stories in Be Bold will encourage them to recognize their own power and potential to be bold.
Be Bold: Finding Your Fierce can be purchased at Amazon in Print, Kindle and Audio.
Rachel Billups is a visionary, leader and author. She currently serves as Pastor of Ginghamsburg Church and Lead Communicator. She partners with family and young adult ministries to dream and deploy discipleship opportunities for making young disciples of Jesus Christ. Rachel is an ordained Elder within the United Methodist Church and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible/religion and History from Anderson University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Duke Divinity School. She and her husband, Jon, have four children – Adeline, Christopher, David and Sarah.
Find out more by connecting with Pastor Billups on Twitter @rlbillups or Facebook
Thanks for checking out our spotlight today! Hope to see you Wednesday for our weekly post and of course again next Saturday.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
Wednesday I promised to share the results of the Dixie League World Series. Drum roll please......
North Charleston won the tournament Undefeated! A wonderful, exciting week but now we're getting back to norm.
Today's guest is new to me so please welcome Rachel Billups with her book, Be Bold: Finding your Fierce.
For anyone who’s ever felt put down, unsure, underestimated, or overlooked, these biblical stories encourage you to recognize your own power and potential to be bold.From the “thin slice of life” where she grew up with her family in Appalachia to success as pastor of a large church, Rachel Billups’s life stories show strength and grace even in the midst of doubt and wondering. With her brand of fierce she worked through years of school to become an accomplished pastor and mother of four. She took nothing lying down and found that being bold was the only way to be alive. In Be Bold, she weaves her stories into the lives of biblical characters. You will find redemption and insight in Sarah’s story, inspiration in Mary’s call, and ministry and community in Paul’s letter to Timothy. For anyone who hopes to find the fierce in their own lives, Billups’s work leads the way. In both her personal experience and her telling of Bible stories, Billups shows how being bold can bring you closer to God and God’s plan for your life.
Product Features:
Readers will learn to identify their own personal sources of strength.
Offers key insights into biblical stories of strength through the author’s stories of growth and hope.
Recognize Your Own Power and Potential to Be Bold
Tipp City, Ohio – April 16, 2019 In Be Bold: Finding Your Fierce , (Abingdon Press, April 2019) Rachel Billups, ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, shares her own “thin slice of life” stories from growing up with her family in Appalachia to success as pastor of a large church.
Billups’s life stories show strength and grace even in the midst of doubt and wondering. With her brand of fierce she worked through years of school to become an accomplished pastor and mother of four. She took nothing lying down and found that being bold was the only way to be alive.
Be Bold weaves her stories into the lives of biblical characters. Readers will find redemption and insight in Sarah’s story, inspiration in Mary’s call, and ministry and community in Paul’s letter to Timothy. For anyone who hopes to find the fierce in their own lives, Billups’s work leads the way. In both her personal experience and her telling of Bible stories, Billups shows how being bold can bring you closer to God and God’s plan for your life.
For anyone who’s ever felt put down, unsure, underestimated, or overlooked, the biblical stories in Be Bold will encourage them to recognize their own power and potential to be bold.
Be Bold: Finding Your Fierce can be purchased at Amazon in Print, Kindle and Audio.
Rachel Billups is a visionary, leader and author. She currently serves as Pastor of Ginghamsburg Church and Lead Communicator. She partners with family and young adult ministries to dream and deploy discipleship opportunities for making young disciples of Jesus Christ. Rachel is an ordained Elder within the United Methodist Church and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Bible/religion and History from Anderson University and a Master of Divinity Degree from Duke Divinity School. She and her husband, Jon, have four children – Adeline, Christopher, David and Sarah.Find out more by connecting with Pastor Billups on Twitter @rlbillups or Facebook
Thanks for checking out our spotlight today! Hope to see you Wednesday for our weekly post and of course again next Saturday.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
July 31, 2019
#WednesdayWordswithFriends More Smoky Mountain Christmas!
Good Morning Friends!
Still in Monroe for the Dixie League World Series. So far our team is undefeated! Today is the last day so Saturday I'll post our standing.
Meanwhile, please welcome two more guests in the Smoky Mountain Christmas collection and blog tour, Jeanie Smith Cash and Rose Allen McCauley!
Sights and Sounds in Gatlinburg, TN, the Christmas city of the South
I hope you have read some of our other posts this month about why Jeanie Smith Cash invited me and Tiff (Amber) Stockton and Delia Latham to join her in setting our Christmas stories there. I first went to Gatlinburg back in the 60s for our high school senior trip, then my husband and I used to travel there once a year for a board meeting he was on about our college, so I have been there numerous times. When Jeanie asked me to join them, I hadn’t been there for several years, so decided to look up some of the older places to make sure they were still there, and to add some of the newer places, too, so here are some of the place and activities I found.
It is a busy place year-around, but since our stories were set between November and January, that was where I concentrated my search. Below are a few of the things I found, but I hope you will search for yourself and your family and see what interests you all.
Winter Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales along the parkway on weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas
Great Smoky Christmas Arts & Crafts Show where our girls in our stories made and sold and shopped for Christmas presents for their families.
Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade like a miniature Macy’s Parade down the center of town! First Saturday in December.
New Year's Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks Show again, a miniature Times’ Square ball drop and fireworks.
And don’t forget the FOOD! It is scrumptious. I know people who drive there at least once a year just for some good down home family style cooking! And shopping! Hope you can spend a weekend or longer in Gatlinburg soon!
Rose Allen McCauley is a Christian author and speaker. Her experiences as a public school teacher, Sunday school teacher, Girl Scout leader, MOPS mentor and Moppet worker, scrapbooker, wife, Mom and Mimi give Rose a wide field of ministry to women. Her tagline is Small towns~Huge hearts. Find out more by visiting and/or connecting with her at the following locations: Website, Amazon Author Page, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.
Jeanie Smith Cash is blessed to live in the country in Southwest Missouri in the heart of the Ozarks with her husband Andy, her children, grandchildren and family, and she adores them all. She is a member of ACFW and has sixteen books published. Jeanie gives her Lord and Savior the credit for her writing career and her loving family. She loves chocolate, collecting dolls, crocheting, watching the St Louis Cardinals play baseball, spoiling her grandchildren, spending time with her family, traveling and going to Bluegrass Festivals with her husband. Jeanie loves to read and write Christian romance and believes a salvation message inside of a good story, could possibly touch someone who wouldn't be reached in any other way. She loves to hear from her readers at, jeaniesmithcash@yahoo.com, she is also on
Twitter, https://twitter.com/jeaniesmithcash
Facebook, https://.facebook.com/jeaniesmithcash
and Amazon, amazon.com/author/jeaniesmithcash
Smoky Mountain Christmas can be purchased at Amazon in Print and for Kindle.
Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
Still in Monroe for the Dixie League World Series. So far our team is undefeated! Today is the last day so Saturday I'll post our standing.
Meanwhile, please welcome two more guests in the Smoky Mountain Christmas collection and blog tour, Jeanie Smith Cash and Rose Allen McCauley!
Sights and Sounds in Gatlinburg, TN, the Christmas city of the South
I hope you have read some of our other posts this month about why Jeanie Smith Cash invited me and Tiff (Amber) Stockton and Delia Latham to join her in setting our Christmas stories there. I first went to Gatlinburg back in the 60s for our high school senior trip, then my husband and I used to travel there once a year for a board meeting he was on about our college, so I have been there numerous times. When Jeanie asked me to join them, I hadn’t been there for several years, so decided to look up some of the older places to make sure they were still there, and to add some of the newer places, too, so here are some of the place and activities I found.It is a busy place year-around, but since our stories were set between November and January, that was where I concentrated my search. Below are a few of the things I found, but I hope you will search for yourself and your family and see what interests you all.
Winter Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales along the parkway on weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas
Great Smoky Christmas Arts & Crafts Show where our girls in our stories made and sold and shopped for Christmas presents for their families.
Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade like a miniature Macy’s Parade down the center of town! First Saturday in December.
New Year's Eve Ball Drop and Fireworks Show again, a miniature Times’ Square ball drop and fireworks.
And don’t forget the FOOD! It is scrumptious. I know people who drive there at least once a year just for some good down home family style cooking! And shopping! Hope you can spend a weekend or longer in Gatlinburg soon!
Rose Allen McCauley is a Christian author and speaker. Her experiences as a public school teacher, Sunday school teacher, Girl Scout leader, MOPS mentor and Moppet worker, scrapbooker, wife, Mom and Mimi give Rose a wide field of ministry to women. Her tagline is Small towns~Huge hearts. Find out more by visiting and/or connecting with her at the following locations: Website, Amazon Author Page, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.
Jeanie Smith Cash is blessed to live in the country in Southwest Missouri in the heart of the Ozarks with her husband Andy, her children, grandchildren and family, and she adores them all. She is a member of ACFW and has sixteen books published. Jeanie gives her Lord and Savior the credit for her writing career and her loving family. She loves chocolate, collecting dolls, crocheting, watching the St Louis Cardinals play baseball, spoiling her grandchildren, spending time with her family, traveling and going to Bluegrass Festivals with her husband. Jeanie loves to read and write Christian romance and believes a salvation message inside of a good story, could possibly touch someone who wouldn't be reached in any other way. She loves to hear from her readers at, jeaniesmithcash@yahoo.com, she is also onTwitter, https://twitter.com/jeaniesmithcash
Facebook, https://.facebook.com/jeaniesmithcash
and Amazon, amazon.com/author/jeaniesmithcash
Smoky Mountain Christmas can be purchased at Amazon in Print and for Kindle.
Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
July 27, 2019
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Zaida Alfaro & The Last Note a Miami Music Mystery
Good Morning from Monroe, Louisiana!
Yep, on another short vacation but this time staying close to home. My gentleman friend's grandson is playing in the Dixie League World Series. They live in SC so it is rare to have them in LA and we're looking forward to a fun-filled week.
Our guest today is new to me and the blog so please welcome Zaida Alfaro with her cozy mystery, The Last Note: A Miami Music Mystery....
Killer songs and a killer voice, but a killer at her gig? Vy has always found herself at the center of attention as the lead singer for one of Miami's top cover bands, but when she finds herself at the center of a murder investigation, while performing at the Steel Horse Bar, that changes the tune of the night. Someone believes that Vy knows the truth behind the murder of the bar owner Ricky, and now that person is after her. Vy better figure out quickly who wanted Ricky dead, who is threatening her with her favorite band’s song lyrics, and why she’s falling for the handsome Detective Houston, before she too sings her last note. With a mixture of mystery, mayhem and comedy, you will find yourself immersed in Vy's musical and murderous world.
Excerpt: The bar was alive tonight. Vy was feeding off the positive energy that was generated throughout each table, each person. That energy replenished her soul. The crowd sang along with Vy to “Sweet Child of Mine.” Carlos went into the song’s notorious, edgy guitar solo.
The women stood in front of him going ballistic. Vy belted out the chorus while she was on her knees in front of Carlos’ guitar.
“Yeah! Give it up for Carlos!” Vy shouted into the microphone.
The song ended, and it was time for Vy to take a break. Rob was going to take over, and sing a few more songs. As she walked down the steps, Vy noticed that her martini had disappeared. Shawn walked up to her, “Vy, that was awesome!” Shawn turned her into mush.
“Thanks. You know, if you want to play a song, I’m sure that Carlos will let you use his guitar.” His smile was vibrant, but it was soon cut off when Ricky approached them. Ricky had the tendency to ruin Shawn’s every amazing smile.
“I know, get back to work,” Shawn said mimicking him.
“Good boy,” Ricky responded. Vy could tell Ricky had been drinking already, just by the tone of his voice. “I tell you, if he keeps slacking, he’s gone.”
“He was just telling me how great we sounded, relax.” Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. His eyes dilated, and his lips were about to say something to Vy, but Tina emerged next to her like an angel.
“Hi, Ricky,” she said. “You’re not giving my best girl here a hard time, are you?”
“Hi, Tina.” His entire demeanor changed. She had him salivating.
“Um, no. I was just going to offer you ladies a drink on the house. By the way, Vy, I drank that martini you left by the monitor. You shouldn’t leave your drink unattended, could be dangerous. You’re lucky that I drank it.” Ricky laughed. “Anyway, you want another one?”
Sure, you jerk, was what she thought, but what Vy said was, “Sure, thanks.”
“How about you, beautiful? You want to have a shot with me?” Ricky asked Tina.
“I will have a shot, but I already promised Vy I’d have it with her. Next time, sweetie,” Tina grinned. Ricky didn’t even realize that Tina was belittling him.
He caught himself staring at Tina and quickly snapped out of it. “Kendra! Get these ladies what they want!” Ricky stormed off to the office without saying another word.
“Jerk,” Tina muttered as they walked back to the table. “How do you deal with that crap?”
“I usually don’t. He usually isn’t here when we play. But thanks for saving me.”
“Honey, I saw that look you give when you’re ready to kick someone in the gut. I wanted to save that man from excruciating pain.”
“Was it that obvious?” Vy asked.
“Big time.”
Kendra came over with two martinis and two shots. “Here you go, girls.”
“Sorry that he gave you attitude,” Vy said.
“Oh, sweetie, that’s normal around here.” Kendra smiled. “Let me know if you need anything else. Enjoy.”
“Now, let’s drink to friendship,” Tina said.
“Here’s to friendship.” As they raised their glasses, they heard a loud scream, over Rob’s Led Zeppelin song. Cassandra hysterically came out of the office, and ran over to Kyle yelling, “He’s dead, Kyle. He’s dead!”
Oh wow, Zaida! What an excerpt and your cover is lovely. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it. Please tell us a little about yourself....
The Last Note’s
main backdrop, the amazing city of Miami, Florida, is beloved and well-known to me. I was born and raised in Miami, and like the novel’s main character Vy, I am a singer/songwriter, as well as the lead singer to a self-proclaimed cover band. All things relating to music or literature are my passion. I keep a journal, and I am constantly writing poems, stories, and any thought that comes to mind. I have a fascination for black and white films, that have the element of mystery. As I have been told by many, I have a very creative imagination.
Many years ago, I became an avid reader of cozy mysteries. The story lines were intriguing, engaging, and funny at the same time. I was so inspired by the authors, that I then decided to take my musical experiences, and put it on paper. I began writing this first novel in 2009. In between my full-time job, my weekend gigs, and my personal life, I finally completed the novel. The phobia's, the dream sequences, and the quirkiness of the main characters, are all based on facts. I hope that I was able to bring the love I have for Miami, the Cuban culture, my family, and music, to the readers of my novel, and to the series to come.
Find out more by visiting, following and liking me on these Social Media sites....
FaceBook: zaidaauthor www.facebook.com/zaidaauthorInstagram: zaidamusic Twitter: zaidamusic www.twitter.com/zaidamusicWebsite: www.zaidamusic.com
The Last Note, my music and other items can be purchased at Amazon, my website and my Cafe Press store.
Sounds great, Zaida. Thank you for joining us today.
Hope you enjoyed the spotlight friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT
Yep, on another short vacation but this time staying close to home. My gentleman friend's grandson is playing in the Dixie League World Series. They live in SC so it is rare to have them in LA and we're looking forward to a fun-filled week.
Our guest today is new to me and the blog so please welcome Zaida Alfaro with her cozy mystery, The Last Note: A Miami Music Mystery....
Killer songs and a killer voice, but a killer at her gig? Vy has always found herself at the center of attention as the lead singer for one of Miami's top cover bands, but when she finds herself at the center of a murder investigation, while performing at the Steel Horse Bar, that changes the tune of the night. Someone believes that Vy knows the truth behind the murder of the bar owner Ricky, and now that person is after her. Vy better figure out quickly who wanted Ricky dead, who is threatening her with her favorite band’s song lyrics, and why she’s falling for the handsome Detective Houston, before she too sings her last note. With a mixture of mystery, mayhem and comedy, you will find yourself immersed in Vy's musical and murderous world.Excerpt: The bar was alive tonight. Vy was feeding off the positive energy that was generated throughout each table, each person. That energy replenished her soul. The crowd sang along with Vy to “Sweet Child of Mine.” Carlos went into the song’s notorious, edgy guitar solo.
The women stood in front of him going ballistic. Vy belted out the chorus while she was on her knees in front of Carlos’ guitar.
“Yeah! Give it up for Carlos!” Vy shouted into the microphone.
The song ended, and it was time for Vy to take a break. Rob was going to take over, and sing a few more songs. As she walked down the steps, Vy noticed that her martini had disappeared. Shawn walked up to her, “Vy, that was awesome!” Shawn turned her into mush.
“Thanks. You know, if you want to play a song, I’m sure that Carlos will let you use his guitar.” His smile was vibrant, but it was soon cut off when Ricky approached them. Ricky had the tendency to ruin Shawn’s every amazing smile.
“I know, get back to work,” Shawn said mimicking him.
“Good boy,” Ricky responded. Vy could tell Ricky had been drinking already, just by the tone of his voice. “I tell you, if he keeps slacking, he’s gone.”
“He was just telling me how great we sounded, relax.” Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say. His eyes dilated, and his lips were about to say something to Vy, but Tina emerged next to her like an angel.
“Hi, Ricky,” she said. “You’re not giving my best girl here a hard time, are you?”
“Hi, Tina.” His entire demeanor changed. She had him salivating.
“Um, no. I was just going to offer you ladies a drink on the house. By the way, Vy, I drank that martini you left by the monitor. You shouldn’t leave your drink unattended, could be dangerous. You’re lucky that I drank it.” Ricky laughed. “Anyway, you want another one?”
Sure, you jerk, was what she thought, but what Vy said was, “Sure, thanks.”
“How about you, beautiful? You want to have a shot with me?” Ricky asked Tina.
“I will have a shot, but I already promised Vy I’d have it with her. Next time, sweetie,” Tina grinned. Ricky didn’t even realize that Tina was belittling him.
He caught himself staring at Tina and quickly snapped out of it. “Kendra! Get these ladies what they want!” Ricky stormed off to the office without saying another word.
“Jerk,” Tina muttered as they walked back to the table. “How do you deal with that crap?”
“I usually don’t. He usually isn’t here when we play. But thanks for saving me.”
“Honey, I saw that look you give when you’re ready to kick someone in the gut. I wanted to save that man from excruciating pain.”
“Was it that obvious?” Vy asked.
“Big time.”
Kendra came over with two martinis and two shots. “Here you go, girls.”
“Sorry that he gave you attitude,” Vy said.
“Oh, sweetie, that’s normal around here.” Kendra smiled. “Let me know if you need anything else. Enjoy.”
“Now, let’s drink to friendship,” Tina said.
“Here’s to friendship.” As they raised their glasses, they heard a loud scream, over Rob’s Led Zeppelin song. Cassandra hysterically came out of the office, and ran over to Kyle yelling, “He’s dead, Kyle. He’s dead!”
Oh wow, Zaida! What an excerpt and your cover is lovely. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it. Please tell us a little about yourself....
The Last Note’s
main backdrop, the amazing city of Miami, Florida, is beloved and well-known to me. I was born and raised in Miami, and like the novel’s main character Vy, I am a singer/songwriter, as well as the lead singer to a self-proclaimed cover band. All things relating to music or literature are my passion. I keep a journal, and I am constantly writing poems, stories, and any thought that comes to mind. I have a fascination for black and white films, that have the element of mystery. As I have been told by many, I have a very creative imagination.Many years ago, I became an avid reader of cozy mysteries. The story lines were intriguing, engaging, and funny at the same time. I was so inspired by the authors, that I then decided to take my musical experiences, and put it on paper. I began writing this first novel in 2009. In between my full-time job, my weekend gigs, and my personal life, I finally completed the novel. The phobia's, the dream sequences, and the quirkiness of the main characters, are all based on facts. I hope that I was able to bring the love I have for Miami, the Cuban culture, my family, and music, to the readers of my novel, and to the series to come.
Find out more by visiting, following and liking me on these Social Media sites....
FaceBook: zaidaauthor www.facebook.com/zaidaauthorInstagram: zaidamusic Twitter: zaidamusic www.twitter.com/zaidamusicWebsite: www.zaidamusic.com
The Last Note, my music and other items can be purchased at Amazon, my website and my Cafe Press store.
Sounds great, Zaida. Thank you for joining us today.
Hope you enjoyed the spotlight friends and that you'll check back each week for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God bless. PamT
July 24, 2019
#WednesdayWordswithFriends guest Chris Fabry
Good Morning!
Last January (2018) we featured Tyndale author Chris Fabry in our Tuesday Treasures spot. Today, Chris is providing us with an interview and talking about his newest release, so please welcome him back.....
You visited the set of Overcomer when it was being filmed. What did you take away from that experience?
A: I was amazed at the complexity of all the moving parts. I was also struck by the commitment the Kendricks and their team have to tell the story they’re given and not deviate. Their commitment to prayer on set was heartening and rich.· Can you tell us a little bit about the story line, without giving too much away?A: The film focuses on a fifteen-year-old girl, Hannah Scott. She’s been through a lot of loss in her life and struggles with her identity, which is universal. As you watch her grapple with what life throws at her, you will be encouraged to run your own race. Her coach also has a big part in the film and novel because he’s struggling with some of the same questions.· This story suggests that we often let others, our culture, or the roles we play define us. What do you hope this story does inside readers?A: First, I hope it captivates readers as simply a good story. I want you to turn the pages to see what will happen next. I was able to develop some of the story lines a little further and show a little more than the film can show in two hours. So my desire is for a satisfying read that takes you deeper into your own heart. Then, when you see the film, I hope you’ll be amazed at how the two versions of the story come together.· Is discovering our identity in Christ something you can do “mentally”? How do you get the knowledge to transform the way you live?A: There is a sense that you can “know” this and not experience it. In other words, there are plenty of Christians who get this in the head but not the heart. It’s our hope that this story will bridge the gap between head and heart. Transformation doesn’t come with knowing facts. It comes when you participate with God in the change he is making on the inside. That’s always a painful process but a good one. · This book suggests that surrendering our lives to God is the only way to discover the life we were meant to live. Comment on that principle.A: I once knew an old missionary to India who told me, “Your greatest mission in life is submission.” The best thing we can do with our lives is to fully surrender to God’s work. For those of us who like to control things (me being chief controller), this is a scary, vulnerable thing to do. But we find real, abundant life when we get to the point where we’re willing to allow God to do whatever he wants to do in and through us.· What do we risk when we surrender control and place our future in God’s hands? What do we gain?A: Surrender is a huge risk because we lose control. We lose the ability to write our own story. But when you take that step of faith—and another and another—you begin the journey of entering the Bigger Story, the Larger Story of what God is doing in you and in the world. Look at the disciples before they fully entered that story and after they entered it. You’ll never reach your full potential until you submit to God’s working in your life.· This is your second novelization of a Kendrick brothers’ movie. What is your process for writing a movie novelization?A: I love the fact that the Kendricks have drawn the boundary lines and have made all the hard choices. I call it the fence line—they’ve put up the barbed wire and I get to play in the pasture. I read the script, I watch the rough cut of the film about a thousand times, I ask questions about what’s on Hannah’s wall, for example. Why does she choose those images to put above her bed? Why does she wear that shirt on her first day of school? So I get to do things with words and answer questions that you can’t do in a film because of the limitations on-screen.· Are there similarities between this story and War Room?A: Yes. I could almost feel Miss Clara praying for this little girl. And there’s a sense of an unseen hand at work behind the scenes. Things come together in a way that can’t be explained other than the work of God in hearts and lives. · What do you enjoy about this process?A: I love the sense of exploring characters and their hearts. To me, these are real people. I like to put myself in the place of a coach who has defined himself by wins and losses. I like to run with Hannah and hear the struggle she has with asthma. And I enjoyed getting to know Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara. She’s a difficult character in the film, but in the book you learn some of the backstory of why she acts the way she acts. I just love that process.· What is challenging about this process?A: The most challenging thing about writing someone else’s idea is that I have to stay consistent with something someone else invented. It’s easy for me to go in some direction or add some motivation that isn’t necessarily on target with the vision of the Kendricks. So I lean on Alex mostly to rein me in and keep me in the pasture.· What character will we learn more about in the book than we see in the movie?A: Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara, has a tough, crusty exterior. And in the film you see a lot of her fear and how that motivates her life. Of course, you want to see her change by the end of the story, but we know that doesn’t always happen. So I found it challenging to tell more about what’s going on inside Barbara in the novel.· Who is your favorite character in this story and why?A: How do you not answer with Hannah? She’s just so relatable and real to me. But I have to say that Thomas captured my heart. When you see the depth of his struggle, the guilt he has lived with, the way God has taken hold of him—but that he is still growing in grace when we meet him—his face, his heart all comes through so strongly.· How did you relate to this story personally?A: I aspire to have my identity come from what God has done for me in Christ. In reality, I struggle with the same thing these characters are struggling with. Do I gauge my worth by my performance? Do I gauge my acceptability with God by some external thing, or do I really believe God accepts me as I am and that he sees the righteousness of Christ in me? Do I strive or rest? Those are questions that are huge in my life and I think will make a difference for anyone who reads or sees this story. · What goes on behind the scenes regarding the film and novelization process that you’d like people to know?A: I wish you could see the e-mails that go back and forth. We get into such minute detail in some cases. Alex has the freedom to say, “I didn’t like this chapter.” And then I probe and find out how I missed the mark. It’s such a collaborative effort, but at the same time I feel a freedom to go certain directions that we might not eventually use. I have freedom to fail, which is important in any creative endeavor.
Chris’s novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, and The Promise of Jesse Woods, have won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Awards of Merit from Christianity Today. He was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2018. His eightieth published book, Under a Cloudless Sky, is a novel set in the coalfields of his home state of West Virginia. His books include movie novelizations, like the bestseller War Room; nonfiction; and novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. Visit his website at www.chrisfabry.com.
Overcomer by Chris Fabry can be purchased from Tyndale by clicking on the link and at Amazon in Print and for Kindle also in Audio, Hardcover and on CD
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
Last January (2018) we featured Tyndale author Chris Fabry in our Tuesday Treasures spot. Today, Chris is providing us with an interview and talking about his newest release, so please welcome him back.....
You visited the set of Overcomer when it was being filmed. What did you take away from that experience?A: I was amazed at the complexity of all the moving parts. I was also struck by the commitment the Kendricks and their team have to tell the story they’re given and not deviate. Their commitment to prayer on set was heartening and rich.· Can you tell us a little bit about the story line, without giving too much away?A: The film focuses on a fifteen-year-old girl, Hannah Scott. She’s been through a lot of loss in her life and struggles with her identity, which is universal. As you watch her grapple with what life throws at her, you will be encouraged to run your own race. Her coach also has a big part in the film and novel because he’s struggling with some of the same questions.· This story suggests that we often let others, our culture, or the roles we play define us. What do you hope this story does inside readers?A: First, I hope it captivates readers as simply a good story. I want you to turn the pages to see what will happen next. I was able to develop some of the story lines a little further and show a little more than the film can show in two hours. So my desire is for a satisfying read that takes you deeper into your own heart. Then, when you see the film, I hope you’ll be amazed at how the two versions of the story come together.· Is discovering our identity in Christ something you can do “mentally”? How do you get the knowledge to transform the way you live?A: There is a sense that you can “know” this and not experience it. In other words, there are plenty of Christians who get this in the head but not the heart. It’s our hope that this story will bridge the gap between head and heart. Transformation doesn’t come with knowing facts. It comes when you participate with God in the change he is making on the inside. That’s always a painful process but a good one. · This book suggests that surrendering our lives to God is the only way to discover the life we were meant to live. Comment on that principle.A: I once knew an old missionary to India who told me, “Your greatest mission in life is submission.” The best thing we can do with our lives is to fully surrender to God’s work. For those of us who like to control things (me being chief controller), this is a scary, vulnerable thing to do. But we find real, abundant life when we get to the point where we’re willing to allow God to do whatever he wants to do in and through us.· What do we risk when we surrender control and place our future in God’s hands? What do we gain?A: Surrender is a huge risk because we lose control. We lose the ability to write our own story. But when you take that step of faith—and another and another—you begin the journey of entering the Bigger Story, the Larger Story of what God is doing in you and in the world. Look at the disciples before they fully entered that story and after they entered it. You’ll never reach your full potential until you submit to God’s working in your life.· This is your second novelization of a Kendrick brothers’ movie. What is your process for writing a movie novelization?A: I love the fact that the Kendricks have drawn the boundary lines and have made all the hard choices. I call it the fence line—they’ve put up the barbed wire and I get to play in the pasture. I read the script, I watch the rough cut of the film about a thousand times, I ask questions about what’s on Hannah’s wall, for example. Why does she choose those images to put above her bed? Why does she wear that shirt on her first day of school? So I get to do things with words and answer questions that you can’t do in a film because of the limitations on-screen.· Are there similarities between this story and War Room?A: Yes. I could almost feel Miss Clara praying for this little girl. And there’s a sense of an unseen hand at work behind the scenes. Things come together in a way that can’t be explained other than the work of God in hearts and lives. · What do you enjoy about this process?A: I love the sense of exploring characters and their hearts. To me, these are real people. I like to put myself in the place of a coach who has defined himself by wins and losses. I like to run with Hannah and hear the struggle she has with asthma. And I enjoyed getting to know Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara. She’s a difficult character in the film, but in the book you learn some of the backstory of why she acts the way she acts. I just love that process.· What is challenging about this process?A: The most challenging thing about writing someone else’s idea is that I have to stay consistent with something someone else invented. It’s easy for me to go in some direction or add some motivation that isn’t necessarily on target with the vision of the Kendricks. So I lean on Alex mostly to rein me in and keep me in the pasture.· What character will we learn more about in the book than we see in the movie?A: Hannah’s grandmother, Barbara, has a tough, crusty exterior. And in the film you see a lot of her fear and how that motivates her life. Of course, you want to see her change by the end of the story, but we know that doesn’t always happen. So I found it challenging to tell more about what’s going on inside Barbara in the novel.· Who is your favorite character in this story and why?A: How do you not answer with Hannah? She’s just so relatable and real to me. But I have to say that Thomas captured my heart. When you see the depth of his struggle, the guilt he has lived with, the way God has taken hold of him—but that he is still growing in grace when we meet him—his face, his heart all comes through so strongly.· How did you relate to this story personally?A: I aspire to have my identity come from what God has done for me in Christ. In reality, I struggle with the same thing these characters are struggling with. Do I gauge my worth by my performance? Do I gauge my acceptability with God by some external thing, or do I really believe God accepts me as I am and that he sees the righteousness of Christ in me? Do I strive or rest? Those are questions that are huge in my life and I think will make a difference for anyone who reads or sees this story. · What goes on behind the scenes regarding the film and novelization process that you’d like people to know?A: I wish you could see the e-mails that go back and forth. We get into such minute detail in some cases. Alex has the freedom to say, “I didn’t like this chapter.” And then I probe and find out how I missed the mark. It’s such a collaborative effort, but at the same time I feel a freedom to go certain directions that we might not eventually use. I have freedom to fail, which is important in any creative endeavor.
Chris’s novels, which include Dogwood, June Bug, Almost Heaven, and The Promise of Jesse Woods, have won five Christy Awards, an ECPA Christian Book Award, and two Awards of Merit from Christianity Today. He was inducted into the Christy Award Hall of Fame in 2018. His eightieth published book, Under a Cloudless Sky, is a novel set in the coalfields of his home state of West Virginia. His books include movie novelizations, like the bestseller War Room; nonfiction; and novels for children and young adults. He coauthored the Left Behind: The Kids series with Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, as well as the Red Rock Mysteries and the Wormling series with Jerry B. Jenkins. Visit his website at www.chrisfabry.com.Overcomer by Chris Fabry can be purchased from Tyndale by clicking on the link and at Amazon in Print and for Kindle also in Audio, Hardcover and on CD
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back weekly for Wednesday Words with Friends and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
July 20, 2019
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Erin Lorence and Dove Strong!
Good Morning!
It always my pleasure to bring to your attention a new author, especially a fellow Pelican Book Group author so please welcome Erin Lorence with her book, Dove Strong (#1 in the Dove Strong trilogy) to our spotlight!
Erin Lorence lives in Bonney Lake, Washington with her husband, Brian, and their two daughters, Brooke and Savannah. Her lifelong love of reading, her gratitude to God, and her enjoyment of hiking in Central Oregon all inspired her to write the Dove Strong Trilogy.
Find out more by visiting Erin's Website and Blog or connecting with her on Facebook.
Dove Strong loves God. She loves standing chin up, fists clenched when facing Satan’s attacks. But there’s one thing she doesn’t love—other people. So when this spiritually-gifted, antisocial teenager is chosen to join other believers in a trek across Satan’s territory, rattlesnakes and evil-intentioned Heathen aren’t her biggest challenges. But failure isn’t an option. In a month, the Christian Councils will decide the Reclaim, a vote on whether there’ll be a war between Christ’s and Satan’s followers to take back America. It is up to Dove, God’s messenger for peace, to reach her Council in time. Because if she doesn’t, things could get bloody.
Excerpt:
My eyes lit on a few things I recognized. Things I knew from the junk piles back home—a chair with small wheels. Bunches of cardboard boxes on a table, one bright yellow with a picture of food on it. Things with snaky wires. Pictures. But so many I couldn’t name. What were their purposes?
I rubbed at the rush of goose bumps beneath my sleeves. December air. I glanced at Melody for her reaction to this unnatural, cluttered home.
Her dark orbs lost focus, her skin bloodless under its sunburn. Before I could move, she hit the fuzzy ground in what sounded like a painful flop.
“Oh no.” Jezebel rounded on her brother with a smack to his middle. “You killed her.”
Smack. Smack. Her hands rained against his skin. He dodged the next set and knelt next to Melody’s body. I got in his way. “Don’t touch her.”
His outstretched hands whipped back. “What...I didn’t...”
“Get water.”
“Right.” He leaped to his feet. Then swung around. “To drink? Or dump on her?”
His sister flew to a nearby wall the color of tree sap and threw open a door. “In the shower! Put her in the shower!”
She disappeared into the space beyond, and a blast of light sprang from its rectangular opening. “I’ve seen this before on TV. Trust me. This is what you do.”
The sound of rain pounded down from inside the house. Indoor rain showers? Suspicious. But what was I supposed to do with this Brae girl if she died on me?
I dragged her dead weight forward...and almost dropped her.
What was this place?
A humongous, solid basin dominated the floor. Water drops poured into it from high up in the wall. Vapor clouds rose from the basin.
I shuddered. Everything in this room radiated the whiteness of new baby teeth. Creepy. “Here.” Wolfe held out a clear jar of water.
I couldn’t hold Melody while pouring water into her mouth, so I lowered her to the floor. Her head lolled against the white wall.
Most of the liquid ran down her chin and neck, but a little must’ve made it into her mouth. She choked. Then coughed. Swallowed. And cracked open her eyes.
I shoved the empty jar at Wolfe.
“Rain?” Melody tried to focus on me.
“See? She wants to go in the shower.”
I shook my head at Jezebel.
“It’s raining.” Melody fingered the wet fur of her collar.
“No way.” I stayed firm. “You don’t want the indoor shower.”
I watched her mouth tug up at the corners.
“Yes. Please? No danger.”
~~Wow, what an excellent excerpt! Thanks for sharing Erin. If you enjoyed the spotlight friends, get your copy of Dove Strong at Amazon (Kindle) and watch for book 2, Fanatic Surviving to be featured in our spotlight next month!
Until I see you again, take care and God Bless. PamT
It always my pleasure to bring to your attention a new author, especially a fellow Pelican Book Group author so please welcome Erin Lorence with her book, Dove Strong (#1 in the Dove Strong trilogy) to our spotlight!Erin Lorence lives in Bonney Lake, Washington with her husband, Brian, and their two daughters, Brooke and Savannah. Her lifelong love of reading, her gratitude to God, and her enjoyment of hiking in Central Oregon all inspired her to write the Dove Strong Trilogy.
Find out more by visiting Erin's Website and Blog or connecting with her on Facebook.
Dove Strong loves God. She loves standing chin up, fists clenched when facing Satan’s attacks. But there’s one thing she doesn’t love—other people. So when this spiritually-gifted, antisocial teenager is chosen to join other believers in a trek across Satan’s territory, rattlesnakes and evil-intentioned Heathen aren’t her biggest challenges. But failure isn’t an option. In a month, the Christian Councils will decide the Reclaim, a vote on whether there’ll be a war between Christ’s and Satan’s followers to take back America. It is up to Dove, God’s messenger for peace, to reach her Council in time. Because if she doesn’t, things could get bloody.Excerpt:
My eyes lit on a few things I recognized. Things I knew from the junk piles back home—a chair with small wheels. Bunches of cardboard boxes on a table, one bright yellow with a picture of food on it. Things with snaky wires. Pictures. But so many I couldn’t name. What were their purposes?
I rubbed at the rush of goose bumps beneath my sleeves. December air. I glanced at Melody for her reaction to this unnatural, cluttered home.
Her dark orbs lost focus, her skin bloodless under its sunburn. Before I could move, she hit the fuzzy ground in what sounded like a painful flop.
“Oh no.” Jezebel rounded on her brother with a smack to his middle. “You killed her.”
Smack. Smack. Her hands rained against his skin. He dodged the next set and knelt next to Melody’s body. I got in his way. “Don’t touch her.”
His outstretched hands whipped back. “What...I didn’t...”
“Get water.”
“Right.” He leaped to his feet. Then swung around. “To drink? Or dump on her?”
His sister flew to a nearby wall the color of tree sap and threw open a door. “In the shower! Put her in the shower!”
She disappeared into the space beyond, and a blast of light sprang from its rectangular opening. “I’ve seen this before on TV. Trust me. This is what you do.”
The sound of rain pounded down from inside the house. Indoor rain showers? Suspicious. But what was I supposed to do with this Brae girl if she died on me?
I dragged her dead weight forward...and almost dropped her.
What was this place?
A humongous, solid basin dominated the floor. Water drops poured into it from high up in the wall. Vapor clouds rose from the basin.
I shuddered. Everything in this room radiated the whiteness of new baby teeth. Creepy. “Here.” Wolfe held out a clear jar of water.
I couldn’t hold Melody while pouring water into her mouth, so I lowered her to the floor. Her head lolled against the white wall.
Most of the liquid ran down her chin and neck, but a little must’ve made it into her mouth. She choked. Then coughed. Swallowed. And cracked open her eyes.
I shoved the empty jar at Wolfe.
“Rain?” Melody tried to focus on me.
“See? She wants to go in the shower.”
I shook my head at Jezebel.
“It’s raining.” Melody fingered the wet fur of her collar.
“No way.” I stayed firm. “You don’t want the indoor shower.”
I watched her mouth tug up at the corners.
“Yes. Please? No danger.”
~~Wow, what an excellent excerpt! Thanks for sharing Erin. If you enjoyed the spotlight friends, get your copy of Dove Strong at Amazon (Kindle) and watch for book 2, Fanatic Surviving to be featured in our spotlight next month!
Until I see you again, take care and God Bless. PamT
July 17, 2019
#WednesdayWordswithFriends
Good Morning Friends!
Well, my guest today was unable to participate so you get to hear from me again. Since nothing much has happened in a week, I thought I'd share with you an article I wrote years ago for The Wordsmith Journal (now TWJ Mag) in my Pamela's Ponderings column....
The Quest
I’ve been on a spiritual journey since the day I recommitted my life to Christ in 1989. Back then I attended the Catholic Church. Although I love and respect the heart of the Mass, I always felt there is so much more to God and Christ than what can be found in doctrine and the traditions of organized religion.
Scriptures that said “the same Spirit that raised Christ is in you” and “let the mind of Christ dwell richly in you” and “that you may know the fullness Christ” backed by Jesus’s claim that the works He did I should do also and more, sparked a burning desire to know Him more fully, more intimately and that the fullness of Christ be evident in my life.
Thus began my quest.
I listen to Christian music, watch and listen to various teachers of the Word on radio and television--absorbing their messages, and I read voraciously books by ministers and spiritual leaders of all denominations as well as some who profess no religious beliefs – only the true nature of God (of Love).
Sometimes I feel as if I’ve grown in the past thirty years, and yet, at other times I feel like a babe in the woods.
Alas, spiritual growth and maturity is a continual thing, an ongoing journey to my highest vision of God and the grandest version of who I am in Him.
Over the next few months (or years as God deems) I’d like to share with you some truths I’ve discovered about who God is to me and how those truths have illumined my mind, opened my heart and changed my life.
Some may be articles I’ve written for other publications, others maHopefully these ponderings will make you think, question and search for your own truth about what God means to you, who He is in your life, and how you can become more like Him….more like Christ and more like the great spiritual leaders of all time whose message is, was and remains….God is love and he who dwells in Love, dwells in God.
Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed this post and that
Although I haven't contributed in quite a while, the column is still up at TWJ Magazine. I hope you'll check it out and that you'll join me later when I share more Pamela's Ponderings. And of course return weekly for Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT
Well, my guest today was unable to participate so you get to hear from me again. Since nothing much has happened in a week, I thought I'd share with you an article I wrote years ago for The Wordsmith Journal (now TWJ Mag) in my Pamela's Ponderings column....
The Quest
I’ve been on a spiritual journey since the day I recommitted my life to Christ in 1989. Back then I attended the Catholic Church. Although I love and respect the heart of the Mass, I always felt there is so much more to God and Christ than what can be found in doctrine and the traditions of organized religion.
Scriptures that said “the same Spirit that raised Christ is in you” and “let the mind of Christ dwell richly in you” and “that you may know the fullness Christ” backed by Jesus’s claim that the works He did I should do also and more, sparked a burning desire to know Him more fully, more intimately and that the fullness of Christ be evident in my life.
Thus began my quest.
I listen to Christian music, watch and listen to various teachers of the Word on radio and television--absorbing their messages, and I read voraciously books by ministers and spiritual leaders of all denominations as well as some who profess no religious beliefs – only the true nature of God (of Love).
Sometimes I feel as if I’ve grown in the past thirty years, and yet, at other times I feel like a babe in the woods.
Alas, spiritual growth and maturity is a continual thing, an ongoing journey to my highest vision of God and the grandest version of who I am in Him.
Over the next few months (or years as God deems) I’d like to share with you some truths I’ve discovered about who God is to me and how those truths have illumined my mind, opened my heart and changed my life.
Some may be articles I’ve written for other publications, others maHopefully these ponderings will make you think, question and search for your own truth about what God means to you, who He is in your life, and how you can become more like Him….more like Christ and more like the great spiritual leaders of all time whose message is, was and remains….God is love and he who dwells in Love, dwells in God.
Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed this post and that
Although I haven't contributed in quite a while, the column is still up at TWJ Magazine. I hope you'll check it out and that you'll join me later when I share more Pamela's Ponderings. And of course return weekly for Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT
