Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 56

#SaturdaySpotlight is on EA West and her new book, Redeeming Honor!

Good Morning Friends!

Today's guest is not new to us. EA West has shared treasures and thoughts with us before but it is always a pleasure to welcome back a previous guest with a sneak peek into a new release

One man’s honor is another man’s shame. 

Meghan Carpenter loves God, her yarn business, and her twin brother Ryan — a former marine who currently lives with her. When she agrees to let his wounded buddy live with them on her small Indiana alpaca farm, she expects an American marine. What she gets is a former Afghan interpreter who’s painfully shy around women.
Scarred from the war, both physically and emotionally, Basir Hamidi is grateful for a place to live. But his attraction to Meghan is a problem. With his honor destroyed by events in his homeland, and nothing to offer her but his broken, scarred self, he vows to avoid her and protect her reputation. Yet he is drawn to her with a strength that can only be God's leading. For a man who has lost everything, letting go of the past is a difficult process. When he must also redeem his honor, his only chance of success is to rely on God.
Excerpt:
The oven timer dinged, and Meghan grabbed a hot pad. Golden-brown cookies filled the air with the delicious scents of vanilla and chocolate. She set the tray on the granite counter, shut off the oven, and then turned to the task of transferring chocolate chip cookies to the cooling rack.
As she set the baking sheet in the sink, the front door opened. Meghan’s heart jumped, and she hurried from the kitchen, eager to see which of Ryan’s friends would be living in her house. She stepped into the hall and spotted her brother and a swarthy-skinned, black-haired man wearing huge dark sunglasses. Each of them carried a black suitcase.
Ryan grinned as his friend closed the door. “Hey, Meghan, this is my buddy Basir Hamidi. Basir, meet my sister, Meghan.”
The black-haired man removed his sunglasses to reveal a pair of wire-rimmed glasses and scar tissue around his tawny-brown eyes. “Thank you for letting me stay in your home.”
Meghan swallowed her surprise at his heavy accent and pushed aside her sorrow that he had endured something terrible to cause the scars. Regardless of what he had been through, the only thing that should matter to her was helping him to feel comfortable in her home. She offered a warm smile and clasped her hands at her waist. “I’m glad I had an empty guestroom for you. I’ll let Ryan give you the grand tour of the place while I put the finishing touches on lunch, but remember that this is your home, too, for however long you need it.”
“Thank you.” He inclined his head, his right hand over his heart. Then, he lowered his hand and glanced at Ryan.
Her brother slung an arm around Basir’s shoulders and guided him to the stairs. “Your room’s up here.”
Meghan returned to the kitchen and struggled to wrap her mind around her new houseguest. She’d expected an American marine, but her brother had brought home an Afghan man. Had Basir somehow become a marine? Had he been part of the Afghan army? Questions flowed in a steady stream as she chopped hardboiled eggs for the chef’s salads she’d planned.
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/RedeemingHonorBarnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/redeeming-honor-ea-west/1125635977?ean=9781522300007iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/redeeming-honor/id1202312439Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/redeeming-honorPelican Book Group: http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_46&products_id=834

Award-winning author E.A. West is a lifelong lover of books and storytelling. In high school, she picked up her pen in a creative writing class and hasn’t laid it down yet. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, knitting, and crocheting. She lives in Indiana with her family and a small zoo of pets. 

Find out more by connecting with Ms. West online at the following locations....

Website: http://eawest.mcphitty.comNewsletter: http://eawest.mcphitty.com/newsletter.htmlFacebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EAWestAuthorTwitter: http://twitter.com/eawestInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/authoreawest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/eawest

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course our weekly Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts Random Ramblings

Good Morning,

Well it may be afternoon wherever you are but it's still morning here in SW Louisiana!

Busy this year as Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday all rolled into a few short days. Of course Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday each year, but I don't think I've ever experienced Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday on the same day.

Makes me wonder....what did all those people who gave up chocolate or sweets do?

Do we accept our gifts? Do we eat them and pray for forgiveness?

Perhaps we looked ahead and told our loved ones No Candy (or whatever) for Valentine's Day this year!

I'm not making light of anything here, for some, Lent is a very serious issue.

Which begs the question....WHY are you giving up anything? Is it out of habit OR do you truly do so as a form of sacrifice, taking that time or money you'd normally spend and giving it to a charitable cause.

Is your Lenten practice a heart-felt thing or just an obligation you feel guilty if you don't adhere to?

Something to think about!
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

#TuesdayTreasures #EggCerptExchange with Kris Bock!

Good Morning and Welcome to the first of 2018 Eggcerpt Exchange posts!

It's Mardi Gras time here in SW Louisiana and as usual we have a cold front and rain in the forecast. Don't think I'll be out all day in that mess!

Anyway you know I'm always excited to feature new-to-me authors here and today's guest is no exception.

Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. Whispers in the Darkfeatures archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town. “Counterfeits is the kind of romantic suspense novel I have enjoyed since I first read Mary Stewart’s Moonspinners.” 5 Stars – Roberta at Sensuous Reviews blog
Read excerpts at www.krisbock.comor visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.
Kris Bock BlogKris Bock on GoodReadsKris Bock on FacebookKris Bock on Twitter
Kris Bock on Pinterest
“Smart romance with an 'Indiana Jones' feel.”
A legendary treasure hunt in the dramatic – and deadly – New Mexico desert.... Reviewers give it a 4.7 star average. Get this romantic adventure for only 99 cents or FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
The Mad Monk’s Treasure
The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?
Erin isn’t sure she can trust Drew with her heart, but she’ll need his help to track down the treasure. She heads into the New Mexico wilderness with her brainy best friend Camie and a feisty orange cat. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to sudden storms. Plus, the sinister men hunting Erin are determined to follow her all the way to the treasure, no matter where the twisted trail leads. Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight, but is she ready to risk her life—and her heart?
“The story has it all - action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”
Excerpt:
Among all the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she hardly dared dream.
She touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.
The timing was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?
Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?
 Erin wheeled the bike around the front of her house and mounted. At the corner, she paused and looked both ways. The long frontage road was dangerously narrow, with a cement wall on one side and a ditch on the other. Fortunately, traffic was normally light, and at this time of day the road lay empty. Erin pushed off, still grinning from her find. She rode on the right side, by the ditch, instead of facing traffic, because it was just too frightening to ride alongside the wall when a car passed.
She’d gone a block when she heard the hum of a car engine as it pulled out from a side street behind her. She rode along the very edge of the pavement, even though the car would have plenty of room to pass her without oncoming traffic.
Erin glanced over her shoulder. The black SUV 20 feet behind her hadn’t bothered to pull out into the road at all. Jerk. When would drivers learn to share the road with bicyclists? Erin pulled onto the two-foot wide gravel strip between the pavement and the ditch. She couldn’t stop without risking a skid, but she slowed so the SUV could pass.
The engine roared. Erin glanced back again.
Black metal bore down on her. Her heart lurched and the bike wobbled. This guy was crazy! She whipped her gaze forward, rose up in the seat, and pumped the pedals with all her power, skimming along inches from the ditch. He was just trying to scare her. She’d get his license plate and—
She felt the bumper hit her back tire. The bike seemed to leap into the air, and she went flying. The dried mud and weeds of the ditch seemed to rise up to meet her.   She didn’t even have time to scream.
Get The Mad Monk’s Treasure on Amazon.
Well, if the title of this book doesn't fit our Tuesday Treasure theme I don't know what will LOL!

Sounds like a great book, Kris! Thanks for sharing with us.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God Bless. PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on #EggcerptExchange

Good Afternoon!

I'm a bit late posting today. My scheduled guest was unable to get here and I didn't have time to improvise this morning but never fear.....We're spotlighting this year's Eggcerpt Exchange feature.

You've seen these before, where authors from one of my Authors Helping Authors groups share excerpts and other info from their books.

I'm hoping to have a guest for you next week so be sure and watch for the hashtag #EggcerptExchange and this graphic!


 Also, Eggcerpt Exchange kicks of the Easter/Lenten season. If you're like many, Lent is a time of additional prayer, fasting and alms-giving. 

With that in mind, if you're wanting to spend time with a special devotional or two, check out RED and I Thirst from Pelican Book Group and don't forget my very own devotional, Love is a Rose based on the lyrics to The Rose written by Amanda McBroom and performed by Bette Midler and Conway Twitty - which can be found at the following locations:
Print @ Amazon http://amzn.to/1naYIRrKindle http://amzn.to/1vI1v43Print @ B&N http://bit.ly/1POssML Nook http://bit.ly/1Kn81cS Smashwords http://bit.ly/16vCHl4     Deeper Shopping http://bit.ly/1cxivVf
Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time take care and God Bless. PamT

#ThursdayThoughts Guest post from Tyndale Author, Carla Laureano

Good Morning Friends,

As you well know, I'm always excited when I introduce a brand new-to-me and my blog author and today's guest is no exception.

Tyndale Author, Carla Laureano, is the RITA® Award-winning author of contemporary inspirational romance and Celtic fantasy (as C.E. Laureano). A graduate of Pepperdine University, she worked as a sales and marketing executive for nearly a decade before leaving corporate life behind to write fiction full-time. She currently lives in Denver with her husband and two sons, where she writes during the day and cooks things at night.

Find out more and connect with Carla on Social Media by visiting her website.

Now let's see what thoughts Carla has to share with us....

When Less of Less is More 
Like everyone else in the Western world, it seems, I was enchanted by the new wave of minimalism sweeping the blogosphere. I’m one of those people who juggles a dozen projects, both personal and professional, and I want to do them all well. So whether you call it “making space” or “finding joy” or “choosing less,” the idea of a simplified life massively appealed to me. I quickly jumped on the bandwagon. I pared down my clothing to a capsule wardrobe. I minimized the toiletries in the bathroom. I rehomed books I wasn’t going to read again, scanned and recycled paperwork, and gave away supplies for abandoned crafts.

Yet somehow my life didn’t feel simplified. Don’t get me wrong—it feels great to live in a less cluttered space. It’s wonderful to know that my unloved items will be appreciated by someone else. But that promise of more time, more mental space, more emotional freedom remained elusive.

And then I realized that downsizing and minimizing had just become another task that I wanted to excel at. I wanted to be the best minimalist, in whatever way I defined it at the moment; in doing that, I’d made the pursuit of less “more.” One more stressor, one more thing to achieve. Funny thing—turns out that it wasn’t my stuff that defined me as a maximalist; it was my mind set.


A year later, I’ve stuck with much of what my minimalist experiment taught me. It’s made me more mindful of what I buy. It’s made me appreciative of what I do have. It’s even had a positive effect on my sons’ attitudes toward their stuff. But I’ve stopped looking for it to make psychic or emotional space in my life. Turns out the best minimalist is Jesus, and the best solution to my overstressed life is contained within Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Oh wow, Carla definitely thoughts we should all consider! Thank you for sharing....
Carla's newest release, The Saturday Night Supper Club can be purchased at Amazon in all formats!

Hope you enjoyed meeting our guest today and the thoughts she shared and that you'll drop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures with DiAnn Mills

Good Morning Friends,

Last summer Multi-Published, Award-Winning author DiAnn Mills shared some thoughts with us. Today she returns to our blog to share something she treasures and a brand new book!


February is National Library Month
I’ve always loved libraries. From the time I was a little girl, the excitement of stepping into a room with shelves and shelves of books ranked at the top of my source of entertainment. I was a shy and overweight child, and books were my closest companions. When I finished selecting what I wanted to read, the stack was usually taller than me. Those books took me to real places all around the world and infused the love of story. Every new page was an adventure. Perhaps that’s where the seed took root for my tagline, “Expect an Adventure.”

Here I discovered Little Women, The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and so many other books. And yes, love of story inspired me to write. But it all began with the awe of exploring the world of reading. My first trip to a library was in my hometown, Bucyrus, Ohio. http://www.youseemore.com/bucyrus/def... The library is how I remembered it with so much more!

Over the years, our libraries have added music, movies, books on tape, and educational media for all ages. Many have entered the digital age. Computers are free to the public, and students of all ages can use the library’s resources. Our treasured books, old and new, are available in most libraries for e-readers.

Libraries are the core of a community. The doors are open to families from all cultures and backgrounds. These are meeting places for organizations and educational opportunities and events.

Oh, yes, we still must be quiet so others can concentrate. At one time, my husband and I were church librarians. My role was to process new books. Many were written by dear friends, and I couldn’t wait to recommend them.

Are you a patron of a local library? If not, now is the time for you to enjoy, explore, educate, and entertain the value of the written word.

Take the time to thank a librarian. They love books just like we do.

How do you show your librarian appreciation?

Libraries are definitely something to treasure, DiAnn. Thanks for sharing!

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She
combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Firewall, the first book in her Houston: FBI series, was listed by Library Journal as one of the best Christian Fiction books of 2014.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook: www.facebook.com/diannmills, Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills or any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

Readers can read about DiAnn's latest release,  High Treason , view a trailer, find resources for their book club, and even take a test to see if they are a true heroine. https://diannmills.com/books/high-treason/

Wow...Thank you so much DiAnn for joining us today. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new book!

Well Friends, I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll drop by weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Stacey Weeks & In Too Deep!

Good Morning!

Well it's official....6 more weeks of winter. Someone ought to shoot that darn rodent LOL! Seriously, I don't remember a colder, wetter winter in a long time. Oh well, great time to stay inside with a cup of your favorite hot beverage and a good book. With this in mind I'm greatly pleased to bring to you today's guest, fellow Pelican Book Group author, Stacey Weeks with her novel, In Too Deep .

Stacey is a member of The Word Guild in Canada and has authored two fiction books, is waiting to hear back from her publisher on a romantic suspense submission, and is working on a fourth novel.

Stacey’s newest book released in November 2017.

Grace risked everything and found herself drowning in danger. 
Like a sunken treasure wedged in the lake floor, Grace Stone’s heart is submerged in the past. Her only hope in easing her guilt over her role in a tragic drowning is launching a Water-Survival program at Camp Moshe, but success depends on Grace risking everything on the man hired to rebrand the Christian camp. Kye Campton’s extreme sports campaign lands him in hot water with the cautious instructor. His usual confidence wavers when it becomes increasingly evident that the camp’s fight for survival is against more than a declining economy. Will Kye be able to save the camp—and Grace—from a saboteur determined to see the place close for good?
Watch the book trailer!https://vimeo.com/236598271
In Too Deep is available for purchase at Pelican Book Group, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Chapters-Indigo, Barnes & Noble
Download and read the first two chapters FREE here!

I asked Stacey to describe herself in her own words: 
I am from the play-until-the-streetlights-turn-on and come-when-your-father-whistles generation. I’m a cool-off-in-the-sprinkler, drink-straight-from-the-hose, and fish-off-the-pier kind of girl. I’m loyal even when others are not. I’ve wrestled with brothers, played Barbie with neighbors, and stayed up too late reading just one more chapter. I’m from BIG Sunday dinners, steaming hot tea, and Saturday morning coin-sized pancakes. I grew up with Tupperware, paper bag lunches, Yorkshire pudding, and mashed potatoes. Lots of mashed potatoes. My family is a finish-what-you-start, bargain shopping, home cooking, and respect-your-elders kind of family. I am one of four children framed in memories on a wall. I jumped off docks, endured eight-hour trips that took twelve, and sat in the middle bench seat of the family sedan. I am a wait until you enter the house before driving away kind of mom. I boil the kettle in a crisis, and I know that a job worth doing is worth doing right. I am a fixer of old things, painter of everything, cleansed and forgiven child of God. I believe that nothing matters more than the Lord Jesus Christ and who I believe He is. 
Find Stacey on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/writerSWeeks/Twitter: @WriterSWeeksWebsite: www.staceyweeks.com
Wow THANKS Stacey for visiting with us today and sharing your book. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with the book and in all things!
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll check back often to see what's happening on Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT

Tuesday Treasures: The Ho'oponopono Prayer

Good Morning Friends!

I've often shared prayers and meditations with you that I've found beneficial in my own life. One was from Marianne Williamson's book, A Return to Love : I love you, I forgive you, I release you to God (or the Holy Spirit) OR if you don't believe in God and the Holy Spirit you can just end the prayer with I release you. Personally I believe in the Blessed Trinity and always have God/Jesus/Holy Spirit as my center in every prayer. I know Marianne is considered a "new age" author so please be aware of this should you decide to read her books.*

Anyway, I've discovered the Ho'oponopono (pronounced HoAPonoPono) prayer I'd like to share with you because the words are beautiful and they line up with Jesus' teachings on love and forgiveness.

This 'prayer' contains 4 simple phrases: I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.

Jessica Ortner incorporates this prayer in her Surrogate Tapping video and I found the words healing and soothing, but I never knew they were an ancient Hawaiian prayer!

I've practiced this over the last several weeks concerning a difficult situation in my life and it has made a huge difference. Not so much in the situation (yet!) but in me.

Jason Stephenson, whom I discovered on YouTube has a beautiful, meditative voice and he shares this prayer focusing on different areas of your life. It's a short video but powerful.

I've always believed short, sweet, simple and to-the-point prayers were more effective than long, eloquent words that you spend so much time trying to remember, the heart of them gets lost in the process.

So I challenge you to use this prayer today to heal or change the energy around a certain area of your life.

Imagine a situation (or person) you're having trouble with--Even (especially) if you need to forgive yourself for something! Bring all of the details you can firmly to mind and then say these words....

I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.

Repeat for several minutes - being in a relaxed meditative state would be more beneficial, but even if you're driving or showering or cooking or cleaning....say and feel the energy of these words then take note of changes you see, feel or experience.

If you are a proponent of (or practice) *EFT, use tapping while praying and you get the double benefit of rewiring your thought patterns around this particular situation or person.

Granted, some situations take more than one application of any type of prayer or self-growth technique (like EFT or Tapping) but isn't it worth the time and energy for YOU to be healed?

I think so!

Something to think about...
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™

Hope you enjoyed today's post. Oh and check out these new banners I had created for my coaching practice!



Aren't they beautiful?! Many thanks to Delia Latham of Heaven's Touch Designs - my 'go to' girl for all of my book cover, promo and banner needs :-)
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
I'd LOVE to hear if you use this prayer and how it worked for you so leave a comment. It is something I'll definitely use and treasure from here on out
Until next time, take care and God bless and remember...when the going gets tough, the tough take steps to be healed!
PamT
*This post has been edited since I wrote it this morning because it was brought to my attention that EFT/Tapping has origins in Eastern Mysticism and the "new age" movement. However, it was introduced to me through a clinical psychologist so I will be doing my research. Please be aware of the connotations if you choose to investigate this technique. Above all things, stay true to who you are in Christ.

Saturday Spotlight is on John Prather author of The Nephilim Virus

Good Morning Friends,

If you've followed me for long you know how much it excites to me to introduce to you brand new-to-me authors and today's guest is no exception! Brought to us by Adams PR Group, please welcome John Prather.....

[image error] John Prather grew up with seven siblings in Memphis, Tennessee, on a steady diet of BBQ and southern values. After graduating from the University of Memphis, he moved to Hollywood to try his hand at the entertainment industry. He has been featured in TV series such as Scream Queens on Fox as well as WWE Raw. His commercial work has included ads for FedEx, Old Navy, Burger King, and Ruffles, in addition to various other major corporations. As a model, he has been featured in national magazines such as People, GQ, Men’s Health, as well as on the cover of Muscle and Fitness magazine, among others. John and his wife are expecting twins in early 2018, and hope to adopt their foster daughter very soon. 

For more information, visit www.JohnTPrather.com or ​Follow the Author on: Facebook  Twitter  &  Instagram

Welcome John! Tell us a little more about your book.....

Q: What inspired you to write “The Nephilim Virus”?A: I always had this idea for a story where two thirds of the world was infected with a blood disease, but I never knew how I was going to tell it. There are several obscure verses in Genesis 6 about the Nephilim, a race of beings created from the sons of god sleeping with the daughters of men and that passage always fascinated me. One day, I decided to put those two ideas together and tell a story where I got to imagine what the world would look like if that race of super humans were still around.I have been a writer and lover of stories ever since I was young. My grandfather was a wonderful storyteller and I used to listen to his stories over and over to learn the rhythm and pace and punch line of a good story. I had dozens of unfinished stories lying around, but I never sat down and made myself finish one. Then in 2013, I decided it was time I finished a manuscript. And I did. And it was bad. But it showed me I could finish one. Then I had the idea for The Nephilim Virus, so I started writing that in 2014 as a short story. I knew I had to get the idea out of my head or it wouldn’t leave me alone. As I kept writing, the story kept coming. Five months or so later, I had another finished manuscript. This one seemed publishable. Now, almost four years later, here we are.
Q: What do you hope readers will experience with this novel?A: All the great themes, like redemption and sacrifice and love, of all the great stories are just tiny versions of the greatest story, God’s story. That is the reason a reader can feel them in his or her soul—regardless if the work is Christian or non-Christian. I want readers to connect to the greatest story by reading a book that has little glimpses of that story woven into it. The overall theme of the book is the idea that every human has been infected with a blood disease, but there is a cure. I want readers to be entertained while subconsciously connecting to the truth —sometimes in ways they might not even realize.
Q: In addition to being an author, you are also an actor and model. How does that affect your work as a writer?
A: Working in the entertainment industry allows me to continually learn about people. Being an actor is a great way for me to be in touch with my own emotions and internal motivations and also to see and feel my fellow performers’ emotions and motivations. Everyone has tics and mannerisms that are specific to them and I feel being aware of these individual characteristics helps me create strong characters for my stories. It has also helps me hone the art of storytelling to see how other artists tell their own stories, whether they are writers, photographers, actors, directors, or whatever.Q: Why do you believe this novel will appeal to both Christians as well as non-Christians? A: My all-time favorite author is C.S. Lewis and he said something that has always stuck with me. He said, “What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians on other subjects—with their Christianity latent.” The novel will appeal to Christians who like stories that can be taken seriously by the world while still holding deeper truths. Sometimes “Christian” entertainment can avoid or sugar-coat real life topics that people deal with every day. This novel is one a Christian could enjoy and pass on to their friends who might not read something blatantly Christian. The novel has no cussing or sex, but at the same time, it has death and villains and adventure. It shows the battle between good and evil without being offensive on one hand or preachy on the other. Non-Christians will enjoy the book because it reads like a movie or a Netflix series. It has short chapters and short sentences and lots of cliffhangers. The deeper truths are hidden just below the surface so a non-Christian could read it simply for its entertainment value and not realize the Christian themes, imagery, and symbolism right away. The Nephilim Virus doesn’t talk overtly about God, but you can see Him throughout the work, similar to the book of Esther in the Bible.Q: How difficult is it to live your faith in the entertainment industry?A: Being a Christian is the norm in the South. Everyone has a church, even if they never go to church. In the South, it costs you very little to be a Christian. But in Hollywood, it costs you a lot. Christians are the enemy out here. No one understands them. The good thing about that is that it cuts out the lukewarm Christians. Out here, if you aren’t deep with God, you will soon be done with Him because it costs too much. I’ve been to countries where faith costs much more than it ever will here, but it probably costs more to be a Christian in Hollywood than it does anywhere else in the United States. Being a follower of God in L.A. can get you ostracized, fired, friendless, and broke. For example, I literally got screamed at by a casting director because I turned down a role that I wasn’t comfortable doing. He screamed at me about how the role could make my career and how I was a moron and other unrepeatable things. And that was one of the more tame encounters I’ve had with someone who doesn’t understand my worldview.
Another difficulty of having faith in Hollywood is that, as an actor, you often don’t get to see the whole project for which you are auditioning. The small part of the script that they show you could be acceptable, but you don’t know what overall story they are telling. So you really have to trust God to keep you away from the wrong projects. The thing people outside of Hollywood don’t understand is the difficulty of the industry. Even someone who has no morals and no qualms about doing anything in any project has a one in a billion shot of making it. Being a Christian further narrows their odds by being an outcast who refuses to do something or represent something that is against their morals. I often think of Hollywood as America’s version of “the gates of hell” that Jesus talked about. Christians out here are the tip of the spear. They are in the hottest spot. They need lots of support. But that’s ok because Jesus promised the gates of hell would not prevail.

Q: Talk about why you and your wife decided to be foster parents. A: My wife and I met on a mission trip in Brazil where we took a medical boat down the Amazon river. That is another story for another time, but one of the first things we connected on was our desire to build a family through adoption as well as biologically. We were both big believers in adoption. We also wanted to try to save a kid who wouldn’t have a great chance at life without us. We think adoption is a wonderful thing in all its forms, but we wanted to take a child from a situation where they had no hope of a family otherwise. We aren’t rich, and we don’t have a lot, but we do have a heart for children without a family. So we decided to adopt out of the California foster care system. We were very naive as to the difficulty of that process, but we started taking foster classes and getting certified two months after we got married. We planned on having our own children first and then coming back to adopt when the time was right. It is a very long story, but God had other plans. We ended up bringing a little foster boy into our home in order to adopt him. He was later given back to a family member. Giving up my son was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.
Two months later, we brought a little girl into our home. We brought her home from the hospital and she just became a one-year-old. We are currently in the process of trying to adopt her, and everything looks good so far, but things could change in an instant. It breaks my heart and scares me to death that a social worker could call tomorrow and say, “pack up your daughter, I’m coming to get her and you will never see her again.” The foster system is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my entire life, and I hope that one day I will be in a position to help make changes in the system. Until then, I’m very open and write about our journey in my blog in hopes of helping other people and shedding light on the subject. God willing we will adopt our daughter shortly after our twins are born. Then, in a few more years, we will try to adopt another child from the system.
Q: As a sought-after model, you obviously keep yourself very fit. How do you believe your physical health impacts your spiritual well-being?A: I believe the physical body and spiritual body are closely linked. As a Christian I believe that God himself lives inside the human body. God’s spirit should permeate every part of a person’s life, including the physical and mental aspects. The Bible says to love the Lord with all your heart and soul and strength —mind, soul, and body. I think sometimes Christians emphasize the mind and soul, but neglect the body. But God asks for all three. Your physical life is your spiritual life. You couldn’t say, “my mouth is eating donuts, but my body uses it like broccoli.” It doesn’t work that way. The outside begins on the inside.
In addition to the close link of your physical life and your spiritual life there is the idea that the discipline of building your body by exercising builds discipline in other areas as well. It builds self-control (another spiritual trait). The strength to build the discipline to work out every day translates to the strength and discipline to read your Bible and pray every day. God told Joshua four times in three verses to be strong and courageous. Paul often used physical examples to teach spiritual truth. When Samson failed spiritually, he also lost his physical strength.  God asks for all of you. Every piece. Body and soul.
OH Wow, John what a story! Your book sounds fascinating. Where can we find a copy?
The Nephilim Virus can be found on Amazon and my website.
Thank you very much for visiting with us today, John. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your novel (and adoption!!!).
Well friends, hope you have a great day also and that you'll drop by often to see what's happening on Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT

Thursday Thoughts on Time Management

Good Morning Friends,

In my last personal post I mentioned my dream of being a Life Coach. In pursuing that dream I am faced with the dilemma of scheduling time to study and be certified, which prompted this post.

Time management is a big issue with anyone who wears more than one hat. This is especially true with writers. Most of us have outside work, home, families...the list goes on and on....and we're ruled by the clock.

So how do we manage?

I wrote an article years ago in which I stated, budget your time just like you budget your money--sage advice for those who know how to prepare and follow a budget. But what happens when you do your best to budget or schedule your day down to the minute, but life throws a monkey wrench in the mix?

Here's a thought......

Albert Einstein said, "Time is an illusion."

Therefore, time expands to meet your needs.

This does not mean we can lollygag around and then get in a mad rush-that never works! Doing so will disrupt your energy flow and unless gotten under control by a purposeful shift, rule your day. However, if you're on track but keep getting interrupted by unexpected people and events, you can calm yourself and change your energy by focusing on that one thought.... Time expands to meet my needs.

Time is valuable and we always make time for what we value. Our dreams, desires and goals are important and should be given priority in our daily/weekly/monthly schedules.


So next time you glance at the clock and think...I just don't have enough time! Take a deep breath (or several) and remind yourself....Time expands to meet my needs and see how quickly things turn around.

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll drop by often to see what's happening on Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT