Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 57
January 23, 2018
#TuesdayTreasures Guest Post by Saundra Dalton-Smith
Good Morning Friends,
As you know I always love bringing new-to-me authors to your attention and today is no exception.
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is an author, speaker, and board-certified physician. She has an active medical practice in Alabama (near the Birmingham area). She received her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Georgia, and graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Baker College and Davenport University in Michigan teaching courses on health, nutrition, and disease progression. Dr. Dalton-Smith is a national and international media resource on the mind, body, spirit connection and has been featured in Women’s Day, Redbook, and First For Women magazine. She is the author of “Set Free to Live” and “Come Empty” (winner 2016 Golden Scroll Nonfiction Book of the Year and 2016 Illumination Award Gold medalist). She is a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Association and a repeat keynote speaker at their annual gathering. She has shared her tips on merging faith and medicine with over 16,000 health care professionals to encourage the current and next generation of doctors to treat the whole person. Find out more about Saundra at http://ichoosemybestlife.com.
Welcome Saundra! So happy to have you share something you treasure with us today....
This little gift was hand-picked by my 11-year-old son after learning about my publishing contract for Sacred Rest. It perfectly captures his love for science and his adventurous nature. His ladybug pen was an excellent reminder that God speaks through creation. We are often just too busy rushing to enjoy the beauty around us. We don’t see the small wonders because we are so focused on the big picture. One of the challenges from Sacred Rest is to make space in our lives to allow God to revive us through rest. I describe seven different types of rest, one of which is creative rest. I define creative rest as the experience of allowing beauty to inspire awe and liberate wonder. What better example in nature than the ladybug?
When writing, I can spend hours pouring out over my laptop, and it can quickly drain my creative reserves. This little ladybug pen would encourage me to take breaks from my word count goals. I would head outside and ask God to show me the small doses of beauty hidden in my yard. God was faithful to use those moments of rest to restore my energy and revive my creativity.
I now keep a copy of the pen on my writing desk as tangible evidence that my writing journey may happen in solitude but it is a family journey. They may not be in the room with me when I write, but they are dreaming with me and supporting me with their love and acceptance along the way.
Awww....Saundra, how sweet! This is definitely something to treasure always! Thanks for sharing! Now tell us a little about your newest release, Sacred Rest.....
Staying busy is easy. Staying well rested— there’s a challenge.
How can you keep your energy, happiness, creativity, and relationships fresh and thriving in the midst of never-ending family demands, career pressures, and the stress of everyday life? In Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a board-certified internal medicine doctor, reveals why rest can no longer remain optional.
Dr. Dalton-Smith shares seven types of rest she has found lacking in the lives of those she encounters in her clinical practice and research-physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, sensory, social, creative—and why a deficiency in any one of these types of rest can have unfavorable effects on your health, happiness, relationships, creativity, and productivity. Sacred Rest combines the science of rest, the spirituality of rest, the gifts of rest, and the resulting fruit of rest. It shows rest as something sacred, valuable, and worthy of our respect.
By combining scientific research with personal stories, spiritual insight, and practical next steps, Sacred Rest gives the weary permission to embrace rest, set boundaries, and seek sanctuary without any guilt, shame, or fear.
Learn more and purchase a copy HERE.
Sounds like a book we could all benefit from reading. Thank you so much for dropping by. I pray you enjoyed today's post as much as I did and that you'll stop by often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
As you know I always love bringing new-to-me authors to your attention and today is no exception.
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is an author, speaker, and board-certified physician. She has an active medical practice in Alabama (near the Birmingham area). She received her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Georgia, and graduated with honors from Meharry Medical College in Nashville. She has been an adjunct faculty member at Baker College and Davenport University in Michigan teaching courses on health, nutrition, and disease progression. Dr. Dalton-Smith is a national and international media resource on the mind, body, spirit connection and has been featured in Women’s Day, Redbook, and First For Women magazine. She is the author of “Set Free to Live” and “Come Empty” (winner 2016 Golden Scroll Nonfiction Book of the Year and 2016 Illumination Award Gold medalist). She is a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Association and a repeat keynote speaker at their annual gathering. She has shared her tips on merging faith and medicine with over 16,000 health care professionals to encourage the current and next generation of doctors to treat the whole person. Find out more about Saundra at http://ichoosemybestlife.com.Welcome Saundra! So happy to have you share something you treasure with us today....
This little gift was hand-picked by my 11-year-old son after learning about my publishing contract for Sacred Rest. It perfectly captures his love for science and his adventurous nature. His ladybug pen was an excellent reminder that God speaks through creation. We are often just too busy rushing to enjoy the beauty around us. We don’t see the small wonders because we are so focused on the big picture. One of the challenges from Sacred Rest is to make space in our lives to allow God to revive us through rest. I describe seven different types of rest, one of which is creative rest. I define creative rest as the experience of allowing beauty to inspire awe and liberate wonder. What better example in nature than the ladybug?When writing, I can spend hours pouring out over my laptop, and it can quickly drain my creative reserves. This little ladybug pen would encourage me to take breaks from my word count goals. I would head outside and ask God to show me the small doses of beauty hidden in my yard. God was faithful to use those moments of rest to restore my energy and revive my creativity.
I now keep a copy of the pen on my writing desk as tangible evidence that my writing journey may happen in solitude but it is a family journey. They may not be in the room with me when I write, but they are dreaming with me and supporting me with their love and acceptance along the way.
Awww....Saundra, how sweet! This is definitely something to treasure always! Thanks for sharing! Now tell us a little about your newest release, Sacred Rest.....
Staying busy is easy. Staying well rested— there’s a challenge.How can you keep your energy, happiness, creativity, and relationships fresh and thriving in the midst of never-ending family demands, career pressures, and the stress of everyday life? In Sacred Rest, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, a board-certified internal medicine doctor, reveals why rest can no longer remain optional.
Dr. Dalton-Smith shares seven types of rest she has found lacking in the lives of those she encounters in her clinical practice and research-physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, sensory, social, creative—and why a deficiency in any one of these types of rest can have unfavorable effects on your health, happiness, relationships, creativity, and productivity. Sacred Rest combines the science of rest, the spirituality of rest, the gifts of rest, and the resulting fruit of rest. It shows rest as something sacred, valuable, and worthy of our respect.
By combining scientific research with personal stories, spiritual insight, and practical next steps, Sacred Rest gives the weary permission to embrace rest, set boundaries, and seek sanctuary without any guilt, shame, or fear.
Learn more and purchase a copy HERE.
Sounds like a book we could all benefit from reading. Thank you so much for dropping by. I pray you enjoyed today's post as much as I did and that you'll stop by often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
January 20, 2018
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jaylon Martin
Good Morning Friends,
As you know I always enjoy featuring authors and their books, even more so when the guest is new to me and our blog. Today it is with great pleasure I bring to you 16 year old Jaylon Martin with the first two in a series of YA Sci-Fi books. What is amazing is that this young man not only has the courage and confidence to write, the covers are his own artwork!
Jaylon is a member of Bayou Writers Group and when I think of talent this young man has I remember why I (co)founded this group!
Black Star Universe Book 1: Black Star
16 year old Petra Fields lives in a post apocalyptic universe where she discovers that she's a supernatural warrior called a Black Star after she's attacked by a vicious army called the Gunners. Then, she is sent to the Incorporation where she meets friends, enemies, falls in love, and learns to use her powers. When the Gunners pose a threat to humanity, Petra and the Black Stars must protect the ones they love from the enemies who set out to destroy them.
Black Star Universe Book 2: Black Reality
In the explosive sequel to Black Star, Petra finds herself hunted by dark forces when she discovers the dark side of being a Starsiah. Petra, Chris, Gray, and the others shelter at the surviving society of Anickan when the Gunners attack again revealing that their mission is far from being accomplished. They meet new allies like Lucas Gabriel, the former Starsiah, and Alchemy Hex, a Black Star who can harness magic. Both who are from a realm called the Black Reality. When reality is unbalanced and the universe is at risk of ending, evil rise on the surface and plot to destroy humanity and end the universe once and for all.
Both books can be purchased through Lulu.com
Now let's find out a little more about Jaylon in his own words....
My name is Jaylon Martin, and I live in Lake Charles, Louisiana with my family. I go to school at Lake Charles College Prep. My favorite thing to do is to write stories so I can encourage and inspire kids and teens with characters they can relate to. I am also a Christian. My faith brings up my confidence to write stories.
Thank you Jaylon for your incredible courage to write and publish your work! Good luck and God's blessings with it.
Well Friends, I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight as much as I did bringing it to you and that you'll drop by weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course, Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT
As you know I always enjoy featuring authors and their books, even more so when the guest is new to me and our blog. Today it is with great pleasure I bring to you 16 year old Jaylon Martin with the first two in a series of YA Sci-Fi books. What is amazing is that this young man not only has the courage and confidence to write, the covers are his own artwork!
Jaylon is a member of Bayou Writers Group and when I think of talent this young man has I remember why I (co)founded this group!
Black Star Universe Book 1: Black Star16 year old Petra Fields lives in a post apocalyptic universe where she discovers that she's a supernatural warrior called a Black Star after she's attacked by a vicious army called the Gunners. Then, she is sent to the Incorporation where she meets friends, enemies, falls in love, and learns to use her powers. When the Gunners pose a threat to humanity, Petra and the Black Stars must protect the ones they love from the enemies who set out to destroy them.
Black Star Universe Book 2: Black Reality
In the explosive sequel to Black Star, Petra finds herself hunted by dark forces when she discovers the dark side of being a Starsiah. Petra, Chris, Gray, and the others shelter at the surviving society of Anickan when the Gunners attack again revealing that their mission is far from being accomplished. They meet new allies like Lucas Gabriel, the former Starsiah, and Alchemy Hex, a Black Star who can harness magic. Both who are from a realm called the Black Reality. When reality is unbalanced and the universe is at risk of ending, evil rise on the surface and plot to destroy humanity and end the universe once and for all.
Both books can be purchased through Lulu.com
Now let's find out a little more about Jaylon in his own words....
My name is Jaylon Martin, and I live in Lake Charles, Louisiana with my family. I go to school at Lake Charles College Prep. My favorite thing to do is to write stories so I can encourage and inspire kids and teens with characters they can relate to. I am also a Christian. My faith brings up my confidence to write stories.
Thank you Jaylon for your incredible courage to write and publish your work! Good luck and God's blessings with it.
Well Friends, I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight as much as I did bringing it to you and that you'll drop by weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course, Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time take care and God bless.
PamT
January 18, 2018
#ThursdayThoughts with E.A. West
Good Morning Friends,
Last month my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, EA West shared something she treasures with us. Today she'll share thoughts about the story behind the story of her brand new YA Christian Fiction Novel, Crash Course .
Take it away EA!
My latest young adult novel, Crash Course , involves freestyle motocross and a girl who loves to ride dirt bikes. The funny part is that I’ve never ridden a dirt bike in my life and I don’t personally know anyone who does. My hobbies include reading, knitting, and crochet. So, how did someone like me end up writing this book? Simple. I love watching freestyle motocross on TV.
Of course, watching a few competitions isn’t nearly enough to write a book. I did research in addition to my weekends watching the Dew Tour, the X Games, and a few supercross races. I spent a lot of time reading articles and blog posts on freestyle motocross and dirt bikes in general. Forum posts enabled me to create realistic dialogue for my characters. YouTube became my new best friend. It’s amazing how much you can learn by watching videos that dissect each trick and show the techniques to be a successful motocross rider.
Here’s a fun fact for you. The character Brady Scott was inspired by the real freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana, who was fifteen years old the first time I saw him in a competition. The fact that someone so young could do such amazing things on a dirt bike stuck with me, and the idea for including a teenage freestyle motocross rider in a novel blossomed. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but the research is what brings realism to the story.
You are SO right, EA, research IS what brings realism to any story. Thank you so much for sharing.
E.A. West, award-winning author of sweet and inspirational romance, 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.
You can find, follow and Like EA at the following locations:
Website: http://eawest.mcphitty.com
Blog: http://thewestcorner.wordpress.com
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EAWestAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/eawest
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/authoreawest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/eawest
Crash Course can be found at Amazon, B&N, iTunes & Kobo.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll drop by often to check out Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
Last month my friend and fellow Pelican Book Group author, EA West shared something she treasures with us. Today she'll share thoughts about the story behind the story of her brand new YA Christian Fiction Novel, Crash Course .
Take it away EA!
My latest young adult novel, Crash Course , involves freestyle motocross and a girl who loves to ride dirt bikes. The funny part is that I’ve never ridden a dirt bike in my life and I don’t personally know anyone who does. My hobbies include reading, knitting, and crochet. So, how did someone like me end up writing this book? Simple. I love watching freestyle motocross on TV.
Of course, watching a few competitions isn’t nearly enough to write a book. I did research in addition to my weekends watching the Dew Tour, the X Games, and a few supercross races. I spent a lot of time reading articles and blog posts on freestyle motocross and dirt bikes in general. Forum posts enabled me to create realistic dialogue for my characters. YouTube became my new best friend. It’s amazing how much you can learn by watching videos that dissect each trick and show the techniques to be a successful motocross rider.
Here’s a fun fact for you. The character Brady Scott was inspired by the real freestyle motocross rider Travis Pastrana, who was fifteen years old the first time I saw him in a competition. The fact that someone so young could do such amazing things on a dirt bike stuck with me, and the idea for including a teenage freestyle motocross rider in a novel blossomed. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but the research is what brings realism to the story.
You are SO right, EA, research IS what brings realism to any story. Thank you so much for sharing.
E.A. West, award-winning author of sweet and inspirational romance, 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.You can find, follow and Like EA at the following locations:
Website: http://eawest.mcphitty.com
Blog: http://thewestcorner.wordpress.com
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EAWestAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/eawest
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/authoreawest
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/eawest
Crash Course can be found at Amazon, B&N, iTunes & Kobo.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll drop by often to check out Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
January 16, 2018
#TuesdayTreasures Guest post by Gail Nordskog
Good Morning Friends!
Our guest today shared thoughts with us last month so let's see what she treasures....
A Day in the life of Gail Nordskog
I very much enjoy rising early. 5:30 a.m. is my favorite time no matter what the season is.
This started years ago when my children were young. At the time I had 4 school age children who were full of chatter from the time they woke up until they fell asleep at night.
In order to start my day peacefully I found 5:30 gave me plenty of time to make a pot of coffee, snuggle with my puppy, read my Bible and Journal.
I have pretty much kept that schedule all these years although I can sleep in a little longer. I only have one school age daughter at home. Kiana is now a junior in High School and my puppy is ten years old. Mitzi is joined by our 3- year-old Pomeranian, Foxi who faithfully follows the same routine with us.
Usually after an hour and 2 cups of coffee I will go outside to feed the Ducks. We can have anywhere from 5 to 35+ ducks waiting to be fed. We live in a harbor with a channel that leads to the Pacific Ocean behind our home. These ducks are not native to ocean waters. Most are mallards the other 5 are just farm yard type of ducks who are too fat to fly. These are my favorite as they hang out here in the keys all year round.
By now my husband is up and helping with the ducks and the dogs. Jerry usually leaves for work these days between 9 and 10. He is a man who does not see the word “retirement” in the Bible and has been in the Publishing Business for years. Nordskog Publishing Inc. is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. My husband just celebrated his 79th birthday this year! I am not going to tell you what birthday I just celebrated but I am grateful for another year!
I usually have several projects going on at the same time. Filming and editing my TV program, Hearts of Purpose is a continual project. The Interviews of most of the authors can be seen on my web-site, Heartsofpurpose.com. I will be in studio 2X’s this week to help edit one of the shows. I’ve just recently purchased my own professional video camera and have been able to film on location. Our 20 year old son, Daniel is often available to help.
I try to get exercise in several days a week, meet with good friends for lunch and support our children and grandchildren in their school and sports activities.
Jerry likes to say we live a rich and full and bountiful life! Yes, indeed we do!
Jerry and I have raised 6 children, four of our children were adopted from China. We also enjoy spending time with our 7 grandchildren.
Wow, Gail sounds like you have much to treasure in your busy life!
Thanks for sharing with us.
Gail Grace Nordskog has established the “Gail Grace Nordskog Collection” to embolden readers to live their lives with a “heart of purpose” for God’s glory.
Gail has been involved in media for over two decades. She presently produces and hosts a program called Hearts of Purpose, that can be seen on her website, heartsofpurpose.com. Her book, Hearts of Purpose Volume 1: The Call brings you ten real-life stories about ten ordinary women doing extraordinary things for the Glory of God. As you read of how God called these women to service, you will be motivated to explore His call in your own life. Let this reading experience be an invitation for you to take a step closer to fulfilling your God given calling in Christ Jesus and can be found at Amazon.
Gail and Jerry Nordskog live in Ventura, California, where they have raised six children, four of whom were adopted from China.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll drop by Thursday as EA West shares some thoughts with us and then on Saturday I have 16 year old Jaylon Martin in the spotlight!
Until next time, take care and God Bless
PamT
Our guest today shared thoughts with us last month so let's see what she treasures....
A Day in the life of Gail Nordskog
I very much enjoy rising early. 5:30 a.m. is my favorite time no matter what the season is.
This started years ago when my children were young. At the time I had 4 school age children who were full of chatter from the time they woke up until they fell asleep at night.
In order to start my day peacefully I found 5:30 gave me plenty of time to make a pot of coffee, snuggle with my puppy, read my Bible and Journal.
I have pretty much kept that schedule all these years although I can sleep in a little longer. I only have one school age daughter at home. Kiana is now a junior in High School and my puppy is ten years old. Mitzi is joined by our 3- year-old Pomeranian, Foxi who faithfully follows the same routine with us.
Usually after an hour and 2 cups of coffee I will go outside to feed the Ducks. We can have anywhere from 5 to 35+ ducks waiting to be fed. We live in a harbor with a channel that leads to the Pacific Ocean behind our home. These ducks are not native to ocean waters. Most are mallards the other 5 are just farm yard type of ducks who are too fat to fly. These are my favorite as they hang out here in the keys all year round.
By now my husband is up and helping with the ducks and the dogs. Jerry usually leaves for work these days between 9 and 10. He is a man who does not see the word “retirement” in the Bible and has been in the Publishing Business for years. Nordskog Publishing Inc. is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. My husband just celebrated his 79th birthday this year! I am not going to tell you what birthday I just celebrated but I am grateful for another year!
I usually have several projects going on at the same time. Filming and editing my TV program, Hearts of Purpose is a continual project. The Interviews of most of the authors can be seen on my web-site, Heartsofpurpose.com. I will be in studio 2X’s this week to help edit one of the shows. I’ve just recently purchased my own professional video camera and have been able to film on location. Our 20 year old son, Daniel is often available to help.
I try to get exercise in several days a week, meet with good friends for lunch and support our children and grandchildren in their school and sports activities.
Jerry likes to say we live a rich and full and bountiful life! Yes, indeed we do!
Jerry and I have raised 6 children, four of our children were adopted from China. We also enjoy spending time with our 7 grandchildren.
Wow, Gail sounds like you have much to treasure in your busy life!
Thanks for sharing with us.
Gail Grace Nordskog has established the “Gail Grace Nordskog Collection” to embolden readers to live their lives with a “heart of purpose” for God’s glory.
Gail has been involved in media for over two decades. She presently produces and hosts a program called Hearts of Purpose, that can be seen on her website, heartsofpurpose.com. Her book, Hearts of Purpose Volume 1: The Call brings you ten real-life stories about ten ordinary women doing extraordinary things for the Glory of God. As you read of how God called these women to service, you will be motivated to explore His call in your own life. Let this reading experience be an invitation for you to take a step closer to fulfilling your God given calling in Christ Jesus and can be found at Amazon.Gail and Jerry Nordskog live in Ventura, California, where they have raised six children, four of whom were adopted from China.
Hope you enjoyed today's post friends and that you'll drop by Thursday as EA West shares some thoughts with us and then on Saturday I have 16 year old Jaylon Martin in the spotlight!
Until next time, take care and God Bless
PamT
January 13, 2018
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Linda Maran & The Stranger!
Good Morning!
Baby, it's COLD outside here in SW Louisiana....35 & NOT supposed to get out of the 40's! Way too cold for my blood LOL!
Linda Maran shared some thoughts with us last month on Amish fiction. Today we get a sneak peek into her debut title, The Stranger .
Low-rise jeans and skimpy T-shirts come face-to-face with aprons and bonnets when a young woman discovers she’s Amish.
When Kristen Esh loses her mom in a tragic accident months before her eighteenth birthday, she suddenly finds herself among Amish relatives she never knew she had. The dramatic change from the Jersey Shore to the remote Stone Arabia in upstate, New York is difficult enough, but abiding by the Amish rules and lifestyle is a challenge unlike any other.
When anonymous notes begin to arrive for her to go back to where she came from, Kristen longs for her past life and her mom. As she discovers secrets that unravel her true identity, she finds an unlikely ally in John Wagler, the step-son of her aunt. He lessens Kristen’s fears and encourages her faith.
Interwoven with gradual revelations is the growing love between Kristen and John. One that encourages forgiveness and helps seal Kristen’s fate.
Excerpt: A gentle nudge on the shoulder gave Kristen pause as to where she was. “Mom? OK. I’ll go up to bed.”She received another nudge. This time she sat up and looked over at the source of the gentle push.A small girl with honey-blonde braids stood there, wearing a sheer white head veering and a blue dress and apron. A miniature version of Aunt Elizabeth, except that her hair wasn’t tucked into a bun and her dress was a lighter shade of blue.Oh no! This wasn’t a dream!“Hi. I’m Anna. And you’re Kristen, my Englisch cousin. Mamm said to wake you from your nap for supper.”
The Stranger can be purchased directly from Pelican Book Group or on Amazon.
Linda Maran has been writing since she was a young teen, mostly poetry back then.In her late twenties she became ill and was unable to work at her current job as a secretary for a large firm, so she turned idle time into writing time. Having a love for cooking she wrote many food articles and even put together a regional cookbook. Unfortunately, two such books had already been published, but she had a lot of fun doing it, and learned quite a bit about discipline and organization. In 2004, she wrote and self-published: Confronting The Bully of OCD. She felt that there was a need for such a book and put herself out there in order to help other sufferers. The book contains the techniques taught to her by a New York City OCD specialist, who graciously allowed her to do that and who wrote the forward to the book.She also had a small self-help booklet published by Liguori in 2002, Living with Pain 25 Practical Steps.Linda always loved to read good stories with a twist and tried her hand at fiction. At the time she submitted it to literary agent, Mary Sue Seymour. It was she who encouraged her to keep writing (despite the fact that her submission was not up to par at the time.)She suggested that Linda join RWA and a Christian critique group and finally, asked her to try to write an Amish romance.Linda never heard of Amish Inspirational Romance. But remembered how she enjoyed and was fascinated by a trip to Lancaster, PA earlier, and so embarked on setting her goals in that direction. She then read her first Amish book called, The Shunning, by Beverly Lewis and was hooked. Having a place an hour and a half from Montgomery County, NY, where the Amish reside, has been and continues to be, a great help in her research. Linda also writes contemporary Inspirational romance and is completing such a novel at present. She maintains several self-help blogs and continues to use personal circumstances to try to help others. Find out more about Linda by visiting one of her many blogs and connecting with her on Face Book and Amazon.
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll drop by weekly for more great authors and their books and an occasional Tuesday Treasures and Thursday Thoughts.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
Baby, it's COLD outside here in SW Louisiana....35 & NOT supposed to get out of the 40's! Way too cold for my blood LOL!
Linda Maran shared some thoughts with us last month on Amish fiction. Today we get a sneak peek into her debut title, The Stranger .
Low-rise jeans and skimpy T-shirts come face-to-face with aprons and bonnets when a young woman discovers she’s Amish.
When Kristen Esh loses her mom in a tragic accident months before her eighteenth birthday, she suddenly finds herself among Amish relatives she never knew she had. The dramatic change from the Jersey Shore to the remote Stone Arabia in upstate, New York is difficult enough, but abiding by the Amish rules and lifestyle is a challenge unlike any other.
When anonymous notes begin to arrive for her to go back to where she came from, Kristen longs for her past life and her mom. As she discovers secrets that unravel her true identity, she finds an unlikely ally in John Wagler, the step-son of her aunt. He lessens Kristen’s fears and encourages her faith.
Interwoven with gradual revelations is the growing love between Kristen and John. One that encourages forgiveness and helps seal Kristen’s fate.
Excerpt: A gentle nudge on the shoulder gave Kristen pause as to where she was. “Mom? OK. I’ll go up to bed.”She received another nudge. This time she sat up and looked over at the source of the gentle push.A small girl with honey-blonde braids stood there, wearing a sheer white head veering and a blue dress and apron. A miniature version of Aunt Elizabeth, except that her hair wasn’t tucked into a bun and her dress was a lighter shade of blue.Oh no! This wasn’t a dream!“Hi. I’m Anna. And you’re Kristen, my Englisch cousin. Mamm said to wake you from your nap for supper.”
The Stranger can be purchased directly from Pelican Book Group or on Amazon.
Linda Maran has been writing since she was a young teen, mostly poetry back then.In her late twenties she became ill and was unable to work at her current job as a secretary for a large firm, so she turned idle time into writing time. Having a love for cooking she wrote many food articles and even put together a regional cookbook. Unfortunately, two such books had already been published, but she had a lot of fun doing it, and learned quite a bit about discipline and organization. In 2004, she wrote and self-published: Confronting The Bully of OCD. She felt that there was a need for such a book and put herself out there in order to help other sufferers. The book contains the techniques taught to her by a New York City OCD specialist, who graciously allowed her to do that and who wrote the forward to the book.She also had a small self-help booklet published by Liguori in 2002, Living with Pain 25 Practical Steps.Linda always loved to read good stories with a twist and tried her hand at fiction. At the time she submitted it to literary agent, Mary Sue Seymour. It was she who encouraged her to keep writing (despite the fact that her submission was not up to par at the time.)She suggested that Linda join RWA and a Christian critique group and finally, asked her to try to write an Amish romance.Linda never heard of Amish Inspirational Romance. But remembered how she enjoyed and was fascinated by a trip to Lancaster, PA earlier, and so embarked on setting her goals in that direction. She then read her first Amish book called, The Shunning, by Beverly Lewis and was hooked. Having a place an hour and a half from Montgomery County, NY, where the Amish reside, has been and continues to be, a great help in her research. Linda also writes contemporary Inspirational romance and is completing such a novel at present. She maintains several self-help blogs and continues to use personal circumstances to try to help others. Find out more about Linda by visiting one of her many blogs and connecting with her on Face Book and Amazon.Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll drop by weekly for more great authors and their books and an occasional Tuesday Treasures and Thursday Thoughts.
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
January 11, 2018
#ThursdayThoughts Random Ramblings on Juggling Life, Writing and Other Dreams & Desires
Good Morning!
It's been a few weeks since I posted a personal Thursday Thoughts and on Dec. 30th I mentioned I was re-thinking my blogging schedule. I'm currently reading Waking Up in Winter by Cheryl Richardson and let me tell you, this personal journey of hers is so ON Topic with my life at this time!
Let me begin by saying I Love Writing. I love every aspect from conception to publication to marketing. I love helping writers become published authors and I love ministering to people in whatever capacity I can.
But for quite a while I've struggled with my writing, then, when
Keri's Christmas Wish
finaled in 2017 IDA's I got all excited again.
Sure, it's easy when I have a guest, but personal posts can be difficult to come by, especially when your year begins as mine has with having to put down my beautiful, beloved Cassie....
Another thing I've wrestled with over the last few years is the desire to pursue a dream that was placed in my heart years ago--that of being a Life/Writing Coach/Spiritual Mentor and focusing my writing on those areas. Even my son said I should write in the Self Help/Personal Growth genre.
Hence the question as to where my life is going and whether or not to continue thrice weekly posts.
So that leaves me with this decision for today.... I will continue posting Tuesday Treasures and Thursday Thoughts when I have a guest or when I feel led . That may be regularly. May not.
Saturday Spotlight will continue weekly.
Thank you for your continued love and support. I hope you will continue to drop by and see what's happening until I get clear direction on what to do. Meanwhile, Mistletoe, Snow and Suspense (which includes Keri's Christmas Wish ) is STILL available for the next couple of weeks and check out this new collection of Christian Suspense books, Timeless Suspense , which includes my novel, The Visionary . Both are limited editions and available for only .99 cents!
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
It's been a few weeks since I posted a personal Thursday Thoughts and on Dec. 30th I mentioned I was re-thinking my blogging schedule. I'm currently reading Waking Up in Winter by Cheryl Richardson and let me tell you, this personal journey of hers is so ON Topic with my life at this time!
Let me begin by saying I Love Writing. I love every aspect from conception to publication to marketing. I love helping writers become published authors and I love ministering to people in whatever capacity I can.
But for quite a while I've struggled with my writing, then, when
Keri's Christmas Wish
finaled in 2017 IDA's I got all excited again.Sure, it's easy when I have a guest, but personal posts can be difficult to come by, especially when your year begins as mine has with having to put down my beautiful, beloved Cassie....
Another thing I've wrestled with over the last few years is the desire to pursue a dream that was placed in my heart years ago--that of being a Life/Writing Coach/Spiritual Mentor and focusing my writing on those areas. Even my son said I should write in the Self Help/Personal Growth genre.
Hence the question as to where my life is going and whether or not to continue thrice weekly posts.
So that leaves me with this decision for today.... I will continue posting Tuesday Treasures and Thursday Thoughts when I have a guest or when I feel led . That may be regularly. May not.
Saturday Spotlight will continue weekly.
Thank you for your continued love and support. I hope you will continue to drop by and see what's happening until I get clear direction on what to do. Meanwhile, Mistletoe, Snow and Suspense (which includes Keri's Christmas Wish ) is STILL available for the next couple of weeks and check out this new collection of Christian Suspense books, Timeless Suspense , which includes my novel, The Visionary . Both are limited editions and available for only .99 cents!
Until next time, take care and God Bless. PamT
January 9, 2018
#TuesdayTreasures: Guest Post by Tyndale Author, Chris Fabry!
Good Morning Friends,
I am pleased to bring to you today's guest, a brand-new-to-me & my blog author from Tyndale Publishing, Chris Fabry to share with us something he treasures.
Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. He is also heard on Love Worth Finding, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, and other radio programs. A 1982 graduate of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and a native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children.
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 a 2017 Award of Merit from Christianity Today. 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 recent 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.
Books have meant so much throughout my life. A few years ago I lost my treasures—signed copies of stories that touched me deeply, my writing books, stories from my childhood. All I had to do was look at them for inspiration. Devastating is too soft of a word.
Someone in South Carolina read about my loss and on my fiftieth birthday went to the home of one of my favorite writers, Pat Conroy. She knocked on the door and asked him to sign a book for me.
As a writer and a private person, I would not like that. I don’t know what the conversation was like. All I have is his inscription.
“To Chris, Happy 50th Birthday. My best to you in your writing life. Go deeper. Always go deeper.”
I treasure that not only because Pat died in 2016, but because his words are a challenge and a call to my writer’s heart. I hear him blowing a whistle and urging me to go into the mine of the soul and dig for nuggets of truth and beauty. Because words mean so much, this is one of my treasures.
Oh wow, Chris what a treasure! Thank you so much for sharing with us today.
Hope you enjoyed today's post. You can find out more about Chris by visiting his Website and/or Blog and by connecting with him on FaceBook and Twitter. Under a Cloudless Sky can be purchased at Amazon in Hardcover, Paperback and on Kindle.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
I am pleased to bring to you today's guest, a brand-new-to-me & my blog author from Tyndale Publishing, Chris Fabry to share with us something he treasures.
Chris Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts the daily program Chris Fabry Live on Moody Radio. He is also heard on Love Worth Finding, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, and other radio programs. A 1982 graduate of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism at Marshall University and a native of West Virginia, Chris and his wife, Andrea, now live in Arizona and are the parents of nine children. 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 a 2017 Award of Merit from Christianity Today. 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 recent 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.
Books have meant so much throughout my life. A few years ago I lost my treasures—signed copies of stories that touched me deeply, my writing books, stories from my childhood. All I had to do was look at them for inspiration. Devastating is too soft of a word.
Someone in South Carolina read about my loss and on my fiftieth birthday went to the home of one of my favorite writers, Pat Conroy. She knocked on the door and asked him to sign a book for me.
As a writer and a private person, I would not like that. I don’t know what the conversation was like. All I have is his inscription.
“To Chris, Happy 50th Birthday. My best to you in your writing life. Go deeper. Always go deeper.”
I treasure that not only because Pat died in 2016, but because his words are a challenge and a call to my writer’s heart. I hear him blowing a whistle and urging me to go into the mine of the soul and dig for nuggets of truth and beauty. Because words mean so much, this is one of my treasures.
Oh wow, Chris what a treasure! Thank you so much for sharing with us today.
Hope you enjoyed today's post. You can find out more about Chris by visiting his Website and/or Blog and by connecting with him on FaceBook and Twitter. Under a Cloudless Sky can be purchased at Amazon in Hardcover, Paperback and on Kindle.
Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT
January 6, 2018
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Tanya Stowe & her DEBUT Love Inspired Novel, Mojave Rescue!
Good Morning Friends,
It is my extreme pleasure to bring to you today's guest, fellow Pelican Book Group author, Tanya Stowe. Tanya has shared Thoughts with us and been in the Spotlight before but today, she brings us a sneak peek into her brand new, debut, Love Inspired novel, Mojave Rescue.
Welcome, Tanya, please tell us a little about Mojave Rescue. ...
Electronics engineer Drina Gallagher has created a powerful weapon that will protect soldiers’ lives—and it’s put her own at risk. Kidnapped and locked in a desert shack, she’s desperate to stop her plans from getting into enemy hands, but whom can she trust? Especially when the expert who rescues her isn’t what he seems. Forced to blow his cover after spending two years infiltrating a black market ring, CIA agent Cal Norwood blames Drina’s recklessness though he admires her courage. And while his mountain cabin provides temporary refuge, protecting Drina means—outwitting and defeating—a relentless foe determined to have the weapon at any cost.
Excerpt: “Bill, I did it!” Drina Gallagher almost dropped her cell phone in her excitement.
“What?” Bill Underwood’s sleepy voice rolled across her senses…setting off a thread of regret for waking her boss in the middle of the nigh…which was quickly over-ridden by her excitement.
“I did it, Bill. I fixed the problem.”
“Drina? Do you have any idea what time it is?”
She didn’t. She’d been secluded in the little office at the desert test facility, completely focused on the set of equations that had turned up in today’s field test. Not only had she lost track of time, but Drina was on the West Coast for the test. Bill was at the company headquarters on the East Coast. Three hours earlier.
“I’m sorry, Bill. I forgot the time again. But I knew you’d want to hear his now.”
“Wait…did you say problem? Is there a problem with the test?”
“No…well yes, there was. I set up today’s test based on the parameters you and I discussed yesterday and everything went haywire. The numbers didn’t make sense.”
Drina’s company had been awarded a military contract to develop a non-lethal laser weapon to protect soldiers against supersonic missiles and unmanned aerial weapons. Their laser needed to impact machines only, destroying the electronics of the missiles and UAV’s rendering them useless against ground troops. But the laser weapon needed to be rechargeable to full power in a short time and above all, small enough for transport on a ground vehicle. So far, Drina and her company had failed to meet those parameters with their laser.
Until today. Today faulty mathematical equations led Drina to an epiphany. The answer came to her in an amazing eye-opening moment. The following hours of crunching numbers proved her theory possible.
“I did it.” Drina repeated for the third time, just to hear the words out loud again. Succeeding meant everything to her. Creating a non-lethal laser weapon would secure her company’s position and create jobs. It would solidify Drina’s place in her parents’ exclusive scientific community, but most importantly, it would fulfill her deepest desire to protect American soldiers.
No one knew the secret that pushed Drina to work long hours, to forget to eat and sometimes even to sleep. Not even Bill, her mentor who had hired her straight out of MIT four years ago, knew what drove her. It was her secret alone to nurse, obsess about and guilt over. Sometimes Drina wondered if even God knew.
“Bill, I found the answer. We’ll be able to recharge the laser to full power in less than twenty minutes.”
“Full power?” For the first time, Bill’s voice sounded awake and alert.
“Full power. And I think we’ll be able to reduce the weight. We might even be able to go small enough to be carried on a soldier’s back. We just need—”
“Stop Drina! Don’t say another word. This is my home phone. It’s not a secure line.”
Drina’s breath caught in her throat. She was an electronic warfare engineer. She thought in numbers not words. Most the security hype sounded like Hollywood fiction to her and she paid little heed. No matter how hard Bill tried, his emphasis on protocol and top-secret measures usually went right through her.
But not tonight. Tonight his words sent a wave of cold washing through.
Perhaps the briefing by the head of the base’s security had more impact than she’d realized. He’d definitely made an impression but it was more along the lines of his All-American good looks.
Tall, dark hair, more handsome than he had a right to be. Cal Norwood looked like he came straight out of one of those Hollywood movies Drina abhorred. She hadn’t paid much attention to his talk about eyes and ears everywhere. Now she wished she’d listened.
Just then a click echoed over her connection with Bill…sounding like someone had just hung up the line.
Yep. Definitely should have paid attention.
Wow, sounds like a wonderful story! Where can we get a copy?
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and wherever LI books are sold.
Now tell us a little about you....
Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…mysteries and exotic adventures, even a murder or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a trip to foreign lands or a suspenseful journey filled with danger…be prepared for the extraordinary. Website, Facebook, Blog.
Thank you so much for visiting with us today Tanya. Congratulations on your debut title with Love Inspired. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings!
Hope you enjoyed today's post as much as I have, Friends.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
It is my extreme pleasure to bring to you today's guest, fellow Pelican Book Group author, Tanya Stowe. Tanya has shared Thoughts with us and been in the Spotlight before but today, she brings us a sneak peek into her brand new, debut, Love Inspired novel, Mojave Rescue.
Welcome, Tanya, please tell us a little about Mojave Rescue. ...
Electronics engineer Drina Gallagher has created a powerful weapon that will protect soldiers’ lives—and it’s put her own at risk. Kidnapped and locked in a desert shack, she’s desperate to stop her plans from getting into enemy hands, but whom can she trust? Especially when the expert who rescues her isn’t what he seems. Forced to blow his cover after spending two years infiltrating a black market ring, CIA agent Cal Norwood blames Drina’s recklessness though he admires her courage. And while his mountain cabin provides temporary refuge, protecting Drina means—outwitting and defeating—a relentless foe determined to have the weapon at any cost.Excerpt: “Bill, I did it!” Drina Gallagher almost dropped her cell phone in her excitement.
“What?” Bill Underwood’s sleepy voice rolled across her senses…setting off a thread of regret for waking her boss in the middle of the nigh…which was quickly over-ridden by her excitement.
“I did it, Bill. I fixed the problem.”
“Drina? Do you have any idea what time it is?”
She didn’t. She’d been secluded in the little office at the desert test facility, completely focused on the set of equations that had turned up in today’s field test. Not only had she lost track of time, but Drina was on the West Coast for the test. Bill was at the company headquarters on the East Coast. Three hours earlier.
“I’m sorry, Bill. I forgot the time again. But I knew you’d want to hear his now.”
“Wait…did you say problem? Is there a problem with the test?”
“No…well yes, there was. I set up today’s test based on the parameters you and I discussed yesterday and everything went haywire. The numbers didn’t make sense.”
Drina’s company had been awarded a military contract to develop a non-lethal laser weapon to protect soldiers against supersonic missiles and unmanned aerial weapons. Their laser needed to impact machines only, destroying the electronics of the missiles and UAV’s rendering them useless against ground troops. But the laser weapon needed to be rechargeable to full power in a short time and above all, small enough for transport on a ground vehicle. So far, Drina and her company had failed to meet those parameters with their laser.
Until today. Today faulty mathematical equations led Drina to an epiphany. The answer came to her in an amazing eye-opening moment. The following hours of crunching numbers proved her theory possible.
“I did it.” Drina repeated for the third time, just to hear the words out loud again. Succeeding meant everything to her. Creating a non-lethal laser weapon would secure her company’s position and create jobs. It would solidify Drina’s place in her parents’ exclusive scientific community, but most importantly, it would fulfill her deepest desire to protect American soldiers.
No one knew the secret that pushed Drina to work long hours, to forget to eat and sometimes even to sleep. Not even Bill, her mentor who had hired her straight out of MIT four years ago, knew what drove her. It was her secret alone to nurse, obsess about and guilt over. Sometimes Drina wondered if even God knew.
“Bill, I found the answer. We’ll be able to recharge the laser to full power in less than twenty minutes.”
“Full power?” For the first time, Bill’s voice sounded awake and alert.
“Full power. And I think we’ll be able to reduce the weight. We might even be able to go small enough to be carried on a soldier’s back. We just need—”
“Stop Drina! Don’t say another word. This is my home phone. It’s not a secure line.”
Drina’s breath caught in her throat. She was an electronic warfare engineer. She thought in numbers not words. Most the security hype sounded like Hollywood fiction to her and she paid little heed. No matter how hard Bill tried, his emphasis on protocol and top-secret measures usually went right through her.
But not tonight. Tonight his words sent a wave of cold washing through.
Perhaps the briefing by the head of the base’s security had more impact than she’d realized. He’d definitely made an impression but it was more along the lines of his All-American good looks.
Tall, dark hair, more handsome than he had a right to be. Cal Norwood looked like he came straight out of one of those Hollywood movies Drina abhorred. She hadn’t paid much attention to his talk about eyes and ears everywhere. Now she wished she’d listened.
Just then a click echoed over her connection with Bill…sounding like someone had just hung up the line.
Yep. Definitely should have paid attention.
Wow, sounds like a wonderful story! Where can we get a copy?
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and wherever LI books are sold.
Now tell us a little about you....
Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…mysteries and exotic adventures, even a murder or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a trip to foreign lands or a suspenseful journey filled with danger…be prepared for the extraordinary. Website, Facebook, Blog.
Thank you so much for visiting with us today Tanya. Congratulations on your debut title with Love Inspired. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings!
Hope you enjoyed today's post as much as I have, Friends.
Until next time, take care and God bless.
PamT
December 30, 2017
#SaturdaySpotlight is on Russell Williams & Carbon-14 The Shroud of Turin
Good Morning and Welcome to the LAST Saturday Spotlight in 2017!
I'm rethinking my blog schedule for 2018 but one thing that will remain as long as possible is Saturday Spotlight.
Today's guest, Russell Williams visited with us on Thanksgiving Day, so please welcome him back with a peek into his novel, Carbon - 14 the Shroud of Turin .....
The Shroud of Turin is the most studied relic in history. More than 99 percent of the evidence suggests the Shroud is the authentic burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Only one test says otherwise—the carbon date performed in 1988.
In 1988, a serial killer with a fetish for fire targets the faithful of Tucson, Arizona. Homicide detective, Pete Johnston, works to catch the killer before more clergy are killed, before more churches are burned.
His daughter, Amari Johnston, is a criminal justice major at the University of Arizona. When the Shroud of Turin is carbon dated at her university, the results reveal that the relic is a medieval forgery. Amari investigates this ancient cold case file for a class project and makes a shocking discovery that could alter the fate of Christianity.
She teams up with Dr. Kevin Brenner, a brilliant young experimental physicist, and together they gather evidence so they can plead their case to the Vatican. When Amari appears on the national news, she draws the attention of the serial killer. Her father desperately tries to protect her and catch the killer before she becomes his next victim.
Excerpt:
“We should have taken Interstate 10,” Amari said. “We are literally in the middle of nowhere.”
“It’s scenic nowhere, ain’t it?” Kevin replied.
“The mountains were pretty, but past Show Low there’s nothing. All I see is brown grass and scrubby little trees.”
“Live and learn. We’ll take Interstate 10 on the way back to tomorrow.”
“That’s a good idea. I don’t like this. We’re like the only car on the road.”
“Not the only one. There’s an 18-wheeler coming toward us. And then there’s that idiot on my tail. He’s been on my bumper for the last five miles. I’m going sixty-five now. That’s ten miles over the limit,” he said, his eyes narrowed in anger at the rear-view mirror. “As soon as that truck goes by, I’ll slow down so he can pass.”
She turned her head to look. It was an older model, navy-blue, Lincoln Town car. And it was right on their bumper. “That’s an old man’s car. They don’t usually speed,” she said and turned back to face the road.
“Maybe they’re trying to get to the hospital. I’ll slow down so he can pass right after this truck goes by.”
A blue object caught her eye. She snapped her head around. “That guy’s in the emergency lane. He’s right next to us!”
“It that guy crazy?” he said and slowed down so he could pass.
The Lincoln Town car slowed down too and stayed next to them. Her pulse hammered hard and she recalled the guy from the library. Could that be him? She strained to see the driver. The window was tinted. All she saw was black glass.
The car suddenly lunged left. It crashed into Kevin’s car, knocking it into the path of the fast approaching truck.
“Kevin!” she screamed.
White smoke billowed from the truck’s tires.
He jerked the wheel left. The car swerved into the emergency lane and just missed the truck. He lost control. The car fishtailed in the dirt and came to a rest, a cloud of dust blocking their view.
“You okay?” he asked in a panic. “That guy was trying to kill us!”
“I think he was!” she cried back at him.
The dust settled. They found themselves catty-corner to the road, the front of the car facing the highway. A dark car sat in the emergency lane. The 18-wheeler pulled over down the road.
“Get behind the car!” Kevin demanded. He pulled a black revolver from under his seat.
“You’ve got a gun!”
“Don’t argue, just get behind the car!”
She yanked open the door and clambered out. Kevin got out and ran around to meet her.
“Get down!” he yelled. Using the car for cover, he crouched and cocked the revolver, aiming for the dark car.
She stooped down behind the car. “I can’t believe you brought a gun!”
“I’m from Tennessee!”
“So?”
“And I’m a Republican!”
She peered over the edge of the car to get a view. “Kevin, that’s not the car.”
“What do you mean, it’s not the car?”
“The car that hit us was a Lincoln Town car. I know my cars, and that’s not it.” She cautiously stood and inspected the car more closely. Recognition dawned. It was the black Mercedes. Two men sat unmoving inside.
“Then why are they just sitting there.” He tensed his grip on the gun. “Why don’t they come see if we need help?”
“Maybe it’s because you have a gun pointed at them!”
“I’m sorry, but when someone tries to turn us into road pizza, I get a little tense.”
She noticed the truck driver walking toward them. Suddenly, the Mercedes spat dirt from its tires and sped away.
He finally lowered his gun. “What was that about?”
“I’ve seen that car before. I think they’ve been tailing us.”
“That can’t be good.”
“They’re not the ones that ran us off the road,” she reminded him.
“No, but maybe they were about to finish the job.”
Oh Wow, Russell...sounds like a great read! Good luck and God's blessings with it.
R.A. Williams writes suspenseful Christian fiction that reveals not just the characters’ actions, but the psychological motives behind those actions. He pulls the reader through a full spectrum of emotion while at the same time injecting humor as comic relief. He holds a degree in psychology and sociology, and his published works include the novels Carbon-14: The Shroud of Turin, The Class of 86, and The Gospel According to Todd. His shorter works have appeared in The Christian Communicator, Encounters With God, and Dreams and Visions. His interests include psychology, Biblical history, finger-style guitar, and religious relics such as
The Shroud of Turin
. He lives in Tennessee with his wife, daughter, and beagle. To learn some “behind the scenes” trivia about the writing of
Carbon-14: The Shroud of Turin
, visit Russell's website.
Carbon-14: The Shroud of Turin
is available on Amazon in ebook, Kindle Unlimited, and print.
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you drop by each week to discover another great author and his/her book(s)!
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
I'm rethinking my blog schedule for 2018 but one thing that will remain as long as possible is Saturday Spotlight.
Today's guest, Russell Williams visited with us on Thanksgiving Day, so please welcome him back with a peek into his novel, Carbon - 14 the Shroud of Turin .....
The Shroud of Turin is the most studied relic in history. More than 99 percent of the evidence suggests the Shroud is the authentic burial cloth of Jesus Christ. Only one test says otherwise—the carbon date performed in 1988.In 1988, a serial killer with a fetish for fire targets the faithful of Tucson, Arizona. Homicide detective, Pete Johnston, works to catch the killer before more clergy are killed, before more churches are burned.
His daughter, Amari Johnston, is a criminal justice major at the University of Arizona. When the Shroud of Turin is carbon dated at her university, the results reveal that the relic is a medieval forgery. Amari investigates this ancient cold case file for a class project and makes a shocking discovery that could alter the fate of Christianity.
She teams up with Dr. Kevin Brenner, a brilliant young experimental physicist, and together they gather evidence so they can plead their case to the Vatican. When Amari appears on the national news, she draws the attention of the serial killer. Her father desperately tries to protect her and catch the killer before she becomes his next victim.
Excerpt:
“We should have taken Interstate 10,” Amari said. “We are literally in the middle of nowhere.”
“It’s scenic nowhere, ain’t it?” Kevin replied.
“The mountains were pretty, but past Show Low there’s nothing. All I see is brown grass and scrubby little trees.”
“Live and learn. We’ll take Interstate 10 on the way back to tomorrow.”
“That’s a good idea. I don’t like this. We’re like the only car on the road.”
“Not the only one. There’s an 18-wheeler coming toward us. And then there’s that idiot on my tail. He’s been on my bumper for the last five miles. I’m going sixty-five now. That’s ten miles over the limit,” he said, his eyes narrowed in anger at the rear-view mirror. “As soon as that truck goes by, I’ll slow down so he can pass.”
She turned her head to look. It was an older model, navy-blue, Lincoln Town car. And it was right on their bumper. “That’s an old man’s car. They don’t usually speed,” she said and turned back to face the road.
“Maybe they’re trying to get to the hospital. I’ll slow down so he can pass right after this truck goes by.”
A blue object caught her eye. She snapped her head around. “That guy’s in the emergency lane. He’s right next to us!”
“It that guy crazy?” he said and slowed down so he could pass.
The Lincoln Town car slowed down too and stayed next to them. Her pulse hammered hard and she recalled the guy from the library. Could that be him? She strained to see the driver. The window was tinted. All she saw was black glass.
The car suddenly lunged left. It crashed into Kevin’s car, knocking it into the path of the fast approaching truck.
“Kevin!” she screamed.
White smoke billowed from the truck’s tires.
He jerked the wheel left. The car swerved into the emergency lane and just missed the truck. He lost control. The car fishtailed in the dirt and came to a rest, a cloud of dust blocking their view.
“You okay?” he asked in a panic. “That guy was trying to kill us!”
“I think he was!” she cried back at him.
The dust settled. They found themselves catty-corner to the road, the front of the car facing the highway. A dark car sat in the emergency lane. The 18-wheeler pulled over down the road.
“Get behind the car!” Kevin demanded. He pulled a black revolver from under his seat.
“You’ve got a gun!”
“Don’t argue, just get behind the car!”
She yanked open the door and clambered out. Kevin got out and ran around to meet her.
“Get down!” he yelled. Using the car for cover, he crouched and cocked the revolver, aiming for the dark car.
She stooped down behind the car. “I can’t believe you brought a gun!”
“I’m from Tennessee!”
“So?”
“And I’m a Republican!”
She peered over the edge of the car to get a view. “Kevin, that’s not the car.”
“What do you mean, it’s not the car?”
“The car that hit us was a Lincoln Town car. I know my cars, and that’s not it.” She cautiously stood and inspected the car more closely. Recognition dawned. It was the black Mercedes. Two men sat unmoving inside.
“Then why are they just sitting there.” He tensed his grip on the gun. “Why don’t they come see if we need help?”
“Maybe it’s because you have a gun pointed at them!”
“I’m sorry, but when someone tries to turn us into road pizza, I get a little tense.”
She noticed the truck driver walking toward them. Suddenly, the Mercedes spat dirt from its tires and sped away.
He finally lowered his gun. “What was that about?”
“I’ve seen that car before. I think they’ve been tailing us.”
“That can’t be good.”
“They’re not the ones that ran us off the road,” she reminded him.
“No, but maybe they were about to finish the job.”
Oh Wow, Russell...sounds like a great read! Good luck and God's blessings with it.
R.A. Williams writes suspenseful Christian fiction that reveals not just the characters’ actions, but the psychological motives behind those actions. He pulls the reader through a full spectrum of emotion while at the same time injecting humor as comic relief. He holds a degree in psychology and sociology, and his published works include the novels Carbon-14: The Shroud of Turin, The Class of 86, and The Gospel According to Todd. His shorter works have appeared in The Christian Communicator, Encounters With God, and Dreams and Visions. His interests include psychology, Biblical history, finger-style guitar, and religious relics such as
The Shroud of Turin
. He lives in Tennessee with his wife, daughter, and beagle. To learn some “behind the scenes” trivia about the writing of
Carbon-14: The Shroud of Turin
, visit Russell's website.
Carbon-14: The Shroud of Turin
is available on Amazon in ebook, Kindle Unlimited, and print.Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you drop by each week to discover another great author and his/her book(s)!
Until next time take care and God bless. PamT
December 23, 2017
#SaturdaySpotlight is on William Burt & The Lake Lights!
Good Morning and Merry Christmas Weekend!
As you set about this weekend for travel, food, fun and family, please be safe and keep in mind the real reason for Christmas.
Over the last couple of months, today's guest has shared treasures and thoughts with us but today William Burt is giving us a peek into his novel, The Lake Lights . Take it away, William....
What are the mysterious lights flitting above Oswego Lake on moonlit nights? Marsh gas? Ball lightning? Or holdovers from the dawn of Creation?
When Jonathan Oliver makes it his homeschool project to track down the source of the Lake Lights, his search leads him to Iron Mountain’s abandoned Prosser Mine and its age-old secrets. After his physicist father goes missing in the wilds of Afghanistan, Jon is left to decode a cryptic message leading to yet more mysteries and a remarkable, game-changing invention.
With his grandfather’s help, Jon matches wits with an unscrupulous scientist who will stop at nothing to steal the device and sell it to a shadowy criminal organization. Jon’s dual discoveries not only help him to deliver his city from total annihilation but also ultimately rock the scientific world to its very foundations.
EXCERPT:
THE LAKE LIGHTSPROLOGUEGliding silently through the night, the huntress skimmed the lake’s moon-silvered waters, her own reflection moon-like. Lured by the light, a trout swam to the surface, where the she-beast scooped it up and devoured it whole. Her offspring joined in the frenzied fish-fest. Voracious predators, taloned yet toothless, nameless yet having many names, they ruled the lake.The natives who arrived later knew the beasts as the Skookum-kallakala. No one—especially children—ventured out at night when the Skookum-kallakala were hunting. Fish were not all they ate.Out of the east the creatures had come. Winging upon the prevailing winds, they skirted the jagged young mountains and reeking volcanoes thrown up during the Great Flood. Harsh winters drove them across uncharted oceans and seas. In their quest for warmth, shelter and prey, they traversed wastelands of freshly laid stone where others of their kind lay entombed in their final agonies.At length, the Skookum-kallakala reached the coast of a vast continent teeming with wildlife. Enjoying the land’s abundant food and mild climate, the newcomers lacked only a suitable place to breed.Above an inland lake valley, alternating flows of basaltic magma and an iron-rich slurry had invaded a mountain of flood-borne sediment, forming thick beds of a heavy brown ore. Much of the molten basalt spewed out of the mountain, leaving behind lava tubes and caverns—a perfect refuge from ice and snow, fire and flood.The Skookum-kallakala had found their ideal home.
Author Bio: William D. Burt is the award-winning author of the seven-title Christian allegorical “King of the Trees” series. Two of his titles (out of three submitted) were finalists in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest: “The King of the Trees” and “The Golden Wood.”
“The King of the Trees” subsequently won the 2014 Silver Medal in the category of “Christian Fantasy.”
All seven of Burt’s series titles have been awarded five stars by Readers’ Favorite reviewers. He was also a 2013 finalist in The Authors Show.com "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" competition.
Volume I in his new Creation Seekers series, “The Lake Lights” is William Burt’s first foray into the realm of science fiction. The plot deals with the investigation of an unusual lake phenomenon in Oregon as well as the discovery of a world-changing invention that helps prevent a nuclear disaster.As an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Western Oregon University, Burt served as a successful grant-writer and program coordinator. He holds a B.S. in English from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. from Western Oregon University in Deaf Education. Burt has been an RID-certified sign-language interpreter with over forty years’ experience. His interests include reading, foreign languages and mycology. He is married with two grown children and two grandchildren.
Find out more about William and his books at his Website. The Lakelights is available at Amazon in Print and for Kindle!
Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends 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
As you set about this weekend for travel, food, fun and family, please be safe and keep in mind the real reason for Christmas.
Over the last couple of months, today's guest has shared treasures and thoughts with us but today William Burt is giving us a peek into his novel, The Lake Lights . Take it away, William....
What are the mysterious lights flitting above Oswego Lake on moonlit nights? Marsh gas? Ball lightning? Or holdovers from the dawn of Creation?When Jonathan Oliver makes it his homeschool project to track down the source of the Lake Lights, his search leads him to Iron Mountain’s abandoned Prosser Mine and its age-old secrets. After his physicist father goes missing in the wilds of Afghanistan, Jon is left to decode a cryptic message leading to yet more mysteries and a remarkable, game-changing invention.
With his grandfather’s help, Jon matches wits with an unscrupulous scientist who will stop at nothing to steal the device and sell it to a shadowy criminal organization. Jon’s dual discoveries not only help him to deliver his city from total annihilation but also ultimately rock the scientific world to its very foundations.
EXCERPT:
THE LAKE LIGHTSPROLOGUEGliding silently through the night, the huntress skimmed the lake’s moon-silvered waters, her own reflection moon-like. Lured by the light, a trout swam to the surface, where the she-beast scooped it up and devoured it whole. Her offspring joined in the frenzied fish-fest. Voracious predators, taloned yet toothless, nameless yet having many names, they ruled the lake.The natives who arrived later knew the beasts as the Skookum-kallakala. No one—especially children—ventured out at night when the Skookum-kallakala were hunting. Fish were not all they ate.Out of the east the creatures had come. Winging upon the prevailing winds, they skirted the jagged young mountains and reeking volcanoes thrown up during the Great Flood. Harsh winters drove them across uncharted oceans and seas. In their quest for warmth, shelter and prey, they traversed wastelands of freshly laid stone where others of their kind lay entombed in their final agonies.At length, the Skookum-kallakala reached the coast of a vast continent teeming with wildlife. Enjoying the land’s abundant food and mild climate, the newcomers lacked only a suitable place to breed.Above an inland lake valley, alternating flows of basaltic magma and an iron-rich slurry had invaded a mountain of flood-borne sediment, forming thick beds of a heavy brown ore. Much of the molten basalt spewed out of the mountain, leaving behind lava tubes and caverns—a perfect refuge from ice and snow, fire and flood.The Skookum-kallakala had found their ideal home.
Author Bio: William D. Burt is the award-winning author of the seven-title Christian allegorical “King of the Trees” series. Two of his titles (out of three submitted) were finalists in the 2014 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest: “The King of the Trees” and “The Golden Wood.”
“The King of the Trees” subsequently won the 2014 Silver Medal in the category of “Christian Fantasy.”
All seven of Burt’s series titles have been awarded five stars by Readers’ Favorite reviewers. He was also a 2013 finalist in The Authors Show.com "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" competition.
Volume I in his new Creation Seekers series, “The Lake Lights” is William Burt’s first foray into the realm of science fiction. The plot deals with the investigation of an unusual lake phenomenon in Oregon as well as the discovery of a world-changing invention that helps prevent a nuclear disaster.As an Assistant Professor in the Special Education Department at Western Oregon University, Burt served as a successful grant-writer and program coordinator. He holds a B.S. in English from Lewis and Clark College and an M.S. from Western Oregon University in Deaf Education. Burt has been an RID-certified sign-language interpreter with over forty years’ experience. His interests include reading, foreign languages and mycology. He is married with two grown children and two grandchildren.
Find out more about William and his books at his Website. The Lakelights is available at Amazon in Print and for Kindle!
Hope you enjoyed today's post, friends 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
