Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 83

#ThursdayThoughts: Letter Writing~A Lost Art?

Good Morning Friends,

With today's technology, email, text messaging, face-time, Skype, etc many wonder if the art of old fashioned letter writing is lost.

For me it isn't.

In 2010 when I initially started working at the Silver Spur Guest Ranch in Bandera, Texas, I met a lovely couple from New Zealand who were our guests there for a few days.

They and I struck up a friendship and over the years have written to each other at least every few months.

Last month I received a letter telling me they were coming back to the states and would be flying into Houston...she wondered if I were close enough to visit.

My response....Yes, Yes, Yes!

And yesterday it happened...after 6 years of letter writing I drove 300 miles round trip for a 3 hour visit.

Some folks may feel that's a bit much, especially since we've kept in touch through letters, but for me/us it was worth every mile and minute.

Here's a picture of the three of us together.....

So if you ever get a chance to be a pen pal and exchange letters with someone, do so and when the opportunity arrives to have a face-to-face visit, no distance is too great.

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

Hope you enjoyed today's thoughts! Drop by every week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time...take care and God bless.
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures: Guest Post by Christine Lindsay

Good Morning Friends,

It is with great pleasure I bring today's guest, Christine Lindsay to share with us somethings she treasures......


The Treasure Trove of Ancestors – by Christine Lindsay
Life has been a rollercoaster for me, the good, the bad, even the ugly at times. But what a treasure trove it is to dip into old family history when I need inspiration for a book.
Thanks to the Irish oral tradition of handing stories down through the generations, I have used my great-grandfather’s and my grandfather’s trade as riveters in the Belfast shipyard for Sofi’s Bridge, my latest historical romance, although I switched the riveters to that of bridges instead of ships. My grandfather was only 14 years old as an apprentice on his very first ship, the RMS Titanic.
I used my maternal great, great-grandfather’s military career as a solider in India to create my hero Major Geoff Richards in Shadowed in Silk.
My own travels in India during a missionary trip painted the exotic tropical setting for Captured by Moonlight.
My great-uncle Eddie Roberts who was a soldier in the British Cavalry between the two world wars, and who also served in India during the time of Lord Louis Mountbatten as the Supreme Allied Commander of the Asian theater during WW2 became the inspiration for my hero Captain Cam Fraser in Veiled at Midnight. Thank you Uncle Eddie.
Again, my own travels in Ireland created the backdrop of Londonderry Dreaming, especially the majestic and rugged Irish coastline and the world famous Giant’s Causeway, where I had my hero a music therapist kiss the heroine, an artist. Those two characters had trouble communicating with words, but did just fine with other types of communication.
Living close to the Cascade Mountains and the Canadian Rockies was the inspiration for my short Christmas story Heavenly Haven where I had fun creating an avalanche.
And my own life, with all its heartaches and joys as a woman who relinquished her child to adoption, and to our reunion 20 years later was the truth behind Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story which will be released August. 15, 2016.
As far as the ugly is concerned, those memories are few and far between. And if someone just happened to hurt my feelings, well they’re in my books, but they would never recognize themselves. Ah, the life of an author, and the treasure troves we dip into.

Wow...Ireland. One day I'm going to visit there!

ABOUT CHRISTINE LINDSAYChristine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk , Book 2 Captured by Moonlight , and the explosive finale Veiled at Midnight .
Christine’s Irish wit and her use of setting as a character is evident in her contemporary romance Londonderry Dreaming . Her newest release Sofi’s Bridge also features a dashing Irish hero.
Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is the release of Christine’s non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story .
Please drop by Christine’s website www.ChristineLindsay.orgor follow her on Amazon on Twitter. Subscribe to her quarterly newsletter, and be her friend on Pinterest , Facebook, and  Goodreads
Read all the first chapters of Christine Lindsay’s novels for Free on her website, click HERE and go to Christine’s Books.
Purchase  Sofi's Bridge  at AMAZON.com and Pelican Book Group
Hope you enjoyed today's Treasures and I hope you'll come back weekly for Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time...take care and God bless. PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Picmonkey

Good Morning Friends,

Our scheduled guest was unable to make it today so I thought I'd spotlight a program #MyAHA (my authors helping authors) group friends shared with me.

If you're a twitter or Facebook fan, you see all the pictures with text designed to entice you into checking out the book advertised.

Well, these memes have a way of drawing a readers attention so naturally I wanted to know how to create one.

Fellow authors from a promo group I belong to told me about PicMonkey a free online photo editor and let me tell you something I'm loving this site!

The more I learn the more I enjoy creating memes for my books. So today, I'm sharing a couple with you.....








I've had a lot of fun creating these!
So if you just want to add text to a photo, edit your favorite pictures or create memes for your books or other art work, check out PicMonkey!
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight!
Stay tuned weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.
Until next time, take care and God Bless! PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Summer Fun!

Good Morning!

Well, school is out (or nearly out) and summer is well on it's way. Many moms out there work so, other than vacation, this time is just like the rest of the year.

Some mothers are blessed to be home with their children during the summer months.

In either camp, those who read are always looking for great books to devour when they want to curl up and relax in the evenings and/or they're not running kids to ball games, swimming lessons, and water parks.

If that's you, then I've got just what you're looking for!



TWJ Magazine is hosting a 13 week Summer Social Media Blitz with a lineup of more than 50 books brought to you by 22 authors and 2 publishers!

The books will be featured on TWJ's Twitter, Google+, Facebook and Linked In accounts as well as Good Reads.

But....lucky you can check the titles out HERE!

So if you're looking for some great reading material for the summer or even later in the year, look no further!

Meanwhile....Have a Blessed Day!
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures: Talents and Gifts

Good Morning Friends,

We've been told that we all have been given gifts and talents by God and encouraged to develop them. We are also told that our gifts will make room for us and bring us before great men. And naturally we are exhorted to give all glory for our gifts to God, from whom these come.

What does this mean?

We all know talented people. Folks who have a gift of some sort. Many times these are obvious...the gift of communication, a talent of artistry of some sort....Dancing, Choreography, Painting, Carpentry, Writing, Interior Design/Decorating.

Many times the gift is not so obvious but should still be cultivated for the overall good of mankind. For instance the gift of communication can become a career in Motivational Speaking, Life Coach, Teacher, etc.

I've always said writing is my gift/talent given to me by God because, unlike a lot of authors, I don't recall wanting to be a writer when I grew up. My only desire was to be a wife and mother. Acknowledging this gift from Him, I do my best to use it to glorify God and serve others.

I know several who do that also....


My brother in law creates beautiful crosses out of stone.                                  My son is a gifted choreographer whose routines regularly produce championships and he'll be the first to tell you his gift is from God because he has never had an ounce of formal training.


My granddaughter is a talented dancer and artist.

                     

My cousin has a natural ability to design and decorate homes.


These are people in my family but I bet if you look around, you'll find some in your circle of friends and family members who are multi-talented.

When you're looking around at others, take a deep inspection of the gifts and talents you have. Once you discover them, ask God how to use those to serve Him and others. You might be surprised at what He shows you.

One thing for certain though, always treasure the gift/talent you see in yourself and in others!

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

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Linda Nightingale and Gambler's Choice!

Good Morning Friends,

I hope your week has been blessed and the weekend even more so! Before we spotlight today's author and book, I'd like to take a moment to just say "THANK YOU" to Everyone who visits, comments and/or shares my blog. I TRULY Appreciate you ALL more than words can say!!

Now....our guest today, Linda Nightingale is no stranger to our blog. She shared with us some treasures in February, thoughts in March and we spotlighted another of her books in April.


Today Linda shares with us her novel, Gambler's Choice.  

Becca McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the threat he’ll never ride again.

Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.
Excerpt: In a blood-stained white robe, Austen drove a knife down on a chopping board. What was he chopping in the middle of the night? Blood leaked from what appeared to be a heart. Sickness rolled in her stomach. Dane sat at his feet, watching his master. A noose of fear tightened around Becca’s neck. Did the heart he diced for the dog belong to the missing Julia? Her stomach flipped. Get a grip, Becca. Your imagination is running away with you. Her phobia didn’t listen. A chill slithered down her spine. She backed away from the door, collided with a table. The mastiff lurched to his feet, barking. Becca froze, unable to tear her gaze from the bloody knife.
Agonizingly slow, Austen turned on one crutch, knife in hand, the gory blade raised. “Stay, Dane. Ah, Becca. Come in. There’s something I’ve been meaning to show you.”
A shudder ploughed through Becca. Her voice shook. “What is that?”
“A beef heart. What did you think? Ah…” he whispered a laugh. “You thought I was dicing Julia’s heart to feed to the dog.” Gripping the knife, he paced her retreat. “I do believe you’re afraid of me.”
The belt slipped, and Austen’s robe parted to his waist. The man’s body would tempt a nun. She retreated. He advanced.
“I couldn’t sleep. That happens quite often. I decided to prepare Dane a special treat.” He tossed his hair out of his eyes, the cruel smile and the condescending tone returning. “Ah, Becca, Becca, you’re thinking I killed Julia because she was pregnant.”
“Yes. No. Put away the knife, please. I can’t think.” She labored for breath.
Austen flung the knife clattering to the floor. The startled dog leapt back. Trembling, Becca stood her ground. She’d chewed the inside of her jaw raw.
“There, Becca,” he snarled. “You can come in now.”
Blood smeared the polished oak floor and the horrible knife. Her stomach ached, and bile stung her throat. She forced herself to look at anything but the stained blade.
Austen halted, leaned against a wall. “I appreciate your confidence and trust. A month of living together has taught you nothing about me.”
Dane disobeyed the command to sit, returned to lick his master’s fingers.
“There, there, son.” Austen glanced at the dog. “I’ll soon finish your treat. First, I must convince Becca that I am not a murderer.”
Oh My Word! What an excerpt! Gambler's Choice can be purchased at Amazon in paperback and for Kindle.
Born in South Carolina, Linda Nightingale has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Atlanta and Houston.  She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for thirteen years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award.   As well as an author, she is a legal assistant and a mother of two incredible sons, one in England; the other a graphic artist in Houston.  She is a member of the Houston Symphony League and enjoys events with her car club.  Two of her favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano.

She is the author of three novels published by Double Dragon Publishing, a Canadian publisher.  Gemini Rising, winner of the Preditors’ and Editors 2013 Poll in Mainstream, is a controversial dark fantasy, getting good reviews.  Sinners’ Opera and Cardinal Desires are paranormal romances starring sexy vampires.  The following is a snippet of a review for Sinners’ Opera:  “Morgan and Isabeau are characters that could be placed in the same category as some of the most famous couples in romance history - Romeo and his Juliet, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy - and their romance plays out like one of Beethoven's famous love letters.”

Visit her web site at http://www.lindanightingale.com(site designed by Simon Nightingale) for a continuing vampire story.  Catch her on Twitter at @LNightingale.  She is on Facebook, or visit her blog http://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/

Under the pen name Bianca Swan, she writes erotic romance.  The Wild Rose Press published two novellas. Double Dragon Publishing released one Bianca novel.


Sounds like another book to add to my wish lists.
Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and you'll continue to visit weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course more Saturday Spotlights.
Until next time...take care and God Bless. PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Fishing

Good Morning Friends!

In Matthew (4:19) Jesus told Peter and his brother Andrew to follow Him and He would make them 'fishers of men.'

We know these two were (what we'd term today) commercial fishermen. That is, they fished for a living.

But on this particular day they'd toiled all night and caught nothing and were just rolling up their nets when Jesus came along and asked them to take him out in the water so He could teach the huge crowd clamoring about Him on shore. After His sermon, He instructed the two gentlemen to cast their nets, and they hauled in so many fish, their nets nearly broke!

Since man figured out how to catch, clean and cook, fishing has been both a necessity and for several years now, a sport.

I love to fish...there is just something about being on the water, with a pole or rod and reel, pulling in those delicious Bass and White Perch. Even Bream fishing can be fun.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Toledo Bend Lake again and do a lot of fishing. The weather was beautiful, the water at times choppy, mostly smooth and calm.

Unfortunately the fish weren't really in the biting mood.



Still we had a blast and proved once again the old adage..... A bad day of fishing beats the best day of work!

If you've never enjoyed this pastime, give it a try. It may not be your 'thing' but then again, you might just find a brand new hobby.

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

#TuesdayTreasures: Special Guest post by Terri Blackstock

Hello There!

I hope you had a Blessed weekend and that this week has started out beautifully for you.

Today I am pleased to have NYT Best Selling Author, Terri Blackstock returning to our blog to share with us something she treasures....

Meet my latest little treasure, my new grandson Paxton, just four days old when this picture was taken. He’s been a distraction from writing (a good one), but treasures like him (and the other precious toddlers I delight in) always make my writing deeper. I guess all life experiences do that. These wonderful little people in my life make me want to do my part to make the world a better place.

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over seven million copies sold worldwide. She is the winner of two Carol Awards, a Christian Retailers Choice Award, and a Romantic Times Book Reviews Career Achievement Award, among others. Her most recent suspense novel is If I Run, about a young female fugitive whose being accused of a heinous murder.  Other books include Truth Stained Lies (the Moonlighters Series), Intervention (the Intervention Series), and Last Light (the Restoration Series). See the complete list of Terri’s books at www.terriblackstock.com/books. Join her at Facebook (www.facebook.com/tblackstock) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/TerriBlackstock). 
Terri's latest book, If I Run  published by Zondervan can be found at Amazon in Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle and Audible and Mp3/CD.
Thank you so much Terri, for sharing your newest book and beautiful new grandson...those grand-babies are certainly something to treasure.
Hope you join us again soon for another Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!
Until later...Have a Blessed Day Friends!
Pamela S Thibodeaux "Inspirational with an Edge!"  ™

#SaturdaySpotlight: Paula Mowery and The Crux of Honor

Hello Again Friends and Welcome.....

Well it goes without saying we are already on the first Saturday of May....SERIOUSLY?

Today is the Kentucky Derby...wonder if we'll have another Triple Crown Winner this year or if it'll be 37 more years until the next one?

Guess we'll find out soon enough!    

Meanwhile, enjoy this week's Saturday Spotlight with fellow Pelican Book Group author, Paula Mowery and her newest release, The Crux of Honor .


Chelsea Wilson’s life is a constant reminder of what living dishonorably looks like. At every turn she continues to prove her mother’s shunning must be deserved.

Dr. Kevin Alley returns to the old home place to establish his medical practice. After running into Chelsea, he knows his love for her is still strong.
Chelsea is ousted from her small rented room when her mother bursts in, proclaiming Chelsea’s pregnancy.
Kevin takes Chelsea in, giving her space to live on the upper level of his house.
When Chelsea’s baby displays life-threatening symptoms, Chelsea must face her mother. Secrets unfold about Chelsea’s parents. Can Chelsea and Kevin uncover the secrets linked to Amish heritage in time to save the baby? Can the two find love together despite their history? 
Excerpt:Chelsea Wilson stared at Samuel’s face as he repeated his apology. The small town campus bustled in the background.
“Chelsea, I’m sorry. I’m ready to go back and join the Amish church and be baptized.”
She nodded as tears slid down her cheeks. Her pulse strummed in her ears.
He grasped her hand and leaned closer. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be together. Come back with me. It’s not unheard of...”
“No.” Her voice was low, almost a whisper. She studied his plain clothes. “Samuel, I think down deep we both knew this day would come. You never fit here, and I would never fit there.”
“You will hate me, ja?” His Amish accent crooned.
“No. I respect your heart-felt decision. I can see it in your eyes. It’s what’s right for you.”
“And you? What is right for you?” Honesty poured from his big brown eyes.
“I’m not sure.”
“You will find your way. Trust God.” He pulled her head to his chest and wrapped his arms around her back. She leaned into his embrace for a moment and then backed away. He replaced his black felt hat atop his head, nodded, and marched toward the junior college parking lot.
A stream of tears blurred his silhouette. Chelsea planted her face in her hands, thankful for the concrete bench under her to keep her from sinking to the ground. How could she be so stupid? Her mother had warned her to stop fraternizing with a young man on Rumpspringa. When she refused, her mother had kicked her out of the family home. Chelsea couldn’t help chuckling at her mother’s rich vocabulary. Fraternizing and banished. Why did her mother have to be right? As small as the town of Integrity, Tennessee, was, Mother would discover the news of her break-up by nightfall.
She wrapped her arms around her waist. I can’t sit here feeling sorry for myself. She swiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands and rose to her feet. Draping her book bag over her shoulder, she shuffled toward the library. She would focus on studying for her final exam. There was plenty of time to cry her eyes out later, alone, in her tiny rented room. 

The Crux of Honor can be found at Amazon.


Paula Mowery is a published author, acquisitions editor, and speaker. Her first two published works were The Blessing Seer and Be The Blessing from Pelican Book Group. Both are women’s fiction, and their themes have been the topics of speaking engagements. Be The Blessing won the Selah Award in 2014 in the novella category. In November of 2013 her first romance released in the anthology, Brave New Century , from Prism Book Group. This book went to number five on Amazon’s bestseller category, historical Christian romance. Legacy and Love was her first solo romance and was a finalist in the Carolyn Readers Choice Awards in 2015. Her other titles include a Christian romantic suspense called For Our Good , a Christmas romance called Love Again , and a romance inspired from the Love Chapter called The Crux of Honor . 
Reviewers of her writing characterize it as “thundering with emotion.” Her articles have appeared in Woman’s World, The Christian Online Magazine, and the multi-author devotional blogs, Full Flavored Living and Putting on the New. She wrote a section for Join the Insanity by Rhonda Rhea. She has devotionals included in several collaborative books.
Having been an avid reader of Christian fiction, she now puts that love to use by writing book reviews. She is a member of ACFW and also on the faculty for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.
Paula is a pastor’s wife and mom to a college student. She homeschooled her daughter through all twelve years, and they both lived to tell about it. Before educating her daughter at home, she was an English teacher in public school.

Learn more about Paula at her blog as well as find other links to connect with her at www.paulamowery.blogspot.com.

Sounds like another great book, don't you think friends?

Hope to see you next week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until later...take care and God Bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Special Guest Post by Angela Couch!

Good Morning Friends,

Today I'm happy to introduce you to a brand new (to me and our blog) author, Angela K Couch who will share some thoughts with us.....


I was twelve years old when a youth leader gave me a poem that has stayed with me for the past two decades. It spoke of a rose bud, no beauty, but full of potential. The last stanza brought that rose, or me, into bloom—radiant, lovely, and everything God had intended it to become. As I years pass and I experience more and more of this life, I see how many different types and colors of roses there are…and an equally vast number of growing conditions and seasons.
I am leaning how important it is to embrace who the Lord has made you and the season he has placed you in.  I love the quote by Henry David Thoreau when he talked about his desire “to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” To do this we must find a way to appreciate all aspects of life. A friend once told me, “There are trials and pain, mostly physical pain, that are exclusive to this life, and someday we will look back and perhaps even treasure these hardships as a unique part of this mortal experience.”

So whatever you might be facing in life, it is my prayer we might be able to cultivate an “attitude of gratitude.” Don’t forget we are all roses. All beautiful. All God’s.
~ ~ ~
So true Angela! This reminds me of my devotional Love is a Rose in which I state...we are called to be roses in the jungle of life. (I LOVE Yellow Roses btw!)
Amazing....
Angela K Couch is an award-winning author for her short stories, and a semi-finalist in ACFW's Genesis Contest. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. Angela lives in Alberta, Canada with her "hero" and three munchkins.
Find and follow Angela on her Website, Face Book, Twitter @AngelaKCouch and Good Reads.
Her new book, Mail Order Revenge is available now at Amazon in Paperback and for Kindle!
I hope you enjoyed today's guest post as much as I did! Check back weekly for more Thursday Thoughts, Tuesday Treasures and Saturday Spotlights.
Until later.... Take care and God Bless. PamT