Sarah Holman's Blog, page 66
August 5, 2016
August 4, 2016
August 3, 2016
You Choose
Want to try out Kate's Case Files? Eager for book 2 and can't afford it? Here is your chance to win your choice of either Kate's Case File books in ebook format.
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August 2, 2016
Kate's Capitol Bundle
When I visited the Texas State Capitol to both have my author photo taken and to get some pictures of Kate's world, I collected a few things that I thought my readers would love. So here is the bundle you can win today:
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August 1, 2016
Meet Sheri
Today I am very happy host the wonderful Sheri Sheridan who has helped me turn Kate's Innocence into an audiobook! What better way to meet her but through audio! If you can't listen to this file, the text is below.
Hi everyone! My name is Sheri Sheridan and I'm the audiobook narrator for “Kate's Innocence”, by Sarah Holman. I loved reading it, so Sarah thank you so much for welcoming me onto your blog and for welcoming me into the world of Kate and all of her comrades, not just for this book but for the upcoming Kate's case files book, “Kate’s Capital.” Sarah asked me to introduce myself a little bit…first and foremost I'm a passionately Catholic mom of two boys: a three-year-old and a six -month-old. They are my fireball and my sunshine. I married my grade school sweetheart…we started “dating” in the 8th grade! Not necessarily something I would recommend for everyone, but it worked for Mike and I so I’m not gonna argue with God’s plan! Before I was an audiobook narrator, I was a teacher, a nanny a seamstress… well I still am a seamstress here and there, and obviously I enjoy reading, sewing… really anything to do with cloth… I baby wear my baby boy! Also, I love to talk! I don’t know if you can tell, but if you love to read and love to talk too, well audiobooks are just waiting for you, really! I I still have some student loans to payoff for that whole teaching degree, and being a stay-at-home mom, not wanting to find a job that would take me away from my vocation of raising my sons… well I just happened to be reading a blog post that talked about side hustles and things you can do making money at home - being a voiceover voiceover artist was one of those things! My dad used to be a DJ and he knows a lot about microphones and how to put things like that together. I've always loved cartoons and doing “wacky voices,” so it just clicked, like “Oh my gosh! Yes! This is what I was always meant to do!” Even if I read a book that doesn't have any wacky voices etc, you still have to figure out the voice of each character! In the meantime, I’m really looking forward to getting started on “Kate’s Capital” and I hope you guys really enjoy “Kate’s Innocence”! Sarah also asked me if I could voice any book what book what I record? I had to really think about that, and I thought about my favorite books , and I thought “No I would not be a good reader for, like Lord of the Rings, or any GK Chesterton books or things like that…” A lot of my favorite authors are masculine… though I could probably read The Chronicles of Narnia, that read could be masculine or feminine, I guess…And then I remembered - Madeline L’Engle! One of my very first fantasy/science fiction novels that I read was hers. My mom's a big sci-fi nut and when I was in second grade she foisted upon me in the library “A Wrinkle in Time,” and was like “I want you to read this and tell me what you think,” and I read it and I loved it! She was SO excited to have somebody else in the family that enjoyed those good crazy mythical tails that sci-fi and fantasy often bring. So I would love to be the narrator for one of Madeline L’Engle’s books.I did but other than that I’m not necessarily going to pigeonhole myself there at all because as long as it's a good story, it’s good read! So while I do tend to gravitate towards books with more fun storylines …I want something with a little humor in it, a little joy…something that is going to ultimately be a ‘GOOD’ story and make the world a better place, because that's what art is meant to be! Art is meant to elevate us! It can be poignant, it can be sad, but it's ultimately meant to lift up our souls. And I don’t want to read anything else that’s not going to do that! Sarah made sure to ask me where authors that were interested in hiring me go to learn more … well the easiest place to go to is probably Facebook. It’s the social media account where I’m most active. So feel free to visit www.facebook.com/sherisheridanvo Since you’re reading THIS and not listening, you should be able to just click on it, and in the meantime I’ll give you my website address which is www.sherielizabeth9.wix.com/sherisher... , where you can listen to demos and find out more about me!
Alright. Sarah asked me the really important questions now… this is serious stuff.Which do I like more - coffee or tea?I drink a cup of English black tea every morning, and coffee has to be heavily sugared and creamed in order for me to touch it, so I would have to say tea in just about any kind! I love green teas, black tea (black teas are my favorite, they’re my go to) but, like constant comment… anything! Everything in Teavana is great so… TEA!
Book or movie? It depends on what book and what movie we're talking about! If it's a book turned into a movie, well, DUH, book all the way! But sometimes there's things in movies that can produce the ‘wow factor’ that you can’t get out of a book, especially with something epic like, you know, the Avengers, or Ghostbusters, you know, big things like that… obviously again, Lord of the rings for example, one of my favorite movies is also one of my favorite books, mostly because both are a work of art, I think.
Shopping or home? Can I say shopping FROM home? Does that count? Don’t get me wrong, I like going out; I like walking around, getting a little retail therapy, but then it just depresses me that I can't afford anything! If I’m actually buying something, I’m at home doing research with several sites open, comparing prices and I fell like I’m on a hunt, so to that I’m going to say both!
Talking or Texting? Texting definitely! Because I can never remember everything that I wanted to ask you, and then I get caught up in the moment, and I hang up the phone, and go “Dang it! I was going to ask her this, that, and the other!” So you know what? I just and up texting her later! So yeah don't bother calling me if you want to actually learn something - send me a text message!
And finally, probably the most important question… vanilla or chocolate? Ummm, it depends on your topping! If you have the strawberry preserves that my mother just made: vanilla all the way! With maybe a little sponge cake on the side… but if you got chocolate well then let's put some peanut butter and hot fudge over that baby and eat it up! Mmmmmm!
Well there you have it! More than you ever wanted to know about the narrator of “Kate’s Innocence”, Sheri Sheridan! Thanks so much again, Sarah, for inviting me to introduce myself on your blog, and like I said I'm really looking forward to moving on to “Kate’s Capital” which hopefully will be out by the beginning of September!Thanks so much everybody and have a great day!
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July 31, 2016
End of Summer Extravaganza Begins
Every day in August, I am going to be giving away something. Isn't that sweet? Be sure to check back daily and tell your friends. This is a great way to introduce a friend to my writing as they could win a book free.
Lets kick this event off shall we? We will start with a chance to win a signed copy of A Different Kind of Courage!
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July 30, 2016
Get Found
This is a great song that my dear friend Rachelle Rea Cobb introduced me to years ago.
Buy the song here
July 26, 2016
Adventure Between the Pages: Churches, Revolutions And Empires
Buy it Here
Age Appropriate For: 15 and up
Best for Ages: 18 and up
Description: 1789 to 1914 was a time of momentous and often violent change religiously, socially, politically and economically in the western world. The revolutions in the churches and the powerful empires of the day were to have a profound effect upon society at large both then and in the years that followed. In this detailed yet fascinating study, Ian Shaw gives context and understanding to this legacy which has been passed on from that era by providing an expert analysis of the period with a focus on the key leaders, influences and issues.
My dear friend and fellow author, Elisabeth Allen recommended this book to me a while back. When I saw it was on sale on Kindle, I snapped up a copy. I am so glad that I did.
There are few history books I have enjoyed more. Many books that try to give an overall look at time in history either end up being dull and dry or get so caught up in trying to make it interesting they aren’t helpful. This book was a well-balanced, well-researched work.
What was the church’s role during 1775 through 1914? How did it influence the revolutions and major changes that took place during these years? This book goes through the major events and answers these questions, drawing from a huge number of first-hand and historical sources. The bibliography for this book was huge, listing hundreds of titles.
I am a skeptic when it comes to history books. I go in looking for mistakes and slants that keep all the facts from being shown. This book passed every test I have, and I will hold it up alongside books by David McCullough and Allen French. While I know that the author is a Christian, he was upfront about the negatives the church caused and debunked some of the stories Christians have spread and credit for events Christians have taken that are not true.
I will be re-reading this in the future, and I highly recommend this book for those who love history, want to have a better understanding of recent church history, and high school students.
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July 23, 2016
Find us Faithful
If there is any song that makes me think of my parents, this is it. They are building legacy of godliness. >
Buy song here
July 19, 2016
Adventure Between the Pages: Samara's Peril
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Age Appropriate For: 15 and up (violence, mentions of girls being taken advantage of)
Best for Ages: 15 - 25
Description: When news arrives that Emperor Daican has been in contact with his chief war strategist, it signals potential doom for the country of Samara. Determined to intervene, the resistance in Landale, headed by Lady Anne, embark on a covert mission in hopes of unearthing further information. However, a shocking discovery leads to complications no one could have foreseen. Armed with their newfound knowledge, they set out for Samara to warn the king. War is inevitable, and they must face two desperate battles--one on the walls of Samara's great stronghold, and the other on the battlefield of Jace's heart, where victory might only be achievable through great sacrifice.
Was this book as good as The King’s Scrolls? No. Was it amazing? Yes!
The characters are, of course, some of my favorites in all of literature: The brave Kyrin who continues to help the resistance as they fight to protect those that would harm them. Her large family is so dear and wonderful, from her twin to her little sister. Jace of course rips at my heart and makes me wish I could sit across from him and explain God’s amazing love.
This book had far more allegorical elements in it (the story of Jesus), which is partly I think why it was a weaker book, as they felt like they were tacked onto the story in places. This isn’t to say it was a weak book, just not as strong as Resistance and The King’s Scrolls.
The plot for this book held some of the same struggles, yet was new and fresh. Nothing felt repeated from the last two books in regards to the main plot, and actually it felt very nice for the whole book not to be about Kyrin staying out of the hands of the Emperor. There were many tense moments that made me hold my breath.
I will not give anything away, but I loved what this book did for Jace. After two books of somewhat the same struggles, the change was very welcome. I wish I could say more, but then it would give away some of the book.
I highly recommend this book for those who like non-magical fantasy, books that make you feel many emotions, and those looking for a great series to become attached to.
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