Amber Stokes's Blog, page 39

Cedar Fort Blog Tour: What is Hidden

Here's a description of the book from the author's website:

"Step back in time to a land of masquerades and mystery! Evie is a mask maker in Venesia, where masks represent rank and identity. When a cryptic bandit strips away Evie’s mask and destroys her home, she goes into hiding at the palace to find both a new identity—and revenge. Fantasy lovers will be caught up by the mystique, romance, and magic of What Is Hidden."

My Rating

Spring

My Review

With a cover that promised beauty and mystery (with a Mardi-Gras flair that caught my eye!), and a tantalizing blurb that did the same, I couldn't resist this book. Not to mention the Cinderella reference - gotta love a good fairy-tale retelling!

And indeed, I really did love this read. While I would have enjoyed a little glimpse at the history of this fantasy country where the entire population wears masks whenever others might see them, I was still completely swept away by the gorgeous descriptions and enchanting Venice-style setting. The color and life and intrigue kept me glued to my Kindle. Despite the plot twists and surprises that weren't entirely surprising by the time they came to light, there was still enough mystery and "chase" to hold my attention throughout the story.

I really admired Evie's tenacity, her ability to recover quickly and discover ways to survive and thrive in new situations. (Although her lack of a real emotional reaction to a huge event in her life kind of made her a bit less "real" to me, for a time.) Readers who like heroines who can take care of themselves will appreciate Evie. And yet, she's a balanced character who also loves to tease, make pretty things, and dress up.

The one she loves to tease? That would be Aiden, who takes care of her in whatever ways she'll let him. He's a lot of fun! While he definitely stands out among the cast, there are some other great characters in this Cinderella story that mostly takes place right within the palace itself.

There are a couple of unrealistic reactions (one I've already mentioned) that frustrated me, but overall I had a ball immersing myself in this secretive world Skidmore created. The lovely masks were enjoyable to read about, and yet it's those times when masks are removed that give the story heart. If you enjoy romantic and creative fantasy/fairy-tale reads, What is Hidden is your ticket to a delightful masquerade.

*With thanks to Cedar Fort for providing me with a PDF copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*

Now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble!
About the Author

Lauren Skidmore grew up in Kansas, with stints in Ohio and New York, and currently lives in Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a BA in English Teaching with an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language and Japanese. She then spent a year in Japan teaching and travelling. She hasn’t made it to Europe yet, but it’s on the list and has been to 30 states in the U.S. so far. When she’s not exploring new places, you can probably find her on the internet with fifteen windows open and looking at just one more thing before actually getting something done.

"Matching" Snack Size Reviews

This month the four novellas comprising A Match Made in Texas were made available separately in Kindle format! I absolutely love Karen Witemeyer's work, and I heard good things about Regina Jennings' novella, so I decided to pre-order both of those. Here are my snack size reviews...

* * *
A Cowboy Unmatched by Karen Witemeyer
Rating: Spring/Summer
Currently $1.82 for Kindle
A Cowboy Unmatched features the youngest Archer brother (Neill) and a young widow who surprises him at every turn and thoroughly lassos his heart in no time flat. The love story is incredibly tender, as independent, outcast Clara finds herself wooed by protective, understanding, and gentlemanly Neill. Throw in a figure from Clara's past who poses a threat to Neill and Clara's future, add in some brief appearances and mentions of the older Archer brothers and their families, and you've got another engaging Witemeyer read that offers a sweet ending to the Archer tales!

An Unforeseen Match by Regina Jennings

Rating: Spring/Summer

Currently $1.99 for Kindle

An Unforeseen Match is a story of misunderstandings and a battle of wills. Grace is losing her eyesight, but what's more, she might just lose her heart when a man with a secret shows up on her doorstep, answering an ad she never placed (and one far different than the one she had planned to place). Grace and Clayton's interactions and conversations are authentic and endearing, and I loved watching the romance play out. Some aspects of both the premise and the interactions reminded me a bit of Where the Wild Rose Blooms by Lori Wick (a story I fell in love with when I was younger) - and interestingly enough, the heroes of both books share the same name. This is a touching novella that ends up skimming the surface of some surprising depths.

Note: "Seasoned" or "unseasoned" is in reference to my book rating system. Thanks to Juju of Tales of Whimsy for the inspiration regarding mini reviews!

Precious Book Mail - Round 2!

I received another sweet package recently from a client! ("Round 1" was from the fabulous Lena Goldfinch.) This one was from Sandra Leesmith (whom you all know and love from the various blog tours that have been hosted here!). While she asked me if I'd like my own copy of Love's Promises, she very kindly sent me the whole set of books that we've worked on together so far...


I couldn't have been more thrilled!

Love's Miracles was our first project together - and one of my very first projects with Editing Through the Seasons. I helped edit some of the content and re-type the book, then assisted Sandra in re-publishing it (which was an interesting challenge, navigating the book rights and making sure we did things "by the book," so to speak!).

Love's Refuge and Love's Promises were both previously unpublished (albeit critiqued), so I edited them, and we also hired Rachelle Rea to proofread the former. It was a great experience working "from scratch" with these ones - creating the back cover copies, editing the stories, overseeing the publishing process, and introducing new Leesmith contemporary romantic suspense novels into the world. :)


And of course, you know I have to mention Lena Goldfinch, our cover designer! I absolutely love the work she's done for me and for her own books, and it's so lovely to finally see (in person) the formatting and gorgeous full print covers for Sandra's books, as well. Take a look at the back covers...


I'm in love with these two - the front covers, the back covers, and the spines! The way they capture the mood and settings are so perfect. I had a blast brainstorming with Lena. Although it was all her skill that made them happen, it was a privilege to be privy to the process and to have a say in some of the cover elements. :)

Let me also add that it's super fun to see this...


When we were getting ready to publish Love's Miracles to Amazon, Sandra asked me if I was taking "Amber Press." I ended up going with "Seasons of a Story" for my own publisher name for my books, so I was honored and pleased to let Sandra claim Amber Press. All three of the books include the publisher name on the spines, in the front matter of the book, and on the back cover. :) So sweet! Sandra even recently created a website home for the publisher: www.AmberPressPublishing.com.

If you'd like your own paperback copies of Sandra's latest releases, they're available for purchase on Amazon:
Love's Miracles - $8.99Love's Refuge - $9.89Love's Promises - $10.08 They have the matte covers, so they're soft, which I love! I'm contemplating doing that for my own books now instead of using the glossy covers.

Tell me, do you prefer matte or glossy? And have you received any precious book mail lately?

P.S. Love's Promises is FREE for Kindle today in honor of Mother's Day! Don't forget to snatch up a copy if you haven't already - and blessings to all you mothers out there! ♥

Until That Distant Day Blog Tour

I fell in love with the cover of Until That Distant Day when I worked with Anne Elisabeth Stengl to reveal it last fall. Now the story between the covers is finally available for purchase - and to celebrate, Anne Elisabeth organized a fun interview tour for Jill! Read on to see what question(s) I asked Jill, discover a special promotion price for the ebook, and enter the tour-wide giveaway...

***

Amber: First, let me introduce you all to Jill via her author bio!

Jill Stengl is the author of numerous romance novels including Inspirational Reader's Choice Award- and Carol Award-winning Faithful Traitor, and the bestselling novella, Fresh Highland Heir. She lives with her husband in the beautiful Northwoods of Wisconsin, where she enjoys her three cats, teaching a high school English Lit. class, playing keyboard for her church family, and sipping coffee on the deck as she brainstorms for her next novel. 

She blogs at Books, Cats, and Whimsy. Do stop by and follow her to keep up with all her writing and reading-related activities!

My question for Jill... In a previous blog tour you mentioned risking your life by driving with your husband on the crazy streets of modern-day Paris. :) Since I gather that you've been to Paris, what's one thing you especially enjoyed about visiting modern France? (Probably not the traffic...)

Jill: Yes, we did visit Paris in 1990—approximately two hundred years after the events of Until That Distant Day took place! My husband did all the driving, to my vast relief. The traffic circle around the Arc de Triomphe was particularly “thrilling.”

I enjoyed touring the Palace of Versailles, seeing its famous Hall of Mirrors, and walking in the gardens. We also enjoyed the Louvre museum, although I wish I had known more French history before that visit. We walked through the Place du Carrousel and the Tuileries Gardens; we crossed Pont Royal and saw many of the buildings my characters would have seen at the time of my story—but I had only the vaguest idea what had once taken place there. The Egyptian obelisk in the Place de la Concorde stands where the guillotine once stood—that was about all I knew. (I did not start writing fiction until the following summer.)

To be honest, I believe the French would like to obliterate much of that bloody history—and who can blame them?

Jill at Eiffel Tower (Champ de Mars)—July 1990

Amber: Indeed. Sounds like an intriguing trip, though! So what's one thing you wish you could experience from the Paris of your heroine's day? (Probably not the dangers of the French Revolution...) 

Jill: I wish I could tour the Palais des Tuileries, which no longer exists; it burned and was torn down in the 1800’s. I would also love to explore the gardens as they were then, and see the Royal Riding Academy that became the first Legislative Assembly. Napoleon Bonaparte had that building torn down to make room for the street that now runs directly north of the gardens. So much has changed, and yet so much history remains.

And you are right: I definitely would not wish to experience the dangers of revolution or the possibly even greater hazards of bad sanitation and crowded living conditions!

Thank you for the fun questions, Amber!

Amber: Thank you for answering them, Jill. :) It's a pleasure to have you here - and congratulations on your latest release!

***

Read the rest of this ongoing interview with Jill at the stops listed below...


Until That Distant Day Launch Tour Schedule
May 5Tales of Goldstone WoodEdgy Inspirational RomanceFullness of JoyThe Inkpen AuthoressCovers and Ink
May 6Blooming with BooksQuoth the GirlThe Wonderings of One Person
May 7The Writer’s WindowJill Eileen SmithThe Writer of Dream Things
May 8Letters from Annie Douglas LimaRina’s ReadingTo Find a Castle
May 9JLMbewe.comTo Be a PersonWritings of Rosie
May 10Seasons of HumilityNotes by OywenThe Overweight Bookshelf
May 11Too Read or Not Too ReadFictionallyBluerose’s Heart
May 12Mel’s ShelvesLabor Not in VainCreative Madness Mama
May 13 – Giveaway Winner AnnouncedTales of Goldstone Wood

***

Here's a description of the book:

Colette and her brother Pascoe are two sides of the same coin, dependent upon one another in the tumultuous world of the new Republic. Together they labor with other leaders of the sans-culottes to ensure freedom for all the downtrodden men and women of France.

But then the popular uprisings turn bloody and the rhetoric proves false. Suddenly, Colette finds herself at odds with Pascoe and struggling to unite her fractured family against the lure of violence. Charged with protecting an innocent young woman and desperately afraid of losing one of her beloved brothers, Colette doesn’t know where to turn or whom to trust as the bloodshed creeps ever closer to home.

Until that distant day when peace returns to France, can she find the strength to defend her loved ones . . . even from one another?

Paperback | Kindle | Add to Goodreads

***
Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Conclusion of the Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too Blog Tour!

While today is the "official" conclusion of the Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too blog tour, we've got three new reviews posted today for you - and you have the rest of this month to submit your entries for the giveaway! So the sweet anticipation continues... :)

Tour Recap
We had a lovely variety of posts for this inspiring tour! Here are the direct links so you can find any  you missed or revisit the ones that touched you:

Reviews
"Cindy's cat tidbits were enlightening and showed a delightful perspective on God's love for us" ~ Grace Thorson"This is one devotional I will continue to re-read throughout the rest of my days" ~ Jorie Loves a Story"I enjoyed every minute spent in reading this collection" ~ The Power of Words..."Witty and inspiring" ~ The Borrowed Book"One of the most precious, adorable, sweet books I have ever read" ~ Bluerose's Heart"I devoured this in just a couple nights" ~ Melissa's Mochas, Mysteries & Meows"A sweet read, full of heart warming stories" ~ Labor Not in Vain"It is truly phenomenal, yet in a simple way, and very comforting!" ~ To Be A PersonInterviews
Cat interview at Buckley's BlogAuthor interview at The Wonderings of One PersonAuthor interview on May the K9 Spy's Facebook pageAuthor interview at The Power of Words... Author interview at FictionallyAuthor interview at Jorie Loves a StorySpotlights
Black 'n Gold Girl's Book SpotThe Writer's WindowToo Read or Not Too ReadA BookLover's HeartDevotionals
Following and Shining the Light Max'ism - What Are You Chasing? Cindy and I are sincerely grateful to each of those who participated in the tour - and to all of you who have been following along! Thank you for your support of this book and author. ♥

Purchase Info
While the Kindle freebie promotion has now come and gone, we've still got some great prices for you!

Kindle ($2.99) | Amazon Paperback ($7.79) | B&N Paperback ($7.79)
And if you're interested in Cindy's Cat Detective Capers (middle grade fiction), here are the links for those, as well:


The Case of the Cat Show Princess

Kindle ($3.97) | Amazon Paperback ($9.88) | Nook ($4.97) | B&N Paperback ($9.97)
The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks

Kindle ($3.97) | Amazon Paperback ($9.39) | B&N Paperback ($9.97)
Giveaway!
You have the rest of this month to submit your entries for the special review giveaway! To enter, all you have to do is leave an honest review of Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or Goodreads (it can be the same review on all three sites). Then share the link(s) via the Rafflecopter form below, and you'll be entered for a chance to win a Swarovski cross necklace (valued at $130) or a set of the Buckley & Bogey Cat Detective Capers (mentioned/pictured above)!

Please note that this giveaway is open to residents of the US & Canada only . You have through May 31st to submit your entries - and the winners will be announced on June 2nd. You can come back to this post or visit the blog tour page to enter when you're ready! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you for following this inspirational tour! If you've read the book, please let us know your favorite of the 33 devotions. Or tell us one thing you've learned from watching your cats/pets!

God's Will Cover Reveal & Book Announcement

I love that indie publishing has taken off and opened doors for some great new stories to find homes with readers! It's always exciting to hear about these upcoming releases, especially when they happen to be authored by blogging friends. :) Today I have the great pleasure of sharing about Meghan Gorecki's May debut, God's Will (Christian historical fiction)...


About the Book
Kathy Andrews is good at goodbyes. Her mother is sent to a sanatorium, her sister, left behind in Chicago, and her father, forced to roam looking for work. So she holds close to the only one she has left, her brother Danny. When the two go to live with the Marshalls in the sleepy town of Brighton, she doesn't let anyone past hello.

Elliott Russell frowns at his aunt and uncle's generosity - even though he and his sister are on the receiving end. He frowns, too, at the uppity city girl with a chip on her shoulder whom he can't get out of his head. When a tragedy rips apart what tenuous existence they manage to forge, will they find the sweetest place to be is in God's will - or will they turn their backs on faith that fails to protect against pain?


About the Author
Meghan M. Gorecki is a twenty-something living a hundred or so miles from Gettysburg and a hundred or so years from the history that beckons her. So she goes there (and elsewhere) in heart and on pages. Meghan works as a medical receptionist by day and types away on her novels and blogs at night. She's a redhead thanks to a box, but a daughter of God thanks to the Cross.

Personal Blog | Writing Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Release Info
This book is set to be released May 19th in both paperback and Kindle formats! I plan to share my review May 23rd or thereabouts, so be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, do be sure to add the book on Goodreads and show Meghan some love! This is the story of her heart that she's been working on for seven years, something I could relate to with my experiences writing Forget Me Not. There's always something special about that first story. :) Plus, Meghan's debut is set during the Great Depression, an era that has enchanted me with its unique struggles and its characteristics through movies like The Journey of Natty Gann and Kit Kittredge.
What about you? Do you enjoy stories set during the Great Depression?

Life Lessons from Lupines

My mom and I went on our annual outing to see the lupines this past weekend - and while each year brings another wonderful experience, this year was especially marvelous! You see, that first year we heard about the lupine patches growing on Bald Hills (see info about the area at the bottom of this NPS Scenic Drives page), we excitedly took the drive and eventually, after rounding a corner, were astounded by what my mom calls the "carpets" of purple. It looked a little something like this (taken this past weekend):


But every return visit since then, we've been a tad bit disappointed. The lupines were still beautiful and still blooming, but nowhere near the way they had that first year. And then my mom heard online that this year would be different.

I was skeptical. I mean, we always hoped each year would be like the first - that this would be the visit when we'd once again be blown away. But as each new spring came, it didn't happen, and I was afraid to get too eager for something that might never come to pass again.

Still, as we got closer to our destination this past Saturday, we noticed that more lupines were blooming along the sides of the road than in recent years. Just little patches, but I began to think that maybe, just maybe, this year really would be better.

And we rounded the corner, and there they were... The purple carpets. The "royal waterfall," as I referred to them in Bleeding Heart. Maybe my mind didn't explode right away with the wonder of it like that very first time, but as we drove near the patches and finally got out of the car to take pictures and walk among the blooms, I was thrilled by the volume - the grandeur that I had been so hoping to see every time we returned.

My mom explained to me the probable cause of it - and it struck me as a lesson very pertinent to this season of my life.


Life Lesson: In order to see growth and multiplied blessings, sometimes you have to go through fire and seasons of waiting.

I suppose this isn't overly profound (in the sense that it's a very commonly heard saying), but it struck me afresh on this outing. My mom noted that they had burned the area a couple/few years back, I believe. So we experienced years of less blooms. And the disappointment grew with each passing year that demonstrated little change. But the fire, the tending, the time - all contributed to making this year more spectacular than ever, fulfilling a long-held hope.


Life Lesson: Blessings do come, and true hope won't end up disappointed.

I won't say that things like blossoming lupines will always come to pass at some point. I guess what I am saying is this experience reminded me that God does abundantly bless us, care for us, and bring about His good purpose in His right time.

We glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:3-5


Life Lesson: The magnitude of a blessing - whether seemingly "big" or "small" - doesn't change the fact that it's a blessing.

I currently feel like I'm at a crossroads, where a huge dream lies just beyond my grasp, and the alternative scares me because it feels "less" and unimportant and monotonous. I'm afraid to hope - to open myself up to being badly crushed. And I'm afraid not to hope - to face new seasons of fire and waiting without knowing when they might end. I have no idea if this next step is going to be a time of glorious blooming or a time of continued preparation. Perhaps I shouldn't make those two ideas mutually exclusive, though. Because, as the last few very enjoyable lupine outings have reminded me, the number of the blooms (or lack thereof) couldn't take away the joy of the experience unless I let it.
My mom and I were unexpectedly blessed this year with the purple carpets we had so longed to see. I'm grateful for the reminder that trials that bring growth eventually bring rewards. And I'm thankful for the fact that God is merciful and loving, blessing us in all sorts of ways - even in something so "small" as a day among the lupines.

Following and Shining the Light: A Devotional

Watching The Croods for the first time with my family was an unexpected delight. When my sister said she enjoyed seeing it with others, and we settled in to watch it all together after she received the DVD as an Easter gift, I wasn't sure what to think. I mean, the title and the little I'd assumed about the premise of the story made me think I was in for something ridiculous, silly, and probably crude. But from the menu clips and the Owl City song playing along with them, I suddenly became intrigued. And as the story unfolded, I became entranced.

Sure, there were silly moments. But I loved them. I laughed so much, and I was absolutely touched by the surprising depth - and yet, simplicity - of the theme. Follow the light. Don't be afraid to face the unknown in order to follow the light. Don't hide or remain in the darkness. Ride the sun into tomorrow.

There was so much symbolism throughout the movie with fire, starlight, and sunlight. The characters respected and utilized the daylight from the beginning, but they grew to understand it more - to love it and embrace it and strive after it. What was once just a background element of existence became a hope and a reason to live.


In a similar way, God is the reason we exist - the reason the world is sustained and life goes on. But there's a difference between being in mere existence and being truly alive. As Eep notes in the movie regarding her family's cave-dwelling existence: "That wasn't living. That was just...not dying. There's a difference."

As I've posted about for several Easters in a row, Jesus came to give us life - eternal life, which is defined as knowing God (John 17:3; see also 2 Corinthians 4:6). Psalm 36:9 says, "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." In Jesus we find that Light we are supposed to follow, the Light that beckons us from our caves of ignorance and fear and draws us out into grace and challenging but rewarding journeys.

As we walk in the Light, we don't understand it all at once. Like the Croods, we're initially, simply in awe of the "baby sun" and the "fire babies," then eventually overwhelmed by the millions of suns in the night sky, and finally blown away by the glorious sun that beckons us into tomorrow. In other words, when we're following the Light, Jesus reveals more and more of Himself to us as we long for Him, and He gives us the hope of His presence in and through the hardships. We learn that...

The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.Proverbs 4:18
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.Philippians 1:6

In Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too by Cindy Vincent (currently on tour through May 8th), there are two devotions titled "He Leads Us to a Better Place" and "Let Your Light Shine." In the former, Cindy talks about moving - how cats can be frightened by the process but then come to love their new home. Cindy compares the experience with the ordeals we endure in life when we follow the Light...

Sometimes these ordeals seem like too much to bear, and sometimes it feels like we can't withstand another minute. But in the end...we often find ourselves in an even better place then we were before. The key is to trust in God, and know that He is leading us down the path to a better place... (p. 63)
And in the latter devotion, Cindy talks about bringing smiles to others while in a pet store, concluding...
Sometimes God puts things in our path that just makes us smile. For being a Christian isn't all about simply enduring and surviving. No, being a Christian is also about being in joy and faith, and knowing that God is in your corner. (p. 67)
Yes, we may feel less safe at times when we step out of hiding and face what is unknown to us. But the truth and the greatest comfort is knowing and believing that God knows, for everything is clear in the Light of the Son. If we bask in the Light, trusting in the Lord and acknowledging Him in every step, we gain direction and confidence (Proverbs 3:5-6). And as terrifying as it may seem at first to our unaccustomed eyes, we may be surprised by the joy we discover (see John 15:11).
I think that's one thing that struck me about The Croods - the honesty and hope and humor that came with following the light and seeking tomorrow. The characters' world changed drastically, but the fellowship of the journey and the hope of their goal made the story a "light"-hearted one that I fell in love with.
As my own life feels a little uncertain and a lot scary, comfort comes in knowing that - undeserved a gift as it is - the Son is with me. And though I've faltered and cried, I can sing along with this song from the movie...
No one can stop what has begun -you must believe when I sayall of your tears will dry faster in the sun. Starting today,shine, shine, shine, shine your way.


Grab your FREE Kindle copy of Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too now through May 6, 2014!
The blog tour for the book continues... Learn more on the tour page!
(Movie images from The Croods Facebook page. Music video from YouTube.)

Love's Promises Blog Tour Winner!

Happy Friday, everyone! Today I get to announce the winner of the Love's Promises prize pack - the last piece of Sandra's blog tour. Rafflecopter randomly pulled up a name on the form, and that name is...

Nancy M!
Congratulations, Nancy! I'll send you an email shortly.

Nancy won:


+
(Signed Paperback)
If you didn't win this time, you can still grab a paperback copy of Love's Promises on Amazon for only about $10! Who could resist having that gorgeous background and that smiling hero on their bookshelf? ;)
And if you missed any of the blog tour fun, be sure to check out the blog tour recap, which includes direct links to each of the tour posts! 
Have a sunny and blessed Friday!

Launch of the Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too Blog Tour!

On this, the U.S. National Day of Prayer, we begin a very special blog tour. Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too is a devotional book designed to remind you of the behind-the-scenes ways God is at work in your life. Through anecdotes from Cindy Vincent's experiences as a cat "Mom" and related Scripture, the thirty-three devotions offer encouragement and comfort. You'll get an opportunity to read the book for yourself via a Kindle freebie promotion - and by sharing your honest review, you'll have the chance to enter to win some very sweet prizes. So come be inspired during this week full of great offers, reviews, spotlights, interviews, and blogger devotionals!

The Schedule

Thursday, May 1stIntroduction to the tour at Seasons of Humility ←You are here! Spotlight at Black 'n Gold Girl's Book Spot Friday, May 2nd Review at Grace ThorsonCat interview at Buckley's BlogSpotlight at The Writer's Window Saturday, May 3rdAuthor interview at The Wonderings of One Person Devotional at Seasons of Humility Sunday, May 4thReview at Jorie Loves a StoryReview at The Power of Words...Devotional at The Borrowed BookMonday, May 5thAuthor interview at The Power of Words...Review at The Borrowed Book Tuesday, May 6th Author interview at Jorie Loves a StorySpotlight at Too Read or Not Too Read Wednesday, May 7thReview at Bluerose's HeartSpotlight at A BookLover's Heart Thursday, May 8thReview at Mochas, Mysteries and MeowsReview at Labor Not in VainReview at To Be A PersonConclusion of the tour at Seasons of Humility**Giveaway winners will be announced on June 2nd, in order to give readers a month in which to read the book, submit their reviews, and enter the giveaway.

As crazy and stubborn as he is, Muffin Man is a well-loved member of his family, just like the cats in Cindy's book.
The Giveaway

This giveaway, like the tour, is a special one - and a little different from the usual set-up! To enter, all you have to do is leave an honest review of Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too on  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or Goodreads (it can be the same review on all three sites!). Then share the link(s) via the Rafflecopter form below, and you'll be entered for a chance to win a Swarovski cross necklace (valued at $130) or a set of the Buckley & Bogey Cat Detective Capers (one of which was featured here back in December)!

To make this giveaway even easier to participate in, check out these tidbits:
The book will be FREE for Kindle May 2-6 (starting tomorrow and ending next Tuesday night)! You can pick up your copy HERE . (Regularly priced at $2.99.)
The giveaway will be open throughout the month of May. The tour only lasts a week, but the giveaway will stay open the whole month so you have plenty of time to read this short but sweet read and submit your entries!You can come back to this post or visit the blog tour page to enter when you're ready!

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If you have any questions about the tour, or if you'd like to link up your own devotional or review of Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too, please email me at amberstokes@editingthroughtheseasons.com. And if you'd like to learn more about the book or help us spread the word by taking a blog button, you can visit the blog tour page (also linked to at the top of the sidebar). We hope you are touched and encouraged by this devotional and the posts for this tour!