June McCrary Jacobs's Blog: ~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~, page 103
June 5, 2018
~ BOOK TOUR FOR 'BOUNCE BACK' ~
~ BOOK TOUR STOP ~
-- 'BOUNCE BACK' --
BY AUTHOR DR. BRIDGETTE JENKINS
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Author Bio
& Excerpt~
'BOUNCE BACK' by Dr. Bridgette Jenkins
Tour Dates: June 4-29, 2018
Publication Date: May 19, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Non-Fiction
'Bounce Back' will encourage you to be intentional about facing adversity and challenges while staying positive about your situation. With practicality, wisdom and experience, Dr. Bridgette shares strategies and tips that can be used to help you Bounce Back from any negative life situation. After reading this book, and applying the practical Bounce Back tips, you will be able to withstand, recover from and overcome any challenge you might face in life.
Amazon eBookAmazon Paperback
Barnes & Noble
~ Introducing Dr. Bridgette Jenkins ~
Dr. Bridgette is a doctorally prepared registered nurse who specializes in education and community health. She has a heart for nursing students and those struggling to reach their education and career goals. She serves as mentor and coach to nurses and nursing students as they matriculate through the nursing profession. She is the owner of Health Education Institute where she teaches lifesaving courses to healthcare providers and the public. She also offers a variety of courses to healthcare providers to help them stay current on updates and changes within the healthcare arena. Dr. Bridgette also speaks at churches and community events on various health issues that are prevalent among vulnerable populations. She is the CEO/President of the Houston Chapter of Black Nurses Rock, a nonprofit organization committed to changing the lives of the citizens in the Houston area and surrounding communities through service and education. Bridgette resides in Houston, Texas, where she’s actively involved in her church and community. She is a mother to three adult children and a miniature schnauzer named Dallas. She is also MiMi to two adorable grandsons.
--Connect Socially: Website
EXCERPT:
Psalm 145:14 MSG
“GOD gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.”
1.) ACKNOWLEDGE IT
Acknowledging that you have experienced a setback is key to your recovery. No one is immune from being subject to challenges and setbacks. Acknowledging where you are and what you’ve experienced can jumpstart the process to recovery.
Understand that the road to recovery is a process! Pretending you aren’t disappointed, angry, sad, or frustrated won’t make the issues you are facing go away. We severely hinder our ability to recover when we sweep things under the rug or dig our heads in the sand and pretend as if nothing ever happened. If your true intention is to heal and move forward, YOU MUST acknowledge your feelings and emotions about the situation.
To acknowledge simply means to accept or admit the existence or truth of a matter or a thing. To admit, accept, grant, allow, concede, accede, confess, own. To recognize the fact, importance or quality of a matter or a thing.
When you acknowledge your feelings, you give yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you are feeling, at that moment. You learn that embracing your feelings, instead of suppressing them, allows the energy of those feelings to “ pass through ” you. When you suppress your feelings, they tend to linger and appear in unexpected and unwelcomed places! What you’ve experienced does not define who you are! Everything we experience has its place of importance in our lives. All our experiences, whether positive or negative, help to form the essence of who we really are - our authentic selves.
Just because you’ve undergone a setback does not mean you should throw in the towel. The fact that you made it to the other side says that you have an inner strength you probably weren’t aware you possessed. Without hesitation, I can say, “The only one standing between your recovery and your greatness is YOU!
In our lifetime, all of us will face the turbulent winds of change, challenges, shifts and setbacks. How we weather the storms of adversity will determine what happens in the aftermath. You don’t have to wait. You can embrace the fresh wind of acknowledgement today - this very moment - if you so choose! A setback, though not an easy thing to endure, should not always be considered negative. I suggest you take a different look at your situation and your circumstances. Own the moment! New scenery is just beyond the scope of your current view. “The first step on the path to positive change is acknowledging that change is necessary and possible. Open yourself to the possibility of seeing the world in a new way. What do you have to lose?” —Alex Blackwell
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Friday, June 8th: Friday Fiction Feature on Amish Fiction Author Beverly Lewis's latest release, 'The Road Home'. This blog tour stop for Bethany House includes a book spotlight and my review of the book.
-- Saturday, June 9th: Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.
-- Monday, June 11th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Non-Fiction Sewing Feature! I'm featuring one of my favorite new sewing/crafting books for middle-graders and teens, 'Stitch Camp'. Post includes book spotlight, author bios, my review, and a print copy giveaway (US only, one copy) sponsored by the publisher, Storey Publishing.
# # # # #
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Author Bio
& Excerpt~
'BOUNCE BACK' by Dr. Bridgette Jenkins
Tour Dates: June 4-29, 2018
Publication Date: May 19, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Non-Fiction
'Bounce Back' will encourage you to be intentional about facing adversity and challenges while staying positive about your situation. With practicality, wisdom and experience, Dr. Bridgette shares strategies and tips that can be used to help you Bounce Back from any negative life situation. After reading this book, and applying the practical Bounce Back tips, you will be able to withstand, recover from and overcome any challenge you might face in life.
Amazon eBookAmazon Paperback
Barnes & Noble
~ Introducing Dr. Bridgette Jenkins ~
Dr. Bridgette is a doctorally prepared registered nurse who specializes in education and community health. She has a heart for nursing students and those struggling to reach their education and career goals. She serves as mentor and coach to nurses and nursing students as they matriculate through the nursing profession. She is the owner of Health Education Institute where she teaches lifesaving courses to healthcare providers and the public. She also offers a variety of courses to healthcare providers to help them stay current on updates and changes within the healthcare arena. Dr. Bridgette also speaks at churches and community events on various health issues that are prevalent among vulnerable populations. She is the CEO/President of the Houston Chapter of Black Nurses Rock, a nonprofit organization committed to changing the lives of the citizens in the Houston area and surrounding communities through service and education. Bridgette resides in Houston, Texas, where she’s actively involved in her church and community. She is a mother to three adult children and a miniature schnauzer named Dallas. She is also MiMi to two adorable grandsons. --Connect Socially: Website
EXCERPT:
Psalm 145:14 MSG
“GOD gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.”
1.) ACKNOWLEDGE IT
Acknowledging that you have experienced a setback is key to your recovery. No one is immune from being subject to challenges and setbacks. Acknowledging where you are and what you’ve experienced can jumpstart the process to recovery.
Understand that the road to recovery is a process! Pretending you aren’t disappointed, angry, sad, or frustrated won’t make the issues you are facing go away. We severely hinder our ability to recover when we sweep things under the rug or dig our heads in the sand and pretend as if nothing ever happened. If your true intention is to heal and move forward, YOU MUST acknowledge your feelings and emotions about the situation.
To acknowledge simply means to accept or admit the existence or truth of a matter or a thing. To admit, accept, grant, allow, concede, accede, confess, own. To recognize the fact, importance or quality of a matter or a thing.
When you acknowledge your feelings, you give yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you are feeling, at that moment. You learn that embracing your feelings, instead of suppressing them, allows the energy of those feelings to “ pass through ” you. When you suppress your feelings, they tend to linger and appear in unexpected and unwelcomed places! What you’ve experienced does not define who you are! Everything we experience has its place of importance in our lives. All our experiences, whether positive or negative, help to form the essence of who we really are - our authentic selves.
Just because you’ve undergone a setback does not mean you should throw in the towel. The fact that you made it to the other side says that you have an inner strength you probably weren’t aware you possessed. Without hesitation, I can say, “The only one standing between your recovery and your greatness is YOU!
In our lifetime, all of us will face the turbulent winds of change, challenges, shifts and setbacks. How we weather the storms of adversity will determine what happens in the aftermath. You don’t have to wait. You can embrace the fresh wind of acknowledgement today - this very moment - if you so choose! A setback, though not an easy thing to endure, should not always be considered negative. I suggest you take a different look at your situation and your circumstances. Own the moment! New scenery is just beyond the scope of your current view. “The first step on the path to positive change is acknowledging that change is necessary and possible. Open yourself to the possibility of seeing the world in a new way. What do you have to lose?” —Alex Blackwell
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Friday, June 8th: Friday Fiction Feature on Amish Fiction Author Beverly Lewis's latest release, 'The Road Home'. This blog tour stop for Bethany House includes a book spotlight and my review of the book.
-- Saturday, June 9th: Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.
-- Monday, June 11th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Non-Fiction Sewing Feature! I'm featuring one of my favorite new sewing/crafting books for middle-graders and teens, 'Stitch Camp'. Post includes book spotlight, author bios, my review, and a print copy giveaway (US only, one copy) sponsored by the publisher, Storey Publishing.
# # # # #
June 4, 2018
~ BOOK BLAST 'DESTINED FOR LOVE RESORTS' ~
~ BOOK BLAST ~
-- 'DESTINED FOR LOVE RESORTS'
COLLECTION --
~EIGHT UNIQUE SWEET
DESTINATION
ROMANCES BY EIGHT
UNIQUE AUTHORS~
Destined for Love Resorts Collection - Thrilling Sweet Destination Romances
KEEP ME AT CHRISTMAS by Lucinda Whitney -- Can the magic of the season keep them together beyond Christmas? When Luciana Romano arrives in Hudson Springs, New York, her plan is to complete her restoration job at the museum so she can return home to her family in time for Christmas. But a blizzard grounds all flights, and she finds herself stranded. The DiLorenzo family offers her a place to stay, and she accepts their hospitality. But the unexpected attraction between her and the quiet, good-looking son makes it hard to want to leave. Jack DiLorenzo is stuck. Managing the family’s Italian café is not what he’d planned to do with his life, but his sense of duty won’t let him quit. When his grandmother invites a Portuguese woman to stay with them, Jack feels something he hasn’t felt for a long time: hope. He knows he shouldn’t get close to Luciana since she’s leaving as soon as the airport opens, but he can’t help himself. Yet as the magic of the season begins to work on them, he wonders how he can let go of the woman who’s awakened his heart.
AMAZON
IF THE SUIT FITS by Sally Johnson -- Finding love at the amusement park can be quite a ride. Becky Perkins has lost her job, her lease, and her car. As a result, she moves back in with her parents and takes the only job she can find: a seasonal position at the local amusement park as a sign spinner. Unfortunately, it includes wearing a foam hot-dog suit. When she crashes into fellow park employee Hudson Lowell, on her first day, suddenly the job doesn’t seem so bad. Actuary Hudson Lowell feels the weight of the world on his shoulders with this assignment. The Gainesville Amusement Park has been struggling for years. It’s his responsibility to advise the park owners as to the viability of the park. Going into the deal, the solution seems pretty simple—until he meets Becky. The more time Becky and Hudson spend together, the more their feelings grow, making it harder and harder for Hudson to be objective about his decision. If the park closes, it will impact the whole town and directly hurt Becky. And how can he hurt the woman he has fallen for?
AMAZON
SECOND CHANCE IN PARADISE by Jennifer Peel -- A first love that deserves a second chance. Doctoral student Holland Reeves may have aced every class she’s ever taken, but when it comes to life outside her lab, she finds she has more meaningful relationships with test tubes and pipettes than she does with people. That all changes when a surprise wedding invitation arrives, forcing her to return to the small coastal town of Paradise and the Clairborne Resort, where she left her first dream of being Mrs. Clairborne to begin the dream of becoming Dr. Reeves. There she must face her past and, to her surprise, the only man she ever loved, Porter Clairborne, the prodigal son who has unexpectedly returned. Together, Holland and Porter must decide if their love deserves a second chance, and if Paradise will finally live up to its name or forever remain a town of broken dreams.
AMAZON
KINGS CROSSED LOVERS by Donna K. Weaver -- Will their online magic survive when they meet in real life? Ethan Walters has no time for distractions like romance. Not if he's going to have the brilliant medical career he's always dreamed of. But when he's given a trip to a theme park resort as a college graduation present, he can't exactly say no. Even if Samantha--the one girl with the power to dismantle his goals--is tagging along. Samantha Diederik has managed to avoid her high society mother’s manipulations since the woman moved to Europe. Now she’s back and pressuring Sam to move to New York with her. With that battle on the horizon, Sam proceeds with a vacation with her brother and his roommate. She’s crushed on Ethan for years. They've only met online, but their hours-long conversations are the highlight of her week. Now she has a chance to find out if the cyber magic she's felt with him will translate to real life. And wow, does it ever--with sparks flying! Now all she has to do is find a way to fight off her mother's machinations while convincing Ethan she won’t destroy his dreams.
AMAZON
MARRYING AN ATHLETE by Anne-Marie Meyer -- Anna Short’s life has been in a slump ever since her boss and boyfriend—who happened to be the same person—dumped her. Now forced to work at a coffee shop, she's pretty sure her life can't go any lower. Enter Michael: her best friend McKenna’s older brother and life-long crush. Michael Jones is the life of the party. As a Defenseman for the New York Rangers, he's always had his pick of women and friends. When he mistakenly proposes to the Mayor's daughter at a party one night, he hightails it out of New York before the media storm hits. He drives to McKenna’s house where he finds her in emotional shambles. Grateful for the distraction her problems give him, he jumps head first into finding a solution.
AMAZON
HER BIG FAT DREAMY BILLIONAIRE EX by Victorine Lieske -- When McKenna begs them to fake a marriage so they can go with her to a counseling resort designed to help fix her failing one, Anna and Michael agree. After all, the drunken kiss they shared two years ago was definitely in the past. But when they decide to make it their mission to bring McKenna and her husband together, they begin to realize just how good of a team they really are. Felicity should have suspected something when she got hired to take pictures at a resort in Belize, all expenses paid. When she arrives and bumps into her ex-fiancé, Aiden, she realizes she’s been set up. His grandmother is playing matchmaker and every time she turns around Grams is forcing Aiden and her together. But she can’t fall for him again, it was a disaster last time, and she doesn’t want to repeat the past. Aiden can’t believe Felicity is at his resort. She broke his heart five years ago, and he’s determined not to allow it to happen again. But one disaster after another keeps forcing them together and he’s sure Grams is behind all of it. He’s just not sure how long he can hold out without pulling Felicity into his arms and confessing that he never really got over her. Her Big Fat Dreamy Billionaire Ex is a sweet romance, and it is a stand-alone novel.
AMAZON
THE TRUST OF A BILLIONAIRE - Michelle Pennington -- Can their love survive her secret? Hannah Rhodes is determined to keep her beachfront property, even though she can’t afford to. But it’s her childhood home and she can’t bear to see it plowed down by the billionaire investor who keeps raising his offer to buy it. When the same man hires her to be his daughter’s nanny—providing her the income she needs to reject his offer—the irony is not lost on her. However, seeing him as a loving, worried father makes it difficult to enjoy her secret revenge. For Carter Ellis, building his own resort was a massive risk, but worth it to build a new life for his daughter away from his controlling mother. Everything is going to plan except that the owner of the tumbled-down home blocking his resort view and threatening its success refuses to sell. If only his new nanny would stop distracting him, he just might be able to figure out how to solve this problem. Not only is she beautiful and vibrant, she’s helping his daughter bloom. Just when he begins to give in to his feelings, he discovers who she really is. When their trust is shaken, will Carter and Hannah sacrifice what they wanted most for a chance at something more?
AMAZON
MATCHED BY DESIGN by Lindzee Armstrong -- Jasmine has finally landed her dream job with a world-famous couture wedding dress designer. All she wants is to make a name for herself in the fashion world, and working on a celebrity’s wedding is a great start. But when the groom gets caught leering at the staff, the bride demands any single designers be taken off the project. No problem—Jasmine quickly invents a fake fiancé. Too bad the bride insists he come to the wedding. Dr. Isaac Sloan couldn’t save his best friend, so he’s left the army and cut all ties with his past. Now he’s spending his newly inherited fortune to improve the transplant surgery that killed his friend. Following through on the silly marriage pact he made with his childhood crush certainly isn’t in the plans. When Jasmine runs into Isaac at a coffee shop, he reluctantly agrees to be her pretend fiancé—but only after learning the bride’s dad is the prestigious transplant doctor who’s help he desperately needs. As sparks fly between Jasmine and Isaac, the line between fact and fiction grows very thin. Can they keep the engagement secret, or will the lies unravel their careers?
COMING SOON
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 6/22/18! Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
-- Friday, June 8th: Friday Fiction Feature on Amish Fiction Author Beverly Lewis's latest release, 'The Road Home'. This blog tour stop for Bethany House includes a book spotlight and my review of the book.
-- Saturday, June 9th: Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.
# # # # #
COLLECTION --
~EIGHT UNIQUE SWEET
DESTINATION
ROMANCES BY EIGHT
UNIQUE AUTHORS~
Destined for Love Resorts Collection - Thrilling Sweet Destination Romances
KEEP ME AT CHRISTMAS by Lucinda Whitney -- Can the magic of the season keep them together beyond Christmas? When Luciana Romano arrives in Hudson Springs, New York, her plan is to complete her restoration job at the museum so she can return home to her family in time for Christmas. But a blizzard grounds all flights, and she finds herself stranded. The DiLorenzo family offers her a place to stay, and she accepts their hospitality. But the unexpected attraction between her and the quiet, good-looking son makes it hard to want to leave. Jack DiLorenzo is stuck. Managing the family’s Italian café is not what he’d planned to do with his life, but his sense of duty won’t let him quit. When his grandmother invites a Portuguese woman to stay with them, Jack feels something he hasn’t felt for a long time: hope. He knows he shouldn’t get close to Luciana since she’s leaving as soon as the airport opens, but he can’t help himself. Yet as the magic of the season begins to work on them, he wonders how he can let go of the woman who’s awakened his heart.
AMAZON
IF THE SUIT FITS by Sally Johnson -- Finding love at the amusement park can be quite a ride. Becky Perkins has lost her job, her lease, and her car. As a result, she moves back in with her parents and takes the only job she can find: a seasonal position at the local amusement park as a sign spinner. Unfortunately, it includes wearing a foam hot-dog suit. When she crashes into fellow park employee Hudson Lowell, on her first day, suddenly the job doesn’t seem so bad. Actuary Hudson Lowell feels the weight of the world on his shoulders with this assignment. The Gainesville Amusement Park has been struggling for years. It’s his responsibility to advise the park owners as to the viability of the park. Going into the deal, the solution seems pretty simple—until he meets Becky. The more time Becky and Hudson spend together, the more their feelings grow, making it harder and harder for Hudson to be objective about his decision. If the park closes, it will impact the whole town and directly hurt Becky. And how can he hurt the woman he has fallen for?
AMAZON
SECOND CHANCE IN PARADISE by Jennifer Peel -- A first love that deserves a second chance. Doctoral student Holland Reeves may have aced every class she’s ever taken, but when it comes to life outside her lab, she finds she has more meaningful relationships with test tubes and pipettes than she does with people. That all changes when a surprise wedding invitation arrives, forcing her to return to the small coastal town of Paradise and the Clairborne Resort, where she left her first dream of being Mrs. Clairborne to begin the dream of becoming Dr. Reeves. There she must face her past and, to her surprise, the only man she ever loved, Porter Clairborne, the prodigal son who has unexpectedly returned. Together, Holland and Porter must decide if their love deserves a second chance, and if Paradise will finally live up to its name or forever remain a town of broken dreams.
AMAZON
KINGS CROSSED LOVERS by Donna K. Weaver -- Will their online magic survive when they meet in real life? Ethan Walters has no time for distractions like romance. Not if he's going to have the brilliant medical career he's always dreamed of. But when he's given a trip to a theme park resort as a college graduation present, he can't exactly say no. Even if Samantha--the one girl with the power to dismantle his goals--is tagging along. Samantha Diederik has managed to avoid her high society mother’s manipulations since the woman moved to Europe. Now she’s back and pressuring Sam to move to New York with her. With that battle on the horizon, Sam proceeds with a vacation with her brother and his roommate. She’s crushed on Ethan for years. They've only met online, but their hours-long conversations are the highlight of her week. Now she has a chance to find out if the cyber magic she's felt with him will translate to real life. And wow, does it ever--with sparks flying! Now all she has to do is find a way to fight off her mother's machinations while convincing Ethan she won’t destroy his dreams.
AMAZON
MARRYING AN ATHLETE by Anne-Marie Meyer -- Anna Short’s life has been in a slump ever since her boss and boyfriend—who happened to be the same person—dumped her. Now forced to work at a coffee shop, she's pretty sure her life can't go any lower. Enter Michael: her best friend McKenna’s older brother and life-long crush. Michael Jones is the life of the party. As a Defenseman for the New York Rangers, he's always had his pick of women and friends. When he mistakenly proposes to the Mayor's daughter at a party one night, he hightails it out of New York before the media storm hits. He drives to McKenna’s house where he finds her in emotional shambles. Grateful for the distraction her problems give him, he jumps head first into finding a solution.
AMAZON
HER BIG FAT DREAMY BILLIONAIRE EX by Victorine Lieske -- When McKenna begs them to fake a marriage so they can go with her to a counseling resort designed to help fix her failing one, Anna and Michael agree. After all, the drunken kiss they shared two years ago was definitely in the past. But when they decide to make it their mission to bring McKenna and her husband together, they begin to realize just how good of a team they really are. Felicity should have suspected something when she got hired to take pictures at a resort in Belize, all expenses paid. When she arrives and bumps into her ex-fiancé, Aiden, she realizes she’s been set up. His grandmother is playing matchmaker and every time she turns around Grams is forcing Aiden and her together. But she can’t fall for him again, it was a disaster last time, and she doesn’t want to repeat the past. Aiden can’t believe Felicity is at his resort. She broke his heart five years ago, and he’s determined not to allow it to happen again. But one disaster after another keeps forcing them together and he’s sure Grams is behind all of it. He’s just not sure how long he can hold out without pulling Felicity into his arms and confessing that he never really got over her. Her Big Fat Dreamy Billionaire Ex is a sweet romance, and it is a stand-alone novel.
AMAZON
THE TRUST OF A BILLIONAIRE - Michelle Pennington -- Can their love survive her secret? Hannah Rhodes is determined to keep her beachfront property, even though she can’t afford to. But it’s her childhood home and she can’t bear to see it plowed down by the billionaire investor who keeps raising his offer to buy it. When the same man hires her to be his daughter’s nanny—providing her the income she needs to reject his offer—the irony is not lost on her. However, seeing him as a loving, worried father makes it difficult to enjoy her secret revenge. For Carter Ellis, building his own resort was a massive risk, but worth it to build a new life for his daughter away from his controlling mother. Everything is going to plan except that the owner of the tumbled-down home blocking his resort view and threatening its success refuses to sell. If only his new nanny would stop distracting him, he just might be able to figure out how to solve this problem. Not only is she beautiful and vibrant, she’s helping his daughter bloom. Just when he begins to give in to his feelings, he discovers who she really is. When their trust is shaken, will Carter and Hannah sacrifice what they wanted most for a chance at something more?
AMAZON
MATCHED BY DESIGN by Lindzee Armstrong -- Jasmine has finally landed her dream job with a world-famous couture wedding dress designer. All she wants is to make a name for herself in the fashion world, and working on a celebrity’s wedding is a great start. But when the groom gets caught leering at the staff, the bride demands any single designers be taken off the project. No problem—Jasmine quickly invents a fake fiancé. Too bad the bride insists he come to the wedding. Dr. Isaac Sloan couldn’t save his best friend, so he’s left the army and cut all ties with his past. Now he’s spending his newly inherited fortune to improve the transplant surgery that killed his friend. Following through on the silly marriage pact he made with his childhood crush certainly isn’t in the plans. When Jasmine runs into Isaac at a coffee shop, he reluctantly agrees to be her pretend fiancé—but only after learning the bride’s dad is the prestigious transplant doctor who’s help he desperately needs. As sparks fly between Jasmine and Isaac, the line between fact and fiction grows very thin. Can they keep the engagement secret, or will the lies unravel their careers?
COMING SOON
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 6/22/18! Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
-- Friday, June 8th: Friday Fiction Feature on Amish Fiction Author Beverly Lewis's latest release, 'The Road Home'. This blog tour stop for Bethany House includes a book spotlight and my review of the book.
-- Saturday, June 9th: Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.
# # # # #
June 3, 2018
~ MMGM MAKE: PAPER INVENTIONS ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
-- 'MAKE: PAPER INVENTIONS
MACHINES THAT MOVE, DRAWINGS
THAT LIGHT UP, WEARABLES ANDSTRUCTURES YOU CAN CUT, FOLD, AND ROLL' --
Author Kathy Ceceri
LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Paper is incredible stuff. It's easy to cut, but incredibly strong. It's disposable, but can last for centuries. It can stand as stiff as a board, pop up like a spring, or float like a leaf. And its invention changed the world forever.
Perfect for kids, parents, and educators, Paper Inventions is a project-based book with full color illustrations, step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and templates that allow you to follow along with the book or devise something entirely new. Each chapter features new projects that will challenge and intrigue everyone, from beginning to experienced Makers.
In this book, you'll learn to make:
A light-up paper cat that shows how switches and sensors work
An action origami robot worm
Edible rice paper perfect for secret messages
A space rover that moves thanks to paper machinery
A paper generator that creates electricity when you tap or rub it
Heat-activated paper models that fold themselves
A geodesic dome big enough to crawl into--from newspaper!
MY THOUGHTS:
I learned so much about math, science, and engineering from this book! I've previously mentioned here on my blog that I was not a S.T.E.M. girl back in my school days. Reading, writing, and the arts were where my enthusiasm and interests were focused. When I read these middle-grade books as an adult, I find myself learning a lot of information I didn't previously know. I consider myself a lifelong learner in the purest sense of the phrase.
Here are some of the things I learned in this book:
1.) In the Paper Science chapter I learned about the history of paper including the fact that about two thousand years ago a Chinese official named Ts'ai Lun invented a process for making paper for drawing and writing using mulberry bark, old rags, and netting.
2.) In the Paper Structures chapter I learned triangles are the strongest shapes of all. The Tabletop Tetrahedron project, compared to a mini pyramid by the author, is a fractal. Since I'm not familiar with the term fractal, I was pleased the author included the definition in the text.
3.) The Geodesic Dome project made out of newspaper was one of my favorite projects presented in this book. Here I learned that geodesic domes are stronger than regular building shapes because they are made of triangles {see #2 above} with the addition of having the strength of rounded arches. Easy-peasy!
My favorite chapter was chapter 4--'3-D Paper Art'. The photos and stepped-out instructions for the quilling and weaving paper projects are exceptional. These projects would be fun for families, youth/camp/scout groups, and friends to work on together. The back matter includes templates for many of the projects and an index.
Overall, an excellent middle-grade or high school read to be used in the classroom and at other gatherings of youth. Highly recommended!
-------------------------
DISCLOSURE FROM BLOGGER: I received a paperback copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review of the book. I received no compensation for my post here or on any other site.
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
-- Saturday, June 9th: Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.
# # # # #
June 2, 2018
~ JUNE UNFORGETTABLE LOVE KICKOFF ~
Unforgettable Love
A Clean Romance Event
Hosted by I Am A ReaderDuring the month of June, we will be featuring 14 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be giveaways, free ebooks and great deals on books! Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!Brooke St. JamesDanielle ThorneKaylee BaldwinAubrey WynneAnnette LyonLaurie LewisG.G. VandagriffJosi S. KilpackDaniel BannerJanette RallisonRachael AndersonDelaney CameronShanna HatfieldElizabeth Johns
We are starting off with a $100 Giveaway!
Giveaway Details One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash. Ends 6/30/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
A RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
# # # # #
June 1, 2018
~ BOOK BLITZ 'THE LINEN GOD' ~
~ BOOK BLITZ ~
-- 'THE LINEN GOD' --
By Author Jim O'Shea
~Post includes Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway~
Welcome to The Linen God blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Linen God
Author: Jim O'Shea
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 31, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller
The Shroud of Turin is the most studied and controversial religious relic in human history.
The ancient linen cloth bears the image of a man, alleged to be that of Jesus of Nazareth. What if it were real? What if it contained a secret powerful enough to alter the course of human history? And what if it fell into the wrong hands?
Manny Lusum is convinced the Shroud is the genuine article and obsessed with proving it scientifically. Grace Barden is not only Manny's best friend, but also secretly in love with the physics student and soon-to-be Catholic priest. Across the globe, three grisly murders and the theft of a secret manuscript thrust Grace and Manny into a generations-old conspiracy of biblical proportions. From New York to Rome to the inner sanctum of the Vatican, they struggle to untangle a bizarre mystery surrounding the controversial artifact.
In a dramatic confrontation between faith and the ultimate evil on the world stage, Grace and Manny are pushed to the edge of an abyss, balanced on the brink between heaven and hell.
This suspenseful and captivating thriller is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, and David Baldacci. Order your copy today and experience a unique blend of history, science, conscience, religion and a battle of good versus evil that will keep you reading into the early morning hours!
“ . . . a wonderfully engaging, page-turning thriller.” —Doug Peterson, Award Winning Author of The Vanishing Woman and The Puzzle People
EXCERPT:
“Are you crazy? Why would you risk getting us tossed out of here? This exhibition comes to New York once every million years, and you risk it for a picture of an old rag, when you can buy one anywhere? And what was wrong with your phone’s camera—even though that’s not allowed either.”
“For some reason,” he said, trying to ignore the subtle scent of lilac wafting up at him, “the Vatican doesn’t allow the public to photograph the Shroud. Ever. I want to know why.”
Squinting up at him, she said, “Couldn’t your dad get you access? With all the money he gives the Church, he must have connections.”
He sighed. He respected the man who’d raised him, perhaps even loved him. “I didn’t want any special treatment.”
“Okay, fine, so you risk this. Tell me why you need a photograph of your very own?”
He leaned against the wall so that he could watch in both directions. This probably wasn’t the best time for a lecture, but if he wanted her help, she’d need to understand. “An amateur photographer named Secondo Pia took the first photo of the Shroud of Turin in 1898. He—”
A young boy scampered into the alcove, turning only at a sharp command from his father. Manny waited until they were alone again and turned his gaze to Grace’s familiar blue eyes. They sparkled, even under this recessed lighting.
What had he been talking about? Oh, right.
“As the story goes,” he continued, “Pia was stunned when he saw the exposed plate in his darkroom. The negative gave the appearance of a positive image, like this one.” He pointed to the Shroud picture on a poster. “Although the Shroud had been around for hundreds of years, no one had seen this image prior to 1898. The positive image implies that the Shroud itself is effectively a negative of some kind.”
“How did the image get on the cloth?”
“That’s the hundred-thousand-dollar question. There are lots of theories, but I’m pursuing one I believe holds some serious water.”
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim is a long-time resident of Chesterfield, Missouri…“The City of Sculptures”. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia and now spends his time crafting novels of suspense that tackle the complex relationship between science and religion, stories designed to take the reader places he or she may not have previously considered.
CONNECT: website | Facebook
GIVEAWAY
Ambassador International is giving away:
Grand Prize: (1) print copy of The Linen God (US Only)
PLUS 4 more winners will receive an ebook copy of The Linen God (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below.
Giveaway will begin at midnight June 2, 2018 and last through 11:59pm June 9, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along with the blitz for more chances to win at JustRead!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
# # # # #
~Post includes Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway~
Welcome to The Linen God blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Linen God Author: Jim O'Shea
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 31, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller
The Shroud of Turin is the most studied and controversial religious relic in human history.
The ancient linen cloth bears the image of a man, alleged to be that of Jesus of Nazareth. What if it were real? What if it contained a secret powerful enough to alter the course of human history? And what if it fell into the wrong hands?
Manny Lusum is convinced the Shroud is the genuine article and obsessed with proving it scientifically. Grace Barden is not only Manny's best friend, but also secretly in love with the physics student and soon-to-be Catholic priest. Across the globe, three grisly murders and the theft of a secret manuscript thrust Grace and Manny into a generations-old conspiracy of biblical proportions. From New York to Rome to the inner sanctum of the Vatican, they struggle to untangle a bizarre mystery surrounding the controversial artifact.
In a dramatic confrontation between faith and the ultimate evil on the world stage, Grace and Manny are pushed to the edge of an abyss, balanced on the brink between heaven and hell.
This suspenseful and captivating thriller is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, and David Baldacci. Order your copy today and experience a unique blend of history, science, conscience, religion and a battle of good versus evil that will keep you reading into the early morning hours!
“ . . . a wonderfully engaging, page-turning thriller.” —Doug Peterson, Award Winning Author of The Vanishing Woman and The Puzzle People
EXCERPT:
“Are you crazy? Why would you risk getting us tossed out of here? This exhibition comes to New York once every million years, and you risk it for a picture of an old rag, when you can buy one anywhere? And what was wrong with your phone’s camera—even though that’s not allowed either.”
“For some reason,” he said, trying to ignore the subtle scent of lilac wafting up at him, “the Vatican doesn’t allow the public to photograph the Shroud. Ever. I want to know why.”
Squinting up at him, she said, “Couldn’t your dad get you access? With all the money he gives the Church, he must have connections.”
He sighed. He respected the man who’d raised him, perhaps even loved him. “I didn’t want any special treatment.”
“Okay, fine, so you risk this. Tell me why you need a photograph of your very own?”
He leaned against the wall so that he could watch in both directions. This probably wasn’t the best time for a lecture, but if he wanted her help, she’d need to understand. “An amateur photographer named Secondo Pia took the first photo of the Shroud of Turin in 1898. He—”
A young boy scampered into the alcove, turning only at a sharp command from his father. Manny waited until they were alone again and turned his gaze to Grace’s familiar blue eyes. They sparkled, even under this recessed lighting.
What had he been talking about? Oh, right.
“As the story goes,” he continued, “Pia was stunned when he saw the exposed plate in his darkroom. The negative gave the appearance of a positive image, like this one.” He pointed to the Shroud picture on a poster. “Although the Shroud had been around for hundreds of years, no one had seen this image prior to 1898. The positive image implies that the Shroud itself is effectively a negative of some kind.”
“How did the image get on the cloth?”
“That’s the hundred-thousand-dollar question. There are lots of theories, but I’m pursuing one I believe holds some serious water.”
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jim is a long-time resident of Chesterfield, Missouri…“The City of Sculptures”. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia and now spends his time crafting novels of suspense that tackle the complex relationship between science and religion, stories designed to take the reader places he or she may not have previously considered.
CONNECT: website | Facebook
GIVEAWAY
Ambassador International is giving away:
Grand Prize: (1) print copy of The Linen God (US Only)
PLUS 4 more winners will receive an ebook copy of The Linen God (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below.
Giveaway will begin at midnight June 2, 2018 and last through 11:59pm June 9, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along with the blitz for more chances to win at JustRead!
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
# # # # #
May 31, 2018
~ BLOG TOUR 'BOUNTY BEYOND REASON' ~
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~
-- 'BOUNTY BEYOND REASON' --
~Post Includes Interview with Author Kari Trumbo,Book Blurb & Giveaway~
Welcome to the blog tour and giveaway for Bounty Beyond Reason by Kari Trumbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
--AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
JUNE: Welcome to 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic', Kari. It's a pleasure to chat with an historical romance author since it's been one of my favorite genres to read for many years. Please tell us a little bit about your background as a writer. When did you begin writing fiction? Did you enjoy creative writing in school?
KARI: Thank you for having me! I've been writing for about 5 years now, published for 3. Prior to writing, I helped many of my friends with beta reading and developmental editing. The story bug was strong with me, though, and editing wasn't enough. I had to write my own.
I did enjoy creative writing in school, but even then I bucked the system. If we were supposed to hand in our “outline” for our story ahead of time, I couldn't do it. I wouldn't have an outline until the story was finished because that's just the way my brain works.
JUNE: I operate the same way when I'm writing a book.
---------------------------------------------
JUNE: I noticed your new release, 'Bounty Beyond Reason', is Book 7 of 8 {so far} in a series called 'Brides of Blessings'. You also wrote Book 2. The other books in the series are written by five different authors. This sounds like a fun project! How did you all get together to work on this series? Are the books stand-alones or do the stories share a common setting and/or characters? Does the group have plans to continue writing books for this series?
KARI: The Brides of Blessings series has been a fun project. My friend, Lynn, created this town and the whole idea centers around the idea that men may have won the west, but the women tamed it. Every heroine in the series is formidable, because they had to be in gold rush California. Now, I must say that all of the books in the series are sweet, but only mine and Heather Blanton's are Christian.
I will have at least one more story in this series and it will release in October. All the stories are set in the same little town of Blessings, so we made a map, a character guide, we know each story line and when different people and stores will be introduced. It's all quite fun.
JUNE: Sounds like a lot of fun! I like the idea of having a map and character guide to keep everyone on the same page {please pardon the pun!}.
-------------------------------------------------
JUNE: Have you always been interested in history? Please tell us some of the activities you engage in when researching for a setting for one of your projects. Field trips to historical sites and museums? Archival research? Oral interviews with historians?
KARI: I have always loved history. My father used to tease me that I'd better find something else besides history to be good at, because the only thing I could do with a degree in history was to be a lawyer, and he'd disown me if I did. It was all very tongue in cheek, and he's proud of his history-buff daughter.
One of my most favorite museums to visit was the Adams Museum in Deadwood, SD. It is just a treasure! I had already planned on writing the Seven Brides of South Dakota series before visiting the Adams, but the history just came to life for me so much that I literally got home and started writing.
Along the same lines, some of the cities I wrote about in that series, I didn't have a chance to actually visit, so I called local libraries to get information. They have all been so very helpful.
JUNE: The Adams Museum sounds like a place I'd like to visit, too.
---------------------------------------------------------
JUNE: Your website says you homeschool your four children. Are any of your students following in your footsteps when it comes to writing fiction?
KARI: Both of my girls are artistic. Both have tried writing stories and, while they enjoy it, it isn't for them at this time. My oldest sings all the time (that's my fault, I used to do the very same thing) and my younger daughter draws. That isn't surprising either, considering both of her uncles are artists.
My boys tell a lot of stories, but they don't write them down yet and mostly, those are just for fun. Fishing Tales of the Pokemon kind.
----------------------------------------------------------
JUNE: If you were not writing historical romance, what other fictional genre might you try? Would you ever consider writing non-fiction? If so, what subject(s) would you like to write about?
KARI: I have written a few contemporary Christian romances. I enjoyed writing them but my muse is 150 years old and just doesn't understand that a man 2018 would have a pickup. It is nice to have a little less research to do, but honestly, I'm most at home in 1880-1905.
JUNE: I love the same time period and up through the 1940s, so I can understand how you feel about being at home in the past.
------------------------------------------------------------
JUNE: Thank you so much for sharing with my readers today, Kari. I truly appreciate your taking a moment out of your busy schedule to visit with us. Wishing you continued success in your writing endeavors!
KARI: Thank you so much and thank you for having me.
*********************
--ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: Bounty Beyond Reason
Author: Kari Trumbo
Series: Brides of Blessings #7
Release Date: May 9, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
For the last four years, she's wanted to watch him hang.
Hannah Gale has to avenge her husband's death and the loss of her future and watching Emitt Hayes swing will do just that. When she's able to catch him, she can bring him back and claim the bounty, redeeming some of the wealth Emitt stole.
Emitt stole a horse to redeem a debt.
It started a landslide of events that changed many lives, and a has eaten at him ever since. He's taken on the name Cort Nelson to hide. When his past catches up with him, Hannah is more fire than he's expecting. His quiet, hidden life will never be the same.
A hidden danger appears that could cost them both their lives, can Cort admit to what he's done and be the man Hannah needs and can Hannah release her grudge to grab hold of a future worth having?
Purchase Links: Goodreads | Amazon
--ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kari Trumbo is a best-selling author of Christian and sweet romance.
She writes swooney heroes and places that become characters, with historical detail and heart. She's a stay-at-home mom to four vibrant children. When she isn't writing, or editing, she home schools her children and pretends to keep up with them.
Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing when no one’s listening, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota, land of frigid toes and mosquitoes the size of compact cars, with her husband of almost twenty-one years. They have two daughters, two sons, two cats, and one hungry wood stove.
--CONNECT WITH KARI: Website | Facebook | Twitter
--GIVEAWAY:
Kari Trumbo is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, as well as signed copies of Blessed Beyond Measure and Bounty Beyond Reason! One winner. US only. (International winners may be eligible but for gift card only.)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 28, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm June 4, 2018. Winner will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
For the full tour schedule and more giveaway entries, head to JustRead's Launch Page HERE
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Saturday, June 2nd: Blitz for 'Linen God'. Blitz includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blitz hosted by JustRead Publicity.
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
# # # # #
~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~
-- 'BOUNTY BEYOND REASON' --
~Post Includes Interview with Author Kari Trumbo,Book Blurb & Giveaway~
Welcome to the blog tour and giveaway for Bounty Beyond Reason by Kari Trumbo, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
--AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
JUNE: Welcome to 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic', Kari. It's a pleasure to chat with an historical romance author since it's been one of my favorite genres to read for many years. Please tell us a little bit about your background as a writer. When did you begin writing fiction? Did you enjoy creative writing in school?
KARI: Thank you for having me! I've been writing for about 5 years now, published for 3. Prior to writing, I helped many of my friends with beta reading and developmental editing. The story bug was strong with me, though, and editing wasn't enough. I had to write my own.
I did enjoy creative writing in school, but even then I bucked the system. If we were supposed to hand in our “outline” for our story ahead of time, I couldn't do it. I wouldn't have an outline until the story was finished because that's just the way my brain works.
JUNE: I operate the same way when I'm writing a book.
---------------------------------------------
JUNE: I noticed your new release, 'Bounty Beyond Reason', is Book 7 of 8 {so far} in a series called 'Brides of Blessings'. You also wrote Book 2. The other books in the series are written by five different authors. This sounds like a fun project! How did you all get together to work on this series? Are the books stand-alones or do the stories share a common setting and/or characters? Does the group have plans to continue writing books for this series?
KARI: The Brides of Blessings series has been a fun project. My friend, Lynn, created this town and the whole idea centers around the idea that men may have won the west, but the women tamed it. Every heroine in the series is formidable, because they had to be in gold rush California. Now, I must say that all of the books in the series are sweet, but only mine and Heather Blanton's are Christian.
I will have at least one more story in this series and it will release in October. All the stories are set in the same little town of Blessings, so we made a map, a character guide, we know each story line and when different people and stores will be introduced. It's all quite fun.
JUNE: Sounds like a lot of fun! I like the idea of having a map and character guide to keep everyone on the same page {please pardon the pun!}.
-------------------------------------------------
JUNE: Have you always been interested in history? Please tell us some of the activities you engage in when researching for a setting for one of your projects. Field trips to historical sites and museums? Archival research? Oral interviews with historians?
KARI: I have always loved history. My father used to tease me that I'd better find something else besides history to be good at, because the only thing I could do with a degree in history was to be a lawyer, and he'd disown me if I did. It was all very tongue in cheek, and he's proud of his history-buff daughter.
One of my most favorite museums to visit was the Adams Museum in Deadwood, SD. It is just a treasure! I had already planned on writing the Seven Brides of South Dakota series before visiting the Adams, but the history just came to life for me so much that I literally got home and started writing.
Along the same lines, some of the cities I wrote about in that series, I didn't have a chance to actually visit, so I called local libraries to get information. They have all been so very helpful.
JUNE: The Adams Museum sounds like a place I'd like to visit, too.
---------------------------------------------------------
JUNE: Your website says you homeschool your four children. Are any of your students following in your footsteps when it comes to writing fiction?
KARI: Both of my girls are artistic. Both have tried writing stories and, while they enjoy it, it isn't for them at this time. My oldest sings all the time (that's my fault, I used to do the very same thing) and my younger daughter draws. That isn't surprising either, considering both of her uncles are artists.
My boys tell a lot of stories, but they don't write them down yet and mostly, those are just for fun. Fishing Tales of the Pokemon kind.
----------------------------------------------------------
JUNE: If you were not writing historical romance, what other fictional genre might you try? Would you ever consider writing non-fiction? If so, what subject(s) would you like to write about?
KARI: I have written a few contemporary Christian romances. I enjoyed writing them but my muse is 150 years old and just doesn't understand that a man 2018 would have a pickup. It is nice to have a little less research to do, but honestly, I'm most at home in 1880-1905.
JUNE: I love the same time period and up through the 1940s, so I can understand how you feel about being at home in the past.
------------------------------------------------------------
JUNE: Thank you so much for sharing with my readers today, Kari. I truly appreciate your taking a moment out of your busy schedule to visit with us. Wishing you continued success in your writing endeavors!
KARI: Thank you so much and thank you for having me.
*********************
--ABOUT THE BOOK:
Title: Bounty Beyond Reason Author: Kari Trumbo
Series: Brides of Blessings #7
Release Date: May 9, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Historical Romance
For the last four years, she's wanted to watch him hang.
Hannah Gale has to avenge her husband's death and the loss of her future and watching Emitt Hayes swing will do just that. When she's able to catch him, she can bring him back and claim the bounty, redeeming some of the wealth Emitt stole.
Emitt stole a horse to redeem a debt.
It started a landslide of events that changed many lives, and a has eaten at him ever since. He's taken on the name Cort Nelson to hide. When his past catches up with him, Hannah is more fire than he's expecting. His quiet, hidden life will never be the same.
A hidden danger appears that could cost them both their lives, can Cort admit to what he's done and be the man Hannah needs and can Hannah release her grudge to grab hold of a future worth having?
Purchase Links: Goodreads | Amazon
--ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kari Trumbo is a best-selling author of Christian and sweet romance.
She writes swooney heroes and places that become characters, with historical detail and heart. She's a stay-at-home mom to four vibrant children. When she isn't writing, or editing, she home schools her children and pretends to keep up with them.
Kari loves reading, listening to contemporary Christian music, singing when no one’s listening, and curling up near the wood stove when winter hits. She makes her home in central Minnesota, land of frigid toes and mosquitoes the size of compact cars, with her husband of almost twenty-one years. They have two daughters, two sons, two cats, and one hungry wood stove.
--CONNECT WITH KARI: Website | Facebook | Twitter
--GIVEAWAY:
Kari Trumbo is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, as well as signed copies of Blessed Beyond Measure and Bounty Beyond Reason! One winner. US only. (International winners may be eligible but for gift card only.)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 28, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm June 4, 2018. Winner will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
For the full tour schedule and more giveaway entries, head to JustRead's Launch Page HERE
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Saturday, June 2nd: Blitz for 'Linen God'. Blitz includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blitz hosted by JustRead Publicity.
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.
# # # # #
May 29, 2018
~ BLOG TOUR 'A THOUSAND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS' ~
~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~
-- 'A THOUSAND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS'
BY CEDAR FORT AUTHOR TERI HARMAN --Post includes: Book Spotlight, Author Bio & Giveaway
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Is love stronger than grief?
After the death of her Aunt Jetty, the woman who raised her, Matilda White packs a single suitcase, leaving behind her home, her small town in Kansas, and the man she’s supposed to marry.
Henry Craig is a writer—if only he could find the right words. While sitting at a worn table in a Detroit library he sees a new librarian, Matidla, and suddenly the world erupts with words.
Six years later, Matilda and Henry load their young daughter Lucy, two antique typewriters, and a box of Henry’s love letters into the car and head off to a new life. But one snowstorm and a slippery road take it all away. In that black moment of tragedy Matilda turns to Henry and says, “I wish I’d never met you.”
The world goes dark.
Matilda wakes up in Jetty’s dilapidated house with no memory of the last six years. Beside her on the bed, a book and an antique typewriter.
Henry wakes up in his familiar spot in the library, a book and old typewriter squatting on the table beside him. He can’t remember the last six years.
Can words on a typed page, sent from one typewriter to another, push aside tar-thick pain and resurrect love?
GOODREADS | AMAZON ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Teri Harman has believed in all things wondrous and haunting since her childhood days of sitting in the highest tree branches reading Roald Dahl and running in the rain imagining stories of danger and romance. She’s the author of three previous books: Blood Moon, Black Moon, and Storm Moon. She also writes about books for ksl.com, and has contributed regular book segments to 'Studio 5 with Brooke Walker,' Utah’s number one lifestyle show. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children. Visit her at teriharman.com.
FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM| WEBSITE
-- GIVEAWAY --
Enter the givewaway HERE. Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.
Tour Schedule May 28-Christian Bookaholic | cherylbbookblog
May 29-Blooming with Books | Heidi Reads…
May 30-Reading Is My SuperPower | Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic
May 31-Singing Librarian Books | Edits and Reviews by Leslie | Fiction Aficionado
June 1-Paulette’s Papers | Pause for Tales
June 2-Radiant Light | Why Not Because I Said So
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':-- Friday, June 1st: Blog Tour Stop for 'Bounty Beyond Reason' by Author Kari Trumbo. Stop includes an author interview, spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.
-- Saturday, June 2nd: Blitz for 'Linen God'. Blitz includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blitz hosted by JustRead Publicity.
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Feature. Book TBA.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.# # # # #
ABOUT THE BOOK:Is love stronger than grief?
After the death of her Aunt Jetty, the woman who raised her, Matilda White packs a single suitcase, leaving behind her home, her small town in Kansas, and the man she’s supposed to marry.
Henry Craig is a writer—if only he could find the right words. While sitting at a worn table in a Detroit library he sees a new librarian, Matidla, and suddenly the world erupts with words.
Six years later, Matilda and Henry load their young daughter Lucy, two antique typewriters, and a box of Henry’s love letters into the car and head off to a new life. But one snowstorm and a slippery road take it all away. In that black moment of tragedy Matilda turns to Henry and says, “I wish I’d never met you.”
The world goes dark.
Matilda wakes up in Jetty’s dilapidated house with no memory of the last six years. Beside her on the bed, a book and an antique typewriter.
Henry wakes up in his familiar spot in the library, a book and old typewriter squatting on the table beside him. He can’t remember the last six years.
Can words on a typed page, sent from one typewriter to another, push aside tar-thick pain and resurrect love?
GOODREADS | AMAZON ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Teri Harman has believed in all things wondrous and haunting since her childhood days of sitting in the highest tree branches reading Roald Dahl and running in the rain imagining stories of danger and romance. She’s the author of three previous books: Blood Moon, Black Moon, and Storm Moon. She also writes about books for ksl.com, and has contributed regular book segments to 'Studio 5 with Brooke Walker,' Utah’s number one lifestyle show. She lives in Utah with her husband and three children. Visit her at teriharman.com.FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM| WEBSITE
-- GIVEAWAY --
Enter the givewaway HERE. Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.
Tour Schedule May 28-Christian Bookaholic | cherylbbookblog
May 29-Blooming with Books | Heidi Reads…
May 30-Reading Is My SuperPower | Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic
May 31-Singing Librarian Books | Edits and Reviews by Leslie | Fiction Aficionado
June 1-Paulette’s Papers | Pause for Tales
June 2-Radiant Light | Why Not Because I Said So
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':-- Friday, June 1st: Blog Tour Stop for 'Bounty Beyond Reason' by Author Kari Trumbo. Stop includes an author interview, spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.
-- Saturday, June 2nd: Blitz for 'Linen God'. Blitz includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blitz hosted by JustRead Publicity.
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Feature. Book TBA.
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.# # # # #
May 28, 2018
~ BOOK BLAST 'A GENTLE HEART' ~
~ BOOK BLAST ~
-- 'A Gentle Heart' --
by Author Christie Logan
-Post Includes Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway-
ABOUT THE BOOK:
'A Gentle Heart' by Christie Logan ~ Ambitious realtor Alex has plans for his life—big plans—and getting dumped by his fiancée won't sidetrack him. He'll have to face her again at an important business function, but he won't let himself be the object of pity and scorn. What better way to show the world—and his ex— how well he's doing than to arrive with a beautiful woman on his arm? A woman he finds, of all places, behind the lingerie counter of a department store.
Tyffanie has dreams that extend far beyond her sales counter, but she's been burned by men only interested in her looks. Deep inside, she's still the gawky, freckle-faced girl other kids used to tease. When handsome, successful Alex enters her life, everything changes. He's the first to look beneath the surface, respect her, and care about her hopes and dreams. Alex discovers there is so much more to Tyffanie than outward beauty. He's falling in love with her kind soul and gentle heart when he must decide how far he's willing to pursue success and all its trappings. Because his need to win at all costs may cost him Tyffanie's love.
EXCERPT: Alex didn't know what to make of this girl, made up like a high-fashion cover model with the demeanor of a school girl. He couldn't decide if she was truly innocent or just a little dim. Or maybe both were an act and she was dumb like a fox. He'd been fooled before, after all. He'd believed Claire's act, hadn't he? Whether Tyffanie was for real or just a very good actress, he wouldn't get distracted by her charms. His eyes were wide open this time. No way would he let a woman fool him again.
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * iTunes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Christie Logan writes sweet romance straight from the heart. She lives in upstate New York with too many pets, too many dust bunnies lurking under the bed, and too many plot bunnies bouncing around in her head. She thinks everyone deserves a happy ending and in her books, they get one.
Website * Facebook * Twitter
GIVEAWAY: $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 6/10/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Wednesday, May 30th: Book Spotlight for 'A Thousand Sleepless Nights'. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Books.
-- Friday, June 1st: Blog Tour Stop for 'Bounty Beyond Reason'. Stop includes an author interview with Kari Trumbo, book spotlight, and giveaway. Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.
# # # # #
by Author Christie Logan
-Post Includes Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway-
ABOUT THE BOOK:
'A Gentle Heart' by Christie Logan ~ Ambitious realtor Alex has plans for his life—big plans—and getting dumped by his fiancée won't sidetrack him. He'll have to face her again at an important business function, but he won't let himself be the object of pity and scorn. What better way to show the world—and his ex— how well he's doing than to arrive with a beautiful woman on his arm? A woman he finds, of all places, behind the lingerie counter of a department store.
Tyffanie has dreams that extend far beyond her sales counter, but she's been burned by men only interested in her looks. Deep inside, she's still the gawky, freckle-faced girl other kids used to tease. When handsome, successful Alex enters her life, everything changes. He's the first to look beneath the surface, respect her, and care about her hopes and dreams. Alex discovers there is so much more to Tyffanie than outward beauty. He's falling in love with her kind soul and gentle heart when he must decide how far he's willing to pursue success and all its trappings. Because his need to win at all costs may cost him Tyffanie's love.
EXCERPT: Alex didn't know what to make of this girl, made up like a high-fashion cover model with the demeanor of a school girl. He couldn't decide if she was truly innocent or just a little dim. Or maybe both were an act and she was dumb like a fox. He'd been fooled before, after all. He'd believed Claire's act, hadn't he? Whether Tyffanie was for real or just a very good actress, he wouldn't get distracted by her charms. His eyes were wide open this time. No way would he let a woman fool him again.
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * iTunes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Christie Logan writes sweet romance straight from the heart. She lives in upstate New York with too many pets, too many dust bunnies lurking under the bed, and too many plot bunnies bouncing around in her head. She thinks everyone deserves a happy ending and in her books, they get one.
Website * Facebook * Twitter
GIVEAWAY: $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 6/10/18
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Wednesday, May 30th: Book Spotlight for 'A Thousand Sleepless Nights'. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Books.
-- Friday, June 1st: Blog Tour Stop for 'Bounty Beyond Reason'. Stop includes an author interview with Kari Trumbo, book spotlight, and giveaway. Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.
# # # # #
May 27, 2018
~ MMGM Arlington National Cemetery ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY NON-FICTION FEATUREIN HONOR OF MEMORIAL DAY ~ -- 'ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY' -- AUTHOR BOB TEMPLE
LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
ABOUT THE BOOK:This lower middle-grade non-fiction book including historical and contemporary photographs was published by The Child's World in Mankato, Minnesota, copyright 2014.
Link to Excerpt Courtesy of Publisher
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: {from the Publisher's Website} Bob Temple, who also writes under the name Carl Emerson, is the author of more than 20 nonfiction books for children and young adults, and seven Internet-related titles. Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of St. Thomas and is an award-winning journalist who has enjoyed a 16-year career in newspapers and online journalism. He is also the president of an editorial services and Web content firm based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Bob and his wife, Teri, are the parents of three school-age children. He enjoys traveling and playing golf.
MY REVIEW:
Coming from a family with three generations of military veterans, I wanted to share a special book as a tribute to these brave individuals on Memorial Day. I found what I was looking for in this book.
The text of the book is appropriate for lower middle-grade students to comprehend as a read-aloud, and I feel it would be grade-level appropriate reading material for upper middle-grade students. As new vocabulary words are introduced, they are printed in rust-colored ink. This color coding signals to the reader that the word is included in the Glossary at the end of the book.
The narrative explains the purpose of this cemetery before presenting the history of these hallowed grounds. There is an historical photo of Union soldiers on the property during the Civil War along with several contemporary photos of the grounds and monuments found at Arlington.
I thought I knew a lot about this sacred place, but I learned several significant facts as I read the text.
-- The bodies of many Civil War soldiers could not be identified and they were called Unknown Soldiers. In 1866 more than two thousand bodies were buried there in a memorial. This monument is called the Tomb of the Unknown Dead of the Civil War.
-- The United States government paid one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the Lee family, the owners of the property, in 1822. {Read the book to learn all the details!}
-- The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier includes the remains of four soldiers. One soldier from each of these wars: Wolrd War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
-- There is a special monument honoring the crew of the Challenger space shuttle disaster in January, 1986.
-- Experts project the cemetery will be filled by 2020.
Besides the Glossary, the back matter includes a 'Find Out More' section including resources for other library books and website links so young readers can learn more about this honored place.
Highly-recommended for teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents, scout and youth groups, and military families!
I borrowed this book from the children's section in the local public library.
To learn more about Arlington National Cemetery and how they observe Memorial Day each May, follow the following link:
Link to Arlington National Cemetery's Website
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Tuesday, May 29th: Book Blast for 'A Gentle Heart'. Blast includes a $50 giveaway. Event hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, May 30th: Book Spotlight for 'A Thousand Sleepless Nights'. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Books.
-- Friday, June 1st: Blog Tour Stop for 'Bounty Beyond Reason'. Stop includes an author interview with Kari Trumbo, book spotlight, and giveaway. Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.
# # # # #
MONDAY NON-FICTION FEATUREIN HONOR OF MEMORIAL DAY ~ -- 'ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY' -- AUTHOR BOB TEMPLE
LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
ABOUT THE BOOK:This lower middle-grade non-fiction book including historical and contemporary photographs was published by The Child's World in Mankato, Minnesota, copyright 2014.
Link to Excerpt Courtesy of Publisher
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: {from the Publisher's Website} Bob Temple, who also writes under the name Carl Emerson, is the author of more than 20 nonfiction books for children and young adults, and seven Internet-related titles. Bob holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of St. Thomas and is an award-winning journalist who has enjoyed a 16-year career in newspapers and online journalism. He is also the president of an editorial services and Web content firm based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Bob and his wife, Teri, are the parents of three school-age children. He enjoys traveling and playing golf.
MY REVIEW:
Coming from a family with three generations of military veterans, I wanted to share a special book as a tribute to these brave individuals on Memorial Day. I found what I was looking for in this book.
The text of the book is appropriate for lower middle-grade students to comprehend as a read-aloud, and I feel it would be grade-level appropriate reading material for upper middle-grade students. As new vocabulary words are introduced, they are printed in rust-colored ink. This color coding signals to the reader that the word is included in the Glossary at the end of the book.
The narrative explains the purpose of this cemetery before presenting the history of these hallowed grounds. There is an historical photo of Union soldiers on the property during the Civil War along with several contemporary photos of the grounds and monuments found at Arlington.
I thought I knew a lot about this sacred place, but I learned several significant facts as I read the text.
-- The bodies of many Civil War soldiers could not be identified and they were called Unknown Soldiers. In 1866 more than two thousand bodies were buried there in a memorial. This monument is called the Tomb of the Unknown Dead of the Civil War.
-- The United States government paid one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the Lee family, the owners of the property, in 1822. {Read the book to learn all the details!}
-- The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier includes the remains of four soldiers. One soldier from each of these wars: Wolrd War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
-- There is a special monument honoring the crew of the Challenger space shuttle disaster in January, 1986.
-- Experts project the cemetery will be filled by 2020.
Besides the Glossary, the back matter includes a 'Find Out More' section including resources for other library books and website links so young readers can learn more about this honored place.
Highly-recommended for teachers, librarians, parents, grandparents, scout and youth groups, and military families!
I borrowed this book from the children's section in the local public library.
To learn more about Arlington National Cemetery and how they observe Memorial Day each May, follow the following link:
Link to Arlington National Cemetery's Website
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Tuesday, May 29th: Book Blast for 'A Gentle Heart'. Blast includes a $50 giveaway. Event hosted by I Am A Reader.
-- Wednesday, May 30th: Book Spotlight for 'A Thousand Sleepless Nights'. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Books.
-- Friday, June 1st: Blog Tour Stop for 'Bounty Beyond Reason'. Stop includes an author interview with Kari Trumbo, book spotlight, and giveaway. Tour hosted by JustRead Publicity.
# # # # #
May 25, 2018
~ BOOK BLITZ ~-- 'LOVING GRACE' --By Author A...
~ BOOK BLITZ ~
-- 'LOVING GRACE' --
By Author April Smith 
Welcome to the Loving Grace blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Loving Grace
Author: April Smith
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 20, 2018
Genre: Christian Fiction, Young Adult Romance
Grace Summer lands herself in a melon load of trouble when she becomes torn between the boy of her dreams and the boy almost next door.
As the newly crowned Watermelon Queen, she is thrust into the spotlight, meets the dreamy Warren Hartley, and continues trying to get over an accident that rocked her world. Mix in working with Beau Baron who Grace happens to fight with just about as much as breathing and the metaphorical sparks fly.
Like most things in life, Grace must learn to take the good with the bad. While the good is the handsome and fun Warren Hartley, the bad is Beau Baron—or at least being around his annoying and rude self way more than she would like. For Beau, Grace is nothing more than aggravating and an irritating reminder from the night of the accident.
Tensions soar as Grace and Beau fight to love themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other.
EXCERPT:
"This almost feels like old times." I sigh a little, remembering what we used to be like when Luke was still here.
PURCHASE A COPY: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | CBD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
April Smith grew up spending summers working on her best friend’s family watermelon farm and she was one of those watermelon queens she writes about. She has her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching.
CONNECT WITH APRIL: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
GIVEAWAY
Ambassador International is giving away:
Grand Prize: (1) print copy of Loving Grace (US Only)
PLUS 4 more winners will receive an ebook copy of Loving Grace (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 26, 2018 and last through 11:59pm June 2, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the schedule at JustRead for a full list of stops & more chances to win! CLICK HERE
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, May 28th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Memorial Day Feature honoring Memorial Day. I will feature a non-fiction book entitled, 'Arlington National Cemetery'.
-- Tuesday, May 29th: Book Blast for 'A Gentle Heart'. Blast includes a $50 giveaway. Event hosted by I Am A Reader.
# # # # #
Welcome to the Loving Grace blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Loving Grace Author: April Smith
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 20, 2018
Genre: Christian Fiction, Young Adult Romance
Grace Summer lands herself in a melon load of trouble when she becomes torn between the boy of her dreams and the boy almost next door.
As the newly crowned Watermelon Queen, she is thrust into the spotlight, meets the dreamy Warren Hartley, and continues trying to get over an accident that rocked her world. Mix in working with Beau Baron who Grace happens to fight with just about as much as breathing and the metaphorical sparks fly.
Like most things in life, Grace must learn to take the good with the bad. While the good is the handsome and fun Warren Hartley, the bad is Beau Baron—or at least being around his annoying and rude self way more than she would like. For Beau, Grace is nothing more than aggravating and an irritating reminder from the night of the accident.
Tensions soar as Grace and Beau fight to love themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other.
EXCERPT:
"This almost feels like old times." I sigh a little, remembering what we used to be like when Luke was still here.
PURCHASE A COPY: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | CBD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
April Smith grew up spending summers working on her best friend’s family watermelon farm and she was one of those watermelon queens she writes about. She has her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in the Art of Teaching.
CONNECT WITH APRIL: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
GIVEAWAY
Ambassador International is giving away:
Grand Prize: (1) print copy of Loving Grace (US Only)
PLUS 4 more winners will receive an ebook copy of Loving Grace (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 26, 2018 and last through 11:59pm June 2, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out the schedule at JustRead for a full list of stops & more chances to win! CLICK HERE
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, May 28th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Memorial Day Feature honoring Memorial Day. I will feature a non-fiction book entitled, 'Arlington National Cemetery'.
-- Tuesday, May 29th: Book Blast for 'A Gentle Heart'. Blast includes a $50 giveaway. Event hosted by I Am A Reader.
# # # # #
~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~
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