June McCrary Jacobs's Blog: ~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~, page 76

~ WHEN VALLEYS BLOOM AGAIN BOOK BLAST ~

~ HISTORICAL WWII ROMANCEBOOK BLAST ~ --  'WHEN VALLEYS BLOOM AGAIN'  -- AUTHOR PAT JEANNE DAVIS~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, AuthorBio, Quote Memes & Giveaway~
  

About the Book

As war approaches in 1939, Abby Stapleton’s safety is under threat. Her father, a British diplomat, insists she go back to America until the danger passes. Abby vows to return to her home in London—but where is home? With her family facing mortal danger so far away and feeling herself isolated, she finds it hard to pray or read the Bible. Did she leave God behind in war-torn London too? Abby becomes friendly with Jim, a gardener on her uncle’s estate.


Jim can’t get Abby out of his mind. Did she have a sweetheart in England? Was it foolish to think she’d consider him? He curses his poverty and the disgrace of his father’s desertion and drunkenness haunts him. Can he learn to believe in love for a lifetime and to hope for a happy marriage?


Abby couldn’t know the war would last a long time, nor that she would fall in love with Jim—soon to be drafted by the US Army—or that she’d have to confront Henri, a rejected suitor, determined by his lies to ruin her reputation and destroy her faith in God’s providence. Will she discover the true meaning of home and find happiness with Jim?



Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43600391-when-valleys-bloom-again
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gxt8Ls


About the Author

PAT JEANNE DAVIS has a keen interest in 20th Century United States and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Her longtime interest in that era goes back to the real-life stories she heard about family members who served during the war. When Valleys Bloom Again is a debut inspirational romance set in WWII. She enjoys flower gardening, genealogy research and traveling with her British-born husband. She writes from her home n Philadelphia, Pa. Pat has published essays, short stories and articles online and in print. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Website: https://www.patjeannedavis.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patjeannedavis/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18797403.Pat_Jeanne_Davis

Amazon Author Page: https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-jeanne-davis-34290422/ 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-valleys-bloom-again-by-pat-jeanne-davis

Giveaway

One winner will receive a print copy of When Valleys Bloom Again.

Giveaway ends on June 9 at 11:59pm Mountain Time.
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE: https://www.singinglibrarianbooks.com/disclosures--policies.html.
Enter the giveaway HERE: a Rafflecopter giveaway

~ MMGM SUMMER READING FOR KIDS PART 3 ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY SUMMER READING
FOR KIDS FEATURE, PART THREE ~








This is the wrap-up post in my 'Summer Reading for Kids' series. 

If you missed either or both of the first two posts, here are the links:

PART ONE OF 'SUMMER READING FOR KIDS' 

PART TWO OF 'SUMMER READING FOR KIDS'

**In this third post, I share a link pack of free online treasures for kids, educators, parents/grandparents, and other fans of children's literature. I hope you find something worthwhile here for yourself and your loved ones. Have fun! **

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE REVELL STANDOFF ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~REVELL READS BLOG TOUR STOP --  'STANDOFF'  -- AUTHOR PATRICIA BRADLEY

  ABOUT THE BOOK: 
The Natchez Trace National Parkway stretches 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. It's the perfect road for a relaxed pleasure drive. Unfortunately for Luke Fereday, it's also perfect for moving drugs.

Sent to Natchez to infiltrate the organization at the center of the drug ring, Luke arrives too late to a stakeout and discovers the body of his friend, park ranger John Danvers. John's daughter Brooke is determined to investigate her father's murder but soon finds herself the target of a killer who will do anything to silence her.

Luke will have his hands full keeping her safe. But who's going to keep him safe when he realizes he's falling--hard--for the daughter of the man he failed to save?  LINK TO EXCERPT COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER  
LINK TO BOOK TRAILER COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER


Praise for the Book:
"An explosive start to a brand-new series."--Lisa Harris, bestselling author of the Nikki Boyd series
"Brimming with action, romance, and page-turning thrills. What a fantastic start to a brand-new series!"--Elizabeth Goddard, award-winning author of the Uncommon Justice series

"With a plot as twisting as the villain's schemes, Patricia Bradley's Standoff spins a tale that will keep the reader racing through the pages."--Lynn H. Blackburn, author of the Dive Team Investigations series
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Patricia Bradley is the author of Justice Delayed, Justice Buried, Justice Betrayed, and Justice Delivered, as well as the Logan Point series. Bradley won an Inspirational Reader's Choice Award in Romantic Suspense, a Daphne du Maurier Award, and a Touched by Love Award, and she was a Carol Award finalist. She is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at: www.ptbradley.com.
MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS BOOK:This is the first book written by Patricia Bradley that I have read. 

I found the beginning of this book to be complex due to the introduction of numerous characters. The author did a masterful job of keeping her readers in the dark about whom was 'thinking' about what by using the personal pronoun, he, throughout much of the story. I loved the author's methodical manner of not revealing any clues or information until she was ready to present it to the reader. This cat and mouse approach and the almost-constant physical action kept me engaged for the entire story.

The setting of this story, Natchez Trace in Mississippi, was unique to me in my background as a reader of suspense books. The scenery, climate, and terrain of this area is an integral part of this story. I enjoyed reading the descriptions of the area provided throughout the story.

The author has developed a strong group of characters in this kick-off to her 'Natchez Trace Park Rangers' series. There are some good guys and lots of bad guys. The author does a fine job of keeping the reader guessing which group each character fits into until the very end of the book. As a reader I experienced a lot of emotions while reading this book -- tension, fear, apprehension, anticipation, sadness, relief . . .

The female lead, Brooke Danvers, is a strong, independent, likeable woman. I admired her perserverance in the face of much adversity, tragedy, and personal trauma and loss. The male lead, whom I will leave unnamed so as to not spoil the story for those who have not read the story, goes through some major personal growth during the book. The faith thread is skillfully interwoven throughout many of the sub-plots making this a well-rounded novel in my view.

Highly-recommended to fans of Christian/clean romantic suspense fiction, Christian/clean romance fiction, and Christian/clean Southern fiction.



Disclosure from blogger: I received a paperback copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review to be posted on my blog and on retailer sites and Goodreads. I received no compensation for my review or posts here or on any other site.
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~ MMGM SUMMER READING FOR KIDS PART 2 ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY SUMMER READINGFOR KIDS FEATURE, PART TWO ~





Hello, All ~ I'm returning this week with a new set of links for resources for summer reading programs for children. Next week, I will present a wrap-up post, Post 3, which will include a link pack for some fun literacy activities and places to search for free books educators, parents/grandparents can download for their younger readers.

~ BECOMING THE PLAGIARIST BLOG TOUR STOP ~

~  BLOG TOUR STOP ~ --  'BECOMING THE PLAGIARIST  -- AUTHOR B. T. HIGGINS~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, Excerpt,Author Bio, Author Guest Post & Giveaway~
About the Book
Genre:  Young Adult Science Fiction
Release Date:  February 28, 2020
 
Blurb:  Mike Wilson, a junior at Cypress Christian Academy, discovers he's been reading minds by accident. The day after he gets his license, he can drive as well as his Driver's Ed teacher, Mr. Clark. He has a full day of memories straight from the mind of Zayden Perez, the most loved and hated guy at school. This year at CCA, the world-famous tech entrepreneur, Henry Jacks is teaching at the school. Mike inadvertently downloads his mind during the first day of class and now Mike's a tech genius too. He desperately wants Mr. Jacks out of his head and he doesn't want to steal any more thoughts, but that might be the only way he can survive.

AMAZON About the Author
B.T. Higgins lives in the wild urban jungles of Alaska with his wife and four children. As you might expect, he is an avid fan of long naps and noise-canceling headphones. He has been a garbageman, a propane technician, a teacher, a tutor, a musician and an exotic-bird-cage scrubber, but writing stories is, by far, his favorite job.

FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE


 Bullies Some things never change. No matter how technology advances, the same battles rage inside the human mind. The world and people apply pressure and struggle, and each person must find a way to cope. These are the struggles that cause us to grow. Whether I am using a computer or stone tools, I still have to contend with bullies. I still have to battle with suffering and loss. The disadvantages of my birth, health, and circumstance create the rocky cliff I must climb to discover who I am. How can I survive this suffering? What kind of person will I choose to be? Will I overcome it? This battle is the true guts of any story, and Becoming the Plagiarist is no different. Mike must content with a bully who is offended by Mike's attempt to rise in the social rankings of the school. He must battle through the disadvantage of being born with only part of his right foot. He is alone and must learn to stand strong to protect the weak. Is he just a broken little kid that nobody cares about? Or is he stronger than he thinks? An excerpt from Becoming the Plagiarist by B.T. Higgins:
EXCERPT
Mike remembered running on a fresh-cut grass field. It was a Saturday. The morning sun shone fully, but it wasn't hot, yet. He ran downfield, dribbling the soccer ball from his left to right foot. His shoes were red with black stripes. Mike felt the press of the ball against the side of his foot as he passed across to Richardo. Each step pounded in his ears. The grass snicked against his shoes. The other team wore yellow jerseys. Number 16 guarded Mike as he sprinted forward, faking right and cutting left to get open. Richardo saw him and sent a neat pass to Mike. The goalie saw the coming shot and bent at the knees. Mike dribbled two steps and pounded the shot to the left corner, past the goalie's glove by inches. Goal and game. Mike could still feel the sting of the ball on the top of his foot. Goal and game. This memory disturbed Mike very much. He frowned and shook it away. The memory couldn't be real. Mike had no right foot. That's not completely accurate. He had an ankle joint and heel bone, but that was it. He had been born without the rest of a foot. It was called congenital amputation, not that the name helped much.  
➤➤➤➤➤ TO READ THE ENTIRE SAMPLE CHAPTER, FOLLOW THIS LINK

Giveaway
Enter the giveaway HERE.Giveaway ends May 20 at 11:59pm MT. Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.Tour ScheduleFollow along with the tour over on SLB Tours.

~ MMGM SUMMER READING FOR KIDS PART ONE ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY SUMMER READINGFOR KIDS FEATURE, PART ONE ~





When I was watching PBS Newshour last week, they mentioned a post they had up on their website entitled, '18 Librarian-Approved Books for Kids of All Ages'.  This subject matter especially piqued my interest this year because our world and the school lives of children around the globe have been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Summer reading programs cannot possibly operate the way they have for decades. I decided to do a little research and curate a link pack that some of you and your family and friends might find valuable and useful.
I discovered so much information that I have decided to post about it in two parts. Next Monday, May 18th, I will post the rest of the links for your reference.

~ SEWING PATTERN RELEASE PATRIOTIC PILLOWS ~

~ THE WAY OF THE BRAVE SOCIAL BLITZ ~

~  SOCIAL MEDIA BLITZ FOR: 'THE WAY OF THE BRAVE'  ~ AUTHOR SUSAN MAY WARREN ~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,Book Blurb & Giveaway~
  ⛰

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE THE GOVERNESS OF BANBURY PARK ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~ --  'THE GOVERNESS OF BANBURY PARK'  -- AUTHOR JULIE MATERN~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, 10 Behind-
the-Scenes Facts About the Book, Snippet,Author Bio & Giveaways~
 

~ MMGM VOYAGERS THE THIRD GHOST ANTHOLOGY ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY HISTORICAL ADVENTURE/FANTASY ANTHOLOGY FEATURE ~ --  'VOYAGERS:  THE THIRD GHOST'  -- AN INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP ANTHOLOGY ~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, FeaturedAuthor--Sherry Ellis--Author Bio & Author Interview, and E-book Giveaway~

ABOUT THE BOOK: Voyagers: The Third Ghost
An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Journey into the past…
Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane – what could go wrong?

Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise MacBeath Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!
Release date – May 5, 2020
$13.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 168 pages
Print ISBN 9781939844729 / EBook ISBN 9781939844736
Juvenile fiction – historical/action & adventure/fantasy & magic
Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter. A Writer’s Digest 101 Best Website for Writers and The Write Life’s Best 100 Website for Writershttps://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ 
Book Buy Links:
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/193984472X/
Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voyagers-yvonne-ventresca/1135912991?ean=2940163430857
ITunes - https://books.apple.com/ca/book/voyagers-the-third-ghost/id1493413956
Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/voyagers-the-third-ghost 

FEATURED AUTHOR -- SHERRY ELLIS:
  Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
CONNECT WITH SHERRY:
https://www.sherryellis.org/
https://www.bubbaandsquirt.org/ 
https://www.facebook.com/sherryellisbooksandmusic/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
https://twitter.com/513sherrye?lang=en






June:  Welcome to 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic', Sherry.  I'm delighted to have you as my special guest for this Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday feature on the upcoming {tomorrow, May 5th!} release of the 'Voyagers--The Third Ghost' Anthology. Congratulations on your story entitled, 'The Ghosts of Pompeii', being chosen for this curated story collection. 

Sherry:  Thank you, June! It’s a pleasure to be here.

June:  Please tell us how you created and developed the characters and setting for your story. Please discuss the historical research, if any, you conducted while working on this project.

Sherry:  Bubba and Squirt are two characters I’m very familiar with. They’ve had many adventures around the world in other stories I’ve written, so it was natural for me to use them as the voyagers in this anthology piece. The setting of Pompeii, Italy, was chosen because it was a place I had visited many years ago. I’m familiar with the ruins, the remains of the victims, and the giant volcano that looms in the background. It wasn’t difficult to create the world Bubba and Squirt visited. The challenge was finding a time in the past that they could go to, and then adding some details associated with that time period. 
The volcano originally erupted in 79 AD. I did research on what happened that day and included names of real people who lived there.  Pliny the Elder, a ghost in the story, was a historical figure who was one of the victims of Mount Vesuvius. I also had to research the history of the volcano’s eruptions. I wasn’t aware that there had been a significant eruption in the 1940s. When I discovered this, I decided it would be a great time for Bubba and Squirt to go back to.  I researched that eruption and also things like the clothing and cars of that period.

June:  Who is your favorite character in this story? Why is this person your favorite? Without spoiling the story, is there anyone in the story whom you do not like? Why not?

Sherry:  Bubba is my favorite character because he’s funny and impulsive. You never know what he’s going to say or do.
The only character I’d say I don’t like is the grumpy scientist. I mean seriously, the kids are trying to warn him that the volcano is about to blow, and he doesn’t want to hear about it. How irresponsible and rude!

June:  When you write a book, do you outline the entire story, or do you have a different way of organizing your plot, characters, etc.? Do you always know the ending of your story before you begin putting things down on paper, or into your computer?  Do you have any particular organizational tips that you'd like to pass along to other authors and aspiring authors?

Sherry:  I always outline the entire story. If I don’t, I wander all over the place and never complete the project. That’s not to say that sometimes I encounter unexpected twists and turns, but I always know how it’s going to end.

Authors need to do whatever works for them. I write extensive outlines and character family trees/traits/motivations etc.  That works for me but may not work for others. I’ve heard of authors creating “mood boards” – cutting out pictures of their setting, characters, or anything that ties into their story, and making a poster of them. If you’re a visual person, that would probably work well. 

June:  Upon browsing your website and Amazon listings, I noticed you have written picture books for young children, a middle-grade historical novel, and that you contributed an article to a non-fiction collection about the craft of writing.  Are there any genres you would like to delve into in the future? Have you considered writing adult fiction or poetry? Please tell us what projects would you like to work on in the future.

Sherry:  My middle grade historical fiction series is keeping me busy right now. The next book, Bubba and Squirt’s Mayan Adventure is coming out in September. But if I were to explore other genres, I might consider adult historical fiction, since it’s a genre I enjoy reading. The research aspect of it is also appealing to me. I have written inspirational poetry but have yet to seek a publisher for it. Maybe I’ll work on that. On the other end of the spectrum, I might try writing horror. I know, way different! I entered an anthology contest a while ago and wrote a dark piece for it. I didn’t win, but I found I enjoyed exploring my dark side and writing something so different from my usual light, kid-friendly material.

June:  You are a professional musician who plays several instruments. Please share about your musical background and how being a musician is similar and different to being an author.

Sherry:  Yes, I am a professional musician. I play and teach violin, viola, and piano and have been doing so for almost 40 years.

Music and writing are both artistic endeavors that involve creativity. Music is an auditory experience, while writing is visual. One of the things that I have found about both is that each involves having a sense of rhythm and flow. My background as a musician has been beneficial when it comes to choosing which words to use and how to structure the sentences. It all has to sound good when it’s read aloud.

June:  Are there any hobbies or interests you would like to pursue in the future? Where would you like to travel if and when your busy schedule allows?

Sherry:  My big plan is to visit New Zealand and Australia for my fiftieth birthday, which is right around the corner. Perhaps I’ll even visit Antarctica since I’ll be so close. It’s hard for me to fit in time for hobbies since I work three jobs. But I think it might be fun to learn how to paint and draw. Maybe then I could illustrate my own books.

June:  Thank you for sharing some time with us today, Sherry. I appreciate your chatting with us about your writing journey and other interesting topics! Best wishes for your continued success in your writing, and musical, endeavors.