June McCrary Jacobs's Blog: ~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~, page 86
May 30, 2019
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE LIBBY'S CUPPA JOE ~
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
-- 'LIBBY'S CUPPA JOE' --
AUTHOR REBECCA WATERS~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, AuthorBio, Excerpt, Unique Guest Post Sharedby the Author & Giveaway~
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Libby's Cuppa Joe by Rebecca Waters with JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Libby's Cuppa Joe
Author: Rebecca Waters
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 8, 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Can grace and love be found amongst coffee grounds?
Sonja Parker is about to find out.
Excited to leave her stale life in the big city behind, Sonja takes the money her grandmother left her and purchases Libby's Cuppa Joe, a thriving coffee shop in a small community in Wisconsin's Door County. Sonja may have business sense, but is she ready to face the world on her own?
Sonja soon discovers owning a business requires more than offering a good cup of coffee. She must make major repairs to the building as well as major repairs to her heart. Do the former owners, Libby and Joe hold the answer? As Sonja seeks to make Libby's Cuppa Joe a viable business, can she also find herself and the God she has abandoned?
Libby's Cuppa Joe is a riveting tale of second chances, forgiveness, and not living on borrowed faith.
EXCERPT:
Sonja was shaking. She gave the young man his change. The timer for the oven sounded. Sonja plated the muffins and delivered them to the three early morning customers now sitting at a table near the bookshelves. She ran hastily back into the kitchen. She had not made it to the bank yesterday. There should have been over three hundred dollars in the box. Her mind was racing.
Maybe Damon put it somewhere safe. He often commented on how anyone could just walk in and take a cash box while they were busy. Sonja searched the kitchen. The money was nowhere to be found. Another couple came into the store. Sonja served them quickly then stole away to her apartment. She looked in the drawer in Damon’s bedside table. Nothing. Perhaps he put the money in one of the drawers where he kept his clothes. Nothing.
Nothing. Not even his clothes. Sonja’s stomach began to churn.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBookABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebecca Waters has been a writer most of her life. Her first published work was a story in the school newspaper she wrote in second grade. For many years Rebecca used her stories as illustrations in church settings and to entertain her own three daughters. Her professional writing included educational articles and research. Following her retirement as a professor of education from Cincinnati Christian University, Rebecca turned her pen to the world of fiction. She has also published several articles in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Lookout Magazine, and Home Health Aide Digest. Her first novel, Breathing on Her Own, was released in 2014.
GUEST POST:
~ Behind the Scenes of Libby’s Cuppa Joe ~
I’m often asked about where I get the idea for a story. The ideas for me are easy. I look around and imagine the story behind what makes a person think and act the way they do. But crafting a story? Crafting takes research. Come with me behind the scenes in the crafting of Libby’s Cuppa Joe.
The Setting: Libby’s Cuppa Joe takes place in a coffee shop in Door County, Wisconsin. I had visited Door County as a tourist. To assure accuracy, I researched the Wisconsin peninsula on-line. I gathered information about the calendar of events in the communities there and used a map to think through the places and roads my characters would travel.
The Coffee Shop: Running a coffee shop is a bit beyond the skills I acquired with my Mr. Coffee. While I enjoy drinking coffee and love the ambience of a quaint coffee shop when I’m traveling, I was clueless about what goes on in the commercial kitchen. I first contacted a friend who runs the coffee shop at the university where I taught. He gave me great technical advice. I found trade shows available for the industry online. Although I couldn’t afford such events, I gleaned great information and good questions from the websites and promotional materials. I took those questions to a sweet couple operating a coffee shop near where I lived in Florida during the writing of the book.
The Cookies: I knew I wanted to serve sweets in Libby’s Cuppa Joe coffee shop. I started with what I knew. I baked coffee cakes and cinnamon rolls. I decided these foods, though delicious, weren’t cost effective for my main character, Sonja Parker, who is, like me, learning the business. I settled on a recipe my mother gave me for Breakfast Cookies. I baked them and tried adding ingredients to make them even more special. My husband loved this part of the research and encouraged me to continue my work!
Kringle: My daughter lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin. A pastry common to the area where she lives is called kringle. The traditional kringle is made with an almond paste though more contemporary versions are filled with fruit. This research proved to be messy. I had flour and sticky dough everywhere. My finished version of the flaky crust may not have looked pretty, but it was delicious. Since I had trouble making it, I knew Sonja would find it difficult. I brought help in by way of a young woman named Melissa. She helped Sonja in the coffee shop not only in creating the intricate kringle pastry, but to offer kindness and love to Sonja who most certainly needed it.
Character Names: Sometimes readers ask me about the names I choose for characters. One rule of thumb writers often use is to make sure main characters don’t have names that begin with the same letter. We don’t like to confuse our readers. I have two other little tricks up my sleeve. I determine the ages of my characters then decide what year they were born. On the internet I can find popular names for that year. I used that for several of my characters in Libby’s Cuppa Joe. I chose Sonja’s name for two reasons. I looked for a name that was both popular for her age but also indicative of the European heritage of many of the people who settled Wisconsin.
A Power Outage: It is important for characters to face stress form time to time. I read of a couple of power outages in Door County so I threw one Sonja’s way. I made it happen in winter and caused the freezing conditions to break pipes in her establishment. What a mess. I’m not a plumber and had to do quite a bit of digging to figure out what Sonja had done wrong when she closed her shop for the winter months and what she had to do to fix it.
The Kenosha Connection: I have Sonja visit with her parents in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She visits the library there, goes to the doctor and to church. I don’t need to use my imagination for this one. Here is the “behind the scenes” fact: My daughter lives in Kenosha. My visits there helped me in the crafting of Libby's Cuppa Joe.
How Libby Got Her Name: When I started writing the book I researched names as I said before. One of the names I found for the year the original proprietor of the coffee shop was born was Shirley. I have a cousin named Shirley so I thought it a good way to give a nod to her. I started the writing of Shirley’s Cuppa Joe. I wasn’t far into it when my youngest daughter said she would pass over a book with that title. She thought I needed a more contemporary name. I put the problem out to readers of my blog. There were several options offered. One was “Livvy.” I changed it slightly to become Libby and tested it with my readers. I’ll find a new way to nod to my cousin.
CONNECT WITH REBECCA: Website | Facebook | Twitter
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a print copy of Libby's Cuppa Joe and (1) winner will receive an ebook copy.
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 28, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 4, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks 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 giveawayFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
# # # # #
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Libby's Cuppa Joe by Rebecca Waters with JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Libby's Cuppa Joe Author: Rebecca Waters
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: March 8, 2018
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Can grace and love be found amongst coffee grounds?
Sonja Parker is about to find out.
Excited to leave her stale life in the big city behind, Sonja takes the money her grandmother left her and purchases Libby's Cuppa Joe, a thriving coffee shop in a small community in Wisconsin's Door County. Sonja may have business sense, but is she ready to face the world on her own?
Sonja soon discovers owning a business requires more than offering a good cup of coffee. She must make major repairs to the building as well as major repairs to her heart. Do the former owners, Libby and Joe hold the answer? As Sonja seeks to make Libby's Cuppa Joe a viable business, can she also find herself and the God she has abandoned?
Libby's Cuppa Joe is a riveting tale of second chances, forgiveness, and not living on borrowed faith.
EXCERPT:
Sonja was shaking. She gave the young man his change. The timer for the oven sounded. Sonja plated the muffins and delivered them to the three early morning customers now sitting at a table near the bookshelves. She ran hastily back into the kitchen. She had not made it to the bank yesterday. There should have been over three hundred dollars in the box. Her mind was racing.
Maybe Damon put it somewhere safe. He often commented on how anyone could just walk in and take a cash box while they were busy. Sonja searched the kitchen. The money was nowhere to be found. Another couple came into the store. Sonja served them quickly then stole away to her apartment. She looked in the drawer in Damon’s bedside table. Nothing. Perhaps he put the money in one of the drawers where he kept his clothes. Nothing.
Nothing. Not even his clothes. Sonja’s stomach began to churn.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | ChristianBookABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rebecca Waters has been a writer most of her life. Her first published work was a story in the school newspaper she wrote in second grade. For many years Rebecca used her stories as illustrations in church settings and to entertain her own three daughters. Her professional writing included educational articles and research. Following her retirement as a professor of education from Cincinnati Christian University, Rebecca turned her pen to the world of fiction. She has also published several articles in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Lookout Magazine, and Home Health Aide Digest. Her first novel, Breathing on Her Own, was released in 2014.
GUEST POST:
~ Behind the Scenes of Libby’s Cuppa Joe ~
I’m often asked about where I get the idea for a story. The ideas for me are easy. I look around and imagine the story behind what makes a person think and act the way they do. But crafting a story? Crafting takes research. Come with me behind the scenes in the crafting of Libby’s Cuppa Joe.
The Setting: Libby’s Cuppa Joe takes place in a coffee shop in Door County, Wisconsin. I had visited Door County as a tourist. To assure accuracy, I researched the Wisconsin peninsula on-line. I gathered information about the calendar of events in the communities there and used a map to think through the places and roads my characters would travel.
The Coffee Shop: Running a coffee shop is a bit beyond the skills I acquired with my Mr. Coffee. While I enjoy drinking coffee and love the ambience of a quaint coffee shop when I’m traveling, I was clueless about what goes on in the commercial kitchen. I first contacted a friend who runs the coffee shop at the university where I taught. He gave me great technical advice. I found trade shows available for the industry online. Although I couldn’t afford such events, I gleaned great information and good questions from the websites and promotional materials. I took those questions to a sweet couple operating a coffee shop near where I lived in Florida during the writing of the book.
The Cookies: I knew I wanted to serve sweets in Libby’s Cuppa Joe coffee shop. I started with what I knew. I baked coffee cakes and cinnamon rolls. I decided these foods, though delicious, weren’t cost effective for my main character, Sonja Parker, who is, like me, learning the business. I settled on a recipe my mother gave me for Breakfast Cookies. I baked them and tried adding ingredients to make them even more special. My husband loved this part of the research and encouraged me to continue my work!
Kringle: My daughter lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin. A pastry common to the area where she lives is called kringle. The traditional kringle is made with an almond paste though more contemporary versions are filled with fruit. This research proved to be messy. I had flour and sticky dough everywhere. My finished version of the flaky crust may not have looked pretty, but it was delicious. Since I had trouble making it, I knew Sonja would find it difficult. I brought help in by way of a young woman named Melissa. She helped Sonja in the coffee shop not only in creating the intricate kringle pastry, but to offer kindness and love to Sonja who most certainly needed it.
Character Names: Sometimes readers ask me about the names I choose for characters. One rule of thumb writers often use is to make sure main characters don’t have names that begin with the same letter. We don’t like to confuse our readers. I have two other little tricks up my sleeve. I determine the ages of my characters then decide what year they were born. On the internet I can find popular names for that year. I used that for several of my characters in Libby’s Cuppa Joe. I chose Sonja’s name for two reasons. I looked for a name that was both popular for her age but also indicative of the European heritage of many of the people who settled Wisconsin.
A Power Outage: It is important for characters to face stress form time to time. I read of a couple of power outages in Door County so I threw one Sonja’s way. I made it happen in winter and caused the freezing conditions to break pipes in her establishment. What a mess. I’m not a plumber and had to do quite a bit of digging to figure out what Sonja had done wrong when she closed her shop for the winter months and what she had to do to fix it.
The Kenosha Connection: I have Sonja visit with her parents in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She visits the library there, goes to the doctor and to church. I don’t need to use my imagination for this one. Here is the “behind the scenes” fact: My daughter lives in Kenosha. My visits there helped me in the crafting of Libby's Cuppa Joe.
How Libby Got Her Name: When I started writing the book I researched names as I said before. One of the names I found for the year the original proprietor of the coffee shop was born was Shirley. I have a cousin named Shirley so I thought it a good way to give a nod to her. I started the writing of Shirley’s Cuppa Joe. I wasn’t far into it when my youngest daughter said she would pass over a book with that title. She thought I needed a more contemporary name. I put the problem out to readers of my blog. There were several options offered. One was “Livvy.” I changed it slightly to become Libby and tested it with my readers. I’ll find a new way to nod to my cousin.
CONNECT WITH REBECCA: Website | Facebook | Twitter
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a print copy of Libby's Cuppa Joe and (1) winner will receive an ebook copy.
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 28, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm June 4, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks 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 giveawayFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
# # # # #
May 26, 2019
~ MMGM RETRO FICTION FEATURE ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN ~
~ Marvelous Middle-Grade MondayRetro Fiction Feature ~
-- 'ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN #1:
BOY DETECTIVE' --
AUTHOR DONALD J. SOBOL
Original Cover on First Edition, 1963LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
Cover on Edition I Read for This Post, 2002 ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
A Civil War sword...A watermelon stabbing...
Missing roller skates...
A trapeze artist's inheritance...
And an eyewitness who's legally blind!
Theses are just some of the ten brain-twisting mysteries that Encyclopedia Brown must solve by using his famous computer-like brain. Try to crack the cases along with him--the answer to all the mysteries are found in the back!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}: Donald J. Sobol was an award-winning writer best known for his children's books, especially the Encyclopedia Brown mystery series. Mr. Sobol passed away in July of 2012.
MY THOUGHTS:As I began working on my second book in my 'Tyler Stop' series, I realized I needed to do some research into what books my young protagonist, eleven-year-old Weston Gregg, would have been reading in the late 1960s.
I remembered that a number of the third grade boys I worked with as a teacher in the late 1980s loved the Nate the Great and the Encyclopedia Brown boy detective stories. Through my research I found that the Nate the Great series did not launch until 1972. Too late for my purposes for this project.
Through my research, I found that the first book in the Encylopedia Brown series, Boy Detective, was originally released in 1963--perfect timing for Weston's story. I requested the book from the library and read it the day after I checked it out of the library.
It was immediately apparent to me why Mr. Sobol's books were so appealing to youngsters. The book is actually made up of ten 'cases' which range in length from four to eight pages long and include illustrations by Leonard Shortall.
Ten-year-old Leroy 'Encyclopedia' Brown solves these cases for his father who is the chief of police for their hometown of Idaville. The main character is only called Leroy by his parents and his teachers. Everyone else calls the ten-year-old 'Encylopedia' because his brain is filled with facts and information he had learned from reading books.
After his success at helping his father, Mrs. Brown suggests that maybe Leroy will be a detective when he grows up. Her comments inspire her son, and Encyclopedia decides to open his own detective agency so he can help people solve their problems. He christens his agency, Brown Detective Agency, and advertises his services around the neighborhood with handbills he prints himself on his toy printing press and a hand-lettered sign posted on the family's garage.
I loved the sign he made up {page 16--paraphrased} because it is quaint and straighforward:
BROWN DETECTIVE AGENCY . . .
No case too small
25¢ per day
plus expenses
Some of the characters in the various stories are the same core of neighborhood kids and school friends, but all of the cases involve different mysteries. The facts are presented for each case, and at the conclusion of the chapter Encyclopedia Brown announces, "I know who . . ." or "I know what . . . " In all caps a query is typed below the chapter asking readers how Encyclopedia had figured out the case. At the lower edge of the same page readers are guided to a page in the appendix of the book where they can go to read the solution for the case.
As I read through the cases in this book I had fun trying to figure out not only who had committed the misdeed but how Encyclopedia Brown had figured out the puzzle. To be completely transparent, I was not always correct in my hypothesis of what tipped off Encyclopedia to the solution.
As I read through the ten cases in this book my admiration for the author's ability to be succinct, clever, engaging, and appealing to middle-grade readers grew exponentially. Mr. Sobol wrote twenty-eight Encyclopedia Brown books.
I read in his online obituary in the New York Times from July, 2012, that this Boy Detective book was rejected by two dozen publishers before being accepted for publication. In 1976 he won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for this series. He wrote eighty books in total.
I will read as many of this little gems as I can get my hands on, not for the sole purpose of research for my own writing, but for the pure enjoyment I feel from reading about the adventures of such a fun character.
Highly-recommended to fans of retro fiction, detective novels for kids, and historical fiction. I believe these books would be great classroom or library read-alouds because they can fill those few 'down-time' minutes each day when a teacher works to keep his/her students on-task and mentally active when perhaps there isn't time to read an entire chapter from a commonly-formatted novel.
I borrowed this book from the children's collection at the local public library.
*******************************
Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
# # # # #
Original Cover on First Edition, 1963LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS 
Cover on Edition I Read for This Post, 2002 ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:A Civil War sword...A watermelon stabbing...
Missing roller skates...
A trapeze artist's inheritance...
And an eyewitness who's legally blind!
Theses are just some of the ten brain-twisting mysteries that Encyclopedia Brown must solve by using his famous computer-like brain. Try to crack the cases along with him--the answer to all the mysteries are found in the back!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}: Donald J. Sobol was an award-winning writer best known for his children's books, especially the Encyclopedia Brown mystery series. Mr. Sobol passed away in July of 2012.
MY THOUGHTS:As I began working on my second book in my 'Tyler Stop' series, I realized I needed to do some research into what books my young protagonist, eleven-year-old Weston Gregg, would have been reading in the late 1960s.
I remembered that a number of the third grade boys I worked with as a teacher in the late 1980s loved the Nate the Great and the Encyclopedia Brown boy detective stories. Through my research I found that the Nate the Great series did not launch until 1972. Too late for my purposes for this project.
Through my research, I found that the first book in the Encylopedia Brown series, Boy Detective, was originally released in 1963--perfect timing for Weston's story. I requested the book from the library and read it the day after I checked it out of the library.
It was immediately apparent to me why Mr. Sobol's books were so appealing to youngsters. The book is actually made up of ten 'cases' which range in length from four to eight pages long and include illustrations by Leonard Shortall.
Ten-year-old Leroy 'Encyclopedia' Brown solves these cases for his father who is the chief of police for their hometown of Idaville. The main character is only called Leroy by his parents and his teachers. Everyone else calls the ten-year-old 'Encylopedia' because his brain is filled with facts and information he had learned from reading books.
After his success at helping his father, Mrs. Brown suggests that maybe Leroy will be a detective when he grows up. Her comments inspire her son, and Encyclopedia decides to open his own detective agency so he can help people solve their problems. He christens his agency, Brown Detective Agency, and advertises his services around the neighborhood with handbills he prints himself on his toy printing press and a hand-lettered sign posted on the family's garage.
I loved the sign he made up {page 16--paraphrased} because it is quaint and straighforward:
BROWN DETECTIVE AGENCY . . .
No case too small
25¢ per day
plus expenses
Some of the characters in the various stories are the same core of neighborhood kids and school friends, but all of the cases involve different mysteries. The facts are presented for each case, and at the conclusion of the chapter Encyclopedia Brown announces, "I know who . . ." or "I know what . . . " In all caps a query is typed below the chapter asking readers how Encyclopedia had figured out the case. At the lower edge of the same page readers are guided to a page in the appendix of the book where they can go to read the solution for the case.
As I read through the cases in this book I had fun trying to figure out not only who had committed the misdeed but how Encyclopedia Brown had figured out the puzzle. To be completely transparent, I was not always correct in my hypothesis of what tipped off Encyclopedia to the solution.
As I read through the ten cases in this book my admiration for the author's ability to be succinct, clever, engaging, and appealing to middle-grade readers grew exponentially. Mr. Sobol wrote twenty-eight Encyclopedia Brown books.
I read in his online obituary in the New York Times from July, 2012, that this Boy Detective book was rejected by two dozen publishers before being accepted for publication. In 1976 he won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for this series. He wrote eighty books in total.
I will read as many of this little gems as I can get my hands on, not for the sole purpose of research for my own writing, but for the pure enjoyment I feel from reading about the adventures of such a fun character.
Highly-recommended to fans of retro fiction, detective novels for kids, and historical fiction. I believe these books would be great classroom or library read-alouds because they can fill those few 'down-time' minutes each day when a teacher works to keep his/her students on-task and mentally active when perhaps there isn't time to read an entire chapter from a commonly-formatted novel.
I borrowed this book from the children's collection at the local public library.
*******************************
Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
# # # # #
May 19, 2019
~ MMGM THE HEART CHANGER BLOG TOUR ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY BLOG TOUR STOP ~
-- 'THE HEART CHANGER' --
AUTHOR JARM DEL BOCCIO~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Excerpt,Author Bio, Unique Author GuestPost & Giveaway~
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio with JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Heart Changer
Author: Jarm Del Boccio
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: April 26, 2019
Genre: Middle-Grade Biblical Fiction
Can an Israelite captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?
Miriam is asked to do the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army. Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with worry and bitterness.
Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and preparing her for a greater mission far beyond what she could imagine.
This middle-grade historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a foreign land where all hope seems lost.
EXCERPT:
“RUN! RUN, MY DAUGHTER! DON’T let them see you!” Miriam’s mother cried in alarm, shielding baby Zacchaeus in her long robes. She watched, helpless, as her precious child ran to escape the oncoming invasion. Picking up her skirts, the young girl fled down the center of the Shunem town market, following the frantic path of others, terror- stricken by the billowing clouds of dust gathering in the distance. As the villagers ran for their lives, baskets of fruits and vegetables, nuts and spices were carelessly scattered on the parched ground. Carts of fish and goat’s cheese were upset, the sound of splintering and cracking adding to the mayhem as striped awnings ripped from their doorframes. Goats and sheep scattered, and those who could not be freed from their leads bleated in fear. Shouts of the Syrian army, and the sound of clomping horse’s hooves on the stone pavement signaled the enemy’s advance. Cries and screams escaped from the villagers as they dropped a trail of precious belongings in their flight. A keepsake and a fresh loaf of bread meant nothing. Only their lives mattered now.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christian BookABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jarm Del Boccio (‘J’ pronounced as a ‘Y’) finds her inspiration in everyday life, but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that happen along the way. Focusing on lives of characters from the past, Jarm is devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history.
Jarm has a background in elementary and high school education, and served for seven years as a school librarian. Grateful for the opportunity, she taught three missionary kids in an isolated area of Papua New Guinea. She is part of SCBWI and American Christian Fiction Writers, and has published articles in “The Old Schoolhouse” magazine.
The Heart Changer, her debut MG historical/biblical fiction, released with Ambassador International April 26th, 2019. Jarm is content with the journey God has placed her on, and lives with her husband and adult son and daughter (when they are not away) in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago.
CONNECT WITH JARM: Website | Facebook | Twitter
~ SPECIAL FEATURE ~ AUTHOR GUEST POST:
Behind-the-Scene Facts About the Book by Jarm Del Boccio
Although I write historical fiction, I try to stay as accurate to the Biblical account as I can. Here are a few areas I needed to research before I finished The Heart Changer, a story based on an Old Testament account from the 9th century BC:
Land: It’s mostly desert (light brown sand and not burnt orange) with tufts of dried grass, unless the town was near a water source, such as a lake or river — then, their would be a few more trees and flowers. Olive, cypress and pine trees would have been prominent. In Syria and a bit south, many flowers bloom in the desert during April - the month my book released! They include yellow broom, red poppies and purple thistle. I also mentioned the oleander tree in my story. Our family visited Israel and Jordan a few years back, so I have plenty of photos to rely on as well.
Foods: We think of the usual hummus, baklava and flatbreads, which they do indeed eat, but there is much more. Thankfully, I had a missionary family who lived in the area, who could vet my story and suggest alternative foods. In the first couple of chapters, I mentioned my MC having porridge in front of a fire, only to discover the Syrians ate hummus and flat bread for breakfast. Oops!
The Syrians would also enjoy olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, goat’s cheese and prepared dishes, such as stuffed zucchini (Kousa Mahshi) and rice with peas (Ruz ma Bezella) served on Mother’s Day, in present day Syria on March 21st. If your interested, here’s a great website where you can find authentic recipes to try: http://www.syriancooking.com/
Language: One of my endorsers questioned whether my MC, who is Hebrew, would understand the Syrian language. When I delved further into the issue, I discovered (verified by two Biblical scholars) that Syrians spoke Aramaic (now Arabic) which was from the same branch of the language tree as Hebrew. Therefore, they could understand each other as a spanish-speaking person would understand Italian. Whew! What a find. It make things so much easier for me.
Leprosy: In Biblical times, leprosy was highly contagious, so those plagued by it were sequester outside the town in a leper colony. They could never live with their loved ones again. The photos I found online of the leprous sores are frightening, especially in the advanced stages which disfigured the extremities. So, I described them vaguely so I wouldn’t alarm a middle-grader, although I don’t think Naaman had an advanced stag of the disease. The Levitical law had strict rules about how to treat those with unusual spots, to avoid contamination. There are also other kinds of leprosy which are no more than a rash. Nowadays, thankfully, it’s cured with antibiotics.
Distance: Could Miriam have walked all the way to Damascus after her capture from her hometown in Shumem? I checked the milage and yes, depending on how fast the walked, the captives could have trudged up north to the capital city in a couple of days. It’s approximately 200 K between the two cities, which according to Google is a two day hike.
Characters: Even though I am writing historical fiction, again, I want to stay as close to the scriptural truth as possible. I have Miriam interacting (or knowing) Elisha, and the boy I called Jonas, who Elisha raised from the dead. I was thrilled to discover they lived around the same time and in close proximity to one another, so it wasn’t so far fetched! And Elisha was a prophet and ‘hero’ figure, so everyone in Israel would at least have heard of him.
I also examined the Biblical character’s dialogue and description of each, and made sure my characterization of them was feasible and not out of line. For instance, I have Naaman as a proud, but sometimes aloof commander and husband, which I would imagine are traits of many men in charge.
Pastimes: I wanted Adara, Naaman’s wife, to have a pastime — something to keep her occupied, since everythingwas done for her by servants. I realized in that culture and time, weaving would have been a possibility. Although I did not research the exact process or loom used, I let my readers fill in the appropriate gaps. My favorite scene in The Heart Changer takes place between Miriam and Adara while she is working at her weaving.
Herbal medicine: Since the people of the Middle East had no modern medicine in the 9th century BC, the only other option would have been plant sources — herbs and spices they would cook and distill for use as remedies. Miriam remembers her mother using many herbal recipes to help those who were sick in her hometown. Hyssop, mint, cinnamon and myrrh would have been a few. Check out this website for more: https://draxe.com/the-top-14-herbs-of...
Jewish Religious Practices:I was worried the prayers and references to God (Yahweh) would be inaccurate or offensive to a Jewish person, since in Bible times the Hebrews would pronounce God’s name without the vowels (YHWH) so I asked a friend of mine, who is married to a Messianic Jew, to vet my story. She said I could use the word Jehovah and not be offensive, especially to a contemporary non-orthodox Jew. She also approved Miriam’s prayers as well.
I’m sure there are many more cultural and geographical items I could have researched, but since they were not important to the story, I again let my readers fill in the gap. It’s a great way to stay in the Word as I write!* * *
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive 1 print (US only)
AND (1) winner will receive 1 ebook (open internationally except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 20, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm May 27, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks 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 giveawayFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Heart Changer by Jarm Del Boccio with JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: The Heart Changer Author: Jarm Del Boccio
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: April 26, 2019
Genre: Middle-Grade Biblical Fiction
Can an Israelite captive, wrenched from all she loves, serve the very man who destroyed her village?
Miriam is asked to do the impossible: serve the wife of Naaman, commander of the Syrian army. Clinging to treasured memories of home and faith, Miriam faces captivity with worry and bitterness.
Little does she know the Heart Changer is wooing and preparing her for a greater mission far beyond what she could imagine.
This middle-grade historical novel reflects the heartache and angst of a young refugee in a foreign land where all hope seems lost.
EXCERPT:
“RUN! RUN, MY DAUGHTER! DON’T let them see you!” Miriam’s mother cried in alarm, shielding baby Zacchaeus in her long robes. She watched, helpless, as her precious child ran to escape the oncoming invasion. Picking up her skirts, the young girl fled down the center of the Shunem town market, following the frantic path of others, terror- stricken by the billowing clouds of dust gathering in the distance. As the villagers ran for their lives, baskets of fruits and vegetables, nuts and spices were carelessly scattered on the parched ground. Carts of fish and goat’s cheese were upset, the sound of splintering and cracking adding to the mayhem as striped awnings ripped from their doorframes. Goats and sheep scattered, and those who could not be freed from their leads bleated in fear. Shouts of the Syrian army, and the sound of clomping horse’s hooves on the stone pavement signaled the enemy’s advance. Cries and screams escaped from the villagers as they dropped a trail of precious belongings in their flight. A keepsake and a fresh loaf of bread meant nothing. Only their lives mattered now.
PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Christian BookABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jarm Del Boccio (‘J’ pronounced as a ‘Y’) finds her inspiration in everyday life, but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing the quirky things that happen along the way. Focusing on lives of characters from the past, Jarm is devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history. Jarm has a background in elementary and high school education, and served for seven years as a school librarian. Grateful for the opportunity, she taught three missionary kids in an isolated area of Papua New Guinea. She is part of SCBWI and American Christian Fiction Writers, and has published articles in “The Old Schoolhouse” magazine.
The Heart Changer, her debut MG historical/biblical fiction, released with Ambassador International April 26th, 2019. Jarm is content with the journey God has placed her on, and lives with her husband and adult son and daughter (when they are not away) in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago.
CONNECT WITH JARM: Website | Facebook | Twitter
~ SPECIAL FEATURE ~ AUTHOR GUEST POST:
Behind-the-Scene Facts About the Book by Jarm Del Boccio
Although I write historical fiction, I try to stay as accurate to the Biblical account as I can. Here are a few areas I needed to research before I finished The Heart Changer, a story based on an Old Testament account from the 9th century BC:
Land: It’s mostly desert (light brown sand and not burnt orange) with tufts of dried grass, unless the town was near a water source, such as a lake or river — then, their would be a few more trees and flowers. Olive, cypress and pine trees would have been prominent. In Syria and a bit south, many flowers bloom in the desert during April - the month my book released! They include yellow broom, red poppies and purple thistle. I also mentioned the oleander tree in my story. Our family visited Israel and Jordan a few years back, so I have plenty of photos to rely on as well.
Foods: We think of the usual hummus, baklava and flatbreads, which they do indeed eat, but there is much more. Thankfully, I had a missionary family who lived in the area, who could vet my story and suggest alternative foods. In the first couple of chapters, I mentioned my MC having porridge in front of a fire, only to discover the Syrians ate hummus and flat bread for breakfast. Oops!
The Syrians would also enjoy olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes, goat’s cheese and prepared dishes, such as stuffed zucchini (Kousa Mahshi) and rice with peas (Ruz ma Bezella) served on Mother’s Day, in present day Syria on March 21st. If your interested, here’s a great website where you can find authentic recipes to try: http://www.syriancooking.com/
Language: One of my endorsers questioned whether my MC, who is Hebrew, would understand the Syrian language. When I delved further into the issue, I discovered (verified by two Biblical scholars) that Syrians spoke Aramaic (now Arabic) which was from the same branch of the language tree as Hebrew. Therefore, they could understand each other as a spanish-speaking person would understand Italian. Whew! What a find. It make things so much easier for me.
Leprosy: In Biblical times, leprosy was highly contagious, so those plagued by it were sequester outside the town in a leper colony. They could never live with their loved ones again. The photos I found online of the leprous sores are frightening, especially in the advanced stages which disfigured the extremities. So, I described them vaguely so I wouldn’t alarm a middle-grader, although I don’t think Naaman had an advanced stag of the disease. The Levitical law had strict rules about how to treat those with unusual spots, to avoid contamination. There are also other kinds of leprosy which are no more than a rash. Nowadays, thankfully, it’s cured with antibiotics.
Distance: Could Miriam have walked all the way to Damascus after her capture from her hometown in Shumem? I checked the milage and yes, depending on how fast the walked, the captives could have trudged up north to the capital city in a couple of days. It’s approximately 200 K between the two cities, which according to Google is a two day hike.
Characters: Even though I am writing historical fiction, again, I want to stay as close to the scriptural truth as possible. I have Miriam interacting (or knowing) Elisha, and the boy I called Jonas, who Elisha raised from the dead. I was thrilled to discover they lived around the same time and in close proximity to one another, so it wasn’t so far fetched! And Elisha was a prophet and ‘hero’ figure, so everyone in Israel would at least have heard of him.
I also examined the Biblical character’s dialogue and description of each, and made sure my characterization of them was feasible and not out of line. For instance, I have Naaman as a proud, but sometimes aloof commander and husband, which I would imagine are traits of many men in charge.
Pastimes: I wanted Adara, Naaman’s wife, to have a pastime — something to keep her occupied, since everythingwas done for her by servants. I realized in that culture and time, weaving would have been a possibility. Although I did not research the exact process or loom used, I let my readers fill in the appropriate gaps. My favorite scene in The Heart Changer takes place between Miriam and Adara while she is working at her weaving.
Herbal medicine: Since the people of the Middle East had no modern medicine in the 9th century BC, the only other option would have been plant sources — herbs and spices they would cook and distill for use as remedies. Miriam remembers her mother using many herbal recipes to help those who were sick in her hometown. Hyssop, mint, cinnamon and myrrh would have been a few. Check out this website for more: https://draxe.com/the-top-14-herbs-of...
Jewish Religious Practices:I was worried the prayers and references to God (Yahweh) would be inaccurate or offensive to a Jewish person, since in Bible times the Hebrews would pronounce God’s name without the vowels (YHWH) so I asked a friend of mine, who is married to a Messianic Jew, to vet my story. She said I could use the word Jehovah and not be offensive, especially to a contemporary non-orthodox Jew. She also approved Miriam’s prayers as well.
I’m sure there are many more cultural and geographical items I could have researched, but since they were not important to the story, I again let my readers fill in the gap. It’s a great way to stay in the Word as I write!* * *
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive 1 print (US only)
AND (1) winner will receive 1 ebook (open internationally except where prohibited by law)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight May 20, 2019 and last through 11:59 pm May 27, 2019. US only. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks 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 giveawayFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
May 16, 2019
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE A WELCOME AT OUR DOOR ~
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
-- BLOG TOUR STOP FOR:
'A WELCOME AT OUR DOOR' --
AUTHOR AMY CLIPSTON
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Author
Bio, Unique Author Interview & Giveaway~
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for A Welcome At Our Door by Amy Clipston with JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: A Welcome At Our Door
Series: Amish Homestead, Book 4
Author: Amy Clipston
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: May 7, 2018
Genre: Amish Fiction
After a devastating loss, Cindy Riehl is still searching for peace. Will she find it in the community she calls home—or will love send her down a new path?
Over the last few years, Cindy Riehl—the youngest of the Riehl children—has watched her siblings find love and happiness in Lancaster County. But as her family has settled down and grown, Cindy has continued to grieve her mother, whose death left an enormous hole in her heart. Since that haunting day, Cindy has struggled to find peace and wonders if the community is the place for her—and if her faith in God will ever feel the same as it once did.
When a handsome and kind Englisher named Drew crosses Cindy’s path one surprising day, the two of them become fast and easy friends. Drew dreams of starting a family after some losses of his own, and before long, he and Cindy discover that their feelings for each other are romantic. As they spend more time together—often in secret—Cindy is drawn further and further away from the Amish community and the family she loves. In time, she is faced with a difficult choice that threatens to upend her world.
Will Cindy find contentment and love, and will she ever find restored comfort in God and her beloved community? In this final installment of the Amish Homestead series, we return to the charming town of Bird-in-Hand for a story of healing, family, and God’s perfect provision.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
JUNE: This book is the fourth and final book in your 'Amish Homestead' series. The setting for the story, Bird-in-Hand, is a real Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Please tell us how you created and developed the characters for this series. Are any of the characters or their personality traits or physical descriptions based on people you've come across in your own life? If yes, what prompted you to include them in 'A Welcome at Our Back Door' or in the 'Amish Homestead' series?
AMY: I had so much fun creating my Riehl family. Jamie Riehl, the eldest son, is a volunteer firefighter. The idea of including an Amish firefighter was based on meeting my Amish friend’s nephew, who is a volunteer paramedic. I researched firefighting by interviewing my brother-in-law, who is a firefighter in Virginia, and also meeting with firefighters at two stations near my house.
Laura and Mark are twins, and I decided to include twins in this series since I have a coworker who has two sets of fraternal, brother-sister, twins in her family. She helped me with the twins' details by sharing stories about her relationship with her twin brother and also information about her other set of sibling twins. Mark is also a jokester, which I think I based on Two-Bit, a character from my all-time favorite book, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. The book has been an inspiration to me since I was a child.
As far as basing characters' descriptions on people I know, I actually base my characters on actors and actresses I admire. I based Jamie on one of my favorite actors—Sebastian Stan. He's quite handsome.
A Welcome at Our Door is a special story to me because it is based on a true story that my Amish friend told me about her husband’s grandparents. I had so much fun fictionalizing the story and spending more time with my Riehl family.
JUNE: Who is your favorite character in this story {or series}? Why is this person your favorite? Without spoiling the story {or series}, is there anyone in the story {or series} whom you do not like? Why not?
AMY: Mark Riehl is my favorite character. He’s funny and he’s a flirt. But he also is a loving and giving person. Many of the women in the community long to date him, but he tends to string them along, never making a commitment to anymore. When he meets Priscilla in A Seat by the Hearth, he finds himself actually developing feelings for a woman. He’s bewildered when Priscilla doesn’t fall for his usual charms. I enjoyed making Mark work hard to get Priscilla’s attention.
The character I didn’t like in the series was Priscilla’s father, Yonnie. He’s verbally and emotionally abusive to Priscilla.
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?
AMY: Since I work full-time and write several books per year (including full-length novels and novellas), I’m forced to be very organized. I start out with a synopsis, and after my editor approves it, I write a very detailed outline, going chapter by chapter, scene by scene. I use this as my roadmap when I’m writing. The story grows and changes, but I always know where I’m headed, which helps prevent the dreaded writer’s block. I plan out all of my characters ahead of time. I figure out what they look like, what their personalities are, and what their family members’ names’ are.
I recommend that writers plot out their novels ahead of time. It truly helps me stay on track and not lose faith in my stories. I have taught classes on how I outline, and the writers who attended told me that it helped. In my opinion, it definitely saves me time and frustration if I know where my story is headed.
JUNE: While visiting your website I learned you wrote a memoir in 2014 entitled, 'A Gift of Love: One Woman's Journey to Save a Life'. It chronicles your inspiring journey as a kidney donor in order to save your husband's life. Have you ever considered writing more non-fiction or writing in any other genres in fiction such as middle-grade, picture books, mystery, historical, or a fictional genre other than Amish romance? How about poetry? If yes, what projects would you like to work on in the future?
AMY: A Gift of Love, the non-fiction book that details my journey as a kidney donor, was the most difficult book I have ever written. It was so personal, honest, and raw that it was painful to write. I honestly don’t see myself writing any other non-fiction books anytime soon. I enjoyed writing my young adult books and I hope to someday write more. However, HarperCollins Christian Publishing is keeping me busy with Amish projects for the next couple of years. To be honest, I would have to research out to write middle-grade, picture books, mystery, historical, or poetry. Since I work full-time, I can’t fit anything else in my schedule right now. I’m happy to continue writing my Amish books and finding new ways to tell an Amish story.
JUNE: I have enjoyed reading many of your novellas/short stories published in collections with works by other inspirational authors. Some of my favorite stories written by you and Amish authors such as Kathleen Fuller and Beth Wiseman are Amish Christmas stories. Do you have plans to release a holiday collection later in 2019 or maybe 2020? If yes, please tell us a little about the collection.
AMY: I’m excited to share that there is a new Amish Christmas collection coming this fall, and it will include stories by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Irvin. The book is called An Amish Christmas Bakery and will feature stories centered around bakeries. My story, 'Cookies and Cheer,' will include new characters that are not connected to any of my series books. Readers will find the book in stores on October 1.
-- BLOG TOUR STOP FOR:
'A WELCOME AT OUR DOOR' --
AUTHOR AMY CLIPSTON
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Author
Bio, Unique Author Interview & Giveaway~
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for A Welcome At Our Door by Amy Clipston with JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: A Welcome At Our Door Series: Amish Homestead, Book 4
Author: Amy Clipston
Publisher: Zondervan
Release Date: May 7, 2018
Genre: Amish Fiction
After a devastating loss, Cindy Riehl is still searching for peace. Will she find it in the community she calls home—or will love send her down a new path?
Over the last few years, Cindy Riehl—the youngest of the Riehl children—has watched her siblings find love and happiness in Lancaster County. But as her family has settled down and grown, Cindy has continued to grieve her mother, whose death left an enormous hole in her heart. Since that haunting day, Cindy has struggled to find peace and wonders if the community is the place for her—and if her faith in God will ever feel the same as it once did.
When a handsome and kind Englisher named Drew crosses Cindy’s path one surprising day, the two of them become fast and easy friends. Drew dreams of starting a family after some losses of his own, and before long, he and Cindy discover that their feelings for each other are romantic. As they spend more time together—often in secret—Cindy is drawn further and further away from the Amish community and the family she loves. In time, she is faced with a difficult choice that threatens to upend her world.
Will Cindy find contentment and love, and will she ever find restored comfort in God and her beloved community? In this final installment of the Amish Homestead series, we return to the charming town of Bird-in-Hand for a story of healing, family, and God’s perfect provision.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW:
JUNE: This book is the fourth and final book in your 'Amish Homestead' series. The setting for the story, Bird-in-Hand, is a real Amish community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Please tell us how you created and developed the characters for this series. Are any of the characters or their personality traits or physical descriptions based on people you've come across in your own life? If yes, what prompted you to include them in 'A Welcome at Our Back Door' or in the 'Amish Homestead' series?
AMY: I had so much fun creating my Riehl family. Jamie Riehl, the eldest son, is a volunteer firefighter. The idea of including an Amish firefighter was based on meeting my Amish friend’s nephew, who is a volunteer paramedic. I researched firefighting by interviewing my brother-in-law, who is a firefighter in Virginia, and also meeting with firefighters at two stations near my house.
Laura and Mark are twins, and I decided to include twins in this series since I have a coworker who has two sets of fraternal, brother-sister, twins in her family. She helped me with the twins' details by sharing stories about her relationship with her twin brother and also information about her other set of sibling twins. Mark is also a jokester, which I think I based on Two-Bit, a character from my all-time favorite book, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. The book has been an inspiration to me since I was a child.
As far as basing characters' descriptions on people I know, I actually base my characters on actors and actresses I admire. I based Jamie on one of my favorite actors—Sebastian Stan. He's quite handsome.
A Welcome at Our Door is a special story to me because it is based on a true story that my Amish friend told me about her husband’s grandparents. I had so much fun fictionalizing the story and spending more time with my Riehl family.
JUNE: Who is your favorite character in this story {or series}? Why is this person your favorite? Without spoiling the story {or series}, is there anyone in the story {or series} whom you do not like? Why not?
AMY: Mark Riehl is my favorite character. He’s funny and he’s a flirt. But he also is a loving and giving person. Many of the women in the community long to date him, but he tends to string them along, never making a commitment to anymore. When he meets Priscilla in A Seat by the Hearth, he finds himself actually developing feelings for a woman. He’s bewildered when Priscilla doesn’t fall for his usual charms. I enjoyed making Mark work hard to get Priscilla’s attention.
The character I didn’t like in the series was Priscilla’s father, Yonnie. He’s verbally and emotionally abusive to Priscilla.
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?
AMY: Since I work full-time and write several books per year (including full-length novels and novellas), I’m forced to be very organized. I start out with a synopsis, and after my editor approves it, I write a very detailed outline, going chapter by chapter, scene by scene. I use this as my roadmap when I’m writing. The story grows and changes, but I always know where I’m headed, which helps prevent the dreaded writer’s block. I plan out all of my characters ahead of time. I figure out what they look like, what their personalities are, and what their family members’ names’ are.
I recommend that writers plot out their novels ahead of time. It truly helps me stay on track and not lose faith in my stories. I have taught classes on how I outline, and the writers who attended told me that it helped. In my opinion, it definitely saves me time and frustration if I know where my story is headed.
JUNE: While visiting your website I learned you wrote a memoir in 2014 entitled, 'A Gift of Love: One Woman's Journey to Save a Life'. It chronicles your inspiring journey as a kidney donor in order to save your husband's life. Have you ever considered writing more non-fiction or writing in any other genres in fiction such as middle-grade, picture books, mystery, historical, or a fictional genre other than Amish romance? How about poetry? If yes, what projects would you like to work on in the future?
AMY: A Gift of Love, the non-fiction book that details my journey as a kidney donor, was the most difficult book I have ever written. It was so personal, honest, and raw that it was painful to write. I honestly don’t see myself writing any other non-fiction books anytime soon. I enjoyed writing my young adult books and I hope to someday write more. However, HarperCollins Christian Publishing is keeping me busy with Amish projects for the next couple of years. To be honest, I would have to research out to write middle-grade, picture books, mystery, historical, or poetry. Since I work full-time, I can’t fit anything else in my schedule right now. I’m happy to continue writing my Amish books and finding new ways to tell an Amish story.
JUNE: I have enjoyed reading many of your novellas/short stories published in collections with works by other inspirational authors. Some of my favorite stories written by you and Amish authors such as Kathleen Fuller and Beth Wiseman are Amish Christmas stories. Do you have plans to release a holiday collection later in 2019 or maybe 2020? If yes, please tell us a little about the collection.
AMY: I’m excited to share that there is a new Amish Christmas collection coming this fall, and it will include stories by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Irvin. The book is called An Amish Christmas Bakery and will feature stories centered around bakeries. My story, 'Cookies and Cheer,' will include new characters that are not connected to any of my series books. Readers will find the book in stores on October 1.
May 14, 2019
~ BLOG TOUR STOP ON A SUMMER TIDE ~
~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~
-- 'ON A SUMMER TIDE' --
AUTHOR SUZANNE WOODS FISHER~Post Includes: Book Spotlight & Review,Link to Excerpt & Author Bio~
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sometimes love hurts--and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.
Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. "Moving on" is Cam's mantra. But there's a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on and one who just keeps on moving.
Cam's full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island--a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam's surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, and so do the locals. One in particular: Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher, who harbors more than a few surprises.
EXCERPT: LINK TO EXCERPT COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:
"Fans of Suzanne Woods Fisher will love this story of three sisters coming together on a rugged Maine island to refurbish a camp. On a Summer Tide is an enduring tale of love and restoration."--Denise Hunter, bestselling author of On Magnolia Lane
"Suzanne Woods Fisher may be best known for her Amish stories, but this contemporary romance is a charmer. On a Summer Tide is filled with memorable characters, gorgeous Maine scenery, and plenty of family drama. I can't wait to visit Three Sisters Island again!"--Irene Hannon, bestselling author of the beloved Hope Harbor series
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
ChristianBook.com
Goodreads
Suzanne's Website
Suzanne's Facebook
Suzanne's Twitter
REVIEW:When this book came up for review with the Revell Reads program, I jumped at the opportunity to read another one of Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels!
This is the first installment in the author's contemporary romance 'Three Sisters Island' series. The story is set on a small island off of the coast of Maine. The father of the sisters in the story, Paul Grayson, has purchased Kicking Moose Camp, a rustic youth camp where he spent his summers as a teenager and young man, and the island on which it sits. The camp holds a special place in Paul's heart because it is where he met his late wife, Corinna, who died tragically in an accident a few years before the story begins.
His three daughters, Camden, Madison, and Blaine, are shocked to learn their father has sold the family home and all of its contents in order to purchase the island--without saying a word to any of them. As you can imagine, this causes some major ruffled feathers and throws the family's dynamics into a tailspin for the majority of the book.
The themes of forgiveness, acceptance, tolerance, grief, healing, family, and love flow together seamlessly throughout the story. The author has done an excellent job of describing the island and setting the scene for action. In fact, I would love to spend a summer there to explore the tide pools, beaches, ocean, and hillsides.
The author has created a small town filled with quirky characters, each with her/his own role to play in the story. Some of the citizens are lovable and laughable while others are just plain irritating. There is some mystery and intrigue included in a sub-plot along with some elements of romance in a couple of other sub-plots.
This story is well-paced and interesting with some action-filled scenes included. When I finished reading the last page of this book my first thought was -- I can't wait to visit Three Sisters Island again in the next installment of the series . . .
Highly-recommended to fans of contemporary Christian fiction, Christian romance, clean romance, clean fiction, and family-saga 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.
# # # # #
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Sometimes love hurts--and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.
Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. "Moving on" is Cam's mantra. But there's a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on and one who just keeps on moving.
Cam's full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island--a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam's surprise, the slow pace of island life appeals to her, and so do the locals. One in particular: Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher, who harbors more than a few surprises.
EXCERPT: LINK TO EXCERPT COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:
"Fans of Suzanne Woods Fisher will love this story of three sisters coming together on a rugged Maine island to refurbish a camp. On a Summer Tide is an enduring tale of love and restoration."--Denise Hunter, bestselling author of On Magnolia Lane
"Suzanne Woods Fisher may be best known for her Amish stories, but this contemporary romance is a charmer. On a Summer Tide is filled with memorable characters, gorgeous Maine scenery, and plenty of family drama. I can't wait to visit Three Sisters Island again!"--Irene Hannon, bestselling author of the beloved Hope Harbor series
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
ChristianBook.com
Goodreads
Suzanne's Website
Suzanne's Facebook
Suzanne's Twitter
REVIEW:When this book came up for review with the Revell Reads program, I jumped at the opportunity to read another one of Suzanne Woods Fisher's novels!
This is the first installment in the author's contemporary romance 'Three Sisters Island' series. The story is set on a small island off of the coast of Maine. The father of the sisters in the story, Paul Grayson, has purchased Kicking Moose Camp, a rustic youth camp where he spent his summers as a teenager and young man, and the island on which it sits. The camp holds a special place in Paul's heart because it is where he met his late wife, Corinna, who died tragically in an accident a few years before the story begins.
His three daughters, Camden, Madison, and Blaine, are shocked to learn their father has sold the family home and all of its contents in order to purchase the island--without saying a word to any of them. As you can imagine, this causes some major ruffled feathers and throws the family's dynamics into a tailspin for the majority of the book.
The themes of forgiveness, acceptance, tolerance, grief, healing, family, and love flow together seamlessly throughout the story. The author has done an excellent job of describing the island and setting the scene for action. In fact, I would love to spend a summer there to explore the tide pools, beaches, ocean, and hillsides.
The author has created a small town filled with quirky characters, each with her/his own role to play in the story. Some of the citizens are lovable and laughable while others are just plain irritating. There is some mystery and intrigue included in a sub-plot along with some elements of romance in a couple of other sub-plots.
This story is well-paced and interesting with some action-filled scenes included. When I finished reading the last page of this book my first thought was -- I can't wait to visit Three Sisters Island again in the next installment of the series . . .
Highly-recommended to fans of contemporary Christian fiction, Christian romance, clean romance, clean fiction, and family-saga 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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May 12, 2019
~ MMGM BIOGRAPHY OF H.J. HEINZ ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY BIOGRAPHY FEATURE ~
-- 'WHO WAS H. J. HEINZ?' --
AUTHOR MICHAEL BURGANILLUSTRATOR STEPHEN MARCHESI
LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Who HQ has way more than 57 reasons why you'll want to read the amazing story of H. J. Heinz--the American entrepreneur who brought tomato ketchup to the masses.
Learn how this son of German immigrants from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, turned his small food-packaging company into a booming business known for its fair treatment of workers and pioneering safe food preparation standards. This American success story follows Heinz from his early days as a pickle and vinegar merchant in the 1800s to the name behind the nation's number-one brand of ketchup. The name that's on everyone's lips is now part of the Who Was? series.
MY THOUGHTS:
I have enjoyed reading several biographies in this 'WHOHQ' series published by Penguin Workshop, and this book was no exception.
H. J. Heinz, Henry John Heinz, was born in October, 1944, in Pennsylvania to German immigrants John Heinz and Anna Schmitt. When he was almost nine years old Henry began selling the produce his family did not need from the family garden to their neighbors. At age ten he used a wheelbarrow to carry all of the vegetables he wanted to sell, and at age twelve he needed a horse-drawn cart to transport his vegetables around the village.
His business plan was to offer only the freshest, best quality produce for sale. People learned they could trust the Heinz name when it came to purchasing food for their families.
At age ten he began bottling horseradish in clear glass bottles. He wanted customers to be able to see what they were buying because many other horseradish manufacturers were adding things like leaves and wood pulp to their products. Henry felt this was cheating consumers.
The book chronicles Heinz's progress in the food manufacturing industry. He began with bottling horseradish, sauerkraut, and pickles in his mother's kitchen. As the business expanded he purchased the house next door and used it as his bottling plant. Later Heinz bottled vinegar, ketchup, and eventually many more condiments.
Heinz, Noble & Company was a partnership with two brothers named L. Clarence and E. J. Noble. They did well in the early 1870s, but when a depression hit the nation in 1873 the business went bankrupt.
In 1879 Henry tried to secure financing from banks so he could open a new operation, but because his first business had gone bankrupt the banks would not loan him money. Henry convinced his brother and a cousin, John and Frederick, to help him start a new company named F. & J. Heinz. Henry would be the 'brains' behind the operation, but he was considered another worker.
As the company began making a profit, Henry repaid his portion of the Heinz Noble Company's debt. He regained the trust of financial institutions and the family's company was poised to grow into a major food-manufacturing powerhouse.
Middle-grade readers will enjoy learning that Henry kept his recipes a secret and wrote most of them down in his recipe book in code. 'Only his relatives at the company knew the full recipes.' {page 43}
In 1888 Henry's brother, John, decided to sell his part of the company to Henry. Frederick had already sold a portion of his share back to Henry. The company was renamed H. J. Heinz Company.
In 1900, food manufacturers were adding chemicals to their food products to make them a brighter color or to act as preservatives. This was a dangerous practice as consumers could be harmed by the harsh chemicals. Henry knew salt and vinegar could help preserve foods and that those ingredients were safe for human consumption.
Henry and his son, Howard, and his brother-in-law Sebastian Mueller, wanted to establish food purity laws in the United States. In 1905, Henry sent his son and brother-in-law to meet with President Theodore Roosevelt to discuss food purity regulations. The President was not convinced of the need for these laws.
However, in 1906, Author Upton Sinclair published The Jungle which helped convince Congress and the President of the need for food purity laws. Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in late June, 1906, and President Roosevelt signed the bill into law on June 30, 1906.
In his later years, Henry enjoyed traveling to Europe to collect watches and works of art. As a side note, tomorrow, May 14th, 2019, will be the centennial of his death at age seventy-four from pneumonia.
H. J. Heinz was known as an innovator from the time he was a boy, and the company continued the tradition even after his death. In 1968, Heinz was the first company to offer ketchup in foil 'to-go' packets. In 1983, it was the first company to bottle its ketchup in plastic squeezable bottles. They merged with Kraft in 2015.
Back matter includes a timeline of H. J. Heinz's life, a timeline of the world, and a bibliography.
Highly recommended for fans of U.S. history, famous Americans, biographies, food science, and business administration.
I borrowed this book from the New Non-Fiction Books shelf in the children's collection of the local public library.
******************************* Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Who HQ has way more than 57 reasons why you'll want to read the amazing story of H. J. Heinz--the American entrepreneur who brought tomato ketchup to the masses.
Learn how this son of German immigrants from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, turned his small food-packaging company into a booming business known for its fair treatment of workers and pioneering safe food preparation standards. This American success story follows Heinz from his early days as a pickle and vinegar merchant in the 1800s to the name behind the nation's number-one brand of ketchup. The name that's on everyone's lips is now part of the Who Was? series.
MY THOUGHTS:
I have enjoyed reading several biographies in this 'WHOHQ' series published by Penguin Workshop, and this book was no exception.
H. J. Heinz, Henry John Heinz, was born in October, 1944, in Pennsylvania to German immigrants John Heinz and Anna Schmitt. When he was almost nine years old Henry began selling the produce his family did not need from the family garden to their neighbors. At age ten he used a wheelbarrow to carry all of the vegetables he wanted to sell, and at age twelve he needed a horse-drawn cart to transport his vegetables around the village.
His business plan was to offer only the freshest, best quality produce for sale. People learned they could trust the Heinz name when it came to purchasing food for their families.
At age ten he began bottling horseradish in clear glass bottles. He wanted customers to be able to see what they were buying because many other horseradish manufacturers were adding things like leaves and wood pulp to their products. Henry felt this was cheating consumers.
The book chronicles Heinz's progress in the food manufacturing industry. He began with bottling horseradish, sauerkraut, and pickles in his mother's kitchen. As the business expanded he purchased the house next door and used it as his bottling plant. Later Heinz bottled vinegar, ketchup, and eventually many more condiments.
Heinz, Noble & Company was a partnership with two brothers named L. Clarence and E. J. Noble. They did well in the early 1870s, but when a depression hit the nation in 1873 the business went bankrupt.
In 1879 Henry tried to secure financing from banks so he could open a new operation, but because his first business had gone bankrupt the banks would not loan him money. Henry convinced his brother and a cousin, John and Frederick, to help him start a new company named F. & J. Heinz. Henry would be the 'brains' behind the operation, but he was considered another worker.
As the company began making a profit, Henry repaid his portion of the Heinz Noble Company's debt. He regained the trust of financial institutions and the family's company was poised to grow into a major food-manufacturing powerhouse.
Middle-grade readers will enjoy learning that Henry kept his recipes a secret and wrote most of them down in his recipe book in code. 'Only his relatives at the company knew the full recipes.' {page 43}
In 1888 Henry's brother, John, decided to sell his part of the company to Henry. Frederick had already sold a portion of his share back to Henry. The company was renamed H. J. Heinz Company.
In 1900, food manufacturers were adding chemicals to their food products to make them a brighter color or to act as preservatives. This was a dangerous practice as consumers could be harmed by the harsh chemicals. Henry knew salt and vinegar could help preserve foods and that those ingredients were safe for human consumption.
Henry and his son, Howard, and his brother-in-law Sebastian Mueller, wanted to establish food purity laws in the United States. In 1905, Henry sent his son and brother-in-law to meet with President Theodore Roosevelt to discuss food purity regulations. The President was not convinced of the need for these laws.
However, in 1906, Author Upton Sinclair published The Jungle which helped convince Congress and the President of the need for food purity laws. Congress passed the Pure Food and Drug Act in late June, 1906, and President Roosevelt signed the bill into law on June 30, 1906.
In his later years, Henry enjoyed traveling to Europe to collect watches and works of art. As a side note, tomorrow, May 14th, 2019, will be the centennial of his death at age seventy-four from pneumonia.
H. J. Heinz was known as an innovator from the time he was a boy, and the company continued the tradition even after his death. In 1968, Heinz was the first company to offer ketchup in foil 'to-go' packets. In 1983, it was the first company to bottle its ketchup in plastic squeezable bottles. They merged with Kraft in 2015.
Back matter includes a timeline of H. J. Heinz's life, a timeline of the world, and a bibliography.
Highly recommended for fans of U.S. history, famous Americans, biographies, food science, and business administration.
I borrowed this book from the New Non-Fiction Books shelf in the children's collection of the local public library.
******************************* Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
May 11, 2019
May 10, 2019
May 5, 2019
~ MMGM S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE DARING DOZEN ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
-- 'DARING DOZEN -- THE TWELVE WHO
WALKED ON THE MOON' --
AUTHOR SUZANNE SLADEILLUSTRATED BY ALAN MARKS
LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
An introduction to the twelve men who have left footprints on the moon, just in time to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the first lunar landing.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took one small step and made history. Over the course of the next three-and-a-half years, twelve lunar explorers, including Alan Shepard and Gene Cernan, touched down on the moon's surface. Author and engineer Suzanne Slade reveals how the Apollo missions (1969-1972) built upon one another and led to important discoveries about our nearest neighbor in space. Back matter includes an afterword by Alan Bean (1932-2018), the fourth person to walk on the moon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}:
Award-winning author of more than 100 books for chlldren.
MY THOUGHTS:This hardcover non-fiction book is in a picture book format for pages 2 - 33. The illustrations are beautiful and they support the text well.
The text of the book is not rhyming and contains lots of factual information which will appeal to middle-grade learners. The book is formatted in chronological order for the following Apollo missions: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. At least one accomplishment for each moon landing is listed on the respective mission's pages.
I was pleased that the Apollo 13 mission, which was unable to land on the moon due to equipment failure, was included in the lineup so learners can read that not all 'scientific experiments' are successful.
The back matter for the book is extensive and includes many color photographs. Here are some of the topics included:
Time Line to the MoonMore About the VehiclesMore About the Moon MissionsPhotos and Statistics About Each MissionFor Further ReadingSource NotesSelected Bibliography
This will be an exciting read for students interested in space, science, astronomy, NASA's history, US history, astronauts, and the moon walks. Highly recommended!
I borrowed this book from the new books shelves in the local public library's children's section.
******************************* Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
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LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
An introduction to the twelve men who have left footprints on the moon, just in time to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the first lunar landing.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took one small step and made history. Over the course of the next three-and-a-half years, twelve lunar explorers, including Alan Shepard and Gene Cernan, touched down on the moon's surface. Author and engineer Suzanne Slade reveals how the Apollo missions (1969-1972) built upon one another and led to important discoveries about our nearest neighbor in space. Back matter includes an afterword by Alan Bean (1932-2018), the fourth person to walk on the moon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}:
Award-winning author of more than 100 books for chlldren.
MY THOUGHTS:This hardcover non-fiction book is in a picture book format for pages 2 - 33. The illustrations are beautiful and they support the text well.
The text of the book is not rhyming and contains lots of factual information which will appeal to middle-grade learners. The book is formatted in chronological order for the following Apollo missions: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. At least one accomplishment for each moon landing is listed on the respective mission's pages.
I was pleased that the Apollo 13 mission, which was unable to land on the moon due to equipment failure, was included in the lineup so learners can read that not all 'scientific experiments' are successful.
The back matter for the book is extensive and includes many color photographs. Here are some of the topics included:
Time Line to the MoonMore About the VehiclesMore About the Moon MissionsPhotos and Statistics About Each MissionFor Further ReadingSource NotesSelected Bibliography
This will be an exciting read for students interested in space, science, astronomy, NASA's history, US history, astronauts, and the moon walks. Highly recommended!
I borrowed this book from the new books shelves in the local public library's children's section.
******************************* Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!
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May 1, 2019
~ BOOK BLAST SPINSTER AND SPICE ~
~ BOOK BLAST ~
-- 'SPINSTER and SPICE' --
AUTHOR REBECCA CONNOLLY~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Author Bio & Giveaway~
About the Book
Series: The Spinster Chronicles Genre:
Adult, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Publication date: May 1, 2019
Spinster, sweet Spinster Isabella Lambert is a nice person. She is biddable, polite, soft-spoken, and eager to please. She also happens to be a spinster, and one of the writers of the infamous Spinster Chronicles, where she is less polite, more outspoken, and may not please anyone. Izzy also has a secret that only one person knows, and that one person may hold the key to its success. Sebastian Morton finds Izzy Lambert fascinating. She is the perfect mentor for his younger sister as well as a capable and charming friend for him. When opportunity strikes to spend more time with her, her secret becomes his. But will this secret, and others, ruin their connection?
GOODREADS | AMAZONAbout the Author
Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITEGiveaway
Enter the giveaway HERE. Giveaway ends May11 at 11:59 MT. Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.Blog StopsFollow along at SLB Tours for a full list of stops!
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About the Book
Series: The Spinster Chronicles Genre:
Adult, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Publication date: May 1, 2019
Spinster, sweet Spinster Isabella Lambert is a nice person. She is biddable, polite, soft-spoken, and eager to please. She also happens to be a spinster, and one of the writers of the infamous Spinster Chronicles, where she is less polite, more outspoken, and may not please anyone. Izzy also has a secret that only one person knows, and that one person may hold the key to its success. Sebastian Morton finds Izzy Lambert fascinating. She is the perfect mentor for his younger sister as well as a capable and charming friend for him. When opportunity strikes to spend more time with her, her secret becomes his. But will this secret, and others, ruin their connection?
GOODREADS | AMAZONAbout the Author
Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITEGiveawayEnter the giveaway HERE. Giveaway ends May11 at 11:59 MT. Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.Blog StopsFollow along at SLB Tours for a full list of stops!
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~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~
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