June McCrary Jacobs's Blog: ~ Author June McCrary Jacobs ~, page 95

~ BLOG TOUR STOP AT FIRST GLANCE ~

~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~ --  'AT FIRST GLANCE'  -- AUTHOR SUSAN L. TUTTLE~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, 
Author Bio, Unique Guest Post by Author & Giveaway~  
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for At First Glance by Susan L. Tuttle, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: At First Glance  
Author: Susan L. Tuttle  
Publisher: Bling! Romance (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
Release Date: November 1, 2018  
Genre: Contemporary Romance  

When it comes to love and matters of the heart, she’s got a lot to learn.

Estate planner Penny Thornton loves dusting off items others gloss over, especially since she relates to feeling tossed aside for the “bright and shiny”. When her younger sister’s approaching wedding launches Penny back into the throes of her dysfunctional family, she decides to use the festivities to close the gap in their relationships—even if it means appeasing them and finally losing the few pounds they’ve hounded her about for years.

But she doesn’t expect to meet two very different men in the process. East Fisher, the personal trainer who personifies everything she believes she could never attain, and Jonah Black, a man who reminds her so much of herself. Both men are more than they appear at first glance, and both seem interested in her romantically.

As Penny uncovers their hidden layers, she discovers when it comes to love and matters of the heart, she’s got a lot to learn about estimating value.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan L. Tuttle lives in the Mitten State where she’s a homeschooling mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between raising her teens and leading the women’s ministry at church, she finds time to write. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire and encourage. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. Connect with Susan at http://www.susanltuttle.com.  

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Twitter

**GUEST POST BY THE AUTHOR:

EIGHT BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS ABOUT THIS BOOK:


My sister helped me with the perfume aspect of this book. She is HUGE into perfumes. This picture is her on her wedding day (just this September) with my daughters who were her bridesmaids. This is just a tiny portion of her perfume collection, and she had us each pick one out to wear on that day. Her love for perfumes helped inspire this thread in my story. She brought over several small testers, and I fell in love with both the Guerlain and another called Illuminum. You’ll see them both in the story! The Guerlain was too expensive to purchase, but my best friend gave me a bottle of the Illuminum back on my 40th birthday!



This story centers heavily around Penny and her only sister Belle who is getting married. What’s funny is when I wrote this, my sister hadn’t even met her now husband, but as the release date approached we were planning MY sister’s wedding! It was funny to see how life imitated this story I had written years agoJThe difference is that my sister is older. A similarity is that she does call me Princess … though we get along MUCH better than Penny and Belle!
This is a pic of my BFF during a trip we took to Chicago to check out the places I’d used in the setting. One scene takes place in a restaurant called Roof. Unfortunately it was closed when we visited. Lucky for me, my BFF is much bolder than I! She sweet-talked one of the employees into giving us a tour of it anyway.

Holland, Michigan is really close to where I live, and while I made up the dress shop and the dance studio, CityVu is a hotel and restaurant my hubby and I love to go to!
Penny being six feet tall is because I am also six feet tall. It took me a long time to love my height and writing that part of her seemed to come naturally.
The Adele concert came about because of the song “Make You Feel My Love”. It’s one I’ve always loved, and it played one night while I was writing. That scene unfolded in my mind as I listened, and I knew I had to add it into the story. I originally wrote some of the lyrics into the scene, but that’s a big no-no for copyright reasons, so I had to pull them.
I happened across this picture of the most adorable dog while on Pinterest one day. And that is how Clooney was born:

The scene at the amusement park takes place at Six Flags Great America in Chicago and was all because Hubby and I love amusement parks and roller coasters. And that last ride of the scene? That was a little poke at my hubby. While I had to cut the scene short for word count, I still wanted to add in them starting the ride. Hubby and I went on a similar one when we were first married, and once we were lifted to the top, he froze! I had to pull the cord that released us into the freefall, and I haven’t let him forget it!
TOUR GIVEAWAY(1) winner will receive (US only)
an ARC copy of At First Glance$10 Amazon gift cardbook cozy from The Cozy Lifecute bookmarkEnter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 5, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 12, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


a Rafflecopter giveawayFollow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!


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~ BLOG TOUR THE SPINSTER AND I ~

~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~ --  'THE SPINSTER AND I'  -- AUTHOR REBECCA CONNOLLY~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,Author Bio & Giveaway~

About the Book

 
Series: The Spinster Chronicles
Genre: Adult, New Adult, Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Publication date: November 1, 2018
  Poor, unfortunate Spinster…
Prudence Westfall, spinster, has unexpectedly had the greatest misfortune of all: she has inherited a fortune, and is now an heiress. But as a Spinster, and a stammering, shy one, nothing could be worse than having a bevy of suitors pay her attention. Opportunity strikes at a house party when the most unlikely person offers the perfect solution.

Camden Vale is no gentleman, and he’s not prone to saving anyone, but something about Prue changes all that. When his offer to befriend her extends beyond the house party, and his feelings extend beyond expectation, no one is more surprised than he. Except, perhaps, for the other Spinsters, and they have much to say on the subject.

GOODREADS| AMAZON

About 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 | WEBSITE   *******************  When asked, "What did you, as an author, take away from writing 'The Spinster and I'?", Rebecca Connolly responded:
 "I think the biggest thing I took away was that we need to look beneath the surface in everyone. There is so much more to a person than what we can see."
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Giveaway


Enter the giveaway HERE.
​
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

Tour Schedule

November 5
Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen
Remembrancy
Blooming with Books (book 1)

November 6
Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic
Jorie Loves A Story

November 7
Life Is What It’s Called
Emily Yager
Wishful Endings

November 8
Singing Librarian Books
Heidi Reads…
Katie’s Clean Book Collection

November 9
Pause for Tales
My Book a Day
Blooming with Books (book 2)

November 10
Bookworm Lisa
Edits and Reviews by Leslie
Red Headed Book Lady
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~ MMGM THE POPPY LADY WWI BIOGRAPHY ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY BIOGRAPHY FEATURE ~ --  'THE POPPY LADY:  MOINA BELLE MICHAEL AND HER TRIBUTE TO VETERANS'  -- AUTHOR BARBARA ELIZABETH WALSHPAINTINGS BY LAYNE JOHNSON~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, Author Bio & Review~


LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS
ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Moina Belle Michael, a schoolteacher from Georgia, successfully established the Flanders Field Memorial Poppy as a universal symbol of tribute and support for veterans and their families during World War I and II. Known as the Poppy Lady, Michael dedicated her life to servicemen and women, buying and placing fresh flowers in rooms where they would gather before heading overseas.

Author Barbara Elizabeth Walsh and artist Layne Johnson worked with experts and primary documents, as well as Moina's great-nieces to better understand Moina's determination to honor the war veterans.

A portion of the book’s proceeds will support the National Military Family Association’s Operation Purple®, which benefits children of the U.S. military.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR {from Goodreads}:Barbara Elizabeth Walsh has fond memories of poppies and parades honoring her father and other veterans. During World War II her father knew Moina Michael, the Poppy Lady. A former elementary-school teacher, Barbara has written articles for Highlights for Children and Cricket. The Poppy Lady is her first children's book. She and her husband live in Mantoloking, New Jersey, and Key Largo, Florida. For more information, visit barbaraelizabethwalsh.com.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR {from the publisher's website}:Layne Johnson has illustrated more than twenty books for children, including the Western Heritage Award--winning Off Like the Wind!: The First Ride of the Pony Express by Michael P. Spradlin. Mr. Johnson speaks frequently in schools and libraries. He lives in Houston, Texas, with his wife.
MY THOUGHTS: With the centennial of the World War I armistice approaching on November 11th, 2018, I decided I wanted to feature books about 'The Great War' or World War II each Monday of this month for my Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts.
A couple of months ago I began searching the local library's online catalog for appropriate titles, and I was thrilled to find this gem in the collection!
Moina Belle Michael was raised in the small community of Good Hope, Georgia, after the Civil War. Families had lost everything in 'The Surrender' and could not afford to hire a teacher for the local children. Moina's mother was determined to help her daughter become educated so Moina could teach her younger siblings and the neighbor's children.
After three years of boarding school fifteen-year old Moina cleaned out an abandoned slaves' cabin on the plantation and opened a school for her siblings and a few local children.
In the summer of 1914, Miss Michael had been traveling in Europe when World War I broke out. When the Germans sank an American ship in March, 1917, she prayed the United States would not enter the war.
At this time, she was a teacher and dorm mother at the University of Georgia's Normal School. She dreaded the U.S. Congress's vote on whether the nation would enter the war. When it was announced that the United States was joining in the war in Europe, Moina vowed to do whatever she could to help the soldiers. She wanted them to be remembered for their service and sacrifice.
She knitted sock and rolled bandages with other local women. She delivered treats to the nearby military camp and invited soldiers to share a meal at her home.
In the autumn of 1918, she completed the training presented by the YMCA and held at Columbia University in New York City so she could become a canteen worker. She applied to go overseas but was denied due to the fact that she was too old. {She was forty-nine years old at the time.}
She wanted to help out somehow. She reflected upon what she could do to help the war effort. She decided it would be worthwhile to help the soldiers before they left for their assignments overseas, so she opened a reading/meeting room in the basement of a hall on Columbia's campus.
Men and women in the military along with university secretaries visited the room each day to read, sing, and visit with others. Miss Michael used her own meager salary to buy flowers to brighten up the dreary basement. She felt called to do more to ease the stress of these soldiers who were serving or had served their country in war.
By chance, Moina read a poem in a magazine written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae who was a Canadian physician. The poem, 'In Flanders Fields', was a tribute to the soldiers who perished on the battlefields of Flanders. In the poem, the battlefield was covered with white crosses and bright red poppies.
Then and there Moina Belle Michael vowed to buy red poppies to give out to others and to always wear a red poppy herself in honor of the poppies of Flanders Fields.
She went out shopping in New York City to purchase red poppies. She found one large and twenty-four small silk poppies in a single department store. She pinned one poppy to her collar and hurried back to the basement room. She placed the large poppy in a vase and handed out the twenty-three smaller ones to the men and women leaving for France.
It is striking that two days after she purchased the twenty-five poppies, World War I ended. She was not ready to rest. She saw how difficult it was for the returning troops to find jobs and get the medical care they needed.
She decided to help out by trying to get various organizations to honor and support the veterans by adopting the Flanders Fields Memorial Poppy. People around the world began to donate money to the funds to help veterans, war widows, and orphans.
Many unemployed and disabled veterans made and distributed poppies. Moina was named the 'Poppy Lady'. 
Moina Belle Michael died at the age of seventy-four and was honored with a military funeral in her honor in Athens, Georgia.
The 'Author's Note' tells the touching story of how her own father had met Miss Michael when he was a soldier in World War II. The soldier, Pat, told his author daughter about how nice Miss Michael was. This prompted Barbara Elizabeth Walsh to research and write this compelling biography.
The 'Legacy' section tells how the Flanders Poppy is still recognized as a symbol of remembrance. These poppies are still distributed by several veterans groups in America.
A 'Selected Biography' is included.
The original paintings by artist Layne Johnson are beautiful and contribute greatly to this amazing woman's biography.
If you would like to read the touching poem which began this red poppy tradition, you will find the text of 'In Flanders Fields' and a brief biography of the poet who wrote it at the following link:   'In Flanders Fields' Poem  
This biography is highly recommended to parents/grandparents, librarians, teachers, and fans of American history/World War I history/military history/twentieth century history. It is inspiring and engaging and will show a true-life example of a woman who dedicated her life to serving others.
I borrowed this book from the local public library.


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Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.

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~ WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ME? ~

~ SPECIAL FEATURE 
HONORING 'NATIONAL
ADOPTION MONTH' ~ --  'WHY DID YOU CHOOSE ME?'  -- AUTHOR KATIE CRUICE SMITH &
ILLUSTRATOR SARAH STRICKLING JONES~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, Author andIllustrator Bios, Guest Post by Author
 & Giveaway~
November is National Adoption Month, and we're celebrating with the Why Did You Choose Me? Saturday Hop and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Tours and Ambassador International! Every Saturday in November, hop along to the different host blogs and enter the great giveaway!

ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Why Did You Choose Me?  
Author: Katie Cruice Smith 
Illustrator: Sarah Strickling Jones 
Publisher: Ambassador International 
Release Date: November 12, 2017 
Genre: Children's Picture Book, Adoption

Most adoptive and foster children struggle at some point in their life with knowing who they are and where they belong. They want to ask questions, and parents need to be prepared with an answer that helps their child feel loved and secure.

After searching for adoption storybooks to read to her own adopted children, Katie Cruice Smith decided that there was a need for more books that parents could read at bedtime to connect with their adopted and fostered children.

In Why Did You Choose Me?, Katie Cruice Smith answers that question in a way that young children can understand. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptive mom to three children, Katie uses the questions her own children have asked to help them see there never really was a choice she knew right away that they were hers.

With beautiful illustrations by artist Sarah Strickling Jones, Why Did You Choose Me? lovingly demonstrates the uniqueness that each child brings to a family.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Ambassador International


GUEST POST BY AUTHOR:  
FIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS:
1. The idea for this book actually came from an adoption grant I was trying to win for our third adoption. Applicants were required to submit an essay based on the question, "If your child comes to you one day and asks, 'Why did you choose me?' what would you say?" I won the grant, and the idea for a book began to take shape.

2. My illustrator, Sarah Strickling Jones, was the one who thought this should be a book. We were already very good friends, and I was venting to her one day as we were working in her garden. She had the idea that she would illustrate the poem, and then we could try to sell it to raise money for the adoption. It didn't quite work out that way, but that's how we got started.

3. It took four years to get this book published, so it has changed a lot since its beginning stages. But all of the scenarios are based on life with my own three wonderful, adopted children.

4. Sarah spent hours upon hours pouring over different children's books to come up with just the right style for the book. She looked at bright colors and pastels, water colors and markers. She drew and painted, tossed and recycled, and then came to me with several samples before we even began to coordinate the art and the text. Did I mention that she is amazing?!

5. My hope for this book is to help parents start the conversation with their little ones about adoption. Many young children have questions and uncertainties regarding their place in their adoptive family, but they don't have the words to express themselves. I hope that this book spurs that conversation and opens the doors for families to come together.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katie Cruice Smith is a freelance writer, journalist, and editor, and she resides in the Upstate of South Carolina with her husband and three adopted children. Katie is an adoption and foster care advocate, and she and husband are licensed foster parents and the founders of their church’s orphan ministry. She is currently working on a devotional book to accompany Why Did You Choose Me?

CONNECT WITH KATIE: website | Facebook | Twitter
 
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Sarah Strickling Jones enjoys working with oils, acrylics, ceramics, and printmaking. She creates her artwork and teaches students of all ages from her country home. She lives in Greer, South Carolina, with her husband Darren and four children: Trevor, Peyton, Blake, and Renea. Why Did You Choose Me? is Sarah Strickling Jones’ first illustrated children’s book in watercolor.
CONNECT WITH SARAH: Facebook

TOUR GIVEAWAY(1) winner will receivea print copy of Why Did You Choose Me?"For This Child I Prayed" ornament (more info
a Rafflecopter giveaway  Follow along at JustRead for a full list of stops/dates!
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~ BLOG TOUR STOP A SOUTHERN SEASON ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~--BLOG TOUR STOP-- --  'A SOUTHERN SEASON'  -- A COLLECTION BY FOUR AUTHORS~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, AuthorBios, Excerpt & Giveaway~
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for A Southern Season: Four Stories From a Front Porch Swing by Eva Marie Everson, Claire Fullerton, Linda W. Yezak, and Ane Mulligan, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Pull up a front porch swing and enjoy learning more about this collection from four great authors.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: A Southern Season: Four Stories From a Front Porch Swing
Authors: Eva Marie Everson, Claire Fullerton, Linda W. Yezak, Ane Mulligan 
Publisher: Firefly Southern Fiction 
Release Date: November 1, 2018 
Genre: Inspirational Southern/Women's Fiction Four seasons. 

Four stories. Each one set in the enchanting world of the South. These are the kinds of stories your grandmother told you from a front porch swing.  

Ice Melts in Spring by Linda W. Yezak
When Kerry Graham's boss forces her to return to the Gulf of Mexico where her husband drowned years ago, she feels only spring's chill and not the warmth of the Texas sun. Can the joy of a reclusive author and the compassion of a shrimp-boat preacher thaw Kerry's frigid heart?  

Lillie Beth in Summer by Eva Marie Everson
With the untimely death of his wife, Dr. James Gillespie believes God has abandoned him. He also believes he's never met anyone like the young widow Lillie Beth, whose beloved Granny lies dying at home, and who sees a God who sweeps hope through a farmhouse window. Can a young woman whose husband died in Vietnam restore a faith that is all but dead. 

Through an Autumn Window by Claire Fullerton
Because her larger than life mother Daphne Goodwyn is dead, forty-year-old Cate returns to Memphis with one thought in mind: something always goes wrong at a Southern funeral. But surrounded by the well-mannered society that raised her, the nostalgic rites of a three-day, autumn mourning bring the unexpected gift of the end of sibling rivalry.

A Magnolia Blooms in Winter by Ane Mulligan
With Broadway stardom within her reach, Morgan James returns home in winter to help an old friend. Maybe it s just nostalgia, but when she sees him again, an old flame rekindles. When she's called back to NYC to take the lead in a new musical, will fame be worth losing the man she loves?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

EXCERPT:
From: A Magnolia Blooms in Winter by Ane Mulligan

Andy’s face glowed with welcome. But was it for Vanessa or me? I gave myself a mental shake. It didn’t matter. I was here on business.

If only my heart would listen.

He reached out and squeezed my hand. “Thanks for coming. I’m so over my head directing a play. There’s a notebook on the hearth for you.” He gestured to a large binder by the fireplace. “It’s got the script and my pathetic blocking notes, plus the tech designs. We’ve been in rehearsals for three weeks already.”

Only three? Why did amateur groups always cut short rehearsal time when they needed more than professionals?

He withdrew his arm from Vanessa’s clasp. “We can go through it now if you like.”

Okay, he was all business too. My heart did a nosedive, but I told it this was for the best. I sat on the hearth and opened his production book.

Vanessa glared. “I still don’t know why we need her. I directed the children’s Christmas play last year.”

A muscle near Andy’s eye twitched. It always did when he tried not to laugh. What happened during that play that tickled his funny bone?

“Morgan is a Broadway professional, Vanessa. She has experience in every aspect of a production. Besides, she wrote the script. No one knows it better than she does.”

“Well, I have my own ideas about—wait a minute.” She snapped her attention directly to me. “Really? You’ve acted on Broadway?” She jumped up and joined me on the hearth.

I wasn’t sure how it happened, but I went from persona non grata to potatoes au gratin.


ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Eva Marie Everson (Lillie Beth in Summer) is a multiple award-winning author and speaker. She is the president of Word Weavers International and the director of Florida Christian Writers Conference & North Georgia Christian Writers Conference.  

CONNECT WITH EVA: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
 

Claire Fullerton (Through an Autumn Window) is the author of Mourning Dove, Dancing to an Irish Reel, and A Portal in Time. She is a transplanted Southerner from Memphis now living in Malibu, California.

CONNECT WITH CLAIRE: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
 

Ane Mulligan (A Magnolia Blooms in Winter) writes Southern-fried fiction served with a tall, sweet iced tea. She's an award-winning, multi-published novelist and playwright, who believes chocolate and coffee are two of the four major food groups.

 CONNECT WITH ANE: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
 

Linda W. Yezak (Ice Melts in Spring) lives with her husband and PB, the original scaredy cat, in a forest in Deep East Texas, where tall tales abound and exaggeration is an art form. Author of several novels, novellas, and short stories, she is best known for her award-winning Circle Bar Ranch series.  

CONNECT WITH LINDA: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

TOUR GIVEAWAY(1) winner will receive a print copy of A Southern Season, signed by all 4 authors! (US only)  

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight October 30, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 5, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along at JustRead for a full list of stops!

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~ MMGM WOMEN ATHLETES WHO RULE SI KIDS ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADEMONDAY NON-FICTION FEATURE ~ --  'SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS: WOMEN ATHLETES WHO RULE!'  -- EDITOR: ELIZABETH McGARR McCUE~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,Author Bio & Review



LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS  

ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:

The fifth book in the Big Book of Who series from Sports Illustrated Kids profiles extraordinary athletes who shaped the narratives of their sports. The best women athletes--past and present--including Billie Jean King, Serena Williams, Nadia Comaneci, Simone Biles, and dozens more are grouped into these categories: Superstars who reinvented what it means to be a sports celebrity, Wonder Women who transcend sports and created seismic shifts in our culture, Trail Blazers who broke barriers and paved the way for others to follow, Record Breakers who set new standards for excellence, and the Champions who showed heart and gumption as winners. All of their stories bring excellence in women's sports to readers hungry for empowering stories for kids--girls and boys alike.

MY THOUGHTS:

I have followed the sports of ice skating, tennis, and baseball since the 1970s, and in the 1980s I began following professional golf. So when I saw this book on the new book shelf in the children's section of the local public library, I grabbed it. I'm so glad I did!

This book is well-formatted with awesome photographs of these athletes in action, a nice-sized font, text set aside in easy-to-read boxes, and a 'Fast Fact' or 'WOW Factor' for each of the 101 women athletes presented in the book. The photographs really are spectacular. Many of them are in black and white because of the era in which they were taken.

As mentioned in the blurb about the book from Goodreads at the beginning of this post, the book is divided into five sections. There is a 'Player Index' in the back matter of the book. Each athlete's name is shown as last name, first name {i.e. Lopez, Nancy} making it easy for readers to find their favorite athletes quickly.

I learned about women athletes from sports I don't follow and about the little-known-to-me sports some of them have participated in over the years. Some of the sports covered in the book include bowling, track and field, auto racing, softball, tennis, golf, ice skating, snow skiing, ice hockey, polo, soccer, and basketball.

My favorite features in the book were the ones about inspirational women who overcame tremendous obstacles to become champions in one or more sports. Wilma Rudolph: This athlete won three Olympic gold medals for running in track and field events. This was an amazing feat since her left leg was paralyzed from double pneumonia and scarlet fever when she was four years old. When she was eight she began to walk using a leg brace, and she was sixteen when she qualified for the U.S. Olympic track and field team! Althea Gibson: In 1950, she was the first African-American to play in the U.S. National Championships of tennis which was later renamed the U.S. Open. In 1956 and 1957 Althea won the career grand slam of tennis--French Open, Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. In 1963, this athlete became the first African-American golfer to join the LPGA {Ladies Professional Golf Association} tour where she played in 171 tournaments through 1977. Steffi Graf: I'll be honest, I was a huge Steffi Graf fan throughout her career. I learned in this book that she is the only tennis player to win Olympic gold and all four tennis major tournaments in the same year! I loved watching this woman play tennis--she was tenacious and graceful and mindful all at once. Babe Didrikson Zaharias: Babe was recognized in this book as being the greatest athlete of the first half of the twentieth century because of her versatility as an athlete. She was a champion in track and field events, golf, basketball, and softball. Paralympian Champions: Jessica Long and Tatyana McFadden were featured in the book as paralympian champions in swimming and wheelchair marathon/cross-country skiing, respectively. Their dedication to their sports and their accomplishments are an inspiration to all who follow sports.
I'd like to mention a unique individual who was rightfully included in this book. Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the Special Olympics in 1962 by holding a summer camp for young people with intellectual disabilities. The movement now includes almost five million athletes--aged eight years old to adults--in 172 countries. Mrs. Shriver is included in the chapter titled, 'Trailblazers', along with Wilma Rudolph, Althea Gibson, and the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest {Junko Tabei}.
************* Highly-recommended for readers of any age or gender who are interested in learning the history of global sports iconic female sports heroes!
Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog. ------------------------------------------------------------
****ENDING SOON!

IF YOU HAVE A MIDDLE-GRADER/TWEEN/TEEN WHO IS INTERESTED IN LEARNING TO SEW AND QUILT, YOU'LL DEFINITELY WANT TO ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER FOR ONE PRINT COPY OF 'SEWING SCHOOL QUILTS' TO A LUCKY US/CANADA WINNER. GIVEAWAY IS SPONSORED BY STOREY PUBLISHING.

ONE PRINT COPY--OPEN TO US/CANADA




LINK TO THE CURRENT GIVEAWAYS PAGE ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC'

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~ BLOG TOUR WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~--BLOG TOUR STOP-- --  'WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME'  -- AUTHOR PEPPER BASHAM~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, AuthorBio, Author Interview & Giveaway~

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for When You Look at Me by Pepper Basham, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: When You Look at Me
(Pleasant Gap Romance #2)
Author: Pepper Basham
Publisher: Woven Words Publications
Release Date: October 25, 2018
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

An unexpected mother-to-be
A romance-leery composer
And a forgotten melody from the past that holds the keys to their futures

When Julia Jenkins' great aunt dies and leaves her a Victorian mansion with decades of secrets, Julia never expects to unearth a World War 2 espionage mystery. Struggling with her own past since an assault left her pregnant, her future as a solo parent leaves her dreams uncertain. The inheritance from her great aunt gives Julia the ability to take a step back into her future, but also sends her into the discovery of a love story she’d never anticipated. As she goes through her aunt's treasured possessions, Julia uncovers some oddly written piano music with a musical code she can’t decipher on her own. Not to worry, introverted Englishman and composer, Henry Wright, is thrust on the scene by a pair of homespun matchmakers who know the ‘right’ man for Julia’s wounded heart.

Henry arrives in Pleasant Gap with the task of composing the soundtrack for his best mate’s newest film. The Jenkins’ family’s southern welcome and gregarious personalities set his reticent nature on edge, but he’s inexplicably drawn to his gentle and music-loving hostess, Julia. Uncertain how to build a friendship with the wounded woman, and rather hopeless in communicating well through words, the bond of music becomes a bridge between her uncertainty and his awkwardness.

But her broken past and his families’ expectations build a wall much greater than the cultures that separate them. As they work together to solve a musical mystery from the grave, will an unlikely romance from the past inspire their hearts to trust in a God who’s written the perfect melody for their lives?  

PURCHASE: Goodreads | Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes historical and contemporary romance novels with grace, humor, and culture clashes. She’s a Blue Ridge Mountain native and an anglophile who enjoys combining her two loves to create memorable stories of hope. Pepper is also a mom of five, a speech-language pathologist, and a lover of Jesus and chocolate. She resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family.  

CONNECT: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram


INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR:

June: Welcome to 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic', Pepper. As I visited your website and Amazon and Goodreads Author Pages, I was struck by your versatility as an author. You write historical and contemporary romance novels and novellas. By my count, 'When You Look at Me' is your ninth book. Congratulations!

Pepper: June, thank you so much for having me on your blog!! I HOPE it’s my 10th. That’s what I’m sharing, so I’d better go back and check to make sure

~ MMGM SEWING SCHOOL QUILTS ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY QUILTING BOOK
FEATURE WITH GIVEAWAY ~
-- 'SEWING SCHOOL QUILTS: 15
PROJECTS KIDS WILL LOVE TO MAKE' --
*AUTHORS AMIE PETRONIS PLUMLEY
& ANDRIA LISLE*
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bios, My Thoughts, Bonus
Content & Print-Copy Giveaway
{US & Canada Only}
Sponsored by Storey Publishing~



ABOUT THE BOOK {Courtesy of Storey Publishing}:
Sewing School Quilts: 15 Projects Kids Will Love to Make
160 pages; 9" x 9½"
Full-color
$18.95 paper with concealed wire-o and patterns
ISBN: 978-1-61212-859-7

--Widening the Quilting Circle to the Next Generation:

Quilters are a passionate group, and now parents, grandparents, and teachers who love this timeless craft have a new tool to draw from their sewing kits. Sewing School Quilts introduces this popular sewing tradition to young makers with patterns for fun one-of-a-kind projects like a recycled T-shirt quilt.

Through easy-to-follow instructions and dynamic photos, authors Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle teach children 8 and up hand- and machine-sewing techniques to piece together their first patchwork projects and stitch their first quilt. Fifteen kid-tested and -approved projects range from the decorative to the practical, including an appli­quéd family crest wall hanging, a patchwork stuffed puppy, and an embroidered selfie quilt.

Using the same winning approach that has made the best-selling Sewing School series a hit with kids and adults alike, each project features step-by-step photographs of real kids sewing, plus encour­aging suggestions for creating unique variations that express each young crafter’s imaginative spirit and vision.

AT-A-GLANCE:
A contemporary kids’ guide to the timeless art of quilting, from the best-selling authors of Sewing School and Sewing School 2 Features step-by-step photography and text written for a grade 2 reading level 15 kid-created projects include patchwork toys, practical accessories, and a variety of quilts PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:
“The Sewing School series is the best out there for kids to learn the fundamentals in a fun, friendly way.”
—Abby Glassenberg, While She Naps

ABOUT THE AUTHORS {Courtesy of Storey Publishing}:

Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle are the authors of Sewing School and Sewing School 2. Plumley is an elementary school teacher in Memphis, Tennessee, where she inspires students to sew in the classroom, in an after-school sewing club, and at a wildly popular summer sewing camp. Lisle is cultural curator at Fourth Bluff in downtown Memphis, part of the national initiative Reimaging the Commons. They blog together at sewingschool.blogspot.com.

MY REVIEW:Before I begin my review, I would like to disclose that I have had three of my original sewing designs published in two different 'One Yard Wonders' sewing books which were both published by Storey Publishing. When I read this book, 'Sewing School Quilts', which I had borrowed from the local public library earlier this month, I knew I wanted to feature it on my upcoming blog because it is just perfect for middle-graders, tweens, and teens! 

I subsequently contacted the publicist at Storey with whom I had worked on promoting the two above-mentioned books in which my projects appear. I was referred to another publicist at Storey since my contact was unavailable. I asked Sarah if Storey would be willing to sponsor a giveaway of one print copy for a US winner when I posted my feature on 'Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic'. She agreed, and here we are. A word of appreciation goes to Sarah for providing me with all of the images and media information included in this post.

There are so many things to like about this book. First of all, the binding is a cardboard, spiral-bound cover with a large envelope filled with paper patterns. This format makes the book the perfect resource for readers while they are using the books to make the projects.

Secondly, I was impressed with the warm, friendly, nurturing writing tone of the authors. While they provide lots of teaching of skills and awesome projects for young sewists, they also guide and encourage readers to develop safe practices when using scissors, sewing machines, and other tools required to make the projects. 

Thirdly, there is a good amount of quilt history sprinkled amongst the pages of the book. One page features 'A Quick History of Quilts' with a narrative about the Gee's Bend Quilters along with a photo of a colorful quilt designed and stitched by Gee's Bend quilter, Lucy Mingo. Another featured entitled 'Quilting Bee' refers to Laura Ingalls Wilder's novels and her references to pioneer-era quilters gathering together to make projects. Tips are given to young readers of today for setting up their own quilting bee.

Another valuable component of this book are the sections about fabric, batting, Math + Quilts, patterns, and how to assemble a quilt. My compliments go to these two authors for the amount of care and detail they wrote into each and every section of the book. I have been sewing since I was eight years old and quilting since the late 1990's and I am happy to say I learned a few things I did not know which I will now practice when I sew and quilt.

The fifteen projects are divided into five sections:
  Art Quilts  Foundation Piecing  Patchwork  Applique  RecycledThere is a detailed quilting dictionary in the back matter along with sections on machine-sewing and hand-sewing skills.

Finally, the participants in the sewing school the authors staged with learners aged eight to age sixteen included boys and girls. It was fun to see such a wide variety of ages and cultures represented in the photos of participants presented in the book.
BONUS CONTENT:To get a feel for the projects in this book, Storey has graciously given permission for me to share the photos and project pages for two of the projects in the book.
SELFIE QUILT:
Excerpted from Sewing School® Quilts © by Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle. Photography © by J.F. Burks. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.

Excerpted from Sewing School® Quilts © by Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle. Photography © by J.F. Burks. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.
    T-SHIRT QUILT:
Excerpted from Sewing School® Quilts © by Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle. Photography © by J.F. Burks. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.

Excerpted from Sewing School® Quilts © by Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle. Photography © by J.F. Burks. Used with permission of Storey Publishing.

Highly-recommended to teachers, parents/grandparents, youth group/church/4-H/scout/youth camp leaders, and adults who are interested in learning how to quilt from the ground up, so to speak.

Disclaimer:  I was not compensated in any manner for posting this review of this book.

I borrowed this book from the children's section of the local public library.

************


Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.

***********GIVEAWAY************
 Storey Publishing is giving away one print copy of 'Sewing School Quilts' to a very lucky US/Canada resident, eighteen years or older. No purchase is necessary. Simple use the following Rafflecopter form to enter.  
   a Rafflecopter giveaway

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~ BOOK BLITZ THE SEVEN TRILOGY ~

~ BOOK BLITZ ~ --  'THE SEVEN TRILOGY'  -- AUTHOR SARA DAVISON~Post Includes:  Series Spotlight,Author Bio, Special Guest Post by the Author--
'Seven Things You Might Not Know About 
'The Seven Trilogy' & Giveaway~
We are celebrating these gorgeous new covers for the Seven trilogy by Sara Davison, with a blog blitz and giveaway hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOKS
Title: The End Begins (Seven Trilogy #1)
Author: Sara Davison
Publisher: Ashberry Lane/WhiteFire Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense

One of them is a prisoner and one of them is free. The same one.

Bookstore owner Meryn O’Reilly and Army Captain Jesse Christensen are on opposite sides of a battle. When martial law is declared, Jesse and his platoon are sent to Meryn’s city to keep an eye on the Christians and make sure they are not stepping outside of the confines of the law.

Fiery and quick-tempered, Meryn chafes under the curfew and other restrictions to her freedom. Jesse is equally amused, intrigued, and terrified by her spirit, knowing she could find herself in prison if she shows defiance to the wrong soldier.

His worst fears are realized when she commits a crime he cannot protect her from. Now they both face an uncertain future, and the very real threat of losing everything, including their lives. With time running out, Jesse works feverishly to convince the authorities to show leniency to Meryn. And to convince her that love can overcome any barrier that lies between them.  

PURCHASE: Goodreads | Amazon
Title: The Darkness Deepens (Seven Trilogy #2)  
Author: Sara Davison
Publisher: Ashberry Lane/WhiteFire Publishing
Genre: Romantic Suspense

(formerly The Dragon Roars)

Their Secrets Protect Them … But Secrets are Hard to Keep

No one in the army can find out that Captain Jesse Christensen has become a believer. He and bookstore owner Meryn O’Reilly are forced to meet in secret, facing imprisonment or worse if they are found together. Their relationship deepens, but so does Lieutenant Gallagher’s hatred for the Christians in their city. As Gallagher’s power grows, it becomes clear that his connections go much further up the chain of command than anyone realized, putting all believers, especially Jesse, in extreme danger.

Meryn wants to give her heart to Jesse fully, but her past holds her back. Although circumstances conspire to keep her silent, she needs to tell him her secret. When he finds out what she has been keeping from him, nothing will stand between them anymore. Or nothing will ever be the same.  

PURCHASE: Goodreads | Amazon
Title: The Morning Star Rises (Seven Trilogy #3)  
Author: Sara Davison  
Publisher: Ashberry Lane/WhiteFire Publishing  
Genre: Romantic Suspense

In the Midst of all the Fear and Confusion, Only One Thing is Clear … This Isn’t Over Yet

Jesse Christensen is out of the army, but the real battle has just begun. Major Gallagher has taken over the city and his oppression of believers has intensified. But is Gallagher acting in a professional capacity, or is he carrying out a personal vendetta?

Meryn O’Reilly faces a dark and uncertain future after shocking revelations devastate her life. She is determined to follow God’s call, but her plans could cost her everything. She and Jesse struggle to surrender fully to a God who is always in control, even when circumstances suggest otherwise.

With the world descending into chaos around them, Meryn and Jesse face the greatest barrier to their love yet—a barrier that may prove too strong to breach.
****************
GUEST POST SHARED BY THE AUTHOR:
Seven Things You Might not Know about The Seven Trilogy

1.) Are there seven books in this series? It may not be the most important fact about the series, but it is the question I am most frequently asked, so let me clarify right off the top that no, there are not seven books in the series, only three. The series title actually refers to the seven letters Jesus wrote to the churches in Revelation. While the recipients of these letters were seven actual churches at the time, most scholars agree that they also represent the church in the last days, the setting for this series.

2.) Is this an end times book? (said in the same suspicious tone of voice and with the same tilted head as the boy uses when he asks his grandfather, who is reading The Princess Bride to him, “Is this a kissing book?”) And the answer is sort of, but not the way you think. I grew up in a time when apocalyptic, end times books and movies were extremely popular. They were also, for the most part, very dark, violent, and terrifying. These books are not that. The end times, which we have likely been in for a while now, simply refers to an era during which the final stages of God’s plan to restore humanity to perfect relationship with him and set all things right—the story of the Bible from beginning to end—is unfolding right before our eyes. A time when God is firmly in control of all that is happening around us, no matter how crazy or chaotic it feels the world has become. The book of Revelation is a story of hope and the faithfulness and sovereignty of God, and so, I pray, is The Seven Trilogy.

3.) Are the events that happen in the book prophetic? I have never claimed to have the gift of prophecy, so no, not in the strictest sense of the word, at least not that I am aware of. However, I will say that when I first started outlining the book about six or seven years ago, even I thought some of what I was including was pretty far-fetched, but by the time the first book came out in 2015, a lot of readers told me that those same events felt as though they’d been ripped from current headlines in the news.

4.) So, is this a kissing book? Yeah, it kind of is. Like the Bible, The Seven Trilogy is a love story at its core. At the beginning of book one, The End Begins, the military is sent in to keep an eye on the Christians, with strict orders to not become involved with them in any way. Which is a big problem for Captain Jesse Christensen, since he is drawn to the feisty Meryn O’Reilly, a believer, the moment he meets her. Their differences in beliefs, as well as the secrets from their past they are both determined to keep, are huge barriers between them, barriers that may prove impossible to breach.

5.) If the story is set slightly in the future, does it have a sci-fi feel to it? Not at all. I rarely read sci-fi, so I wouldn’t deign to write a book in that genre. The Seven Trilogy books read like contemporary romantic suspense novels, with lots of humour, strong friend and family relationships, bad guys, good guys, action scenes, and adventure tossed in for good measure.

6.) Are the current covers the originals? No, they’re not. In fact, book two, The Darkness Deepens, is on its third cover, and its second title. The book was originally called The Dragon Roars, a reference to the dragon in Revelation, but it was often mistaken for a fantasy novel, which it definitely is not, so we changed the title to the current one and re-did the cover, which initially had a dragon on it. Ashberry Lane first published the trilogy, then, when AL became an imprint of WhiteFire Publishing, Roseanna White designed the fabulous new covers for the series.

7.) Of all the things that happen to the Christians in the series, which is the most likely to happen in real life? Given the current political and social climate in both Canada (where the story takes place) and America, I think it is entirely likely that the Bible will be deemed hate literature at some point in the not-too-distant future. It’s possible it could even be outlawed. The best feedback I have gotten on these books has come from readers who said that the series encouraged them to study the Bible more than ever, and to memorize Scripture. God’s Word, when hidden in our hearts, can never be taken away from us.

PURCHASE: Goodreads | Amazon
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sara Davison is the author of the romantic suspense novels The Watcher and The Seven Trilogy. She has been a finalist for eight national writing awards, including the Word Award for Best New Canadian Christian author, a Carol, and two Daphne du Maurier Awards, and is a Word and Cascade Award winner. Sara has a degree in English Literature and currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband Michael and their three children, all of whom she (literally) looks up to.  

CONNECT WITH SARA: website | Facebook | Twitter

TOUR GIVEAWAY(1) winner will receive:
a set of all 3 books in The Seven Trilogy (US/CAN only)$10 Amazon gift cardEnter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight October 20, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm October 27, 2018. Void where prohibited by law. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow along at JustReadTours for a full list of stops!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ ~SPECIAL EVENT~    
I am celebrating the five-year anniversary of the release of my first book, 'A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom'. This is an inspirational holiday novella including a dash of romance and was the winner of the 2013 'Holiday Tale Contest' for Cedar Fort Publishing.

To learn more about my first book and to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win an ebook copy, please visit my post at:
https://authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com/2018/10/fifth-anniversary-holiday-miracle-in.html                                             # # # # #

~ BLOG TOUR STOP GATHERING OF SISTERS ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
--BLOG TOUR STOP--
'GATHERING OF SISTERS'
AUTHOR DARLA WEAVER
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Link to Excerpt ~

ABOUT THE BOOK: The simple joys of time with family 

Darla Weaver shares a year in the life of her Old Order Mennonite Family

Darla Weaver grew up the oldest of nine children in a five-bedroom farmhouse her parents still live in to this day. The house was always brimming with life and laughter, and some inevitable sadness. All the children grew up, and the five sisters eventually all had their weddings there at the house. Home held a special place in the hearts of all of them, especially the sisters, and still does to this day. No matter how busy life becomes with raising children, chores and work, everything is set aside one day a week.
 Once a week Darla Weaver hitches up her spirited mare, bundles her children into the buggy, and drives six miles to the farm where she grew up. There she gathers with her four sisters and their children for a day with their mother. 
In Gathering of Sisters: A Year with My Old Order Mennonite Family (Herald Press/September 25, 2018/ISBN: 978-1-5138-0337-1/$14.99), Weaver writes about her horse-and-buggy Mennonite family and the weekly women’s gatherings that keep them connected.

“Our Tuesdays happened more by accident than by conscious planning. We never sat down and planned for Tuesdays, but after I moved six miles away to my own home, I gradually acquired the habit of going back to the old home place and spending a day each week with my family,” Weaver writes. It was a tradition that caught on and continued after all the other sisters married and started families of their own.

On warm days, the children play and fish and build houses of hay in the barn. In the winter, everyone stays close to the woodstove, with puzzles and games and crocheting. No matter the weather, the Tuesday get-togethers of this Old Order Mennonite family keep them grounded and centered in their love for God and for each other, even when raising an occasional loving but knowing eyebrow at each other.

As for the sisters, “We don’t exactly play, yet Tuesdays for us are also about relaxing. Of course, there is always work to do—just making dinner for such a group is a big job—but the day is more about relaxing, reconnecting, visiting, and sharing. We talk a lot, we laugh a lot, sometimes we cry. Tuesdays is about being sisters, daughters, moms. It’s about learning what is happening in each other’s lives. Every day is different, yet every Tuesday follows a predictable pattern that varies with the seasons.”

Over the twelve chapters of the book, Weaver shares the activities and time spent together spread over the twelve months of the year. Together the sisters cook, laugh over cooking disasters, share in the sewing, work in the gardens, swap books, work puzzles together and enjoy time as a family. She even shares some tried and true family recipes that didn’t “flop.” The rest of the week is full of laundry, and errands, and work that never ends. But Tuesday is about being sisters, daughters, and mothers.

When asked what her sisters thought about her writing Gathering of Sisters, Weaver notes their initial reactions varied. Her mom thought maybe she should change their names. One sister suggested, “Maybe you’ll have to Sunday-us-up a bit, make sure we all use our best manners when you write about us.” 
Another pointed out since she would still have to claim them as sisters she wouldn’t make them sound too odd or ornery. “I promised not to. One of my nieces, who at fourteen has graduated from eighth grade and is again spending Tuesdays with us, considered staying home for the entire next year to keep her name out of the book. But on a whole, no one really objected. Like Laverne and our children, Mom and my sisters are almost used to my compulsive scribbling. Almost.”

Gathering of Sisters is the sixth book in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book is written by Amish and Mennonite people about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith. Each book includes “A Day in the Life of the Author” and the author’s answers to FAQs about the Amish and Mennonites. 
EXCERPT:LINK TO EXCERPT COURTESY OF THE PUBLISHER 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Darla Weaver is a homemaker, gardener, writer, and Old Order Mennonite living in the hills of southern Ohio. She is the author of Water My Soul, Many Lighted Windows and Gathering of Sisters. Weaver has written for Family Life, Ladies Journal, Young Companion, and other magazines for Amish and Old Order Mennonite groups. Before her three children were born she also taught school. 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ ~SPECIAL EVENT~    
I am celebrating the five-year anniversary of the release of my first book, 'A Holiday Miracle in Apple Blossom'. This is an inspirational holiday novella including a dash of romance and was the winner of the 2013 'Holiday Tale Contest' for Cedar Fort Publishing.

To learn more about my first book and to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win an ebook copy, please visit my post at:
https://authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com/2018/10/fifth-anniversary-holiday-miracle-in.html 
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