Brenda S. Anderson's Blog, page 14

We Are Priceless!

In Capturing Beauty, because of past events, my heroine (Callie) has trouble really believing that she is one of God’s beautiful creations. She knows it in her head, but her heart denies it.

How many of us feel the same way? We know what the Bible says about His creation, but when it comes to really believing that we’re beautiful, how many of us deny that? (Raising my hand here.)

It was my hope in writing Capturing Beauty that I’d show that each one of us is a masterpiece! Each one of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made” and we are priceless!

I love the word’s to For King and Country‘s recent release, “Priceless.” I know Callie would love them too!

Purchase Capturing Beauty ~

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Capturing Book Birthday Giveaway ~

Capturing Beauty Book Birthday! + Giveaway!

The post We Are Priceless! appeared first on Brenda Anderson Books.

CAPTURING BEAUTY Updates …

Capturing Beauty Updates

Thank you all for celebrating Capturing Beauty‘s book birthday yesterday! I loved seeing so many of you here! But if you weren’t able to make it yesterday, don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of cake and ice cream left over. Actually, the party goes until Monday the 13th, and you’re welcome any time! (http://brendaandersonbooks.com/2017/02/07/capturing-beauty-book-birthday-giveaway/)

Capturing Beauty has been sighted across the internet, including more giveaway opportunities. Check out the posts below:

Book Giveaway ~

Meet Haven ~ Character Interview + Book Giveaway at Fiction, Faith, & Fun with Sarah Ruut: http://sarahruut.com/2017/02/08/capturing-beauty-brenda-anderson-meet-hero-giveaway/

Book Reviews ~

Fiction, Faith, & Fun by Sarah Ruut: http://sarahruut.com/2017/02/01/capturing-beauty-brenda-anderson-review/

Christian Bookaholic by Julia Wilson: http://www.christianbookaholic.com/2017/02/07/capturing-beauty-by-brenda-anderson/

Michelle Kaderly Welsh: http://www.michellekaderlywelsh.com/romance-novel-addresses-true-beauty/

Cover Love ~

Inkspirational Messages: http://inkspirationalmessages.com/capturing-beauty-cover-cover/

If you have any additional Capturing Beauty sightings, I’d love to hear about them!

The post CAPTURING BEAUTY Updates … appeared first on Brenda Anderson Books.

Capturing Beauty Book Birthday! + Giveaway!

Happy Book Birthday, Capturing Beauty!
see below for giveaway details

And Thank You, Readers, for joining me in this celebration! I’m serving up chocolate cake with fudge frosting, and ice cream with all the trimmings. And no, the cake and ice cream are not calorie-free. Callie Beaumont, my heroine in CAPTURING BEAUTY, insists that my readers have the good stuff, after all, she does tell Haven Carlysle, my hero, that “True love is eating ice cream together.” Wouldn’t you agree?

As an added bonus to this celebration, I’m giving away one sweetheart of a prize package that includes autographed paperbacks of both CAPTURING BEAUTY and RISKING LOVE plus a 0.08 oz package of Lindt Strawberries and Cream truffles, and the For King and Country “Live Free Love Strong” deluxe edition CD which includes the popular song, “Priceless.” Once you meet Callie, you’ll understand how that song would speak to her.

So how to do you enter to win this valentine-worthy prize? Just use the Rafflecopter from below which includes answering this question in the comments section:

What is your favorite ice cream treat?

Mine is a turtle sundae! To learn Callie and Haven’s favorites, you’ll have to read the book.

February 2017 New Releases

ACFW – February 2017 New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Biblical:Redeeming Grace by Jill Eileen Smith — When famine visits Bethlehem, Boaz holds out hope for rain while his relative Elimelech moves his wife Naomi and their sons to Moab. For a while, it appears the Lord is blessing Elimelech’s family, and his sons marry two lovely Moabite women. But calamities strike, one after another, leaving Naomi alone in a foreign land with only her childless daughters-in-law for comfort. When news reaches Naomi that the famine in Bethlehem has lifted, only Ruth will hazard the journey to her mother-in-law’s homeland. Destitute and downhearted, Naomi resigns herself to a life of bitter poverty, but Ruth holds out hope for a better future. And Boaz may be the one God has chosen to provide it. (Biblical from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Biblical Romance:Building Benjamin by Barbara M. Britton — Naomi desires to dance well enough to catch the eye of a wealthy landowner. Her father needs a substantial bride price due to the deaths of her brothers at the hands of the tribe of Benjamin. But when Benjamites raid the Ephraimite feast and capture young girls, Naomi is bound and carried from her home by Eliab, a troubled shepherd who needs a wife. As Naomi awaits rescue, she finds Eliab has a strong faith in God and a just reason for abducting her. A reason that affects all the tribes of Israel. The future of the tribe of Benjamin hangs in the balance, but if Naomi follows her heart and stays with Eliab to rebuild his lineage, she must forfeit her family and become a traitor to her own tribe. (Biblical Romance from Harbourlight Books [Pelican])

Contemporary Romance:[image error]Capturing Beauty by Brenda S. Anderson — Photographer Haven Carlysle is a changed man. He returns to Duluth to capture the North Shore’s beauty … and to recapture the love of his son. But that means making amends with his ex-girlfriend too. Enter Callie Beaumont. All her life, Callie has longed to work outdoors soaking up God-breathed beauty, and the opportunity is finally on the horizon. But being the liaison between the handsome photographer and his son has thrown her dreams, and her heart, into chaos. Can Haven capture her heart when she won’t let him capture her image? And will his poor choices cost Callie her dream job and him the love of his son? (Contemporary Romance, Vivant Press)

Grace and the Rancher by Mary Alford — Can a runaway singer and a makeshift rancher, thrust together by circumstance and held together by the common thread of loss and a love of music, find hope and a happily-ever-after under the stars of Delaney Mountain? (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])

The Lawman’s Secret Son by Lorraine Beatty — Suddenly a Father Police officer Seth Montgomery knows all about order—but his world is thrown into chaos when he learns he has a five-year-old son. With little Jack suddenly in his care, Seth turns to neighbor Carrie Fletcher for help. Given her checkered past, Carrie prefers to keep to herself, but there’s no denying she cares for the boy—and her feelings for charming Seth are rapidly developing, too. When someone from Carrie’s past shows up threatening to jeopardize the life she’s worked so hard to build, Carrie will have to fight for her future with the new family she’s found…or risk losing everything. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

[image error]Maybe It’s You by Candace Calvert — Micah Prescott’s goal is to improve the Hope hospital image, but his role as a volunteer crisis responder is closer to his heart. The selfless work helps fill a void in his life left by family tragedy. So does a tentative new relationship with the compassionate, beautiful, and elusive ER nurse, Sloane Ferrell. Then a string of brutal crimes makes headlines, summons responders . . . and exposes disturbing details of Sloane’s past. Can hope spring from crisis? (Contemporary Romance from Tyndale House)

[image error]A Second Chance by Alexis Goring — Newly single food critic and newspaper reporter Traci Hightower is done with dating. After the man of her dreams left her at the altar on their wedding day and ran off with her “best friend,” Traci resigned herself to being a bachelorette for life. Marc Roberts is a political reporter who is known as Mr. Nice Guy, the one who always finishes last. But his widowed sister Gina Braxton appreciates his compassion and kindness, since she’s raising her two kids alone. With God’s guidance and the help of Gina’s matchmaking skills honed by her career as a bestselling romance novelist, Traci and Marc find hope for their broken hearts. (Contemporary Romance from Forget Me Not Romances)

The Amish Wanderer by Laura V. Hilton — After her daed, the bishop, is admitted to a mental hospital after hurting their small Amish community, Bethany Weiss is ready to get away from Jamesport, MO—and away from God. Silas Beiler, dogged by a rough childhood and a family who blames him for each new disaster, is hitchhiking toward Pennsylvania in hopes of stability. He sleeps in barns where he can and works for food when possible. When Bethany spies a man asleep in the hayloft, she first fears the return of an unwelcome suitor. But when it is Silas who turns and speaks, the memories flood back: a happy summer six years ago, full of lemonade, long walks, and budding courtship. Can their old love overcome both this new pain and the hurt and rejection of their past? (Contemporary Romance from Whitaker House)

Avalanche by Gayla K. Hiss — Set in the North Cascades National Park of Washington State, Avalanche is the inspirational story of one man set on revenge and the woman who risks everything to help him find the fugitive who killed his partner. (Contemporary Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

The Doctor’s Texas Baby by Deb Kastner — When Carolina Mason shows up in Haven, Texas, after a three-year absence, no one is more surprised than town veterinarian Wyatt Harrow. Especially when he sees Carolina’s two-year-old son, Matty. Their son. How could she have kept his child a secret? Carolina doesn’t deny the boy is his. She thought she was doing what was best for everyone when she left, but she realizes she was wrong. Though Wyatt is eager to make up for lost time with Matty, Carolina’s not so sure that extends to her. Can these former sweethearts navigate their complicated past to make a family for their son? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Spring Raine by Delia Latham — A last-minute decision sends a young woman to a seaside community and lodging at Paradise Pines…where life takes a whole new path. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])

Finding Joy by Melanie D. Snitker — A horrific accident changed everything for Parker Wilson. He returns to his family’s ranch, the scars on his face a daily reminder of all he’s lost, yet his mom still insists he needs to stop hiding and live his life again. The beautiful new employee she hires is the last thing he needs, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make the girl quit and regain the peace and quiet he prefers. Only deep desperation could force Chelsea Blake to work on a cattle ranch. But if she’s going to avoid her parents’ judgment when they arrive in three weeks, she must turn the temporary job into a permanent one. Between dodging mud, feeding longhorn cattle, and dealing with a handsome boss who keeps giving her the cold shoulder, staying gainfully employed is proving to be a challenge. Chelsea may not be cut out for ranch life, but her determination to succeed is stronger than Parker’s efforts at forcing her to leave. Surprisingly alike, will the two set aside their disapproval to find immeasurable joy? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

General Fiction:The Secret Heart by Marie Wells Coutu — After a whirlwind romance, beautiful Shawna Moore marries Hunter Wilson, the governor of Tennessee. Now, she wonders if the governor ever loved her or only hoped to avoid a scandal. In this modern re-imagining of the biblical story of Bathsheba and King David, an investigative reporter is asking questions–the wedding took place only six weeks following the death of Shawna’s first husband in Iraq. If he discovers the truth about Shawna’s baby, Hunter’s chances for reelection, as well as Shawna’s reputation, will be ruined. But keeping their secret is destroying their marriage. Will Hunter’s choice mean the end of his political career or his family? (General Fiction from Write Integrity Press)

Home at Last by Deborah Raney — All her life, Shayla Michaels, owner of the Coffee’s On bakery, has felt as if she straddled two worlds. Her mother’s white family labeled her African American father with names Shayla didn’t repeat in polite–well, in any company. Her father’s family disapproved as well, though they eventually embraced Shayla as their own. After the death of her mother, and her brother Jerry’s incarceration, life has left Shayla’s father bitter, her niece, Portia, an orphan, and Shayla responsible for them all. She knows God loves them all, but why couldn’t people accept each other for what was on the inside? For their hearts? Everything changes one icy morning when Portia runs into the street and Link Whitman nearly hits her with his pickup. Soon he is falling in love with Shayla. Can they overcome society’s view of their differences and find true love? (General Fiction from Abingdon Press)

Baggage Claim by Cathe Swanson — When Ben Taylor, widower and single dad, gets caught up in a dangerous insurance fraud network, he has to learn to take a stand for right – and make a leap of faith: can he trust his nanny – who isn’t quite what she appears to be – and his newly-discovered biological father to hide and protect his four young children? (General Fiction, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:The Matchmaker Brides Collection by Diana Lesire Brandmeyer, Amanda Cabot, Lisa Carter, Ramona K. Cecil, Lynn A. Coleman, Susanne Dietze, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Connie Stevens and Liz Tolsma — Meet nine women of the late 1800s who have found themselves in the role of matchmaker. They think they have mastered the art of recognizing romantic potential in others, but when it comes to their own lives they have been unlucky in love. In small communities from Tennessee to Colorado, Wyoming to Indiana, love unexpectedly enters the women’s lives with men they never imagined marrying. But what will it take to get these ladies to say “I do”? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Viscount’s Proposal by Melanie Dickerson — Leorah Langdon has no patience for Regency society’s shallow hypocrisy and unnecessary rules, especially for women. She’s determined to defy convention by marrying for grand passion instead of settling for a loveless union like her parents–or wedding a stuffy, pompous gentleman like Edward, the Viscount Withinghall. But when a chance meeting in the countryside leads to Leorah and Withinghall being discovered in his overturned carriage–alone and after dark–the ensuing gossip may force them together.Withinghall has his reasons for clinging to propriety and he certainly has no time for a reckless hoyden like Miss Langdon. But soon the two discover that Withinghall’s coach “accident” was no such thing: the vehicle was sabotaged. Strong-willed Leorah and duty-driven Withinghall will have to work together if they have any hope of saving her reputation, his political career–and his life. (Historical Romance from Waterfall Press)

The Reluctant Guardian by Susanne Dietze — When Gemma Lyfeld inadvertently interrupts a dangerous smuggling operation in her English village, she’s rescued by a mysterious Scottish spy. Now with criminals after her and her hopes for an expected marriage proposal recently dashed, she will make her society debut in London. But not without the man tasked with protecting her… Covert government agent Tavin Knox must keep Gemma safe from the criminals who think she can identify them—a mission he never wanted. But as he escorts her and her rascally nephews around London, the lovely English lass proves braver than he ever imagined. Suddenly, the spy who works alone has one Season to become the family man he never dreamed he’d be. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Shine like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky — In a quiet corner of northern Edwardian England, Margaret Lounsbury diligently works in her grandmother’s millinery shop, making hats and caring for her young sister. Several years earlier, a terrible event reshaped their family, shattering an idyllic life and their future prospects. An even which…might not have been an accident. When Nathaniel Harcourt returns from his time in the Royal Navy and inherits his father’s vast estate, Morningside Manor, he also assumes partial control of his father’s engineering company and the duty of repaying an old debt to the Lounsbury family. But years of separation between Nate and Maggie have taken a toll and Maggie struggles to trust her old friend. Will the search for the truth about her parents’ death draw the two friends closer or leave them both with broken hearts? (Historical Romance from Waterbrook Multnomah)

The Bounty Hunter’s Baby by Erica Vetsch — Bounty hunter Thomas Beaufort has no problem handling outlaws, but when he’s left with a criminal’s baby to care for, he’s in over his head. And the only person he can think of to ask for help is Esther Jensen, the woman whose heart he broke when he left town. But can he convince her to put aside the past until he tracks down the baby’s outlaw father? Esther is ready to run Thomas off her Texas ranch–until she spies the abandoned newborn in his arms. Soon, working together to care for the precious babe stirs old hopes of a family. With trouble heading to their door, they could overcome it together–if she’ll entrust her wary heart to this sweet, second-chance family… (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Thriller/Suspense:Raging Storm by Vannetta Chapman — When a massive solar flare wiped out all modern technology across the globe, the small town of Abney, Texas, was thrown into chaos. Shelby Sparks and her diabetic teenage son, Carter, have found refuge, but Shelby knows Carter can’t survive without insulin–and Shelby will risk her life traveling to Austin to make sure he gets it. Shelby’s best friend and high school sweetheart, Max Berkman, won’t let her make the journey alone. Together, they reach the capital–only to discover that Austin has turned into an urban nightmare on the brink of anarchy. Now the only thing more uncertain than finding what they need is the hope of making it out of the city alive. (Thriller/Suspense from Harvest House Publishers)

Speculative:Time Search by Danele J. Rotharmel — While the TEMCO staff searches for clues to unravel the mystery of his real name, their enemy is lurking in the shadows searching for his targets–it’s anyone’s guess whose search will be completed first! (Speculative/Time Travel Fiction from Prism Book Group)

Western Romance:Long Time Gone by Mary Connealy — Rancher Justin Boden is normally an unshakable and rugged man, but with his brother, Cole, shot and in mortal danger, even a tough man faces doubts. And it doesn’t help that Angie DuPree, the assistant to the doctor trying to save Cole, is as distracting a woman as Justin ever laid eyes on. With her and the doc’s timely skills, Cole looks to be on the mend, and Justin and the rest of the Bodens can turn their attention back to the dangers facing them. It’s clear now that everything that’s occurred is part of a much bigger plot that could date back to a decades-old secret. Can they uncover all the pieces before danger closes in on them, or is the threat to the ranch even bigger than any of the Bodens could imagine? (Western Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

The post February 2017 New Releases appeared first on Brenda Anderson Books.

Support Your Favorite Author!

If you’ve ever wondered how you can support your favorite authors, I’ve got a list just for you!

Buy their books! Paperback or ebook. Both help.
Write reviews – Amazon, Goodreads, B&N, iTunes, and more. It all helps.
Give their books as gifts. I keep a gift closet full of books so I’m always prepared for gift giving.
Tell ten people. If you tell 10 people about a favorite book, chances are one or more will want to read that book. Then if they tell ten people …
Read their books for your book club. You can even invite the author! Authors love attending book clubs, in person or via Skype.
Request their books at your local library.
Talk about your favorite author on social media. Brag about your favorite book.
Send the author a note. There’s little that makes an author happier than receiving a personal note from someone who’s read their books and loved them. It’s much needed affirmation and validation for the writer.
Post pictures on social media that include your favorite book(s).
Pray for them!

Feel free to grab the above image and share!

(6) Days until Capturing Beauty releases! Pre-order special for Kindle only $2.99! Amazon

 

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One Week Until CAPTURING BEAUTY Releases!

Only one week left until CAPTURING BEAUTY will be officially released! This will be my sixth published book, and although authors aren’t supposed to choose favorites, this one is close to my heart. I adore both Callie and Haven (heroine and hero) and my early readers have also fallen in love with them. I also believe the message is very pertinent to today’s world where first impressions are given great credence and outward beauty is what’s valued.

Hopefully Capturing Beauty turns that on its head.

Here’s more about Capturing Beauty ~

He’s a nature photographer returning to make amends. She’s a camera-shy naturalist seeking privacy. Their love for a boy brings them together, but the camera could drive them apart.

Photographer Haven Carlysle is a changed man. Six years earlier, he had run from his tragedy-filled life in Duluth. Now he’s back in town to capture the North Shore’s beauty … and to recapture the love of his son. But that means making amends with his ex-girlfriend too. When camera-leery Callie Beaumont steps in to bridge the relationship between Haven and his former family, he’s wary, but she’s his only hope.

Callie Beaumont is surrounded by beauty. Her parents are local news celebrities. Her sister is a model. And Callie is … Ordinary. All her life, Callie has longed to work outdoors soaking up God-breathed beauty, and the opportunity is finally on the horizon. But being the liaison between the handsome photographer and his son has thrown her dreams, and her heart, into chaos.

Can Haven capture her heart when she won’t let him capture her image? And will his poor choices cost Callie her dream job and him the love of his son?

Until February 7, Capturing Beauty is on a pre-order sale, only $2.99 for the Kindle version! It goes up to $5.99 upon release, so order your copy now!

Amazon

And please come back on February 7 when I’m having a book release party filled with yummy goodies and prizes!

The post One Week Until CAPTURING BEAUTY Releases! appeared first on Brenda Anderson Books.

Spotlight on Author Pamela Meyers! + Giveaway

*** Book Giveaway ***

See contest rules below

I’m pleased to welcome author Pamela Meyers today! Before I had the opportunity to *meet* Pamela, I certainly knew who she was, not just from her novels, but from her many activities in the writing community. She’s definitely someone who pays her gift forward, and what a blessing she is to both writers and readers!

To celebrate the book birthday of Pamela’s new release, she stopped by to answer a few questions, but first here’s the back cover blurb from Second Chance Love:

Chicago lawyer Sydney Knight and Texas bull rider Jace McGowan have nothing in common but everything to lose when they are thrust together during a weekend rodeo in rural Illinois. Neither one of them would have imagined two years ago that the deep attraction they sensed during a day-long outing would resurface when Sydney’s boss assigns her to Jace’s legal case.

Sydney has been through a world of hurt since losing her dad when she was sixteen, then being dumped the morning of her wedding. She’s sworn off romance and instead devotes her time toward a partnership in her father’s law office.

Jace has found faith in God and wants out of his sponsor contract with a risqué restaurant chain that requires him to pose with scantily-clad women. He’s about to bail on the contract and pay steep penalties—something he can ill afford, given that his deceased father left the family with unpaid taxes.

Sydney is determined she’ll get Jace out of his contract and return to Chicago with her heart intact, but Jace is just as determined to help her see they are meant to be together. Can a city girl with roots deep in Chicago and a bull-riding rancher with roots deep in Texas give themselves a second-chance love?

Sounds fun, doesn’t it? I can’t wait to read it!

Now let me introduce you to Pamela ~

Thanks for visiting today, Pamela, and congratulations on your January release! How exciting! Can you tell us about Second Chance Love? (BTW – Love the cover!) What inspired this book?

Ever since I was a child, cowboys have attracted me. I love the mystique of a strong man on a horse, riding the range and driving cattle. I’ve been attending the Pioneer City Rodeo in southern Illinois for over ten years. It takes place in a very small community every Labor Day weekend. Each time we attended the rodeo I felt a stronger and stronger urge to set a story there. My favorite event is the bull riding and I quickly decided my hero had to be a bull rider and I mused how could a Chicago attorney who has strong ties to the city fall hard enough for a handsome rodeo cowboy from Texas that she’d be willing to leave what she knows to be with him. Out of that came my story. The story itself has been through a couple makeovers. One storyline didn’t gel with my acquiring editor, so it was back to another brainstorming session with one of my author friends and out of that came the one that became SCL.

Love that the concept is so different from other cowboy stories! What do you hope your readers take away from the story?

The Bible says that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but so often even the strongest of believers go through times when they are scared to fully trust God and take a risk. Sometimes that fear can be almost paralyzing. This is the situation with Sydney Knight, my heroine. It is my hope and prayer that readers, in addition to enjoying an entertaining read, will learn that the proverb that says to trust God with all our hearts and not lean on our own understanding, can apply to whatever their situation might be. As a young Christian, I didn’t do that and paid the consequences for making a bad mistake by relying on myself. Mine wasn’t the same scenario as Sydney’s but I think it can be applied to many situations.

That’s an important lesson that I have to keep learning. Could you tell us about your journey to publication?

I got kind of a late start in my writing journey. I always have had the “need” to write things down and created stories during my childhood while playing with my paperdolls, but the pieces didn’t all fit into the puzzle until I returned to college in my forties to get my bachelors. I enrolled in an accelerated adult program that required a lot of writing (no tests!) and I also took a lot of writing courses for my upper level electives, including creative writing. That course and encouragement from my writing prof encouraged me to take more fiction writing courses outside of the college venue. The Write to Publish conference is local to me and the first time I attended I took a short story with me for input during an author appointment with Gayle Roper. She looked at the story and said, “You could make this into a novel.” My jar dropped. Me? Write a book? She assured me it was very possible and that was the beginning of a rather long journey. Around the same time I joined American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and began attending ACFW conferences. Their workshops, the crit groups and mentoring from other more advanced authors propelled me forward. After many rejections, I finally signed my first contract in 2011 and two more followed soon after that. Since then I’ve gotten my rights back on the first two novels and have already indie published that one after editing it and giving it a new cover. I also indie published a novella in a novella collection last fall called The Bucket List Dare, and now this month, Second Chance Love, a rodeo inspirational romance, is releasing.

And the most important question: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or no chocolate?

Dark Chocolate, hands down.

Thanks again, Pamela, for visiting today! Praying God will richly bless your continuing journey.

About Pamela Meyers ~

A native of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, author Pamela S. Meyers lives in suburban Chicago with her two rescue cats. Her novels include Thyme for Love, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, What Lies Ahead, and a novella in The Bucket List Dare. Second Chance Love from Bling/ Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, releases in January 2017. When she isn’t at her laptop writing her latest novel, she can often be found nosing around Wisconsin and other Midwestern spots for new story ideas.

Connect with Pamela ~

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Purchase Second Chance Love ~

Amazon

Giveaway Details ~

Pamela has graciously offered to give away one paperback copy Second Chance Love. To enter, answer one or both of the following question in the comment section below:

Have you ever been to Chicago? Ever been to a rodeo?

Contest ends Monday, January 30, 2017 at midnight. Winner will be posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2017.

The post Spotlight on Author Pamela Meyers! + Giveaway appeared first on Brenda Anderson Books.

Psalm 139 – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

Psalm 139

You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts,God!

How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand—

when I awake, I am still with you.

If only you, God, would slay the wicked!

Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!

They speak of you with evil intent;

your adversaries misuse your name.

Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,

and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

I have nothing but hatred for them;

I count them my enemies.

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

“Masterpiece” by Sandi Patty

In memoriam of the millions of babies who were not given a chance at life. You are not forgotten!

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Reader Spotlight on Tamara!

Have you ever met someone and said, “I want to be like them when I grow up.”? Someone who lives their faith out loud, who is truly the hands and feet of Jesus. For me, that person is Tamara Jorell. I met Tamara through MN-NICE, our local chapter of ACFW, and have been blessed getting to know her. She, along with her amazing family, set the example of serving for all of us. I encourage you to click over to her excellent blog, My Blonde Life in the Hood, and you’ll see what I mean.

I’m honored to introduce you to Tamara Jorell!

Tamara’s Favorite Things

Type of Book: I love suspense/thrillers, but I’m happy to read anything written well.

Book: Les Miserables scarred me (in a good way!)

Author: Jodi Picoult, James Rubart, Liz Curtis Higgs, Brandilyn Collins… (Doh! Too hard to narrow down!!)

Movie: Doctor Zhivago wrenched my heart and fed my melancholy, so let’s say that’s my favorite, BUT I’ll always go for a comedy like Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Entrée: Indian food, please! (Any dish, really.)

Dessert: Cheesecake

Chocolate: Dark

Restaurant: Sonora Grill on Lake Street or Shish on Grand Avenue

Beverage: Coffee, kombucha, wine (Must I narrow this down to one?? :))

Season: Early summer, when the hope of a lucious garden springs eternal

Animal: My sweet and spoiled pit bull Lala

Type of Music: 80s music, some Christian music

Song: “More Than a Feeling” by Boston, and too many others!

Musician: Matt Redman, Downhere, Needtobreathe, Steven Tyler

Bible Verse: 2 Corinthians 3:3: “You show you are a letter from Christ, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”

Color: Turquoise

Item to Collect: Big, chunky rings

Hobby: Thrift store shopping, hanging with my man and girls

Flower: Veronica Salvia

Holiday: Christmas

Vacation Location: Anywhere with cobblestone streets and charm

Add your own: I’m not very sporty, but for some strange reason I’m good at archery–or at least I was as a teenager.

The post Reader Spotlight on Tamara! appeared first on Brenda Anderson Books.

Spotlight on Joyce Ackermann

I had the pleasure of meeting Joyce Ackermann back in November when our county library had their first annual local author fair, and our tables sat side by side. What a joy it was getting to know her!

Joyce’s debut, SCATTERED: FINDING GOD IN YOUR STORY, is a highly-recommended inspirational read. I’m excited to introduce you to this budding new author who writes with amazing beauty and honesty and courage!

Joyce’s Author Journey

Thank you, Brenda, for having me on your blog, I’m thrilled to be here today.

I have to be honest, my journey started with just one, itty, bitty word.

“Write.”

I had spent the better part of the past 25 years looking back over a life I had been given that I didn’t understand.

And I so desperately needed to understand.

So, when God said, “Write”.

I took the pen God was handing me and I wrote.

Writing became a refuge for me.

A secret place for me to meet God and talk to him about all of the fears that continually haunted me. Those unspoken fears from a childhood I had spent the better part of my life trying to hide from.

Ten years of writing and healing.

Ten years of choosing courage over fear.

Ten years of believing in a God who I would find, had been fighting to reach my heart.

And as cheesy as this is going to sound, walking through the writing and publishing process has taught me that freedom is found in the journey.

Sounds like a sentiment on a tea bag.

I know.

But there’s a lot of wisdom on those tea bags.

Like the one that says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

This journey has been one of a thousand miles and a million miracles.

One being that I didn’t die in the process of writing this book.

I’m serious.

Writing a book is like having a baby.

I’ve done both.

Hand me that epidural.

I’ll take the childbirth please.

Did you know that the female body produces hormones that cause you to forget how painful childbirth is?

. . .So that you’ll do it again.

. . .And so you’ll encourage your friends to have lots of babies too.

Because, No, of course it didn’t hurt that bad.

Uh, riiiiiiggght.

I think authors must produce those same hormones after publishing a book.

So, either because I don’t think it’s fair that I should suffer alone or because my body is pumping me full of hormones that are helping me to forget how painful writing a book can be, I am a big, scratch that – make that – HUGE fan of people writing as a form of healing and connecting with the heart of who God is.

I’m not crazy.

Promise.

No, really – I’m actually pretty normal.

Believe me, I know it can be a scary thing to pour your heart and soul into something concrete that people can point to and criticize.

But writing is this white space where we get to be real with God.

Our secret place with him.

A place where we can share our journeys without judgement and receive the healing we so desperately need.

God is a safe place to hide,

ready to help when we need him.

Psalm 46:1 (The Message)

And it’s here where we are held as he whispers to us, “The true victories as an author are not necessarily how many readers pick up your books but whether or not you had the courage to write them in the first place.”

My hope is that whether you are a reader or a writer or a fantastic mix of both, that you’ll find the same courage and freedom in your own story.

About Joyce ~

Joyce is a normal person. . . mostly. She is a wife, mom of 3 amazing kids and a chubby beagle who holds the record for being the best, worst dog ever. She homeschools her kids, sings loudly in the car, & blogs on her Write Nites, which she believes are all reasons to drink obscene amounts of Starbucks. You can follow her at www.joyceackermann.com.

About Scattered ~

Have you wondered where God has been hiding?

Do you struggle to share the deepest, darkest places of your past with anyone?

Do you wish you could make sense of your life?

Have you questioned where God has been hiding all this time?

You are not alone.

Scattered is a book about finding God in the toughest moments of your personal story, through writing. A book about reaching out and discovering that healing is never more than a few words away. It is a collection of conversations over coffee, sharing someone else’s story and finding the courage to tell your own.

Heartfelt, funny, and a fresh perspective on finding God was never more than a keystroke away.

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