Review & Giveaway of Finally Accepted by Toni Shiloh

December 13, 2018 in my point of view

Finally Accepted by toni shiloh

There’s only one thing Chloe Smith has ever wanted: family. Yet the DNA results she’s received have thrown her life into a tailspin. Her utmost desire has ended up being the catalyst for shaking her faith. She doesn’t even know who she is anymore, and she’s certainly too messed up for her longtime crush to give her more than a second glance.

Darryl Jones is struggling between his past and the grace God so freely offers. His sins feel too big for him to handle, let alone expect the woman of his dreams to accept. Chloe is the only woman he’s ever wanted and the one he doesn’t deserve.

As they form a tentative relationship and examine their faith, Chloe and Darryl ache to know they are finally accepted and fully loved.

my point of view:

I have been trying my best to branch out from my “go to” authors lately. Knowing how much I love “my girls” I still know there are more great authors out there….so I asked around in my book clubs and Toni Shiloh was recommended quite a bit. I researched some of her books and was able to get Finally Accepted on Kindle…. I am so happy I did!! This is actually book three in the Freedom Lakes series, but can be read as a stand alone with no issues, as I enjoyed it very much!

Chloe Smith and Darryl Jones have been dancing around their mutual attraction since school days… neither one believing they are deserving of the other. Just as any of us can suffer with our own worthiness, these two have their own issues, past and present to deal with as well.

One of the things I loved about this story was the way both of the main characters deeply long for family and the love of their parents. I can unfortunately completely relate to this heartache. But isn’t it amazing how when God starts going to work on their wishes…. bringing the very people they have wanted to be a part of their lives, and then they ask God what He was thinking? LOL

Chloe’s faith has always been strong and sure, and Darryl is a new believer finding his way. The way these two characters grow and develop and truly learn to put God first is a beautiful story and one I am so happy to have been a part of!

About the Author:

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian contemporary romance author. Once she understood the powerful saving grace, thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness.

A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and president of the Virginia Chapter, Toni seeks to help readers find authors. She loves connecting with readers and authors alike via social media, predominately Facebook. When she’s not spending time in imagination land, you’ll either find her with a book or an Xbox One controller to avoid the housework that never seems to end.

Toni Shiloh has made a commitment to do her part in bringing diversity into fiction. Her stories include a diverse group of characters with African Americans taking the spotlight. She is the founder of the blog, Diversity Between the Pages. When she’s not writing her own diverse stories, she assists authors giving critiques, feedback, or participating as a sensitivity reader.

Toni Shiloh has been so generous to offer a free e-copy of this amazing book to one of our readers! Simply comment here! Giveaway will be open for one week from today and winner will be notified via email!

Coffee with Kari Trumbo

December 10, 2018 in coffee with paula marie

I am so happy to have a brand new to me author, Kari Trumbo, here for Coffee with Paula Marie today! Please take few minutes to get your favorite coffee in hand and sit back with us for a few minutes while we get to know Kari!

PM: Who was your greatest influence when you decided to become an author?

KT: As far as a person, my friend Melissa Stevens. We’d been friends for years and she was an author long before me. She was my biggest encouragement. If we are talking about spiritual nudges, the Holy Spirit was prodding me for years before I actually sat down to write anything.

PM: What are you reading for fun right now?

KT: At the moment I’m reading a book on crafting emotionally engaging books. I tend to go through stages where all I want to read is non-fiction. I’m in one of those.

PM: I love the diversity of the novels you have written, and now I understand you are moving from historical into contemporary! Why the change, if I may ask, and what has been your biggest challenge in writing the new genre?

KT: I’m trying my hand at contemporary because I was invited into a contemporary group that features the decedents of characters in our other books. This was a fun and interesting concept, so I gave it a try. I enjoy writing historical more, but now that I know I can, I’m branching out more in contemporary.

PM: What is your favorite song and / or artist?

KT: Oh, my. I love music. I don’t know that I could pick a favorite. I love Jordan Feliz, Crowder, Toby Mac, Laura Story… My favorite right now is probably All My Hope, by Crowder.

PM: I was so tickled while reading your bio to see you “love to sing when no one is listening”! I am so like you! I belt out the songs in private, but my singing voice is horrible, cannot carry even a semblance of tune in a bucket, as they say! Do you only sing in private for the same reasons….or just too shy around others?

KT: I’ve been told I can sing, but I have no confidence. I did sing for a while on the worship team at my last church, but that was quite nerve-wracking.

PM: With all your family obligations and home schooling, when do you find the time to write? Where is your favorite place to write?

KT: There are times when it’s really hard. It’s actually harder this year because my oldest two are in school, so I’m driving for them, and my younger two are homeschooled, so I teach them. I find I get the most writing done at night, after bed time. I try to keep day hours to just short bursts of editing or marketing.

PM: Tell us what you enjoy doing the most when you are not writing or reading?I

KT: Hmm, that’s a tough question because I haven’t allowed myself to do much lately. I have a small, intimate group of friends and I usually call one of them if I have a free night.

PM: Do you write stories more from your own experiences, or do you spend a lot time doing research on the type of characters your creating?

KT: I do both. I’m a panster, but since I write historical I can’t just assume I understand what things were like 100 years ago. I have to do some research. As far as the character’s personality, that is all in my head, but what they experience is usually research.

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

KT: The best places to reach me are on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/KariTrumboAuthor/ or on my website www.karitrumbo.com

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

KT: Either one, and my tea is straight but my coffee is with cream and sugar.

Thank you so much for having me!

4 Comments

Review & Giveaway of All of You by Sarah Monzon!

December 6, 2018 in my point of view

All of you by sarah monzon

Sometimes the past reaches forward to bring hope to the future.

Maryland, Present Day
Jacquelyn Rogers can rebuild anything…except the shambles of her past. A restorer of vintage planes, she’s worked hard to earn the reputation of being one of the guys. The last thing she needs is a former Navy pilot fighting his own inner demons stepping in to defend her from dangers she thought she’d outrun long ago. Some battles must be fought alone.

After a freak accident severs Lieutenant Michael “Finch” Carrington’s dreams, as well as two limbs, he’s left with nothing but a fragile faith and a duty-bound promise to watch out for his friend’s baby sister. A promise she insists is as unnecessary as it is unappreciated. But when she turns the tables and begins to weld together the broken parts of his life, it may be his heart that is in need of protection.

England, 1944
With the world at war yet again, Alice Galloway rejects her father’s traditional expectations and offers her piloting expertise to the Air Transport Auxiliary. She may be a woman in a man’s world, but when she overhears key intelligence, she must find the strength to transcend boundaries and her own fears. Or countless people may die.

my point of view:

All of You is my first read of Sarah Monzon…I had been seeing her name pop up a lot in different book groups that I belong to, so figured I needed to check her out. This story was free on Amazon Kindle, so no risk, right? But, oh, what a reward! I promise you it will not be the last book I read of hers!

This was like having two stories in one! Sarah Monzon takes us on a wonderful trip back in time to World War II and an amazing love story during this tragic time in our history….fast forward to present day and we have another fantastic love story!

I am all about military heroes, so this novel had me from “hello” hahaha. …I love reading stories that highlight the veterans! I also love history, so getting the combination of both in one story was a win win for me.

Jacqueline Rodgers makes for a wonderful heroine, she is absolutely my kind of girl. Small and mighty, lol. She puts up a tough exterior, but is so loyal and dedicated to her family you know she has a huge heart. I adore her from the very first scene she appears. Her journey in this story is beautiful, from her insecurities to finally realizing her worth as a child of God is so touching it warmed my heart.

Michael Carrington is so well written as the wounded warrior….his determination and faith in God is amazing. I loved how he did not wallow in why did this happen to him, but instead pleaded with God to show him where to go from here. Talk about loyalty…while still lying in his hospital bed he agrees to keep a watch on his friends younger sister. Who does that?

When these two come together it is a joy to read! The historical part of the book is a lot of good reading as well, and you start to wonder where these two story-lines are going to intersect, but never did I imagine the way the author would bring everything together in the ending, positively wonderful! I am excited to see what Sarah Monzon has written for the other Carrington brothers now!

About the Author:

Sarah Monzon is a Navy chaplain’s wife and a stay at home mom to the two cutest littles in the world. Playing pretend all day with them isn’t enough, she spends the evenings after their heads hit the pillow to create her own imaginary characters. When she isn’t in the world of make believe, she can be found in the pine forests of western Washington taking care of her family, fostering friendships, and enjoying all the adventures each day brings.

Her debut novel, The Isaac Project, skyrocketed to Amazon bestseller status while her Sophomore book, Finders Keepers, won the 2017 SELAH award for contemporary romance.

Sarah Monzon has been so generous to offer a free e-copy of this amazing book to one of our readers! Simply comment here and tell us what your favorite mode of travel is – plane, train, automobile? Another mode I didn’t mention? Giveaway will be open for one week from today and winner will be notified via email!

17 Comments

Coffee with Deb Kastner!

December 3, 2018 in coffee with paula marie

Hope you all had a great weekend! Today we have Deb Kastner sitting down for coffee with us, please join us!

PM: Good morning, Deb! Thank you for taking the time to let our readers get to know you a little better! I’ll start off with a ‘softball’ question for you – lol –What’s your favorite color? Any reason why?

DK: Purple. Because…PURPLE!

PM: Have you always known you had the writing bug (and ability)?

DK: Yes. When I was in second grade I was asked to write a one-page story. Mine was twelve pages and the teacher read it out loud. By the time I was in high school I was making up “dream dates” for all my friends…romance author, here I come.

PM: What is one thing about you that your readers would be shocked to know?

DK: When I get stressed I play Pokemon Go on my phone. It drives my hubby batty.

PM: If you could have dinner with anyone from history, who would it be, and why?

DK: We’d all say Jesus, wouldn’t we? I think I would love to have dinner with the Holy Family, where I could not only hang out with our Savior, but meet His Blessed Mother and foster father.

PM: I poked around your website and see you live in Colorado. I have never been, but my aunt has lived there for many years and absolutely loves it! What would be the one thing you would tell a first-time visitor they had to see in your state?

DK: I would take them on a trail ride in the Rocky Mountains. There is no better way to absorb the beauty than on the back of a horse.

PM: Who was your greatest influence when you decided to become an author?

DK: My tenth grade English teacher Mr. Starkey. When we had our first creative writing assignment, my best friend got a B and mean ol’ Mr. Starkey gave me a C. I know it sounds like pride, and I guess in a way it was, but I knew I was a writer and my friend excelled in math. I spent the whole night crying angry, frustrated tears. My mom, being the awesome woman she is, told me to get over it and go talk to Mr. Starkey. I did. He said he gave me a C because he knew I was a good writer and could do much better than I’d done–and you know what? He was RIGHT. Needless to say, I worked hard in his class and got straight A’s after that. My friend ended up with a solid B.

PM: Tell us what you enjoy doing the most when you are not writing or reading?

DK: This isn’t going to come as a surprise to anyone who has known me for any length of time, but my favorite go-to is to take a long weekend to visit with my good friends The Texas Tenors and see as many of their shows as I can within that time period. I never, ever get tired of hearing them sing. My stress reliever and muse, all in one.

PM: What was your favorite subject in school?

DK: English. Creative writing. Shocker!

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

DK: Please sign up for my newsletter here: http://bit.ly/debkastnernews

I’m also on Facebook and Twitter.

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

DK: Yes and Yes. I drink black coffee all day. I’m a goner without it. At night I switch to peppermint tea.

3 Comments

Review & a GIVEAWAY of Finding Joy by Melanie D. Snitker!

November 29, 2018 in my point of view

Finding Joy (Love’s Compass Book 5)

Sometimes, what looks like a dead end, is really a new beginning.

A horrific accident changed everything for Parker Wilson. The beautiful new employee his mom 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.

Nothing short of desperation would force Chelsea Blake to work on a local cattle ranch. She may not be cut out for ranch life, but her determination to succeed is stronger than her handsome employer’s efforts at forcing her to leave.

Unprepared to discover all they have in common, if they set aside their initial dislike, they might find joy beyond measure.

my point of view:

This is the first book I have ever read from Melanie Snitker, and I am a goner! I absolutely adored her writing, setting, scenario…and especially the characters! Everyone from the hero and heroine, to the sisters, mom, brother in law….well, you get the idea. I am so glad that I found this story of Finding Joy….for that is exactly what I found when reading this book – Joy!

Parker Wilson is a scarred man, inside and out. While he likes to place the blame on the visible scars he carries as his reasoning for keeping anyone new from getting close to him, as you read this story, you will learn it is the inside scars that are causing the true insecurities he is dealing with. Once Parker is forced to deal with new people and situations, he comes to release maybe his past friendships need to be re-evaluated as well.

I can only fantasize about ranch life, being a city girl, myself, so I would be as much a fish out of water as Chelsea was, which naturally endeared me to her. I can also relate to her nervousness about starting a new job, making a good impression, and wanting a permanent position somewhere. Not to mention having parents who are too involved in maintaining their own happiness to even know their daughter for who she is. Poor girl, she really has a lot of confidence issues to deal with!

When these two main characters come together, it is one adventure after another! Watching them deal with their own misplaced feelings of unworthiness and dance around one another while trying to deny their mutual attraction makes for very entertaining reading! The story line moves along nicely, not too quickly to too slowly, lol, just right! Melanie takes both characters through believable situations and time frames.

Naturally, they are each focused on the wrong goal…. once we center our focus on God, all things come together for the good, right? I, too dealt with emotions and circumstances, and other people’s negativity making me feel less than worthy in people’s eyes. It wasn’t until I realized the only eyes that matter are God’s and how He sees me that everything in my life changed for the better. That is the wonder of God, isn’t it? He sees all our flaws, all or insecurities, knows all our heart’s desire, and still he pursues us relentlessly and love’s us no matter what!

About the Author:

Melanie D. Snitker writes inspirational romance novels, including the Love’s Compass series. She has enjoyed writing for as long as she can remember. She started out writing episodes of cartoon shows that she wanted to see as a child and her love of writing grew from there. She and her husband live in Texas with their two children who keep their lives full of adventure, and two dogs who add a dash of mischief to the family dynamics. In her spare time, Melanie enjoys photography, reading, baking, computer games, and hanging out with family and friends.

Melanie has been so kind as to offer a giveaway for our readers on this post! Simply comment on this post and tell us where you find your joy to enter! Contest will run for one week from today and winner will be notified by email!

46 Comments

Tri-Author Thanksgiving Paperback Giveaway

November 20, 2018 in Author TakeOver

Tri-Author Thanksgiving Paperback Giveaway

In honor of Thanksgiving and to give thanks to our readers, Autumn Macarthur, Marion Ueckermann, and Alexa Verde are happy to offer a new giveaway. Many thanks to Paula for hosting it!

One randomly chosen commenter to this post will receive featured paperbacks: Rapsodia by Alexa Verde https://amzn.to/2OS4CFP , The Wedding List by Autumn Macarthur https://amzn.to/2qY600a , and A Hero for Heather by Marion Ueckermann https://amzn.to/2DPA5HM , or the winner’s choice of our published books (one from each author). This giveaway is open to entrants in the U.S. only. If the winner is international, they will receive ebooks. The giveaway is open until 6 p.m. CST December 4th, 2018. The winner will have 72 hours to claim the prize.

What are you thankful for? And what’s going to be on your Thanksgiving table? We look forward to reading your comments!

Alexa Verde. First and foremost, I’m thankful for God’s love, mercy, and grace. The beginning of my morning prayer is “Lord, thank You for this wonderful new day and please help me live it according to Thy will. Amen.” But I’ll admit that as I go through my day, I forget to be grateful. To say thanks for the fact that I can breathe air filled with scents of grass and wildflowers, for warm sun rays, for a simple hello from a stranger, and yes, for a delicious slice of cheesecake! And I want to remember it always. I’m so thankful for many wonderful people Lord put in my path. And for you, our amazing readers and all support you’ve given us throughout the years.

As for food for Thanksgiving… I celebrated my first Thanksgiving when I was in early twenties, and boy, was I in for a surprise! I’ve never seen a turkey before, much less cooked one. That was one very large bird. The reaction of my heroine Mari in Color of Danger when she was about to cook the Thanksgiving meal was my reaction. “I have to put my hand where and to do what?” And then I had to cook eight pans of cornbread for stuffing! I did well. I think. I miss those times…

Autumn Macarthur. LOL, Alexa expressed it so perfectly, I feel like simply saying, “What Alexa said!” Apart from missing cooking eight pans of cornbread for stuffing. Oh my! That must have been a truly huge turkey!
I’ve never cooked or eaten a Thanksgiving meal, as I grew up in Australia then moved to England, and neither country celebrate the holiday. But thanksgiving with a little T, a habit of gratitude, that’s something I believe everyone needs no matter which part of the world they live in.

It’s so easy and so human to focus on what’s wrong in our lives. And yet giving thanks has an amazing power. If I stop for just a moment even on the worst day when it feels as if everything is a mess, take a breath, and thank God for all that is good, something tight and hard in my heart opens up to Him, like a flower lifting its head to the sunshine. And there really is always something good, from fresh water to drink to the tree outside my window and the amazing gift of life itself. When I give thanks for those simple things, He lifts me and carries me and helps me to deal better with what’s bad.

Marion Ueckermann. Unless you’re an American, which I’m not, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in South Africa where I live. But our Christmas meal is very much like a Thanksgiving meal, complete with turkey, stuffing, and loads of veggies and potatoes (roasted, thank you very much!) on the side. And of course, followed by some kind of delicious Christmas pudding or dessert. Cooking that Christmas Eve meal and celebrating with my family is one of my most favorite things to do each year. And I’m really looking forward to it this year as I’ll have both my sons home for Christmas.

On being thankful, I love Philippians 4v8. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” It’s as Autumn said, thanking God for what is good on a bad day does something deep down inside of you.

Last year, I did a Gratitude November meme for each day. This quote from Jean Baptiste Massieu (translated from French) is very apt in light of the above and the purpose of this post: Gratitude is the memory of the heart. So right now I’d like to pause and remember the things most dear to me that I’m grateful for each day—my amazing husband, my wonderful sons (and their wives), my gorgeous grandsons who give me hugs and kisses and giggles every day (how fortunate I am to having them living right next door), the rest of my fabulous family, my house, warm bed (and a ceiling fan that keeps me cool in summer), good food on the table each night (even when it’s baked beans on toast), being able to do what I love best each day and that is write, and each and every person who reads my books. Finally, and most importantly, I want to remember Jesus, the One who loves me more than anyone mentioned above does…and the One who gave more, just for me.

393 Comments

Giveaway Plus Q & A with Marion Ueckermann about Recovering Hope

November 13, 2018 in coffee with paula marie, my point of view

First up, my point of view:

Reading, for me, has always been a great love. You can travel to places I would never get to any other way, you can find humor and literally laugh out loud when no other person is around you. You can learn about history, sports, maybe science….the world is at your fingertips when you love to read!

Every now and then you may come across a book that simply grabs your heart strings and carries you along for a ride. Recovering Hope is such a book. It has happy moments, joyful celebrations, beautiful characters….and heartbreaking despair. Yes, I said despair.

Recovering Hope is a book that gives you all of these things and more…it also gives you HOPE. Hope for a future when your whole world is crashing down around you. Hope that someday, no matter what has happened, there will be light in your life again. Hope that resonates throughout your soul that there IS a God, and that He does love us.

I always say that God has a plan and a reason for everything, even if we cannot see it at the time, one day we will have something so wonderful happen in our lives and realize that we would never be in this exact moment if that crushing situation had not taken place.

Recovering Hope is that story….please read and be ready to cry….and rejoice!

Thanks for sitting down with me today, Marion! I must tell you, Recovering Hope truly knocked me off kilter, in a good way though! This is one book that really packs a lot of emotions into it, and addresses a serious issue in today’s day and age – depression. I can only imagine how many people will benefit from reading this amazing story!

Thank you for having me, Paula. It’s great to be back on your blog. It is my prayer that Recovering Hope will help to bring healing to some readers out there. Already, I’ve seen it impacting lives in a positive way, so that’s encouraging.

Can you tell our readers what first inspired you to write Hope and Tyler’s story of heartbreak and subsequent depression?

Yes. When The Potter’s House books wanted stories in the series with flawed characters in desperate need of hope, redemption, and second chances, I knew that a heroine struggling with depression was one of the stories I needed to write. Several women in my family suffer from / or have suffered from depression—some closer to home than others. So in some ways, Recovering Hope is their story.

That is amazing, and so heart felt for you to write this with them in mind! I loved reading about Hope’s vocation with Marine life, and Tyler’s underwater robots! I honestly do not think I have ever read another story with those types of careers and frankly, found it quite interesting! I can only imagine the research you must have gone through to write such details, care to tell us more about that?

How I came to choose their careers was truly interesting and I believe a God-encounter. Shortly before I started to write Recovering Hope, I visited my son and daughter-in-law in Stellenbosch, in the beautiful Western Cape (South Africa). One day we stopped by our favorite wine farm to do a chocolate and wine tasting. As we got out of the car, two women and a guy had parked just two cars up from us. Turns out it was a young woman who works with the youth in our church (some 1700 kilometres away) and another young woman who was in the youth when my son was several years ago. They’d been friends. We chatted and it turned out this young lady had moved to the Cape as she was getting married the next month, plus she was studying marine biology.

When it came to choosing careers for Hope and Tyler, I knew they had to have careers involving the ocean because Hope was from Hawaii and she and Tyler now lived in Florida beside the sea. I remembered my encounter a few weeks before, and began investigating marine biology and other oceanic careers. I decided to go with marine vet (no not the military kind…that brought up some interesting internet searches) for Hope. I wanted a different career for Tyler though. My son has been busy building a small underwater robot for a few years, and so when I saw Ocean Engineer as a career, I knew that Tyler would work with underwater robots.

Wow! I must tell you, when I first read what Tyler did, I thought of Titanic the movie…but to know your son has actually been making one, that is fantastic! I grew up watching Flipper, so I love dolphins! I even once went to Florida Keys and was able to pet a dolphin! May I ask what quirky things you learned about dolphins that took you by surprise?

Oh, some made me blush, like the whole reproduction aspect (although it was interesting and fascinating). What took me by surprise was that dolphins are very amorous creatures, mating not only for reproduction but for pleasure too—either with the opposite sex, or the same (males).

Another theory that was fascinating to read about was dolphin suicide and whether they can actually plan an intentional death. I do refer to one of those intentional deaths (actually, one of the dolphins who played Flipper) in Recovering Hope.

Yes, i was so sad when I read that part of the story, they are amazing creatures! So many writers are afraid to tackle hard hitting issues, and this must have been very difficult for you…not just the heartbreak that Hope and Tyler suffer in their loss, but the way in which they each suffer in the days ahead.

Doubt was one of the hardest things to deal with while writing Recovering Hope—would readers want to read a book about a depressed woman? It was also a very research intensive book—from depression (and how it affects both the sufferer and the one living with the sufferer) to suicide, medicines, pregnancy and births, oceanic careers, Hawaiian language and culture, and hurricanes to mention the bulk of my research. And because the subject matter hit home personally, Recovering Hope was difficult to write. But I knew it needed to be done.

I, for one am so glad you did. I know this book will be very emotional and a blessing to many people. I was impressed with so much medical knowledge you imparted in this story! Did you google all of that, or were you able to talk to medical professionals about it as well?

LOL, whenever I have a character that involves a medical issue, I take them to my doctor. Seriously, I do, but as a tag on to an appointment I have for myself. My doctor loves it, and we chat for ages about different scenarios for my character/s. I’m also fortunate that treating depression is one of my doctor’s passions.

Then of course, there was a lot of online research after my doctor’s visit.

I also have a close friend who was a midwife and has personally experienced some of what Hope had. She was a wealth of knowledge which she freely shared with me. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for being so open and honest with me so that I could write the best book possible.

Please tell her thank you from me as well for sharing. That must have been difficult for her, but will be such a blessing to others. The epilogue…honestly, had me seriously crying, to see how this couple not only comes full circle in their lives, but how what they went through can help others…in ways they never dreamed of! How amazing is it that God has truly used your ability to reach so many others in such a compelling way!

The amazing thing about the epilogue is that I had envisaged some of it quite differently. I’d planned to finish writing the book one Friday night, but the last chapter’s last scene took much longer to write. As such, I had to put off writing the epilogue to the Saturday. That night as I tried to fall asleep, the idea I used for the epilogue which gave Tyler the platform he had, drifted into my mind, and I knew why writing that epilogue had been delayed.

That is absolute GOD timing! Finally, is there anything I did not address that you would like for everyone to know about Hope and Tyler’s journey?

Yes. For those suffering from depression, there is hope. It is treatable. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. So don’t try to face this terrible illness alone. Get the help that you need.

The same goes for any difficult situation you might be going through—lean on God, and those around you who want to help.

I pray that you will be blessed through Recovering Hope.

Marion has generously offered to do an ebook GIVEAWAY of Recovering Hope to one of our amazing readers! Simply comment on this post and let us know what your dream vocation would be to enter to win! Contest will remain open for one week from today!

19 Comments

Today’s review: Faith Departed (Remnants Book 1) by Elizabeth Maddrey and a ~GIVEAWAY~

November 8, 2018 in my point of view

Starting a family was supposed to be easy.

Twin sisters June and July have never encountered an obstacle they couldn’t overcome. Married just after graduating college, the girls and their husbands remained a close-knit group. Now settled and successful, the next logical step is children.

But as the couples struggle to conceive, each must reconcile the goodness of God with their present suffering. Will their faith be strong enough to triumph in the midst of trial?

Faith Departed is the first book in a Christian Women’s Fiction series that walks along side two couples as they navigate the sometimes-painful, sometimes-hopeful waters of infertility. Buy your copy today to begin a journey with characters so real, you’ll want them for your friends.

My point of view:

I must start off by saying this book was a wonderful “departure” from the romance stories I am so very fond of reading ! Don’t get me wrong, romance is still my favorite genre, not likely to change anytime soon – or ever – but every now and then a good, heart warming friendship story can be a wonderful break! “Faith Departed” is just what I needed at the time I received it – a nice gift, one that was a surprise and greatly appreciated!

I am an only child, always wishing I had sibling, but I have had to make do with my amazing cousins instead, several of whom feel like sisters to me having grown up together. But a twin? I imagine that could be even more exciting, and well, frustrating at times? Elizabeth gives us a great inside look into friendships, sister-ship (is that word?), and relations between spouses when we struggle with circumstances beyond our control.

I cannot pretend to know what it must feel like to struggle with becoming pregnant, and I would never want to offend or upset anyone with the ‘platitudes’ often spouted for women in this position. I have had a few friends go through this, unfortunately, all three with different results and outcomes. I prayed for all them in their times of need and was a shoulder to lean on, but, again, could not imagine the suffering they went through.

What I gained form this beautifully written book is that sometimes all we can do is be there for a friend…I gained some real perspective in having faith and how to look at situations at times…honestly! Sometimes when we are going through struggles, we want to say what’s wrong with me…why did God make me “broken”…..what did I do or not do to deserve this situation, right? I loved how the sisters and their husband’s challenged one another with simple questions to regain their faith……..I won’t spoil it for you readers, though, get your copy here and see for yourself!!

I am excited about checking out the next two in the series!

Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who loves a good happily ever after.

She began writing stories as soon as she could form the letters properly and has never looked back. Though her practical nature and love of computers, math, and organization steered her into computer science at Wheaton College, she always had one or more stories in progress to occupy her free time. This continued through a Master’s program in Software Engineering, several years in the computer industry, teaching programming at the college level, and a Ph.D. in Computer Technology in Education. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books and has mastered the art of reading while undertaking just about any other activity.

She lives in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. with her husband and their two incredibly active little boys.

Elizabeth also has a brand new book out – Pathway to Peace – book 5 of the Grant us Grace series!

You can find ALL of Elizabeth’s books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NyyHKW

Elizabeth has graciously offered to have a free ~*Giveaway*~ to one of our blog members!! Simply comment on this post and tell us how many (if any) siblings you have to be entered to receive any ebook of Elizabeth Maddrey’s! Giveaway is open for seven days from today and will be notified via email!

5 Comments

Coffee with Jan Thompson Today PLUS a GIVEAWAY!!

November 5, 2018 in coffee with paula marie

PM: Jan, I am so thrilled to have you here to day for Coffee with Paula Marie! I need to admit I
may be a little bit of a “girly” fan here, I have been a fan of your books for a long time! The setting
in Savannah series is my favorite, as that city is in my top ten places I have ever visited. I see you
are a graduate of UGA – GO DAWGS! Have you spent a great deal of time there yourself?

Jan Thompson: How about them Dawgs! Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today. It
thrills me to hear that you have enjoyed my books. Yes, Savannah and Tybee Island are two of my favorite places to visit, even for just a weekend, and I can’t help but write about these coastal towns. Another place I love to visit is St. Simon’s Island, so you can pretty much guess I have at least one series set on that island as well.

PM: If there was a news story about your life, what would the headline say?

Jan Thompson: Oh this feels like an obituary! Haha. But at the end of the day, I pray that I have
fulfilled the calling that God has placed in my life. My heart’s desire is that in everything I do—
whether as a wife or mother or author—will glorify God. It doesn’t mean everything is perfect.
When I trip and fall, God picks me up and puts me on the right track. To God be the glory indeed!

PM: Your characters have such amazing artistic talents; do you have any secret artistic talents as
well?

Jan Thompson: Thank you for noticing that! I don’t want to go too far back in time, but ever since I
was a little girl, I have loved to draw and write. Mostly, I painted still life and whatever came to
mind.

My series, Savannah Sweethearts, does reflect a lot of my interest in art. In Ask You Later (A
Savannah Sweethearts Prequel) and Draw You Near (Savannah Sweethearts Book 3), I explored
the world of painting. I also did some wheel pottery, which led to Smile for Me (Vacation
Sweethearts Book 1).

I’m also interested in other fine arts as well, such as photography and music. For example, in Wish
You Joy (Savannah Sweethearts Book 9), I decided to have a photographer as my main character. I
was a bit of an amateur photographer back in the old days. These days, I primarily take pictures of
the countryside and whatever catches my attention.

With music, I’d like to remember the days I took piano lessons. That led to an entire series, Seaside
Chapel, with an orchestra as the backdrop.

PM: What are you reading for fun right now?

Jan Thompson: I would say that when I am writing a book, I spend a lot of time reading non-fiction
than fiction. Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it’s a lot of work. Right now, I’m researching about
medical things for Books 7 and 8 in the Savannah Sweethearts series. No spoilers, so I won’t say
anything more beyond that. Suffice to say that I’m learning all sorts of new things about being sick
and getting well.

When I am not writing, I do read widely, from non-fiction to books outside my own genres. Even
though I don’t write historical fiction anymore (at least it’s on hold), I do like to read historical
romance novels from time to time. I also read mystery novels and thrillers in subgenres that I don’t
write.

Most importantly, I like to read the Bible as a reminder of what matters in the eternal scheme of
things. My son is now in college, so that leaves my husband and me as empty-nesters, with perhaps
a tiny little bit more time to pray for people and seek the Lord.

PM: What is the inspiration behind the church on the riverboat? I love it, so unusual and inventive!

Jan Thompson: I’m glad you mentioned the riverboat church! The beginning of it is in Know You
More (Savannah Sweethearts Book 1). In the book, the church does not want to into debt. When a
riverboat owner offers a free space to hold church services on Sundays, the Riverside Chapel
church leadership can’t pass up the opportunity to save monthly rent.

How did I come up with that idea? I already have a church on the beach in my Seaside Chapel
series (set on St. Simon’s Island, about an hour south of Savannah). It’s the sister church to
Riverside Chapel in the Savannah Sweethearts series. When I was looking for a place to plant the
Savannah church, I didn’t want to repeat what I had done in the related series.

One day, my husband and I were in Savannah, having lunch on River Street and walking about the
waterfront. As I thought about the crowd of people and tourists, I realized that Pastor Diego Flores
(my main character in Book 1) would have thought of nearly the same thing: location, location,
location. And voila! I wanted a church on a riverboat, and I decided to make it happen.

PM: When do you find the time to write? Where is your favorite place to write?

Jan Thompson: Even though I have written and published 16 books, and I am writing my 17th book
to date, I have done all of that part time while staying at home and homeschooling my son. In his
high school years, he attended a college preparatory academy, which freed up a lot of time for me.

Having said that, please look forward to Kiss You Now (Savannah Sweethearts Book 7), Wait for
Me (Vacation Sweethearts Book 3), and Once a Hero (Protector Sweethearts Book 2). Coming
soon in due time!

PM: What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from different ethnic backgrounds?

Jan Thompson: Writing multi-ethnic fiction is easy for me because of the diversity in my own
family and that of my husband’s. If we combine our family trees, our genetic makeup is more
diverse than our biracial marriage. Our son has at least five ethnicities in him: English, Irish,
Native American, Chinese, and Japanese.

When I first started writing, I wanted to create a story world that is more realistic for my son and
the environment he is growing up in. My own church has diverse members, people from all over
the world and ethnic backgrounds. In the end, there is only one human race, and God the maker of
us all.

PM: What is your favorite go to snack, midnight or any time?

Jan Thompson: I like fruits and nuts! I am trying to avoid starchy snacks when I am writing
because I often forget how much I am eating, you know?

In the last several months of decluttering our home, I found myself carrying boxes to and from the
garage and basement through the…kitchen! Needless to say, I had to make pit stops for snacks—I
mean, healthy stuff—right?

PM: How can readers keep up with you and your new releases?

Jan Thompson: The best way to keep in touch with me is to sign up for my book news newsletter.
Whenever I have a new release or a special sale, I will notify my mailing list subscribers first. So if
your readers want to be the first to know when my next books are available, please subscribe to my
mailing list at: JanThompson.com/newsletter

For readers who might not have read any of my Savannah Sweethearts books (there are 11 books in
this series, and the last three books will be coming soon), how about a free book to get you started?

Know You More (Savannah Sweethearts Book 1) is free on these book retailers:
AMAZON: JanThompson.com/know-amazon
GOOGLE PLAY: JanThompson.com/know-googleplay
APPLE iBOOKS: JanThompson.com/know-ibooks
KOBO: JanThompson.com/know-kobo
B&N: JanThompson.com/know-nook

PM: Finally, coffee or tea? Cream, sugar?

Jan Thompson: Tea! No cream, no sugar. I make hot tea and drink it with milk, almost like in those old British colonial days. Nothing like a hot cup of tea and writing or reading a book!

Thank you again, Paula Marie, for this exceptionally wonderful set of interview questions! It’s
been fun! I mentioned some of my series in my answers above, so let me give you some links as
reference points for your readers.

Savannah Sweethearts: JanThompson.com/savannah
Vacation Sweethearts: JanThompson.com/vacation
Protector Sweethearts: JanThompson.com/protector
Seaside Chapel: JanThompson.com/seaside

I write in multiple genres, and other than contemporary Christian romance beach reads and
romantic women’s fiction, I also write Christian romantic suspense, and inspirational romantic
thrillers. I will have a new series coming out in 2019. Stay tuned!

All my published books are on these major retailers below. One caution is that there are multiple
authors with the same name, Jan Thompson, so you might want to check my website at
JanThompson.com (or ask me directly) to be sure you’re really reading my books!

AMAZON: JanThompson.com/amazon
APPLE iBOOKS: JanThompson.com/ibooks
GOOGLE PLAY: JanThompson.com/googleplay
KOBO: JanThompson.com/kobo
B&N: JanThompson.com/nook

Thank you!
In Christ,
Jan Thompson

Sweet Jan has offered up a giveaway of her Prequel to Savannah Sweethearts series – ask you later!

To enter, just comment on the blog and tell us what your favorite go to snack is! Contest will be open for one full week from today and winner will be notified via email!!

20 Comments

Review of Her Best Catch by Lindi Peterson

November 1, 2018 in my point of view

Her Best Catch by Lindi Peterson

Allison Doll’s mother is rebelliously turning fifty, her two best friends have started dating and a gorgeous injured relief pitcher named Ashton Boyd has joined her Sunday school class, rocking her world into confusion, heartache and temptation, places she hasn’t visited in a long time, much less all at once.

But with the help of family, old friends she really hasn’t lost, a new friend she really can count on, and God, she begins to find out whether she’ll always be a girl waiting for life to happen or a woman who’s ready to commit to her best catch.

My point of view:

This book was so much fun, honestly! I was laughing out loud so many times I lost count! I love how Allison deals with everything around her spinning off kilter…she just manages to roll with the punches. The humor Lindi gives this character is amazing, I could so see myself saying (thinking) the same things! Allison makes a wonderful heroine, and Austin keeps her on her toes as her leading man….or he is just her good friend? Honestly, the book keeps you guessing how it really will end the whole time….in a good way, of course!

The supporting line up, er characters (little baseball humor there, hahaha) are not to be left out either. Allison’s mom is a hoot, I love her funny manners and independent ways! Grandma had her moments as well! Allison’s friends – close and not so close – are adorable, and almost deserve a story all to themselves!

I am so glad I had the chance to read this book, the memories will definitely stay with me for a long time to come!

Lindi Peterson definitely believes happy endings are just the beginning. She lives out her real life romance with her husband in a small Georgia town. When she’s not writing, she loves to read, bowl and spend time with her family.