Inspirational Bloggers Award

I've been awarded the Inspirational Blog Award by Gail Pallotta. She writes sweet inspirational romance and has out a new book, Stopped Cold, coming out soon. It's a great YA-themed story about peer pressure and supporting the ones you love. Be sure to stop by her blog and see how loving and supportive she is to other authors. Thank you Gail for this award!

I'm supposed to share seven things about myself.

1. My favorite Bible verse is Hebrews 10:23: "Let us hold unswervingly to the faith we profess, for He is faithful." It's a reminder to me how great is the gift He has given us; it is also a challenge to remind me to practice what I preach.

2. I just started back leading Bible study after a several-year absence and on the first session, forgot my Bible.

3. Missed a tissue in the laundry this morning...ick...

4. I'm a local history nut.

5. I'm enjoying watching three amaryllis plants peek out of their dried up bulbs in pots in front of a snowy landscape

6. My farm neighbors are Amish.

7. I collect miniature dragons.

I'm giving the award to nine authors with inspirational blogs. Be sure to stop by and visit them.

Linda Glaz

Teena Stewart

Davalynn Spencer

Karla Akins

Gail Kittleson

Tamera Kraft

Karen Prough

Karen Wingate

Janet Grunst, Colonial Quills

CrossReads Book Blast: Winter's End by Rebeka Lyn - Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

CrossRead's First Book Blast: Winter's End by Rebekah Lyn - Enter to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Title: Winter's End (Seasons of Faith)

By Rebekah Lyn Book Two of the Seasons of Faith Series Musician Michelle Burton just had the best night of her life. Her band Tangled Web opened for Wonderland in downtown Orlando and the crowd loved them. Too excited to sleep she makes a fateful decision to go to work early. The best night of her life turns into the worst day of her life. Nearby, at boutique Hotel Lago, Stephen Longbottom, acting concierge manager, is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the board of directors for Silken Pleasures, a multimillion dollar company based in New York and specializing in high end cosmetics, fragrances and lingerie. Their incessant demands before they even arrive are driving him to distraction. Meanwhile Lizzie Reynolds, his boss is on a romantic ski trip in Vermont leaving him to manage his first solo event. Hope, forgiveness and love are an integral message throughout the book and like a fine tapestry the threads of God’s master plan for the character’s lives are woven into a fabric of great storytelling, conflict and humor. Readers who came to know and love the characters of Summer Storms will enjoy catching up with Lizzie, Stephen, Michelle, Jeffrey and Ian.

Kindle | Paperback   Rebekah Lyn Rebekah is a Christian with a heart for new beginnings. She is a Florida native and a graduate of Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Fl. A love of history, research and journaling led naturally to a passion for writing. She enjoys travel and has traveled extensively across the United States and Canada as well as Europe and the Caribbean. Her reading taste run from the classics to light fiction. When she is not working or writing, she enjoys cooking,baking and sharing recipes on her blog, http://rebekahlynskitchen.wordpress.com. Her current works include, Summer Storms and Winter's End, books one and two in The Seasons of Faith series, and Julianne the first book in The Coastal Chronicle series. She is currently working on the, as yet untitled, second book in the Coastal Chronicles set in coastal Florida during the early years of the space program. Rebekah currently resides in Florida along with her "attack" cat, Mia. They would enjoy meeting with you on her Facebook page.
Follow Rebekah Lyn Website | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $25 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Rebekah Lyn!



a Rafflecopter giveaway This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!

Adam Blumer Talks about life and his New Book

Adam, what do you love about The Tenth Plague?

This, my second novel, explores the idea of a killer using the biblical plagues of Egypt as a playbook for revenge. I had a lot of fun plotting and researching this one—and I think readers will be pleased.

 

What unique thing did you learn during the writing and/or publishing process of this particular book?

The power of the collaborative process. I had a fairly strong first draft, but I was stuck. A novel editor provided a creative springboard and helped me see where my true story lay. Without her help, I doubt this story would have seen the light of day.

 

Tell us something about this particular book that we won’t find from your web site.

This novel required a ton of research. From an old mining tragedy to autism, from adoption law to anthrax, from pheromones to the Oklahoma City bombing, the research for this one required much more than I ever expected. I’m so thankful for technology and ease of access, thanks to the Internet. Without Google and so many resources at my fingertips, I’d probably still be researching this story. 

What’s been a favorite work experience you’ve had so far in life?

During one summer between years in high school, I worked at a library, a book lover’s paradise. Granted, a lot of the work involved stocking shelves, but being surrounded by so many fascinating books and interesting authors was pure heaven. I was born a die-hard book lover, and I’ll probably die one too. 

 

If you could do anything you want, what would it be?
Travel the world and write, publish, write, publish, write, publish . . . you get the idea.  

What’s the most exotic place you’ve traveled? 

Israel, in particular Old Jerusalem

What do you see outside the closest window right now?

My rather dead-looking raspberry patch, which is eagerly awaiting spring

What do you tell people when they ask “and what do you do?”

 I’m a book editor who publishes fiction on the side.

Where’s your favorite place to grocery shop? 

My wife does the grocery shopping, and she gets her best deals at Super One.

What, to you, is worship?

The word worship literally means “to bow down.” In the context of my faith, worship means bowing to God’s wishes for my life, regardless of what area it may be. Every breath should be breathed for God will and His glory.

When you take all of the things that make you unique, how does that come out in your writing?
I love suspense fiction and history, so a blending of the two always seems to come out in my writing. In high school, I won awards in calligraphy; Gillian Thayer, my female lead, is into calligraphy in a big way (it’s her job). I’ve always been intrigued with how one’s past impacts his or her present and future. This is a recurring theme in my novels because it’s part of who I am. Now that I think about it, what I write is inseparable to some degree from who I am.

Introduce your book – plot summary and main characters, and what’s your favorite part of the story (if it doesn’t give anything away).

Water turns to blood. Flies and gnats attack the innocent. Marc and Gillian Thayer’s vacation resort becomes a grisly murder scene, with a killer using the ten plagues of Egypt as his playbook for revenge.

When their friend turns up dead, Marc and Gillian put their vacation on hold, enlist the help of a retired homicide detective, and take a closer look at the bizarre plagues as they escalate in intensity. Meanwhile, a stranger is after the Thayers’ newly adopted baby. Will they uncover the truth behind the bitter agenda before the tenth plague, the death of the firstborn son?

My favorite part is when the firstborn son is revealed and the novel culminates in the tenth plague. This is the most suspenseful and action-packed part of the story, with several key characters in jeopardy. I had a blast writing it. Thank you, Lisa, for the opportunity to talk about my latest project.

My pleasure, Adam.
Adam is offering an electronic giveaway to a randomly chosen commenter....drop us a note and enter!

Adam Blumer is the author of two suspense novels, Fatal Illusions (Kregel) and the upcoming novel, The Tenth Plague (Kirkdale Press). A print journalism major in college, he works full time from home as a freelance writer and editor after serving in editorial roles for more than twenty years. He lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with his wife, Kim, and his daughters, Laura and Julia.

Elaine Marie Cooper shares The Unraveling of Revered G, a book review

Like the crocheted blanket coming undone on the cover of this novel, the lead character in The Unraveling of Reverend G is watching her mind disengage. And the emotional pain causes her heart to cry silently, “I can’t stand it.”

Reverend G (short for Gertrude) has always managed her difficult life with grace and courage and, until now, with all her memory intact. But the insidious and premature onset of Alzheimer’s has completely thrown this associate pastor into life-altering questions. Will her loved ones still love her? Will she turn “looney?” Will she lose the joy of God’s love? Or, even worse, forget about God? These are fears she lives with—and cannot stand.

Bravely facing an uncertain future, the 62-year-old minister, with the support of her adult son and daughter-in-law, prepares to move into a facility where she cannot wander off. Is she now a prisoner? Is her life over? But God has surprising and unexpected answers for Reverend G as it seems her ministry is still very much alive. It has just changed.

I don’t think it was by accident that I recently brought my e-reader to my own mother’s nursing home room. Very ill with the flu, my 98-year-old mom needed some extra TLC that day. In between offering my mom sips of soda and encouraging her to take her medicine, she slept peacefully while I read The Unraveling of Reverend G.

There was so much truth in this novel: The honest portrayals of family members, friends and caregivers dealing with dementia on a daily basis; the pain of watching loved ones as they slowly lose the building blocks of their memories; the brick & mortar of the patient’s thoughts slowly crumbling away.  Where once a child’s hand was held by the parent, the mother or father now relies on the encouragement and guidance of the adult child.

Author RJ Thesman paints it all through the eyes of a woman with dementia. It is brave, brilliant and beautiful.

The loving appreciation of each phase in a person’s life is celebrated, whether the child in the womb or the child in the old and frail. This is a book that should be read by everyone, but especially by “the caregivers who so patiently watch over those who sometimes forget.” These are the tender warriors to whom this amazing story is dedicated. A must read.

This is the first book in a three-part series. Looking forward to the sequels.

Author Bio:

RJ Thesman has been a writer since she flipped open her Red Chief tablet and scribbled her first story. Eventually, she had to stop writing and go to school where she earned an education degree and taught at many levels. Thesman is a biblical counselor and a Stephen Minister. She has worked in a variety of nonprofits and has served as campus minister to international students. With a variety of communication skills, Thesman is always writing and building more publishing credits. She teaches writing workshops and enjoys helping beginning writers birth their words. Thesman is the mother of an adult son, and enjoys reading, gardening and cooking - especially anything with blueberries.