Friday, December 14, 2018

Keely Brooke Keith Uncharted Journey

Uncharted Journey Kindle Edition
Uncharted Journey
Book 6 in the Uncharted Land series
Keely Brooke Keith
Romantic sci fi fiction

Edenbrooke Press
released November 9, 2018

$12.99 print
$3.99 eBook

Buy on Amazon 

About the Book
Eva and Solo find love at The Inn at Falls Creek, while Bailey’s quest to reach the Land costs her everything.

Young widow Eva Vestal assumes loneliness is God’s permanent plan for her life. She keeps busy by raising her son and co-managing the Inn at Falls Creek with her elderly father, but her heart yearns for more.

Solomon “Solo” Cotter has spent his life working with horses, but he secretly wants to write a book of the children’s stories his grandfather told him as a boy. He barters with Eva’s father for a 40-night stay at the inn, a needed respite from work to get his stories on paper.

Once Eva discovers the barter, she believes Solo is taking advantage of her father’s failing memory. But when tragedy strikes and Solo works hard to save the inn, Eva sees his true nature. As her heart stirs with feelings for Solo, she wrestles with the guilt of loving someone new.

Meanwhile, outside the Land...

Bailey Colburn arrives at the coordinates of the Land on the autumn equinox and finds nothing but ocean. The sun sets, ending Bailey’s dream of a safe and simple life with the family she’s never known. Just when she decides Justin Mercer lied about visiting a hidden land in the South Atlantic Ocean and meeting Bailey’s distant relatives, the atmosphere around the boat changes and ushers her into an uncharted world, but her entrance into the Land comes at a devastating price.

Uncharted Journey weaves past and future in this inspirational story of life in a hidden land. There is always room for you at the Colburns’ house in the quaint village of Good Springs. Join the Colburn family as they discover their purpose, find love, and protect the Land. Read Uncharted Journey today.


My review
Uncharted Journey picks up the thread of post-apocalyptic Earth and one young woman’s desperation to find her roots and escape a violent and hopeless life. Trouble is…the family she seeks disappeared two hundred years ago and the only evidence is from a crazy man asking her to catalog a plant that can’t exist. Even worse…Bailey discovers this plant has properties worth killing for.

Bailey convinces her former professor to connect with his nephew who runs a charter boat service. The crazy man’s directions are even loonier—to find this place where the impossible plant exists is to head way south and wait on only one day of the year, the fall equinox, when this island appears like Brigadoon. Imagine her surprise when it works.

Arrival is a shock to both Bailey’s crewmates and the security team of Good Springs, who include a former pilot who had arrived at the Uncharted Land some years earlier and made it his home. One of the initial security party members is a young man in training named Revel who is new to the area.

The parallel Land story is that of Revel’s widowed sister, Eva, who is left as the oldest daughter to run the family business in a society whose traditions over seven generations decrees the son follow his father’s trade. In Revel and Eva’s case, that’s the Inn, a business out in the middle of nowhere, in which Revel has no interest, but a long-term guest, Solomon, discovers he’d rather be nowhere else. Eva has a way to go before she can corral her fears for her ailing family members, their livelihood which affects her ability to raise her young son, and her lonely heart.

It’s a brave new era in the Land Uncharted, when young people are breaking out of the customs of mid-nineteenth-century-era American colonialism and finding their own way. Women can become doctors, run businesses, even wear pants, and sons are choosing their own careers.
Keely Brooke Keith 
About the Author

Keely Brooke Keith writes inspirational frontier-style fiction with a slight Sci-Fi twist, including The Land Uncharted (Shelf Unbound Notable Romance 2015) and Aboard Providence (2017 INSPY Awards Longlist). Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving 80s kid. She grew up in a family who moved often, which fueled her dreams of faraway lands. When she isn't writing, Keely enjoys teaching home school lessons and playing bass guitar. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee.




Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Carol James Christmas novella Marys Christmas Surprise

Mary's Christmas Surprise

Mary’s Christmas Surprise
Carol James

White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures LLC
Holiday Christmas Extravaganza romantic novella
December 1, 2018

$2.99 ebook
Buy on Amazon

About the Book:
Mary Sherman’s Christmas is nothing like she’s planned. Her fiancĂ© has called off the engagement just days before Christmas, and her parents have gone on an anniversary cruise around the world.

Suddenly alone for the holidays, Mary returns to the comfort of her childhood home to spend Christmas in her parents’ empty house.

There’s only one problem. The house is not empty. Unbeknownst to Mary, her parents have taken in a boarder, a handsome carpenter named Jake Wolesky.

​Mary’s Christmas surprise may make this the best holiday ever.


My review:
Carol James’s sweet holiday novella is a great bite-size escape from the busyness of the season. Take an hour or so to read the adventures of a young professional man and woman who meet by accident while on leave from their personal traumas.

Mary has spent years waiting for other people to make decisions that impact her future lifestyle and career. Joseph, aka Jake, needs a break from his mother’s bitterness in watching her ideal of a perfect family collapse around her. Jake and Mary meet accidentally when Mary calls the police on an intruder in her parent’s home, which she expected to be empty when she unexpectedly goes home to lick her wounds in private.

It’s a good thing the two grown single adults are on the same page regarding morals and high ground, and decide to refrain from sleeping in the same house. It also doesn’t take long for misconceptions, mayhem, and mistletoe to work its magic.

About the Author:

Carol James is an author of inspirational fiction. She lives in Lilburn, Georgia, a small town outside of Atlanta, with her husband, Jim, and a perky Jack Russell "Terrorist," Zoe.

Having always loved intriguing stories with happy endings, she was moved to begin writing to encourage others as she'd been encouraged by the works of other authors of inspirational fiction.

Retired from her "real" job, she enjoys spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren, traveling with friends, volunteering at and serving on the board of a nearby Christian school, and serving in the production department at her church. 

She is also a soccer fan extraordinaire and keeps her DVR busy recording Atlanta United and English Premier League games. 

And, most days in the late hours of the night or the wee hours of the morning, she can be found bringing her newest novel to life. https://www.carol-james.com





Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Alexis Goring Love in Pictures

Love in Pictures

Alexis A. Goring

About the Book
Wedding photographer Michelle Hadley has a passion for diversity and believes that love comes in all colors. So, she’s working hard to convince editors to feature her clients’ images on the covers of the mainstream bridal and wedding magazines.
Despite having a career that focuses on celebrating forever love, Michelle has never actually been in a romantic relationship, and she’s not looking for love, until she meets the one man she cannot forget. 
Since his fiancĂ©e broke his heart, Logan Emerson’s focus has been on his career. He’s won awards for his work as a print journalist and dreams of greater success on television as a broadcast journalist. But his personal struggle presents many challenges that might prevent his dreams from coming true.
Michelle doesn’t date often, and since his heartbreak, Logan has shied away from the dating scene. But something about Michelle awakens Logan’s desire to love again.

Forget Me Not Romances, June 2018
eBook $2.99
Print $8.49
Buy on Amazon


A Brief Interview with the Author



Alexis, what do you love about this book?

I love that I was able to explore my passion for wedding photography, broadcast journalism, good food, and Italy in this book!



Introduce us to your hippest side character.

Cameron is the “hippest side character” in this story. He’s Logan’s best friend and he calls it like he sees it. He doesn’t shy away from giving Logan honest answers when it comes to conflicts that Logan is experiencing in his quest to win Michelle’s heart and the approval of Michelle’s family.



Best of all, Cameron is a true friend. He’s good for Logan and very helpful.



What do you hope readers will tell others when they’re finished with the book?

I hope that readers will tell others that this is a good book that both challenged the way that they may have thought about different real-life issues like interracial dating, and encouraged their heart.



What are your favorite types of stories to read during the holidays?

My favorite type of stories to read during the holidays is Christmas stories by my favorite authors! Even better, I love watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel!



What’s next for you?

I’m working on book number four which is a story that focuses on food, forgiveness, Paris (France) and romance.




About the Author

Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.






“God is Love” blog: http://capturingtheidea.blogspot.com

Monday, December 10, 2018

Karen Cogan holiday treat new romance



Made For Each Other, Grandma Mandy Book 1
Karen Cogan
Contemporary Inspirational Romance series
Karen Cogan Books, release: December 1
E-book $2.99

Buy on Amazon 

About the Book:
When Lissa arrives in Farmington, Grandma is recovering from a mild illness. Her artist friend, Jason, picks Lissa up from the airport. Though their attraction to one another is immediate, Lissa refuses to be tempted into romance with a man in Jason’s occupation. She has been influenced by her mother to believe anyone in a creative job has the potential for ruin and starvation. These childhood teachings drove Lissa to actions for which she now carries a guilty secret. Although Jason is handsome and considerate, Lissa is wary and feels it is better to have a husband with a secure job than one who is at the mercy of public trends.

Jason is determined not to fall for another committed career woman, and risk the pain of breaking up, as he did with his former fiancĂ©. Taking second place to his wife’s work is not what he wants in a marriage. In addition, he takes his faith seriously and worries about Lissa’s ambivalent relationship with God.

Will past experiences stand in the way of their relationship or will they grow together to find true love?

A brief interview with the Author:
Karen, what do you love about this story?
In MADE FOR EACH OTHER, I love how the romance develops over the course of the story to resolve the trust issues of Jason and Lissa.

Share one or two things you learned about the subject.
You can’t force romance to develop. It has to come naturally from the needs and character traits of the characters.

Introduce us to your most influential sidekick.
My most influential sidekick is my little dog who lies on the floor sleeping near my feet. He always trusts I’ll come up with and answer for anything. Such unconditional trusts spills over to everything, including an answer when I get stuck in a plot.

What do I want readers to tell others when they’ve finished?
I want them to tell others that God has a plan for every life and He will lead us into the right decisions if we wait and trust.

What are you reading right now?
I am reading Dean Koontz’s The Crooked Staircase because I love his way with words and his exciting plot twists.

What’s next?
I will be working on releasing the second book in the Grandma Mandy Series. MADE FOR EACH OTHER is the first book. LANDSCAPE OF LOVE is the second and will be a free download.

About the Author: 
Karen was born and reared in Houston, Texas. While still loyal to her home state, she enjoys the beautiful scenery of New Mexico, where she now lives with her family and a myriad of pets. http://karencogan.com/

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Holiday Read Mistletoe Melody



Mistletoe Melody
Stacey Weeks
From White Rose, an imprint of Pelican Ventures LLC
A Christmas Holiday Extravaganza novella
$2.99
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble

About the Book
A former musician, Melody Staff, spends Christmas at a bed and breakfast in the village of Mistletoe Meadows. While everyone sings familiar carols of Christ drawing near, Melody stumbles over misplaced notes. Her recent diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has scared off her fiancĂ© and thrust her life into a grand pause. Will her heart ever sing again? Quentin Oxford has endured a devastating year. His preteen daughter suffered a stroke, and they’ve grieved his wife’s sudden death, but the Lord coaxes a surprising refrain from Quentin’s heart as God rewrites his and Melody’s score into a love song.

From the Author:
Tell us why Mistletoe is part of your Christmas story.
Every business in the tourist town of Mistletoe Meadows uses Mistletoe in some way. The town website highlights things like The Mistletoe Mile: a mile walk that winds all around the quaint Christmasy town. The trail leads followers through stores and businesses decked out with various kinds of mistletoe and holiday decor. Each one offers some trivia on mistletoe, some samples to take home for Christmas decorating, or berries to plant in your own in a host tree. One even serves Mistletoe Tea. The Mistletoe Mile ends at the bed and breakfast, Mistle Manor, in a giant gazebo built from tree trunks covered in vines and mistletoe. The website claims it is famous for Christmas proposals. Other events and business names included in this story are Mistletoe Teas and Mistletoe Talks. 

What would you like your readers to know about Christmas after reading your story?
I hope readers come away with a fresh understanding that Jesus came to us that first Christmas so He could later take care of our greatest need, finding forgiveness through His death and hope in His resurrection. Melody Staff struggles with God's role in her pain. Eventually, she comes to this conclusion: “I had never thought of it that way before.” Melody picked up the conversation as soon as he clicked his seatbelt. “About God, speaking from afar, then sending messengers, then finally, Jesus coming to reach me, to give me the courage and desire to reach out to him." ... “Jesus came to me. Not to make my life perfect, but to walk with me through the pain.”

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
I love our tradition of staying in our jammies on Christmas and having a big family dinner. We stay home, allowing our children a day of relaxation and play. But every one in our extended family is invited to join us if they desire. 
 
About the Author
Stacey Weeks is the multi-award-winning author of Glorious Surrender (2016), inspirational romances The Builder’s Reluctant Bride (2016), Mistletoe Melody (2018), and inspirational romantic suspense novels In Too Deep (2017), and Fatal Homecoming (2019). Stacey lives in Ontario where she speaks at women’s conferences, teaches writing and Bible study workshops, and writes about the things of the Lord. www.staceyweeks.com


Friday, December 7, 2018

Christmas Extravaganza with Annette O'Hare



About the Book
Will Margaret’s prayers for a child of her own be answered this Christmas or does God have something else in store? After five years of marriage, Margaret’s prayers for a baby have gone unanswered. When she and her husband, Thomas travel to Boston to help his ailing father, Margaret happens upon a desperate young woman, sick and lying in the street heavy with child. Unable to simply ignore the woman, Margaret makes the decision to take the woman in. Condemned for her decision to help a woman of ill repute, Margaret does what she knows is right—even if doing the right thing sometimes has life-altering consequences.

$2.99 eBook
Buy on Amazon

My review:
Child of Light is a precious tale of a woman who gives everything of herself to others, yet is denied her heart’s desire for a child of her own. In the harshness of rebuilding society after America’s Civil War, Margaret, a southern girl, spends fall and Christmas of 1870 with her Yankee husband’s family in Boston, helping them in ways that tear her heartstrings. Her father-in-law was injured on the job and reluctantly, if cheerfully, accepts her help, only to remind her of the happy home she left in Texas. Her sister-in-law is expecting a fourth child and accepts Margaret’s help caring for the household. Though happy to help, her nieces and nephew remind her of the emptiness of her cradle. Even the news from home hurts when Margaret learns her younger newly married sister is going to have a baby.

When Margaret, unlike others on the street, can’t bring herself to step over a woman obviously in need, she risks her job and the health of everyone around her with potential contagion by rendering aid. Margaret’s compassion in offering their home is rewarded in ways she never thought possible.

This sweet novella is told from Margaret’s point of view, and is a well-painted picture of historic Boston with its shortcomings and luxuries. Child of Light is just the right size for a quick holiday reading break.

A brief interview with the Author
      Introduce us to the Christmas holiday tradition in your book’s community.
Child of Light takes place in Boston, MA during the Christmas of 1870. Margaret and her husband, Thomas moves to Boston from South Texas after Thomas’s father suffers an injury. Everything about Boston is foreign to Margaret, including the frigid temperatures there. While in Boston, Margaret and Thomas follow the week-by-week celebration of Advent. I would like my readers to see that when we face uncertain times in unfamiliar places, especially during the holidays, keeping up with the traditions we are accustomed to can be a soothing balm and also helps us to remember to keep Christ first. And by praying for the hope, love, joy, and peace of advent, we allow God an opportunity to reveal himself in our lives at Christmastime.

      What would you like your readers to know about Christmas after reading your story?
After reading Child of Light, I would like my readers to believe that miracles really can and do happen, especially at Christmas. What better time for a miracle to take place than during the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child, the King of Kings!

What is your favorite family Christmas tradition?
Three years ago my family started a new Christmas tradition of choosing a theme for our celebration. Our first year’s theme was The Reindeer Games and consisted of fun games, contests and competitions, including each family member creating their own elf name. The following year we celebrated Christmas in Mexico. We adorned our home with colorful Mexican decorations and ate tamales and guacamole with all the works. Last year’s theme was A Cajun Christmas. Family members wore overalls, and we enjoyed eating delicious boudin balls and seafood gumbo. I can hardly wait for this year as we celebrate A Hawaiian Christmas. So…Mele Kalikimaka y’all!

About the Author
Annette O’Hare is an award-winning author of inspirational historical romance. Her love for history shines through in her novels. As a member of the Christian Author Network, American Christian Fiction Writers and ACFW The Woodlands, Annette desires to reveal God’s love to her readers while hopefully giving them a laugh or two. Annette and husband Dan of thirty-three years live in Porter, Texas and enjoy fishing on the Texas Gulf Coast and spending time with their two sons, a daughter, a daughter-in-law, two lovable rescue dogs, three grand-dogs, and a Russian tortoise named Frankie.



Thursday, December 6, 2018

Holiday Read Mistletoe MixUp



Mistletoe Mix-Up
Jody Day
From White Rose, an imprint of Pelican Ventures LLC
A Christmas Holiday Extravaganza novella
$2.99
Buy on Amazon 
About the Book
Mistletoe Mix-up - Evan Edwards faces another lonely Christmas in the dorm. His mom is on her fourth, or maybe it's her fifth, honeymoon. A rain-soaked ad promises free room and board in exchange for holiday decorating. Evan jumps at the chance to spend Christmas in a cozy home. The owners won't even be there until Christmas Day, so he'll have plenty of time to practice their piano for his graduation recital. He heads for Candle, Tx. Across the street, Rise' Larkin, also home from college for the holidays, has some bad news for her widowed father.

As Evan and Rise's friendship grows, Evan wonders if he might have a future with a family of his own. Evan realizes, nearly too late, that he's been living in, and decorating the wrong house! Will this crazy mistletoe mix-up ruin his Christmas, or possibly, even his future?

From the Author
Tell us why Mistletoe is part of your Christmas story.
Honestly, the theme of this story is a super crazy mix-up at Christmas time, and with a hint of romance, Mistletoe was the logical choice.

What would you like your readers to know about Christmas after reading your story?
Evan has retreated into his music to hide from his sad life. Music is the only thing that has never let him down. His one experience with church was a disaster. I hope readers will learn through Evan's experience in this book that God loved him all time, even when Evan didn't know him, and that God has a purpose for his life.

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Our family has a tradition of coming over to decorate my tree. Even though all six children have their own households now, they still come, along with 14 grandchildren, to deck the halls. My husband serves his special red hot punch, and jalapeno cheese roll. One day we'll have decorations above the bottom half of the tree, but in the meantime, it's so much fun.

About the Author
Jody Bailey Day writes inspirational fiction from her home in West Texas. She is the author of the
Washout Series from The Pelican Book Group. She enjoys her job at the local library, and when not working or writing, can be found crocheting candy corn action figures to go with her children's book Yellow Bottom Bob, spending time with her grandchildren, or watching silent movies with her husband of 33 years.