THE LETTERS by SUZANNE WOODS FISHER ~ A LITFUSE GROUP TOUR

About Book

Rose Schrock is a Plain woman with a simple plan. Determined to find a way to support her family and pay off her late husband’s debts, she sets to work to convert the basement of her Amish farmhouse into an inn. While her family, especially her cranky mother-in-law, is unhappy with Rose’s big idea, her friend and neighbor, Galen King, supports the decision and he helps with the conversion. As Rose finalizes preparations for visitors, she prays. She asks God to bless each guest who stays at the Inn at Eagle Hill. As the first guest arrives and settles in, Rose is surprised to discover that her entire family is the one who receives the blessings, in the most unexpected ways. And she’s even more surprised when that guest decides to play matchmaker for Galen King.

Click to purchase a copy.

Landing Page: http://litfusegroup.com/author/sfisher

Meet Suzanne

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including "Amish Peace." She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. 

For more information, please visit suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating the release of the first book, The Letters, in her new series by giving away 2 iPads, 2 Kindle Fires and 2 Nook HDs! Wow!

Two grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HD or a Nook HD - winner's choice!
• The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 17th. All winners will be announced August 19th at Suzanne's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 19th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

My Thoughts

Rose Schrock carries the burdens left by her deceased husband.  She willingly takes on the responsible of his parents farm which includes the care of his mother.  Her mother-in-law had a stroke leaving her weak in body and mind.  Rose also her hands full with her four children especially the two youngest boys.  She feels it to be her responsibility to support the family and right the wrongs of her husband.  In order to accomplish this she has decided to turn the farm into a Bed and Breakfast. Surprisingly her neighbor, Galen King sees it to be a good idea and helps her to prepare the farm for her guest.

Her Bed and Breakfast becomes the means of not only financial needs but far more.  God had a plan for Rose Schrock and her family.  Rose put her faith in God to pull them through the trials and tribulations that came her way. 

This story kept me thinking about Job and how he always stayed faithful to God through his trials and tribulations.  The author writes a story that will tug at your heart.  She wrote of how events can cause stress on so many people.  It's like being in the path of a tornado.  Many can find blessings  in time such as these just as Rose Schrock found laughter with her children, tenderness and patience for her mother-in-law.  She even dared to hope for love with Galen King, her neighbor. 

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Revell Publishing and Litfuse Publicity Group .  I was in  no way compensated for this review. This review is my honest opinion.

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here.

Kaleidoscope ~ Life's Rhythms ~ by Vickie Johnstone

Today a Wonderful Treat! Vickie Johnstone 

Shares 2 books of POEMS

Kaleidoscope
Published in March 2011

This is a collection of 119 poems - some long, some short, some haiku - that I have written on various subjects over the years. They range from serious to funny, covering subjects from the everyday to philosophy or the abstract. Some are snippets from the lives of imaginary characters or just ideas or reflections on nature.

The book is structured under eight themes: figures; nature; abstracts; love; haiku; creatures; childhood and dark wave.

Where to buy: Smashwords 2.99 ebook, Amazon paperback,
Kindle   2.99 ebook

Excerpts of Poems from book:

Vickie's favorite is the Fox and the Mole

We ride in cars

Slow to ride
Our comic days
All drowned in wine
In the stifling heat
We ride in cars
With windows down
Singing to strangers
Who cannot sing
Hold the tune
Against the summer breeze
With the dog’s head bobbing
He laps it up
The speeding cars
And the lingering lights
The ripped out trees
Shouting our sights
We ride in cars
Chase the tyre tracks
From dawn til dusk
We hold our fire back
And we scream and laugh
In the silencing
As the dark draws near
And we pretend to sleep
Keep the fires burning
As the dog nods on
In the piercing light
Of the summer sun

Rain

She sits and dreams of making rain
In the dark, shadows dancing mimic
Colours of the aghast
Sights and sounds and murmurs
Still breathing
Watching over the edge
Of everything
The glass splinters into a million shapes
Cast in a myriad of lights
Bright and sparkling, dancing
In the spring sun
And she dreams of making rain
That tears and crashes
Washing away the shards of glass
Splattering the colours rent
With droplets of ice-cold nothing
Cuts and caresses
Shards of grass peeking through
Clouds gathering
Dust.

Poppies

Marching in formation
Across distant lands
Enduring the unendurable
For a distant cause
Marching in formation
Up long, steep hills
Crossing mudflats and seas
For a patriotic cause
Marching in formation
Forever forward
Seeing things never forgotten
For a government’s cause
Marching in formation
For this the poppies grow
In patches of red blood
For the worthiest cause

Moon beams

Distancing the days
In her fragile accolade
The moon reaches down
Towards coloured boats bobbing
Twinkling she shines
Lighting the way
For every stranger passing
And old friends returning
She travels the skies
In a silvery glide
Always remembering
The shortness of time

I don’t mind

I don’t mind
If you stare
Or paint the room in blue
While I sleep

I don’t mind
If you walk a while
Or smile in your style
And mimic your expression

I don’t mind
If the urge to be is too much
Or the strength to see is gone
While I dream

The fox and the mole

Let’s rob a bank
Said the fox to the mole
I’ve got mouths to feed
And I’m feeling the need

Ok, said the mole
But you know I can’t see
I can burrow real deep
But I might fall asleep

Well, said the fox
I can offer my cunning
I will find a way inside
And to you I’ll confide

Wake me up said the mole
When you discover this
As I’ve got a hunch
We’re in a credit crunch

So the fox went off thinking
How to rob the bank
And came up with a plan
While eating a cherry flan

Well then, asked the mole
What do you suggest we do
To steal all the money
But not do anything funny?

Aha, said the fox grinning
I’ll tell you what to do
Just burrow under the bank
While I drive up in a tank

Oh, said the mole frowning
I never thought of that
I didn’t know foxes could drive
Have you told this to your wife?

No, we have to keep this secret
Said the fox to the mole
As she’ll have my guts for garters
And that’s just for starters

So off went the fox and mole
To begin their bank robber life –
They rivalled Bonny and Clyde
Living it up, the law they defied

LIFE'S RHYTHMS ~ 316 haiku

About Book

Ancient Japanese poetry with a modern twist. The old meets the new in this collection of 316 haiku, composed in the traditional pattern of three lines with 5-7-5 syllables. Subjects include: nature, life, food, animals, loss, love, longing, hope, dreams and time.

Where to buy: 
 Kindle ebook only .99 
 Amazon paperback

Sample of one of the poems:

Rain fallen like stars

Sprinkles silver-like touches,

Dancing beside me

Some distant day she’ll

Return when she sees beauty

In a rainbow sing

Under sparkling stars

She laughs like water cascades

Rippling endlessly

  

Raspberries blood red

Ripe, soft and so succulent

Chilled ice-cream slithers

Eyes turn to the sun,

River of blue-black shimmers

On peacock feathers

Leaves hurtle, twisting,

Dropping without an echo –

Curved, their hands open

About Vickie

Hi, I live in London, UK, and I’m a freelance editor. I've published 3 books of poetry: Kaleidoscope, Life’s Rhythms, and Travelling Light. My novels include: 4 books in the Kiwi Series for kids; 3 Heads & a Tail, and Day of the Living Pizza. Besides books, I love art, travelling, nature, the sea, gigs, dancing like an eejit, rock music, films, fluffies and tarot. Sleeping should be an Olympic sport. 

My Thoughts

Kaleidoscope and Life's Rhythms are full of beautiful poems.  If you want to be inspired then you should definitely read Vickie's poems.  I did not want to rush through either of the books.  How can I describe how I felt when reading the poems?  I wanted to enter the poem and feel the emotions.  Kind of like sitting in my rocker looking out into the piney woods that surround my house.  I feel the trees swaying, birds and squirrels playing.  Reading her poems were like that, inspiring, heart felt and full of wonder.  An emotional experience.

I like the way it was divided into subjects:  figures,nature, abstracts, haikui, creatures, childhood, dark wave

I have several favorites in Kaleidoscope but here are two. 

THE AFFAIR  and THE DARK WOOD.

I will share one of them.  Then when you get the book you can read THE AFFAIR.

The dark wood

In the deepest depths of the dark wood

See the spectre trees stand and stare

Stretching out their bony fingers

To trip up weary wanderers who dare

Go freely into the unknown air.

In the deepest depths of the dark wood

Catch the ghostly moonlight crossings

Of the languid shapes that sink and shift

Floating endlessly in the speckled frosting

That lies in sheets on the muddy ground.

In the deepest depths of the dark wood

Hear the plaintiff wails of the ever lost

Stuck in time along the virgin paths

Caught in the lair of the unseen host

Who travels alone with his silent scream.

In the deepest depths of the dark wood

Keep your wits about you in the night shade

Lest you wander too far from the spectre trees

And find yourself far from the grassy glad

Beneath the ever-present smiling moon.

Vickie Thanks for Sharing your Poems with us!

Attn: Readers

Maybe we can convince Vickie to give us her feeling/meaning behind one of her poems.  If she agrees I will invite her back for a guest post.  

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure

I received a free copy of these books from the author for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  It is my own opinion.

If you found this review helpful vote yes or no here. 

Q & A with Debra Chapoton Author of New Release SHELTERED

NEW RELEASE - SHELTERED !

In Debra Chapoton's latest Young Adult novel, SHELTERED, five troubled teens find themselves living together unsupervised and are confronted with demonic forces, compelling them to deal with their problems in distinctly different ways. Paranormal meets psycho meets Goth in this story of a supernatural haunting and budding love.

High school junior, Ben, hacks into his step-father's real estate holdings and provides rooms in an old two-story house to various outcasts: the schizophrenic kid, the angry Goth girl, and the homeless girl who adores him. When Megan needs a place to live she comes to the rooming house with a different set of problems and the ability to confuse and attract Ben.

One by one strange and mysterious occurrences stretch the teens’ beliefs in the supernatural. How they deal with demons, real and imagined, has tragic as well as redeeming consequences.

SHELTERED is a young adult novel for teens 14 and up.

Available now for Kindle, Nook, and in Paperback. Buy now!

DEBRA CHAPOTON, AUTHOR

Debra Chapoton enjoys writing Big Pine Lodge Books, as it allows her to combine two things she loves greatly: writing and providing wholesome lessons to kids. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Teaching English - something that came in useful as she now pursues her passion in writing. She started writing novels in 2002, and was surprised to find out that the characters quickly take over the action and dialogue in the stories. She tries to head the stories on a certain course, but the characters take control and often change its direction.

"That’s what makes writing fun and exciting," she explains. "I'm just as eager to find out what's going to happen next as you are." 

She now resides at the real Big Pine Lodge with her husband, Paul, where she enjoys the company of many other friends. 
Interested to learn more? Contact the author at bigpinelodge@gmail.com or follow her bloghere.

Please check out the Author's blog by clicking here.

Big Pine Lodge Books are authored by Debra Chapoton. Currently, Big Pine Lodge Books is offering two different types of fiction books - Young Adult Novels and Children's Books. Both types are full of adventure, mystery, and suspense and will draw readers in from the first page. In addition to fiction, Debra has authored a Christian Study Guide.

Big Pine Lodge Books are available at Amazon.com.

Q & A with Debra Chapoton

1. What books most influenced your writing? 
This is the hardest question to answer because I think that every single book I’ve ever read has taught me something about writing. If I have to pick two then I’ll say Dean Koontz’s “Intensity” and Dwight V. Swain’s “Techniques of the Selling Writer”.

2. What type of books do you mostly write and why?
I write Young Adult novels because the main characters are teenagers and I love that age group. I spent decades in a high school classroom so I have plenty of experiences to draw from and personality types to build on.

3. Do you have to travel much concerning your books? 
I’m not a good traveler; I get car sick. I love airplanes, but not airports, so I haven’t traveled out of state in quite a while.

4. Do your family and friends inspire any of your books’ characters or plots?
Absolutely. Embarrassing moments, family troubles, favorite sayings, humiliating events, funny situations, nicknames, habits . . . it all gets worked in.

5. Do you consider yourself a born writer? 
Sure, we all have different talents and abilities. I like words. I've had a thing for language, grammar, and writing for as long as I can remember.

6. Just for fun! What do you like to eat and drink while you are writing? 
Nothing. When I’m writing I go for hours without thinking of food, well, except for chocolate.

Thanks for the interview. I hope your readers will check out “Sheltered”.

Debra thank you so much for sharing about yourself 

and your new release SHELTERED! 

I am sure my readers will be anxious to check out SHELTERED! 

                                 

I Couldn't Love You More written by Jason Ingram & Matt Hammitt illustrated by Polona Lovsin - Giveaway

About Book

In the same manner as touching picture books like bestsellers Let Me Hold You Longer and Love You Forever, I Couldn't Love You More tells a sweet, loving, yet powerful message: I couldn’t love you more, but there is someone who does. Through the unique relationship of adorable animals, the book shares that Christ is always with you and he loves you more than you can imagine. This engaging picture book combines lovable and irresistible images with the lyrics from the song (co-written by Jason Ingram and Matt Hammitt). Matt is lead vocalist for Sanctus Real, a Grammy-nominated Christian rock band. The song is on Hammitt’s latest album, Every Fallen Tear. When Matt and his wife, Sarah, were halfway through her pregnancy, they discovered their son would be born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a rare congenital defect. Matt and Sarah’s son, Bowen, was born on 9/9/10 and received a huge following through the Hammitt’s blog (bowensheart.com), K-LOVE, and ABC News. A portion of the proceeds from the book goes to the foundation the Hammitts’ have started to help parents with children who have this heart condition.

Published by TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHING








About Matt

Matt Hammitt is the lead singer and a founding member of the band Sanctus Real. Over the past decade, the Grammy nominated, Dove Award–winning group has released five albums and has topped the Christian radio charts with fourteen No. 1 and Top 5 radio hits. In 2010, Matt and his wife, Sarah, found out they were expecting their third child. Already the parents of two young daughters, Emmerson and Claire, they were looking forward to an ultrasound that would reveal whether they were having a boy or a girl. "We found out it was a boy, and we were all celebrating," Matt recalls. "But only a few minutes later the doctor came in and told us that things weren't right, that half of the baby's heart wasn't developed. At that time, they didn't think he would survive." Diagnosed with Hypoplastic left heart syndrome, little Bowen, whose name means "small, victorious one," defied the odds and survived. But it hasn't been an easy road for Matt and his family. Following Bowen's birth, Matt and Sarah watched their newborn son endure two open-heart surgeries, and they spent more than three months by his bedside at Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Matt and Sarah have shared the pain, as well as the joy, of their journey with others through their blog, Bowensheart.com, which has received more than one million hits to date. Sarah says, "God clearly has His hand in all of this. Our family has been called to walk through this, and we will do our best, even though it's going to be really rough at times." "Everything I've watched happen in the hospital—all the pain I've felt—is deepening my faith, strengthening my marriage, and molding my character," Matt says. "Out of what appeared to be a well of emptiness has flowed a fountain of purpose." Matt's album Every Falling Tear, released in 2011, was born out of the heart of a father wrestling with his pain but buoyed by his faith and his love for his family. I Couldn't Love You More is one of the songs on the album. It expresses a parent's desire to share Christ's unconditional love with his child. A portion of the proceeds from both Matt's album and this book will be given to support the Whole Hearts Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by the Hammitts that is dedicated to helping families with children suffering from congenital heart defects. Matt says, "We've met so many families like us whose children are suffering, and they are looking for hope. It has become our mission to help them find it."

My Thoughts

I am so moved by this story. The illustrations are darling.  

I have been through a similar situation with my little grandson that passed away  when he was fifteen months old.  He spent the first nine months of his precious life in the hospital. The miracle we experienced was getting to share those fifteen months of his short life with him.  He smiled and laughed all the time. It is the hardest thing for a family to go through when you have a sick child.

Love and cherish your children!  Have you told your child you love them today?  

What are some ways you can actually show them how much you love them? 

I have fourteen grandchildren with one more due in July.  The most fun I have with my kids and grandkids are when we are all together at the same time.  

Do you have something special you do with your child?

How do you share GOD'S love with them?

When my grandchildren stay over we have a special prayer time before we go to bed when we are all tucked in. Some on air mattresses some in the bed with me.  They all know how much GOD loves them.  Some of them remember when their young cousin passed away and make comments about him being in Heaven with God not suffering anymore.  

Don't let all of this make you think this is a sad story because it isn't.  This is a story about MIRACLES and LOVE.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:
I received a free copy of this book from Tyndale for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

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FOR A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK.  

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Mamaw's Sunday Devotional by Learning to Be Content: His Heavenly Sunlight

 Joan from Learning to be Content Blog kindly let me post one of her beautiful blog post, His Heavenly Sunlight.

 His Heavenly Sunlight

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

Psalm 103:8 (NASB)

We all have days when we feel unappreciated and unloved. The sun isn’t shining and something is amiss in our souls. The devil beckons us to play the re-runs of failures and tempts us to relive our most painful memories. He wants us to hang our heads, feel defeated and wallow in our misery and insecurity.

But, we can make a choice as soon as the old tape begins to play those troubling tunes. We can turn to God; seek His face, read His Word, take His hand, claim His promises, dwell in His presence and rest in His love. In our darkest hours, God wants us to find His Heavenly sunlight.

God doesn’t judge us like the world does. He is the Father of compassion. David expresses it so well in

A Psalm of David

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

The LORD performs righteous deeds

And judgments for all who are oppressed.

He made known His ways to Moses,

His acts to the sons of Israel.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

He will not always strive with us,

Nor will He keep His anger forever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,

And its place acknowledges it no longer.

But the lovingkindness of the LORD

is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,

And His righteousness to children’s children,

To those who keep His covenant

And remember His precepts to do them.

The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,

And His sovereignty rules over all.

Bless the LORD, you His angels,

Mighty in strength, who perform His word,

Obeying the voice of His word!

Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,

You who serve Him, doing His will.

Bless the LORD, all you works of His,

In all places of His dominion;

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

My Women of Faith NIV Study Bible suggests we read Romans 12: 9-21 and list at least 20 ways we can love others as God loves us. It is His heart’s desire to love us and let His love flow through us to others. We can share God’s Heavenly sunlight and His love with someone today. Is there someone you could reach out to today? It might be as simple as giving them a hug.

By His Grace,

Joan

My Thoughts:
I hope this touched your heart and blessed you as much as it did for me.

Have a Blessed Day,
Patricia aka Mamaw

Review: TEXAS BLUE by Jodie Thomas

TEXAS BLUE, book five of the WHISPERING MOUNTAIN SERIES by Jodie Thomas did not disappoint me. It held up to my expectations of the authors writings in this western series. The female character in this story reminded me of the Ugly Duckling. I was cheering for her during the whole book. The male main character wanted to know what it felt like to have a loving family. They were an unlikely pair that had a hard time letting go of the past. Pride, though some may call it being hard headed, is a big problem for both of these characters until love over powers their pride. Then of course there is plenty of adventure involving Texas Rangers. If you like humor stirred into your romance novel this is definitely sprinkled with humor.
I hope there will be another book in this series. I highly recommend this book. Way to go Jodi Thomas. You did it again.

Currently Reading Edge of Escape

I just started reading Edge of Escape by Debra Chapoton. I did not want to put it down. It definitely keeps you on the edge. I can't wait to get back to reading the book. I should be through with it in a couple of days.
The book would have been finished last night if it weren't for the fact that I couldn't keep my eyes focused on the print any longer no matter how hard I tried. Grab you a copy and read this book. Suspenseful, thrilling, misguided youth, misguided love, emotionally damaged