Click here to get your copy!

More from Rachel

Hello Royal Rockstar Readers!

I’m thrilled to share To Love A Prince with you. So many of you who loved the Royal Wedding Series have asked for more royals so as I noodled over new story ideas, my thoughts drifted toward princes and princesses. What’s more romantic than a royal wedding?

This royal story, the first book in a new series, True Blue Royal, is set in a new fictional country, Lauchtenland, in the North Sea. I’m really squeezing all those oil wells currently occupying that body of water.

The beauty of royal stories is they remind us of who we really are: princes and princesses. There is always a point in the story where the royal character, as well as the commoner, must come to grips with his and her true identity! Who God says we are!

Stories are a powerful reflection of life and it’s fun to insert ourselves into the tale. While fiction employs a lot of hyperbole we can find ourselves on the page somewhere, somehow.

Thanks for going on this little tour with me and To Love A Prince. You are so vital to my story as an author. Thank you!

Yours,

Rachel

Blog Stops

Worthy2Read, September 10

Captive Dreams Windows, September 10

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 10

Genesis 5020, September 10

Novels Corner, September 10

Connect in Fiction, September 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 11

deb’s Book Review, September 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 11

Remembrancy, September 12

Breny and books, September 12

Texas Book-aholic, September 12

Inklings and notions, September 12

For Him and My Family, September 13

Artistic Nobody, September 13 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 13

The Book Chic Blog, September 13

Among the Reads, September 14

Soulfully Romantic, September 14

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 14

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 14

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 15

lakesidelivingsite, September 15

All-of-a-kind Mom, September 15

Reflections From My Bookshelves, September 15

Betti Mace, September 16

Where Faith and Books Meet, September 16

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, September 16

Blossoms and Blesssings, September 16

She Lives To Read, September 17

Wishful Endings, September 17

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, September 17

Life of Literature, September 17

Life, Love, Writing, September 17

Book Love, September 18 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Maureen Timerman, September 18

Batya’s Bits, September 18

Labor Not in Vain, September 18

Bigreadersite, September 19

Hallie Reads, September 19

Jeanette’s Thoughts, September 19

Splashes of Joy, September 19

Christian Bookaholic, September 20

Musings of A Sassy Bookish Mama, September 20

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 20

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 20

Inside the Wong Mind, September 21

By The Book, September 21

Mary Hake, September 21

Godly Book Reviews, September 21

Hebrews 12 Endurance, September 22

Melissa Wardwell’s Back Porch Reads, September 22

Livin’ Lit, September 22

Writing from the Heart Land, September 22

Simple Harvest Reads, September 23 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Mamma Loves Books, September 23

Daysong Reflections, September 23

Black ‘n’ Gold Girl’s Book Spot, September 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a royal gift box of Pampering Princess items that includes bath balms, tea, tiara and other surprises!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10098/to-love-a-prince-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Different Like Me

Author: Xochitl Dixon

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release Date: August 4, 2020

Celebrate our differences and uncover what we have in common on this whimsical journey that reminds everyone that no matter how different, all of us are a part of God’s wonderful creation.

Whether in looks, cultural background, physical prowess, or academic excellence, there are no two children exactly alike. Different Like Me helps them know that being unique is good and that God has made them as they are for a purpose.

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Joni Truex

What a wonderful and creative book for children (and adults)! The artwork is beautiful. Inspirational and adorable.

This book was provided through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley for me to read. The opinion expressed are my own.

About the Author

Xochitl Dixon, author of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace and the children’s picture book, Different Like Me, serves as a regular contributor to Our Daily Bread and Guideposts’ All God’s Creatures. She equips and encourages others to grow closer to God and others, nurturing spiritual growth through prayerful study and application of Scripture. Sharing God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth, she enjoys serving Jesus with her service dog, Callie. She likes singing, art, photography, hanging out with her husband, Alan, and sons, AJ and Xavier, and connecting with readers at www.xedixon.com.

More from Xochitl

Why I Wrote Different Like Me

What are you?

That question used to trigger anger, frustration, and sadness, especially when people responded in disbelief because my answer didn’t fit the stereotypes they’d accepted as truth. My insecurities deepened, causing me to hate my own light-but-not-white reflection. Years later, when I became a mom of two black sons, I didn’t want them to suffer similar insecurities. I didn’t want them to think their worth as people could be determined by the opinions, expectations, or biases of others. I wanted my sons to love God, to love the way God created them, and to love all the people God created. But my desires and best-intentions couldn’t protect them the ignorance and hate so prevalent in our fallen world.

One day, during a trip to an ice cream shop, an adult male glared at my five-year-old son and said, “What are you?” The sting of his words ripped the scar off the wound on my heart that I thought had healed.

Asking God to help me forgive, I sought ways to help my sons rejoice in their uniqueness and God’s creativity in designing all of His people. While studying my Bible, I began learning how to embrace my identity in Christ. The more I learned about God’s love for me, the more I began to accept I worth loving and the more I began to love others.

I wrote Different Like Me in 2001, shortly after receiving Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Originally, I had planned to use the poem to teach my sons how to celebrate our differences and our sameness as God’s beautifully diverse and purposefully connected people. But the Lord kept nudging me to share the story with others.

In 2016, my agent and an editor read Different Like Me, loved it, but couldn’t move forward with publication. The following year, I signed a contract for my first full-length devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I set Different Like Me aside as I worked on the other projects the Lord had entrusted to me.

In 2018, shortly after submitting Waiting for God to my editor at Our Daily Bread Publishing, my agent and the editor who had loved Different Like Me in 2016 surprised me with two contract offers.

I scrambled to prepare my first children’s picture book proposal with the help of my friend and prolific children’s book author, Crystal Bowman. I submitted the proposal to several editors before prayerfully deciding to accept a contract from Our Daily Bread Publishing.

Then, I began praying for an illustrator who would avoid stereotypes and include children with special needs as heroes, not sideline characters. Bonnie Lui did a fabulous job. She weaved her own beautiful story into the gorgeous illustrations that breathe life into the whimsical rhyming text I’d written almost two decades earlier. Bonnie even created a character inspired by my service dog, Callie, a Border Collie/Hound mix we’d rescued in 2018 from a kill-shelter after God moved us from California to Wisconsin.

Earlier this year, as I prepared for the August 2020 release of Different Like Me, tragedy divided our world. I truly believe God delayed my path to publication so that He could prepare hearts to receive the message of love, unity, peace, and hope that He has brought to life through each page of Different Like Me.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, September 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 15

Texas Book-aholic, September 16

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 17

Splashes of Joy, September 18

deb’s Book Review, September 18

For Him and My Family, September 19

A Reader’s Brain, September 20

Simple Harvest Reads, September 21 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Mary Hake, September 21

Book Love, September 22 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 23

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 24

Artistic Nobody, September 25

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, September 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 26

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 27

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Xochitl is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of Different Like Me with a bookmark, sticker, coloring page with a 4-pack of crayons, a key chain, a fish-out-of-water finger puppet, lollipop, and book bag, as well as a $25.00 Amazon gift card to encourage readers to build up their collection children’s picture books that celebrate diversity!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/100e3/different-like-me-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book:  widowhood

Author: Mary Bruce

Genre:  Personal Growth

Release Date: May 12, 2020

A woman may have many names and many titles, but “widow” is not necessarily one she plans for. And when the unexpected happens, she is thrust into the role of being the captain of her ship, the decision-maker, and the one solely responsible for the direction of her and her family’s future. The emotions a widow experiences as she faces her life from this new position of aloneness are as varied and unique as each widow is. But what all widows share is a calling to be a leader in the midst of the chaos of the death of their husbands.

In Widowhood: A Calling to Leadership, Mary Bruce encourages widows to embrace their new role with hope and to unashamedly rely on the resources God provides to sustain them through his Spirit and through his body, the church. She illuminates for church leaders how to direct and mentor widows in their church families and how to provide these women with opportunities to express their new God-given calling of leadership.

This book will give you a fresh perspective on widowhood. It will help widows to see the energy they possess as fuel for godly leadership, and it will help church leaders to see their widows as esteemed gifts instead of burdens.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Mary Bruce is a registered nurse, a former homeschooling mother, and a widow since the weekend before 9/11. Born and raised in Waterbury, Connecticut, she still resides there and works as an associate pastor. In the early 1990s, she initiated a grassroots movement to pray in Connecticut on the National Day of Prayer. Since then she has served as a state coordinator for the National Day of Prayer Task Force and is currently its National Area Leader for the nine northeast states.

More from Mary

Have you ever wanted to wake up one morning with a new start, a brand new start?

I can say that, during the 2001/2002 school year, for 360 of 365 days that is exactly what I learned to do, wake up with a new start. Mine was the school of hard knocks.   After 9/11, there were many of us who found ourselves on a daily automatic wake-up call before sunrise. No alarm clock was involved. Perhaps it was the stress of a new start for so many.  It’s not like we went to bed super early so we could wake up early.  Sleeping just wasn’t the same.

For me, by the time daylight started , I was already sitting on the steps of our back porch, waiting to greet the day, watching the eastern skies over the 5 acre mowed field behind our house.  Each morning I would grab a cup of coffee, my journal, a pen and my Bible, wrap myself in winter coat and blankets and sit there waiting: waiting on the sunrise, acknowledging the earth’s stillness, waiting for some revelation from God or insight into my own life situation. It was not a worrisome time, that came later in the day.  It was just a sitting and waiting time. Even my reading would have to wait until the dawn’s early light grew sufficient to see the print.  There was nothing to interrupt, to distract from that alone time of solitude and meditation.

Then, like a shot in the dark, the 7am bell would ring out from high school across the street, a roar of automobile sounds would drift over the house, and the magic quiet spell would be broken.

In those early moments, I saw things I had been too busy to notice before.  In spring, I watched fog roll over the field, literally roll on the grass from east to west, from the field to the road.  In summer, I noticed nearly a whole year of early mornings without pouring rain. Pouring rain was my only hindrance to sitting outside.  In autumn, I saw a female doe pulling apples off the low branches and her 3 young charges dancing on hind legs trying to reach the apples. In winter, I realized that I could sit out in freezing weather, when I did not even like to walk from the house to the car in the cold. I learned to take the outward opening storm door off before the snow fell, so that I could just open the inside door and step out.  I said, “Good morning”  to the Maker of the universe as my first spoken words of the day.

I don’t think I was alone.  2001 was a hard year for many widows.  I was fortunate to spend each start of the day with the Maker, appreciating his faithfulness, which is new every morning –  a new start.  “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”  NLT Lam. 3:23

Mindy Houng’s Q&A with Mary Bruce

What does success as an author look like to you? 

Success would be the peace that I have poured out all of the positive things I have to offer and that the valuable, God-glorifying parts of my life have been completed.

Which chapter was the most difficult to write?

Chapter 5 The List.

What inspired this book?

I was inspired by the complaints of church leaders about the lack of leadership material within the church and my recognition of leadership qualities all widows have.

Which author influenced the you most?

Lynn Austin

What is your favorite Bible verse or life verse?

Eph 4:16 “ He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

What would you like your readers to get out of this book? 

I hope that widows get an sense of camaraderie knowing that they are not alone in the feelings they think or experience and for church leaders that they would have a deeper understanding of ways to help widows develop leadership skills.

What is your vacation spot?

Any place with family or friends.

What are you reading right now?

 Pachinko by MinJinLee

What is your most well-loved and well-used house appliance?

My crock pot now Instapot.

Why write nonfiction?

I love the educational research and personal learning as well as the sharing of new-to-me facts.

Thank you, Mary, for your time and letting us get to know you better!

Blog Stops

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 5

Beauty in the Binding, September 6 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, September 7

Through the Fire Blogs, September 8 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, September 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 9

For the Love of Literature, September 10 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 11

For Him and My Family, September 12

Simple Harvest Reads, September 13 (Author Interview)

By The Book, September 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 14

Artistic Nobody, September 15 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 16

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 17

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize package of a $20 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fffe/widowhood-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Fire

Author: Linda K Rodante

Genre:  Christian Romantic Suspense

Release Date: July 28, 2020

If a violent gang re-organizes, an undercover cop could lose everything…including the woman he loves.

After a gang war three years earlier, the undercover cop known as Patriot was forced to move and take a new identity. When the gang re-organizes and threatens a friend, Patriot, now a firefighter, races home to help him.

Chloe Swearingen confines herself to the fast pace of the ER and away from interpersonal relationships—for a reason she keeps to herself. But when she helps save a gangster’s life, she’s thrown into a cauldron of relationships from which she can’t escape—and one from which she doesn’t want to…

Then a series of fires target people they love, and Chloe and Patriot will need the Lord’s wisdom to stay alive.

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Mindy Houng

About the Author

Linda K. Rodante is a Florida transplant now living in Tennessee. She’s married with two sons, a wonderful daughter-in-law and six grandchildren. She loves sweet tea, apple butter and both the mountains and the oceans.

Her work with crisis pregnancy centers and anti-trafficking groups gave her a heart for women struggling in today’s society, while still respecting the role God has given men.

She’s a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Word Weavers International, and a past finalist of ACFW’s Genesis contest.

Linda writes Christian romantic suspense novels. Her books wrap sweet romance in real-life issues women face today then adds an edge of mystery and suspense. Her desire is to entertain and encourage others in their walk with God.

Linda’s two series, The Dangerous Series and The Spiritual Warfare Series, are each unique. Both are fun read in order, but every book is also a stand-alone.

More from Linda

FIRE, A Christian Romantic Suspense novel, is the third book in the Spiritual Warfare Series. While it’s also a stand-alone, it’s enhanced if you’ve read the others first. The inspiration for FIRE came while listening to “There’s Another in the Fire” by Hillsong UNITED. I love the words to that song. It says so much about who Jesus is and that he never leaves us.

Most Christians know the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, how King Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into a fiery furnace because they wouldn’t worship him (Daniel 3.19-25). We know that Jesus was the fourth man in the fire, that he kept them from being burned or even smelling like smoke. But the Bible refers to fire in many ways—God is a consuming fire, the Holy Spirit is represented by fire, his ministers are called flames of fire, his Word is like a fire, and Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire. So much representation there.

The first book in the Spiritual Warfare Series, Warrior, introduced us to an ex-gang member, a gang leader, and a kickboxer who wanted more from God than she’d been experiencing, not realizing the depth of what she’d asked, and the danger she’d find herself in. In the second book, ROAR, her church persists in ministering to gangs even amid threats and kidnappings. Then three members are caught in the middle of a gang war, and it will take a miracle to get them out. FIRE takes place three years later when things have settled down. Ex-gang members are finding Jesus and learning new life skills, but then someone sets fire to the church and one of the ex-gang members is arrested for murder. When you’re doing everything right, and Satan attacks, where is God?

FIRE brings back familiar characters and introduces new ones who fall in love, and who learn about prayer, and perseverance, and God’s faithfulness in the middle of the battle.

Romance, intrigue and the power of prayer are woven together to create a story of action and faith.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, September 2

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 5

Texas Book-aholic, September 6

Through the fire blogs, September 7

lakesidelivingsite, September 7

For Him and My Family, September 8

Robin’s Nest, September 8

Artistic Nobody, September 9 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 10

deb’s Book Review, September 10

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 11

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 12

Simple Harvest Reads, September 13 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Blogging With Carol, September 14

Pause for Tales, September 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Linda is giving away the grand prize package of the winner’s choice of format for the previous two books in series, Warrior and Roar, and a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fffa/fire-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Swift

Author: RJ Anderson

Genre: Christian Fantasy

Release Date: August 18, 2020

To save her people, a wingless girl must learn to fly.

As a piskey girl born without wings and raised underground, Ivy yearns for flight almost as much as she misses her long-lost mother. But the world outside the Delve is full of danger, and her dreams seem hopeless until she meets a mysterious faery who makes her an enticing offer: If Ivy helps him escape the Delve’s dungeon, he’ll teach her how to fly.

Freeing Richard could cost Ivy her reputation, perhaps even her life. But when her fellow piskeys start to disappear and her beloved little sister goes missing, Ivy has no choice but to take the risk.

Deadly threats and shocking revelations await Ivy as she ventures into a strange new world, uncovers long-buried secrets about her family’s past, and finds that no one—not even herself—is entirely what they seem.

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna Cline

What I think you should know:

Swift is a Christian Fantasy by R.J. Anderson.  IIt is the first book in the Flight and Flame Trilogy. The book follows a wingless piskey, which is a cornish fairy.

What you might need to know:

The book contains Pisky, Spriggan and Faery. It has magic, including magic that is not always used for good.

What I think about this book:

 I had never heard of a Piskey and did not know what to expect, however the book was fascinating. Ivy is a wingless girl in a society where wings are treasured. I enjoyed learning about Anderson’s interpretation of Piskeys, Spriggans and faery. The story was spellbinding and kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next with Ivy. I enjoyed getting to see her and her strength in spite of being different than her family and friends.  The story had a lot of dark twists that I did not see coming. A bad guy who quoted Shakespeare and spoke in riddles, the disappearance of loved ones.  I am very interested to see what happens in the next book.

I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Born in Uganda to missionary parents, J. (Rebecca Joan) Anderson is a women’s Bible teacher, a wife and mother of three, and a bestselling fantasy author for older children and teens. Her debut novel Knife has sold more than 120,000 copies worldwide, while her other books have been shortlisted for the Nebula Award, the Christy Award, and the Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Science Fiction. Rebecca lives with her family in Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

More from R.J. Anderson

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, August 31

Blogging With Carol, August 31

Through the Fire Blogs, September 1

Pause for Tales, September 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 2

Worthy2read, September 3

Texas Book-aholic, September 4

The Book Chic Blog, September 4

For Him and My Family, September 5

deb’s Book Review, September 5

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 6

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 7

Mia Reads, September 7

Artistic Nobody, September 8 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

For the Love of Literature, September 9

Daughter of Increase, September 9

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 10

Simple Harvest Reads, September 11 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Vicky Sluiter, September 11

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 12

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, R.J. is giving away the grand prize package of a signed and personalized bookplate, two bookmarks, and two beautiful blank-inside notecards with artwork by Kirk DouPonce and Rory Kurtz!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fff5/swift-celebration-tour-giveaway

Click here to get your copy!

More from Sara Beth

I’d had the beginnings of the story that is When Hearts Collide, in my mind for many years after I graduated high school. There are a number of personal experiences both from high school and after, which have influenced this story. Attending a memorial service for a fellow high school student who died in a car accident heavily influenced the early drafts of my novel; however, over time the accident itself, and the surrounding circumstances morphed into something else entirely.

The more books I read, no matter the genre, the more I am drawn to authentic, broken characters, who long for (and hopefully achieve) a second chance – both in love and in life. This is the essence of When Hearts Collide. Both Lacey and Jay long for a second chance in many aspects of their lives.

One of the key components in my writing and storytelling is creating authentic characters who experience real life challenges while embarking on a journey of faith.

I hope you truly enjoy this story of romance, faith, forgiveness, and second chances.

Mindy Houng’s Q&A with Sara Beth

Which part of the book was the most difficult to write?

My goal as a writer is to craft authentic characters going through realistic difficult experiences. Characters with layers. Difficult backgrounds. Not the cookie cutter characters you used to find in romance novels back in the day. Writing about an ex con was challenging. How gritty do you go for a Christian audience? How does their background affect who they are now? How did serving time affect who they are now? Did I go deep enough? Did I create a believable Christian character? That aspect of the storyline was challenging for me.

What inspired this book?

I’d had the beginnings of the story that is When Hearts Collide, in my mind for many years after I graduated high school. It was partially inspired by a YA book I read in high school that I cannot remember the name of, and it’s almost Romeo & Juliet-esque. (You’ll have to read it to figure out why.) I recall reading a handful of contemporary YA Romeo & Juliet retellings and being inspired by those.

I remember, junior year in high school, sitting in the balcony at a memorial service for a young high school kid who died in a car accident; many of my early drafts began with recreations of that very event. The car accident, the memorial service, how the family reacted, who might have been involved. Even now, in the final draft, you’ll see images and references of the memorial service. Over the years, the car accident itself morphed into something much different.

Which author influenced the you most?

The moment I picked up the first book in the Jewel Series by Hallee Bridgeman, I began to entertain the idea of actually publishing the stories taking up so much space in my head. I felt at the time (2013) that we had a similar writing voice and style. Now the more I’ve written and honed my craft, the more stories I’ve drafted, I think I’ve finally found my own unique style and tone. But all her books have been and continue to be inspirational to me – they seem to act as an unvoiced encouragement to me to keep going.

What are you reading right now?

I’ve just finished up Knox by Susan May Warren and I’m thrilled. I can’t believe it took me this long to get into her books. What a fabulous read. I’m currently reading any CF book with a musician as a main character in preparation for my next two book projects. One which comes out in 2021. Both have musicians as heroes.

If you could have one book or piece of art or music on a deserted island, what would it be and why?

Ok this is going to sound so cliché, but I would love to have a good, solid hardback Bible with me. I’d love to have absolutely no distractions and poor myself into reading the Bible. From every single angle – spiritually and historically, it’s fascinating to study all the stories and verses through the Bible and to see how they all connect in the bigger picture of God’s plan. The Bible is not only a spiritual guide for my life, but a beautiful piece of literature in so many, many ways.

Thank you, Sara Beth, for letting us get to know you better!

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, September 9

Remembrancy, September 10

Simple Harvest Reads, September 11 (Author Interview)

Godly Book Reviews, September 12

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 13

Artistic Nobody, September 14 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Texas Book-aholic, September 15

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 16

A Baker’s Perspective, September 17 (Author Interview)

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, September 17

For Him and My Family, September 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 19

Sara Jane Jacobs, September 20

Blossoms and Blessings, September 21 (Author Interview)

Cultivating Us, September 21

Ashley’s Bookshelf, September 22

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the winner’s choice of one of Sara’s books!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/10096/when-hearts-collide-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book:

Book: A Season to Dance

Author: Patricia Beal

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release Date: May 6, 2017

Ana Brassfield has her path to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House all figured out until her first love, renowned German dancer Claus Gert, returns to Georgia to win her back. Despite a promising start towards her ballet career and pending marriage to landscape architect, Peter Engberg, Ana wonders if her dreams of dancing at the Met are as impossible as her previous romantic relationship with Claus.

Then, an on-stage kiss between Ana and Claus changes everything.

Convinced the kiss is more than a one-time mistake, Peter breaks off their engagement. With an old dog crippled by arthritis and dreams deferred but not left behind, Ana moves to Germany to be with Claus. But the ghost of his late wife, Ana’s own feelings for Peter, and the pressure of earning a spot in a large ballet company are a high price for a shot at success. Ana seems on the verge of having everything she ever dreamed of, but will it be enough?

You can find the other stops on the scavenger hunt here!

About the Author:

Patricia writes contemporary women’s fiction and romance. She is a Genesis Award semi-finalist, First Impressions finalist, and the author of A Season to Dance and Desert Willow (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas, 2017 and 2020). She writes from Fayetteville, North Carolina. Visit her at http://www.patriciabeal.com for more.

More from Patricia:

When I wrote the first line of my first novel in January of 2011, I wanted to get published because I was desperate to feel important.

I finished writing A Season to Dance that fall and hired coach Gloria Kempton via Writer’s Digest to look at the whole thing and tell me if it was any good.

She saw potential in the story of a small-town professional ballerina with big dreams, but explained I needed a clearer quest, more telling details, better scene structure, and better balance between sequels and dramatic scenes. I joined Gloria’s critique group and spent a year rewriting.

During that year, my husband got orders to move the family from Fort Benning, Georgia, to Germany, and he deployed for the sixth time soon after we settled on a lovely mountaintop in Idar-Oberstein.

When I finished rewriting, Gloria said the novel looked good and had everything a novel was supposed to have. But… “Something’s still missing. I don’t know what it is. We’ve covered it all.”

So of course I did what any writer desperate for validation would do. I told my coach that surely nothing was missing and that it was time to query. I hired a service to blast queries everywhere for me. I know… Shame on me… But God used that.

God’s Plan—Phase One

One query ended up with Mrs. Joyce Hart, of Hartline Literary. The novel wasn’t Christian—I wasn’t a Christian. She shouldn’t have received my query. But she did. She sent me a note saying she liked the storyline but that in Christian novels the protagonist couldn’t live with her love interest without being married. She was very kind and said that if she was missing the point and if the novel was indeed Christian that I should resubmit explaining the living together piece.

When I read it I laughed and rolled my eyes. I started typing a condescending reply. Something about Christian fairy tale brains and me living in the real world, but I decided not to send it.

Days passed. A week passed. A month passed. And all I did was collect rejections. I became bitter. Bitterly sad at first. Then bitterly discouraged. And then bitterly ugly. I’d never been ugly before. Not like that.

See, up to that point, I’d believed that there was some kind of “god” and that somewhere, somehow, being good was right and that it paid off. But with the disappointments of the publishing journey those beliefs became a joke to me. I stood in the middle of my empty German kitchen—husband deployed, kids at school, my first dog had just died. And I looked at that inbox full of rejections and stated to whomever or whatever was out there: “God is dead.”

Mercy. Surely I said that to the “god” of my imagination, and not to the real God—God as He reveals Himself in the Bible. But I know that He was in that kitchen with me. And phase two of His plan was about to start.

Luke 22:31-32: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

God’s Plan—Phase Two

As I lost all restraint and became the worst version of myself, God removed me from my green German mountaintop.

After less than eighteen months in Germany, we were sent back to America, to the Chihuahuan Desert in West Texas. To a place called Fort Bliss—a place from which you can see a Mexican mountain with the words: “Cd. Juárez. La Biblia es la verdad. Leela.” That translates to “City of Juárez. The Bible is the truth. Read it.” Gotta love it. God is good.

During the first six months back in America, I went to two secular writers’ conferences and met more rejection. My lack of restraint and my selfishness didn’t really make me happy. I wanted to go to therapy. I wanted a job. I still dreamed of that book deal that had to be just around the corner. I wanted, I wanted…

But nothing happened, and it didn’t matter how hard I tried to get help, get happy, and find any kind of relief for the pain I felt. Nothing. Happened. I’d never seen so many closed doors—slammed-shut doors—ever in my life. Even the shrink kept double booking, closing early, and somehow cancelling on me. It was ridiculous.

The One Open Door

When God planted our family in the desert, He planted us two blocks from a friend from the Fort Benning years. A friend whose claim to fame was church shopping whenever the Army moved her family. I asked her to take me to church on the first Wednesday of January of 2013.

I fell in His arms. Surrendered, defeated, and dependent. Or what God likes to call—ready. I was born again two weeks later and was baptized on Super Bowl Sunday that February.

Gloria’s “Something Missing”

I had tickets to go to New York for the Writer’s Digest conference that spring, but sometime in March, it dawned on me: “You silly goose of a girl. You wrote a salvation story without the salvation piece.” My first coach, Gloria Kempton, had been right all along. There was something missing!

A Season to Dance isn’t just the story of a small-town professional ballerina who dreams of dancing at the Met in New York and the two men who love her. It’s also the story of a girl desperately trying to fill the God-shaped hole in her heart with often misguided career and romantic pursuits.

I deleted Mrs. Hart’s email that week. Yes, it was still in my inbox. Job well done, Mrs. Hart.

Now, I had work to do. I spent 2013 and the first half of 2014 rewriting the novel. Five ladies from my Sunday school read chapter after chapter as I produced them and cheered me on through that gruesome process. I couldn’t have done it without their support. God is good.

Jeff Gerke edited my novel in the summer of 2014 and had me read Robert McGee’s The Search for Significance: Seeing Your True Worth Through God’s Eyes. God is good.

I went to my first Christian writers conference, the ACFW 2014 in St. Louis. Two weeks later, Les Stobbe offered to represent me. God is good.

ACFW 2015 was fantastic and many houses are looking at that first manuscript. God is good.

My family got saved, too. My husband in July of 2013. Our son in December of 2013. My mom in the fall of 2014. And our little girl just this past summer, the summer of 2015. God is amazingly good.

Mindy Houng’s Q&A with Patricia Beal

What does success as an author look like to you?

One heart being touched. It doesn’t take much… 😊

What inspired this book?

I had the verses that open the novel displayed on my fridge for years. I wasn’t a born-again Christian back then but loved the words and had a feeling they would mean more one day…

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up
that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

—Ecclesiastes 3:1–4

In January of 2011, on I-40 (somewhere between Nashville and Winston-Salem), I had an idea that wouldn’t let go of me. A young woman, a ballerina, stuck on top of a wall for behaving badly. Then came the questions: Who put her there? What exactly did she do? Why did she do it? I guy had put her there. Where did he go? Is he coming back? That’s how it all started.

The story didn’t turn out the way I first thought it would though.

A Season to Dance didn’t start out as a Christian novel. It was borderline erotic romance because I began my writing journey lost. I became a Christian during the writing of the novel because of the heartaches of the publishing process. When I finally understood the Gospel and surrendered to Christ, I realized I had to rewrite the whole story. The novel wasn’t just the story of a woman looking for love and professional success. It was about a woman trying to fill the God-shaped hole in her heart with terribly misguided romantic and professional pursuits. She had to come to faith first. Then she could find sufficiency, love, and professional joy.

God had me writing my own salvation story all along. Boom! How does He do what He does? Wow… What a God!

If you could have one book or piece of art or music on a deserted island, what would it be and why?

I’ve read my whole Bible twice and many parts hundreds of times. Have tons committed to memory, and a Holy Spirit living inside of me that can give me much more… So I think I would pick music on this one.

Oliver Dragojević medley performed by Stjepan Hauser and Petrit Çeku – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm208v99_vM

Giveaway:

To celebrate her scavenger hunt, Patricia is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!

Enter for your chance to win below!

https://promosimple.com/ps/10068/a-season-to-dance-celebration-scavenger-hunt-giveaway

About the Book

Book: Two Rivers

Author: Michael W. Henry

Genre: Fiction

Release Date: April 10, 2020

In 1840 Pastor Allen Hartman leaves behind his white-steepled church in New York, and the woman he hopes to marry, to serve as a missionary to Indians in the Oregon Territory. On his epic westward journey, he is plunged into the dark end of spiritual warfare and vital intercession. His mettle is further tested when he’s asked to stay in a village of Arapaho already contending with a malevolent witch doctor—where Allen has to draw upon courage he didn’t know he possessed and discovers ministering to Indians is not at all what he imagined.

Arapaho medicine man Two Rivers knows one thing—the Great Spirit is sending White Falcon to help his people defeat the malicious spiritual forces determined to overpower the tribe. But even as White Falcon teams up with Two Rivers, Allen finds himself enslaved in a cave and in a heaven-meets-earth clash of faith with an evil sorcerer. With his life at stake and his new friends unable to help, will Spirit-led prayers of believers lead to a complete victory, or will something be left undone?

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna Cline

What I think you should know:
Two Rivers by Michael Henry is a Historical Christian Fiction.  It is set in the 1840s in the Oregon territory. This book is about Spiritual Warfare and the courage to share your faith in the face of adversity.

What you might need to know:
This book deals with spiritual warfare and very realistic manifestation of demons and spirits

What I think about this book:
A long time ago I was told that there are things you should not go into unprepared, you don’t do it unless you are prayed up.  This is definitely one of those books for me. I was very touched by many of the things that I read in this book but I would not recommend it lightly to believers that are not strong in their faith. I recommend that prior to reading this book that you pray about reading it. I was touched how the book showed that sometimes the accepted Church is not always as strong spiritually as those who have been tested in their faith or came to their Faith after or during hardships. I love how Henry showed that through prayer and those who followed the nudge of the Holy Spirit to stand in the gap for Allen in prayer. I enjoyed getting to know the different people groups that were in the book. I appreciated the way that Henry wrote about the demons and how they could affect people, However even more than that I was thankful to show that the Power of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of the people that have been sent by the Holy Spirit are more powerful than any demon. This was definitely an eye opening book for me and one that I will be recommending to many of my Christian friends.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Michael W. Henry’s ministry has spanned from serving as a missionary in Mexico, where he encountered intense spiritual warfare, to planting and pastoring churches in Washington state. A Christian counselor, Michael is certified through the American Association of Christian Counselors and offers spiritual-life coaching to believers searching for deep faith encounters with Jesus. Michael has long been fascinated by Native American spirituality and culture. He and his wife, also a certified counselor, live in Wenatchee, Washington, and enjoy hunting, hiking, canoeing, and other outdoor activities with their four adult children and two grandchildren.

More from Michael

Two Rivers is a story about courageous faith. I wrote it because as a missionary in Mexico, I had experienced spiritual encounters that I felt needed to be shared. A historical fiction seemed the perfect place to demonstrate the power of prayer and cross cultural respect in an authentic way.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 14

Inklings and notions, August 15

For Him and My Family, August 16

Texas Book-aholic, August 17

Joanne Markey, August 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 18

deb’s Book Review, August 19

For the Love of Literature, August 20

Rebecca Tews, August 21

Artistic Nobody, August 22 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 23

Connie’s History Classroom, August 24

Simple Harvest Reads, August 25 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Quiet Workings, August 26

To Everything There Is A Season, August 27

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Michael is giving away the grand prize package of an eBook copy of Two Rivers, a $50 Amazon gift card, and a signed copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/fec3/two-rivers-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: A Nurse for Jacob

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 2, 2020

Physician heal thyself
While physical wounds heal with time, a special balm is needed to heal those sick of soul. In the Civil War aftermath, two such people’s paths cross. Recent graduate of the Harrow School of Nursing first class in May 1868, Lydia Andrews arrives at the Touro Infirmary in New Orleans, hired on Clara Barton’s endorsement. There she meets Doctor Jacob Johnston, and both soon learn that love is the salve to soothe wounded souls.

Click here to get your copy!

Guest Review from Donna Cline

What I think you should know:

A Nurse for Jacob by Caryl McAdoo is a Christian Historical Romance.  It is the fourth book in the Nursing the Heart series, however it is a standalone book.  The book is set in New Orleans in 1868.

What You might need to know:

There is the mention of premarital sex, drinking and drug use in the book. It is not glorified and does discuss some of the problems that they can cause.

What I think about the book:

McAdoo is one of my favorite authors and I am excited anytime I get the chance to read one of her works.  A Nurse for Jacob was a short fun read, while it has some serious topics it was not so heavy that I did not want to read it.  I really enjoyed that Lydia was spunky and took care of her patients even when it didn’t make her popular with the other nurses. I loved how she was cautious, but spirited.  Jacob was a complex character that had to grow on me.  I enjoyed reading about the medical techniques of the day and look forward to reading more books in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

About the Author

Award-winning author Caryl McAdoo prays her story brings God glory, and her best-selling stories—over fifty published—delight Christian readers around the world. The prolific writer also enjoys singing the new songs the Lord gives her; you may listen at YouTube. Sharing four children and nineteen grandsugars with Ron, her high-school-sweetheart-husband of over fifty years, she lives in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas. The McAdoos wait expectantly for God to open the next door.

More from Caryl

From the get-go, the idea about writing a story with a nurse heroine intrigued me; I haven’t had one before. My niece is a nurse and I have several friends and readers who serve. I believe nursing is a divine calling and admire the many who choose to be a medical servant.

The connection in the multi-author Nursing the Heart Collection is that the first class of nurses recently graduated from the Harrows’s School of Nursing are placed across the country through the friends and acquaintances of Clara Barton, who teaches at the school.

So I joined the project and started my research of medical practices in the post-Civil War years. It was a time where many medical breakthroughs occurred, and older instruments were greatly improved. I so enjoyed learning how healthcare practices have changed.

I think you’ll enjoy all that to as an integral part of this historical romance. This Texas author hopes readers will love my two medical servants, Lydia Andrews and the older Doctor Jacob Johnston, and I’m always “Praying my story gives God glory!”

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Splashes of Joy, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Inklings and notions, August 13

For Him and My Family, August 14

Captive Dreams Window, August 14

Betti Mace, August 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 16

Older & Smarter?, August 17

deb’s Book Review, August 18

Artistic Nobody, August 19 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 20

Pause for Tales, August 20

Connie’s History Classroom, August 21

KarenSueHadley, August 22

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 23

Simple Harvest Reads, August 24 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/febe/a-nurse-for-jacob-celebration-tour-giveaway-copy