Love in the Seams Spotlight

Click here to purchase your copy.

About the Book

Mae Stafford longs for the companionship and unconditional love her sister has found in her new husband. But after years of refusing potential suitors because of a pact they made as children, Mae no longer has any choices left once their agreement is broken. She has no hope that God will give her what she desires most, a family of her own. Instead of dwelling on what she doesn’t have, she throws herself into her work as the recent sole owner of the local dress shop.

As a promise made to his late wife, Johannes Mueller agrees to travel west to be a school teacher in Calder Springs, Texas, away from the bigotry associated with being an immigrant in New York City. He hopes to improve his life and forget his loss. Johannes isn’t counting on his five-year-old daughter’s search for a new mother when they arrive. His little LillyAnn finds ways to bring the seamstress and him together…often. Can he learn to embrace his German heritage and unlock his heart to love again?

 

About the Author

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She’s been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests and is a member of ACFW. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, walking, and being a Grammie. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Guest Post from Jodie Wolfe

I’m so excited to be a part of a Celebrate Lit tour. Thank you for the opportunity to give a small peek into my world. J Love in the Seams is book two in my Twins & Needles series. Mae Stafford’s journey to believe and have hope that God will give her the desires of her heart echo the ups and downs of my writing adventure.

 

I wrote my first novel as a teen quite a number of years ago. Ahem. We won’t say how many years that have passed since then. J Let’s just say it’s quite a few. My next novel didn’t get written until my early twenties…and then soon after I had children. Fiction writing took a back seat as I raised my sons and home schooled them all the way through high school.

 

Over seven years ago I felt God nudging me back to writing. I still had a son at home, so the progress was a little slow at first. Since then I’ve written four novels, three novellas, and have pitched a half dozen other ideas at various conferences or through my amazing agent.

 

God dropped my agent, Linda S. Glaz of Hartline Literary Agency, into my lap when I least expected it, but that’s a different story. I’ve had quite a number of rejections over the past few years as she’s tried to drum up interest for my books. We’ve had some nibbles and times when an editor or two was interested, but things didn’t progress any further than that.

 

I’ve entered contests and have experienced mixed results. I semi-finaled in American Christian Fiction Writer’s Genesis contest a few years ago, and this past summer I found out I’m a finalist in three different contests. But there also have been quite a few where the responses weren’t so great.

 

Earlier this year I decided to put out a novella independently and Hearts Tightly Knit was the result. It told the tale of Mae’s twin sister, Ellie, and their pact to always stay together and never marry. When Ellie ended up with her happily-ever-after, I knew that Mae needed one too. The only thing is Mae isn’t sure if her hopes for a family will ever come to fruition.

 

Highs and lows are part of a writer’s life. Well, actually for all of us. J Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down in the negatives, the ‘rejections’ and not be able to see past them. Believe me, at times I wallow there for a little bit, but my aim is to write books that share about the hope we have in Christ. How can I convey that if I don’t believe and experience it myself?

 

One of my favorite verses is Hebrews 11:1 (HCSB) which says, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” One of the things I have hoped for many years was a writing contract. That finally happened in September when I signed for a novelette with Celebrate Lit that will be coming out in the spring. In the process of waiting, I’ve found God has refined and honed me in this journey of hope.

 

My prayer is that my books will touch your heart and give you a glimmer of the hope we have in Christ. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity into your world.

Blog Stops

November 8: History, Mystery & Faith

November 9: Artistic Nobody (Spotlight)

November 10: Pause for Tales

November 11: Reading Is My SuperPower

November 12: Quiet Quilter

November 13: A Greater Yes

November 13: Blossoms and Blessings

November 14: God’s Little Bookworm

November 14: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

November 15: Lane Hill House

November 15: Ashley’s Bookshelf

November 16: ASC Book Reviews

November 17: Christian Bookaholic

November 17: Through the Open Window

November 18: Daysong Reflections

November 19: bigreadersite

November 19: Reviewing Novels Online

November 20: Splashes of Joy

November 20: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses

November 21: A Baker’s Perspective

Giveaway

In honor of her tour, Jodie is giving away a wooden decorated basket, a 24 thread spools with needles and threader, a pack of 30 needles, a tape measure, a tomato pin cushion, embroidery scissors, a thimble, 15 piece sewing kit, and a $10 Amazon gift card0! Click the link below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway! https://promosimple.com/ps/a88d

The Blue Ribbon Brides Review

To purchase your copy, click here.

About the Book

Meet nine men and women whose competitive goals take them to state and county fairs between 1889 and 1930. From baking pie to polishing pigs, from sculpting butter to stitching quilts, everyone has something to prove to themselves and their communities. But in going for the blue ribbon, will nine women miss the greatest prize of all—the devoted heart of a godly man?

My Two Cents

This was such a cute collection of stories! I have to say that my favorite was definitely Carrie Fancett Pagels’ story Requilted with Love! I absolutely loved it! There were quite a few times I couldn’t contain my laughter. I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other in this story. I definitely recommend it! I give this collection 4 out of 5 stars!

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. No compensation was given for this review.

About the Authors

Jennifer AlLee believes the most important thing a woman can do is discover her identity in God—a theme that carries throughout her stories. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and RWA’s Faith, Hope and Love Chapter. When she’s not spinning tales, she enjoys board games with friends, movies, and breaking into song for no particular reason. Jennifer lives with her family in the grace-filled city of Las Vegas, Nevada. Please visit her at http://www.jenniferallee.com.

Angela Breidenbach is a bestselling author, host of Grace Under Pressure Radio, and the Christian Author Network’s president. And yes, she’s half of the fun fe-lion comedy duo, Muse and Writer, on social media.
Note from Angela: “I love hearing from readers and enjoy book club chats. To drop me a note or set up a book club chat, contact me at angie.breidenbach@gmail.com. Let me know if you’d like me to post a quote from your review of this story. If you send me the link and your social media handle, I’ll post it to my social media with a word of gratitude including your name and/or social media handle, too!”
For more about Angela’s books (especially more Montana-inspired romances) and podcast, or to set up a book club chat, please visit her website: http://www.AngelaBreidenbach.com
Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram: @AngBreidenbach
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/AngelaBreidenbachInspirationalSpeakerAuthor
Bestselling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over fifty books and more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online at http://www.darlenefranklinwrites.com
Cynthia Hickey grew up in a family of storytellers and moved around the country a lot as an army brat. Her desire is to write about real, but flawed characters in a wholesome way that her seven children and five grandchildren can all be proud of. She and her husband live in Arizona where Cynthia is a full-time writer.

Carrie Fancett Pagels is a multi-published award-winning author of Christian historical romance. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn’t “cure” her overactive imagination! She resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia, which is perfect for her love of history. Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time!

TIFFANY AMBER STOCKTON has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood. Today she is an award-winning author, speaker, social media consultant, and a freelance website designer who lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Colorado. They have a daughter and a son and a vivacious Flat-coated retriever named Roxie. Her writing career began as a columnist for her high school and college newspapers. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Historical Romance Writers. Three of her novels have won annual reader’s choice awards, and in 2009, she was voted #1 favorite new author for the Heartsong Presents book club. You can read more about her at her website.

Niki Turner is a novelist, journalist, and blogger. Her first completed manuscript earned second place in the Touched By Love 2009 contemporary category romance contest. She writes for local newspapers and won second place for best agriculture story at the 2013 Colo­rado Press Association annual convention. She is a coblogger at http://www.inkwellinspirations.com. Niki is the president of the Western Slope chapter of the American Christian Fiction Writers. Connect with Niki on Facebook or Twitter, and visit her website for information on her other books: http://www.nikiturner.net.
ECPA- bestselling author Gina Welborn worked for a news radio station until she fell in love with writing romances. She serves on the American Christian Fiction Writers Foundation Board. Sharing her husband’s love for the premier American sportscar, she is a founding member of the Southwest Oklahoma Corvette Club and a lifetime member of the National Corvette Museum. Gina lives with her husband, three of their five Okie-Hokie children, two rabbits, two guinea pigs, and a dog that doesn’t realize rabbits and pigs are edible. Find her online at http://www.ginawelborn.com!
Becca Whitham (WIT-um) is a multi-published author who has always loved reading and writing stories. After raising two children, she and her husband faced the empty nest years by following their dreams: he joined the army as a chaplain, and she began her journey toward publication. Becca loves to tell stories marrying real historical events with modern-day applications to inspire readers to live Christ-reflecting lives. She’s traveled to almost every state in the U.S. for speaking and singing engagements and has lived in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Alaska.  She can be reached through her website at http://www.beccawhitham.com

Guest Post from Angela Breidenbach

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks…

By Angela Breidenbach

http://AngelaBreidenbach.com

In Seven Medals and a Bride, Bettina enjoys the new inventions on display at the Columbian Expedition. That’s the name of the World’s Fair in 1893. The entire fair grounds were built on a marsh in Chicago and never expected to last more than the six months of the event. All the buildings sparkled a brilliant white, and so it was dubbed The White City. Although the “city” wasn’t expected to last beyond that event, many of the inventions did—so much so that they became household staples. Do you know what some of those inventions are that you use regularly today?

• Electricity! The White City was so bright it dazzled the world, but the massive building that powered the lights was plagued by noise and fires all that summer.
• The telephone—people were able to place calls in booths inside The White City.
• Shredded Wheat—you eat that, right? (Okay, I know it’s not your favorite cereal, but did you know cereal wasn’t common before it was introduced at the Columbian Expedition?)
• Coca-cola—it was a huge hit! But back then it was also used as a medicinal in the syrup form. Did your grandmother give you a teaspoon or two for upset stomach? No? Mine did. Coca-cola syrup became a medicinal staple due to excellent marketing.
• Cracker Jacks—the original form that debuted was pretty sticky. It wasn’t until a few years later that the company managed to bake the confection into a dryer, less sticky form in order to mass sell it nationwide. But Chicagoans could order it regularly from a little shop in the middle of town before the World’s Fair ever opened.

Little survives today of The White City splendor. A few buildings that have been refurbished and turned into museums stand as a memory. But flip on your lights, open your fridge for a soda, and check your cupboards for that caramel treat to take to the ball game and the spirit of the Columbian Expedition will live on… Psst, be sure to share a little Americana Past with your children.

Blog Stops

November 1: Simple Harvest Reads

November 2: History, Mystery & Faith

November 2: D’S QUILTS & BOOKS

November 3: Bibliophile Reviews

November 3: Smiling Book Reviews

November 4: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

November 5: A Greater Yes

November 5: Blossoms and Blessings

November 6: Artistic nobody

November 7: cherylbbookblog

November 8: Reviewing Novels Online

November 8: Jeanette’s Thoughts

November 9: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner (Spotlight)

November 9: inklings and notions

November 10: Lighthouse Academy

November 11: The Scribbler

November 12: Karen’s Krayons

November 13: Daysong Reflections

November 14: Splashes of Joy

November 14: Blogging With Carol

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, The Blue Ribbon Brides authors are giving away an award winning themed basket that included a quilt and an Amazon Kindle Fire!

Be sure to comment on this blog post below. If we have ten commentors (not including the authors), I will be picking one person to win a book!

Link to giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/a7ea