Jaguar by Pamela Poole Book Spotlight and Q&A

About the Book

Can the man who once left Caroline behind now be trusted to rescue her?
Caroline and Chad Gregory are happy on their island home at Painter Place. But an old vendetta against them puts Caroline in terrible danger. Her enemies are closing in, and the future of Painter Place is at stake. Her only hope of escape is a man known as the Jaguar, a legendary international operative – and the ex-boyfriend who once left Caroline behind. Even if he and a miracle can save her, Caroline will never be the same sheltered woman who has been groomed from childhood to inherit the island.

About the Author

Inspiring Southern Ambiance
Pamela Poole’s love for the South inspires all her books and paintings. The setting for her novels and short stories in the Painter Place Saga is a fictional island between Charleston, SC and Myrtle Beach. Pamela lives life loving Jesus and her family as a wife, mother, and GiGi, and she is blessed with true friends. She and her husband Mark currently live in Raleigh, North Carolina, but she considers the Lowcounty of South Carolina “home.” Pamela is a member of various author and artist organizations.

“Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:20,21

Q&A with Pamela Poole

1. What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?

To Israel, and it changed how I read the Bible! Settings spring to life now with my memories and visual connections.

2. How do you select the names of your characters?

I use 3 methods:

1) The first is used for my main characters. I consider their roles and look up appropriate name meanings from baby name lists online.

2) I name characters after friends, family, and beta readers

 3) I create a Face Book post about a certain role or time period and ask friends to suggest names of beloved family members they may wish to see in the novel.

3. What was your hardest scene to write in Jaguar?

This would have to be the attack on Caroline in the pitch-black Amazon jungle. I needed to infuse the scene with the reality of desperation and panic, but I could not be graphic. To understand how to write the scene, I had to imagine myself in her disturbing situation.

4. What is your favorite childhood book?

Madeline, by Ludwig Bemelmans, a painter, illustrator, and writer. I loved little Madeline’s adventures with Miss Clavel, Pepito, and the heroic dog Genevieve! When I had a daughter, I shared the stories with her in a collected volume of 6 of those stories, which still sits on the bookcase.

5. What comes first, the plot or characters?

The PLOT. Though it’s true, the Painter Place Saga is based on a dream, the main character and her artist uncle did not have names or much personality at that point, and I had only a sketchy waking memory of the historic mansion on the beach. I made sure there was a story to be told before spending time on those elements. In the rest of the saga, the plot determines who the new characters will be.

I use the Mind-Mapping method of Leonardo da Vinci to get all the main plot elements in place, separating them into 3 segments – beginning, middle, and end. I keep things simple and don’t waste time over-thinking.

6. What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Paint and travel! One of my dreams is to go out West with my hubby, rent an Airstream, and visit the National Parks. I want to set up my easel and paint plein air, keep a blog journal of the experience, and perhaps do live demonstrations for video with an inspirational scripture devotion about the view.

7. If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

I love this question! I would invite the undisputed genius of all history, Leonardo da Vinci, and I’d make Da Vinci Soup, his favorite meal (Minestrone, made of whatever vegetables were available in the market the day he shopped). The recipe is on my art website blog at https://pamelapoole.com/blog/40003/da-vincis-soup

Thank you Pamela for your time in letting us get to know you better!

Jewel’s Gold Book Spotlight and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Jewel’s Gold

Author: Caryl McAdoo

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 20, 2019

Can a tangled web snare two hearts and point them true north?A Papa’s girl from the start, Jewel Jones remembers all the things he told her. Wealthy, but far from being a snob, she finds Boaz Branson both irritating and intriguing. How can she know if the handsome confidence man truly turns from his wicked ways, or if his interest only in her gold? Papa said let God’s peace lead her.Only by God’s grace can Boaz escape the deceptions he plans to perpetrate on the beautiful heiress. While his head wants to flee the entanglement, his heart bids him stay.Are Jewel and Boaz building on sinking sand, or have they found the golden nugget they seek?

Click here to grab your copy.

 

About the Author

Award-winning, hybrid author Caryl McAdoo prays her story gives God glory! That is why she writes, why she breathes. Her forty-fourth novel has just launched, joining her best-selling title list! Besides writing, she loves singing the new songs the Lord gives her. (Listen to a few at YouTube.) Ron, her husband of 50+ years shares four children and eighteen grandsugars—life’s best blessings, Caryl says. The McAdoos live in the woods south of Clarksville, seat of Red River County in far Northeast Texas, waiting expectantly for God to open the next door.

 

More from Caryl

Jewel’s Gold, my July release and book four in the Gold Diggers Collection, begins in San Francisco in 1895 and moves quickly north to Alaska on Troublesome Creek where Jewel’s papa has a gold mine. My husband Ron was on Troublesome Creek in 1993 seeking the Lord. While there, he also did a little prospecting.

To mention gold is to speak of wealth as gold is the most sought-after metal in the world. It’s found on every continent, and I’ve discovered it can be located our bodies as well! Mostly in our blood! Small traces have also been extracted from eucalyptus leaves, a favorite snack of Koala bears!

Jewel Jones is the daughter of Joshua Jones, son of Moses and Lanell introduced in SINS OF THE MOTHERS, book three in the Texas Romance Family Saga. Truth be known, little Joshua was in fact a Wheeler, not as Jones, though Moses reared him as his own son.

His real father was Caleb who married Mary Rachael Buckmeyer and talked her into running off to California. So, this book may also be classified as a ‘Companion Book’ to that highly acclaimed historical romance series.

Ron has always wanted to go back and show me Alaska, and one day we most likely will go north . . . but only in the summer! Who doesn’t love leaving Texas for northern, cooler temperatures in the summer?
This story has a little mystery along with the romance and history. When we drove the Oregon/California Trail last December, we visited the site of Sutter’s Mill where the gold rush of 1849 was born. That last place we went before turning south and east back to Texas was an unexpected stop.

On the American River, the park and museum offered an amazing place to visit, and knowing this book was on the schedule made it all the more interesting! I also believe that place will add to the genuine feel of Jewel’s Gold.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 13

Power of Words, August 14 (Spotlight)

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 15

Emily Yager, August 16

For Him and My Family, August 17

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, August 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 19

Simple Harvest Reads, August 20 (Spotlight)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 21

Texas Book-aholic, August 22

janicesbookreviews, August 23

Artistic Nobody, August 24 (Spotlight)

A Reader’s Brain, August 25

Inklings and notions , August 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Caryl is giving away a grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/e71d/jewel-s-gold-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Story Raider Review and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The Story Raider

Author: Lindsay A. Franklin

Genre: Christian YA Epic Fantasy

Release Date: July 23, 2019

Deceiving an empire is a treacherous game.

Tanwen and the Corsyth weavers race to collect the strands of an ancient cure that might save Gryfelle. But Tanwen has a secret—Gryfelle isn’t the only one afflicted by the weaver’s curse.

As Queen Braith struggles to assert her rule, a new arrival throws her tenuous claim to the Tirian throne into question. Braith’s heart is turned upside down, and she’s not sure she can trust anyone—least of all herself.

The puppet master behind Gareth’s rise to power has designs on Tanwen and the story weavers and will stop at nothing to reclaim the throne. A plot to incite the angry peasants of Tir takes shape, and those dearest to Tanwen will be caught in the crossfire. As the fight for Tir consumes the realm, no one can remain innocent.

 

Click here to grab your copy.

 

My Thoughts

Amazing. That’s the first word that came to mind when I started delving into this book. The thing I love most about reading high fantasy books like this the world-building aspect of the book. Lindsay A. Franklin has mastered the art of world-building and storytelling. Rather perfect for a book about story weavers, yes? I would say Franklin is a master story weaver! I was drawn in to the world of The Weaver Trilogy and didn’t want to leave. I loved getting to know the different characters and found myself laughing and crying at various points with the characters; they were so realistic and relatable that I was invested by the end. I highly recommend this book to all high fantasy lovers and will definitely buy the third book when it is released. Thank you Lindsay for this beautiful story and amazing world to travel to!

I received a copy of the book from Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

About the Author

Lindsay A. Franklin is a best-selling author, freelance editor, and homeschooling mom of three. She would wear pajama pants all the time if it were socially acceptable. Lindsay lives in her native San Diego with her scruffy-looking nerf-herder husband, their precious geeklings, three demanding thunder pillows (a.k.a. cats), and a stuffed wombat with his own Instagram following. You can find Lindsay on social media, too, if Wombatman hasn’t hijacked all her accounts. She’s @LinzyAFranklin on Instagram and Twitter, and she Facebooks at http://www.facebook.com/LindsayAFranklin.

 

More from Lindsay

I often get asked how I came up with the idea for The Story Peddler, book 1 in The Weaver Trilogy. It’s a dangerous thing to dig too deep into a fantasy novelist’s imagination (it’s pretty weird in here, you guys), but the short answer is I was sitting in a workshop at a writers’ conference, and an acquisitions editor made a comment—something like: “I have to peddle your stories to executives. At the end of the day, I’m just a story peddler.” When I heard that phrase, my imagination exploded. I thought of what a “story peddler” might look like if we added a little wonder and a sprinkling of fairy dust to the equation. Then Tanwen emerged as a character who might be a fun vehicle for this story-peddling process, and I imagined a story that would suit her. The Story Peddler was born.

 

But someone recently asked me why I visualized the supernatural art of storytelling in the way I did—as strands of color, light, fabric, or glitter coming out of the hands of the person telling the story, then crystallizing into a solid object for her to sell. And I have no real answer for that, except, again, “It’s pretty weird in here, you guys.” The Weaver Trilogy is a celebration of creativity and art, and that gave me reason to think about what other types of strand-weavers in this story world might look like.

 

If you’re new to the series, here’s a primer on the weavers you’ll find in these books.

 

Storytellers: Strands pour from their hands as they tell stories. When they reach the moral or ending of the story, the strands come together to form a crystallized sculpture. A story peddler then sells the sculptures to make her living.

Songspinners: Strands are lighter, airier, and come from their mouths instead of their hands as they sing. Songspinner strands are emotive and speak to the hearts of the hearers. Once the song is over, the strands disappear.

Colormasters: Strands are like streams of paint, ribbons of fire, or jets of water. When they hit a solid object, they create an image on the object. Colormasters seek to reflect the beauty of their surroundings, capturing the physical world exactly as it is or simply as it feels.

Stoneshapers: Their hands light up as they manipulate rock and stone with their fingertips. They create beauty by molding something that already exists and releasing the art trapped inside.

 

If that sounds like fun, welcome to my weirdness! Tanwen can’t wait to weave a sparkling adventure for you.

Blog Stops

Among the Reads, August 5

Retrospective Spines, August 5

Worthy2Read, August 6

Seasons of Opportunities, August 6

Through the Fire Blogs, August 7

Fiction Aficionado, August 8

Blogging With Carol , August 8

Simple Harvest Reads, August 9

Books, Life, and Christ, August 10

Remembrancy, August 10

Pause for Tales, August 11

Hallie Reads, August 11

Kathleen Denly, August 12

Inspired by fiction, August 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 13

A Baker’s Perspective, August 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, August 15

Texas Book-aholic, August 16

janicesbookreviews, August 16

Inklings and notions , August 17

Artistic Nobody, August 17

A Reader’s Brain, August 18

 

Giveaway

 

To celebrate her tour, Lindsay is giving away a grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, The Corsyth custom Story Peddler candle from Novelly Yours, The Cethorelle custom Story Raider candle from Novelly Yours, choice of two tea tins from the Adagio Story Peddler Tea Shoppe, “Hedgenibblers, fluffhoppers, mountainbeasts, oh my!” mug
Story Peddler book sleeve, Story Raider enamel pin, and assorted bookmarks, stickers, and art prints.

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/e718/the-story-raider-celebration-tour-giveaway

Warriors with Holy Hands Book Spotlight and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Warriors with Holy Hands

Author: Peter Toeg

Genre: Christian Suspense

Release Date: February 3, 2017

Warriors With Holy Hands  is the story of a young woman who finds herself lost in time and whose life over a period of three years is spiraling downward. Ruth Falk is stricken with an inexplicable illness and then orphaned. With only a distant relative in her life now, Ruth faces a life of debilitating pain and infirmity. She determines to look to the past for answers she believes her bloodline may reveal.

Searching through diaries and records, Ruth discovers blood relatives and others who lived far away over the course of a century.  We follow their lives across three generations culminating in the revelation of indisputable connections that are created—words and actions with lasting results.

Ruth learns that a curse spoken by one ancestor may have had a devastating domino effect, one whose beginning also engaged her prayer-warrior grandmother in a pitched spiritual battle to break. A challenged believer herself, Ruth grows in the faith of her predecessors who faced ominous situations.

The rich symbolism of Judaism provides a backdrop for the saga with traditions and meaning sprinkled throughout the story.

When she faces increasing paralysis, Ruth and a birth friend in the faith journey to the Southern Highlands of Tennessee where it all began. Here in the span of seven days—over ten months—all that has unraveled in recent years comes together. Life as she knows it will never be the same.

God reveals himself to Ruth and others in remarkable ways along a tortuous path that comes full circle.

Warriors is a mystery that is finally, stunningly, revealed as serendipitous fruit from the branches of a family tree. It is a story of encouragement and life that empowers those who seek God and believe.

 

Grab your copy here.

 

About the Author

Peter Toeg was a technical writer for over twenty years and a trained journalist who taught communication and media writing for fifteen years at a small Midwestern university. A believer for thirty years, he has roots that extend both to Iraq and Judaism, two themes in Warriors.

He writes full-time now: mostly memoir and short stories with several published. Writing is his avocation.

 

More from Peter

I’ve always been fascinated with connections, whether family or circumstances. As a memoirist, I have been granted a wonderful perspective on my life filled with connections. Warriors With Holy Hands is a family saga in that vein. Exploring our roots and bloodline. In Warriors, a young woman receives a wonderful gift from the grandmother she never knew and learns the power of prayer.

Ruth Falk, the main character faces two problems: an illness that is robbing her of her mobility and, as an orphan, little knowledge of her past. She wonders whether the two are connected: her background and her illness. So begins her amazing search. In her debilitating condition, time is not on her side.

As often happens in a family, we discover more than we expect. I did forty years after being orphaned myself. I learned that my father rescued his own sister and mother, spiriting them to safety with him when he emigrated from a hostile land to the United States. The grand deception was revealed in documents I’d tucked away. I’d never been told the story.

Ruth Falk also crosses paths with a man on a spiritual journey and another mysterious soldier-warrior, who is mentally gifted—and also her rescuer.

Spanning one hundred years and populated by a dozen remarkable people and a few miscreants, Warriors With Holy Hands is a mystery and adventure with wonders and rich spiritual truths. And maybe a miracle or two. It was quite a trip for me in the writing as I trust it will be for my readers.

Peter Toeg

 

Excerpt from Warriors:

“Tell me why you’re here, Jacob,” I said through the chorus. We sat at angles to each other in wicker chairs, the vantage of direct face-to-face lost. A candle on a small table before us illuminated considerably more than our plastic glasses and now-soggy paper plates.

“Everybody has to be somewhere, sis.” A quick response.

I pressed. “What are you looking for here? I have reasons—that you’ve hammered me with. What about your family? Are you taking the genealogy route?”

Jacob finished his wine. A loud swallow. I caught him looking at his stump, the prosthetic he’d removed before we came out. He’d rarely been this quiet in my presence this long, the flight excepted. Then he placed the drained glass down, stood, and, with his hand, moved the table to his left, pulled his chair more directly opposing me, and sat down. Military posture, his arms on the chair arms. He looked kindly at me with wine-softened eyes.

“I’m here to help you, Ruthie.” He looked into the night and back at me. “I confess I do have some unfinished business. You’re smart enough to know that—and what it is.” A sad smile formed, genuine emotion breaking out.

I saw hurt in his eyes brewing deep down. “Your father. You have a bridge to cross.” I touched his hand with mine and withdrew it after a moment. “Over a river.”

Jacob looked away longer now, and then back, but he said nothing.

“I can carry you, Jacob,” I said confidently. “You’re not alone.”

Jacob looked at me, a little surprised and pleased at the same time, his eyes damp. “We are kin, are we not? Covenant. A covenant of three.”

I nodded, looked at his stump and then down at my legs. I lifted up my plastic glass and looked at Jacob through its prism with a squint.

“Your father’s spirit is not at the river, but God is… Look for Him and you’ll find your father.”

He nodded. “As much as we think what happens is about us, it’s not, is it?”

I shook my head.

I had momentarily seen Jacob’s face distorted through the glass by the candlelight. Now, the glass removed, his face was almost radiant. “It is said the mystic knows God by contact of spirit with spirit; cor ad cor loquitur. He has the immediate vision…he hears the still, small voice speaking clearly to him in the silence of his soul.”

“And what is the translation?” Jacob perked.

I felt at rest in the moment after a day on the road had awakened nerve pain in my limbs. Gone now. “It means ‘heart speaks to heart.’ Some Catholic theologian. Some say that the origins of the heart speaking are in music—a crystal voice, the sounds of the night, the call of a bird—rushing water.” I waved my hand in a sweeping motion at the darkness before us that was filled with sound.

Jacob nodded then returned to his usual playful self. “So, you’re going to carry me, eh kid?”

“We all need to be carried.” (p. 123)

 

Blog Stops

Inspired by fiction, August 8

Godly Book Reviews, August 9

Betti Mace, August 10

Blogging With Carol , August 11

CarpeDiem, August 12

Mary Hake, August 13

Artistic Nobody, August 13 (Spotlight)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 14

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 17

Texas Book-aholic, August 18

janicesbookreviews, August 19

A Reader’s Brain, August 20

Inklings and notions , August 21

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Peter is Giving away a grand prize package 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/e7c1/warriors-with-holy-hands-celebration-tour-giveaway

Full Circle Author Interview and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: Full Circle

Author: Athena Dean Holtz

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: February 11, 2017

Athena’s driving desire for affirmation and attention pulled her away from her family, husband, and children into what she thought would bring happiness. Deceived by Scientology, forays into mysticism, and twelve years in a restrictive and legalistic cult, she lost everything—her marriage, relationships, home, business, money, and reputation.

This is the candid and inspirational story of how her eyes were opened, how God restored what had been lost, and gave her the desires of her heart, including a new love.

 

Click here to get your copy.

 

Q&A with Athena Dean Holtz

 

1. If you could invite one person to dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

I would invite Sheila Walsh over to dinner and make her my mother’s signature dish, flank steak marinated with a combination of soy sauce, mustard, fresh garlic, and honey. Along with that I’d serve burnt butter rice (cook the butter until it’s bubbly brown and then cover the white rice with it…nummmmm!) and fresh broccoli. The salad would be butter lettuce with mandarin orange slices and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

 

The reason I’d invite Sheila is because I love her transparency and her willingness to tell her story of hiding behind Christian ministry even with major wounding from her growing up years. I relate to that and am always encouraged by those who allow others to see their flaws and bad choices and learn from them.

 

I’ve interviewed Sheila on my radio show, Always Faithful Radio, been with her on the Women of Joy tour, and was interviewed by her on the 700 Club back in the late 80’s about the Vietnam Veteran’s Conference CBN hosted. So having her for dinner would be somewhat of a full circle for me!

 

2. How did writing this book grow you spiritually?

This book came out of my blog posts from 2012-2013. The blog entitled Not Afraid to Tell My Story was my processing the trauma and deception I’d just come out of and as I searched for understanding around the 12 years of spiritual abuse I’d experienced. So the journey of researching spiritual abuse and Christian cults and asking God to show me where I’d opened up the door to the enemy to deceive me was game changing for me. I grew during that time of being in the wilderness, after losing everything that mattered to me, as I allowed God to reveal to me my part in the traumatic loss I endured. I came out of the writing of this book with much more depth and compassion for others whose lives have been destroyed by those in positions of authority.

 

3. Share something your readers wouldn’t know about you.

The 40 year old sailboat we take out onto the Puget Sound as often as time and weather allows is currently named “The Tertian Quid” – but the original name of the boat when my pastor-hubby bought it some 18 years ago is still embroidered in the curtains down below. Yep, you guessed it…“ATHENA”

4. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazarro, Streams in the Desert by LB Cowman, No More Faking Fine: Ending the Pretending by Esther Fleece, Trusting God by Jerry Bridges

 

 

5. Favorite quote?

All people–believers as well as unbelievers–experience anxiety, frustration, heartache and disappointment. Some suffer intense physical pain and catastrophic tragedies. But that which should distinguish the suffering of believers from unbelievers is the confidence that our suffering is under the control of an all-powerful and all-loving God; our suffering has meaning and purpose in God’s eternal plan, and He brings or allows to come into our lives only that which is for His glory and our good. -Jerry Bridges (Trusting God)

Thank you Athena for your time letting us get to know you better!

About the Authors

Athena Dean Holtz has been at the forefront of Christian custom publishing for the last 30 years. The co-founder of WinePress Publishing, she now leads Redemption Press. Author of three previous books, and a highly-rated personal blog, she serves as president of the Northwest Christian Writer’s Association, is a president’s club member of the Christian Women in Media Association, and a member of Advanced Writer & Speaker Association. She recently retired as host and interviewer on “Always Faithful Radio,” KCIS, Seattle. Married to Ross Holtz, pastor of The Summit, Athena enjoys her grandchildren and time spent sailing. The couple makes their home in Enumclaw, Wash.

Inger J. Logelin is a freelance writer, author, and senior editor of Redemption Press. Ministry experience includes pioneer church planting among the Inuit, and a wilderness camp for First Nations youth of Canada, as well as short-term missions around the world. She and her husband make their home on Whidbey Island, Wash.

 

More from Athena

When people hear about my Job-like experience with the modern-day Cinderella story ending, I often hear remarks like “WOW, that should be a movie!” It has been six and a half years of full-on redemption and restoration and, honestly, I still pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming this!

After 12 years of spiritual abuse that left me a shell of a person, devastated and distraught, I began a breathtaking journey of healing for all the loss I’d endured. The loss of my 18 year marriage, destroyed relationships with my adult children, the death of my well known publishing company and destruction of my career, along with the fatality of my credit score as I lost my home, my income, and all material things that meant anything to me. Those 12 years of deception cost me big time, but we serve a Romans 8:28 God who uses all things, even that, for good.

I’m on the other side now, healed and restored, proclaiming the faithfulness of a God who used what the enemy meant for evil … for good! I love the creativity He uses in the redemption process … to think He would allow me to be a pastor’s wife now … hand-picked by my pastor-hubby’s late wife of 49 years … with restored relationships with my adult children and grandchildren … to be a radio show host interviewing authors whose stories ring of the faithfulness of God … to steward well another publishing endeavor called Redemption Press … so many full circles where God’s sovereignly connects the dots and brings insight that mends my soul.

I’m excited to share my story with you, to be authentic and transparent, and to reflect the glory of God. I pray that you’re encouraged by all that God has done, and that you’re left with a healthy dose of hope in His faithfulness and His ability to bring good out of bad, every time.

And now, I’ll leave you with an inviting peek into some trivia about my life…

My Uncle Skeeter is a famous actor, James B. Sikking. Known for his part as Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues and Doogie Howser’s Dad.

When I was 14 years old, I owned 7 horses and showed most of them in horse shows across the country, with my last official show being Madison Square Gardens.

I absolutely LOVE Vizslas…also known as Hungarian Pointers…I’ve had 2 of them over the last 14 years and am addicted. They are THE COOLEST dogs!

I used to work for Helen Reddy, as an administrative assistant to her manager/husband, and before that, for the manager of Rufus & Chaka Khan when they recorded their first hit, Tell Me Somethin’ Good.

My Grandma’s house overlooked the Santa Monica beach and originally belonged to the silent movie star, Mary Pickford.

When I was five years old, my grandma, Dr. Sue Sikking, was the honored guest on the popular TV show “This is Your Life” with host Ralph Edwards. I was part of the cast when our family surprised her with our attendance, and fervently tugged on Mr. Edwards suit jacket to try to get his attention!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, August 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10

CarpeDiem, August 10

Artistic Nobody, August 11 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 12

Texas Book-aholic, August 13

Girls in White Dresses, August 14

Power of Words, August 15 (Spotlight)

A Reader’s Brain, August 16

Inklings and notions , August 17

Just the Write Escape, August 18

janicesbookreviews, August 19

Simple Harvest Reads, August 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Athena is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card and  signed copy of her 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/e71a/full-circle-celebration-tour-giveaway

The David Years Book Spotlight and Giveaway

About the Book

Book: The David Years

Author: Lillian Duncan

Genre: Woman’s Lit

Release Date: August 2, 2019

Nia looked at her aunt and asked, “So what am I ‘spose to do now?”

“Have you ever heard of King David from the Bible?”

“I guess.”

“There were a lot of years between the time David was anointed as the king and he actually became the king. It’s a time for you to grow in your relationship with God.”

“And then later I get to be king?” Nia giggled.

“I meant that figuratively not literally but these are your learning years–your David Years.”’

“My David Years. I like that.”

Nia Johnson has spent the past four years developing a closer relationship to God. She wants to believe she’s still anointed to become a healer at Puzzle House but as each year passes, she has more and more doubts.

Now that she’s graduated from high school and is an adult she is sure it’s time to take the mantle of healing Rachel passed to her so many years before. But the harder she tries, the more it eludes her.

 

Click here to grab your copy!

 

 

About the Author

Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK—that’s two things.

She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease.

Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillian–duncan.com.

 

 

More from Lillian

The David Years is the second novel in the Puzzle House series. In Puzzle House, Nia was anointed to become a healer. The David Years starts out where Puzzle House stopped.

Nia looked at her aunt and asked, “So what am I ‘spose to do now?”

“Have you ever heard of King David from the Bible? There were a lot of years between the time David was anointed as the king and he actually became the king. David was tested many times during those years. Those years were very important to David’s growth as a man so that he would be the king God wanted him to be when the time was right.”

“So what are you saying, Auntie?”

“I’m saying these are your David years.”

And so the story begins. Most of the book takes place after Nia’s high school graduation during her first year in college. She’s impatient to begin her time as healer and tries to make that happen in her timing—not God’s.

But God will not be rushed and whether Nia likes it or not, she’s still in her David Years—her learning years. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘we learn from our mistakes.’ Well, Nia learns a lot that year. In other words, she makes a lot of mistakes.

My college years are long, long past so I thought it might be hard to get into the mindset of a college student, but it really wasn’t. I thought back to all the mistakes I made during my college years and the story took off from there!

Even though Nia is a college student, her story will resonate for anybody who’s facing changes in their life, no matter the age. We all have learning years throughout our lifetime—our very own David Years.

Life changes whether we want it to or not. A new marriage. A baby. A divorce. A new job. Retirement. No matter what age we are, we all struggle with finding our place in the world, especially when life changes. The good news is that as Christians, we may not have all the answers, but we know where to find them.

Blog Stops

CarpeDiem, August 3

Book Love, August 4 (guest post from Donna Cline)

Artistic Nobody, August 5 (Spotlight)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6

Stephanie’s Life of Determination, August 7

Power of Words, August 8 (Spotlight)

Just the Write Escape, August 9

Simple Harvest Reads, August 10 (Spotlight)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 11

Texas Book-aholic, August 12

Bigreadersite , August 13

janicesbookreviews, August 14

A Reader’s Brain, August 15

Inklings and notions, August 16

 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lillian is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and the choice of one of her eBooks!!

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/e57c/the-david-years-celebration-tour-giveaway