Saturday, February 4, 2023

“Be Held By Him” and the workbook by Karen Brough

About the Book

Book: Be Held by Him and Companion Guidebook

Author: Karen Brough

Genre: Christian Inspirational

Release date: October, 2021

Seeking light amid a hard journey? Learn ways to take God’s hand and be

Encouraged. Are you weighed down by physical or emotional pain? Trying to survive tough times with no end in sight? Told to “walk with God” but don’t know how?

Living with various medical issues for over a decade, author and blogger Karen Brough has

triumphed despite debilitating challenges by learning to listen to the heart of the Almighty. As if inviting you into her lounge room, Karen, passes you a hot drink, welcoming you into her personal, authentic and vulnerable places. You will be encouraged and have hope seeds planted by experiencing along with her, all that He has done! In the conversations, the events and miracles, you’ll find yourself-finding yourself in her stories.

Be Held By Him – Finding God When Life Knocks You Off Your Feet is an inspiring

exploration of the reassurance that can be found in the hardest of places by turning to our

Creator. Through Brough’s own accounts, the Lord’s love letters, and prayers, you’ll feel

unending comfort. And when you learn to hear our Father’s voice for yourself, you will build

a deeper, more satisfying faith to help you persevere.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Companion Guidebook

Looking for action steps to help you connect with God? Learn how to build a loving

relationship with Him and get through the hard times with joy.

Are you struggling to find hope through personal challenges? Longing to hear our Heavenly

Father’s voice but don’t know how? Need a guiding hand to show ways you can lean on Him? Feeling dry in your faith and need a fresh injection of LIFE?

In Be Held By Him Companion Guidebook, you’ll discover:

– Applications based on Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences to provide a learning style that caters to you

– Through inspirational love letters from Father’s heart to you

– Bite-sized wisdom and meditative thought, so you’ll always be encouraged

– Reflective questions that will inspire, encourage and develop healthy life thoughts

– Playlists for each chapter, so you can soak in songs of worship and inspiration that will fill your soul

– Personal blessings, God’s tender care, how He communicates, and much, much more!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Karen Brough is an Australian wife, mother, and former Primary School Teacher & has always had a passion for writing. She is the author of ‘Be Held by Him’ Finding God when life knocks you off your feet.

Ten years ago, when hit by a mystery illness, Karen began sharing the encouragement God gave to her, with others. Her heart loves nothing better than to demystifying how and who God is in the everyday and the miraculous.

She loves spending time with her husband and children. In Summer, you’ll find her enjoying the water and offering gelato to anyone who might drop by. In Winter, she makes soups, breads, and muffins. Often hiding vegetables in sweet recipes, much to her children’s dismay (secretly they love it though).

More from Karen

I wrote this book because I was given a dream to do it. I’d had my life turned upside down through medical mystery, and yet in it, God revealed His heart of love for me; and for those who are walking through the tough of life.

At every point, God unveiled every detail of the book, through dreams, verses, songs, life events and so much more. This book series is a testament to His miraculous, hope filled and loving hand, which is ready to pick us up, hold us tenderly and show us the next step. He speaks in ways each one of us understands, and I LOVE this about Him.

Download free art declaration cards based on the chapter themes – 16 ways we hear from God. www.karenbrough.com

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 4

Texas Book-aholic, February 5

Naked and Unashamed, February 5

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, February 6

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 7

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 8

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 11

Mary Hake, February 11

deb’s Book Review, February 12

Cover Lover Book Review, February 13

Splashes of Joy, February 14

Lily’s Book Reviews, February 15

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, February 16

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, February 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the Be Held By Him 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/23d5e/be-held-by-him-and-companion-guidebook-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, February 3, 2023

“”Fleeing Egypt” by Jaycee

About the Book

Book: Fleeing Egypt

Author: Jaycee Pierce

Genre: Women’s Fiction (Christian)

Release date: October 24, 2022

When Jennifer (Jen) Hoyt leaves for college, the word ecstatic feels like an understatement for how she feels. She can finally move away from the dysfunctional family who neglected and abused her to make a better life on her own. After being an overachieving outcast in school, Jen is confident of academic success, but what she wants most is to be a part of a loving family.

During her first year of college, Kyle, a friend of a friend, captures her heart, but her attempts to “make him love her back” have dire consequences. When Jen finds out she is pregnant, she knows one thing: she wants to keep her baby. Will Kyle decide to form the family she so desperately wants? If he doesn’t, how will Jen keep her baby safe from those who hurt her? Jen doesn’t know the Lord yet, but He’s already making a way for her.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

No one is more surprised than I am to read the word author and know it applies to me. I had different dreams as a child, and this was not remotely on my radar. At three, I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer. When I was eight, I “ran for president,” telling people to vote for me in the election year when I would finally be thirty-five (I had calculated it precisely). In my teens, I had lowered the barand just wanted to be a lawyer. While those doors never opened, God has faithfully led me on a winding path to get me where I am today.

I have held a variety of jobs: customer service representative, loan processor, professional video game player, city councilwoman, church secretary, math teacher, and most importantly, mother. While I was training to be a teacher, God inspired me to write a yet-to-be-published children’s book. Not long after, I began this novel. I wrote a week each summer between school years while my son and his father were camping without me. Depending on how you want to count time, it either took me five weeks (of actual time in front of a computer screen) or three years (looking at a calendar) to finish. Then I spent several years editing and finding a publisher. I hope that you find as much pleasure from reading it as I got from writing it.

More from Jaycee

God works in mysterious ways. I honestly never intended to be a writer, and this entire endeavor started in a way that seemed almost accidental at the time. I had just finished my first year of teaching mathematics. That summer, the members of my immediate family went on a five-day “male bonding” camping trip.

Left home alone, I called friends and family members to reconnect and fill my need for social interaction. One conversation in particular left me with a lot of “what if” questions about how life would have been different for me without God in the picture. I wrestled with different scenarios and then decided I needed to organize my thoughts.

I started writing and thirteen hours later ended up with about 40 pages of text. I sent those to my cousin, Jill, who wanted to know what happened next. Her encouragement kept me writing until this novel was completed, two summer camping trips later.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, February 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 3

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 4

Artistic Nobody, February 5 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, February 5

Cover Lover Book Review, February 6

For the Love of Literature, February 7 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 8

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 9

Susan K. Beatty, Author, February 10 (Author Interview)

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 11

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

Where Crisis & Christ Collide, February 13 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, February 14

Guild Master, February 15 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, February 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jaycee is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/23d5c/fleeing-egypt-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tour

Thursday, February 2, 2023

“The Winnowing Fork” by Betty Ruth Weatherby

About the Book

Book: The Winnowing Fork

Author: Betty Ruth Weatherby

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release date: September, 2022

NEW CHRISTIAN NOVEL FILLED WITH ADVENTURE

ZACCHAEUS EXPERIENCES ROMAN OCCUPATION AND THE FAMILY SHAME OF LEPROSY AS HE SURVIVES IN THE HISTORICAL SETTING OF 2000 YEARS AGO.

Betty Ruth Weatherby travels the world and uses her experiences to create the Biblical Fiction of “The Winnowing Fork” to convey the message of God’s sustaining, eternal love.

The tax collector’s mother is banned with a skin disease when his father is conscripted by the occupying Roman army.

Follow Zacchaeus as he grows to love the sound and glitter of gold coins while his greed consumes him, overcoming even his love of family.

Zacchaeus in his lonely, self-isolation discovers that the real author of peace and serenity is in a man called Jesus whose father is God himself. Jesus passes through Jericho on his way to Passover in Jerusalem.

Zacchaeus tries to see through the crowd as the entourage passes:

“He yanked the leaves back again, and found the Rabbi looking at him,

His eyes fastened on Zacchaeus.”

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Betty Ruth Weatherby is a graduate of California State University, Stanislaus. She earned her teacher’s credential from Chapman University as well as a cross-cultural language and academic development certificate from Sacramento State University. Weatherby has sold her books across America. She is the author of the Lanover Adventure Series, Pepper’s children’s series and excels in Women’s Adventures. Women can travel the world as part of God’s Plan to enjoy life at its fullest and step out in faith.

Weatherby was born in the shipbuilding community of Sausalito, California and writes from a world of experience in fulfilling the Christian walk. Her most recent novel “The Girl on the Tombstone” is a nostalgic historical piece based in San Andreas, California where she grew up and attended Calaveras High School.

More from Betty Ruth

Zacchaeus was always a puzzle to me. How did he become a hated tax collector and only

One meeting with Jesus turned his life around. So, I imagined a story, gave him a family and neighbors to create a life around him as he accumulated his “taxes.”

Blog Stops

Lots of Helpers, February 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 2

Texas Book-aholic, February 3

deb’s Book Review, February 4

Christina’s Corner, February 5

Mary Hake, February 5

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 6

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 7

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 8

Connie’s History Classroom, February 9

Lily’s Book Reviews, February 10

Cover Lover Book Review, February 11

Books I’ve Read, February 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 12

For Him and My Family, February 13

Book Butterfly in Dreamland, February 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Betty is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a 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/23d5b/the-winnowing-fork-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tour

Monday, January 30, 2023

“Silver Bounty” by Victoria McCombs

About the Book

Book: Silver Bounty

Author: Victoria McCombs

Genre: YA Pirate Fantasy

Release date: January 10, 2023

Never Trust a Pirate

Emme is tasked with getting rid of the king, but kings are not an easy target, and this one is bent on purging his lands of pirates. As Emme’s job becomes increasingly dangerous, she learns to survive the pirate way—cunning and merciless—while consoling herself with one fact: she’s just doing what it takes to get home.

But when Emme mistakenly takes out the wrong man, not even the protective pirate captain can save her from the consequences. In a string of betrayals, one thing is certain. You can never trust a pirate.

Click here to get your copy!

I will start this review by by saying that I want another book in the series because of the way it ended. There has just got to be another one. I definitely like this one better than the first one. This one kept me reading till the last page, and then I was still wanting to read more. I am really surprised by my reaction because I do not like pirate stories as a general, but this one really kept me interested. There is there is violence, but nothing really overboard and what I really like is there is no bedroom scenes are cursing, so I really recommend this book.

I received a complementary copy by the author, and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Victoria McCombs is the author of The Storyteller’s Series, and The Royal Rose Chronicles, with hopefully many more to come. She survives on hazelnut coffee, 20-minute naps, and a healthy fear of her deadlines, all while raising three wildlings with her husband in Omaha, Nebraska.

More from Victoria

Pirates are more civilized than I gave them credit for. Did you know the captain didn’t have complete authority over the ship? While researching for the book, I discovered they used a voting system, and the captain followed what the crew wanted. Usually pirate stories depict a strong captain that makes all the decisions, so it was a fun twist to include more of the democracy style of the early pirates into my story. With that, came the fun power struggles as different crew members wanted different things, and they all try to sway the command of the ship. Smaller crew alliances form, friendships are tested, trust broken, and the future of the Royal Rose comes into question as, at times, the greatest threat to them lies within their own crew.

Blog Stops

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 30

Texas Book-aholic, January 31

Artistic Nobody, February 1 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, February 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 2

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, February 3

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, February 4

Blogging With Carol, February 5

A Reader’s Brain, February 6 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 7

Lily’s Book Reviews, February 7

Through the Fire Blogs, February 8

For Him and My Family, February 9

Holly’s Book Corner, February 10

Simple Harvest Reads, February 11 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Victoria is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a hardcover 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/23ccd/silver-bounty-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tour

Sunday, January 29, 2023

“What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma

About the Book

Book:What I Would Tell You

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: January 1, 2023

DNA Test Unlocks a Family Mystery

Sephardic Jew Mathilda Nissim watches in horror as the Germans invade her beloved city of Salonika, Greece. What angers her most is the lack of resistance her people put up to their captors. In secret and at great risk to her life, she continues to publish her newspaper, calling her people to action. She doesn’t trust God to help them. When she and her husband find out they are expecting a child, Mathilda may have to resort to desperate measures to ensure her daughter’s survival.

Three generations later, college student Riley Payson and her cousin take a popular DNA test only to discover they don’t share any common ancestors. In fact, the test shows Riley is a Sephardic Jew from Greece. This revelation shakes Riley’s tenuous faith and sends her on a journey to discover what happened to her great-grandmother and how all this relates to her faith and her life today.

Click here to get your copy!

What I Would Tell You by Liz Tolsma is an exceptional book about mothers and their struggles to do protect their daughters at all costs. This is a heart breaking novel about the evil done to the Jews. The Gospel is shared without being preachy. I really like that a lot of the story used real facts. This is a duel time story. And the romance is clean.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit and these opinions are my own.

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an

editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

Take a Trip to Greece with Me

I was privileged to travel to Greece last year to research my upcoming WWII novel, What I Would Tell You. God orchestrated it so beautifully. Because of Covid, we weren’t sure my daughter would be able to travel there for the summer internship she had applied for. Eight weeks before her scheduled departure, Greece reopened to foreign visitors. Around that same time, I sold What I Would Tell You, which is set in Thessaloniki, Greece, to Barbour Publishing. I had to go and visit!

Greece is a beautiful country. The pictures you see don’t do it justice. And to someone like me, the history is one of the best parts. My daughter and I explored the old city wall, built in the 1400s, many churches that predated the Ottoman Empire, and many excavated Roman ruins that have been dug up in the city’s process of putting in a subway system.

Because this is a WWII book, we also spent a great deal of time learning about the history of the Jews in the city. The Kapani Market, just down the street from our apartment, was a vibrant mix of colorful fruits, fragrant spices, and a cacophony of languages. I could well imagine what this old Jewish market was like prior to the war with people hawking olives, fish, and oregano.

We wasted no time in visiting the Jewish museum. I was shocked by the heavy security presence with armed guards outside of the building. Once inside, we had to show our IDs and were required to turn in our phones. Antisemitism is alive and well in Greece. But what a place. There were displays after displays tracing the history of the Jewish people in Thessaloniki from 1492 until WWII. The most breathtaking was the room with stone-covered walls, the names of all 48,000 Salonikan Jews killed in the Holocaust carved into the marble. There’s an entire scene in the book that deals with this room.

What saddened me most was what we saw when we visited the trainyard where the Jews were herded into cattle cars and shipped to Auschwitz. Before we got to where the station once stood, there was a wall on which someone had pained a mural covered with black-and-white figures in their striped uniforms, their eyes and mouths wide in horror. As if that weren’t difficult enough to view, what sickened me was the blue swastikas someone had painted over them.

We also trekked to the other side of the city to visit what had once been the Jewish cemetery, now the grounds of Aristotle University. All that remains to testify that half a million people were once buried here is a small, ill-kept memorial. There were two dead Christmas wreaths placed there. We visited in August.

In addition to a moving and thought-provoking story, I hope to also introduce you to the amazing city of Thessaloniki and give you a peek into the people and the culture of this amazing place. If you ever find yourself in Greece, plan some time in Thessaloniki. Many Americans miss this gem, but it’s packed with charm and history.