Friday, October 23, 2026

The Ties That Bind by Jane Bayly Vaughan

 

About the Book

Book: The Ties That Bind

Author: Jane Bayly Vaughan

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: April 14, 2026

In 1830s Cornwall, Grace Bayly faces unimaginable events that threaten the survival of her family. Her father and half of her large family are an ocean away and her mother and remaining siblings are poised to follow. As hardships close in, hopes of a new beginning grow distant. She must summon fortitude borne of love and sacrifice to hold her family together. Amid the unyielding grip of loss and grief, Grace steels herself to persist as she faces the ultimate challenge that threatens to break her.

Will Grace find the strength she needs to ensure her family survives?

A poignant tale of loyalty, resilience, and the enduring bonds that shape a woman’s courage when everything she cherishes is at stake.

Inspired by real people and events.

 

Click here to get your copy!


"The Ties That Bind" by Jane Bayly Vaughan is based on the author 's own ancestors. It is set in the 1930 and shares the hardships that families struggled with and the migration to America. I have to admit that at first I thought the reading was slow going but the more 
I read the faster I turned the pages because I had to know how it ended.  I am looking forward to reading the next book when it becomes available. 

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

About the Author

Jane’s love of God and family permeates her life, including her passion to share stories rooted in genealogy and history. She weaves the theme of family into the fabric of her historical fiction and dives deep, by writing about true events and people.

Using her 20+ years of experience in genealogy research as a family historian, Jane has written articles and short stories. She was awarded a travel grant by the Cornish American Heritage Society and visited Cornwall to walk in the footsteps of her ancestors and research her roots.

Jane has won several awards for her writing, and invites readers to experience timeless lessons of faith, resilience, and heritage that echo from the past into our lives today.

She makes her home in the beautiful lowcountry of South Carolina with her husband of 45+ years. They have two grown children, and lots of cats.

To learn more about Jane, visit her at JaneBaylyVaughan.com and sign up for her newsletter to receive an award-winning short story that will introduce you to the series A Story of Grace.

More from Jane

I have been a long-time family historian for over twenty years. When COVID hit, I was at a crossroads and could choose the next grand adventure. As I took stock, I revisited a question that had nagged me on and off for some time: how do I ensure the family history is not forgotten? Around that time, a friend of mine invited me to observe a writer’s group. I accepted her invitation, and after one meeting, I became a member of Word Weavers International. I knew that writing stories about my ancestors would generate interest among my relatives.

I faced a learning curve and dedicated myself to writing brief scenes as submissions each month. At first, I considered this venture as something fun, not to be taken seriously, but after several months, someone I respect encouraged me, and so I applied myself. As my writing improved and my research continued, I thought of my fourth great-grandmother from Cornwall. A story formed, and I wrote all my submissions to the writer’s group about her in a fictional narrative. After a year or two attending the writer’s group, I was suffering from imposter syndrome and needed encouragement from sources who were not familiar with me. I wrote a short story and entered it into a contest as validation to either continue writing or quit altogether.

I attended the Florida Christian Writers Conference in 2024 and sat white-knuckled as they announced the short story winners. They announced third place first, and I didn’t win, so I almost stopped listening because I assumed I hadn’t placed at all. They announced second place, and of course, someone else won. Then the announcer paused and explained that the first-place winning piece was so good they said it was ready for publication. The words, “In first place is ’Becoming Grace’ by Jane Vaughan,” shocked me! That was a God moment, and I realized He was offering me a partnership.

Driven by my love for family history, I found my next grand adventure: partnering with my Creator to create stories that help us remember the resilience and sacrifices of our ancestors and how their lives affect us today. Ultimately, my stories are about how important it is to love each other. The Ties That Bind is the first book in the series A Story of Grace.

Blogs Stops

Books Less Travelled, October 20

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions , October 21

Simple Harvest Reads, October 22 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 23

Texas Book-aholic, October 24

Blossoms and Blessings, October 25 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, October 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 26

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 27

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 28

Stories By Gina, October 29 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Pilgrim, October 29

Avid Reader Nurse, October 30

Cover Lover Book Review, October 31

Holly’s Book Corner, November 1

Pause for Tales, November 2

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jane is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/94vrw/the-ties-that-bind-celebration-tour-giveaway

Thursday, October 22, 2026

Moment in Time by Cynthia L. Simmons

 

About the Book

Book: Moment in Time

Author: Cynthia L. Simmons

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction, Faith Redemption murder mystery, Murder intrigue

Release Date: August, 2026

Helen Moore was devastated when she learned her husband was missing and presumed dead in the Civil War. Fortunately, Uncle Henry invited her and her son, Aaron, to apprentice with his photography studio in Marietta, Ga, after the war. However, while planting herbs on his property, she unearthed a body no one could identify. Who put the man there? Was her uncle involved in his death? As she unravels the mystery, she finds unexpected companionship and learns every moment in life matters.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

 

 "Moment in Time" by Cynthia L. Simmons kept me turning the pages! It is 400 pages long but was a fast read! This book is an historical fiction along with a mystery involving murder. If you like books that are fast paced and a clean read and not filled with a lot of glory details about a crime, then I say get yourself a copy and enjoy this book! The characters are ones that the readers want to have an everlasting happy ending! I can't tell you if they do or not because you have to read and find out for yourself.  I will tell you the book starts out with a couple of sad events.

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

About the Author

Cynthia L Simmons and her husband have five grown children . She loves hot tea, orchids, and adores historical research. Her ragdoll cats often sit by her when she writes. Cynthia has written historical fiction, mysteries, Bible studies, homeschool curriculum, devotions, and hosts Heart of the Matter Radio/podcast, posts History Chats, and shares history stories to encourage women.

 

 

 

 

More from Cynthia

Secrets in the Darkroom: Welcome to the Moment in Time Blog Tour!

What if the key to solving a dangerous post-war mystery was hidden in a photographic negative?

Welcome, readers and bloggers! I am beyond thrilled to kick off the Celebrate Lit blog tour for my newest historical mystery, Moment in Time!

If you love rich historical detail, high-stakes suspense, hidden ciphers, and stories of unexpected hope rebuilding from the ashes, then step back with me to 1867 Marietta, Georgia.

About the Story

The Civil War may be over, but for the town of Marietta, the fight to rebuild has just begun.

When Helen, a former midwife, takes a job assisting her uncle in his photography studio, she expects darkroom chemicals and quiet portraits. Instead, she stumbles into a web of secret codes, hidden motives, and a threat creeping through the Reconstruction-era town.

Teamed up with Edward—a former Union surgeon carrying his own deep wounds—the two must decipher the clues before time runs out. In a world of wet-plate glass negatives and volatile chemicals, every single second matters… because someone in Marietta will do whatever it takes to keep the past buried.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 22

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 23

For Him and My Family, October 23

Simple Harvest Reads, October 24 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, October 25 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 26

Guild Master, October 27 (Author Interview)

Fiction Book Lover, October 28 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 29

The Bookish Ledger, October 30 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, October 31 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 1

Mary Hake, November 1

Books, Books, & More Books, November 2 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 3 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Corner, November 4

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cynthia is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/VTxgD/moment-in-time-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, October 19, 2026

My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss . . . and Life by Ladonna Shanks

 

About the Book

Book: My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss    . . . and Life

Author: Ladonna Shanks

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: June 23, 2026

Do you find yourself overcome while living in the darkness of loss? Do you wonder if it will ever end . . . or if you will even survive?

In My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss . . . and Life, Ladonna Shanks shares a message of hope while chronicling her persornal experience with grief. The essays, written in the midst of her grief journey, are bare, raw, open, and honest. Woven throughout these insightful anecdotes, however, is the fact that death is not the sole source of loss and ensuing grief, making this a relatable read for all. The book can minister to anyone who deals with grief and loss.

A light at the end of the tunnel exists. There is hope.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss    . . . and Life by Ladonna Shanks is a short book of essays about grief, only 67 pages. These are from her own grief after her husband dying. She gives lots of advice on how to keep on living as God and your loved one would want you to. She gives you lots of Scriptures as well. I think this is a good book to reread often.  I lost my son in 2021 and still grieve and my friend just lost her husband in August and I am going to gift her a copy of this book! 

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

About the Author

Octogenarian Ladonna Shanks has published two other books of personal essays: Tidbits and Pearls: A Book of Essays on Living Everyday Life with God, A Cascade Award finalist, and Sermons from a Soapbox. My Grief Shared was also a finalist in the Cascade Awards Contest. She strives in all she does to honor God and encourage others.

 

 

 

 

More from Ladonna

I did not plan on writing another book after publishing Sermons From a Soapbox. However, when my partner passed away three years ago, I began writing as a means of comfort and solace. I tossed my essays into a drawer and, after two and a half years, realized I had made it through the dark tunnel of grief back into the “land of the living.”
Death is not the sole source of grief and loss. My heart’s desire is to share with others that “You are not alone,” and “If God did it for me, He can do it for you.”
It’s a “tiny” book, only 10,000 words, but it is “mighty.”

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 15

Simple Harvest Reads, October 16 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, October 17 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 19

Fiction Book Lover, October 20 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, October 21 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 21

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 23

Books, Books, & More Books, October 24 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 25 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, October 26 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 27

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, October 28 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, October 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ladonna is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card, a copy of my book, and a variety set of 6 handmade floral photo note cards, (including birthday, sympathy, and thank you)!!

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

https://gleam.io/98wTW/my-grief-shared-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, October 16, 2026

Off The Rails – A Wilderness Survival Adventure by Susan Count

 

About the Book

Book: Off The Rails – A Wilderness Survival Adventure

Author: Susan Count

Genre: Children’s Fiction

Just because your cousin jumps from a train in the wilderness doesn’t mean you should too.

After planning a fun experience for a year, two Texas cousins make their first trip to Montana. When their train stalls, the boys leap from it into the white wilderness, beginning a perilous run for their lives.

As a blizzard hits, the boys spend a miserable night trying not to freeze. They struggle along the tracks to find shelter, but a disaster leaves them exposed to the elements and every famished wild creature.

Frustrated by their too-real situation, Davy and Anderson struggle to endure. Instead of vacationers at a wolf sanctuary, they become players in an unplanned survival experience.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 "Off The Rails" – A Wilderness Survival Adventure by Susan Count was a book written for boys ages 8-12 but this 66-year grandma enjoyed it as well. I had to keep turning the pages because I had to see how the adventure ended. The two boys are cousins and wanted to save a wild baby animal who was caught in a trap and that isn't the only danger they face. They even help solved an old mystery, but this book isn't a mystery. This book even had a few pictures that slightly older readers would enjoy.  I would definitely stress to children that this book is definitely fiction and even through everything turned out well in the story except the cabin (you'll have to read the book to know why I say except the cabin) that in real life jumping from a train and entering the wilderness probably won't have a happy ending, I say this because we all know children who love animals and adventure might want to try this if given the chance. I am thinking of several boys that I know that would try to be like the boys in this story that would if they thought it would be ok in the end! You could even have a discussion on what to do if they have something like this come up in their future! 

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

About the Author

Susan Count writes for the joy and entertainment of young readers. She is an Amazon best-selling, award-winning author of the Dream Horse Adventures Series, Dream Pony Riders Series, and Texas Boys Adventures.

She prefers to create stories in a quiet zone. Out her window, her mind wanders through the forest and keeps her in a grateful, contented state of being. Susan writes at a fabulous antique desk that has secret compartments filled with memories, mysteries, and story ideas. As a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and American Christian Fiction Writers, she takes studying the craft of writing seriously.

Susan confesses to being overly fond of brownies, and horseback riding on forest trails. She is a lifelong equestrian and is owned by a Rocky Mountain Horse.

Her newest release, Off The Rails – A Wilderness Survival Adventure was written for her four grandboys who wanted an adventure of their own. What’s a fairy grandmother to do but wave her magic pen and create.

More from Susan

Ten of my novels are horse books for girls. On the rare occasions that I do a book sales table, I’m inevitable asked if I’ve written any books for boys. So, I wrote this two book series (Texas Boys Adventures) because you asked and kept asking. You and my four grandsons. Finding wholesome books that will engage 8- to 12-year-old boys is a parental challenge.

I’m so old school. Let the kids keep their childhood for as long as possible. I believe in protecting their young hearts and minds. Give them adventures where they learn to build friendships and be the hero of their own stories. Capture their interest and then

encourage and strengthen them to grow into the arrows they are destined to be.

 

No pictures— have a couple ad images if you want them…

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 17

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 18 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 19

Simple Harvest Reads, October 20 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, October 21

Artistic Nobody, October 22 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 23

Guild Master, October 24 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 25

Fiction Book Lover, October 26 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 27

Lots of Helpers, October 27

The Bookish Ledger, October 28 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 28

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, October 29

Vicky Sluiter, October 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/eMueJ/off-the-rails-a-wilderness-survival-adventure-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Secret Sauce: A Story of Apples, Robots, and a Grateful Heart (Rena Whittaker Book 2) by Fay A. Klingler

 

About the Book

Book: The Secret Sauce: A Story of Apples, Robots, and a Grateful Heart (Rena Whittaker Book 2)

Author: Fay A. Klingler

Genre: Children Ages 6-11

Release Date: June 26, 2026

The recipe for joy? A grateful heart and helping hands!

When Rena Whittaker’s neighbor, Eithan, falls from a ladder and injures his ankle, Rena and her best friend Harper jump into action to help save his apple harvest. What begins as hard work soon turns into a day filled with laughter, teamwork, and an unexpected surprise that changes everything. In this engaging adventure, Rena discovers a powerful truth—happiness has a secret ingredient.

This tender, faith-filled story gently weaves together gratitude, service, and friendship. A beautiful choice for Christian families, thoughtful gifting, and parents and grandparents who want to share stories that nurture both faith and character.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 I really liked this story for children. It teaches on being grateful for things and to look for the positive things even in the negative issues. It has a robot that is a dog and a robot that cooks.  This is a story that has older adults and children interacting with each other's. I think children will enjoy the many colorful pictures as well.  This story even teaches that sometimes adults need to be more grateful also.  There is also the recipe for the cake that the children and the robot make in the book. 

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

About the Author

Fay A. Klingler is an accomplished author and illustrator known for her award-winning work in both creative and technical writing. Her literary contributions span a wide range of subjects, with a particular focus on empowering women, promoting effective grandparenting, and guiding individuals through betrayal recovery. In addition to her inspirational works for adults, Fay is also recognized for her captivating children’s books, weaving together heartwarming stories that spark imagination and impart valuable life lessons. Her insights and expertise have made her a sought-after motivational speaker.

 

More from Fay

Ever made apple juice by pressing apples through an old wooden apple press? One of my favorite scenes in The Secret Sauce came about because it happened to me in real life—swallowing a fly! I was just a young teenager helping a neighbor press apples for juice. I opened my mouth and in flew a fly. Just like Harper in the story, I coughed and coughed to expel the insect, but instead I swallowed it! I’m the one taking this picture at my neighbor’s home.

 

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 16

Simple Harvest Reads, October 17 (Author Interview)

The Vine and The Branch, October 17

Texas Book-aholic, October 18

Artistic Nobody, October 19 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 20

Guild Master, October 21 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, October 22

Fiction Book Lover, October 23 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 24

The Bookish Ledger, October 25 (Author Interview)

Labor Not in Vain, October 26

Vicky Sluiter, October 27 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, October 28

For the Love of Literature, October 29 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Fay is giving away the grand prize of an eBook copy of the book!!

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

https://gleam.io/ugVlG/the-secret-sauce-celebration-tour-giveaway