Sunday, July 30, 2017

"Healing Love" by Jennifer Slattery

Book Info:
A news anchor intern has it all planned out, and love isn't on the agenda. Brooke Endress is on the cusp of her lifelong dream when her younger sister persuades her to chaperone a mission trip to El Salvador. Packing enough hand sanitizer and bug spray to single-handedly wipe out malaria, she embarks on what she hopes will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But Brooke is blindsided by the desperation for hope and love she sees in the orphans’ eyes. And no less by the connection she feels with her handsome translator. As newfound passion blooms, Brooke wrestles with its implications for her career dreams. Ubaldo Chavez, teacher and translator, knows the struggle that comes with generational poverty. But he found the way out – education – and is determined to help his students rise above. When he agrees to translate for a mission team from the United States he expects to encounter a bunch of "missional tourists" full of empty promises. Yet an American news anchor defies his expectations, and he finds himself falling in love. But what does he have to offer someone with everything?

To Purchase  https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Love-Jennifer-Slattery/dp/154687786X/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

My Review: 
"Healing Love"  is a wonderful story. While I was reading this novel I felt I was there watching the story take place in front of me and I convinced myself the emotions I felt was what the characters were feeling. If you are a reader who feels deep emotions when reading you might want to have some kleenexes handy while reading this novel.

The greatest heartache in this book was the plight of Fatima and her sister Dinora.  This book shows how a mission trip changed 4 people lives in a big way.  This book is about forgiveness between a father and son that love each other but pride had put a wall up that blocked the loved.

I recommend this book for anyone that loves clean love stories, yes this book is a love story but I also recommend this story for anyone that has been or anyone that is thinking about going on a mission trip, because "Healing Love" is a story of a mission trip.

I really enjoyed reading about the relationship between Brooke and Audrey who are sisters. I think I enjoyed this relationship because it reminded me of my relationship between my sister and me, no my parents are both living and I am the oldest but she is the one that takes care of me and keeps me safe, so even through the roles are reversed in real life the relationship is the same!  If the readers of my blog want to know the story of how she kept me safe, on a trip, not a mission trip, but when we went to Women of Faith, just ask I will share.  I am so thankful for my sister.

I really think everyone shall pick up a copy of "Healing Love",and be reminded again of what we have to be thankful for .

"Healing Love" is a life changing book even if it is fiction.  It is definitely five stars! 

I was given a complimentary copy by the author. These opinions are my own.


Author Info:


Jennifer Slattery writes missional romance novels for New Hope Publishers. Her debut, "Beyond I Do", releases in August. She also writes Christian Living articles for Crosswalk.com and devotions for her personal blog, JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud; Internet Cafe Devotions; and Takin' it to the Streets', a ministry serving Omaha Metro's working poor and homeless. 

When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, hanging out at the mall with her teenage daughter, enjoying her real-life hero husband, or serving in her church or community.

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Guest Post From Linda Ellen Author of“Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant"

Appreciating the “Greatest Generation.”

As I was writing my first novel for publication, I wanted an angle or trademark to set mine apart. Since my first story took place in Louisville where I reside, I decided to make my future stories take place in the ‘Ville as well.
Once I finished my first series, which was centered on my own parents’ love story (Once in a While is book 1 of that series—the Cherished Memories series), I looked around for a theme on which to build a new series of books. One thing that kept coming to mind was one of our local landmarks, Fort Knox, so I started tossing around ideas for how I could use the famous army base prominently in a story.  The answer, of course—since I wanted to keep it historical—was a WWII tale.  From there, it took off.  
Fort Knox is literally a household word, and “Locked up tighter than Fort Knox” is a common saying.  The name embodies the stuff of legends, and it has always fascinated me—especially, of course, the famous “Gold Vault”. If you’re one of the millions who have seen the 1964 James Bond spy film Goldfinger—parts of which were filmed at Fort Knox—you probably think that’s what the interior of the vault is like... don’t feel bad, for years, I did too, lol.   The reality, however, is far different, because Hollywood was told, “Absolutely not,” when asked if they could film inside.  It is one of the most secret and guarded places on the planet—a Presidential order is required to even gain access.  
By the way—the correct title for that auspicious building within the grounds of the renowned army base is the United States Bullion Depository, and it’s located, literally, at the juncture of Gold Vault Road and Bullion Boulevard—how cool is that?? 
A few tidbits I uncovered...
Did you know that in 1933, during the height of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102, forbidding the hoarding of gold coins, gold bullion, and gold certificates by American citizens, and forced them to sell these to the Federal Reserve?  That sounds barbaric, but to clarify, armed treasury agents did not confiscate it, and not all gold was subject to the law. Gold coins of small denomination were exempt, as was gold used in manufacturing, dentistry and jewelry production—and each person in a household could retain up to five troy ounces of gold bullion coins.  The order was issued, basically, to help shore up the country’s sagging economy. Citizens all over had been stockpiling gold since the Crash, the result of which was an alarmingly dwindled reserve in the banks. Things had gotten so bad that the survival of our great democracy was at risk.
As a result of the order, however, it wasn’t long before the federal government needed a large gold depository in which to store it all. So, in 1936, the U.S. Treasury Department began construction of a massive fortified structure at Fort Knox, which was 1,000 miles inland and would be well protected. The first gold shipments began in January of 1937. The transfer took six months and used 500 rail cars!  By the end of 1937, the vault contained $12 billion of gold, consisting of old bullion, new bars made from melted gold coins, and some intact coins, as well.  (And by the way—that is $430 billion in today’s money). Then, during WWII, the depository held the original Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, key documents from Western history, original copies of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, three volumes of the Gutenberg Bible, reserves from European countries, and a portion of the Hungarian crown jewels, to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands.  The repository also held one of four copies of the Magna Carta, which had been on display at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.
Would you be surprised to learn that during the war and even into the Cold War—until the invention of different types of synthetic painkillers—a supply of processed morphine and opium was kept in the depository as a hedge against the US being isolated from sources of raw opium?  Who would have thought a “gold vault” protected items such as those?
There are many more interesting tidbits about the vault included in my story, such as minefields, alarms, electric fences, and layers of artillery. No one person knows the complete combinations required to unlock the vault. The fortress includes a separate emergency power plant and water system. The vault’s main door weighs 20 tons, is blast-proof, and there is an escape tunnel from the lower level to be used by anyone who might accidentally become locked in—I wonder if that’s ever happened...
For more exciting tidbits, check out this Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bullion_Depository

My Soldiers of Swing Series
In order to write my Soldiers of Swing series, I had to really dig in and learn not only facts about the base, but its early history as well.  Taking a trip out there (30 minutes from my home) and touring the Patton Museum was the highlight of my research.  The gold vault is not the only fascinating aspect to this huge (109,000-acre) military post.  Many of the facts I discovered about the infamous Fort Knox are included in my story, Her Blue-Eyed Sergeant.
Ahh, but our beloved Kentucky/Indiana area has so many more intriguing places.  Like the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant, located in Charlestown, which I feature prominently in the second book of the series, Her Blue-Eyed Corporal.  That 10,000-acre, now-defunct facility with 1,700 buildings and 30 miles of fencing was a story unto itself! The details of its record-setting speedy construction and production are nothing short of mind-boggling.  It was the world’s largest smokeless powder/rocket propellant plant, owned by the federal government, but operated by the E.I. DuPont Company. In my research, I found accounts of visits by a real spy for Hitler, as well as attempts at sabotage, which I embellished in my novel. ;)  
And then I needed one more location, so I chose our wonderful Bowman Field as one of the army bases featured in book #3, Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant.  Some of the things I discovered in my research for this book will make your mouth drop open with shock or laughter.
Louisville and its surrounding environs are rife with history, mystery, and even scandal that will no doubt provide me with fodder for stories for years to come.  I’m thinking about researching what Louisville was like during WWI or the Civil War, or even before that, like when it first became a city, and use that in a future series. The possibilities are endless.

Let the adventure begin!

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

"God's Mercies after Suicide" Blog Hop and GiveAway

Genre: Adult, Christian, Non-Fic, Memoier/Devotional
Publisher: Love Truth
Publication date: November 5, 2016

What if your child shot himself while you were in the next room? What if you held him as his heart beat for the last time? What if Satan whispered in your ear, “Now where is your God?” Find out how Jean Ann Williams reached out with her spirit and mind to the one true Father. Discover how the Lord God answered her, and walked alongside her in the most difficult grieving journey of her life.


ean Ann Williams is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. She writes regularly for Putting on the New blog and Book Fun Magazine on the topic of child suicide loss. Her book “God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart” started out as a blogged book on her Love Truth blog. Jean Ann and her husband of forty-six years have thirteen grandchildren from their two remaining children. They reside on one acre in Southern Oregon where they raise a garden, fruit orchard, goats, and chickens. Jean Ann’s favorite hobbies are practicing archery, hiking through the woods, and big game hunting with her bow.

1. What did your writing process look like for God’s Mercies after Suicide?
The book began as short articles, which I wrote for opentohope.com. At about the same time, I started my Joshua-mom blog and wrote articles there. Those articles became a blogged book in the format the print version and e-copy is today. God’s Mercies after Suicide: Blessings Woven through a Mother’s Heart released in September 2016.

2. What type of research did you do to help in the writing process for God’s Mercies after Suicide?
Research came from years of experience walking through the loss of my son, Joshua, by suicide. When necessary
for factual information, I read books and articles on the topic of suicide.


3. What inspired the idea for God’s Mercies after Suicide?
A preacher asked me to counsel a grieving mom during my own early grief years and, after this mom to mom encounter, I discovered God planted in my heart a desire to help other mothers who have lost children.

4. What do you want readers to take away from reading God’s Mercies after Suicide?
They are not alone, and there is hope even after a child has died.

5. What other “hats” do you wear when you are not writing?
I’m married to Jim for 46 years, a mom of two other children, and thirteen grandchildren. I enjoy the outdoors, hunting with my bow in the mountains every fall. I’m also a small-time farmer with goats, including a milker, and a flock of chickens. In the winter months, I read several dozen books by authors who write well and tell powerful stories.

Enter the giveaway HERE.

Book Feature For “Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant" by Linda Ellen

Until  now, Gary Tucker’s life had been one of privilege and wealth.  His long-lost brothers figured he’d had everything handed to him on a silver platter.  But he’d had struggles of a different kind—like the struggle to break free of Gareth B. Tucker, Sr.’s iron-fisted control—to be his own man. No one really understood what it was like to be Gareth Tucker, Jr....no one that is, except Julie.  Julie Banks was beautiful, wholesome, smart and funny—and his brother’s little sister.  Gene thought of her as just a kid—but Gary saw her as the woman of his dreams.  Therein lay the problem.  Were they destined to remain best friends, never taking their relationship farther than that? 

Overshadowing all of this, however, was the War.  More than anything, Gary wanted to join the conflict and fly bombers over Germany and Japan.  Would he get the opportunity? 

Could he find a way to become the man he knew he was called to be—and would the woman he loved be by his side when it was all said and done? 

If you love stories about WWII and the “Greatest Generation” that read like you’re watching a classic movie, with handsome soldiers and beautiful girls-next-door, then Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant is for you!

This is the third book in the Soldiers of Swing series, and like the others, it contains no profanity or illicit sex.
Excerpts from “Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant

Until now, Gary Tucker’s life had been one of privilege and wealth.  His long-lost brothers figured he’d had everything handed to him on a silver platter.  But he’d had struggles of a different kind—like the struggle to break free of Gareth B. Tucker, Sr.’s iron-fisted control—to be his own man. No one really understood what it was like to be Gareth Tucker, Jr....no one that is, except Julie.  Julie Banks was beautiful, wholesome, smart and funny—and his brother’s little sister.  Gene thought of her as just a kid—but Gary saw her as the woman of his dreams.  Therein lay the problem.  Were they destined to remain best friends, never taking their relationship farther than that? 

Overshadowing all of this, however, was the War.  More than anything, Gary wanted to join the conflict and fly bombers over Germany and Japan.  Would he get the opportunity? 

Could he find a way to become the man he knew he was called to be—and would the woman he loved be by his side when it was all said and done? 

If you love stories about WWII and the “Greatest Generation” that read like you’re watching a classic movie, with handsome soldiers and beautiful girls-next-door, then Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant is for you!

This is the third book in the Soldiers of Swing series, and like the others, it contains no profanity or illicit sex.




Excerpts from “Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant” 
-Viv glanced at Julie and suddenly suggested, with a playful sparkle in her eyes, that they all take a ride in the park’s tunnel of love. To Julie’s delight, Gary was the first male to agree, and she barely stifled a hum of anticipation. All day long, he had been treating her more like a sister, or what he probably considered her—his best friend and pen pal.
Her heart sped up triple time as he held her hand and assisted her into one of the two-seater boats, and she wondered…nay hoped—he had plans. They settled in and the operator gave their boat a push, chuckling, “Have fun, kids,” causing Julie to glance at her shipmate as he shifted his gaze toward her. He smiled—and winked! She felt heat instantly surge into her neck and face.
Once past the entrance, they floated within the guideways of the mini canal, gently propelled by the flowing water. Compared to the summer heat outside, it was cool, damp, and quite pleasant within the tunnel—like a different world. Soft music lulled from unseen speakers as the water quietly lapped against the side of their boat. The noise, laughter, and sounds of the park soon faded away.
“Mmm, it’s so nice in here,” she let out a contented sigh.
“Yes it is…a little bit like a gondola in Venice, huh?” Gary responded with a smile in his tone.
“Yes…it’s so relaxing, I could stay in here forever,” Julie returned, drawing in a deep breath of cool tunnel air.
They drifted along, and once their eyes adjusted to the darkness, both perused the tunnel’s smooth walls decorated with fading, painted likenesses of couples strolling along or sitting on benches; images that an unknown artist had put there decades before.
About a minute into the six-minute ride, Julie heard Mary June giggle from somewhere up ahead, around a curve of the dimly lit tunnel.
She could guess what prompted her friend’s giggle and she shivered in hopeful expectation.
Gary noticed, and whispered, “Cold?” She answered with a delicate, “Kind of,” and he slipped an arm around her shoulders.
Nestling her head comfortably against his jaw and breathing in the pleasant lingering scent of his aftershave, she couldn’t help thinking she fit there as if they had been made for one another. Of course, that wasn’t a new thought, she reminded herself. She had known that since she had walked down the aisle on his arm at Gene’s wedding.
This could be the moment she had waited and hoped for all day…although the entire day had been enchanting from start to finish just to be with Gary, receiving his attention, laughing and talking with him. It was the stuff of dreams, and Julie knew she would never forget that day…or the man with his arm now around her. Even if these ten days were all she ever had with him, she would take them and be grateful. The only thing that could make the day better, she mused, would be for the man at her side to tell her he wanted her to be more than just a pen pal and best friend—more than just his number one cheerleader.
“I’ve enjoyed today,” he murmured, giving her a tiny squeeze. “You?”
“Yes, very much,” she nodded against him, wishing she could put this six-minute interlude on repeat like a jukebox full of nickels and only one button to push. Oh Lord…why can’t he see me as a woman…and not as Gene’s little sister…
A dozen heartbeats went by and he whispered, “Julie…I’d like very much to kiss you…”
-Ten minutes later, Gary stormed through the door of the plant. Oblivious to the salutations of employees and office workers, he bounded up the interior steps and stomped down the hall to the executive office. Seething, the familiar surroundings seemed to have taken on a red haze.
Passing Mabel without much of a glance and ignoring her greeting, he stormed into the office and threw the paper down on the desk in front of his father.
“Do you know anything about this?” he demanded. Breathing hard from the emotion and the blocks traversed on foot, his heart hammered in his ears and thudded in his chest. He was so angry; at that moment he could have pummeled the man behind the large desk, because although Charise hadn’t known the details, she had admitted that her husband might have somehow had something to do with this sudden change in his orders.
His father, holding the telephone receiver, said quietly into it, “Something has come up. I’ll have to get back to you with that information. Yes, thank you. Goodbye.”
He replaced the handset into the cradle and then calmly, as if he wasn’t surprised to see his son crash into his office like a Sherman tank, Gareth, Sr., picked up the paper and read it thoroughly. Then, he placed it back onto the surface, folded his hands over it, and looked up at his son.
Gary’s consciousness registered through the misty, red fog of anger that his father seemed to have aged quite a bit in the past three months. However, he ruthlessly pushed that thought aside and glared into the man’s passive face.
“Well? Are you going to tell me what you did and how you did it? Or just sit there and look at me,” Gary flung at him, not caring that it was the first time in his life he’d ever raised his voice to his father without fear of a resulting reprimand.
His father drew in a breath and let it out, but didn’t speak.
Gary swore under his breath, clamping his hands on his hips. “How in H…Hades did my orders get changed from Texas to Louisville? From Advanced Bomber training to…to I don’t know what at a tiny regional air base in the states? What is this, father? Meddling in my life the way you always have?” When would he get out from under this man’s thumb? Gary had always admired and even been amazed at the contacts his father possessed and the power he wielded in the business world. However—wielding power over Gary’s life was stepping over the line and he’d had a belly full of it. He’d decided on his angry march to the plant that if his father had, indeed, been instrumental in this, it would be the last meddling the old man would do.
“Please sit down, Gareth,” his father replied softly.
Swearing again and calling his father a slang term he’d never used in his presence before, Gary shot back, “Answer my question!”
A spark of something ignited in his father’s eyes, but he merely said in a controlled voice, “I am still your father, Gareth Bradley, and you will give me the respect that position demands.”
Totally unlike Gary’s normal persona, his face twisted in rage and he sneered, “I’ll respect you when you quit interfering in my life and derailing my plans! Tell me what you did you lowdown son of a—”
“Gareth!” his father thundered as he shot to his feet, matching Gary’s volume and barely glancing over as Mabel silently closed the door to give them privacy. “I’ll not answer questions delivered in a tone such as that!”
Gary spun away with a growl of fury, his hands gripping his head as he fought not to tear his hair out by the roots in frustration, before stalking to the familiar window overlooking the river. Breathing heavily and using every ounce of self-control he could muster, he forced himself to stare at the mile-wide, smoothly flowing body of water and counted silently until he could feel the thumping force of his pulse begin to ease. Minutes passed.
Finally, he turned and lowered his arms, his movements measured.
Meeting his father’s eyes again, he ground out, “I apologize for my profanity, sir. I respectfully ask for an explanation.”
Drawing in a deep breath and letting it back out, much like he had before, his father reached up to press his fingers to his forehead, and then swung the hand toward one of the leather chairs in front of the desk. “Please, sit down Gareth.”


About Linda Ellen
Linda Ellen lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband of thirty-five years. A lifelong avid reader, Linda tried her hand at writing in 2009 and never looked back. Prior to the release of her debut novel Once in a While, she wrote articles for a local newspaper, The Southwest Reporter. Linda keeps very busy with her work in her church's prison ministry and writing every spare moment she gets. Many more plans are underway for books and series, both historical and modern day. 
Linda Ellen's latest release, Her Blue-Eyed Lieutenant, is the third and final book in her Soldiers of Swing series, and her sixth book overall.

Contact Info for Linda
To keep up with the latest news on her books, including tailers, cover reveals, release dates, and book signings, you can visit her social media pages and through her website. 

Twitter- @LindaEllen54
Amazon Author Page- http://goo.gl/rFj5Ci


Tuesday, July 25, 2017

"Manuscript for Murder" by Chautona Havig and a Mystery GiveAway

Manuscript for Murder
Click here to pick up your copy.

About the Book








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Click to Purchase

Book title: Manuscript for Murder
Author: Chautona Havig
Release date: October 13, 2012
Genre: Mystery
Alexa Hartfield. Author, local celebrity, fashion connoisseur. She chose Fairbury for its close proximity to Rockland, its small town atmosphere, and its low crime rate.
Then someone made her life a literary cliché. A mysterious accident with a light bulb sparked an interesting idea for her latest novel—and for Fairbury’s new serial killer. The first replication infuriated her. The second left an even worse taste in her mouth. The third blasted more than her self-confidence, and the fourth beat her down so far she’s considering giving up writing completely.
Who is killing Fairbury’s citizens, and furthermore, why and how are they using her novels to do it?

My Review:  "
"Manuscript for Murder"  by Chautona Havig is a Who did it book and the first in the series"The Hartfield Mysteries".  

This book makes me wantt to read the rest in the series.   The title definitely fits the story.  

This story had me guessing at who the real murderer was and why right up till the last chapter, I was ok ------- did and it was because of this and that. Boy, was I wrong.

Ok, Maybe I liked the book because it was about an author's story being acted out in real life.   

This story has plenty of suspects and even laugh out scenes, like ice cubes down characters shirts, we all have been in that scenario, right! 

I loved Alexis's spirit of generosity.  

This story also has a touch of romance ( clean) between the pages.

This story has it all murder, mystery, an author and children and a fan who is ill.  Allthe elements of a good book.

But, I have to say one scene really had me almost in tears, thinking No, I can't  finish the rest of this book. But I did finished it and no I cannot say anymore or I will be giving a spoiler alert. 

One thing that really stuck out in this novel was the way she described the reason that she felt no guilt over writing murder novels and being a Christian.   This was an important factor in the storyline.  Ok, guess I will close the review because I find my thoughts wanting to type spoiler alerts. I will just say read the book and find out why!

I was given a complimentary copy by the author and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.


About the Author

media-headshotChautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert with her husbnd and five of her nine children. Through her novels, she hopes to encourage Christians in their walk with Jesus.

Guest Post from Chautona Havig

How Arrows & My Obsession with Vintage Clothes Inspired Murder

A swath of fabric cut across my bedroom at an odd angle but that angle ensured that I could stretch it all out. With painstaking precision, I pinned every last piece to the fabric, disgusted at the enormous waste stretching out before me.
The pattern called for three and a half yards. I’d crammed it into two at most.
Just as I picked up the scissors for the first cut, Mom popped her head in the door to see how I was doing. I pointed out the waste. “Grandma said patterns always told you to buy way too much, but I’ve got enough to make another dress!”
Mom stepped closer. I want to say a cigarette hung from her lips, but let’s face it. No way would Mom ever allow the ashes to drop on the carpet. But it felt like one was there, nonetheless. Mom pointed. “Chautona, I don’t know anything about sewing, but I think those arrows are there for a reason.”
And with that, she turned away.
I stared down at the pattern. My arrows zig-zagged all over the place. A glance at the directions showed all arrows going exactly the same direction. Straight up and down the fabric.
You know, if I’d been doing this for the first time in 2017, I could have just zipped on over to “the Google,” as Mom calls it, and looked up why. Instead, I grabbed a thick sewing manual I’d bought for a buck at Pick-N-Save and flipped through it until I found a section on laying out patterns.
A couple of minutes later, I flew down the stairs. “The book says that the long, smooth edges are called selvages. The arrows are supposed to run parallel or the dress might hang wonky.”
Here, I can guarantee Mom took a puff of that cigarette. Man, I hated those things. “Well, like I said. I don’t know anything about sewing, but they looked important.” She blew a puff of smoke.
That’s when I suspected that Mom knew more about sewing than she’d let on.

What does this little sewing lesson have to do with mysteries and murder?

Well, see. This was a test dress. I’d only decided to learn to sew because I’d also decided that I wanted Nancy Drew’s wardrobe. In 1982, you couldn’t buy trim, neat clothing from the 50’s. I had Gunne Sax skirts and preppy tops with ruffles that my parents hated. When they found out I wanted a sewing machine to make clothes like that, they got me one.
Yep. I cut my reading teeth on Nancy Drew and didn’t stop there. I read all the youth mysteries—Bobsey Twins, Trixie Belden, Hardy Boys, Meg Duncan (she was a fave, too), and when I got a little older, Phyllis Whitney.
I loved the challenge of seeing events play out—and figuring out why. Why told me who. You get to where you can figure out things rather easily. But if you make me doubt my ideas, that’s good enough. I love that.

Is it any wonder that one of the first books I conceived was a mystery? I’d never put the ideas together until I began working on this post, but really… is it any wonder that I gave that author a love of vintage fashion? Too funny. But those arrows on that pattern? They taught me pretty cool lessons as a kid. Like Mom said:

“Those arrows are there for a reason.”

Isn’t that what God’s directional arrows in His Word are like? They’re there for a reason. They keep us from getting all wonky. It’s why Alexa writes the kind of books she does. I never could, but as she says when she describes telling someone why she writes horror/suspense,

“I tried to describe a world where we never see justice—where sin surrounds us, but the only response we see is a sweet romance or a heartwarming tale of doing good to our neighbors… And God is a God of more than love and mercy. [He’s also a God of] justice.”

Alexa writes what she does to help people sort out those crossed arrows and see that there is a point to it all—that eventually justice and mercy converge paths into one rather than criss-crossing all over the place, trampling each other. She doesn’t write Christian fiction, but I don’t know how a Christian can write fiction without some part of faith shining through. In Alexa’s, and I hope in mine as well, there’s an overarching theme that illustrates that the Lord hasn’t forgotten the people He created.

Blog Stops

July 28: Bigreadersite
August 1: Mommynificent
August 3: Carpe Diem

Giveaway

Mystery-Giveaway
In honor of her Manuscript for Murder Celebration Tour, Chautona is giving away a mystery prize package worth over $100. Enter here: https://promosimple.com/ps/bc16
Would you like to know what’s in it? Find the first clue within the giveaway image below, then hop on over to Chautona’s website to begin the search for more clues and you might find a special giveaway just for clue hunters! Can you find all the clues before Augusta Septemus does?