Friday, July 29, 2016

Evil Forebodings by Carol E. Keen


 
Purchase your copy of Evil Forebodings here.

About the Book



Evil Forebodings: Tiffany Rodgers is the kind of danger that she never dreamed could happen to her in the quiet little town of Newville. She is being stalked and having strange visions. The animals even seem different of late, somehow affected by the changes in the air. Officer Allen Lawrence is drawn to Tiffany, but he has reservations. Is she losing her mind, playing games, or are the things that she is seeing more than just evil forebodings?
                                                          Click to purchase


My Review 

Carol Keen effortlessly takes us to the world of the invisible in this thriller! Supernatural forces of evil can be a difficult concept to make clear in the reader's mind because it is truly invisible in reality to us and the author. However, Ms. Keen seamlessly explores the unseen world in a way that makes it completely clear to the reader and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time.  Suspense, mystery, action, and emotion all tied up in one neat package. I loved how the pets were incorporated into the story and capitalized upon their natural tendency to sense danger. Each page I turned, I felt the emotion of the characters- the fear, uncertainty, the literal chill down my spine. I could clearly see and feel the struggle and desperation in the scenes where we held our breath at what would happen to the characters next. I loved how the characters had to act like detectives to unlock the mystery of the origin of these evil forebodings. I loved how Ms. Keen incorporated the power of prayer in battling spiritual evil, and the trust the characters learned to have in the Lord in critical situations. I could literally smell and feel the evil presence that made its' home in Newville and it gave me the same sense of urgency the characters had to protect each other and figure out the mystery. We see the reality of spiritual evil, the damage it can do when out of control, and the power of prayer and trust in the Lord to overcome any evil, even if we can't see it. If you love suspense and mystery, this is a must read! I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.


About the Author



Carol E. Keen currently resides in Alabama with her husband and family. She spends her time writing, reading, working on photography, and working with her much loved critters. She started creating stories to share with others at the age of two years old. She was published for several years in FAMA magazine (Freshwater And Marine Aquarium) as a contributing editor. She published her first book on CD, called Simply Seahorses. She is overjoyed to be publishing her fiction to share with you now. Carol currently has more books in the “works”. Please feel free to follow her for updates. On a personal note: Carol really enjoys coffee and a good book!

Guest Post from Carol E. Keen

Well, I know it isn’t lady like or proper to squeak or go “Eeeeeee!” with excitement, but it’s so hard not to do so. I’m past excited to be on this tour with Celebrate Lit! First I have to say, these are wonderful folks who I’m so very blessed to get to work with!

Now, today I’m doing happy dances over your being here for the kick off for my book, Evil Forebodings. It’s my second published book, and my first full-length fiction novel. This book took eight, yes that is 8, long years to complete. What on Earth could take me that long to write one book?

It started with my first event called, NanoWriteMo. In my case, it was NanoWrite-less! Who had the “brilliant” idea to have a huge writing contest smack over Thanksgiving and two major birthdays in our family? It was a disaster. It was as bad as saying a night person like myself has to function at 8:00am and be good at it. I was alone in my endeavor and didn’t get far at all.

A few years later, I went back to working on this book. This time I had a huge emotional backset from an incident that was just traumatic. I was told, in essence, that I wasn’t good enough to write for a career, and that my focus was on all the wrong things in my life. This came from a published author, who really didn’t know me. I was weighed and judged unfairly, and it was devastating. I learned a great deal though, and pretty much gave up on doing things the way I had been.

Forging ahead anyway, my first book, Beauty For Ashes, was published. Then I got to work on Evil Forebodings. This story and its characters have never left me, and I knew I had to finish this book. I’m really pleased with how it turned out, and I hope that you will enjoy it. While I believe all authors put some of themselves into their work, this book had a heavy dose of my heart infused into it in several places.

Thank you so much for joining me on this adventure, and please feel free to ask questions!

Blessings, Carol :)

Blog Stops


Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away three copies of her new book with a bookmark. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f31

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Through Raging Waters by Renee Blare


 
Purchase your copy here.

About the Book


                                                         Click here
 If Mother Nature has her way, Timber Springs will never be the same . . . A warm spring and early rainstorms melt the snowpack. Spring runoff compounded by the storm of the century sends Timber Springs into a tailspin. Tossed into the role of rescuer, local pharmacist Paul Fitzgerald must face his past before the whole world falls apart. While he fights to contain the beast around him, he finds his steadfast control slipping through his fingers. And life…everyone’s life…hangs by a thread…once again. She isn’t a hero. Melissa Hampton has her own demons to battle. After
she learns of her mysterious beginnings amidst her mother’s keepsakes, she faces more than just the river rushing outside her door. Now, she must discern friend from foe…but as waters rise and tension climbs within Timber Springs, she needs to rise to the challenge or lose the only man she’s ever loved. Can two people find each other through raging waters?




My Review

Suspense, adventure, strong emotion, and a town that is collapsing under the strains of relentless storms both literally and within. Each character has a personal struggle that they find hard to reveal to others. Each character has an adventure that they must face boldly although they are uncertain. The two main characters slowly realize they care for each other, but struggle with the past which makes them feel reluctant to trust and be loved. As you read the book, you can see the beautiful setting being destroyed by relentless storms, and the struggle of the community as they see their town slowly crumbling. You can feel the inner turmoil, fear, and sense of adventure in the helicopter ride and the rugged off-roading and hiking. You feel as though you are ready to collapse with emotion and exhaustion as you truly feel the character's emotions and physical pain. You're full of curiosity while the plot thickens in every direction to reveal answers to questions you didn't even know existed at the beginning of the book. As I turned the page, I was surprised over and over again at the layers this story began to unfold. Each character was clear down to their facial expressions and mannerisms while their world literally unraveled. Action, suspense, love, and beauty all combined in one terrific package. Excellent work, Ms. Blare!

I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.


About the Author




Renee Blare’s nose has been buried in a book for as long as she can remember. Raised in Louisiana and Wyoming, she started writing poetry in junior high school and that, as they say, was that. After having her son, a desire to attend pharmacy school sent her small family to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. She’s been counting pills ever since. While writing’s her first love, well, after the Lord and her husband, she also likes to fish and hunt as well as pick away on her classical guitar. Nestled in the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, she lives in Wyoming with her husband, crazy dogs, and ornery cat. She serves her beautiful small town as a pharmacist while penning her stories about struggling Christians as they travel along the journeys of their lives. She loves to interact with readers and invites you check out her website, blog, and social media.

Blog: Renee's Inspirational Moments

Group Blog: The Diamond Mine of Christian Fiction

 Website: Renee Blare Christian Author Website
 

Guest Post from Renee Blare

I Wrote a Book

 Five years ago, I wrote a book…and then I wrote another and another and another. Many said that the words flowed like a river onto the page. Or I painted a picture with letters. As for me? I simply write what I see so you can see it too. What about you? Do you want to write a book?

If so, there’s one thing I’d like you to know. A book’s like a child. It starts out small or simple with garbled language…often repetitive and indistinguishable. Kind of like when a baby babbles “dada” over and over. And then that moment comes when you rejoice because you hear him say “mama.” That’s the growth every book…writer…reader…yearns for.

Different stories float around inside an author’s mind, flowing in a way much like labor. Some authors plot, others don’t. And still others combine the process in a convoluted method. But like birth, no matter how the words eventually find their way to the page, the development of a book doesn’t stop with its first dawn. It takes time, energy, and growth.

Take my first release, To Soar on Eagle’s Wings. Five years ago, I wrote it, my very first book, in three months. And it was awesome! I couldn’t believe it. God brought the plot together in a phenomenal way. But publication wasn’t the next step. I had a lot to learn before that could happen.

My latest release, Through Raging Waters is the example of a writer’s growth, but also her soul. I learned that I had to leave more than my knowledge and my heart on the page. I needed to leave a piece of my soul. When you read Paul’s struggles, you read mine. Melissa’s fear and confusion? Yes, they’re mine. The anger, the pain . . . the trials, the lessons learned are scriptural but also first-hand, taught by my Father.

Writing is more than a job. It’s more than a hobby. It’s sharing your knowledge, your hope with the world. So if you want to write a book. Do it. Then take that next step, and the next. You’ll get there. Oh, and I can’t wait to read it!

Blog Stops


July 19: Pause for Tales
July 24: A Greater Yes
July 25: bigreadersite
July 26: Splashes of Joy
July 29: Quiet Quilter
July 31: Bukwurmzzz
August 1: Carpe Diem

Giveaway



 To celebrate her tour, Renee is giving away a wonderful package that includes a $20 Cabelas gift card, a set of her series paperbacks (books 1 and 2), and fleece blanket. Click here to enter:https://promosimple.com/ps/9f08

Thursday, July 21, 2016

She Who Knows by Barbara Bras




Purchase your copy of She Who Knows here.

About the Book

One girl’s journey from loneliness to love. Isolated on a Maui mountaintop, Cassandra has only her imagination to keep her company. Shut in due to her heart condition and shut out emotionally by her father, she meets the Menehune in a dream. Their “Gift” enables her to take the first step away from her loneliness. Along the way she finds an amazing woman in the grandmother she never knew and experiences true friendship with a new classmate. Eventually she learns that to love another she must open her heart, even if it means it may break.


My Review

A journey of a lonely girl who learns that to not be lonely anymore, she must open her heart for others to see her inner self. I felt the emotion of Cassandra as she is alone, longing for the acceptance and interest of her father who is too busy grieving. I felt her joy at forming a relationship with her grandmother that empowered her to realize that she can have a relationship with someone who truly cares for her and who she truly is. I felt her fear and sense of adventure as she grows into a woman and learns about both heartache from loss and the value of a true loving relationship that endures. The characters in this book were so clear in my mind, and I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with the characters, and riding horses with the characters and making discoveries with Cassandra. My mind wandered with the fantastic flare the book offered with Cassandra's "gift". What really stood out to me was the settings offered and how clear they were in my mind. I wanted to be there with the characters! The plot was twisting and moved from dream like fantasy to harsh reality, to joyful reality. The characters were dynamic in how they grew for the better in the midst of their personal struggles, and also in relationships with each other. She Who Knows was thrilling, dreamy, and full of heart and soul. It brought true emotions to my heart and soul. Bravo, Ms. Bras! I received this book for free in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.



About the Author



In 2015, Barbara Bras left her career to pursue her dream of serving God. She believed that her first step would be to share the amazing ways God had blessed her. As she wrote of her son’s miraculous adoption and the challenging years that followed, it led to the rediscovery of her entire life, including the history of her grandparents’ remarkable survival in Armenia and her search for purpose and love. Her memoir led to her first novel, which she hopes readers will find engaging and memorable.

Guest Post from Barbara Bras

An interviewer asked what inspired me to write and publish two books within a year. It’s a long story. Unlike many authors, I didn’t always write, nor did I yearn to write. In fact, the opposite was true for me; fear of judgement discouraged me from writing. Judgement from my mother, an English teacher and a strict perfectionist who demanded excellence in everything, especially writing.

In spite of the circumstances, my love of reading led to my first profession, teaching English at the high school level. Teaching laid the foundation for my career, which ultimately resulted in twenty-five plus years in various corporate environments as an Human Resources leader. Naturally, during my career I wrote a great deal, including proposals, papers, and communications of all kinds. But never anything creative, I never even journaled.

Almost two years ago, our Pastor handed out little pieces of paper during his sermon that said, “ENOUGH”. He questioned our inane desire to accumulate things when we already have the one thing that is needful. Just as Mary choose to worship at the feet of Jesus rather than be distracted by the world, so must we choose what is most important. (Luke 10:42) It struck a nerve.

Shortly thereafter, I made the decision to leave my position of ten years. Unsure of my next move, I focused my energy on a burning desire. Ever since the Lord provided a son for us through a miraculous adoption, I believed He wanted me to share it as an encouragement to others. I had tried to write the story many times without success. I signed up for retreat that promised, “Write your book in a weekend!”

 The three-day retreat required nonstop writing, first in long hand, then on the pc. Amazingly, at the end of the third day I had not only finally written the story of the miraculous adoption, I had shared the incredible disappointment and heartache of the years that followed, all captured within the context of my life and the life of my ancestors. Wrapped in God’s Grace, a Life Rediscovered had materialized. I felt a great release and I thought that would be the end of my writing.

Over the next few months as I edited the book, I followed the system of editing for 45 minutes, and writing new material for 15. What emerged during those 15 minute segments became Cassandra’s story, or She Who Knows, a Tale of the Heart. The story unfolded in front of me, inspired by the woman who supervised my student teaching in Honolulu back in 1977.

Barbara Robinson was an inspiration to me both as a teacher and as a person. As we worked together that semester, she shared many stories and took me under her wing. She told me the story of how her grandmother, a musician, had come to islands and married her seafaring grandfather. She spent a great deal of her childhood isolated in the mountains on Maui, presumably to recover from an illness. When finally allowed to return to school years later, her years of isolation and her archaic English made for a lonely life. She also believed she that she had an usual gift, which she decided was better left unused.

 So what began as an effort to share my story and encourage others has developed into a love of writing and a desire to serve the Lord through my new passion.

Soli Deo Gloria. To God Alone Be the Glory!
 

Blog Stops

 


July 23: Mary Hake
July 27: A Greater Yes
July 27: Reading Is My SuperPower (Spotlight)
July 29: Splashes of Joy
July 29: Artistic Nobody (Spotlight)
July 31: Bukwurmzzz
August 2: Carpe Diem
August 3: Pause for Tales

Giveaway


 To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away a $100 Amazon gift card, copies of She Who Knows, and Wrapped In God’s Grace. Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/9f1e

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Going Up South by Janet Ferguson



To purchase your own copy of Going Up South, click here.

About the Book

No one told him he had a son. Actor Dylan Conner is furious. Not only has he been left out of his child’s life, the baby boy has been given another man’s last name. Determined to be a better father than the sorry guy who’d left him and his mother, Dylan fights to ensure a significant place in his son’s life. Unfortunately, his bad-boy reputation overshadows his good intentions. Only one woman in this small town sees beyond his Hollywood image. And he’s falling for her. Too bad she’s the custody mediator. After her scandalous divorce in the small town of Oxford, Mississippi, attorney Cassie Brooks has no intentions of practicing law again. The humiliating experience left a bitter taste for love, marriage, and her profession. Now friends need Cassie’s help in a custody negotiation, and her role demands she remain objective. She never expected to be drawn to Dylan Conner—the actor who everyone warns is bad news. Not only is the mediation at stake, but so is her heart.

My Review
Where do I begin with how much I enjoyed this book? Ms. Ferguson has seamlessly combined a contemporary romance within a story of dynamic characters that learn about the Lord, themselves, and how much they mean to each other. Every page I kept turning, the plot thickened and made me want to continue to the next page. Each character becomes so clear in your mind down to their mannerisms and facial expressions that you feel you are taking part in the action and conversation. The charming setting of Oxford gives this book a southern charm that will win over anyone who is fascinated with southern living. It thrilled my inner southern belle! I could literally feel the emotions of the characters as they slowly realize their feelings for each other, and then their inner conflict and struggle as they deal with the hurts of the past while determining their future. This plot combined romance and the timing, will, and healing power of the Lord to bring a perfect plan together in the lives of the characters. Well done Ms. Ferguson! Waiting in great anticipation for future books! I was given this book for free in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. 

 

About the Author

Janet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served her church as a children’s minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.

Guests Post from Janet W. Ferguson

Hi, I’m Janet W. Ferguson, and I’m so excited to meet the readers of Celebrate Lit! I’ve always been an avid reader, but I’ve had an odd career path prior to writing. With a Banking and Finance degree, I took my first job working at a brokerage firm handling their mutual fund trades. After the market crashed in the late 80s, I took a job managing a large, upscale apartment community. During this time, I married and became a stay-at-home mom and church volunteer. My volunteering eventually led to a staff position as children’s minister. After five years, I felt my calling had changed, and I left the job, not really sure what God had in store. Haphazardly, my husband suggested I apply at our local schools. Not long afterward, I certified in teaching and became the library media specialist at the large public high school near our home. I met so many wonderful young people as children’s minister and high school librarian. During my times as a librarian, I had a story idea for about seven years, but never made time to try my hand at writing. Finally, after my elderly parents passed away, and I felt it was time. I wrote every evening for three months, and finished my first story which was Leaving Oxford. I spent the next three years learning about the craft of writing and editing that story. Yes, there was much to learn! In the meantime, one secondary character from Leaving Oxford demanded his own story… From that, came Going Up South. I tend to write what I know, and I’m from the peculiar and wonderful state of Mississippi. My first story was set mostly in Oxford, Mississippi. The charming town made the perfect backdrop for book 1. So book 2 is also mostly set in Oxford, although the characters go on a mission trip to Honduras. The hero of Going Up South, Dylan Conner, is a funny and charming actor that made a number of appearances in Leaving Oxford. From outrageous costumes to intense flirting, he just had a personality as large as the characters he portrayed on the screen. In Going Up South, he realizes that he fathered a child, but he had been left out of the baby boy’s life. Though he’d never planned to have a family, due to his disappointment in his own father, seeing the child, his child, changes his mind. Dylan’s not sure how he’ll raise a child or what to do, but he finds help in his new friend and custody mediator, Cassie Brooks. The scripture theme for this series comes from Isaiah 61. This particular book draws on “He binds up the brokenhearted.” The heroine, Cassie Brooks, is still hurting from her scandalous divorce in a small town. Unlike my last heroine in Leaving Oxford, Cassie had done things the way she’d been taught, avoiding alcohol, drugs, and sex outside of marriage. And her heart was still broken by an unfaithful husband. I wanted to show that life just hands out some tough blows, no matter how hard we try to do the right thing, but God is there in the midst of it all. He does bind up our broken hearts. I pray that you are uplifted by this story, and whatever hurts life has dealt you, that you find comfort in the arms of our faithful Father. Blessings!

Blog Stops


July 8: Bigreadersite
July 11: Pause for Tales
July 17: Quiet Quilter

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Janet is giving away some fantastic prizes including a $50 Amazon gift card! Click here to enter: 
https://promosimple.com/ps/9e33