‘Twas the Night Before Jesus

 

About the Book

 

Book: ’Twas the Night Before Jesus

Author: Donna Wyland

Genre: Picture Book

Release date: Fall 2021

‘Twas the Night Before Jesus is a beautifully illustrated picture book that introduces children to the life of Jesus and God’s promise of an eternal home in heaven. As the melodic rhyme carries children through Jesus’s birth, death and resurrection, they come to understand the true meaning of Christmas.

 

 

Click Here to get your copy!

 

 

My Review

What an educational and beautifully illustrated way to tell the Gospel account from Jesus birth all the way to his resurrection. The Biblical account was simplified and rhymed like a poem for children to understand and enjoy. The illustrations filled the entire page. The full story was completely Biblically accurate. My 5 year old daughter enjoyed me reading it to her and looking at the illustrations. I think it would be great for teachers and parents/grandparents of anywhere from toddlers to young school age. Great for a Christmas present! 

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 

About the Author

Donna Wyland is an Award-winning author, editor, and coach who believes in writing books that entertain, encourage, and inspire. Her bestselling children’s book, Your Home in Heaven, sold thousands of copies and was gifted to more than 4,000 children around the world through churches, schools, and various ministry organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Reprinted in 2020 by Elk Lake Publishing, Inc., Your Home in Heaven has become a classic story that shares the love of God and the hope of heaven with an increasing number of children. If I Could Ask Jesus, Donna’s premier Christian bedtime story is bringing young hearts closer to God, too.

Donna lives in Ohio with her husband and a couple of bunnies that hide under the bushes outside. She loves to read, ski, jump on the trampoline with her grandson, and cross items off of her personal Bucket List.

 

More from Donna

Donna Wyland’s love for God and for Christmas inspired her to write ‘Twas the Night Before Jesus. Only recently did she discover how many websites offer Happy Birthday Jesus items to help families, Sunday schools, and more to celebrate the real reason for the season. Children of all ages have read and reviewed ‘Twas the Night Before Jesus. It received a rousing 5 stars! Glory to God! You can find some fun resources here!

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 3

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 4

Blogging With Carol, December 4

Texas Book-aholic, December 5

Author Adventure, December 5

Inklings and notions, December 6

Simple Harvest Reads, December 6 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, December 7

Cats in the Cradle Blog, December 7

deb’s Book Review, December 8

Splashes of Joy, December 8

A Reader’s Brain, December 9

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 9

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 10

Southern Gal Loves to Read, December 10

Older & Smarter?, December 11

An Author’s Take, December 11

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

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 13

Mary Hake, December 13

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 14

Spoken from the Heart, December 14

The Adventures of a Travelers Wife, December 15

Labor Not in Vain, December 15

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 16 (Spotlight)

Lights in a Dark World, December 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Donna is giving away the grand prize package of a hardcover copy of the book and an online $50 Magnolia Market gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/14195/twas-the-night-before-jesus-celebration-tour-giveaway

Bandana Acres: Kit’s New Home & My Bandana Acres Journal by Kathy J. Perry

 

 

About the Books

Book: Bandana Acres: Kit’s New Home & My Bandana Acres Journal

Author: Kathy J. Perry

Genre: Early Reader Chapter Book

Release date: November 1, 2018

Wait! That’s not a coyote. Is he here to help me?

 

FIRE! Kit must find a new home in the woods. She is surrounded by wild coyotes. A banana buddy comes to her rescue. Did she earn his friendship?

My Bandana Acres Journal

 

Explore your dreams, write, doodle and discover, with this guided journal!

Use the prompts and you will learn how to:

• Be thankful and optimistic
• Recognize the good things and learn from mistakes
• Make positive decisions
• Understand promise-keeping and secrets
• Break down worries and reflect
• How to ask for help

You don’t have to use the writing prompts or work in any particular order. So, if you want to start in the middle of the book, or at the end, go ahead!

Have fun!

 

Click Here to get your copy of Bandana Acers: Kit’s New Home!
Click HERE to get your copy of My Bandana Acres Journal!

 

My Review

I found this early reader chapter book to be sweet, educational, and timeless like Aesop’s Fables. I think in a world where we have lost the art of connecting with each other face to face, the lessons about true friendship and trust are extremely relevant and timeless as well. The length is just long enough in each chapter for 1st-3rd grade level. The illustrations are simple but cute and colorful. There is excitement in each plot that will keep your child reader engaged. There are discussion questions that include application to every day situations to help parents and kids discuss how they can learn to be a good friend, trustworthy, helpful, etc. The Journal really helped in this point too- it had though provoking but age appropriate questions to get kids thinking about emotions, relating to others, and more and gives them space to write and draw about their feelings. I think this little book (it’s a series) would make a welcome addition under the Christmas tree this year for your early reader.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 

About the Author

A former classroom teacher and homeschool mom, I’ve always had a heart for educating kids.

I set my mission and started my own publishing company, Chickadee Words, LLC. I do my best to affect our youth through wonderful stories full of timeless character struggles.

 

More from Kathy

The inspiration for Kit’s New Home surrounds us everyday: people who say they’ll do something and then don’t; those who promise and then fail to deliver; people without reliability, honesty, or punctuality. This all boils down to the issue of TRUST. Trust is easily lost and so hard to get back.

Trustworthy people are successful, valuable, and popular in every area of life.

 

Make your yes, “yes” and your no “no”.

Mean what you say and say what you mean.

Keep promises.

Hurt no one. Help others.

 

 

Kit’s lonely and makes new friends in the farm yard. Ollie, the farm dog, explains the “rules” to him with which Kit agrees. He’s a good friend, until one day when he fails Zartie, the red-eared slider turtle.

 

Later, when he’s in trouble, Ollie proves to be a faithful, trustworthy dog and saves Kit from a coyote attack.

 

Here’s one question in the “What If” part at the end of the book:

 

What if you promise to play with a classmate at recess, but then you have a chance to play a fun game with someone else instead? What will you do?

 

 

Special things about this book (and series) include:

 

1. Proven easy-to-read font for early readers (Sassoon Primary)
2. In full-color with original watercolor artwork.
3. Leveled by Lexile and Fountas & Pinnell (F&P) for dialing in to your child’s reading level.
4. Purple words are the character’s inside thoughts (rather than italics, which I thought would be harder to read). Kids enjoy the color. In fact, struggling readers love to read just the colored parts to start – and then want to continue reading! (Each book has its own color for this.)
5. A glossary of newer words with definitions.
6. A “What If” section for discussion with five questions about the story, and five questions of how the theme plays out in real life. (Parents and teachers love these books!)
7. Kit’s New Home is available in hardcover and softcover.

 

Help your kids learn to read with this fun story and cute watercolor illustrations. This early reader chapter book is perfect for ages 5-8 and can usually be read alone by 2nd or 3rd grades.

 

Don’t miss the companion guided journal: My Bandana Acres Journal. Perfect for readers learning to write about their thoughts, dreams, or just doodle. Use for a deeper dive into the themes from the Bandana Acres series. Currently available only from my website shop. Ages 8-12

Blog Stops

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 2 (Spotlight)

A Reader’s Brain, December 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 3

Texas Book-aholic, December 4

Bigreadersite, December 5

Splashes of Joy, December 5

Older & Smarter?, December 6

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 7

Vicky Sluiter, December 7

Girls in White Dresses, December 8

Blogging With Carol, December 8

For Him and My Family, December 9

Inklings and notions, December 10

Cats in the Cradle Blog, December 10

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 11

deb’s Book Review, December 12

Mary Hake, December 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 13

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 14

Lights in a Dark World, December 14

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, December 15

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 15

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathy is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, a softcover copy of the book, digital artwork with motivational phrase, and a custom Hoo-Rag with artwork from the Bandana Acres series!!

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/14182/bandana-acres-kit-s-new-home-my-bandana-acres-journal-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wonders of the Galaxy by Various Elk Lake Authors

 

 

About the Book

 

Book:  Wonders of the Galaxy

Author: Various Elk Lake Authors

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Release date: September 15, 2021

 

A series of space tales based on parables from the Holy Bible.

 

Click HERE to get your copy!

 

My Review

This book really pushed my horizons as far as genres go, but I always enjoy exploring new genres so I was excited to read this collection. While Sci-Fi isn't really my thing, I think that many could enjoy the short stories found within especially the YA fiction crowd. The way they paralleled Biblical parables I think was a genius way to share the truth of the Bible without being overbearing and within a genre that YA audience could relate to more easily and willingly. The stories were all adventurous and took us to the outer limits to wonder what we would find there so they were intriguing for sure. There were relatable characters and well developed challenges the characters faced to learn valuable lessons. As far as transporting you to a cosmic region, I felt transported for sure! I recommend this book especially for YA fiction audience, but for anyone looking to explore new genres, enjoys short adventurous stories, or enjoys Sci Fi genres.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own. 

About the Authors

Jason William Karpf is a multitalented actor, musician, professor, and Jeopardy champion whose writing runs the gamut from true crime to speculative fiction.

 

 

 

Aaron Gansky is an award-winning novelist and Dungeons and Dragons whiz who lives for his children, coaching football, and watch Marvel movies.

 

 

 

Erica Marie Hogan’s books range from long ago historical dramas to frozen fantasies on faraway planets. Regardless of where the story originates, it comes from the heart—because Erica believes genres are transcendent.

 

 

 

Brett Heaston is the creator of the Message to Kings podcast and the author of The Resilience Awakening. He lives in the Pacific Northwest, a history nerd, and an adventure junkie.

 

 

 

Steve South is a traveler, a karaoke singer, and a profound believer in the power for stories to move people; his first novel, The Queen of Steel and Fire, won the 2019 Minnesota Author Project Award for YA fiction.

 

 

 

L.G. Westlake lives in the “Land of Enchantment,” but also lives a dream life in far-flung galaxies where she regularly charts the unknown; her previous novels have included award-winning fantasies and thrillers.

 

 

 

M B Dahl is a wife, mother, and award-winning author of dystopian adventures. She loves dressing up like a warrior and fighting dragons, imaginary or real.

 

 

 

T.E. Bradford is an international bestselling author, a Selah award finalist, and a self-proclaimed geek who believes her writing is “a little piece of magic” given to her by God.

 

 

 

Travis W. Inman has been a cowboy, a missionary, a soldier, and more in his multi-storied career, and his stories reflect his diverse background. In his spare time, he searches for hidden treasure, both financial and culinary.

 

 

 

More from the Editor

WHY A CHRISTIAN SPACE OPERA?

 

“What do you like to read,” I asked my seventeen-year-old grandson.

 

When he said he likes Space Opera, I had to admit I was lost. I love Science Fiction but didn’t know Space Opera was different. After ordering him a book, I started doing some research. Phrases like, “wildly popular” spoke to me.

 

Christians use a variety of fiction genres to reach their audiences. I wondered if we were losing younger readers because we are not being relevant to what interests them. Could this genre be presented in a way to encourage young readers to see new truths in the Bible?

 

Space Opera is a subgenre of science fiction and usually emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic space adventures, or chivalric romance. These themes, while occurring in outer space, will feature such elements as faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and sophisticated technology.

 

Not surprising this genre is popular with kids today whose lives evolve around the latest technological advancement.

 

The name is a takeoff from “soap opera” because of its melodramatic presentation. Space operas emerged in the 1930s and continue to be produced in literature, film, comics, television, and video games.

 

As I pondered these concepts, an idea developed to present a Space Opera anthology, aimed at high school level, to use the parables as inspiration behind the stories. When I presented the idea to my publisher, I received an enthusiastic nod of approval. And the rest is history.

 

We are confident young people will enjoy these highly imaginative stories penned by some of Elk Lake’s best authors. Each story contains a synopsis of the related parable and how the parable is used in the telling of the story. Additionally, each story has an engaging graphic to whet the imagination.

 

To our knowledge, this is new for Christian publishing. We look forward to our readers’ comments and to Wonders of the Galaxy II in 2022.

 

Linda Wood Rondeau

Project Manager

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 20

Cats in the Cradle Blog, October 20

Texas Book-aholic, October 21

Inklings and notions, October 22

By the Book, October 22

A Reader’s Brain, October 23

For Him and My Family, October 24

April Hayman, Author, October 24

deb’s Book Review, October 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 26

Blogging With Carol, October 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 28

Blossoms and Blessings, October 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 29

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 30

Pause for Tales, October 30

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, October 31

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, the Various Elk Lake Authors are giving away the grand prize package of a book from each author in the anthology!! (Format may vary for each 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/122a1/wonders-of-the-galaxy-celebration-tour-giveaway

Silent Altitudes by Michael James Emberger

 

About the Book

Book: Silent Altitudes

Author: Michael James Emberger

Genre: Cli-Fi Thriller (Climate Fiction/Thriller)

Release date: March 30, 2021
The world looks up to the sky in hopeful anticipation as the Pennychuck Atmospheric Carbon Reduction System comes online. Finally the chance to eliminate global warming will be obtainable.

Within moments, something goes terribly wrong. Dr. Milford Pennychuck races to find the underlying problem that caused so much destruction. Yet when an assassination attempt and system sabotage blindsides him, he has to rely on a surprising ally.

Together they delve into a conspiracy deeper than they can fathom. As the system operates at progressively higher altitudes, the two scientists must find a way to shut it down…or die trying.

Click HERE to get your copy!

My Review

I found Silent Altitudes to be relevant, intriguing, and action packed and perfect for adult or YA readers. The premise of being able to heal the effects of global warming once and for all without making the book overly political was such an interesting premise. Both heroes and villains were well developed- making us feel like we were on the trek with them and getting to know them better all the time. The gospel theme was naturally weaved in without being overbearing. The climax of all the action really was worth waiting for and the scenes took us all over the country. I believe anyone who enjoys reading about environmental change, adventure books, action books, as well as the general YA audience would enjoy this read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.

About the Author

 

Michael James Emberger is an author of thrillers and suspense, and he resides in Wilton, New Hampshire. He enjoys weaving narratives of conspiracy and misguided intentions around divisive topics. Where there is debate, there is always room for a villain with goals far out of alignment from either side. Michael is a graduate of Messiah College, where he studied Engineering and met his wife racing solar cars cross-country. When he’s not working on home renovations or writing, he enjoys visiting the ocean and exploring the majesty of God’s creation on the summits of New Hampshire’s mountains.

More from Michael

Silent Altitudes is a Cli-fi (Climate Fiction) thriller set in the near future. I wanted to avoid the current political debates over global warming, so I went with the assumption that the world eventually comes to consensus about what to do. The United Nations rolls out an elaborate technological solution, but sabotage and conspiracy lead to disaster on startup day. That’s the type of angle I enjoy writing. Climate change is the backdrop, but this book is about family and survival and fighting against the greed and corruption that have laid good intentions to ruin. It’s about loss and hope and trusting that God is still in control even when everything seems hopeless.

A significant inspiration for this book was a phrase my daughter would say when she was little: “Hold you Mommy.” It meant she wanted a hug. I contacted Laura, a pottery artist on Etsy, and ordered a custom mug with that phrase as a Christmas present for my wife. Laura was a joy to work with, and our conversation led to me developing characters and themes that provided the heart of my story. I find it’s those little inspirations that make the biggest difference in my writing.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 18

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 18

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 19

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, September 20

Rebecca Tews, September 21

Texas Book-aholic, September 22

Inklings and notions, September 23

For Him and My Family, September 24

Blogging With Carol, September 24

deb’s Book Review, September 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 29

A Reader’s Brain, September 30

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, September 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Michael 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/119f6/silent-altitudes-celebration-tour-giveaway

Illusion of Love by Sarah Hamaker

 

 

About the Book

 

Book:  Illusion of Love

Author: Sarah Hamaker

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: October 2020

A suspicious online romance reconnects an agoraphobe and an old friend.

Nursing a hurt leg, psychiatrist Jared Quinby arrives in Culpeper, Virginia, on a case for the FBI. The investigation leads him to the doorstep of his childhood best friend, Mary Divers. Meeting Mary again is the one bright spot in his life.

Suffering from agoraphobia, Mary has at last found love with online beau David Kline and dares to dream of a future with him. Then David reveals he will be leaving the United States to become a missionary in Peru. Determined to stop living in fear, she accepts David’s marriage proposal, even though she’s never met him face-to-face.

As Jared’s case intersects with Mary’s online relationship, the more he uncovers, the more he fears for her safety. Jared tries to convince Mary not all is right with David, but she refuses to believe him. When tragedy strikes, Mary pushes Jared even farther away.

Will Jared convince Mary of the truth—and of his love for her—before it’s too late?

Click here to get your copy!

My Review

I enjoyed this contemporary suspenseful romance. I really felt both Jared and Mary were beautifully complex and really became likable along the way. Their connection and the reality of the struggles in each of their lives and how their romance so slowly blossomed was like layers of the perfect onion. David was quite the the devious one and it was easy to dislike him easily too. The book reminded me that while sometimes we like to think Hallmark movies are reality, they really aren't and really should be confined to an entertaining movie to enjoy. I think the author did a good job of integrating the FBI and their investigation into the story without losing the heart and charm of the story, and I felt like the secondary characters were well developed as well. I did think the ending was a little bit too much of an info dump at one time. Also, the language used through the online chat etc. seemed a little dated. Overall I think anyone who would enjoy a good clean contemporary fiction/romance should pick this one up.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all opinions given are entirely my own.

About the Author

Sarah Hamaker has been spinning stories since she was a child, with nonfiction and romantic suspense books published. Her stories have also appeared in several Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. She’s a member of ACFW and ACFW Virginia Chapter, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four children, and three cats.

More from Sarah

Have you ever heard a story from a friend (or a friend of a friend) and thought it sounded more like fiction than reality? That’s what happened to me years ago when I heard first-hand a story about a woman who had been deceived by someone close to her.

Even while I grieved with my friend about the lies that had been told at her expense, I also admit to thinking, “That would make a fantastic storyline.” A couple of years later, I asked the friend for permission to use the basic outline of that story for what became Illusion of Love. To keep this friend’s identity a secret—and to avoid giving away the ending of my book—that’s all I can reveal to you.

However, what I can talk about is how interesting people’s reaction to the based-on-a-true story aspect has been along this book’s journey to publication. Most expressed their conviction that something similar could never happen to them. Part of that disbelief comes from our faith in our own ability to ferret out the truth from those around us.

Unfortunately, time and again, it’s been proven that we can be terrible when it comes to judging the true character of others! This is why people get away with pretending to be royalty or people lose money to someone’s Ponzi scheme or why those in authority can often get away with heinous crimes for years (#MeToo, Catholic priest sexual scandals are too horrific examples). Along the way, you’ll find people who wanted to think they wouldn’t be deceived…and were or who overlooked signs that in hindsight pointed right at the lie or perpetrator.

Why has this kept happening over and over again throughout history? I think it boils down to the simple fact that we want to believe we have excellent judgment when it comes to the character and intentions of others, whether we meet those people face to face or online. We also have a tendency, especially if we’re female, to ignore our gut when it tells us to be careful or wary of someone or a particular situation.

Especially when there’s real danger involved—in cases of potential abuse or criminal activity—it’s important to be prepared as much as we can be. One of the best books on this topic is Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear. It’s a book I’ve recommended my teenage daughters and sons read before heading to college. What Gavin does is break down why our initial impressions can be wrong and why paying attention to our gut—that unconscious part of ourselves—can be crucial to staying safe, even if it means we sometimes offend or make people mad or upset. If only Mary, my heroine in Illusion of Love, had read The Gift of Fear, things might have turned out differently for her.

Why do you think we believe in our own judgment when it comes to people?

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 15

CarpeDiem, September 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 16

Inklings and notions, September 17

Texas Book-aholic, September 18

lakesidelivingsite, September 18

For Him and My Family, September 19

deb’s Book Review, September 20

Mary Hake, September 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 21

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, September 22

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 23

A Reader’s Brain, September 23

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, September 24

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, September 25

Pause for Tales , September 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 26

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, September 27 (Author Interview)

Spoken from the Heart, September 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card & eBook 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/119e8/illusion-of-love-celebration-tour-giveaway