Serious Wednesday: Hunter's Rose is Coming! Win it!

 In case you don't remember...

I mentioned in a recent earlier post,

a bit about Hunter's Rose.

To clarify,

Hunter's Rose is the second book in the

Troubles in the Wes series.

(The first book is Caleb's Destiny).

Preorder for this book will be available beginning in July!!

Don't miss out on this opportunity

to read Hunter's Rose at a discounted price!

Answer this question for an opportunity

to win a free Kindle copy!

Question:

Rosita's past engagement with Carlos De Leon

went sour before she fled Mexico.

Now married to Hunter Carson,

she's still being followed by Carlos. 

Does he still love her?

Or is there something more sinister

he wants from her?

Hunter's Rose!

Serious Wednesday: More Opportunities to Buy a Book for $.99!!

Readers!

Here's another opportunity for you to

obtain a book for a great price!

Only $.99 Kindle price

Catch Me If You Can

(Book One in the Nursery Rhyme series)

is just $.99.

A touch of romance,

A hint of whimsy.

A cat with perceptive intelligence.

A woman who's determined to find the answer in spite of threats, scary situations, 

an unfriendly manager, and unwelcoming workers. 

Can she?

Check out the book here:

 Amazon

Reviewers have this to say about the book:

*  Lively characters. Snappy dialogue.
Fantastic work.

*  The author has given us well-developed characters, plenty of plot twists and turns and has given me a whole new look at the childhood ditty about the Gingerbread Man. There is a mystery that must be solved, a business to save and a perpetrator to be found. So just sit back, enjoy the ride and try to figure out who does not want to be caught!

*  Wow!! This story is definitely the author’s best to date. It is somewhat mysterious, a bit creepy but oh so intriguing.Did I figure out who the guilty person was? No but that just shows me how good she is at keeping readers in suspense til the very end.

Serious Wednesday: Here's Your Chance!

 Don't you just love a good sale?

Here's an opportunity to read the first book in the 

Spies of WWII series:

With Music in Their Hearts

(In this series, you'll find:

Three Spies

Three Redheads,

Three Love stories and suspense)

It's only $.99 for this first Kindle book, 

it can be YOURS!

Check it out here:

Amazon

What reviewers are saying about this book:

*  Ms. Brown’s historical novel is a delight.

*  I opened to chapter one in my Kindle and heard the music coming from the piano at the boarding house. I felt a part of the intrigue and saw the characters as they interacted with one another. Carole Brown’s World War II spy novel With the Music in Their Hearts is a fascinating read. The realistic dialogue, setting and characters' dress drew me into this 1940’s mystery.

*  I love WWII era stories and was eager to read With Music in Their Hearts. Carole Brown did a great job of capturing the essence of the era. The colorful cast of characters entertained me, the story engaged me, and the mystery kept me guessing until the very end!

Book two is:  A Flute in the Willows

Book three is:  Sing Until You Die

Happy Reading! 

Serious Wednesday: How do I Review a Book for an Author?

Reviews are like handing an author a hunk of gold!

                                             Reviews make an author smile or cry.

Reviews are good for the book.

One review is really nice. Fifty reviews are perfection.

The question: How can readers review and share about an author's book?

Here are a few ideas:

• When an author has a new book out, buy (if you can) the book and write a review as soon as
  you can! If you win a copy or are given one, write a review. Share about it on your social media links, tell others about it. When you see the author post something relative to the book, share it with others. Anything to help the author promote their new product is helpful. If you win or given a copy, always make sure you include words that "you were under no obligation to give a good review" or "This is my honest review. I was under no obligation to review." 

Remember:   Being an author is like running a business. Reviews help their credibility, integrity, and encourage other readers to buy the book. 

Your author will thank you!

Rebels, Adventure and Mystery by Author Linda Weaver Clarke

I'm tickled to host Linda on my blog today, not only because of her fun and interesting books, but also because she's a wonderful friend who's caring and helpful to other authors! She's sharing today about her series, why she wrote the books and her love of that period. Welcome, Linda!

Historical Romance: 

Stories of Rebels,

Adventure, and Mystery

My favorite time period is historical because it’s during a time when men defended a lady’s honor and treated women with respect. The women, on the other hand, were not pansies by any means. I love strong women characters who fight for what they believe.

The Rebel Series is a Historical Mystery/Adventure Romance set in the 1700s. I love historical romance and I love mysteries. Many people have asked me why I wrote a story about rebels. Simple! I love a rogue who fights for justice and for the people.

It was a bunch of rebels who fought for our freedom here in America. They wanted to be free from the dictatorship and tyranny of a king. Liberty is something that I cherish. So I decided to write about a small country that struggles to be free.

My favorite genre to write is a mixture of romance, mystery, and adventure. I also love a romance where the man and woman know they are meant for one another, even though there are trials along the way. Instead of drama between a couple, I prefer having suspense in the main plot, instead.

What is The Rebels Series about?

In The Rebels of Cordovia, a group of men and women find themselves fighting for their rights, for freedom of speech, and equality. In the small country of Cordovia, groups of rebels begin springing up, but its Robin’s Rebels who get the attention of the king.

In this battle for freedom, a tender love story begins to blossom. Daniel, a rogue and a leader of the Freemen, doesn’t realize that the sweet feminine woman he has met and is falling for happens to be the leader of Robin’s Rebels. Realizing the importance of uniting all the rebel groups, Daniel tries to recruit Robin’s Rebels but they refuse. Now he has to find a way to convince them. When he finds out the leader is actually a woman, what will his reaction be?

https://youtu.be/-Nd2vqNYqSA

In book 2, The Highwayman of Cordovia, the people enjoy their new-found liberty, but all is not well. A group of powerful men plan to take over the small country and replace the leader with a king. With the help of a bold highwayman and a pastor’s daughter, they try to save their country from being taken over by a power-hungry leader. As they strive to stop the Kingmen and thwart their plans, Christine finds herself falling in love with Austin Knight. The only problem with their relationship is that she thinks he is her knight in shining armor instead of a highwayman. If she finds out his trade, what will her reaction be? As a pastor’s daughter, will love override her values?

https://youtu.be/UtHY-DPjfFE

In book 3, The Fox of Cordovia, a sinister plot has just been uncovered and its up to a former patriot and a young nurse to discover who is behind it. Caroline is engaged to the future mayor of Laketown, a man of influence and greatly respected. But all that changes when she overhears a conspiracy behind closed doors. After being discovered, she runs for her life. Caroline needs to report her findings, but whom can she trust? When she asks Jesse Conover for help, the adventure begins.

https://youtu.be/mCgwRF5nzQ8

How about the reviews for this series?

When I sent The Rebels of Cordovia to Sunnie Reviews, she wrote: 

“I so enjoyed this fun book! It has adventure, romance, a little mystery, and action.  

No boring moments here. Placed back in the days of wicked and oppressive kings, 

the rebels work together for the freedoms of the common people.  

Will they succeed against the governing forces? 

The romance is sweet and the action is plenty.”

Author Charissa Stastny reviewed The Highwayman of Cordovia: 

“This sequel to the Rebels of Cordovia takes a pastor’s daughter 

and mixes her in with a rogue highwayman. The results will surprise you in this continued battle 

for freedom and justice. This sweet romance had action and intrigue, 

mysteries to solve, and villains to thwart.”

Inishowen Cailín, from Ireland, wrote about The Fox of Cordovia on her blog: 

“I loved this book. It is full of adventure, drama, intrigue and suspense. 

We've got kidnapping plots, pirate ships, daring rescues and romance. 

The author weaves an exciting tale and a sweet romance together 

in a way that will appeal to all readers.”

To read a sample chapter from each of my books in The Rebel Series, go to: 

•  http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/historicalromance.html 
• and click on the TITLE.
• To purchase a book on the same page, 
• click on the COVER and it will take you directly to Amazon. 
• These books can also be purchased from Barnes and Noble.

Readers, be sure to check out her links! I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Happy Reading!

January Contest and Reasons to Read

Why Read?

* Pleasure. What fun to find an author whose books we love!
* Relaxation. What better way to lose ourselves in a book from the discouraging, disappointing things going on in our lives?
* Keeps us mentally healthy. Reading a mystery/suspense?
Our mentality improves vastly by imagining who's the villain?
Romance? Our heart yearns for a satisfactory ending... And more!
So Read, Read, Read! 

The first contest of the Year!

January, 2018

CONTEST QUESTION TIME

Name one thing that is good about 
this winter in January, 2018

Oh, yeah, you want to know what you get?

This:

or this:

Already read these?
Then you can pick one of my other books
or wait till my next book is out 

(Toby's Troubles, an Appleton, WV Romantic Mystery)

How's that for a Beautiful, wintry contest?

(I will choose a winner by January 31st!)

Blessings!

A Visit with Tamera Kraft, Author of

I'm tickled to welcome my friend, Tamera Kraft on Sunnybank Secrets. But it's certainly not a secret that this book looks and sounds like a another enjoyable one from her! 


Do You Have Hope? By Tamera Lynn Kraft

We all hope for things. If our flowers need watering, we hope it will rain. If we have a picnic scheduled, we hope it will be sunny. We all hope life will be easy. Hope in the Bible is different than this kind of hope of wishing something would happen or wanting something.

What is Hope?

In the New Testament, the word hope is translated from the word elpizo. Elpizo means confidently trusting in and waiting for something or someone. The book of Hebrews calls it an anchor for our souls.

Hebrews 16:19-20 (NIV) We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf…

What is Our Hope Built On?

The old hymn says “Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” That pretty much sums it up. Our hope is built on the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God came to Earth to die on the cross for our sins, to rise from the grave in victory, and to ascend to Heaven. We also confidently hope that He is one day coming again.

Romans 5:2 (ESV) Through him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Hope in Christ Brings Peace and Joy

When our hope is in Christ instead of in our circumstances, that kind of confident expectation bring us a peace the world can’t understand and a joy that doesn’t depend on everything happening exactly right. We can rely upon Christ to work things out for our good. That relieves us of the pressure to fix things we can’t fix.

Romans 15:13 (ESV) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

In my soon to be released novella, Resurrection of Hope, Vivian visits a friend named Hope who has just lost a child and was told she couldn’t have children. Here’s a short excerpt from that scene.

Vivian swallowed. "I… I don't know what to say. I expected to find you distraught after what happened, but you seem to be… almost cheerful."

Hope's eyes closed and her head tilted back into the pillow. "I have my moments. Trust me." She opened her eyes and smiled. "I keep my hope in Jesus Christ, and He gives me the peace I need to get through this."

Vivian held back a snort. "How can you of all people talk of hope knowing you'll never have any children?"

Hope pressed her lips together as she propped herself up on her pillow. "If my hope rested on having children, then you're right. There would be no reason, but my hope is the kind they talk about in Psalms. 'But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.'"

Book Blurb:

Resurrection of Hope

She thought he was her knight in shining armor, but will a marriage of convenience prove her wrong?

After Vivian’s fiancé dies in the Great War, she thinks her life is over. But Henry, her fiancé’s best friend, comes to the rescue offering a marriage of convenience. He claims he promised his friend he would take care of her. She grows to love him, but she knows it will never work because he never shows any love for her.

Henry adores Vivian and has pledged to take care of her, but he won’t risk their friendship by letting her know. She’s still in love with the man who died in the Great War. He won’t risk heartache by revealing his true emotions.




Available at Desert Breeze on July 11: http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/resurrection-of-hope-epub/

It will also be available at these stores shortly after the release date:
· Amazon
· Barnes & Noble
· Christianbook.com
· Sony
· Kobo
· iTunes
· All Romance eBooks
· Koorong.com (Australia)

Bio:
Tamera Lynn Kraft has always loved adventures. She loves to write historical fiction set in the United States because there are so many stories in American history. There are strong elements of faith, romance, suspense and adventure in her stories. She has received 2nd place in the NOCW contest, 3rd place TARA writer’s contest, and is a finalist in the Frasier Writing Contest and has other novellas in print.

She’s been married for 37 years to the love of her life, Rick, and has two married adult children and two grandchildren.

Tamera has been a children’s pastor for over 20 years. She is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire For Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist and has written children’s church curriculum. She is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.

You can contact Tamera on her website at http://tameralynnkraft.net

You can contact Tamera online at these sites.
Website: http://tameralynnkraft.net
Word Sharpeners Blog: http://tameralynnkraft.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/tameralynnkraft
Twitter: http://twitter.com/tamerakraft



Thanks so much for joining me today, Tamera! 
Readers, be sure to check out her book as soon as it releases. 

Blessings to all!

On Passionate Writing

On Passionate Writing

It is a writer's greatest pleasure

to hear that someone

was kept up until the unholy hours 

of the morn

reading

one of his books.

--B. Sanderson

Writing is the strangest

and most interesting,

besides the most misunderstood,

craziest and hardest

most frustrating--

yet satisfying talent--

or is it a curse?

career?

hobby?

job?

                                                                                                     purpose?

A writer will certainly dwell in stages of 

despair

discouragement

hopelessness

yet writing affords deep . . .

satisfaction and pleasure,

determination

happiness and joy 

by one act of a reader, in reading.

To the real writer, 

that is enough.

Blessings!

A Review

The Rose of Winslow Street

            by Elizabeth Camden

Back Cover:
In the small town of Colden, Massachusetts, Libby Sawyer leads a quiet, predictable life. Yet beneath the surface, she is haunted by a secret.

Newly arrived on American shores, Michael Dobrescu is far from predictable, and his arrival in Colden is anything but quiet. Michael’s shocking claim to be the rightful owner of Libby’s father’s house immediately alienates him from the appalled citizens of Colden.

Despite her own outrage, Libby is unwittingly fascinated by this enigmatic man who seems equally intrigued by her. As the court’s decision about the house looms, and the layers of mystery surrounding Michael’s past are unveiled, Libby’s loyalties are tested in ways she never imagined.



My take:

I found Elizabeth Camden’s “The Rose of Winslow Street” to be amazingly intriguing with the perfect touches of mystery and romance. Her characters are well rounded and captivating.

From Liberty Sawyer, who carries a secret shame, a spinster who has given up on finding romance but has plenty of love to spare. To Michael Dobrescu who is everything a hero should be. Strong and determined to do what is right for his family; Michael has the strength of a bear and the heart of a lamb. From the snooty southern bell all the way down to the towns stray cat.


The depth that she put into the characters makes you fall in love and connect to each one. The vivid detail and description pulls you in and makes this novel a real page turner. Beautifully pinned, the scenery is virtually tangible. I could almost smell the roses and the jasmine.
 
What secrets do these two hide? Michael's desire to protect the sister and Liberty's haunting fear of roses is touching and pulls the reader into the plot of the story. A definite page turner!  

It is truly the best book I have read all year!

Blessings!

CONTEST ENDS: June 30th!

Summer Reading Extravaganza

My friend, Suzanne, and I are cooking up some summer relaxation time for TWO people.

• FOUR books for ONE person who's chosen from this blog and . . .
• FOUR books for ONE person who's chosen from Suzanne's blog.

Here's what to do:

• Comment whenever you see a post about this summer reading extravaganza! I'll make sure to have at least one or two mentions a week about this contest! Don't miss out; you get your name in the "baggie" for every comment.

Want EXTRA chances? Then . . .

• Broadcast this contest! On your blog. Facebook. Twitter. Shoutlife. Email. Snail Mail. Word of mouth. Airplane messages. Message in a bottle. Messenger Boy. I trust you. Just make sure you mention it in your comments HERE so I can add your name.
• Check out my friend Suzanne's blog for an extra chance. And don't forget, by doing that, you're getting chances to win her FOUR books too.
• Become a follower

And here's the books I'm giving away to ONE person who's chosen from my blog:

• The General's Notorious Widow by Stephan Bly (historical western)
• The Restitution by M. L. Tyndall (historical/pirates)
• Rain Song by Alice Wisler (contemporary dealing w/a woman raised in Japan but who vows never to return)
• Summer of Joy by Ann H. Gabhart (contemporary w/touches of suspense and humor)

Here's Suzanne's blog addy:

http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/

And the four books she's giving away:

• Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs
• Almost Forever by Deb Raney
• The Alarmists by Don Hoesel
• An Irishwoman's Tale by Patti Lacy (autographed)

Best wishes for a happy summer of reading!

CONTEST:

Summer Reading Extravaganza

BOOKS!

    BOOKS!


        BOOKS!

Hot diggety dog! My friend, Suzanne, and I are cooking up some summer relaxation time for TWO people.

• FOUR books for ONE Fortunte (LUCKY?) person who's chosen from this blog and . . .
• FOUR books for ONE fortunate (LUCKY?) person who's chosen from Suzanne's blog!

What more could a reader ask for than to have FOUR FREE BOOKS given to them to enjoy all summer long?

Here's what to do:

• Comment whenever you see a post about this summer reading extravaganza! I'll make sure to have at least one or two mentions a week about this contest! Don't miss out; you get your name in the "baggie" for every comment.

Want EXTRA chances? Then . . .

• Broadcast this contest! On your blog. Facebook. Twitter. Shoutlife. Email. Snail Mail. Word of mouth. Airplane messages. Message in a bottle. Messenger Boy. I trust you. Just make sure you mention it in your comments HERE so I can add your name.
• Check out my friend Suzanne's blog for an extra chance. And don't forget, by doing that, you're getting chances to win her FOUR books too.
• Become a follower

And here's the books I'm giving away to ONE person who's chosen from my blog:

• The General's Notorious Widow by Stephan Bly (historical western)
• The Restitution by M. L. Tyndall (historical/pirates)
• Rain Song by Alice Wisler (contemporary dealing w/a woman raised in Japan but who vows never to return)
• Summer of Joy by Ann H. Gabhart (contemporary w/touches of suspense and humor)

Here's Suzanne's blog addy:
http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/

And the four books she's giving away:

• Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs
• Almost Forever by Deb Raney
• The Alarmists by Don Hoesel
• An Irishwoman's Tale by Patti Lacy (autographed)

Best wishes for a happy summer of reading!

CONTEST:
Summer Reading Extravaganza
BOOKS!
   

    BOOKS!

   
       BOOKS!

Hot diggety dog! My friend, Suzanne, and I are cooking up some summer relaxation time for TWO people.



FOUR books for ONE Fortunte (LUCKY?) person who's chosen from this blog and . . .

FOUR books for ONE fortunate (LUCKY?) person who's chosen from Suzanne's blog!



What more could a reader ask for than to have FOUR FREE BOOKS given to them to enjoy all summer long?

Here's what to do:

• Comment whenever you see a post about this summer reading extravaganza! I'll make sure to have at least one or two mentions a week about this contest! Don't miss out; you get your name in the "baggie" for every comment.

Want EXTRA chances? Then . . .

• Broadcast this contest! On your blog. Facebook. Twitter. Shoutlife. Email. Snail Mail. Word of mouth. Airplane messages. Message in a bottle. Messenger Boy. I trust you. Just make sure you mention it in your comments HERE so I can add your name.
• Check out my friend Suzanne's blog for an extra chance. And don't forget, by doing that, you're getting chances to win her FOUR books too.
• Become a follower

And here's the books I'm giving away to ONE person who's chosen from my blog:

• The General's Notorious Widow by Stephan Bly (historical western)
• The Restitution by M. L. Tyndall (historical/pirates)
• Rain Song by Alice Wisler (contemporary dealing w/a woman raised in Japan but who vows never to return)
• Summer of Joy by Ann H. Gabhart (contemporary w/touches of suspense and humor)

Here's Suzanne's blog addy:
http://suzanne-hartmann2.blogspot.com/

And the four books she's giving away:

• Wonders Never Cease by Tim Downs
• Almost Forever by Deb Raney
• The Alarmists by Don Hoesel
• An Irishwoman's Tale by Patti Lacy (autographed)

Best wishes for a happy summer of reading!