Category: New Release

New Book Release! Fringes Heartbreak and Lyrics by #JanSikes #writingcommunity #newrelease #whattoread

I’m thrilled to have Jan Sikes here today to share her latest, Fringes, Heartstrings, and Lyrics. Here is my Five-Star Review.

Thank you, Denise, for allowing me to take over your blog and talk about my new book, Fringes, Heartstrings, and Lyrics.

I’ve often talked about how stories can come from anywhere, and that is true. One night, I dreamed about a young woman sitting in her car. She suddenly dropped her head into her hands and screamed, “NO!” Then she tossed a bag onto the passenger seat. That was all I got. I had no idea who she was or what had her so torn up, but I knew it was a story. So, that wound up being a new story for this collection under the Heartstrings section. Here’s a short excerpt:

***

While she waited, Riley considered how lucky she’d been that it was Jayden who found her walking on the road that night.

She never should’ve gone to the party.

And damned sure should never have gotten in the car with a stranger.

But she did. If only her father weren’t always so strict. Most of the time, he couldn’t even stand to look at her. That hurt her to the core. She simply couldn’t be what he wanted or expected. And now, when she was so close to escaping small-town life and his suppression, this had to happen.

Surely God must hate her. True, she hadn’t given him much reason not to.

Finally, Jayden slid into the passenger seat. He’d scrubbed the grime from his hands and combed his hair.

“What’s happening?”

“My life is over.” She choked. “Over before it even started.”

He fastened his seatbelt. “Let’s go to our favorite diner. It seems to be the best place to solve problems. That is, if you’re up to driving. If not, we can go in my car.”

“I can drive.” She took the last sip of her Coke and started the engine.

BOOK BLURB:

At the edge of the world, and the center of the heart, you’ll find stories that linger.

Fringes explores dystopian futures where survival is uncertain and hope is fragile. In  A Foreign World, The Forgotten, and Yearning for Paradise, humanity is pushed to its limits.

Heartstrings turns toward the warmth of love, resilience, and second chances. Stories such as A Promise Broken – A Promise Kept, She Dances with a Memory, and When Love Isn’t Enough remind us that the human spirit endures.

Lyrics captures life in poetry—moments of longing, faith, and reflection in pieces like Comes the Dawn, Society, and The Blind Man in the Night.

From chilling possibilities to comforting truths, Fringes, Heartstrings & Lyrics is a genre-blending collection of short fiction and poetry that will make you think, feel, and return again and again.

PURCHASE LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Fringes-Heartstrings-Lyrics-Jan-Sikes-ebook/dp/B0GRWQC3SH/

BIO:

Jan Sikes is a multi-award-winning author, who writes compelling and creative stories from the heart.

She openly admits that she never set out in life to be an author, although she’s been an avid reader all her life. But she had a story to tell—Not just any story, but a true story to rival any fiction creation. She brought the powerful true story to life through fictitious characters in an intricately woven tale that encompasses four books, accompanying music CDs, and a book of poetry and art.

And now, this author can’t put down the pen. She continues to write fiction in a variety of genres and has published many award-winning short stories and novels. She is an active blogger, a member of the Story Empire group, loves to support indie artists (both literary and musical) and is the grandmother of five beautiful souls. Find out more at http://www.jansikes.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

http://www.jansikes.com

https://www.jansikes.com/blog

https://x.com/JanSikes3

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJanSikesBooks

https://bsky.app/profile/jksikes-author.bsky.social

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jan-sikes

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CS9K8DK  (Author Page)

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7095856.Jan_Sikes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#NewRelease! Balance of Nature by Jacqui Murray #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustread

I’m excited to welcome Jacqui Murray here today to talk about her latest release, “Balance of Nature.” As always with Jacqui’s books, I loved this story. My review is included.

Summary

A tribe haunted by the past. Lies that threaten the future. A reason to find the truth. 

Savage Land is the third trilogy about prehistoric man in the series, Man. Vs. Nature. Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth’s history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Viral tribes of Neanderthals and early man considered themselves apex predators, but that crown belonged to Nature and she was intent on washing the two-legged blight from her lands.

In Balance of Nature, Book Three of the trilogy, Yu’ung’s Neanderthal tribe hopes to settle at Gibraltar but instead find unexpected threats and lethal challenges.
Follow the courageous Yu’ung, the determined Kazeb, the mystical Shanadar, and the pawed-and-clawed Canis as they navigate a perilous world of tribal conflict, unexplained visions, and shifting loyalties. Their journey is a testament to the resilience and strength of true leadership in a sweeping saga that ultimately leads to who we are today.

My Five-Star Review

The prehistoric story continues with many characters I’ve grown to love in the other two books. After surviving everything nature had thrown at them, this story follows two resilient clans. Fierce and his mixed clan have traveled the seas and gotten rid of one problem, just to find another. Having already made contact with another surviving clan, he doesn’t get the welcome he expected. Both clans have to be careful who they trust. Yu’ung is a favorite character, a strong alpha woman who has no problem leading or supplying the clan’s needs. The friendship that developed between her and Kazeb was one of the many things that kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next. The loyal Canis are close to my heart as they protect their clan. Shanadar is fascinating as he guides through wisdom and his vision, where characters from the past still guide the clan. The settings, research, and attention to detail not only educate me but make me feel like I can understand how life used to be. There is survival, family, love, and logic all mixed together perfectly. While I suggest you read the entire series to fully understand the character’s journey, it could be a standalone because they are so well-rounded, and the journey is carefully explained. I highly recommend this book and the series.

Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/b6wG54fV1_0?si=qyi5V6d-DI8o6EuD

Book information

Print, digital, audio soon available: http://a-fwd.com/asin=B0G45MFBWW

Genre: Prehistoric fiction

Editor: Anneli Purchase 

Author bio

Jacqui Murray is the author of the popular prehistoric fiction saga, Man vs. Nature which explores seminal events in man’s evolution one trilogy at a time. She is also author of the Rowe-Delamagente thrillers and Building a Midshipman , the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy. Her non-fiction includes 100+ books on tech into education, and a freelance journalist on tech ed topics.

Social Media contacts

Amazon Author Page:         https://www.amazon.com/Jacqui-Murray/e/B002E78CQQ/

Blog:                                        https://worddreams.wordpress.com

Pinterest:                                http://pinterest.com/askatechteacher

X:                                             http://twitter.com/worddreams

Website:                                 https://jacquimurray.net

 

#NewRelease! “Silverhills’ Rescue” by #SandraCox #writingcommunity #whattoread #mustread

I’m thrilled to have Sandra Cox here today to share her latest book, “Silverhills’ Rescue!” It’s an amazing addition to the Silverhills stories, and my review is included.

Blurb

A marker is called in.

Brandon comes home from a trail drive to find his wife on her way to Mexico to help the mission folk that took her in. Putting herself in danger. Crossing perilous terrain, where not only the weather kills, but Comancheros and bandoleros as well. He climbs back into the saddle and heads out after her. Both of them now embarked on separate journeys that involves killers, flooded arroyos and narrow divides where one misstep means a plunge to certain death. And, if that’s not enough to challenge them, at journey’s end they’ll face the most dangerous situation of all.“This book contains plenty of grit and gunfire, but no graphic violence or explicit scenes.”

Excerpt

July, 1874

The sun hit a blood-red horizon and shot upward in a crown of tangerine brilliance, hurting the eyes, lighting the trail from the top of the canyon to the ranch house like a beacon thrown across the sea.

The early July morning a warm one.

Dust rose as a horse trotted up. Jonas, a young cowhand, reined in his sorrel gelding beside the woman who stood on the veranda. “Rider coming.”

“Is it Brandon?” Hand over her eyes, Alexandria O’Malley Wade strained to make out the narrow trail at the top of the foothill that her husband and their men would come galloping over when they returned from the trail drive. Her tan split-skirt rustled as she leaned against the smooth white-painted railing, trying to get a better view.

Jonas pushed up in his stirrups. Worn leather boots peeping from canvas chaps. “Can’t tell.”

The speck at the top of the canyon grew as it came tumbling down the trail. Her heart thumped and her breath lodged in her throat. Her fingers tingled, her excitement rose.

The speck shifted into a rider.

Anticipation heightened.

Then shriveled. It wasn’t her husband.

The horse was a pinto not the big roan Brandon rode. And even from this distance, she’d know her husband with every fiber of her being.

She heaved a deep breath and waited.

As the rider trotted closer, she slid her hand to the worn wooden handle of her 4.75-inch barrel, single-action, six-cylinder Peacemaker.

Jonas did the same.

She frowned. The pinto looked familiar, but it wasn’t one of theirs.  And instead of a cowboy hat and chaps, the rider wore a sombrero along with a brightly-colored poncho.

Spying her, he yanked the sombrero off his head and waved it.

She recognized the rider and the horse at the same time. Her breath caught then whished out on a mile-wide smile.

“It’s okay, Jonas. I know him.”

Now sure there was no trouble brewing, he nodded, raised his hand to the approaching rider, and putting heels to his horse’s ribs, galloped off.

“Manuel.” She jumped off the porch and ran toward the boy who’d went in search of Brandon when she’d holed up at the mission awaiting the birth of the twins.

He leaped off his horse and grabbed her in a bearhug.

The term boy no longer applied. He was muscled and lean. A man.  A young man, but still a man.

“What are you doing here? Is your family well? Sisters Sarah and Marie? Father Jon?” The questions tumbled over each other.

The smile on his face fell away.

Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. Stomach knotting, she took a step back and waited, dread seeping through her pores.

My Five-Star Review
I have loved the Silverhills series and was excited to see a new story. All the familiar characters are back. When someone from the past arrives seeking help, Alexandra is ready to jump in and assist. Brandon is still away tending cattle, but there are many to watch their twins. She sets out with Manuel and a hand, Charlie, to help the people at the mission who helped her. It’s a long journey, and it doesn’t always go smoothly. I love these characters, and especially Alex. She is strong, kind, stubborn, and willing to put her life on the line for those she cares for. The setting is so beautifully described that it makes me feel like I’m riding along with them. The pace is fast as they go from one situation to another. There was more than once when I thought: Oh no, how will they survive this? Plus, there was a lovesick horse and a desperate puma in the mix. This well-written western was hard to put down, and I can highly recommend it.

Amazon Purchase Link

Author Bio

Sandra, who writes as both S. Cox and Sandra Cox, is an animal lover and avid gardener. She spent a number of years in the Midwest chasing down good Southern BBQ. By the time she moved to North Carolina where Southern BBQ is practically a staple, she’d become a vegetarian.

She and her husband are ruled by four cats and a dog. An award-winning author, her stories consist of all things Western and more.

Sandra can be found at http://www.sandracoxwriter.com

OR http://www.cowboytrivia.blogspot.com

OR https://sandracox.blogspot.com

OR https://www.pinterest.com/scoxauthor/

OR https://www.bsky.app @scoxauthor

OR Amazon.com: Sandra Cox: books, biography, latest update

New Release “The One Redeemed!” #preorder #yvettecalleiro #mustread writingcommunity

I’m thrilled to have Yvette Calleiro here today to share in her good news of the very soon-to-be-released book, “The One Redeemed.” I have loved the entire Diasodz Series, and I’m so excited that the journey continues with Drake.

Diasodz World

Welcome to the world of the Diasodz! Some of you may already be immersed in their world, but for those of you who are new to it, I wanted to share a little bit about it with you. I created this world almost fifteen years ago. It’s still hard to wrap my head around that. Diasodz are special beings who were created by the Goddess to live among humans. Their purpose was to heal and protect humans from evil in the world. Because they aged more slowly than humans, they needed a place to go where they could live a generation or two before coming back to Earth to reassimilate into society.

That is how Caelagios came to be! A lot of research went into creating the species and the world. You will learn about the characters at the next stop on this blog tour. When I was searching for a name for their world, I leaned on Latin and Greek root words. Caelestis is a Latin root word that means heavenly, and hagios is a Greek root word that means sacred, holy, and heavenly. So, I created a heavenly sanctuary for them – Caelagios.

Caelagios has much in common with Earth since Earth is their first home. The environment on Caelagios is more vibrant in color, and the animals are unique to its planet. Though they resemble some animals from Earth, their characteristics are a bit different. For example, a fox would have reflective fur so it blends into its surroundings easily. Birds have multi-colored feathers, and butterflies have iridescent wings. Swans are larger than those on Earth, and some are even golden in color.

Houses appear to be modest from the outside. Once inside, the house expands to include multiple floors and wings. Diasodz use portals to get from one place to the other. There are private portals within the home with restrictions on who can use them and public portals in main areas available to everyone.

Most importantly, in Caelagios, Diasodz can use their Goddess-given magic in most places. Their powers are restricted in the High Council’s courtroom and in the Elders’ presence. Using their powers freely allows them to perfect their skills without worrying about humans discovering them.

As beautiful and free as Caelagios is, it was never meant to be a permanent home for Diasodz. When they began treating it as such, their powers began to fade. And that led to the beginning of the series – the Diasodz had to fulfill the prophecy that claimed their powers could be restored if they could find the savior who could heal them all.

Thank you for joining me in learning a bit about the Diasodz’s world.

Blurb

Drake had been an agent for chaos, a tyrant who focused only on his desires, even when they hurt those he claimed to love the most. Would dying to protect his daughter redeem him? Or would he spend an eternity reliving his biggest regrets?

Electrifying pain coursed through Drake’s veins as he sacrificed his life to save his daughter. When he becomes conscious again, reality sets in. He is dead. While he is overcome with grief, his mortal enemy, Goddess, offers him a path to redemption. In order to find his way back to his children, he must first revisit his past and atone for his choices. The journey will be brutal, and his outcome is not guaranteed.

Failure is not an option for Drake. He will do anything to get back to his children to make amends for his actions, even if it means sacrificing himself all over again.

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5HZX97B/

To follow along The One Redeemed Tour, please visit the author’s blog. Thanks for supporting Yvette M Calleiro and her work!

Author Bio:

Yvette M. Calleiro is the author of the Chronicles of the Diasodz fantasy series, HYPE, and a couple of short stories. As a heavily addicted reader of both young adult and adult novels, she spends most of her time pseudo-living in paranormal worlds with her fictional friends (and boyfriends).

When she’s living among real people, Yvette M. Calleiro is a middle school Reading and Language Arts teacher. She’s been sharing her love of literature with her students for over twenty years. Besides writing about the various characters that whisper (and sometimes scream) in her head, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, spending quality time with family and friends, and enjoying the beauty of the ocean.

Although an avid traveler, Yvette lives in Miami, Florida, with her incredible son who has embraced her love for paranormal and adventurous stories. She also shares her space with an assortment of crazy saltwater animals in her 300-gallon tank.

Amazon Links:

Hype – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L7BFNXG

The One Discovered (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 1) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I4L2Q40

The One Enlightened (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 2) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R0QI51I

The One Betrayed (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 3) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0191O1892

The One Revealed (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 4) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01NBKJHIO

The One Awakened (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 5) – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0781WT73J

The One Redeemed (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 6) – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5HZX97B/

The One Chosen – A Diasodz Short Story – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0986Q6P1D

Breathless – A Short Story – https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BLVDHQX

Karma Doesn’t Kill – https://www.amazon.com/Karma-Doesnt-Kill-Yvette-Calleiro-ebook/dp/

A Christmas Homecoming – https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Homecoming-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B0DQK23BT8

Escaping the Woods: A Short Story – https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Woods-Short-Yvette-Calleiro-ebook/dp/B0B558WVKX

 

Amazon Author Page – https://www.amazon.com/Yvette-M-Calleiro/e/B00I4RJMUU

 

Social Media Links:

Author Blog: http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/YvetteMCalleiro

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvettemcalleiro

Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/yvettemcalleiro.bsky.social

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7800735.Yvette_M_Calleiro

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/ycalleiro

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvette-calleiro-7303846/

 

Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour Day Nine #NoelleGranger #writingcommunity #newrelease

Today is the ninth day of the Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour. We are visiting the supportive and talented Noelle A. Granger. She has a catalog that includes historical fiction and mysteries. I went back and forth between two books to share here today. The Last Pilgrim is amazing and a must-read, but the first book I read by Noelle was Death by Pumpkin. This is the one I’m going to share today, as it introduced me to her great writing. Who could pass up a title like that? So before we move on to today’s post, here’s my review.

NOTE: I am having a technical issue on my end with today’s blog post stop. I can’t directly respond to comments; I can only leave a general comment. I apologize and have tried three different browsers. I did respond, but as a general comment, and I appreciate all comments. So you won’t be notified of my response, but it’s there separately 🙂 Sorry for any issues, but do stop by and visit. Noelle has really rolled out the red carpet!

Death by Pumpkin: A Rhe Brewster Mystery (Rhe Brewster Mysteries Book 3) 

My five-star review:

“Death by Pumpkin” is the third in the Rhe Brewster Books. Although this is the first I’ve read of this series, I found it very easy to follow along and get to know the characters. Rhe is a nurse and works for the police department while being a widowed mom. The story starts out with an unusual death and Rhe involved in the investigation. Soon it becomes apparent there is more to this and an unknown danger lurking. While Rhe struggles with being a mom, nurse and working to be an investigator, she questions her love life and feelings. There are many exciting parts and twists, including an airplane ride where it was obvious there was a lot of research put into it. I love Rhe’s character and her caring but inquisitive side while being a protective mother to her son and good friend and relative. She focused on not only solving a crime but protecting her brother-in-law and friend Sam’s job. This is a wonderfully written cozy whodunit that weaves in relationships, making it a page turner. I will definitely be reading more Rhe Brewster stories and can easily recommend this one.

TODAY’S BLOG POST LINK

 

Miracles & Ghosts Blog Tour Stop Six! #DarleneFoster #writingcommunity #newrelease

Today is day six of the Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour, and we’re visiting Darlene Foster. This supportive author has not only created a wonderful character, Amanda, for middle grade readers and us adults, but also written a beautiful memoir that captivated me as my grandmother was born in Alberta. Darlene shares her adventures and always offers a kind word. If you haven’t read anything by Darlene, you are missing some good reading. Before you head over to the blog post, check out one of my favorites and review.

My five-star review:

“You Can Take The Girl From The Prairie” is a heartwarming collection that glimpses into the author’s life of what it was like growing up in Southern Alberta in the 1950s and 60s. I have always had a curiosity about Alberta since my grandmother was born there in the 1920s. The heartwarming stories had me either laughing or shedding a few tears, and immediately drew me in. Ms. Foster’s family didn’t have all the extras that others had, but she was blessed with a beautiful childhood full of love. I loved the relationship between not only her and her grandmother, but her father, too. It wasn’t always an easy life and there was heartbreak along with the celebrations, but this was a family that was always there for each other. I read this in one sitting and can only hope there are more stories to come. I can highly recommend these stories.

BLOG TOUR STOP SIX

New Release! “Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog” by Darlene Foster #newrelease #mustread

I’m thrilled to be sharing here today, “Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog” a new release by the amazing Darlene Foster. It’s a fun read, see my review below.

BLURB

Twelve-year-old Amanda Jane Ross is invited to be a bridesmaid for her cousin’s wedding in Ireland! She falls in love with the Emerald Isle the moment she lands in Dublin. The warm, friendly Irish people immediately make her feel at home. Towering castles, ancient graveyards, and the stunning green countryside are filled with fascinating legends, enthralling folktales, and alarming secrets.

Things take a dark turn when disaster strikes. Amanda wonders if there will be a wedding at all. As she joins the search for a missing horse, she stumbles upon a world of screaming banshees, bloody battles, and dangerous peat bogs. The closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous things become. Will she become another body in the bog?

Amanda in Ireland VIDEO LINK

EXCERPT

“I-I’m a bit claustrophobic and that looks like a very
narrow opening.”
“It’s not that tight, and once you’re through, it opens up.
Look, if I can fit through it, you can. I’m bigger than you.”
Amanda nodded. “OK, I guess so.”
She gingerly made her way up to her cousin. He went
through the opening first, turning sideways and crouching
down. Amanda took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and
squeezed through, her heart hammering in her chest.
She felt a breeze and opened her eyes, realizing she had
made it through, although it was very dark. “Taylor!” she
shouted. “Are you in here?”
No answer.
Her chest tightened as she started to panic. Goosebumps
slid along the back of her neck. Then she saw a faint light and
shouted, “Taylor.”
“Over here!” He waved his phone. “Be careful, hold on to
the wall.”

Amanda made her way to the light, hugging the cool wall
until she got to her cousin. “That light isn’t very bright.”

“I forgot to charge my phone and I’m running low on
power. You’ll have to stick close to me. There’s a place I want to
check out. It’s actually a large chamber, but hard to get to unless
you know it’s there.” Taylor turned and started walking, leaving
her in the dark again.
Amanda could hear the drip-drip of water as she felt her
way along the wall. She tried to follow the outline of her
cousin, but his cell phone light got dimmer and dimmer. Soon
it was almost totally dark.
“Taylor, Taylor, are you still here?”
He didn’t answer. Amanda felt an opening in the wall. Did
he turn here or go straight?
“Taylor, I don’t know which way to go.”
Amanda felt tears well up. Trembling, she thought of Tom
Sawyer and Becky Thatcher lost in the underground caves for
three days.
She listened for an answer but only heard the constant
dripping. And then she heard something else. It was faint, but
it sounded like a horse snorting.

MY FIVE-STAR REVIEW

Twelve-year-old Amanda is off to Ireland to be a bridesmaid in her cousin’s wedding. As she falls in love with Ireland, so do I. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to visit, and I got a beautiful glimpse of it through the lush descriptions and interesting history. Amanda feels immediately welcomed and starts exploring, but she finds herself in another mystery. First, there’s a missing horse, and then the bride. As she sets out to figure out what happened, there are a few not-so-nice people who don’t want her to. I love how I was captured from the very first page; plus, it was easy to get to know the characters, even if you’ve never read one before. Although it is intended for middle-grade readers, I also enjoy this adventure. I can highly recommend this story for children and adults who love clean mysteries, history, amazing scenery, and great characters.

PURCHASE LINK FOR AMANDA IN IRELAND

 

Author Bio

Darlene Foster grew up on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, where her love of reading inspired her to see the world and write stories.  Her Amanda Travels series features spunky Amanda Ross, a twelve-year-old girl who loves to travel. All ages enjoy following Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another in unique destinations. Darlene is retired and has a house in Spain where she writes full-time. Her constant interest and enthusiasm for everything keep her young at heart. When not travelling, meeting interesting people, and collecting ideas for her books, Darlene enjoys spending time with her family in Canada and with her husband and entertaining dogs in Spain.

Author Links

Website 

Blog 

Facebook 

Twitter/X 

Bluesky 

Instagram 

Amazon

Goodreads 

Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour Day Four #JanSikes #writingcommunity #newrelease

Today is day four of the Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour, and I’m visiting the very supportive Jan Sikes. I was first introduced to Jan right after I published my first book, and I found that she is one of the first to jump in to help.  The beautiful image she sent me of an angel and a bear is my screensaver, and a story is still to come from it. If you haven’t read her memoirs, short stories, or novels, you are missing out. Before you head over to the blog post, I’d like to share one of my favorites of Jan here.

by Jan Sikes 

My 5-star review:

Layken returns from fighting in World War ll and finds that his family’s farm is about to be foreclosed. After the bank turns down his loan extension request, Layken is presented with another option – to marry the unwanted and badly treated daughter of the bank man to get two years to catch up on the loan. At first, Layken refuses but then sees that he has no choice if he is to honor his parents and family that has lived on the land. A quick wedding leaves two strangers living together. This beautifully written story offers hope and second chances in grim situations. What shines through is the friendships that are developed and honored, especially between Sara Beth and Layken. I had a soft spot for Sara Beth’s bunny and the person who borrowed food from them. In the middle of selfishness, greed, and cruelty, we are reminded of the goodness in people too, including when neighbors show up to lend a helping hand. When things seem hopeless, there is always a small glimmer of light. The setting on the farm is lush. I could picture living there and smell that blackberry pie cooking. The story skillfully incorporated tarot card reading and music in a natural way that I love. I am eager to continue the story of the inhabitants of this small farm. I highly recommend this heartwarming story!

BLOG TOUR POST STOP FOUR

Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour Day Three! #MiriamHurdle #writingcommunity #newrelease

Today is day three of the Miracles & Ghosts Past Tour. I’m visiting with the supportive Miriam Hurdle today. She has given us an inspiring memoir, a beautiful poetry collection, and an entertaining children’s book. Before you head over, I’d like to share a review of a book that not only inspired me but reminded me that miracles are always possible.

My 5-star review:

“The Winding Road” is a heartfelt memoir that takes the reader through a cancer diagnosis to the outcome. I felt like I was experiencing this journey with Ms. Hurdle, as she not only talks about how she is feeling, but how she had to deal with insurance, appointments, and the physical toll of the treatments. Once Ms. Hurdle learned how rare and deadly the cancer was, a decision was made to try experimental treatments for six months. I’m not sure I could have handled what she endured. Being so ill during the treatments with no guarantees would be hard, but a strong will to live shined through and balanced that out. This was a painful insight into the reality of cancer, mixed with her belief that life is precious, that left me inspired and full of hope. A read that not only shows us the darker side of life when illness strikes, but how the love and support of family and friends can help carry some of that heavy burden. A highly recommended
story that can inspire anyone going through not only illness but other challenges.

BLOG TOUR POST STOP THREE

Miracles & Ghosts Past Blog Tour Day Two #SandraCox #writingcommunity #newrelease

Today I’m visiting Sandra Cox’s blog. She is not only supportive but also helps me out with insightful beta reads. Plus, she’s always there to offer any other needed input with her wit and kindness. Before heading over to the post, if you haven’t read her vast collection of work, I highly recommend it. Here’s one of my favorites and the review:

by S. Cox
My 5-star Review
“Keeper Tyree” is a fast-paced western that focuses on revenge. Keeper is a bounty hunter who has a reputation with women and fast draws. A widow, Cathleen, approaches him to find the man who killed her son. He reluctantly agrees to help her. After meeting Cathleen’s father and daughter, he sets off to find this criminal and collect his bounty. He doesn’t expect to be followed, though. I love the story is told from only Keeper’s POV and found it fascinating to see things from his perspective. There was good chemistry between Keeper and Cathleen with fun dialog. The settings were vivid, bringing me right into the story. I love the people they came across on this journey. A favorite became Maybell and her group. The action began immediately and never let up. This was a page-turner that I read in two sittings and would have in one if I hadn’t needed to sleep. It was nice to see a nod to another bounty hunter from a past book. If you love westerns with some romance and good characters, this book is for you. I highly recommend it.
  • 9-24 John Howell
  • 9-26 Sandra Cox
  • 10-1 Miriam Hurdle
  • 10-8 Jan Sikes
  • 11-5 Lauren Scott
  • 11-6 Darlene Foster
  • 11-12 Diana Peach
  • 11-20 Robbie Cheadle
  • 12-3 Noelle Granger
  • 12-4 Colleen Chesebro