Tag: angels

Cover release and preorder “Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection Two #holidayreading #writingcommunity #shortstories

I’m excited to announce the upcoming release of Miracle & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection Two on September 24th, which is my youngest granddaughter’s ninth birthday and three months from Christmas Eve. I will be spreading the blog tour from the release to December. I’m thankful for all the support and blog hosts! Here’s the schedule, and below is the book video:

  • 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

I’ve done my last few videos on Canva. It’s fairly easy and makes a simple video to share. I like that there are plenty of backgrounds and fonts to choose from. I looked around their music selection but didn’t find anything I liked. So I used my past music from my husband. So here it is!

BLURB

Miracles saturate the sweet-scented Christmas season—a reminder we aren’t alone.

Miracles & Ghosts Past: A Christmas Collection brings eight stories from past holidays. Rita buys train tickets for her and Morris’s 30th anniversary in the novelette, “The Christmas Train Mystery.” She’s convinced this trip will bring her and Morris closer—if he can find the time. A murder mystery excursion will change Rita’s life in more ways than one, but will she go with her workaholic husband or by herself? In the first short story, “Christmas Rescue,” Opal trusts the wrong man and loses her mother in the same year, leaving her feeling lost. On a mission to get candles for the dinner table, she makes an unexpected find. “Is There a Santa?” goes back to the 1920s, where a widower is desperate to hold on to his farm and children. He doesn’t want charity, just a bit of luck or a miracle. In the final stories, you’ll meet an eleven-year-old who’s home alone, a family living in the aftermath of war, a girl who gets some shocking news, a widow with a warning from beyond, and a woman trapped on an elevator with Santa. Hope underlies these stories; it endures even in the direst of circumstances. Whether help comes from a ghost, Santa, or an angel, miracles are just within reach.

Universal Purchase Link

 

Miracles and Ghosts: Words Hurt #excerpt #preorder #christmasstories #family #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #holidayreading

Hi 🙂

I’m doing a short tour for the Miracles and Ghosts release and have included the stops at the bottom of this post.

During the tour, I will discuss six of the stories and release a new book trailer, but that left two stories not covered. So I’m going to do that here.

Today I will be covering Words Hurt and an excerpt.

Sally is estranged from her family after some hurtful words were said during the Thanksgiving dinner. She’s also lost her boyfriend through that. This leaves her and Ellie her bichon frise alone Christmas Eve. Her plans for a quiet holiday though are interrupted with bad news.

Excerpt

Words Hurt 

Sally MacNei decorated the white-lit faux tree with blue ornaments while listening to her favorite Christmas album. She found comfort in savoring her hot chocolate topped with marshmallows from a Santa face mug decorated with sparkles. Nevertheless, no matter how festive she made it, the holiday season was destined to be anything but normal. Not after what had happened at her sister’s Thanksgiving table.

She sighed, finished her beverage, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand like her niece, Maggie, did. Maggie was the only person she missed, but she’d make it up to her if they let her.

“I sent Maggie the gifts, anyway. Plus, I’m sure that family we adopted this year will enjoy the little extra gifts we sent them, right, Ellie?”

The little dog peeked from behind the Christmas tree. She blinked her gentle brown eyes and settled in for a nap like a fluffy snowflake. “Glad you agree. Don’t knock anything off the tree,” she cautioned the impeccably groomed bichon frise with the fake diamond collar.

Sally placed the blue snowflake gift bag full of new squeaky toys for Ellie under the tree. That bag wouldn’t make it until morning. Her coworkers had given her gifts, but the absence of the presents she had bought for her family made the tree feel incomplete.

Although it wasn’t her fault, she’d make the best of it. Being alone had its benefits, like eating whatever she wanted. She was looking forward to the organic Christmas feast for two she’d pick up later. It came with a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, and gravy. She’d skipped the green beans and gone with double stuffing and real wheat rolls. The dessert was her favorite apple pie instead of traditional pumpkin. She planned on lots of leftovers.

“It will be fun, Ellie.”

The dog’s ears perked, but she didn’t open her eyes.

“After dinner we can watch all the sappy holiday movies we want. Perfect day, if you ask me.”

She pushed down the thought that “sad” might be a more accurate description.

Blurb

Miracles and Ghosts: A Christmas Collection’s eight tales bring light in the darkest of circumstances. In the novelette, A Perfect Ghostly Christmas, Julie has survived the foster care system and finally comes home. She now owns her grandparents’ house and has received an offer that appears too good to be true. On top of that, the family she felt had abandoned her during her difficult times has reentered her life. But it’s the otherworldly experiences that lead her to something her grandparents left behind. This discovery changes everything and opens a door to danger. The seven short stories explore fractured families, a widower’s loneliness, a mall shooting, financial struggles, strained relationships, woodland kittens, and a woman haunted by a red truck. Whether it’s a ghost, an angel, or Santa, some unseen force is there to provide help when needed. A reminder in the busy holiday season or anytime we are never alone, and miracles are possible.

PREORDER:

AMAZON US

AMAZON UK

 

Blog Tour Schedule for Miracles and Ghosts

Sandra Cox: November 1st A Perfect Ghostly Christmas

Liz Gauffreau:  November 5th Miracle in ER

John Howell: November 6th A Man and His Cat

Colleen Chesebro: November 7th At the Mall & video

Jacqui Murray: November 12th The Red Truck

Jan Sikes: November 13th Christmas Reunion

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! D. L. Finn

Cover reveal, Pre-order and blog host request! #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #preorder #coverreveal

I’m excited to announce the upcoming release of a short story collection: “In the Tree’s Shadow.”

For those who didn’t see it in my newsletter, here’s the cover:

Blurb

(It might change a bit before the release)

A collection of short stories where dreams and nightmares co-exist.

Nestled inside these pages, you’ll meet a couple in their golden years who take a trip with an unexpected detour, a boy desperate to give his brother the Christmas gift he asked for, a girl with a small glass dragon who is at the mercy of her cruel uncles, or a young mother who has the same dream about murder. You’ll be introduced to worlds where people get second chances and monsters might be allowed their desires while angels and dragons try to help. Happy endings occur, but perspective can blur the line between good and evil in these twenty-seven tales. Since the stories vary between 99 to 12k words, whether you have only five minutes or an entire evening to settle into reading, there is something that will suit your time and taste.

Universal Amazon Preorder LINK

 

The release date is April 17th.

ONE MORE THING!

BLOG TOUR

Thanks everyone! The spots have been filled. I will contact you. xo

I won’t have the post ready until end of March.  I’m going to be busy for a while with the grandkids so I’m getting things done ahead of time. More on that later.

Thank you 🙂

September Book Reviews Part 3 and UPDATES @Sandra_Cox @JacqBiggar @Dwallacepeach #writingcommunity #whattoread #readersoftwitter #bookreviews

The Necromancer’s Daughter

By Wallace Peach

Aster is the necromancer’s daughter. She and her queen-mother die when Aster is born. The healer, Barus, sees the baby and steals her away to bring her back to life. The king stays in the background but watches as the healer raises this girl as his own because he knows no one would accept a child brought back to life. When the King finally approaches Aster, his only heir, he triggers his enemies to act, who upends her peaceful life as a healer. Determined to set things right and help Barus, Aster sets off to find help. I love the people she meets along her journey, especially when she crosses the mountain. The son of her enemy is a very complex character. Although he helps her more than once, his upbringing and devotion to the Blessed One aren’t too far behind and weigh him down. Aster shows what genuine goodness is over those who use it to seek power. Even if Aster’s actions aren’t popular, her innocence and ability to do the right thing guide her through some dark times. This is a fantasy filled with magic, danger, love, loyalty, fantastic imagery, and dragons that I can highly recommend.

The Guardian Mended Souls #1

By Jacquie Biggar

After a horrible crash that killed three adults and an unborn baby, Scott tries to regain his life. He has money and fame but lost a best friend and sister. Needing closure, he goes to see the bodies but runs into the Medical Examiner, Tracy, and a badly hurt dog. This throws them together while someone seems determined to add to the body count. On the other side is Scott’s best friend, Lucas, who is now an angel and is placed with a surly partner to help people. Lucas was the driver and carried the guilt of being responsible for the accident, but he also has depth and humor mixed in. He doesn’t understand what is required from him as he navigates this afterworld. I felt for all characters’ loss and appreciated the wit weaved into it. There is redemption and learning for these characters, plus some needed justice and forgiveness. I can’t wait to read the next book to see what happens next. A fast-paced paranormal romance with second chances I can easily recommend.

Amulets #2 Rose Quartz

By Sandra Cox

Amulets #1 followed Maureen and her journey, “Rose Quartz,” focuses on her new friend, Bella. Back home, Bella quickly finds out that the killer being in jail doesn’t keep her or her amulet safe. She’s a painter gifted with beauty and creativity from her stones and has the help of Maureen’s ranch hand, Hank. He is the ultimate cowboy she is trying not to fall for but is used to using her charms and looks to get what she wants, which doesn’t go over well with him. Bella is a fun character who quickly discovers she can’t take on a madman alone. This leads her back to old friends she desperately needs and the introduction to another woman gifted with an amulet. I love the relationship developing between Hank and Bella and was rooting for them to work it out. This series is not only about the women wearing the amulets but a strong group of friends that look out for each other, especially when a madman is determined to be a god. Another fun read with love, magic, friendship, and danger perfectly mixed in for those who enjoy a paranormal romance.

I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right to leave a review in that case. Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

UPDATES

  • I ‘ve been hosting many great new releases in the past couple of weeks. Watch for one this week that you don’t want to miss!
  • I will be sending out my September Newsletter on the 20th. If you are subcribed watch for it in your email. I have a brand new book of the month you don’t want to miss. I read a lot and love sharing some of those great reads. My picks are booked until the until end of 2023 .
  • My “Books That Changed Me” goes out on the 22nd or first day of fall. That will post here. These are books that have stayed with me after reading them. You’ve already seen the reviews here but they are well worth a second share. If you have missed any of the past posts, I have them here on my site so you can catch up and maybe find a great new read! This is the closest you will get to my picks for books of the year.
  • The air has been hazardous on and off here. Makes it hard to think or function sometimes, even if I stay indoors with my air purifers running. So, sometimes I can’t write or do the things I want to like visit blogs, not because I don’t want to but it’s hard to focus. Luckily the fires haven’t come our way so far. I’m looking forward to the predicted rain the next couple of days. I hope it keeps coming and we can end this fire year early, instead of November. You’d think this would be normal for me after 32 years living in the forest, but the worries have ramped up the last few years. Hopefully the drought will take a nice long break.
  • And I’m feeling much better. Although, I am helping out some family members that requires more of my time, but glad I am able to do it.

Embrace your inner child by reading an enchanting story! D. L. Finn