Posted in Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews

Review and Giveaway for The Sugar Baron’s Ring

About the Book

Book:  The Sugar Baron’s Ring

Author: Lorri Dudley

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2020

A ring is her only tie to a distant homeland, until a marooned Englishman anchors her heart.

Hannah Rose Barrington is the island misfit. Orphaned at a young age, Hannah struggles to provide for her future, while her guardian, a weak-hearted island drunk, bleeds Hannah of her father’s inheritance. Caught between the classes of elite planters and white beggars, Hannah yearns to find a place to belong.

University life has never been Bradlee Granville’s forte. His only hope to graduate is to impress his professors by documenting his travels. After claiming unforeseeable circumstances, he delays his final exams and sets out early on his Grand Tour. However, when his ship wrecks off the coast of the Leeward Islands, Bradlee is left without means to return to England, a mounting deadline, and ruined journals.

When Hannah rescues passengers from a ship breaking apart in the bay, she’s unexpectedly drawn to the witty charm of one of the men. Helping him settle into island life will be a pleasure. However, as creditors, like sharks, begin to circle and her guardian’s desperation becomes life threatening, Hannah finds herself in need of rescue. Will Bradlee look past her pitiful situation to see who she truly is—the sugar baron’s daughter?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

The very beginning of this book caught my attention with an impending shipwreck about to happen to Bradlee.  Hannah, living on the island, sees what is happening to the ship and rushes to rescue as many people as she can.  I can not imagine what it would be like to know your parents died in a shipwreck years ago, and then see another shipwreck happen before your own eyes.

From the very beginning, Bradlee and Hannah seem to need each other to have a bright future.  Hannah has had a hard life, but God and her faith have gotten her through it all.  She shows the strength we can receive from God.

Having a guardian squandering her inheritance breaks my heart for Hannah.  Truly, she deserves happiness and more.

Bradlee seems to flounder in life as well as in the water when the shipwreck.  But when Hannah needs him the most, he steps up and demonstrates courage.

So check out this book for yourself.  I definitely recommend it

I received a complimentary copy of this book from CelebrateLit, this in no way influenced my review.  All opinions are my own.

 

About the Author

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master’s degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone filled household. Find her online at www.lorridudley.com.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Lorri

The Sugar Baron’s Ring is the third book in the Leeward Island series. My heroine is caught between social classes as the daughter of a sugar baron and an impoverished white beggar since her guardian sold her inheritance to pay his debts. To generate the feeling of being a misfit, I delved back to those awkward years of middle and high school, where we often struggle to discover where we belong. Before my senior year, my family and I moved to New England for a job change. I’d had a great group of friends at my old school, but at my new school, I was a stranger—an outsider—trying to find acceptance, much like Hannah.

Bradlee, the hero, on the other hand, was fashioned in a completely different manner. At my house, the slang terms “bruh” and “noob” are tossed around by my three boys, along with constant fraternal teasing. A lot of their sarcastic wit and camaraderie are portrayed through Bradlee and his grand tour companion, Colin. Their light-hearted banter depicts the tight bonds of a deep relationship where faults may be mocked, but offenses are overlooked, and if ever in trouble, they have each other’s backs. Hannah is drawn to Bradlee, craving a similar connection but loses her heart to him in the process.

The first opening scene came about because my family loves Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. After binge-watching practically every episode, I knew my hero and heroine would meet under the duress of a shiny, steel-gray fin plowing through the water. (Queue the Jaws theme song.) However, our resourceful heroine contains the strength to rescue the hero as opposed to the other way around.

All these things, being a misfit, teasing, and shark attacks, playout in a grander scheme to show how God never leaves us nor forsakes us. He’s laying out the pieces of our happily-ever-after while developing our character and purpose. The Sugar Baron’s Ring demonstrates how God’s light shines bright even in the darkness.

To learn more, check out my website at lorridudley.com or click here to watch The Sugar Baron’s Ring book trailerhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWRQr3drZY8&feature=youtu.be

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, June 23

A Baker’s Perspective, June 23

For Him and My Family, June 24

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 24

Texas Book-aholic, June 25

Genesis 5020, June 25

Daysong Reflections, June 25

Inklings and notions, June 26

Rebecca Tews, June 26

Betti Mace, June 27

Remembrancy, June 27

Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 28

deb’s Book Review, June 28

For the Love of Literature, June 29

Britt Reads Fiction, June 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 29

Kat’s Corner Books, June 30

She Lives To Read, June 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 1

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, July 1

Reading Is My SuperPower, July 2

Emily Yager, July 2

Pause for Tales, July 2

KarenSueHadley, July 3

Books, Life, and Christ, July 3

Blossoms and Blessings, July 4

Read Review Rejoice, July 4

Artistic Nobody, July 5 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Batya’s Bits, July 5

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, July 6

Hallie Reads, July 6

Life of Literature, July 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lorri is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon 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/fcd4/the-sugar-baron-s-ring-celebration-tour-giveaway

Posted in Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews, Uncategorized

Review and Giveaway for Chemicals And Christians

About the Book

Book:  Chemicals and Christians

Author: Martha McLaughlin

Genre: Non-fiction

Release Date: January 31, 2020

“Just because you’re set apart doesn’t mean you’re set aside.”

Martha McLaughlin and her husband served as international missionaries for 10 years, ministering in a variety of ways, including helping to identify unreached people groups. When her physical breakdown forced them to return to the USA, she feared it was the end of her missionary journey. But instead, God told her, “Just because you’re set apart doesn’t mean you’re set aside.”

Today Martha feels called to try to help a different kind of unreached people group: the isolated sufferers of toxic illness, a growing but largely invisible population. Yet, like the canaries once used in coal mines to detect poisonous gases, they are a wake-up call to the effects of the thousands of chemicals used daily in our modern society.

Expertly researched and written, Chemicals and Christians: Compassion and Caution is loaded with valuable information and biblical counsel for hope and avoiding harm in our increasingly chemicalized environment. It provides steps for biblical health management, offers practical resources, and shows Christians ways to help.

 

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

My Thoughts

Basically as long as I can remember I have suffered from scents, so I could definitely relate to the message of this book.  it took a long time to get my mother to accept that I could not be around her if she wore perfume, hair spray, or other things with a strong scent.

I loved how this book integrated the person suffereing from the extreme chemical reactions with real instances of what Christians were doing to those who suffer. I also appreciate how the author took the time to go into great detail about the various stages of dealing with the horrific and deadly affects of chemicals being used in our world.

This book should be read by every Christian to help them understand how we as the body of Christ need to do better for our fellow Christians.  The time and research that went ino this book appear clearly throughout the pages.

I believe we as members of the body of Christ need to minister to these individuals and work to improve things so the quality of life for those suffering from Chemical illnesses can be improved.

So check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

 

 

About the Author

A professional writer since 2006 with a BS and an MEd, Martha has had more than 500 articles published. Alongside her husband, she served as a missionary in South America from the late ‘80s through the late ‘90s. A widow with two young adult sons, Martha lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and enjoys outdoor activities.

 

 

More from Martha

When people talk about taking the road less traveled, the implication is generally that there was a choice involved. I’ve made choices at times to wander down lonely trails, such as deciding to become a missionary and move to a country in crisis. Water and electricity were rationed, grocery store shelves were empty, a cholera epidemic raged, the president disbanded congress, inflation hit 10,000 percent, and active terrorist bombing shook our house on a regular basis. Most mission organizations and all non-essential embassy personnel left the country and those of us who chose to stay found ourselves on a very sparsely populated path.

At other times in my life I’ve ended up on roads less traveled not by any decision of my own, but by circumstances beyond my control. During my decade of missionary service, my health steadily declined and I was forced to return to the States to look for help. It wasn’t easy to find, but I eventually learned that Lyme disease, mold exposure, and the chemical onslaughts of a third-world megacity had overwhelmed my detoxification system. I discovered I could climb out of bed and function if I avoided anything that would make my full metaphorical barrel of toxins overflow. I also discovered that was much easier to do in theory than in practice because of the overabundance of untested and unregulated chemicals in common, everyday products.

My health condition introduced me to a world of chemically sensitive people, all of us living isolated lives, unable to safely access most medical care, shopping, schools, and churches. I’d been deeply saddened at having to leave the mission field and wondered why God had removed my ability to serve, but not the sense of call I felt. I gradually began to understand that I still had a calling, but to a different population. I felt God asking me to speak for people who are generally unseen and unheard. I want the Christian church to not only see us, but to find ways to open their doors and provide the spiritual nourishment and connection we so desperately need.

As I was discovering the needs of the chemically sensitive population, I was also learning how quickly it’s growing and how easy it is for anyone to join. I began to understand the connection between everyday chemical exposures and common mental and physical health conditions and symptoms. So the other side of my call is to warn healthy people, or those who haven’t yet connected their chemical exposures and health complaints, that it’s wise to be careful – that being a good steward of the physical body doesn’t just mean getting eating, sleeping, exercise, and relaxation right, but that avoiding toxins is a huge piece of the puzzle.

I’m not someone who always had a burning desire to write a book. I wrote it because I had something to say and a conviction that God wanted me to say it. I want healthy people to stay that way, and I want chemically ill people to be seen, heard, and reached with God’s love. My deep desire is for Chemicals and Christians to help save people from unnecessary suffering.

 

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, June 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 23

Vicky Sluiter, June 24 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 25

Texas Book-aholic, June 26

My Devotional Thoughts, June 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, June 28

Splashes of Joy, June 29

For the Love of Literature, June 30 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, July 1

Lots of Helpers, July 2

Artistic Nobody, July 3 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, July 3

Godly Book Reviews, July 4

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, July 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Martha is giving away the grand prize of a $30 Amazon 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/fcd3/chemicals-and-christians-celebration-tour-giveaway

Posted in Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews, Uncategorized

Review and Giveaway for Victoria Grace The Jerk Face

About the Book

Book:  Victoria Grace: The Jerkface

Author: S.E. Clancy

Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary

Release Date: June 15, 2020

Ever since Tori Weston and MamaBear were abandoned by her dad, finances have been tighter than a new pair of skinny jeans. As if keeping her grades up for scholarships and working every spare moment weren’t enough, Tori gets suckered into visiting a retirement home and paired with ancient resident Marigold Williams. After learning she’s the only one to visit Marigold in decades, Tori becomes a regular at Willow Springs. Besides, someone has to help with her history homework.

Corbin Dallas barges into Tori’s life with a prosthetic leg and a dimple, working his way into her hectic schedule. Though she tries to deny it, there’s something beyond his Texan drawl that gets Tori hoping she’s more than his sidekick. Together, they race to find Marigold’s missing family before she fades away. Tori ditches her soul-sucking job, along with her dreams of having a paint-peeled clunker to call her own, in order to help her friend one last time.

 

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

What happens when a teenaged girl living with her mom volunteers at a retirement home and meets an elderly woman who has no one else visiting her?  Add in a teenaged boy who just moved to the area, and things get interesting.  Enough details are given to keep the story interesting while not so much that it bogs the story down.

As a homeschooling mother, I always love finding new young adult novels for my children to read.  This book does an excellent job of conveying the difficulties a mom deserted by her husband, and her daughter actually encounter because finances are tight.  Perhaps because I am estranged from my own father and my daughter has never met her maternal grandfather, this book really spoke to me.

I loved how Tori refers to her mother as “Mama Bear”.  The relationship between her mom and herself helps bring Victoria’s story to life.  I loved reading about the “rollercoaster” of emotions and thoughts as Victoria and her new friend Corbin set out to find Marigold’s family.

So check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.

 

About the Author

S.E. Clancy (aka Sarah) is a bit of a sci-fi nerd, geek, and self-proclaimed dork. There isn’t much she won’t try at least once…unless it involves mayonnaise, because that stuff is just gross. You can learn more about her at seclancy.com.

 

 

 

More from S.E.

Victoria Grace the Jerkface started as a short story after I’d listened to my favorite song by Nat King Cole: The Christmas Song. I’d overheard a teenager say, “I don’t even know what a chestnut is.” I typed that into a note on my phone because it struck a chord. Within days, a photographer named Tom Hussey issued a series called “Reflections” that featured elderly people gazing into mirrors and seeing their younger selves. That same night, one of my children asked for a project to earn school credits. Like flint to tinder, the idea of this teenager who didn’t know what a chestnut was having to visit an older person left in a care home began to grow.

To add in a bit of my mom and myself to the story, I had my main character Tori (Victoria Grace) love her mom’s meatloaf. It’s a recipe that my mom used from her grandma, an amazing woman we called Grandma Ted.

Ted’s Meatloaf

  • 1 pound thawed ground beef or turkey
  • 1 packet of dry onion soup mix
  • 1 – 2 heels of bread torn into dime-sized pieces (1 for turkey, 2 for beef)
  • 1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a single bowl. Works best if you use your hands, but mix really well if you use a spoon to incorporate all of the ingredients.

Spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray. Do not use parchment paper—no one wants a soggy bottom. Plop the entire mixture into the pan and place into the middle of the oven. Cook for an hour.

This recipe doubles easily, just change the cooking time to 1 ½ – 1 ¾ hours and check the internal temp with a thermostat.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, June 15

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 16

Books, Life, and Christ, June 16

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 18

Texas Book-aholic, June 19

Inklings and notions, June 20

Robin’s Nest, June 20

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 21

Nancy E Wood , June 21

For Him and My Family, June 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 23

deb’s Book Review, June 24

Batya’s Bits, June 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 26

CarpeDiem, June 26

Pause for Tales, June 27

Artistic Nobody, June 28 (Guest Review from Kelsey Barela)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, S.E. is giving away the grand prize package of signed book, origami bookmark, marigold seeds, & $10 Amazon 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/fc81/victoria-grace-the-jerkface-celebration-tour-giveaway

Posted in Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews, Uncategorized

Review and Giveaway of The Killing Tide

The Killing Tide FB Banner

About the Book

Book:  The Killing Tide

Author: Dani Pettrey

Genre: Inspirational Romantic Suspense

Release Date: August 2019

BHP2Killing TideWhen one Coast Guard officer is found dead and another goes missing, Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent Finn Walker faces his most dangerous crime yet. His only clues are what little evidence remains aboard the dead officer’s boat, and the direction the clues point to will test Finn and the Guard to their limits.

When investigative reporter–and Finn’s boss’s sister–Gabby Rowley arrives, her unrelenting questions complicate an already volatile situation. Now that she’s back, the tug on Finn’s heart is strong, but with the risks she’s taking for her next big story, he fears she might not live through it.

Thrown together by the heinous crime, Finn and Gabby can’t ignore the sparks or judgments flying between them. But will they be able to see past their preconceptions long enough to track down an elusive killer, or will they become his next mark?

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

As I began reading this book, I quickly found myself caught up in the story.  Gabby Rowley is a strong and determined reporter.  However, she has siblings and a boss who want to keep her safe.  Finn Walker is a Coast Guard Investigative Services Special Agent whose boss happens to be Gabby’s brother.

Mystery, murder, and more fill the pages of this book.  I definitely wanted to keep reading in order to find out the truth about what had happened and how things would turn out.

Another reason I probably enjoyed this book may have to do with me calling North Carolina home.  So cities and towns mentioned in this book, I am familiar with already.

The pace of this book kept it interesting.  The descriptions and scenes kept me reading.  I have to say this is definitely a book worth reading, especially if you enjoy reading books that involve branches of the military.

So check out this book for yourself.  I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

 

 

About the Author

Dani PettreyPraised by New York Times best-selling author Dee Henderson as “a name to look for in romantic suspense,” Dani Pettrey has sold more than half a million copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance.

Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today).

She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland. For more information visit www.danipettrey.com

 

More from Dani

Pettrey kicks off her new Coastal Guardians series with an intense blend of suspense, love, and faith. The Killing Tide features romance that’s as thrilling as the action, and faithful characters integrated seamlessly into a complex web of crime.

— Kate Campos BookList

 

The Killing Tide is the first book in my Coastal Guardian series. My husband was Navy, so why am I writing about the Coast Guard? Because I think their mission to keep our waters and our country safe should be highlighted more. Before I started writing The Killing Tide, I’ll admit I knew little about the Coast Guard. I had a friend in high school who joined the Guard right after graduation, but that’s about the depth of my experience with them. Then, my husband and I watched a movie called The Finest Hour.

 

If you haven’t seen it, I highly urge you to. It’s the true story of one of the most dangerous and daring rescue attempts in Coast Guard history. Boatswain’s Mate First Class Bernie Webber takes a small team to rescue the crew of the Pendleton T2 oil tanker, which split in half off the coast of Cape Cod during a brutal nor’easter in 1952. I won’t ruin the ending for you, but let’s just say it’s a wonderful testament to courage in adversity. After watching it, I knew I had to write a series about the Coast Guard. I began researching and came across the Coast Guard Investigative Service and my interest was highly peaked. After talking with Coast Guardsmen, both newly in the service and those long retired, I began to see the story weaving together like a movie in my mind. I hope you enjoy reading the CGIS Wilmington teams’ adventures, cases and…of course, romances.

 

Blog Stops

Through the Fire Blogs, June 17

Back Porch Reads, June 17

Losing the Busyness, June 17

Older & Smarter?, June 18

Genesis 5020, June 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 19

Worthy2Read, June 19

For Him and My Family, June 20

deb’s Book Review, June 20

Inklings and notions, June 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 21

Texas Book-aholic, June 21

Pause for Tales, June 21

Betti Mace, June 22

Read Review Rejoice, June 22

Spoken from the Heart, June 22

KarenSueHadley, June 23

Ashley’s Bookshelf, June 23

The Christian Fiction Girl, June 24

Life of Literature, June 24

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, June 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, June 25

Blossoms and Blessings, June 25

A Good Book and cup of Tea, June 25

Emily Yager, June 26

Splashes of Joy, June 26

Just the Write Escape, June 27

Blogging With Carol, June 27

Moments, June 27

Stories By Gina, June 28

Cathe Swanson, June 28

Daysong Reflections, June 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 29

Mary Hake, June 29

Lights in a Dark World, June 29

With a Joyful Noise, June 30

Inside the Wong Mind, June 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dani is giving away the grand prize package of a Kindle, $20 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of The Crushing Depths!!

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/fcce/the-killing-tide-celebration-tour-giveaway

Posted in Book Reviews, Celebrate Lit Reviews

This Wandering Heart – A Review

About the Book

Book:  This Wandering Heart

Author: Janine Rosche

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance

Release Date: May 5, 2020

In the first entry in the Madison River Romance series, Keira Knudsen gets the traveling opportunity of a lifetime, but when she reunites with her first love, Robbie, she learns that even a wandering heart needs a home….

No one in the quaint town of West Yellowstone, Montana, knows that unassuming geography teacher Keira Knudsen moonlights as sensational travel blogger Kat Wanderfull. No one, that is, except for her first love, Robbie Matthews, who has just discovered the woman he is falling for online is the same one that broke his heart five years ago.

But Robbie has another problem: the mother of his daughter, Anabelle, has resurfaced after a three-year absence determined to rip Anabelle away from him. Robbie needs a steady paycheck for a chance at custody, and now, on the eve of a grand adventure that could give Keira a chance to flee her old, troubled life once and for all, she is in need of assistance.

With so much broken trust between them, Keira and Robbie must keep an arms-length away to make this partnership work. But the more time they spend together, exploring majestic places and sharing new experiences, the closer they get–until their secrets and dreams threaten to cost them everything.

 

 

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

Perhaps because I once dreamed of being a teacher and owning an RV so I could travel around, this book caught my attention.  I have to say it did not disappoint.  Keira suffered trauma while growing up.  Robbie and his family provided a safe place for her to go.  But,  later in life, they went their own ways with no conversations with the others about what was going on.   Pain, hurt, and more cloud this story.

I love how Keira is able to keep her identity as a travel blogger secret from everyone except Robbie.  If there was one character I instantly felt I may dislike, it was John, Keira’s principal.

Annabel, Robbie’s daughter constantly stole the story.  She seemed to be everything a child should be.  This book illustrates how pain and more can be overcome through God’s intervention.  It also examines how sometimes the dreams we think we have for our future are not what is best for us.

It also shows how patience, love, and faith can lead to positive outcomes even when things orginially looked bleak.  Keira found family she did not know she had,and moved from a tragic past to a bright future.

So check out this book for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.

About the Author

Prone to wander, Janine Rosche finds as much comfort on the open road as she does at home. This longing to chase adventure, behold splendor, and experience redemption is woven into her Madison River Romance series. When she isn’t writing or traveling, she teaches family life education courses to college students, takes too many pictures of her sleeping dogs, and embarrasses her four children and husband with boy band serenades.

 

 

 

More from Janine

Do you remember that weird kid who would sit at their desk in elementary school and stare into space for minutes at a time? If you don’t, then chances are, you were that weird kid. Welcome to the club—you know, the club for people who believe that what could be is worth imagining.

 

“If you imagine it, then it will never happen,” my junior high friends said.

 

“You’re setting yourself up for disappointment,” my high school mentor advised.

 

“Close your mouth, or you’ll catch a fly,” my second grade teacher warned.

 

While that last one scared me into buttoning my lips while staring blankly at the chalkboard, those early naysayers didn’t keep me from daydreaming. I couldn’t help it. I loved imagining a world far more exciting, awe-inspiring, and romantic than my own. Even when I’d finish books or movies, I would happily dream myself into the story where courage abounds and heroes are truly larger-than-life.

 

Of course, through the years, disappointment did come, and so did reality. In love, my heart was broken. In my career aspirations, my confidence was shattered. My daydreams almost stopped entirely.

 

People often ask me if it was a lifelong dream of mine to publish a book. The answer to that is yes…and no. It had been once, but holding on too tightly to that while also believing it was too far out of reach for someone like me created such an overwhelming ache in my heart. And so, I buried it. However, that dream, along with the storylines and characters in my mind weren’t content to stay buried. For eight years they awakened me at night and distracted me by day, until finally, I chose to spit out the words in a blank spiral notebook. I’d hoped that by writing down the story that had festered, I’d finally have peace, but then the next story came, and the next.

 

“I’ve learned that courage isn’t something we’re born with. It’s a choice.” That line of dialogue comes from a key moment in my debut novel, This Wandering Heart. In the story, my heroine, Keira, rises above an awful childhood to live a life of adventure. The line was quite autobiographical. I could have chosen to keep believing the naysayers. That would have been easy. It took no courage–no risk at all—to believe the lies, the criticism, and the discouragingly low probability statistics of publication.

 

Pursuing your dream, though, requires a lot of courage. Courage to be laughed at, to fail, to be rejected. Courage to be terrible at this new thing you’re trying. Certainly more courage than I carried in my spirit. So I prayed. I climbed onto that metaphorical rope dangling from the hand of God, and swung.

 

It was a choice. To be completely honest, it still is a choice to believe these daydreams of mine. Each day, it takes faith to chase this dream of writing novels and to imagine what could be. I guess you could say that I’ve found my way into the story after all. And it truly is exciting, awe-inspiring, and—dare I say?—romantic.

 

I’m honored to have you all join me on this incredible journey! But it’s not all about me. What daydream are you tempted to believe in your life?

 

 

Everyone is eligible to receive a free subscription to the Love Wander Read Journal, a quarterly digital magazine from Janine Rosche that aims to provide inspiration for a life well-lived. Link: http://janinerosche.com/the-love-wander-read-journal/

 

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, June 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 8

Texas Book-aholic, June 9

Read Review Rejoice, June 9

My Devotional Thoughts, June 10

Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, June 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 12

Get Cozy Book Nook, June 12

Batya’s Bits, June 13

deb’s Book Review, June 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, June 14

The Becca Files, June 14

Older & Smarter ?, June 15

Through the Fire Blogs, June 15

For Him and My Family, June 16

Vicky Sluiter, June 17

Pause for Tales, June 18

All-of-a-kind Mom, June 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, June 19

Britt Reads Fiction, June 19

Life of Literature, June 20

Hallie Reads, June 21

Livin’ Lit, June 21

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Janine is giving away the grand prize package of a set of GelConnie leather bracelets, a 2020 National Geographic Road Atlas, and a $50 Visa 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/fc1c/this-wandering-heart-celebration-tour-giveaway