Storms in Serenity by Fay Lamb

Serenity is the name of the town but there is nothing peaceful in this town.

Storms are brewing in this community.  Secrets are about to explode.  Brother vs. Brother.  Marital problems and breakups.

Very intense story that has me turning one page after another.  I was surprised by the outcomes.  Angry about the deceptions.

What does it take to really forgive?  Every character in this book had to come to terms with their past.  They had to evaluate their actions - past and current.

When you really listen, GOD is with you guiding the way.  I

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Fay is giving away a grand prize of an Echo Spot!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca75

About the Author

Fay Lamb writes emotionally charged stories with a Romans 8:28 attitude, reminding readers that God is always in the details. Fay donates 100% of her royalties to Christian charities.

Storms in Serenity is the first book in Fay’s Serenity Key series. Fay’s other series include, Amazing Grace and her novels, Stalking Willow, Better than Revenge, Everybody’s Broken, and Frozen Notes. The Ties that Bind Series includes Charisse, Libby, andHope. Delilah, is coming soon.

Fay’s is also the author of The Art of Characterization: How to Use the Elements of Storytelling to Connect Readers to an Unforgettable Cast.

Guest Post from Fay Lamb

ONCE UPON A STORM

I’m one of those people who love storms. I revel in the lightning that streaks across the sky, the rumble of thunder as it rolls over the air, and I dance to the eerie sound of the wind coming through a crack in the window. Storms don’t frighten me. I’m an East Coast Floridian. I’ve lived through many a tempest.

However, so that you won’t think me completely insane, I have also fled a few hurricanes. In our house, a Cat III storm is something to debate as we watch to see how low the millibars fall at the storm’s center. A Cat IV means gather the important documents, place them into plastic bags and tuck them into plastic tubs, batten down the hatches, and depending upon its projected proximity, hunker down or flee. A Cat V is a no-brainer. Run!

If only the storms in our lives had categories so that we know when to stand and face the winds of life or to debate the direction, or to decide when to flee. Sometimes, the storms of life come at us without warning, with no stirring up of the waters by our own hands. Other times, the storms can be abated by the stance we take, the decisions we make, and by failing to move out of harm’s way, perhaps in an opposite direction.

That’s what my first novel in The Serenity Key series is about: one man stirred up a storm many years prior. The destructive force of that storm amassed because he didn’t take a stand, he failed to make crucial decisions, and he choose to run from a situation that God would not allow him to outrun. Storms in Serenity is a modern-day retelling of the Biblical truths of the aftermath of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the destruction the storms of life that blew apart not only David’s family but also those he called friends.

Mostly, though, Storms in Serenity, is a novel that proves that when it comes to sin, truly, no man is an island.

SOUL'S PRISONER BY CARA LUECHT

This is the story of Rachel and how she became a prisoner of the insane hospital that she was working for.  Rachel moved to Chicago with high hopes of being with the one she loved.  It didn't go as planned.  She was alone and feeling lost.

How could things get worse?  Rachel discovered a newborn baby out in the cold.  She knew she had to do something.  Her decision cost her her freedom.  She became a prisoner....a soul's prisoner.

Fortunately, Rachel had her brother looking for her.   

At times, this book was difficult to read.   I'm glad that I read this all the way through.  The past treatment of mental illness is disturbing.  Even today, mental illness and the treatment of it is a hot topic of conversation.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Cara is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of Soul’s Prisoner and sketching art supplies!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/cb74

About the Author

Award winning author, Cara Luecht, lives in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin with her husband, David, and their children. Cara graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Currently, Cara is studying for a Masters of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Guest Post from Cara Luecht

The Setting for Soul’s Prisoner: Dunning Asylum for the Insane

Dunning Asylum for the Insane was built in the 1850s and housed psychiatric patients until the early 1900s. It has since been demolished, and a small park currently stands as the only remaining testament to the people who lived and died on the grounds.

The original plot of land also included a poor farm and a cemetery. A railroad used to connect the grounds to Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee. It was nicknamed the “Crazy Train”—a phrase that still survives in our language today. Those buried in the cemetery include Civil War Veterans, victims of the Chicago fire of 1871, orphans, paupers, and the residents of the asylum for the insane. Most estimates agree that nearly forty thousand people were buried on the grounds.

There is no doubt that mental illness is hard on families, but in the 1800s, having a family member who struggled with mental illness was an embarrassment. With little understanding of mental health in general, and even less compassion for those who suffered, examples of this tragic response to the threat of mental illness can be seen in the numerous inmates who were there simply due to addiction or depression. There are even cases where women were committed because their families were humiliated by their giving birth outside the bonds of marriage. Often times, challenges with mental health were synonymous with the notion of moral failure or vice. Because of this, even many charities looked the other way when corruption or abuse was exposed. Reporters sometimes wrote about the horrors of the institutions, but once the sensational story was out, and the initial outrage worn away, few worried about the people who suffered on a daily basis. And because of the moral implication of mental illness, families commonly turned over their suffering members to the county, and later simply explained to friends that the person had died.

And that is exactly what the mentally ill would do in the institution. Live there until they died, forgotten.

And that’s how the story played out at Dunning, until late in the 1900s when developers began to dig the roads and foundations for a new neighborhood on the grounds of what was once the Asylum. At that time, Dunning, and the people who had resided there, were still within living memory, so when bones were unearthed, it was no mystery how they ended up on that patch of land. What had slipped from memory was the magnitude of the collective stories of suffering and hardship.

For this novel, the people and events are fictitious. However, when examining old news stories from an institution known for corruption, it is not hard to imagine situations like the ones in the novel. The details that are true are the nearly one thousand inmates, no hot water, little to no heat in the winter, bad food, and the general feeling of living ghosts, intentionally forgotten, and doomed to never leave the grounds.

Meddlin' Madeline- Fine Print by Chautona Havig

I am really looking forward to receiving this book in the near future!!!!  I read a previous book with Madeline as the main character.  She sure got herself into some interesting situations.

As soon as I can I will review this book by Ms. Havig!!!

About the Book

Book Title: Meddlin’ Madeline Fine Print

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: Historical, Mystery

Release Date: February 20, 2018

Budding detective, Miss Madeline Brown, has gained quite the reputation for “meddling” in the circa 1900 city of Rockland. With two successful “cases” under her belt, it was only a matter of time before she found something new to interest her insatiable curiosity.

This time, however, the “curiosity” found her.

Challenged by Edward Gastrel, to prove her deductive prowess, Madeline embarks on riddling out the puzzle of a journal left to him by his grandfather. If she can decode the contents, the local gentleman may find himself in the possession of something quite valuable.

As usual, however, things aren’t as they seem, and Madeline finds herself in a race against more than time and ambiguity.

Click here to purchase your copy!

Please stop by the Meddlin’ Madeline: Fine Print Celebration Tour featuring Chautona Havig!

Learn about Chautona’s Denny’s experience and how it helps and hinders her writing!

Don’t forget to enter the themed giveaway worth $50!

Click link below to follow:
http://s.ripl.com/30z5so

About the Author

Chautona Havig lives and writes in California’s Mojave Desert where she uses story to point readers to the Master Storyteller.

Guest Post from Chautona

Denny’s. “America’s Diner.” It’s also my “office away from my office away from home.” Most nights I write at our local prayer house. But on Wednesday nights for a few hours, and then all night on Saturday, I sit in booth 14 and write.

It was a cold, frosty Wednesday night. With thoughts from Bible Study still swirling in my mind and heart, I ordered my loaded baked potato soup and began brainstorming with my writing and podcasting buddy, April.

She left around midnightish—as usual. And another evening regular began chatting.

Look. I like this guy. He’s a fascinating conversationalist. We have a lot of fun talking books, movies, politics, history, computers… He’s even given me a great idea for a book (without meaning to, but still).

But… that night, I needed to get a bunch done on Madeline and didn’t have time for chatting. So, when he started talking about his evening, I wanted to bang my head on the table. I kept repeating, “People are more important. People are more important. People are more important,” over and over in my head.

I can’t tell you how often this has happened at Denny’s. Employees stop to chat. Regular diners stop to chat. This guy starts a long conversation and always on nights I can’t afford to spend… chatting!

But everything shifted in an instant.

The man said something—what, I can’t remember—and my brain started churning.

I asked a question.

He answered.

The next thing I knew, he’d moved into my booth and began firing questions at me. Suggestions. Most of what he suggested wouldn’t work with the story, but he had no way of knowing that. Still, every time he did I got a new idea. And I’d ask a question. He’d answer, suggest. I’d counter—ask or answer. Ideas blossomed and exploded into seeds of even more ideas.

And right there, at two o’clock in the morning, with Angela the wonder server keeping me in fresh glasses of Coke, Fine Print went from not only my favorite of the Madelines (thus far) but also became much more exciting.

The whole thing taught me a couple of lessons. First, I always say that people are more important than the “stuff” I do. Sometimes, that’s not so easy to live. But the Lord is always faithful, like He did that night, to remind me that it sometimes helpsme, too.

Second, sometimes a mid-book brainstorming session is just what I need to keep my excitement high. And, if that means a “wasted” Wednesday night in booth 14, then I’d say it’s worth it.

Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger

Laurel Cove, North Carolina is the place you want to go to.  It's a small community with good neighbors and people who care.  Livy has fond memories of spending time there with her grandmother.  She is trying to forget the abusive relationship she just escaped from.  Her grandmother's old home is up for sale.  Maybe this was God's plan for her.

Jack never left Laurel Cove.  He grew up there and continued running the family hardware store.  He married and was ready to have a happy life.  A year ago he divorced after his wife was caught cheating.  He couldn't forgive her.

What does it take for Livy and Jack to forgive their past?  How can they move forward and break free from the hurt, the negative comments, the abusing behaviors?

Forgiveness is the key to healing.  Letting go of your anger and fears through forgiveness gives you peace.  The other party doesn't control you.  They have no power.

Livy and Jack learn that with forgiveness it gives them a fresh start....a new beginning to really experience God's love.

I found it appropriate that Livy was an artist.
Every time she starts a new painting, she begins with a new blank canvas.  This clean canvas is what Livy needs to start her new life in Laurel Cove.

I loved the ending.  I won't say much but Livy shows much compassion and forgiveness that you might be shocked.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Teresa is giving away a grand prize of a gift basket that includes a signed copy of the book, an Original Painting by Author’s Sister (artist Cyndi Browning), and a $10 Amazon Gift Card!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca5b

About the Author

Teresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. Her debut novel, Someplace Familiar, released this summer. She also is a contributing writer for the Fort Worth Moms Blog (part of the national City Moms Blog Network). A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.

The Essence of Joy

GOD gave us 5 senses to enjoy what life has to offer.  This book explores the aromas of Jesus nativity.  Each chapter is based on one scent of Christmas.  Lynn Watson used Bible passages, short stories and interesting facts to describe each scent.

I learned something about Peppermint.  I wasn't aware the red on Peppermint represents the blood of Christ.  It was an interesting tidbit of information.

I enjoyed each chapter and the way she presented it with suggestions to use the scents at home.  

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Lynn is giving away a grand prize of a “Choose Joy” hand made necklace, a “Cups of Joy” (adult coloring book) + set of 24 prismacolor colored pencils, a “Choose Joy Today” stamped silver-plated teaspoon,
flower Seeds, raspberry tea (it’s in the Cinnamah-Brosia story in the “Mint/Giving” section), a “Choose Joy” tote bag, and a signed copy of “The Essence of Joy”!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/ca47

About the Author

Lynn Watson combines many years’ experience in women’s ministry, love of essential oils, and her passion for God’s word to bring her readers freshly inspired encouragement for their walk with Jesus. Her devotional, The Essence of Courage, was recognized as a ‘must read’ by regional publishing industry leaders. Married since 1973, Lynn and Steve have filled their Bartlett, Tennessee home with handmade treasures and lots of love for family, especially their five beautiful (of course) grandchildren. Aromas of freshly baked bread often fill Lynn’s kitchen. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, enjoys sleeping in Lynn’s lap while she writes.

Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown

Soul Ties are the relationships we have with people in our lives.  Soul Ties can be good or bad.  It is important to distinguish between the two.  With this knowledge, we can grow and break free from the "toxic brokeness" that can develop.

Tom Brown describes in the book the differences in good and bad soul ties.  He explains how we can heal and be the person God intends for us to be.  

I loved how Mr. Brown included Bible passages throughout the chapters.  These clarify and strengthen the points he is trying to make.

He adds that everyone at times feels rejection.  He shared his particular moments of rejection and how he got through this difficult period of time.

As I read this book, I could look back and recognize the bad soul ties I had in my life.  Fortunately, I did break free.  

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

In honor of the tour, Whitaker House is giving away

Grand Prize Package: Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown, KJVER Study Bible, and “A Friend Loves at All Times” scented candle from Abba Jerusalem

1st Place: Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown, God That Saves worship music CD from IronBellMusic.com, and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book and Colored Pencils

2nd Place: Breaking Toxic Soul Ties by Tom Brown, and Whitaker House/Anchor Coloring Book and Colored Pencils!!!

Click the link to enter! https://promosimple.com/ps/c6cd

About the Author

Tom Brown is best known for his deliverance ministry. Millions have seen him on ABC’s 20/20, as well as on MSNBC and the History Channel. He is a noted conference speaker, prolific author, and committed pastor. His award-winning Internet site, www.tbm.org, reaches more than a million people a year. His books published by Whitaker House are Devil, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare; Breaking Curses, Experiencing Healing; Prayers That Get Results; and Spiritual Gifts for Spiritual Warfare. Tom is the founder and pastor of Word of Life Church in El Paso, Texas.

Across the Blue by Carrie Turansky

Isabella had a dream.  She wanted to write for her father's newspaper.  But in order to do this, she had to deny who she was and write under a pseudonym.  Society dictated that she was to concentrate on finding a husband and put these dreams to the wayside.

James Drake didn't know his true identity.  His mother died under mysterious circumstances.  Why didn't his father and/or grandfather claim him?  \

He dreamed of flying and winning the Grand Prize that the newspaper offered for the first to fly across the English Channel. His worth was based on whether or not his flying machine was successful.

Isabella's father bought the fancy estate with the previous families' heirlooms in it.  His motivation was to impress and to "bridge the gap between old money and new, and close the distance between himself and those who inherited rank, titles, and respected family names."

 Isabella and James both dreamed for things that were almost inaccessible to them because of their gender or class.

How can they bridge the gap and find their happiness?

Great read.  I loved it.

I received this free to review.

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carrie is giving away a grand prize of an autographed copy of Shine Like the Dawn and $30 gift card to Christianbooks.com!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c987

About the Author

Carrie Turansky has loved reading since she first visited the library as a young child and checked out a tall stack of picture books. Her love for writing began when she penned her first novel at age twelve. She is now the award-winning author of nineteen inspirational romance novels and novellas. Carrie and her husband, Scott, who is a pastor, author, and speaker, have been married for more than thirty years and make their home in New Jersey. They often travel together on ministry trips and to visit their five adult children and five grandchildren. Carrie leads women’s ministry at her church, and when she is not writing she enjoys spending time working in her flower gardens and cooking healthy meals for friends and family. She loves to connect with reading friends through her website, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.