tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1418183508196759082024-02-26T01:03:11.699-06:00Whispers in PurpleWhere Writers and Readers Connect . Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.comBlogger731125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-75067369337661669232020-09-28T16:02:00.000-05:002020-09-28T16:02:07.165-05:00<p> I am sorry to inform all of you, but Peggy, my mother, has passed on early Wednesday morning. Her heart just quit, so she passed peacefully with no pain.</p><p>I do know that Mom loved you all dearly, and thank you for supporting her all these years. She loved writing and everything related to her passion.</p><p>Please know that Mom is now with her family, Jesus and is happy. Remember her with a smile.</p><p>Rest in Peace, Mom. I love you.</p><p>Your Daughter, Heidi</p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-45500310273007683222020-09-23T05:00:00.001-05:002020-09-23T05:00:01.176-05:00YOU'RE BRILLIANT ~ Julie Arduini ~ Co-author Interview<p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><i>It's "What's New Wednesday" and </i>Whispers in Purple <i>welcomes author Julie Arduini with her newest release in a unique interview.</i></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"></span></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUo-2QtYCOmbJo7XrgJcgfUXpEHiCpTm-aLgy9JMvoCWy7DGzBdhvDPgyqRII9_t4ajgGVKOPtBCHD2K6PZdxRBON0r2fxkHnuJRNzjg04W_zryz5Ay4i3SA5_2UgY38oHqS29vAc_js/s370/divider-crop3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="43" data-original-width="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYUo-2QtYCOmbJo7XrgJcgfUXpEHiCpTm-aLgy9JMvoCWy7DGzBdhvDPgyqRII9_t4ajgGVKOPtBCHD2K6PZdxRBON0r2fxkHnuJRNzjg04W_zryz5Ay4i3SA5_2UgY38oHqS29vAc_js/s320/divider-crop3.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></b></div><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></b></p>You’re
Brilliant: Interview with Mother-Daughter Authors Julie Arduini & Hannah
Arduini</span></span></span></b><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Julie Arduini is an inspy
romance author who uses Upstate NY settings, surrender issues, and a chocolate
mention in her books. A couple years ago her daughter completed middle school
with extra challenges. As they processed the experience, Hannah began
explaining how she wished she could help encourage other girls before they go
through similar things. Hannah processed it by storytelling, and Julie realized
there was a worthy story. She encouraged Hannah to continue the story, and
Julie would make sure it was published. Hannah plotted a three-book series
called Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’. </i>You’re Brilliant<i>, the final book in the
series, is now available on Amazon.</i></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What’s You’re Brilliant
About?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hannah:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
It’s realizing that even if you’re weird or you don’t think you/re good enough,
you are.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Julie</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">:
It uses a mentoring ministry to weave a story between girls in high school and
a pastor’s wife in a new environment. The girls and the women are all in
different ways struggling with believing the lie they’re failures and
incompetent. The series is Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Do you have a favorite
character in You’re Brilliant?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hannah:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
No. I love them all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Julie:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
I feel the same as Hannah. I can relate to Cheri. Even as an adult I struggle
with insecurity, especially when I try something new. However, I love Bethany.
She’s got spunk and a sense of justice. KJ was a new character and she’s
important. She appears to have everything going for her but she’s in a bad
situation. We created her to show anyone can enter an issue like that, and it
is not their fault. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What do you hope readers
take away from You’re Brilliant?</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hannah:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
I hope with all the books that readers would know deep down they have value.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Julie:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
So many things. I want readers to know they are deeply loved and highly valued
by our Heavenly Father, no matter who they are or what they’ve done. I hope
they find a support system much like Linked, a trusted group of friends and
mentors who can pray, laugh, and help them. And I really hope in KJ’s story, if
any girl/woman is experiencing abuse, even verbal, that they seek help and
leave the relationship without blaming themselves.</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What’s next for you? Will
you keep writing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Hannah</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">:
I might. Maybe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Julie:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
Hannah has what it takes if she wants to keep writing. As for me, I’m back
writing clean/contemporary romance with a new series called Surrendering Hearts.
The premise surrounds sextuplets who remain in the national spotlight after a
tragedy. Each book features a sibling and their quest to find a love as strong
as what their parents had. The first is <i>Anchored Hearts</i>. Jordyn Bell Hart
is the oldest sibling and dotes on everyone and everything with care and
control. Spencer Collins thought his life after college would be full of family
and opportunity. When WFRN creates a local morning show and taps Jordyn and
Spencer to co-anchor, can these two surrender their need for control?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsN-hZdUI6fly9SdfRflorK6n2EBognV445cKgHAdWRQC0ZejwT6taTB1eSxCHSRTlCySd44mPjDVVixCIZ4fukkd6GIvk3due1sfDpx2RuRKvGm7Ev72Bn_iNWy6woWbDehon40Z4Lc/s1307/BrilliantFinal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKsN-hZdUI6fly9SdfRflorK6n2EBognV445cKgHAdWRQC0ZejwT6taTB1eSxCHSRTlCySd44mPjDVVixCIZ4fukkd6GIvk3due1sfDpx2RuRKvGm7Ev72Bn_iNWy6woWbDehon40Z4Lc/s320/BrilliantFinal.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the Back Cover:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Amazing
things happen when a group of high school students and women discover they are
more than competent.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bethany’s not excited
to start high school in a new community where she doesn’t know anyone. She
quickly befriends KJ, a popular sophomore, and it looks like the transition
will go well until Bethany discovers KJ’s boyfriend is a bully. With a strong sense
of justice, Bethany challenges Brent Sullivan, and he’s determined to make her
suffer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cheri takes on an
additional job in a school to help pay for Sabrina’s wedding. It’s a different
atmosphere than at the church where she feels more comfortable as the pastor’s
wife and mentor with the Linked ministry. After several mishaps, Cheri feels
like she’s found an assignment where she can make a difference until a teacher
belittles her work.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Can Bethany and Cheri
resist the lies about their competency and hold on to the fact they’re
brilliant?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The final book in the
Surrendering Stinkin’ Thinkin’ series for tweens, teens, and women of all ages
by mother and daughter authors Julie Arduini and Hannah Arduini.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <b>Purchase Links:</b></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">You’re Brilliant:
YA/Women’s Fiction. Free on Kindle Unlimited</span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You’re Brilliant</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">:
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Brilliant-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin-ebook/dp/B0874Y5B4C">https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Brilliant-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin-ebook/dp/B0874Y5B4C</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">You’re Brilliant,
softcover:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Brilliant-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin/dp/1733687637">https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Brilliant-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin/dp/1733687637</a></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></o:p></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkswyWZ7BdT_wcJlkDiSRaRVpBZYTDmCL5JlHdQagDh-HbsrYuaQ3U-lZ-XgiRpUaCZk9gg_piDX4-ItQALIHWas5Mh9cJ752nfnxJlB8jBHKe01NyEaAKr8okyTGsY94122TaKVEIwFw/s258/divider-crop2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="36" data-original-width="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkswyWZ7BdT_wcJlkDiSRaRVpBZYTDmCL5JlHdQagDh-HbsrYuaQ3U-lZ-XgiRpUaCZk9gg_piDX4-ItQALIHWas5Mh9cJ752nfnxJlB8jBHKe01NyEaAKr8okyTGsY94122TaKVEIwFw/s0/divider-crop2.jpg" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>About Julie:</b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a name="_Hlk490903835"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQjwLzboPkm1cgOFeX7lNBR9dsZ1p0Rc98x2bHRyDwLEVq5Y5PrnxYCwqh-wrhnjyCJ9vpLml9hfR8cDUlqm_sGKr2kVY_gOXuhP8fArVkQRevjcKTsMiEsnU0c_yfuRjKK0NiyVejk4/s640/June2020pixie+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQjwLzboPkm1cgOFeX7lNBR9dsZ1p0Rc98x2bHRyDwLEVq5Y5PrnxYCwqh-wrhnjyCJ9vpLml9hfR8cDUlqm_sGKr2kVY_gOXuhP8fArVkQRevjcKTsMiEsnU0c_yfuRjKK0NiyVejk4/s320/June2020pixie+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Julie Arduini</b> loves to encourage readers
to find freedom in Christ by surrendering the good, the bad, and ---maybe one
day---the chocolate. She’s the author of the contemporary romance series
SURRENDERING TIME, (Entrusted, Entangled, Engaged,) as well as the stand-alone
novellas, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Match-Made-Heaven-Julie-Arduini-ebook/dp/B07QR29X51"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and </span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Christmas-Novella-Julie-Arduini-ebook/dp/B07ZDHX954"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">RESTORING CHRISTMAS</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. She also shares her story in the infertility
devotional, A WALK IN THE VALLEY. Her other latest release, </span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Brilliant-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin-ebook/dp/B0874Y5B4C"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">YOU’RE BRILLIANT</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, is for girls ages 10-100, written with her teenaged
daughter, Hannah, and is book 3 in their SURRENDERING STINKIN’ THINKIN’ series.
She blogs every other Wednesday for </span></span><a href="http://christiansread.wordpress.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christians Read</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, as well as monthly with </span></span><a href="http://inspyromance.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inspy Romance</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two
children. Learn more by visiting her at </span></span><a href="http://juliearduini.com/"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://juliearduini.com</span></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, where she invites readers to opt in to her content
full of resources and giveaway opportunities.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><a name="_Hlk526768479"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Facebook: </span></a></span><a href="http://facebook.com/JulieArduini"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk526768479;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://facebook.com/JulieArduini</span></span></span></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk490903835;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk526768479;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;">Facebook Author
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-67058807782713989662020-09-18T17:06:00.001-05:002020-09-18T17:06:58.533-05:00JAMES WILCOX ~ My Encounter With the Lord ~ Devotional<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Encounter with the Lord</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b>by James Wilcox</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZcbvwA9DjTIsprCJHdX6VE_UtKvxpfrtDI9Bs8Syvh3EADuzJy-C_9hzkGuxaAJFMHN0n-L8cVcPGa_AaV-SboITC0cOX8qL41coX25Dre_q9m4sZoNLBdbgi7loAEXkTDjzyC1Mquo/s720/clouds-429228__480+%25281%2529.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZcbvwA9DjTIsprCJHdX6VE_UtKvxpfrtDI9Bs8Syvh3EADuzJy-C_9hzkGuxaAJFMHN0n-L8cVcPGa_AaV-SboITC0cOX8qL41coX25Dre_q9m4sZoNLBdbgi7loAEXkTDjzyC1Mquo/s320/clouds-429228__480+%25281%2529.webp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy Pixabay.com<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I dearly love this
saying. “It isn’t of great concern…a child who fears the dark.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this is tragic…an adult who fears The
Light!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can assure you…The Light is
nothing to fear.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">September 21, 2011
started out like most mornings. Even though I had been having some chest pains
off and on over the last several days, the past thirty-six hours had been pain
free. Yet getting up that Wednesday morning, I somehow knew the pain was going to
return. Nonetheless, I went outside a little before seven to do my chores. By
the time I finished, the pain was the worst it had ever been. My chest felt
like it would explode!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Approaching a
tractor, I leaned on it, my vision beginning to blur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I suddenly
realized that death was very near and it frightened me. However, the fear quickly
left and never returned as I became aware of a caring light that enveloped me.
It was paper-thin but was enough to keep the utter, unbelievable, coal black darkness
next to it, away from me. I was not seeing any colors, only white and black. I
didn’t see Him, yet I knew with all certainty it was Jesus who asked me if I
wanted to live. Immediately, I answered, “Yes.”</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">There were many things
that began to happen. The light pushed hard against the endless darkness,
moving it back several feet. Until then, I felt I was suffocating because the
blackness was so heavy and seemed so determined. I thought about lying down but
knew for certain, if I voluntarily lay down, I would surely die! I decided to try
and make it to the car, which was about eighty feet away. Without realizing it,
I was beginning my journey through ‘The Valley of the Shadow of Death.’ During
this walk and for a short time afterward, I have no memory of the relentless
pain in my chest. When I began to walk, the sinister darkness attacked the
light, battering against it constantly. As the protecting light was pushed in
at various spots, it repelled the single-minded darkness every time and
maintained its posture. Walking on, this action continued and was now occurring
at a faster pace than when it began. Many times, the harsh darkness formed a
cone, ramming into the light, attempting to penetrate it. I reasoned from the
beginning of this battle, if there were even a hole smaller than the size of a
tiny pin in the serene light, the ruthless darkness would get through and I
would be engulfed in complete blackness. Suddenly, I heard a voice asking.
“What if you fall down?” There is no doubt in my mind; Satan himself had asked
this question!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">Without any
misgivings, I quickly and confidently answered. “If I can’t help it, I needn’t
be worried.” The constant, persistent, ramming and repelling was even faster
now. I ignored the possibility of involuntarily falling as I continued to walk,
not fearing what might happen, should I fall. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">Reaching the car, I
stood against it. The raging battle began to subside, and then stopped
altogether. Jesus inquired once again. “Do you want to live?” My mind said,
“Yes,” but I really didn’t give an answer, being certain my response needed to
be delayed. I now saw a door. An image behind it was obscure through a glass but
nonetheless there…Jesus Himself! Suddenly, I realized I was in a very unique
room. This rectangular room was not large but had a ceiling, hardwood floor and
walls. The door Jesus was standing behind was at one end. The other end was
completely open to the world I knew. Gazing at it, I even saw colors! Having no
desire to go to that familiar world, this one-of-a-kind room quickly drew my
focus back to itself. I was awestruck, at great peace, very content and felt
totally secure in this extraordinary room which was full of wondrous light. The
soothing light was comforting beyond description! Somehow, I could see the darkness
was confined on the outside of the two walls and ceiling. This matchless room
had no roof. </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">All of a sudden, I was
sure, if I chose to die, Jesus would be a bit disappointed in me, yet I would
still be welcomed into heaven. It made me realize God must still have something
more for me to do in the world!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">The moment was now
upon me to respond to the all-important question Jesus had asked. With the aid
of the Holy Spirit, I discerned the answer I needed to give Jesus was not a simple
“yes” or “no,” but involved a great deal more. Was my faith and relationship I
professed with my Savior a facade or was it real? Without any concern about the
outcome, it was with complete sincerity, release, trust, and peace I answered
His question saying, “You decide. It’s up to You.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">Instantly, the darkness
cowered away in retreat to a point I could no longer see it being replaced with
that marvelous, all-encompassing light. Next, the door, image and room were
gone as life started to become normal again, except for the Herculean pain deep
in my chest. I managed to get the car in front of the yard, made my way into
the house and in a few minutes was taken to our local hospital by members of my
family.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">I will always
remember the peace that continued to dwell deep within me on arrival at our
local emergency room. There was never any uncertainty in my mind that God would
see me thorough whatever lay ahead. Since our small rural hospital isn’t
equipped to handle a major heart attack victim, a Flight for Life helicopter
was called to take me to a hospital in Colorado Springs. Given the way our
medical system works, I should have been taken to a hospital in Pueblo. Was it
oversight? I’m sure it wasn’t! It was unbelievable how every event of that day
fell into place like a well-fitting puzzle. Only God could have orchestrated
it. Later that same day, I had triple bypass surgery and spent six days in the
hospital.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">Am I bitter
because I had to endure the pain, trauma, expense, and inconvenience that
accompany heart surgery? Not in the least. God allowed me to encounter Him in
an unprecedented way and took me on a spiritual adventure I wouldn’t trade for
the entire universe!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYgr8Tjiwdib35gsDYkzOU3f1cZjmd-rrL1GUW5yjVLZe3r0lPdK7_4dYr2-6FRtQcmcEQUhine7QWEpDvMLRDTCZNRdBijAXSODtQ7YBAGsE2uU8iBiOQsRHMFncpMnvxSK714Xm6Aw/s1600/IM002253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvYgr8Tjiwdib35gsDYkzOU3f1cZjmd-rrL1GUW5yjVLZe3r0lPdK7_4dYr2-6FRtQcmcEQUhine7QWEpDvMLRDTCZNRdBijAXSODtQ7YBAGsE2uU8iBiOQsRHMFncpMnvxSK714Xm6Aw/s320/IM002253.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />James is a
lifelong rancher living in southern Colorado. He and Bobbie have been married nearly
fifty-one years, having three adult children and five grandchildren. The ranch
has been in the family since 1893. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">I have experienced
several ‘spiritual adventures’ as I like to refer to them. The one you have just
read is the most profound so far. Yes, I am expecting and looking forward to
more. My hope is; if you have any doubt there is life after death, by the time
you finish reading this remarkable encounter, you will dispel that
thought.</span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-86536329153753039372020-09-17T05:00:00.001-05:002020-09-17T05:00:08.767-05:00LAURIE BATZEL ~ With My Soul ~ Historical Christian Romance<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">With
my Soul, A Historical Christian Romance</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">by
Laurie Batzel<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSYcHFeAwKT8F7OidX97NF20torllm4l0WQ3Baz687Gxc44TuN6vlNQntSDsoY5MqLWrF9khNLWNKLrVr_i-4eMNQbR1Hq3aR3UvE9kX_U5MksfCiOcD9I3zLscy44hfqQJywvoDIR6w/s500/with+my+soul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSYcHFeAwKT8F7OidX97NF20torllm4l0WQ3Baz687Gxc44TuN6vlNQntSDsoY5MqLWrF9khNLWNKLrVr_i-4eMNQbR1Hq3aR3UvE9kX_U5MksfCiOcD9I3zLscy44hfqQJywvoDIR6w/s320/with+my+soul.jpg" /></span></a></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Book
Summary:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Betrayed
by her husband, Willa Jane Wilson and her daughter are left penniless and alone
in post-war Germany. She returns to her hometown in rural North Carolina and
prays that a new beginning will soothe the anger still raging inside her heart.
But no matter how many miles Willa Jane puts between her and her shame, the
peace she seeks is drowned out by ignorance and abandonment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">Her saving grace comes in the form of a new
opportunity that she can’t pass up. Tasked with caring for children at a local
orphanage, she dedicates herself to transforming the financially-strapped
institution into a real home filled with love and faith. But when her
fundraising mission lands her in the middle of Raleigh’s glittering social
scene, she encounters PJ Townshend, a handsome young lawyer with a dedication
to service that matches her own. There’s only one problem: PJ is on track to
change the country from its political epicenter—Washington D.C.—and the closer
they grow to one another, the farther apart their worlds seem to be taking
them.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">When a natural disaster of Biblical proportions
threatens to part them for good, it also puts the orphanage and everything
Willa Jane has worked for in peril. An offer for help arrives from the most
unexpected source. Accepting it will require forgiveness of the past…but it
might also reunite her with the person her heart desires most.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Excerpt:
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willa Jane at a dinner party.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I’ve
said it before, and I’ll say it again. Harry S. Truman is going to send this
country<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to
hell in a handbasket.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Harold—”
his female counterpart interjected feebly to no avail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“It’s
true. Any real Democrat would be focusing on the needs of our own country, not
shipping off more resources to the daggone Krauts that started the whole mess
in the first place. I heard he’s got a whole commission working on a plan to
rebuild Germany. They’ll spend millions of our taxpayer dollars on what? The
war’s over, what else could the bastards possibly need?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Maybe
it was the second glass of champagne that had lowered my inhibitions enough<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to
insert myself in what was clearly none of my business, but no amount of
coaching or fancy jewelry could contain my natural inclination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Actually,
there’s a great deal of need, sir.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">He
leant forward to glare past his shrinking wife at me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Young
lady, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I
don’t mean to offend you, sir, but I know very well what I’m talking about.
I’ve been to Germany and seen the devastation. There are entire city blocks
that are nothing but rubble, children exposed and starving on the streets. If
it weren’t for our assistance, there would be no shelter, no clean water. Most
of these ordinary people have had their homes and businesses destroyed through
no fault of their own. It’s not a waste of taxpayer dollars. It’s simple
decency.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">No
longer caring which fork was the assigned utensil, I snatched one up and
started digging into my steak with defiance. The older man’s face turned
splotchy and he narrowed his eyes at me from underneath gray caterpillar
eyebrows.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I
have never in all my life heard such absolute rubbish. What are you, some sort
of Nazi sympathizer?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The
meat stuck in my throat and I swallowed so hard it hurt. My big mouth might
have just landed me on the fast track to an interview with the CIA. Then
another voice interjected, one that seemed as familiar as if from a dream. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“The
young lady is correct. The situation overseas is an unparalleled humanitarian
crisis, significantly worse than the aftermath of the first Great War.” The
rich voice went on. “The purpose of Truman’s commission and aid plan for Europe
is to lessen the suffering which, twenty-odd years ago, allowed a madman like
Hitler to come into power.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I
tried to spy through the petals to catch a glimpse of my impertinent new
friend, but the foliage was too dense. Returning my focus to the steak, I had
until they served coffee to stand up and either thank him for the defense or
tell him off for assuming I was incapable of fighting my own battles. As the
waiter took my empty plate, I was leaning toward the latter. This was 1947, and
I was a full-grown, working woman who had travelled overseas and back on my own.
Almost exactly two years ago, a certain man had come to my rescue and I’d
fallen under the spell of his chauvinism disguised as chivalry. I wouldn’t be
making that mistake again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Building
up a head full of steam, I stood up, rounded Harold and Co.’s empty chairs and
began the impassioned defense I had been crafting between bites of Duchess potatoes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Listen,
I appreciate what you were trying to do there, but what gives you the right to
interrupt other people’s conversations? I was handling that ignorant old coot
just fine, thank you very—”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">My
planned diatribe ground to a halt when I came face to face with my unsought defender.
He was the owner of a handsome face that was as strangely familiar as the voice.
Suddenly, I realized where I had seen it before.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~ ~ ~</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt; text-align: left;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Available in Print
and in Ebook<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">FREE on Kindle
Unlimited<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 10.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Soul-Laurie-Batzel-ebook/dp/B07XNHZPN4/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Pick up your copy here;</span></b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">About Laurie
Batzel:</span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67lcdJNQaN8ttF0qJUnO00aS8uyNFMaJzUhaRgTjZ2Oqi-c34kcwiaFJST4sg4Dz5e07eRmhyphenhyphenzckF4t0uSSzgVmpIgFc8q2Ug1WAZuvk1UZJz6JVWg0ez02gNVAhmrkWDK5cAnXau7zg/s300/laurie+batzel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67lcdJNQaN8ttF0qJUnO00aS8uyNFMaJzUhaRgTjZ2Oqi-c34kcwiaFJST4sg4Dz5e07eRmhyphenhyphenzckF4t0uSSzgVmpIgFc8q2Ug1WAZuvk1UZJz6JVWg0ez02gNVAhmrkWDK5cAnXau7zg/s0/laurie+batzel.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Laurie Batzel is an author of contemporary and
historical romance who lives in Northeastern Pennsylvania. <em>With My
Soul</em> is her first published fiction. You can find her non-fiction
essays on PopSugar.com, FilterFreeParents.com, and the print edition of Chicken
Soup for the Soul: Angels All Around. When she’s not writing, reading, or
continuing her quest to perfect her chocolate chip cookie recipe, Laurie can be
found walking in<span style="color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<span style="background: white;">the woods outside her home with her four
beautiful children and their devotedly vigilant corgi, Stuart. To read more of
her ramblings on parenting, writing or random song parodies, go to her blog at
<a href="http://rebacanyouhearme.wordpress.com">rebacanyouhearme.wordpress.com </a></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Connect with
Laurie:</span></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="background: white; margin-bottom: 14.95pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #404040; font-size: 10.0pt;">Facebook: </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/laurie.batzel"><span style="color: #b49543; font-size: 10.0pt;">www.facebook.com/laurie.batzel</span></a></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #404040; font-size: 10.0pt;">Twitter: </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/lbatc2_lou" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b49543; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.twitter.com/lbatc2_lou</span></a></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #404040; font-size: 10.0pt;">Instagram: </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.instagram.com/lauriekendallbatzel" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b49543; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://www.instagram.com/lauriekendallbatzel</span></a></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #404040; font-size: 10.0pt;">Blog: </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://rebacanyouhearme.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #b49543; font-size: 10.0pt;">http://Rebacanyouhearme.wordpress.com</span></a></span></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></b></p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-29800923591555290722020-09-16T05:00:00.001-05:002020-09-16T05:00:05.652-05:00JUDYTHE MORGAN ~ Seeing Clearly ~ Behind the Story<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">The Story
Behind my newest release, Seeing Clearly</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">by Judythe Morgan</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>The idea for <i>Seeing Clearly</i> began in 2003. That plot-line was more an inspirational women’s fiction with a grandmother raising
her baby grandson after his parents died in a car accident and how she adjusted.
The idea was loosely formed and even looser written. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I started participating in <a href="www.acfw.com" target="_blank">ACFW </a>craft courses. My writing
improved as I worked with critique partners. A new romantic suspense story with
the same characters began to take shape. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>Once I had a better developed story, I entered the
manuscript in contests for additional feedback. My scores were all over the
place. According to many contest critiques, the story still needed a lot of
work. I reworked and entered more contests.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>In 2008 <i>Seeing Clearly</i> placed third in a Florida
Romance Writers of America chapter. I was so excited and started to submit to editors
and agents. The rejections rolled in.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>At that point, I accepted it was not God’s timing. I put the
manuscript aside and worked on another story idea that had been bouncing around
in my head and kinda forgot about<i> Seeing Clearly</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2019 I had an opportunity to attend a conference where <a href="https://www.storymastery.com/">Michael Hague</a> was the speaker and
participate in a one-on-one small group session to discuss our
works-in-progress. I chose <i>Seeing Clearly </i>for the individual tutoring
sessions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After the conference, a small group of us who attended
formed a critique group. Between Michael’s input and brainstorming with my new
critique group <i>Seeing Clearly </i>finally evolved into a viable story and my
characters came to life.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>Evie Parker is a forty-something grandmother raising her
toddler grandson who is attracted to an ex-cop employee a decade younger. It
was her story and I couldn’t bring myself to change it. Thanks to Michael and
my critique group, my unconventional character became real.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>When I started writing <i>Seeing Clearly</i>, a story of
later-in-life romance was a little too outside the box for a typical romantic
suspense story. That probably explains the conflicting contest scores and so
many rejections. Readers weren’t there.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>After months of rewriting, in February of 2020 I entered
another contest and placed third. I knew then it was time to publish. <i>Seeing
Clearly</i> released in May 2020. According to the reviews posted, readers love
Evie and Dawson and their story. The timing was finally right.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>This book’s road to publication was indeed a long one. I
worked hard, but it was so worth it. I learned so much. I hope sharing about <i>Seeing
Clearly’</i>s journey with readers will help them enjoy the book more.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>And, writers who are reading Peg’s blog, I share to remind
you <i>never</i> give up.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><u>About
Your Book</u> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Title:
</span></b><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seeing
Clearly</span></i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Author:
</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Judythe Morgan<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Publisher:
</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Danfield
Press<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Release
Date: </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">May 12,
2020<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Genre:
</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Romantic
Suspense<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Series/Stand-Alone:
</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Stand-Alone<o:p></o:p></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Target
Audience:</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> PG,
Ages 12+<o:p></o:p></span></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Seeing Clearly</span></i></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Back cover Blurb<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWvXu3fO6RZXSthy_S1Qpg-ulBMM4Vi2iKN8RBBVauJtTE3eaUhiMMEQLCYbIpxGIK21G2QvLPvocMHtA8LLAayGvrhkH-SJS_rxq1RlnnN7Z3hhA3vcIuB-F1DUEDSavIqRq1Q039w0/s960/seeing_clearly_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWvXu3fO6RZXSthy_S1Qpg-ulBMM4Vi2iKN8RBBVauJtTE3eaUhiMMEQLCYbIpxGIK21G2QvLPvocMHtA8LLAayGvrhkH-SJS_rxq1RlnnN7Z3hhA3vcIuB-F1DUEDSavIqRq1Q039w0/s320/seeing_clearly_640.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Evie Parker is a widow and trusting to a fault. She’s
raising her grandson after her only child and his wife die in a suspicious car
accident.<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>Dawson McKey is a divorced, overly cautious ex-cop, who now
manages Evie’s shipping company. He trusts no one after his twin sons were
killed by a cartel’s bomb.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>There’s undeniable attraction even though she’s twelve years
his senior. But she’s convinced their age difference will haunt their
relationship. Dawson’s vowed never to love again but being with Evie challenges
his thinking.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>Drugs show up in a company shipment at the same time
mysterious emails threaten Evie’s grandson. Then the nanny she hired against Dawson’s
advice disappears with her grandson and Dawson suspects cartel
involvement.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p>Can their search for the toddler renew their trust and bring
their hearts together?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><b style="text-indent: 0in;"><i>Seeing Clearly</i> Buy links</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Amazon Kindle</b>: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08768ZJQX">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08768ZJQX</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Nook Book:</b> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seeing-clearly-judythe-morgan/1136871829">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seeing-clearly-judythe-morgan/1136871829</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BookBub: </b><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/books/seeing-clearly-by-judythe-morgan"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">https://www.bookbub.com/books/seeing-clearly-by-judythe-morgan</span></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Goodreads: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53746639-seeing-clearly"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53746639-seeing-clearly</span></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Amazon Author Page</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><a href="https://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">https://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan</span></a></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p> </o:p><b><o:p> </o:p></b><b>Excerpt from Seeing Clearly</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><o:p> </o:p></b>Darkness swirled in Evelyn Parker’s
head. Dawson McKey’s voice drifted like a soft light through the blackness. “Evie.”</span></p><p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She heard her name, the drone of
whispered words, and other sounds she couldn’t identify. It was like trying to
thread a needle, blindfolded. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An antiseptic smell made her cough.
She opened her eyes and reality came crashing through her haze. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hospital. Accident. David and Mandy dead.</i>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She pushed upward from the hard,
cold medical center floor. “No.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Lie still, Mrs. Parker.” A
fresh-out-of-medical-school doctor lightly touched her wrist, checking his
watch. “You fainted and gave yourself a nasty bump.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fainted? She snatched her hand from
the doctor’s grip. She never fainted. Not even three years ago when her husband
died in her arms. “I’m fine. Where’s my grandson?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Tiny bumps pebbled across her neck.
Did she already know that answer? Is that why she fainted?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The way-too-young-looking doctor
pointed to a room adjacent to the busy ER waiting area. “Why don’t we go in
there and talk? I can check that bump.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">His voice sounded soft and
sympathetic. She searched his face for any sign of hope against the truth she
feared.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dawson, her friend and Parker
Industry’s Director of Security, eased his arm behind her back. Her legs
wobbled. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Steady,” he whispered, tucking her
into his side.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She leaned into the solace of his
chest for a nanosecond then straightened her shoulders and followed the doctor
to a closet-like room with an ancient metal desk and two chrome-armed chairs
that had seen better days. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Evie sank into the nearest chair.
The doctor gently rubbed the back of her head. She flinched. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“Everything looks fine. However, if
you develop a headache, become nauseous or dizzy, you need to come back
immediately. You don’t want to mess with a head injury.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">“I will. Now, what about my
grandson, Dr.—” She glanced at his name badge. “Morrison. Is Michael okay?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dawson’s large, warm hand covered
hers. She wanted to nestle into his heat, lean against his strong body, to hide
until all of this went away. She stiffened her spine instead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr. Morrison studied her face. “Your
grandson’s doing okay. He appears to have only cuts and bruises. His seatbelt
harness snapped when the SUV was hit, throwing him from the vehicle as it
flipped. He escaped the fire, and the car seat protected him. We’ve done X-rays
and MRIs to be sure. Results aren’t back yet.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The room tilted. A fiery image
flashed in her mind’s eye sending a cold chill down her spine. She swallowed.
She couldn’t allow her brain to go there, wouldn’t go there. Doing well sounded
a little iffy, but—thank you, Lord—not as final as dead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She pressed her fist to her lips,
pushed back the dizziness, and managed to connect with the doctor’s gaze. “When
can I see him?” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The doctor opened the door. Clatter
and chatter from the ER waiting area filled the room. “Follow me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Evie planted her flip-flops on the
floor with a thud. The clip-clop of the rubber soles boomed in rhythm with her
pounding heart as she followed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWAChapterline" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">~~<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dawson slowed his pace to Evie’s
stride. He drew deep on years of training to keep his body language relaxed
while his senses were on high alert after what the investigating officer told
him. A witness reported another car clipped David’s SUV by accident, causing it
to careen off the road. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">By accident? Not likely. Not with the
gambling debt David Parker had. More likely a deliberate act executed by
someone he owed or the cartel. He’d bet the cartel. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Either way, it was one more question to
add to his ever-growing list of unanswered questions about Evie’s son. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Parker had risked everything and lost.
Traded his love of gambling for life and family. You don’t mess around with the
cartel. How well Dawson knew. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">He’d promised her dying husband he’d
take care of her. If she knew what he was doing, she’d send him away. She
thought she could take care of herself. He should explain his suspicions about
her son. Pointless, she’d never believe David hadn’t reformed like he promised.
Not without proof. Proof he didn’t have. Yet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dr. Morrison motioned them inside.
Their hands still clasped, Dawson guided her to Michael’s crib side. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><a name="_Hlk27381140"><span style="font-family: verdana;">His vision
blurred. A fire exploded in his gut. In that instant, he made another vow.
Whoever had done this, he’d find them and make them pay.<o:p></o:p></span></a></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk27381140;">Same
as he’d vowed to find the cartel leader Marco Torres and make him pay for what
he’d done to his boys.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">~~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the waiting room of Mercy
Regional Medical Center, the man watched Parker’s <i>Madre </i>and McKey
approach, trailing behind the doctor down the corridor. Anger stiffened his
back and burned his eyes. Would he ever be rid of McKey? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="RWATNR" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">His first plan to do away with the
nuisance had bombed. Now this. Another big screwup. This one threatened their
supply chain. Prickles of apprehension twined with his anger. Not good. Not
good at all. Mistakes in a business with no margins for error made him look
weak. Made the cartel bosses wonder why he was here. His papá<span class="entrytitle--wgk1y"> </span>was not going to be happy. And when papá was
not happy, it was never a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Judythe’s BIO<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka7OjZml4EPjeTEcnrACasltLPK6wvSkTetW_cKeuo1masE7oGCjoTNlx2APP1u4OOEmCEg9MEANbClgWYkq8kN-yRp0oXwqCTaVgdQMtroQhQu3RWJGQpXg2U0XhMP8LbfaWdhUAwKs/s800/161138053.3A1AB1YR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjka7OjZml4EPjeTEcnrACasltLPK6wvSkTetW_cKeuo1masE7oGCjoTNlx2APP1u4OOEmCEg9MEANbClgWYkq8kN-yRp0oXwqCTaVgdQMtroQhQu3RWJGQpXg2U0XhMP8LbfaWdhUAwKs/s320/161138053.3A1AB1YR.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Award-winning
author Judythe Morgan was an Air Force daughter then an Army wife and a one
time-Department of Army Civilian employee. She’s traveled a lot of this world. <o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An
antiques dealer, teacher, former mayor's wife, and sometimes-church pianist,
she's had some interesting experiences.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As
mommy to an Old English sheepdog named Finnegan MacCool and a Maltese named
Buster, there are always wild adventures in the works.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her
travel, experiences, and wild adventures always find their way into her
award-winning stories. Check her website<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="https://judythemorgan.com/">https://judythemorgan.com</a> for
details.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Besides
her fiction, she writes a weekly blog with her urban farmer daughter, Chicken
Wrangler Sara. You can follow at <a href="http://www.judythewriter.com/">www.judythewriter.com</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://judythemorgan.com/contact/">Sign up for her free newsletter</a>
to keep up with her latest news and subscriber-only sneak peaks. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And follow her on <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><o:p> </o:p></b>Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Judythe2">https://twitter.com/Judythe2</a>
</span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JudytheMorgan/">https://www.facebook.com/JudytheMorgan/<br /><br /></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450879.Judythe_Morgan">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450879.Judythe_Morgan</a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a name="_Hlk47980245">BookBub </a><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judythe-morgan"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk47980245;">https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judythe-morgan</span></a></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amazon Author Page <a href="https://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan">https://amazon.com/author/judythemorgan</a></span></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk47980245;"></span>
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-27514383171536194992020-09-10T05:00:00.000-05:002020-09-10T11:25:44.944-05:00LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF ~ Cleo Lampos ~ Miss Bee and the Do Bees ~ Giveaway <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi, readers. It's <i>Throwback Thursday </i>and our guest blogger today is author Cleo Lampos. Welcome, Cleo. The stage is yours.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Learning to
Love Yourself</span><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 20.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Cleo
Lampos<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1SqtUOaBOxCSdgPuv3KIJZEEBIZWPK7J4vBnJCGZFvmNtJJTpjEa8HIX8HX6Lgy0bTWcZkqZTtTpM2z76nCuolvOiLheXED5VKdcOJYXxIeyl0jtXzs8jXFZGbjvUUQ4DSAXWsS7-3A/s1600/Teens+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP1SqtUOaBOxCSdgPuv3KIJZEEBIZWPK7J4vBnJCGZFvmNtJJTpjEa8HIX8HX6Lgy0bTWcZkqZTtTpM2z76nCuolvOiLheXED5VKdcOJYXxIeyl0jtXzs8jXFZGbjvUUQ4DSAXWsS7-3A/s400/Teens+wall.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image provided by author</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ever stand
in front of a mirror, then look away with dissatisfaction?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When a
photographer is snapping pictures, a quick getaway is made?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Clothes are
bought that fold and drape over the body?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These are signs
of body image uneasiness. A condition that is characterized with how the
appearance of the body interferes in the way a life is lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people can cope on the surface but
suffer on the emotional level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtwi7JzHyoVkjTAyWnUBf9BRporseTKn13-5mQDFVBsUyotV7COCY8VqcEXA3ePK_36rtGQQaldBaa5H_98sAjkph3PPsql4T_1-laafpvEto5lp2j1F32wwatuws5-rWsRaQKii1VMY/s1600/Miss+Bee+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="723" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtwi7JzHyoVkjTAyWnUBf9BRporseTKn13-5mQDFVBsUyotV7COCY8VqcEXA3ePK_36rtGQQaldBaa5H_98sAjkph3PPsql4T_1-laafpvEto5lp2j1F32wwatuws5-rWsRaQKii1VMY/s320/Miss+Bee+cover.jpg" width="213" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In the
novel, </span><b style="font-size: 14pt;">Miss Bee and the Do Bees,</b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> Veronica
(Roni) Bagedonas suffers from </span><i style="font-size: 14pt;">body
dysmorphic disorder</i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">. Although known as the most successful teacher of
children with emotional and behavioral problems, Roni cannot overcome her
embarrassment of her large thighs. A colorful tee shirt tops the long skirts
that hide her legs. Her work is her life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Enter into
the picture, “Sunny” Vanderpool. This former beauty queen will now be Roni’s
classroom aide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect hair, manicured
nails, flawless make up, and a coordinated wardrobe set her apart from Roni. The
comparison is unsettling to Roni who does not know how hard it is for Sunny to
keep up appearances.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is more
unsettling to Roni is Joe Milanchovich, who has been assigned to the school as
the fire department’s educator for fire safety. Joe suffers from PTSD after
serving as a medic in Afghanistan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
wounds are all internal. But real. Although Joe admires Roni as a teacher, he
feels inadequate to tell her how he feels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The conflict
between inner wounds and outer wounds is brought to a climax when Sunny’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fiancé’ is sent back to the United States
severely wounded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Sunny views him in
massive bandages and hooked up to IVs, she must decide whether to walk away
from the relationship, or stay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_NeupuQEE8ycnkqyDQa-ELCpNLRBvOPmljFO3YPSE-1NDzrlOaOyDvLOaocKxoRUDIP1KySXZV46u5H74po5GnSHj88mAkfaUcmfNoL64MucTv2utcSqn3Ob-2sKJYTgxZoql4weDro/s1600/Miss+Bee+post+header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="741" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim_NeupuQEE8ycnkqyDQa-ELCpNLRBvOPmljFO3YPSE-1NDzrlOaOyDvLOaocKxoRUDIP1KySXZV46u5H74po5GnSHj88mAkfaUcmfNoL64MucTv2utcSqn3Ob-2sKJYTgxZoql4weDro/s320/Miss+Bee+post+header.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="display: none; font-size: 8.0pt;">Top of Form<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Can’t Miss Novels</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 19.0pt;">by Cleo A. Lampos</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">* * *<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">Contemporary Romance</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">T</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 9.0pt;">EACHERS OF THE</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"> D</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 9.0pt;">IAMOND</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"> P</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 9.0pt;">ROJECTS</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;"> S</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 9.0pt;">CHOOLS</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Second Chances<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16.0pt;">Diamonds in the Tough</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Miss Bee and the Do Bees<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=141818350819675908&useLegacyBlogger=true" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">*<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> <b> </b></span><b>The
Story Behind the Novel</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This novel
draws on the Chicago urban school system, so it includes the dangers of the
neighborhood, foster care, gang activity in the community and fires. Author
Cleo Lampos taught behavior disorder/emotionally disturbed students, which
brings reality to the classroom plot line. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is familiar with both body dysmorphic
disorder and PTSD. The fire-fighting scenes reflect stories she gleaned from
her fireman son-in-law. The shoot up of the school bus occurs all too often on
the streets of Chicago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNiwd1lAQWGGHjIYnDUebwvkswH7BKmkgY-YLZfFtT0QnqosNBTJtzJn6b_i-yoxdPVUV5KbQyNRD3RWb94DcMocQpWdiCbDkk3U7os7ukVwTD4qhd6EC0LYX2WEbCWtP4WP5NwrwN1w/s1600/Cleo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicNiwd1lAQWGGHjIYnDUebwvkswH7BKmkgY-YLZfFtT0QnqosNBTJtzJn6b_i-yoxdPVUV5KbQyNRD3RWb94DcMocQpWdiCbDkk3U7os7ukVwTD4qhd6EC0LYX2WEbCWtP4WP5NwrwN1w/s1600/Cleo.jpg" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cleo Lampos
has written three books in the series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Teachers of Diamond</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Project Schools</i>.
Each novel is a stand-alone, but occur in the same make believe building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the conflicts in the book are based
on events that happened in the urban areas of Chicago. Fiction and news events
are melded into realistic fiction. The underlying emotions are personally from
the author. The characters in Lampos’ books delve deep into their faith to find
strength and integrity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As a retired
educator, Lampos lectures at adult extension classes at nearby colleges and at
senior gatherings. She quilts and cans the food that her Urban Gardener husband
grows on their suburban lot. Eleven grandchildren fill their lives with
joy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lampos stays in touch with
educators and their challenges.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Cleo is giving away</b> a copy of this novel to one of the persons who comments on this
blog. To enter, just leave a comment with your name and contact information (so we can notify you if you win) in the comment section below. Giveaway ends one week from today on Sept 17, 2020, at <b>Midnight, Central Time. </b></span></span></div>
Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-75813037629515718702020-09-09T05:00:00.001-05:002020-09-09T05:00:07.065-05:00SOWN IN PEACE ~ Joy Avery Melville ~ The Story Behind the Story<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">SOWN IN PEACE</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Story Behind
the Story</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Joy Avery Melville</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Sown In Peace</i> would not be the story it is without
some amazing input from two of America’s wounded warriors, but let me back up
just a little. After God gave me the idea for this novel, and after I quit
arguing with him about writing it, I did a mammoth amount of reading from
non-fiction books I purchased at Amazon.com. I <i>knew </i>it wasn’t enough.
There was a niggling within that had me sensing a need to dig deeper, which led
me to pray for a human resource. Someone who’d been there and done the things I
wanted to include in my novel. Someone who wouldn’t fear talking about their
take away from their years of service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Since I don’t believe in coincidences, I can say with all
sincerity, God nudged two people to answer my prayers. Through an editing
client, I met an extraordinary soldier… a wounded warrior. Then, God connected
me with another outstanding, Army wounded warrior, through the editor of my
books. These two men, Jeremy Rockstroph (Rock) of Indiana and Keith Youngblood
(Big guy) of Texas have PTSD, and yet, were willing to open up and give me
insight into that devastating result of their service to our country. They were
able to share what no text book or reference source I’d been through had given
me. These soldiers gave me what I needed so badly for the characters in the
story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When I first interviewed each of them, it was to gain
information as to military terms, the types of vehicles and how they were used,
base life, and the atmosphere. Then, as I spent time with them over the <i>many</i>
months we talked, via email, FB Chats, by phone, email, and even in person with
Rock, I learned they had <i>so</i> much more to say that would impact the
novel. These men shared their very hearts with me, bringing so much more life
to the novel and two very important characters.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am grateful for the ideas God put in my head and heart,
the strength He gave me to put them into book form, but <i>my</i> life has been
changed for having known these men. I will be forever indebted to them… the
heroes I am now privileged to call family!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lest you think this story is all about military life and
PTSD, I promise, there are emotional and romantic elements running through this
novel. See below ~<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the back cover:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><a name="_Hlk46904316"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></i></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFjqpQS-QMioj5bGOpuIRGELC5k_tFRX4quj7rBZD14B3olhoaEiQu5UI1pHFUCBLQqyARcHsO0mCD4VLk7YFZKhf2oSB3RaYYO40odDjeiCR8FHu2k7T-L0qaQEclHtymHEzeu93Tk8/s2048/1+-+Sown+In+Peace+-+front++-+Final+-+01-16-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFjqpQS-QMioj5bGOpuIRGELC5k_tFRX4quj7rBZD14B3olhoaEiQu5UI1pHFUCBLQqyARcHsO0mCD4VLk7YFZKhf2oSB3RaYYO40odDjeiCR8FHu2k7T-L0qaQEclHtymHEzeu93Tk8/s320/1+-+Sown+In+Peace+-+front++-+Final+-+01-16-20.jpg" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />How much can one wounded soul
take?<o:p></o:p></span></i><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk46904316;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk46904316;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Victoria (Tori)
Archer has the heart of a soldier. Taken down by an IED during her fourth
deployment, she’s permanently separated from her military career and left with physical
scars as well as PTSD. Moving back to her hometown of Three Rivers, Michigan,
she’s forced by circumstances to live with an irascible and unsympathetic aunt.
Tori’s battle with pain, horrific memories, and loss of independence creates a deep
yearning for peace. Will God grant her even a small measure of it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk46904316;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk46904316;">Retired Military
Dog Handler Griffin (Griff) McKay turns to training dogs at his farm for wounded
warrior therapy, desiring to bring former military men and women emotional and
mental healing. Implementing his plan proves to be more difficult than
visualized with the arrival of one stubborn soldier. Why has God placed that
particular warrior in his path?</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><i><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">One thing God has <i>allowed me</i>, while writing the
genre He nudged, pushed, and then affirmed I write, is a strong Romance thread
and ultimately a sigh-worthy ending. Something my Advanced Readers have assured
me, <i>is</i> there.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Keith Youngblood read the e-book format of Sown In Peace
last week then left a comment on my Facebook page with five bright yellow
stars. He said the following:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="color: #1c1e21;">“Everyone needs to get a copy of this book!! It is a
Faith Based Fictional, yet very realistic story about a Wounded Warrior (IED
explosion) returning home after being medically retired from the Army. She has
to learn to live with her physical and mental injuries.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="color: #1c1e21;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>I also have a personal connection to this book, as the
author, Joy Avery Melville was initially put in contact with me in order for
her to get technical info for the book. Well it turned in to much more than
that. Throughout the process, I got to know Joy and got comfortable enough to
start sharing stories about my life and my struggles in the Army and since
retiring. We have now become life-long friends. I love you Ladybug.”</i> (unedited)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; margin: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="color: #1c1e21;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Needless to
say, my eyes leaked when I read that. I am indebted to both men, for their
candor. I look forward to working with them each again as I begin Pursuit Of
Peace in the next month or so.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">About the author:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy75IZmBSmlKyOF43Eu85wy73p4RCwhOPlM86kAZ9FAyv7mpx1HCnGE1hyqKXo8tv6aAPkNeEtNpNNy4NObCQwI9dnq_37SG7YHejiJVn1lc26xfurLdDGfWTUL827sNX1v7YYNag3F5s/s2048/AQUA+-+FACING+MY+LEFT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1463" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy75IZmBSmlKyOF43Eu85wy73p4RCwhOPlM86kAZ9FAyv7mpx1HCnGE1hyqKXo8tv6aAPkNeEtNpNNy4NObCQwI9dnq_37SG7YHejiJVn1lc26xfurLdDGfWTUL827sNX1v7YYNag3F5s/s320/AQUA+-+FACING+MY+LEFT.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Fully intending to write Historical
Romance—had in fact— Joy had no plans to deviate from that. God had something
else in mind for that ‘call’ He’d made on her life back in 1967. A mere eighth
grader at the time, she had no clue about the topics she’d be drawn to write
about.<o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Surrendering to the genre God placed on
her heart has given Joy new insight into the hearts and lives of those who too
often hurt in silence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The settings of Joy’s books are near where
she lives in Schoolcraft, Michigan with her husba</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 0.5in;">nd of nearly 47 + years and their
21 mo-old Yorkie, Is-A-Bella Bindi, (Is-a-beautiful little girl) who thinks
she’s a much larger breed with tomboy tendencies.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Joy loves to hear from readers and <i>will</i>
respond!</span><span style="font-family: verdana; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a name="_Hlk22716566"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Email<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></b></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="mailto:joyjournaling@gmail.com" target="_blank">joyjournaling@gmail.com</a><br /></span></b></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
Twitter <span style="color: blue;"> </span></span></b></span><a href="https://twitter.com/Journeystojoy" target="_blank"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">https://twitter.com/Journeystojoy</span></b></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><u><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></u></b></span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>Website <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.joyaverymelville.com/" target="_blank">https://www.joyaverymelville.com</a></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Blog<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.journeystojoy.net/" target="_blank">https://www.journeystojoy.net</a></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Facebook Author
Page </span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://facebook.com/jamauthor" target="_blank">http://facebook.com/jamauthor</a></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: 10pt;">Facebook
Personal Page</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://facebook.com/joy.averymelville" target="_blank">http://facebook.com/joy.averymelville</a></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amazon</span></b></span><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">:
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/joyaverymelville"><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.amazon.com/author/joyaverymelville</span></span></a></span></li><li><span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk22716566;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Goodreads:</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/joyjournalinggmailcom" style="font-family: verdana;">https://www.goodreads.com/joyjournalinggmailcom</a><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bookbub:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></span><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joy-avery-melville">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joy-avery-melville</a></span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in; text-indent: .5in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: 8.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: 0in;"><o:p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></o:p></p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-40603712166949106602020-09-04T05:00:00.000-05:002020-09-04T05:00:05.866-05:00HAPPY ENDINGS : Alexis A. Goring : Faithful Friday<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: large;">Happy Endings: They’re not
just for the movies!</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">A devotional by Alexis A. Goring</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXQ6VUGGJkOANMK9sOZV3XLHbKQYLZiLRRHkJZq18UV-JXRp0QjveY8tVG_8b94vxnA8JxiUtT58qtK6cW-1Yb9udWDCx8xMDa9quQwLd4_QnWrEvfBGSiqgnal1An2b2BLCIBQw7tt8/s960/Happy+Endings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdXQ6VUGGJkOANMK9sOZV3XLHbKQYLZiLRRHkJZq18UV-JXRp0QjveY8tVG_8b94vxnA8JxiUtT58qtK6cW-1Yb9udWDCx8xMDa9quQwLd4_QnWrEvfBGSiqgnal1An2b2BLCIBQw7tt8/w400-h400/Happy+Endings.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: verdana;">One of my favorite songs from the 1982 original
version of the movie </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">Annie</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> is
called “Let’s Go to the Movies!” It’s a beautiful, fanciful tune. Lately, it’s
been on my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">I’ve been singing it often while listening to the
replay on YouTube. But it wasn’t until one afternoon in late August 2020, that
God showed me a spiritual parallel between the song lyrics and real-life. I
realized that happy endings are not just for the movies. You can have a happy
ending to the story of your life when you choose to follow Jesus Christ! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">Best of all, it’s not really an ending, just
happiness for all eternity! Through the sacrifice of His Son (Jesus Christ),
God offers you the free gift of salvation. The Bible says that all who call
upon the name of the Lord (Jesus Christ) will be saved (Acts 2:21).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">What does it mean to be saved? Lovely, it means
that God will save your soul in His Kingdom. It means that all of your pain and
heartache that you experienced on this earth will end forever and God will
restore you completely. It means that when Jesus Christ returns to Earth and
takes His faithful followers home to Heaven, you will live forever! The Bible
says that in the blink of an eye your body will be changed from mortal to
immortal (1 Corinthians 15:52) and you will live in the Presence of God forever.
This forever existence will be free from sin and all of its side effects:
death, destruction, pain, sickness, trauma, drama, heartache, and so much more.
You will live perfectly happy and feel completely loved by your Creator God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">But you don’t have wait until you get to Heaven to
feel loved by God because He loved you before you were born (Jeremiah 1:5). We
don’t have to work our way into God’s Heart nor do we need to continually
impress Him to earn His favor because the Bible says that we are saved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">by
grace</i> through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">faith</i> (Ephesians
2:8-9). So what are you waiting for? Who doesn’t want to enjoy a happy ending?
Especially a happy ending that never ends! Open the door of your heart to Jesus
Christ who loves you with His very life (John 3:16). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">He stands outside the door of your heart, gently
knocking, waiting for you to let Him in (Revelation 3:20). But here’s the
catch: Only you have the ability to open the door. Yes, God can do anything <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but
</i>He chooses to not force a relationship with you because He wants you to
choose Him out of your own free will. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">He will never force you against your will to accept
the free gift of salvation that He offers through His Son Jesus Christ. But oh,
how He loves you! And oh, how much He wants you to be saved in His Kingdom. Therefore,
He actively pursues you with His Love. God constantly works through people,
situations, words, songs, Bible verses, and all of His Creation (including nature)
to give us reasons to welcome Him in. God wants to spend eternity with You.
Will you choose Him today? Remember, tomorrow is not promised (James 4:13-14)
and you can have salvation today! Won’t you choose Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">There are two beautiful songs that I’d like for you
to listen to in closing: “<a href="https://youtu.be/fLPeRXkB2j0">Now
Behold the Lamb</a>” (as performed in “The Gospel” movie) and “<a href="https://youtu.be/7mMwzb1XKvI">Tomorrow</a>” by The Winans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br />
Be encouraged, dear heart. The Creator for the Universe who is also your Maker,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loves
you</i>. He’s waiting for you to believe in Him (if you don’t already) and He
desperately wants you to be saved in His Kingdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana";">God wants to bless you with a happily ever after
that rivals every ending to a human-made book, story, or movie. Will you let
Him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXRwJDC5W6kre8vpR8XpDPU5Ara-MOlo-pXIHQT5AafWhHgpfffsIpa34aglRaddQKf-d9YEK_dWOLnellp35ifdMQ5kuH5cwXShg94enhtIVXL0CRrI8XP594a3kS0CX0Lc3cTJVoRM/s1600/Alexis+A.+Goring+Nov.+2014+pro.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="820" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXRwJDC5W6kre8vpR8XpDPU5Ara-MOlo-pXIHQT5AafWhHgpfffsIpa34aglRaddQKf-d9YEK_dWOLnellp35ifdMQ5kuH5cwXShg94enhtIVXL0CRrI8XP594a3kS0CX0Lc3cTJVoRM/s200/Alexis+A.+Goring+Nov.+2014+pro.png" width="125" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;">Alexis A. Goring</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"> is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.</span></div>
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Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-28308077734384562692020-09-02T05:00:00.000-05:002020-09-02T11:30:20.356-05:00KIMBERLY ROSE JOHNSON ~ The Sleuth's Surprise<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's <i><b>What's New Wednesday</b> </i>with guest author Kimberly Rose Johnson and her new release</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b>The Sleuth's Surprise</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So sit back with your favorite beverage and enjoy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNQQs2QoAeTz1FxHS9JxgajBCR3ThZxhfI1pWEWBvRtUacVJlSjwvCjT_tymOQj7JGfVu9c5EIbX9mZ_egbeVCwFfZGX0itpFOWSXqGkdkRo4GJzMycTuMbR2iv44MH4xElt2h8UBduM/s1600/floral-purple-div.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="479" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNQQs2QoAeTz1FxHS9JxgajBCR3ThZxhfI1pWEWBvRtUacVJlSjwvCjT_tymOQj7JGfVu9c5EIbX9mZ_egbeVCwFfZGX0itpFOWSXqGkdkRo4GJzMycTuMbR2iv44MH4xElt2h8UBduM/s320/floral-purple-div.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’m so
excited to share about my new release <i>The
Sleuth’s Surprise</i>. This is the fourth and final book in the Librarian
Sleuth Series. Each of the books in the series stand alone, but it’s best to
have read at least the first book to truly appreciate everything in the final
book. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’ve
always wanted to write a story with characters that are a bit older, but I
hesitated because I generally like to write about an age I’ve already
experienced. That being said, I finally feel qualified to get into the head of
older characters since I turn 50 at my next birthday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mary Daley
is a character that I’ve enjoyed writing from the beginning of this series and
knew she needed her own story. It was so much fun getting into this woman’s
head to share her thoughts, rather than only showing what is on the surface
like in the other books. Mary is a complicated woman!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Here’s the
back cover description:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gQJ64IY66hC9ldMYrGMqhtv2V8McWggsQ1dAdBPMo_nr0u0iQKfQcds2U5mVaf5JiD7CRlVvR1PDZ0r2ErybSCGiw2lL1hcgz3HXwoEPRm-e4AKEoNGemZuv4cZydcM1ns7RhNdKBv8/s1600/The+Sleuth%2527s+Surprise+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1050" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5gQJ64IY66hC9ldMYrGMqhtv2V8McWggsQ1dAdBPMo_nr0u0iQKfQcds2U5mVaf5JiD7CRlVvR1PDZ0r2ErybSCGiw2lL1hcgz3HXwoEPRm-e4AKEoNGemZuv4cZydcM1ns7RhNdKBv8/s320/The+Sleuth%2527s+Surprise+cover.jpg" width="210" /></a><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mary
Daley has been the sheriff of Tipton County for more than two decades, but
someone wants her job.</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"> When
it seems circumstances can’t get more complicated, a murder happens on her
watch. Had she been the intended victim?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Deputy Chief
Lyle Griffin only wants Mary to be happy, but when he asks her if she’d
consider retiring, it sets off a string of events and emotions that muddy their
friendship. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nancy
Daley-Malone can’t believe anyone would run for sheriff against her mom. She is
onboard to help run the best campaign Tipton County has ever seen until the
sheriff’s opponent is murdered and Nancy’s husband joins the race. On top of
that, it appears someone is out to kill her mother as well.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Can Nancy,
along with the sheriff’s department, find the murderer before it’s too late?
Will Lyle and Mary be able to admit their feelings for one another or will the
status quo remain?</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Here’s a short
excerpt:</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Still stunned that her position as sheriff was being challenged,
Mary closed her eyes and took a cleansing breath. Lord, if you want me to stay
on as sheriff, I’m going to need your help.</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and sighed before
answering and putting on her most chipper voice. “Good morning, Mayor Wallace.”<br />
</span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“No need to be so formal, Mary. I’ve told you to call me Charlie
at least a hundred times.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“And I’ve told you, I prefer to be addressed as Sheriff.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He cleared his throat. “About that. Have you read the morning
paper?” </span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“I have. Thanks for the heads up.” Not.<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“It was a matter of public record. All you had to do was look to
see who had filed.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She rolled her eyes. She wasn’t in the mood to be talked down to.
“Does he even have the right credentials? He’s a high school English teacher.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Believe it or not, he does. Before Stan moved to Tipton, he was
in law enforcement.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“How? He can’t be over thirty. He has a master’s in education, so
how is it he had time to do both?”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Guess he’s an overachiever. I actually called to talk with you
about the pie judging. You never said if you’re onboard or not.”</span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“I’m looking forward to it.” Okay, so maybe that was a stretch,
but she enjoyed pie. How much of a trial could it be?<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“That’s what I was hoping to hear.” He actually sounded gleeful.<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mary narrowed her eyes. “You are way too happy about this. What’s
g</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">zoing on?”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“I thought it’d be fun for the community to see you and Stan
side-by-side at the fair.”</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Please tell me this is a joke.” It wasn’t that she minded sharing
the job, it was the person she had to share it with that was the problem—her
running mate.<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Now, Mary.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Sheriff.” She had no idea why it bothered her so much for him to
use her given name, but it was like fingernails on a chalkboard on the
annoyance level.<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Sorry, Sheriff. This isn’t a joke. I realize Stan isn’t a
celebrity, but he’s a popular teacher, and the high school students will eat
this up. No pun intended.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Then why not get another teacher to judge and leave me out of
it?” She wanted to snatch the words back as soon as they popped out. She didn’t
need her competition to have the upper hand in the eyes of the public.<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“That’s an option, but this would be much more interesting.”<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Fine. Count me in.” She had a feeling she might regret agreeing
to judge the pie-baking contest, but her instinct said it was the right thing
to do.<br /> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Excellent.” Muffled voices sounded in the background on his end
of the phone call. “I need to go. I’ll email you the specifics.</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQipSZNlas_amYIX7g3Zr5U5ZqdHP_Byi0eHqhN-WwtTQJyTTQ2-ZSEW_TK3ZSYlQVWdDwS7TzP0ovEkNvyaeKZN8c9WRwv9YSKTrQaWAUf6QaU8CnIYUg-6t6gJiKaAfFc3cU3MjvNc/s1600/floral-purple-div.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="479" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxQipSZNlas_amYIX7g3Zr5U5ZqdHP_Byi0eHqhN-WwtTQJyTTQ2-ZSEW_TK3ZSYlQVWdDwS7TzP0ovEkNvyaeKZN8c9WRwv9YSKTrQaWAUf6QaU8CnIYUg-6t6gJiKaAfFc3cU3MjvNc/s320/floral-purple-div.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXXGQkt1zno_Wz6xMTIGEEJ1iwkQui6cPxWzhT1U1VpJDn5bC_TtDKUfy71a1gAcJNtPmUBXOUJPfEvA5Mhaeb5VQZ-iYe6VGCl_OwY6weCZhUuVrcFIDiMUNmh6dBwhFuNxWKUFzqzY/s1600/+Kimberl+Rose+Johnson+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMXXGQkt1zno_Wz6xMTIGEEJ1iwkQui6cPxWzhT1U1VpJDn5bC_TtDKUfy71a1gAcJNtPmUBXOUJPfEvA5Mhaeb5VQZ-iYe6VGCl_OwY6weCZhUuVrcFIDiMUNmh6dBwhFuNxWKUFzqzY/s320/+Kimberl+Rose+Johnson+.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">Award winning author Kimberly
Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest.
From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading
fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially
loves romance and writes contemporary romance and romantic mystery and suspense
with a heart.</span><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science
from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American
Christian Fiction Writers.</span><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<!--[endif]--><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Website: <a href="https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/">https://kimberlyrjohnson.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Link to
book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DCRSHRH">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08DCRSHRH</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Social
media links: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Instagram:
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyrosejohnsonauthor/">https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyrosejohnsonauthor/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson">https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh">https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-11758466597584639562020-08-28T05:00:00.000-05:002020-08-28T05:00:18.331-05:00GOD'S PLANS ~Faithful Friday ~ Leslie L. McKee<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hkczh3EJlSF-HCkXoEr_TJAT_vyfF3MTw6tIJ_kCV9Rljpsheg9bkjumjDbfN5YmQpNljqeO0pIfFZLh1PQOS_4yka1KeiS1xP1kjH-uoAmvEk01hD0MFUwolh5xkZgAji3rBh-EYN0/s1600/blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="786" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6hkczh3EJlSF-HCkXoEr_TJAT_vyfF3MTw6tIJ_kCV9Rljpsheg9bkjumjDbfN5YmQpNljqeO0pIfFZLh1PQOS_4yka1KeiS1xP1kjH-uoAmvEk01hD0MFUwolh5xkZgAji3rBh-EYN0/s640/blue.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy Pixabay.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">God’s
Plans</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A Devotional </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />by
Leslie L. McKee</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“For
I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and
not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jeremiah
29:11 (NLT<i>)<b><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2020 has been a
crazy, chaotic, and even scary year. It’s pretty much a guarantee that if
someone had been asked in 2015 what they’d be doing five years later, they
would’ve been incorrect. This year has been something nobody anticipated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yet, 2020 was not
a surprise to the Lord. He knew long before we were born exactly what would
happen this year, as well as what our response would be to all that is going on
around us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some people may
question where God has been in all that’s gone on in their lives. Not just with
the pandemic, but with each trial they have faced. They may feel abandoned,
forgotten, or without purpose. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The truth is
actually quite simple: God is right here with us. He’s never left. He is still in
control, and He still has a plan. Even when we don’t see a way, God can—and
will—make a way.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s hard to
fathom yet amazing to understand that God knew us before birth. (Jeremiah 1:15)
He knows every little detail of our lives, right down to each hair on our head.
(Luke 12:7) God sees the big picture that we can’t see or perhaps even imagine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God hasn’t
forgotten His people. His love, grace, and mercy are never-ending. That’s true
even when life (or the world) seems out of control. Knowing that His plans are for
our good—to prosper us and give us a hope-filled future—is comforting and
certain, even when times are uncertain. <i>He</i> is the peace amid all the
chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span><i style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lord,
help me to cling to the reminder that everything in my life is for a
purpose—Your purpose—and I can trust You, no matter what is going on around me.
Amen.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGU__7vgRqT48xA-kdUqSeQvfvPL3AzMPBp_QR_3lIsqnH7PPxEg-gol2mOZ3VUOjMlnyL2ejiGDGBhyphenhyphenX5N4TFDwrF0tHfNKKzA2Cks1L3TmH648aWphlUbObuZvQwWg1Veqe1xNE0VA/s1600/Leslie+professional+photo+by+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxGU__7vgRqT48xA-kdUqSeQvfvPL3AzMPBp_QR_3lIsqnH7PPxEg-gol2mOZ3VUOjMlnyL2ejiGDGBhyphenhyphenX5N4TFDwrF0tHfNKKzA2Cks1L3TmH648aWphlUbObuZvQwWg1Veqe1xNE0VA/s200/Leslie+professional+photo+by+tree.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leslie L. McKee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Leslie is an editor,</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">reviewer, and author. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN. Some of her devotionals were published in 2017 compilations by Ellie Claire:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just Breathe</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">and</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Refresh Your Soul. </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Another is in</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Breathe: Devotions to Quiet the Soul, </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">published in 2020. Her flash fiction story, “A Knight to Remember,” was published in Splickety Magazine’s September 2018 issue, and “Love on the Scrambler” in Spark Flash Fiction’s July 2019 issue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12pt;">Leslie enjoys reading, playing piano, crocheting, spending time with family and friends (and her turtle!), and rooting for the NY Giants.</span></span></div>
Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-78503918192167327692020-08-27T05:00:00.000-05:002020-08-27T05:00:05.243-05:00JUDYTHE MORGAN AUTHOR INTERVIEW<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>It's Throwback Thursday and an interview with guest author Judythe Morgan </b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Welcome, Judythe. Thank you for spending this time with us so we can get to know you. Ready? Let's go.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been telling
stories all my life. I focused on writing when all my chickadees flew the coop.
I finished my first full length novel in the late nineties and started
collecting reject letters from publishers and agents. Rightly so. I had zero
craft skill. I knew nothing of POV, scene structure, characterization, GMC…all
the stuff that writers use to craft remarkable stories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I began to study
and learn. I went to writers’ conferences and retreats. I joined writer
organizations and worked with critique partners. My writing improved. Stories
began to sell to magazines and, when I entered winning writing contests, my
manuscripts started to final and win. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then in 2012 I
held my first published novel in my hand and, as the saying goes, “the rest is
history.” My latest book released in May 2020. You can find my complete book list
on my website </span><a href="https://judythemorgan.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">judythemorgan.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How do you go about finding names for your
characters?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Naming characters
is tricky. Much harder than naming your pet. Once you get to know the
characters, the name you select may not fit. The beauty of word processing is,
if that happens, you can do a search and replace and change the name quickly.
I’ve had to do that a few times. As I wrote I got to know the character and the
name just didn’t fit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Sometimes I use
the names of friends, family, and acquaintances. Always with permission, and usually
with spelling twists or sound alike names if a story character will have too
many of the same traits. I don’t want to risk offending anyone. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’ve discovered
most people love to have characters named after them. Especially when I acknowledge them
in the book. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Besides writing, what other hobbies do you
enjoy?</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">You might say I’m
an eclectic, or maybe it’s attention deficit disorder. I love to do a lot of
different things. I cook, I sew, I play bridge, I work jigsaw puzzles, I
garden, I play the piano, I sing. And, I read. There’s always a book or my iPad
with the Kindle app nearby.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When reading, what is your favorite genre?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Romance,
specifically contemporary, historical, or military would be the obvious answer
but truthfully, I read across genres—mysteries, women’s fiction, biographies,
or </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">memoirs</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">. I hear about a new author and I’m always willing to give them a
try no matter what the genre.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>About Your Book:</b></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Title: Claiming
Annie’s Heart, An Irish Romance<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author: Judythe
Morgan <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Publisher: The
Danfield Press<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Release Date: 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Genre: Romance<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Series/Stand-Alone:
Stand Alone<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Target Audience:
16+<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What take-away value do you want readers
to gain from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I want readers to </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">see </i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">the
underlying themes of forgiveness and second chances of my stories. I do believe
strongly in both values.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What can we expect to see from you in the
future?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I’m currently
working to complete the Fitzpatrick Family series. Next novella is scheduled to
release in December then the remaining three in 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From the back cover of Claiming Annie’s
Heart:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>An Irish Love Story</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <i>Annie Foster stays in Ireland after
boarding school to nanny a widower’s infant daughter. Five years later, the
widower proposes.<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Weeks before the
wedding, Chad Jones, her first love who she believed deserted her, arrives in
Belfast on an undercover assignment probing her fiancé’s connection with IRA
terrorists. <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chad’s determined
to change Annie’s mind because he’s never stopped loving her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Who will claim
Annie’s heart?<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIwwJViL8DlOnS1quzk_nVpJibgcsuneUnc4TipVvIjgIWmIjQC3XEa-Kro8gI8QZ7niz75pf6SJWBJJlhkVx-M-b4yhoRgnnS8wQ7kq2KCMBfNvtq7FuXJ0S1Suxsbh9NJBqQkYIgv8/s1600/CAH_cover_FINAL-1200x1800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAIwwJViL8DlOnS1quzk_nVpJibgcsuneUnc4TipVvIjgIWmIjQC3XEa-Kro8gI8QZ7niz75pf6SJWBJJlhkVx-M-b4yhoRgnnS8wQ7kq2KCMBfNvtq7FuXJ0S1Suxsbh9NJBqQkYIgv8/s320/CAH_cover_FINAL-1200x1800.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">EXCERPT<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annie Foster glanced toward the flash
of light when the door into Murphy’s Pub in Belfast, Northern Ireland, opened
and the dark shadow of a man moved to a stool at the bar. She shivered at the
rush of cold air from the unusually chilly July night, but her attention remained
focused between the dark oak bar and the <i>seisiún
</i>table. Seated with the musicians, four-year-old Emma lip-synced along with
her. Behind the bar, her fiancé Pearce Murphy pulled the Guinness tap to build
a pint. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Her fingers glided over the upright
piano keys. Her voice echoed through the still, quiet pub with the final chorus
of the ancient ballad,<i> “</i><i><span lang="EN">For
she lived to hope and pray, For her love in Botany Bay, It's so lonely round
the fields of Athenry.”</span><span lang="EN" style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annie rose slowly. Her body
weighted by emotions stirred from the words she sang. She’d been lonely once - waiting,
hoping, praying. Not anymore. With a smile at Pearce, she headed to Emma. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She’d only taken two steps when
the man who had entered swept her off her feet. She struggled against his arms,
pinning her loosely but firmly to a body hard as a slab at Stonehenge. His lips
sealed over her startled scream. As the kiss softened, a mist of familiarity
fogged her brain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Before she could sort through the
haziness, a familiar Irish brogue called out, “Get your hands off me lass.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWA" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pearce yanked her from the man’s arms.
The unmistakable crack of fist meeting flesh shot through the air, and the
stranger tumbled backward, knocking over a chair as he fell. Blood spurted down
his chin and splattered onto his shirt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pearce reached down to haul the
man to his feet for another go. Annie clutched at his forearm. “Pearce, stop
it! I’m fine.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Emma appeared beside her father.
Her hazel eyes saucer-like on her pudgy face. She tugged on his other arm. “Da,
you broke his nose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pearce twisted from their joint
restraint, showing no remorse. “He’s touching our Annie again, I’ll do it again.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The stranger pulled himself up and
swiped at the blood running down his chin. “She’s my fiancee. Annie, it’s me.
Tell him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The deep baritone voice saying her
name carried a familiar cadence. Its resonance danced a jig in her ear, and her
heart skipped a beat. Annie swayed. “Chad?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chad lifted her hand to his lips, kissing
her fingers. “I’d given up on finding you, my Annie.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Too late, you are,” Pearce said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annie shot her friend Molly a
frantic <i>help me</i> glance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Nodding, Molly linked her arm
through Pearce’s. “We’ll be needing you. Liam wants another of your special
Murphy’s.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pearce jerked from Molly’s grip
and motioned the crowd away. “Enough already. Everyone back to your places.” He
stomped to the bar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Emma scooted closer, hugging
Annie’s waist. Her eyes glistened with tears. Her lips puckered in a pout. “She’s
not yours. She’s mine and Da’s.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annie slipped her hand from
Chad’s, gave Molly a grateful nod and crouched to hug Emma. “That’s right,
sweetie. I’ll always be yours.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Chad’s gaze flickered from Annie
to Emma. “She yours?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Aware of every eye in the pub watching
them, she tipped Emma’s chin upward. “Sweetie, you go help Molly and your Da.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Emma’s shoulders straightened as
though she might protest, then dropped with a weighty sigh. Her posture and
stride mimicked her father’s as she walked away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Annie motioned to Chad. “Come with
me. Let’s put some ice on your nose.” Pearce’s hazel eyes, shadowed by angry disbelief,
tracked them as Annie led the way behind the floor-to-ceiling, age-darkened,
oak bar. She kept her back stiff, her pace steady down the narrow hallway to an
iron spiral staircase and up the steps to her apartment above the bar. Inside,
her body shivered, trembled, quaked with questions. How had Chad found her and
where had he been?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She took a deep breath, exhaled
slowly, opened the door, and pointed to her kitchen table. “Sit down. I’ll get
some ice.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">He flinched when
she placed an ice-filled washcloth against his nose a few moments later. “Hold
it there.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal; tab-stops: 192.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">She sat across
from him, analyzing the man, looking for the college student she’d known and
loved. The years had left their mark on him. Gone was the sun-lightened, blond
hair she had run her fingers through, replaced by a dark, burnished-gold color.
A few lines etched across his forehead and around his eyes. A shadow of sadness
darkened those clear, sparkling blues that so often plagued her dreams. A
faint, narrow, pink scar line extended up his whisker-stubbled cheek. From
what, she wondered. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Annie.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Chad.” They
spoke at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="RWATNR12" style="line-height: normal; tab-stops: 192.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“You first,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mountains of memories rose in her
head. Times spent sharing their deepest wants and desires. Times he’d been her
comfort and hope. How she had missed him and longed for him to return for her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, she’d accepted he was
gone. She’d never expected to see him again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Purchase Links:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>KINDLE:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O6BO%20%0d">https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O6BO
<o:p></o:p></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b>NOOK: </b></span><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/claiming-annies-heart-judythe-morgan/1120481337">https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/claiming-annies-heart-judythe-morgan/1120481337</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>PAPERBACK</b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: </span></b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Claiming-Annies-Heart-judythe-morgan/dp/098940367X/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://www.amazon.com/Claiming-Annies-Heart-judythe-morgan/dp/098940367X/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">About the Author:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kGxlJR-XoP13lhM8KmdCT7ry4Mcp1RpP_DFoKwhvDeKA9FKAfZ-y05eou20s0wPaPooYi_LgpCtBOL71xNqZgQP5WL71tmTVwFqmPesvGHcDwXU-ETjJUxch9PIk44zvi6_GN9Q2_tA/s1600/2020+profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-kGxlJR-XoP13lhM8KmdCT7ry4Mcp1RpP_DFoKwhvDeKA9FKAfZ-y05eou20s0wPaPooYi_LgpCtBOL71xNqZgQP5WL71tmTVwFqmPesvGHcDwXU-ETjJUxch9PIk44zvi6_GN9Q2_tA/s1600/2020+profile.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Judythe Morgan was an Army brat then Army wife. She’s
traveled a lot. Her start-and-then-move-again careers include teacher, antiques
dealer, former mayor's wife, sometimes-church pianist, and award-winning
author. Her life has rarely been dull or without an Old English Sheepdog at her
side. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Her varied experiences fill her stories with authentic
characters, exciting settings, and compelling plots. Her writing’s won multiple
writing contests. Check </span><a href="https://judythemorgan.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">https://judythemorgan.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> for details.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Besides fiction, she writes a weekly blog at </span><a href="http://www.judythewriter.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">www.judythewriter.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> with her urban farmer daughter, Chicken Wrangler Sara.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://judythemorgan.com/contact/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">Sign up for her free newsletter</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
to keep up with her latest news and subscriber-only sneak peeks. <b><span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Judythe-Morgan/116134279255?ref=hl"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">Friend her on Facebook</span></a><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">Like her on </span></u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6450879.Judythe_Morgan"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">Goodreads</span></a><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">or </span></u><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/authors/judythe-morgan"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">BookBub</span></a><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></u><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Giveaway:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Judythe is offering
one winner their choice of hard cover copy of <i>Claiming Annie’s Heart</i>
(U.S. address only) or eBook. To enter, simply leave a comment below with your
name and contact information, in case you’re the sinner. Giveaway ends one week
from today on Thursday, September3, 2020, at <b>Midnight, Central Time.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-42077656045310160442020-08-21T05:00:00.000-05:002020-08-21T11:35:53.579-05:00ALEXIS A. GORING ~ The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly ~ Faithful Friday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPsKVzHOGTKvqnPOssV8HTMBBSw-LLEP3LbSrIz1KUYFgdOMar7Yb5J1x7ucXi_gZG_4aczBn6eYMQURT0XlQvu8WQaxVCBrx_9iS1K_GkjZER_LDokL8vATiuhdryD15zA296K9ABtY/s1600/John+3-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1280" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzPsKVzHOGTKvqnPOssV8HTMBBSw-LLEP3LbSrIz1KUYFgdOMar7Yb5J1x7ucXi_gZG_4aczBn6eYMQURT0XlQvu8WQaxVCBrx_9iS1K_GkjZER_LDokL8vATiuhdryD15zA296K9ABtY/s640/John+3-16.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy Pixabay.com</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Good, The Bad, and
The Ugly</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A devotional by Alexis A. Goring<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“Give all your worries and
cares to God, for he cares about you.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: black;">–</span><span style="color: black;"> <span style="background: white; mso-highlight: white;">1 Peter 5:7
(NLT)<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This devotional was inspired by some of the first words spoken to
me by one of my dear writer friends. I’ve changed her name for privacy reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I will always remember my first conversation with my friend
Juniper. She told me from the start that she’s ready to talk about it all –
“the good, the bad, and the ugly” – because “life is too short to ease into
friendships.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Her words touched my heart and I knew she was a friend for life.
As I write this devotional, I am reflecting on her words and thinking of my
Best Friend who is always there for me and willing to hear the good, the bad,
and the ugly. His Name is Jesus Christ and He is my best friend forever! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Jesus loves me unconditionally and He’s been with me through all
the ups and downs of this life. He promises to comfort me, bless me, protect me
and give me strength for the journey from Earth to Heaven. Best of all, He is
my Savior, Redeemer and Lord over all! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">There’s a </span><a href="https://youtu.be/cek1XgulAEM"><span style="color: #0563c1;">song</span></a><span style="color: black;"> by Kari Jobe called
“Lord Over All.” In this song, Kari touches on very important points that will
get you through this life here on Earth. She says that when she’s facing the
unknown, she knows that she can raise her voice to God and rest assured that He
is with her and know that God will never leave her side! God is with her in the
shifting shadows, the darkness, the u</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">ncertainties, the deep valleys of life,
the troubled times … and He rescues her from it all effectively </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">every single time </i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">without fail because </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">He </i><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">is </span><i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Lord Over All!</i></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The fact that God is “Lord Over All” means that He is in charge of
this world and the entire universe! He is intimately involved in human affairs
and He cares about everything that affects us – the good, the bad, and the ugly.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God has the solutions that you’re looking for in this life. You
can trust Him today, tomorrow and forever! You can run to Him and He’ll welcome
you with open arms, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every single time</i>.
Why? Because, dear one, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He</i> loves <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you </i>with ALL of His Heart. There’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing </i>you can do to make Him love you<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> less </i>and there’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nothing </i>you can do to make Him love you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i>. God’s Love for You is perfect and complete. He sent His Son
(Jesus Christ) to save your life! Read John 3:16 for details on that point. He
wants you to be reunited with Him for all eternity. God wants to help you through
all the trials, tragedy, trauma and drama in this life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Contrary to popular belief, God is not just watching us from a
distance; He is <i>here</i>! He is <i>everywhere</i>! You cannot hide from Him
because He sees all and knows all. But not in a scary way. In a loving,
compassionate, strong and caring manner. His Presence is powerful! But you
don’t have to be afraid of Him because His love for you is gentle and enduring.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Will you allow God and His Son Jesus Christ to be your Best
Friend? They want to be there for you and they want to hear it ALL: the good,
the bad, and the ugly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">You can safely confide in God and His Son without worrying about
your information traveling elsewhere. They have the solutions you seek! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Will you allow your Maker, Savior, Redeemer and Best Friend to be
there for you? They are waiting with open arms and a heart of love for you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYcVFZNL1K78RbBq3bZvUZfYxKATk5sDtPHV7wTSqiotjR4MDzbLatGASSAaTEcmc6BPApdt2jz5QDhce0qlbgIuglYfLvcTbkgo1eU6Sz68jr-_s5RefkIV4fKJnlTJvqmndQ94oj64/s1600/Alexis+A.+Goring+Nov.+2014+pro.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1310" data-original-width="820" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsYcVFZNL1K78RbBq3bZvUZfYxKATk5sDtPHV7wTSqiotjR4MDzbLatGASSAaTEcmc6BPApdt2jz5QDhce0qlbgIuglYfLvcTbkgo1eU6Sz68jr-_s5RefkIV4fKJnlTJvqmndQ94oj64/s320/Alexis+A.+Goring+Nov.+2014+pro.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="gmail-s6"><span style="color: black;"><b>Alexis
A. Goring</b> is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA
in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her
stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-91497741295898541782020-08-20T05:00:00.000-05:002020-08-20T05:00:01.794-05:00THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY ~ Rachel's Valley ~ Alice Patron<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>IT'S THROWBACK THURSDAY!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please welcome author Alice Patron as she shares . . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">THE STORY BEHIND
THE STORY</span></span></b></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rachel’s Valley, by
Alice Patron<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Book Summary<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXy4czGBOzPDmYvyI6d3fr7aN6o0Hl6En62NH5Ndg6bR6L7OBj3nXTqloRc-_qcXtiMuvpiFPZmaZAKbAXmPYKecKCyyQQtd1iwmELldXi-nxH_dYK2VpGWWCOvGDtMgSVvbx739tAWhU/s1600/rachel%2527s+valley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXy4czGBOzPDmYvyI6d3fr7aN6o0Hl6En62NH5Ndg6bR6L7OBj3nXTqloRc-_qcXtiMuvpiFPZmaZAKbAXmPYKecKCyyQQtd1iwmELldXi-nxH_dYK2VpGWWCOvGDtMgSVvbx739tAWhU/s320/rachel%2527s+valley.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;">Not long after saying “I do,” Rachel Wood finds herself
abandoned by her husband in a mining town in the West. After a year and a half
of waiting for his return, she needs to move on. She responds to an ad in the
newspaper and becomes the caretaker for two girls in the small town of
Breckenridge, Colorado.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">The moment he sees the beautiful young woman
climbing into his wagon, widower Clint Harvey second-guesses his decision to
hire someone to teach his daughters. But Rachel Wood is just what his girls
need. And it doesn’t take long to realize that she is exactly what he needs, too—if
only she didn’t keep holding him at arm’s length.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Clint is the only man who has ever shown Rachel
true love and friendship, and it becomes almost unbearable to not let herself
fall for him. But she doesn’t want to cause a scandal in such a small town, so
she keeps her marital status under wraps. But when she finally receives a
threatening letter from her “husband,” she begins to question whether her
marriage was even legally binding in the first place.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Now, she must unravel the status of her supposed
marriage before her chance of happiness with Clint has passed—and follow God’s
law no matter the outcome, which just might be the most difficult thing of
all.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of what has
inspired <i>Rachel’s Valley: </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I live in and love the
west. I may live in the suburbs, but I don’t have to travel far to see the
mountains, the desert, and the tough ranchers and farmers out caring for their
land and animals in the heat and the face-hurting cold. There is real grit and
gumption in the people and culture of the west. That hardiness is shown in the
main characters of <em>Rachel’s Valley</em>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Clint and Rachel are not only physically tough, but they also
both have a strength of faith and character that keeps them from crumbling in response
to pressures of tragedy and betrayal. That strength also keeps them from
succumbing to their desires. I wanted to write about strong people – I believe
we can all be as sturdy as an 1880s cowboy if we have the faith of an 1880s
cowboy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NZN9LGF/"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED</b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About Alice Patron: <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf0MhsEIfT31oh_Usza5zmgOfjeka95TnnkE0eLIrF1Qgv7j65soiAKqFiqr3zpgC8O6izaJgQjepVwmp60sbT3QU23w1Nul8LBam6b9IiZ0OqIhyphenhyphenoYiwM_phJeRQotsUmDNa5Ei9WYY/s1600/alice+patron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="378" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf0MhsEIfT31oh_Usza5zmgOfjeka95TnnkE0eLIrF1Qgv7j65soiAKqFiqr3zpgC8O6izaJgQjepVwmp60sbT3QU23w1Nul8LBam6b9IiZ0OqIhyphenhyphenoYiwM_phJeRQotsUmDNa5Ei9WYY/s320/alice+patron.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alice Patron</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Utah native, Alice was born in the perfect small town – she
could roam the neighborhood at night, the sledding and hiking trails were
abundant, and the neighbors were neighborly. During college, she spent several
years abroad and learned to speak fluent Spanish. Now she can communicate with
her husband’s family when she visits them in Mexico.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Follow Alice on:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;">Facebook </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/authoralicepatron/">https://www.facebook.com/authoralicepatron/</a><span style="background: white; color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;">Amazon </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NZN9LGF/">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NZN9LGF/</a>
<span style="background: white; color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;">Goodreads </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44125723-rachel-s-valley?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=fpDWNPVUJk&rank=2">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44125723-rachel-s-valley?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=fpDWNPVUJk&rank=2</a><span style="background: white; color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #404040; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Thank you, Alice, for sharing your book and your story with us. May God continue to bless your writing journey.</span></o:p></span></div>
<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-39035568309360752632020-08-19T05:00:00.000-05:002020-08-19T05:00:06.078-05:00THE GREATEST GENERATION ~ Cleo Lampos<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning About
the Greatest Generation<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Retirement
delivered many opportunities for speaking to senior groups and at extension
classes of local colleges. Several historic fiction books hit the market, and
life sailed along with my husband and cat in a Chicago suburb. Then, in November
2019, I read Jennie Allen’s book, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Anything:
The Prayer That Unlocked My God and My Soul.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I prayed that God
would do anything in my life that would draw me closer to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gail Kittleson
e-mailed me two days later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An author of WWII
historic fiction, Gail asked if I would want to co-write a book about the food
that people ate during the war. After praying about this, I decided to jump
full into the project. Research is one of my library skills honed over the
years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The range of
material was vast. Trips to the library yielded books on WWII to read. The
internet produced articles, memoirs, and PHD. Dissertations on the topics of
military chocolate bars, ration kits, sugarless baking, foxhole foraging, the
Victory Gardens, the Land Girls, Donut Dollies, and how the Dutch ate tulips.
The women of North Platte, Nebraska, who served food to over 6 million GI’s in
four years astounded me. Recipes and photos for all for all these topics
bubbled from friends cleaning out their attics, historical archives, and
government sources. A coffee table album on the topic complete with quotes,
articles, photos and recipes resulted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Then Gail and I
decided to bring the sacrifices and ingenuity of celebrating Christmas during
the war to the album format. Again, conversations with elderly friends,
relatives, and reading memoirs gleaned so many insights. Reading books like </span><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Soldiers of a Different Fabric</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> brought
the stories of chaplains at Christmas to light. Compilations of accounts of </span>POWs<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and GIs in the field at the season of Christ’s birth allowed the emotions
of the time to come into our writing. Photos from private parties made their
way to this book.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So much happened
to me emotionally as these projects were researched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My uncles enlisted during the war but spoke
little about their experiences. Uncle Melvin took us to the cemetery in Des
Moines, Iowa, every time we visited him so we would remember the Sullivan
Brothers and see all the white crosses. Now, I read the accounts of the sailors
and soldiers in foxholes and on ships in hostile countries sharing their fears
and hopes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> My appreciation for the Greatest Generation
increased as I read the letters of mothers and wives who put up a brave front
even as they scrounged every day to make ends meet. The words of President
Roosevelt, the volunteering of Eleanor Roosevelt, and the inspiring quotes of
Eisenhower, Nimitz and </span>MacArthur<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> stirred a piece inside of me that had long lay
dormant.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> The folks who lived through
WWII represented the best of our nation.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
They are in a class by themselves.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is with humility and pride that Gail Kittleson and I present the companion books that
give the present generation a glimpse into the valor and courage of our parents
and grandparents. The Greatest Generation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Featured Books
Will Release in September 2020<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Food That Held
the World Together<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">World War II
Christmas Scrapbook<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Authors: Gail
Kittleson and Cleo Lampos<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publisher:
Wordcrafts Press<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Genre: Historical
non-fiction<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Two companion
books<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Target Audience:
High school to adult seniors who love history<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_WdWFG65K1PDTA2oIL-q7WKBuf2xJX2ymyZmQr90H4WBSe5ybSuubLKlhstMP84z_HqGOAQFzUzrCeYChPJ2XsSyYW_YeeiZ_TFj46GCT2O5o6D4Mwwi9DZ6U01_g5VP1h70ryb4Y1k/s1600/Gail+K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1121" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_WdWFG65K1PDTA2oIL-q7WKBuf2xJX2ymyZmQr90H4WBSe5ybSuubLKlhstMP84z_HqGOAQFzUzrCeYChPJ2XsSyYW_YeeiZ_TFj46GCT2O5o6D4Mwwi9DZ6U01_g5VP1h70ryb4Y1k/s200/Gail+K.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gail Kittleson</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gail
Kittleson creates women’s historical fiction from her northern Iowa home where
she lives with her husband, a retired Army chaplain. She is a frequent speaker
and workshop presenter at libraries and other venues.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCmaU2SnikxqhCja3puVLNe5-BM21M2-VRvR96KFqmSuqJxhy4KSI1c4OW9mNeI1YYQrp72JL0kboav2-RoDYTxFaTXQtuIcBIwO44pWC_vYWDj2mJbCeWM9JtyRM1vaZEojpXc1Ui4o/s1600/Cleo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCmaU2SnikxqhCja3puVLNe5-BM21M2-VRvR96KFqmSuqJxhy4KSI1c4OW9mNeI1YYQrp72JL0kboav2-RoDYTxFaTXQtuIcBIwO44pWC_vYWDj2mJbCeWM9JtyRM1vaZEojpXc1Ui4o/s200/Cleo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleo Lampos</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cleo Lampos is a
retired schoolteacher who speaks to adult extension classes at local colleges,
writes fiction, enjoys quilting, and helps her urban gardener husband on their
Chicago suburban plot.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-63564439969492612702020-08-12T05:00:00.000-05:002020-08-12T05:00:00.566-05:00Meet Debut Author Carol J. Nelson ~ Audra - Dying For Life ~ Giveaway<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>It's <i>What's New Wednesday, </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>and <i>Whispers in Purple </i>is pleased to bring you an i</b></span><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">nterview with debut author Carol J. Nelson, plus a giveaway.</span></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Welcome, Carol. Thank you for spending
some time with us to answer a few interview questions. I'm excited to be hosting you and your debut novel!</span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Ready? Then let’s go. First, tell us about
your writing.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How long have you been writing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I started writing little romances when I was in
seventh or eighth grade. But what does a twelve-year- old know about romance?
My family moved from Iowa to Washington State when I was fourteen. Being short
of friends in my new surroundings, I turned to made-up friends in stories I
wrote. I did make friends, but I continued creating fictional friends, too. By
the time I married a week short of my nineteenth birthday, I had accumulated a
men’s suit box full of hand-written-on-notebook-paper stories. I threw them all
away. I’ve often wished I could read some of them, now, to see what I was
thinking at that age. Could any of them been salvaged later in my writing
journey?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was already a mother of three daughters when I took
a writing course. And just as I was ready to try the big leagues of writing
fiction for magazines, women’s lib came on the scene. I couldn’t write that.
So, I put my dreams on the shelf and concentrated on raising my children. I may
not have been writing on paper, but I never stopped writing in my head!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With my daughters married and gone and my husband
engrossed in maintaining a church website, I had time on my hands. So, I wrote.
Four novels. But they remained imprisoned in my computer because the first one
didn’t sell first time out. However, after my husband died, I felt impressed
that the Lord wanted me to get serious about my writing, and He wanted me to
write for His glory. I never tire of saying the Lord sent me a wonderful
Christian editor, and the first book has been published.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, to give a short answer to a long explanation, I’ve
been writing for nearly seventy years. And I feel my best years are still
ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do you go about finding names for your
characters?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love to pick names for my characters. I like to
dress them with names that fit their character role. Sometimes I’m typing along,
and a name will just pop into my mind without forethought and it fits. Other
times I’m stumped and go to the phone book, the obituary section, or online
name lists. But I don’t use first and last names from the same source. I did
have to learn to write down each character’s name as I gave it to them, so
everyone has a different initial. Saves a lot of confusion for the reader.
Although, I did make a concession to that in <i>Audra – Dying For Life</i>.
Audra got her name from one of her mother’s second-grade students. However,
Dann’s name is a blend of his father’s name, David, and his mother’s name,
Janna. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Okay, let’s find out more about you</span></u></b><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When reading, what is your favorite genre?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I tend to read more WF than anything else because I
like the deeper explorations into interpersonal relationships those stories
offer. I like to learn from other WF writers, but I often get so caught up in
the story I forget to take notice of how they write. But I also love a good
mystery, and every so often I’ll throw in a Christian romance to lighten life
up a little. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How similar are you to your hero/heroines?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can see bits of me in all my heroines, but if they
were just like me, their lives would probably be humdrum. That’s the fun of
creating characters. They can do things I only dream of doing! Probably the
main way we’re similar is in our faith. If the heroine isn’t a strong believer
at the start of the story, she will be by the end, and I do tend to infuse my
beliefs into her.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Great! Now, let’s Talk about your debut
book:<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Title: Audra –
Dying For Life<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Author: Carol J.
Nelson<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Publisher:
BookBaby<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Release Date:
August 10, 2020<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Genre: Women’s
Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Series/Stand-Alone:
Chandler’s Grove Series, Book 1<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Target Audience: Women
of all ages<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From the back
cover:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrbmYUn7zEZtRR1PzqjbVeXKy10Ci-ZSRVcMtmbcdWV4EKsQr5S_jsKqdLecdxHPuAELOLfuwyLHPu3x1v7nkymM0NQPyJ5wtoO7fkwlHZYpFks_LocKz9Rr1ly8DXlgjIMT9PfALkcg/s1600/Audra-Dying+For+Life-Book+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="397" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQrbmYUn7zEZtRR1PzqjbVeXKy10Ci-ZSRVcMtmbcdWV4EKsQr5S_jsKqdLecdxHPuAELOLfuwyLHPu3x1v7nkymM0NQPyJ5wtoO7fkwlHZYpFks_LocKz9Rr1ly8DXlgjIMT9PfALkcg/s320/Audra-Dying+For+Life-Book+cover.png" width="207" /></a><i><span style="color: #292f33; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When Audra Knight’s
gynecologist says, “I need to do a biopsy,” it numbs her to the core of her
being. She’s young, she’s single, and she’s at risk for developing cancer. It’s
not the time to be noticing Dann Day, the handsome new band-orchestra teacher
at Chandler’s Grove Academy. But why should Dann consider her, anyway, with her
unresolved anger issue, the way she’s strayed from church and God, and the fact
that Heather Easton already seems to have claimed him as her own private
property? No, she won’t get involved with him. It could too easily end in
heartbreak, and she won’t put a man through that. Still…<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What take-away value do you want readers
to gain from your novel?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s fourfold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14pt;">No matter why or how long ago we strayed from God,
he always wants us back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14pt;">God gives us life. He wants us to live it with joy
and to the fullest.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Seeking God’s will always bring peace.<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Cast(ing) all your anxieties on him, because he
cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 ESV<o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What can we expect to see from you in the
future?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chandler’s Grove Book 2, <i>Life Transformed</i>, is
ready to be published and hopefully will be out this fall.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My current WIP is Chandler’s Grove Book 3, <i>Becoming
Sisters</i>. God willing, Book 4 will follow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I also have two stand-alone books, <i>Abby – A Promise
Is A Promise</i>, and <i>Meredith – Compassion’s Witness</i>, ready and waiting
to be published.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ht_cuBxSfWdJCu69_ClwDGyjBQT7PEgDHDRaO-5ZdsJ9JRr_gOlwrw3j4_WXTrmR8ukAFH0l3Kj1Os1xNIXTA-Dw4P5xWmYsjCKmw_3mNnVM4eqMV2qVsUXWRkxZ2bX6ld0fuzU6xL0/s1600/floral-purple-div.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="479" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ht_cuBxSfWdJCu69_ClwDGyjBQT7PEgDHDRaO-5ZdsJ9JRr_gOlwrw3j4_WXTrmR8ukAFH0l3Kj1Os1xNIXTA-Dw4P5xWmYsjCKmw_3mNnVM4eqMV2qVsUXWRkxZ2bX6ld0fuzU6xL0/s320/floral-purple-div.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carol’s BIO:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t5XShkC7w_GZOXTubkm1m8Kxx8s6S2TFDbU-oeNfMVuKAh6BL0Q9OAKrkP0ftm23vpF0mYMxvtsNNLAYgcNqDxydGgBR7GzZMzbjnMwB6eRgo_2WZirOonzCOaSPNMUBa7yqsWyk0TA/s1600/Head+shot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="845" data-original-width="622" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2t5XShkC7w_GZOXTubkm1m8Kxx8s6S2TFDbU-oeNfMVuKAh6BL0Q9OAKrkP0ftm23vpF0mYMxvtsNNLAYgcNqDxydGgBR7GzZMzbjnMwB6eRgo_2WZirOonzCOaSPNMUBa7yqsWyk0TA/s320/Head+shot.png" width="235" /></a><span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carol J. Nelson lives in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she spends most days writing Christian women's
fiction. Although she started writing in childhood, it took a lifetime to know
what her heart truly desired and needed to write—stories that touch the fabric
of women's lives with hope, grace, and faith, combined with the little spice of
clean romance women enjoy. She has three daughters, seven grandchildren, and
two great-grandchildren. She served as an aid in a nursing home, worked in the
purchasing department of a large corporation, spent time as the head cook at an
all-you-can-eat buffet, and went full circle to become a care giver before
settling in to her first love, writing. When she's not at the computer, church,
gardening, cooking, and playing cards and games keep her busy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Book purchase links:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Audra-Dying-Life-Chandlers-Grove/dp/1098303601/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1587580185&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/audra-carol-j-nelson/1136813167?ean=9781098303617" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54367098-audra?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=7SVovoVdCx&rank=2" target="_blank">Good Reads</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Social Media:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Web site <a href="http://caroljnelson.com/" target="_blank">caroljnelson.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarolJNelsonAuthor/?view_public_for=108323680899947" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/carolNelsonAuth">Twitter</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally, the giveaway! Carol is offering a
free print copy </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">of <i>Audra, Dying For Life. </i>To enter,
simply leave you name and contact information (so we can notify you if you’re
the winner) in the comment section below. Giveaway runs for one week from today, ending on Wednesday, August, 19, 2020, at <b>Midnight, </b>Central Time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzw9kJgAVSigdZc8HA6AAM7IdVwsRV4uGFYBMq-57XQ4jqVqIKqfOYJUkO3ZtJga9Vf_GtKsrh2NfcANjuwKXC_0tECB92vBz1ByS8fPWIwRtfle6MjmLm4ZhP8nrDfJvFW8b8TPXAppA/s1600/floral-purple-div.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="479" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzw9kJgAVSigdZc8HA6AAM7IdVwsRV4uGFYBMq-57XQ4jqVqIKqfOYJUkO3ZtJga9Vf_GtKsrh2NfcANjuwKXC_0tECB92vBz1ByS8fPWIwRtfle6MjmLm4ZhP8nrDfJvFW8b8TPXAppA/s320/floral-purple-div.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-32031725593259610252020-07-31T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-31T05:00:06.400-05:00JUST BELIEVE ~ Leslie L. McKee<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFv7oeG0JkflyrPvZiAJYqes99iGJOCwMnog0vN8uceFyJvcoBbdJUQcXnfnv73fUVt2XLI5Rl03FhyphenhyphenZ_CT3kL1Qyat4AY2MqnJ0dZTUTEVMyAbnnItUx60wq-ral_krVfxIreE86zbk/s1600/sky-43448_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFv7oeG0JkflyrPvZiAJYqes99iGJOCwMnog0vN8uceFyJvcoBbdJUQcXnfnv73fUVt2XLI5Rl03FhyphenhyphenZ_CT3kL1Qyat4AY2MqnJ0dZTUTEVMyAbnnItUx60wq-ral_krVfxIreE86zbk/s640/sky-43448_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image courtesy Pixabay.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Just
Believe</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By
Leslie L. McKee</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“What do you mean, ‘If I can?’” Jesus asked. “Anything
is possible if a person believes.”</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mark 9:23 (NLT)</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you ever
faced something that seemed absolutely impossible? I know I have—on multiple
occasions. It’s likely that everyone has encountered such a situation at some
point in time. Perhaps it was damage from a natural disaster, a medical report
that wasn’t good, or a child who’s gone astray. You may run yourself ragged
trying to “fix” the situation. What you find instead is something that feels
like pushing a three-ton cement wheel up a steep hill.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Any of those
circumstances could be overwhelming … and a “quick fix” is often way beyond our
human control. That’s like what was happening surrounding today’s verse.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A father brought
his son to Jesus. When the evil spirit inside the boy saw Jesus, the boy went
into violent convulsions. This had been happening for years. The father had
tried everything to rid his son of the spirit, to no avail. In desperation, the
man went to Jesus, to see if there was any way He could help the boy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jesus reminded the
father that “Anything is possible if a person believes.” What the father cried
out is likely relatable to most people. He said, “I do believe, but help me
overcome my unbelief!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you ever feel
that way? Know that you believe in Jesus, but, on occasion, wonder if your
current circumstance is beyond repair … even for Him?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Jesus wasn’t
offering a quick fix, though it would be possible for Him to do so. After all,
He’s more than able. Yet Jesus is seeking something else. He’s interested in
the long-term spiritual fix … for that father <i>and </i>for us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.0pt; mso-line-height-alt: 11.75pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like the man in
today’s verse, we’re asked to believe. To have faith. Faith doesn’t put limits
on God’s ability. If we trust in Him, we can be witnesses to great things.
(Mind you, this <i>doesn’t</i> mean that we’ll automatically receive
anything and everything we ask for.) But if we believe, we will see things come
to pass according to the Lord’s plans. His power is released through our faith.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <i>Lord,
help me to not put limits on You, but, instead, to fully trust in Your Word.
Amen.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH2kyPWqFxzTFT5OO7mU70j18dP7BF0Ki8_nTAsxRoYtyyPY41yxrvtcMu0753dzc5ECyoKzcAVMDGZ3HTZjbxG3qJDrb_v2JGJV2xxF03heZS6kRjvCjbe5WETCYK2OC-YftP4s8f4Q/s1600/Leslie+professional+photo+by+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTH2kyPWqFxzTFT5OO7mU70j18dP7BF0Ki8_nTAsxRoYtyyPY41yxrvtcMu0753dzc5ECyoKzcAVMDGZ3HTZjbxG3qJDrb_v2JGJV2xxF03heZS6kRjvCjbe5WETCYK2OC-YftP4s8f4Q/s320/Leslie+professional+photo+by+tree.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Leslie
is an editor,</b> reviewer, and author. She is a member of American Christian
Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN. Some of her devotionals were
published in 2017 compilations by Ellie Claire: <i>Just Breathe</i> and <i>Refresh
Your Soul. </i>Another is in <i>Breathe: Devotions to Quiet the Soul, </i>published
in 2020. Her flash fiction story, “A Knight to Remember,” was published in
Splickety Magazine’s September 2018 issue, and “Love on the Scrambler” in Spark
Flash Fiction’s July 2019 issue.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 12pt;">Leslie
enjoys reading, playing piano, crocheting, spending time with family and
friends (and her turtle!), and rooting for the NY Giants.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-60022158333219276372020-07-30T05:00:00.001-05:002020-07-30T05:00:06.148-05:00MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN ~ Julie Arduini ~ Giveaway<div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="5">Job’s
Wife & Me</font></span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><font face="verdana" size="6">Job's Wife and Me</font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><font face="verdana"><font size="5">A Throwback Thursday post from Julie
Arduini</font><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><font face="verdana"> </font></o:p></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">When I decided to update the first
Christian romance novella I wrote, </span><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">Match
Made in Heaven</i><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">, I wanted to add a surrender issue readers could relate to.
The heroine, Beth Prescott, has congenital hypothyroidism, the same endocrine
diagnosis our daughter has.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Through the years, our daughter has
not only struggled with weight gain and exhaustion. She’s needed consistent lab
works that have always been difficult draws. We also learned with
hypothyroidism is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Then for us, another diagnosis, the
rare disorder called Albrights Hereditary Osteodystrophy. In our situation her
bones fused and her height maxxed out at 4’9”. There are certain aspects of
puberty that are delayed, and there isn’t a lot of information on Albrights
patients her age to know what to expect.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After a while, I was angry. Mad
enough I started pointing fingers. At God. Like Job’s wife, I couldn’t see anything
in her situation to be thankful about. </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">“<span style="background: white;">His wife said to him, ‘Are you still maintaining your
integrity? Curse God and die!’”</span></i><span style="background: white; font-size: 12pt;"> (Job 2:9). </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I looked at our daughter’s friends
surpassing her in height and cried hot, hurt tears. If God is such a good Father,
why was He allowing this?</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It took time for me to heal and
transform from Job’s wife thinking of cursing God and Job, who blessed the name
of the Lord even when He gave and took away. The biggest thing I had to do was
lament. Thanks to the book </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">No More Faking
Fine</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Esther Fleece, I realized I had to let my real feelings out. I was
mad. I didn’t understand. But I couldn’t stuff it. I let God know everything He
knew anyway. Then I let Him have it all. Surrendered the pain and questions and
chose to trust Him with her and her health.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ve had to lament quite a bit since
then with big stuff, and small irritations. I realized when revising </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Match Made in Heaven</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> that Beth’s health
and her reaction could be something readers could relate to. She grew up noticing
she wasn’t exactly like her peers, and she resented it. Her family were barely church
goers to begin with, so it was an easy slide to fault God. When Dean Kellerman
enters her life, he’s trusting God with every single thing because he knows too
well what it’s like to live without Christ in his life. Writing </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Match Made in Heaven</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> was a blessing and
a challenge, and I believe readers will find their own healing and peace with
Jesus as they relate to the story.</span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Have you ever blamed God, or do you
need to? Please leave a comment below and I will randomly choose one USA winner
to win a signed softcover copy of </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Match Made in Heaven</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><font face="verdana">Match
Made in Heaven:</font></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo5x4qCMf2o4jbWx3riVqia9L0fTx_esudXjicTiNwtacjkcSN8DTqTL_wArcaS_mcfI0hPwCek35CCtckzWl9FpGO3WiVWd5LwBUBCe9wlkTpO8slraNjpz1D-5s2hg1JzV_u3bNmtz4/s320/MatchCOVERFINAL.jpg" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><font face="verdana">She’s afraid to mess up. He already has.</font></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><font face="verdana">Beth Prescott wants to make a difference with the
senior citizens she serves as a volunteer coordinator, but their matchmaking
efforts leave her guarded. She’s experienced too much pain to make that leap
again.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="verdana">Dean
Kellerman returns to the Finger Lakes area to help his grandfather and heal his
own broken heart. He’s recommitted his life to Christ and doesn’t want any
distractions.<o:p></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><font face="verdana">When his grandfather needs assistance with a senior
program, it places Dean right in Beth’s path. Can these two surre</font></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">nder their pasts
to Christ and have faith in each other and their future?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><b>About Julie:</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="485" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjbDbVsa3wo73i1X0d5IO-UKMILEj_hfCC3QgF5FoltePesTKUL6bYGrzqNeVX51LLxGXJRqKIjRjz0VkE86XkfMTeVV90k1OCVtc7hiv6l83UbmVXOhOg76un1jXQuwsCMmbFzLdqPE/s320/June2020pixie.jpg" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font face="verdana"><a name="_Hlk490903835"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Julie </span></a></font><a name="_Hlk490903835" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Arduini loves to encourage readers to find freedom in Christ by surrendering the good, the bad, and ---maybe one day---the chocolate. She’s the author of the contemporary romance series SURRENDERING TIME, (Entrusted, Entangled, Engaged,) </span></a><a name="_Hlk490903835" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">as well as the stand-alone novellas, </span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Match-Made-Heaven-Julie-Arduini-ebook/dp/B07QR29X51">MA</a></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Match-Made-Heaven-Julie-Arduini-ebook/dp/B07QR29X51" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">TCH MADE IN HEAVEN</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Restoring-Christmas-Novella-Julie-Arduini-ebook/dp/B07ZDHX954" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">RESTORING CHRISTMAS</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">. She also shares her story in the infertility devotional, A WALK IN THE VALLEY. Her other latest release, </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Brilliant-Surrendering-Stinkin-Thinkin-ebook/dp/B0874Y5B4C" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">YOU’RE BRILLIANT</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">, is for girls ages 10-100, written with her teenaged daughter, Hannah, and is book 3 in their SURRENDERING STINKIN’ THINKIN’ series. She blogs every other Wednesday for </span><a href="http://christiansread.wordpress.com/" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christians Read</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">, as well as monthly with </span><a href="http://inspyromance.com/" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Inspy Romance</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children. Learn more by visiting her at </span><a href="http://juliearduini.com/" style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://juliearduini.com</span></a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12pt;">, where she invites readers to opt in to her content full of resources and giveaway opportunities.</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><font face="verdana"><a name="_Hlk526768479"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Facebook: </span></a><a href="http://facebook.com/JulieArduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://facebook.com/JulieArduini</span></a><br /></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Twitter:
</span><a href="http://twitter.com/JulieArduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://twitter.com/JulieArduini</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Pinterest:
</span><a href="http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://pinterest.com/JulieArduini</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Instagram:
</span><a href="http://instagram.com/JulieArduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://instagram.com/JulieArduini</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Snapchat:
</span><a href="https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://www.snapchat.com/add/JulieArduini</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Goodreads:
</span><a href="http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://goodreads.com/JulieArduini</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Amazon:
</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">http://www.amazon.com/Julie-Arduini/e/B00PBKDRSQ/</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">BookBub:
</span><a href="https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-arduini"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://www.bookbub.com/profile/julie-arduini</span></a></font></li><li><font face="verdana"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Monthly
Newsletter: </span><a href="https://mailchi.mp/321e32f02e17/juliearduininewsletter"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://mailchi.mp/321e32f02e17/juliearduininewsletter</span></a></font></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="verdana"> <b>About the Giveaway:</b></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="verdana"> As stated above, Julie is giving away a signed copy of <i>Match Made in Heaven </i>to one USA reader of today's post who leaves a comment below, including your name AND contact information. Otherwise we have no way to let you know if you're the winner. Make sense?</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="verdana">This giveaway will run for one week from today, ending on Thursday, August 6, 2020, at <b>MIDNIGHT, </b>Central time.</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><font face="verdana">
</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><font face="verdana"> </font></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-29817685502430201702020-07-29T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-29T05:00:01.304-05:00THE AMISH MENORAH, from The Men who write Amish Fiction<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A busy year for
Patrick E. Craig… and much more to come!</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Plus . . . a Giveaway, to boot!</b></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1iDAuXz4yJaQT7GLOZUWvemwiPhazpgy_0R791RJzKlkgYfvms89oLpBphzM0zSC0F5CcmXG8YbsDzAVrwxuGMaMs7E1vHon4teXRvfIAUM4riE0O0tNPhes7y6_AhyrfBlneFb9DAc/s1600/PCraigPhotoSM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-1iDAuXz4yJaQT7GLOZUWvemwiPhazpgy_0R791RJzKlkgYfvms89oLpBphzM0zSC0F5CcmXG8YbsDzAVrwxuGMaMs7E1vHon4teXRvfIAUM4riE0O0tNPhes7y6_AhyrfBlneFb9DAc/s320/PCraigPhotoSM.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Patrick E. Craig</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s been a busy year for me.
Since September of 2019 I have released three books and contracted for three
more. I have completed another book slated for Indie release and started a
second series with my writing friend Murray Pura. Here’s what my year has been
like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In September 2019, Elk Lake
Publishing released the second book in my YA Mystery/Adventure series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Adventures of Punkin and Boo</i>. The </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">book is titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lost Coast </i>and is
the continuation of a series I first started writing in 2007 but put on hold
until I connected with Deb Ogle Haggerty, owner at Elk Lake . With her help I
released book one, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mystery of Ghost
Dancer Ranch, </i>in April of last year and then we followed that with<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The Lost Coast</i>. Book three, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hidden Gate </i>is on its way and should
be done for release in early 2021.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Then I got involved in some
projects with my friend, Murray Pura, who has written more than 28 books of his
own. We decided we wanted to do a World War II story and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Islands Series </i>was born<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Far
on the Ringing Plains </i>is the first book. It’s the story of three young men
who are raised as pacifists but through different circumstances end up in the
Marines fighting on Guadalcanal, two as soldiers and one as a medic. The book
has a lot of the same spirit as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Flags of
Our Fathers, Hacksaw Ridge </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pearl
Harbor</i>. We Indie published it in April 2020. We just finished writing book two,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Scepter and The Isle. </i>In it the
same three young men have gone on to the battles of Tarawa and Saipan.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>It’s in the editing process now and we
hope to have it released early next year. Our grand plan is a nine book series
going through WWII, Vietnam/Cambodia and the current desert wars. Murray and I
are also writing a western series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Storm Riders</i>, also contracted to Elk Lake, and we are part way through Book
one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But my most current project is
the one I want to feature today. In the summer of 2019 I met Thomas Nye at an
Amish Writers Event in Shipshewana, Indiana. Over coffee and apple pie at an
incredible Amish family dinner we attended, we bemoaned the lack of recognition
of the men who write Amish fiction. There are about eight of us compared to the
hundreds of women who write Amish Fiction. We decided that an anthology of
stories would be a great idea. When I got back to Idaho I contacted Murray, who
has written several Amish books for Harvest House, Harlequin and other
traditional publishers and broached the idea. He jumped on board and we
contacted Amos Wyse, Willard Carpenter and Jerry Eicher. They all agreed to join
the project, Deb Haggerty signed it and at the end of April we published <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Amish Menorah and Other Stories. </i>Here
is a short blurb:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>The Amish Menorah and Other Stories</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7cN2PuVjHriK2bL5Tl3FX8iTXJGF4yS9caR16SVstONyyCDzv2wjBgkJHm0sns6f4IebBYjyjsU5Yt6W_HxP2YK1eGYWrQU6-gK6ksLPBDTHzThg9CAYkTE4aVMkSI8XPmsa67bpnBw/s1600/The+Amish+Menorah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7cN2PuVjHriK2bL5Tl3FX8iTXJGF4yS9caR16SVstONyyCDzv2wjBgkJHm0sns6f4IebBYjyjsU5Yt6W_HxP2YK1eGYWrQU6-gK6ksLPBDTHzThg9CAYkTE4aVMkSI8XPmsa67bpnBw/s400/The+Amish+Menorah.jpg" width="266" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Six short stories by the men of
Amish fiction to entertain and educate you. You’ll journey with an Amish man
and the Jewish woman whose life he saves (<i>The Amish Menorah by Patrick E.
Craig</i>), agonize with an Amish girl in love with an <i>Englische</i> man
(<i>A Cloudy Day by Willard Carpenter</i>), fret with two sisters both in love
with the same man (<i>When Hearts Break by Jerry Eicher</i>), pray with the
family whose child is injured in a fall (<i>The Silo by Thomas Nye</i>), work
with the Amish sheriff in a western town (<i>Lone Star by Murray Pura</i>), and
laugh at the girl forced to be Amish for the summer (<i>Amish For The Summer by
Amos Wyse</i>.) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The six of us had so much fun
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Amish Menorah </i>project<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>that we are doing another anthology for
Christmas. We don’t have a title yet, but we will let you all know as soon as
we do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">And that’s what the last year
has been like for me. I am looking forward to 2021, and all the writing I will
be doing then. <b>**</b>I will be giving away a signed copy of <i>The Amish Menorah </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">with this post so comment below and enter
the contest. Stay well this next year and keep reading.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Thanks, Peg, for having me.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><b>About Patrick E. Craig:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Amazon Best-Selling author
Patrick E. Craig, is a lifelong writer and musician who left a successful music
career to become a pastor in 1986. In 2007 he retired to concentrate on writing
and publishing fiction books. In 2011, Patrick signed a three-book deal with
Harvest House Publishers to publish his <i>Apple Creek Dreams</i> series.
His self-published books, <i>The Amish Heiress, The Amish Princess</i>,
and <i>The Mennonite Queen, </i>as well as the reprinted <i>Apple
Creek Dreams</i> are now published by Patrick’s imprint, P&J Publishing. In
2017, Harlequin Publishing purchased <i>The Amish Heiress</i> for </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">their Walmart Amish series and released it in April 2019.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Patrick and co-author Murray
Pura have just released <i>Far On The Ringing Plains, </i>Book 1 in a
nine book series that will take in the whole sweep of men and women at war from
WW II to the current Desert Campaigns. They have also collaborated on an
anthology of realistic Amish stories written with the four other men who write
Amish fiction: Willard Carpenter, Jerry Eicher, Thomas Nye and Amos Wyse. <i>The
Amish Menorah and Other Stories</i> was published by Elk Lake Publishing
in May of 2020. He has also recently released two books in his YA mystery
series, <i>The Adventures of Punkin and Boo, </i>with Elk Lake
Publishers. They are <i>The Mystery of Ghost Dancer Ranch </i>and <i>The
Lost Coast. </i>Patrick and his wife Judy live in Idaho. They have two
daughters and five grandchildren. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Where can
readers find Patrick online?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.patrickecraig.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.patrickecraig.com</span></a> Webpage<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/PatrickECraig</span></a> Facebook
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig"><span style="color: blue;">https://twitter.com/PatrickECraig</span></a> Twitter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Where can
readers purchase his books?</b> <a href="http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg"><b><span style="color: blue;">http://tinyurl.com/n6sfagg</span></b></a><b> Amazon</b>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Also on any
of the other online stores.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><b>**About Patrick's Giveaway:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As he said above, Patrick is offering one of this post's readers a free autographed copy of <i>The Amish Menorah. </i>To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below with your NAME <b>and </b>CONTACT info so we can notify you in case you're our winner. As easy as that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">This giveaway will run for one week from today ending on Wednesday, August 5 at <b>Midnight O'Clock, Central time.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Thanks for being my guest again, Patrick. I think it's neat that you're part of a group of men who've dipped their toes into the world of Amish fiction, a genre usually populated by women writers. Sounds like this book needs to be added to my Kindle TBR list.</span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-72675740464316286042020-07-23T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-23T05:00:02.390-05:00GIFTS FROM THE GREATEST GENERATION<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7BmdMtsWnpyD6EeSoACIhNWJom4tGwiME9XdPnk5JkhLND5TOZXyWt4Fnc8-KcD5F7ArQFDtGk8mR7sWR8UeVE0l3AZ1iLPatFdfRYOrR_d6mG06IERXURrj7-TGmPyRJ6-D4WfiLA4/s1600/dust-cloud-593091_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1280" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy7BmdMtsWnpyD6EeSoACIhNWJom4tGwiME9XdPnk5JkhLND5TOZXyWt4Fnc8-KcD5F7ArQFDtGk8mR7sWR8UeVE0l3AZ1iLPatFdfRYOrR_d6mG06IERXURrj7-TGmPyRJ6-D4WfiLA4/s640/dust-cloud-593091_1280.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dust Between the Stitches: The Great
Depression<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Cleo Lampos<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A bundle
of quilting materials derived from chicken feed bags and sugar sacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A trunk full of diaries and letters from Iowa
dated throughout the decade of the 1930’s. From these humble scraps a story
threaded its way into a book. An historic novel, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dust Between the Stitches</b>, brings the dust storms and the
desperation of the Great Plains farmers to life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When
my mother died in 1988, she left very little earthly goods behind. In a hall
closet, we found a bag of muslin feed bags and flour sacks that were cut into 12-inch
squares and firmly ironed. On many of these textural pieces, a transfer of a bird
and flower was visible in faint blue ink. All 48 states were represented. I
started to embroider the state flower/birds to complete the quilt. Significantly,
I developed a curiosity about the quilting practices of the Great Depression
and began an obsessive collection of quilts from that era. Several years ago,
my granddaughter helped to finish this abbreviated version of the State Bird
and Flower Quilt of the 1930’s.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
Bird and Flower Quilt created from feed sacks.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In
an old trunk, a stash of diaries from my mother’s marriage lay under white
linens with deep tatting on the edges. Married in June of 1930, my father and
mother began their wedded bliss just as the drought hit the West and Great
Plains. My father owned a </span>drag-line<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and was able to find work as he dug irrigation
ditches and spud cellars in Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. Twenty-three
different addresses in five years, then they settled in Greeley, Colorado, with
my kindergarten-aged brother.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Reading
these diaries, letters from folks back in Iowa, and some newspaper articles, brought the heart ache, insecurities, and fear of the Dust Bowl into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>The
Novel’s Characters Come Alive</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlEN5XPeThe56xqpzIpLaL79gPKoKPqsLoxGKc_KnxGG3MWdLbs7_7bBrqLR8ew8r_k_BeHEr3bMkwaxut_b0iONTahVe2C-JBHgynBPnj_80k9dCFpdGrn87T1zY4_jzpt6THX5Jui8/s1600/Dust+Between+Stitches+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlEN5XPeThe56xqpzIpLaL79gPKoKPqsLoxGKc_KnxGG3MWdLbs7_7bBrqLR8ew8r_k_BeHEr3bMkwaxut_b0iONTahVe2C-JBHgynBPnj_80k9dCFpdGrn87T1zY4_jzpt6THX5Jui8/s1600/Dust+Between+Stitches+Cover.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Addy
Meyers is a first-year teacher in a one room schoolhouse near Greeley, Colorado.
She faces the Board of Education as they assess her teaching skills. The eighth-grade
boys challenge her authority. The dust storms bring her to the reality of dust, pneumonia, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">and poverty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Foreclosure
of grandpa’s homestead threatens the security of Addy, grandpa and the two
orphan children that Addy’s grandparents adopted. Jess Dettmann is a single man
who helps them keep their wits and possibly the homestead. The homeless people
who occupy the Hooverville nearby are introduced to Addy by Jess. Her compassionate
heart reaches out to these resourceful families who have lost everything. Addy
is shocked when she cans applesauce at the community canning center that other
women are canning weeds to be eaten in the winter.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Creating
a quilt from her Grandmother’s stash pile serves as a way for Addy to cope.
Despair, dust, and drought weave through the Great Depression and Dust Bowl
producing a fabric on which vivid threads of hope will appear. Will Addy save
the farm, her job, and her heart on the Colorado ranch?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>From Great
Depression to Greatest Generation</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
gifts of an unfinished quilt and a treasure trove of written accounts of a
forgotten decade ignited my imagination. It is my wish that those who read this
novel will realize that the children of the Dust Bowl grew up to be the members
of The Greatest Generation. The children and young adults during the Great
Depression learned to persevere in tough times and used those lessons in
frugality all of their lives. We owe them a debt of gratitude that cannot be
repaid.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunbonnet
Sue and Overall Sam quilt that Addy created.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RA4gJ7KiwtLqDm-kIDWyAiMzg5KgNIgsZpXlm3H5Q0CSgnthWwlxXkIKtPzbH7-XoNS2baQRPcTRQoAPYvDdZh3ZwZwS8j6xD2eUGVbbDN6tsLh6RNWpWQnpiZrC2s6YuFYEOWB-zwU/s1600/Book+report.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RA4gJ7KiwtLqDm-kIDWyAiMzg5KgNIgsZpXlm3H5Q0CSgnthWwlxXkIKtPzbH7-XoNS2baQRPcTRQoAPYvDdZh3ZwZwS8j6xD2eUGVbbDN6tsLh6RNWpWQnpiZrC2s6YuFYEOWB-zwU/s1600/Book+report.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrJNlmVyS7euJrc6QeresUxn2WS0uqZE3c8NEBF-aPOa5EBaq37v60ZRZNwsUm8IlOBP1HOmZUgVjxpV6aqFHueNkWypEUJYAbDy_HfKR3zQtpFPYH75vExwzbPHlZDfw7dnsKhy5Qjc/s1600/Cleo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTrJNlmVyS7euJrc6QeresUxn2WS0uqZE3c8NEBF-aPOa5EBaq37v60ZRZNwsUm8IlOBP1HOmZUgVjxpV6aqFHueNkWypEUJYAbDy_HfKR3zQtpFPYH75vExwzbPHlZDfw7dnsKhy5Qjc/s1600/Cleo.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While teaching behavior disordered/emotionally disturbed students in a Chicago
suburb, I discovered that historical fiction is an excellent way to learn about
the issues and people of a time period. To help students write a book report on
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dust</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Between</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stitches</b>, an aid has been created. The
insights help junior high and high school readers to understand the dust bowl’s
uniqueness in the Great Depression, and to write an organized and thoughtful
book report.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cleo
Lampos, M.Ed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cleolampos.com/">www.cleolampos.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FB:
Author Cleo Lampos<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">FB:
Quilters: Mind, Heart and Soul<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Books
are available on amazon.com.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-22862824525008981772020-07-22T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-22T05:00:07.401-05:00IT'S ONLY FICTION . . . <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s
Only Fiction But . . .</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">by Lillian Duncan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b><i>It’s only fiction but…could it happen?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m so excited about my new series—MESSENGER. This
series has rattled around in my brain for a long time, but it’s not the type of
book I usually write so I kept procrastinating. I finally decided it was time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Keep in mind, I started writing this series last year,
long before the pandemic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The series is set in future America known as
NewAmerica. Life is perfect in NewAmerica. No crime. No poverty. No war. No
discrimination. Everyone is equal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life
is perfect until the moment you wonder, “Is there a God?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In many respects, NewAmerica sounds like the perfect
place to live. But as is often the case, what looks perfect on the surface
doesn’t look quite as good when you delve a little deeper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There are four books in the series:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>THE LAST CHRISTIAN</b> (Book 1) is a short prequel that
shows how America became NewAmerica. Mary Frances was born in the United States
of America—land of the free and home of the brave. </span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When anti-Christian
sentiment spreads across America and the world along with a deadly pandemic,
religious freedom becomes a thing of the past. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>MESSENGER </b>(Book 2) Magdalena Denton is an unlikely
messenger since her home is NewAmerica where even saying the name of God is a
crime, but when God has a message, he will always find a messenger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>UNCITIZEN </b>(Book 3) Magdalena Denton’s bright future is
gone. She’s been deemed an UnCitizen because she refuses to deny God. Her
new-found faith is challenged as she struggles to stay alive, but God promises
to never forsake his children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>EXILE </b>(Book 4) After a daring escape, Magdalena and
friend face life in the Empty Lands—an even more hostile environment <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>than they imagined. They discover that when
you walk in faith, miracles become a reality. (Will release in July 2020.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s only fiction, but…could it happen?</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;">Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc0_1bKd_LAY_fqbM3vZvehZhp60BGUmksXAHf0Rf2a1aaObbv3JI1bGn07TYEVjnJHU4ZYDq4EIy6_0iIpryugEb4FXXLfUfYTtZtsONEttaxozpqaGpuNVNuIbOBYFvRcFFuEZ5ztw/s1600/Lillian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwc0_1bKd_LAY_fqbM3vZvehZhp60BGUmksXAHf0Rf2a1aaObbv3JI1bGn07TYEVjnJHU4ZYDq4EIy6_0iIpryugEb4FXXLfUfYTtZtsONEttaxozpqaGpuNVNuIbOBYFvRcFFuEZ5ztw/s320/Lillian.jpg" width="253" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: Garamond;"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lillian lives in a small town in Ohio with her
husband. She writes the types of books she loves to read. Even though her books
cross genres, they have one thing in common, faith-based stories that
demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK, that’s two things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She was a school speech pathologist for over 30 years
but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed with bilateral brain tumors due to
Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare genetic disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech
pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially
God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian <span style="color: black;">and her
books, visit:</span><u style="text-underline: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.lillian</span></a><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: blue;">-</span></a><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: blue;">duncan.com</span></a><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">.</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-11214575538558433912020-07-20T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-20T05:00:04.187-05:00DID YOU NOTICE?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>WHISPERS IN PURPLE GOT A FACE-LIFT!</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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I, like many women, felt the need for change. You know, paint the walls with a different color, move the furniture around, get new curtains, And change can be good, right?</div>
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Let me explain.</div>
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I was never completely happy with the theme and banner of the "old" site . . .</div>
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. . . and I wanted to see what I could do with it. Maybe clean it up, or make it more open. Or something. So I spent this past weekend playing around with it, found this image, and it struck me just right.</div>
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The fuzzy wisps of the dandelion made me think . . . <i>Whispers. </i>Sometimes it seems our prayers are mere whispers sent to God when we're upset or troubled. But we know He hears them. Then–if we listen carefully–God whispers back with sweet words of love and encouragement. Isn't that wonderful? We don't always need <i>words</i> to communicate with our Heavenly Father.</div>
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So, keep listening for that 'still, small voice' and be comforted, knowing that He loves us.</div>
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Amen?</div>
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Oh, I'd love to hear from you about this blog's "new look"</div>
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Share your thoughts below in the comments section below.</div>
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Thanks, and God bless you.</div>
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~Peg</div>
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Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-6597627740076669932020-07-17T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-17T05:00:03.156-05:00ALEXIS A. GORING ~ Conversations with God ~ Faithful Friday<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Hi, all. It's </i>Faithful Friday <i>here on </i>Whispers in Purple. <i>Please welcome author Alexis A. Goring as she shares an adventure in traveling unfamiliar roads and encounters God in an most unusual way.</i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Conversations with God</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A
devotional by Alexis A. Goring<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>“<span style="background: white; color: black;">God is our refuge and strength, a
very present help in trouble.” </span></i><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">–<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background: white; color: black;">Psalm 46:1 (KJV)</span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">God taught
me many life lessons when I moved from Maryland to Montana to take my first big
break in Journalism almost a decade ago. One of those lessons was that even
when He’s silent, He’s still there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Allow me
to explain …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One Friday
afternoon, I was driving my car down a gravel road, on assignment, trying to make
it to a small town and back to my apartment before sundown. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I lived near
the city in Maryland so I never actually had driven on a gravel road.
Therefore, I didn’t realize that I couldn’t safely go the same speed on a
gravel road than I could on a paved road. I think you know where this story is
going … in a matter of minutes, my car fishtailed and spun around several times
before crashing into a wire fence in the middle of nowhere! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Literally <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">nowhere</i>. To my left of the road was the
wire fence that my car crashed into and to the right of the road was another
wire fence that blocked off lines of farm property.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got out
of my car to survey the damage. The entire rear bumper was ripped off and it
looked like my car had taken a beating. In addition to all of this, I realized
that my car’s undercarriage was trapped because it was entwined with the wires
from the fence. Clearly, I could not drive my car back onto the gravel road. It
wouldn’t move! Surveying the damage, I just about lost it and I had a
conversation with God. Just me, God, and the cows grazing on the farmland that
was on the other side of the road. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My conversation was clearly
one-sided and it went something like this:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What </i>are You doing? How am I going to
pay for this? You know that most of my paycheck goes to rent, bills and food! I
have no more money! What am I going to do? Where are You?!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the
middle of my venting session, I paused as my gaze lowered from looking up at
the sky (because God is beyond the heavens), to looking at a cow. To this day I
remember that cow because he was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only</i>
cow whose coat was all black. All of the other cows were eating grass farther
away on the right side of the fence, and they all were white and brown in
color. But this cow, as beautiful and sleek as a black stallion, was positioned
directly across from me. It stood by silently like a faithful friend, pressing close
behind that fence, looking at me with pools of sympathy and empathy in its
expressive round and dark eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For a
moment, I paused, completely awestruck. I’ve never seen an animal look at me
like that, it was as if he knew what I was going through and somehow he wanted
to comfort me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that
moment was gone as quickly as it had come and I returned to my conversation
with God. I flailed my arms and shouted at the sky, “Great! How is a COW going
to HELP ME?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I reached
for my phone to call the police so that I could report the accident and call a
tow truck. But when I tried to dial a number, I noticed that there was no
signal! I panicked, realizing that I was still in the middle of nowhere and it was
only two hours before sunset. I did not want to be stranded at night!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once
again, I turned to God. This time, my conversation was more panicked. I asked
God, “Are you just going to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">leave</i> me
here?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Suddenly, an alternative form of communication dawned on me: I could try using
my email on my phone to dial the newspaper office and tell my office manager to
send the police and a tow truck. So I did then I waited. While I was waiting, a
kind, older gentleman arrived in a pickup truck. He just “happened” to be a
plumber (looking back, I wonder if he was an angel sent by God but at that
time, I was too distressed to consider that possibility). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I watched
as he took his tool kit out of his car and slid beneath my car like a natural mechanic
and used tools from his kit to untangle my car from the wire fence. Then, at my
request, he sat behind the wheel and maneuvered my car back onto the gravel
road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I thanked
him then got into my car and started driving back toward where I lived. My plan
was to drive straight to my apartment but as I was driving, I heard disturbing
noises that I later learned indicated that I had a flat tire. I knew it
wouldn’t be safe for me to drive all the way back to my apartment, which was an
hour away, with my car in its battered condition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I
spotted a restaurant (also in the middle of nowhere) about ten minutes later, I
pulled into the parking lot, got out of my car, walked into the restaurant
where the aroma of delicious food wafted to my nose, and I asked to use their
telephone. It was there, while I was on the phone reporting my accident to the
agent from GEICO car insurance that God spoke to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The female
agent paused in her work to gather data about my accident and told me that she
had to be silent for a few moments while she processed my claim but she wanted
me to know that she’s “still here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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And that was when the floodgates that I’d been holding back burst. I started
crying. Not hysterically but still, openly crying. I’d kept it all together
around other people until that point. God spoke to me. He helped me realize
through that agent’s words spoken in the softest, kindest, most reassuring tone
that HE was still there with me. And He’s never leaving my side. Even when I
railed at Him in the middle of nowhere after my car crashed. Even when I
doubted Him to take care of my financial needs which now included trying to
figure out how to repair my totaled car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Longer story short:</b> I got it together, hung up the
phone, met with the police and then a truck driver drove me home. Gratefully,
God did not allow me to be hurt in that car accident. My car was totaled but I
was not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thankfully,
God never left my side. Even when I couldn’t feel His Presence, He showed up
for me through that black cow, the patient plumber, and the kindhearted agent
from GEICO.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am
sharing this story with you to encourage you to not give up on God because He
will <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">never </i>give up on you! He loves
you with ALL of His Heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When
you’re weary, allow Him to carry you (<span style="background: white; color: black;">Isaiah 46:4</span>). When you’re hurt, let Him heal you (Psalm 103:2-3).
When you’re in distress, trust Him to rescue you <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Isaiah
43:1-2). May the Lord bless you and keep you (Numbers 6:24-26).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In
closing, I’d like for you to listen to this <a href="https://youtu.be/DezhSulRxlo">song</a>, “He’s Able” by Pastor Deitrick
Haddon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Remember, God
will never leave you to face life by yourself (Matthew 28:20)!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAib5-jlCc1MfVM-e_66nGVVt-G4M_VS1w7t6DfSLptKx6inJ7gOSIAMi-UFcIuT6mjMUU-it1-_4eYN4DjG3XjWgbWJfKffGWS3x1uO7kp2tO4UC4m1VLf0UuL166opJVmsU-qUMIyOA/s1600/Alexis+A.+Goring%252C+Spring+2020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAib5-jlCc1MfVM-e_66nGVVt-G4M_VS1w7t6DfSLptKx6inJ7gOSIAMi-UFcIuT6mjMUU-it1-_4eYN4DjG3XjWgbWJfKffGWS3x1uO7kp2tO4UC4m1VLf0UuL166opJVmsU-qUMIyOA/s320/Alexis+A.+Goring%252C+Spring+2020.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author Bio: </b>Alexis
A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA
in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her
stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-83733650399266979052020-07-16T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-16T05:00:06.935-05:00CLEO LAMPOS ~ A Mother's Song ~ Giveaway<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi, everybody. It's "Throwback Thursday" here on Whispers in Purple Blog which gives authors a chance to spotlight a book from their back-lists. Please welcome Cleo Lampos as she talks about her historical novel A MOTHER's SONG, a fascinating peek into the historical Orphan Trains. </span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUz5WhjgUpavrpn3JTNTP18y5Zqc8QyTaPKZKD9kY1asEgwjNJqf8bXuhw82LoHDpl2m-GjrcyGRZqt8wu9jFkR093-kLvkHw3EqfB__PLKrHZRADHVSMQhMa5jeua_2McODB4TVqCp4/s1600/floral-purple-div.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="20" data-original-width="479" height="13" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUz5WhjgUpavrpn3JTNTP18y5Zqc8QyTaPKZKD9kY1asEgwjNJqf8bXuhw82LoHDpl2m-GjrcyGRZqt8wu9jFkR093-kLvkHw3EqfB__PLKrHZRADHVSMQhMa5jeua_2McODB4TVqCp4/s320/floral-purple-div.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKix3Dk6lbNqTpTEoSt_7kXKIXilgH8NPS5pHpuHvMJIJU92zZCR48qKnScG5KcvUGA1gU4DMlXqATcngob0xTqapvSaTDU7TypKMHcpWQ41DStQzzsOF1NJ9vdMnyAVYrbVDmGBmweo/s1600/A+Mothers%2527s+Cong+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKix3Dk6lbNqTpTEoSt_7kXKIXilgH8NPS5pHpuHvMJIJU92zZCR48qKnScG5KcvUGA1gU4DMlXqATcngob0xTqapvSaTDU7TypKMHcpWQ41DStQzzsOF1NJ9vdMnyAVYrbVDmGBmweo/s400/A+Mothers%2527s+Cong+Cover.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While researching documents for the historical
fiction, <b>A Mother’s Song,</b> the issues
of the nineteenth century and the crisis of present times coincided. The
challenges of the past mirror those of today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reading books on the orphan trains that transported
over 200,000 homeless waifs from New York City to farms on the Great Plains
occupied several years of my life. Each true account from the point of view of
a train rider captivated my imagination. The resiliency of the children, their
defenses, the fears, and the ability to cope brought their plights to life. Their
stories stirred my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The women who rode the trains for years with these
children, helping them find “forever homes” inspired me. These agents of the
Children’s Aid Society became the forerunners of social work as they </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">fought
against exploitation and work issues of their charges. They became heroes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But the mothers of 1890. They astounded me. Those
Irish immigrant mothers in New York City, Five Points, who had more children
than they could support gripped my soul. The difficulties they faced on a day
to day basis. The choices that haunted them. The ability to allow their
children to ride the orphan train to a life that they could not give to them.
Hard decisions. Life giving chances. Deep regrets.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>Their plight haunted me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My husband traveled with me to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">National Orphan Train Museum</i> in
Concordia, Kansas, to gather more books and information about the ragamuffins
and agents who traveled the tracks between NYC and the west. He attended the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Little Falls, Minnesota, Reunion</i> of the
descendants of the trains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We heard the
stories from four surviving riders and warmed at their positive attitudes
toward life. Then I wrote this book, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">A
Mother’s Song.</b> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps for me, the creation of this novel served
personal therapy. My father died when I was young, and my mother married an
alcoholic. Several years of my life were spent in foster care. The stories from
the orphan trains touched areas of my emotions needed healing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I presented a lecture on this book to a group of
South Side Irish women, they leaned into the information. For them, the book
represents the most complete view of what happened to Irish immigrants who
escaped the Great Famine. They empathized with the main characters only in a
way that hardship can generate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A
Mother’s Song</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> follows the main character, Deirdre
O’Sullivan, her husband, son, and four year old Ava Rose in Five Points, NYC.
This 1890 washerwoman is pregnant with her third child. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When her husband is killed in an accident,
Deirdre is left with three children and no support. Her older son becomes a
newsie and lives on the streets. Rather than let the baby and Ava Rose starve
to death, she signs for them to be put on an orphan train.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Nebraska,
Claudine has suffered multiple miscarriages and is depressed. She adopts the
children. Will the adoption provide the safety and opportunity that Deirdre
hopes? This researched story of two mothers and the child who lives both is
heart wrenching. It is a poignant tale of hope and courage against unfathomable
odds for a better life free from prejudice and poverty.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The author, Cleo Lampos,
</b>is a retired educator who taught emotionally disturbed/behavior disordered
children for 26 years. She lives in a suburb on the south side of Chicago where
she quilts, helps her husband with their urban garden, and enjoys eleven
grandchildren. She is the author of eight books and numerous magazine articles.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cleo Lampos’ books are available on amazon.com.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The Giveaway: </b>One free copy of this historic novel will be given to one reader of this post who leaves a comment below with name and contact info (so we can notify you if you're the winner).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giveaway will run for one week from today on Thursday, July 23, 2020, at MIDNIGHT central time. Winner will be drawn via random.org and notified via email.</span></span></div>
<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-23540482231033681092020-07-09T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-09T05:00:03.183-05:00JANE DOE ~ Lillian Duncan ~ <br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"> Welcome to "<i>What's New Wednesday" . . . </i>on Thursday. . . . with author Lillian Duncan. The spotlight is on her newest release JANE DOE. I don't know about you but the story and entire concept sounds intriguing to me. Read on, see what you think, and share your thoughts in the comment section below.</span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Welcome, Lillian!</span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Title</b>:
JANE DOE<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author</b>:
Lillian Duncan<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Contact</b>:
lduncan512@aol.com<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Genre: </b>Suspense/Romantic
Suspense<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Release
Date:</b> June 26<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">About the book:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A Broken Body. A Broken Mind. What If She
Wasn't The Last Victim?</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">
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<span style="background: white;">Raven Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but
just barely. Along with a broken body, her mind is broken. She wants to put the
past behind her, but nightmarish memories won’t let her. . .at first because
she doesn’t have them, and then because she does.</span><br />
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<span style="background: white;">Even though her fractured memory can’t recall
every detail, she’s haunted by one thought: What if she wasn’t the last victim?
Her search for answers leads her to the highest politicians in the land. Each
reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and to even more danger.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">JANE
DOE is my latest novel and it’s a doozy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What’s
the genre you ask? It’s suspense with lots of drama and action…it's also a political
thriller…but it also has a lot of mystery components…but there’s the romance
element as well… and let’s not forget the spiritual message! No matter what
genre you classify it as, it’s one I think you’ll enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So
how did JANE DOE come about? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’d
finished all my edits on a current book and was feeling very uninspired. I had
no idea for my next story, so I went on FB and asked people to send me an idea
for my next suspense novel. An old high school friend sent me the suggestion to
write a story where the main character struggled with memory loss. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mmmm…
but the old amnesia plot has been done and it’s a big no-no that writing
experts warn against. I took the challenge anyway and wrote JANE DOE. It’s definitely
not your typical amnesia plot, but the main character is haunted by her
memories.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">First,
because she doesn’t have them and then because she does!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Raven
Marks survives a brutal kidnapping but just barely. Along with a broken body,
her mind is broken. Even though she can’t remember the details of her kidnapping,
she’s haunted by the thought that someone else is being victimized by the
kidnapper she can’t remember.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Her
journey to discover the truth leads her to the highest politicians in the state
and then the country. Each reclaimed memory brings her closer to the truth—and
to even more danger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m
not going to give away the plot, but there’s plenty of twists and turns to keep
you reading late into the night! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Off-site Giveaway:</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #1d2129;">I’m
having a giveaway to celebrate the release of JANE DOE on my blog! So hop over
to </span><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/">www.lillian-duncan.com</a><span style="color: #1d2129;"> and leave a comment on any of my JANE DOE blogs at
www.lillian-duncan.com and you'll be entered to win one of three $10 AMAZON
GIFT CARDS! That's right--three winners!</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lillian Duncan… turning faith into fiction.<span style="color: red;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErdRef4PAPgP9H9Gztk4yA7G1STWklIrECXdJFcuAERkwG4mMGMQAjrT5sR9cChyphenhyphen-0C1VZYFe8xvqymI7ImgMVzFr5tEO2v6Jy4xrE8-XD5dvdeWv_gOOKjs5o0K9YEez3KAPfoRx1ZI/s1600/Lillian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="397" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErdRef4PAPgP9H9Gztk4yA7G1STWklIrECXdJFcuAERkwG4mMGMQAjrT5sR9cChyphenhyphen-0C1VZYFe8xvqymI7ImgMVzFr5tEO2v6Jy4xrE8-XD5dvdeWv_gOOKjs5o0K9YEez3KAPfoRx1ZI/s320/Lillian.jpg" width="253" /></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lillian
lives in a small town in Ohio with her husband. She writes the types of books
she loves to read. Even though her books cross genres, they have one thing in
common: faith-based stories that demonstrate God’s love—and lots of action. OK,
that’s two things. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She was a school
speech pathologist for over 30 years but retired in 2012 after being diagnosed
with bilateral brain tumors due to Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2), a rare
genetic disease.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whether as an
educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words
to transform lives, especially God’s Word. To learn more about Lillian <span style="color: black;">and her books, visit:</span><u style="text-underline: blue;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></u><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.lillian</span></a><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: blue;">-</span></a><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: blue;">duncan.com</span></a><a href="http://www.lillian-duncan.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">.</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b>Thank you, Lillian, for being my guest this week. </b></span></span></span></div>
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<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141818350819675908.post-19691087814368575352020-07-03T05:00:00.000-05:002020-07-03T05:00:01.249-05:00The B.I.B.L.E<br />
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The B-I-B-L-E</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Faithful Friday Devotion from</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Peggy Blann Phifer</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">“The
B-I-B-L-E, yes that’s the Book for me, I stand alone on the Word of God, the
B-I-B-L-E!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">How many of you remember singing that little chorus in
Sunday school? You stood, or sat, singing for all you’re worth with bright,
happy faces. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Bible. The Word of God. I’ve had many Bibles
through the years, including a little, red Gideon’s New Testament that
eventually fell apart and I had to keep it together with rubber bands.
Somewhere I still have that battered treasure … somewhere … <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I recently saw a document in which a Bible verse was
quoted, but it just didn’t look right to me, even though the scripture
reference was cited as from the King James version. I dismissed it, as
something else demanded my attention, but it kept bugging me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Finally, in the middle of vacuuming, I couldn’t stand
it any longer and reached for my own KJV Bible to look it up. Sure, I could
have gone to Bible Gateway, or some other online source, but I wasn’t at my
computer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My Bible is well-worn and mended, and I don’t use it
much anymore because the print is too small. But it’s a treasure because my mom
and dad gave it to me on my 30th birthday some (___) years ago. On the second
page inside, my dad had hand-written several excerpts from Proverbs 1 & 2.
Words about wisdom, ending with<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “… Thou
shalt then understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.’”<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next to my Bible, was my dad’s equally worn and mended
Schofield Reference Edition, also KJV, which my mother gave me after Daddy
passed. It is filled with underlined and highlighted verses, and copious notes
in the margins. Just inside the front flap is a ‘sticky note’ with these words:
“I would have this church be a big church and at the same time be full of the
Holy Spirit, but it wouldn’t do it on its own.” You see, Daddy (and Mom) were
instrumental in getting several new churches planted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Next to Dad’s Bible was my Grandmother Blann’s Bible,
given to me when she passed away in the late 1960’s, because I was the
first-born of her eldest son. She hadn’t written in hers, but I found several
bookmarks from events held at her church during the final years of her life. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I own many Bible translations, some of which are
‘study’ versions, most of which are just collecting dust on the shelves …
again, because the font is too small.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My regular—and favorite—Bible these days, the one I
use every day for my Bible reading and devotions, is the large print NKJV. It
has a permanent place on the corner of my desk, always open, along with the
current copy of The Upper Room, also in large print.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, what about you? Do you have any ‘Bible stories’ to
share? Any special sentiments attached to copies you have? Which version is
your favorite?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Please share in the comments below<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">PS: That scripture reference I mentioned above? It was
quoted correctly. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />Peggy Blann Phiferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06181446367876764390noreply@blogger.com1