ANNIVERSARIES ~ Pat Jeanne Davis ~ Giveaway

ANNIVERSARIES

by Pat Jeanne Davis (Giveaway offered)

Today marks one year since When Valleys Bloom Again released. In several ways having my first full length novel published has changed my life. The work doesn’t stop with finally seeing your book in print. In order to promote and market my debut novel, I needed to learn how to be a businesswoman. Also, it has been necessary to become more outgoing and to step up and engage with readers after speaking at historical societies, book signing events at churches, fairs and at bookstores, sometimes traveling miles from my home to the area in which my novel takes place. To my surprise, I’ve enjoyed being at these events and answering question on the research for my WWII novel and about family members who served with the military in the war. I’ve also enjoyed being a guest on many blogs over the months and connecting with new readers there. During these months my Heavenly Father has been so gracious supplying all my needs along the way.

In the excerpt below, Abby Stapleton, the heroine in my novel, also arrives at a significant one-year anniversary.

August 1940

One year since her arrival. Though Abby wanted to return to England, she couldn’t exclude the possibility that Jim might be part of God’s plan for her life. That her aunt had thrown up a road block only intensified her longing for him. Chafing under her aunt’s prohibition and hating herself for submitting to it, she took refuge in the belief that Jim would keep his job.

She’d botched her attempt to explain things to him. “Something’s come up, and I can’t work with you for a while,” she had told him. What was that supposed to mean? No wonder he’d looked confused. But Jim had taken it with good grace, nodding while she fidgeted and groped for a reason.

Abby scheduled tasks in the greenhouse for Sunday afternoons—the only day Jim was off. Infrequent encounters with him during the summer had been accidental. She gleaned from a remark Jim made that he attributed these absences to anxiety over her family. Abby let the impression stand. Soon she’d be returning to Weston for her junior year and be away most of the day. Still, she wanted to talk with him as before.

Today, as she went about her work Abby consoled herself with the realization she moved in the same space Jim had yesterday. She cherished the written instructions he’d left on the potting table, pinned down with a smooth, shiny stone from the garden. He asked her to “snip the blooms from the sweet peas to keep them flowering,” and to “pay special attention to watering the container plants.” He’d underlined the last task. Abby ticked off each one as she completed it. Boy, Jim was so clever. Thorough, too. Her uncle made a good choice with him. As she puttered about, Abby kept up a running dialogue with Jim in her head.

Abby consulted the final item on his list. “For You,” Jim wrote. At his suggestion, she cut for herself yellow, orange, and salmon gladioli, taking care not to remove all the leaves from remaining stems. Jim had said these leaves feed the bulbs for the following year’s growth. Cradling her bouquet, Abby left the greenhouse, shutting the door behind her. Regardless of what her head told her, her heart pulled irresistibly to him. Oh, yes, and double-yes, she’d fallen in love with Jim. Where would it all lead?

BIO:

 

PAT JEANNE DAVIS lives in Philadelphia, Pa with her British-born husband, John. They have two grown sons. She enjoys flower gardening, genealogy research and traveling with her husband. Pat has published essays, short stories and articles online and in print. She has a keen interest in twentieth-century American and British history, particularly the period of World War II. Pat’s father-in-law served in the British Eighth Army during the war. When Valleys Bloom Again is her debut historical inspirational romance set in that era. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Pat loves to hear from her readers. Subscribe to her newsletter here www.patjeannedavis.com

Links:

When Valleys Bloom Again can be purchased here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Valleys-Bloom-Again-Jeanne-Davis/dp/1948888920/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=154

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-valleys-bloom-again-pat-jeanne-davis/1130351044?ean=9781948888929                                          

Social Media:  

Website:  https://www.patjeannedavis.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pat.j.davis.7

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/patjeannedavis/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43600391-when-valleys-bloom-again?from_search=true   

Amazon Author Page:  https://amazon.com/author/patjeannedavis 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-jeanne-davis-34290422/                   

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/patjeannedavis/   

 BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/books/when-valleys-bloom-again-by-pat-jeanne-davis

About the Giveaway: Pat is generously offering to give away one print copy of When Valleys Bloom Again to one of my readers in the US who leave their name and email information in the comments section below. Giveaway ends one week from today on Thursday, January 23 at Midnight, central time. 

THE STORYTELLER IN ME ~ Linda Siebold ~ Giveaway Offer

 The Storyteller in Me

Guest post and Book Spotlight from author Linda Siebold

My first stories were told to my granddad. I wasn’t in school yet, and I was his constant companion on the farm where we lived with my parents, brother, and sister. He listened. With his encouragement I kept on – even if it was what the rooster did that day.

As I grew older my words found their way to paper. I wrote when I wasn’t pouring over pages of books reading to my heart’s content. I wanted to be a writer – maybe illustrate my own children’s books too. The still, quiet voice of my high school English teacher made me see reason. It was really hard to support yourself as a writer. So I went on to college and became an elementary teacher.

As years passed and I married and had a family of my own, I kept storytelling – my children’s bedtime stories, children’s stories at church, and writing when I had the chance. My career changed many times over the years. I worked as a salesclerk, a keyboard operator, an office supervisor, a secretary, and other things.

The words and stories have kept coming. My kids are grown with families of their own. I had a thirst to read mystery/suspense books. And I began to write again. You guessed it – mystery/suspense with a little romance thrown in.

In 2015, I was on dialysis three days a week, three hours a treatment, forty-five minutes travel time each direction. My kidneys had failed from a combination of weakness from a genetic disorder called polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and painkillers used to treat intermittent extreme pain in my lower abdomen – then cause unknown. I didn’t know when the pain would hit and the severity increased with each event. I could no longer work outside the home. After a specialist in Wichita found the source of the pain and removed the four-inch piece of mesh inserted in my abdomen at the end of a previous surgery I could function again. I received a kidney transplant in 2017.

I learned how to lean on Christ, more than I ever had before. He gave me hope and a purpose with my writing. He also gave me time. So, I wrote and polished my craft.

After the site healed and the transplant occurred, I could travel without pain and dialysis arrangements. I talked my husband into going with me to Nashville to the ACFW Convention in 2018. I had six chapters finished on my work-in-progress. My first appointment of the three I could schedule at the conference (editor, agent, or mentor) was with Cynthia Hickey, editor with Winged Publications.

Cynthia put me at ease right away. We visited and found common ground. Then, I told her I wasn’t finished with my book, but I’d like to pitch it to her for the practice. To my delight and surprise she liked it. I was to email her what I had once I returned home. I did and the rest is history. The Contessa’s Necklace was published in November, 2018. It is the first of the Contessa of Montaire series. I liked my characters so well I had to write a series.

 Book Blurb

Louella Carmichael, Contessa of Montaire, and her entire family were assassinated in 1973. One witness survived and escaped with Montaire’s ruby succession necklace. In 2017 the necklace reappears in Kansas as current contessa, Sophia DePaul is close to death. When she dies the council will again name a new count or contessa to rule the principality and gain control of four international conglomerates and other industries, as well as jewelry and other riches.

Selena Simmons specializes in researching financial reports, background checks, and family histories for the Aegis Research Library. When a tragic hit-and-run accident makes her research personal she walks away from the agency. Someone from the past is targeting those close to her and binds her to the Carmichael assassination. She has to find the link before she becomes the next victim.

Sam Russell from R & S Retrieval Agency is hired to follow the two jewel thieves that have tracked the necklace to Kansas. They not only want the necklace, but control of the principality. They will stop at nothing to accomplish their goals, even murder. Selena Simmons is in their way, and Sam finds his skills and instincts tested to keep her safe.

 

Author Bio: Linda Siebold loves to read and write romantic suspense. She lives in north central Kansas with her husband and spoiled cat. She has a grown son and daughter and seven grandchildren. She has a degree in elementary education from Fort Hays State University.

Social media links:

Email: lsiebold70@gmail.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/lindasiebold

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.siebold.58

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lsiebold70

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18599024.Linda_Siebold

Giveaway offered: One copy of THE CONTESSA’S NECKLACE in print format. Leave your name and contact information below to be entered in the drawing. Giveaway ends one week from today on January 22, 2020 at midnight Central time and will be notified via email.

FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES, Alexis A. Goring

Friends in High Places: 

My Reflections inspired by the song

Clouds: pixabay.com

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” – Psalm 20:7 (NIV) 

There’s a song that Larnelle Harris, a gospel music artist, sings that inspires me to this day.

The song’s title is “Friends in High Places.” In this song, Harris talks about how he has hope in troubled times, a reason to smile when he’s sad, friends who uplift his spirit when he’s feeling depressed, and he talks about how they watch over him everywhere he goes.

At first, you might think he’s singing about his closest human friends here on Earth. But as the song continues, you find out that he’s talking about God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and The Holy Spirit. He’s also talking about God’s Angels (Hebrews 1:14) and how his friends are all in high places but yet so close to him in his life experiences.

The first time I heard these lyrics was through the beautiful singing voice of an upperclassman named Porsche during our weekly Chapel program offered through our private, Christian academy (high school).

On that day, Porsche provided the special music for the chapel service. The main lyrics of the song stuck with me: “I’ve got friends in high places.”

She was singing about God being our Friend in the Highest Place (Heaven) and speaking to the fact that He has our best interest at heart.

This song returned to my mind several years ago in my adult life, when I worked as a reporter for a newspaper. My former colleague Tiffany, who at the time was new to Journalism, asked me how I’m not nervous when I’m interviewing famous people at city council. She gushed about how they were all like celebrities in high places and wanted to know how I managed to maintain composure and professionalism without being awestruck and speechless.

I told her about that song “Friends in High Places” and reminded her that as believers (because she too was a believer in God), we have the Ultimate Friend in High Places. His name is God and He has our back!

I talked about how knowing this fact helped me to keep things in perspective because we’re all humans whether we are famous or not and we all deserve respect. I don’t look at it as interviewing a celebrity; I look at it as interviewing a fellow human. I approach each interview with looking them straight in the eye, showing a warm smile and giving them the respect that they deserve.

I don’t spend too much time thinking about their status or fame. I just try my best to implement Luke 6:31 (a Bible verse that is also known as “The Golden Rule”), which tells us to treat others how we want to be treated, and I do my best to maintain professionalism in all cases.

The Bible says in Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV), to work like you’re working for God, not man. This helps me to remember that we’re all mankind, no matter what our status. We all need Jesus! And the beautiful truth is that God wants to be our friend. How remarkable is it that the Creator (God) of the Universe wants to be your friend?

An old church saying goes, “God sits up High (in Heaven) and lives down Low (on Earth),” which means that He did not set this world in motion then leave us to figure out everything for ourselves. No! God created our world and stayed in the picture! The Bible says that God is Omnipresent, which means He is everywhere at all times. He knows everything and sees everything. Nothing is hidden from Him and no one escapes His watchful eye. God cares about everything that affects us and He can handle our honesty, so we shouldn’t be afraid to speak to Him about anything!

We are free to be open and honest with God as we talk to Him about everything because He already knows what’s on our hearts even before we speak. But He doesn’t condemn us. The Bible tells us that we can confess our sins and be forgiven by Him (1 John 1:9) then He remembers our sins no more (Psalm 103:12). However, that is not an excuse to keep on sinning! God wants us to be faithful to Him and that means turning away from our sins (Proverbs 28:13) and living according to His Word (The Holy Bible).

Another point that the song reminds me of is when we as mere mortals are in trouble here on Earth, we feel comforted when we know that we have “friends in high places” who can take care of us by “pulling the strings” and solving our dilemmas.

But even if we have friends in high places here on Earth, we still need to remember that they are only human and at the end of the day they can only do so much!

Humans cannot save our souls! Only God can do that through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. Open The Holy Bible to the Book of John and read about the free gift of salvation offered to us all, thanks to Jesus!

Let’s not forget our Greatest Friend (God) in the highest of places (Heaven). He is Lord over all. May we remember that only Jesus can truly save us!

Author Bio: 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. 

THE GALS WHO WROTE THE WAR ~Linda Shenton Matchett

The Gals Who Wrote the War

Guest post from Linda Shenton Matchett

As a former Human Resources professional, I am fascinated by the history of women in the workplace, especially during World War II when millions of ladies stepped into positions formerly held by men. Some of the newer types of commerce such as aircraft manufacturers welcomed women. In fact, Minneapolis-based Strato Equipment, a designer of high-altitude pressure suits for pilots, boasted a female workforce of 100%. The only guy in the factory was a department store dummy! Other industries such as the quintessential male profession of war reporting were tougher to break into.

Initially, the military used the accreditation process to control war correspondents, refusing outright to accredit women. A lengthy process that required background checks on the applicant, as well as his or her family, weeded out many candidates. According to photojournalist Margaret Bourke-White, “By the time you are accredited you have no secrets from the War Department and neither do your ancestors.”

By the end of the war, of the nearly 2,000 accredited war correspondents in WWII, 127 were women. Accreditation acted as a contract: The Army or Navy transported reporters, fed and sheltered them, and sent their dispatches home. In return, correspondents followed military law and censorship. Correspondents who defied rules lost credentials.

They received a pocket-sized “Basic Field Manual” of rules (which frightening enough included a waiver of liability for injury or death). Correspondents carried a green accreditation card and wore uniforms without symbols of rank, to indicate they would neither give nor take salutes. Instead, they wore green “WC” armbands, which evolved into “U.S. War Correspondent” patches, and were treated as captains, a rank that allowed them to eat with officers and facilitated POW exchanges if taken prisoner.

Nearly every commander in the Allied forces refused to allow women near combat. They feared women breaking under pressure, balking at a lack of women’s latrines, or influencing soldiers to take risks to protect them. Needless to say, this frustrated most of the female reporters.

Journalist Martha Gellhorn is considered to be one of the greatest war correspondents of the 20^th century. She said, “I have too frequently received the impression that women war correspondents were an irritating nuisance. I wish to point out that none of us would have our jobs unless we know how to do them and this curious condescending treatment is as ridiculous as it is undignified.”

Some accredited women did see combat. Sometimes the front shifted, catching women in the thick of action, as was the case with Ruth Cowan in North Africa. Others asked officers to write letters of introduction to combat zones, as did Bourke-White in Italy. A few got there “by hook or by crook.”

Martha’s career lasted sixty years, and she covered nearly every major event that occurred during that time, occasionally taking matters into her own hands to ensure she was there. In order to reach the beach and report on the D-Day invasion, she sneaked aboard a hospital ship and hid in the bathroom during the entire voyage then impersonated a stretcher bearer to disembark. She got the story, but lost her credentials. Her response? “I followed the war wherever I could reach it.”

The grit and gumption of these 127 women enabled them to provide eyewitness accounts to the harrowing events of WWII. I hope my Ruth Brown mystery series honors these ladies in a small way.

Book Blurb for Under Fire: Set in April 1942, Under Fire tells the story of Ruth Brown whose missing sister Jane is declared dead. Convinced her sister is still alive, Ruth follows clues from their small New Hampshire town to war-torn London trying to find her. Discovering that Jane has been murdered results in a faith crisis for Ruth, and she decides she must find Jane’s killer.

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/ B0743MS95H

Books 2 (Under Ground) and 3 (Under Cover) are now available for pre-order! Visit my website for more information.

Bio: Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, speaker, and history geek. She writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is also a lecturer with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute through Granite State College. She is also a trustee for her local public library. Linda was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland and has lived in historic places all her life. Now located in central New Hampshire, her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

Social Media Links:

Website/blog: http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com

Newsletter signup (receive a free short story): https://mailchi.mp/74bb7b34c9c2/lindashentonmatchettnewsletter

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorlindamatchett

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Shenton-Matchett/e/B01DNB54S0

BookBub: http://www.bookbub.com/authors/linda-shenton-matchett

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author_linda_matchett

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lindasmatchett

Twitter: @lindasmatchett

END OF STORY, Alexis A. Goring

End of Story

A devotional by Alexis A. Goring

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

– John 3:16-17 [NKJV]

Years ago, one of my college classmates, we’ll call her Liz, said that whenever she picks up a new book, she always flips to the last few pages and reads that first so that she knows how the story ends. And if she does not like the end of the story, she will not read the book!

Liz’s way of protecting her mind as a book reader stayed with me and I think of her words often. But I do not adopt her way of reading books because for me, to know how a story ends before I even begin doesn’t bring me comfort. In fact, it throws the plot out the window and ruins my experience as a reader because I want to journey through the pages with the characters.

I want to get to know each of the featured characters and delve into their lives in their fictional story world. I like getting to know the characters. I like growing to care about what they want in life and being just as surprised as them when the plot takes a twist. Learning life lessons as their character is developed is something I enjoy. But most of all, I love it when the author gives my favorite characters a happy ending to their story! All of those highs and lows, twists and turns, challenges and victories, joy and sorrows make the story worth reading! At least that’s how I feel about it.

As Liz’s way of reading books resurfaced in my mind recently, I remembered another illustration about a custodian who only had a grade level education. One day on his break from cleaning the school gym, someone saw the custodian reading The Holy Bible. The person walked up to the custodian and asked him how he could understand the Bible with only a grade level education. The custodian referred to the final book in the Bible called Revelation and replied that he did understand that “in the end, God wins!”

Now that’s the only book of which I would read the very last chapter first, instead of starting at the beginning, because it comforts me to know that in the end of this story called Life that all humankind plays a role in, God wins!

God wins over pain. God wins over sorrow. God wins over death. God wins over ALL the maladies caused by sin and Satan. When the final curtain closes on human history, God wins! He reigns forever and will defeat the devil permanently. Evil will not last forever. Goodness, joy, grace, mercy, eternal life and pure love … all of which are from God will prevail!

We will have a happy end to our story if we only believe in God and accept His Son Jesus Christ into our hearts! The Bible says in Acts 16:31 (ESV), “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

This beautiful hope of a happily ever after that lasts throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity reminds me of the gospel music song “Heaven’s Door” by Dwight Anderson.

In the song, he describes the streets of Heaven, which are made from pure gold (Revelation 21:21). He speaks of resting upon a shore of crystal, sitting beside mighty lions unafraid and feeling the perfect peace of knowing that all of the pain and trials that he experienced while living as a citizen of Heaven (Philippians 3:20) on Earth are over!

The artist (Dwight Anderson) talks about what he wants to do when he arrives in Heaven. He wants to see the Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:17-22), meet his guardian angel, walk with famous Bible characters like Moses and Elijah, talk with Jesus forever … and use the wings of his new, immortal body to soar to all of the other worlds that God created!

But this is more than just a dream for Dwight, this is going to be the beautiful reality for all who accept Jesus Christ and believe in God!

Heaven is real, my friends. God is real and salvation offered through God’s Son (Jesus Christ) is the real deal that leads to eternal life spent in the presence of God the Father forever!

So won’t you join me on this journey to Heaven?

Won’t you pick up a copy of the book about the Greatest Story ever told (The Holy Bible), open it and get to know the Savior of the World (Jesus Christ) as you read His Word?

Start in the book of Genesis (where the story begins) then turn each page, experiencing the highs and lows with the characters, knowing that by the time you reach the end of your journey through God’s Word (reading the last chapter in the book of Revelation), that the end of the story is good!

The end of the story, our story, is (and I’ll say it again), “God wins!”

If you choose to follow Jesus Christ and stay on God’s side that means you will win too!

Author Bio: 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.