TTT — May Flowers

7 May

Happy May! Today bloggers are sharing books with flowers in book titles or on book covers, etc. I am going with flowers on the cover, since I shared flowers in titles in February. My list features books from a variety of genres — I hope you find one to love!

For more flowery book lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books With Flowers on The Cover

Bookshop by The Sea by Denise Hunter

Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant

Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse

The One You’re With by Lauren K. Denton

The Orchard by Beverly Lewis

Shiloh by Lori Benton

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barrett

When Stone Wings Fly by Karen Barnett

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Spotlight On YA Fantasy — Lion Warrior

7 May

About The Book

Book: Lion Warrior

Author: James R. Hannibal

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: April 23, 2024

The dragon war has breached the barrier. 

The forces of the Liberated Land are near to breaking. Without a heavy and rapid shift in the Assembly’s strategy, a dragon invasion will be unstoppable.

Connor and Kara have kept the full knowledge of the Red Dagger’s location secret for almost a year. A chance to destroy Heleyor and end the war is within the Lightraider Order’s grasp. They must now reveal what they know and call for action.

With time running out, Connor, Teegan, and Aaron attempt to recover the dagger, and Kara helps the Airguard train a new corps of soldiers— windfighters—in their own bid to change the war’s tide. Meanwhile, Lee and Zel search for Heleyor’s army of tortured Aladoth. This force, thousands strong, has vanished. They’re heading for a hidden portal, and may emerge at the heart of Keledev at any moment.

Every path that lies before the cadets seems a great risk. The slightest misstep may cost them their lives, their loved ones, and their homeland. But to do nothing means certain failure. To succeed, they must charge ahead into dark uncertainty and trust the Rescuer.

Click here to get your copy!

About The Author

As a former fighter pilot, stealth pilot, and tactical deception officer, James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He is the award-winning author of thrillers, mysteries, and fantasies for adults and children, and he is the developer of Lightraider Academy games. As a pastor’s kid in Colorado Springs, he guinea-pigged every youth discipleship program of the 1980s, but the one that engaged him and shaped him most as a Christ-follower and Kingdom warrior was DragonRaid, by Dick Wulf—the genesis of the Lightraider world.

More from James

There and Back Again: A Game?

The transition from book to game and back again is no easy thing. I’ve been on a steep learning curve since the day I started writing Wolf Soldier, the first book in the Lightraider Academy trilogy. Lion Warrior is the third.

I should walk back a step. Lightraiders is a game. Did you know that? It began as DragonRaid, a 1980s fantasy adventure game designed for teaching Biblical learning and discipleship. DragonRaid had a huge influence on my Christian walk in my teens. I now have the honor of carrying the concepts designed by the game’s original creator, Dick Wulf, to a new generation through games and stories. Before he went on to be with the Lord, Dick was kind enough to write a foreword for Wolf Soldier.

The task, when it came to me, was monumental: take a highly allegorical game with isolated location details and expand it into a full-realm book series while also building a new version of the game designed for today’s teens and families. By His grace, God placed men and women in my path who came alongside me to help—fellow believers who are creators from the realms of Tolkien, Star Wars, DC Comics, and Disney. Without them, it could not have been done.

We’ve been building the game in the background for three years. At the same time, the books have served as a transition from the old to the new. Lion Warrior completes that transition, and the book and the new Lightraiders Adventure Bible System game for teens will release almost simultaneously.

If you read through the series starting with Wolf Soldier, you may get a feel for this transition. The first book is more allegorical and tightly focused, much like the original DragonRaid game. Fantasy terms used in that story draw from the original game, with only a few new terms introduced. Bear Knight begins to broaden that perspective. It stretches past allegory and introduces several new ideas that you’ll find in the new Lightraiders game. In Lion Warrior, my hope is that you’ll finally have a picture of the fully developed realm from the Liberated Land in the south to the frozen islands in the far north of the Dragon Lands. And that story is fully steeped in the new game with terms and game mechanics slipped in for astute readers to find.

So, we’ve come full circle. DragonRaid became the story world in Wolf Solder. Then, as I and the team God sent to me rebuilt the game for a new generation, new elements found their way into Bear Knight. And now we have Lion Warrior, fully based on the new Lightraiders discipleship game. If you read the full trilogy and check out the game, I hope you’ll see it all growing together.

I do love the idea of game to story or vice versa. Are there other game/story combinations you love?

Blog Stops

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, April 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 26

Artistic Nobody, April 27 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, April 27 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 28

Texas Book-aholic, April 29

Fiction Book Lover, April 30 (Author Interview)

Where Faith and Books Meet, May 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 2

By the Book, May 3

For the Love of Literature, May 4 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, May 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 5

Blogging With Carol, May 6

By The Book, May 7 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, May 8

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, James is giving away the grand prize package of a signed hardcover copy of the book, three Starlots acrylic gem dice (diamond, sunfire, and ruby), a postcard with character art on the front and a map of Talania on the back, and Amazon $100 gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b145/lion-warrior-celebration-tour-giveaway

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Spotlight on Historical Romance — The Desert Manna Series

6 May

Desert Manna Series Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for the Desert Manna series by Karen Baney, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Books

Beauty for Ashes

Title: Beauty for Ashes
Series: Desert Manna #1
Author: Karen Baney
Publisher: Desert Life Media
Release Date: March 7,2022
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Uplifting Historical Christian Romance Fiction set in Prescott, Arizona in 1871.

As a widow who lost her husband in Sherman’s fiery march to the sea, Rebecca Elliot struggled to provide for her son. When she hears from her brother in Prescott, Arizona, she makes the journey west to start over. An unexpected tragedy on the last leg of her travels changes the trajectory of her heart and life as she never could have imagined.

Perry Quinn finally said goodbye to his late wife when his life is turned upside down. When he loses everything that he worked hard to accomplish, he must humble himself and start over while trying to find the answers to why he lost everything. Along the way, a kind woman steals his heart and reminds him that there is beauty in the middle of the ashes of his life.

Will he let go of his grief to find true love?

If you like these authors, you’ll enjoy this book too: Tracie Peterson, Tamera Alexander, Karen Witemeyer, Lacy Williams, Jodi Hedlund, Misty M. Beller

Excerpt

In this excerpt from Beauty for Ashes, Rebecca and Mr. Pike come upon Perry Quinn after Perry’s ranch has been burned to the ground.

“This way,” Mr. Pike said.

As they neared the cabin, he slowed. “I must warn you, he’s alive, but barely.”

Rebecca rounded the corner, and her legs grew weak. Morgan! Her heart screamed as she stumbled forward. Mr. Pike steadied her.

She closed her eyes. This was not Morgan. The poor charred man was Perry Quinn. A rancher. A man in desperate need of help. Just like those poor soldiers she helped during the war. Just like Morgan when someone tried to nurse him back to health.

Fear. Doubt. Insecurity. Fear.

She straightened her back and lifted her chin. She would do what she could to help the poor man.

Rebecca stroked her thumb across Perry’s hand as she wondered what would happen to him. Would he recover? If he did, what would he do? It sounded like he had nothing left on his ranch and no family. Who would care for him and nurse him back to health?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

Joy for Mourning

Title: Joy for Mourning
Series: Desert Manna Series #2
Author: Karen Baney
Publisher: Desert Life Media
Release Date: April 25, 2022
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Historical Christian Romance Fiction set in Prescott, Arizona in 1872.

Grace Talbert spurns every suitor her father finds. She longs for the spark of romance and is unwilling to settle for something less. Her passion is running the Women’s Aid Society, which organizes many charitable events to help the poor and the Indians. When a trip to deliver goods to the reservation leaves her stranded with a handsome stranger, she discovers the love she longed for.

After many years of wandering and building up his freight business, Joshua Harrison decides to return to Prescott. As bachelor, he is ill-equipped to raise the orphaned daughter of a friend. He hopes the stable life of a small town will bring what he needs to become a good father. Having failed at love twice, he is afraid to try again, until he is stranded with the unconventional and beautiful Grace Talbert.

Can he move past his heartache to open himself to love again?

If you like these authors, you’ll enjoy this book too: Tracie Peterson, Tamera Alexander, Karen Witemeyer, Lacy Williams, Jodi Hedlund, Misty M. Beller

Excerpt

In this excerpt from Joy for Mourning, Grace is headed to the freight office to ship some donations for the charity she runs. She is caught off guard when a stranger is working there.

When Grace stepped into the freight office, she did not see Ira at the counter, so she rang the obnoxious cowbell. She found it annoying, but it seemed like the teamsters could hear the thing even when working in the back storeroom.

“Ira,” she said when she heard footsteps down the hall. “It’s Grace. I’m here about shipping…”

A tall man, who was most definitely not Ira, appeared from the back. My what wonderful blue eyes. They sparkled and reflected the light. Such a nice contrast to his lightly tanned skin. He was thin but still well built. His wavy light brown hair flopped over part of his forehead. A dimple in his chin added to his handsome appearance that nearly stole her breath away. When he smiled, she let out a quick breath and willed her heart to stop slamming into her chest.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” she said, trying to recover. “I’m Grace Talbert.”

His smile dimmed. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

She glanced down at her dress. No, it was the blue dress she wore, the same blue as his amazing eyes.

He cleared his throat and rushed to explain. “I saw you. The funeral.”

“You,” she whispered. The man in the wagon who passed by—the one she could not stop thinking about. She looked away, lest her gaze revealed her thoughts.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

Oaks of Justice

Title: Oaks of Justice
Series: Desert Manna Series #3
Author: Karen Baney
Publisher: Desert Life Media
Release Date: June 24, 2022
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Gripping Historical Christian Romance Fiction set in Prescott, Arizona in 1873.

Mel Larson is used to being underestimated as a female attorney. When her life is threatened, her mentor takes her home to Prescott. As the defense attorney for her innocent client who is on trial for murder, she goes head-to-head with the new District Attorney. When she apologizes to him for using some unconventional tactics, sparks fly, and she finds a love she had not been looking for.

Alex Glassman was ready to settle down but after a failed courtship, he doubted if he would ever find the right match. When a major court case falls into his lap, he is unprepared to argue the case against a fiery red headed woman. When the case is over and he humbles himself to admit his mistakes, his heart is captured, and he dares to hope that she could be the one.

When Mel’s life is threatened, can Alex save her in time?

If you like these authors, you’ll enjoy this book too: Tracie Peterson, Tamera Alexander, Karen Witemeyer, Lacy Williams, Jodi Hedlund, Misty M. Beller

Excerpt

In this excerpt from Oaks of Justice, Alex had just stopped by opposing counsel’s office to meet Mr. Mel Larson. Except Melissa “Mel” may have misled him. When he leaves, her boss Virgil questions her odd behavior.

Mel let out a long breath.

“What was that all about?” Virgil asked.

“He thinks I’m your secretary. I never gave him my first name.”

Virgil cocked his head to one side. “Oh, I see where this is going.”

“You and I both know our client is innocent and the crux of this case is mistaken identity from what you told me earlier,” she said. “What better way to illustrate this point to the court than to show that our esteemed District Attorney is as susceptible as the next person to mistake someone’s identity?”

“Are you sure you want to do that, Mel? He is the District Attorney.”

“Yes.”

“Alright. For this to be fully effective, you’re going to have to sit in the gallery for jury selection and let me lead it.”

“That is an excellent idea.”

Pick up Oaks of Justice to see if Mel follows through with her plan.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

Buy The Complete Series in One Volume

About The Author

Karen Baney

Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Connect with Karen by visiting karenbaney.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each win signed copies of all 3 books in the Desert Manna series plus a $25 Amazon gift card!

Desert Manna JustRead Tours blog tour giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 6, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 13, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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First Line Friday — Every Time We Say Goodbye

3 May

Happy Friday! Today I am featuring the newest novel by Natalie Jenner. Every Time We Say Goodbye is historical fiction set in Italy in 1955, but with a WWII tie in. It has a cast of real life and fictional characters that looks to be an excellent read.

Here’s the first line:

The handbag is almost empty inside.

The bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls returns with a brilliant novel of love and art, of grief and memory, of confronting the past and facing the future.

In 1955, Vivien Lowry is facing the greatest challenge of her life. Her latest play, the only female-authored play on the London stage that season, has opened in the West End to rapturous applause from the audience. The reviewers, however, are not as impressed as the playgoers and their savage notices not only shut down the play but ruin Lowry’s last chance for a dramatic career. With her future in London not looking bright, at the suggestion of her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, Vivien takes a job in as a script doctor on a major film shooting in Rome’s Cinecitta Studios. There she finds a vibrant movie making scene filled with rising stars, acclaimed directors, and famous actors in a country that is torn between its past and its potentially bright future, between the liberation of the post-war cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church that permeates the very soul of Italy.

As Vivien tries to forge a new future for herself, she also must face the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the mystery of what really happened to her deceased fiancé. Every Time We Say Goodbye is a brilliant exploration of trauma and tragedy, hope and renewal, filled with dazzling characters both real and imaginary, from the incomparable author who charmed the world with her novels The Jane Austen Society and Bloomsbury Girls.

Natalie Jenner is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY and BLOOMSBURY GIRLS, which have been translated in over twenty languages worldwide. Natalie’s third novel, EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE, releases on May 14, 2024. Born in England and raised in Canada, Natalie has been a corporate lawyer and career coach and once owned an independent bookstore in Oakville, Ontario, where she lives with her family and two rescue dogs.

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Spotlight on Romantic Suspense — Lethal Danger

2 May

Lethal Danger Blog + Review Tour

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Lethal Danger by Jerusha Agen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Lethal Danger

Title: Lethal Danger
Series: Guardians Unleashed #4
Author: Jerusha Agen
Publisher: SDG Words
Release Date: April 25, 2024
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

This K-9 team is trained to eliminate threats. This threat could eliminate them.

Being a loner is getting old. Jazz Lamont still can’t fit in at the Phoenix K-9 Agency, and she’s losing her best friend. At least providing security with her K-9 partner at the Tri-City Fair will mean revisiting the only place where she once belonged. But a series of accidents threatens her beloved fair and puts lives at risk.

Thriller author Hawthorne Emerson suspects foul play after the first “accident.” Moonlighting as fair security to investigate the death of his sister’s boyfriend, he’s eager to find the truth. He doesn’t expect the task to lead him to the cult he escaped.

Finding the culprit behind the sabotage is personal for Jazz and Hawthorne. But someone else has a personal stake, too. Someone who wants Jazz dead. When everything she thought was true is dismantled, can Jazz risk trusting others—including God—to survive?

Lethal Danger continues the thrilling story of the elite Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency that began with Hidden Danger (Guardians Unleashed, #1). (Each book can stand alone or be read as series installments.)

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

Excerpt

He kept his arm behind her back and lifted her to her feet. Then without another thought, he  pulled her into an embrace, cradling her against his chest.

He couldn’t help it. She could’ve died.

So that’s what he said as he caressed her silky hair with his thumb. “I thought you might be dead.”

She leaned her head back and brought her gaze up to his. Something shimmered in her emerald eyes. Tears? Was she hurt?

“I’m sorry.” He loosened his hold around her, lowering his hands to gently brush down her arms. “Are you injured?”

She shook her head, watching him with what looked like wonder. Maybe her head injury had left her a little confused.

His hand went to her face, cupping her cheek as his thumb neared one of the red marks.

“Your face is scratched. Are you sure you aren’t hurt anywhere else?”

“Pretty sure.” Her gaze didn’t leave his.

She was breathtaking. Twigs in her mussed ponytail and scratches and dirt smudges on her face couldn’t do a thing to diminish her stunning beauty. Or the effect she seemed to be having on him.

More Books in This Series

Hidden Danger Covert Danger

About The Author

Jerusha Agen

Jerusha Agen imagines danger around every corner but knows God is there, too. So naturally, she writes romantic suspense infused with the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ. Jerusha loves to hang out with her big furry dogs and little furry cats, often while reading or watching movies.

Find more of Jerusha’s thrilling, fear-fighting stories at JerushaAgen.com. Connect with her there to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed paperback of Lethal Danger, a Lethal Danger mug, a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, a Lethal Danger magnet, plus more fun swag!

Lethal Danger JustRead Tours blog tour giveaway

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight April 29, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 3, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

JustRead Publicity Tours

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May Book Club Pick — Embers in The London Sky

1 May

I am excited for this month’s book club selection. Sarah Sundin is a must-read author for my group — her novels are always well-written and researched and shine a light on little known aspects of WWII history. This month we are reading her newest novel, Embers in The London Sky. Early reports from members indicate it is excellent! Won’t you join us this month?

As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens escapes to London to wait out the Occupation. Separated from her three-year-old son, Theo, in the process, the young widow desperately searches for her little boy even as she works for an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside.

When German bombs set London ablaze, BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood reports on the Blitz, eager to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes. 

The deaths hit close to home for Hugh, and Aleida needs his help to locate her missing son. As they work together, they grow closer and closer, both to each other and the answers they seek. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of Embers in the London Sky (February 2024), The Sound of Light (2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and several World War II series.

Sarah’s novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 Carol Award, The Sound of Light, When Twilight Breaks, and The Land Beneath Us were finalists for the Christy Award, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

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Spotlight On Historical Romance — Walking on Hidden Wings

1 May
Walking on Hidden Wings JustRead Takeover + Review Blitz

Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Walking on Hidden Wings by Rachel Scott McDaniel hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About The Book

Walking on Hidden Wings

Title: Walking on Hidden Wings: A Novel of the Roaring Twenties
Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: April 23, 2024
Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Geneva Ashcroft Hayes’s marriage to a newspaper mogul might have been arranged, but the New York socialite is devastated when her husband’s plane crashes a few short months after their nuptials. When the authorities suspect murder, Geneva sets out on a wild mission to find his killer–and to prove it wasn’t her!

When mysterious notes surface pointing to Geneva’s guilt in his death, they only strengthen her resolve. She has little to go on except for a detective friend’s cryptic list of locations connected to her dead spouse. When the friend also disappears, she trades her sparkling gowns for coveralls and pilot goggles.

Armed with a new name and career as a wingwalker and barnstormer, she travels from town to town in hopes of unearthing clues and locating her missing friend. But Geneva discovers that her past may not belong to her . . . what she once believed as truth may be nothing more than lies and deception.

“A tangled web, a sleuthing adventure, a rekindled romance . . . Walking on Hidden Wings has it all.”

–Rachel Fordham, author of The Letter Tree

“Fans of intelligent mysteries, butterfly-inducing romance, and the Roaring Twenties, prepare yourselves–Walking on Hidden Wings will sweep you away to the skies! McDaniel’s lyrical prose is a delight, and readers will be fascinated by the daring beginnings of aviation. A true gem.”

–Joanna Barker, author of A Heart Worth Stealing

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook | Bookshop | BookBub

Excerpt

My heartbeat drummed at the base of my throat. I pried my resolve from the murky depths of my mind and took a step forward. Then another. A tremor rocked the plane. I defied the instinct to stoop and brace myself. Instead I stilled, adjusting to the new angle as if the wing were an extension of my feet. Good thing Tex hadn’t jerked the controls. One panicked jolt could’ve knocked me off-balance and into the slicing blades of the propeller.

I strode two remaining paces, positioning close to the wing’s edge, and my gaze swept over the crowd.

Those below had no idea whom they stared at. My stunt in the air wasn’t my only performance. Nor my most dangerous one. That particular act had begun the moment I’d run away from the glitter. For I’d shed the vulnerable identity of golden-haired Geneva Ashcroft Hayes, society’s angel, to become raven-locked Stella Starling, showman of the skies.

(pg 10)

About The Author

Rachel Scott McDaniel

Rachel Scott McDaniel is an award-winning author of historical romance. Winner of the ACFW Genesis Award and the RWA Touched By Love award, Rachel infuses faith and heart into each story. She currently enjoys life in Ohio with her husband and two kids.Connect with Rachel by visiting rachelmcdaniel.net to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a signed copy of the book plus book-related extras!

Walking on Hidden Wings JustRead Giveaway

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 1, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 8, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

Enter Giveaway

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JustRead Publicity Tours

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Top 10 Tuesday — More Randomness

30 Apr

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is petty reasons to DNF a book (did not finish). I am more apt to have petty excuses to DNS a book (did not start 🙂 ), so I am going off topic yet again and pulling random books from my shelves that still need to be read. If you have suggestions on which for me to read, please, please speak up! LOL!

For more on topic bloggers’ lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Random Books from My Shelves

Catching The Wind by Melanie Dobson

Change of Heart by Courtney Walsh

Conspiracy of Silence by Ronie Kendig

Love in A Broken Vessel by Mesu Andrews

The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green

Outbreak by Davis Bunn

The Rose And The Thistle by Laura Frantz

A Sacred Duty by Rhona Weaver

Snow Day by Billy Coffey

Waiting on Love by Tracie Peterson

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If You Liked . . . The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass

29 Apr

The characters in Katie Powner‘s latest novel, The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass, captured the hearts of my book club. Pete, Windy Ray, Wilma, and Pearl the pot-bellied pig were such a treat. If you liked this book as well, I have some more great reading recs for you!

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox

When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she soon discovers that her grandmother left behind more than trinkets and photo frames–she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy’s adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece to the mystery is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection for the first time in his life. His desire to care for the baby runs up against the stark fact that he is homeless. When he becomes entwined with two people seeking to help him find his way, Harvey knows he must keep the baby a secret or risk losing the only person he’s ever loved.

In this dual-time story from debut novelist Amanda Cox, the truth–both the search for it and the desire to keep it from others–takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go.

Stories That Bind Us by Susie Finkbeiner

Betty Sweet never expected to be a widow at 40. With so much life still in front of her, she tries to figure out what’s next. She couldn’t have imagined what God had in mind. When her estranged sister is committed to a sanitarium, Betty finds herself taking on the care of a 5-year-old nephew she never knew she had.

In 1960s LaFontaine, Michigan, they make an odd pair. Betty with her pink button nose and bouffant hair. Hugo with his light brown skin and large brown eyes. But more powerful than what makes them different is what they share: the heartache of an empty space in their lives. Slowly, they will learn to trust one another as they discover common ground and healing through the magic of storytelling.

Award-winning author Susie Finkbeiner offers fans a novel that invites us to rediscover the power of story to open the doors of our hearts.

Where The Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner

Sometimes the hardest road of all is the road home.

When confident and handsome Eric Larson is sent to a rural Montana town to work in the local branch of his uncle’s financial company, he’s determined to exceed everyone’s expectations, earn a promotion, and be back in Seattle by the end of summer. Yet nothing could prepare him for the lessons this small town has in store.

At forty-six years old, eccentric and outspoken Eunice Parker has come to accept her terminal illness and has given herself one final goal: seek forgiveness from everyone on her bucket list before her time runs out. But it will take more courage than she can muster on her own.

After an accident pushes Eric and Eunice together, the unlikely pair is forced to spend more time with each other than either would like, which challenges their deepest prejudices and beliefs. As summer draws to a close, neither Eric nor Eunice is where they thought they would be, but they both wrestle with the same important question: What matters most when the end is near?

Author, Author! — Xochitl Dixon

28 Apr

About The Book

Book: What Color is God’s Love?

Author: Xochitl Dixon

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release date: March 19, 2024

All the colors displayed in this world that God made—
every glorious, fabulous, beautiful shade—show how good God is and will always be.But what is the color of love? Come and see! In What Color is God’s Love?, a little girl and her service dog join their diverse friends through a whirlwind of adventures. As they celebrate the spectacular spectrum of colors God designed, each color invites readers to explore their God-given emotions and becomes a reminder of God’s unchanging character. While encouraging children to acknowledge God’s constant presence with every turn of the page, What Color is God’s Love? also empowers children, with and without disabilities, to play, work, and serve God together, by simply letting the colors of His love shine through them. With each turn of the page, the focus shifts to a specific color—orange, yellow, blue, green, pink, black, white, gray, brown, red, purple. Each lyrical rhyme invites readers to engage with God
through empowering and faith-building truth-statements that incite worship and encourage a lifestyle of loving God and neighbors.

Click here to get your copy!

About The Author

Xochitl (So-Cheel) Dixon, contributing writer for Our Daily Bread and God Hears Her, is the author of Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. She loves Jesus and people, as she crosses cultural, generational, and international lines with encouraging and sound biblical teaching. Celebrating diversity and inclusion, she advocates for disability awareness with her beautifully diverse family and her
service dog, Callie. Her first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, now available in Spanish, is a 2021 ECPA Christian Book Award Children’s Book Finalist. In March 2024, Xochitl’s second picture book, What Color is God’s Love?, is releasing with WaterBrook.

More from Xochitl

The Heart Behind My Story

By Xochitl Dixon

Like most of my writing, What Color is God’s Love? began as an overflow of worship while I prayed and praised God. In 2018, my husband and I had followed God from California to Wisconsin. I’m disabled and can’t drive, so his long hours at work left me feeling isolated while I searched for a new church and new doctors. As the weather became more extreme, I grew more discouraged, frustrated, and resentful. I struggled as I wrote my first 31-day devotional for Our Daily Bread, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I was praying for people, studying and teaching the Bible every day. So, I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of touch with God.

When my new puppy, Callie, licked my tears away, I looked out the window and noticed the rain had finally stopped. Rays of sunlight pierced through the dark gray clouds, shining on a white heron that had landed in the greed foliage on the creek’s bank next to our front yard. I wept tears of grateful praise. I wrote the first draft of a free verse poem celebrating God’s loving care for the details in Creation and in the lives of His people.

As I prayed, I realized I had been spending time talking to people about God. However, as the physical, emotional, and mental effects of our transition overwhelmed me, I had stopped spending quality time withGod. As I watched the white heron take flight, God led me to Psalm 33:6-9, which became the first What Color is God’s Love? Bookend Bible verse.

I released Waiting for God in 2019 and my first picture book, Different Like Me, in 2020. But God had me tuck that free verse poem away as He dramatically transformed me and the original manuscript over the next few years. I wanted to give young image-bearers what I never had growing up: a safe place to process emotions . . . in God’s presence. I also wanted God’s beautifully diverse image-bearers, people with and without disabilities, to see each color as a reminder of His unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace, as they experienced His unconditional love flowing for them, in them, and throughthem.

After I signed the contract in November 2021, God began leading me to the right Bible verses to build the messages for each color I shared. Over time, I created the Breath Prayer Cards as a free download on my website, the YouVersion reading plan, and the devotional for the rest of the colors not shared in the reading plan.

I wanted each color to be a reminder of God’s unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace as we experience His unconditional love flowing for, in, and through us. More importantly, I began praying that everyone who read What Color is God’s Love? would be inspired to open their Bibles and spend more time with God, including me.

Q & A With Xochitl Dixon

Many authors say that they have always been a writer — making up stories as a child. When did you first become a writer?

I guess I am the stereotype writer then, because I was always a storyteller. I would make up stories and act them out as a child. I won my first Young Authors Award when I was in 3rd Grade with a story I wrote and illustrated, Sonny Otter and the Four Seasons.

Was there a special someone, such as a teacher, parent, or other relative, who encouraged you to pursue writing?

My mom nurtured a love for reading and creative writing ever since I was a kid. When I served as her caregiver in 2014, she told me that she had always dreamed that I would become a writer and said she hoped that I would use writing to encourage others the way she saw me encouraging people at the cancer care center.

How did you choose the genres you write?

I didn’t choose a genre. I follow God. I started out writing contemporary fiction for teens and women. However, God led me to write devotions during a Christian writers’ conference in 2011. I sold my first devotion and six short stories at that conference.

I edited a few Bible studies for teens with an editor I met in 2010. When she moved to ODB in 2015, she recommended me for an interview. I began serving as a contributing writer for Our Daily Bread and God Hears Her. Our Daily Bread published my first 31-Day devotional, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace in 2019 and my first children’s book, Different Like Me, in 2020.

I just released my second children’s book with WaterBrook, What Color is God’s Love?, and my third children’s book, Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown, is available for pre-order now. I’ve even been able to contribute to Tyndale’s Go Bible for Kids, which releases Fall 2024. I have a new devotional being released by Our Daily Bread in 2025 and will be recording both of my ODB devotionals this summer for audio books.

Even though my writing journey is a bit different from the traditional path, I’ve been happy following God’s plan and pace. I just want to share God’s truth and love to the ends of the earth and I don’t care how. He’s been allowing me to do this with my words in different genres ever since 2012. I’m grateful for the ministry opportunities!

Were there any obstacles you faced in your journey to publication?

Writing in multiple genres makes marketing and promoting a difficult balance. But God led me to this path, so I’m trusting Him to handle all the details.

What does a typical writing day look like? Are you structured or informal in your writing schedule?

Bible reading and praying is always a part of my writing process. I have a back injury and am considered permanently disabled, so I don’t really have a typical writing day. I work when I can work. I listen to my body and rest when I need to rest. I don’t wait to be inspired, I ask God to give me the words to write when I sit down to write and then I just allow myself to write without editing myself.

    Blog Stops

    Lots of Helpers, April 24

    Texas Book-aholic, April 25

    Vicky Sluiter, April 26 (Author Interview)

    BookZone Reviews , April 27

    By The Book, April 28 (Author Interview)

    Mary Hake, April 28

    Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29

    Splashes of Joy, April 30 (Author Interview)

    Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 1

    Beauty in the Binding, May 2 (Author Interview)

    Locks, Hooks and Books, May 3

    Sylvan Musings, May 4 (Author Interview)

    Guild Master, May 4

    Artistic Nobody, May 5

    Blossoms and Blessings, May 6 (Author Interview)

    Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 7

    Giveaway

    To celebrate her tour, Xochitl is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of Different Like Me, and What Color is God’s Love?!!

    Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

    https://promosimple.com/ps/2b144/what-color-is-god-s-love-celebration-tour-giveaway

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