Thursday, December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas!

I am grateful for the Christmas season.  I like giving and getting presents to be sure, and I like the lights and decorations.  I think they're wonderful.  I am especially grateful for what the Christmas season is about; the birth of Jesus Christ, and what he brought to the world.  I once heard the saying describing Christ's birth and mortal life this way:  "A divine being made himself mortal, so that mortals could become divine."  I think that's aptly put.  Here is a video produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) about the birth of our Savior:  https://www.mormon.org/christmas
Jesus made it possible to have hope, even when things look tough.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Soda Springs by Carolyn Steele

Soda Springs by Carolyn Steele is a well-written, enjoyable work of historical fiction.  I enjoyed reading it, and appreciated the bit of history of the western U.S. that Carolyn Steele so skillfully put in as well. 
Tessa Darrow is an extremely likable character, and I found myself rooting for her in all her adventures and misadventures.  From the beginning of the story until its very satisfying conclusion, I followed Tessa hoping that everything turned out well for her.  Her father was a character I didn’t like quite so much.  At least at first.  But he was believable, and ultimately sympathetic and redeemable.  And I outright cheered for him in one instance when he responded the way he did in a situation that involved a married man hitting on Tessa. 
I thought William was a great character, believable, likable, balanced, and a worthy love-interest for Tessa. 
Mrs. Holt was another character I particularly liked.  I appreciated her mix of common sense and compassion, and I was very pleased to see how things worked out for her.  She was certainly someone who deserved a happy ending!  Overall, the ending was quite satisfying to me.  I was very pleased with it.  Even Sarah, William’s childhood friend got a wonderful ending which she deserved after all the trials she had endured.  The shallow, narrow, selfish men got their lasting comeuppance, and the good guys got their happy ending.  Or perhaps I should say happy beginning!  


Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Guest Blogger W. R. Gingell

Spindle
Some weeks ago, I had the great fortune of reading a fantastic book called Spindle by W. R. Gingell.  After reading it, I had the honor of getting to know it's author, the wonderful W. R. Gingell herself.

She has most kindly agreed to be a guest blogger today with a topic that I find very applicable to myself, and which I think every author could relate to.  Her advice, I think is extremely wise and helpful.  Included in this blog post are links to her books.  I've only read Spindle, so I don't know about the others, but if they're anything like Spindle, they're all great books!

Writing is more often than not something that happens when we motivate ourselves to do it.  It's not often that someone else is breathing down our necks, compelling us to write.  And so having something to motivate us when we don't feel like writing is incredibly helpful.  With that said, I very happily turn the time over to
W.R. Gingell.

W. R. Gingell
I’m actually kind of lazy. It’s a big drawback in everyday life, where I put off the cleaning and hard work until half an hour before I head out to the day job, and washing the clothes until the very day I need them. My poor car has needed a wash since last year, and my chair in the living room is always surrounded by myriad books, craft items, pairs of glasses, remote controls, and tissues. This is because I don’t like getting up again after I’ve sat down.

Twelve Days of Faery
I’m even lazy when it comes to doing stuff I really like. For example, I quite enjoy sewing clothes, but when I’ve got a project going it usually takes me months to complete, simply because I won’t get up and do the work. I’ll gloat over the prospect of it, and the concept of it, without steeling myself to actually do it. Thus it is that my sewing projects usually spend a few months out on the dining room table, driving my husband to distraction and supplying the dog with tiny pieces of fabric to chew on when food isn’t immediately forthcoming.

Wolfskin
With writing, laziness is a big disadvantage. There aren’t many jobs you can do where your output depends solely upon your own discipline to produce it, but writing is one of those jobs. It’s one of the big things that separates the authors from the scribblers: the ability to get past the Bright, Glittering Idea and go on to laboriously chip out words each and every day until the Idea is no longer Idea but Story in manuscript form. Realising that was the big turning point in my writing life. I knew that I’d either have to put my nose to the grindstone, or spend the rest of my life dreaming about writing instead of really writing.
I began to make myself write each day. At first it was only fifty words here, a hundred there. Then, as the years passed and I became more determined that I was going to be a real writer, I set myself a proper word count every day.

First that word count was 500 words. Then, a year ago, I found myself able to do more and put my word count up to 1000 words per day. I began to feel as though I was really getting somewhere.

Fire in the Blood
Still, there are days when I just don’t feel like writing. Those are the days when I have to force myself to write, or my laziness will take over for whole weeks of indolence. Since I don’t notice a difference in the quality of my writing when I’m on a roll and my writing when I’m forcing myself to write, the obvious answer is that I need to write whether or not I feel like it.

Ruth and the Ghost
So I bribe myself. I do try to do most things without self-bribery, but when it comes to writing my best word output is gained by bribery, and hey! who wants to mess with a winning system? At first it was chocolates and bacon, and the gleeful idea that when I finished this 500 words I could get up and make a cuppa. Then I came across Victoria Schwab on Twitter, and she introduced me to the method of bribery I currently use: stickers! All you need is one calendar and stickers of your choice (for me that means stars and little sticker men with big hats). Each sticker has a designated value—for example, every star sticker I put on the calendar stands for 500 words written (or 1500 words edited)—and once I’ve written 3000 words in a single day, I put a little sticker man with a big hat on the square as well. It works perfectly for me, since I adore stickers. And nowadays, there are a lot more days when I write 3000+ words.

It’s not the perfect solution to my laziness, but it does give me a bit of an incentive to make an effort. And for those days when the stickers pall, there’s always the chocolate and bacon to fall back on....

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Pope John Paul II

I was reading a newspaper article the other day about a meeting between many leaders in the Catholic Church.  One of the topics the leaders agreed upon universally, was
the destructive effects of pornography, and how even though people involved in it, both in its production and consumption, may be adults and consenting to it, it is still destructive to them, to individuals and to society.  These leaders clarified that they defined pornography not just as visual images, but as written words as well and any media that is created for the purpose of sexually arousing its consumers.  These leaders also agreed that "Pornography is not art."

Speaking against it, and in favor of self-control and respect for self and others, Pope John Paul II once said:  "The opposite of love is not hate but rather using a person as if he or she were a object.To love others is to recognize them as the gift they are, to seek what is truly good and best for them and never to use them and thereby objectify them as something less than persons." Pope John Paul II, I think, was wise to say that.  Showing disrespect towards oneself and towards others may not always result in felonies being committed, but it always results in a person dehumanizing himself, and desensitizing himself to the humanity in others, thereby decreasing his overall ability to be happy with life and relationships.

I'm not Catholic, but I think that Pope John Paul II and the current Pope, Pope Francis are very wise men whose advice applies to all of humanity.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Tristi Pinkston and the Festival of Trees

Author Tristi Pinkston
It started almost a year ago.  A friend of mine, Tristi Pinkston who  is both a talented writer and a great person, was with her family, visiting The Festival of Trees, which contributes all its proceeds to Primary Children's Hospital.  While there, she was hit with the desire to do something with her own talents to help out.  But what to do? she wondered.  Then it came to her.  She knows how to write, and how to edit, and she could get a group of writers to write uplifting, hopeful Christmas stories, compile them into a book, and then sell copies at the Festival of Trees, with all of the proceeds going to Primary Children's.  That was when she started her project, contacting authors she knew, and asking if any would help to contribute.  Many of us eagerly jumped on board, and wrote short Christmas stories, poems, and songs, all for this fantastic idea that Tristi came up with.  Over the course of the year, we've polished the stories, with Tristi's and others' help, and despite some unforseen things, and a lot of hard work on Tristi's part, there are books now ready to sell at the Festival.  All the proceeds will go to Primary Children's Hospital.  If you have the chance, and if you live in Utah, I hope you are able to visit The Festival of Trees.  It is a wonderful cause, and will help so many people if you can contribute.  And while you're there ask about The Hope of Christmas: Finding Joy in the Season... which contains many uplifting stories by authors like J. Lloyd Morgan, Jaclyn Weist, Michael D. Young, and others, including a story I wrote, called The Christmas Sparrows.  If you're so inclined, pick up a copy for yourself.  Or get one for someone else!  And remember that you're helping out a great cause.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Wasatch Elementary in Ogden

I had a great experience today, when I had the opportunity to visit a fantastic bunch of students and teachers!  The teachers, staff, and students of Wasatch Elementary in Ogden were very welcoming, and I appreciated the opportunity to talk to them about the basics of story writing, why we enjoy stories, and what the main parts of a story are.  The students were all wonderful!  I really appreciated their participation, and their comments.  They were an amazing bunch of kids!

Ms. Stacey Starley was especially helpful, and I want to say a big thank you to her, for setting everything up for me, and for the tasty lunch she got for me afterwards.

Oh, and here I am, in a Wasatch Elementary Wildcats t-shirt!  Thanks so much, everyone at Wasatch Elementary in Ogden!!

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Spindle by W. R. Gingell

Spindle (c) 2015 W. R. Gingell
I recently discovered a wonderful book, Spindle, written by an extremely skillful writer, W. R. Gingell.

I am a sucker for well-written, clean fantasy, and I especially like it when there's a healthy bit of humor thrown in as well!

Spindle has all of that.

Polyhymnia or Poly for short, was a fantastic character, and I truly admired her. She was spunky, thought for herself, and could take care of herself if need be. Not your typical damsel in distress, for sure!

I liked Luck, the hero.  He was quite sure of himself, but not overpowering, and he was very pragmatic.   He and Polly were wonderfully entertaining together. And Onepiece was absolutely adorable! So cute, smart, and protective of Poly.   Onepiece starts out as a puppy, but then... Well you'd have to read the book for yourself.

Spindle was a very funny spinoff of the idea of Sleeping Beauty, and how her troubles didn’t end when she woke up from her long nap. In reality, they were actually beginning!

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy, especially fantasy with women who can stand on their own two feet and make their own decisions, without needing to have a man to motivate them, or tell them what to do! 


Spindle is a great book!  Loved it, loved it!  

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Becky Ann Woods Photography

Good photography is something that not everyone has the skill for, but that nearly everyone appreciates.  You have to get the light just right, the right time of day, the right sunlight... the right backdrop... so many things!

And have you noticed how a really great photo tells a story of its very own?  Just in one still shot, without words.  Some photographers know how to do that very well.

Becky Ann Woods is one of those photographers.   And she's a pretty awesome person too!

Check out her great website at beckyannphotography.com, and browse some of her wonderful photos!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Against the Odds by Jewel Adams

Against the Odds is a fantastic book by a great writer, Jewel Adams (or J. Adams as she often goes by, on her books).  Check it out, here!

In this story, we follow Raine, a character who has been through a terrible marriage to an unfaithful man, and finally leaves, going to stay with her good friend on her ranch.  Being on the ranch she can clear her head, and get her life in perspective.  But just as she's doing that, she meets Hayden.

Despite her reservations, she finds herself drawn more and more to him.  Having been hurt before, she is reluctant and distrustful, but as she gets to know Hayden, she realizes more and more that he isn't anything like her former spouse.  He's honest, moral, caring, and genuine.  And most especially, he's drawn to her too.  Ooh, goodie!

But things aren't smooth sailing for them, and troubles get thrown at them left and right, threatening to tear them apart.  Can Raine learn to trust him, or are the problems from her past just too great to overcome?

I really enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, clean romance!


Sunday, October 11, 2015

Bookmarked Bargains and My Book Cave

From today until October 15, the ebook version of my newest book, Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot is offered for free on amazon.  And I was very pleased that  Bookmarked Bargains and My Book Cave were gracious enough to list the book for their readers to see.

Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot is a middle grade fantasy about a young sparrow, Felicity, who can read.  She's already been on one adventure, and is friends with the fairies now as a result of he heroic actions in the last book.  Still, there's a lot about the world that she doesn't know...  


Felicity doesn't know much about featherless two-foots, those strange folks her friends the fairies call people. But she's about to learn a lot. Like why they're so fascinated by those flat silver . . . rocks many of them carry around. And what the heck is a come-putter?

If it sounds like something you would enjoy, I hope you head over to amazon and pick up a copy of Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot!

Friday, October 2, 2015

Mysteries of Cove Fires of Invention by J. Scott Savage Launch Party

Yesterday evening, my two younger children and I were very lucky to attend the launch party for J. Scott Savage's newest series, Mysteries of Cove.  The first book is called Fires of Invention

It was a great launch party, and I really enjoyed it!  The marvelous James Dashner was the MC, and he did a great job. 
We got to meet some of the characters from J. Scott Savage's books, including Marcus and Kyja from Far Word, and there were several hilarious skits played, all including a steam punk theme.  

One especially funny one was regency romance combined with  steam punk where the "hero" tried to make a steam powered automatic fan for his sweetheart which then malfunctioned, and... well, the results weren't pretty.


My favorite was a dance performed to the song Immortal from the movie Big Hero 6.  I forgot the name of the dance group.  But they did an amazing job, complete with steam punk attire, and everything!

Another funny scene was the "dragon" in tights which really made the kids in the audience crack up.  He was a pretty funny guy!


After he was shooed away, (well, he never quite left) the screen came down, and we got to see a pretty cool dragon surrounded by flames on the big screen.  


And of course, Mr. J. Scott Savage was there (being the author it would be odd if he wasn't) clad in minion pajamas of course, to talk about his book.


And of course I can't fail to mention that one of the great parts was the Fires of Invention trailer that played on the screen for us.  Watch it, here!  It's great!



What I really like about Mysteries of Cove, is that its message emphasizes how important it is to invent and create and make new things; not just simply regurgitate information from the past.  Sure we need the past to learn from it, but we also need to move forward into the future, and be individuals who contribute and make things better for ourselves and for others.

From the book description:
"Trenton Colman is a creative thirteen-year-old boy with a knack for all things mechanical. But his talents are viewed with suspicion in Cove, a steam-powered city built inside a mountain. In Cove, creativity is a crime and invention is a curse word.
Kallista Babbage is a repair technician and daughter of the notorious Leo Babbage, whose father died in an explosion; an event the leaders of Cove point to as an example of the danger of creativity.
Working together, Trenton and Kallista learn that Leo Babbage was developing a secret project before he perished. Following clues he left behind, they begin to assemble a strange machine that is unlike anything they've ever seen before. They soon discover that what they are building may threaten every truth their city is founded on and quite possibly their very lives."

To read more about this fantastic book and the author who wrote it, visit his website here
And happy inventing!






Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot

I am very excited to announce my latest book!  The title is Felicity and the Featherless Two-Foot, and it is available on Amazon as both a paperback, and as an ebook.  I hope you check it out!

Felicity hasn't had an adventure in months, and the little sparrow thinks that danger and peril are behind her for good, which is just fine with her!  She would rather hang out with her friends the fairies and read her books safe at home than go on dangerous quests!

But Felicity didn't count on one group of strangers showing up and causing more trouble than she ever imagined they could!  An odd, troublesome bunch that the fairies call... people.


Monday, September 28, 2015

Manu Bennett- Actor

Manu Bennett, an actor who has played in multiple movies, was gracious enough to come visit the school where I teach on September 28, 2015.  One of his roles was Azog the Defiler in the Hobbit movies.  (Those of you who know me, or have read this blog before, know my opinion of the Hobbit movies directed by Peter Jackson, but I do NOT hold that against Mr. Bennett.)  

In the morning of the 28th, we didn’t even have it planned, but we got a phone call saying that he was in the area, and would be happy to come visit with the high school kids.  Of course, we accepted, and were able to fit it easily into our schedule. 

Manu Bennett is from New Zealand, and is Maori.  One of the big reasons why he wanted to come to our school specifically, was because he wanted to get to know the Native Culture in the area; the Utes.  He was in Salt Lake for ComiCon, and wanted to come visit and connect with the People.  Maori culture, he pointed out, has very similar philosophies to Native American cultures. During his talk, he mentioned that he had participated in the sweat lodge the night before with Chief Henry and others, and had a very positive experience there.

One thing that stood out in his speech, was a belief that his grandfather had; a belief that while all humans are equal, we all have different stories.  No one is better than anyone else, though we all have different experiences.  All our stories are combining, and they are still combining.

During his visit with us, we learned that Mr. Bennett's life hasn't always been easy.  When he was young, for example, he lost his mother and brother in a tragic car accident.  But he talked about how acting helped him rise above negative experiences, and express himself in positive ways.

His career, he said, didn’t come quickly or easily.  But one day, while he was living on the beach, a mother whale and her baby came by.  He got to swim with them for a time, and he felt that it was a message from his people that he need to get doing things.

He talked about how in Maori culture it is important to “lift up your tongue” meaning, do what you need to do to express yourself.  And acting was that for him.  It helped him make good choices and stay away from bad things, like drugs and alcohol.

He stressed to the youth that they needed to live their lives so that they can be an asset to their people; that they needed to stay away from drugs and alcohol, because there is no future in those things.  And he reminded the youth that they need to know their people, their history and ancestors, and learn from the elders.

 One fun thing that he did with some of the boys before his visit with us finished, was the Haka.  The Haka is a traditional way for Maori men (only men do it) to get ready for battle.  He even taught the boys part of the chant for the Haka, so they were able to perform it with him.

The Haka most traditionally performed is called Ka mate.  It starts with the leader asking the rest of the men, “Ka rite?” (“Are you ready?”) Then all the men chant, “Ka mate, ka mate, Ka ora, Ka Ora!”  (“Will I die?  Will I die?  Will I live?  Will I live?”) and there is more to the chant, which Mr. Bennett did, though he only taught the first part to the boys.

During the questions time, one person asked him if he had a family, and he mentioned that he is married, and has three little girls, all given traditional Maori names.

One impressive thing about Mr. Bennett's visit, is that afterwards, he stayed for a very long time, signing autographs for every person who wanted one, and posing for pictures.  He was very kind, and treated each person like an individual, and he didn’t leave until everyone who wanted an autograph had one.  From what I have seen, Manu Bennett is a very genuine, sincere person, and I am grateful he took the time to come to our school.

I think this was a visit that will leave positive memories in the hearts and minds of the students of URHS for the rest of their lives.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Books on Sale!

A group of authors, including myself, are putting some of the ebook versions of our books on sale for the next couple of days.  Mine is down this list somewhere, but I hope you take a look at all of the books. 

Check out all these books!






Imperfect Love by Rebecca Talley 

Regular Price: $3.99
SALE Price: $.99 



Lauren Wilson is well on her way to her happily-ever-after. She’s passionate about her career as a middle school English teacher, she adores her handsome, hard-working husband, and with a baby finally on the way, her perfect life is within her grasp.

But then a devastating test result changes everything.

Forced to choose between her baby and her husband, Lauren makes the only decision she can live with, and she returns to her small hometown in hopes of rebuilding her shattered life.

Ethan Campbell is a gifted photographer who travels the world and has no desire to settle down. When his mother dies, he must go home to settle her estate. Then it’s back to exciting adventures across the globe.

When Lauren crosses paths with Ethan, her teenage crush, old feelings resurface—feelings she’s not prepared to face. Will Lauren have the courage to trust again or will she spend her life alone? 

Imperfect Love is a story about sacrifice, healing, second chances, and discovering that although love isn’t always perfect, sometimes it’s the imperfect love that’s the sweetest of all.





A Change of Plans by Donna K. Weaver

Regular Price: $3.99

SALE Price: $.99

Purchase A Change of Plans

Audiobook  

(If you own the eBook, the audiobook is only $1.99)


When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old Colorado high school teacher wants is to forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. What she plans is a vacation diversion; what fate provides is Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship’s make-believe world and its temporary friendships, her emotions come alive.


However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he navigates, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship—on the very anniversary Lyn came on the cruise to forget. But Lyn’s painful memories are too powerful, and she runs off in a panic.

Things are bad enough when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise’s snorkeling excursions in American Samoa. However, paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped. Lyn’s fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.




Salem Witch Haunt by Theresa Sneed

Regular Price: $4.99
SALE Price: $2.99



When she finds herself
thrust back in time, 17 year old Bess Martin, a senior at Danvers High, sets
out on a mission to save her 11th great-grandmother from the gallows-tree. With
a near-perfect knowledge of the historical events about to unfold, Bess knows
the untimely fate of many. 

The problem is that Bess has inherited her
grandmother’s sharp tongue—a tongue that caused her grandmother to be tried and
hanged as a witch in Salem Village, 1692. 

Can Bess stop the hangings and change
the course of history, or will she share her grandmother’s fate? 





Felicity A Sparrow's Tale by Loralee Evans

Regular Price: $2.99
SALE Price: $.99



Tales of adventure and
danger have thrilled Felicity since Augustus, her ivory-billed woodpecker
friend, taught her to read as a little nestling. She adores the tales of heroes
and heroines who forge ahead in spite of all odds, and who always seem to
succeed no matter what. More than anything, Felicity wants to be brave and
selfless like them. 



But
adventures are in short supply, especially for someone who’s just an ordinary
sparrow. 


Until the
day an unexpected visitor shows up at her tree with an unusual request…






Newbie by Jo Noelle
Regular Price: $3.99
SALE Price: $.99
The housing market is crashing, and Sophie’s life is crashing with it. At twenty-four, her successful real estate career evaporates. She’s broke, can’t find a job, or pay her bills, leaving Sophie wondering how her successful lifestyle became so fragile.
At the urging of her roommate, Sophie accepts a job in her fallback career—teaching six-year-olds. She hopes it’s temporary. After all, how long can a tanking economy last anyway? The best part of the new job is Liam, another employee at Rio Grande Elementary. The worst part of the new job is, well, teaching.
Sophie has a surprise real estate closing from a contract she wrote months ago, leading her to a niche in the real estate market and to a new partner, Kevin. Sophie must choose between Liam or Kevin and between a lucrative career or recess duty.



Lost Without You by Annette Lyon

Regular price: $2.99
SALE Price: $0.99

For months, Christopher Morris has been Brooke's idea of the perfect man—attractive, charming, and fun to be around. But lately he's begun acting strangely, becoming possessive, controlling, and moody. Brooke feels she has no choice but to break up with him, but Christopher doesn't take it well. He drives her wildly back home and gets into a car accident. 

That's when Brooke first meets police officer Greg Stevens. After she keeps meeting him—at the worst possible times—they begin dating. Greg confesses he's a widower and that Brooke is the first woman he has so much as looked at in years. 

But as Brooke agonizes over whether Greg will ever be able to truly love her, Christopher makes a dangerous return into her life, deciding that if he can't have her, no one can.





The Man from Shenandoah by Marsha Ward

Regular Price: $2.99
SALE Price: $.99



When young cavalryman Carl Owen returns from the Civil War, he finds the family farm destroyed, his favorite brother dead, food scarce, and his father planning to leave the Shenandoah Valley to start a cattle operation in Colorado Territory.
But Pa does a bit more: he also chooses a suitable mate for both Carl and his younger brother, James.
With no one else in mind, Carl is agreeable to marrying the delightfully flirtatious Ida Hilbrands somewhere along the trail, but James is devastated. Ellen Bates isn't the girl he loves and must leave behind.
Making their way across the vast continent, the Owen family and their friends battle a prairie fire, internal strife, a band of vicious outlaws, and the land itself to try to achieve their goals, but before that can happen, the two brothers are fighting over the hand of one girl—and only one of them can win!




Dangerous Favor by Joyce DiPastena

Regular Price: $3.99
SALE Price: $.99



Mathilde needs a champion.



Her father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. She has one chance to find and marry a man who can help her prove her father's innocence. Lord Therri, heir to a rich barony, has the wealth and connections Mathilde needs to delve into the mysteries of her father's past. Furthermore, Therri embodies all her romantic dreams.

Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections, but is smitten with Mathilde at a glance. She finds the knight intriguing, but believes he is only out to seduce her. While she seeks for a way to win Therri's attention, Etienne tricks her into granting him her favor, an embroidered white ribbon, for a tournament, setting in motion a dangerous chain reaction of events. 

Can Etienne save Mathilde from a nightmare from her past and prove himself the true hero of her dreams?



With No Regrets (Book Two) by Julie N. Ford

Regular Price: $4.99
SALE Price: $.99

Purchase:

Living With No Regrets Is Harder Than It Seems

Finley isn’t exactly sure when her life began to feel unfamiliar. She suspects the transformation started long before she caught her husband and fellow garden club member doing the white-trash-two-step on her new Bernhardt sofa. Now free from the shackles of a loveless marriage, and with her children off to college, she’s finally able to go searching for the missing pieces of her heart.

Finley’s best friend, Cathyanne, is already working hard to ensure that Finley finds true love this time around. But when Finley is unwittingly tossed into the arms of two men—their sexy trainer and her neighbor, a popular country star—Cathyanne fears finding the right guy will be more complicated than she ever could have imagined.

For Finley, building a new life feels as impossible as flying a paper airplane to the moon. But maybe, just maybe, with the right help, she will find her whole heart—even if it’s in the very last place she thinks to look.



This Very Moment by Rachel Ann Nunes

Regular Price: 4.99
SALE Price: $.99 


A Compelling Story of Heartbreaking Loss, Inspiring Faith, and a Newfound Love Strong Enough to Heal All Wounds.

Bill Dubrey is a sought-after plastic surgeon for LA’s prestigious and wealthy, and an equally sought-after bachelor. On the surface it appears he has it all—money, respect, and fame. Yet behind his aloof exterior lurks a tragic past that prevents him from finding lasting happiness.

All that changes on the day Kylee Stewart reenters his life. She alone knows Bill’s secret agony, and she is determined to help him face his past. During the years they’ve been apart, Kylee’s own life has been far from easy, but unlike Bill, she has turned to God in her need, finding a faith to which she desperately clings.

The tentative friendship they begin has Bill rethinking his stark future, yet he keeps his heart in check—afraid to commit, afraid to lose again. During Kylee’s darkest moment, when she needs him most, will he be there for her? 




Shooting Stars by Philip Carroll

Regular Price: $3.99
SALE Price: FREE Sept 15- 19


Chuck McWilliams is fourteen years old and had just started high school in Washington State when his father lost his job and moved them to the hot, dry, valley of Central California. Starting his freshman hear six weeks after the rest of the students, Chuck is insecure about finding his way, making new friends and overcoming bullying from members of the cross country team. 

When he is invited to the Homecoming Dance by a strange girl in his English class, Kelsey Llewellyn, he can't think of any reason to say no. Later that day Dahlia Chand, an attractive girl on the cross country team, asks him to the dance, he wonders if he has made a mistake. 

How a secretive student, Doug Le Roux, avoids the notice of the rest of the students, yet stands out so clearly to Chuck makes him wonder if something extraordinary is going on at this high school. 

Chuck will become entwined in an ages old battle with werewolves, vampires and elves that most of humankind is unaware of in their midst. Remarkably, he will find the most enchanting magic comes from romance.




Ideal High by Valerie Ipson

Regular Price: $4.99
SALE Price: $1.99


There’s no way I’m taking Blake’s place as president of the student body. As soon as the memorial for him and six of our friends is over, I’m resigning as VP. Really.


Except people say the fire was no accident. (I say it’s way too easy to blame someone who’s dead.)


When I read the writing on the wall, literally, the bathroom wall, I know what it means. To get to the truth I have to come out from under my paisley comforter.


But, seriously, what stage of grief says I have to be the one to fix what’s wrong at Ideal High? Maybe I’m the one who’s broken.




First Love Second Choice by Lindzee Armstrong

Regular Price: $.99
SALE Price: FREE


First Love Second Choice (Audio!)

When wedding planner Keslee gets asked on a date by her long-lost high school crush, Bryce, everything should be perfect. But Bryce mistakes Keslee for her deceased twin sister, Jadyn. And Keslee doesn’t correct him. Talk about awkward. To make matters worse, she learns they’ll be seeing a lot more of each other because Bryce is the marketing director at the venue where Keslee’s new client has chosen to get married. Keslee knows the charade can’t last much longer, and fears she’ll lose Bryce forever when she tells him the truth.




Emerine's
Nightmare by Anna del C. Dye


Price:
$2.99


What would you do if one night, life as
you know it changes and you are left alone in despair? That is how Emerine’s
nightmare starts and now all he does is run.

His family lived at the edge of the forest
until dark shadows killed them all. Now they want him, and so does a magic
tree. He has never seen dark shadows or enchanted trees before. Emerine has to
get to the heart of Red Forest, to the fairy people. Only then he will be safe.
Safe? He has never heard of fairies before and once he gets there what?

We have a fantastic line-up of great books that are on SALE! Everyone loves a sale, right? 




Cassandra Jones by Tamara Hart Heiner

Regular Price: $3.99
SALE Price: FREE Sept 16-17


What's special about Cassandra? Absolutely nothing. She's as ordinary as any other fifth grader. And yet her ordinary life is riddled with hilarious and sometimes heart-breaking mishaps as she guides herself through the world of pre-teens on the brink of adulthood. 

Cassandra Jones is the new girl at school. She's been uprooted from her beloved state of Texas and relocated to the hillbilly Ozarks of Springdale, Arkansas. She wonders if she will like her teacher or if she will have any friends. She can only hope school won't be harder than it was back home. 

She doesn't expect to have two close friends, and even worse, two friends that don't like each other. As she tries to make a spot for herself, will she keep her friendships intact?