About the Book

Book: Spines & Leaves

Author: Chautona Havig

Genre: FICTION / CHRISTIAN / WOMENS FICTION / ROMANCE

Release date: July 8, 2021

♥ Books are the strings that tie hearts together. ♥

With a month to get from Orange County, California to Delaware for his next corporate challenge, Milton Coleridge decides to spend a week at Joshua Tree National Park.

He never expected to find a floundering bookstore in need of his particular business skills. Will his methods of saving companies from bankruptcy or takeover work on such a small scale? And can he convince two people to risk their hearts?

Step into the Spines & Leaves, Tamarisk, California’s oldest (and only ever) bookstore. Come in out of the harsh, desert sun and wind and peruse all the store has to offer. It might just be more than you think.

One man, one store, thousands of books.  What’ll it take to keep this bookstore from becoming a book ghost town… and what’ll it take for Milton to tie two heartstrings together?

Spine & Leaves is the introductory novella to the Bookstrings series.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author of Aggie and Past Forwardseries, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

 

More from Chautona

The more I think about it, the more I realize that the Bookstrings series is a process rather than an idea. Each time I saw an indie bookstore close, each time I went in one with no one else in there for the hour or two I browsed, and each time I heard book lovers lament the lack of a store in their town… Yeah. Those experiences slowly grew into a wish—one where I knew how to rescue those stores from extinction. So maybe that’s a bit melodramatic, but that’s how it felt.

Somewhere in the midst of all that, Milton appeared—a business genius who, along with his faithful parrotlet, Atticus (not Finch), travels the country saving corporations from takeover or bankruptcy.

Milton went through several iterations. Older, balding, mustache, and always wearing a golfer’s cap. Then I had him as a young hipster dude who got sick of the rat race on Wall Street and took off on his own, using what he’d learned. That just felt too cliché.

Instead, I have a forty-ish guy who wears chinos and oxford shirts with topsiders, shorter than most men, and with a nonchalant air about him. And charm. The quiet guy with serious business skills just oozes quiet charm.

After deciding on Milton, I had to choose where to put the stores. I’ve been watching out for towns for years—using trips different places as research times. Would I create places that felt like real towns or use actual small towns? Though drawn to real towns, I had an idea for where to end the series, and, doing that meant a fictional town. Would it be weird to have four or five books set in small towns across America followed by a final fictional one?

The solution came to me as I learned that the Mosaic authors were doing a summer collection in 2021. If I started with a novella and ended the series with both in a fictional town, at least that fictional bit wouldn’t be out of the blue!

So, the Bookstrings series has two novellas and five full-length novels. (I couldn’t resist a Christmas “noella” in the charming town of Noel, Missouri—the “Christmas City.”) We’ll be off to other small towns around the country—one in Red Wing, Minnesota, another in Berne, Indiana, and one somewhere between Kingsport, Tennessee and Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina. If I can find a place in New England, that’d be great, too. Or maybe down in Mississippi… I’d love to visit my sister down there.

The Bookstrings series books all have one very important thing in common (aside from Milton and Atticus, of course). They all illustrate that books truly are the strings that tie hearts together.

MY REVIEW 

This book is a great introduction to the series where we meet Milton and his side kick Atticus. Milton is someone who has a good business sense and a heart to help struggling bookstores. One thing I liked about the story was the  different titles of books and  authors that I discovered. I stopped and looked up everyone mentioned and wrote them down to read later. I love bookstores and could stay in there for hours. In fact I have a couple of times. There is something about being surrounded by books  that give me a sense of contentment. 

Milton is set on helping this quaint little bookstore come back to life. His vision is inspirational and breathes new life into the world of reading. Convincing Ced  that her bookstore could use a little redo isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Maybe she knows that the store is slowly becoming unimportant to the town.  Ced may have doubts about the bookstore but she will soon learn that hope and patience will become a new beginning for her, oh I can feel the stirring of something exciting about to happen. I couldn’t wait to see what the author had in store for our characters. 

I loved reading how Marcus and Ced slowly began to trust each other and allowed their feelings to grow. The faith element is just right in the book. With a glance at what this story means to be, I could only come up with Praise  God for your mercy and blessings. Through these characters I saw how precious life is and how important it is to let others know how important they are to you. 

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 26

Texas Book-aholic, April 26

Lots of Helpers, April 27

Mary Hake, April 27

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 28

By the Book, April 29

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 29

The Avid Reader, April 30

Vicky Sluiter, May 1

For Him and My Family, May 2

Miriam Jacob, May 2

Inklings and notions, May 3

Blogging With Carol, May 4

deb’s Book Review, May 4

She Lives To Read, May 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 6

Simple Harvest Reads, May 6 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 7

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 8

Pause for Tales, May 8

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chautona is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

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/1d0b3/spines-leaves-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

ADVENTURE, ABDUCTION & ARREST BY TONYA KAPPES

USA Today Bestselling author Tonya Kappes brings you southern and quirky characters in her mystery series. Her stories are charged with humor, friendship, family and life in small southern towns.

Welcome to Normal, Kentucky where nothing is normal!

When Hank Sharpe asked me in the laundry club ladies to join him in an undercover investigation to help find a missing person, me and ladies grabbed our sleuthing notebook without hesitation.

As undercover Forest Bathing Therapist trainees we were bound and determined to find out with happened to Kyra Tenney. When we did find her body in what appeared to be an accidental forest fire, we thought we were finished with our undercover act.

Only the coroner’s report came back that our missing person had been killed before the fire.

Put on your sleuthing caps and join Mae West along with the Laundry Club Ladies as they take their investigation skills to a whole ‘nuther level! Especially after Mae finds herself in the fire!

Tonya Kappes has written more than 175 southern cozy mysteries, all of which have graced numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and Woman's World Book Club pick twice . Best known for stories charged with southern charm, emotion and humor and filled with flawed characters, her novels have garnered reader praise and glowing critical reviews. She lives with her husband in northern Kentucky. Now that her four boys have flown out of the nest, Tonya writes full-time in her camper! 

You can find her all over social media and at Tonyakappes.com. 

For weekly updates and contests, sign up for Tonya's newsletter Kappes Krew Weekly via her website or Facebook.

MY REVIEW 

Road trip! How excited  am I ? A road trip with the Laundry Club Ladies,  Mae West and the handsome Hank can only lead to laughs, detective work and a little danger. I was so ready to read this book that I went to my hammock by our pond and posted a do not disturb sign beside me. A missing person is on the agenda for this group so settle in as we take to the road on an adventure we will never forget. 

I laughed so hard when the group stumbled upon a Forest Therapy Group. I’m sure it’s something good for your soul, but I will pass on hugging a tree for now. Maybe they will gather information about the missing person as the group starts to get chummy with each other. Or  maybe they will feel like they are being interrogated but I don’t think they will notice. After all they are one with the forest  right now. Wouldn’t you know a fire is seen close to the group just when everyone was starting to get acquainted. Now who started the fire and was anyone injured? 

My mouth was watering after reading about the group eating fried bologna sandwiches. I grew up eating them and loved to watch them puff up in the pan. I could hear the bologna sizzle as Dottie made the delicious lunch that gave me a good memory  my childhood best friend. We use to make those sandwiches all the time. The group is full of surprises and going off to investigate the fire and body that  was found promised to be one big adventure. Now just as I think I have figured everything out the author with her clever details throws me in another direction. 

The adventure is fun with Mae and the gang on the case. Oh I must mention the dear Violet. She sure is pestering Mae right in the middle of her investigation. Looks like Violet has found herself in her own little murder mystery in a small town. It is the perfect set up for Violet’s new series and let  me tell you it is a hoot. I love the author’s southern charm she brings to every book and the characters that  keep me laughing. Don’t miss the camping lists  of what to do and not do along with some  yummy  recipes at the end of the book. 

I received a copy of this  book from the author. The review is my own opinion.

 

About the Book

Book: The Bounty Hunter’s Bride

Author: Janis Jakes

Genre: Christian Fiction

Release date: June, 2021

Bounty hunter Luke Lancaster brings the best of both worlds to his work—the tracking skills of his Comanche father and the marksmanship he learned from his missionary grandfather.

When Luke is hired to track down a young man wanted for murder, he assumes it’s a routine capture, but he’s taken on a wild ride when he discovers that the accused is actually an innocent school teacher who knows too much for her own good.

Determined to uncover the truth, Luke sets out to keep himself and Billie alive while bringing the real outlaws to justice. As they race across Texas, Luke falls more in love with Billie. But could a schoolteacher ever want a half-Comanche bounty hunter? Does Luke stand a chance or is he just her ride to freedom?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Janis Jakes encourages women through inspirational fiction and non-fiction. She is a Texas native with a penchant for winding country roads, faded jeans, street tacos, and fiery West Texas sunsets.

 

More from Janis

It wasn’t unusual to find dime-store western novels on my grandfather’s nightstand. As a young girl, I poured through the yellowed, dog-eared pages. There was just something about the characters—resilient women, courageous men, and hardened outlaws—combined with the rugged terrain and inevitable showdown—that drew me deeper into every story.

In writing The Bounty Hunter’s Bride I wanted to capture the western element while creating faith-filled characters facing an uncertain future. Billie and Luke confront relentless peril with true western grit—finding victory over past regret and love as big as the Texas sky.

Hidden Facts: Billie is named for my mother, who passed away unexpectedly when I was still in high school; she was in her late thirties. The boy’s ranch idea came from a Christian boy’s ranch less than ten miles from my home. And, the early scenery depicted in the story is from my neck of the woods and the land I adore—West Texas.

MY REVIEW

I remember my dad always sitting in front of the television on Saturday watching Western shows. He enjoyed them a lot and sometimes I would sneak a peek to see what kept his attention.  There was usually a bad guy who was on the run and lots of adventure and Native Americans scattered across the country side.The horses were pretty and in the end the good guy usually won. 

This story follows that theme pretty well except for a few very important details. The person running from the law is a female which I liked getting to know.  Billie is desperate to get away from the posse who is after her. How did a teacher suddenly become wanted? Her character is a fighter and the author lets us see how determined she is to prove her innocence. 

Luke is sent out by his company to apprehend the fugitive that killed a man and stole gold. He is sure he has stumbled on the right person until he discovers that it is a woman. The description that was given to him never said it was a female so he was shocked when he discovered Billie. When the two are ambushed Billie ends up shot. Luke can’t just leave her there to die so the honorable thing to do is take her to get help. It was interesting that he chose his sister’s place to go not knowing  if Billie was dangerous or not. Did he leave a dangerous criminal at his sister’s house? 

The story is a look at a woman trying  to prove her innocence and a man who needs to forgive God. Their journey is emotional as they face danger and seek answers to overcome their past. It’s interesting that they both are dealing with something they feel responsible for. Guilt can cause people not to trust and turn away from  God. I liked how the author included a look at how forgiveness helps relationships mend.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, April 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 24

Texas Book-aholic, April 25

Of Blades and Thorns, April 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 26

For Him and My Family, April 27

deb’s Book Review, April 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 29

Connie’s History Classroom, April 30

Simple Harvest Reads, May 1 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Labor Not in Vain, May 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 3

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 5

Vicky Sluiter, May 6 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 6

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Janis is giving away the grand prize package of a $100 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of The Bounty Hunter’s Bride!!

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/1d0b2/the-bounty-hunter-s-bride-celebration-tour-giveaway

Shadows in the Mind's Eye by Janyre Tromp

 

Shadows in the Mind's Eye by Janyre Tromp 

 

Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on--responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who's come back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam's experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand--but that everyone is learning to fear.

Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn't the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?

Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she's terrified he's going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam's mental wounds--or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?

Amazon 

 

About The Author

 

n case we get to meet in person some day, you pronounce that first name Jan-air. Kind of like the stove. I'm a developmental book editor by day and a writer at night.

And that all happens from my kitchen table when I'm not hanging out with my husband, two kids, and slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog. Unfortunately, I spilled coffee on my super cape and then the dryer ate it. So you'll just have to imagine I can do it all!

I have four traditionally published books—a WWII era novel, Shadows in the Mind's Eye; a juvenile fiction, That Sinking Feeling; and two board books in the All About God's Animals series—and 2 indie books—Wide Open, a historical novella and It's a Wonderful Christmas, a Christmas novella collection (coming October 2021).

But my passion is writing about the beauty of the world—past and present—even when it isn't pretty.

After all, isn't it the beauty in the world that gets us through the day?

Hopefully after you hang out with me for a bit, we'll be able to see things a little more clearly, find a little bit of meaning, and make a bigger impact.

With me what you see is what you get...all the Beautiful, all the Ugly, all the Me.

 MY REVIEW 

With each page I became more emotionally involved and couldn’t put the book down. Sam tugged on my heart so much the moment he stepped in the house where his wife was. It had been a long time since he had see her smile and his heart pounded with anticipation. Even though he was happy to be home from the war, he still felt out of place. The war did something to him that causes him to react to every noise, every strange movement and even words that sound different. I know he must be thinking that he was crazy but he has to overcome this darkness that is surrounding him. 

Annie is thrilled her husband is home. She has been anticipating this moment forever it seems. With a smile on her face she greets Sam and feels safe in his arms once again. She hides the truth of being sad and lonely. How long has she been depressed? She senses that Sam has changed but she is not sure she has the strength to fight her own demons. The author delivers an emotional journey with Sam and Annie as they struggle to reconnect. I could feel their hesitation at sharing with each and at times  they want to scream that they need help. 

Dovie May is a woman who doesn’t mince words but gives compassion when needed. I love how she knew that Annie was struggling with the changes going on in her life. To me she was the glue that held the family together. There were times she could have been harsh, but her gentle yet firm spirit became the calming factor in this family deep with problems. I would love to have a Dovie May in my family. She knows how to diffuse a situation with grace and unconditional love. 

The story is filled with truth and healing. Finding joy in the midst of sorrow is hard but it is where healing begins. Sam and Annie go through trials as they  find their way back to happiness. I loved reading how they shared their innermost thoughts with each other and grew in their relationship with each other. 

As danger starts to set in around the farm, Sam needs to convince everyone that something illegal is going on but will anyone believe him?  The story gets intense as Sam realizes that he has  not been hallucinating about the shadows he has been seeing. The question is who can he trust with what he has discovered? The author gave me shivers as I was a witness to evil that visited the farm. Get ready for an adventure where darkness tries to take away healing and twists in the story give way to danger. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Read with Audra Blogging Program. The review is my own opinion.

“It’s where things is broke that the joy shows through.”

An Interview with Janyre Tromp,

Author of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye

In Shadows in the Mind’s Eye (Kregel Publications),debut novelist Janyre Tromp delivers a deliciously eerie, Hitchcockian story filled with love and suspense as she takes readers back in time to 1940s Hot Springs, Arkansas.

 

Charlotte Anne Mattas longs to turn back the clock. Before her husband, Sam, went to serve his country in the war, he was the man everyone could rely on—responsible, intelligent, and loving. But the person who came back to their family farm is very different from the protector Annie remembers. Sam’s experience in the Pacific theater has left him broken in ways no one can understand—but that everyone is learning to fear.

 

When Sam claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has, Annie isn’t the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?

 

Annie desperately wants to believe her husband, but between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she’s terrified he’s going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam’s mental wounds—or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?

 

Q: The back of the book describes Shadows in the Mind’s Eye as, “A deliciously eerie, Hitchcockian story filled with love and suspense.” In your own words, introduce us to your debut novel. 

 

Charlotte Anne Mattas wants to go back to the way things were before her husband, Sam, left their farm for the war in the Pacific. Sam used to be her protector, but when he arrives home in Spring of 1946, his battle fatigue has everyone questioning his sanity and her safety… especially after he nearly kills his brother, then claims to see men on the mountain where no else has seen them. Are there really dangerous men on the mountain or is his twisted mind conjuring things that aren’t there? 

 

In the tradition of Hitchcock with a hint of psychological thriller, In the Mind’s Eye explores the illness we now call PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and persistent love in a world determined to destroy it.

 

Q: Sam and Charlotte Anne both expected life to go back to normal when he returned from the war, but that doesn’t exactly happen. How was life post-war different from what they expected? How does each of them respond to those differences?

 

This story actually began while talking to my grandparents over a glass of lemonade. My U.S. History professor had given us an assignment to talk to family about the Depression and/or World War II. Until that point, I’d had no real concept of what the war was like, either for the soldiers or their families back home. I guess I’d thought that the greatest generation slid back into life and easily became the loving people I knew my grandparents were in their 70s. When I discovered that wasn’t the case, I wondered how they had survived the fear and drastic changes. 

 

Like my grandfather, Sam glorified the home front, anticipating a glorious homecoming, delicious food, a soft bed, and an easier life.Charlotte Anne expected Sam to quickly become part of the teamagain as they worked their peach orchard. Instead, Sam has nightmares and reacts to food he used to love (I even gave Sam a reaction to orange marmalade just like my grandfather). Sam tends to jump to conclusions because he doesn’t understand the context, struggles with the physicality of farm work, and is overwhelmed with the amount of work that has to be done since Charlotte Anne wasn’t able to do a lot of the upkeep. 

 

At first, neither Sam nor Annie knows quite what to do with one another, but they’re determined to understand each other.Eventually they each open up to Sam’s mom, Dovie May, and she becomes a healing balm for each of them. If I had to give Dovie a theme, it would be: “You’d think holding joy right up against sadness would shatter a body. But it don’t. Joy, it sneaks in all around, sticks everything together, and finds a way to make you whole. See, light sneaks through the broken places.”

 

Q: In our current day, we are very aware of what PTSD is, and that it is very prevalent among men and women who have been in the military and seen war. What was known about PTSD back in the 1940s after World War II?

 

Although the general population didn’t shame WWII soldiers with PTSD symptoms as much as they did their WWI counterparts, WWII era doctors knew little about how to treat trauma of any kind. Battle fatigue, as it was known then, was treated with electroshock therapy (something that was terrifying and had limited success), and many of the men who suffered from it were often divorced, angry, confused, and quietly addicted to drugs and alcohol. Of course, I didn’t want to leave Sam and Annie here, so I dug for treatment options and talked with a few modern therapists.

 

In my research, those who fared best were often those who lived a little off the grid, in places where they could be physically active, with people who loved them and gave them the space to remove themselves when necessary. Sam also stumbles on a bit of a modern treatment technique by accident. Most folks have heardthat going for a walk can help with mental stability. What isn’t as familiar is that the rhythm of walking combined with talking can actually replicate bits and pieces of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy which is one of the most successful battlefield PTSD

Book Giveaway

The prize pack includes:

– A copy of Shadows in the Mind’s Eye,

– A custom made silver peach tree necklace inspired by the book,

– A “Light speaks through the broken places” t-shirt also inspired by the book.

Click on the link below to enter the giveaway.

https://facebook.us18.list-manage.com/track/click?u=312d9c42859d078a024ef39aa&id=9402cb7cc4&e=d1b194c6b6