About the Book

Book:  Welcome to the Shivoo

Author: Laura Bartnick

Genre:  Inspiration/Christian Living/Education

Release Date: January 1, 2020

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A CREATIVE, A WRITER, A MEMBER OF THE MAKER COMMUNITY?

In the beginning, God created. Should this matter?
Do you find incredible value in your creativity, that is, a reason for being and doing that you could never imagine giving up? Okay then. This book will inspire you to join a spiritual party like no other.

Perhaps you’ve heard that the impulse to create is a reflection of the Creator’s image in you and His will for you. Your impulse to create is paramount! The chapters in this book will provide you pages of new perspectives for evaluating your craft. It will help you communicate what you experience with others. It will transform your creative future. Motivation. Spiritual Gifts. God’s own blessing.

Click here to get your copy.

MY REVIEW

I must be one of those people who don’t understand some things at first. The book was so confusing I didn’t grasp what it was about till half way through the book. I do know that God created each of us with gifts. Sometimes we don’t have confidence to use them. Along the way I did feel the book repeated some points which was unnecessary. 

I know about creativity and how people struggle sometimes to shine in their gift. My husband is a very talented artist. He has air brushed murals for churches and homes. When I directed plays for Children’s Church he was my go to guy for sets. I have often seen him struggle with his gift and said he felt  like he wasn’t good enough. Some of the points the author makes are encouraging and I appreciate the scriptures she uses in the book. The author gives examples from the Bible of creative people and it was nice to see a different look at these people. 

At the end of the book I did feel encouraged and think the book would be a nice gift for someone. We all have gifts and God wants us to share those gifts to spread His Word. 

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

About the Author

Bartnick has been a youth counselor with Youth for Christ, and a worship musician for many years. She is the managing partner of Capture Books, a small but mighty boutique Christian publishing group. She loves creativity and words. She loves to explore the deeper meaning of the things we casually say to one another, the things we write down.  She earned a double degree in Bible and Composition from Montana Bible College and Colorado Christian University and is a truth-seeker and recipient of God’s love.

More from Laura

ARE YOU A WRITER OR PART OF THE MAKER CULTURE?

This beloved book explains why it matters that “In the beginning, God created.”

A reader coined this title, “The Creator’s Manifesto.”

When you need to find the place of belonging as a creative, look no further than the heart of God. He’s the One Who formed you to be creative in talent, and adventurous in the wild unknown.

Welcome to the Shivoo! This party belongs to Someone bigger than you. Because you are created in God’s image and given specific creative gifts and a life of purpose, you are very special to Him.

Many creatives feel that there is a monkey on their backs, and sometimes that nagging feeling includes the doubt that maybe the terrible distraction is God Himself not wanting them to succeed as a writer or artist. Nothing is further from the truth.

This book is a party and a prayer for the creatives in town.

In Welcome to the Shivoo! creativity begins with the priorities of the greatest Creator, and in that sense of wonder, it moves us into a place of gratitude and thanksgiving.  Creativity always begins with a sense of wonder and awe, even a sense of meekness, “Can I do this?  I have to try…”  In Welcome to the Shivoo!, I try to show that God is the center of a creative’s world, and because of His love and goodness, we have a home and a place to belong. Creativity erupts from that place.

From there, the book shows how there is a Biblical theology for being creative and a means to thrive in creativity. It challenges Christians to be authentic, to focus, to communicate, and to transform.  It explains how there is a kingdom language we are charged to learn, as believers, and to use not in a sloppy way, but responsibly. And, it sends us off with an exuberant blessing to go create something and enjoy the process!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 5

Texas Book-aholic, March 6

For the Love of Literature, March 7

Simple Harvest Reads, March 8 (Author Interview)

Stephanie’s life of Determination , March 8

For Him and My Family, March 9

Inklings and notions, March 10

deb’s Book Review, March 11

CarpeDiem, March 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 13

Emily Yager, March 14

Artistic Nobody, March 15 (Author Interview)

Create! Teach! Inspire!, March 16

Moments, March 17

Godly Book Reviews, March 18

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Laura is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift certificate!!

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/f80f/welcome-to-the-shivoo-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Will the Real Person Please Stand Up?

Author: Gail Porter

Genre:  Non-Fiction/Personal Growth

Release Date: Oct 1, 2018

Does fear of rejection hold you back from letting people see the real you? Are you tired of hiding?

Gail Porter lived with this kind of fear during her childhood and most of her adult life. When God revealed her bondage to the power of fear, she was set free to come out of hiding and become who He’d created her to be. What she learned grew into a passion to help others experience the same freedom.

Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? offers much-needed hope to those who long to be set free from the fear of rejection and become their authentic selves. In this life-changing book you will read Gail’s own experiences, stories of real people, and input from those in the medical field. Gail walks you through the process of identifying and acknowledging what holds you captive so you can live in freedom rather than in fear.

With God’s help, you can walk out of your self-made prison, break strongholds, and taste the freedom that will allow you to become who God made you to be. Get ready to stand up and say, “This is the real me.”

“Gail teaches her readers how to embrace the present without encumbrances of the past. With practical, action-based steps, we learn to climb mountains with new determination and anticipate our futures with joy.” Jeanne LeMay, author of Dear God I’m Desperate: Women Have Issues, God Has Answers.

Click here to get your copy.

MY REVIEW

The first thing that popped out to me as I began the book was when the author tried to remember where she and her family sat at the dinner table as she grew up. I had this same conversation with my brother last year. Neither of us could ever remember sitting at the dinner table together or even where we ate dinner at. I’m not surprised that I don’t remember since there was no love in our family. I came from a violent and abusive childhood and never once did I hear the words, “I love you,” from my parents. 

I could relate to the author as  she was raised in a home where love was not shown. Much like the author, I was glad when I was at school or at a friends house. I never wanted to go home and dreaded the moment I stepped in my house. Rejection is such a hard thing to overcome. It wraps its hold on you and continues to whisper lies to keep you isolated and abandoned.  What I liked about the author was how open she is about her life and brings truth to the lies that the enemy uses to discourage us. “We don’t need to try to earn God's acceptance. God’s love is unconditional.”

The author uses many scriptures to encourage us and remind us that  God loves us. She shares stories that are easy to relate to and it helps to hear how they overcame obstacles that pulled them away from God. Fear, rejection, abandonment, unloved and other topics make this book one that I found helpful. Included at the end of each chapter are questions for readers to do. Throughout the book I found the author sharing love and how to overcome the things that have kept us from being trusting and showing unconditional love to others.

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

About the Author

Gail Porter graduated from Oregon State University and spent fifty years serving with Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ. She is the author of Life through Loss: Facing Your Pain, Finding Your Purpose and two co-written books. Gail lives in Orlando, Florida, where she enjoys ballroom dancing and her favorite role of aunt to her nieces and nephews.

More from Gail

• Do you hide from others because you’re afraid they won’t like what they discover about you?
• Are you holding back from walking through God’s open doors because you don’t think you’ll perform well enough?
• Have you allowed past experiences or personal fears to keep you from becoming the person God intended you to be?

Join me on a journey to escape the bondage of your fear of rejection and experience the freedom to become the Real Person God created you to be.

I spent many years in bondage, subconsciously building walls, designing masks, creating a false identity, and striving for perfection—all attempts to fill my longing for love and acceptance. Through my experience of coming out of hiding, breaking barriers with the help of God, and tasting true freedom, I discovered a passion to help set others free.

You will learn about my journey to freedom in my book, Will the Real Person Please Stand Up? Rising Above the Fear of Rejection. I’ll walk you through the process of identifying and acknowledging what holds you captive, breaking barriers, and taking that first step to freedom.

As you read my personal story, as well as the stories of many others, you will discover how much God wants you to step on the path to freedom. Say yes to God, and let’s travel this road of freedom together! Then we can all stand up and say, “This is the real me!”

Thank you for being part of this blog tour! I’m excited about the way God will change your life as you allow Him to lead you to His path of freedom where you can let go of your fear of rejection, become your authentic self, and experience life fully.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 2

deb’s Book Review, March 3

Artistic Nobody, March 4 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 4

Texas Book-aholic, March 5

SPLASHES of Joy, March 6

Rebecca Tews, March 7

Inklings and notions, March 8

For the Love of Literature, March 9 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, March 10

For Him and My Family, March 11

Lukewarm Tea, March 12 (Author Interview)

Create! Teach! Inspire!, March 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 14

Wishful Endings, March 15 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Gail is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed 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/f6d4/will-the-real-person-please-stand-up-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book: In Black and White

Author: Maryann Diorio

Genre: New Adult

Release Date: November 1, 2019

A white woman. A black man. And their forbidden love.

Can endurance and faith sustain the love between a white woman and a black man, threatened by rejection, guilt, and racial injustice? Can love alone reconcile their starkly different worlds, lighting the way to a bright future together?

When graduate student, Tori Pendola, a white American woman, and Ghanaian exchange student, Jebuni Kalitsi, heir to his tribe’s chieftaincy, fall deeply in love, they must face not only their own inner demons of rejection and guilt, but also the demons of societal hatred bent on destroying their relationship. Will their love survive the cruel and bitter attacks against them, or will hatred and prejudice gain the upper hand?

In Black and White is a deeply moving story of the power of God’s love to restore all that is broken in our lives.

Click here to get your copy.

MY REVIEW 

 I love when an author tackles a tough subject and writes a story that not only teaches us lessons but opens our heart up to God’s Word. The Bible says, “We are created in His image.” He doesn’t see color, only hearts. This story has been hard to read because I cried throughout the book. Everyday we hear about violence because of race or religion and I pray that someday that prejudice does not exist. 

Tori is a young woman on the way to graduating college. She has felt unwanted and a mistake by her father all her life. I could feel her need to be accepted and God had a plan to show her that she was loved. We can’t  help who we fall in love with. The heart wants what the heart wants. Finding your soul mate is something we all desire and for Tori she may have that dream come to pass. 

I was especially intrigued by Jeb because of his heritage. The author has done a great job of researching customs from other nations. When Jeb and Tori meet you could sense a connection right away. As their relationship grows, they find theirselves in the midst of hatred among the community. It was sad to hear how many times they were verbally or physically attacked by people who were deceived by the enemy. Their troubles start with their parents and I was dismayed by the hatred that came from Tori’s father. 

The story is set in 1959 when whites and blacks were not welcomed to interact with each other. As I read the book I can remember the day when a young man was beaten because people wanted to get revenge. Oh how I cried when I saw the riots in the streets and the pain that spread across a nation. Tori and Jeb will face many challenges and with their faith they will stand together and fight for what is right. It is a beautiful example of forgiveness and trust. I won’t give anything  away but I will say the author writes a story that is prevalent even today. Will Jeb and Tori marry? Can love overcome hatred?  

“With God all things are possible.”

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

About the Author

Dr. MaryAnn Diorio is an award-winning author of compelling, page-turning fiction that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart. She is the author of the popular trilogy titled THE ITALIAN CHRONICLES, set in 19th-century Sicily. MaryAnn holds the PhD in French with a concentration in Comparative Literature. She is also a Certified Life Coach and a Licensed Minister. MaryAnn and her husband Dom, a retired ER physician, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They are the blessed parents of two wonderful adult daughters, a very smart son-in-law, and six rambunctious grandchildren. When not writing, MaryAnn enjoys painting, playing the piano, and making up silly songs with her grandchildren. You can learn more about MaryAnn and her writing at https://www.maryanndiorio.com

More from MaryAnn

Greetings, awesome readers and friends!  It’s great to have you with me on this tour. I trust you’ll be blessed and have lots of fun.

We writers are a strange breed.  While we know what we are writing, we often don’t fully understand what we have written. Does that make sense? If not, let me explain.

Before I started writing In Black and White, I prayed. And I prayed hard. The idea for my story came to me back in the 1990s. Yes. You read that right! But it first came to me as a seed that the Lord planted in my heart. The seed would need time to grow, sprout, and blossom. So, back in the 90s, the Lord told me it wasn’t time to write my story yet.

So, I watered and waited as the seed began to do its thing. At the beginning of 2018, the Lord said, “It’s time.” And I instantly knew what He meant. It was time to start writing In Black and White.

So, in January of 2018, I started writing In Black and White. For almost two years, I wrote. The story took many twists and turns and was finally completed in August of 2019.

I mentioned earlier that we writers don’t often fully understand what we have written. What do I mean? I mean that often, for me, it is after I write the story that I recognize the theme of the story.

It’s like this: A seed doesn’t really understand what its Maker is doing. It just follows the plan. When I write, I don’t fully understand what Holy Spirit is doing. I just follow His lead.

Amazingly, the theme that I recognized in my latest novel is the same theme that appears in virtually all of my fiction. What is that theme? It’s forgiveness.

It seems as though the message of forgiveness is the spiritual trademark of my fiction. Why? Perhaps because I’ve had to do a lot of forgiving during my life—and a lot of asking for forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the reason Jesus came to earth. He died to forgive us. If we want to be like Him, we, too, need to forgive.

So, as you read my story, I pray that it will stir you to forgive anyone and everyone in your life who has hurt you in any way. And, if need be, I pray that my story will encourage you to ask forgiveness of those whom you have hurt.

Our heavenly Father is the Great Forgiver, May we become like Him by making forgiveness the theme of our lives.

With love and blessings,MaryAnn Diorio

Recipe for Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs from MaryAnn Diorio’s novel, In Black and White. This is my late Italian mother’s recipe, straight from Italy. 

Enza’s Authentic Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe

            MEATBALLS 

1 lb. ground meat (beef, veal, pork, turkey, or chicken, or a mixture of two or all three in any proportion)

1 large egg (not beaten)

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped (preferably the flat Italian type, but the curly kind will do)

2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (peppercorns ground in peppermill)

Salt to taste (Use 1/8 teaspoon for first time making this recipe and adjust, if needed, next time.)

1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon plain breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon milk (whole, 2% or fat-free)

• Prepare a baking pan (or oven-proof dish) by coating it lightly with any kind of olive oil.
• Set oven on “bake” and temperature at 350º.
• Place all recipe ingredients in large bowl.
• With clean hands, mix all ingredients together until blended.
• Fill 1/2 cup measuring cup with blended meat mixture ragù.
• Remove meat mixture from 1/2 cup and roll mixture gently between palms of hands until meatball is shaped.
• Place meatballs on oil-coated baking pan.
• Continue measuring meat mixture, shaping it into meatballs and placing meatballs on oil-coated baking pan. NOTE: BE SURE TO LEAVE SPACE AROUND EACH MEATBALL TO ENSURE EVEN COOKING.

• Bake meatballs for 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of meatball comes out clean.

NOTE: Any drippings left in pan may be used as basis for homemade pasta sauce (“ragù” or “gravy”). If so desired, cool drippings, place in freezer-proof container, label contents of container, and freeze.

SPAGHETTI

• Cook pasta of choice according to package directions.
• Serve with meatballs and your favorite spaghetti sauce.

ENJOY!!!

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, March 3

Artistic Nobody, March 4 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 5

Older & Smarter?, March 6

By The Book, March 7 (Author Interview)

deb’s Book Review, March 8

Inklings and notions, March 9

For the Love of Literature, March 10 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, March 11

Pause for Tales, March 12

All 4 and About Books, March 13 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 14

CarpeDiem, March 15

janicesbookreviews, March 16

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, MaryAnn is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon 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/f63e/in-black-and-white-celebration-tour-giveaway

About the Book

Book:  Yours, Mine, & Forever

Author: Joanne Markey

Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 7, 2019

Whoever said the course of true love never runs smooth knew their business.

Especially motherly love.

Still, with adoption success just waiting for ink and paper to appear, Norah can focus on more exciting things, like Christmas, and figuring out how this marriage thing is going to work out! However, never underestimate the craftiness of an antagonist old woman determined to get her own way—or rather, stop Norah from getting hers. If it means resorting to underhanded means to ensure she comes out on top, then so be it. All it takes is a word in the right ear, a nudge here, a wink there, and the natural course of gossip and slander will do the rest.

When the dust clears, Norah’s heart is in tatters and her fledgling relationship is in ruins… Or is it? Will her hero’s patience wear thin, and is Norah’s faith strong enough to see her through whatever comes her way?

Click here for your copy.

MY REVIEW

I really enjoyed reading this story that had such a wonderful message of trusting God. Norah has such a big heart and wanting to adopt these special children  she has fallen in love with makes me want to cry. Being in the system must be so hard for children who want to have a family of their own. Someone doesn’t want her to adopt and will try everything they can to make sure she doesn’t get them. Norah has found out that she has to be married to get approved and that does present a problem. 

Stepping up to complicate Norah’s situation are two men both wanting to be part of Norah’s life. I could just imagine what she was thinking as Thad and Clay both want to marry her. I couldn’t decide who I liked more so I was interested to see where the author would take the story. The author does a great job of having scriptures in the story that enhance the characters faith. I really did like Norah’s brother who was very protective of her. She has so many people wanting her to fulfill her dream of adopting the children that  it made me anxious to see what the outcome would be. 

The story reminds me of a Hallmark movie that is filled with romance and misunderstandings while hoping for  everything to turn out good. Will Norah see her dream of adopting come true? Who will she decide to be with? All these questions will be answered as you read this sweet and clean story. 

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

About the Author

Originally from Australia, Joanne now lives in Ohio with her husband and seven children where she spends her days writing, wrangling children, and trying to determine which phrases originated in which country because she uses them all interchangeably, thereby continually confusing herself as much as those around her.

More from Joanne

When people find out I’m an Aussie living in the US and that I’ve written books, they immediately assume my books are set in Australia. I’m sorry to disappoint anyone, but, no, they’re not. You see, after almost 19 years of living in the US I’ve lost touch with the culture I was raised in. Things are done differently here than they are over there, and I’ve gotten used to this life.

When I moved halfway around the world, iPads, smart phones, and the like weren’t even a thing. The internet over there (in the places I lived) was something you knew about, but not everyone was online. My family didn’t even own a computer. When you went to town you lost cell phone coverage about 20 kms out. We lived in the bush, which technically falls between the coast and the outback. Not far enough from the coast to be “outback”, but far enough there wasn’t a town worth mentioning in any direction for a good two hour drive (roughly 170km, if memory serves me correct). So yeah, we lived out bush and while it’s hard to imagine a world without the electronics we depend on so much today, the Australia I know, the life I remember, had none of them. And I’m pretty sure things have changed since then!

That’s one major issue standing between me and writing books set in Australia. Another is the language. Half the time I find it almost impossible to remember where a phrase originated. I’m not talking about the “fair dinkums” or the “g’days”, they’re easy to identify. Its the little phrases, the ones that are so ingrained in my thinking I can’t identify their origin. At least, not until every person in the room looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. I figure it out pretty quickly after that and usually have to scramble to translate to something they understand. Agreeing with someone by uttering a simple “yes” is a wee bit more effective here than the “too right!” I might use with my family.

Try adding in the whole dropping the R thing Aussies have a habit of doing, and then the clear pronunciation of the R which is pretty common among the people I know here…and yeah, it can get confusing. “Far” is a bad one. Simple word. I never stop to think about how I’m saying it, so part of the time I’ll drop the R without realizing I’ve done so. Then I’ll hear myself say “fah”, so I’ll quickly tack on the R… and it can become an issue.

Some expats might not have an issue with speech, this is just one problem I run into quite often so I ran with it in my book. Anyone who’s read the book will know who I’m talking about. Multiple languages, speech confusion especially when emotional. It’s a thing. Not everyone deals with it, but me… yeah. Sigh.

But that doesn’t mean I’ve turned my back on everything I once knew. My husband and our kids love a good damper, Aussie meat pies, and Vegemite. They turn their noses up at pavlova (where, oh, where did I go wrong?!), but little did I know when we bought some of my favorite Aussie music that it would become their favorite too. I love where I live now, but I also have a great fondness for the country I left behind, and my family too, of course. They all live over there. And this story… it originated in Australia.

I was looking for a something to write for NaNo in 2018 and my Mum had a dream to share, so she gave me the idea and I ran with it. I changed bits here and there—the setting, most of the story actually!—and finished it up mid-December of 2018. I sat on it for about six months, finally got around to sending it to an editor. And then two weeks before I hit publish, a friend heard how long it was and asked if I’d ever thought about splitting the story in two.

No, I hadn’t, but after hashing it out with my editor, we decided it was a good idea. Dreaming of More became the first half, and Yours, Mine, & Forever was born.

However, giving Dreaming an end meant I’d sort of wrapped up the main storyline I’d used in the entire 135,000 word manuscript. I needed something else because I hadn’t added the bow to the top of the package and without that, Dreaming kind of fell flat. It needed another book… So back to the editor I went and at 2am one morning we started brainstorming. Before I knew what was happening I was in the middle of rewriting the entire book. I didn’t need to follow the same storyline and because the slate had been cleared, I could add in whatever I wanted. So I did.

My friend apologized—she hadn’t meant for me to rewrite the entire book—but no apology was necessary. I loved being able to change things. New characters made it more fun and, as my youngest son would say, I got to add “all the stuffs”. The only thing I refused to change was the ending. I had to keep that because it was the one thing my Mum remembered the best from her dream. For her sake, I kept it. If you want to know what that ending is… it comes after all the other pages in the book. But if you skip over them, you’ll miss all the stuffs and they’re what make the ending worthwhile.

Blog Stops

Batya’s Bits, February 29

deb’s Book Review, February 29

Texas Book-aholic, March 1

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 1

Genesis 5020, March 2

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 2

Among the Reads, March 3

Through the Fire Blogs, March 3

She Lives To Read, March 4

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 5

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, March 5

Quiet Quilter, March 6

For Him and My Family, March 7

Stories By Gina, March 7

Inklings and notions, March 8

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, March 9

Blogging With Carol, March 9

Moments, March 10

My Devotional Thoughts, March 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 11

janicesbookreviews, March 11

Pause for Tales, March 12

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Joanne is giving away the grand prize package of signed copies of Dreaming of More, Yours, Mine, & Forever, and Christmas Rose!!

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/f623/yours-mine