About the Book

Book: Blue Moon

Author: Jenny Knipfer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: September 27, 2019

By the Light of the Moon series: 
“Readers who love being trapped in a character’s mind should relish this finely written, gripping series. A must read for fans of historical fiction.”–The Prairies Book Review

A tale of precious things more rare than a blue moon…

The year is 1885 and unwed Vanessa Gulet must surrender her newborn son to her married twin sister, Valerie, to raise. A seed of bitterness grows in Vanessa. When the opportunity arises for her to have what she’s always wanted, Vanessa takes it despite the consequences to her family, getting more than she bargained for.

Meanwhile, Valerie, overcome with loss and grief, faces a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Will she and her husband, Felix, forge through their trials together, or will these upsets cause them to drift apart?

Will Vanessa and Valerie remain at odds, or will they allow the power of forgiveness to heal their strained relationship?

Love seems to bloom in the most unlikely of places in Webaashi Bay for an old friend of Jenay’s and a woman who owns the local dress shop. A parallel tale of love, forgiveness, and reuniting lost things is spun by a local author adding another dimension to the tale of the Gulet twins and their saga.

Fans of historical fiction, Christian historical fiction, clean romance, and literary fiction will enjoy this dramatic read!

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jenny lives in Wisconsin with her husband, Ken and their pet Yorkie, Ruby. She is also a mom and loves being a grandma. She enjoys many creative pursuits but finds writing the most fulfilling.

Jenny’s education background stems from psychology, music, and cultural missions. She spent many years as a librarian in a local public library but recently switched to using her skills as a floral designer in a retail flower shop. She is now retired from work due to disability.

She authored and performed a self-published musical CD entitled, Scrapbook of a Closet Poet. 

Jenny’s first three books earned five-star reviews from Reader’s Favorite, a book review and award contest company. Their praise: “Ruby Moon is entertaining, fast-paced, and features characters that are real. Blue Moon continues a well-written and highly engaging saga of family ties, betrayals, and heartaches… Silver Moon is a highly recommended read for fans of historical wartime fiction, powerful emotive drama, and excellent atmospheric writing.”

 

She holds membership in the: Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, Historical Novel Society, Wisconsin Writers Association, Indie Christian Publishing Association, and Independent Book Publishers Association.

Jenny’s favorite place to relax is by the western shore of Lake Superior, where her novel series, By The Light of the Moon, is set. She has self-published the first two books, Ruby Moon and Blue Moon in her four-part series. Two more novels to complete the series are planned for 2020. She is currently writing a new historical fiction series called, Sheltering Trees.

 

Libraries and retailers may find Jenny’s books on Ingram. Support your local bookstores, and request a copy of Jenny’s books there. Purchase paperbacks retail on Amazon. Ebooks are available through your favorite ebook retailer.

Keep current with Jenny by visiting her website at https://jennyknipfer.com.

 

More from Jenny

In Blue Moon I play off a minor character from Ruby Moon, Vanessa Gulet. When Ruby Moon ended, I started wondering what Vanessa’s life had been like, rejected by Renault, her old flame who had promised her his devotion.

 

Vanessa’s story grew along with Valerie’s, her identical twin sister. Asking the question of what could divide twin siblings drew me deep into the drama of the Gulet sisters, and a story of desire and loss sprang from my imagination.

 

An even richer depth occurred when I brought the main character from Ruby Moon, Jenay, into the thick of the twins’ saga. Vanessa must come to grips with what really happened to Renault and who was involved. Will she forgive the past and the unintentional wrongs committed and embrace the new friend she has made or not?

 

Also, I wrote from experience in Blue Moon, as Valerie must face the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and how to live with the fear of the unknown shadowing her life. It was therapeutic for me to write some of my own feeling and thoughts through Valerie. Journaling has always been a way for me to manage my emotions, and writing via story form was no different. Chances are you either know someone with MS or know of someone with MS. The disease is very prevalent in the U.S., and through Blue Moon I want to draw some awareness to what I and many people live with every day.

 

I hope in Blue Moon that the theme of forgiveness will encourage readers through their own struggles and believe that choosing to forgive is always the better choice, often bringing unforeseen blessings.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read a little about Blue Moon and its origin! I hope you get a chance to read it and the twins’ tale of forgiveness. If you do, please let me know, and please leave a review.

 

Blessings, J

 

P.S. Did you know I include a recipe pertaining to the story in most of my books? In Blue Moon, I include an old family favorite: butter tarts. Lily, a daughter of the man Vanessa meets and is drawn to in Webaashi Bay, loves butter tarts. Vanessa and Lily make them together. Following is the recipe.

 

Lily’s Butter Tart

1 C sugar

¼ C softened butter or butter substitute

2 eggs

juice of half a lemon

½ C golden raisins

½ C sweetened shredded coconut

Your favorite pie crust recipe for one 9” crust

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and lemon juice. Beat well. By hand mix in the raisins and coconut. Line pastry tin with pie crust and fill with mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until set.

I based this recipe from an old one of my grandmother’s from the late 1800’s. NOTE:  You can also cut rounds of pie crust to fill muffin tins to make smaller tarts. (Lily’s style) I make the one dish version because it’s less fuss.

MY REVIEW 

I can’t contain my excitement that I am reading another book by this author. I love her writing style that keeps me on my toes. It is very important that readers play close attention to the dates at the beginning of paragraphs and chapters. It may seem like you can’t follow but be patient. As you get into the rhythm of how the author tells the story you will be submersed in the characters and fall in love with each detail the author accentuates. 

This story is about twins Vanessa and Valerie. It is a tangled web of deceit, lies, surprises and a big lesson in forgiveness. I did feel for Vanessa as  she deals with rejection and a great loss that will tear the twins apart. I loved how the author gave us both sides of the issue from the perspective of each twin. Did Vanessa do something that is unforgivable? When is it okay to take back something that you believe is yours even though you destroy bonds and families? It is a hard decision and I had a hard deciding who was right.  

Valerie is given a gift that she has longed for only to see it stolen from her. Will she be able to forgive her sister’s betrayal? It broke my heart as I read that Valerie had been diagnosed with MS. It is not a kind disease and the author gives us an honest look at how it affects someone. I appreciate the author’s honesty about this disease and if you read her notes you will understand why this illness is personal for her. 

The story does not lack twists and kept  me on my toes. I was anxious to see how the twins  would resolve their differences. What I liked the most about this story was the emotions that the author was able to convey in order for readers to become invested in the characters. Twins on  different sides trying to do the right thing must come  together to  overcome hurt, dishonesty, pride and forgiveness in this story that embodies the true meaning of family and the importance of compassion. 

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

 

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 20

lakesidelivingsite, November 20

Texas Book-aholic, November 21

Inklings and notions, November 22

For Him and My Family, November 23

KarenSueHadley, November 23

Rebecca Tews, November 24

deb’s Book Review, November 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 26

Captive Dreams Window, November 26

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 27

Artistic Nobody, November 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 29

Betti Mace, November 30

Sara Jane Jacobs, December 1

Connie’s History Classroom, December 2

Splashes of Joy, December 3

Bizwings Blog, December 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jenny is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card, a copy of Blue Moon, and a pair of earrings reflecting Blue Moon’s theme!!

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/103ed/blue-moon-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Trouble Blows West

Author: Monique Bucheger

Genre: Mid-grade, blended family, horses

Release Date: April 13, 2012

Putting her body in motion before her brain is in gear creates a mountain of problems for 12 year-old Ginnie West. She is certain that defending her twin brother, Toran, from the biggest bully in sixth grade was the right thing to do. But Ginnie couldn’t be more wrong. She quickly learns that Toran doesn’t appreciate being rescued by a girl any better than Pierce likes being knocked down by one.

When Pierce seeks revenge on Ginnie, Toran sets aside his anger and helps her plot a payback prank at Pierce’s house. Sadly, Ginnie learns that Pierce has a reason for being a bully when she sees his dad drop him to the floor like a ragdoll. Realizing he’s a boy in big trouble, Ginnie decides to be his ally, because he won’t let her be his friend.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.

Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children, twelve grand-darlings, too many cats, and many real and imaginary friends. She is the author of several books in three series and hopes to write many more.

 

More from Monique

Hello Everybody,

I’d like to welcome you to the second book in my Ginnie West Adventure Series: Trouble Blows West. The journey to writing this book started a long time ago as a promise to my high school creative writing teacher, Mrs. Marion Joyce Johnson.

It took me longer than I planned to start the series, but has been a fun adventure.

Because Mrs. Johnson was such an inspiration to me, I made her a character in this book, Trouble Blows West to help my main character, Ginnie, nicknamed, “Trouble”, who gets into quite a pickle and needs a little help turning things around.

On page 2, Ginnie gets on the wrong side of the biggest bully in 6th grade. Pierce Owens goes after Ginnie’s twin brother, Toran. Ginnie knocks Pierce on his rear in front of the entire cafeteria—causing a big problem for Ginnie, Toran, and Pierce.

The bigger problem though, is the reader finds out fairly quickly that Pierce is being abused at home. Ginnie and Toran don’t find out right away—but when they do, they decide to be Pierce’s ally—because Pierce won’t let them be his friend.

My real-life teacher, Mrs. Johnson, used to speak with a cockney accent on occasion. She is American born, but was stationed in the United Kingdom with her husband and two sons, one of which is Astronaut, Col. (Retired USAF) Gregory H. Johnson, who piloted the Space Shuttle Endeavor twice.

I reached out to Greg earlier this year and he graciously met me on a zoom and has called and texted with me as I have revamped Trouble Blows West, into an audiobook with my very talented narrator, Hillary Straga. We decided to have Mrs. Johnson, the character, voiced with a cockney accent to make her “pop.”

Greg, his brother, Gary, and I talked on a number of occasions as I edited this book  to make the character, Mrs. Johnson, an even more authentic representation of their mother. Part of that story is told in my expanded dedication of the book to Mrs. Johnson as well as in Col. Greg Johnson’s Foreword at the beginning of the book.

Trouble Blows West explores the hard reality of child abuse in an age appropriate way. Several teachers have read this book with their classrooms and shared with me that they have had great conversations on all aspects of bullying and being bullied, as well as what to do if you suspect someone is being abused.

As a former foster mom of over 100 kids, part of the reason I write the Ginnie West series is to empower kids being abused as well as encourage kids and adults alike to know they have the power to change their own stars.

My hope is that the story presented in Trouble Blows West will spark the courage some need to let their voice be heard, to make a difference in their own life, or in the life of someone who needs some help.

And believe it or not, kindness and humor are powerful tools that make life worth living. If you have to choose between being kind or being right, choose kindness.

Laugh lots, love much, write on!

Monique Bucheger

MY REVIEW 

I am really enjoying reading  this series and highly recommend this for middle school through adults. The first book introduced us to Ginnie, Toran and Tillie where we were able to see how close family and friends are. This story is a bit more in-depth and the subject is be that needs to addressed more. Bullying is something I went through growing up. It was horrible to go to school everyday where I was teased by a group of girls. I never told anyone because I didn’t think anyone would care. 

The author does a very good job of showing what happens when bullying gets out of hand. I can  understand why Toran was so upset with his sister for stepping in and protecting him from the bully. How embarrassing it was for a girl to fight his battle. Ginnie thought she was doing the right thing but she soon finds out there are consequences for her actions. I applauded her dad for handling it the way he did. He never backed down even when Ginnie gets  an attitude with him. 

There is always a reason why someone is a bully and in this story we see another side that we don’t often think about. The kids were so determined to get back at this boy that anger took over. I liked how the story focuses on working through problems instead of continuing the fight back and forth. I won’t tell what happens in the story but it was something we all need to be aware of. Sometimes when a child acts out, it could be a cry for help. 

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

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 20

Blogging With Carol, November 20

Texas Book-aholic, November 21

Inklings and notions, November 22

Artistic Nobody, November 23 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 24

For Him and My Family, November 25

21st Century Keeper at Home, November 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 26

Through the Fire Blogs, November 27

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 28

deb’s Book Review, November 29

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 30

Mary Hake, November 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 1

Ashley’s Bookshelf, December 2

Vicky Sluiter, December 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Monique is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, or Kobo 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/103ef/trouble-blows-west-celebration-tour-giveaway

 Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scot

Let me start by saying how gorgeous the cover is. It is very eye popping and inviting. Inside the cover is a story so full of enjoyment I didn’t want it to end. I have not been to Yellowstone National Park but I did get to virtually tour it by way of the author. Her details make it easy to feel like you have a ring side seat as the story unfolds. 

Kate is a delightful character with a big responsibility running a hotel. Her dedication to her son is enduring and she will do anything to protect and provide for him. There is a little snag on the land  she is leasing from the government and I couldn’t wait to see how this turn of events would impact   the story. 

Now let’s talk about the dashing Lt. Will Prescott. I liked him immediately. He is there to patrol for poachers and anything out of the ordinary. I did like how Kate and Will slowly build a relationship. I was intrigued by how these two people would work together. Set against a beautiful backdrop we find Kate learning to trust and a lesson on forgiveness. It also emphasizes that there is beauty in everything if we give it a chance. 

I received a copy of this book from Revel Reads. The review is my own opinion.

 

About the Book

Book: Saving Mount Rushmore

Author: Andrea Jo Rodgers

Genre: Middle grade fiction

Release Date: April 15, 2018

When John Jenkins’ parents ship him off to stay with his aunt, he’s certain it will be the worst summer ever—until he learns he’s been accepted into a top-secret school. St. Michael’s Academy is home to gifted students with extraordinary talents. Although John has no idea why he’s there, he’s assigned to Team Liberty, who assist authorities with solving low-level crimes. Their first mission: stop a trio of mischief-making teens from vandalizing Mount Rushmore. John battles feelings of inferiority as he and Team Liberty compete against Devlin Black and his cronies to track down clues and solve puzzles at Mount Rushmore. Along the way, John makes several key contributions, and his self-confidence grows. When he discovers he was admitted to the school due to a clerical error, he’s mortified. Now, he’s strictly an “observer” until the mission’s end. But when his teammates run into trouble, John must summon up the courage to save Mount Rushmore, and he learns an invaluable lesson: every person has special God-given gifts—including him.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Andrea Jo Rodgers is the author of award-winning Christian middle grade fiction as well as inspirational adult nonfiction novels. She holds a clinical doctorate in physical therapy and specializes in women’s health, orthopedics, and lymphedema. She has served her community as a volunteer emergency medical technician for over thirty years, responding to more than 8,200 first aid and fire calls. She lives on the east coast with her husband, two children, and their two rescue dogs, a Shih Tzu and a Dachshund.

 

More from Andrea

Can John embrace his God-given gifts in time to save Mount Rushmore?

Have you ever admired the extraordinary talent of another person? Perhaps you enjoyed listening to someone belt out a spellbinding rendition of your favorite song at church or a concert. Or, maybe you have dreamed that you’d gain the same athletic prowess of a professional sports player.

The amazing gifts of others can take many forms. These gifts may be linked with intelligence, such as an aptitude for math and engineering. They may reflect the beauty of the arts through singing, dancing, or painting. Certain individuals may dazzle the people around them with incredible athletic talents, from gold-medal Olympians to professional baseball, football, and basketball players.

Most people consider extraordinary talents to be God-given gifts. They allow people to stand out and shine among others. However, do each of us need a breathtaking talent to be considered special?

In Saving Mount Rushmore, John Jenkins, an awkward thirteen-year-old teenager, is unexpectedly chosen to attend Saint Michael the Archangel Academy. The top-secret school’s mission is to protect our nation by assisting authorities in solving crimes. Since the academy is for students with extraordinary abilities, John is puzzled as to why he’s been accepted. After all, he’s an average teen without any notable gifts.

While working with Team Liberty to save Mount Rushmore from Devlin Black and Team Mischief, John struggles to discover his special gifts. He’s mortified when he discovers that he’s been accepted to the academy due to a clerical error. He becomes strictly an “observer” until the mission’s end. But when his teammates run into trouble, John must summon up the courage to try to save Mount Rushmore. He learns that every person has special God-given gifts—including him.

I came up with the idea for Saving Mount Rushmore while in the airport, just before our plane departed for the famous landmark. I wrote feverishly the entire flight, and the first chapters were born. Saving Mount Rushmore is a middle grade novel which combines information about Mount Rushmore, adventure, and Christian values. My goal was to write an exciting, fun, educational book for middle grade readers that incorporates Christian values into the fabric of the story. John and his friends have an opportunity to save another national monument in the sequel, Saving the Statue of Liberty. I hope you celebrate our country’s heritage by joining John and Team Liberty in their adventures.

MY REVIEW 

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It would be a perfect addition to a school library for middle school and perhaps junior high.  I would also include it in a church library as well as being a great tool for homeschoolers. The author does a good job of incorporating history with adventure. It was fun that  the author added a little fantasy with the portals and how the children were able to travel from place to place. 

The story centers around an elite group of kids who have a mission  to save this important monument. There is a little action  as the team has to decider codes and try to stop the monument from being destroyed. The theme in the book for me was that everyone has a gift that God has given them. When we use our gifts with others we can stop the enemy from doing evil. I liked how the author emphasizes that working together as a team is important. The children are great encouragers and help unite the team with their ability to agree on things.

This is a great book filled with historical facts and a fun adventure for kids to enjoy. It is a fast read and the characters are fun to get to know. I have read several books by this author and really like her writing style. I’m interested in reading book two of this series to see where the next adventure takes us.

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, November 18

For the Love of Literature, November 18

The Avid Reader, November 19

Texas Book-aholic, November 20

21st Century Keeper at Home, November 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 21

For Him and My Family, November 22

Mary Hake, November 22

Older & Smarter?, November 23

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 23

Inklings and notions, November 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 25

Sara Jane Jacobs, November 25

Vicky Sluiter, November 26

deb’s Book Review, November 27

Simple Harvest Reads, November 27 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Ashley’s Bookshelf, November 28

Artistic Nobody, November 29 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)

Captive Dreams Window, November 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 1

Blossoms and Blessings, December 1

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Andrea is giving away the grand prize package of a signed copy of Saving Mount Rushmore: Saint Michael the Archangel Academy, Mission 1 as well as 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/103a5/saving-mount-rushmore-celebration-tour-giveaway