About the Book

Book: The Lost Dutchman’s Secret

Author: Rebekah Jones

Genre: Christian Historical Mystery, Fairytale retelling

Release date: November 2, 2021

There’s a deadly secret in them thar hills—and gold, or so they say.

Deeply in debt to a wealthy local, Charles Sinclair, Dorothy Hodges’ father finally promises she’ll pay and in gold, no less. If only Dorothy could take to take the promises he spins out of thin air and turn them into that gold, all would be well.

With the help of a strange, rumpled man, Dorothy does manage to bring payment to one of Sinclair’s sons only to discover it won’t pay off the debt. Will the next payment be enough?  The next?

When Charles Sinclair ends up dead, Dorothy is the obvious prime suspect, but Sinclair’s son isn’t so certain. Together they work to clear her name and find the real murderer of the Superstitions, but will they find the answers buried in those hills?

Find out in this next book in the Ever After Mysteries, combining beloved fairy tales and mysteries. The Lost Dutchman’s Secret offers a retelling of “Rumplestilskin” that requires more digging than a miner searching for The Lost Dutchman Mine.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Rebekah Jones is first and foremost a follower of the Living God. She started writing as a little girl, seeking to glorify her King with her books and stories.
Rebekah is an old soul in a young body (she’s not 12 —honest!) While her exact age is classified, her interests are not. Among them are reading a variety of books, singing, playing, and composing music, studying all manner of subjects, nannying an adventurous group of youngsters, and, of course, writing her books, poems, articles, and short stories. She writes a wide range of books from gentle children’s adventures to family sagas to murder mysteries.

 

More from Rebekah

“They say that no one had ever seen gold ore like it before, neither have they ever since. Except in the possession of Jacob Waltz. His mine had ore of higher value and higher potency than any other mine found in Arizona…”

 

What if the Miller’s daughter from the tale of Rumpelstiltskin didn’t have to spin gold, but pay it? And because of an enormous debt – that she had no way of knowing the value? And her father wasn’t a miller, but an old miner with a penchant for carving animals while living in the Arizona desert? And what if, for her pains, she found herself mixed up in a murder?

 

And what if, somehow intermixed with this poor young woman and her troubles, came the legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine?

 

If you don’t know about the legend of that lost mine, you should. Or I think that you should. It’s a real legend as old as the 1860’s. Except, it wasn’t lost when Jacob Waltz went bragging about it. That came later.

 

The mountains that house the legend are magnificent. When a friend of mine came to visit me, she and I went to explore the area around the Superstition Mountains, as well as a part of the mountains themselves. Standing in a forest of cacti and brush, the jagged rocks and sharp peaks towered above my head, while a critter skittered unseen. Beautiful isn’t quite a strong enough word to describe it. As we hiked up the mountain, making our way through a myriad of desert plant life, rocks of so many shapes and sizes, and tiny critters, I could picture Dorothy, the miner’s daughter.

 

The modern structures and buildings in sight, faded in my mind’s eye, and I could imagine the young woman partway up the mountain in 1929, wearing her old, faded dress, and staring out across the valley. We plotted out where her father’s shack would have stood, and I made note of a perfect crevice of rock where she might have sat to think or read. I rather found myself wishing I could live out there myself, even if living in a shack in the heat of the Arizona summer doesn’t wholly appeal to me.

 

When I finally got in front of my manuscript again, I could see Dorothy’s world so clearly, I can only hope I managed to capture it in the book itself. I doubt if I could have captured the beauty of those mountains in words, the sight of them as they changed colors in the sunset, or the glowing starry sky above them after dark.

 

As for the Lost Dutchman’s Goldmine, I would be lying if I said I didn’t entertain fantasies about exploring the mountains to discover it, but we certainly did not go that far into the mountains. Besides, it was June in the Arizona desert. One does not blindly venture into the mountains on such an errand in such a time of year, unless one has a death wish. It’s rather fun to imagine though. Perhaps one day, I can go on a search – though I confess, I doubt it.

 

As for the book, I won’t say whether that lost goldmine is discovered or not. I’ll leave that for a reader to discover for themselves.

MY REVIEW 

Well this was quite a different story than I am use to. It did take me awhile to get into the book. I was confused on what the plot was and I knew for  certain that the author caught my attention. Oh I was confused but isn’t that the idea of this story? It is based on a fairy tale and I decided I needed to look it up. I was curious how the author would tie it into this book. 

 Poor Dorothy is being used by her father to pay off his debt. I was so upset with him that I wanted Dorothy to run away from him. The strange man that Dorothy meets on the way to the mountains made me uncomfortable. He is willing to help Dorothy but at what cost? Now the story has gotten very intriguing and the author captured my interest. I had to see how Dorothy would get out of this situation. 

Artie seems nice and wants to befriend Dorothy but she is frightened of him. He comes to meet her for payment that her dad owes, but there is something not quite right about the whole situation. Why would his father lie and say Dorothy attacked him for no reason? I was ready to see where the author would take this story that kept getting more intriguing and filled with questions and suspects. 

The story takes several twists and leaves a trail of faith along the way. I liked how Dorothy prayed about her situation and learned to trust God. The ending  is good and caught me off guard. After finishing the story I can say that it was very creative and gives a powerful lesson on greed. 

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

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 17

An Author’s Take, December 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 18

GbTexas Book-aholic, December 19

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, December 20

Genesis 5020, December 20

Inklings and notions, December 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 21

For Him and My Family, December 22

For the Love of Literature, December 22

deb’s Book Review, December 23

Simple Harvest Reads, December 23 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Blogging With Carol, December 24

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, December 25 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 26

Vicarious Living, December 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 27

Connect in Fiction, December 27

Connie’s History Classroom, December 28

Mary Hake, December 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 29

Back Porch Reads, December 29

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 30

Through the Fire blogs, December 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rebekah is giving away the grand prize package of $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/14f1b/the-lost-dutchman-s-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Eat God’s Food

Author: Susan U. Neal

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release date: June 21, 2021

Kids have strong opinions about food. Some foods they love and others they don’t. Eat God’s Foodteaches them early to love the right kinds of food, preparing them for a lifetime of eating and living the way God intended.

 

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

 

About the Author

Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS teaches both adults and children healthy nutritional guidelines. She is the author of eight healthy living books. Susan helped thousands improve their health and weight with her award-winning bestseller, 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates. Now she’s educating children about developing wholesome eating habits. You can find Susan on SusanUNeal.com.

 

More from Susan

How to Persuade Kids to Eat Healthy

Did you know God created over 100 vegetables and 50 fruits? Most kids probably don’t know this either. Have you eaten all of those produce items? Wouldn’t it be fun to try each one with your children? God created humans, and he knew exactly what we needed to eat. That’s why he created double the amount of vegetables than fruits. Fruits are God’s dessert and vegetables are his staple. So how do we get kids to eat them? You’ve got to make it fun.

Each week, ask your child to choose one produce item for the family to try. Take your kids to the produce section of the grocery store on a scavenger hunt to find the colors for each vegetable and fruit. Take photos of interesting items and when you get home, ask your kid to draw them.

Try a new recipe each week with your children. The new picture book, Eat God’s Food, provides a recipe for parents to do with their child for each of the following food groups: vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, and meat.

Create snack bags with your youngsters that include their favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Put a half cup in each bag and place them in your pantry. The next time you’re running out the door for an athletic event, your kids can grab a healthy snack.

Educate your children about the health benefits of consuming vegetables, fruits, whole grains (not processed), nuts, seeds, and meat. Have them determine the vitamins in different foods. Help them figure out what produce item might improve their vision or give them more energy.

Teach your children to read food labels. When I took my kids to the grocery store, we had the rule that we couldn’t buy any item with over 10 grams of sugar. They would grab the package, find the sugar level, and tell me, “Mom, it has 24 grams of sugar in one granola bar.” So we wouldn’t buy it. They understood why and would look for another snack. Many times they found an item with 12 grams of sugar, and that was close enough, so we got it.

I taught my kids to read labels to see if it included hydrogenated oil, because that ingredient causes health problems. A couple years later, all foods in the United States had to be labeled if it included this ingredient. Mama knew what she was talking about.

Teach your kids that products made from white flour have been stripped of their nutrients. In fact, they may cause a child to grow wider instead of taller. Explain how food manufacturers want consumers to buy more of their products, so they add sugar, salt, and fats to get them hooked. Food manufacturers want to make a profit, and sometimes that profit comes at the consumers’ expense.

Check the Environmental Working Group’s findings that showed that almost all oat-based cereal products marketed to children contained the carcinogen residue from glyphosate. Check the list in this article for the level of glyphosate found in your child’s favorite cereal. Therefore, you should buy organic oat products.

Expand your child’s palate, knowledge, and point of view about healthy foods versus unhealthy foods. If you do, they may grab a grocery store product, read the label, and tell you why it is not healthy. And they may select some fun, interesting fruits and vegetables in the produce aisle. Enjoy exploring all of God’s food with your family.

MY REVIEW 

I like the way the book is set up with beautiful pictures that illustrate the different food groups. The author does a good job of explaining the importance of each one and gives a recipe at the end of each chapter. There are also fun activities for children to do alone or with the family that helps them learn about fruits, meats,  vegetables and other foods that they may want to try. 

I enjoyed how the focus is on good nutrition and explains  how God made these for us to be healthy and strong. The author includes scriptures as well that children can find in the Bible. This book would be perfect for families to use to encourage healthy foods for everyone to eat. I leaned a few things myself so this isn’t just for children, but also for anyone looking for easy to understand healthy ideas. 

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

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17

Texas Book-aholic, December 18

For Him and My Family, December 19

Inklings and notions, December 20

The Write Escape, December 20

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 21

Lots of Helpers, December 22

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 23

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 24

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 25 (Spotlight)

Mary Hake, December 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 26

SodbusterLiving, December 27

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 28

deb’s Book Review, December 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Susan is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a print 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/15d5c/eat-god-s-food-celebration-tour-giveaway

 

Wish Upon a Star Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: Wish Upon a Star

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Christmas Christian Women’s Fiction

Release date: November 9, 2021

Fairy tales and wishing upon stars are for those who still believe in romance.

Sometimes misplaced trust injures more than ourselves, and doesn’t Elaina Hensley know it. When her oldest daughter is left suffering the consequences, Elaina vows to protect her girls at any cost. Nothing, not even her own happiness, will sway her again.

Or will it?

She’s got this protective self-denial down pat–right up to the moment her best friend’s brother arrives on the scene like a fairytale knight, vowing to slay all her dragons. She must—she will resist.

However, when her worst nightmare comes back to haunt her, Elaina has to admit she needs that white knight on her side.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education, but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

More from Jennifer

Do you remember what Christmas was like as a child? I do. Some of my fondest memories come that holiday when I was growing up. There was a deep sense of family and tradition that I desperately wanted to instill in my own children. No small part of that was the innocence that came from being protected by the harsh realities of life. I envisioned growing old with the grands and great-grands gathered around a Christmas tree bursting with ornaments and sharing the customary Christmas dinner.

 

My future didn’t quite pan out the way I’d envisioned it. What was it John Lennon said? “Life is what happens when you’re busy making plans.” Or if you want to keep with the Biblical viewpoint: In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps (Proverbs 16:9)

 

Although my innocence went by the wayside as I became an adult, I held onto that dream until the Christmas morning my first husband announced he was leaving me. It was then I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. He anchored me in the following months along with my full-time teaching job, two teenage children, and a mother who was dying of leukemia. It wasn’t until October rolled around when my then seventeen-year-old son burst into my bedroom early one morning and said, “I just realized, Christmas will never be the same” that it hit me. I wasn’t the only one affected. For him, the dream died much too early. He was right—when splitting time between divorced parents, things get rather disjointed and complicated. Christmas was never the same for any of us.

 

But our God is a God of redemption. He takes our brokenness and disappointments and uses them for our good and His glory. Wish Upon A Star isn’t the traditional Christmas story you might find on the Hallmark channel. It’s about a broken family in need of a merciful Savior, and one woman in need of a white knight.

 

Just like Elaina Hensley, the main character, God had a more perfect plan for my life, too. Without the brokenness we cannot be made whole through Him to be who He calls us to be. In the years since that fateful Christmas morning, He’s given me my own white knight, a godly husband who loves to serve, and the opportunity to follow another childhood dream—to write the stories He’s laid on my heart.

MY REVIEW 

This was such a beautiful story about trusting God. It isn’t always easy to forget about a trauma but Elaina is trying. She is very protective and sometimes may be guilty of smothering her children . The reason behind her actions is very understandable and I know I would do the same thing. How do you forgive someone who harmed your child?  Elaina is dealing with some tough issues and letting Ryan into her life is proving to be difficult for her.

I loved how the author uses this story to show how the enemy would love to keep us in bondage, never trust anyone, give no one forgiveness  and live a sheltered live. Elaina also feels  guilt  because she somehow blames herself for what happened to her innocent daughter. The emotions are very realistic and I could feel the pain that Elaina is going through. 

Ryan is someone you instantly like with his kind heart. He really cares for Elaina and her daughters but he can’t force Elaina to trust him. My heart hurt for him as he considers what he can do to change her mind. He knows that God is the only answer. Listening to Sarah makes Ryan realize that she sees herself as damaged. The scripture he tells her to look up is one we all need to be reminded of. “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  [Psalm 139:14]

The ending is filled with joy and lots of tears. It was nice to see that Ryan and Elaina realized that communication was key to their relationship as well as God.  If you are looking for a clean  women’s fiction book, this is a perfect book to get. 

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

Blog Stops

lakesidelivingsite, December 17

Texas Book-aholic, December 18

Stephanie’s life of Determination, December 18

Inklings and notions, December 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 20

For Him and My Family, December 21

deb’s Book Review, December 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 23

By the Book, December 24

Splashes of Joy, December 25

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, December 26

Older & Smarter?, December 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 28

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 28

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, December 29

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

Genesis 5020, December 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a 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/14f20/wish-upon-a-star-celebration-tour-giveaway

Silencing the Siren" by Denise L. Barela -- Silencing the Siren Epic Book Launch

 

Silencing the Siren" by Denise L. Barela -- Silencing the Siren Epic Book Launch

About the Book

Book: Silencing the Siren

Author: Denise L. Barela

Genre: Christian Historical Mystery, Fairytale

Release date: January 4, 2022

Andrew Grayson thought he had everything… until he met her.

The indulged son of wealthy parents, Andrew has always gotten whatever he wanted almost before he knew he wanted it—clothes, gadgets… even a car!

What more could a young man desire?

Enter Annabel Thompson. Freakshow mermaid extraordinaire… in a wheelchair!

Of course, her beauty attracts him. How could it not? Add to that a kind heart, and Andrew can’t help but fall for her.

Annabel’s connection with the freakshow repels his parents and their society friends. They want him to sever all ties with her and his new friends. Oh, and marry the “right” girl with the “right connections.” But he won’t do it. He’ll defy them and marry his little mermaid.

When Annabel turns up missing, declared dead, things don’t add up, Andrew

begins asking some difficult questions, the most important being, “What

happened to the little mermaid of the Coney Island freak show?”

Find out in this next book in the Ever After Mysteries, combining beloved fairy

tales and mysteries. Silencing the Siren offers a retelling of “The Little

Mermaid” that will keep you gripped to the edge of your seat as you watch the

story unfold.

BOOK EXCERPT FIVE

As time went on, he began to notice the lack of loyalty in those he had deemed his friends. 

This left a gaping hole in his heart. Was it so wrong to want friends that liked him for who he was 

rather than what he could buy them? 

The corners of his mouth turned down, and Andrew turned back around to face the subway. 

His kept a brisk pace to avoiding being late, but he also didn’t want to ruin his image by running all 

the way to the platform. That wouldn’t be very becoming of a gentleman. 

He slipped himself into an empty seat at the back of the subway and removed his hat. He set 

the object on lap before taking in his surroundings. All around him were people his parents always 

warned him against associating with. However, Andrew was never one to give much care to the rules 

his parents established. It wasn’t that he meant to be rebellious, well, maybe he did, but it wasn’t that 

difficult to do given the number of rules set in place. He could breathe wrong, and they’d be right 

there to correct him on how to properly breathe. It’s a wonder he hasn’t suffocated yet. 

MISSED ANY EXCERPTS, GO HERE:

Excerpt One: https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2021/11/silencing-siren-by-denise-l-barela.html

Excerpt Two: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2021/11/epic-book-launch-silencing-siren-by.html

Excerpt Three: https://storiesbygina.wordpress.com/2021/12/15/silencing-the-siren-epic-book-launch/

Excerpt Four: https://nannie3.blogspot.com/2021/11/silencing-siren-excerpt-four.htm

Excerpt Six: https://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/2021/11/24/epic-book-launch-for-silencing-the-siren-by-denise-l-

barela/

Excerpt Seven: https://musingsbymaureen.blogspot.com/2021/12/celebrate-lit-presents-silencing-siren.html

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Denise Barela’s passion for fiction, her faith, and general creativity define her life. In all things, she strives to glorify God, though especially in and through her writing. She has spent the past six years working for a publicity company and five years working as the head editor for a publishing company. With an MFA in Creative Writing and a Professional Writing certificate, Denise enjoys using her education and work experiences to help authors achieve their own writing dreams. When she’s not working away at her desk, you might find her reading a good book or following Alice down the rabbit hole…