Great Summer Reads Day 12 – Healing Hands

Posted on by Cindy

 

 

Parents to four wonderful children, Jerry and Stephanie Jaeger enjoy working together as J.S. Jaeger to write uplifting, entertaining stories. 

 Jerry overcame bullying to earn his black belt in Kempo Karate. He served as a special agent for the FBI and currently works as a prosecutor. 

 Stephanie ran her own accounting practice for several years before turning her focus to writing Scrolls of Zndaria with Jerry. 

 Together, they are excited to bring readers of all ages into the magical world of Zndaria.

Denya’s excited to attend the Healing Hands Academy. It’s her chance to become a handmaiden, help others, and live a life of adventure.
 
But studying at the Academy isn’t everything she’d
hoped. The headmistress and many of the students still look down on human
handmaidens. It seems as quickly as she makes friends, she has to say goodbye.
And just as she starts gaining acceptance, she puts the other students in
danger.
 
Is Denya’s determination enough to see her through,
or will she be sent home, back to the peasant life she’s trying to escape?
The second Short Scroll of Zndaria, Healing Hands
parallels The Golden Wizard and allows readers to see the magical world of
Zndaria through Denya’s eyes. Readers will be reunited with favorite characters
from the main series as well as experience life in the Redwood Forest.
Buy this book today to get a glimpse into the world
of Zndaria or delve deeper into the journey that began in The Golden Wizard!

 


  
~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
  
Snippet:
Denya dashed forward, closing the gap between her
and the wolves. A wolf caught the back of one of trolls’ worn-out shirt in its
teeth. Denya brought her stick down on the wolf’s head. It skidded into the
ground with a piece of fabric stuck in its mouth. The young trolls escaped
across the bridge. The second wolf lunged at Denya. She met its chest with a
blow in mid-air. It fell to the ground. Snarling, both wolves rose and circled
Denya.
“Leave me alone!” She swung the stick frantically.
“Leave!” She fought to keep from panicking, but tears stung her eyes.

 

The wolves nipped at her. She struck one in the
snout. It growled and snapped at her again. Denya continued swinging her club,
searching for an escape that didn’t exist. One of the wolves bit her cloak,
ripping through the hem. She couldn’t remember a time she’d feared for her life
like this.
 

 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

 

 

Great Summer Read Day Day 11 – Stevie-girl and the Phantom Pilot – Book One of Series

Posted on by Cindy

 

 

Ann has been a writer since junior high, but to pay the bills she has waited tables, delivered newspapers, cleaned other people’s houses, taught school, and had a stint as a secretary in a rock-n-roll radio station. She also worked as a 911 operator and a police dispatcher. 

Her fiction began to win awards during her college days. Since then she’s
published several short stories, novels, and novellas. She’s always reading and always writing, but even if she never sold another story, Ann would not stop writing. For her it’s a necessity, like breathing. Most of the time, it even keeps her sane.

 

~ Facebook ~ Blog ~ 
~ Amazon ~
~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~
No matter who dares you, no matter what lures
you, do not go in the spooky old house…
 


When a small planes crashes behind Jase’s rural home, the ghost of the pilot begins to haunt him. Jase can’t figure out what to do until the day he sees his classmate, Stevie-girl, enter the legendary haunted house. That’s when he decides if anyone can help him solve the mystery, she’s the one. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
~ Audible ~ B&N ~ 
~ Audible ~ iTunes ~ 
Snippet:
The West Texas night wind
whispered and whistled around the window frames. I was in my mom’s favorite
chair reading The Tell-Tale Heart
when I heard the stuttering drone of a small plane. In our rural setting, it
sounded very low and very loud.
Then the noise stopped.
Lady, the German shepherd I’d
found lying mangled and near death beside the road, was standing in front of
the picture-window, head cocked to one side.
The silence was thick and cold.
As we watched, the tail of a small
plane disappeared behind the line of firs west of the house. There was still no
sound but the wind.

 

I dialed the operator and told her
what I’d seen. She immediately patched me through to the Sheriff’s office so I
could tell the dispatcher what had happened. Then I ran outside to see what I
could see. Lady was right behind me.
 

 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

 

 

Sunday's In Bed With...

Sunday’s In Bed With…

Posted on by Cindy

This is being hosted by two of the sweetest people I have the privilege of knowing in real life, Kate and Kim. Sadly we don’t talk like we use to because you know real life happens but there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of them both.

Its hard to believe that we are in the middle of June where is the time going? One week of exams are done for Michael and he has one more this upcoming week. Then I think by the end of the week we should know the results. I am sure I have nothing to worry about with Michael.

Anyways on to the books. This week I read and loved:

Currently reading and really enjoying:

Prince Charming (Royals, #1)

Up next will be:

Her Royal Highness (Royals, #2)

what are you reading today?

Great Summer Reads Day 10 – The Immundus

Posted on by Cindy

 

 

Christina Enquist is a YA author and aspiring bookstore owner. She lives with her boyfriend and several pets in Visalia, Ca.

 

Would you sacrifice your humanity to save mankind?
 
IT’S THE YEAR 2828, and Domus is the last remaining country. Divided into twelve walled cities known as genuses, Domus spans what’s known as the purist lands—lands unaffected by the genetic modifications that killed all other species of mammals. But outside the walls of each genus the Immundus threaten the welfare of those within. From a young age, all citizens of Domus are trained for combat against these intruders.
At sixteen, Nia Luna knows little of the Immundus, except for the citywide alarms that ring any time an Immundus nears the genus walls. What she does know is that her own species is dying—their numbers dwindling as a mysterious disease called allagine kills many before their eleventh birthday. The same disease that ravaged her family when it took her sister.
 
When Nia is recruited into Genesis, a research company pioneering the path to a cure, she knows that her dream to find a cure for allagine is finally within her grasp. But within weeks of starting at Genesis, Nia witnesses something she shouldn’t have—something that changes everything. As she sets down a dangerous path that uncovers national secrets, Nia will have to decide not only what kind of person she wants to be but also how far she’s willing to go to save humanity.
Snippet
Just outside the door, a gray-haired but young-looking man, is speaking with Dr. Matus. Derek is by her side.
“Nia.” She puts her hand out to stop me from passing her. “This is Mr. Dyer. He would like to speak to you and Derek for a moment.”
“About?”
“A problem you may have experienced with an elevator this morning.” 
“No problem,” Derek responds. “We made it to the lab on time. Didn’t we, Dr. Matus?”
“Yes, they did.” She shoots a concerned look at Mr. Dyer. 
“I understand you went to the ostrich floor.”
“No. A man who was in the elevator went there. We were headed here,” I say. 
“Nevertheless, I must take you to administration for further questioning.”
“Why can’t you ask them here?” Dr. Matus asks, her tone thick with confusion.
“That is beyond your level.” She stabs him with a look of disdain. He walks us through the lab to the elevator. All eyes are on us.
On the administration floor, we’re directed to a room at the end of the hall, where the light appears dimmer than the light on the other end. The room is bare, with white walls and a table with chairs in the center. 
“What did you hear and see on the ostrich floor?”
“Nothing.” The wordbursts from Derek’s and my mouth simultaneously
“Don’t lie to me.” His words were razor sharp, cutting into my conscience. “I have video.” The room begins to feel more like a cell.
“Then why are you even asking us?” Derek says. “You saw whatever we saw. Why are you questioning us like this?”
“I want to hear from you what you think you saw and heard.”
“I told you. Nothing. I don’t know what I saw or heard,” I say. His eyes are deep and dark, shaped like pumpkin seeds, but with a narrow lid.
“Tell me what you saw now!”
“We saw the man. He pressed the ostrich button and scanned his hand and arm. He got out on the floor. We heard a scream. There was a flash of color. That’s it. You know what we saw, and it was nothing, and we did nothing. Why are we here?! Tell us!” Derek explodes before snapping his mouth shut, breathing heavily through his nose. Sweat forms in a single thin layer on my hands. “Are we in trouble?”
“Depends.”
“On what?” Derek asks.
“On whether you’re both true—” The media light on Mr. Dyer’s temple flashes. “I need to take this call.” He steps outside and shuts the glass door. My father’s hologram appears. Derek and I watch the interaction. I’m unable to hear the conversation, but I catch one word—Immundus. Mr. Dyer notices we can see him and touches the door, changing it from see-through to white. 
“He’s getting chewed out. I wonder who that is.” 
“My father,” I admit. 
“What floor does he work on?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know anything.”
“Well, he looks like he has more authority than Mr. Dyer. Maybe he’ll get us out of here.” Derek and I wait impatiently for Mr. Dyer to return.
He walks in, chagrinned, holding the door open. “You’re free to go.” He sends Derek a devious smirk. “For now.”
 

 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

 

 

Great Summer Reads Day 9 – Daisies in the Driveway

Posted on by Cindy

Lauraine Henderson began writing as a child, poems and journaling, until babies, building houses, and bookkeeping jobs usurped her world. Now, well established in Oregon and with the children grown,
she devotes her time to writing her favorite genre, clean romance. 


Years of life experience translate into plots, calamities, and happily-ever-afters as she writes her inspirational and romantic stories about fictional people who seem so real, you’ll want to know what happens after the book ends!

~ Blog ~ Website ~
~ Amazon ~
Allison Lockwood and Gavin Hunt have been offered the chance to take over the Lazy Daisy Inn and Campground so their respective grandparents, the current owners, can retire and marry. It seems all
too easy for Ally and Gavin to prove themselves during the six-month probationary period until they’re fighting disasters at the campground and failing at
over-optimistic baking expectations.

As Ally and Gavin slowly explore their growing attraction, they help each other fight fires, endure raging storms, and share a few passionate kisses. But
there’s more than fires to fight when Ally’s grandfather disapproves of their budding romance and Ally is convinced Gavin has a girlfriend in the wings…a girlfriend expecting his baby!

Ride along as the two unlikely innkeepers figure out how they fit in their new life and learn the lesson taught by the Daisies in the Driveway.

  
~ Universal Amazon Link ~ 
  
Snippet:
“They’re daisies.”
“Yeah, that doesn’t explain why we need to keep them when they’re making the driveway look tacky.”
“Not tacky. They represent the spirit of the inn.” Ally could see she wasn’t getting through to him by the lift of his eyebrows and the smile hovering around his mouth. She struggled to find the words and couldn’t explain, even to herself, why this was suddenly so important. “The inn is this place where people can get away from the real world and take time to relax. It’s a place where everyone fits in and can find peace.”
A look of understanding crept across Gavin’s face. Ally trudged on. “The daisies that
grow wild are the same. They need to be able to flourish even when they land in obscure places. The image of the inn…oh, how do I say this?”
“You’re doing fine. I’m all ears.”
Ally threw him a look, but she couldn’t be sure if he was being patronizing or genuine. The episode in the kitchen that morning was still echoing in her mind. “The daisies in the flowerbeds are there because we planted them. They are welcome and cultivated.
They are like the people who’ve done everything right and have found their way
in the world.”
Gavin nodded and Ally took it for encouragement.
“The daisies in the driveway are like the people who are trying to fit in and they get close, but they’re a little wild, yet desperate to be accepted. They need a place in this world, too. They need the same love and care the cultivated daisies get. It’s like the story in the scriptures of the seeds that fall by the wayside. If they land in good soil, they still grow and bear good fruit, even though they’re not in the place where the gardener wanted them originally. These daisies are still providing us with beautiful flowers. They deserve the chance to succeed.”
“They do?”
“Yes. They need our love and care because they’re trying harder and need more help.”
“Like people who are trying to fit in.”
“Yes.”
“Like you and me.”

 

“Well, when you put it like that, yes, like you and me.”
 

 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

 

 

Great Summer Reads Day 8 – Storm Child

Posted on by Cindy

 

 

Melanie is an author, designer, photographer, and flight attendant all rolled into one. She has told stories all her life and finds her passion in sharing the plots that spin through her head. She now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her two dachshund-chihuahua dogs. She loves the beauty of the Pacific Northwest that feeds her imagination.When no one is listening, Melanie loves to belt Broadway songs in her living room and car. Someday she hopes to be on a flight where someone is reading her book.

 
To escape capture by Imperial soldiers, 16-year-old Eridale Storm leaves the only home she’s ever known and drags her younger sister into the wilds of Mericon—the Empire that formed when America collapsed. Hoping to find safety
with their mother who disappeared when Eridale was three, the girls follow clues that lead them across the country, but the empire hounds their every step.


The journey draws Eridale deeper into the conflict between the Empire and the rebel Freedom Fighters, producing questions about Eridale’s heritage, questions no one wants to answer.

Caught between the threads of deception, rebellion, and betrayal, Eridale struggles to find out who she is. The answers she finds could lead the country back to freedom or shackle them under the imperial throne forever.

This is book 1 of a 4 book series and not a stand-alone book.

 

Snippet:
A painful moan leaves my lips in lieu of a reply. Tears of betrayal stream down my cheeks, and my
chest aches like I’ve been skewered by a thousand arrows. When I reach the beach, the first touches of dawn streak across the eastern sky. In the dim light I can’t see the boat but the tell- tale splash of feet in the water and muted grunts tells me a boat has come to shore.
When I locate the group, I march up to the small dinghy and rip the scarf from my head, letting my red hair tumble out. The breeze catches it and furls it out like a flag. My pale skin stands out like a beacon against the dark clothing. Not surprisingly, the men stare. All my tears disappear.
I throw my shoulders back and lift my chin. “I am Eridale Storm, and I request passage on
your ship to the western shore of the gulf.”

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page 

 

 

Great Summer Reads Day 7 – Coffee Cottage Collection

Posted on by Cindy

 

Lynn U. Watson has incorporated her love for Jesus and passion for essential oils into a three-volume devotional
Collection, sharing spicy and aromatic essences of Scripture. Her devotions encourage you to diligently cultivate your heart and grow your roots deeply in
an intimate relationship with Jesus. Lynn holds a BA in Journalism from University of Memphis, a certificate in aromatherapy, and is a practicing reflexologist.
 
 She and Steve have been married since 1973 and call Bartlett, Tennessee home. Their lives are blessed with two adult children, their spouses, and five beautiful, of course, grandchildren. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, runs the house. Her current work-in-progress is a novel inspired by a painfully challenging event in the life of her great-grandmother, changing the course for her family forever.

 

All three of the Cinnamah-Brosia devotionals in one ebook volume! 
 
Fruits; spices; essential oils; & botanicals of all kinds sprinkled over & planted on the pages of the Bible provide insights into God’s word. Our
Coffee Cottage’s fictional characters, Cinnamah-Brosia and friends, courageously use the essences to season the world around them with an
overflowing measure of Jesus. All three volumes of Cinnamah-Brosia’s Inspirational Collection for Women are featured in this single e-book.
“The Essence of Courage: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Solomon’s Locked Garden and in Your Heart”

As you breathe in the fragrant aromas found in Solomon’s Locked Garden (Song of Solomon 4), you’ll harvest the Fruit of the Spirit and cultivate it in the garden of your heart.

“The Essence of Joy: Filling Your Heart with the Aromas of Jesus’
Nativity”

The scents of Christmas invite our imaginations into the holiday season. What emotions flood your heart when the holidays aromas waft your way?

You’ll meet women of the Bible and contemporary women (Cinnamah-Brosia and friends) like you and me who will encourage you to discover the refreshing essence of a life lived in the presence of Jesus. Let JOY fill your heart with the aromas of His nativity.


“The Essence of Humility: Live and Love Like Jesus”

We live in a culture overwhelmed with disrespect, egos, entitlement, rudeness, and offense — lives focused on self, rather than God or others.

Jesus entered our world and walked among us. He placed no importance on rank or position. Jesus’ life reflected love because it reflected humility, and He invites us to live and love like Him.

You’re invited to travel with Cinnamah-Brosia and friends once again to meet real-life people — our contemporaries and those on the pages of God’s word, who encountered the same real-life challenges you and I face each day. Learn the blessings of a life lived like Jesus lived —- with love and humility.

Snippet:
From The Essence of Joy:
 

 

            When you believe your life or that of a loved one has been flipped upside down and inside out, counting for little of value, God’s economy reimagines and transforms the most unsightly situations into beautiful forevers.
 

 

To view our blog schedule and follow along with this tour visit our Official Event page