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About the Book
After months of undercover work, Secret Service operative Broderick Cosgrove is finally about to uncover the identity of the leader of a notorious counterfeiting ring. That moment of triumph turns to horror, however, when he finds undeniable proof that his former fiancée is connected. Can he really believe the woman he loved is a willing participant? Protecting Theresa and proving her innocence may destroy his career--but that's better than failing her twice in one lifetime.
They must form a partnership, tentative though it is. But there's no question they're both still keeping secrets--and that lack of trust, along with the dangerous criminals out for their blood, threatens their hearts, their faith, and their very survival.
My Thoughts
About the Author
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Welcome to the Blog Blitz for Turn My Mourning Into Dancing by Henri Nouwen, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Turn My Mourning Into Dancing PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | IndieBound | Christianbook | BookBub
EXCERPT
From Holding Tight to Letting Go
For years I have loved watching trapeze artists. The love began when my then- eighty- nine- year- oldfather came for a visit. Let’s go to the circus, we decided one day. That evening we watched five SouthAfrican trapeze artists—three fliers and two catchers. They danced in the air! The fliers soared and allwas dangerous until they found themselves caught by the strong hands of their partners. I told myfather that I had always wanted to fly like that, that perhaps I had missed my calling!
I am constantly moved by the courage of my circus friends. At each performance they trust that theirflight will end with their hands sliding into the secure grip of a partner. They also know that only therelease of the secure bar allows them to move on with arcing grace to the next. Before they can becaught, they must let go. They must brave the emptiness of space.
Living with this kind of willingness to let go is one of the greatest challenges we face. Whether itconcerns a person, possession, or personal reputation, in so many areas we hold on at all costs. Webecome heroic defenders of our dearly gained happiness. We treat our sometimes inevitable losses asfailures in the battle of survival.
The great paradox is that it is in letting go, we receive. We find safety in unexpected places of risk. Andthose who try to avoid all risk, those who would try to guarantee that their hearts will not be broken,end up in a self- created hell. C. S. Lewis wrote in The Four Loves,
To love at all is to be vulnerable…If you want to make sure of keeping [your heart] intact, you must giveyour heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries;avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of your selfishness. But in that casket— safe, dark,motionless, airless— it will change. It will not be broken—it will become unbreak-able, impenetrable,irredeemable…The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the danger of loveis Hell.
In so many ways, the more we insist on control and the more we resist the call to hold our lives lightly,the more we have to deny the reality of our losses and the more artificial our existence becomes. Ourbelief that we should grasp tightly what we need provides one of the great sources of our suffering. Butletting go of possessions and plans and people allows us to enter, for all its risks, a life of new,unexpected freedom.
How can we live with greater willingness to let go? Another step in turning our mourning into dancinghas to do with not clutching what we have, not trying to reserve a safe place we can rest in, not trying tochoreograph our own or others’ lives, but to surrender to the God whom we love and want to follow.God invites us to experience our not being in control as an invitation to faith.
Taken from “Turn My Mourning into Dancing: Finding Hope During Hard Times” by Henri Nouwen. Copyright 2001 Estate of Henri Nouwen. Preface Copyright 2001 Timothy Jones. Used with permission from Thomas Nelson Publishing. www.thomasnelson.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive two print copies of Turn My Mourning into Dancing (one to keep, one to give!)!
Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight April 26, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 3, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.
About the Book
Tongues start wagging after Sam nearly kills his own brother. Now when he claims to have seen men on the mountain when no one else has seen them, Annie isn't the only one questioning his sanity and her safety. If there were criminals haunting the hills, there should be evidence beyond his claims. Is he really seeing what he says, or is his war-tortured mind conjuring ghosts?
Annie desperately wants to believe her husband. But between his irrational choices and his nightmares leaking into the daytime, she's terrified he's going mad. Can she trust God to heal Sam's mental wounds--or will sticking by him mean keeping her marriage at the cost of her own life?
My Thoughts
Giveaway
The prize pack includes:
- A copy of Shadows in the Mind's Eye,
- A custom made silver peach tree necklace inspired by the book,
- A "Light speaks through the broken places" t-shirt also inspired by the book.
Click the link to enter giveaway:
https://www.audrajennings.com/2022/04/shadows-in-minds-eye-giveaway.html
About the Author
A firm believer in the power of an entertaining story, Tromp is also a book editor and published children’s book author. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her husband, two kids, two crazy cats, and a slightly eccentric Shetland Sheepdog.
You can find her on Facebook (@JanyreTromp), Instagram (@JaynreTromp), Twitter (@JanyreTromp), and her website, www.JanyreTromp.com where you can download a free copy of her novella, Wide Open.
About the Book
Meet the five Wright cousins in their first big mystery together. I mean, what could be more fun than a treasure hunt with five crazy, daring, ingenious, funny and determined teenagers, right? The adventure grows as the cousins run headlong into vanishing trains, trap doors, spooky gold mines and surprises at every turn. Have a blast with the Wright cousins as they team up to uncover the real TREASURE OF THE LOST MINE! A Family friendly book.
My Thoughts
About the Author
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About the Book
In this poignant capstone to The Barabbas Trilogy, the man called Barabbas—infamous former thief, murderer and prisoner turned Christian—and his wife Chanah continue their mission of spreading the gospel across the known world as cauldrons of political and military chaos boil across the Roman Empire.
Nero is increasingly erratic, and it’s only a matter of time before the sharp knives of imperial politics finish him off. Various successors vie for position. Who will strike first, and who will come out on top?
Meanwhile, the rebellion in Judea has intensified, the Jewish zealots exerting great influence over the minds of the people. General Vespasian and his son Titus aim to put a permanent end to the insurrection. How many lives will ultimately be sacrificed on the great altar of Jerusalem? Can the Jewish nation survive the fulfillment of Jesus’s prophecy? What will become of the Jewish Christians and the apostles and sisters who lead them? And where will Barabbas and his family find lasting peace?
The Barabbas Legacy once again brings the early years of the church into vivid detail, concluding the journey of those first saints who sacrificed everything to bring Christ’s message to the world.
Excerpt
From Chapter 11, the perspective of Marian, daughter of Barabbas and Chanah
“Fourteen today? Again?” Terisa, the amazingly gracious woman who, with her farmer husband Paerin, had kindly offered to give Marian a place to stay, admired the harvest gathered in Marian’s apron. She stared at Marian, shaking her head and smiling. “Those chickens really like you. They’ve never produced this much for me.”
Marian didn’t know quite what to say. “Oh, I don’t know. I think they’ve just had a couple of good days.”
Terisa clearly didn’t believe that. “Well, keep letting them see you a few times a day. The community could use the extra eggs. And we may have to increase the flock.” She winked, then turned to find a bowl in which to place the eggs. When she located one, Marian helped her unload, then smoothed her apron.
“Is there any mending I can do this morning? I’d start on some new children’s clothes, but I’m waiting on material.”
Terisa thought a moment. “No, I don’t think so. You can check with Catherine, though, when she gets back from visiting some farms a few miles north with her husband. You have time to do some writing. I know you enjoy it, and you’re good at it. I’ve already heard people talking about the stories you’ve completed. You have quite an imagination, grounded in faith.”
Marian lowered her eyes, embarrassed at the compliment. “I’m trying to follow my mother’s example. She inspired a lot of what I write. The apostle Paul, too.”
“I’d love to meet Paul,” said Terisa wistfully. “I doubt he’ll ever come here, but that’s okay. Apostles and sister leaders have visited before, and I’m sure more will in the future. We saw Joanna give a sermon once but didn’t get to talk to her. She was breathtaking. What a powerful woman she was … well, still is, on the other side now.”
Marian nodded agreement as she sat on a stool at their small table in the kitchen. Unsure of how Terisa would handle the revelation, she didn’t mention she had met Joanna, too. Terisa was preparing to make a stew, but Marian wouldn’t be much help at this point, as most everything was ready. It would simmer most of the day.
“Thank you for being so kind to me.”
Terisa looked up from the pot she was filling with ingredients. “You can quit thanking us so often. You’re a blessing. We’re happy to have you. And even if you want to wait a while to get married, that’s fine with us.”
Marian blushed. “It’s not that I don’t want to get married … well, maybe it is a little. I don’t know if I’m ready yet, and frankly, it frightens me to contemplate how I should go about finding a good husband.”
Terisa nodded knowingly. “Well, the really good ones are hard to find. I got lucky, I suppose. The Lord helped, too, I’m sure of that, even though we weren’t Christians yet. Just keep praying and doing good things. He’ll help you figure it out.” She started humming as she continued chopping up vegetables for the stew.
“Yes, I’m sure he will … but part of me wishes I knew the timing, while the other part is afraid to find out.”
Terisa gave her a kind smile. “Don’t overthink it. I know you writers tend to do that sometimes. Be happy, and let it come.” She winked, then turned back to humming and filling her pot.
“Thank you,” said Marian, rising. “You’ve just given me a couple of ideas. I need to write them down.”
Terisa laughed as Marian left the kitchen and headed for her room, where she had a small desk and a chair. Ink and parchment were a little harder to come by in Nazaretum than she was accustomed to, but she was making do. She sat down and began taking a few notes in tiny script. Overthinking things. She would write a story about a young woman who did that in humorously exaggerated ways … a young woman very much like herself.
About the Author
M.D. HOUSE is the author of The Barabbas Legacy, as well as the first two volumes in The Barabbas Trilogy, I Was Called Barabbas and Pillars of Barabbas. He also authored the science-fiction novel, Patriot Star. Before beginning his second career as a writer, he worked for twenty-five years in the world of corporate finance, strategic planning, and business development. Now, Michael lives in Utah with his wife, where he spends his time writing and enjoying his children and grandchildren. Learn more about Michael and his work at www.mdhouselive.com.
Learn more about M.D. House and The Barabbas Legacy at www.mdhouselive.com. The Barabbas Legacy is available on Amazon.
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About the Book
Author: Jennifer Uhlarik
Genre: Christian Fiction / Historical fiction / Romance
Release Date: March, 2022
A Love Story from the Past Brings Closure to Dani’s Fractured Family
Walk through Doors to the Past via a series of historical stories of romance and adventure.
When Dani Sango’s art forger father passes away, Dani inherits his home. Among his effects is a book of Native American drawings, which leads her to seek the help of museum curator Brad Osgood to decipher the ledger art. Why would her father have this book? Is it just another forgery?
Brad Osgood’s four-year-old niece, Brynn, needs a safe home, and Brad longs to provide it. The last thing he needs is more drama, especially from a forger’s daughter. But when the two meet “accidentally” at St. Augustine’s 350-year-old Spanish fort, Castillo de San Marcos, he can’t refuse the intriguing woman.
Broken Bow is among seventy-three Plains Indians transported to Florida in 1875 for incarceration at ancient Fort Marion. Sally Jo Harris and Luke Worthing dream of serving God on a foreign mission field, but when the Indians arrive in St. Augustine, God changes their plans. Then when friendship develops between Sally Jo and Broken Bow and false accusations fly, it could cost them their lives.
Can Dani discover how Broken Bow and Sally Jo’s story ends and how it impacted her father’s life?
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a preteen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a BA in writing, she has won five writing competitions and was a finalist in two others. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenage son, and four fur children.
More from Jennifer
Florida has been my home since I was ten, and I’ve visited the city of St. Augustine several times in my many years here. There, I stumbled across the fact that the Castillo de San Marcos, the town’s 350-year-old Spanish fort, was home to several groups of Native Americans in the 1800s. Ever since learning this fact, I’ve considered writing a story about the three-year period from 1875-1878 when seventy-three Plains Indians from various tribes called the fort (known then as Fort Marion) their home. However, since I’m mainly a western and western romance author, all of my story settings to date have been west of the Mississippi—not in Florida. So this interesting historical factoid remained dormant in my imagination for years, waiting for the right opportunity.
That opportunity came last year when I was asked to submit an idea for Barbour’s dual-timeline Doors to the Past series. These stories must be set in or around a major landmark, the plot must focus on a newsworthy event, and there must be a bit of a mystery that connects the historical timeline to the contemporary plot. Obviously, as the oldest masonry fort in the United States, Castillo de San Marcos is an important and interesting landmark. Originally built by the Spanish, it later became a British possession, reverted again to the Spanish, and eventually became part of the United States’ holdings. With such a long and varied history, I’m sure you can see why this unique structure would make an interesting landmark around which to base a story.
The newsworthy event the plot focuses on is the incarceration of those seventy-three Plains Indians, deemed some of the “worst of the worst” offenders in the Indians Wars of the West. Can you imagine the buzz such an event would create? Once the Indians fell into their routine inside the fort, they were given quite a bit of freedom to interact with the locals and tourists. People came from far and wide to see these men and their historic surroundings along the banks of the Matanzas River. With a simple day pass from the fort’s commander, outsiders could enter, walk among and talk with the prisoners, see the historic fort, and even watch cultural events like dances, powwows, mock buffalo hunts, and archery displays. The Native men could also leave the fort and venture into town to shop or sell handmade goods, from bows and arrows to hand-crafted items made from locally-sourced seashells and plants, to their original “ledger art.”
It’s the ledger art that comprises the mysterious puzzle piece connecting the historical timeline of Love’s Fortress to the present day. When Dani Sango learns her long-estranged father has died, she inherits his rundown St. Augustine house. Inside, she discovers a book of Native American art depicting events from one Indian’s daily life. But because her father was a convicted art forger, Dani questions why he would have the strange and rudimentary artwork. She suspects it was his latest scam, so she enlists the help of Brad Osgood, curator of a western art museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, to help her discover where the art originated and how her father came to possess it. In the process, the pair digs deep into the history of the St. Augustine fort and its former residents.
I found it fascinating to research this brief period in the Castillo’s long history, and I hope you’ll enjoy the story that came from my efforts.
Blog Stops
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 26
Remembrancy, March 26
The Christian Fiction Girl, March 27
Texas Book-aholic, March 27
Inklings and notions, March 28
Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 28
Bigreadersite, March 29
For Him and My Family, March 29
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 30
Betti Mace, March 30
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 31
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 31
deb’s Book Review, April 1
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 1
Older & Smarter?, April 2
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 2
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 3
Life of Literature, April 3
Genesis 5020, April 4
For the Love of Literature, April 4
Connie’s History Classroom, April 5
Blossoms and Blessings, April 5
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 6 (Spotlight)
Splashes of Joy, April 6
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, April 7
Through the Fire Blogs, April 7
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 8
Pause for Tales, April 9
Labor Not in Vain, April 9
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/1c10d/love-s-fortress-celebration-tour-giveaway
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