From My TBR Pile: Lilly's Weding Quilt by Kelly Long

This is a book I won a while ago. It has an autographed book plate, which makes it special. I adore Amish fiction. They also have some of the nicest covers around.

COVER: What a nice cover this is. There are currently three books in the A Patch of Heaven Series. All the covers are stunning and have a patch quilt pattern as the background behind the title and author's name. The warm colors in this cover (Book 2) give it a harvest time feel. They also make the blue in the woman's eyes stand out.

BLURB:  Handsome, headstrong Jacob offers Lilly his hand in marriage, but his heart belongs to someone else.

While Lilly Lapp has loved Jacob for years, she wouldn't compete with Sarah King, the woman Jacob was determined to marry. But when Sarah marries another, Jacob spontaneously agrees to wed Lilly.

Lilly divides her time between teaching the local Amish children and caring for her widowed mother who suffers from depression. Lilly's faith comforts her, but her heart still longs to be the sole object of Jacob's affection.

As the days slip by, Lilly decides that hoping is too risky and vows to protect her heart. But God is subtly as work, and as winter turns to spring, their hearts awaken.

The furthest thing from Lilly's mind is her Amish wedding quilt, a traditional gift for new brides. And the person she'd least suspect is the one making it. Like stray pieces of fabric quilted into a new design, Jacob and Lilly's marriage begins to bind them together in ways neither expected.

FIRST SENTENCE: Lilly Lapp was late.

Series: A Patch of Heaven Novel
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373787111
ISBN-13: 978-0373787111

PURCHASE FROM CHRISTIANBOOK.COM OR AMAZON!

Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow On Sale and Giveaway

The story of "Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow" takes us on the journey she travels to figure out how to get the cows at a new farm to like and accept her.

While she hopes to find friendship at her new home, instead she learns what it means to be different from everyone else. (Spotless!) Mary Elizabeth uses clever ideas and a sense of humor to help her on her quest for friends at the new farm.

This inspiring tale shows how perseverance in spite of obstacles, using a sound thought process to arrive at solutions and the importance of having fun, using humor and enjoying playtime can build friendships.

Excerpt:


Once upon a time........there was a farm in Ohio with lots of Cows. They all had many spots to be proud of. One day a truck pulled into the farm. The back door opened and out came a new Cow. The other Cows were so excited to have a new friend!

But as the new Cow came out of the truck the other Cows looked on in shock!!! "Oh My! What on Earth?!"

It seems the new Cow, whose name was Mary Elizabeth, had no spots!

’’Where are your spots??!!’’ Demanded the Cow called Anna Belle. ’’I don’t have any spots. I was born spotless, you see.’’

Well, Anna Belle and the other Cows were horrified.
(Not mad, you had to be very careful about mad)



Purchasing information: From now through December 31, 2013, you can purchase Mary Elizabeth The Spotless Cow from the Sweetles website for only $12.00 (List price: $17.99).

When you buy this book, 50% of net proceeds go to Phoenix Children’s Hospital Child Life Program. Visit http://www.sweetles.com/product/books/mary-elizabeth-the-spotless-cow-book/ for more information.

Enter for your chance to win a 25 Amazon gift card!

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Sal is the author and illustrator of “A Sweetles Dream”® book series. As the Creative Director for

Hartman-Barbera llc, a family media and entertainment company, he is also an animator, sculptor, painter and all around fun guy. Sal lives the phrase: “A day without laughter is a wasted day”. To that end, he uses his writing, illustrating and animation skills to create endearing characters and comedic stories.

Sal's sense of humor and empathy for his characters explore personal and social situations in ways that makes it enjoyable for both adults and children to experience together. Born in New York City, Sal moved to North Bergen, NJ where he grew up on a steep hillside neighborhood with his four older sisters. He currently lives in sunny Arizona with his wife and artistic partner, Sheri, who he defines as his inspiration. On any given day Sal might be painting, sculpting, drawing, animating, writing or enjoying one of his favorite pastimes: cooking, television, movies and golf.

Visit Sal Barbera’s website at http://www.salbarbera.com.

This Week's Countdown to Christmas Schedule on Hallmark Channel

Though my crazy schedule for November hasn't allowed me to watch any shows yet, I plan to make up for that soon.

Week Three: Monday, November 18 - Sunday, November 24

Monday, November 18
12a/11c: Karroll's Christmas
2a/1c: Matchmaker Santa
4a/3c: Christmas With Holly, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
6a/5c: The Night Before the Night Before Christmas
8a/7c: It's Christmas, Carol!
2/1c: A Boyfriend for Christmas
4/3c: Baby's First Christmas
6/5c: A Holiday Engagement
8/7c: A Princess for Christmas
10/9c: Matchmaker Santa

Tuesday, November 19
12a/11c: It's Christmas, Carol!
2a/1c: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving
4a/3c: Christmas With Holly, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
6a/5c: Eve's Christmas
8a/7c: A Princess for Christmas
2/1c: Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle
4/3c: Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle
6/5c: Christmas With Holly, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
8/7c: Pete's Christmas
10/9c: The Christmas Card

Wednesday, November 20
12a/11c: Eve's Christmas
2a/1c: Debbie Macomber's Mrs. Miracle
4a/3c: Debbie Macomber's Call Me Mrs. Miracle
6a/5c: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
8a/7c: Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade
2/1c: The Wishing Tree
4/3c: The Christmas Card
6/5c: Jingle All the Way
6:30/5:30c: Jingle and Bell's Christmas Star
7/6c: Jingle All the Way
7:30/6:30c: Jingle and Bell's Christmas Star
8/7c: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
10/9c: A Very Merry Mix-Up

Thursday, November 21
12a/11c: Love at the Thanksgiving Day Parade
2a/1c: Once Upon a Christmas
4a/3c: Fallen Angel, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
6a/5c: Karroll's Christmas
8a/7c: Twice Upon a Christmas
2/1c: A Season for Miracles, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
4/3c: Fallen Angel, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
6/5c: Once Upon a Christmas
8/7c: The Christmas Ornament
10/9c: Snow Bride

Friday, November 22
12a/11c: Twice Upon a Christmas
2a/1c: Karroll's Christmas
4a/3c: Battle of the Bulbs
6a/5c: A Season for Miracles, from the Hallmark Hall of Fame
8a/7c: Farewell Mr. Kringle
2/1c: Battle of the Bulbs
4/3c: The Santa Suit
6/5c: Catch a Christmas Star
8/7c: Eloise at Christmastime
10/9c: A Bride for Christmas

Saturday, November 23
12a/11c: Farewell Mr. Kringle
2a/1c: All I Want for Christmas
4a/3c: The Santa Suit
6a/5c: The Dog Who Saved Christmas
8a/7c: Eloise at Christmastime
10a/9c: A Bride for Christmas
12/11c: All I Want for Christmas
2/1c: Catch a Christmas Star
4/3c: The Christmas Ornament
6/5c: Help for the Holidays
8/7c: Window Wonderland, a Hallmark Channel Original Premiere!
10/9c: Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas

Sunday, November 24
12a/11c: Mistletoe Over Manhattan
2a/1c: The Dog Who Saved Christmas
4a/3c: Lucky Christmas
6a/5c: Debbie Macomber's Trading Christmas
8a/7c: Mistletoe Over Manhattan
10a/9c: Help for the Holidays
12/11c: Lucky Christmas
2/1c: Window Wonderland
4/3c: Snow Bride
6/5c: Naughty or Nice (2012)
8/7c: Fir Crazy, a Hallmark Channel Original Premiere!
10/9c: Moonlight & Mistletoe

You've Got Mail Monday

November is halfway over. Thank goodness. I'm just about done in, but if I can make it to November 30th, it will get easier from there. I attended the WriteAngles Conference this Saturday. John Katzenback, author of Hart's War and Just Cause sat on one of the panels I attended. Anthony Swofford, author of the memoir, Jarhead was on another panel. Keynote speakers were Pat Schneider and Suzy Becker. Great day and bought books I have no room for in my office--like always. I picked up Katzenbach's book, What Comes Next, Everything I Was by Corinne Demas (she sat on the same panel as Kaztzenbach and I loved her), Swofford's book, Jarhead, for my hubby, and The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin, who just so happens to be friends with one of my favorite historical fiction authors, C.W. Gortner. I also saw a local teacher and purchased her book directly from her: The Paladins DuBois by Patricia Donaruma Williford.

My office remains a mountain of books, which I have to clean because the Lil' Diva is having party here on Friday night and I sure don't want anyone to think I'm a total slob. I'm really not, I've just had a hectic year and haven't been able to stay on top of things the way I usually do.

Christmas presents have started to arrive from various retailers. One of the presents I was going to get the hubby ended up being an emergency purchase when his shaver died. Well, died isn't actually accurate; it broke and wouldn't shut off. The new Braun will arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, I managed to convince the old shaver to stop running constantly by knifing it almost to death. Some of its parts will never be the same. Dad used to have one of those self-cleaning shavers, but it took up a lot of counter space and required regular purchases of the cleaning cartridge, which weren't cheap even at Walmart. Here's the new purchase:




I wonder why he opted to go with a wet and dry shaver this time. He's never done that before.

The coming of Christmas means the mail carrier, the UPS driver and the FedEx driver are all visiting us often. I still have boxes in the playroom from this week's deliveries. I picked up a couple of cute seasonal bread pans so I can make something for the church bazaar. I'm not much of a crafter these days, so I'm focusing on filling up the bake sale table.

Thy Will Be Done by Ronald Kirk and Closet Words by Kim Hilton arrived this week. I'll be reviewing those books during their December virtual book tours. I received a small catalog from the National Home Gardening Club, which I am a member of, about the AeroGarden. These units allow you to garden all year long. Too bad my cats would eat anything I tried to grow in the house. My December issue of All You magazine arrived, as did the first issue of my new HGTV Magazine subscription. Actually, my office right now is also piles of unread magazines. I swear, I will get to them all. I don't subscribe to anything just for the heck of it.

I also received this new product to review. It's called Re-Grip®. You install it on tool handles and it redistributes the energy created by impact. I think I'll try to add it to my rubber mallet to see how it works.

That's it for this week's You've Got Mail Monday. Hope you enjoy your week.

Book Spotlight: My Name Used to Be Muhammad by Tito Momen with Jeff Benedict

The True Story of a Muslim Who Became a Christian.

Tito Momen was raised Muhammad Momen. He was born in Nigeria and was taught to observe the strict teachings of Islam. At age five he woke at 4:45 every morning to attend the mosque and perform dawn prayer with the other men in his village. Training to memorize the Qur’an began at age six. It was at this same age that he began copying the entire Qur’an word for word. He was being raised to emerge as a leader among clerics, capable of leading a jihad, or holy struggle, to convert nonbelievers to Islam. However, Tito’s path took an unexpected turn when he was introduced to Christianity. His decision to believe in Jesus Christ cost him his family and his freedom. Tito thought he would spend his remaining days enduring a life sentence in an uncivilized Egyptian prison. For fifteen years he suffered and waited and prayed. Tito said, “I never gave up hope. I never stopped believing.” Although he was falsely imprisoned, beaten, and ridiculed, Tito’s remarkable true story is one of faith, forgiveness, and testimony that God does hear and answer prayers.

You can read an excerpt at www.jeffbenedict.com

"My Name Used to Be Muhammad" is a life changing book! It was fascinating to me to learn about

what it was like to grow up in an Islamic community with very extreme beliefs and rules. Titon Momen’s story about finding Christianity makes me reflect on my own Christianity and resolve to be a better Christian. I am a better person for having read this book. It was easy to read, and hard to put down. I marvel at Tito’s faith and optimism. If he can remain positive in his trials, then I know I can be more positive in mine. I am grateful to have read such a wonderful book, and look forward to reading it again. —Tom Castleton

Purchase at: 

Deseret Books: http://deseretbook.com/My-Name-Used-Muhammad-Jeff-Benedict/i/5108900

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Used-Be-Muhammad-ebook/dp/B00F45XGWA/ 

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-name-used-to-be-muhammad-jeff-benedict/1117376861

Jeff Benedict is considered one of America’s top investigative journalists He has published several acclaimed books, including Out of Bounds and Pros and Cons. His work has also been published in the New York Times and Los Angeles Times, among other publications, and he has appeared on ESPN, NBC Nightly News, CBS’ 48 Hours, and ABC News.

Visit Jeff online at http://www.jeffbenedict.com/

First Chapter Review of The Wanderers by Paul Stutzman

The Wanderers is a an Amish novel from Paul Stutzman. I am reviewing this first chapter for his virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book.

BLURB:  An Amish Love Story About Hope and Finding Home

Everything in God’s nature, Johnny observed, did what it was created to do. Everything, that is, except the human race. Johnny was born into an Amish family, into a long line of farmers and good businessmen. He is expected to follow the traditions of family and church as he grows to adulthood. But even as a boy, he questions whether he can be satisfied with this lifestyle. He wants “more” — more education, more travel, more opportunity.

His restlessness leads him down a dangerous road where too much partying and drinking result in heartbreaking consequences. He’s adrift, and no one seems to be able to help him find his direction.

Then he meets spunky Annie, who seems pure and lovely and devoted to her God. Her past, though, holds sin and heartbreak. She was a worm, she explains, but God has transformed her into a butterfly. Johnny falls hopelessly in love; and eventually he, too, finds the power of God to transform lives.

Settling down on the family farm, he forgets about the questions and the restlessness, thinking that he is happy and at home, at last.

But in a few short hours, tragedy changes his life forever, and he is again wondering… and wandering on a very long journey.

Entwined with Johnny and Annie’s story is the allegory of two Monarch butterflies, worms who have been transformed into amazing creatures specially chosen to carry out the miracle of the fourth generation. They, too, must undertake a long journey before they finally find home.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON.

COVER: When I first saw this cover, I thought it rather plain by Amish fiction standards. It does, however, capture that feel of the farm and features the beautiful Monarch butterflies that are vital to the story.

FIRST CHAPTER: Johnny is reminiscing about growing up on his family's farm and how he struggled to find his way in the Amish life. But then he meets Annie, and for a time, things look brighter.

KEEP READING: If you're expecting your standard Amish novel in this book, you won't find it. Having read a fair amount of this genre, I can tell you this book can catch you off guard at first, because the opening chapter isn't told through the eyes of a character who is immersed in his faith. It's told through the eyes of Johnny who is struggling to figure out where he fits into the faith he's grown up in. With the expectation being that he'll work on the family farm, he knows he's not cut out for it. He's upset that his formal education has come to a close after eight years of elementary schooling. So, if you're looking for a book that sticks closely to the genre, The Wanderers might not be for you. 

That said, I like it when authors think outside the box; when they veer away from the traditional standards of a genre. At this point, I'm not 100% convinced this book is for me, but I would like to see more. The reviews from the tour so far have compelled me not to dismiss this book too quickly. I like how Stutzman opens the book with Johnny saying he was ten when he had his first taste of beer and that he was a late starter. It's a fabulous hook and totally unexpected. What other surprises might I find if I continue?

Title: The Wanderers
Author: Paul Stutzman
Genre: Amish Fiction
Publisher: Carlisle Printing
Pages: 374
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0984644911
ISBN-13: 978-0984644919


I received a copy of the first chapter of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Guest Blogger: Sarah Renée, Author of the Saderia Series (Giveaway)

Ten years ago, a devastating fire took the lives of Queen Karenisha and King Makero, leaving a young Princess Saderia orphaned.

Nobody knows how the fire started, but it ignited quickly. Too quickly.

In ten years, the truth has never been discovered...

Saderia is a curious 10-year-old tiger Princess. Her Aunt Cia and Uncle Jash have taken over the duties of Queen and King and have raised Saderia since her parents disappeared in a mysterious fire. Saderia’s aunt and uncle don’t understand the sassy, adventurous tiger, which she resents.

At night, though, Saderia is haunted by dark nightmares about the fire - eerie, cryptic dreams that push her to start investigating her parents’ disappearance. As she uncovers strange clues, she soon becomes desperate to know the truth. Could her parents have been murdered? On a quest to uncover the truth about her parents’ disappearance, she soon realizes her forest has many other mysteries when she discovers a dangerous, ancient royal secret regarding her oldest ancestors - a secret that will change not only her life, but the lives of everyone around her.

Saderia doesn’t know who or what to trust, but she is desperate to uncover the secrets of the past. She will do whatever it takes to find the truth.

The Main Character Gets All The Love! by Sarah Renée

I’m often asked which of my book characters is my favorite character. Picking favorites is never easy, but if I had to choose, I’d say my favorite character is my main character, Saderia. Saderia is a 10-year-old tiger Princess who is the protagonist of my middle grade fantasy Saderia Series.

In the first book of the series, The Tiger Princess, Saderia makes it her goal to search for clues about how her parents, the King and Queen, disappeared. Saderia is my favorite character for many reasons, but for this post, I’ll narrow it down to five.

1. She’s sassy!

Saderia is never afraid to speak her mind – and often times, that can get her into trouble! Sometimes, she may be bold, but she’s never afraid to give her opinion.

2. She’s brave.

Saderia is a Princess who has grown up living the pampered life of royalty, but don’t let that fool you. While her Aunt Cia and Uncle Jash, who raised her since her parents disappeared, tell her to act more like a prissy, typical Princess, on the inside, Saderia is a playful tomboy who’s not afraid to face danger. On her quest to find the truth about her parents’ disappearance, Saderia finds herself facing terrible danger, but her brave spirit never lets her

give in!

3. She’s curious.

Saderia is an extremely curious girl who wants to explore her whole world - something a lot of children can relate to. I know that when I wrote The Tiger Princess at the age of 12, I was curious about the world and loved to explore, and I know lots of kids feel the same – especially children in the 8-12 year old age range, which The Tiger Princess is geared toward. Saderia is no exception and loves to explore her world, which gives her an edge in solving the mystery of her parents’ disappearance.

4. She isn’t perfect.

Just like everyone else, Saderia isn’t perfect and she knows this. She has her own insecurities about herself and worries about fitting into the ideal of what her aunt and uncle want her to be. But despite her worries, she still tries to look forward and think positive!

5. She doesn’t know when to quit!

Throughout her adventures in The Tiger Princess, Saderia faces a lot of difficult trials and downright dangerous situations. In some of the dangerous tasks she faces, it is easy to back down and give up – in some cases, it might even be sensible to do so! – but Saderia refuses to give up and will keep her head up and keep going no matter what!

And that’s why I love Saderia! If you want to get to know Saderia even better, you can check out the first book, The Tiger Princess, for free on the Amazon Kindle or on the Barnes and Noble Nook. Thanks, Cheryl, for hosting me on your blog, and thanks to everyone for reading!

Enter to win a free PDF of The Tiger Princess and Dash, the first two books in the Saderia Series. Use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

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Sarah Renée has loved writing from an early age. She has been writing short stories since the age of 4, and at the age of 10, she came up with the idea for The Tiger Princess. She wrote the novel when she was 12. She is fascinated with wild animals and the wild world outside her home, and has an obvious great love of tigers. She enjoys spending time with her cats, reading, drawing, and playing her violin when she is not writing. In her free time, she is constantly daydreaming about her many characters, creating new ones, and coming up with interesting adventure story ideas. She is now 17 years old.

Visit Sarah Renée’s website at www.thetigerprincess.comor her blog at http://www.thetigerprincess.com/blogsnews.htmlto learn more about Sarah Renée, her books, and more! You can also find her on Facebookand Twitter.