Written in Ink by Sara Davison

  

About the Book

Book: Written in Ink

Author: Sara Davison

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Release date: August 4, 2021

Everything he has built his life and future on has been torn away.

Cash McCall has loved Dr. Renee Dawson for half his life. Although they’ve talked about a future together, she has never believed it was the right time for them to get engaged. Now she has ended their relationship, and he has no idea why.

Everything Renee worked so hard for is in jeopardy. One agonizing decision has changed everything, and she has been forced to shatter the heart of the man she loves. And her own.

The extremist militant group The Arm is on a mission. Its leader doesn’t care how many innocent lives are lost in the pursuit of the group’s end goal, and Renee has seen something she was not supposed to see.

If Cash can’t get to her in time, Renee could end up in the crosshairs of the terrorists, and he may lose her—and any chance at the life he’d always envisioned—forever.

My Thoughts:

Wow.  This author tackles a really tough topic and does it well.  I read the back and thought it would be a good romantic suspense book, but that's not exactly what I got.  I think the author did a great job with the story and making it pull you in.  The build up is absolutely there.

The characters don't know God yet and it was a great read to watch them grow and progress throughout.  I think the author did a really good job with the abortion topic that was brought up.  Everything that was said/done was realistic.  Overall, it is a good book.

4/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.  

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Sara Davison is the author of three romantic suspense series—The Seven Trilogy, The Night Guardians, and The Rose Tattoo Trilogy, as well as the standalone, The Watcher. She has been a finalist for more than a dozen national writing awards, including Best New Canadian Christian author, a Carol, two Selahs, a Holt Medallion, and three Daphne du Maurier Awards for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. She is a Word and Cascade Award winner. She currently resides in Ontario, Canada with her husband Michael and their three children. The words on the mug she uses every morning pretty much sum up her life—I just want to sleep, drink coffee, and make stuff up. Get to know Sara better at www.saradavison.org and @sarajdavison.

 

More from Sara

The Rose Tattoo Trilogy is set in one of my favourite small towns in Canada—Elora, Ontario. It was such a joy to develop the setting in this series, describing the quaint shops and the natural beauty of the gorge, places I have wandered through countless times. In the first two books of the series—Lost Down Deep and Written in Ink—the real-life fifty-nine stone steps built into the hillside and leading down to the river that runs through the gorge plays a big part in the story, as reflected in this excerpt:

The fifty-nine stone steps set into the side of the hill felt like twice that many as Cash descended slowly into the ravine.

The Elora Gorge was a natural wonder, with a steep rock face flanking both sides of a narrow river. The beauty of it was lost on him, though, and had been for five years, since the night his sister Tessa had traipsed down these stairs and onto the ice. Ice that had shattered beneath her feet, allowing the frigid river to steal her from them forever. Simply being here now drove daggers as sharp as those shards of ice into his chest. How did Jude deal with it when he’d been the one who had lingered at the top of the steps, too tired after a long day to go after her in the cold and dark, until he’d heard the ice crack and his sister scream?

By then it had been too late.

Below is a photo of the actual steps down to the river. I have been up and down those steps many times, and while they aren’t that easy to traverse (especially the going up part!) the effort is well worth it when you reach the bottom and find yourself surrounded by beauty, as Cash does here.

A cool spring breeze brushed across his cheeks. High up in one of the trees, roots clinging, against all odds, to fissures halfway up the rock across the water from him, an owl hooted, the sound drifting across the ravine. Moonlight glinted off the water, sending sparks of light skittering across the surface. Cash scanned the gorge. As far as he could see in either direction, the beauty of the night, of this place, filled his senses.

Something flowed through him like the water passing between the rocky banks. Cash withdrew one hand from his pocket and held it to his chest. What was that? He struggled to put a name to it. Peace, maybe?

Personally, the Elora Gorge has always been a place of peace for me, as it is for Cash in Written in Ink. Do you have a place you go when you need to get away from the chaos of life and experience peace?

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 23

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 24

Inklings and notions, October 25

An Author’s Take, October 25

Texas Book-aholic, October 26

CarpeDiem, October 27

For Him and My Family, October 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 28

deb’s Book Review, October 29

The Sacred Line, October 29

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 30

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 30

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 31

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 1

Life, love, writing , November 1

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 2

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 3

Vicarious Living, November 3

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 4

Sodbuster Living, November 5

Mary Hake, November 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sara is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon card, a paperback copy of Written in Ink, a pair of rose earrings, and a pack of temporary rose tattoos!!

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/126b5/written-in-ink-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Queen of Steel and Fire by Steven South

  

About the Book

Book: The Queen of Steel and Fire

Author: Steven South

Genre: Young Adult, Epic Fantasy

Release date: April 21, 2021

When her father is murdered, Princess Claire Erinn is thrust onto the throne of Keldaren. 
Unprepared to rule, Claire has to act like a strong queen until she learns how to be one.  But an enemy queen and Claire’s half-mad brother don’t intend to let her live that long.  They’re coming for her crown—and her head.  With Death herself hunting her, Claire struggles to become the warrior her kingdom needs.  As war engulfs an entire world, only one queen can rule—through steel and fire.

 My Thoughts:

This was a great book.  I want to start by saying the cover is completely gorgeous.  That is what usually sets the tone for a book for me and this one didn't disappoint.  This author did a great job of building this world and characters.

Claire is thrown into her role unexpectedly, but she handled it well (for the most part).  She really grew as a character throughout the story.  There is so much going on in the story and it didn't feel like it ever lagged.  The faith aspect was done really well and I think it wound in perfectly with the rest of the story.  I will absolutely be looking for more from this author.

5/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Steve lives in Minnesota with his wife.  When he’s not reading, working, or writing, he loves to
travel…his goal is to make it to at least six continents in his lifetime. Just three more to go! Beside traveling, he also loves karaoke, although he’ll be the first to admit that he’s terrible at it.  You can contact him through his Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/queenofsteelandfireseries

 

More from Steven

This project began as a bit of a lark to see if I actually had it in me to write a book.  I first “finished” the book in 2006.  Then I discovered the meaning of the phrase “writing is re-writing”.  It took me over thirty attempts to get the beginning right.  Six complete re-writes of the book and 13 years later, it won the 2019 Minnesota Author Project award for young adult fiction.  Many query letters later, I found a publisher.  After several more revisions with Mel Hughes—the excellent editor that I was very fortunate to work with—Elk Lake Publishing released the book this year.

 

When I first started writing this book, there weren’t a lot of Fantasy novels with female main characters.  I felt it was a really under-represented area within the genre, and I wanted to write a book that imagined what a world with more strong female characters—and especially a strong female protagonist—might look like.  I also wanted to write a book that explored the struggle with reconciling faith and reason, and how to be good in a world of moral relativism.

 

I was raised in a strong Catholic household, but I drifted away from faith in my late teens.  In my mid-twenties, I decided that I was being intellectually dishonest with myself, having one foot in religion, and one foot in a kind of lukewarm agnosticism.  I took some time to “wander in the desert” and really wrestle with religion and my beliefs, did a lot of studying of different religions and Christian denominations, and as a result of that, found myself really strongly drawn back to the Church.

 

There’s a saying that all first novels are autobiographies.  I guess that’s somewhat true for this novel too.  Claire has to struggle to answer the fundamental question about faith that all honest skeptics have to confront at some point in their lives—what if could be true?  The Queen of Steel and Fire was born of my journey through that question, and the answer I found.

Blog Stops

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 22

Inklings and notions, October 23

Nancy E Wood, October 24

Texas Book-aholic, October 25

Libary Lady’s Kid Lit, October 26

For Him and My Family, October 26

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 27

deb’s Book Review, October 28

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 29

Rebecca Tews, October 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 30

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 31

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 2

Blogging With Carol, November 3

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Steven is giving away the grand prize of a $50 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/126b1/the-queen-of-steel-and-fire-celebration-tour-giveaway

Change has Changed by Sam Chand

  

About the Book

Book: Change Has Changed

Author: Sam Chand

Genre: BUSINESS & ECONOMICS /Leadership

Release date: October 19, 2021

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said change is the only constant in life.

But the world has experienced so much upheaval since January 2020 that change itself has changed! In business, the church, and nonprofits, leaders are being left in the dust as events and challenges speed by in a blur. The pace of change was accelerating before…but the pandemic pressed the pedal to the floor.

“We’re at an inflection point,” says leadership architect and change strategist Sam Chand. “The way things were isn’t the way things will be.”

In his new book Change Has Changed, Sam sets out to help leaders understand the evolving nature of change so that they can guide their organizations with wisdom and confidence.

He examines three major shifts that he likens to three simultaneous earthquakes:

• Our environment has changed. People are working from home, many businesses may never reopen, and the way we shop, handle health needs, and even go to church has changed.
• We have changed. We’ve learned to live with rampant uncertainty and a raft full of nagging fears—but our bodies and our souls weren’t meant for this!
• The people around us have changed.They are frustrated, isolated, depressed, anxious, and angry. They just don’t feel safe.

Sam tackles these and related issues head-on by offering lessons that will empower leaders to be ready for the next normal.

“We used to talk about a new normal as if it’s the end point of change,” Sam explains, “but if we’ve learned anything in the past months, it’s that change is perpetual, and we need to anticipate the next one on the horizon.”

 My Thoughts:

This is a thought provoking book.  It is the first book I’ve read that directly address how COVID-19 has changed life.   Literally everything has changed and there is a new ‘normal’ but it will never go back to how it was.

I think the author has some good points.  There is a lot in here that can be helpful to organizations and businesses.  Personally I didn't think it pertained directly to me or that I was it's intended audience, but I can see how the book would be good for pastors or leaders.  

3/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.  

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Sam Chand’s singular vision for his life is to help others succeed. A prolific author and renowned international business consultant, he develops leaders through consultations, Sam Chand Leadership Institute, Dream Releaser Coaching, and resources such as books, webinars, and digital downloads.

Sam consults with large churches and businesses on leadership and growth, conducts worldwide leadership conferences, and speaks regularly at corporations, business roundtables, seminars, and other leadership development opportunities.

Being raised in a pastor’s home in India has uniquely equipped Sam to share his passion to mentor, develop, and inspire leaders to break all limits. He has been called a dream releaser, leadership architect, and change strategist.

In the 1970s, as a student at Beulah Heights College, Sam served as a janitor, cook, and dishwasher to finance his education. He returned in 1989 as president—and under his leadership, Beulah Heights University became the country’s largest predominantly African-American Christian college.

Sam holds an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Beulah Heights University, an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Heritage Bible College, a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling from Grace Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Education from Beulah Heights. He has mentored leaders in churches and ministries as well as international corporations and business start-ups. He was named one of the top thirty global leadership gurus by www.leadershipgurus.net.

Sam has authored more than a dozen books on leadership, including Harnessing the Power of Tension: Stretched but Not Broken; The Sequence to Success: Three O’s That Will Take You Anywhere in Life; New Thinking, New Future; Culture Catalyst; Bigger Faster Leadership; Who’s Holding Your Ladder?; What’s Shakin’ Your Ladder?; and Leadership Pain.

Sam and his wife, Brenda, have two adult daughters. They make their home in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more information or to connect with Sam, please visit www.samchand.com.

 

More from Sam

Let us Dream Out Loud (DOL) with you! My team and I want to play a huge part in the conceiving, releasing, and achieving of YOUR dreams! Through our content, we hope to provide you with everything you need to be equipped, motivated, and inspired in your journey to achieving your dreams!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 19

Texas Book-aholic, October 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 21

deb’s Book Review, October 22

Simple Harvest Reads, October 23 (Spotlight)

For Him and My Family, October 23

Inklings and notions, October 24

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 26

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 27

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 28

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 29

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, October 30

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 31

Artistic Nobody, November 1 (Spotlight)

Mary Hake, November 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Sam is giving away the grand prize package of $20 Starbucks 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/122a6/change-has-changed-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wonders of the Galaxy by Various Elk Lake Authors

  

About the Book

Book:  Wonders of the Galaxy

Author: Various Elk Lake Authors

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Release date: September 15, 2021

 

A series of space tales based on parables from the Holy Bible.

 My Thoughts:

This is an intriguing collection of stories.  Each is short and every author definitely has their own writing style.  Some I enjoyed more than others, but all of them were good.  There wasn't one that I didn't like in the whole group.  Some left me wanting more and asking questions.  Several I thought the author could expand on and make a full length novel.

There are a variety of issues somewhat talked about in the stories.  They are vaguely referenced or alluded to in a way.  I liked that in the stories.  I would read longer books by each of these authors and enjoy them.  If you are in the mood for some quick short reads that will get your attention and take you out of this world, this is for you.

4/5

Thank you to the author/publisher for the review copy of this book via Celebrate Lit.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review and the opinions stated above are 100% mine.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Jason William Karpf is a multitalented actor, musician, professor, and Jeopardy champion whose writing runs the gamut from true crime to speculative fiction.

 

 

 

Aaron Gansky is an award-winning novelist and Dungeons and Dragons whiz who lives for his children, coaching football, and watch Marvel movies.

 

 

 

Erica Marie Hogan’s books range from long ago historical dramas to frozen fantasies on faraway planets. Regardless of where the story originates, it comes from the heart—because Erica believes genres are transcendent.

 

 

 

Brett Heaston is the creator of the Message to Kings podcast and the author of The Resilience Awakening. He lives in the Pacific Northwest, a history nerd, and an adventure junkie.

 

 

 

Steve South is a traveler, a karaoke singer, and a profound believer in the power for stories to move people; his first novel, The Queen of Steel and Fire, won the 2019 Minnesota Author Project Award for YA fiction.

 

 

 

L.G. Westlake lives in the “Land of Enchantment,” but also lives a dream life in far-flung galaxies where she regularly charts the unknown; her previous novels have included award-winning fantasies and thrillers.

 

 

 

M B Dahl is a wife, mother, and award-winning author of dystopian adventures. She loves dressing up like a warrior and fighting dragons, imaginary or real.

 

 

 

T.E. Bradford is an international bestselling author, a Selah award finalist, and a self-proclaimed geek who believes her writing is “a little piece of magic” given to her by God.

 

 

 

Travis W. Inman has been a cowboy, a missionary, a soldier, and more in his multi-storied career, and his stories reflect his diverse background. In his spare time, he searches for hidden treasure, both financial and culinary.

 

 

 

More from the Editor

WHY A CHRISTIAN SPACE OPERA?

 

“What do you like to read,” I asked my seventeen-year-old grandson.

 

When he said he likes Space Opera, I had to admit I was lost. I love Science Fiction but didn’t know Space Opera was different. After ordering him a book, I started doing some research. Phrases like, “wildly popular” spoke to me.

 

Christians use a variety of fiction genres to reach their audiences. I wondered if we were losing younger readers because we are not being relevant to what interests them. Could this genre be presented in a way to encourage young readers to see new truths in the Bible?

 

Space Opera is a subgenre of science fiction and usually emphasizes space warfare, melodramatic space adventures, or chivalric romance. These themes, while occurring in outer space, will feature such elements as faster-than-light travel, futuristic weapons, and sophisticated technology.

 

Not surprising this genre is popular with kids today whose lives evolve around the latest technological advancement.

 

The name is a takeoff from “soap opera” because of its melodramatic presentation. Space operas emerged in the 1930s and continue to be produced in literature, film, comics, television, and video games.

 

As I pondered these concepts, an idea developed to present a Space Opera anthology, aimed at high school level, to use the parables as inspiration behind the stories. When I presented the idea to my publisher, I received an enthusiastic nod of approval. And the rest is history.

 

We are confident young people will enjoy these highly imaginative stories penned by some of Elk Lake’s best authors. Each story contains a synopsis of the related parable and how the parable is used in the telling of the story. Additionally, each story has an engaging graphic to whet the imagination.

 

To our knowledge, this is new for Christian publishing. We look forward to our readers’ comments and to Wonders of the Galaxy II in 2022.

 

Linda Wood Rondeau

Project Manager

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 18

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 18

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 19

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 20

Cats in the Cradle Blog, October 20

Texas Book-aholic, October 21

Inklings and notions, October 22

By the Book, October 22

A Reader’s Brain, October 23

For Him and My Family, October 24

April Hayman, Author, October 24

deb’s Book Review, October 25

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 26

Blogging With Carol, October 26

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, October 27

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 28

Blossoms and Blessings, October 28

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 29

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, October 30

Pause for Tales, October 30

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, October 31

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, the Various Elk Lake Authors are giving away the grand prize package of a book from each author in the anthology!! (Format may vary for each 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/122a1/wonders-of-the-galaxy-celebration-tour-giveaway