Merry Christmas from Pearl Girls™! We hope you enjoy these Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom” from the authors who were so kind to donate their time and talents! If you miss a few posts, you’ll be able go back through and read them on this blog throughout the next few days.
We’re giving away a pearl necklace in celebration of the holidays, as well as some items (books, a gift pack, music CDs) from the contributors! Enter now on Facebook or at the Pearl Girls blog.The winner will announced on January 2, 2013 at the Pearl Girls blog.
Every year over labor day weekend, the Warren family has a MWE. Mandatory Warren Event. It’s a call to come home and enjoy the long weekend with our favorite people. Since my children have left for college, I relish every second of this weekend—the laughter in the kitchen, the long conversations in the family room, the frenzy of backyard football, the quietness of the morning as we drink coffee on the deck and watch the sunrise. I cherish these people, and when they are with me, I drink in their presence.
I’ve been reading the prophecies about Christ this season and came across Isaiah 7:14, Therefore the Lord himself will give youa sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
I am struck by the word Immanuel. God with us. The closest I get to comprehending this is reading about how Jesus’ loved his disciples. Surely they relished the time with him more profoundly after his resurrection, knowing he would soon leave.
Thankfully, he didn’t leave them for long and sent His Holy Spirit. God . . . still with them.
As I consider the magnitude of this God who would come to earth, who would abide with the disciples, and then with me, I have to wonder not only do I relish God’s presence in my life, but does God relish time with me? Am I committed to embracing His entrance into my life? Am I even making the effort to see Him?
Imagine that during our MWE weekend, I ignored my children, and they, me? I would lose the joy of their presence.
It is not surprising to me that the Jewish people did not recognize their Savior. After all, who would guess that the Almighty might package himself as a baby and appear among them, fragile and dependent? But today, we know the story, we know the miracles, we know the truth, and God invites us into an abundant relationship, one that He wishes to relish, one that will change us. A relationship that will slake our thirsts and satisfy our hungers. One that reminds us that we are never alone.
Because every day we are a mandatory event to our Immanuel.
This season, look for the ways that God is your Immanuel, with you, every day.
***
Susan May Warren is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 40 novels. With over 750,000 books in print, her stories of family, romance and adventure have earned her acclaim and reader fans from around the world. Visit her website for upcoming books and sneak peeks!
The Christian Alphabet Book by Tracy Sands is a unique, visual, and enjoyable way to learn the basics of Christianity. “Love”, the dove from above, guides you from A to Z with special Biblical lessons of love for all ages.
What is more important than a firm foundation of faith?
Similar to learning to read from knowing the regular ABC’s, one will be inspired to know, love, and serve God by learning The Christian Alphabet.
Share the Gospel with your Children
Jesus told Peter, in the gospel of John, to “feed my lambs.” The Christian Alphabet Book will help all teachers of children feed their little lambs spiritually. Give those you love this book to help spread the Good News about God’s everlasting love and life. The Christian Alphabet Book is more than just a children’s book. It is a book that families can cherish together while sharing its timeless messages that give Glory to God.
My Review:
This is a great book for children with beautiful illistrations. It has practicle verses that children can understand. It gives a simple defention of each word in the "Christian Alaphabet". This book will give kids a firm foundation of faith. Some examples "C" for Chris, "G" for God, "R" is for resurrection, and "V" is for victory. This book would be a blessing to any child. Great job Tracy.
I received a copy of this book for a virtual tour for Pump Up Your Books.
About the Author:
Christian artist, Tracy Sands, created The Christian Alphabet in 1999. Since then, The Christian Alphabet has adorned thousands of family rooms and baby rooms with her name art prints, and has marked special Bible passages with her bookmarks. Today, The Christian Alphabet continues to spread the Word. Here is the story of a Christian artist and how her story began…'
“It came from Him, not me. This is what happened:
The Lord inspired me in 1999 one evening at a church choir event. As I sat in the back row, listening to the awesome Christian music, in the dark, an incredible urge to draw came over me. Being an art teacher for 10 years, I had experienced this feeling before, but NEVER had it been so intense. I “happened” to have a pen in my pocket, but the only paper around was the program that I got as I walked in the door. In the empty space of the margins I sketched like crazy. I felt like I would pop if I didn’t get the ideas out of my brain right then! I will never forget that feeling. I had never felt so peaceful yet energized at the same time. God was just getting started with me! Over the course of 9 months we created this alphabet.
Each letter is educational and deep in meaning to me. In them you will find ancient and modern images used in the past 2000 years to express the Christian Faith. I have hopes of sharing all of the basic aspects of Christianity with those who really look into “The Christian Alphabet”. (There is a word in each letter and many symbols that you might find if you take the time to focus on them.)
Special thanks go to my husband, Albert, my mother, Elaine, and my sisters, Tammy and Jenn, for their help and encouragement; however; Jesus Christ is my true inspiration. Without Him, I could not have created ”The Christian Alphabet” as my form of sharing the gospel with you.”
In forty devotional tales, Where God Finds You breathes new life into
ancient Bible characters. Live with and learn about more than forty Bible men
and women, including the wife of Pontius Pilate, Esther, John the Baptist,
Delilah, Lazarus, and Mary Magdalene.
Through reflection on Scripture and
prayer, you’ll discover a place in each of these lives of vulnerability,
tenderness, truth, and love—a place where you can find God . . . and where God
finds you.
Where God Finds You is unique among women’s devotional
books in that it brings dozens of men and women of the Bible to life through
dramatic short stories, connects biblical truths to today’s culture, and offers
readers an opportunity to reflect on what they’ve learned. Each devotion
features:
• A dramatic retelling of Scripture that allows the reader to
crawl into the pages of the Bible. • The Story from God's Word: a quote or
paraphrase of the applicable Bible passage in a reader-friendly version. •
The Story—From Then to Now: a personal reflection from the author to help link
the passage to life today. • The Story—Questions to Think About: prompts for
personal reflection or group discussion that lead to practical application
My Review:
This is a great devotional. It will work for you if you want to study it in a group or alone. Anita Higman chose characters out of the Bible, some major and some minor characters, some characters were not even given names in the Bible. Each devotion is about a different character and Anita starts each devotion with a fictional account written from that characters perspective. After that she gives the book, chapter and verses from the Bible of that Character or theme of that character. Anita then tells "The Story--From Then to Now" in which see gives her views of the story and how it relates to now. This devotional will bless you. Anita has done a great job with it. I give it 5 stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Buoyancy Public Relations for my honest review.
I'll be giving away a copy of this book, Buoyancy Public Relations has graciously provided me with an extra copy. To enter to win, just follow my blog via GFC at the top right of the page and leave me a comment with your name and email address so I can get in contact with you if you win. If you also have a blog, leave your blog address and I'll gladly check out your blog. Good luck to all entrants.
About the Author:
Award-winning author, Anita Higman, has twenty-five books published (several coauthored) for adults and children, and she has been honored as a Barnes & Noble Author of the Month for Houston. Anita has a BA degree, combining communication, psychology, and art. Her favorite things include exotic teas, movies, and all things Jane Austen. To contact Anita or enter her monthly contest for a free signed book please visit her website at www.anitahigman.com
Writing Can Be Murder!
When local writers present their books at the Pecan Bayou Library, one author gets a killer review. Betsy Livingston, there to talk about her own gripping book on helpful hints around the house, finds herself the prime suspect for the murder. Join Betsy in her second mystery as she tries to clear her own name in this hilarious tale of small town Texas life and murder.
This is the first of Teresa's books that I've read and I was really impressed. Betsy Livingston is a great character. This book flowed so well, all of the characters were great and realistic. I liked how it kept you guessing up till the very end, just the way a great mystery should. I definitely can't wait to return to Pecan Bayou. I already have the first book in the series lined up to read. Great job Teresa keep up the good work. I give this book five stars.
I received a complementary copy of this book for my honest review for VBT Cafe's Book Tour.
About the Author:
Teresa Trent wasn't born in Texas but after a few glasses of sweet tea and some exceptional barbecue she decided to stay. With a father in the Army, she found herself moved all over the world, settling down for a while in her teens in the state of Colorado. Her writing was influenced by all of the interesting people she found in small towns and the sense of family that seemed to be woven through them all. Teresa is a former high school teacher and received her degree from The University of Northern Colorado.Teresa is presently working on the third book in her Pecan Bayou Series.Her second book, Overdue For Murder, came out in June of 2012.
Prize Pack – Ebooks : A Dash of Murder, Overdue For Murder, Death Upon Me by B.K. Walker, $25 Gift Card to Crumbs Online Bakery Shop, $5 Amazon Gift Card. Open Internationally.
Tags/Labels
Teresa Trent, Overdue For Murder, cozy mystery, mystery novels, mystery writers,mystery stories,murder mystery, virtual book tour, virtual book tour café,book blog tours, blog book tour,authors on tour, authors website, book club books
"Aunt
Maggie, have you ever made one of these fancy cakes?"
"Like
what? Like what you see at the grocery?" Maggie's voice rose at the end,
exaggerating her Texas accent.
I propped
up the book for her to see a cake titled "Undersea Fantasy," which
featured crabs, turtles and dolphins all crafted out of what looked like
marshmallows and licorice strings. She peered at it, adjusting her bifocals on
her nose as I explained to her what Rocky had asked me to do for Creative Cooks
Day.
"Gee,
Betsy. I'm thinkin' you're in over your head this time. I remember when you
tried to make Danny that smiley face cake. The black icing you used on the grin
ran down the side and it about scared him to death. Surprised he made it to his
next birthday without counselin'."
I scratched
my head. "Oh, yeah. I forgot about that, no wonder on the video all the
kids were screaming."
"Sure,
and then there was the time you tried to make Judd that cake and forgot to put
the eggs in."
"I
should have caught that."
"Yeah,
we had to put candles on a box of honey buns that day. You got a track
recordforbad baking, baby girl."
Zach and
Danny ran into the kitchen. "Mama," Danny said. "We're going to
break the world record."
"What
world record?" Maggie asked.
"All
of them!" Danny answered.
"We're
still figuring out what incredible thing we're going to do, Aunt Maggie, so I'm
glad you got your hair done." Zach stretched out his arms, imagining his
future paparazzi. "There will probably be hundreds of reporters out on the
lawn after we do it."
"Thanks
for the warning," she smiled.
I paged
through the glossy photos in the cookbook. There were cakes that looked like
circuses, swimming pools, insects, hats, cartoon characters. I started having a
case of baking terror. "You know, Aunt Maggie. I could always drive into
Houston and buy something and bring it back. They'll never know."
"You'll
know."
I sighed.
"You
could make a cake out of rubber bands," suggested Zach.
I nodded. "That's original, but
not too tasty." I turned the page and spotted the cake labeled
"Beginner's Crocodile Cake." How kind of them to have a cake that was
supposed to be easy enough for people like me. I grabbed a pen and started
writing down the ingredients I would need. Surely I could stir up some green
frosting and turn it into something.
Other books by Teresa:
A Mystery for
Ghost Hunters!
When Betsy's
Aunt Maggie wants to drag her along on a ghost hunting excursion at the local
abandoned tuberculosis hospital she isn't sure if she quite believes in ghosts.
When she comes upon a fresh spirit in the form of a body, she starts to rethink
about what really is haunting the hospital.
Betsy must
solve the murder in spite of her father, who is a lieutenant on the Pecan Bayou
Police Force, town citizens worried about the effect of the occult on their
children, and handsome stranger from Dallas. How do you get blood out of a silk
blouse? Betsy Livingston can tell you in her newspaper column, "The Happy
Hinter". When she's not writing, or taking care of her young son, she's
busy solving mysteries in the tiny Texas town of Pecan Bayou.
My Interview:
How long have you been writing?
I have been writing since my twenties.Like anything else it is a learning
process.It took me several years to
figure out how to actually finish a novel!
What are your inspirations?
I am inspired by newspaper headlines and people.I collect interesting incidents in the news
and just keep my eyes open.One day I
was driving down the street and saw a bakery van.The name of the baker would be a wonderful
character name, so I wrote it down later! Also, I probably shouldn't admit
this, but I love to watch reality tv like Survivor or Project Runway and watch
the personalities clash.There is so
much of human nature that can be learned from observing these people.
Is Pecan Bayou based on a certain place?
The geographic location is based on the string of small
towns that exist from outside of Houston into the hill country of Texas.The actual town is a composite of towns I've
lived in along the way which in Illinois, Georgia and Colorado.
You’ve lived in a lot of different places, what was your
favorite?
I loved living in Colorado and sometimes actually miss the
snow.I figure if I ever went back it
would take about a week of cold weather to get over that in a hurry.
Do you have plans for anymore cozy mysteries, Pecan Bayou or
any other series?
Right now, I plan to write six books in the Pecan Bayou
series.Books three and four are both in
the edit stage so I'm hoping to have them out in the first half of 2013.The story of Betsy and Leo will continue as
will the incredible amount of homicides in this tiny town in Texas.
Check out Author June Foster and her books, I'll be doing a review of As We Forgive soon.
June Foster is a retired teacher who travels full time with her husband in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She grew up in El Paso, Texas but moved to the magnificent northwest after she retired from teaching. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba labtop in 2010 as she and her husband sailed along the interstate. Now June has written four novels for Desert Breeze Publishing. Her novel Ryan's Father will be available from WhiteFire Publishing in January 2014.
Here books are available by clicking on the Book Titles
In this Loves in Crime Mystery, Spunky Pennsylvania State Homicide Detective Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. Dead on Ice is the first installment of Lauren Carr’s new series (Lovers in Crime) featuring Hancock County Prosecuting Attorney Joshua Thornton and Pennsylvania State Police homicide detective Cameron Gates.
In this Loves in Crime Mystery, Spunky Pennsylvania State Homicide Detective Cameron Gates is tasked with solving the murder of Cherry Pickens, a legendary star of pornographic films, whose body turns up in an abandoned freezer. The case has a personal connection to her lover, Joshua Thornton, because the freezer was located in his cousin’s basement. It doesn’t take long for their investigation to reveal that the risqué star’s roots were buried in their rural Ohio Valley community, something that Cherry had kept off her show business bio. She should have kept her hometown off her road map, too—because when this starlet came running home from the mob, it proved to be a fatal homecoming.
My Review:
Lauren Carr is an amazing writer. I
love her work and Dead on Ice didn’t disappoint. I’ve read two
of her Mac Faraday books, and this the first Joshua Thornton book
that I have read.
Joshua and his girlfriend, PA State
Trooper, Cameron Gates are a great team. In Dead on Ice they end up
solving two murders, both from the past. There is a great cast of characters. As always, Lauren Carr
keeps you guessing throughout the story as to who the murderer or
murderers are. This was a fast read, it had a great plot, was well written, had the right amount of humor, and it kept my attention
throughout. Great job Lauren, I can’t wait to read more of your
work, I love it.
I did my review for Lauren's tour with Pump Up Your Book Virtual Blog Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
About the Author:
Lauren Carr fell in love with mysteries when her mother read Perry Mason to her at bedtime. The first installment in the Joshua Thornton mysteries, A Small Case of Murder was a finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Award. A Reunion to Die For was released in hardback in June 2007. Both of these books are in re-release.
Lauren is also the author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. The first two books in her series, It’s Murder, My Son and Old Loves Die Hard have been getting rave reviews from readers and reviewers. Lauren’s fifth mystery, Shades of Murder has been receiving rave reviews since its release.
Lauren’s sixth book,Dead on Ice,will be released in Fall 2012. Dead on Ice will introduce a new series entitled Lovers in Crime, in which Joshua Thornton will join forces with homicide detective Cameron Gates.
The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This spring, two books written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services.
Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes.
Picture and Synopsis from Baker Publishing website:
Synopsis:
In the closed communities of the Amana Colonies, hidden truths are about to change everything for two young women....
East Amana, Iowa
1892
When Karlina Richter discovers that a new shepherd will be sent to her village, she fears she'll no longer be allowed to help her father with the sheep. She'll be relegated back to kitchen work, stuck inside all day. Her fears increase when the new shepherd shows little interest in the flock--or in divulging why he's suddenly been sent to East. Is he keeping secrets that will impact Karlina's family?
Dovie Cates visits the Amana Colonies to learn more about the place where her mother grew up. But when Dovie begins to ask questions about her mother's past, no one seems willing to reveal anything, so she decides to take matters into her own hands. Will the answers she finds spell disaster for her future plans and the longings of her heart?
My Review:
I've read Judith Miller's other books about the Amana Colonies and I really enjoy them. It seems like such a simpler time and place to live with everyone having a specific job to to.
I enjoyed A Hidden Truth very much. It was well written and kept my attention the whole way through, but then, like I said, I enjoy reading about the Amana Colonies. It is told form the perspectives of both Dovie and Karlina.
This is the story of Dovie Cates, whose mother recently passed away. She wants to learn more about her mother's life in the Amana Colonies, so her father agrees that she can go visit her mother's Cousin Louise Richter. Cousin Louise is reluctant to tell Dovie a lot about her mothers life in the Colonies, so Dovie finds some letters, that she isn't supposed to read, and forms her own conclusions.
Meanwhile, Louise's daughter, Karlina, is excited about Dovie coming to stay, because she wants to learn more about the outside world. She also loves to help her father with the sheep and is a little dismayed when the elders decide to send a young man to help her father. Dovie makes friends with the Baker's son, but is discouraged from spending time with him. Dovie decides to help an outsider and askes Karlina's help also, will this decision cause Dovie to be sent away and both girls a chance at love?
Great book, I loved it and give it five stars. I received my review copy from the publisher for my honest review.
Book and synposis from Authors website:
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