An Amish Christmas Quilt by Charlotte Hubbard, Kelly Long, and Jennifer Beckstrand

 

 
 





A Willow Ridge Christmas Pageant

 

Seth Brenneman didn’t expect his holiday would include rescuing pregnant young Mary Kaffman and her two children…or having unexpected feelings for the still-grieving widow. But when they must play the leads in an impromptu live Nativity pageant to help his Amish community, will their roles reveal their hearts—and work a miracle for a lifetime?

 

A Perfect Amish Christmas

 

Anna and Felty Helmuth’s grandson, Gideon, plans to spend Christmas on a beach in sunny Mexico. But Anna is quite sure he’d rather be with them, snowshoeing, ice fishing—falling in love. And she knows the perfect girl. Not only is Dottie Schrock an excellent quilter and baker, she’s having a party. There’s just one complication—Gideon is not invited. Dottie has her reasons, but Anna trusts that the spirit of Christmas—and true love-will change her mind, and her future …

 

 

A Willow Ridge Christmas Pageant

 

“Are we ready? I think our Nativity’s going to be a huge success, with such a heavenly little angel and a regal king,” Rebecca said as she grinned at each of the kids. “And how’s our main attraction?”

 

Emmanuel, cradled in Mary’s arms, wiggled when Rebecca smiled down at him.

 

“He’s been fed and changed, so he’s ready,” Mary replied. She smiled at the little parade walking up the Hooleys’ lane. “And here come our shepherds and the other wise men and angels. Everybody looks really gut, Rebecca. We couldn’t have done this without your help.”

 

As Rebecca murmured something in reply, Mary lost track of it. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a flowing brick-red tunic was striding up the lane toward her, and while she couldn’t see his eyes, she sensed Seth was looking right at her . . . just as she was gazing at him. Thank you for this night, Lord, as we celebrate the birth of Your son and the beginning of our new life in Willow Ridge, Mary prayed quickly. Help me be your faithful handmaiden, as the Virgin Mary was so long ago.

 

“Let’s hope this works the way I envisioned it,” Rebecca said as other folks began to gather from around town.

 

Mary turned just in time to see a star-shaped balloon rise into the air, on a long ribbon tied to the light post—and when Rebecca turned on the second lantern, which was aimed skyward, the star glowed and sparkled. Miriam, Ben, Bishop Tom, and the Zook family all let out a delighted oh!

 

“Folks will be able to see that from quite a ways off!” Tom said. His face shone with boyish wonder as he gazed raptly at the shimmering star above them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer Beckstrand

 

Jennifer Beckstrand is the bestselling author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series and the Forever After in Apple Lake series, set in two Amish communities in beautiful Wisconsin. She has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people and loves writing about the antics of Anna and Felty Helmuth, the two scheming Amish grandparents who try to help their grandchildren find suitable mates in Huckleberry Hill. Who would ever suspect two elderly Amish folks of mischief?

 

Jennifer has a degree in mathematics, which comes in handy when one of her six children needs help with algebra. After twenty-five years of being a chauffeur, cook, maid, and nurse, she embarked on a writing career. Jennifer is a member of Romance Writers of America and is represented by Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency.

 

She and her husband have been married for thirty years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and two adorable grandsons, whom she spoils rotten.

 

You can find out more about Jennifer and her books by going to her website: jenniferbeckstrand.com or visiting her Facebook page: Jennifer Beckstrand Fans.

 

http://www.jenniferbeckstrand.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeckstrandfans

 

Twitter: @JenniferBeckst1

 

Charlotte Hubbard

 

Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while I was still a school librarian—I sold my first story to True Story magazine. This launched me into writing about seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and I’ve been a slave to my overactive imagination ever since. My stories invariably take on a life of their own, different from the way I’ve proposed them: I love it when unforeseen characters and plot twists come along, because they keep me guessing right along with my readers!

 

I love touring historic homes, trying new recipes, crocheting, and playing with my border collie Ramona—although it’s humbling, having a dog smarter than I am! I’m an ordained Presbyterian deacon, and I devote a lot of time to singing in my church choir and to practicing/performing with our percussion ensemble. I’m celebrating more than thirty-five years with my husband, who—bless him—has never once suggested I get a real job!

 

www.CharlotteHubbard.com

 

https://www.facebook.com/charlotte.hubbard1

 

Buy Links:

 

Kensington Books:  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30305

 

The Book Depository:  http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781617735547

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=161773554X/

 

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ean=9781617735547

 

B-A-M: http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781617735547

 

Chapters: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/a/9781617735547-item.html

 

IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781617735547

 

Powell’s: http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=9781617735547

 

Ebook:

 

Kensington Books: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/30377

 

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Amish-Christmas-Quilt-Charlotte-Hubbard-ebook/dp/B00JVW6H5U/

 

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-amish-christmas-quilt-charlotte-hubbard/1118482472?ean=9781617735554

 

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/an-amish-christmas-quilt/id868217805?mt=11

 

 

 

 



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Suede to Rest by Diane Vallere, Review, Guest Post, and Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suede to Rest
(A Material Witness Mystery) Cozy Mystery
Brand New Series
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (November 4, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-0425270578
E-Book ASIN: B00JJXV198

Synopsis

When Poly Monroe was little, she loved playing in her family’s textile store. But after a fatal family tragedy, Land of A Thousand Fabrics was boarded up and Poly never expected to see the inside again. Now, as inheritor of the long-shuttered shop, she’s ready to restore the family business. However her two new kittens, Pins and Needles, aren’t the ones causing a snag in her plans…

Not everyone wants Poly back in San Ladrón, especially a powerful local developer pressuring her to sell—and leave town fast. But even when the threats turn deadly, she’s not ready to bolt. Because Poly is beginning to suspect that the murder behind the shop is tied to a mystery in her family’s unsettled past that she’s determined to solve…before her own life is left hanging by a thread.

 

 

My Review:

 

This was a cozy that kept my attention from the time I picked it up until I finally put it down.  This was a story filled with lots of characters and Diane did a very good job of keeping me guessing.  I had no idea who was behind everything that had happened and was happening to Poly.  To me that is what makes a great cozy.  I definitely want to visit San Ladron again and Poly and all of her new friends.  This was a great start to a new series, and one that won't disappoint you if you pick it up.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

 

About This Author

After close to two decades working for a top luxury retailer, Diane Vallere traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder. SUEDE TO REST, the first in her new Material Witness Mystery Series, comes out November 4. In addition, she writes the Style & Error Mystery Series, featuring former fashion buyer Samantha Kidd, and the Mad for Mod Mystery Series, featuring Doris Day-loving interior decorator Madison Night. Diane started her own detective agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since. Find her at http://www.dianevallere.com/.

Author Links
web: http://www.dianevallere.com/
Twitter: @dianevallere
FB: dianevallereauthor
GR: Diane Vallere
Purchase Links
Amazon    B&N


GIVEAWAY:

THERE IS GOING TO ONE PRINT COPY OF THIS BOOK PER STOP.  JUST LEAVE A COMMENT AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL, NO EMAIL, NO ENTRY.  SORRY US ONLY.

Guest Post:

Once Upon A Time

 

 

I guess it’s strange for a mystery writer to claim that fairy tales influence her stories, but that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Those four little words, “Once Upon a Time,” send me off into another world and put me in mind for a bit of escapism.

But aren’t most fairy tales also mysteries? “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” one of my favorites, could just as easily been called The Mystery of the Worn Out Shoes. And “Rumpelstiltskin” is a suspense story with a ticking clock: an imp-like creature bestows superhuman talents on a young girl in exchange for her first born. Now she must find his identity or else risk losing her first child.

The thing that I love about fairy tales that influences my stories isn’t the mystery, but the hopefulness. It’s the knowledge that, in the future, everything is going to work out. No matter how bad things get—and things can get pretty bad, even in a cozy!—the character pushes forward because she believes that ultimately, the bad guy will be exposed, the innocent will be safe, and justice will be served.

But does everything work out in the end? Not for the victim. And not for the bad guy. In most cases, there’s a whole cast of characters whose lives will never be the same. Even Polyester Monroe, who comes face to face with some dark times in SUEDE TO REST, is a different person at the end than she is at the beginning.

Ah, yes, the ending. In a fairy tale, that’s supposed to be “Happily Ever After.” Does that fit for a cozy? Does it apply to Poly? Who’s to say? Oh, yes, I guess I am to say, but—wink, wink—I’m not telling.

 

 

 

By Cook or by Crook by Maya Corrigan, Review and Giveaway

 

By Cook or by Crook
(A Five-Ingredient Mystery)
New Cozy Series
Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Kensington (November 4, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1617731389



Synopsis:

Take one burned-out city girl. Add a crusty codger, a pinch of gossip, and a dash of romance. Stir in a generous helping of murder and you’ve got the ingredients for one truly delicious mystery…

Haunted by the car accident that ended her career as a cookbook publicist, Val Deniston has traded in the chaos of New York City for a quieter life near the Chesapeake Bay. Living with her curmudgeonly grandfather in the tourist town of Bayport is hardly glamorous, but she enjoys working at the Cool Down Café at the local fitness club, and she finally has time to work on her long-planned cookbook. But when one of the club’s patrons is found dead, she’ll have to cook up a scheme to find the killer. 

Includes 8 five-ingredient recipes!

My Review:

This book started a little slow for me, but I soon got immersed in it and I couldn't put it down.  I really liked Val's relationship with her grandfather, he really was an old codger sometimes.  I enjoyed the setting of this novel also.  I would have liked to have seen a better cast of characters in this story, it seemed a lot of the people in this small community had a lot to hide.  I say great job Maya on a start to a great series.  I look forward to more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About This Author

Maya Corrigan lives near Washington, D.C., within easy driving distance of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the setting for this series. She has taught courses in writing, detective fiction, and American literature at Georgetown University and NOVA community college. A winner of the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, she has published essays on drama and short stories under her full name of Mary Ann Corrigan. Visit her at mayacorrigan.com.

Author Links
WebPage: mayacorrigan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya-CorriganBooks/305167769636032
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N

GIVEAWAY

THE GIVEAWAY IS FOR ONE PRINT COPY OF THE BOOK, JUST LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOUR EMAIL, NO EMAIL NO ENTRY.  SORRY US ONLY.

Dae's Christmas Past by Jim and Joyce Lavene

Dae’s Christmas Past
By Joyce and Jim Lavene
Cozy Mystery
Synopsis:

Missing Pieces Mysteries #6
When wild horse rescue director Tom Watts is found dead on Duck Road, newly re-elected mayor Dae O’Donnell is determined to find out who killed him. Her friend Jake Burleson is accused of killing Tom even though the two men have been good friends for years.
The problem is the excavation of the horse cult that’s been happening on Jake’s property. Tom and several archaeologists working on the project think that Jake should give up his land to widen the search for artifacts. Jake won’t do that.
It’s not that Jake hasn’t been acting strangely. He shoved one of the ancient stone horses into Dae’s hands when he knew she was afraid to touch it. He’s obsessed with stopping the excavation—maybe to the point of killing Tom.
But Dae thinks there may be more to the story. Jake’s determination has shown her what the horse cult was used for thousands of years ago, the destruction the demon horses brought before they were stopped. She’s afraid something of the past may have already returned to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and there may be more deaths to come.
Featuring Pet Psychic Mary Catherine Roberts!

My Review:

The writing team of Jim and Joyce Lavene never cease to amaze me.  They keep coming up with great novels that keep a person turning the pages.  This novel did not disappoint.  This was my first trip to Duck and visiting with Dae, but I will surely be back to visit.  The spiritual and enchantment element that Jim and Joyce put in the novel was so believable, and I just loved the pet psychic Mary Catherine Roberts.  I also loved learning about the horses of the Outer Banks.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About These Authors
Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.
Author Links
www.joyceandjimlavene.com 
www.facebook.com/joyceandjimlavene 
http://amazon.com/author/jlavene 
https://twitter.com/AuthorJLavene

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N

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The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller

About the book: 

Bestselling Author Judith Miller Debuts Historical Series Set in West Virginia

Yearning for a fresh start, Ewan McKay travels with his aunt and uncle from northern Scotland to West Virginia, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial assistance from his uncle Hugh. Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, but it's Ewan who gets the business up and running again. Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man---a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Besides, Ewan has resolved he'll focus on making the brickmaking operation enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Scotland.

But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work may come to naught. As his plans begin to crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. She and her mother may have a way to save the brickworks, and in turn Ewan may have another shot at winning Laura's heart.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/CAurf

 

My Review:

 

This was a very entertaining novel.  It kept my attention.  I really liked the characters of Ewan and Laura, and I rooted for them all through the novel.  I really liked the portrayal of Ewan's faith, it was very refreshing to find a young man with a faith like his.  I also enjoyed the story because it was set in my home state of WV.  I think Judith did a very good job of showing WV in a good light. 

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

 

About the author: 

Judith Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. When time permits, Judy enjoys traveling, visiting historical settings, and scrapbooking the photographs from her travel expeditions. She makes her home in Topeka, Kansas.

Find Judith online: website, Facebook, Twitter

 

 

Chorus Lines, Caviar, and Corpses by Mary McHugh, Review and Giveaway

 

 

 

Chorus Lines, Caviar, and Corpses
(A Happy Hoofers Mystery)
First in New Series
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Kensington (November 4, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-1617733598



Synopsis
There’s no pussy-footing around murder . . .

It’s never too late to kick up your heels. Just ask Tina, Janice, Pat, Mary Louise, and Gini–aka the Happy Hoofers. After posting a video of their tap-dancing routine on the Internet, the leggy ladies find themselves booked to perform on a Russian river cruise up the Volga from Moscow to St. Petersburg.

But when murder cuts in, the five fabulous friends find it’s not so easy to tap their troubles away. A crew member has been killed, and a passenger is missing. With a killer on board, the Hoofers need to watch their step. But with a little fancy footwork, these soft-shoe sleuths may get a leg up on a killer who’s cruising for a bruising. . .

Includes Travel Tips And Tasty Recipes

My Review:

I really enjoyed reading about the Happy Hoofers trip on a Russian River Cruise.  This is a type of cruise I would never have thought of taking and after the Hoofer's experience I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to take it either.  Besides the cruise being nothing like they had expected, there is a murder to complicate things further.  Then one of the Hoofers life is threatened, not once, but twice.  This book had a lot of action.  I learned a lot about Russia that I never knew before.  The Happy Hoofers are a group of 50 something friends, Tina, Mary Louise, Janice, Gini, and Pat who love to tap dance, and even though I am in my thirties, I could relate to the Happy Hoofers. 

Great job Mary.  I look forward to the next installment in the Happy Hoofers Mystery which is entitled Flamenco, Flan, and Fatalities. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.

About This Author

Mary McHugh graduated from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, with a B.A. in English Literature and studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She is the author of nineteen nonfiction books and two novels. She was a contributing editor for Cosmopolitan, an articles editor at Woman’s World, Travel Holiday, and Bridal Guide, and has written articles for The New York Times, Good Housekeeping and Family Circle.

She loves to tap dance and to travel -two passions that inspired her to write the Happy Hoofers series.

She lives in the New York area. Visit her at http://marymchugh.org/index.html

Author Links
WebPage: http://marymchugh.org/index.html
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.mchugh.77

Purchase Links
Amazon B&N

GIVEAWAY:

THE AUTHOR IS GIVING AWAY ONE PRINT COPY OF THIS BOOK PER STOP.  JUST LEAVE A COMMENT AND YOUR EMAIL SO YOU CAN BE CONTACTED. SORRY US ONLY.

 

Murder and Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction by

Murder & Mayhem in Goose Pimple Junction
Paperback: 252 pages
Publisher: Blue Publications; 2 edition (September 7, 2014)
ISBN-13: 978-0989714020
E-Book File Size: 563 KB
ASIN: B00NE1H8FW

When Tess Tremaine starts a new life in the colorful town of Goose Pimple Junction, curiosity leads her to look into a seventy-five-year-old murder. Suddenly she’s learning the foreign language of southern speak, resisting her attraction to local celebrity Jackson Wright, and dealing with more mayhem than she can handle.

A bank robbery, murder, and family tragedy from the 1930s are pieces of the mystery that Tess attempts to solve. As she gets close to the truth, she encounters danger, mystery, a lot of southern charm, and a new temptation for which she’s not sure she’s ready.

 

 

Interview with Amy Metz

 

 

 

1.      How long have you been writing and how books have you written?

I’ve been writing since 2009, and I’ve written three complete books, plus one children’s picture book, and partial amounts of four more books.

 

 

 

2.      Where did you come up with the idea for the Goose Pimple Junction Mystery Series?

The basis for the mystery came from family history, but I have no idea where the characters and town came from. They just showed up one day. There is an actual Goose Pimple Junction in Virginia, and I discovered it way back in 1985. The name always stuck with me, and when I started writing the book, Goose Pimple Junction perfectly matched the picture in my head of the town and its residents.

 

 

 

3.      Is the character Tess Tremaine based on anybody?

No. She’s purely fictional. Some people who know me think I based some of the characters on family members. From time to time, I may use some characteristics of people I know and love, but all of the characters are purely fictional. Even in the 1930s part of the book, where the facts are accurate. The people are not!

 

 

 

4.      How many more books do you have planned for this series?

I don’t really have a plan. If readers keep reading the GPJ books, I’ll keep writing them!

 

 

 

5.      Besides writing what do you like to do in your spare time?

 

I love photography, and I love turning my pictures into coffee table books. I also love to bake, and I love to attend my son’s concerts. He’s majoring in music performance, and it’s pure joy to watch him play. It’s a bit harder to do now that he’s in college and the concerts are two hours away instead of twenty minutes, but I wouldn’t miss one.  And of course, I love to read.

 

 

 

6.      If you could go on vacation anywhere, where would you go and why?

 

Well…I keep a “Places to Go, Things to See” board on Pinterest, and there are 122 pins of places I’d like to go…but probably number one would be the Castle Hill Inn in Newport, Rhode Island. But anywhere with a quiet, non-tourist beach would be good with me. There’s something about the ocean that pulls me to it, and once I’m there, it’s calming like nothing else.

 

 

 

7.      Who are your favorite authors and why?

 

My favorite is Robert B. Parker because I love the characters in his books: Spenser, Sunny Randall, and Jesse Stone. I think Parker was a great storyteller. I’ve recently found David Rosenfelt, and I love his books because of his characters and his wit. He combines humor, mystery, and suspense like nobody’s business. Michael Lee West is another author I’ve recently discovered. She’s a great Southern author, and I both love and envy her work. John Sandford, Michael Connelly, Chris Grabenstein…I love their mysteries. With all of these authors’ works, I can get totally wrapped up in the characters and the place and time. The writing is great, nothing is contrived, and it’s like living with them for a few days.

 

 

8.      I noticed in your bio that you used to be a First Grade teacher.  I am currently going back to college to earn my education degree.  What did you like best about being a teacher?

 

The last day of school. I don’t mean that the way it sounds! The last day of school was both great and difficult. I hated saying goodbye to my kids. They really do become your kids when you’re with them for nine months, six and a half hours a day, five days a week. But what I loved about the last day of school was that I could look at every one of the students and see how far they had progressed over the year. It was great to see that they actually learned from me, so much so that they were ready to move up to the next grade. Good luck with your degree and career! Teaching can be very rewarding.

 

 

9.      What did you like least about being a teacher?

 

Discipline. I taught at a school where parent support (of both the child and the teacher) was very minimal. Most of the students didn’t have any respect for authority. I hated wasting so much of the day disciplining students instead of teaching. That, and the twenty minutes for lunch.

 

 

10.  Do you have any advice for aspiring writers and/or teachers?

 

Love what you do. Be passionate about it. Otherwise, you’re just wasting the kids’ or the readers’ time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About This Author

Amy Metz is a former first grade teacher and the mother of two grown sons. When not actively engaged in writing, enjoying her family, or surfing Facebook or Pinterest, Amy can usually be found with a mixing spoon, camera, or book in one hand and a glass of sweet tea in the other. Amy lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Author Links
Website: http://amymetz.com
Blog: http://abluemillionbooks.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorAmyMetz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authoramymetz
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6436458.Amy_Metz
Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vIbieSgVjk
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N