Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Blueberry Cupcake Mystery by Naomi Miller

Purchase your copy here.

About the Book

Blueberry Cupcake Mystery — Click to purchase

In the small town of Abbott Creek, mystery is as much a part of daily life as The Sweet Shop’s sugar cookies.

Katie Chupp spends her days at The Sweet Shop, taking care of customers and baking delicious treats . . . not exactly a profession where one expects to be thrown into the midst of mysteries and mayhem.

But when the bakery is broken into, someone has to find the thief . . . besides finding another place to do the baking and get the orders to the customers.

Is this a random theft, or is the thief trying to ruin the town’s Independence Day celebration?

My Review:

This book is set in an Amish town. In this town resides a bakery and those who work there. Katie Chupp works for Mrs. Simpkins. Freida Schmidt works with Katie. Arriving at The Sweet Shop, poor Katie is in for a horrible shock. They have been vandalized and robbed! Who would do such a think in a reasonably sleepy Amish town? How can they pray their way through this in time to rescue all the orders that were ready for the big upcoming event?

This was a fun read with an over all upbeat focus and mystery. I really liked the way solving the mystery played out, how God changed hearts, lives and actions, in many of the characters. There was fear, and despair, but also hope and strength. A pretty good range of everything in a fast read. The longer I thought about this book, more things about about it just keep drawing me in. I really loved the compassion shown in so many aspects of this story.

I would be perfectly happy to read more books by Naomi Miller. My copy came from Celebrate Lit in exchange for my honest review, and nothing more.

About the Author

Naomi Miller mixes up a batch of intrigue, sprinkled with Amish, Mennonite, & English characters, adding a pinch of mystery – and a dash of romance!

Naomi’s day is spent focusing on her writing, editing, and blogging about her experiences with writing. When she’s not working diligently to finish the next book in her Sweet Shop Mystery series, Naomi tries to make time for attending workshops and writers conferences. One of her favorites is the four-day event that the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) organization holds annually.

Naomi also enjoys traveling with her family, singing inspirational/gospel music, taking a daily walk, and witnessing to others of the amazing grace of Jesus Christ.

Guest Post from Naomi Miller

Hello! I’m Naomi Miller — and I’m honored to be featured on Celebrate Lit!

I want to share with you how the title and cover for my debut book, Blueberry Cupcake Mystery, was chosen. This is a story I haven’t shared with anyone else — yet. The story behind the blueberry cupcake…

I was actually writing an Amish suspense novel last winter, when God placed it on my heart to write a shorter story — a cozy mystery, with no suspense, no danger, but plenty of faith, family, compassion and community.

While thinking of the best way to begin the story, my daughter made a batch of blueberry cupcakes, which happen to be one of my favorite treats. Of course, the idea to use a favorite treat was too good to resist. Then, during the early days of writing, I began experimenting with the idea of baking cupcakes — but adding blueberries before baking. Two favorite treats in one!

And there you have it . . . once we had a picture of a blueberry cupcake, the designer quickly sent back a cover I fell in love with (although there were a few more tweaks before the final cover was approved).

I actually began writing many years ago — 1990 to be exact. But I had just become a single mom and I didn’t have time to pursue it. I wrote notes, letters, articles, short stories, and I occasionally thought about a career as a novelist, but not once did I consider that dream to ever become a reality.

Several years ago, after my children were grown, my daughter challenged me to write a novel. I began a sweet, Amish fiction story about a young girl—but about halfway into the story, someone was almost murdered! Needless to say, I was surprised, but kept going. Once done, I went back to the beginning to do a major re-write on what was now an Amish suspense novel.

And that’s . . . the rest of the story.

I’m also excited to be doing two special giveaways — 1) a gift bag full of treats and 2) an advanced reader digital copy of Christmas Cookie Mystery (but you’ll have to wait for it)!

In the meantime, here’s the recipe for those delicious blueberry cupcakes

Blueberry Cupcakes

Ingredients1 white or yellow cake mix
2 cups fresh blueberries
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 1/3 cup water
Prepare cake mix according to the directions. Add blueberries and fold into batter. Bake following instructions on cake mix box.

Icing1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 tbsp. milk
additional milk as needed
DirectionsPrepare icing, mixing small amounts of confectioner’s sugar with milk to desired consistency. Spread onto cooled cupcakes.

Blog Stops

August 23: A Baker’s Perspective

August 23: Chas Ray’s Book Nerd Corner

August 23: Blogging With Carol

August 24: cherylbbookblog

August 24: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations

August 24: Running Through The Storms

August 25: A Greater Yes

August 25: A Holland Reads

August 25: Mary Hake

August 26: Gypsy Road

August 26: D’s Quilts & Books

August 26: Cassandra M’s Place

August 27: Bigreadersite

August 27: Bibliophile Reviews

August 27: Christian Bookaholic

August 28: Lighthouse Academy

August 28: Book Babble

August 29: Karilyn Putt

August 30: Karen’s Krayons

August 30: Daysong Reflections

August 31: Quiet Quilter

August 31: Blossoms and Blessings

September 1: Lights in a Dark World

September 1: Just Commonly

September 2: Singing Librarian Books

September 2: His Grace is Sufficient

September 3: Bukwurmzzz

September 4: Ashley’s Bookshelf

September 4: just the write escape

September 5: Reading Is My SuperPower

September 5: Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Naomi is giving away a gift bag full of treats and an advanced copy of her new book Christmas Cookie Mystery! Click here to enter: https://promosimple.com/ps/a20c

Sunday, August 21, 2016

No Way Up by Mary Connealy

This is my first book by this author that I know of. Over all it's fast paced, high action, funny, and sweet. No Way Up is a mystery, and a romance, and a western rolled up into one tale.

Chance got caught in an avalanche. He can't run the farm alone, so he forces his three kids to come home and help. If they don't, they get disinherited. He fixed it so they have to stay there for a year, and work to run the place. That's not what they had planned, but losing an inheritance is worse.

Pretty soon, Keith, who works there, finds out the avalanche was planned. Someone wanted to bump off Chance. Could it be the local Mexican peoples? Someone else with a grudge against Chance?

No way up was rather cute over all, with a good bit of the feel of older western TV series. My copy came from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review and nothing more.

About

The Fight for the Cimarron Ranch Has Just Begun!
When Cimarron Ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, only the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Before leaving by train to receive treatment to save his leg--and possibly his life--Chance demands that Heath read the patriarch's will and see its conditions enforced immediately. If Chance's three bickering adult children, Justin, Sadie, and Cole, don't live and work at the ranch for an entire year, ownership of the ranch will pass to a despised distant relative.

Before long, however, Heath discovers that the avalanche may have been intentionally set--and that more danger lurks ominously. Finding his own future--and a desired future with Sadie--locked up in saving the Cimarron Ranch, Heath and the Boden siblings must work together against outside forces that threaten them all.

Mary Connealy writes "romantic comedies with cowboys" and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She has more than half a million books in print. She is the author of the popular series Wild at Heart, Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Lassoed in Texas, Sophie's Daughters, and many other books. Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Learn more at www.maryconnealy.com.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Celebrate Lit Presents - October Celebration Box!

A box of amazing stuff is available if you hurry!

Celebrate Lit October Celebration Box

Celebrate Lit is excited to announce their new Celebration Box! The celebration box is a unique, one of a kind box with goodies hand picked by the author just for you! These boxes are special because they are not sold anywhere else. There is a limited supply so be sure to get yours right away!

October’s box features Molly Jebber’s Change of Heart. Sales for the October box will close on September 16 or while supplies last.

The basic box includes:

A minimum of 6 items handpicked by the author themed around the book.
A themed charm specifically chosen for this book.
One lucky box will contain a special item that no one else will receive.

Along with the basic box, you can purchase the ebook or paperback book for a discounted price.

To purchase your box, click here.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Tackling the Fields by Janet W. Ferguson (Book 3 Southern Hearts Series)

Tackling the Fields Kick-Off Package

Purchase your copy here.

About the Book

Cole Sanders is a changed man. The university quarterback questions his direction in life after serving on a mission trip in Honduras. Things that used to fill Cole’s ego seem empty after witnessing the developing country’s extreme poverty and the death of a precious child. The one glimmer of hope through his confusion is the fresh perspective he now has about his tutor, Audrey. She possesses something beautiful inside and out—something that might help him become the person he wants to be.

University senior Audrey Vaughn tutored Cole Sanders for an entire year and never imagined the popular quarterback would see her as anything more than a friend. After partnering with him on the mission trip, they are drawn together. And he appears to have changed for the better. To let Cole into her life, Audrey will have to overcome not only her brother’s distrust, but also the paralyzing fear still lingering from a past she’s tried to leave behind.

Cole can’t walk away from Audrey now that they’re back in Oxford. He’ll have to figure out how to keep her giant of a brother, a lineman on his football team, from killing him when the coach has his back turned. But can Audrey trust her heart to a player so similar to the one who stole so much from her in the past?

My Review:

This book is so much more than just a book about sports with a romance in it. I'm not a big sports fan. Sure, I "love" a few home teams, but if I didn't see a game and someone just told me who won and who didn't, that works for me. At the same time, I have sat through many games now, and some super good movies about the games and the men and teams behind them. I like those. For this book, it's like those good movies. The sports interwoven into this book was not off putting to me at all. Yeah!

This book reaches deep. It doesn't just tackle one field in a game, it tackles several exceedingly deep fields. By the time you reach the end, it shows just how aptly this book is named. Abuse in several forms is covered. Physical and sexual abuse, drugs, alcohol, addiction, recovery, pain, loss, hope and forgiveness are just part of the things tackled in this book. It's all brought into a rather deep level as we walk with Audrey and Cole, Grant and Emma, and Bryan to name a few. They are on their journey towards God, or away from Him, and through things that have come very close to totaling their lives.

Even though this book hits head on with so many major issues, it was written with care, and tenderness that comes through. I don't think it will cause trigger issues with anyone who reads it, especially not if they are already recovering. I really liked that!

This book is my favorite in this series so far. I did have to push a bit for the first part of the book, but I think that was just me being silly. After a few chapters I was totally hooked. Tackling the Fields stands alone easily, but has cameos from other characters in the series as well as some from the first two books. In those ways it ties into the series, but if you only read one book in this series so far, pick this one.

My thanks to Celebrate Lit for my free copy in exchange for my honest review, and nothing more.

About the Author

Janet W. Ferguson grew up in Mississippi and received a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Mississippi. She has served her church as a children’s minister and a youth volunteer. An avid reader, she worked as a librarian at a large public high school. Janet and her husband have two grown children, one really smart dog, and a few cats that allow them to share the space.

Guest Post from Janet Ferguson

Hi, I’m Janet W. Ferguson, and I’m so excited to be back again and meet more readers through Celebrate Lit!

This is a story I didn’t want to write, but felt called to tackle. The loss of the dream, the loss of innocence, and life’s other unfair struggles can challenge our faith—can make us captive to fear and disappointment.

In the South, we love football. In writing this book, I’m not trying to make a statement for or against the sport. My husband and son loved playing the game. After my son suffered a torn ACL, torn shoulder labrum, and four surgeries, he could no longer participate in the game he loved. He mourned the loss of the brotherhood of his team. I saw the popular pastime differently from his eyes. For young men, I believe it is a bond between friends for a common goal. Though the character in this book is totally fictional, I’m dedicating this book to my son, Luke.

The other sensitive topics in this story seemed particularly sad, but relevant in our society. Trust me, I didn’t prefer to research acquaintance/date rape or human trafficking, but both are going on all too often in communities both small and large. There are a number of organizations set up to help victims of these crimes if you feel a calling to help.

Someone reading this may have had something terrible that happened in their past or may know someone who has. God is able to set free the captives, set you free from the bonds that hold you. My prayer is that you find comfort in that truth.