Are You Keeping Up With McCutcheon Family Saga?

MONTANA SURPRISE- The McCutcheon Family series, Book Twelve Y Knot, Montana Territory, July 1888.

Two months after the historic McCutcheon family reunion, the town of Y Knot is experiencing a sleepy summer lull. All seems calm until the town’s sheriff, Brandon Crawford, suffers a broken leg, leaving the somewhat new and inexperienced deputy, Justin Wesley, accountable to watch over and protect the townsfolk. Book Twelve of the McCutcheon Family series brings to town a lovely, young woman with an interesting—and shocking—tie to a special someone in Y Knot, a frustrating character back to cause trouble—or not—and a revelation the residents of Y Knot can bandy about for years to come.

Heartfelt, charming, and a test of love eternal, Montana Surprise, continues the 1800’s Wild West McCutcheon Family saga, a western historical romance by USA Today Bestselling author Caroline Fyffe.

USA Today Bestselling Author Caroline Fyffe was born in Waco, Texas, the first of many towns she would call home during her father's career with the US Air Force. A horse aficionado from an early age, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from California State University-Chico before launching what would become a twenty-year career as an equine photographer. She began writing fiction to pass the time during long days in the show arena, channeling her love of horses and the Old West into a series of Western historicals. Her debut novel, Where the Wind Blows, won the Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart Award as well as the Wisconsin RWA's Write Touch Readers' Award. She and her husband have two grown sons and live in the Pacific Northwest.

 If you’d like to know when Caroline’s next book will come out, please visit her website at http://www.carolinefyffe.com, where you can sign up to receive an email alerting you to her next release.



Visit Caroline at www.carolinefyffe.com

See her photographs at www.carolinefyffephoto.com

Facebook Fan Page http://tinyurl.com/ajaog39

Twitter @carolinefyffe

Write to her at caroline@carolinefyffe.com. She loves hearing from readers!

Debut Collection of Poetry by Pollock

  Stephen C. Pollock

Stephen C. Pollock’s debut collection nods to the literary traditions of years past while simultaneously speaking to the present moment. Multilayered and musical, the poems in Pollock’s “Exits” (Windtree Press, June 29, 2023) have drawn comparisons to the work of Eavan Boland and Seamus Heaney. With bold imagery, attention to form, and a consistent throughline rooted in the theme of mortality, his collection responds to contemporary anxieties surrounding death and the universal search for meaning in life’s transience.

From “Steve’s Balloons,” which was awarded the 2nd Place Prize for the 2020 Thomas H. McDill Award:

I saw then that balloons are not at all round

but are shaped like tears,

that a dream is not so much

that scrap of rubber on the ground

as the breath that once filled it.

Every life is finite. Though circumstance and timing may vary, death remains the one inescapable attribute of the human condition. Awareness of this inevitability and recognition of the transient nature of our biological selves profoundly affect each person’s perspective on their life and its meaning.

The poems in this book relate to one or more aspects of mortality—disease and decline, death and remembrance. Many of the images and metaphors are drawn from nature. In addition, each poem is paired with a piece of artwork intended to resonate with the writing and enhance the reader’s experience.

Despite the ostensibly somber theme, all of the poems feature vivid imagery and abundant wordplay. The collection also presents a potpourri of styles, ranging from traditional forms to free verse to hybrid works. Nine of the poems have appeared in literary journals, and six have been recognized in regional or international poetry competitions.

In a world ravaged by contagion, famine and war, Exits dovetails with the prevailing zeitgeist.

Stephen C. Pollock is a recipient of the Rolfe Humphries Poetry Prize and a former associate professor at Duke University. His poems have appeared in a wide variety of literary journals, including “Blue Unicorn,” “The Road Not Taken,” “Live Canon Anthology,” “Pinesong,” “Coffin Bell,” and “Buddhist Poetry Review.” “Exits” is his first book. To learn more, visit www.exitspoetry.net.

Do Choices Define Our Lives?

 

Twenty years ago, the summer of '77 was supposed to be the best summer of Summer Wilde's life. She and her best friends, Spring, Autumn, and Snow--the Four Seasons--had big plans.

But those plans never had a chance. After a teenage prank gone awry, the Seasons found themselves on a bus to Tumbleweed, "Nowhere," Oklahoma, to spend eight weeks as camp counselors. All four of them arrived with hidden secrets and buried fears, and the events that unfolded in those two months forever altered their friendships, their lives, and their futures.

Now, thirtysomething, Summer is at a crossroads. When her latest girl band leaves her in a motel outside Tulsa, she is forced to face the shadows of her past. Returning to the place where everything changed, she soon learns Tumbleweed is more than a town she never wanted to see again. It's a place for healing, for reconciling the past with the present, and for finally listening to love's voice.


Praise for The Best Summer of Our Lives

"Rachel Hauck sets the gold standard in inspirational fiction. The Best Summer of Our Lives is a nostalgic novel of friendship, romance, and the choices that define a life."--Brenda Novak, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

"The Best Summer of Our Lives blends faith and hope into a story about the seasons of life, the seasons of friendship, and the seasons of love."--Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends

"The Best Summer of our Lives brought me back to my teenage years, with all the angst, the hope, and the friendships, and reminded me that the best times of our lives don't have to be perfect to be loved."--Susan May Warren, USA Today bestselling, award-winning author

Rachel Hauck is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author.

She is a Christy Award Winner and a double RITA finalist. Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times Book Club. She is the recipient of RT's Career Achievement Award.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, was filmed for an original Hallmark movie.

Hauck has been acclaimed for her split time novels and royal romances.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, and a former sorority girl, Rachel and her husband live in central Florida. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

In other news, she's recently learned how to hard boil an egg. She's quite proud.

Visit her at www.rachelhauck.com or www.facebook.com/rachelhauck

Would You Walk To Freedom?

 

As the country continues to change and shift, everyone must decide if they will continue to walk toward the freedom they long for.

As the country changes and shifts, everyone is challenged to do what it takes to walk toward freedom.

Carrie and Janie battle fear and worry as Anthony and Matthew deal with the horror of a brutal massacre in Colfax, Louisiana.

Moses takes Felicia and Frances to San Francisco, where Felicia makes a decision that will dictate the direction of her life.
The plantation is invaded.

Annie becomes an angel to ten more orphans in need of a home.

Rose befriends a traumatized little girl, setting an extraordinary outcome into motion.

Jeremy, Marietta and the twins venture south again, bringing news of an exciting endeavor.

Warren Hobbs decides to return to Virginia, but first has to deal with a tragedy in Oregon.

When everyone simply wants a life of peace, they learn the lessons that will keep them walking toward the freedom they long for.

I was only 16 years old when my dying grandfather called me to his bedside, took my hand and said, "You have the gift of writing that I never used. Whatever you do, don't let it go to waste like I did."

Scared I wasn't as talented as my beloved "Dandy", I quit writing. 14 years later, bedridden in California from one of the first diagnosed cases of Epstein-Barr Virus, this athletic, active woman wrote her first book to keep from going crazy. I finished the book, got better, and stuffed the book in an envelope - never intending to do anything with it.

3 and a 1/2 years later the book was discovered by a friend who then proceeded to harangue me about publication. Worn down, I finally submitted it. It was my first book published. Almost 25 years later, there are now 50+ books published, but that is just the beginning. I have so many more inside me!

I believe in the power of the written word to change lives. I also believe that historical novels can implant the Bregdan Principle in people's hearts and minds.

The Bregdan Principle...Every life that has been lived until today is a part of the woven braid of life. It takes every person's story to create history. Your life will help determine the course of history. You may think you don't have much of an impact. You do. Every action you take will reflect in someone else's life. Someone else's decisions. Someone else's future. Both good and bad.

My passion is to write powerful and entertaining historical fiction through the sweeping saga called the Bregdan Chronicles.

Her blog is: https://iamavoiceintheworld.wordpress.com/

The Question Is? Will It Be Too Late?

Can they risk giving in to the attraction between them while their lives are on the line? If widowed seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might just quit the business altogether! So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower struggling to raise three girls on his own, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls properly, and Nell finally has a chance to create beautiful outfits while also teaching the girls to sew.

But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover who has a target trained on them before it's too late.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is independently publishing a contemporary romantic suspense series called Garrison’s Law, book one is Loving the Texas Lawman. Her new historical series, High Sierra Sweethearts begins with The Accidental Guardian. She is also the author of these series: Kincaid Brides, Trouble in Texas, Wild at Heart, Cimarron Legacy, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages and Sophie's daughters, and has man other books.

She is a two-time Carol Award winner and has been a finalist for the Rita and Christy Awards. She’s a lifelong Nebraskan and lives with her very own romantic cowboy hero. She’s got four grown daughters and four spectacular grandchildren.

Find Mary online at:

Her website: maryconnealy.com

Sign up for her newsletter at maryconnealy.com/newsletter

Mary is on Facebook at facebook.com/maryconnealy

And Twitter at twitter.com/maryconnealy

If Her Memory Comes Back ~Then What?

Janine Rosch

Is the Life She Can't Remember One She'd Rather Forget?
One year after her family was in a tragic car accident that killed her teenage son, Lori Mendenhall returns home with a traumatic brain injury that has stolen the last eight years of memories from her. She is shocked to find that the life she was leading before the accident is unrecognizable. Her once-loving husband, Michael, is a distant workaholic she isn't sure she can trust and her once-bubbly daughter, Avery, has spent the last year hidden away in her room.

For Avery, life stopped when she lost her twin. Now, if she wants to graduate high school, she'll have to accept help from Xander Dixon, her brother's best friend and the boy who relentlessly teased her for years. And if Lori wants to reconnect with her husband, she'll have to grapple with information her brain is trying to keep secret. With every memory that returns, she can't help but wonder if the life she can't remember is one she'd rather forget.

Prone to wander, Janine Rosche finds as much comfort on the open road as she does at home. This longing to chase adventure, behold splendor, and experience redemption is woven into each of her rustic romance novels in the Whisper Canyon Romance series and the Madison River Romance series. When she isn’t writing or traveling, she teaches family life education courses to college students, takes too many pictures of her sleeping dogs, and embarrasses her four children and husband with boy band serenades.

https://janinerosche.com/

Can you Keep A Secret? For Fifty Years?

When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just 14 years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her was filled with gold. And when he died 50 years later, he made her promise to keep his secret. She is to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contains.
Now 94, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she's kept that secret. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story. His friend who joins him only wants to find the location of the gold. Neither of them knows quite who they're up against when it comes to the old woman on the mountain.

As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. After all, how long is one bound by a promise? But the truth of what's really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.

Cindy K. Sproles is an author and speaker. Raised and living in the mountains of East Tennessee, she spins tales of life in the deep crevices of the Appalachian mountains. Cindy is proud of her mountain heritage and her desire is to see this culture live on in history. "Children aren't taught in school about the innovation and determination of the mountain people or about the heritage that is richly embedded in them. These are the people who helped forge America and these are the people who have the brawn and guts to stand by their families, heritage, and beliefs." Cindy's desire is to continue to weave the stories, despite their hardships, that show the resilience of the Appalachian culture. Being raised in these mountains and having family who practiced the old ways, Cindy writes from a deep love and experience of the mountains of East Tennessee. Who better to pen the stories of the people, than someone who knows it first hand.?

Aside from her writing, Cindy co-founded ChristianDevotions.us and served as managing editor for SonRise Books and Straight Street Books, imprints of Iron Stream Media. She teaches at Christian Writers Conferences and ladies retreats and ladies conferences across the country. Her devotions are heartfelt and honest. Edgy and inviting. Cindy serves as the executive editor of ChristianDevotions.us, a writing mentor, and life coach. She shares mentoring with Lori Marett at Writing Right Author Mentoring Service. Author of four non-fiction books, Cindy's fiction debut novel, Mercy's Rain(Kregel Publishing), won book of the year and her second novel, Liar's Winter has won numerous awards. Cindy's 3rd Appalachian Novel, Revell Publishing, What Momma Left Behind, also received a gold medal in the national Illumination Awards and was named Christian Market Novel of the Year. She has contributed to CBN.com and InspireaFire.com and serves as the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit her at www.cindysproles.com or contact her at cindyksproles@gmail.com

Cindy is available for speaking events by contacting her at cindyksproles@gmail.com.

To Honor A Father's Last Request

 

Misty M. Beller

In 1837, Juniper Collins and her sisters are shocked by their father's deathbed request for them to return a special set of beads to a Piegan Blackfoot woman he credits with saving his life during his travels West. Together, the sisters set out for the trapper rendezvous to find the woman, but their mission turns more daunting when they come upon the mass of men and lodges spread out in the Green River Valley.

Riley Turner came West to find peace and quiet and live off the land, but when four unprotected women arrive at the rendezvous, he feels compelled to help them and is more fascinated by Juniper than any other woman he's known.

As their search brings only empty leads and dead ends, the sisters must decide whether to return East or stay in the mountains to continue looking--and that's if the mystery woman is even still alive. Is the risk to honor their father's last request worth the danger they find at every turn?

"What an adventure! Rocky Mountain Rendezvous brought the wilds of the Wyoming area and Juniper's unique story to life."--KIMBERLEY WOODHOUSE, Carol Award-winning and bestselling author

Misty M. Beller is a USA Today bestselling author of romantic mountain stories, set on the 1800s frontier and woven with the truth of God’s love. For a limited time, you can get one of her bestselling novels FREE here: https://mistymbeller.com/freebook

Raised on a farm and surrounded by family, Misty developed her love for horses, history, and adventure. These days, her husband and children provide fresh adventure every day, keeping her both grounded and crazy.

Misty’s passion is to create inspiring Christian fiction infused with the grandeur of the mountains, writing historical romance that displays God’s abundant love through the twists and turns in the lives of her characters.

Sharing her stories with readers is a dream come true for Misty. She writes from her country home in South Carolina and escapes to the mountains any chance she gets.

Learn more at www.MistyMBeller.com.

Want To Be A Better Human Being?

"It's rare that a book actually makes you a better human, but that's exactly what Rachel Baribeau has done in Relentless Joy."--Laura Rutledge, ESPN Sports host and reporter.

We all want more joy, but what happens when life kicks you in the gut? How do you maintain hope or look forward to the future? Relentless Joy will show you how to

· reclaim joy when your life feels barren or burdened
· throw off the chains of what you are "supposedto be"
· see God working in surprising ways you may have missed
· identify the unique dream that sets your soul on fire
· serve others and walk in joy for the rest of your life

With gut-level honesty, award-winning storyteller and former national sportscaster Rachel Joy Baribeau shares her own story of changing the narrative of her life from stuck, overwhelmed, and anxious to confident in her identity and joyful in her life's purpose. With the odds stacked against her, Rachel became the first female sportscaster to host on SiriusXM College channels and hosted the very first College Football Playoff National Championship game. She has shared the secrets to her trailblazing journey with over 100,000 fans and students through her live events and her movement, I'm Changing the Narrative.

Relentless Joy is not just another book about how to be happy. Instead, Rachel reveals how to embrace commonly missed opportunities to experience joy and share it with others. No matter your circumstance, you can always change the narrative.

Your story isn't over. The best is yet to come!

Rachel Joy Baribeau

Rachel developed #ImChangingtheNarrative with student-athletes in mind and a belief that one crooked course made straight is everything. One misstep not taken means one less victim in the world. And one less life thrown away because of a split-second bad decision.

At Rachel’s first visit sometimes they’re skeptical when the petite Latina woman is introduced, but in just 60 minutes she wins them over. She now speaks to athletes, law enforcement, churches, and corporations about taking back the headlines for good – showing them that they have the power to change the narrative and to find their purpose in life outside of their sport and everyday lives.
To live lives of…https://www.rachelbaribeau.com/

Prayer for Women

Carolyn Larsen

You live a busy life, juggling work, family, chores, and more. Into this busy life come challenges--difficult relationships, health concerns, deferred dreams, loss--and blessings--a new job, a new baby, new friends, new hobbies. And all of it is something you can pray about. But maybe you're not sure how.

Beautifully designed and perfect for gift-giving, 100 Days of Prayer for Women is a collection of go-to prayers for when you want to say something to God but you're not sure just what words to use. Covering the challenging, the joyful, and even the mundane aspects of life, these prayers help you express yearning, praise, lament, and gratitude to the One who made you, sustains you, and loves you through it all.

If you need encouragement and inspiration each day, look no further!

Carolyn Larsen has written more than 40 books for children and adults. She is best known as the author of the Little Girls Bible Storybook line of products, which have collectively sold more than one million units. In addition, Carolyn is a speaker who has taught and spoken extensively in the United States and overseas. She is the cofounder of the performing group Flashpoints, which is comprised of five women who share a God-ignited passion to encourage women and girls to know God better through drama, creative movement, signing, and humor. Carolyn is the mother of three and lives with her husband in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

https://carolynlarsen.com/

Working Mom's Guide-Managing Stress and Thriving

Jessica N. Turner is the author of Stretched Too Thin and The Fringe Hours. She is also an award-winning marketing executive and the founder of the popular lifestyle blog The Mom Creative (www.themomcreative.com). An award-winning marketing professional and speaker, Turner has been featured in numerous media outlets, including The Today Show, O Magazine, Hallmark Home and Family, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, and Inc.com. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Stop Your Hurry and Start Living with Intentionality

As a working mom you want to thrive personally and professionally, but the day-to-day responsibilities and mental load can make that feel impossible. While periods of busyness are normal, if life feels overwhelming, it's time for a reset. With compassion and encouragement, founder of popular online site The Mom Creative Jessica N. Turner shows you how to

· work and parent guilt-free
· set achievable goals
· create more schedule flexibility
· establish clear work boundaries
· develop home management solutions

· become more efficient and less stressed

· prioritize self-care

· invest in your marriage

· cultivate deeper friendships

Want to embrace your many roles and learn solutions that really work? Let this practical book empower you to make changes and live with contentment.

For Anyone Uncertain About Their Life's Direction!

In Look for Me There, Luke Russert traverses terrain both physical and deeply personal. On his journey to some of the world’s most stunning destinations, he visits the internal places of grief, family, faith, ambition, and purpose—with intense self-reflection, honesty, and courage."—Savannah Guthrie, coanchor of Today

“Look for me there,” news legend Tim Russert would tell his son, Luke, when confirming a pickup spot at an airport, sporting event, or rock concert. After Tim died unexpectedly, Luke kept looking for his father, following in Tim’s footsteps and carving out a highly successful career at NBC News. After eight years covering politics on television, Luke realized he had no good answer as to why he was chasing his father’s legacy. As the son of two accomplished parents—his mother is journalist Maureen Orth of Vanity Fair—Luke felt the pressure of high expectations but suddenly decided to leave the familiar path behind.

Instead, Luke set out on his own to find answers. What began as several open-ended months of travel to decompress and reassess morphed into a three-plus-year odyssey across six continents to discover the world and, ultimately, to find himself.

Chronicling the important lessons and historical understandings Luke discovered from his travels, Look for Me There is both the vivid narrative of that journey and the emotional story of a young man taking charge of his life, reexamining his relationship with his parents, and finally grieving his larger-than-life father, who died too young.

For anyone uncertain about the direction of their life or unsure of how to move forward after a loss, Look for Me There is a poignant reflection that offers encouragement to examine our choices, take risks, and discover our truest selves.

Luke Russert is an author and an Emmy Award winning journalist who served as an NBC News correspondent from 2008 to 2016. Primarily covering American politics, he was seen on popular outlets such as NBC Nightly News, Today, NBCNews.com, and MSNBC.

After leaving media, Russert embarked on a three year, six continent travel expedition that took him to nearly seventy countries. Published by Harper Horizon, his first book, “Look For Me There”, is a reflection of his deeply personal internal journey across many diverse external places.

"I reached a crossroads in my early thirties where I felt empty and unfulfilled. I wanted to know—why? So I set out into the world, hoping to feel something. The reward of travel was that it made me much more aware of my surroundings — the beauty of nature, the weight of history and the common good of the larger human family."

He is the son of the late Tim Russert of NBC’s Meet the Press and Vanity Fair writer Maureen Orth. Russert resides in Washington, DC. with his pug named Shawkemo.

Instill Bravery and Strength in Your Daughters!

Sissy Goff

If you have a daughter, it would be surprising if she doesn't struggle with anxiety and worry--either in short episodes or for longer periods. For a variety of reasons, childhood anxiety rates are soaring, especially among girls. Today's parents need to know what contributes to anxiety and worry and how they can empower their daughters to overcome troubling emotions.

In this immensely practical book, veteran counselor Sissy Goff shares how you can instill bravery and strength in your daughter. Addressing common age-specific issues, Goff gives you the tools to help you and your child understand why her brain is often working against her when she starts to worry, and what she can do to fight back. With your help, she will find the anchoring truth of God's strong, safe love for her and the confidence she needs to thrive.

Sissy Goff, M.Ed., LPC-MHSP, spends most of her days talking with girls and their families, with the help of her counseling assistant/pet therapist, Lucy the Havanese. She has worked as the Director of Child and Adolescent Counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee since 1993, with a Master’s degree from Vanderbilt University. Sissy speaks to parents and children’s ministers across the country, and is the author of twelve books, including the bestselling Raising Worry-Free Girls, Braver, Stronger Smarter (for elementary school girls) and her newest book for teenage girls, Brave. Sissy is a regular contributor to various podcasts and publications, including their own podcast called Raising Boys and Girls. You can find more information and resources at www.raisingboysandgirls.com.

Perfect For Father's Day-Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Since writing his first song at the age of 14, Paul McCartney’s career has been impossibly prolific and singularly influential. In the 1960s, Paul changed the world forever with The Beatles. He didn’t stop there, and has continued to push boundaries, as a solo artist, with Wings, and collaborating with numerous world-renowned artists. He has received 18 Grammys, and in 1996 was knighted by H.M. The Queen for his services to music.

Paul is a dedicated philanthropist, passionately advocating for many causes including animal rights and environmental issues. He's also a very proud grandfather.

This #1 New York Times bestselling picture book adventure from Paul McCartney is perfect for Father’s Day or any day when you’re looking to celebrate the fun that grandparents and grandkids can get up to!

See the compass needle spin, let the magic fun begin!

Meet Grandude--a super-cool grandfather who is an intrepid explorer with some amazing tricks up his sleeve. Grandude is a one-of-a-kind traveler! With his magic compass, he whisks his four grandkids off on whirlwind adventures, taking them all around the globe. Join them as they ride flying fish, dodge stampedes, and escape avalanches! Brought to life with gloriously colorful illustrations from talented artist Kathryn Durst, Hey Grandude is the perfect bedtime story for little explorers and an ideal gift for Father’s Day.

Review

“Hanging out with grandad turns out to be anything but boring…. Readers will roll up for repeats, and not just because of the name on the cover. —Kirkus

“This picture book debut from the musical icon hits all the right notes in the tale of a cool grandfather, his magical compass, and his grandchildren." —Publishers Weekly

"McCartney does a fine job of upping the ante at each stop... the diverse group of chillers dash, crash, scurry, worry, and laugh about the magical events. In the end, it's golden slumbers, but the promise of future adventures is in the air.” — Booklist

Made From Scratch

“All you have is all you need,” is the life lesson entrepreneur Mignon François learned as she turned the $5 she had to feed her family dinner for the week into a multi-million-dollar bakery brand. With no experience and no recipe for success, or cake for that matter, her path was truly made from scratch. In Made from Scratch: Finding Success Without a Recipe, Mignon shares her story of climbing out of a life of continuous upsets, struggle, and lack to building a legacy that would bless her and future generations. Made from Scratch is one woman’s story of finding her purpose with no blueprint, mapping a journey that led to the joy that has become synonymous with Mignon François.

Nashville-based, New Orleans-raised entrepreneur Mignon François is the descendant of enslaved people on a sugar cane plantation. And now she heads a multi-million-dollar bakery brand, with sugar as the main ingredient.

Despite having no prior business experience, Mignon -- the founder and CEO of The Cupcake Collection -- turned her family’s $5 weekly dinner budget into a multi-million-dollar bakery brand. And since its founding in 2008, the company has sold more than 5 million cupcakes.

In addition to celebrating 15 years of business in 2023, Mignon is sharing her journey in a new book, “Made from Scratch: Finding Success Without a Recipe” Not only is her publisher R.H. Boyd also Nashville-based, Mignon's business helped reinvigorate a struggling Nashville neighborhood.

Family, Grief, Secrets and Forgiveness!

Laura Barrow is a former teacher and a lover of books. She received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Centenary College in northwest Louisiana, where she grew up. She now resides in northeast Texas, just outside Dallas, with her husband, three daughters, and a houseful of pets.

Three estranged sisters reconnect in their Louisiana hometown to face an unresolved past in a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness.

Savannah was four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town, fracturing their family. Twenty-eight years later, Savannah convinces her estranged older sisters, Rayanne and Sue Ellen, to honor the pact they made as children and retrieve the time capsule they buried in their old backyard. But coming home means confronting old ghosts…and their stubborn grandmother, Meemaw.

Sifting through the artifacts, they come across a photograph taken on the day Georgia disappeared and spot a familiar woman lingering in the background. While Sue Ellen and Rayanne want to move on with their lives, Savannah is determined to find the woman—and perhaps a clue to the past.

When old tensions, rivalries, and memories resurface, the sisters must reconsider what they thought they knew about that fateful day, about each other, and about themselves. On their search to uncover what happened to Georgia, each of them will discover what Meemaw has known all along: family is everything.

Loves Coconut Cream Pie!

Shelley Shepard Gray is a NYT and USA Today bestselling author. She's published over a hundred novels and has over a million books in print. She currently lives in northern Ohio and writes full time.

Shelley lives just an hour from Holmes County, where many of her Amish-themed novels are set. She currently writes contemporary romance and Amish fiction for a variety of publishers. When not spending time with her family or writing, she can usually be found walking her two dachshunds on one of the many trails in the Cleveland area.

She also bakes a lot, loves coconut cream pie, and will hardly ever pull weeds, mow the yard, or drive in the snow.

Shelley also spends a lot of time on line! Please visit her website, www.shelleyshepardgray.com to find out her latest news or to sign up for her newsletter. Shelley can also be found on FaceBook, Instagram @shelley.s.gray, or on Twitter @ShelleySGray

Return to Pinecraft, Florida, for a Sweet Amish Romance

Sheltered yet adventurous, Betsy Detweiler is on a mission to get out of Kentucky and experience new things in life. She's got a list--a life list. What better place to start than with her friends in beautiful Pinecraft, Florida?

From the moment Betsy walks into the Snow Bird Golf Course to sign up for lessons, August Troyer is mesmerized. Betsy is a mass of contradictions--beautiful yet awkward, outgoing yet unsure, joyful yet hesitant. She's like no one he's ever met before, and as the only child of missionary parents, he's met a lot of people.

As Betsy and August embark on a month of enjoying life to the fullest, they'll encounter several reasons to back off and play it safe. But playing it safe has its own consequences. This tender romance reminds us that life--and love--requires a fair amount of risk.

Men's Devotional for Dads: A Year of Prayers, Guidance, and Wisdom

Chris Bailey and Jamie Bailey

An accessible and easy-to-use men's devotional offering a year of scripture, prayers and wisdom.

As a main supporter of their families, dads are pillars of strength. But sometimes they can get overwhelmed and stressed and require self-care. Men’s Devotional for Dads by authors and renowned Christian counselors Chris and Jamie Bailey, helps all dads lean on God for strength and wisdom for the journey of fatherhood and beyond.

Men’s Devotional for Dads features:

52 WEEKS OF PRAYERS AND DEVOTIONALS: A selection of powerful scripture and God’s truths makes sure that dad is spiritually covered for the whole year. Anecdotes and cases of real dads provide guidance on refocusing on God. Each devotional offers a prayer for God’s strength, wisdom, and healing for all seasons of fatherhood.UPLIFTING AND INSPIRATIONAL AFFIRMATIONS: Each devotional starts with an affirmation that also serves as the devotional theme that reflects God’s truth PROFESSIONAL CHRISTIAN COUNSELORS: Chris and Jamie Bailey have been married for more than 27 years and are renowned in their community for helping Christian marriages thrive. Their clients include fathers, and they have helped many dads find their best selves through the grace of God. They both have their Master’s in Professional Counseling.

Chris Bailey is a Christian counselor and marriage coach with Expedition Marriage. He graduated with a Masters in Professional Counseling from Liberty University and holds a Bachelors in Ministry and Biblical Studies from Southern Christian University. In addition to a private counseling practice, Chris and his wife Jamie also run an online ministry, https://expeditionmarriage.org. There you can find information and links for their services and resources including their couples coaching, Expedition Marriage podcast, online courses, Marriage Reboot Weekend Intensives, speaking, retreats and seminars. Chris holds most highly his role as a husband and best friend to his wife of over 28 years, Jamie. He is also a proud father of 3 incredible daughters, 3 son-in-laws, and 3 grandchildren.

Jamie Bailey is a professional Christian counselor with her Masters from Liberty University. She is a wife of 29 years to Chris, and a mother of three daughters, Alicia, Taylor, and Mackenzie. She is also a proud Grammy to Bailey and Barrett. She and her husband run a private practice in Fort Mill, SC as well as an online ministry, Expedition Marriage, where they offer courses, and coaching, and run retreats and seminars. Along with her husband, she is also a podcaster on the Expedition Marriage podcast. Her greatest passion is offering life-changing and legacy-changing hope to all people and all couples.

Shibori Surprise: What to Do When Things Don’t Turn Out the Way We Expect

 

I was lucky enough to attend an indigo workshop a while back while researching for my book Indigo Isle. What a treat that was to be able to learn more about indigo’s history in my home state of South Carolina and to learn the entire process of making indigo. During the workshop, we harvested the pigment from the plant and then used the pigment to dye silk scarves.

Shibori is resist-dyeing, aka tie-dyeing. We were shown several techniques on how to fold, tie, clamp, and even braid the fabric to get different designs. The fun part is that you really have no idea exactly how it’ll turn out. If the folds are too tight, the pigment won’t reach the inside layers. If you don’t follow the accordion folding technique, then your patterns won’t have much pattern to them.

About a dozen of us prepared and dyed scarves, and every single one turned out completely different. We all followed the same directions and used the same dye, but each scarf varied. Some of the attendees seemed disappointed in their outcome, saying it looked nothing like what they had expected. That got me thinking about how life is so very similar to this. We put in the work and followed directions to a T, yet the end results are not what we expected. There are only two choices when this happens: Try again or accept the unexpected outcome.

I think those silk scarves changed my perspective. Before, I would be the one to trash the first outcome and try again—only to get more frustrated when things still didn’t turn out the way I wanted. But I have come to realize there can be beauty in accepting the unexpected.

Typically, life doesn’t turn out the way we expect it to. Yes, that’s frustrating and can be quite scary, but . . . that’s life. I can’t help but think about that saying, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” It’s all about our approach to difficult times. I know when I huff and puff about something not going my way, my poor attitude only makes it worse.

You want to know another way to make something worse? Impatience. I’m a people watcher, which comes with the author territory, in my opinion. So, the day of the indigo workshop I spent a lot of time watching the other people work on their shibori projects. Some were done lickety-split while others took a good bit more time to prepare their scarves for dyeing. Truly, each scarf looked like art when complete, but it was easy to spot the scarves that had been meticulously folded or tied. The patterns were more precise and intricate. Some of the impatient participants commented that they wished they’d taken more time with preparation. Darned if there isn’t a life lesson in that too, am I right?



I’ve heard that 2023 is the year of indigo, so what better time to discover more about this fascinating pigment. Learning more about indigo and shibori is really just a YouTube video away if you’re unable to attend a workshop. And dye kits can be purchased online. I highly recommend giving this art medium a try and perhaps reflecting on my musings here while you do so.

T. I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories. She is the author of nearly twenty published novels, including her recent bestselling and critically acclaimed novel, Under the Magnolias, and her debut breakout, Lulu's Café. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina. Find her at tilowe.com or on Facebook (T.I.Lowe), Instagram (tilowe), and Twitter (@TiLowe).



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                                                                         Author photo by Jordyn Strickland, copyright © 2019. All rights reserved.

Do You Feel Lost?

 

Jami Nato (www.jaminato.com) is a blogger, Instagram influencer, and serial entrepreneur. She mentors thousands of leaders by running an online business and a local coffee shop. She has four non-Catholic kids who attend Catholic school, one irritatingly athletic husband, two unkempt dogs, and several plants she brings to the edge of death regularly. She juggles this circus in the best-kept secret of the Midwest where people genuinely do care about your aunt's hip surgery: Kansas City, Missouri.

Feeling a Bit Lost These Days? Here's Your Map Home

You want a life of purpose and meaning, but if there's a map to get you there, you haven't been able to find it.

Until now.

Your treasure map is closer than you think, and Jami Nato tucked it inside these pages. Your journey begins by looking at your past, and then following the breadcrumbs that God has left for you every step of the way.

Jami found her breadcrumbs in the rubble after her marriage fell apart. Downgraded from perfect Christian wife and mother to hot mess, she finally let go of what the world (and the church) said she should be and let God reforge her into a thriving, joyful woman living on purpose.

Moving seamlessly between the hilarious and the heartbreaking, Jami asks hard questions and shares what God has taught her through her own story--so you can step fully into yours. And while you shouldn't trust her with your laundry or houseplants, you can trust her to help you discover the unique calling God has for your life.

Her Three Great Loves

Valerie M. Bodden is a USA Today bestselling author with three great loves: Jesus, her family, and books. And chocolate (okay, four great loves). She writes emotion-filled Christian fiction that weaves real-life problems, real-life people, and real-life faith. Her characters may (okay, will) experience some heartache along the way, but true to her tendencies as a hopeless romantic, she will always give them a happy ending. Valerie is living out her happily ever after with her high-school-sweetheart-turned-husband and their four children. The whole family is currently learning to say "y'all" instead of "you guys" after moving from Wisconsin to Texas. Visit her at www.valeriembodden.com to get your free short story.

Their marriage is already falling apart. So when she loses her memories of their life together... can he make her fall in love all over again?

Abigail thought marrying Simeon was her chance to start over. To be a better person. To forget the sins of her past. The sins Simeon knows nothing about. But after a series of devastating losses, she knows those sins are catching up with her—and they’re hurting Simeon too. If he learns the truth now, he’ll send her packing. Just like her family did. Better that she push him away first.

As a Christian counselor, Simeon should be able to help his wife cope with the losses they’ve suffered. And it’s killing him that he can’t. It seems like the more he tries, the harder she pushes him away. He’s determined to save their marriage... but what if it’s already too late?

When an accident leaves Abigail with amnesia, stealing her memories of their life together, will it be the end of their marriage? Or is God giving them a second chance to build a love even stronger than they remember?

Books That Brings Smiles

 

If you love to smile as you read, then you will want to read bestselling author Karen Witemeyer's warmhearted historical romance that has a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. 

She writes stories of true love, adventure, and faith set against a backdrop of the American West.

Voted #1 Readers' Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and family board game player who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.

Her newest book, Fairest of Heart releases June. Can't wait to read this one. I am told it is an enchanting Western that takes on the classic Snow White fairy tale that will sweep you away from once upon a time to happily ever after.

Once upon a time in Texas . . .

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters--and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas Ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young lady found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather's ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope's acting troupe, and all evidence points to Penelope's guilt. But Titus might just be convinced that the fairest woman of all has a heart as pure as her last name . . . if only he can prove it.

Interviews and Reviews, says, “An excellent start to [Witemeyer's] Texas Ever After series. . .  I loved this story from beginning to end and applaud the author for her ingenuity. I can't wait for the next one!”

In March, her book In Her Sights was released.

He's sworn off love, but she has his heart in her sights and doesn't intend to miss.

Stained by his wastrel father's legacy, Jackson Spivey lives on the fringes of society. Townsfolk tolerate him since he keeps the local hotel supplied with fresh game, but mothers coach their daughters to avoid him. After tasting consistent rejection, Jackson spurns all attempts at courtship. The only things he can count on are his guns and his God.

Tessa James has been secretly in love with Jackson for ages, but trying to gain his favor only pushes him further away. When she learns Annie Oakley is traveling through Texas, Tessa seeks lessons from the famed markswoman. If Jackson's life revolves around guns, taking up shooting might help her engage his interest. Too bad she can't hit the broad side of a barn.

When Annie loans Tessa a custom pistol, however, things begin to change. The lore behind the mysterious weapon fosters hope that Tessa might finally hit the target of Jackson's heart. But when danger threatens, she might be forced to use the pistol for something other than finding love.

Be sure and check out her website, www.karenwitemeyer.com where you will find contests, deleted scenes, unpublished epilogues, character trivia, and ways to personally connect with her. She loves hearing from her readers.