Friday, January 17, 2025

"What I Left for You" by Liz Tolsma

About the Book

Book: What I Left for You (Echoes of the Past Book Three)

Author: Liz Tolsma

Genre: Christian Fiction / Romance / Historical Fiction

Release date: December 1, 2024

A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939

1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.

2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.

Click here to get your copy!

My thoughts

I found this book to be well written. I was drawn into both timelines and I wanted to see how all the pieces fit together. This book gives me a better understanding of what life was like in Poland during the occupation of WWII. There is a biblical faith thread and the characters leaned on their faith throughout the book. I look forward to reading more books by Liz Tolsma.

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping.

More from Liz

I stared at my computer screen in front of me. For years, I had been searching for my great-grandmother, Anna. I got no good information. Census records in the US weren’t helpful. Some listed her birthplace as Czechoslovakia, while others had it as Austria. I had heard before that she might have been born in Czechoslovakia before, but never Austria. There were no records that I had come across that listed the city or town where she was born.

Until that one day. While searching for my great-grandmother, I ran across a passport application recorded in Warsaw, Poland, for an Anna with the same last name, though spelled differently. Her birthday was listed as 1903, which matched the birth year I knew for my great-grandmother’s niece. As I read through the application, my heart was pounding. This Anna was born in the United States but went to Dubne, Poland, with her family in 1906. It was now 1923, and she wanted to return to the US, and she would be living with…

I started to cry when I saw who her sponsor was. My great-grandfather. The name and address were correct. There could be no doubt about it. It had taken me years, but I finally made the jump to Europe and discovered that my great-grandmother was not born in Czechoslovakia but in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire and is now Poland.

Of course, good little researcher that I am, I had to find out all I could about Dubne, the town they were from. That’s when I first came across the term Lemko. What on earth was that?

Lemkos are a Slavic people that settled in the Carpathian Mountains of Southern Poland, Northern Slovakia, and Western Ukraine. They are also known as Lemko Rusyns, Rusyns (especially those born in Slovakia, like my great-grandfather), and Carptho-Rusyns. The mountains kept the world at bay, and they developed their own language, customs, and form of Christianity. For the most part, they were very poor, many of them eking out a living from the rocky ground.

They lived in “black houses,” called that because the poorest people couldn’t afford to have a chimney built. The smoke from the cooking and heating fires stayed inside the house and covered the walls with black tar. If you look at the cemetery records from Dubne, you would be old if you lived into your fifties. Conditions were brutal.

The most the average Lemko could afford was one sheep or one pig. Since this was their most prized possession, they couldn’t take the chance of a wild animal or a neighbor taking it away, so it lived in the house with them.

With all of them. Up to eleven people would live in a two-room house. When I mentioned that in What I Left for You, my editor questioned if I had made a mistake. No, I didn’t. I have no idea how they fit all those people in there, but they did. As I was tracking one branch of our family tree, I kept coming up with people living in house 43. Over and over and over. They stuffed that house full. Grandparents, parents, and children all lived together. They may not have had much, but that forged the Lemkos into strong and resilient people.

I’m proud to be Lemko-Rusyn, and I’m thrilled to share this story with you. I infused Helena, the historical heroine, with as much of the Lemko spunk and spirit as I could. Last October, my daughter and I had the privilege to travel to Poland and Slovakia and see the Lemko homeland for ourselves. It helped me to write a better, richer story because I now understand where they came from and who they were. Enjoy Helena’s story and her journey during WWII and beyond. I hope you come to understand and appreciate the Lemko people as much as I have.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, January 7

lakesidelivingsite, January 7

Lots of Helpers, January 8

Pens Pages & Pulses, January 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, January 9

Life on Chickadee Lane, January 9

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 10

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, January 10

Texas Book-aholic, January 11

Connie’s History Classroom , January 11

Locks, Hooks and Books, January 12

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 13

For Him and My Family, January 13

Stories By Gina, January 14 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, January 14

Holly’s Book Corner, January 15

Betti Mace, January 16

Jeanette’s Thoughts, January 16

Bigreadersite, January 17

Blossoms and Blessings, January 17

Pause for Tales, January 18

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, January 18

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, January 19

Lights in a Dark World, January 19

Cover Lover Book Review, January 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon e-Gift card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54125

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Monday, January 13, 2025

"Ephesians: Experience God's Power" by Sarah K. Howley -- Epic Book Launch

About the Book

Book Title: Ephesians: Experience God’s Power

Author Name: Sarah K. Howley

Genre: Bible Study

Release Date: January 5, 2024

Are you ready to dive deep into the life-changing truths of Ephesians? In this 8-session Bible

study, you'll explore how God's power is available to us today—transforming our lives, our

relationships, and the world around us.

Sarah K. Howley, author, speaker, and founder of InspiritEncourage, is your guide on this

journey through Ephesians. With insightful questions and thoughtful guidance, Sarah will help

you uncover:

- The incredible spiritual blessings that God has prepared for you.

- His vision for unity among His people while honoring each person's unique gifts.

- How to live with purpose and conviction, experiencing the fullness of life as a Christian.

- Old Testament connections that deepen your understanding of the New Testament.

- Practical ways to live out God's truths in your daily life.

Each hour-long session includes a key Scripture passage, an introduction, engaging questions,

links to Old Testament passages, and personal application. Perfect for individual or group study,

Ephesians: Experience God's Power will strengthen your faith and build deeper connections in

unity with others.

Question & Answer

What can I expect from this study of Ephesians?

I designed Ephesians: Experience God’s Power in response to my personal desire to
understand the instructions that early Christians had. They were taught based on the Old
Testament yet lived in the New Covenant. I wanted to see how the new reflected the old while
also living it out differently. The Ephesians lived forgiven, as we do.
So, I wondered what the application of the Old Testament truths to the New Testament life
looked like, and I realized that I have the opportunity to do just that by reviewing the passages
referenced by each of the epistle writers and compare it to the new instruction they were given
in that letter.
So, here I first sought to understand what Paul was saying to the Ephesians, then what the Old
Testament references meant to the New Testament hearers of the word. Lastly, I found that
there were points that I needed to apply in my own life. So, the study comprises of opening
questions, generally about culture and our relations to it, then the participants read and answer
questions from the text. There are short passages that link to the Ephesians reading and a
couple of questions about how they link and help in understanding the point that Paul was
making. Finally, there are application questions to close out each session.
The style is such to guide the participants rather than tell. So, I hope that each person sees the
connection of the old and new, how one influences the other and leads to spiritual growth and
understanding in each session.

Missed Any Questions, Go Here

Come back soon

About the Author

Sarah K. Howley is the founder of InspiritEncourage and author of several Bible studies. She is a

certified counselor by the Chiesa Apostolica in Italia and holds a master’s degree in education.

Sarah often travels the world, usually with espresso in hand. Follow her at inspiritencourage.com

to keep in touch.

Monday, December 23, 2024

"The Trail to the Lonely Tree: Book 1 of the Jaguar Oracle Series" by Kurt Mähler -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: The Trail to the Lonely Tree (Book 1 of the Jaguar Oracle Series)

Author: Kurt Mähler

Genre: Christian Magical Realism Fantasy

Release date: September 30, 2024

A richly poetic tale of friendship, courage, and destiny that will awaken the imagination of children and adults alike.

When Oracle, a jaguar from the Yucatán, learns of the dying words of the last jaguar in the Rio Grande Valley, he finds himself on a perilous journey to see a prophecy fulfilled.

To do so he must travel 1,400 miles to Texas and find the Lonely Tree, where his kin spoke an enigma to the heavens as hunters took him down. But the Lonely Tree is in the dangerous realm of Man—and Oracle will need more than his own wisdom and strength to fulfill the task.

Oracle remembers Eden and the naming of the animals; what Adam spoke to the first of each kind. He discovers the animals in the Valley have forgotten their names—as has Man himself.

Can he not only fulfill the prophecy, but help the animals reclaim ancient truths before they are lost forever?

This hope-filled tale explores the quest for courage in a fallen world and how to make the faith journey—and its sacrifices—worthwhile.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?

I use a Google sheet called “Timetable of the Tale” to track the days, nights, and patterns in the night

sky with an app called Starry Night Enthusiast 8. I use an internally hyperlinked Google doc called

“Faithfulness to the Tale” to remind myself of what the characters intend to do later on; notes

regarding style; and details about each character.

What is your writing space like?

It is a solid wood desk with no drawers facing southeast. Two Gothic-arch windows are above it, one

of which has a perch for birds who feed on seeds just below the sill. Under a brass reading lamp is an

icon of the Holy Family, and with this my daytimer, called a Full Focus Planner, which I highly

recommend.

A toy raccoon “reminds” me to take courage and write. (The Jaguar Oracle series features a raccoon

named Patch.) And there is a desk fan (for it is quite hot where I live in Arabia.) and a plant beside the

desk. A map of the tale—which appears in the book—is also before me, along with silhouettes of the

four main cats: jaguar, ocelot, bobcat, and jaguarundi.

Where do you get your ideas for your books?

In the case of The Trail to the Lonely Tree and the Jaguar Oracle series that follows, the idea came

from a black-and-white photo and a question.

The photo, dated January 1946, is of farmers and ranchers displaying the “last” jaguar in the Rio

Grande Valley of Texas, which they have hunted down and killed.

The question interrupted me a few hours later during a time of prayer about some troublesome matter

I no longer remember. The question dropped into me: “What if a jaguar returned to the Rio Grande

Valley?”

What is your work schedule/routine when you write?

Insofar as love and wisdom allow, mornings are devoted to writing. I write pre-dawn for an hour or so,

then, after breakfast and morning chores, I write another two to four hours.

Afternoons and evenings tend to be devoted to everything else, i.e., matters that do not require the

generating of creative content and the solitude that makes that more possible.

Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?

Sometimes, yes. The main character in the Jaguar Oracle is a jaguar who, apparently, has spent time

with a lion a lot like Aslan, although I can’t be sure. In Book 2, The Way Back to Eden, there is a

hermit based on a long lost relative of mine, and there is a cartel operative who is based on Cesar

Romero, a Hollywood actor known for his role in the original Batman TV series.

About the Author

Kurt Mähler writes in the prophetic and poetic tradition, inspired by the wonder of creation and cultures of the world. He and his wife have served in forty nations as encouragers in the Christian faith, where Kurt discovered the beauty and wisdom of storytelling. His roots include the Gulf Coast, Rio Grande Valley, and Heart of Texas.

More from Kurt

During my eleven years in Afghanistan with my wife Karen and five children, I learned that sometimes we need ‘aha’ moments instead of how-to manuals; a story instead of a sermon; an encounter instead of a lecture.

That’s why my answer to the question, “What if a jaguar appeared in South Texas?” is saturated with parables, prayers, poems, proverbs, and prophetic words set in the voices of creation.

My wife Karen is from where this imaginary tale takes place, so I have visited it often. On one visit, I saw a 1946 black-and-white photo of what was believed to be the last jaguar in the Rio Grande Valley. Hunters gathered around their prize. The question, “What if a jaguar came back here?” struck like a match inside me and became a bonfire of discovery for six books, beginning with The Trail to the Lonely Tree.

C.S. Lewis, George MacDonald, Tolkien, Milton, and Dante are the literary mentors I have looked to for this Christian fantasy, which, in my case, is a form called “magical realism.”

It’s real in that you can visit, for example, the Port Isabel lighthouse or the Rio Grande River; it’s magical in that I have immersed that world into another one—one that isn’t “real” yet completely true. The ranches are fictitious and yet, as symbols, speak the truth to the way things are and the way things could be as wheat and weeds grow together in the realm of Man.

The descriptions of the animals and plants of the Rio Grande Valley are as accurate as I could labor to attain. For the stars, I employed the astronomy app Starry Night Enthusiast 8 to precisely describe the activity of the heavens during the time of the tale, which is from September 2016 through August 2017 in Book 1.

The herblore is a work of research too. Patch the raccoon heals a friend’s injury with aloe vera and the pita plant, while later he and ab aplomado falcon named Sent attempt to heal an ailing, abandoned child with leaves of the anacahuita (Texas wild olive); twigs of the allthorn (amargoso); and tasajillo berries of the Christmas cactus.

A word about the jaguar named Oracle. He isn’t Aslan, but he sure seems to have spent time with him. His faith journey might be like yours, with clues to the future, a heart to serve others—and profound disappointments along the way.

Let’s discover together how to begin again, own our faith, leverage our sorrows, and pick up the trail before us. For the way to our future often begins with a memory. Our destinies are found in the first things our Creator told us long ago in childhood and before. That is where we will most likely find courage for our calling.

I don’t mean ‘calling’ in the sense of clergy alone, but in the sense of living as your original self, the one God thought of when He said, “Let there be…”

I wrote this tale to impart such courage.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, December 12

Vicky Sluiter, December 13 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 14

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 15

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, December 16

Simple Harvest Reads, December 17 (Author Interview)

Denise L. Barela, December 17

Aryn The Libraryan, December 18

For the Love of Literature, December 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 20

Tell Tale Book Reviews, December 21 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, December 22

Blossoms and Blessings, December 23 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, December 24

Stories By Gina, December 25 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Kurt is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, a detailed digital map of the entire six-book tale, a paperback copy of the book, and an audiobook copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54120

Thursday, December 19, 2024

"An Honorable Deception" by Roseanna M. White

About the Book

In the trying art of balancing investigations and love, a detective must determine his priorities when faced with dangerous circumstances that could threaten everything he holds dear.

As the leader of the Imposters, an elite private investigative firm, Lord Yates Fairfax has made an art of concealing his identity. But when his newest client, the beautiful Lady Alethia Barremore, is shot while leaving their meeting, he throws caution to the wind and rushes to her aid. Though Lady Alethia thought she was only looking for her missing former nanny, she has clearly stumbled upon something much more dangerous.

Lady Lavinia Hemming suspects her longtime friends hold more secrets than they're willing to admit, and when she stumbles upon the truth that they're the esteemed Imposters, she recruits herself into the firm. While she is happy for the distraction of an investigation, Lavinia's own family secrets continue to haunt her. And the one thing bringing laughter back into her life--her friendship with Yates--lands her squarely on the disagreeable side of her best friend: his sister.

Tormented by a past she doesn't dare voice aloud, Lady Alethia does what she can to help her handsome host, her new friends, and the investigators. But as clues lead them deeper into the dark side of society, Alethia, Yates, and Lavinia learn anew that the gentry isn't always noble . . . even as they fight to hold fast to their own honor.

My Thoughts

I loved reading this book. It was fun to finally get Yates's story. It is very helpful to read the series in order so you get the whole story as it unfolds as some elements from previous books are continued into the other books. This book deals with some of the worst of humanity has to offer, but does so carefully. There are great biblical lessons throughout the book and the characters grew and changed. There were twists I did not expect which I will not mention because that would spoil the surprise of what happens. I love reading books by Roseanna M. White, I'm just sad when they are finished! I look forward to reading more books by her in the future.

About the Author

Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com.

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

"All Together West: A Ginnie West Adventure" by Monique Bucheger & G.L. Rasmussen -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: All Together West: A Ginnie West Adventure

Authors: Monique Bucheger & G.L. Rasmussen

Genre: Upper Middle Grade

Release date: December 5, 2024

Families are complicated… and no one knows that better than 12 year-old Ginnie West. With her dad engaged to her best friend’s mom, this summer should be a dream come true. However, the return of Tillie’s birth father muddles the girls’ celebration.

On the plus side, Ginnie’s dream of training on her beloved horse, Calliope, is finally happening. However, she soon discovers that her riding experience is not enough when Tillie, her best friend, and Toran, her twin brother, and their new horses outshine Calliope in performance.

To complicate matters further, Ginnie finds herself in the midst of an escalating prank war with her mischievous Uncle Jake, drawing the entire family into the chaos. The West/Stratton/Taylor families must come together and heal, allowing her great-uncle’s cherished motto, “When you’re here, you’re family,” to hold true once more.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

G.L. Rasmussen and Monique Bucheger

1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)? My books and short stories are
based on life events or observations followed by “What if?” A friend volunteered to be Santa’s
helper because Mrs. Claus wasn’t available and she happened to have her own elf costume. I
wondered why someone would have an elf costume still tucked away at 36. That nugget
became Elves in the Attic.
I’m a pantser who knows my stories benefit from a little bit of plotting–though the plotting usually
consists of one sentence like: Ginnie searches the loft to find X, but finds Y instead. ;)

2. What is your favorite part about writing? Seeing where my characters/creations take me.
Writing a scene that comes out better on paper than in my head.

3. What is your least favorite part about writing? Getting the creative juices flowing after a
particularly trying day.

4. Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas? I carry a small sketch pad where I
record ideas or quickly sketch out a scene or background landscape or pose.
I have notebooks I take notes in–but usually transfer the idea into my work-in-progress MS and
highlight it so I find it again easily. I incorporate it or keep moving it until it finds a home or gets
put in an “Extra’s doc for that book or the next one.”

5. What is your writing space like? A war zone. I’ll ditto G.L. here. It only makes sense to me.

6. When did you become a writer? In the womb. In grade school. Ginnie started out as an
Imaginary friend who turned into a character I liked to spend time with so much that I started
writing books about her and her family.

7. How long does it usually take you to write a book? A few months to several years. I like to
look back to see how my writing morphs and matures. Same here. G.L and I both have
unpublished books–for me the shortest time was 2 months (Book 1–though I wrote Book 2 first),
the longest, 9 years (Book 5).

8. Where do you get your ideas for your books? Sometimes they come as thoughts in an idle
moment or a humorous event observed or a painful lesson learned.
All of these apply to me as well as a “What if?” situation–like a friend learned he had an 18-
month old son. So I wondered what it would be like if a 12-year-old girl met the dad who didn’t
know she existed. Hopefully that book will be available next year.

9. What is your work schedule/routine when you write? I like to start early and work until the
distractions become too hard to ignore or other commitments need to be met. Then I may pick it
up later in the day.
Most days I get up and start writing. Depending on how life goes, I may stay at it most of the
day–or I may take care of the people in my life (though my youngest is 16 and at school or work
most of the day). I started writing seriously when I was pregnant with my youngest–and the
majority of my first 4 books were written between 10 pm and 2 am–because that’s when my
house was quiet. On occasion–I still write into the wee hours when I’m on a roll.

10. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters? Certainly, it’s unavoidable. Close
friends tend not to read my works for fear of recognizing themselves in an unflattering way,
however. Of course, though most of my characters are NOT based on people I know–most of
my characters come with their own personalities and I let them do their thing.

About the Authors

Monique is a bestselling author, a certified Farland Fiction Coach, and an empowerment speaker, dedicated to championing the underdog, in both her writing and real-life adventures.

Having a heart for families in crisis, Monique creates stories that capture the essence of real-life challenges and triumphs, with a touch of humor.

Monique’s upper middle-grade series, ‘The Ginnie West Adventures,’ delves into sensitive and weighty themes such as parental loss, abandonment, and overcoming abuse. She delivers stories not only for tween readers, but for those young at heart.

Drawing from her experiences nurturing a dozen of her own children and fostering over a hundred more, Monique’s experiences shape her books, creating novels in a number of genres, including a historical family saga, contemporary family dramas, a fun picture book, and a middle grade series weaving whimsy and heart into her tales.

A country boy by birth and by choice, Gary spent his youth working on the family farm, for local farmers and ranchers, on horseback or playing sports. Offered scholarships in Agriculture and Advertising Design, he opted for the bright lights and big city. Eight years in the advertising field convinced him that wasn’t where he wanted to be.

Gary freelanced in design and illustration, converted his love of writing for advertising to a newspaper column about the country lifestyle. He has also worked as a ranch manager, cowboy, rancher, and horse trainer. An avid painter and author, Gary shares his talents through mentoring others, is a past president of the Western Art Guild and Idaho Writers League and is an active member of Western Writers of America.

Gary and his wife, Margie are the parents of four children and ten grandchildren and have traveled extensively throughout Europe, Great Britain and the United States.

More from Monique

All Together West: A Ginnie West Adventure is an accumulation of many arcs, including getting to know some family members that Ginnie didn’t even know existed not very long ago. These blasts from the past make Ginnie and Tillie’s present very interesting.

When Monique and G.L. wrote Book 5: Chase Your Dreams West: A Ginnie West Adventure, it turned into a very long book and was split almost in half–with some storylines going into Book 5 and others into Book 6. A new plotline was added to weave a more interesting tale that readers have really liked. In fact, while Ginnie and Tillie have puzzled along trying to solve some riddles, readers made some interesting guesses that have given the authors ideas to add to future novels.

So put on your thinking caps and jump right in with your best guesses as the girls go on a treasure hunt. Who knows what they might find as they search for clues from the present to fill in gaps from the past? Their hunt might lead to an amazing adventure in the future.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, December 5

Stories By Gina, December 6 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, December 6

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 7

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, December 8 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, December 9

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, December 10 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 11

Fiction Book Lover, December 12 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 13

Vicky Sluiter, December 14 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, December 14

Locks, Hooks and Books, December 15

Guild Master, December 16 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 17

Blossoms and Blessings, December 18 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, Monique and Gary are giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54110

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

"The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle" by Daniel Petronelli -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle

Author: Daniel Petronelli

Genre: Religion & Spirituality, Holiday Celebration, Children’s Chapter Book, Inspirational, Action & Adventure

Release date: October, 2021

In the small foothill village of Shiloh on a stormy Christmas Eve, a group of children find themselves lost in a powerful storm. When a chance encounter with a kind stranger presents itself, their faith is put to the test as they discover the true meaning of Christmas, learn valuable life lessons, and experience the transformative power of just one tiny seed: The Seed of Faith.

This unforgettable, multi-award winning story will inspire readers of all ages to believe in miracles and the unwavering presence of God in their lives.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. What is your least favorite part about writing?
Least favorite is the marketing of the book.

2. What is your writing space like?
I wrote a lot of the story sitting at the family kitchen table.

3. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
The Seed of Faith actually took about 20 years to write!
I originally wrote this story as a Christmas present to my family.
We used to read it together during the Christmas season. Everyone who read always
encouraged me to publish the story so that other people could also enjoy and be inspired by
this Christian story. During Covid, I had lots of free time and I decided to finish the story and
publish it!. Since then it has done great and has received many awards.

4. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
I was going through a challenging period in my life. I prayed a lot and put all my trust
and faith in the Lord. The story was a reflection of having faith in the face of adversity

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Yes- The daughter in the story, “The Seed of Faith”, is actually my daughter.

About the Author

Dan Petronelli was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. He currently divides his time with his wife between West Bridgewater, Massachusetts and Stuart, Florida.

He is a strong member of his local community and has served as a Christian worship leader where he led a large congregation in praise and worship songs, including two of his original songs: “ Walking in the Light” and “ Providence.”

Dan Petronelli participated in Smith’s Magazine’s Six-Word Memoir contest, and his memoir was selected and later published by HarperCollins.

Dan found a message in a bottle when he was a young boy tinkering on a rocky shoreline. It was a profound spiritual message that he has kept and still treasures today.

This inspired story was written as a cherished Christmas gift for his family, and it is his hope that the SEED OF FAITH will also bring joy and continue to grow in the hearts of readers around the world.

More from Daniel

“The Seed of Faith: A Christmas Miracle” is an inspiring story about the joy and blessings of faith.

I originally wrote this heartfelt story as a Christmas gift for my family, and it has since become a cherished tradition for us to read together on Christmas Eve. Encouraged by friends and relatives, I was inspired to share this story with a wider audience.

The book features numerous beautiful color illustrations by the talented artist Emily Pritchett.

At its core, this multi-award-winning tale focuses on finding courage during life’s most challenging moments and drawing strength from the Lord, knowing that He is always by your side.

Its captivating spiritual adventure unfolds as a small group of children finds themselves lost in a powerful storm on Christmas Eve, making it an engaging read for children.

This story glorifies the true meaning of Christmas—the birth of Jesus Christ, not Santa Claus.

It illustrates the power of just one tiny seed of faith, showing that with God’s blessings, it can grow in the hearts and change the lives of all who believe.

My earnest hope is that “The Seed of Faith” will continue to take root and flourish in the hearts of readers around the world.

Planting a Seed of Faith in the hearts of our children—what greater gift could we possibly give?