When the weather’s so cold you have frost on the windows, it’s time to curl up indoors with a fuzzy blanket, burning candle, and a good book for a good, long afternoon. Check out these great reads—and enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway at the end! Four books, four winners!
Author: Sharlene McLaren
Book Giveaway: Their Daring Hearts
Levi Albright rebelled against his Quaker roots to fight for abolition in the Union army in the first year of the Civil War.Two years later, 19-year-old destitute orphan Josephine Winters, with chopped hair, boy’s clothes, and new name, “Gordon Snipp,” enlists in the Union army out of sheer desperation. Just over five feet tall and barely weighing as much as a newborn calf, Snipp seems to Levi to be barely old enough to hold “his” gun. But despite being teased by the regiment, Snipp quickly earns admiration for skill with a musket and unequaled bravery. When Levi explains one night that he is a Quaker leading a regiment, it leads to a late-night discussion of faith and a developing friendship. But Snipp’s secret can only be hidden for so long. After an injury forces Josie to reveal her real identity, Levi is angered by her deception. Worse, Josie is marched out of the company without a chance to explain—or even say goodbye. Will their friendship survive? Or will the hatred saturating the war-torn nation affect even the heart of a peace-loving Quaker?
About Sharlene:Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating with an education degree in 1971, she taught second grade for two years then accepted an invitation to travel internationally for a year with a singing ensemble. In 1975, she married her childhood sweetheart. Together they raised two lovely, wonderful daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying their own families. Retired in 2003 from 31-years of teaching, “Shar” loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family, in particular, her wonderful, adorable grandchildren!
A Christian for 45+ years, and a lover of the English language, Shar has always enjoyed dabbling in writing–poetry, fiction, various essays, and freelancing for periodicals and newspapers. Her favored genre, however, has always been romance. She remembers well the short stories she wrote in high school and watching them circulate from girl to girl during government and civics classes. “Psst,” someone would whisper from two rows over, and always with the teacher’s back to the class, “Pass me the next page.”In recent years, Shar felt God’s call upon her heart to take her writing pleasures a step further and in 2006 signed a contract for her first faith-based novel; thereby, launching her writing career with Through Every Storm. With a dozen books now gracing store shelves nationwide, she daily gives God all the praise and glory for her accomplishments.
Shar has done numerous countrywide book signings, television and radio appearances, and countless interviews. She loves to speak for women’s organizations, libraries, church groups, women’s retreats, and banquets. She is involved in Apples of Gold, a mentoring program for young wives and/or mothers, and is active in her church as well as two weekly Bible studies. She and her husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan with their beautiful white collie, Peyton and their rag doll cat named Blue.
Visit her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharmaclaren
Visit her website: http://www.sharlenemaclaren.com
What is your 2018 goal?
We were just discussing this on my Facebook page the other day. My 2018 goal is to dig deeper into my daily Bible reading. Too often, out of busyness and my sometimes hectic life, my Bible reading becomes more of a task than a treat. I do too much “surface” reading and not enough “in depth”. I want to read it more for content and truly understand what I’m ready through study and concentration. I’m praying the Lord will guide me in this because I tend to get distracted by so many other things that vie for my attention.
Author: Joyce Valdois Smith
Book Giveaway: Grandpa Forgot My Name (a children’s book) paperbackJoyce also has a new-release: Romance Along the Rails releases January 23, 2018. It will be available for pre-order on Kindle this week, and you may purchase it here:
What is your 2018 goal?
My favorite thing about the Christmas Holiday was spending time with family and friends. We had Christmas dinner at our house with two of our daughters and their families including six grandchildren, then we traveled to Columbia, SC to spend a week with our son and his family, two more granddaughters.
About Joyce:
Joyce Valdois Smith is the wife of Bob, mother to four married children and grandmother to twelve amazing grandchildren. She is a retired public health and school nurse Writing has been her longtime passion. Joyce is an author of Christian historical and contemporary fiction as well as children’s books. She is active in her church. She lives with her husband and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Lady Catherine (Katie), in Southwest Missouri.
Author: Daisy Townsend
Book Giveaway: Sarah’s Legacy, an e-book
Blurb: Exuberant, 18-year-old Polly Dye is torn between wanting to please her mother and wanting to please Garrett, the man she is dating. To add to Polly’s unsettled feelings, she and her family move into a house that evokes a chilling sensation as she steps over the threshold. Polly can’t decide whether this disturbing feeling means that something bad has happened here or that something bad is going to happen.
Soon Polly discovers the diary of the original owner of the house, Sarah Davis. She hopes that by reading it, her questions about the apprehensive feelings she has in the house will be answered. Instead, she finds herself wrestling with the many losses that Sarah experienced while still maintaining her faith in God. What good is a God who doesn’t protect one from pain, Polly’s utmost goal in life?
As Polly experiences losses of her own and learns through the mistakes that Sarah made, Polly realizes it’s not enough for her to have faith in her mother’s faith. Will Sarah’s legacy enable Polly to make that faith her own and will her questions about the house be answered?
About Daisy Townsend:
Daisy Beiler Townsend has been published in magazines and periodicals more than eighty times. Researching the history of their home in Sandy Lake, Pennsylvania, in 1998 led to beginning a historical novel inspired by the lives of former residents of their home in the late 19th – early 20th century. In 2014 Daisy published her first book, Homespun Faith, an autobiographical devotional, and then completed Sarah’s Legacy. She and her husband, Donn, live in Pennsylvania and have three children and six grandchildren.
Follow Daisy on social media:
https://twitter.com/DaisyDonaisy
https://www.instagram.com/daisybeilertownsend/
https://www.facebook.com/DaisyBeilerTownsend/
What is your 2018 goal:
My 2018 goal is to finish the first draft of the second book in the Sarah’s Legacy series. That’s what I’m working on now.
Buy Links for Daisy’s Books:
ttps://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sarahs-legacy-daisy-l-townsend/1127572697?ean=9780692989555
Author: Pegg Thomas
Book Giveaway:
A Bouquet of Brides Collection (my story being “In Sheep’s Clothing”) I’d be happy to give away the winner’s choice of paper or ebook—but to U.S. residents only. If outside the U.S., an ebook.What is your 2018 goal?
About Pegg:
Pegg Thomas lives on a hobby farm in Northern Michigan with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years. They raise sheep and chickens, keep a few barn cats, and Murphy the spoiled rotten dog. A life-long history geek, she writes “History with a Touch of Humor.” Pegg is published in the Barbour historical romance collections. In March 2017, Pegg took on the mantle of Managing Editor of Smitten Historical Romance, an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. When not working or writing, Pegg can be found in her barn, her garden, her kitchen, or sitting at her spinning wheel creating yarn to turn into her signature wool shawls.Website: PeggThomas.com
Purchase Pegg’s Books:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bouquet-Brides-Romance-Collection-Bachelors/dp/1683223810/
CBD: https://www.christianbook.com/bouquet-brides-collection-bachelors-happily-after/mary-davis/9781683223818/
Follow Pegg’s Adventures on: ColonialQuills and NovelPASTimes
Giveaway Details!
Runs from Friday, January 19, 2018, to midnight CST Thursday, January 25, 2018.
Ebooks open to lower 48 US and worldwide. Print books only open to lower 48 US states.
Winners will be announced the following Friday.
No purchase necessary to enter, but if you like what you see, we’d appreciate a few follows and likes on our social media pages!
Click link below:
In the News:: Coming up next Friday: interview with the characters from WWII author Liz Tolsma’s latest novel, The Melody of the Soul! — and includes a giveaway!
Be sure to come back next week!
All of these books sound great. Thanks for your giveaway.
You’re welcome, Connie! Thank you for entering!
In 2018 I am looking forward to more time with my 4 year old granddaughter.
Oh, that’s super special! Wishing you a wonderful time with your granddaughter!
I’m looking forward to all the amazing new book releases!
Elly -Indiana-
Elly–yes!! Me too! There are so many of them! Which one are you anticipating most?
LOL, isn’t that the million-dollar question! There are SO many that I’m looking forward to, that I couldn’t possibly just name one 😂.
Currently, I’m DYING for the paperback release of Tamara Leigh’s “The Awakening”. I’m also SUPER excited for Melanie Dickerson’s “The Orphan’s Wish” and Carolyn Miller’s “Winning Miss Winthrop”. I’m ALWAYS excited for new releases by Jen Turano and Jody Hedlund and the “Daughters of the Mayflower” series looks SOOO good! Plus, those Barbour collections always give me something to look forward to!
Yes, that is the million-dollar question! 🙂 I like the titles and authors you mentioned. So many to choose from and to read! So fun!
I’m looking forward to working at a camp this summer for the third year in a row and getting closer to graduating college. 🙂
I worked at camp toward the end of high school. One of the best things I have ever done. Hope it’s a wonderful time for you! Congratulations on getting close to graduating from college! So much is waiting for you!
Looking forward to watching God work in my children’s lives….
That is a precious answer!
Hopefully looking for a fresh start. 2017 was not such a good year. Thank you for the giveaway opportunity.
I hear you, Perrianne! May 2018 be prosperous and very happy for you!
I am looking forward to a healthy and faithful family together this 2018
I love it! Thanks for stopping by and entering!
What I am most looking forward to in 2018 is having more time to spend with our grandchildren, now that my hubby is retired. I am looking forward to just being able to be with them. Thanks for the generous giveaway!
All good things to look forward to! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and have a peek!
Hello there, everyone! Isn’t Tisha just the best? Thanks for running this giveaway! So happy one of my books is being offered!
Blessings to all and a wonderful 2018!
Thanks for commenting, Shar! Thank YOU for coming on the blog today and offering one of your lovely books!
I’m looking forward to camping with my family this summer. Thanks for the chance to check out these books!
Dianna
Dianna, camping is so fun, especially when it’s the roughing-it style: tent under the stars. Thanks for stopping by!
The books look like really good ones. Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for stopping by, Brenda! Glad to have you!
I forgot to answer the question. I’m looking forward to getting my house remodeling done. I’m also praying God heals my husband of cancer. We have been fighting this for 7 years.
Oh, Brenda, you’ve got a lot going on. We will be praying with you about your husband’s health. Thank you for sharing. <3
Thank you so much for your prayers!
I am looking forward to healthier days for those of us who have had health issues.
So sorry you all aren’t feeling well! Yes, better days should be ahead!
I’m looking forward to painting and redecorating my home!
Oooh! So fun! What style and colors do you have in mind?
What I would like to accomplish in 2018 would be to carve out some time for myself. I’m always on the go and never have time to do what I want to do. Thanks for entering me in your giveaway.
Ah, Janet, thank you for stopping by the blog! I pray you’re able to carve out adequate time for yourself, for it’s in those moments we can refresh and keep going. Blessings to you in the New Year.
Thanks so much for this opportunity. I am looking forward to spending more time with my grandchildren 🙂
Jan, thank YOU for visiting! Your grandchildren are so blessed to have you in their lives. May you have beautiful times with them.
Doing things with my children & reading more books. 🙂
Reading more books is always a wonderful goal to do with children! My mom did that with me when I was little–and perhaps one of the reasons I love to read today.
There are some interesting books here. I’ll have to check some of them out. Thanks!