~ 'HANDMADE HEARTS'
BLOG BLITZ ~
💗 TO ACCESS THE SCHEDULE FOR THIS BLOG BLITZ, CLICK HERE
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Monday, January 14, 2019
Sunday, January 13, 2019
~ MMGM ROCK COLLECTING FOR KIDS ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
-- 'ROCK COLLECTING FOR KIDS:
An Introduction to Geology' --
AUTHOR DAN R. LYNCH
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight & Review~
ABOUT THE BOOK (FROM
GOODREADS):
This S.T.E.A.M. handbook begins with an introduction to geology and quickly moves into the history of our earth from a geological standpoint. I thought the landforms and tectonics plates section was especially interesting since I live in California where there has been a major earthquake and many small ones in our region during my lifetime.
Nature's treasures are just
beneath our feet, waiting to be discovered.
With this book, you'll experience
the excitement of finding, collecting, and identifying rocks and minerals. Dan
R. Lynch, author of many field guides, presents a children's introduction to
our amazing Earth. The book begins with geology basics, such as where rocks
come from and how Earth's surface changes over time. Next, young readers are
provided with an identification guide, which features full-color photographs
and ID tips on 75 types of common and collectible rocks and minerals. From
there, a "how to" section includes details on what to look for, where
to look, and what to bring, as well as safety considerations. With rock
collecting guidelines that the whole family will learn from and enjoy, this fun
guide is engaging and informative--with plenty of kid-appeal--as it starts
children on the path toward becoming successful rock collectors!
MY THOUGHTS:
The weathering section discusses the power of water, rain, wind, waves, and ice and how these phenomenons wear down rocks. Spectacular photos of the Grand Canyon and rock arches in Wyoming give readers an understanding of this concept.
The author moves on to caves, sinkholes/cenotes/and more, glaciers, and rock formations. After reading this book I feel I have a greater understanding of why our country and world look the way they do!
The chapter on minerals culminates with a Minerals Hardness Scale that I found fascinating. The author cleverly includes non-mineral items which provide the reader a method of comparing the things they are familiar with to various minerals. For example, 2.5 on the hardness scale shows a fingernail; 3.5 shows a US nickel (coin), 5.0 shows a steel knife. In between these numbers various minerals are listed ending with diamonds being the hardest mineral on Earth.
The author moves on to caves, sinkholes/cenotes/and more, glaciers, and rock formations. After reading this book I feel I have a greater understanding of why our country and world look the way they do!
The chapter on minerals culminates with a Minerals Hardness Scale that I found fascinating. The author cleverly includes non-mineral items which provide the reader a method of comparing the things they are familiar with to various minerals. For example, 2.5 on the hardness scale shows a fingernail; 3.5 shows a US nickel (coin), 5.0 shows a steel knife. In between these numbers various minerals are listed ending with diamonds being the hardest mineral on Earth.
Next we move into the rocks chapter. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are defined in detail with thumbnail photos of where these types of rocks are found in nature. There are some beautiful photos along with a detailed diagram of volcanoes to go along with the igneous rock section.
The rest of the book is dedicated to rock identification techniques and rock collecting for middle-graders, tweens, and teens. In this section I especially enjoyed reviewing the color-coded range maps for common rocks and with a separate map for common minerals. These features give readers a glance at where the rocks they want to collect can be found in North America. Both sections contain a photo and a blurb of common rocks and minerals including the phonetic pronunciation of the names of the more difficult names.
The rest of the book is dedicated to rock identification techniques and rock collecting for middle-graders, tweens, and teens. In this section I especially enjoyed reviewing the color-coded range maps for common rocks and with a separate map for common minerals. These features give readers a glance at where the rocks they want to collect can be found in North America. Both sections contain a photo and a blurb of common rocks and minerals including the phonetic pronunciation of the names of the more difficult names.
Lastly, the highlight of the book--in my humble opinion--is the chapter on agates, fossils, and dyed crystals. The photos of the agates and fossils are stunning! I liked the ways in which the author warned young collectors about purchasing items they may find in rock shops which are not what they appear to be.
The FAQ section on rock collecting contains tips on the storage and labeling of rocks, safety tips when out rock collecting, etc. The other back matter includes a thorough glossary, recommended reading lists for 'kids' and 'older readers', and several pages of a 'Rocks and Mineral Journal' young collectors can use to record their adventures and findings.
Other pluses of this guide:
--Size = field guide sized
--Photography = excellent, close-ups
--Maps/diagrams = color-coded, well-labeled, good detail, easy-to-read and understand
The FAQ section on rock collecting contains tips on the storage and labeling of rocks, safety tips when out rock collecting, etc. The other back matter includes a thorough glossary, recommended reading lists for 'kids' and 'older readers', and several pages of a 'Rocks and Mineral Journal' young collectors can use to record their adventures and findings.
Other pluses of this guide:
--Size = field guide sized
--Photography = excellent, close-ups
--Maps/diagrams = color-coded, well-labeled, good detail, easy-to-read and understand
Highly recommended to scientists of all ages! A useful resource book to teachers, librarians, scout leaders, youth group leaders, camp leaders, parents, grandparents, middle-graders, tweens, and teens.
I borrowed this book from the non-fiction shelves in the children's section of the local public library.
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Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.
Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.
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💞 DON'T MISS THE BOOK BLITZ FOR MY NEW HISTORICAL ROMANCE SHORT STORY, 'HANDMADE HEARTS', RUNNING JANUARY 15TH-19TH. 💞
JOIN IN THE FUN AND ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF THE STORY AND AN AMAZON GIFT CARD. FOLLOW THIS BLOG OR LIKE MY FACEBOOK AUTHOR'S PAGE TO RECEIVE SCHEDULE UPDATES.
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Thursday, January 10, 2019
~ GARRISON'S LAW BLOG HOP ~
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
BLOG HOP FOR
-- 'GARRISON'S LAW' SERIES:
BOOK 4: LOVING THE TEXAS STRANGER --
AUTHOR MARY CONNEALY
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt, Clue for
Blog Hop Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway
Welcome to the Scavenger Blog Hunt and giveaway for the Garrison's Law contemporary romantic suspense series by Mary Connealy, hosted by JustRead Tours! At each stop, there will be:
- special content by the blogger, and
- a clue
ABOUT THE BOOK
Series: Garrison's Law, Book 4
Author: Mary Connealy
Release Date: December 6, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
An assassin takes a shot and hits two people with one bullet.
Natalie Brewster, a deep undercover agent for a group that doesn’t officially exist, saw the gunman aiming. He definitely waited, lined up the shot, and tried to kill both of them. Nat and Case Garrison hit the ground bleeding. They both come up shooting and kill the assassin—but that just makes him mad.
Now Case and Nat, who have never before met, have to figure out what they have in common to make them prey for a killer.
And they have to do it while running for their lives because, despite the two of them being highly skilled at keeping a low profile, the killer keeps finding them. They are running at break-neck speed, hiding with all the skill of long-time undercover agents, and falling in love with a passion that might be part of what brought a killer down on them.
PURCHASE: Goodreads | Amazon
EXCERPT:
Case didn’t need to be told to move this time. He grabbed her and she grabbed him and they dove behind a steel girder with such perfect synchronization that it could have been a ballet—except for the crash landing.
And the hail of bullets.
They both rolled as the girder in front of them and the wall behind them flashed sparks and echoed with the high, sharp whine of gunfire and ricocheting bullets.
Case knew now why the wall had exploded behind him when she first crashed into him. He also figured out she’d been trying to save his life even then. He had started a step behind but now he caught up fast. He towed her to her feet, doing his best to make his body thinner than the metal shield between them and their attacker. He locked his eyes on the exit sign right in front of them. A bullet screamed past them at an upward angle and he knew the man had shot from a lower angle, he’d dropped down onto the tracks.
Another train roared through the station and Case wished it would run the gunman over and solve their problem. But nothing in Case Garrison’s life had made him an optimist.
They didn’t even look at each other, they just snagged a handful of the person beside them, dove between the moving walls of the escalator and barreled up a flight of steps to the street.
Case, his fingers locked into the fabric of her shirt, looked around. They had the length of time it took a high-speed train to pass through a station to get out of the line of fire.
She growled, “Move,” again and his instincts, his best friend for a long time, told him to do what she said.
~BOOKS IN THIS SERIES~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of over 50 books and novellas. Her most recent book series are: Garrison’s Law, High Sierra Sweethearts, Cimarron Legacy, Wild at Heart, Trouble in Texas, and Kincaid Bride for Bethany House Publishing. She’s also written four other series for Barbour Publishing and many novellas. Mary has nearly a million books in print.
CONNECT WITH MARY: website | Facebook | Twitter | Seekerville | Petticoats & Pistols
CLUE: bring their
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive:- a $25 Amazon gift card (open internationally)
Be sure to stop on every stop on the Tour Schedule for all the clues to enter!
Follow along at JustRead Tours for the full list of stops!
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COMING SOON:
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Wednesday, January 9, 2019
~ CWR FOREVER YOURS KICK-OFF GIVEAWAY ~
~ CLEAN WHOLESOME ROMANCE
'FOREVER YOURS' EVENT
KICK-OFF GIVEAWAY ~
Forever Yours Clean Romance Event!
January 2019
Jennie Goutet
Liwen Y. Ho
Crissy Sharp
Jo Noelle
Laurie Winter
Sophia Summers
Stephanie Fowers
Lorin Grace
Ranee S. Clark
Rebecca Connolly
Reina M. Williams
Jess Heileman
To start things off we have a $100 Giveaway!
Giveaway Details
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/3/19
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader & Clean Wholesome Romance and is sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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COMING SOON:
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Monday, January 7, 2019
~ BOOK BLAST -- ENDURING PROMISES OF THE HEART ~
~ BOOK BLAST ~
-- 'ENDURING PROMISES OF THE HEART' --
AUTHOR VALERIE LOVELESS
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bio & Giveaway~
About the Book
"What if I told you there is a way that we could all be happy? That if I were to propose to you, your father couldn’t deny us?”
“What is it, John? Tell me!”
Just then the basket hit the water and the sea began to stream in through the spaces between the reeds. This was the end. The year is 1887, and the small community of Pleasant View is abuzz over Penelope Pottifer’s serialized romances in the local paper. Since the release of the first volume, the thrilling story has captured the hearts and minds of the entire town— and several towns over! Each successive edition of the Pleasant View Gazette spins a breathtaking tale of kidnappers, pirates, and forbidden love.
Between volumes, however, Pleasant View resident Mary Clarence, the story’s toughest critic, hears a rumor that Penelope Pottifer is not, in fact, the author’s real name. Determined to uncover the mystery, Mary drags her friend Elizabeth Black into a hunt for the elusive author’s true identity.
But fiction and reality seem to entwine when along the way, Mary and Liz discover unexpected truths, exciting adventures, and dramatic romances of their own.
About the Author
Valerie has a love for stories with happy endings and bright comedy. A native to the California high desert, she now considers Utah her home where she lives with her husband, three children and two chihuahuas. Growing up in a family of seven kids, Valerie learned to embrace her unique creativity and way of looking at the world and hopes it will enrich other's lives. In 2015 she published two children's books, Singing Not so Sweetly and Anabelle Loves Babies. She believes writing is the ultimate end-all for creative pursuits because there are no limits to what you can create. A picture may say a thousand words but a novel is usually around seventy-thousand.
*******Facebook Party*******
Join the party HERE.
Giveaway
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COMING SOON:
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Sunday, January 6, 2019
~ MMGM PHILANTHROPARTIES NON-FICTION FEATURE ~
~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY NON-FICTION FEATURE ~
-- 'PHILANTHROPARTIES!' --
AUTHOR LULU CERONE
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight & Review~
ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Why just party when you can party with a purpose?
Seventeen-year-old Lulu Cerone shows teens how to bring social activism into their daily lives—and have fun while doing it—with this colorful DIY party planning guide perfect for every socially- conscious kid!
PhilanthroParties are 'parties with a purpose.' In 2010, then ten-year-old Lulu Cerone was deeply affected by the earthquake in Haiti. She set out to raise money for Haitian relief by selling lemonade, but she upped the ante on the classic lemonade stand: she got her entire class to participate, boys against girls. Their lemonade 'war' raised $4,000!
Now seventeen, Lulu is bringing her message of social activism to kids and teens around the world, showing them how to have fun while taking action, giving back, and generally having an impact on the world and the communities they live in.
Having a birthday? Invite your guests to bring a toy to donate to a local charity instead of presents. Earth Day coming up? Host a Guerrilla Gardening party where guests make seed bombs with native flowers and throw them all around their neighborhoods for some drought resistant greenery and color. Want to have a movie night? Invite friends over for National Popcorn Day. Watch movies, snack on some wildly delicious popcorn, but give the party a philanthropic twist by asking everyone to bring old DVDs and Blu-rays to donate for soldiers overseas.
This creative DIY guide gives readers what they need to know—from inspiration to how-tos—to incorporate philanthropy into one’s social life. It includes party ideas and plans, event checklists, recipes, crafts, personal stories, and brief profiles of causes readers should know about. Organized by month of the year, the book features thirty-six PhilanthroParty concepts paired with vibrant photography and colorful design, to get kids started.
Whether they are in their schools or in their communities, individually or in groups, kids and teens can make a difference and inspire others to do the same.
MY THOUGHTS:
This book is amazing!
And what's even more amazing is that the author is now an eighteen-year old young woman from Southern California who has been organizing charity fundraisers since she was ten years old.
The subtitle of the book is 'A Party-Planning Guide for Kids Who Want to Give Back.' The book includes 36 parties, 36 recipes, 54 games and activities, and 32 crafts.
I cannot emphasize enough how thorough and inspiring this book was to me. The Author's Foreward is written in a warm, inviting tone addressed to middle-graders, tweens, and teens. Although some of the projects and parties may be a little advanced for middle-graders to handle on their own, the author encourages philanthropists of all ages to work together to make a positive difference in their communities.
The book is formatted into twelve chapters, one dedicated to activities designed for each calendar month of the year. The author provides a list of a dozen or so 'National Celebratory Themes' for each month. She includes holidays such as New Year's Day for January along with some themes such as Braille Literacy Month and Blood Donor Month. There are also a few 'fun' days mentioned for each month, such as Dress Your Pet Day on January 14th, Opposite Day on January 25th, Puzzle Day on January 29th, and Backward Day on January 31st.
Each philantroparty involves attendees donating their time to provide service to someone or an organization or donating something such as school supplies, canned food, DVD's for the troops, teddy bears for children in crisis, handmade items {homebaked treats, DIY dog toy, and pet blankets} for the local animal rescue shelter, and sweaters for needy families.
Some of the activities are promoted in the neighborhood or community so that the activists can earn money for charities by selling lemonade, homemade cupcakes, etc.
The back matter includes a 'Philanthoparty Planning Guide' which goes into detail about how to choose a charity to support, a safety guide, a detailed timeline for planning a philanthroparty, a letter from the author's mother addressed to parents and educators, and a list of online resources for readers to use for reference.
A lot of time and effort and hard work went into this book, and this young author is to be commended for her global view of the world and how she and other young people play a major role in improving the situation of those around them.
The book also includes great photos and excellent stepped-out instructions for the projects, parties, and recipes.
Highly recommended to philanthropists of all ages and to do-it-yourselfers who want to contribute handmade items to local charities in their own community. This book would also be useful to youth group leaders, scout leaders, camp leaders, teachers, librarians, and parents/grandparents as they encourage the young people in their charge to take a global approach to those in need around them.
I borrowed this book from the children's section in the local public library.
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Find the links to read more great Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts from middle-grade authors and bloggers at Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' Blog.
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COMING SOON:
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Thursday, January 3, 2019
~ BLITZ COWBOY IN SHEPHERD'S CROSSING ~
~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
BOOK BLITZ FOR
-- 'A COWBOY IN SHEPHERD'S
CROSSING' --
AUTHOR RUTH LOGAN HERNE
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Unique Guest Post
by the Author & Giveaway~
Welcome to the blog blitz & giveaway for A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing by Ruth Logan Herne, hosted by JustRead Tours.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing Series: Shepherd's Crossing #2
Author: Ruth Logan Herne
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: January 1, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cowboy bachelor Jace Middleton was ready to leave Shepherd’s Crossing for good – until he learns his family’s unspoken secrets.
Now Jace finds himself not only caring for his twin baby nieces, but working with beautiful, strong-willed designer Melonie Fitzgerald to renovate his grandmother’s run-down estate.
Love wasn’t part of the plan… but Jace soon finds himself wishing Melonie could become part of his unexpected family.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | CBD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
She lives on a pumpkin farm in Western New York where they grow all kinds of cool things for fall from sumptuous squashes and veggies to gorgeous stacking pumpkins. Ruthy’s farm is quickly becoming the place to be every September and October!
CONNECT WITH RUTHY: website | Facebook | Twitter
***GUEST POST SHARED BY THE AUTHOR:
--What’s Going On Behind the Scenes in Ruth Logan Herne’s “Shepherd’s Crossing” series?
WHAT A GREAT TOPIC because no book is ever as it seems on the shelf when it’s in book infancy…
But I’m going to spare you the bare bones initial writing because there is so much more going on in a small town hit by economic meltdown.
First, you need some heroes and heroines finding some sigh-worthy cowboys isn’t all that difficult in a land studded with Western men sporting cowboy hats. But that’s the window dressing, isn’t it? That’s not the heart of the story, the heart is what makes the characters and the setting hold your interest from beginning to end.
Heath Caufield doesn’t want his friend Jace to leave town, but he mostly wants what’s best for his friend, and if there’s no construction work for Jace, Heath can’t (in good conscience) hold him there… even though he wants to.
Government policies shape so much of background in stories, but we can’t give them too much page time because this is a romance, after all... BUT the re-introduction of wolves and bighorn sheep to the Idaho mountains has changed shepherding (sheep not going into the hills to graze, which means undergrowth thickens and could spread forest fires more quickly like we’ve seen in other hands-off regions)and ranching, and our heroes have to change the way they do things and we all know how much men love to change their ways!
Does Corrie Satterly have eyes for Bob Cook AKA: “Cookie”, the Pine Ridge Ranch kitchen manager?????
Bringing fears to life— Like Melonie’s aversion to horses— has to balance with the hero or heroine’s strength and courage. No one wants to read about a complete grown up scaredy-pants, right?
I love FIXER UPPER with Chip and Joanna, so having Melonie dream of doing her own cable show someday was a perfect nod to the only house-fixer-real-estate show I watched… because I know it can be so that well! Total Author Intrusion on that one!
Ava and Annie are adorable… and I love it when kids steal the show or in this case “the scene”… And if you add Zeke Caufield to the mix, that heart-grabbing five-year-old is such a cool kid and it’s possible that he’s modeled after a certain little person I know personally… The Mighty Finn, perhaps?
Hot Idaho summers really changed the tune for this series because I HAD NO CLUE that it got that hot there… but it does and my thoughts of snow scenes MELTED when I began the series in May and went on through the summer with the sisters. Fortunately, Love Inspired contracted a Christmas novella set in Shepherd’s Crossing (It’s in “A Cowboy Christmas” with my buddy Linda Goodnight) so I get to give reclusive horse lover Ty Carrington his holiday romance and a chance to regain the life he lost years ago! #BONUS!!!!
And then they contracted a free online read for readers, so handsome cowboy lawyer Mack Grayson got his story, and you might just need some tissues. It’s available here, they’ve been doing a chapter a day, like the old-fashioned magazine serials! The Cowboy’s Christmas Surprise
The fun of a diverse cast is a natural for me. We have multiple biracial and mixed ethnic families on both sides. It makes me crazy when people make color a cultural divide because I have no such issue with my farm eggs. Some are brown, some are beige, some are pinky-beige, white, blue and green and tan… and they’re all eggs. I love the blending of cultures while respecting cultures. I can’t imagine God wanted anything less from us, but then He’s God and he’s so stinkin’ smart!!!
It was a real trick to show the town mending when I was actually having all the cowboys on ranches… and the town was a place no one much visited because the businesses had all closed down… but when the church closed, and the pastor left, that was the kick in the head folks needed. They realized if they didn’t do something now—the town would die. And no one wanted the heritage of the original hometown to become a Western ghost town. And so it began, with a church locking the doors... but the people taking charge of the key, doing their own services, giving their own sermons, gathering together to bring a small, struggling town back to life.
And they did it!
TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive (US only):
- all three Shepherd's Crossing books (Her Cowboy Reunion, A Cowboy Christmas, A Cowboy in Shepherd's Crossing)
- bookmarks
- a Seekerville notepad
- a bag of chocolate
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
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