~ BETHANY HOUSE 'THE ROAD HOME' ~

~ FRIDAY FICTION FEATURE ~
'THE ROAD HOME'
by Author Beverly Lewis
-- POST INCLUDES BOOK SPOTLIGHT,
AUTHOR BIO, LINK TO EXCERPT
& REVIEW --

ABOUT THE BOOK:
As the sun began to rise, Lena Rose leaned against the cool pane of the bus window and gazed out at the familiar landscape of her life. I'm leaving my family and everything I know behind. She sighed, trying to keep her composure.

Grieving the death of her Amish parents and the separation from her nine close-knit siblings, Lena Rose Schwartz consoles herself that her new life in Lancaster County won't be forever. Surely someday soon she will return to her beloved Michigan settlement, including her beau. But even as she holds on to hope for a reunion with those she loves most, she discovers that Lancaster holds charms of its own. Will she find the courage to open her heart to other possibilities?

LINK TO EXCERPT {courtesy of Bethany House}:
EXCERPT OF 'THE ROAD HOME'

REVIEW FROM CHRISTIAN MARKET:
"Lewis's new book is a stand-alone Amish novel filled with charming characters and surroundings amid a heartwarming storyline of love, overcoming grief, and trusting God with our future."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Beverly Lewis, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, has more than 17 million books in print. Her stories have been published in 12 languages and have regularly appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including the New York Times and USA Today. Beverly and her husband, David, live in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, making music, and spending time with their family. Learn more at www.beverlylewis.com.

LINK TO Q & A WITH THE AUTHOR {courtesy of Bethany House}:  Q & A WITH AUTHOR BEVERLY LEWIS

MY REVIEW:
I have read many of Beverly Lewis's Amish novels over the past fifteen years or so. I especially enjoyed The River, The Love Letters, The Photograph, and Ebb Tide. I am happy to add The Road Home to my list of favorites!

This stand-alone story is set in Centreville, Michigan, at the end of August, 1977. The main character, Lena Rose, is the eldest of ten children in an Amish farm family. She is nineteen years old when the story begins, and she is infatuated with her new beau, Hans Bontrager.

The Prologue to the story provides a look into Lena Rose's life and her relationship with her parents and siblings. On the third page of Chapter One tragedy strikes. The unimaginable happens, and the lives of the ten Schwartz siblings are changed forever. Lena Rose reluctantly moves away to live in Pennsylvania with her father's second cousin, Harley, and his wife, Mimi.

In her new home, Lena Rose works as a seamstress with Mimi to help the older woman make and mend clothes for the Amish families living in their community. Soon, Lena and Mimi form a close bond based on trust and faith. I enjoyed the rapport and relationship between these two women.

I connected with the character of Lena Rose when she began visiting the elderly and infirmed members of her new community. She brought kindness and cheer to others in need of a loving smile and a helping hand. After a few incidents where Lena Rose made a difference in the lives of others I realized why I admired with this young woman . . .

Lena Rose reminds me of my favorite aunt. My Aunt Carolyn was an exceptional friend and neighbor to those in need. She was the most thoughtful person I've ever known. I can remember my aunt going out to visit people from her church and her neighborhood when things weren't going so well for them. And you can be certain she never showed up empty-handed! Usually she brought fresh fruit or vegetables from her garden, and sometimes she brought fresh-baked homemade cookies or a pie. Just like Lena Rose, she was patient with and compassionate to others in need of a special angel.

I don't want to spoil any of the story for readers so I will skip sharing the major events in the book. God's plan for Lena Rose's life is not fully revealed until the final chapters of the book. She traverses many hills and valleys during her time in Pennsylvania, and her faith and hope are tested time and again.

This is another beautifully-written book by Beverly Lewis. The main character is admirable, and the surrounding characters enrich the story well. I feel this author is a master at writing fluid dialogue, and I enjoy the manner in which she slips in information about the Amish way of life throughout the story.

Highly-recommended for fans of Amish fiction, Christian fiction, inspirational romance, historical fiction, clean fiction, and clean romance!

DISCLOSURE FROM BLOGGER:  I was given a paperback copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have not been compensated for posting my review here or on any other site.

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':

-- Saturday, June 9th: Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.

-- Monday, June 11th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Non-Fiction Sewing Feature! I'm featuring one of my favorite new sewing/crafting books for middle-graders and teens, 'Stitch Camp'. Post includes book spotlight, author bios, my review, and a print copy giveaway (US only, one copy) sponsored by the publisher, Storey Publishing.

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~ BOOK TOUR FOR 'BOUNCE BACK' ~

~ BOOK TOUR STOP ~

--  'BOUNCE BACK'  --

BY AUTHOR DR. BRIDGETTE JENKINS
~Post Includes: Book Spotlight, Author Bio
& Excerpt~  

'BOUNCE BACK' by Dr. Bridgette Jenkins 
Tour Dates:  June 4-29, 2018
Publication Date: May 19, 2018  
Genre: Inspirational Non-Fiction
 

                                       

   
'Bounce Back' will encourage you to be intentional about facing adversity and challenges while staying positive about your situation. With practicality, wisdom and experience, Dr. Bridgette shares strategies and tips that can be used to help you Bounce Back from any negative life situation. After reading this book, and applying the practical Bounce Back tips, you will be able to withstand, recover from and overcome any challenge you might face in life. 
 

Amazon eBook

Amazon Paperback

Barnes & Noble

~ Introducing Dr. Bridgette Jenkins ~

Dr. Bridgette is a doctorally prepared registered nurse who specializes in education and community health. She has a heart for nursing students and those struggling to reach their education and career goals. She serves as mentor and coach to nurses and nursing students as they matriculate through the nursing profession. She is the owner of Health Education Institute where she teaches lifesaving courses to healthcare providers and the public. She also offers a variety of courses to healthcare providers to help them stay current on updates and changes within the healthcare arena. Dr. Bridgette also speaks at churches and community events on various health issues that are prevalent among vulnerable populations. She is the CEO/President of the Houston Chapter of Black Nurses Rock, a nonprofit organization committed to changing the lives of the citizens in the Houston area and surrounding communities through service and education. Bridgette resides in Houston, Texas, where she’s actively involved in her church and community. She is a mother to three adult children and a miniature schnauzer named Dallas. She is also MiMi to two adorable grandsons.  

--Connect Socially: Website

EXCERPT:

Psalm 145:14 MSG

“GOD gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.”

1.)  ACKNOWLEDGE IT

Acknowledging that you have experienced a setback is key to your recovery. No one is immune from being subject to challenges and setbacks. Acknowledging where you are and what you’ve experienced can jumpstart the process to recovery. 

Understand that the road to recovery is a process! Pretending you aren’t disappointed, angry, sad, or frustrated won’t make the issues you are facing go away. We severely hinder our ability to recover when we sweep things under the rug or dig our heads in the sand and pretend as if nothing ever happened. If your true intention is to heal and move forward, YOU MUST acknowledge your feelings and emotions about the situation. 

To acknowledge simply means to accept or admit the existence or truth of a matter or a thing. To admit, accept, grant, allow, concede, accede, confess, own. To recognize the fact, importance or quality of a matter or a thing.

When you acknowledge your feelings, you give yourself permission to feel whatever it is that you are feeling, at that moment. You learn that embracing your feelings, instead of suppressing them, allows the energy of those feelings to “pass through” you. When you suppress your feelings, they tend to linger and appear in unexpected and unwelcomed places! What you’ve experienced does not define who you are! Everything we experience has its place of importance in our lives. All our experiences, whether positive or negative, help to form the essence of who we really are - our authentic selves. 

Just because you’ve undergone a setback does not mean you should throw in the towel. The fact that you made it to the other side says that you have an inner strength you probably weren’t aware you possessed. Without hesitation, I can say, “The only one standing between your recovery and your greatness is YOU! 

In our lifetime, all of us will face the turbulent winds of change, challenges, shifts and setbacks. How we weather the storms of adversity will determine what happens in the aftermath. You don’t have to wait. You can embrace the fresh wind of acknowledgement today - this very moment - if you so choose! A setback, though not an easy thing to endure, should not always be considered negative. I suggest you take a different look at your situation and your circumstances. Own the moment! New scenery is just beyond the scope of your current view.

  

“The first step on the path to positive change is acknowledging that change is necessary and possible. Open yourself to the possibility of seeing the world in a new way. What do you have to lose?” —Alex Blackwell 

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
--  Friday, June 8th:  Friday Fiction Feature on Amish Fiction Author Beverly Lewis's latest release, 'The Road Home'. This blog tour stop for Bethany House includes a book spotlight and my review of the book.

--  Saturday, June 9th:  Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.

--  Monday, June 11th:  Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday Non-Fiction Sewing Feature! I'm featuring one of my favorite new sewing/crafting books for middle-graders and teens, 'Stitch Camp'. Post includes book spotlight, author bios, my review, and a print copy giveaway (US only, one copy) sponsored by the publisher, Storey Publishing. 

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~ BOOK BLAST 'DESTINED FOR LOVE RESORTS' ~

~ BOOK BLAST ~

-- 'DESTINED FOR LOVE RESORTS'
COLLECTION --
~EIGHT UNIQUE SWEET 
DESTINATION
ROMANCES BY EIGHT
UNIQUE AUTHORS~

Destined for Love Resorts Collection - Thrilling Sweet Destination Romances

   

KEEP ME AT CHRISTMAS by Lucinda Whitney -- Can the magic of the season keep them together beyond Christmas? When Luciana Romano arrives in Hudson Springs, New York, her plan is to complete her restoration job at the museum so she can return home to her family in time for Christmas. But a blizzard grounds all flights, and she finds herself stranded. The DiLorenzo family offers her a place to stay, and she accepts their hospitality. But the unexpected attraction between her and the quiet, good-looking son makes it hard to want to leave. Jack DiLorenzo is stuck. Managing the family’s Italian café is not what he’d planned to do with his life, but his sense of duty won’t let him quit. When his grandmother invites a Portuguese woman to stay with them, Jack feels something he hasn’t felt for a long time: hope. He knows he shouldn’t get close to Luciana since she’s leaving as soon as the airport opens, but he can’t help himself. Yet as the magic of the season begins to work on them, he wonders how he can let go of the woman who’s awakened his heart.

AMAZON

IF THE SUIT FITS by Sally Johnson -- Finding love at the amusement park can be quite a ride. Becky Perkins has lost her job, her lease, and her car. As a result, she moves back in with her parents and takes the only job she can find: a seasonal position at the local amusement park as a sign spinner. Unfortunately, it includes wearing a foam hot-dog suit. When she crashes into fellow park employee Hudson Lowell, on her first day, suddenly the job doesn’t seem so bad. Actuary Hudson Lowell feels the weight of the world on his shoulders with this assignment. The Gainesville Amusement Park has been struggling for years. It’s his responsibility to advise the park owners as to the viability of the park. Going into the deal, the solution seems pretty simple—until he meets Becky. The more time Becky and Hudson spend together, the more their feelings grow, making it harder and harder for Hudson to be objective about his decision. If the park closes, it will impact the whole town and directly hurt Becky. And how can he hurt the woman he has fallen for?

AMAZON

SECOND CHANCE IN PARADISE by Jennifer Peel -- A first love that deserves a second chance. Doctoral student Holland Reeves may have aced every class she’s ever taken, but when it comes to life outside her lab, she finds she has more meaningful relationships with test tubes and pipettes than she does with people. That all changes when a surprise wedding invitation arrives, forcing her to return to the small coastal town of Paradise and the Clairborne Resort, where she left her first dream of being Mrs. Clairborne to begin the dream of becoming Dr. Reeves. There she must face her past and, to her surprise, the only man she ever loved, Porter Clairborne, the prodigal son who has unexpectedly returned. Together, Holland and Porter must decide if their love deserves a second chance, and if Paradise will finally live up to its name or forever remain a town of broken dreams.

AMAZON

KINGS CROSSED LOVERS by Donna K. Weaver -- Will their online magic survive when they meet in real life? Ethan Walters has no time for distractions like romance. Not if he's going to have the brilliant medical career he's always dreamed of. But when he's given a trip to a theme park resort as a college graduation present, he can't exactly say no. Even if Samantha--the one girl with the power to dismantle his goals--is tagging along. Samantha Diederik has managed to avoid her high society mother’s manipulations since the woman moved to Europe. Now she’s back and pressuring Sam to move to New York with her. With that battle on the horizon, Sam proceeds with a vacation with her brother and his roommate. She’s crushed on Ethan for years. They've only met online, but their hours-long conversations are the highlight of her week. Now she has a chance to find out if the cyber magic she's felt with him will translate to real life. And wow, does it ever--with sparks flying! Now all she has to do is find a way to fight off her mother's machinations while convincing Ethan she won’t destroy his dreams.

AMAZON

MARRYING AN ATHLETE by Anne-Marie Meyer -- Anna Short’s life has been in a slump ever since her boss and boyfriend—who happened to be the same person—dumped her. Now forced to work at a coffee shop, she's pretty sure her life can't go any lower. Enter Michael: her best friend McKenna’s older brother and life-long crush. Michael Jones is the life of the party. As a Defenseman for the New York Rangers, he's always had his pick of women and friends. When he mistakenly proposes to the Mayor's daughter at a party one night, he hightails it out of New York before the media storm hits. He drives to McKenna’s house where he finds her in emotional shambles. Grateful for the distraction her problems give him, he jumps head first into finding a solution.

AMAZON

 

HER BIG FAT DREAMY BILLIONAIRE EX by Victorine Lieske -- When McKenna begs them to fake a marriage so they can go with her to a counseling resort designed to help fix her failing one, Anna and Michael agree. After all, the drunken kiss they shared two years ago was definitely in the past. But when they decide to make it their mission to bring McKenna and her husband together, they begin to realize just how good of a team they really are. Felicity should have suspected something when she got hired to take pictures at a resort in Belize, all expenses paid. When she arrives and bumps into her ex-fiancé, Aiden, she realizes she’s been set up. His grandmother is playing matchmaker and every time she turns around Grams is forcing Aiden and her together. But she can’t fall for him again, it was a disaster last time, and she doesn’t want to repeat the past. Aiden can’t believe Felicity is at his resort. She broke his heart five years ago, and he’s determined not to allow it to happen again. But one disaster after another keeps forcing them together and he’s sure Grams is behind all of it. He’s just not sure how long he can hold out without pulling Felicity into his arms and confessing that he never really got over her. Her Big Fat Dreamy Billionaire Ex is a sweet romance, and it is a stand-alone novel.

AMAZON

 

THE TRUST OF A BILLIONAIRE - Michelle Pennington -- Can their love survive her secret? Hannah Rhodes is determined to keep her beachfront property, even though she can’t afford to. But it’s her childhood home and she can’t bear to see it plowed down by the billionaire investor who keeps raising his offer to buy it. When the same man hires her to be his daughter’s nanny—providing her the income she needs to reject his offer—the irony is not lost on her. However, seeing him as a loving, worried father makes it difficult to enjoy her secret revenge. For Carter Ellis, building his own resort was a massive risk, but worth it to build a new life for his daughter away from his controlling mother. Everything is going to plan except that the owner of the tumbled-down home blocking his resort view and threatening its success refuses to sell. If only his new nanny would stop distracting him, he just might be able to figure out how to solve this problem. Not only is she beautiful and vibrant, she’s helping his daughter bloom. Just when he begins to give in to his feelings, he discovers who she really is. When their trust is shaken, will Carter and Hannah sacrifice what they wanted most for a chance at something more?

AMAZON

 

MATCHED BY DESIGN by Lindzee Armstrong -- Jasmine has finally landed her dream job with a world-famous couture wedding dress designer. All she wants is to make a name for herself in the fashion world, and working on a celebrity’s wedding is a great start. But when the groom gets caught leering at the staff, the bride demands any single designers be taken off the project. No problem—Jasmine quickly invents a fake fiancé. Too bad the bride insists he come to the wedding. Dr. Isaac Sloan couldn’t save his best friend, so he’s left the army and cut all ties with his past. Now he’s spending his newly inherited fortune to improve the transplant surgery that killed his friend. Following through on the silly marriage pact he made with his childhood crush certainly isn’t in the plans. When Jasmine runs into Isaac at a coffee shop, he reluctantly agrees to be her pretend fiancé—but only after learning the bride’s dad is the prestigious transplant doctor who’s help he desperately needs. As sparks fly between Jasmine and Isaac, the line between fact and fiction grows very thin. Can they keep the engagement secret, or will the lies unravel their careers?

COMING SOON



$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway Ends 6/22/18! 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 will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.

--  Friday, June 8th:  Friday Fiction Feature on Amish Fiction Author Beverly Lewis's latest release, 'The Road Home'. This blog tour stop for Bethany House includes a book spotlight and my review of the book.

--  Saturday, June 9th:  Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.

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~ MMGM MAKE: PAPER INVENTIONS ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE
MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~
-- 'MAKE: PAPER INVENTIONS
MACHINES THAT MOVE, DRAWINGS
THAT LIGHT UP, WEARABLES ANDSTRUCTURES YOU CAN CUT, FOLD, AND ROLL' --
Author Kathy Ceceri

LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS

ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:
Paper is incredible stuff. It's easy to cut, but incredibly strong. It's disposable, but can last for centuries. It can stand as stiff as a board, pop up like a spring, or float like a leaf. And its invention changed the world forever.

Perfect for kids, parents, and educators, Paper Inventions is a project-based book with full color illustrations, step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and templates that allow you to follow along with the book or devise something entirely new. Each chapter features new projects that will challenge and intrigue everyone, from beginning to experienced Makers.

In this book, you'll learn to make:

A light-up paper cat that shows how switches and sensors work
An action origami robot worm
Edible rice paper perfect for secret messages
A space rover that moves thanks to paper machinery
A paper generator that creates electricity when you tap or rub it
Heat-activated paper models that fold themselves
A geodesic dome big enough to crawl into--from newspaper!

MY THOUGHTS:
I learned so much about math, science, and engineering from this book! I've previously mentioned here on my blog that I was not a S.T.E.M. girl back in my school days. Reading, writing, and the arts were where my enthusiasm and interests were focused. When I read these middle-grade books as an adult, I find myself learning a lot of information I didn't previously know. I consider myself a lifelong learner in the purest sense of the phrase.

Here are some of the things I learned in this book:

1.)  In the Paper Science chapter I learned about the history of paper including the fact that about two thousand years ago a Chinese official named Ts'ai Lun invented a process for making paper for drawing and writing using mulberry bark, old rags, and netting.

2.)  In the Paper Structures chapter I learned triangles are the strongest shapes of all. The Tabletop Tetrahedron project, compared to a mini pyramid by the author, is a fractal. Since I'm not familiar with the term fractal, I was pleased the author included the definition in the text. 

3.)  The Geodesic Dome project made out of newspaper was one of my favorite projects presented in this book. Here I learned that geodesic domes are stronger than regular building shapes because they are made of triangles {see #2 above} with the addition of having the strength of rounded arches. Easy-peasy!

My favorite chapter was chapter 4--'3-D Paper Art'. The photos and stepped-out instructions for the quilling and weaving paper projects are exceptional. These projects would be fun for families, youth/camp/scout groups, and friends to work on together. The back matter includes templates for many of the projects and an index.

Overall, an excellent middle-grade or high school read to be used in the classroom and at other gatherings of youth. Highly recommended!
-------------------------
DISCLOSURE FROM BLOGGER:  I received a paperback copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review of the book. I received no compensation for my post here or on any other site.

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.

-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.

--  Saturday, June 9th:  Blog Tour Stop for 'Whispering Winds of Spring'. Post includes book spotlight, snippet, and giveaway. Tour hosted by Singing Librarian Book Tours.

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~ JUNE UNFORGETTABLE LOVE KICKOFF ~

 

Unforgettable Love
A Clean Romance Event
Hosted by I Am A Reader

During the month of June, we will be featuring 14 fabulous authors who write clean romance. There will be giveaways, free ebooks and great deals on books! 

 

Check out this great list of authors we will be spotlighting!

Brooke St. James

Danielle Thorne

Kaylee Baldwin

Aubrey Wynne

Annette Lyon

Laurie Lewis

G.G. Vandagriff

Josi S. Kilpack

Daniel Banner

Janette Rallison

Rachael Anderson

Delaney Cameron

Shanna Hatfield

Elizabeth Johns

 

We are starting off with a $100 Giveaway!

 
Giveaway Details One lucky winner will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Code or $100 in Paypal Cash. Ends 6/30/18 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via PayPal or gift codes via Amazon.com. 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 will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, 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 and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  

A RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY 

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.

-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.

-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.

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~ BOOK BLITZ 'THE LINEN GOD' ~

~ BOOK BLITZ ~

--  'THE LINEN GOD'  --

By Author Jim O'Shea
~Post includes Book Spotlight,
Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway~

Welcome to The Linen God blog blitz and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: The Linen God  
Author: Jim O'Shea  
Publisher: Ambassador International  
Release Date: March 31, 2018  
Genre: Inspirational Suspense/Thriller  

The Shroud of Turin is the most studied and controversial religious relic in human history.

The ancient linen cloth bears the image of a man, alleged to be that of Jesus of Nazareth. What if it were real? What if it contained a secret powerful enough to alter the course of human history? And what if it fell into the wrong hands?

Manny Lusum is convinced the Shroud is the genuine article and obsessed with proving it scientifically. Grace Barden is not only Manny's best friend, but also secretly in love with the physics student and soon-to-be Catholic priest. Across the globe, three grisly murders and the theft of a secret manuscript thrust Grace and Manny into a generations-old conspiracy of biblical proportions. From New York to Rome to the inner sanctum of the Vatican, they struggle to untangle a bizarre mystery surrounding the controversial artifact.

In a dramatic confrontation between faith and the ultimate evil on the world stage, Grace and Manny are pushed to the edge of an abyss, balanced on the brink between heaven and hell.

This suspenseful and captivating thriller is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, John Grisham, Robert Ludlum, and David Baldacci. Order your copy today and experience a unique blend of history, science, conscience, religion and a battle of good versus evil that will keep you reading into the early morning hours!

“ . . . a wonderfully engaging, page-turning thriller.” —Doug Peterson, Award Winning Author of The Vanishing Woman and The Puzzle People

EXCERPT:
“Are you crazy? Why would you risk getting us tossed out of here? This exhibition comes to New York once every million years, and you risk it for a picture of an old rag, when you can buy one anywhere? And what was wrong with your phone’s camera—even though that’s not allowed either.”

“For some reason,” he said, trying to ignore the subtle scent of lilac wafting up at him, “the Vatican doesn’t allow the public to photograph the Shroud. Ever. I want to know why.”

Squinting up at him, she said, “Couldn’t your dad get you access? With all the money he gives the Church, he must have connections.”

He sighed. He respected the man who’d raised him, perhaps even loved him. “I didn’t want any special treatment.”

“Okay, fine, so you risk this. Tell me why you need a photograph of your very own?”

He leaned against the wall so that he could watch in both directions. This probably wasn’t the best time for a lecture, but if he wanted her help, she’d need to understand. “An amateur photographer named Secondo Pia took the first photo of the Shroud of Turin in 1898. He—”

A young boy scampered into the alcove, turning only at a sharp command from his father. Manny waited until they were alone again and turned his gaze to Grace’s familiar blue eyes. They sparkled, even under this recessed lighting.

What had he been talking about? Oh, right.

“As the story goes,” he continued, “Pia was stunned when he saw the exposed plate in his darkroom. The negative gave the appearance of a positive image, like this one.” He pointed to the Shroud picture on a poster. “Although the Shroud had been around for hundreds of years, no one had seen this image prior to 1898. The positive image implies that the Shroud itself is effectively a negative of some kind.”

“How did the image get on the cloth?”

“That’s the hundred-thousand-dollar question. There are lots of theories, but I’m pursuing one I believe holds some serious water.”

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim is a long-time resident of Chesterfield, Missouri…“The City of Sculptures”. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri in Columbia and now spends his time crafting novels of suspense that tackle the complex relationship between science and religion, stories designed to take the reader places he or she may not have previously considered.  

CONNECT: website | Facebook

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GIVEAWAY

Ambassador International is giving away:
  
Grand Prize: (1) print copy of The Linen God (US Only)  
PLUS 4 more winners will receive an ebook copy of The Linen God (open internationally, except where prohibited by law)  

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

Giveaway will begin at midnight June 2, 2018 and last through 11:59pm June 9, 2018. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Follow along with the blitz for more chances to win at JustRead!

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COMING UP SOON ON 'READING, WRITING & STITCH-METIC':
-- Monday, June 4th: Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday S.T.E.A.M. Education Feature on 'MAKE: Paper Inventions--Machines That Move, Drawings that Light Up, Wearables and Structures You Can Cut, Fold, and Roll' by Author Kathy Ceceri.

-- Tuesday, June 5th: Book Blast for 'Destined for Love Resorts'. Blast includes book spotlight, excerpt, and giveaway. Blast hosted by I Am A Reader.

-- Wednesday, June 6th: Non-Fiction Book Blast for 'Bounce Back'. Blast includes a book spotlight and excerpt. Blast hosted by Write Now Literary.

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