~ BLOG BLITZ TEAL PAISLEY TIGHTS ~

~ RELEASE DAY BLOG BLITZ ~

--  'TEAL PAISLEY TIGHTS'  --

AUTHOR BARBARA BRUTT

~ Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, Author

Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway ~
  

Welcome to the Blog Blitz & Giveaway for Teal Paisley Tights by Barbara Brutt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Happy Release Day to this debut author!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Teal Paisley Tights  
Author: Barbara Brutt  
Publisher: Vinspire Publishing
Release Date: November 15, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Life post-graduation was supposed to see the launch of paisley-loving Jadyn’s art career, or at least an art gallery showing one of her watercolor paintings. Instead, this Pittsburgh native is locked into a low-paying, buttoned-up consultant position with an impossible boss. When another colleague is dismissed, Jadyn inherits extra workload, including the company’s biggest client. If she loses him, she’s fired.

Jadyn people-pleases her way through life, resulting in extra work opportunities and a community classroom of art students. But when two guys appear on her doorstep, she just might not be able to people-please her way out of this love triangle. At the end of the day, she can’t please everyone.

Then, because of a small spending problem, Jadyn is evicted from her apartment, and she must move in with her know-it-all sister. Jadyn needs to decide between a job transfer that would place her near her love interest, or a full-time art career with all its risks.

Stretched like canvas between responsibility and dreams, she must choose. Will practicality always win?

EXCERPT:

Okay, I needed a pick me up.

Paisley! Where had I put those tights? I ran to the bags by the door and pulled the teal paisley hose from the outside pocket of my purse. Had they been hanging out of my purse the entire way from downtown? Oops.

I plopped onto the carpet and began working the tights up my legs, and as I did I remembered Victoria's censure earlier that morning. Would Ethan agree with her assessment?

What Would Mel Do?

My beautiful, stubborn sister. She did what she wanted and had a wonderful fashion sense, but she also hated my obsession with paisley. I think she thought it was too childish or something.

Maybe it was.

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barbara Brutt, a born and raised Pittsburgher, spent her growing-up years with her nose in a book. After claiming her bachelor's degree in English, she plunked down hard into a smattering of jobs from shop girl to communications director with a healthy dose of nanny and house-cleaner. Flying to new adventures is her favorite, especially on an airplane or aerial silk. Barbara adores ice cream and only buys purses that provide room for a book or two. Barbara talks books, aerial silks, faith, and travel on her website and blog at barbarabrutt.com.  

CONNECT WITH BARBARA: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive (US only)

• a pair of teal paisley tights (one size fits most)
• $15 Starbucks gift card

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 15, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 22, 2018. US only. 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 at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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~ MMGM HISTORICAL NON-FICTION WWI ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE

MONDAY NON-FICTION FEATURE ~

--  'DK FINDOUT!:

WORLD WAR I'  --

AUTHOR:  BRIAN WILLIAMS

CONSULTANT:  SIMON ADAMS

~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight & Review~

LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS

ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI, Findout! dicusses the build-up to the war, along with battles, history, technology, and more.

Explore pre-war Europe, the US's entry into World War I, the role of women during the War, the technology developed, tanks and artillery, intelligence, espionage, propaganda, and much more. Become an expert on World War I and learn all about the key events that would shape the world. Read about the conditions that made a world war inevitable, and who the key players were. Written by an expert in the field, DK findout! World War I is a perfect addition to any home, school, or classroom library.
 

MY THOUGHTS:

As I continue my November MMGM theme on the history about World War I and World War II, I am pleased to present an informative, engaging, and appealing book from DK Publishing, an imprint of Penguin Random House. This title is part of the 'findout!' series by the publisher.

I am interested in learning about World War I for two reasons -- I am fascinated by American History from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century -and- my grandfather was a veteran of World War I. He served in the U.S. Army and was proud to tell us about his military service. Although he did not see combat, he felt he made a useful contribution to the cause by being a cook for the troops at a base camp in the southern United States.

Now, my thoughts about this book. The information in this book is very well presented. The data is organized and is embellished with photographs, maps, diagrams, and sidebars filled with vocabulary words and interesting fingertip facts.

The front matter features a 'World War I Main Powers' map with the Allied Powers and Central Powers defined and detailed. I learned so much about the logistics of the war and who was fighting whom that I think I finally understand the entire political mess that became known as 'The Great War'.

The back matter in the book include a detailed Glossary, Index, and Timeline of World War I. Once again, this timeline sorts out facts previously presented in the text and is an excellent visual tool for learners of any age.

Four chapters, in particular, were of interest to me. 'War Horses', 'Trench Warfare', 'Wartime Intelligence', and 'Women in Wartime'. The horse chapter included details about how war horses were used in the cavalry, in battle, and to move supplies to the front. The chapter on intelligence showed photos and gave information on how dogs and pigeons carried messages for the troops since radios were too heavy to carry and there were no cell phones. {A fact that many young people born in this new millenium will be shocked to learn!}

I had heard the term 'trench warfare' before, but I never understood the concept until I read this book with its carefully-labelled diagram listing each section of a Western Front trench, i.e. No Man's Land, Listening Post, Reserve Trench, Command Post, etc. I can't express in words how fascinating this entire strategy was to me.

Finally, as a woman, I enjoyed the 'Women in Wartime' chapter which featured the various ways in which women served during wartime by taking over jobs previously performed only by men. The list includes nurses, farm workers, ambulance drivers, factory workers, and bus conductors. Some nurses and ambulance drivers served near the battlefields.

The 'Spying' chapter should stir up some serious interest in young readers, too. It includes a recipe for invisible ink, a comparison of codes and ciphers {who knew?}, and how spies hid an escape kit in an ordinary-looking meat can. {See pages 28-29 if you want to know, too!}

For being about an horrific war, this was an enjoyable, informative read in my opinion.

*****Highly-recommended for fans of world/US/military history, teachers/librarians/parents/grandparents, veterans/military families, and readers of any age who are interested in learning something new about this significant war.

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.

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~ BLOG TOUR STOP ENCHANTING NICHOLETTE ~

~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~

--  'ENCHANTING NICHOLETTE'  --

AUTHOR DAWN CRANDELL

~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight,

Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway~
  

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Enchanting Nicholette by Dawn Crandall, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Enchanting Nicholette  
Series: The Everstone Chronicles #5  
Author: Dawn Crandall  
Publisher: Whitaker House  
Release Date: October 9, 2018  
Genre: Historical Romance

In this captivating novella by Dawn Crandall, Nicholette Everstone is already a widow at the age of twenty-two: her husband was murdered on their wedding day. She has just returned to Boston after two years of mourning in Europe. Although her husband was loving, the marriage was an arranged one, and Nicholette would like to wed again–this time for love…and to someone safe.

As she acclimates to life in Back Bay again, Nicholette meets someone she can’t help but fall for. But when she learns of the danger and sacrifices Cal Hawthorne takes on for the safety of others, will her heart be strong enough to keep her fears of “what if” at bay?

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | BAM! | Christian Book

EXCERPT:

Sylvie squeezed my arm. "Don’t be shy about wanting to marry again—that is lesson one. No one will blame you, believe me."

I didn’t outwardly respond right away to Sylvie’s first lesson as we walked down the sidewalk toward Brittle Brattle Books, but her words had a profound impact on my heart. Not that I was intent on finding a new husband that day, but I’d always been wary of showing an interest in men for fear that they would pursue me. Because I hadn’t wanted them to. But now…how was I supposed to switch that part of my thinking around?

"I will try my best, Sylvie."

God, I have no idea what I’m doing. Please help.

As Sylvie opened the door deeply set in the windowed front, the bells hanging off the inside door handle clanged loudly, announcing our arrival. Before going in, I noticed a display of books inside the front window to our right. A copy of my sister-in-law’s book, The Little Fox—the only one published so far—was situated with a number of other little books that also looked like they were written for children.

"Oh, I do hope they have more than one!" Sylvie gripped my arm tighter, and then pulled me through the open door.

"I’m sure they wouldn’t put their only copy in the window display, Sylvie," I said as she guided me toward the cashier’s counter, where a tall, slender gentleman stood sorting through a pile of books.

When we drew near to him, he took a moment to look up, and then asked, "May I be of service, ladies?"

"We are looking for a copy—actually quite a few copies—of a book you have in your front window. The one called The Little Fox by Violet Hawthorne."

"We have a number of copies of that one. Written by one of our own, you know. The author lives right here in Boston. Married to one of those Everstone gents now, but I believe she was from Maine originally."

"Yes, we know," I stated. "Will you please point us in the direction of the books?"

"Should be right there near the far corner." He motioned toward the back of the large double-leveled room in which we were standing.

Shocked that he hadn’t felt the need to actually find the books for us, I stood there for a moment longer, then turned to Sylvie. "I suppose they shouldn’t be too difficult to find."

She was already on her way to the other end of the large room when the bells at the front door rang again, announcing another customer.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dawn Crandall's debut Gilded Age Victorian romance, 'The Hesitant Heiress,' was a 2015 ACFW Carol award finalist in the debut category and received the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the 2015 Write Touch Reader’s Choice Award and the 2015 Romancing the Novel Reader’s Choice Award. Her follow-up novel, 'The Bound Heart,' received the 2016 Laurel Award from Clash of the Titles. Dawn earned a BA in Christian Education from Taylor University. She’s been balancing books and babies lately as her two sons were both born as the four books of her Everstone Chronicles series were being released from Whitaker House from 2014 to 2016. Dawn lives with her husband and two young sons on a hobby farm in her hometown in northeast Indiana.

 CONNECT WITH DAWN CRANDALL: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) Winner will win:

• A print copy of Enchanting Nicholette
• A library card zipper bag
• Two pairs of Jane Austen socks
• Two hand poured candles
• A historically accurate soap from Austen’s time
• A Jane Austen set of playing cards
• A set of Jane Austen notecards
• 6 magnets with Jane Austen quotes

(US Mailing Addresses Only)  

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight October 29, 2018 and lasts through 11:59pm November 12, 2018. Void where prohibited by law. US addresses only. 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 at JustRead for a full list of stops!

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~ BLITZ FOR SWIMMING IN THE DEEP END ~

~ BOOK BLITZ ~

--  'SWIMMING IN THE DEEP END'  --

AUTHOR CHRISTINA SUZANN NELSON

~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, 

Author Bio, Excerpt & Giveaway~

Welcome to the Blog Blitz & Giveaway for Swimming In The Deep End by Christina Suzann Nelson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Swimming In The Deep End  
Author: Christina Suzann Nelson  
Publisher: Kregel Publications  
Release Date: September 25, 2018  
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction  

A moving novel entwining the many faces of motherly love

Jillian Connors has the perfect daughter: loving and smart, she's an Olympic hopeful with a bright future. But when Gabby becomes pregnant, Jillian fears that future is lost. Worse, she must confront her own secret past and hope the decisions she's made don't drown their whole family.

Gabby can't believe God let this happen to her. She knew the risks, but who thinks about that when they're in love? Now she has to face the consequences--and the disappointed stares from everyone who thought she was the perfect Christian girl. At least she has the baby's father, Travis. Nothing can tear them apart, right?

Margaret Owens had determined dreams for her son. She's furious that Gabby's pregnancy jeopardizes his college baseball scholarship and terrified that Travis will be trapped in a life of struggle and poverty--the life she's tried so hard to save him from. She'll do anything to protect him--even if it means forcing him to leave Gabby.

Stacey Meyers is aching for a child of her own. But the son she was meant to adopt was taken before she could hold him in her arms. It feels like she'll never stop mourning; even the move to this new town hasn't distracted her from the pain. How can she and her husband find peace? Is there any hope of a family in their future? And in the midst of all this . . . an unborn baby. Whose arms will hold him in the end?  

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


EXCERPT:

Stacey Frey--
 
I should be excited. Today is the first day of our great new West Coast adventure. But it’s also a Monday, and it feels like a Monday.

Keith turns the key in the lock of our new two-story Victorian. Before he can open the door, I rub my fingertips along the rough lap-board exterior, only a degree lighter than the dirt near the home we left in Tennessee. Up close, the color is darker than I first thought when we pulled up to the curb. The rich green of the yard has a way of muting the hue of the house.

For the last week, my nerves have swung from numb to tingling with pure excitement. Why does numb choose to visit me now?

The door swings open and Keith scoops me into his arms. Like the day we were married, he still steals my breath. “Whoa there.” Lacing my fingers behind his neck, I offer him an approving grin, thankful I’ve resisted the urge to call my mama. This time is for Keith. He deserves my full attention. “We’re hardly newlyweds.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christina Suzann Nelson, inspirational speaker and award-winning author of If We Make It Home, is celebrating the release of Swimming in the Deep End, on September 25, 2018. She writes and speaks about hope after dysfunction. Christina is over the top about her passions, including the stories created somewhere in the twists and turns of her less-than-focused brain. When she’s not writing, she’s working with the Every Child initiative, chasing escaped steers, reading, breathing in the sweet smell of her horse, hiking with her dog, or enjoying her just-as-crazy family.

CONNECT WITH CHRISTINA: website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive (US only)

• a print copy of Swimming in the Deep End
• $10 Amazon gift card
• Swimming in the Deep End water bottle

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 9, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 16, 2018. US only. 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 at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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~ BLOG TOUR STOP AT FIRST GLANCE ~

~ BLOG TOUR STOP ~

--  'AT FIRST GLANCE'  --

AUTHOR SUSAN L. TUTTLE

~Post Includes:  Book Spotlight, 
Author Bio, Unique Guest Post

 by Author & Giveaway~

  

Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for At First Glance by Susan L. Tuttle, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: At First Glance  
Author: Susan L. Tuttle  
Publisher: Bling! Romance (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
Release Date: November 1, 2018  
Genre: Contemporary Romance  

When it comes to love and matters of the heart, she’s got a lot to learn.

Estate planner Penny Thornton loves dusting off items others gloss over, especially since she relates to feeling tossed aside for the “bright and shiny”. When her younger sister’s approaching wedding launches Penny back into the throes of her dysfunctional family, she decides to use the festivities to close the gap in their relationships—even if it means appeasing them and finally losing the few pounds they’ve hounded her about for years.

But she doesn’t expect to meet two very different men in the process. East Fisher, the personal trainer who personifies everything she believes she could never attain, and Jonah Black, a man who reminds her so much of herself. Both men are more than they appear at first glance, and both seem interested in her romantically.

As Penny uncovers their hidden layers, she discovers when it comes to love and matters of the heart, she’s got a lot to learn about estimating value.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan L. Tuttle lives in the Mitten State where she’s a homeschooling mom of three and happily married to her best friend. Between raising her teens and leading the women’s ministry at church, she finds time to write. She’s firmly convinced that letters were meant for words, not math, and loves stringing them together into stories that inspire and encourage. Romance, laughter, and cookies are three of her favorite things, though not always in that order. Connect with Susan at http://www.susanltuttle.com.  

CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Twitter

**GUEST POST BY THE AUTHOR:

EIGHT BEHIND-THE-SCENES FACTS ABOUT THIS BOOK:

My sister helped me with the perfume aspect of this book. She is HUGE into perfumes. This picture is her on her wedding day (just this September) with my daughters who were her bridesmaids. This is just a tiny portion of her perfume collection, and she had us each pick one out to wear on that day. Her love for perfumes helped inspire this thread in my story. She brought over several small testers, and I fell in love with both the Guerlain and another called Illuminum. You’ll see them both in the story! The Guerlain was too expensive to purchase, but my best friend gave me a bottle of the Illuminum back on my 40th birthday!

This story centers heavily around Penny and her only sister Belle who is getting married. What’s funny is when I wrote this, my sister hadn’t even met her now husband, but as the release date approached we were planning MY sister’s wedding! It was funny to see how life imitated this story I had written years agoJ The difference is that my sister is older. A similarity is that she does call me Princess … though we get along MUCH better than Penny and Belle!

This is a pic of my BFF during a trip we took to Chicago to check out the places I’d used in the setting. One scene takes place in a restaurant called Roof. Unfortunately it was closed when we visited. Lucky for me, my BFF is much bolder than I! She sweet-talked one of the employees into giving us a tour of it anyway.

Holland, Michigan is really close to where I live, and while I made up the dress shop and the dance studio, CityVu is a hotel and restaurant my hubby and I love to go to!

Penny being six feet tall is because I am also six feet tall. It took me a long time to love my height and writing that part of her seemed to come naturally.

The Adele concert came about because of the song “Make You Feel My Love”. It’s one I’ve always loved, and it played one night while I was writing. That scene unfolded in my mind as I listened, and I knew I had to add it into the story. I originally wrote some of the lyrics into the scene, but that’s a big no-no for copyright reasons, so I had to pull them.

I happened across this picture of the most adorable dog while on Pinterest one day. And that is how Clooney was born:

The scene at the amusement park takes place at Six Flags Great America in Chicago and was all because Hubby and I love amusement parks and roller coasters. And that last ride of the scene? That was a little poke at my hubby. While I had to cut the scene short for word count, I still wanted to add in them starting the ride. Hubby and I went on a similar one when we were first married, and once we were lifted to the top, he froze! I had to pull the cord that released us into the freefall, and I haven’t let him forget it!

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive (US only)

• an ARC copy of At First Glance
• $10 Amazon gift card
• book cozy from The Cozy Life
• cute bookmark

Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 5, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 12, 2018. US only. 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 at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

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