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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

New Growth Press Review: The Gospel Centered Life Exodus for Students by Kristen Hatton


About the Book:

The first in a series of small group studies for teens and young adults that traces God’s story of redemption through the whole Bible, The Gospel-Centered Life in Exodus for Students is a twelve-lesson resource written by Kristen Hatton to teach students how to study God’s Word and connect it to their lives.

As students come together to read and discuss they will discover that, just like the ancient Israelites, we all need a Redeemer. As the Israelites grumble, complain, disobey, worship false gods, and try to be their own Savior, teens and young adults will see that they too do those same things. But they will also see how God gives grace to the guilty and over and over again comes to the rescue, pointing to the deliverance of God’s people that is later fulfilled in Christ and the gospel.

With each easy-to-use, self-contained lesson that requires no outside work and can be completed in just one hour, teens and young adults will find and meet Jesus in unexpected places and see the pattern of redemption present even in the Old Testament. As they learn that the entire Bible is one unfolding story about Jesus, and that the same God who spoke to Moses also sent his Son.

About the Author:


Kristen Hatton is a native Texan now putting roots down in Edmond, OK with her church-planter/pastor husband and their three teenagers. With a public relations background from Southern Methodist University, Kristen has a wide array of professional experiences, none of which she counts as important as the job of being a “present” mom. Through leading a small group Bible study of teenagers, she has discovered her passion for teaching and writing about God’s grace. She is the author of Face Time: Your Identity in a Selfie World and Get Your Story Straight: A Teen's Guide to Learning and Living the Gospel.


My Thoughts and Review: 
I was very excited to receive and read through this book. My Teenage boys recently did a study on Exodus with their Youth Group/Sunday School group at church. I was very glad to have be able to continue it at home with them.

My boys and I really enjoyed the format and layout of the book. We have been adding the Lessons into our Homeschool Day. Each day takes about 15-20 minutes to complete the lesson for the day.

Each lesson includes the following sections:
1. Bible Conversation
2. Article
3. Discussion
4. Exercise
5. Wrap-Up and Prayer
To kick off the lesson, an icebreaker question related to the text may
get participants thinking and talking. From there, Scripture is introduced
and read. Following this initial Bible Conversation, the article
expounds on the passage, or draws out a particular aspect of the passage to help the participants better understand the lesson as a whole. The discussion time then takes the main ideas of the lesson and brings them to the participants’ hearts in more specific ways. The exercise portion varies from week to week, but the goal is to further personalize what has  been taught in each lesson. Finally, the lesson concludes with prayer.

The Lessons are very well written and very comprehensible. I really appreciate the fact that the book is very easy to understand as many times Teens "tune out" Bible Study info because it is not easy for them to understand.

My boys and I continue to go through the study and we look forward to completing it! GREAT Study and something for the whole family to go through together or for Youth Groups to use!

Read a Sample Chapter HERE

Buy the Book: New Growth Press   Amazon    CBD


Where to Find Kristen Hatton Online: 
Website
New Growth Press
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest




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Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Forever Loved: Eve's Story, Celebrate Lit Blog Tour and Giveaway


About the Book



Title: Forever Loved, Eve’s Story  
Author: Joanna May Chee  
Genre: Christian Inspiration for Women  
Release date: February 20, 2018  
Publisher: Heartfelt Publications  

Eve. First woman. First to be tempted. First to sin. But what if there were more to her story than that? Forever Loved: Eve’s Story is the story of Father and daughter, as told by Eve. It is a story of preciousness and beauty, of tender love and grace. Through Eve, God reveals his Father heart of love for you, his treasured daughter. He whispers to you now, and calls you closer.

Includes:
  • My Story: The author’s personal story of encountering God as Father.
  • Eve’s Story: A beautifully creative retelling of the Bible story of Eve.
  • Your Story: Encouragement and prayers to take you deeper into God’s presence.
Experience Eve’s story anew. Discover just how loved you are!
 
Click here to purchase your copy!


My Thoughts and Review: 

WOW, this book really puts things into a different perspective for 
"Daughters of the King". We all know that God is our Father, but 
for Christian Women the relationship can be really explained by 
diving into the story of Eve, the first woman. JoAnna May Chee 
does that wonderfully in this book. 

We all have relationships with our Earthly father and some are 
"Daddy's Girls" andhave an extra special bond with our Dad. 
I know I had a really close relationship with my Dad, whom I 
miss dearly gone almost 5yrs. Our relationship with our Heavenly 
Fathercan and should be very similar. 

Forever Loved: Eve's Story shows us how our Heavenly Father 
loved his daughter, Eve, even after the great sin she committed. 
God LOVES us also, even though we all sin. We sometimes to 
forget to put our Heavenly father first, even as he continually loves
his Daughters. 

I really gained a LOT from this book! It is uplifting and encouraging. 
A GREAT READ for everyone! 


About the Author



Joanna May Chee gets excited about God! She loves to write and is often awake in the night with a million ideas for her next book or project. Joanna blogs at JoannaMayChee.com and MumsKidsJesus.com, where it is her heart to encourage and equip women to love their families and meet with God. She is author of Forever Loved: Eve’s Story, a creative retelling of the Bible story of Eve, and a #1 Amazon UK bestseller. Joanna lives near London with her husband, 4 teens, dog and 2 cats! Facebook.com/JoannaMayChee | Facebook.com/MumsKidsJesus | Pinterest.co.uk/MumsKidsJesus

Guest Post from Joanna

True or False? Eve spent time with God before meeting Adam.

True or False? Eve wasn’t called Eve until after the Fall.

Does the Bible even say? Until recently, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you, even though I’ve been a Christian many years, and thought I knew the Bible story of Eve really well!

 It was during hot, sticky, jet-lagged nights, about four years ago, on holiday overseas, that God started giving me new and wonderful insight into Eve’s life. Words literally started pouring through my head: the story of Eve, but not as I’d heard it before!

 I’d always had negative connotations of Eve – the first woman to be tempted, the first to sin. But the story God revealed to me during my sleepless nights was one of preciousness and beauty. It was the story of Father and daughter, of God’s incredible love for Eve, and His equally wondrous love for me.

 As Eve’s story unfolded over several nights, I wrote it down; and God gave me a book I did not ask for (but am forever grateful for): Forever Loved: Eve’s Story

These new insights into Eve’s story have been life-changing. God has brought me deeper into His love than I could ever have imagined. (In the introduction of ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’ I share something of the deep hurt and insecurity I experienced growing up – including the time I got into BIG trouble with my teacher – my cry to know God as Father, and how God’s love has brought healing and freedom.)

 It’s my prayer that ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’ touches the lives of women around the world, that women may come into deeper experience of God as Father, and know just how beautiful and precious they are to Him.

  So, back to the True/False questions at the beginning of this post! What do you think?  



I’d love to share with you what I’ve discovered by giving you a free copy of a devotional I’ve written called ‘Treasures Hidden in the Story of Eve’. 

This devotional explores some of the amazing truths God’s shown me about Eve, and the wonderful implications for us as women today (and includes extracts from ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’).
Download the devotional for free here. 

  I pray God touches you as deeply as He has me, as you explore the Bible story of Eve afresh. May you encounter the love of Father God as never before. Joanna xx

Blog Stops

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Joanna is giving away a grand prize of a signed copy of ‘Forever Loved: Eve’s Story’ plus $25 Amazon voucher!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops below for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d5/forever-loved-eve-s-story-celebration-tour-giveaway











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Saturday, January 26, 2019

A Love to Behold by Sharlene MacLaren, Celebrate Lit Blog Tour and Giveaway

About the Book



Title: A Love to Behold  
Author: Sharlene MacLaren  
Genre: Christian romance, historical  
Release date: January 8, 2019  
Publisher: Whitaker House

 Two years after the Civil War, Lydia Albright, 27, is an established teacher in Boston when she senses God’s call to leave the comfort and security of her job and go south. She accepts a position to teach in a school for former slaves in Charleston, South Carolina. A church there that’s affiliated with the American Missionary Association offers support, along with room and board at the parsonage. The Ku Klux men are hell-bent on seeing that the new school fails. Lydia’s life is threatened, and the parsonage, church, and school are vandalized. But they haven’t contended with a strong, determined woman like Lydia before. It also helps that she has a couple potential suitors on her side. A Love to Behold is a tale of people who grow strong in the face of adversity and a church that learns love, compassion, and acceptance, even in the face of cruelty and hatred.
 Click here to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts and Review:
Historical Fiction is one of my favorite Genre's to read and this book was no exception.

The book is set in the Cival War times and the author, Sharlene MacLaren really brings the History to life in this book. A LOVE to Behold is the 3rd book in Forever Freedom series. I have not read the first 2 YET, but after reading book 3 I am hunting for them!

A few things that really kept me interested and not wanting to put the book down are:
The main character Lydia, has a strong determination about her and she won't let others stop her from succeeding.
Reese, another prominent character in the book, has such a gentle and caring heart and willing to help Lydia.
The fact that I learned some new things as I was reading. I have read and know about the KKK, but this book really taught me some new things. Also, learned new things about the Cival War time.

GREAT Book that will be enjoyed by many, especially those who love Historical Fiction!



About the Author



Born and raised in west Michigan, Sharlene MacLaren attended Spring Arbor University. Upon graduating in 1971 with an education degree, she taught second grade for two years, then accepted an invitation to travel internationally with a singing ensemble for one year. In 1975, she came home, returned to her teaching job, and married her childhood sweetheart. Together, they raised two lovely daughters, both of whom are now happily married and enjoying families of their own. Retired in 2003 after thirty-one years of teaching, “Shar” loves to read, sing, travel, and spend time with her family—in particular, her adorable grandchildren! A Christian for over fifty years, and a lover of the English language, Shar always enjoyed dabbling in writing. 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, always when the teacher’s back was turned, “pass me the next page.” In the early 2000s, Shar felt God’s call upon her heart to take her writing pleasures a step further, and in 2006, she signed a contract for her first faith-based novel, Through Every Storm, thereby launching her writing career. With eighteen published novels now gracing store shelves and being sold online, she daily gives God all the glory. She dedicated her last novel, Their Daring Hearts, to Jesus. Shar has done numerous countrywide book signings and made several television appearances and radio interviews. She loves speaking for community organizations, libraries, church groups, and women’s conferences. In her church, she is active in women’s ministries, regularly facilitating Bible studies and other events. She and her husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan, with their beautiful white collie, Peyton, and their ragdoll cat, Blue. Shar loves hearing from her readers. If you wish to contact her as a potential speaker for a church function or would simply like to chat with her, please feel free to send her an e-mail at sharlenemaclaren@yahoo.com. She will do her best to answer in a timely manner. You may also find her on Facebook.

Guest Post from Sharlene

My dear readers, It has indeed been my great privilege and pleasure to write this series set in Civil War times. What a thought-provoking, amazing, and heart-wrenching era in American history. If you read all three books in the “Forever Freedom” series—Summer on Sunset Ridge, Their Daring Hearts, and A Love to Behold—you will have gotten some history lessons regarding the Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers; Abolition; the Underground Railroad, which the Quakers were instrumental in launching; life as a Union soldier in the Civil War; the Freedmen’s Bureau; and Reconstruction, that period following the war when the south had fallen into great dis-repair. Also prevalent in this third book is a bit of history regarding the origin of the Ku Klux Klan, a hate group that formed during the Reconstruction period. Although I did not appreciate history as a young girl, as an older adult, I’m quite fascinated by it. History itself is a great teacher. Learning about it can be everything from exhilarating to depressing, challenging and yet exciting. It is my prayer that as you read my books, you’ll not only find them entertaining, but also inspiring and uplifting. I aim to encourage, not discourage. Much of history—if we dwell on it—can be disheartening, but focusing our hearts and minds on Christ gives us courage and confidence. Let us learn from history, but let us look to the future with hope in our hearts. With love and a prayer for God’s best blessings, Shar

Blog Stops

Maureen’s Musings, January 22
Genesis 5020, January 23
Splashes of JoyJanuary 25
Mary Hake, January 26
Godly Book Reviews, January 27
Daysong ReflectionsJanuary 27
Robin is Bookish, January 28
The Becca Files, January 30
Texas Book-aholic, January 31
Bibliophile Reviews, February 3
Carpe Diem, February 4
Bigreadersite, February 4

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Sharlene is giving away a grand prize of a $20 Starbucks gift card!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d2/a-love-to-behold-celebration-tour-giveaway




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Friday, January 25, 2019

JustRead Tours: The Searchers Circulating Tour: Kelly's Search for Family by Bertha Schwartz Review and Giveaway

the searchers series banner

Welcome to the circulating blog tour and giveaway for The Searchers series of middle grade historical fiction by Bertha Schwartz, hosted by JustRead tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK
kelly's search for family.jpg

Title: Kelly's Search for Family (Searchers #2) 
Author: Bertha Schwartz 
Publisher: Ambassador International 
Release Date: December 1, 2018 
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction 

It's 1880 and Kelly lives alone with her Papa, a lighthouse-keeper in Massachusetts. She longs to know more about her Mama, and Papa has finally promised to tell her the truth on her fourteenth birthday. Before Kelly can learn much though, dangerous men the notorious Blackburn Brothers arrive unannounced and take Papa away. Kelly is left alone and responsible for the lighthouse. Granny, a former slave and family friend, learns of Kelly's plight and decides to help find the answers to her questions. Mysterious letters, snow storms, and violence threaten Kelly's safe haven as new friends help unearth old secrets in Kelly's lighthouse home. How can she bring her papa back? Who is her true family? 

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Ambassador

My Thoughts and Review:
I really enjoy Historical Fiction and think that having a Historical Fiction series for Middle School kids makes a wonderful Series. Kelly's Search for Family is Book 2 in The Searchers Series. I have only read Book 2, but it seems like a GREAT standalone book.

A couple things that piqued my interest in Book 2 was that Kelly is searching for her Mama. She has been living with her Papa in a Lighthouse and she LOVES her Papa, but wants to know about her Mama. I think searching for a parent and wanting to know someone whom who may have never met or don't remember, is a wonderful thing. The time period for this book is 1880, but in today's day and time many kids want to know more about one parent or another. The topic of this book is very relational to many School aged kids of today. I also really like going back in time for reading!

I think the relationship between Kelly and her Papa is amazing. The LOVE between the 2 of them shows throughout the book. Papa promises to tell Kelly more about her Mama on her 14th B-day, but is kidnapped before he can tell her. Kelly feels all alone, until a family friend, Granny, comes to stay with her. Together, Kelly and Granny uncover secrets and mystery and letters from her Mama. Kelly still longs for Papa to come back. Papa eventually does return and more family secrets are revealed!

Kelly's Search for Family is a wonderful book that is mixed with History, Mystery and Family life. I must say it did take me a few readings of Chapter 1 before I could move forward, at first I wasn't grasping the storyline and I always like to understand the storyline before moving on. 

All in all, I think Kelly's Search for Family is a great book and I think a GREAT series for Middle School students. I do think Adults would enjoy the book and series also! 

 
__________________________________________________________
BOOKS IN THIS SERIES



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bertha Schwartz is a Swiss Amish transplant to the beautiful farmland of Nappanee, Indiana. She loves spending time with family and friends, including fifty-two nieces and nephews. Her hobbies include scrapbooking, sewing, and reading. Raised near the lovely Swiss city of Berne, Indiana, Swiss is her mother-language. Languages and different dialects are a special interest of hers.



the searchers series giveaway

TOUR GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive:
  • a set of all 3 books in The Searchers series (US only)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight January 9, 2019 and lasts through 11:59pm February 4, 2019. Void where prohibited by law. 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.


Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops - and remember to visit the tour each week for more posts.
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Monday, January 21, 2019

LEV3L Digital: Day by Day Chronological Bible Review and Giveaway



About this Bible: 

 Many people are unfamiliar with the stories of the Bible and how they fit together into the grand narrative of God’s Word. God gave us the Bible to reveal great truth about himself and about our lives, and he wants to draw us into the ongoing story of what he is doing in the world. The CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible features a clear narrative approach to the Bible, arranging the complete text into a fresh chronological reading plan with daily readings guided by Dr. George Guthrie.

 DESIGNED WITH CLEAR DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL READINGS


 In this plan, the books, chapters, and verses of the Bible are thoughtfully arranged so readers can track the story of Scripture, day-by-day, from beginning to end, understanding the flow of events and how the grand narrative of Scripture applies to everyday life. Unlike other chronological Bibles, this arrangement is not date specific (e.g. “January 1”), so the reading plan can begin at any point in the calendar year.

Features Include: 
  • 52 weeks of readings (six readings per week) in chronological order Scripture presented in three main acts (God’s Plan for All People God’s Covenant People God’s New Covenant People) and seventeen total scenes 
  • An introduction for each act and scene to orient the reader to its importance in the grand story 
  • Single-column text with plenty of space for taking notes 
  • Concordance 
  • Smyth-sewn binding 
  • Presentation page 
  • Full-color maps
 The CSB Day-by-Day Chronological Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible® (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.

 My Thoughts and Review: 




Many times at the beginning of the Year, I find a Bible Reading Plan that will have me reading the Bible in one year. Some plans are good, some are GREAT, but I never seem to follow them for more then a month. I have also tried the Bible in a Year Bibles, but I didn't find them "meaty". This year I joined a Facebook Group for accountability and for reading through the Bible in Chronological order this year.

I received an email in regards to this Bible a couple days after joining the FB group. I received the Bible about a week after the email and began using the Bible immediately. The Day by Day Chronological Bible is EXTREMELY easy to follow and has kept me on track this year. I really like the Blue highlighted pages for each day and week. The highlighted pages help you keep your place and give a few details about the days reading. After Day 7 reading there is a Reading summary for the week and a prayer. The Full color Maps are just beautiful and outstanding. The Bible is leather bound and very strong and sturdy. I normally put all Bibles in a Bible Cover, but I don't think I will need one for this for a long time.

I am very impressed and satisfied with the Day by Day Chronological Bible. I think that many will enjoy the format, the look, the quality and all at an Affordable Price. Day by Day Chornological Bible is published by LifeWay Christian and retails for $39.99. You can BUY HERE.

Where to find LifeWay online: 
Website
Bible Translation Info
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter


 You can Win a Day by Day Chronological Bible for yourself. I have one copy to Giveaway to my readers. Check it out below:

  Day by Day Chronological Bible




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Sunday, January 20, 2019

FlyBy Promotions: 30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders


About the Book: 
 If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word. This simple-to-use, straightforward guide has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for thirty years, and now it’s available in an expanded thirtieth anniversary edition—with the most requested topics from the original edition restored and updated for today’s readers.

 Features: 
 • The “Arc of Bible History” to help you visualize the Bible’s overarching themes
 • The “Story of the Bible” summarizing Genesis through Revelation in just a few pages
 • The core beliefs of the Christian faith, focusing on the teachings that have united Christians for the last 2,000 years
 • 13-week plan that provides teacher’s every creative and effective tool for teaching the Bible in 30 days
 • Fan-favorite bonus content, previously removed, now restored from the original edition






 BUY THE BOOK 
or Visit your Favorite Christian Book Retailer


 About the Author: 

 Dr. Max Anders is the author of over 25 books and is the creator and general editor of the 32-volume Holman Bible Commentary series. He has taught on the college and seminary level and is a veteran pastor. Max was also one of the original team members with Walk Thru the Bible Ministries. He provides resources and discipleship strategies at MaxAnders.com to help people grow spiritually.

Where to find Max Anders online: 
Max Anders website
Facebook
Twitter



My Thoughts and Review: 
New Christians and even those who have walked the walk for many years, the Bible can also be difficult to understand at times. 30 Days to Understanding the Bible is a GREAT resource for all who want more understanding of the Bible. 30 Days for 15 minutes a day and not only a greater understanding of the Bible, but a greater appreciation for God's Word. The book is meant for individual study, although it most certainly can be done as a small group study also.

The book is divided into multiple sections: 
Section 1: The Story of the Old Testament
Section 2: The Story of the New Testament
Section 3: Ten Great Doctrines of the Bible
Section 4: NanoSummary of the Bible
Section 5: How To Master the Bible So Well that the Bible Masters You Section 6: Teaching Plan
Section 7: Bonus Chapters

 The many things I really liked about 30 Days to Understanding the Bible are the Self Test at the End of each Chapter, the charts and infographs throughout the book. Although I have been a Christian for over 30yrs, this book gave me a greater understanding of the Bible also. This would make a WONDERFUL gift for a New Christian or for anyone wanting to really understand the Bible!


Resources for 30 Days to Understanding the Bible: 
Website

The website has a 5 Chapter Download that you can get for FREE. It also has many PDF documents for download that go along with the book!

Max Anders and the 30 Days to Understanding the Bible book and website have really laid it all out for Christians. FANTASTIC BOOK!




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Saturday, January 19, 2019

Celebrate Lit Blog Stop: Flights of Fancy by Jen Turano


About the Book



Title: Flights of Fancy  
Author: Jen Turano  
Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Gilded Age  
Release date: January 1, 2019  
Publisher: Bethany House

Miss Isadora Delafield may be an heiress, but her life is far from carefree. When her mother begins pressuring her to marry an elderly and uncouth duke, she escapes from the high society world she’s always known and finds herself to be an unlikely candidate for a housekeeper position in rural Pennsylvania. Mr. Ian MacKenzie is known for his savvy business sense and has built his reputation and fortune completely on his own merits. But when his adopted parents are in need of a new housekeeper and Isadora is thrown into his path, he’s unexpectedly charmed by her unconventional manner. Neither Isadora nor Ian expected to find the other so intriguing, but when mysterious incidents on the farm and the truth of Isadora’s secret threaten those they love, they’ll have to set aside everything they thought they wanted for a chance at happy-ever-after.

Click here to order your copy!

My Thoughts and Review: 
I have read many of Jen Turano books and really enjoy her 
writing style. "Flights of Fancy" did not disappoint. 
Isadora, the main character, goes from being an Heiress to being a 
candidate for a housekeeping job. She learns rather quickly that 
she cannot even boil water. The other main character, Ian, who is
Isadora's potential boss, take a like to her and her "interesting" 
manners of housekeeping. They quickly form a relationship and soon
their "secret love story" may need to be halted before others 
find out. 
The main characters really make the book very intriguing and a book 
that is hard to put down once you start reading. There is humor, love 
interest, mystery and adventure all in this storyline. I truly enjoyed 
Flights of Fancy from beginning to end. I can entrust that many will 
enjoy this book. 

GREAT BOOK!! 





About the Author



One of the Funniest Voices in Inspirational Romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today Best-Selling Author, known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publisher Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from Romantic Times, and praise from Library Journal. She’s been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. When she’s not writing, she spends her time outside of Denver, CO.

Guest post from Jen

Q & A With Jen Turano

“Flights of Fancy” is the first book in the American Heiress Series. What inspired you to write this series?
  The inspiration for this entire series started off with a What If? All of my proposals for new series start off that way, and this time it was – What if Consuelo Vanderbilt had balked when her mother insisted she marry the Duke of Marlborough – and then that led to – What if she’d run away until her mother came to her senses? Just like that, an entire series was born – a bit of a different take on American heiresses because in all three books, my heiresses might decide to go a tad…rogue. We start off with Miss Isadora Delafield – who does run off to avoid marriage to a duke, then we get to meet Miss Poppy Garrison, who is an unexpected heiress but who can’t quite seem to get a handle on the expected social decorum of the day, and then the final book revolves around Miss Beatrix Waterbury – who gets banished to Chicago after she annoys her mother one too many times, and once there, well, gets up to a bit of mischief.

How do you come up with the names of your characters? 
  I find most of my names as I research the New York Four-Hundred, although I normally take a first name here, a last name there so I’m not stepping on any toes by writing about an actual historical figure – except for some of the main figures in New York society back then, such as Mr. Ward McAllister – who was the social arbiter of the day, or Mrs. William Astor, who was the queen of that society. What I don’t do is simply make up names, no matter how outrageous they may appear. And, no matter how I may love a certain name, if the character decides it doesn’t suit them, that’s it, it’s out and I’m back to the drawing board. How do you picture your character?

Do you use Pinterest, magazines, movies? 
  Odd as this may seem, I don’t use pictures for my characters. They start off in my mind as a blurry figure, and then, they develop from there – I like to keep my descriptions of them somewhat vague on the pages so that the reader can imagine them exactly the way they’d like them to be. What are some of your favorite resources for historical research? I’ve been building up a research library over the past few years and now have over 200 books dedicated to the Gilded Age. My favorites are – “A Season of Splendor” by Greg King, “Society as I Have Found It” by Ward McAllister, “The Gilded Age in New York – 1870-1910” by Esther Crain, and “ ‘King Lehr’ and the Gilded Age” by Elizabeth Drexel Lehr.

 The setting for “Flights of Fancy” is a bit of a departure for you since it’s set in and outside of Pittsburgh. Any reason for that? 
My mom was born in Pittsburgh, and unfortunately, her father, a prominent attorney back in the day, died when she was only four. I thought it would be cool to set a story in Pittsburgh, which would then allow me to really dive into some research. And get this – while I was doing that research, I found this obscure journal called “Memoirs of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. In that journal was a bit about my great-grandfather, Fred, his wife, Susie, my grandfather, and his brother and sister, but I’d never heard about this brother, who apparently died quite young. One of the most fabulous research tidbits I’ve uncovered to date. What are you working on now? I’ve just recently turned in the content edits for the second book in this series, “Diamond in the Rough,” and I’ve also turned in a novella about the Harvey Girls that will be coming out in a novella collection in Fall, 2019. With those out of the way, I’m now starting the third and final book in the American Heiress series, Miss Beatrix Waterbury’s story, but I’m having a bit of a struggle with the hero at the moment – he was supposed to be Edward, but he doesn’t want to be an Edward – I think he wants to be Norman – but, time will tell on that one – don’t hold me to the name – it’ll depend on if he changes his mind or not – pesky characters.

 You seem to enjoy adding animals in many of your stories. Will we find any animals in “Flights of Fancy?” 
  Since Miss Isadora Delafield ends up on a farm, I do believe you will find a few animals, such as an adorable cow by the name of Buttercup, a few goats that seem to have a great liking for laundry, and…there might be some chickens. Thanks for stopping by today, everyone! Always enjoy visiting with all of you – in fact, that’s the best part of my job! All the best, ~ Jen ~

Blog Stops

The Avid Reader, January 10
Among the Reads, January 10
Through the Fire, January 10
Blogging With Carol, January 11
Back Porch ReadsJanuary 12
KarenSueHadleyJanuary 12
Godly Book Reviews, January 12
Daysong RefectionsJanuary 12
Livin Lit, January 13
The Becca Files, January 13
Texas Book-aholic, January 13
Rebekah’s Quill, January 14
All-of-a-kind Mom, January 15
Stories By Gina, January 15
Splashes of JoyJanuary 16
Mary Hake, January 17
Maureen’s Musings, January 17
Bibliophile Reviews, January 17
Baker Kella, January 18
Simple Harvest ReadsJanuary 18 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
Robin is Bookish, January 19
Carpe Diem, January 19
Have A Wonderful DayJanuary 20
Life with the Tribe, January 20
Inklings and NotionsJanuary 20
amandainpaJanuary 21
Pause for Tales, January 22
Live Love Read, January 23
A Rup Life, January 23
Bigreadersite, January 23

Giveaway



To celebrate her tour, Jen is giving away a grand prize of a trunk filled with all of Jen’s full-length novels released to date!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d8d1/flights-of-fancy-celebration-tour-giveaway




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