WEDNESDAY REVIEW - Biron The Bee Who Couldn't

 Good morning, everyone!

I haven't done an actual review in awhile and this book is not a romance. It's so much more! 

BIRON THE BEE Webpage

Before I get into the review, I want you to notice the beautiful cover done by artist Anaïs Chartschenko . Anais will be a guest on my KellysCreativeDream blog soon.

So what incredible story inspired her artwork?

Biron the bee isn’t sure he wants to be like the rest of the bees in his hive. But he doesn’t know what he would be good at besides making honey. Thus begins the delightful adventures of a sprightly little bee with a big imagination. When all of Biron’s exciting ideas are discouraged, he wonders if any of his dreams “as big as the sky” can come true. His amusing exploits take him from honey homes to spaceships with wings, until he’s finally reminded of the importance of believing in himself – “there’s no one but you who can get in your way.”

Artist AnaisChartschenko has done a beautiful job of bring Biron, his exploits and friends he meets along the way, to life. 

I love the fact that while this book is written for children, any age can identify with the premise. Even adults struggle with being able to attain their dreams or what they want to be 'when they grow up'. The rest of the blurb for this book says:

Written in an easy -to-understand, rhythmic and whimsical style that’s accompanied by bright, colorful illustrations, this collectible children’s book’s gentle reminder to never set limits on yourself makes it a wonderful gift for children of all ages (including adults who might also need a little reminding that they’re never too old to dream big and reach for the stars).

That's why Sarra Cannon's HB90 course as well as her Publish & Thrive are great tools. Her process in each course, whether you want to be an author or boost your productivity, she helps guide you to finding out who you are and how to get where you want to be.

You met the author, Gregg McBride yesterday, but if you missed that introduction, you can see it HERE.

Known for his Hallmark Movie, A Heavenly Christmas as well as columns in Psychology Today and The Huffington Post, Gregg shows his diversity as a writer... a path we can all walk if we want to and set out on the adventure to achieve our dreams.

Here is a short video from Anais' YouTube Channel

You can pick up your copy in either Hardcover, Paperback or eBook by clicking on the following links:

AMAZON   B & N   APPLE   WALMART

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Ruth Logan Herne

 Good morning, everyone!

I am so much better today and able to function. Sometimes, that's all that's important.

Today, I'm shining the spotlight on Ruthe Logan Herne:

Here's a bit about, Ruth:

Multi-published, bestselling and award-winning author Ruth Logan Herne has sold over two million books. With nearly seventy published novels and novellas, Ruthy is living her dream of being a published author, a dream which was a long time in the making. From her Love Inspired books to trade-length women's fiction and inspirational romance and then the invite to join the teams at Guideposts Mysteries, Ruthy's goal is to write the kind of books you want to read, books with characters like the folks next door and the ones sitting across the aisle in church. Or maybe the slightly gruff old fellow down at the hardware store.

 As Ruthy takes you from the Kittitas Valley of Central Washington to the hills of the Tennessee Smokies and then back to Wishing Bridge, New York to hang out in one of America's favorite new small towns, you'll get a dose of Ruthy wisdom and whimsy, some darned good food ideas and simple words of faith, hope and love... and the greatest of these is love.

AMAZON

I picked up A Foster Mother's Promise at Walmart last week. 

REVIEW:

This is Book 3 in the Kendrick Creek series. I plan to go back and read the first two.

A Foster Mother's Promise is a feel good story with great opposing characters. Mike has come from a nice family background with deep-seated pain at the loss of his wife and baby.  Trying to just move his life forward becomes difficult in a new town, new people to protect - and three children living next door, including a chubby-cheeked infant, while Carly spent her life bounced around from one foster family to another. As in all case, some were good and others were not. With a defunct marriage behind her leaving its own scars, Carly becomes the foster mom she believes every child should have. The task does not come without it's share of challenges - but amazing rewards!

The only thing I found off in this story is that a tree house is mentioned but never revisited... just left hanging so to speak. I get the purpose behind the initial scene but I'd like to have seen an extention, maybe with one of the boys?

The first two books in the series:

Rebuilding Her Life

The Path Not Taken

Overall, I loved the book and am dipping the quill...

 .5

You'll find Ruth Logan Herne through the links below:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK    YOUTUBE   PINTEREST

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT - Parris Afton Bonds

 Good morning, everyone!

I feel so honored to shine the spotlight on Parris Afton Bonds today. Though we've not met in person, (thanks to Covid when we were supposed to speak at the Ozarks Creative Writer's Conference), we have spoken through email and messages and I consider her a dear friend in this crazy world of publishing.  I'll also be reviewing her new book - Reluctant Rebel. 

Let me tell you a bit about this sweet lady.

BIO:

PARRIS AFTON BONDS is the mother of five sons and the author of more than fifty published novels.  She is co-founder and first vice president of Romance Writers of America, as well as, cofounder of Southwest Writers Workshop.

Declared by ABC’s NIGHTLINE as one of three best-selling authors of romantic fiction, the New York Times best seller Parris Afton Bonds has been featured in major newspapers and magazines, as well as, published in more than a dozen languages.

The Parris Award was established in her name by the Southwest Writers Workshop to honor a published writer who has given outstandingly of time and talent to other writers.  Prestigious recipients of the Parris Award include Tony Hillerman and the Pulitzer nominee Norman Zollinger.

She donates spare time teaching creative writing to both grade school children and female inmates, whom she considers her captive audiences.

AMAZON

BLURB:

In January of 1917, young Piedad Arellano is riding the streetcar across the Santa Fe Bridge that connects Juarez, Mexico to El Paso where she works as a housemaid. When she learns El Paso is using kerosene and toxic chemicals to “treat” workers for suspected lice, she takes a stand and says, No! Thousands join her in the protest, shutting down bridge traffic and making international news.

Walter Stevenson is an agent with the newly formed Bureau of Investigation, on a mission to identify the “master spy” being handled by the precursor of the Nazi party there in El Paso.

Their two worlds collide when Piedad is arrested for inciting the Bath Riots and Walt reluctantly comes to her aid. No two lovers were ever more mismatched.

Spies are pursued, dark family secrets are revealed, and romance may be possible in this historical novel based on the true events of the Bath Riots.

SIDE NOTE: Be sure to read her Freebies and Frostings post about how Reluctant Rebel came to be

To hear her passion for writing first-hand, check out THIS YouTube link she did at the City of Allen

REVIEW:

Parris has a way of bringing true history alive like no other author I've read. Through details collected through her research (and true knowledge of Texas history), Parris puts you in the story as if you were in a gaming world, playing everything out on your screen. In RELUCTANT REBEL, will you be Piedad Arellano fighting for women's rights and injustice? Will you be Walter Stevenson, a loner by design, drawn to the fiery redhead, willing to risk your mission to protect Piedad?

I'll admit, I usually prefer sweet, quick romance reads but Parris Afton Bonds books are my exception. She takes me to time and place settings I can only imagine having been a part of. Parris Afton Bonds is the Magic Treehouse author for adults! 

I'm sure you sigh whenever you see me post 5 quills on a review... like I don't know how to post less. But here's the thing. When you have an author like Parris Afton Bonds, an author who has a track record like no other in this industry, one who started her quest when we were reading Kathleen Woodiwiss and other 'bodice rippers', the talent is brighter than any spotlight I could shine. You just can't give this book less than....

You will find Parris Afton Bonds and her other books by clicking on any of the following links. 

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   INSTAGRAM   TWITTER   NEWSLETTER   GOODREADS

B & N   KOBO   APPLE   AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

All my best

~ Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW - Denise Hildreth Jones

Good morning, everyone!

I do apologize for not getting a Top 3 posted yesterday. I have 2 goals for this week.. Continuing to heal from the fall and work through the HB90 course I should have been on last week.  Doing the course this week will still put me on track for setting up Q2, which begins April 1.

I'm also struggling with arthritis in my right wrist so I'm limiting my blogging time.

I'm stepping outside the box a bit this week to share an unconventional women's fiction as opposed to the normal romance. Let's start with the author - Denise Hildreth Jones:

Here's a bit about Denise:

Denise Hildreth Jones is an author and Bible Study teacher. Her books have been hailed as "smart and witty" by The Library Journal and featured twice in Southern Living. She lives in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband, five bonus children, and her dog where she leads Reclaiming Hearts Ministries. Visit her at www.reclaiminghearts.org 

If you've been with me for the past six months, at least then you know about the SpectrumArtCreations book club that was formed by friends of mine back in December to read An Ozarks Christmas. They are an art supply company I've become friends with. One of the book club members, (and part of Team Azar) suggested THE WILL OF WISTERIA to kick off 2022. 

AMAZON

BLURB:

Four headstrong siblings must satisfy their father's dying demands--or risk losing his fortune. Let the clash of wills begin.

Charleston blue blood Clayton Wilcott "got religion" late in life; so late, it turns out his kids never took to it. So he's left a provisional will delivered in a highly unorthodox way.

Now they're going to have to honor Daddy's commandments from beyond the grave--for a full year--or be cut off from their substantial inheritances.The scent of wisteria lingers in the air as the four spoiled Wilcotts battle for their birthright. Told in Denise Hildreth's trademark blend of humor and heart, this Southern tale is about learning to love, learning to live, and learning to bend.

This is not my normal read. The Will of Wisteria came out in October of 2007 but is just as enjoyable to read today as I'm sure it was upon release fifteen years again. This book is destined to become a classic and just as soon as I remember where I laid my copy, The Will of Wisteria is going on my keeper shelf!

As a writer, I can appreciate how Ms Jones wrote in no less than FIVE points of view and carried each off with a standard most of us can only hope to achieve when writing two. Each character had their flaws as well as strengths... strengths that showed over time as part of the evolving process they each had to go through in able to achieve the ultimate prize. (sorry, no spoiler alerts here!)

I'm giving THE WILL OF WISTERIA ...

You can learn more about Denise Hildreth Jones by clicking on the following links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   INSTAGRAM   BLOG   YOUTUBE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

LINKT.REE

All My Best

~Angela

AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & REVIEW - Tara Taylor Quinn

 Good morning, everyone!

The rib issue has gone from painful to very sore. Improvement. Thankfully, sitting at the computer for short periods of time is an option so I'm able to keep working.

This week, I'm shining the spotlight on USA Today's Best Selling Author, Tara Taylor Quinn.

Tara is one of those romance authors we've enjoyed reading for many years (though you wouldn't know to look at the photo). She is as sweet and lovely today as she was years ago when I met her in DC at an RWA conference.  Let's check out her bio, then I have a little extra tidbit for you:

BIO

I've been at this writing gig for a long time.  97 published books can attest to that.  I've been told that my books are deeply emotional and psychologically compelling looks at life.  To me, they're just the way I co-exist with the voices in my head.  I've appeared often on local and national TV including CBS Sunday Morning, and frequently fill guest speaker slots.  I enjoy getting out and traveling, and I'm also very happy sitting alone for days at my computer living all kinds of different lives.  I was honored to win the Reader's Choice Award and to final multiple times for the RWA RITA award.

 I live life from my heart.  I'm a wife, a mother, a survivor, an in-line skater, and a supporter of The National Domestic Violence Hotline.  I am also a secret dog whisperer.

Here's that promised tid bit:

Tara was doing 'audio' books before most people even knew what they were. During the author signing at RWA that year, she handed out 3" discs (not the square floppies, but actual CDs) with a Christmas novella. I still have mine. (The rib issue prevented me from finding my author binder and bringing it out to share in this blog post)

AMAZON

Blurb:

Can an orphaned little girl create the family she needs in USA TODAY bestselling author Tara Taylor Quinn's first book in the new Sierra's Web series?

 Is he ready…

to be a father to this little girl?

 Learning he’s guardian to his orphaned niece sends child-averse architect Michael O’Connell’s life into a tailspin. He’s floored by the responsibility, so when child life specialist Mariah Anderson agrees to pitch in at home, Michael thinks she’s heaven-sent. Michael is shocked at the depth of his own connection to Mariah, and when she moves in, he opens his heart to her in ways he never could have imagined. But can an instant family turn into a forever one?

I loved this story. When you mix a hero who is sure he doesn't deserve a family, a heroine whose profession is helping others through crisis while keeping her own buried and a little girl you can't help but want to gather in your arms and assure her everything will be okay, you have all the ingredients for a story you can't put down until you're sure everyone gets their happy ever after.

I'm giving HIS LOST & FOUND FAMILY...

His Lost & Found Family released December 28, 2021 and is Book 1 in the Sierra's Web  Series. 

Book 2, Reluctant Roommates releases April 26, 2022

I found this interview by #TheBookishKnitter with Tara Taylor Quinn on YouTube. She also calls her interviews Author Spotlights.

You will find Tara's books in the following locations:

KOBO   APPLE BOOKS   B & N   GooglePlay   

Catch up with her via the following social media links:

WEBSITE   FACEBOOK   TWITTER   IG   BOOKBUB   PINTEREST   YOUTUBE

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE    

MONDAY MOTIVATION - Time to Tell a Story

 Good morning, everyone!

Wow!

Well, I can say first of all that last week did not go as planned. 

For starters, Bob left on Monday. From there I dove in to really making progress on clearing the studio by working through one area at a time. I managed to complete my filming area except for a shelf I need Bob to add to my shelving unit. He tried to do it before he left but the one shelf board I had wasabout 1/2" too short. In the mean time, I'm making progress elsewhere.

Yesterday, I found about 80% of my 4'x8' work table. I need it cleared for working on other areas, like cataloging the stamp sets and cutting large pieces of mat and foam core board - again, for other projects that need finished.

I also didn't get Burroughs emailed. That is tops on my list for this week. Review my contract to make sure I have dates correct, then email them a formal request for rights back. Cross your fingers because I really want to offer Somewhere Down the Line in print in time for the Ozark Creative Writers conference in October.

TIME TO TELL A STORY

I woke up this morning with the realization of why An Ozarks Homecoming is moving so slow for me. I'm so caught up in getting details correct that I've stopped giving you a STORY! The light bulb clicked on last night as I finished the last novella in Christmas at the Amish Bakeshop. When I finished The Christmas Cupcake by Loree Lough I thought, 'she told such a beautiful story'.  (No spoilers as to why since you'll learn more in Week 3 of the Author Spotlight series for this book) The sense dawned on me is that's how my first two books came about. I just told a story. 

So effective with tonight's writing sprints, I'm just going to sit with a blank page and start telling a story. I'll fix all the 'telling to showing' stuff in edits. 

Hello Kitty in honor of Sarra Cannon

Here's my Goals for the Week:

* Contact Burroughs

* Clear Sofa

* Tell the Story

That's it for my week. What is ONE THING you want to do TODAY! Tomorrow will come soon enough!

All my best

~Angela

WEDNESDAY REVIEW - Hot Target Cowboy

HOT TARGET COWBOY is Book 2 in the Dark Horse Cowboys series by June Faver.  If there is one thing June knows, it's cowboys. She is from Texas, after all.

BLURB:

His loyalty is to his family.
But his heart belongs to her.

Eldest son Colt Garrett is the biggest, strongest and steadiest of the Garrett brothers. Colt accepts his responsibilities, knowing his future is tied to the land. Colt has stayed centered-but when he falls in love, he falls hard. He is mesmerized by Misty Dalton, the younger sister of one of his brother's friends.

Misty Dalton has held together a family plagued with problems since her mother passed away. But when the threats to her family turn deadly, Misty turns to Colt. If anybody wants to hurt Misty, they're going to have to go through the toughest of the Garrett boys first.

June Faver is one of my 'favorite' authors. Not only has she been a good friend and mentor for over thirteen years, but the woman can write! Proven through her multi-book contract with Sourcebooks in the Casablanca line as well as through the many workshops she has held at SavvyAuthors.  She is always up on trends in the industry and shares her finds with others so we are right up there with her.

But you're here about the book, HOT TARGET COWBOY.

I have to be honest, when she first told me the title, I was skeptical. I'm still not sure the title fits but once you get beyond that and into the story, you are once again carried away to Texas and the Garret compound. A ranch grown from grief and from love, forming a tight bond between the brothers as well as Big Jim, the father they love and respect. The Garrets are all about family... their own and others who might need a little help.

With that in mind, I was not surprised to see Colt, the oldest of the three Garrets, jump in to rescue Misty Dalton. He began by connecting with her younger brother, Mark. As soon as he made friends with the boy, I knew here was a hero I would want in my corner. He knew from the get-go Misty and Mark were part of a package... one he wanted to cherish. 

Through the twists and turns of the usual murders and suspense found in June's books, I found myself in love with Colt, just like I fell for Tyler in book one. 

Returning characters from Book 1 (Do Or Die Cowboy) include Leah. Leah married Tyler in Book 1 and is still showing her spitfire gumption when she stands up for Misty against Big Jim. You'll find not many stand up to that man without a bit of backfire. 

While you don't have to read the books in order, I recommend picking them both up. While you're at it, follow June Faver on the social media sights listed below so you will know when Book 3 - Full Throttle Cowboy - releases. 

I'm giving this book 5 quills not because June is a dear friend but because I LOVED the book... and I think you will too. 

Please visit/ follow June Faver on the links below

WEBSITE         FB          TWITTER          PINTEREST          GOODREADS          AMAZON

PHOTO FRIDAY - Buy A Book Day!

Books open up doors to anywhere you want to go.

Two questions today:

1) What book have you read that has taken you to a place you will always remember as if you were there? Share with us so we can visit, too!

2) Where would you most like to visit in real life?

Happy Reading!