Wick & Sarcasm For Mississippi River Reader Retreat

One of the candle companies I've seen on Instagram and have wanted to work with is Wick & Sarcasm. I thought the Mississippi River Reader Retreat would be the perfect time to make a custom candle for the ladies who were staying at the AirBnB during the retreat.

I got in touch with Ashley, the owner, to work on the scent and label design. She was terrific to work with. I let her know my favorite scents and in turn, she put together 3 or 4 sample candles and sent them to me to decide on the one I wanted to go with. Let me just say, she did a great job and made my task all the more difficult.

Once I decided on the scent I wanted, white tea and ginger, she went about pouring it and then she asked me about the label color. I wanted a bright green. Ashley worked on the design and updated me with images and questions as she went along. It was SO nice to be part of the process, but I left most of it up to her since that's what she does for a living.

As soon as the label was finished, she sent me a photo of the candle jar with the label attached. I was so excited to see it in person! I couldn't wait to give them to the ladies at the house (and keep one for myself of course!). Isn't it adorable?! I ordered the 4oz glass jars. The candles are made out of natural soy.

And I have to say, one of the things I loved most about this process is that she paid attention to the details. She knew that I love books and gardening and implemented those pieces into the label without me even knowing! Also, do you see the butterfly in the left corner?! Seriously, I loved this candle so much.

I was thrilled to give the candles out in goody bags to the ladies and I hope they enjoy them as much as I do mine. I can't wait for my next order! Be on the lookout for what I'm doing for November!

Like Honey For The Bones By Brandy Heineman + GIVE AWAY

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Like Honey for the Bones by Brandy Heineman, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I received the ebook as part of this tour.

About the Book

Title: Like Honey for the Bones
Author: Brandy Heineman
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: July 24, 2023
Genre: Christian Split-time Romantic Mystery

TWO HEARTS BROKEN ALONG THE SAME JAGGED EDGE MAKE A GRISLY DISCOVERY DEEP IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY 

Present Day. Solveig Borja fled Virginia to escape the guilt of one reckless night, and once she settles the family estate, she’s Norway-bound and never looking back. Meanwhile, Kyle Benton has come seeking asylum from past sins—which Solveig shatters even as their hopeless romance blooms. But when they discover a skeleton at Rice Caverns, its century-old mystery holds startling links to the here-and-now.  

1919. The Great War is won. Gussie Rice longs for her beau's return from France, until she learns he’s confined at a stateside hospital and her closest confidant is part of the secret. Her bid for love sparks a confrontation that ricochets through time... 

Bad blood and escalating threats swirl around Solveig, and Kyle’s new life proves no haven from the old with his brother's killer trolling the shadows. As the past rears up, the cavern’s hidden places beckon with power to light their hope or to swallow them in utter darkness.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

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Author Interview

1. Do you think dual time stories are more difficult to write than a single time? Or does it give

you more to work with?

This question makes me smile. At the last writers conference I attended, each time I introduced

myself as a dual timeline author, my fellow writers’ eyes rounded and they would say, “Wow,

those are hard!”

Dual timelines are definitely tougher for me. The goal is not only to give readers two fully

realized plots, but also to tie them together in a way that enhances both for a single satisfying

reading experience. Whether or not I’ve done so is for readers to decide!

2. Are you part of the process for deciding what the cover will look like? This one gives great

vibes!

Thank you! Yes, I’m grateful to have worked with a very talented cover designer for this book. I

didn’t have a specific vision for how the cover should look, so I gave her details about the plot,

characters, and setting, and I created a few collections of stock photos that appealed to me. She

came back with several potential concepts, and this one hit the right note. During final

manuscript edits, I came across a brief passage that could have been written to describe that

image, and I think readers will get a kick out of reaching the “cover moment” in the story.

3. Have you ever taken a tour through any caverns? Is that where you found inspiration?

Origin story time! One of my close friends gave me the initial story seed. She had moved to

Virginia and visited Grand Caverns in Grottoes. As the oldest continually operating show cavern

in the United States, it has some interesting stories, including Civil War era signatures on the

walls that can be matched to other historical records. When she told me about the walking tour

she’d been on, my imagination started spinning. What might someone lose in a cavern? And

what might someone find?

Fortunately, I did get to visit my friend in Virginia while drafting the book. Best research trip

ever! We toured that same cavern and visited other local sites to get a feel for what my characters

would see and experience.

4. Is it difficult to determine where you're going to set a book or do you already know that going

into a story?

For this book, at least, the setting came with the idea. Many of my stories have themes of home

and belonging, and although the setting has been different in each of them, it’s always an integral

element. Whatever places my characters call “home” has defined or influenced them in some

way, and in that sense, setting organically becomes part of the characterization and plot. It will be

interesting to see whether that changes if my future books are less focused on home-related

themes!

5. What does your research look like when you're doing a historical timeline like WW1?

One of my best research techniques is to read historical newspapers. This gives me a lot of

material for real events as well as insight into the context, sentiments, and even colloquialisms of

the people at the time. I also look for historical images, maps, and letters to immerse in the

details that let me create a sense of reality for distant places and times.

About the Author

Brandy Heineman is a book hoarder, cat herder, and Christian author of dual timeline novels. Antique shops and digital newspaper archives top her list of happy places, and she fuels her day job in marketing and life as a novelist with endless cups of tea. Brandy has served as president of the North Georgia chapter of ACFW and lives in Metro Atlanta with her husband, Michael.

Connect with Brandy by visiting brandyheineman.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Tour Giveaway

(3) winners will win a signed, print copy of Like Honey for the Bones and $25 VISA gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 24, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 31, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Through Thorny Ways By Jennifer Q. Hunt

Through Thorny Ways

by Jennifer Q. Hunt

Publisher: Independent

Series: Wisteria house

ISBN: 979-8386945664

Having become a quick fan of Jennifer's stories, as soon as she asked me if I would review her book, I said, "Yes!" They're wholesome and full of faith. Who wouldn't want to review her books? She sent me her book for review.

Summary:

Shrouded in scandal and secrets, Arilee Rutledge’s family is as tangled as the thorns surrounding their unwelcoming antebellum mansion. When her brother Davis returns from the Great War, she hopes they will make a new start after a season of devastation. But Davis is haunted by their younger brother’s death and his wife’s committal to the state asylum; while he loses himself in his work, Arilee continues raising his children. Determined to control at least one area of their lives, the siblings hire a former acquaintance to restore their dilapidated home.

Thrown from a carefree boyhood into the horrors of trench warfare, Adam Harrison is broken yet matured by his experiences. He takes a job updating and repairing Wisteria House, not only to pay his way through medical school, but in hopes of winning the woman he has long admired. A startling discovery plunges them all into a series of events revealing dark mysteries and shaking their already-uncertain future.

Can the thorns of grief, pain, and regret ever be cleared from their troubled hearts?

My Review:

Another lovely story by this author! It took me a while to read Through Thorny Ways because we were out of the country. Otherwise I would have had it read in just a couple of days.

The author creates such deep, meaningful characters and I enjoy getting to know them... most of them. hahaha some aren't the greatest (intentionally). The main character, Arilee, is sweet and strong. She's the glue that's keeping her family together. She has so much responsibility put on her at such a young age. Her brother isn't much help as he's checked out emotionally from his kids, and his wife is in an asylum.

We also get to know Adam who is a bit younger than dear Arilee. While he may be younger, he's grown into a responsible young man who is always ready to step up to the plate. He ends up helping Arilee and her brother renovate their house. While he's at it, he shows his love for Arilee in many different ways.

There are lots of twists and turns, one of which I fully expect to see more of in future stories! Davis finally begins to take stock in his life, as brother to Arilee, but also as father to his two children. While the events that happen aren't easy, they have a profound impact on him. Lots of harrowing moments to bring him to his "come to Jesus" experience.

The faith in this story is beautiful, while dealing with being hurt by the church. I appreciate that the author tackled such a difficult topic. Also, the topics of forgiveness, healing, and restoration are sweetly woven into the story. I truly can't wait for book two!

About the Author:

For history tidbits, deleted scenes, and more "extras" as well as information about upcoming releases, visit jenniferqhunt.com or follow Jennifer on Facebook at Jennifer Q. Hunt, Author or Instagram @jennifer.q.hunt.author.

A lifelong storyteller, Jennifer has worked as a writer of both fiction and nonfiction, as well as an editor and ghostwriter. She has over twenty-five years of ministry writing experience for churches, pastors, and Christian ministries. 

Jennifer writes fiction with faith and purpose. Her Sorrow and Song trilogy shows multi-generations as they wrestle with their place in history and following the Lord through challenging circumstances. 

Back in north Georgia after several years away, Jennifer is a happy wife to Christopher and homeschool mother to four elementary-aged children.

Cold Pursuit By Nancy Mehl

Cold Pursuit

by Nancy Mehl

Publisher: Bethany House

Series: Ryland + St. Claire

ISBN: 9780764240454

I've enjoyed the author's other stories and was looking forward to her new series. She always has some creepy, twisted evil characters who make you want to see them captured! Bethany House sent me the book for review.

Summary:

Ex-FBI profiler River Ryland still suffers from PTSD after a case went horribly wrong. Needing a fresh start, she moves to St. Louis to be near her ailing mother and opens a private investigation firm with her friend and former FBI partner, Tony St. Clair. They're soon approached by a grieving mother who wants them to find out what happened to her teenaged son, who disappeared four years ago. River knows there's almost no hope the boy is still alive, but his mother needs closure, and River and Tony need a case, no matter how cold it might be.

But as they follow the boy's trail, which gets more complicated at every turn, they find themselves in the path of a murderer determined to punish anyone who gets in his way. As River and Tony race to stop him before he kills again, an even more dangerous threat emerges, stirring up the past that haunts River and plotting an end to her future.

My Review:

This was a good, fast paced story. In true author fashion, the story starts off intense and stays the same throughout!

River is intense. She has been traumatized by a previous incident, and it compels her to set a new direction for her life. Her partner, Tony, does the same thing. River and Tony remind me a lot of Alex and Logan from her other series The Quantico Files. The author does a great job of creating investigators who come against some seriously crazy people.

Tony is loyal and has started a PI business with River. Their first client certainly starts them off on an intense note! Connecting the dots isn't easy, to say the least. While they're searching for one person, another shows up in the story that they know nothing about. Talk about creepy.

The author also deals with Alzheimer's and does a good job with it. It'll be interesting to see how that part of the story unfolds over the next couple of books. I was also fascinated by the condition synesthesia. There's a song called "smell the color nine" and the condition made me think of that song. It was so captivating to read about the mentally ill character in the story who has it. That along with schizophrenia.

There's definitely a thread of faith in the story and it'll be good to watch River grow in her faith throughout the series.

If you liked the other series I mentioned above, then this will feel very much the same. If you enjoyed that series, you'll enjoy this one.

About the Author:

Nancy Mehl (nancymehl.com) is the author of more than fifty books, a Parable bestseller, and the winner of an ACFW Book of the Year Award, a Carol Award, and the Daphne du Maurier Award. She has also been a finalist for two Carol Awards and the Christy Award. Nancy writes from her home in Missouri, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson.

This Is Where It Ends By Cindy K. Sproles

This Is Where It Ends

by Cindy K. Sproles

Publisher: Revell

ISBN: 9780800740795

Having read, and loved, What Mama Left Behind, I was excited to learn Cindy's next book was going to be available for review. I'm guessing I was one of the first to sign up for a book. Revell sent me the book for review!

Summary:

How long is a body expected to keep a secret?

When Minerva Jane Jenkins was just fourteen years old, she married a man who moved her to the mountains. He carried with him a small box, which he told her held gold. And when he died fifty years later, he made her promise to tell no one about the box or the treasure it contained.

Now at ninety-four, Minerva is nearing the end of what has sometimes been a lonely life. But she's kept her promise. Even so, rumors of hidden gold have a way of spreading, and Minerva is visited by a reporter, Del Rankin, who wants to know more of her story.

As an unlikely friendship develops, Minerva is tempted to reveal her secret to Del. But the truth of what's really buried in the box may be hidden even from her.

My Review:

What a heartfelt read. If you're looking for a story that feels like a warm blanket, then you will enjoy This Is Where It Ends.

While it feels like it started off slowly, what was happening was the characters were burrowing themselves into my heart. We meet Minerva right when her husband passes away and then immediately again when she's now 94 years old. She's spent her whole life up on the mountain her husband brought her to as a young bride - alone. As her story unfolds, I felt quite a few emotions towards her dead husband and for all she missed out on. Thankfully, we get to share in her emotions as she learns more than she ever wanted to. Minerva is full sass and isn't to be trifled with. She also loves her Lord and does her best to follow in His ways.

Then, there's Delano. He plants himself into Minerva's life and she doesn't know what to think of this nosy reporter. She doesn't have much cause to trust him, especially since he's come asking about gold. Without giving too much away, we get to see him grow and to know him better throughout this story.

How long do we keep a promise? As Del learned from Minerva, all the way to the grave. Sometimes we hold on to things (a lie, a belief, a hurt, etc) for so long our lives go in a direction we never expected. Sometimes people are put into our lives, unexpectedly, and they become family. We learn all of that and so much more in this story. 

DID I need tissue for this story? Yes I did! The way God provides for Minerva is tender and beautiful. A reminder of how He is faithful.

I did feel like some parts of the story were retold a couple of times and didn't understand the point of it. If you enjoy feeling life you've traveled to the mountains of Kentucky then you'll get that in spades with this story. I could completely picture Minerva's mountain and the people around her.

About the Author:

Cindy K. Sproles is the author of What Momma Left Behind and the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries. A popular speaker, Cindy teaches at writers conferences across the country and directs the Asheville Christian Writers Conference in North Carolina. She is the executive editor of ChristianDevotions.us and freelance editor for Iron Stream Media. Cindy has a BA in business and journalism and lives in the mountains of East Tennessee with her family.