Book Tour: Seeds of Hope

                                                                                   BOOK INFORMATION:                                                                  

A heartwarming tale of discovering love right in front of you

Miriam Troyer has had a secret crush on Mark Byler since she was a teenager, but she knows they can never have a relationship: Mark is a big-city attorney and an Englischer. Her Amish community is too far removed from all he knows-and she loves her quiet way of life.

Mark has always loved his visits to his grandfather's farm, but he's convinced the Amish life isn't for him. There's so much of the world to see and experience, and the excitement of his successful law practice can't be matched by the slow pace of life found back home in the country.

But when things go wrong and his firm distances itself from him to try to save themselves, Mark finds himself back at his grandfather's farm. Could life in this simple world be worth living after all? Especially when the teenager he remembers has grown into a woman that could be his future. Suddenly, these two people whose lives seem so far apart may get a chance to see each other for the first time.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

                                                                        MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK                                                              

My what a charming little story. Seeds of Hope is one of my favorite books of 2017. This is the first in a series called Harvest of Hope, and I cannot wait to read more of this one! I usually am not a series person as my reading habits show, but I will be reading more about these characters.
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The cover of this book is so beautiful and perfect for the storyline. It is one of my favorite covers of all time. It is just absolutely gorgeous. The cover matches the beautiful story inside, which I think is very rare right now in the publishing world. I also realize you cannot really judge a book by its cover.
This is an Amish story which is not everyone's cup of tea, but I have begun to love stories that are Amish. They have such good moral themes to them. Seeds of Hope has themes of grace, hope, and faith. I enjoy getting to see a glimpse into the culture, but I will give a disclaimer that I do not know if it is an accurate description of the Amish. 

The story is super relatable; I remember being so in love. I really could connect with the main character Miriam. The romance is so well done. They aren't overly quick to get into a relationship, and that was something that I really enjoyed. 

In this story, we follow the lovely Miriam who wasn't found the man that she wants to marry None of the men at the church she goes to really make her heart sing. She wants to fall in love, and have someone care about her. She was such a well-developed character. She has found someone that might fit the bill, but unfortunately, she is unable to be with this man. 

Due to her being Amish she is unable to be with an English man. The man she is interested in is a successful lawyer. He rarely visits the area until a twist of life forces him to do so. This mystery man is named Mark Byler. Will they fall in love? Will love break the barriers of two vastly different cultures?

The character development in this story is so good.  

This book reminds me although hardships and trails happen in everyone's life, in the end, they can turn into something good. Barbara Cameron leaves us with an ending that doesn't disappoint making Seeds of Hope a great read!

Ultimately the book reminded me that hardships happen in every single person's life. Most of the time, in the end, they can be something good. Seeds of Hope will make you feel so many emotions. The story will warm your heart. While this is a Christian title I do believe that this story can be enjoyed by people of all faiths and beliefs. 

Disclaimer; I was provided a copy of this book through Litfuse Blogging Progam; all opinions are my own.

                                                                                   AUTHOR INFORMATION:                                                                  

Barbara Cameron has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. 

She is the best-selling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. 

Her books have been nominated for Carol Awards and the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award from RWA's Faith, Hope, and Love chapter. Barbara resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

Find out more about Barbara at http://barbaracameron.com.

Book Review: Last Voyage a the Vengeferth

 Today I have a fantastic Indie Author to share with you. This one is really incredible. I hope you check out his book! You can purchase it from Amazon at this link. 

                                                                                  Book Info:                                                                    

Last Voyage a the Vengeferth begins: Aye, I'm Wil DeVoe. I sailed as first mate 'board the Vengeferth. Amid her last trip, I was charged by the far known Captain Werthman, with someday puttin' ta the page a clear record a the events on our last voyage. I found the someday, an' these pages appear ready ta take on our voyage's clearest account this hand can pen. First, my apology ta ya men readers who put down tuppence for this tome. Apology's for leavin' out the hard language some might prefer left in. Aye, 'twas there, salty sprinkled through, as wherever seafarin' men be found. But I swear the tale can be well told without it. (Tis humor, swearin' not ta use the swearin' words.) I must leave out the hard language, or apologize ta the ladies on its account. Aye, I'll be leave out much a the more humdrum, tryin' stuff as well. Stuff tryin' a body's patience an' tryin' ta lower eyelids inta sleep. 

Yet rest assured our trip held far enough tribulations ta fill a hefty tome. I'll go ta the grave recallin' it frightfully clear. I swear I'm 'bout ta use this fine feather pen's blackest ink ta stow ya 'board. I'll send ya smellin' salty breezes an' pickle brine on the Last Voyage a the Vengeferth. (I)'Board the Vengeferth (1) The white 'Twas done 'fore the boy knew. 'Fore any knew. The beast charged straight up from the black bowels a hell an' swirled back down unseen. But the red broilin' water told the tale ta all with eyes. In three thrashin' seconds the brute come an' went. We stood stunned witless. The best good thing was the quickness. 

He never knew it happened. He'd done the smart thing like I told im the night before. The boy listened well when I told if he struggled they'd tie im ta the chair an' it could go worse. He sat right down on it, an' in the water stayed under a fair while 'fore climbin' up the line ta poke his head out gaspin'. But then the brute hit. The boy should a been okay. I swear I didn' mean ta lie ta im. There's no knowin' 'bout whites. Just no knowin'. We began ta haul up the chair, but the captain wouldn' have it. He cut the line, his angered face white as the mainsail. Had ta be angered at imself for givin' o'er ta such foolishness, an' maybe he already had a touch a fear. His mouth was a thin line, an' his eyes clenched 'til y'd a thought 'em closed. Cut loose, the chair took a notion ta float. Twenty feet out it hung in a pool a redness. It stayed still there an' we stared at it, seemed near an hour. Till, just as sudden, that chair tipped an' sunk, suckin' the line down like a last spaghetti noodle. We'd been given our time ta pray. But the prayin' was o'er an' the captain strode ta his cabin, eyes narrow ahead, sayin' nothing an' seein' nobody. 

We all stepped from his path more outa' fear than respect. There wasn' a lot respect ta be found for im 'bout then. Two hours later he came 'round whilst we ate. We'd a gone silent if we hadn' already been so. The usual chat wasn' in us. The clickin' a spoons against plates been soundin' loud, till that too stopped when he showed his face. "Men, that boy wasn' meant ta die." He offered slow, his eyes down, a tremble under his voice as though speakin' with God, "He was a feisty sort, an' most certainly didn' deserve it. But too sadly, what's done's done. Much as I'd like, I can't bring im back." His o'ersized nose was red. Then he his voice began comin' up stronger, "The thing I can think ta do is seek out his revenge on the ugly brute that took im. When they get a good meal, they may not go hurryin' off. They're expected ta hang around a day or two hopin' for another morsel. Jack, ya sharpen the old harpoons tonight. 'Tis a fearful mean business an' mine alone. I'll order no man ta go with me in the morn', though a volunteer or two wouldn' be turned away. Cookie, pull the two toughest steak."

                                                                                My Thoughts on This Book:                                                                   

When I first started reading Last Voyage a the Vengeferth, It reminded of a book I had read when I was a child. It was a pirate ship story, and it was one of the books that made me fall in love with reading. I couldn't help but feel some nostalgia when reading this. 

When you open this book, you better be ready for a crazy adventure. The plot is exciting and interesting. The pirate ship got into a bit of trouble when a wave capsized the unfortunate vessel. I found that the adventure about how the crew handled the events following the most interesting. The stories of the characters lives were so hilarious and entertaining. I enjoyed reading about how they overcame the challenges of being stranded and awaiting their rescue. The shipwreck story was different than most. It didn't have the typical tropes that most have. 

One of the best parts of this book is how educational it is. This book, in my opinion, is perfect for 3-6th-grade readers. The language and reading comprehension can be quite challenging in this book so it would be perfect for reading assignments and teaching critical thinking skills. I believe children will enjoy reading this book. 

I was surprised by the fact that I  loved the dialog in this book. I do realize that some readers will be put off or have challenges reading a book written with wording such as this. I feel like the language used was authentic and the type you would expect on a pirate ship. It made it fun and genuine. I think the author did a great job with the dialog. 

The only thing I disliked about this book, and I use that word lightly as I did rate this book five stars because I truly believe this was a great book. The issue is the number of characters. I found that I had trouble keeping track of all of them, I can't imagine how I child would do. I thought that there was a lot of backstory to all of the characters and yet I still struggled with knowing which character had what backstory. I think that maybe cutting a couple of characters would have made this story even better than it was. 

Overall, I believe you should check this book out. It is fun and an adorable middle-grade novel filled with pirates and a pretty crazy adventure. 

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

Book Tour: Deadly Proof

Book info.

About the book: Riveting new series offers legal suspense with a romantic twist In the biggest case of her career, attorney Kate Sullivan is tapped as lead counsel to take on Mason Pharmaceutical because of a corporate cover-up related to its newest drug. After a whistleblower dies, Kate knows the stakes are much higher than her other lawsuits. Former Army Ranger turned private investigator Landon James is still haunted by mistakes made while serving overseas. Trying to forget the past, he is hired by Kate to look into the whistleblower's allegation and soon suspects that the company may be engaging in a dangerous game for profit. He also soon finds himself falling for this passionate and earnest young lawyer. Determined not to make the same mistakes, he's intent on keeping Kate safe, but as the case deepens, it appears someone is willing to risk everything-even murder-to keep the case from going to trial. Learn more and purchase a copy. My Thoughts On the Book:  This is the first book in the brand new series Atlanta Justice by Rachel Dylan. This is the first book in the genre of Legal Fiction that I have ever read. It was rather interesting. The fact this is a Christian book made it more interesting.  Since I mentioned that Deadly Proof is a piece of legal fiction, I should mention that there was a lot of legal terms and details. Never fear though the characters explain these details. Which made the job seem much more realistic.  I liked that the book had a female lead. Also that she was a lawyer, it is so sweet to have a strong female lead. It was a good break from the typical supporting characters we usually see in books.  The main character is a strong and independent woman named Kate. She is a workaholic, and surprisingly she has a small personal life. She has a small group of friends. Two of whom try and remind her to take a break now and then. I enjoyed that while Kate had a very excellent work ethic but didn't work for the money. I liked that the book shined a light on lawyers that actually care about their clients.  While I enjoyed the characters, they both had their fair share of faults. I felt like they had hardships that were relatable. Their struggles were real life and not overly dramatized or unrealistic.  The sense of faith is what I loved most about this book. Kate was constantly praying, which is something that even in many Christian fiction novels can be lacking. I loved how she showed her faith in God with every chapter. I also liked that she wasn't shy about her faith. She shared her beliefs with people, in a way that wasn't overly preachy.  Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and Litfuse for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. About the author: Rachel Dylan writes Christian fiction including legal romantic suspense. Rachel has practiced law for over a decade and enjoys weaving together legal and suspenseful stories. In addition, Rachel writes the Danger in the Deep South including "Lethal Action" and "Devoted Defender," which appeals to fans of edge of your seat romantic suspense. Rachel also writes the Windy Ridge series including "Trial & Tribulations" and "Fatal Accusation." These legal thrillers with elements of spiritual warfare are great for fans who enjoy books by Peretti or Dekker. "Trial & Tribulations" was a Selah finalist in 2016. Rachel lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids-two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. Find out more about Rachel at http://www.racheldylan.com.

Author Interview: Anthony R Howard

                                                                      About The Author:                                                               

Bestselling, Award-Winning author Anthony R Howard has studied Christianity for over 15 years, as well as secret societies, basic theology and angelology (the study of angels).  Howard has won several awards, appeared on many national media outlets and is also the bestselling author of The Invisible Enemy: Black Fox and The Invisible Enemy II: Vendetta. Howard also has a passion for Christianity, prophecy and spirituality.  Howard has served on ministry teams and religious leadership groups, each which give astounding insight into many of the characters developed in Devils Diary. Presently in Atlanta, he is a leading Technology Specialist for one of the world’s largest Information Technology firms where he was rated #1 IT Super Hero by InfoWorld and ComputerWorld, was the winner of the National Federal Office Systems Award (FOSE - Nation’s Largest Information Technology Exposition Serving the Government Marketplace), and the winner of Government Computer News Best New Technology Award. Several case studies have been published on Howard’s solutions across the Information Technology industry. Currently he provides enterprise technology solutions and advisement for America’s most distinguished clients including a sizeable amount of work for the U.S. Defense Sector, Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security.

                                                                                                                                                                    

Hello Anthony R Howard, tell us about yourself. How did you get into writing?

Before I remember, I remember writing. I’ve been writing all my life, starting in elementary school.  It was simply a passion. A gift. I became a bestselling author in 2010, so I’d say that’s when my writing career took off, however it took 9 years to get a book deal. I stuck with it because it was something I really enjoyed.  It’s part of me.

Can you tell us a little about your latest book?

It’s about where each reader falls between the battle of good and evil. If the Creator returned tomorrow (which happens in the book), how would you react?  What would you as a reader expect? Would you be ready? This novel appeals to the reader to look inside themselves as they identify with the characters. As current times are as they have been prophesized in several holy books, including a general increase in anarchy, the demoralization of our society’s ethical fabric, the wars, and the persecution of those trying to worship, the stage has been set. Sides are being chosen. Angels and their worst enemies prepare for The Coming.

You last two novels were from the spy/action genre, including one bestseller The Invisible Enemy: Black Fox. How did you make the transition into religious writing, and do you think your platform will follow you into this new genre.

In my mind I didn’t make a transition. This is actually the book that got me my first book deal. It was decided by the publishing company to come out with the spy series as a business decision because of my background with technology and the Dept of Defense, and the degrees and awards behind my name. I speak at technology conferences on a regular basis but I wasn’t a famous minister. I their minds, I didn’t have a guaranteed platform to generate book sales. Do I hope my audience follows?  I’d like to think I’ve built an audience who loves good writing, so I believe they will venture into this genre even if it’s a bit new to them, because they enjoy good writing. The point of writing of to bring people to something new.  Something great. One of my goals in writing is to broaden the experiences of my reader community and add to the literary art form.  It believe its key to not only present a fascinating story to the reader, but to bring value to the reader aside from entertainment. I believe that’s one of the key differences of my style of writing. Everyone loves to be entertained, so I’m obviously going to do that, and I truly enjoy it.  Then a lot of people also value riveting, thought provoking idea’s. Topics where you finish the book and want to know more. Motifs that make you want do a bit of web surfing on the topics presented, or maybe dive even deeper.  

What inspired you to write it?

With my first books, I wrote the book that I had always wanted to read but had never been written. With this book, I wrote the book that really needed to be read but had never been written. It’s a journey for the reader. You have to ask yourself a question during the book: Are you ready to face your sins?  For many people the answer will be no, which makes the book an even deeper journey as they realize where they fall in the battle of good and evil. Each reader will face their own internal journey. Some who are not familiar with any religion will hopefully want to know more as they look inside themselves.  Even though the book is called Devil’s Diary, the book is not about evil. The second part of the title is the focus.  The Coming. 

Is it part of a series? 

Devil’s Diary: The Coming is currently not a series like The Invisible Enemy: Black Fox .and the Invisible Enemy II: Vendetta.

Biblical Prophecy is a touchy subject.  How did you approach it in this novel? 

Biblical Prophecy is certainly complex.  There are literally hundreds of interpretations and translations. I put them into 3 main categories during my studies. 1 The Past interpretations: meaning that some interpretation believe that the 2^nd coming of The Creator has already happened.  2^nd group is the Present interpretation, meaning that based on what is happening now, the 2^nd coming is imminent, the 3^rd group is the Future interpretation which pretty much follow the course the 2^nd coming is off in the distant future someplace.  I focus on the present interpretation.  In the novel, The Creator returns, but it’s not quite what you’d expect. This is not about the rapture. It’s about the war between good and evil. God vs His enemies.

Does the reader have to be any particular religion to enjoy this book?

No.  Certainly not. The book is written for all to enjoy. I believe that’s one of most important things about the book. It’s written to give everyone a deeper understanding of not only spirituality, but where each reader falls in the battle of good and evil, and what their purpose is. 

Name one of your all-time favourite book covers?

Actually I have to say may all time favourite book covers is Devils Diary (and I’m completely unbiased ☺ ) because there is such a story behind it. Because this book touches on God, the traditional publishers didn’t not want to touch it. I started my own publishing company, Black Fox Imprint, named after my first novel to hit the bestsellers list) to put it out.   Instead of doing the usual market research that some publishing houses do, or using a stock image as is often done in the literary arena, I had my readers actually design and pick the cover. I started from 6 select proofs. All of them were good, and posted them for all readers to see, and to and provide feed back to each cover. Literally hundreds of readers responded. Emails, calls, text, social media responses flooded in. Using their direct input, I created a cover that I really liked, but readers actually created and loved. I ended up combining two of the popular cover selections.

From the reviews for the Invisible Enemy Spy series on Barnes and Nobles, Amazon and elsewhere, it seems you’ve drawn not only the spy novel reading crowd, but you’ve pulled from other genre’s. How have you managed to touch readers who traditionally do not read spy novels?

Because from what the readers tell me it’s a great book and an easy read. It’s filled with action, suspense, mystique, intrigue, deception, mystery, romance and even fellowship.  The action starts in the beginning and grabs even the folks who don’t read that much. The book is also written for most ages, including junior high school students, yet it challenges each reader. There are adult themes that the younger readers may not pick up on, but in contrast, I present some younger themes some adults might not pick up on. Certain characters represent certain motifs as well. Adults who have not read a book since high school have picked up the Invisible Enemy and read it from cover to cover.  Then they wanted to know more. I was fortunately able to entertain and educate by picking a topic the Hollywood has not touched before. No story like this exists anywhere. I checked as I’m a spy novel fan myself. Spy movies have been done. Spy novels have been written, but never a technology thriller exposing the real threats of America and what goes on behind the scenes. No story has posed the hard questions to the reader, then answered them. No story dives deep into how spies are trained, recruited, how the Dept of Defense will exterminate a serious threat, or how lines must be crossed and rights are violated in order to ensure the safety of Americans. The reader even realizes how back-door decisions made decades ago by the government can come back to haunt us, and allies can become enemies overnight.  It’s cool to talk about the black and the white areas. I bring the reader into the gray area, where ethics, the constitution, privacy laws, and due process can fall by the wayside when it’s time to knuckle down.

What's your favorite scene from your novel? Could you please describe it?

I can show you better than I can tell you: This is a snippet of Chapter 1 from the audiobook: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCk4AV5147E&feature=youtu.be

There is a secret that will bring America to its knees. Also, check out the movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUWj9SkBUYc

From reading the book you clearly have intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the Dept of Defense, Homeland Security, the CIA, even the FBI and covert technology that really hasn’t been exposed to the civilian global market as yet. How do you know the scoop?

I have a deep background with the Dept of Defense and technology. Currently, I’m an advanced systems consultant for the Defense, Intelligence and Civilian space. I’ve been an advanced solutions consultant  for over 12 years. I’ve worked on projects for desert storm and quite a few other programs worldwide that have saved American lives. I’ve won several awards and several case studies of my solutions have been published across the Information Technology industry. I’ve done a sizeable amount of work for the U.S. Defense Sector, Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security. I even relocated overseas to Amsterdam, The Netherlands for more than a year to solve technology issues for American based companies.  This is in addition to the years of research and personal interviews I’ve done. I didn’t get my information from an encyclopedia, I got it from job experience. 

Tell us a random fact about yourself.  

I started a small studio, Brookline Studios, because I wanted to change the way audiobooks were created. Traditional audiobooks are boring to many people. One narrator reads the entire 22 hour story in monotone can lull you to sleep. In the Invisible Enemy: Black Fox Audiobook a new genre is opened to new markets and the social media generation with over 2000 expertly placed sound effects, a cast of talented actors reading the major characters, and movie scores created for every scene/chapter, giving the audiobook a surreal movie theatre experience in additional to an exhilarating story. The new millennial generation want experiences to be vibrant, diverse, engaging, and interactive. Listening to one person for 22 hours can be exhausting. In the past audiobook listener have been a very particular audience and demographics. I believe that will change, and I'd like to be ahead of that change. With the evolution of Ipods and mp3 players and other inventions, audiobooks can be listened to while jogging, at the gym, cleaning, running errands, eating, airports, and even while working is an option for some folks. I also want to create a personal experience that the reader/listener can plug into personally. Listeners are diverse and multifaceted. So should the cast in their experience. I bring a new experience to veteran readers and invite younger listeners as well, expanding into a different kind of audiobook market, combining sound effects, multi-cast actors, special effects, a great story, and sound quality into a different and unforgettable experience. To see what I mean, feel free to download or listen to the first chapter for free here. Invisible Enemy: Black Fox AudioBook Free Chapter

Tell us something interesting about the area where you live.

I live in Atlanta, GA. Yes, we have bad traffic – however it’s a great city. It’s got everything except for the beach. An interesting fact about it is Atlanta is represented as a symbol of the mythological Egyptian bird called the Phoenix. A historic fire incident in an act of war that was deliberately set to destroy the city justifies the representation. Atlanta, like the Phoenix, rose from the ashes to become an influential city.

                                                                      About Devil's Diary:                                                                

In the current world plagued by war and civil unrest, the divine arrival of The Creator restores hope to mankind.  Like most others, Oniva Mering is not prepared to face judgment, or the violent threat of an ancient secret society.  Left in the company of her smooth and streetwise high school friend, Oniva must bear witness to the most catastrophic turn of events humanity has ever experienced. The stage has been set. Sides are being chosen. Angels and their worst enemies prepare for The Coming.  We are all a part of the book of life. But what if there was another book. . .The Devil’s Dairy.

See the Devil's Diary: The Coming Movie Trailer - https://youtu.be/l3wuHnaovIs