Pamela S Thibodeaux Blog

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Old Flame, New Love from A Hint of Holiday Romance

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Well, this week's guest couldn't be here either so you're getting another peek into my collection of short stories, A Hint of Holiday Romance.

Old Flame, New Love is a second chance romance story set on Thanksgiving....

Blurb: Interior Designer Lyndsay Jones has managed to make her business thrive despite the death of her husband. When her childhood sweetheart’s mother and sister invite her to spend Thanksgiving with them, she wonders if her old flame Stephen (who’s in the middle of a divorce) will be her new chance at love.

Excerpt: On Thanksgiving eve, Lindsay sat on the edge of her bed. Forecasts of freezing rain, sleet, ice, and snow had put the quietus on any thought she had of travelling to her cabin. Gayle and Mrs. West’s invitation rang in her ears. She picked up her husband’s picture, pressing it against her heart. What should I do?

She saw his face, heard his voice, and felt his arms around her. Live, love, be happy. The warm glow that had always accompanied his smile filled her heart. Her decision made, she put the picture down and slid beneath the covers.

The next day dawned bright and clear. Lindsay breathed in the crisp air. Leaves crunched underfoot as she walked the two blocks to her destination. Standing on Mrs. West’s porch, she juggled the huge centerpiece she’d put together and rang the bell. Stephen opened the door. His eyes widened. Pleasure lit his gaze.

“Lindsay! What a surprise! Come in, come in!”

Before she could untangle the knots in her tongue, he’d pulled her into the house, kissed both cheeks and ushered her into the kitchen where the family had gathered around the island. “Look who’s here.”

A Hint of Holiday Romance is available at Amazon in eBook, Paperback and Audio, Other Online/eBook Retailers HERE, AND can be ordered through your favorite bookstore by title or ISBN#: 979-8-9895650-4-7.

Hope you enjoyed another peek into A Hint of Holiday Romance and that you'll check back next week - where I PROMISE - you'll get a new book from a brand new guest!

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Happy Reading, AND...

Happy Thanksgiving!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Cleanne Johnson & Beauty of Colors Poems!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Good Morning,

Fall is nearly here in SW LA. We get a few cooler mornings followed by 80+ degree mornings but it's a 'comin with the leaves turning red and orange. Speaking of the beauty of the changing leaves, Please welcome my guest, Cleanne Johnson with her book, Beauty of Colors Poems.

I met Cleanne when we had a conversation for her Beauty of Colors podcast. Check it out HERE.

Thanks for visiting with us today, Cleanne. Please tell us a little about yourself and your book.

Thank You, Pam for having me today. I'm so excited to share this particular book with you and your audience.

Before I ever understood the power of my own voice, writing became the place where I could be completely honest. It gave me somewhere to put the emotions I couldn't always say out loud, the hurt, the questions, the hope, and eventually, the love I learned to have for myself.

I wrote Beauty of Colors Poems because I wanted to turn those emotions into something that could inspire someone else. Poetry became my way of showing that beauty exists everywhere not only in what we see, but in who we are, what we have survived, and what makes each of us different.

Through nature, personal experiences, self-love, spirituality, and reflection, I wanted these poems to remind readers that their uniqueness is something to embrace, not hide. Beauty of Colors Poems is ultimately a celebration of identity, resilience, and the many colors that make each person's journey beautiful.

About the Book: These poems will lift your inner spirit, and transform your life, give you a sense of purpose, belonging an appreciation for beauty in and around you. This collection of poems will draw you to the core of the earth and make you realize you are special, unique and created by a creator being one with the earth. So, fuel yourself from these poems an arise to the top.

Enjoy an Excerpt: Canvas of Colors

Colors of earth in the rainbow

Cannot be separated, or smeared

Celestially connected with each other creating a canvas of

euphoria

Yet so different in their own singularity.

Every pigment, every ray emission has its own unique

purpose.

Its reason for being what it is, what it is supposed to do?

There are no inferior or superior, no argument.

Cohabiting together

To craft regality in its own unique form in the sky where

they survive

And others being on the galaxy marvel in awe

Curious as to where its creativity lies.

Wondering why earth is not like the rainbow

They are created equal, no flaws, no wickedness was found

on their color,

Until the darker rainbow thought that the bright rainbow

gave out more luminosity and glow.

About the Author: Cleanne Lynn Johnson is an award-winning author, registered dietitian, podcast host, and advocate for self-love, confidence, and authentic living. At the heart of her work is a simple but powerful message: our differences are not something to hide they are part of what makes us beautiful.

Her journey as a writer grew from her own experiences with bullying, low self-confidence, and learning to embrace the person she saw in the mirror. Writing became a safe place for Cleanne to express emotions she could not always put into words and eventually became a way to encourage others to recognize their own worth.

Cleanne is the author of several books spanning poetry, self-development, and fiction. Her works include Beauty of Colors Poems, Love My Colors, Finding Beauty In and Out: Confidence – Self-Love – True Self, and The Love Hate I Get. Across genres, her writing explores identity, resilience, belonging, self-acceptance, and the courage to live authentically.

Her literary work has received recognition, including a Readers' Favorite Gold Medal in the Poetry – General category for Beauty of Colors Poems. She has also been recognized as a finalist for the International Impact Book Awards Author of the Year 2026.

Beyond writing, Cleanne is the creator and host of the Beauty of Colors Podcast, where she provides a platform for conversations about personal journeys, resilience, creativity, health, purpose, and transformation. As a registered dietitian, she also brings years of experience helping individuals make meaningful changes in their health and relationship with food.

Whether through a book, podcast conversation, or her professional work, Cleanne's mission remains consistent: to encourage people to embrace their individuality, find strength in their experiences, and understand that becoming who they truly are begins with accepting and loving themselves.

Find and Follow Cleanne at the following Links:

🌐 Official Website – CleanneJohnson.com

🔗 Linktree – Beauty of Colors

📸 Instagram – @beautyofcolors66

🎵 TikTok – @beautyofcolors

👥 Facebook – Beauty of Colors

💼 LinkedIn – Cleanne Johnson

📌 Pinterest – Beauty of Colors

🎙️Beauty of Colors – YouTube

🎙️ Beauty of Colors Podcast – Apple Podcasts

🎙️ Beauty of Colors Podcast – Libsyn

🕮Beauty of Colors Poems – Amazon.

Wow, impressive Cleanne! Thanks Again for sharing with us today. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on all of your endeavors!

Hope you enjoyed todays edition of Saturday Spotlight, Friends, and that you'll check back weekly for another episode.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kaylyn's Flowers from A Hint of Holiday Romance!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning Friends,

My scheduled guest could not make it today so I'm going to share with you one of my favorite stories -- can I say that when I really love them all? 😅... Anyway... Enjoy this excerpt from Kaylyn's Flowers a Halloween story from my collection of holiday romances, A Hint of Holiday Romance...

Will a storm on All Hallows Eve give Kaylyn and Jake a chance at love?

As Kaylyn gathered the things she needed for breakfast, her phone rang.

“Good morning!” Butterflies danced in her core when Coach Jake Simpson’s voice sounded over the line “Heard the wind fairies paid you a visit.”

The thought of her demolished flower beds made her heart weep. She swallowed the lump that rose to choke her and dodged the grief with an attempt at humor. “More like wind witches if my yard’s any indication.”

His chuckle upped the butterflies’ waltz to a frenzied Mambo.

“We’ll be there within the hour to clean up.”

“We?”

“I sent a group text after Connor called, canceled practice and asked for a few volunteers to help with cleanup. Our assistant coach and a couple of team dads are doing the same elsewhere across town. It’s the least we can do for the way this community supports our boys.”

“That’s wonderful, Jake! Teaches them the importance of service too. I’ll make breakfast.”

“No, we want to get right to work, but refreshments after would be appreciated.”

“Done.” Kaylyn disconnected and danced a little jig across the kitchen floor.

Widowed seven years, she’d doubted her ability to get over the grief and conquer her innate shyness enough to date or fall in love again. Besides, she’d been too busy building her floristry business, finishing her degrees in Botany and Horticulture, and raising her son to consider romance.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into Kaylyn's Flowers and that you'll check back weekly for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Meanwhile, take care, God Bless and Read Happy and...

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Eugene Samolin & Rising Karma!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 03 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to the first episode of Saturday Spotlight of October 2026. The countdown has begun and we'll be sliding into 2027 before you know it!

Eugene Samolin wrote a beautiful article for my spiritual blog, Rainbows, Potholes and Nuggets of Gold and today, he is sharing his book, Rising Karma with us. Thanks for joining us, Eugene. Please tell us a little something about, Rising Karma, and why you wrote it...

Thank You, Pamela for the opportunity to visit with your readers and book lovers today.

Rising Karma is visionary novel that reimagines ancient spiritual truths for a new generation.

Rodney Real just wants to be a writer, until a vision of the Tree of Life shatters everything he thought he knew. The revelation of his hidden ancestry awakens a specter born of history's darkest lies.

As protests ignite across a university campus seething with unrest, Rodney is drawn into a struggle between love and fear. His search for identity becomes a battle for the redemption of history itself.

Rising Karma is a visionary novel about ancestry, awakening, and the unseen war between light and shadow. It's the story of one man's calling to bridge the divide between religions, and to discover that the act of writing can change the world.

Why I Wrote Rising Karma

At the beginning of my writing career, I wrote a mission statement: to write fiction that inspires people to build a better world for all humankind.

Shortly afterwards, I had a profound vision of the Tree of Life. In the vision, I saw all humanity connected together on one great tree, stretching through the generations and overseen by God. As I reflected on what I had seen, I noticed that many of the world's religious traditions seemed to point toward the same underlying truth. Needless to say, it was a deeply inspiring experience.

What made the experience even more significant was what followed. My sense of identity suddenly came into sharp focus, and the events of my life seemed to gather momentum around that revelation. I was at university at the time and navigating relationships, spirituality, and questions about my place in the world. From the outside, it probably looked as though I went a little wild for a while. I found myself engaging with people from churches, synagogues, and mosques, trying to understand and apply what I had seen.

Yet it still felt as though the experience remained unfinished, as though I had not fully grounded it in the world. Eventually it dawned on me that I needed to write a book about it: to make sense of it, to explain it, and to place my experience on the record as clearly and honestly as I could. My hope was that the story would inspire others, and that the truth and meaning I found in the experience might encourage readers on their own journeys, in keeping with the mission that first led me to become a writer.

What Makes Rising Karma Special

At the heart of Rising Karma is a firsthand mystical experience that changed the course of my life: a vision of the Tree of Life.

While the novel itself is a work of visionary fiction, the experience that inspired it was real. The Tree of Life has appeared throughout history in the teachings of mystics, sages, and spiritual traditions around the world, and this book is my attempt to explore that mystery through story.

For that reason, I believe Rising Karma offers readers something unusual: a modern novel rooted in an ancient spiritual truth.

What also makes the book special is its vision of a future beyond division. Beneath the differences that separate religions, cultures, and ideologies, there may exist a deeper truth that unites us.

My hope is that readers will not only look beyond the divisions that exist between themselves and others, but also the divisions that exist within themselves. Often it is those inner conflicts that give rise to the outer ones.

The Tree of Life points toward a greater unity, reminding us that we are connected to one another, and that the good of the other is ultimately bound up with our own.

Oh My Goodness, what a beautiful reason behind the book. Would you mind sharing an excerpt with us?

My pleasure, Pam. Here you go...

The Tree of Life

It was a cool, overcast afternoon. Clouds rolled low and heavy across the sky. Inside the bungalow, I paced between shelves, stacking books, folding clothes, trying to bring order to the room.

The quiet rhythm of my movements slowed my thoughts until they slipped into something like meditation. Why had I always lived at the edge of every circle, one foot in, one foot out?

And then it happened.

The sound of a trumpet blast filled my ears. The veil of the ordinary world was torn apart by an enormous, all-encompassing ball of light. The light drew back above my head, revealing the most awe-inspiring thing I had ever seen: a gigantic tree made up of uncountable human bodies, all connected together in branches of flesh that wound their way down through time from the ancient past to the present.

I was one body among the multitude. I looked up towards the past, and saw that my line of ancestors went through the middle of the tree all the way to the top.

Sparks of light flowed up and down the branches. The tree was alive, an organism of its own, with every person who’d ever lived being just one part of the greater whole.

At the top the brilliant ball of light that had torn the veil. From inside the light, I saw through the eyes of the first man in my line. Adam. The world was the garden. And when Adam took a bite of fruit, the ball of light began to fall through the generations.

It descended down my line of fathers, with me inside it, toward my body in the present. With each ancestor, I saw flashes of their lives, moments of agony and awe, struggle and triumph. Each soul bore its burden. Each passed something on to the next generation.

And then, halfway down the tree, I passed through the body of one of my forefathers. But this body wasn’t like the others. It had sunk down so deeply into the garden bed that it had become a well. Through it, the sparks of light that animated the rest of the tree flowed forth.

An image emerged of a man in a hooded cloak, with a single word written across it: Messiah.

There was only one person whose body this could be: Jesus.

The vision moved on. The men who came next were also my fathers. The patriarchal line remained unbroken.

The light went out.

With a splash, I was back in my own body again, looking out through my own eyes. Only, it wasn’t me looking anymore: it was Christ. And my consciousness wasn’t mine, either. It was Christ’s.

My blood sang with recognition.

The door banged.

I turned.

A shadow fled the room.

All I can say is... W-O-W, Eugene, Rising Karma sounds like a wonderful read! Now tell us about yourself and where we can get a copy of the book...

Here is my official bio and links...

Eugene Samolin is a visionary author whose work explores spirituality, consciousness, and human potential. Guided by a mission to inspire people to build a better world for all humankind, he writes stories of adventure, transformation, and discovery that invite readers to see greater meaning in themselves and in the world around them.

Connect with Eugene via his Website/Blog, Amazon Author Page and LinkedIn.

Get your copy of Rising Karma at Amazon in eBook (FREE in KU) and Paperback.

Perfect, Eugene. Thank YOU, again, so much for sharing your book with us today. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with it.

Well, Friends, that's a wrap on Saturday Spotlight for today. I hope you'll check back next week for another edition.

Until then, take care, God Bless and Make Reading a Priority - I promise you won't regret it. 😍

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Melanie Solar Theel & The Invisible Bag

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:26:47 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to the final Saturday Spotlight of September 2026,

Fall is finally making an appearance here is SWLA and it is so nice to have those milder mornings. I'll be glad when the days are cool enough for me to open windows and let in the fresh air!

While you're sipping your morning coffee or tea, allow me to introduce today's guest Melanie Solar Theel, a brand new to me and our blog with her award-winning children's book, The Invisible Bag. Thanks for joining us, Melanie! Please tell us why you wrote this book or what makes it special to you...

Thanks Pam,

As grandparents we always want to do something special for our grandchildren. Well, that's how The Invisible Bag was born.

I was wanting to give my four year old daughter, Jennifer, her bedtime. I wanted her to take ownership of that time so that it would not be such a big ordeal. I went to bed that night and God gave me the idea of the invisible bag of choices. I had just started a new job and Jennifer cried everyday because she did not want to go to daycare. The next morning I introduced the invisible bag of choices to Jennifer and she understood. She told me that she would pull playing out of her invisible bag, not crying. This was without any prompting from me. So everyday we would share what we pulled out of our invisible bag of choices for that day. After about 2 weeks, when I asked Jennifer what she pulled out of her invisible bag, she said that she threw it away. I thought, oh no, now what, but God gave me the answer right then. I told her that everyone does but that she could pick up her invisible bag again when she was ready.

It happened just like in the book. I wrote it down and sat on the story for 12 years. Then, I was ready for the story to be a book. And that is a whole other story.

What a sweet story! How about sharing your cover, blurb and bio...

I'd love to!

“…an invaluable educational resource for parents, teachers and guidance counselors.”

A starting point for self-discovery, The Invisible Bag helps children see they too have choices…then to be responsible for what they choose. The story of Jennifer and her invisible bag gives children permission to make the necessary choices that work for them, so they can lead healthy, happy and successful lives.

“I think The Invisible Bag story is an extremely clever adaptation of my Choice Theory ideas to young children. I believe any teacher or parent who would read this story to a young child and talk about it would certainly help the child understand that we have a lot more choice about whether to feel happy or sad than most of us believe. It’s not other people who make us happy or sad; it’s what we do for ourselves, and this story illustrates that point quite well.”

— William Glasser, M.D.

The Invisible Bag can be purchased at Amazon and TheInvisibleBag.com

BIO: Melanie Solar Theel, BS, RTC, is an author and Reality Therapy Certified.

She is originally from the Baton Rouge, LA area. Lake Charles has been her home for many years. Melanie serves as a seminar leader and story-teller. Sharing “The Invisible Bag” with children and watching their light bulbs of understanding go off are her passion. Boating and birdwatching are her favorite pastimes. Her greatest joy is spending time with her husband John, their children, and grandchildren.

THANK You, So Much, Melanie!

We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your book.

Well friends, if you're looking for a great book for your children and/or grandchildren, The Invisible Bag won the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize Short List Award!

Until next time, take care and read happy.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Heidi Gray McGill & Vision of My Heart!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome back to another episode of Saturday Spotlight! It is with great pleasure I bring Heidi back to share her new release, Vision of My Heart, a standalone Christian historical romance and the final book in the Discerning God's Best series.

Welcome Heidi! The blog is all yours...

THANKS, Pam.

I'm not Serafina. I still have some sight left, enough to be dangerous behind a grocery cart, but nowhere near enough to have written her by imagination alone. Every scene from her point of view had to work through sound, touch, and smell. No sunsets. No knowing glances across a room. If I couldn't feel it, hear it, or smell it, it didn't belong on the page.

I closed my eyes more times than I can count while drafting this book, just to feel what a hallway or a porch step or a stranger's voice would tell me if sight weren't in the equation. It was humbling. It was also one of the most spiritually honest things I've done as a writer, because it forced me to trust, the way Sera has to trust, that there's more than one way to see clearly.

Vision of My Heart closes out a seven-book journey through Shumard Oak Bend. It asked something different of me than the other six did.

Enjoy this peek into Vision of My Heart...

Smallpox took Serafina Shankel's sight and the confidence she once wore as easily as her best dress. She meets her altered world with quiet dignity, choosing composure over complaint and refinement over pity.

Then a frontier storm strands her far from home, and Connor Finnegan finds her. The horseman's steady presence and dry humor unsettle a heart she has kept in careful order.

Connor has weathered enough loss to recognize it in others. He offers no rescue and no easy promises, only patience and a way of seeing that reaches past sight. He does not expect her strength to pull at him this hard, or how God uses their unlikely bond to wake hopes he thought long buried.

The future God offers may look nothing like the one either imagined. It may be sweeter.

Excerpt: Connor slid from the saddle and led Drum a few paces along the bank, boots sinking into damp earth. He bent to scoop water over his neck and shivered under its chill.

Then he saw them.

Boots. Small ones set neatly beside a flat rock with stockings folded atop them as if laid out for Sunday.

Bare feet rested in the moss, pale against the dark green, toes half-curled as though testing the ground for its welcome.

His first read of her was not inappropriateness. It was fragility.

He lifted his gaze to her face. She sat unmoving, face tilted toward the sun. He was just close enough to see a contented smile.

Drum snorted behind him, causing the dog to rise, hackles up at the scruff of its neck.

She turned her head directly toward him. The certainty of it made his mouth go dry. She could not see him, but she knew exactly where he stood.

"Who's there?"

Get your copy of Vision of My Heart at Amazon

Heidi Gray McGill is a Selah Award finalist and five-time NEST Award-winning author of Christian historical and contemporary fiction. Her Discerning God’s Best series has earned over 3,500 five-star reviews on Amazon, where readers describe her work as “faith-filled fiction with flawed but lovable characters.” She began her writing journey in March 2020, after retirement, proving that God’s calling has no expiration date.

A sought-after encourager in the writing community, Heidi speaks and writes on the craft of storytelling, writing with biblical conviction, and reaching readers across generational and cultural divides. She is both independently and traditionally published, and she writes despite progressive vision loss, which has only sharpened her perspective on what it means to walk by faith and not by sight.

Connect with Heidi and receive a free prequel to her bestselling series at HeidiGrayMcGill.com.

Christian Fiction. Relatable Characters. Life-changing Stories. Fusing Faith and Fiction™

Wow... such a beautiful story and series! Thanks for sharing with us today Heidi!

Friends, if you haven't yet, check out Heidi's Throwback Thursday Page and find out all about this wonderful Discerning God's Best series.

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Read Happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Christine Bailey & 2 More of Her Aly the Alligator Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Good Moring!

PLEASE welcome local author and friend, Christine Bailey back as she shares with us 2 more of her Aly the Gator books!

Welcome, Christine. Please tell us more about these books...

THANKS, Pam. Here is the full scoop...

Aly the Alligator first came to life in 2002 as Christine softly sang to her baby. The sweet little character stayed tucked away in her heart for more than two decades. Then, 23 years later, while praying and asking God to give her a dream, Aly came swimming back into her imagination—and the Aly the Alligator book series was born.

Illustrated by Erika Hollier and created for children ages 2-6, the Aly the Alligator series uses engaging stories, lovable characters, and gentle lessons to help young readers develop timeless values such as Smiling, Loving, Helping and Sharing.

Join Aly and her 3 best friends as they discover that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Aly the Alligator takes her third adventure as she helps her family and friends at the local Swamp Festival.

Aly's heart is as big as her smile.

She learns that through helping others, a small act of kindness has the biggest impact.

Aly the Alligator takes her fourth adventure on the family camping trip!

Every day is a new opportunity for Aly to share tasks, toys, food and laughs with her family and friends.

She shows acts of kindness and generosity every where she goes.

Christine's hope is that every child who opens an Aly the Alligator book will not only enjoy the adventure but also discover the joy of being a good person, one story at a time. Whether it’s bedtime, story time or cuddle time, Aly's adventures create meaningful moments for families while helping little hearts grow in character.

You can purchase books at christinejoybooks@yahoo.com, at Christine Bailey State Farm agency in Moss Bluff and Lake Charles, Bux Kajun Korner in downtown Lake Charles, Wise Publications in Sulphur, Mia's in the Mall, Sway Boutique in Moss Bluff, The Children's Museum on the lake front and at The Charmed Page Book Store in Lake Charles.

BIO: The Aly the Alligator series is Christine's first literary project. She is married, has 3 children and is a local business woman. This has been an exciting project using the creative side of her brain instead of the business side.

Thank you SO much Christine!

If you have children and/or grandchildren, I hope you'll get Christine's Aly the Alligator books for them, Friends. Check out the first 2 books in the Aly the Alligator series, HERE.

Be sure to check back weekly for more great authors and books on Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Read Happy.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Seyed Nourashrafeddin & In Search of Rain from Motel Qu to Pittsburgh

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 12:13:54 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to the first Saturday Spotlight in September!

WHERE has the time gone? Seems like only yesterday we were turning the calender to 2026 and now it's more than half over. Football season has started and it's my grandson's senior year so we're soaking up all the fun we can.

Speaking of fun, I've said before that there's not much that's more fun for me than introducing you to a brand new author. Welcome Syed! Tell us about your memoir, In Search of Rain from Motel Qu to Pittsburgh...

Thank you for having me, Pamela. I had a difficult past; from the experience of living in war, poverty, and working on various jobs to help with the family economy during my childhood, to challenging with my schooling and vitiligo and my father's addiction and incarceration and imprisonment. With all hardship, I finished my academic studies in prestigious university of Iranand finally emigrating to America as a health science scholar and discovered myself as a respectful scientist in the field of Molecular Medicine.

And then I told myself that I have to publish my life story to motivate and inspire others who have a same challenge. Also, I want to be voice of my people trapped in the jail called “oppression” by tyrant Islamic regime. And more importantly, I want to say to democratic country’s people to take care of your country, and cherish your freedom and democracy.

Here is the Blurb: Imagine thatyou are a child who was born in a large family, and during your childhood, a revolution took place in your country and everything undergoes change and transformation, and at the same time, the country is involved in the longest war of the century, and the worry and stress caused by the war has influenced everything so much that the next generation will call the children who spent their childhood in this era as the “burnt generation.” Imagine that your mother is illiterate and your father is addicted to heroin and has been imprisoned,and you have had to work for years of your childhood because of family problems. In addition to these, it gets to the point where you realize that you are suffering from vitiligo, an incurable skin disease, which gradually swallows your beauty and constantly bothers your soul. What future did you imagine for yourself? What happened to you after forty years?

In Search of Rain from Motel Qu to Pittsburgh is a readable and enlightening book, and a deeply personal story of a man who, with effort and determination, was able to overcome the limitations and forced circumstances of fate to inspire and motivate people all around the world.

Read an excerpt on my Website and get your copy at Amazon.

Sounds fascinating, Syed! Thank you for sharing your story with the world! Now please give us your bio...

Thank you, Pamela. I hope my book touches lives and encourages people all over the worl and I appreciate the opportunity you have given me to share it on your blog. My photo and bio are below. People can learn more about me

Seyed Nourashrafeddin was born in 1974 in a large family in the northern region of Iran. His childhood unfolded during the turbulent years of the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War. Raised by a resilient and illiterate mother and a father who battled heroin addiction and incarceration, he started working to help the family economy when he was a child. He completed his primary and secondary school at his home city, Motel Qu, and worked most of his childhood. He was not a good student in school and had no interest in studying. So, he failed most classes and was rejected in the first grade of middle school. One day, as a poor student, he received a small New Year’s gift from the school, and this was a trigger for him to study and follow the advice of his grandfather who used to say that he should become a scientist! Despite all hardships and struggling with vitiligo, he finished his schooling and graduated from prestigious Iranian universities. In 2012, he immigrated to the United States as a health sciences scholar and obtained a PhD in Molecular Medicine. He introduced cutting-edge genomic techniques to Iran for the first time. Today, he is a succesful scientist with numerous articles on cancer and reproductive health. His memoir, In Search of Rain from Motel Qu to Pittsburgh, reflects his unwavering determination, his persistence, and his pursuit of a brighter future.

I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll come back weekly for another great author and book!

Until next time, take care, God bless and read happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Alicia Dean & Wick’ed Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome Back to Another Edition of Saturday Spotlight. Today we have a returning author with her latest release.

Thanks for joining us, Alicia! Please tell us more about writing Wick'ed Ways...

Always a pleasure to visit your blog Pam!

Most of my stories tend to live on the darker side of fiction. I write suspense and horror, where the danger is real, the villains can be downright depraved, and I don’t necessarily shy away from a little bloodshed.

So naturally, I decided to write a cozy mystery about a candle shop.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t quite that simple.

I was invited to join the Mystery on Lilac Lane series, a collection of cozy mysteries all set in the fictional town of Wisteria, Wisconsin. I loved the concept and jumped at the opportunity—even though writing a traditional cozy meant reining in some of my darker instincts. Creating murder and mayhem without getting too graphic turned out to be both a challenge and a lot of fun.

The shared-world aspect presented another interesting challenge. Because all the books take place in Wisteria, each author needed to choose a different business or occupation for her main character. Many of the obvious choices were already taken, so I chose a candle shop.

There was just one problem.

I knew absolutely nothing about making candles.

That meant research—and lots of it. Before long, Lotus and Lights began to take shape, complete with signature scents, creative displays, and a relaxation room that seemed like a wonderful addition to the shop.

Naturally, I put a dead body in it.

Writing Wick’ed Ways also meant sharing certain characters and locations with the other authors. Wisteria’s mayor, police department, and other familiar faces appear throughout the series, giving readers the fun of revisiting the same town while experiencing a completely new mystery with each book.

For me, Wick’ed Ways was a chance to step outside my usual dark and dangerous world without giving up murder entirely. After all, a cozy little candle shop is lovely.

But it’s even more interesting when someone turns up dead.

Of course, LOL! Now please share your blurb, an excerpt and how readers can find you...

Here you go...

In quaint Wisteria, Wisconsin, opening a candle shop was supposed to be Paget Ross’s fresh start.
Instead, she’s become the prime suspect in a small-town murder.

After a bitter divorce, Paget leaves Oklahoma behind and buys Lotus and Lights, a struggling candle shop in the charming town of Wisteria. With creative new ideas, signature scents, and plenty of determination, she quickly turns the cozy little store into a local success.

But when a body is discovered inside her shop’s relaxation room, Paget’s new beginning goes up in smoke.

As whispers spread, suspicion grows, and another murder rocks the town, Paget realizes someone is targeting people connected to the shop—and she may be next.

To clear her name, Paget must uncover buried secrets, outsmart a killer, and expose the truth before the next flame that burns out is hers.

Perfect for fans of cozy mysteries, small-town whodunits, amateur sleuths, and charming shops hiding deadly secrets.

Excerpt: Paget glanced at the clock, realizing that Marco’s hour was almost up. Brooke had left fifteen minutes ago, her shift ending at five. Paget was on her own until they closed at eight.

A customer approached, asking about citrus blends, and Paget focused on helping her—explaining scent layering, recommending options, wrapping a purchase. By the time the transaction was complete, the timer went off.

She stepped out from behind the counter and moved down the hallway, stopping at the door of Scents and Solitude. She knocked lightly. “Marco?” she called. “Time’s up.”

No response.

She frowned.

Maybe he’d fallen asleep. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had done that. But the buzzer went off in the room. Surely that would have woken him.

She knocked again, a little louder. “Marco?”

Still nothing. A small thread of unease wound through her. She reached for the handle and opened the door. “Marco, I just wanted to—”

The words died in her throat.

The room was exactly as she’d left it. Muted light. Gentle music. The candle still flickering steadily.

Marco lay in the recliner. Perfectly still.

At first, her mind tried to make it normal. He’s asleep. That’s all. But something was wrong. Deeply, unmistakably wrong.

At ten years old, Alicia Dean wrote her first romance, starring a hero who looked just like Elvis Presley (which is how she actually described him in the story), and she still has the tattered, pencil-written manuscript—proof that storytelling has been in her blood from the beginning.

With a passion for all things dark and mysterious, Alicia is drawn to scary movies, chilling stories, and true crime, influences that often find their way into her fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s likely listening to Elvis, watching her favorite television shows and/or MLB or NFL games, depending on the season, or plotting her next creepy tale.

Alicia lives in Oklahoma, where she writes stories filled with suspense, secrets, and murder.

Find Alicia Here: https://linktr.ee/AliciaDeanAuthor1835

Get your copy of Wick'ed Ways at Amazon. Wick'ed Ways is part of the Mystery on Lilac Lane series. Find them HERE.

Check out Alicia's previous visits HERE.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight friends and that you'll check back weekly for another great author and his/her books!

Until then, take care, God Bless and read happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Kristopher Ackoury & Fear of the Sky

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning!

As you know I love promoting authors and their books on Saturday Spotlight, but one of my greatest pleasures in doing this is hosting a local author with his/her debut novel. Today I get the privelege to introduce you to Kristopher Ackoury with Fear of the Sky, a dark, fantasy novel set in post-apocalyptic times.

Welcome, Kristopher! Please share your blurb & an excerpt from Fear of the Sky and tell us why you wrote it...

Thanks for having me, Pam. I'm excited to share with your readership!

First and foremost, I’ve always wanted to tell an exciting adventure story full of monsters and meaning. Without that general drive, I never would have started writing.

To me, the most important idea in this book is our very human tendency to point the finger at others when a problem arises without considering how we might be contributing to it. I started writing it during the cultural, political, and pandemic warfare of 2020 and 2021, so maybe you can imagine how heavy humanity’s tribalistic tendencies felt to me at the time. The story is primarily an action-adventure story about dragons and rescue missions, but the protagonist’s journey is also my examination of the challenge of taking an honest look at yourself and admitting that you might be a bigger part of the problem than you think.

The second major idea behind this story is a little more abstract. There’s an ancient idea that attaining interior silence is necessary to hear God in the depths of one's heart. People have always struggled with various forms of worldly noise (think excessive devotion to entertainment, argument, comfort, consuming tragedy, activism, etc.) that threaten holy silence, but the modern technological age makes things particularly difficult. The noise is often addictive too. We often seek it as an escape from a world that sickens us, but it ends up making us sicker. I approached this concept metaphorically rather than directly, and I had a lot of fun doing it.

Of course, there are many more whys I could describe, but these two are by far the biggest reasons I wrote this particular story.

Here's the Blurb: A father journeys into the post-apocalyptic unknown to rescue his six-year-old daughter before she is sacrificed to a dragon.

Dragons scour the ruins of a fallen civilization. A god known only as The One Who Speaks set its destruction in motion. Humanity's last refuge, Ivory City, clings to survival with a dwindling supply of dragon-killing poison. Iko Phainor lives a lonely life as the last surviving adherent of the ancient religion of Silence.

When Iko's young daughter, Cas, is kidnapped for sacrifice, his search for her leads him into a brewing war that threatens Ivory City’s existence. There, his fate intertwines with Zerah, a widow obsessed with revenge against the dragon that murdered her family, and Makus, a warrior manipulated by the whispered lies of The One Who Speaks. Together, they must face their deepest fears, mounting betrayals, and battle-hardened monsters to save Cas—and perhaps the world—from a horrific end.

And an Excerpt: Jynsomn had been the crowning achievement of the Kingdom of Ekara before the dragons came. Hewn from the granite and pristine marble of the nearby Sepentrio Mountains, indulgent palaces, proud archways, and impossible, towering monuments had sprawled for miles. Water still gurgled through a labyrinthine network of aqueducts to once-luxurious bathhouses and the derelict waterwheels of millhouses and forges. An ingenious sewer system still flushed away filth so people could pretend they weren’t people.

But despite Jynsomn’s architects’ beliefs and best efforts, the city had always been mortal. It had fared no better than anywhere else against the dragons. What little remained of its grandeur dissolved silently into the tangled wilderness.

Iko cut through the ruins with ease. He’d been taking the same path to Cas every Saturday evening for almost two years now. He knew the surest way to stay out of sight of the sky, depending on the season, and which structures were stable enough to travel through without risk of being buried alive. Most importantly, he knew the best ways to avoid any of the other survivors who lived there. Not counting Cas or Iko’s friend, Elex, there were only twenty-nine of them. But most of them were drunkards and heathens, and Iko usually avoided unnecessary dealings with them.

Wonderful, Kris! Give us the low down on you and where we can find Fear of the Sky and YOU...

Kris Ackoury began his creative life as a musician before turning to fiction, where he found a lasting home. He is currently represented by Anjanette Barr of Dunham Literary. Kris writes character-driven stories that blend the sense of danger and adventure found in favorites like Jurassic Park, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings with ideas drawn from thinkers such as C.S. Lewis, G.K. Chesterton, and Cardinal Robert Sarah. When he’s not writing, Kris is usually trying to keep up with his five young children or spending time with his lovely wife.

Connect with Kris via his website. Fear of the Sky can be purchased at Amazon & Barnes and Noble. Also, check out my interview with Kris on his YouTube Channel!

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Barbara Bettis & The Heart of the Phoenix!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Finally getting back into my routine and I must say, as much as I LOVE to travel, it's Always good to be home. 😊

Today's guest is not brand new to our blog but it has been a while since she visited. Thanks for coming back, Barbara! We're anxious to hear about your latest release, The Heart of the Phoenix. Tell us why you wrote it or what makes it special to you...

I'm so excited to be here, Pam. Thanks for having me back and featuring my new book! I’m drawn to medieval history, especially the Plantagenets, Henry II, Richard, and John. Researching Richard’s crusade (the Third Crusade), I ran across some actions of the crusaders that made me pause. If I had been one of Richard’s knights, I wondered, what would my emotions have been to have gone through the siege of Acre and the aftermath—perhaps if I were injured and left behind? How would that have changed me? And how would I react to the struggle to replace Richard as England’s king once he died?

The perfect opportunity to imagine that came when I planned my second book, which featured such a knight, Stephen, who was a secondary character in my first book (Silverhawk). The perfect heroine, Evie, the sister of Stephen’s long-time friend, would not understand how or why Stephen’s experiences had changed him so when he returned and would have to fight her long-time idea of him as her ideal.

The result is The Heart of the Phoenix. I hope readers enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Oh Wow! Isn't it cool when a character from one book becomes the main focus of another? That's how my Tempered series started. Be careful or you just might end up with an entire series yourself! 😂

We'll see about that, Pam LOL! Meanwhile here is the blurb for The Heart of the Phoenix...

Some call him a ruthless mercenary; she calls him the knight of her heart.

Memories

Lady Evelynn’s childhood hero is home—bitter, hard, tempting and haunted by secrets. A now-grown Evie offers friendship, but Sir Stephen's cruel rejection crushes her, and she resolves to forget him. Yet when an unexpected war throws them together, she finds love isn’t so easy to dismiss. If only the king hadn’t betrothed her to another.

Can be cruel

Sir Stephen lives a double life while he seeks the treacherous outlaws who murdered his friends. Driven by revenge, he thinks his heart is closed to love. His childhood shadow, Lady Evie, unexpectedly challenges that belief. He rebuffs her, but he can’t forget her, although he knows she’s to wed the king’s favorite.

And deadly

When his drive for vengeance leads to Evie’s kidnapping, Stephen must choose between retribution and the love he’s denied too long. Surely King John will see reason. Convict the murderers; convince the king. Simple. Until a startling revelation threatens everything.

AND an Excerpt...

“Oh, for the love of heaven. Stop plaguing me,” Evie said. “Why are you here?”

“I thought you’d like to know the identity of our shipmate,” Stephen said.

“At this hour? Could you not have waited until morning?” Light flared in the cabin’s shuttered lantern, throwing a shadow across his face, reminding Evie of another reason he should not be here.

She pressed her palms against her stomach and inhaled. Calm. She needed calm. He was not the most beautiful man she’d ever beheld. He did not possess the power to heat her blood to boiling. He did not care that she thought of him night and day.

That much was true, for certain.

“I have happy news for you.”

She eyed him warily. What news could possible make her happy right now?

She ventured a guess. “You are leaving? Your second in command, the delightful Sir Macsen, will accompany me the rest of the way home?”

“Much better.”

Stephen was angry now, she could tell by the way he glowered and roared in that whispery sort of way no one else could hear, but left her with no doubt of his displeasure.

“Your betrothed.”

“What? What about him?”

“That’s the identity of the illustrious lord who’s sharing passage with us.”

His words echoed in her ears. Betrothed.

Her betrothed was on board?

Dear Lord, just let me die.

You can get your copy of The Heart of the Phoenix at Amazon.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Barbara's Bio: A former health insurance claims adjuster, former journalist, former English and journalism professor, Barbara Bettis plans never to be a “former” author. Currently, she’s at home in Missouri, where she writes new stories, edits for others—and loves to hang out with grandchildren. You can connect with Barb on her Facebook Author Page, Personal Page, BookBub and Instagram.

Check out Barbara's previous visits to our blog HERE.

That's all for today, Friends! Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check back next week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care. God Bless and Read Happy!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Christine Bailey & 2 of her Aly the Alligator Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome Back to another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Last week I mentioned being in NY. I returned exhaused but happy and will share posts from my trip on Bathroom Blues travel blog over the next few weeks, but today, PLEASE welcome local author and friend, Christine Bailey as she shares with us 2 of her Aly the Gator books!

Welcome, Christine. Please tell us more about these books...

THANKS, Pam. Here is the full scoop...

Aly the Alligator first came to life in 2002 as Christine softly sang to her baby. The sweet little character stayed tucked away in her heart for more than two decades. Then, 23 years later, while praying and asking God to give her a dream, Aly came swimming back into her imagination—and the Aly the Alligator book series was born.

Illustrated y Erika Hollier and created for children ages 2-6, the Aly the Alligator series uses engaging stories, lovable characters, and gentle lessons to help young readers develop timeless values such as Smiling, Loving, Helping and Sharing.

Christine's hope is that every child who opens an Aly the Alligator book will not only enjoy the adventure but also discover the joy of being a good person, one story at a time. Whether it’s bedtime, story time or cuddle time, Aly's adventures create meaningful moments for families while helping little hearts grow in character.

Join Aly and her 3 best friends as they discover that even the smallest acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Aly the Alligator Smiles is my first.

Blurb: Aly the Alligator is always looking at the bright side of life. Aly wants to make her family and her friends happy and believes that a SMILE can do that!

2nd in the series is Aly the Alligator LOVES...

The beloved Aly the Alligator is back for her second adventure! This time she explores the neighborhood park with her family and friends.

Aly learns that LOVE is always near, everywhere she goes.

Thank you SO much Christine!

If you have children and/or grandchildren, I hope you'll get Christine's Aly the Alligator books for them, Friends.

Books 3 and 4 will be spotlighted next month so be sure to check back weekly for more great authors and books on Saturday Spoltight!

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Read Happy.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne: Our Destined Bond by Diana Rubino!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 01 Aug 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning from New York!

My friend Nona and I flew up on Tuesday and we have a fun-filled day with Penny & Keuka Roots™ so I'm going to turn the blog over to Diana - who has visited numerous times before. Take it away, Diana and tell us all about your new release, Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne: Our Destined Bond...

Thanks, Pam, I'm happy to share my new book with your viewers!

Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne called themselves Adam and Eve as he suffered the shame of his family’s connection to the Salem Witch Trials.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s courtship of Sophia Peabody lasted for three years, because he insisted on keeping it secret. He had his reasons, none of which Sophia agreed with.

After Nathaniel met Sophia Peabody, an artist in her own right, she changed his life forever. Sparks flew. Knowing the shame and guilt of the past that haunted him, she made it her quest to save him.

Even though they faced many complications from both sides of their families, Sophia and Nathaniel triumphed - and triumphed well.

Diana Rubino's NATHANIEL AND SOPHIA HAWTHORNE: OUR DESTINED BOND is an intimate look into Sophia and Nathaniel Hawthorne's love story.

Why I wrote Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne: Our Destined Bond...

I live near Salem and have been to all the Hawthorne landmarks there, and in Concord. The House of the Seven Gables has been my favorite house in the world since I'm a kid. I've always felt a strong spiritual connection to Salem, and always wanted to write one of my books set there, including the witch trials. I read several of his books and stories, to get a better background on him. Nathaniel wrote from the heart, about his true beliefs, and his loathing of how the witch victims were treated. He did consider it disgraceful, and it certainly was. He added the 'w' to his last name to distance himself from the judge. That tormented him and his family all his life. It must have been cathartic to him to have his writing as his outlet.

I was fortunate to get a private tour of the House of the Seven Gables when I was writing the book; two of the guides, Ryan Conary and David Moffat, showed me around, and it was fabulous.

An excerpt from NATHANIEL AND SOPHIA HAWTHORNE (their visit to his cousin Susan Ingersoll at The House of the Seven Gables):

I went over to a curio cabinet and swept my eyes over the items on the shelves—a china doll wearing a calico dress, a stack of gold cups and saucers, a red and blue glass checkerboard propped up to display its surface…and a wooden hammer on the top shelf. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a gavel that judges use in trials. Out of curiosity I picked it up and a shock ran through me as if electrified. Dear God, was it that gavel?

I dropped it to the rug. It landed with a thump. I bent to retrieve it. Somehow I knew it wouldn’t shock me this time—that was only an initial warning. “Something about it made me want to touch it, to pick it up and hold it.”

Nathaniel approached me. He stared at the gavel in my hand, horror darkening his eyes. His lips parted but no words emerged. I knew what he was thinking—the curse. He turned to his cousin, pointing at the gavel, his arm trembling.

Susan hurried over to us, took it from me and placed it back on the shelf. “Yes, it’s Judge Hathorne’s. What happened, Sophie? Are you all right?”

I looked down at my open hands, palms up. They burned as if I’d touched a hot poker. “That gavel—it carries something evil. Has anything happened to you with this, Susie?”

Nathaniel backed away and before Susan could answer me, he grasped her arm. “I begged you to get rid of that accursed thing! You know it shouldn’t be here!”

She looked from him to me, heaving a deep sigh. “I’m not inclined to dispose of it, Natty. It’s a family heirloom, notwithstanding its past.”

He gripped the chair, his face drained of color. “It’s downright evil. You know what he used that thing for.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “Very well, I’ll conceal it.” She took it off the shelf and slid it behind the checkerboard.

“That should not be in this house!” He stood his ground, his eyes fixed on the checkerboard as if it would melt in such close proximity to that horrid object.

“It’s fine there, Natty. It’s concealed from sight now.” She looked at me and gestured for me to sit again. I sat and gulped my sherry.

“Nathaniel’s always overcome with distress at the witch trials.” Susan explained what I already knew.

“And so should you be,” he cut in.

“If I must speak for Judge Hathorne, I heard stories of him from my grandfather.” Susan looked from Nathaniel to me. “The whole hysteria that caught up the judge was started by unscrupulous men to further their own riches. But spectral evidence was still admissible. No sane person could believe that blithery.”

My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books and short stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Paris, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, Washington D.C., Tombstone, Arizona, San Diego, California and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. My husband Chris and I own CostPro, an engineering firm based in Boston. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano, devour books of any genre, and spend as much time as possible living the dream on my beloved Cape Cod.

Connect with me through my Website and/or Blog, Facebook and X.

Read more about Nathaniel and Sophia's story HERE and HERE.

Check out my previous visits to Pam's blog HERE.

Get your copy of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne at Amazon and Other Online Retailers.

THANKS, Diana! We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this and your other books.

Hope you enjoyed Diana's post today, Friends and that you'll check back every week for another episode of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Steve Osborne, Phd & Beyond Chance From the Big Bang to the Empty Tomb

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome back to Saturday Spotlight,

Lot's going on this weekend. I'm packing to go to upstate New York (Finger Lakes Region) the 27th - Aug. 6th. I've got a housewarming party this afternoon and a memorial service tomorrow afternoon. So, I'm not going to lollygag around anymore but turn the blog over to Dr. Osborne and let him share his book with you...

Thanks, Pamela.

Find the answers in Beyond Chance

Where did the universe come from?

How did life begin?

What makes humans so different?

What explains the empty tomb?

From the birth of the universe to the rise of life, from the mystery of human uniqueness to the empty tomb of Jesus, the evidence tells a story—one that challenges the idea that everything we see is the result of blind chance and instead reveals the radiant majesty of its Creator.

In Beyond Chance, scientist and former atheist Steve R. Osborne, PhD, invites readers to examine the clues woven into the fabric of reality itself. Why did the universe begin at all? Why are the laws of physics so precisely tuned for life? How did the first living cell arise with astonishing complexity already in place? And why does the historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection refuse to fade?

Rather than asking readers to abandon science, Beyond Chance follows the evidence. Drawing from modern cosmology, molecular biology, human origins, and historical analysis, Osborne presents a clear and accessible case that design—not unguided nature—offers the best explanation for life, humanity, reason, and meaning. Science does not erase God—it reveals Him.

Written for thoughtful skeptics, curious believers, and anyone asking life’s biggest questions, Beyond Chance challenges a culture told the universe is silent. It argues instead that the cosmos is speaking—and that its message points beyond chance to purpose.

EXCERPT: The Universe: A Beginning and a Mind

Our journey began with the universe itself. Modern cosmology has revealed that the cosmos had a definite beginning a moment when space, matter, energy, and even the laws of physics themselves came into existence. The Big Bang was not chaos but the birth of order, governed by finely tuned constants so precise that even minute variations would make life impossible.

Gravity, electromagnetism, and nuclear forces are balanced as though calibrated by an intelligent hand.

The universe behaves like a system built for life, not an accident of physics.

Natural explanations stop short. The universe cannot explain its own origin, nor can nothing produce something. The evidence points beyond space and time to a transcendent cause a powerful, purposeful, and personal Creator. Genesis states it plainly: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

The heavens, vast and orderly, reveal not only God’s existence but His glory. The beauty and mathematical precision of the cosmos are not random they are expressions of divine craftsmanship.

Why I Wrote Beyond Chance: When I was challenged to examine the evidence for Christianity, I was stunned.

I didn't grow up doubting God—I grew up not thinking about Him at all. For three decades, I had dismissed Christianity without truly examining it. When someone finally challenged me to look at the actual evidence—not the caricatures I'd constructed in my mind—everything shifted.

I discovered that my arguments against God were built on false assumptions. I had believed that:

-Faith requires checking your brain at the door (It doesn't)

-Science has disproven God (It hasn't)

-Evolution explains everything (It can't)

-The resurrection is a fairy tale (The evidence says otherwise)

Part of my journey to faith was learning that true faith is not the absence of evidence but the courage to follow it to its ultimate conclusion.

When we do, we discover that reason and revelation are not enemies but companions, pointing to the same truth—that we are the work of an intelligent and loving Creator.

Writing “Beyond Chance: From the Big Bang to the Empty Tomb,” has been more than an exploration of science. It has been a journey of faith, reason, and wonder.

My goal was not merely to argue that God exists, but to show that the world itself bears witness to His presence. The evidence for design, purpose, and intelligence surrounds us—from the birth of the cosmos to the intricacies of DNA, from the emergence of humankind to the resurrection of Christ.

The deeper I investigated science, the more I saw the face of God behind it.

Sharing that passion—especially with Christians who are intimidated by science—is part of the driving force behind the book.

Steve Osborne, PhD, is an experimental psychologist who has published peer-reviewed research. Once a skeptic himself, he began a personal and intellectual journey that led him to embrace Christianity as both rational and true. He served as a grant reviewer for the National Science Foundation and a guest reviewer for two peer-reviewed scientific journals. He received his PhD in Experimental Psychology from Arizona State University and his undergraduate degree from UC San Diego, where he graduated with highest honors. His book, “Beyond Chance: From the Big Bang to the Empty Tomb,” integrates discoveries in cosmology, biology, and archaeology with biblical theology. He lives in Northern California and continues to write, teach, and speak on issues of faith and reason. Find out more by visiting his Website.

Get your copy of Beyond Chance at Amazon. Read a Q&A with me HERE.

Thanks Again, Pamela. I hope your readers enjoyed finding out about Beyond Chance and will enjoy the book.

I'm sure they will, Dr. Osborne. We appreciate you sharing with us today and wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this and all your other works!

THANKS to YOU, Friends for visiting Saturday Spotlight again. I pray you'll continue to drop by weekly for another great author and book.

Until next time take care, God bless and Happy Reading,

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jenelle Hovde & The Light of the Stars!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to another edition of Saturday Spotlight,

Back in March I introduced you to Jenelle Hovde and I am so pleased to have her back in the spotlight with her brand new release, The Light of the Stars.

Thanks for joining us again, Jenelle! Please tell us why you wrote this particular book.

Thanks for having me back, Pam. I appreciate the opportunity to tell your viewership about my new release.

I wrote The Light of Stars after learning about Katherine “Kitty” Kirkpatrick, a real girl of British and Indian heritage who was taken from her mother in Hyderabad under East India Company policies and carried to England to be raised as a British gentleman’s daughter. Her story opened my eyes to how Company rules—and the choices of British fathers and guardians—could tear families apart, especially when children of mixed heritage were removed from their Indian mothers, given new names, and brought up with little knowledge of their first home. The real Kitty never saw her mother again and was never allowed to return to India. I wanted to explore the human cost of those decisions through the lens of an arranged marriage: a woman searching for the mother she lost and a man tied to the very institution that helped take her away. By placing my characters, Katherine Grenville and Sebastian Sinclair at the crossroads of love, duty, and faith, I hoped to shed light on the real families who endured such hardships and to offer a story where courage, forgiveness, and God’s guiding hand bring healing even in the most complicated circumstances.

What a wonderful concept! Give us more please...

Sure...

An arranged marriage. A powerful company tainted with corruption. Two souls caught between obligation and a longing to find their true calling in this Regency romance set in glittering London ballrooms and Calcutta street markets.

When Kitty Grenville’s grandfather announces her engagement to Sebastian Sinclair, she’s appalled. She barely remembers the boy she met once as a child―and now he’s a man tied to the East India Company, the very organization that tore Kitty and her brother from their mother and home in Hyderabad years ago. Unwilling to relinquish her dream of a love match or her passion for astronomy, Kitty is determined to refuse the marriage and find freedom in her own way.

Sebastian Sinclair carries the weight of duty and regret. To atone for past sins, he complies with his grandfather’s orders to return to England, fulfill a long-standing betrothal, and defend the maligned East India Company before Parliament. Though Kitty makes her disinterest clear, Sebastian is drawn to her intellect and spirit.

As Kitty navigates her first London season, her opinion of Sebastian begins to shift, especially when he shields her from scandal. When he’s abruptly called back to India, Kitty stuns everyone by marrying him and going with him, hoping to escape her grandfather’s control―and to find her mother.

But the challenges that await in India are greater than imagined. Together, Kitty and Sebastian must confront the legacy of family and empire―and discover if a marriage born of obligation can grow into a love strong enough to endure.

Enjoy this Excerpt...

Torchlight flickered across the marble arches and carved lattice screens, sending shadows skittering along the palace courtyard. I clutched Ghulam's hand so tightly my nails must have bitten into his skin, but my older brother did not flinch. His other arm wrapped around my sleeve, tugging me close to the shelter of the wall, as if he alone could drag me out of the open expanse and back into the safety of the harem. Somewhere beyond the colonnade, voices shouted, sharp and urgent.

"Stay with me, Noor," Ghulam whispered as a clash of boots echoed against the pavement.

Britishsoldiers and sepoys burst through the arched gateway, red coats blazing in the torchlight.

Perfect! Now tell us more about yourself...

Of course! Here is my "official" bio...

Jenelle Hovde writes regency romance, cozy mysteries, and Biblical era fiction. She especially loves antique stores and vintage books. Often found writing at the Florida beach, she navigates homeschooling with her family and manages two saucy cats who insist on interrupting her creative endeavors.

Stay updated with her latest works and musings by subscribing to her newsletter at jenellehovdeauthor.com.

The Light of the Stars can be found at Amazon in eBook, paperback, hardcover and audio book as well as wherever you get your favorite books.

Thanks, Jenelle! We appreciate your taking the time to drop by to our blog and wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on your endeavors.

Hope you enjoyed Jenelle's visit as much as I did, Friends and that you'll check back each week for another episode of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on April Paige & April Paige Fine Art!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 05:25:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to Another Edition of Saturday Spotlight!

It's been one of those weeks where the to-do list multiplies faster than I can cross things off, so I'm grateful to hand the blog over to someone whose work reminds me to slow down and actually feel something.

Today's spotlight is on April Paige of April Paige Fine Art — a painter, brand builder, and the host of a YouTube/Apple/Spotify show where she talks to creatives about creativity, 'Artist Antics with April'.

I had the joy of sitting down with her on the show, and it was a conversation I'm still thinking about. We are spiritual sisters. Take it away, April...

Thanks, Pam!

Where it started for me

I spent years in corporate marketing, boardrooms, brand decks, campaigns for companies most people would recognize. It was good work. But somewhere along the way, I realized I was building everyone else's vision and none of my own. Painting has always been that quite voice inside me wanting to be heard but no time to accomplish it.

My work as April Paige Fine Art lives at the intersection of two things people don't usually put in the same sentence: spiritual depth and sharp strategy. I paint in oil and acrylic, and every piece is less decoration and more frequency, an attempt to hold something true long enough for someone else to feel it too.

The shop: originals, prints, and design

The originals are where the heartbeat lives. Each one starts as a feeling and the canvas is where I go to express it. They range in price, but most fall between $800 and $2,500. They are accessible enough to bring home, but never treated as disposable.

For people who fall for a piece but want something more attainable, or for designers and stagers furnishing a space, I also offer prints. Same image, same intention, just a different way in.

And then there's the design side, which is newer but close to my heart. I've been building out trade-friendly offerings for interior designers, realtors, and home stagers because art shouldn't be the last thing someone thinks about when they're creating a space. It should be the thing the whole room is built around.

You can find all of it at AprilPaigeFineArt.com, and through Saatchi Art.

Artist Antics with April

If the shop is where the work lives, the show is where the why lives. 'Artist Antics with April' is my YouTube channel and podcast where I sit down with working creatives across every discipline and ask them the questions I'm always asking myself: Where does the work actually come from? What does it cost to make it? What is the process of making it and how has it changed over time? What happens when you stop performing creativity and start telling the truth about it?

Having Pam on the show was one of those conversations that reminded me why I started this in the first place. We talked about story, about faith woven into fiction, about what it means to write, or paint, from a place that's honest rather than tidy. That's the thread running through every episode: creativity as something lived, not just produced.

Whether you find me through a painting, a print, or a conversation on the show, I hope what you walk away with is the same thing, a little more permission to make the thing that's actually yours to make. No matter if you are the only one seeing it. It's important to express it.

You can find me at AprilPaigeFineArt.com, and catch 'Artist Antics with April' on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify Be sure to connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok and LinkedIn. but most of all...

KEEP CREATING,

April!

Thank You, SO Much April for joining us today. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings on your endeavors.

I hope you've enjoyed April's visit as much as I have, Friends. I'll let you know when my conversation with her airs. Meanwhile I hope you'll check back next - and every - week for another episode of Saturday Spoltight.

Until next time, take care, God bless and, whether through Books, Art or Dance... Express Yourself!

PamT

Happy Independence Day, America!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 11:14:05 +0000

Good Morning Friends,

My Saturday Spotlight guest was unable to visit today so, as it is a National Holiday for us here in America, I'm taking the day to wish everyone a Blessed, Safe and HAPPY July 4th!

And...

To wish blessings upon this country and the world.

If you're a meditating person like I am, here are 2 wonderful compositions by my favorite meditation guru, Dr. Joe Dispenza...

AND

I have both of these and practice the first one, Global Heart Meditation which takes only a few minutes to complete but is really beautiful.

That's all for now. Drop by next week when I'll be spotlighting an ARTIST instead of an author.

Looking forward to seeing you then!

Meanwhile, if you're looking for a sweet romance to enjoy on this holiday weekend, check out....

Detained for Love part of A Hint of Holiday Romance short story collection...

On SALE through July through Smashwords, D2D & Amazon!

Until next time, take care, God Bless and Be Safe in your celebrations.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Nikki & Nisa's Travel Adventures by Dr. Nicole J. Moncrief

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to the LAST Saturday Spotlight of June 2026!

Whew... The year is half over. Can you believe it? I guess it is true that time flies when you're having fun because I'm having a blast! Reminds me of the old Milwaukee beer commercial where folks are sitting around a campfire and someone says, "It just can't get no better than this."

I know, I'm aging myself but hey, age is just a number. Enough babbling though. Let's get on with our spotlight.

Today's guest is brand new to this blog so please welcome Dr. Nicole J. Moncrief with her beautiful children's book, Nikki & Nisa's Travel Adventures!

Thanks for joining us, Dr. Moncrief. Please tell us why you wrote this book and what makes it special to you.

My pleasure, Pam, and Thank YOU for hosting me, Nikki & Nisa today.

Nikki and Nisa’s Travel Adventure is deeply personal.

The book is dedicated to my late mother, LouAnna Guillory Jean, who consistently emphasized the importance of education and literacy. She instilled in me the belief that reading could take you anywhere, even if your circumstances could not.

It is also a tribute to my dear friend Dinisa Hardley Folmar, affectionately known as “Nisa.” She and I shared a dream of traveling the world together. We even set a “50 by 50” goal to visit 50 countries by the time we turned 50. Although she lost her battle with breast cancer in 2020, her spirit of adventure and love for exploration live on through this book.

This story is special because it reflects friendship, faith, and fulfillment of a childhood declaration. In the third grade, I boldly told my classmates I would become a children’s book author and travel the world. This book represents that promise kept.

It reminds children and adults that dreams spoken with conviction can become reality.

Oh My Goodness, how sweet! I'm sure "Nisa" is with you and Nikki every trip you take. Now please share with us more about the book and yourself.

Sure.

Nikki and Nisa’s Travel Adventure (South Africa) is a heartwarming children’s book that introduces young readers ages 5–11 to the excitement of travel, friendship, culture, and imagination. Through vibrant storytelling and engaging illustrations, Nikki and Nisa explore the beauty of South Africa while learning about language, customs, and the joy of discovering the world beyond their own backyard.

More than a travel story, this book encourages children to dream boldly, read confidently, and understand that books can be passports to places they have never been. It is a celebration of curiosity, courage, and connection.

Excerpt: Join best friends Nikki and Nisa as they embark on an unforgettable journey to South Africa! Inspired by their new friend Solomon, the girls learn about passports, packing for summer in December, and exploring a new culture.

From a traditional braai to a thrilling game drive, their adventure is filled with exciting discoveries, lifelong memories, and the joy of friendship.

Perfect for young readers, this story celebrates curiosity, cultural appreciation, and dreaming big!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Nicole J. Moncrief is a children’s book author, literacy advocate, and global traveler who believes that reading opens doors to the world. She has been passionate about writing since declaring in her third-grade classroom that she would one day travel the world and become an author. Today, she inspires children to dream big, embrace culture, and explore new horizons through storytelling.

Her work focuses on travel literacy, imagination, leadership, and faith-centered encouragement for young readers.

Ready to inspire your little one? Visit our website or Facebook page. Sign up for our email list and receive Nikki and Nisa's Travel Adventures coloring pages free.

Beautiful. We certainly wish you, Nikki & Nisa the best of luck and God's blessings in your travels.

I hope you enjoyed today's guest, Friends, and that you'll consider purchasing Nikki and Nissa's Travel Adventures for the children in your life. Dr. Moncrief shared more about her book along with a short spiritual reflection on my travel blog in May. Read the post HERE.

See you next week for another episode of Saturday Spotlight.

Until then, take care and God bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on D.V. Stone & Red Gate Farm!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 06:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to Another Edition of Saturday Spotlight,

I've been down in the back this week so I'm not going to spend a lot of time lollygagging around. I'm just going to turn the blog over to D.V. Stone to share with us her latest release, Red Gate Farm. Take it away, Donna...

Thanks, Pam!

Where I found Red Gate Farm

I'd been in a bit of writer quicksand. Several books that are works in progress got stuck in the messy middle. I needed a palette cleanser. What to do? Agent Carters are always fun to write, and I often drive past an old, abandoned abbey outside of a town near me. When I put my fingers to the keyboard to do research, something didn't sit right with me. After mulling over the problem, I realized what was bothering me. I was taking something that had been dedicated to God and turning it into a paranormal ghost story. Now I love paranormal. I love a ghost story. But this building needed more from me.

I sank myself into research. The original place was called Red Gate Farm in the 1800s, and was owned by a man who also owned two local newspapers. My imagination took off.

There's been a lot of tongue wagging about several topics I touch on in the story. Eminent domain is one of them. Is your property really your property? News. When does it cross over from relaying information to being a commentary? Political influence and how it shapes our lives and community, and the people it hurts.

I'm not promoting any side. Truly. Both sides are guilty of influence peddling, in my opinion.

What I want to express is what happens to regular people when these things converge upon them. My writing is relational, not out to prove a side. About how we can make a difference in the lives of others. How faith can comfort and guide us.

There are a lot of experiences from my past that I've folded into the story. Life on the farm. Having horses. Being involved in animal rescue with dogs and cats. I also added one of my favorite animals, goats.

If you've been following me, you know that I've utilized my local farmers' market to a great extent this year. I've canned and frozen a lot of fresh produce. It also brought to mind things that I'd nearly forgotten from my years living on a farm.

Here's a little more about the book...

Tagline: A heartwarming tale of second chances and the healing power of coming home.

Logline: A spirited rancher and a country boy returning home find themselves tangled in horses, government notices, and a little lakeside magic—where second chances bloom and love trots in on four hooves.

Blurb

Nestled in the countryside on the outskirts of Lake Unami, Little Flower Ranch is more than just a patch of land—it’s Addie Martin’s whole world. Her dogs, goats, and horses, both rescued and boarded, know her better than most people do. A life built with grit and rooted in compassion. Until Addie’s peaceful life is thrown into turmoil by a man from her past, with a government notice that threatens to take it all away.

Henry Price never planned to come back to Red Gate Farm, but after losing his job and his sense of purpose, the old homestead near Lake Unami calls him back to the place where he grew up surrounded by love and family. But the simpler life may not be so simple when your family introduces you to a woman who has troubles of her own.

Lake Unami has its own quiet magic, the kind that works through neighbors, animals, and special guardians. As Addie and Henry navigate old wounds and new beginnings, they’ll discover that sometimes the smallest towns hold the biggest miracles… especially when it comes to matters of the heart.

Excerpt: Henry rolled onto his back. Great. He winced, climbed back to his feet, and wandered down the hallway where circa 1960s wallpaper was peeling in places.

His great-grandmother had hung the vibrant orange and yellow flowers well before he’d been born, and his grandparents never took the time to change it. Saying it was enough work to keep the house and farm running, decorating was a luxury.

The practicality of his grands made Henry smile on the way to the kitchen, the heart of the home.

He leaned against the archway, gazing into the room where the old chrome and Formica table sat, surrounded by red vinyl chairs. Frozen in time, but for the dust, it looked the same. Grandma Price never saw the need to upgrade, even after her mother passed. Even after Cooper, Henry’s father, gave her a dishwasher for Christmas the year before he died. She never used it. No, the farmhouse sink was all she needed.

“It’s a perfectly fine and workable kitchen,” She told all the grand and great-grandkids when they’d come to visit. “Washing dishes by hand teaches you to be patient and mindful.”

Henry was never a visitor like his cousins; he lived here, it’s where he’d grown up. Dad was a single father after Henry’s mother left. Farm life wasn’t for her. She never even contacted Henry when his father passed.

But for his father, it was a way of life. He and his grandparents raised Henry here. They taught him everything he needed to know about the land. How to keep things going. Dad tried to pass the love of farm life down to Henry. But back then, he thought he was more like his mother, that farming life wasn’t for him.

After high school, he left the farm to study journalism. Luck was on his side, and he scored a position in the newsroom at a national paper.

What a laugh. He should have been born a hundred years ago. The rapid decline of the industry, especially after the pandemic, then the final blow last month had left him without a job.

When Grandma passed in her late nineties, she’d left Red Gate Farm to him. His cousins were great. No one questioned the fact that he was the primary beneficiary. Luckily, with his small inheritance, including this house and property, and some savvy investments, he’d been able to build a respectable nest egg.

They say you can’t go home, but yep, you could when your career folds and all that’s left of your life is a broken-down farm in nowhere New Jersey. He walked over and slumped into his usual spot at the table. “What am I going to do with this place?”

He didn’t know where to begin. Then his pity party was interrupted by a memory.

“Henry George Price.” Great-grandma Thérèse wiped her hands on the ruffled apron she always wore. “The Good Lord gave you a brain and two hands. Trust in Him. He’ll set you on the right path.”

Well, he’d wandered off that path for sure. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d thought about God, much less listened to Him. Henry buried his face in his hands and, for the first time since he was a boy, he cried.

D. V. Stone is an award‑winning author and speaker known for crafting stories filled with heart, hope, and a touch of the extraordinary. Writing across middle‑grade paranormal mysteries, fantasy, and romance, she blends emotional depth with imaginative adventure. Drawing on her background in human and animal medical fields, she brings empathy and authenticity to every character. Based in Northern, New Jersey, she finds inspiration in travel, nature, and seasonal traditions. Through her popular blog and community outreach, she champions creativity and connection, inviting readers and writers alike to celebrate the power of story. You can find out more at: https://www.dvstoneauthor.com/ AND https://linktr.ee/d.v.stone

Get your copy of Red Gate Farm at: Amazon, B&N, GoodReads, & Other Online Retailers HERE.

THANKS, Donna!

You can check out DV's other spotlights HERE.

Until next week, Happy Reading!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Randy Overbeck & Abigail Trench!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome Back to Another Edition of Saturday Spotlight!

Today's guest is not new to our blog but he's bringing us his brand new book, Abigail Trench.

Good to have you back, Randy. Your book sounds amazing. Please tell us why you wrote it.

Thanks for the opportunity to share Abigail with your visitors, Pam.

I’ve been interested in the Revolutionary War for years, reading numerous books, fiction and nonfiction and watching movies and shows about the era. More recently, I started learning about the Culper Ring, the secret spy organization created by George Washington. The more I learned, the more fascinated I became, especially since this part of our history was new to me. I don’t think my teachers even mentioned the Culper Ring in my American History classes.

I discovered the Ring consisted primarily of six men and one woman who took the role of secrecy to heart. Most never revealed even to family and friends that they had been spies during to revolution and beyond. This code of secrecy was so well protected that historians took years and sometimes centuries to uncover the identities of the operatives of the ring. In fact, the true identity of the sixth and final man was not confirmed by historians until the 1930’s, a hundred and fifty years after. And historians have never been able to agree on the identity of the lone female operative.

I was so intrigued by this mystery I seized it. ABIGAIL TRENCH is my fictional version of that female member of Washington’s spy ring, and I created a character to step into those shoes. It was great fun digging the historical sources for crumbs I could weave into my Revolutionary War thriller. I’m anxious to see what readers think of my ABIGAIL.

OH WOW, Randy, I did not like any form of History so I'm impressed. That said, I remember reading Celia Garth while in highschool (many, many moons ago) and she was a Patriot spy!

Give us more please...

Sure... Here is the Blurb...

A vivid, propulsive Revolutionary-era thriller with the spy-craft verve of the streaming hit TURN: Washington’s Spies and the electricity of 1776’s New York that Hamilton lovers will recognize, this story is inspired by the lone female operative in Washington’s spy ring.

In occupied New York, a schoolteacher with everything to lose turns information into a weapon, threading between Redcoats and rebels as plots against Washington gather steam.

After rogue Redcoats assault her and strip her family’s Long Island farm, Abigail Trench fights to survive in New York City—tutoring in a high-ranking British officer’s Water Street household by day, navigating taverns, informants, and soldiers by night. Through Abigail’s keen eyes—and a counter-narrative following a principled British major—the novel renders the moral gray zones of occupation with gritty intimacy. As rumors swirl of a strike at General Washington, Abigail’s vantage inside upper-crust parlors and rough waterfront rooms makes her an ideal courier—and a target.

This historical thriller delivers high tension, textured world-building, and a captivating heroine who put it all on the line for freedom.

And an Excerpt...

As Abigail’s feet clattered on the boards, she thought the whole thing through. If the British started printing fake currency and circulating it, the Continental bills of credit would be worth…nothing. Such a move would infuriate all the businessmen. Even Loyalist merchants would suffer, because they depend on customers, both rebel and Tory. The entire economy of the colonies would collapse.

She stopped and glanced around her at the businesses up and down the street. The furrier, the blacksmith, the dry goods store, inns and taverns—they would all suffer. They wouldn’t be able to feed their families. In the harbor, three merchant ships bobbed in the waves. Who would have money to pay for goods transported across the ocean?

Sweeping her gaze across the workers scurrying in and out of warehouses, on and off the ships, another thought came to her. Without Continental currency, there would be no way to fund the war. The only currency anyone anywhere would accept would be British pounds.

So caught up in her thoughts, Abigail almost missed the turn onto Crown to get to Williams. The wind, which so often blew off the East River, seemed to die down today, making the city streets still. She’d taken a few quick steps down the walkway when she heard a voice from the alley ahead, a voice she recognized. Too well. She froze.

“My money’s as good as anyone else, ya little dollywop!” It was Reeves. Here.

Molly called, “I don’t hafta. Get your hands off me.” Then, “Lemme go. That hurts.”

There, at the foot of the alley she saw Molly squirming in the arms of a much larger man in uniform. The soldier stood with his back to her, but Abigail didn’t need him to turn around. The ugly orange scarf around his neck gave him away. She pounded down the dirt alley and called ahead, “Just let her go, Reeves. Go find yourself another jack.”

Reeves turned at the words, releasing one arm. When he saw Abigail striding toward him, he grinned, a lecherous smirk revealing the ugly broken teeth she remembered from Long Island. “Abigail, er I should say, the fine Miss Trench.”

Uh, Oh, sounds like trouble for sure! How about you give us the lowdown on yourself and tell us where we can get a copy of Abigail Trench, please...

Of course, as you mentioned, folks can find out more about me on my Featured Author Page here on the blog, or on my Website, but I'll share my official bio with you all...

Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author, speaker and podcaster. As an educator, he served children for more than three decades and has mined that experience to create captivating fiction, authoring two series, the bestselling series, “The Haunted Shores Mysteries,” and the award-winning series, “Lessons in Peril.” His novels have won critical acclaim and garnered national awards including Mystery of the Year (ReaderViews) Best Book Award (Chanticleer Books and Reviews) and the Gold Award (Literary Titan) and amassed hundreds of 5-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Dr. Overbeck also hosts the popular podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual and sometimes strange backstories of famous authors, directors and poets and can be heard wherever listeners get their podcasts. He is a speaker in considerable demand, sharing his popular presentations about ghosts and the world of book publishing with hundreds of audiences all over the U.S.

As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop.

When he’s not researching, writing, speaking or podcasting, Randy enjoys traveling with his wife Cathy and visiting both his far-flung family and the scenic locations around this country, often in search of inspiration for his next great story.

Contact him at: randyoverbeck@authorrandyoverbeck.com and connect with him on Facebook, Amazon, Instagram, BookBub and GoodReads.

Abigail Trench can be found at Amazon and other online retailers HERE.

THANK You, so much, Randy for joining us today. We certainly wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with your new release AND...

Thank You, Friends, for stopping by and cheering Randy on! You can heck out Randy's prevous post Here and of course, find his Featured Author Page Here.

Until next week, take care, God bless and remember to take time and escape in a great story.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Susan Howell & The Spirit of Vanderlaan!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome Back to Another Edition of Saturday Spotlight,

I've been home a full week now and still playing catch-up but I 💖💖💖 my life! And, I love bringing back a previous guest with another of his or her great books.

Thanks for coming back, Susan. Please tell us about The Spirit of Vanderlaan...

SO grateful and happy to be back, Pam!

The inspiration for this novel came from one of my students before I retired as a psychology professor. We had just learned that he lived in a dorm room that I had lived in as a student. He and I agreed that a novel in which all the students who hang out in their favorite professor’s office mysteriously live in her former rooms would be great fun as they unravel how and why this “coincidence” happened. Since that student was an excellent writer, I suggested he write the story. He said he didn’t have the time and that I should write it. I dismissed the idea as nonsense – Me? A fiction writer? But when I couldn’t shake the idea, I wrote it.

I am now retired from teaching and working on the sequel!

Oh how fun! Give us more please...

Sure, here is the Blurb: When Samantha and her students uncover a campus death, they must draw on everything from science to seances to learn what happened before Samantha gets fired for “dabbling in the paranormal.”

And an Excerpt: Samantha reached out to hold Chess's shaking hand only to immediately regret it. The stickiness of dried blood would have made her recoil, but she refused to desert Chess, who squeezed her hand like a frightened child. So while Allie returned Chess’s skates and answered the questions of concerned friends, Samantha stayed put. She only hoped the pounding of her own heart would not attract attention and require an explanation.

After Chess’s wound was cleaned and bandaged, Allie stated that she would drive Chess to the ER. "I can't ride in your new car. My clothes are all -" She grimaced at her blood-stained shirt.

"The blood's dry. It'll be fine. Besides, think how fast my car will get us there." She directed Chess's attention away from the injury.

Samantha pointed to Allie. "Keep it under the limit, missy." Samantha disliked conceding the role of caregiver to someone else, but Allie had things under control. Besides, it couldn't be helped.

Samantha quickly walked toward the women’s restroom, which, thankfully, was empty, went in, and locked the door. With deep, shaky breaths, and no longer fighting the tears, Samantha moved immediately to the sink where she scrubbed her hands vigorously, several times. She reached into her purse for her cell phone, scrolled quickly through her contacts, and tapped her thumb on the one she sought.

She took a deep breath when instructed to leave a message. “Debra, this is Samantha Hayes. Could you give me a call please? I need to talk to you.” She waited a moment, decided she had said all she needed to for now, then added, “Thanks,” before ending the call.

She continued to hold her cell, however, as she paced, all the while trying her best to take even, measured breaths. Think of something else. You’ve washed your hands. You’re safe. You'll talk to Debra when she calls back. Breathe. She was surprised that her reaction was this intense. The sight of blood had not frightened her this much in a long time.

As she debated whether to stay or go home to await Debra’s call, her cell rang, making her jump. With another shaky breath and a sigh of relief, she answered. “Debra? Thanks for calling… Okay… actually, no I’m not okay. I hate to bother you, but something just happened.”

Cool! Now how about the lowdown on you and where we can get a copy of The Spirit of Vanderlaan...

Of course 😊, here is my bio and links for readers to connect with me...

Susan Harris Howell is an author, speaker, psychologist, and retired university professor. Susan and her husband, Dwayne, have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word she says, he fully supports her books and their message.

Website: https://susanharrishowell.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/susan_h_howell/

Email List & Monthly Blog: https://susanharrishowell.substack.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/susanhowellwriter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22175282.Susan_Harris_Howell

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/susan-harris-howell

The Spirit of Vanderlaan can be purchased at Amazon, and B&N. Links to other online retailers can be found at The Wild Rose Press.

Wow, OK! Thanks for visiting and sharing your book with us, Susan. We certainly wish you great success with this and your other works.

Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight, Friends, and that you'll drop by again next week.

Until then, take care, God bless and take time for yourself and read a good book.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Karina Bartow & Undeveloped Memories!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 30 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Whew, it is good to be home with no expected travel in the next several weeks!

If you've followed me for long you know I love to travel. I even started a travel blog called Bathroom Blues to share my adventures with you. But sometimes it's just good to be home for a while. 😊

Today's guest is brand-new-to-our-blog so please give Karina Bartow a huge SWLA W-E-L-C-O-M-E!

Please share your book and the inspiration behind it, Karina.

Thanks, Pam. It is lovely to be your guest. When I was a young girl, my mom misplaced—frankly, lost!—a roll of film from a special occasion. The pictures on it, of course, captured that one day, frozen in time, including the people and activities that created the story of those memories. Some of those shots featured loved ones we lost soon thereafter and moments we couldn’t recreate.

A few years ago, I had to sort through photos for a presentation. The tub I sorted through had an assortment of negatives and original envelopes from the developing counter, so I kept hoping to come across that lost roll. Unfortunately, I never did, but my quest made me consider what would happen if another generation discovered it and developed the pictures. Most of those subjects from long ago would be completely foreign to them, perhaps piquing their curiosity about the past. Thus, Undeveloped Memories began to materialize in my brain.

I hope your readers enjoy this blurb...

We assume we know everything there is to know about those who raised us…until we discover that we don’t!

Lorelei Carmichael returns home to check up on her aging uncle, but another investigation awaits her. An undeveloped roll of film, abandoned by her photographer uncle, beckons her attention. Also a photographer, she develops the images and discovers an Alaskan journey he never disclosed, alongside a woman and child.

When an opportunity provides her the chance to peek into the past, she retraces his footsteps through the Alaskan countryside. Will she figure out the whole picture of this unfinished love story? And might the trail of breadcrumbs lead her to capture a love of her own?

And Excerpt...

While she proceeded dipping the pictures into the developing solutions, her thoughts wandered around the reasons Uncle Reed didn’t discuss the adventure. In his years of covering stories, he’d witnessed various tragedies, including several wildfires, but nothing this profound in loss. She could only imagine how the prevailing sorrow affected the sensitive man. With it occurring just before her mom and dad died, his despair over everything he beheld would’ve been compounded by the grief their family endured. Perhaps he always associated the two events together.

Having just three negatives to go, she peered at the next rendering through the enlarger and recognized the same little boy but without his mother. With a campfire in the background behind him, he wore a smile, and although it didn’t showcase her uncle’s artistic talent like the rest, it conveyed a powerful message about a child’s resilience. His mom joined him again in front of the fire, her face brightened with more joy, as well. Lorelei surmised Uncle Reed befriended them, but she didn’t ascribe much value to it until she secured the final shot under the enlarger.

Projected onto the wall above her, the boy and his expectant mother beamed back at her, with her uncle beside them. Even at first glance, she perceived his adoration, his countenance brimming with the same pride and gentleness he had in many of their family photos. The longer she studied it, though, the more signs she gleaned of this being a man in love.

* * * *

Sounds Wonderful, Karina! Now please share your bio and links for you and how to get a copy of Undeveloped Memories with us.

Sure, Pam, here you go...

Karina Bartow grew up and still lives in Northern Ohio. Though born with Cerebral Palsy, she’s never allowed her disability to define her. Rather, she’s used her experiences to breathe life into characters who have physical limitations, but like her, are determined not to let them stand in the way of the life they want.

Her debut novel, "Husband in Hiding," came out in 2015, followed by "Forgetting My Way Back to You," in 2018 and "Brother of Interest" in 2022. She may only be able to type with one hand, but she writes with her whole heart!

Find out more about Karina by visiting her Website or Amazon Author Page, and connecting with her on Facebook, Instagram, X (@KarinaBartow), and Goodreads.

Get your copy of Undeveloped Memories a clean romantic mystery at Amazon, B&N, Walmart or directly from The Wild Rose Press.

Thank You, so much for visiting with us today, Karina. We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this, and all of your books!

Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed today's spotlight and that you'll check back weekly for another great author and book.

Until next time, escape in a good book.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Monique DeVere & Guarded by the Sheriff!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 23 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning from Santee, South Carolina!

We started our drive up on Tuesday and arrived Thursday afternoon to spend a long weekend with my Sweetheart's bonus children and grandchildren. Today we're watching his youngest granddaughter graduate high school. Although we don't visit these loved ones often, it is always a pleasure when we do.

Speaking of pleasures, it is my extreme pleasure to have Monique DeVere back on our blog, this time with her debut Love Inspired Romantic Suspense novel, Guarded by the Sheriff. Welcome back, Monique, please share with us the story behind this book and give us a sneak peek into it!

It's wonderful to be back, Pam, THANKS!

2024 and 2025 were huge years for me. I live my life by faith, so even during the hardest moments, I believed there was a reason for everything that was happening.

First, I was made redundant from my office manager job about two months before we discovered that my dad—who lived 165 miles away—was seriously ill. Because of the distance, he’d been able to hide just how sick he was during our regular phone calls. By the time we discovered the truth, he was already very unwell. It took another four months to finally convince him to come live with us.

Looking back now, I truly believe my Heavenly Father had been preparing me for that season of my life.

Dad passed away in February 2025, and I took it very hard.

The following month, my critique partner sent me a link to the Harlequin Love Inspired Great Author Search 2025. While Dad had been living with us, every morning I’d sit in his room with my coffee and tell him the plans for the day. He always asked if I’d managed to get any writing done, and I had to admit I hadn’t. Caring for him had become my full-time focus between his needs and the constant stream of medical staff coming through the house.

So, when my critique partner mentioned the contest, I decided to enter it for Dad.

The problem was, I only had two weeks before the closing date. I’d spent years writing romantic comedy and category contemporary romance. I’d targeted several Harlequin lines over the years but never Love Inspired Suspense because everyone said it was one of the hardest lines to break into.

I came up with an idea titled Deadly Mother’s Day. I wrote the premise, first chapter, and synopsis, and submitted it just a few days before the deadline.

Honestly, I expected a rejection. After all, that had pretty much been my experience for the past thirty-odd years.

So, imagine my utter shock when Harlequin requested the full manuscript!

It honestly took me a while to process the fact that Harlequin…HARLEQUIN!...wanted to read my story. I wrote the full manuscript in two months and submitted it. One week later, my editor emailed asking when a good time for her to call me would be. It was a Friday, and she wanted to call on Monday if I was available.

If I was available? Of course I was available!

I ran around the house to find my husband and daughter to tell them that I thought I might finally be getting “The Call.” The call I’d dreamed about for years! I won’t lie; I hyperventilated.

And on that Monday, my editor offered me a contract.

Now I get to see my book in print with my name on the cover. Harlequin didn’t feel the original title suited the line, so they asked me to send more ideas. Thankfully, they liked Guarded by the Sheriff. I am so thrilled the book will be published in eBook, mass market paperback, large-print and…get this…audiobook! I’m so excited to hear these characters brought to life by a human narrator!

This has been an amazing journey, all thanks to Jesus, my Lord and Savior!

And that’s why this book will always be so special to me. No matter how many books I write for Harlequin in the future, this one will always hold a special place in my heart because I know Abba Father guided me every step of the way.

Now my dream of writing for Harlequin has finally come true—and with a line that is perfect for me. I get to share my faith through my stories while writing the kind of suspense I love. Looking back now, I can see God’s hand in every part of the journey.

Who knew life could come together so perfectly when you put your faith in Jesus?

A child in need of protection…

and a lawman keeping watch.

It’s a shock to Sheriff Ethan Callahan to see his ex-fiancée, Sienna Blake, again—especially with a child in tow…and a gunman on her heels.

Witnessing a shooting has made Sienna a criminal’s next target. And when Ethan realizes that he’s the father of her son, he is determined to keep them both safe…no matter the cost. With trust hanging in the balance and their enemy closing in, Ethan and Sienna must stand together to survive.

Except the hit man knows their every move…and trusting the wrong person could get them killed.

*Excerpt: “Sienna, don’t come any closer. It’s a bomb.”

She gasped, confusion knitting her expression. “A what?”

He knew she’d heard him, so he didn’t repeat himself. “Take Nathan and get as far away from the truck as you can.”

Without delay, she scooped Nathan into her arms and ran for the side of the house.

Ethan moved with them, positioning himself between them and the truck.

They had just reached the corner of the house when an explosion ripped through the truck behind them. They hit the ground hard, Ethan shielding Sienna and Nathan with his body.

Sienna screamed his name.

Nathan’s petrified sobs tore at his heart.

“Are you hurt?” Ethan asked.

Sierra shook her head, still wide-eyed. “We’re…” She ran a hand over Nathan, relief whooshing her breath from her lungs. “We’re okay.”

He got up, helping Sienna to her feet with Nathan clutched in her arms. “Take him inside. I’ll call this in.”

She nodded. Without hesitation, she turned and hurried with Nathan into the house.

Ethan reached for his phone, his gaze drifting back to the inferno blazing on the drive.

Something told him this was only the beginning…

Guarded by the Sheriff releases June 30th but is available for pre-order now at Amazon, Harlequin, B&N, Kobo, GooglePlay and Apple Books.

About Monique

Monique DeVere writes heart-pounding romantic suspense and funny, feel-good romances with heart, hope, and a dash of sass. Her stories are filled with faith, emotional depth, and unforgettable characters. Originally from Barbados, she lives in the UK with her real-life hero, their four children, five grandchildren, and an adorable Yorkshire Terrier. When she isn’t writing, Monique enjoys family time, shell collecting, boating, being near the sea, and learning something new.

Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can email her at monique@moniquedevere.com

Get a free suspense novella when you subscribe to her romantic suspense newsletter: https://shorturl.at/ZaUjC

Get a free story when you subscribe to her romance newsletter: https://shorturl.at/57c2Z

Monique’s Social Links: Harlequin, Website, X, Bsky, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, TikTok, Goodreads, Amazon Store.

* * * * *

Oh, My Goodness, Monique! So very sorry to hear about your dad but SO Happy this book was accepted. Maybe he had a hand in that. 😉

Either way, we wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this - and many more - Love Inspired books!

Hope you enjoyed Monique's visit as much as I did. I've read Guarded by the Sheriff and as soon as I'm able, I will be leaving a review. Check out some of Monique's other books in her previous Spotlight appearances HERE. I hope you take her story as incentive to never give up on your dreams because with faith and perserverance they just might come true in God's time.

Until later, happy reading!

PamT

*Excerpt is copyrighted material used with permission from Harlequin.

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Jana Richards & I'll be Seeing You!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 16 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning and Welcome to Another Episode of Saturday Spotlight!

It's graduation season and I was blessed to watch my great-nephew get his diploma last night. Next weekend I'll be in SC for my Sweetheart's granddaughter's ceremony. This time next year it'll be my youngest grandson. Between now and then, my granddaughter will graduate nursing school in December. WHERE does time go?!

Alas, this is what life is all about, but enough pondering, let's get on to our spotlight 😉

Today's guest is not brand new to our blog, but she has a brand new book for you to enjoy so...

Take it away, Jana...Please tell us about your book, why you wrote it OR what makes it special to you, where we can find it and all about yourself!

Thank You, Pam, for offering to help me launch my new book, I'll be Seeing You, a time travel, second chance romance set partially during World War Two.

This is the third story I’ve written set around the events of the Second World War. I’ve always had an interest in stories about World War Two, and in particular, anything relating to the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944.

My father was WW2 veteran and participated in D-Day. In 1942 he signed up with the Regina Rifles in the Canadian Army. The nickname for members of the Regina Rifles was the Farmer Johns, because so many of them were farmers named John. My dad fit right in since his first name was John, and he was indeed a farmer.

He spent almost two years training, first in Canada, and then in Scotland, before being shipped to the south of England in anticipation of the invasion. On June 6, Canadian troops, including my dad, landed on Juno Beach in Normandy. By June 9, he was captured and spent the rest of the war as a POW.

I’d known since childhood that he’d been a POW, but I didn’t realize until a few years ago when we requested my father’s army records that his family didn’t know for months whether he was alive or dead. His army records included copies of telegraphs sent to his father. The first one arrived June 23, 1944, informing my grandfather that his son was missing in action, with a promise to provide more information as it became available. The next telegraph didn’t arrive until November 10, 1944. This one stated that the army had learned through “indirect channels” that Dad was a prisoner of war. The third, and last, telegraph arrived May 2, 1945 to tell my grandparents that Dad was “now safe in United Kingdom twentyninth April 1945”.

I find those three telegraphs so poignant. I can’t imagine what those months were like for his family, not knowing if he’d return. If my child, or brother, was missing I know I’d be devastated. And yet my grandmother never spoke of it when I was growing up.

I can’t imagine what the experience was like for my father either. He didn’t talk much about his experiences during the war either, at least not to me. I wish I’d asked him more questions. I’m left to imagine.

And, so I write. 😊

Here's the Tagline and Blurb for I'll be Seeing You: When apprentice angel Gabriel takes Frank back in time for a second chance at love, they both learn lessons about trust.

Apprentice angel Gabriel Daniel’s first assignment in his quest to become a full-fledged angel is to give WW2 veteran, Frank Brennan, a second chance at love. With help from his mentor, senior angel Thomas, Gabriel takes Frank back to 1944 to Plymouth, England. There, Frank made his biggest mistake with love. He fell in love with Claire Cartwright, but when he found her kissing another man, he ended their relationship, despite Claire’s insistence that things weren’t as they appeared. This time around, Gabriel’s task is to convince Frank to trust in Claire’s love and fidelity, despite the evidence against her.

At the same time, Thomas takes Gabriel on a journey through his relationship with Sloane, the love of his mortal life. For the first time, Gabriel sees how his jealousy and distrust tainted their love.

Unless Gabriel persuades Frank to trust Claire, his goal of becoming a citizen of Heaven is doomed, along with his desire to watch over his mother and brother back on Earth. Frank has a complicated history that Gabriel must help him confront before either of them gets what they need.

And an Excerpt: “There you are, walking across the dance floor toward Claire.”

“We’re so young,” Frank whispered. “And she’s so beautiful.”

“Yes, she is,” Gabriel agreed. “You look very handsome in your uniform, too. See how all the young women stare at you as you walk across the dance floor? But you don’t seem to notice any of them. You only have eyes for Claire.”

Frank sagged against his pillow. “Yes.”

“Do you remember what you said to her that night?”

“No.”

“Listen.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?” Frank’s younger self asked as they danced.

Claire smiled up at him, her eyes shining with amusement. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“You do now,” young Frank said with a cocky grin.

Claire laughed. “You’ve decided that, have you? All on your own? Do I get any say in the matter?”

Frank gazed into Claire’s eyes. “No, none at all.”

“You dated a lot of girls before the war, didn’t you, Frank?” Visions of Frank with a succession of young women raced through Gabriel’s mind. “You were a good-looking kid and girls gravitated to you. But you’d never experienced anything like this before, did you? Like you’d die if you couldn’t hold her in your arms and kiss her. Like you’d cease to exist if she turned you away.”

On the screen, Claire shook her head. “What an arrogant Yank you are.” But she continued to dance with Frank, smiling up into his eyes.

“You fell in love with Claire that night on the dance floor, and your world changed forever.”

I'll be Seeing You can be found at Amazon.com (FREE in KU), Amazon.CA, Amazon.UK, GoodReads and BookBub.

As for a little about myself, here's my "official" bio LOL...

When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal.

When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and a senior calico cat named Layla. You can reach her through her Website, Blog, Facebook, X, Instagram, Amazon Author Page, Amazon UK Author Page, GoodReads, Bluesky, and BookBub. Stay in touch and receive updates by signing up to receive her Newsletter!

Wow, what a story about your dad! SO glad he made it home safely after all that and it's wonderful people can find you all over the place, Jana.

You can check out Jana's previous visit to our blog HERE, Friends and be sure to check back next week for another great author and book on, Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God Bless.

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Susan Howell & Buried Talents!

noreply@blogger.com (Pamela S Thibodeaux) — Sat, 09 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Good Morning,

Before I announce our guest today, I'd like to take a moment and THANK Each and Every One of YOU who visit regularly - Your love and support of me and my guests is appreciated more than words can express. Becuase of YOU, this blog had over 200K visits in April! I am SO VERY grateful...Thank YOU from the depths of my heart and soul!! 💓💓

Now, on to our spotlight.

Today's guest is brand new but I promise this won't be her only visit. Welcome, Susan! Please tell us about your book and yourself...

Thanks for having me on your blog, Pam. In the college gender studies course I taught for about 20 years, I showed how - without even realizing it - we tend to hold gendered stereotypes and expectations that harm us all – male and female. I knew I was succeeding when students would scurry to my office with the latest thing they’d heard in the dorm, at church, or around the dinner table with extended family. They were observing life through a new lens and surprised at the “aha” moments they were having because of it. They would never again look at the world the same way and were excited to live out their newfound knowledge.

Much of what I taught those students I included in Buried Talents. My hope is that you the reader will try on those lenses for yourself, experience your own “aha” moments, and determine to make life more equitable for yourself, your children, and the world.

Buried Talents uncovers the subtle and unintentional socialization that works against women – and men – reaching their potential.

Excerpt: When my husband and I were newlyweds, we lived in the city where he attended seminary. Although I looked forward to graduate training, I hadn’t yet determined where to go nor which program to pursue. It made sense, I told myself, for him to go first. He would study while I worked to support us and took time to choose a school and program for myself.

I had several friends in the same situation and spoke with them occasionally about my plans to attend school when my husband finished. I assumed they would do the same. After all, we had spent our college days studying and planning for the careers we would pursue. Why not follow through? More than one of them told me we couldn’t make plans yet since we didn’t know where God would call our husbands. We would have to wait and see.

My students will find it hard to imagine that, at first, I believed those words: I would have to wait and see. But it bothered me. I couldn’t let it go. I had studied hard and prayed for years about my professional plans. I read everything about psychology I could get my hands on. I pored over graduate school catalogs while I dreamed of the classes I would take, the skills I would hone, the clients I would treat. Was I supposed to wait and hope my husband would find a church close to a school with a graduate program in psychology?

While I believe God could work through that situation, that wasn’t at all the way we had approached my husband’s education. For his, we trusted that what he believed was a call was just that. We took that call seriously and moved to the place where he could get the education to live it out. We didn’t wait and hope I would find a job in a town with a graduate program for ministers. We didn’t wait to see what God had in store for me first. We didn’t even read a book that encouraged him to uncover buried talents.

We did none of that. We simply trusted and took action.

I am happy to report that since I couldn’t let it go, I didn’t. One night I broached the topic with my husband. I told him that we had taken three years to invest in his life’s work and that before he took a church that would require a move, I wanted to get my master’s degree. I admit I felt a bit heretical. If he had asked me to defend my position, I’m not sure I could have. I just knew it felt right and needed to be said.

Imagine my surprise when he said, “Sure.”

Of course I should pursue my calling. And what would he do while I studied? We didn’t know. Just do what I had done for him, we supposed. Work in a job, either in his area or not depending on what he could find and put off better options until we could both relocate.

I was pleasantly surprised and, I admit, relieved. His commitment to my call equaled my commitment to his.

AMAZING, Susan! Now please tell us more about you and where we can find Buried Talents.

Sure, I am an author, speaker, psychologist, and retired university professor. My husband, Dwayne, and I have two grown children, a daughter-in-law, one adorable grandson, and an incorrigible beagle named Doc. While Doc doesn’t understand a word I say, he fully supports my book and its message. 😀

Connect with me through my Website, Instagram, Facebook, Goodreads and Bookbub. Sign up for my email list and monthly blog posts HERE.

Buried Talents can be found at Amazon and B&N.

Sounds like a fascinating read. Thank you for sharing!

Hope you enjoyed Susan's visit today folks, and that you'll check back each week for another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT