Thursday, May 16, 2024

About the Book

Book: Forgotten Secret: A Psychological Suspense Thriller

Author: S.F. Baumgartner

Genre: Christian Suspense, Thriller

Release date: January 8, 2024

For two decades, forty-four-year-old magazine writer Clara Khoury has lived with missing pieces of herself—her memory. When the recent discovery of a young woman’s remains triggers her, she’s compelled to investigate. Now, her disturbing past threatens her contented present, someone frames her husband, and their daughter is abducted. If she can’t uncover the truth, she might lose everyone she loves.

Locked within Clara’s shattered mind are the keys to crimes past and present. Can she recover the forgotten secret before losing her family?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

S.F. Baumgartner is a Christian suspense thriller author. She graduated from the University of Hawaii and the University of Cincinnati. When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her cats, staying active, and binge-watching crime TV shows. She lives in Ohio with her family

More from S.F.

Why I Wrote “Forgotten Secret”: The Continuation of a Thrilling Journey

Writing a sequel can be a daunting task, especially after a book like “Living Secrets” leaves readers hanging on the edge of their seats. But when your mind is brimming with ideas and the story just won’t let you go, you have to give in and write the next chapter. That’s precisely what happened with “Forgotten Secret,” the second book in the Mirror Estate series.

After penning “Buried Secrets” and “Living Secrets,” I found myself immersed in a world of untold stories and unresolved mysteries. “Living Secrets” ended with what some called a cliffhanger – a term I might softly contest – but undoubtedly, it set the stage for a compelling follow-up. I knew I had to deliver on that tease, and the journey to “Forgotten Secret” began.

The seed for this story was planted in a bonus scene of the prequel, hinting at a character’s disappearance. I had a rough outline: a disappearance, an aunt’s involvement, and a human trafficking angle. However, the real story was still elusive, waiting for that spark of inspiration to ignite it.

And then, as fate would have it, I stumbled upon something about amnesia. Suddenly, the plot began to take shape, transforming these disjointed ideas into a coherent, thrilling narrative. This serendipitous moment was a reminder of how stories can evolve from the most unexpected sources.

Writing “Forgotten Secret” was an adventure in itself. Scenarios would pop into my mind unbidden, each vying for a place in the story. Some made the cut, while others were set aside, perhaps to be revisited in future works. The suspense thriller genre doesn’t traditionally lend itself to “fun” in the conventional sense – it’s all about tension, suspense, and that edge-of-your-seat feeling. But that’s exactly the kind of excitement I wanted to capture in this book.

I’ve always been intrigued by the unpredictability of the thriller genre. As an author, you’re constantly walking a tightrope between revealing too much and not enough, all while maintaining that relentless pace that keeps readers turning pages. It’s a challenge, but one that I find incredibly rewarding.

In “Forgotten Secret,” I’ve tried to create a roller-coaster of emotions and plot twists. I want readers to experience that heady mix of anticipation, shock, and satisfaction as they journey through the book. My hope is that they find themselves fully immersed in the story, living through each revelation and cliffhanger as intensely as I did while writing them.

Thank you for joining me on this thrilling ride. I hope “Forgotten Secret” keeps you guessing, leaves you breathless, and, above all, lives up to the secrets it promises to unveil.

MY REVIEW

What an exciting suspenseful and plenty of plot twists this story offers. I wasn’t quite sure who to trust as Clara tries to regain her memory. Being shot and losing your memory for years puts Clara in a quest to find out the truth. Her husband is a renowned neurosurgeon who has been by her side since the day she came to the hospital critically injured.

I followed the story closely and began to try to figure out who was involved with the plot to kill Clara. Buried in the story is an evil human trafficking scheme that becomes center stage. The tragedy of this topic is that it is very difficult to stop. We lose many children and young people to this evil scheme every day.

The story takes on criminals with sinister plots in their minds. There are several characters in the book who I didn’t suspect were involved in anything but slowly the evidence starts stacking up against them. I like Clara’s husband and how he has protected her all these years.

The author delivers a story that not only keeps readers guessing but shows how sometimes we don’t really know people like we think we do. The author seems to bring the puzzle together and draw the story to an end, however we read the final page and find ourselves with a cliff hanger. I’m excited to read the next in this suspense filled series.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 15

Texas Book-aholic, May 16

Stories By Gina, May 17 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, May 17

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 19

Betti Mace, May 20

Lily’s Corner, May 21

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 22 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, May 23

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 24

For Him and My Family, May 25

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, May 26 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, May 26

An Author’s Take, May 27

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, S.F. is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and an eBook copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b7cb/forgotten-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

About the Book

Book: Tennessee Wildcat: On the Trail of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Mr. Edwards

Authors: Robynne Elizabeth Miller and J.D. Rushmore

Genre: Nonfiction/Historical Biography/Literary History

Release date: August 24, 2023

Mr. Edwards … that colorful Tennessee Wildcat Laura Ingalls Wilder so deeply loved. He helped Pa build the family’s cabin, saved Christmas by carrying presents across a raging creek, and spit further than Laura thought possible. Though he was a little rough around the edges, Laura simply adored Mr. Edwards. Through her vivid, heartwarming stories, we came to love him, too.

But who was he? Virtually all Laura’s Little House characters were real people … even those whose names were changed to protect their reputations.

Mr. Edwards, however, wasn’t so easy to track down. In fact, he’s the sole Little Houseenigma … the only mentioned character that hasn’t clearly surfaced via historical records.

Was he fiction, for the sake of illustrating pioneer stereotypes? Was he a composite character, built from several men Laura knew during their time in Kansas? Was he a loose collection of memories and family lore, cobbled together for the sake of the narrative? Or was he a real man, whose full identity had previously evaded discovery?

We wanted to know the answer …

So, we dusted off our boots and headed out … hot on the trail of the wildcat from Tennessee!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Authors

Robynne Elizabeth Miller holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction and a B.A. in English Literature. She’s the author of ten books and countless articles, including Tennessee Wildcat, From the Mouth of Ma, and The Three Faces of Nellie.

Along with speaking nationally, Robynne is a writing and publishing coach and mentor, a writing teacher at writers conferences, workshops, and retreats, the Writing Track developer and director for Unbound, and the director of the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon.

She’s passionate about helping writers bring their stories and messages into the world and delving into the real people and places which populated the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

J.D. Rushmore is a history and genealogy buff, with a particular interest in American history before 1900. He’s enamored with the opening of the west, pioneers, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, etc. He’s particularly passionate about researching historical mysteries, especially when they relate to the Little House series of books.

He is a musician in his spare time, as well as an “at everything” father, husband, and friend. He prefers the smell of historic archives to fresh air (unless it involves poking around a remote historic cemetery!) and has a knack for reading handwriting on historical documents that is illegible to others. Nothing thrills him more than finding the one tiny detail that, after being overlooked for decades, or even centuries, changes EVERYTHING.

More from Robynne

If you’re a Little House fan like us, you know how risky it was to delve into Mr. Edwards. Rumors have flown for decades as to his real identity, and some folks have double-downed on who they believe he was … declaring a particular name with certainty.

But it just didn’t add up. Through all our team’s collective Little House research and general love of 1800’s history, the name that had been put forward just didn’t make sense.

So, we had a choice.

We could avert our eyes, go about our other writing projects, and leave this mystery untouched. Or, we could, with as much neutrality and meticulous research as possible, see if Mr. Edwards’ true identity could be established.

We risked two things: upsetting some people if our findings didn’t support their theories, and crushing our own hearts if Mr. Edwards turned out to be the one character who Laura Ingalls Wilder constructed purely from her imagination.

We hope our respect for previous researchers, and the strength of our newly discovered information, helped avoid the first worry. And, the second? We were thrilled to discover Mr. Edwards almost certainly wasn’t a work of fiction!

MY REVIEW

I have been a fan of Little House on the Prairie for a ling time. I rewatch the entire series each year. Each character was unique in their own way. Mr. Edwards was very much liked by many. I liked the author exploring this man and who he was. The book is filled with many facts by researching historical books and papers. While most of the stories in the series are easy to be checked, perhaps Laura embellished some in order to show that the family was on their own a lot.

Many characters were able to be verified but one name stood out to the author. Why was it hard to find Mr. Edwards? Was he someone that Laura made up? I enjoyed reading the book filled with details that brings readers back to a time where a family traveled by wagon. The Ingalls were adventurous and seemed to move around a lot. There are certain details that surprised me. In the series we are led to believe that the Ingalls were mostly alone when settling down. History shows that many immigrants traveled to the same area which makes me wonder why Laura left that fact out.

The book has many facts that left me overwhelmed at times. The settlers are offered land at a very cheap price by standards of today. I’m sure this price may have been high for those who barely had any money. I appreciate all the research which I know is needed to prove or deny the existence of Mr. Edward. I followed the facts closely and determined that… well readers I leave it up to you to decide. Was Mr. Edwards real or fictional?

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, May 10

Lots of Helpers, May 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 12

Holly’s Book Corner, May 12

Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 14

Texas Book-aholic, May 15

Mary Hake, May 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16

Blogging With Carol, May 17

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 18

For Him and My Family, May 19

The Lofty Pages, May 20

Life on Chickadee Lane, May 21

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 21

Connie’s History Classroom , May 22

Cover Lover Book Review, May 23

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Card, copy of Tennessee Wildcat and The Three Faces of Nellie, and a goodie bag of Laura Ingalls Wilder related gifts, including a piece of the actual Loftus Store, mentioned prominently in The Long Winter!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b591/tennessee-wildcat-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

About the Book

Book: A Storm of Doubts

Author: JPC Allen

Genre: YA cozy mystery

Release date: March 1, 2024

Her dad said nothing could hurt their relationship. But what if he isn’t her dad?

Summer gets off to a rocky start for twenty-year-old Rae Riley when the ex-wife of family friend Jason Carlisle claims their youngest child isn’t his and Rae’s con man uncle Troy returns to Marlin County, Ohio. Rae is already at odds with her father, Sheriff Walter “Mal” Malinowski, over her desire to help people in trouble. When she extends that help to Troy and Jason’s ex-wife, Ashley, she and Mal clash even more.

Then Ashley disappears, and Jason and his brother Rick are the main suspects. As Rae and her aunt Carrie, a private investigator hired to protect Jason’s kids, work to discover what really happened to Ashley, Rae wrestles with Troy’s insinuations that she may be calling the wrong Malinowski “Dad.”

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with an homage to Scooby Doo. She’s been tracking down mysteries ever since. Her Christmas mystery “A Rose from the Ashes” was the first Rae Riley mystery and a Selah-finalist at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2020. Her first Rae Riley novel, A Shadow on the Snow, released in 2021. Online, she offer tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer. She also leads workshops for tweens, teens and adults, encouraging them to discover the adventure of writing. Coming from a long line of Mountaineers, she’s a life-long Buckeye.

More form JPC

Readers Deserve a Reward

I may be unusual, or just plain weird, but thinking of my ending first is the common way I approach a new story. It seems to help me to know my destination before I set out on the adventure of writing a story. I can take any number of routes to reach my destination and wandering around and exploring detours is a lot of the fun of writing. But by keeping my destination in mind, I don’t get lost. Or at least, not easily.

The other thing I keep in mind about my ending is that it’s a reward for the reader. I’m relatively new to publishing and not well known. So when readers take a chance on one of my stories, I believe it’s my job to reward their risk with an atypical, satisfying ending. Now I do work hard to make the whole story satisfying with things like an attention-grabbing opening and tension-building scenes. But endings, I think, are special to readers. This is the part that lingers in their minds when they close the book–whether it’s a sense of satisfaction, like the pleased feeling you have after a delicious meal, or anger or exasperation because the ending let them down.

I work to make all parts of the ending satisfying–the climax, denouement or wrap-up, and the last lines. For the climax, readers of my mysteries deserve more thant just the good guys solving the puzzle and catching the bad guy. I plan an action-packed, suspenseful climax that has readers living the final confrontation with the main character and it resolves itself in a way that, I hope, surprises readers.

Denouements are so critical to mysteries, when the detective explains how he solved the case. But they can also be deadly dull because the explanation needs to be thorough to meet the expectations of mystery fans. So in A Storm of Doubts, I split up the explanation–a lot of it is revealed during the climax, so I don’t bore readers by piling up a discussion of the solution in one chapter.

The final scene and last lines are areas I spend a good deal of thought on. Even if this scene was my inspiration for the entire story, how it plays in my head and how it plays on the page are two very different things. I also think the last scene and lines have a certain rhythm to them, like the final bars of a song. My job is make the scene round off the story without staying too long in it.

So when you read A Storm of Doubts, I’d love to know what you think of the ending. Because you do deserve a reward.

MY REVIEW

In this second book in the series Rae is surrounded by family members who are not all a good influence. I kinda laughed at some of them because it reminds me we all have family that we keep our distance with. What I like about Rae is her compassion and grace. It is hard to show mercy at times, but God wants us to always give it.

The author gives us a great mystery when Ashley disappears. Who is Ashley you ask? Well she happens to be the ex -wife of a family friend. Rae wants to believe the best in everyone and is determined to find out where Ashley is. Of course rumors start swirling about Ashley missing but Rae is on the case.

There is quite a bit of drama in the family and I want to warn readers that some subjects may be a trigger. The author does handle these situations well and faith is at the forefront of all situations. Building or rebuilding relationships can be trying, but Rae learns many lessons that can help each of us. Overall a good book with valuable life lessons.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, May 4 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 5

Artistic Nobody, May 6 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 7

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, May 8 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, May 8

Beauty in the Binding, May 9 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 10

Guild Master, May 11 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 12

A Reader’s Brain , May 13 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 13

Texas Book-aholic, May 14

For the Love of Literature, May 15 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 16

Vicky Sluiter, May 17 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, JPC is giving away the grand prize package of all four books in the Rae Riley mystery series, a $25 Amazon gift card, and an Ohio tumbler with lid filled with buckeye candies!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b587/a-storm-of-doubts-celebration-tour-giveaway

Monday, May 13, 2024

Shoot at the Sunset Kick-Off Package

About the Book

Book: Shoot at the Sunset

Author: Kathleen Denly

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: April 9, 2024

Will love survive when truth takes aim at their secrets?

Sharpshooter Preston Baker has spent a lifetime confronting danger head-on. So when a heartfelt letter arrives from his big sister asking for help, he doesn’t hesitate to put his traveling show career on hold and journey to her remote desert ranch, determined to make amends for past failures. What he doesn’t expect is to discover his long-lost little sister and her best friend, Lucy, are both hard at work on the ranch.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Lucy Arlidge’s decision to travel to a remote desert ranch was born as much from desperation as friendship. Fleeing San Francisco may have saved Lucy’s life, but the decision left others in danger. To thwart the evil plans of those who pursue her and her family, Lucy must keep her new gem-mining operation concealed and her secrets safe.

Preston is drawn to the mysterious woman, despite her plans to marry the neighboring rancher. Lucy’s quiet strength and undeniable beauty beckon him like a campfire in the wilderness, offering light amidst the dark memories and deepest fears resurrected by the presence of his sisters. But as danger closes in, Preston and Lucy must confront their pasts to save not only their own futures, but the lives of everyone they love.

MY REVIEW

I appreciate the author letting readers know at the beginning that there are sensitive subjects in the book that may be a trigger some. This gave me a clue that the story was going to be emotional. The story is filled with danger, secrets and flawed characters. I liked how the author takes each character and gives them trials.

Preston is a good example of a man who has a past he tries to forget. His skills with guns give him recognition and top billing at shows. When he leaves the show he travels to finally be with his sister. The author does a great job of capturing the time period with cattle drives and hard work at the ranch. Maybe Preston can settle down and help his sister and brother-in-law make their ranch profitable.

Lucy hears a secret that could cause someone to go to jail and endanger her and her mother’s life. I liked how Lucy yearned to be reunited with her mother. Lucy travels with her friend to a ranch to get away from those who want to cause her harm. Maybe she should have stayed and told the law what she witnessed and overheard. But her desire to escape them made her run instead.

My favorite character is Opal who is Lucy’s mother. Her life has been one bad decision after another. Some call her horrible names and shun her. Her addiction causes her to not think straight and pushes Lucy away. This character went through so much but her desire to turn her life around shows us how much God loves us unconditionally. I loved following her and how she begins to accept forgiveness from God.

The story is not without danger, greed, violence and secrets. Each character in the story is very well written and I enjoyed reading how trust and forgiveness leads to new relationships. We witness a relationship restored and redemption that leads to freedom from the enemy. This is definitely a good story where faith, trust and forgiveness is the key to a new beginning.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kathleen Denly lives in sunny California with her loving husband, four young children, two dogs, and ten cats. As a member of the adoption and foster community, children in need are a cause dear to her heart and she finds they make frequent appearances in her stories. When she isn’t writing, researching, or caring for children, Kathleen spends her time reading, visiting historical sites, hiking, and crafting.

More from Kathleen

One of the primary themes of Shoot at the Sunset is secrets and the fears that sometimes drive us to keep them. Did I mention there’s even a secret signal used in the book? So today I thought it would be fun to play with a secret code. Using the key provided below, see if you can reveal the hidden message.