Friday, July 21, 2017



IN KEEPING WITH   "CHRISTMAS IN JULY" .....

CHRISTMAS ON BEAVER CREEK. 
by Jacqueline Kimball 



https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188NLLYE  

A BEAVER CREEK HOLIDAY SPECIAL. (This book is NOT part of The Oregon Series, but many of the characters from the series are also in this book.) It's an 1850 Christmas in Beaver Creek, Oregon! Times are not as lean for the folks in Beaver Creek this year. It’s going to be a great Christmas! But not so for some… There’s going to be a wedding in a few weeks on Christmas Eve. Patrick Rayley wants none of it. His mama doesn’t need a husband. She has a job teaching school, and she has him. Parson Jacob is much too old for his mama, and besides, he doesn’t need or want a pa. His pa died, and he will never let another take his place! . The worst part is that Parson and Mama don't want him anymore. He heard 'em say so with his own ears.
Meanwhile,down the road a piece, Jimmy’s pet goose Alfred has sorely tried his mama, and she has had enough. Unless Jimmy can change her mind, she plans to make poor Alfred part of Christmas dinner. Jimmy will do anything to save his beloved goose. Anything….
It takes a cold night in the woods by the creek for two run aways to learn some hard lessons in life.

AND NOW.......Fix you some hot chocolate ...er..... might want to make that chocolate ice cream.
A Long Ago Christmas
It’s December, 1850 in a small pioneer settlement in Oregon. A yearling boy’s dream is a hunt with his father, and he will be the one to kill a beautiful turkey for Christmas dinner. Mama will be thrilled, and everyone will say it was the biggest turkey ever caught in these here parts.  But wait! (Cue the sound of a record scratching on a turn table…)
Ahem…did I say turkey? I did, didn’t I? 
Did you know that there were no turkeys in Oregon in 1850? Neither did I, and when I found out, I had major revisions to do on my manuscript for CHRISTMAS IN BEAVER CREEK.
After I realized that I didn’t know an 1850 pioneer Christmas if it hit me over the head, I dug deep into researching, and I was quite surprised.  


 Take Christmas trees, for instance. Despite what you see on television, it is doubtful that there were Christmas trees in most pioneer homes in 1850.
I discovered that the Christmas tree was a German tradition, and rarely was seen in America except in German homes. This slowly changed when a picture was published in a London magazine in 1848 of German born Prince Albert and Queen Victoria with their Christmas tree. The Christmas tree was at first mostly seen in upper class homes.  In pioneer homes,if there was a tree,it would be decorated with strung popcorn and berries, [painted pine cones, and other materials that were readily available.

Pioneers decorated their homes with what they could find. On the prairie, this might have been corn husks, bits of ribbon, and painted wooden items on the mantle. Oregon was abundant with trees. The home would have been decorated with greenery, berries, pine cones, wooden carvings, and perhaps festive fabric.


Wreaths were made of greenery, pine cones, nuts, berries and even colorful bird feathers. Socks were often hung by the fireplace, and excited children might find a few items in the stocking, usually a piece or two of candy, and homemade treats such as cookies.



. Gifts in pioneer homes were not elaborate. Most were handcrafted, and the family worked on them for weeks ahead.  Pa might carve a doll hose for his daughters, while mama made dolls from old rags. Mothers often knitted woolen scarves, and made warm clothing as gifts. Oranges and candy were expensive, and a child who got an orange in their stocking might scream with excitement. Children often made a pincushion, painted a pine cone or gathered a bucket of nuts for gifts to their parents. Older children would make carvings, stools, handkerchiefs for their parents and siblings. 


 Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote of her Christmas on the Kansas prairie a few decades later, "That very Christmas, Laura Ingalls was delighted to find a shiny new tin cup, a peppermint candy, a heart shaped cake, and a brand new penny in her stocking. For in those days, these four small gifts in her stocking were a wealth of gifts to the young girl.




Saturday, October 29, 2016

TWO of  MY BOOKS ARE FREE THIS WEEKEND.

CHRISTMAS ON BEAVER CREEK by JACQUELINE KIMBALL

Welcome to an unforgettable Christmas in Beaver Creek Oregon! It’s 1850, and times are not as lean for the folks in Beaver Creek this year. It’s going to be a great Christmas! But not so for some…
Mama has been sorely tried by Jimmy’s pet goose Alfred, and has had enough. Unless Jimmy can change her mind, she plans to make poor Alfred part of Christmas dinner. Jimmy will do anything to save his beloved goose. Anything….
There’s going to be a wedding on Christmas Eve, but Patrick Rayley wants none of it. His mama doesn’t need a husband. She has a job teaching school, and she has him. Parson Jacob is much too old for his mama, and besides he doesn’t need or want a pa. His pa died, and he will never let another take his place!
It takes a cold night in the woods by the creek for Jimmy and Patrick to learn some hard lessons in life. 


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0188NLLYE



HOUSTON THE CLEFT PALATE PUPPY   by JACQUELINE KIMBAL
Based on the true story of this little guy...our sweet dog,Houston, who was born with a cleft palate.
 

This is a chapter book,ages 11-15. But if your 99..you're still going to love this book! Based on a true story. For all ages!
"Houston, we have a problem." That's what Mama said when the little black puppy was born.There's something wrong with his mouth, but I didn't care. In fact,it made me love him more! He's special...like me.Mama said that we have to give him away. That would break my heart! I love him so much,and I want to keep him forever! Somehow ,I have to convince Mama to let him stay! Or maybe ...just maybe...it's up to this little puppy to change Mama's mind. ~~Lisa~~

Lisa is a special needs child, and a little black puppy has stolen her heart. He has a cleft palate and cleft lip and managed to survive. He has even thrived against all odds.
Lisa loves him with her whole heart because he has special needs,just like her.
But Mama thinks there is no room for another dog in their little house. Can Lisa convince her to keep the puppy?And if not Lisa,can Houston convince her? 




https://www.amazon.com/Houston-Cleft-Palate-Jacqueline-Kimball-ebook/dp/B00BKQ5OCC/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Friday, October 28, 2016

FRIDAY'S FANTASTIC AUTHORS

YESTERDAY I POSTED FREEEEEE BOOKS FOR YOUR KINDLE. One of the authors, Carol Moncado, has another freebie,in addition to the one I posted yesterday which was titled "Good Enough for a Princess".. I'll post the link  to the other free book at the bottom  of this blurb.


USA Today Bestselling Author Carol Moncado is the author of The Candid Romance Series (Mr. Write)...and yes,I spelled that correctly. :) She is a prolific writer with more books and series too numerous to mention. Be sure and check out her amazon page.(Again,I'll post the link.) (Permission granted by author Carol Moncado to post her lovely picture. :)

She lives in Missouri with  husband, four kids, and a tiny dog  She loves watching NCIS . If you peeped in,you'd  likely find her with peanut butter M & M's and a Dr. Pepper, her favorite snack.

 When not watching her kids - and the dog - race around her big backyard in Southwest Missouri, she's teaching American Government at a local community college. She's a founding member and President of MozArks ACFW, category coordinator for First Impressions, blogger at InspyRomance, and represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Agency. 

Here's her facebook author page: Give it a like. I did. :)
https://www.facebook.com/CarolMoncadoBooks/?fref=ts

For more about this author: You can follow her amazon page,as I do,and get updates from amazon.https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Moncado/e/B00OMAOWZI/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

CAROL HAS BOOKS THAT ARE FREE AS OF THIS POSTINGAuthors offer free books with no strings attached,but they do appreciate a review on amazon. Thanks. :)
FINDING MR. WRITE
https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Mr-Write-Contemporary-Christian-ebook/dp/B00OMAX8J4/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

GOOD ENOUGH FOR A PRINCESS
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Princess-Contemporary-Christian-ebook/dp/B00OM8A948/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Thursday, October 27, 2016

FREEEEE FOR KINDLE ! Thursday Toots! 10/27/16

THICKER THAN BLOOD  by C.J. Darlington

When she’s accused of a crime she didn’t commit at work, she has nowhere to turn. She yearns for her estranged family, especially her younger sister May whom she hasn’t seen for fifteen years. Now the owner of a failing cattle ranch in Elk Valley, Colorado, May couldn’t possibly want a relationship with the big sister who didn’t even say good-bye all those years ago, could she?

Soon Christy’s fleeing from her shattered dreams, her abusive ex-boyfriend, and God.


https://www.amazon.com/Thicker-than-Blood-Book-ebook/dp/B00EZE38GA/ref=sr_1_98?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477623094&sr=1-98&refinements=p_36%3A0-0


THE LETTERS by  Suzanne Woods Fisher
Rose Schrock is a plain woman with a simple plan. Determined to find a way to support her family and pay off her late husband's debts, she sets to work to convert the basement of her Amish farmhouse into an inn. While her family, especially her cranky mother-in-law, is unhappy with Rose's big idea, her friend and neighbor, Galen King, supports the decision and he helps with the conversion.  
https://www.amazon.com/Letters-Inn-Eagle-Hill-Book-ebook/dp/B00B85MPMC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477625969&sr=1-1&refinements=p_36%3A0-0

THE LADY and THE MOUNTAIN MAN  by Misty M. Beller
 Leah Townsend, a recently orphaned heiress, flees Richmond after discovering her fiancé’s plot to kill her after their wedding. She needs a safe place to hide, and finds herself accepting a newspaper marriage proposal from a God-fearing young rancher in the Montana Territory. But when Leah arrives at the mountain ranch, she learns her intended husband was killed by a grizzly, leaving behind a bitter older brother and a spunky younger sister.

https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Mountain-Man-Dreams-Book-ebook/dp/B00MQB7F4U/ref=sr_1_99?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477624190&sr=1-99&refinements=p_36%3A0-0

AN UNFORGIVABLE SECRET by J.E.B. SPREDEMANN
Hannah has a good life. A beautiful home, a loving husband, and a wonderful Amish community are only a few of her daily blessings. But she has carried a heavy burden for years: a secret that no one must know. When tragedy strikes, her secret threatens to be revealed, jeopardizing everything she's ever loved.
  https://www.amazon.com/Unforgivable-Secret-Amish-Secrets-Book-ebook/dp/B00D9YO0KA/ref=sr_1_105?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477624431&sr=1-105&refinements=p_36%3A0-0

 GOOD ENOUGH FOR A PRINCESS by Carol Moncado
Crown Princess Adeline of Montevaro has her life planned out for her: get her Master's in international relations, marry nobility, produce an heir, inherit the throne. There's no room for romance with the single father she meets when their cars collide on an icy winter night. Parliament - and her father - would never approve.
https://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Princess-Contemporary-Christian-ebook/dp/B00OM8A948/ref=sr_1_151?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1477625011&sr=1-151&refinements=p_36%3A0-0

Thursday, October 20, 2016

FRIDAY'S FANTASTIC AUTHORS! 10/21/16

  MEET AUTHOR SANDRA FARRIS 

Author of  Can You Hear the Music? and MORE

I have had the pleasure of being a facebook cyber friend of this author for about three years. I say pleasure , because in addition to being such a pleasant soul, her pictures posted on facebook will take your breath away.  She calls herself one whose hobby is photography, but I’d ante up and say she is a professional.


Born in Texas, Sandra Farris lived for a time in Los Angeles, where she completed her high school education. While attending Narbonne High, she served on her school newspaper. During that time, Sandra developed a series about, and interviewed students with interesting backgrounds. She wrote an article for the Lomita News, and was interviewed by the Woman’s Section Editor of the Torrance Press, Torrance, California.
She finally settled in southeast Arizona, where she attended a local community college to continue her education and hone her writing skills.

Recently, Sandra kindly allowed me to interview her. After you get to know her, visit her amazon page for a look at her books. Be sure and scroll to the end of this interview to links to her pages, and her work.




Jackie: Apart from your writing, who are you? Tell a little about yourself, and don’t be shy. 
Sandra: I was born in Texas, and my parents moved the family to Los Angeles in my junior year of High School. What a culture shock for me. 
Jackie: How so? 
Sandra: The students were so lax in school, and I shuddered when they showed a lack of respect for the teacher. When I had to read aloud, I could hear snickering behind me because of my accent. That made me even more self-conscious than I was already. I suppose that helped me with my writing. 
Jackie: So do you work a day job, or is writing your full time work? 
Sandra: I am retired.
  Jackie: So am I. I miss teaching,but it does free up more time to write. What did you do before you retired?
Sandra: Before I retired I worked for the court system, both county and municipal. I worked the front counter at Justice Court and Marana Municipal Courts, where people came in to pay fines or set up court dates.  At Justice Court (County), officers brought in warrants to be issued and long form complaints, which were usually for Driving Under the Influence. I entered them in the computer and gave them docket numbers. I also worked in the Child Support Division of Superior Court, issuing child support checks to the custodial parent.
Jackie: Fascinating. Never a dull moment I’m sure. Kind of like motherhood. Speaking of motherhood, do you have children?
Sandra: I have two sons, a third one (adult) passed away in 2000.
Jackie: Three sons. I know they kept you busy. I am truly sorry about the loss of one of your sons. I know you were proud of them all. Motherhood is one of my proudest accomplishments. Any other proud moments in life?
Sandra: Aside from giving birth to my sons, my biggest accomplishment is being a cancer survivor. 
Jackie: Definitely!
Sandra: Third best is realizing my dream of becoming a published author. I have 4 short stories written, two of which are down for re-working. I also have 4 published novels.
Jackie: Yes,we must be sure and include links to those.
Sandra:Thank you. I also have book trailers.
Jackie: Great. We will get those listed, too. Moving on....Are you a homebody or a globetrotter.
Sandra: I love to travel, and have been fortunate enough to visit Thailand, Hong Kong, Ireland, Morocco, Rome, Spain, Jamaica, and I have seen a lot of our great states, including several cruises to Alaska.
Jackie: Wow. It’s not on my bucket lists, because I’m afraid of planes. I indulge through travel shows and photos. I ‘m sure you took amazing pictures of your travels.
Sandra: My son bought me a nice Canon camera, and I have spent some time developing my skills at photography.( He thought I had graduated to a better camera than my little digital.) 
Jackie: I have seen some of your photography. They’re very professional. You really have an eye for beauty. Any other hobbies?
Sandra: Yes, another hobby of mine besides reading, is hiking in my beautiful Southern Arizona.
Jackie: A setting for even more amazing pictures. I have seen some of them on social media. Let’s talk about your younger days. Were you an avid reader as a child?
  I had two very young sisters, and I made up stories to keep them entertained. I soon began writing them down, and shared them with my 9th grade English teacher. She encouraged me to enter contests. Although I didn’t win any of them, it was good experience and special because someone other than family believed in me. I started reading books later. I read Nancy Drew mysteries, and graduated to romance novels as I got older.
Jackie: Interesting. You really got hooked on reading when your teacher encouraged you. I was an addicted reader by third grade. I too was influenced in writing by my ninth grade teacher. What kind of books and stories did you read during your school days? Were any of those authors influential in your present work as a writer? 
Sandra: Actually it wasn’t a book, but a movie, Tammy and the Bachelor. I saw it in my early teens and fell in love with it. I thought, I would like to write a story that would touch someone like that.
Jackie: So, like most of us, you did dream of being an author? When did you start writing?
Sandra: Yes, and I started writing when I was fourteen. I kept writing with the dream of becoming an author. Marriage, children and life got in the way for a long time, and I didn’t have the belief in myself to reach for that goal. It was after I retired that I had the time to work on writing full time and began submitting my manuscripts.
Jackie: The same with me. Retirement, then a new career. So, tell me, now that you have more time to write, how do manage your writing time? Do you normally write by a schedule?  When you write, how does a typical day go? 
Sandra: I don’t follow a schedule, but find I do best after noon. I do a lot of my thinking and going over what I need to write in the morning and just enjoy some quiet time.
Jackie: Do you currently have a work in progress, and if so, can you tell us a little about it or them?
Sandra: I have the two short stories that I am reworking, two sequels, a novel, and my autobiography to leave behind for my family that I am working on at present. I am also working on a sequel to my ghost story (Vernon House) and a sequel to Obituary Column.
Jackie: And I thought I was busy with two works in progress. How do you do it?
Sandra: I find that when I write myself in the corner with one, I can work on another. When I go back to original one I have a fresh eye. Usually I just have two projects at a time.
Jackie: Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre?
I have moved beyond Romance, and I love mysteries. Having been divorced for 27 years, I find I don’t feel qualified to write romance. I do have a couple of adventures and a ghost story. I like to try different genres. Can You hear the Music? is an adventure, and the first book I wrote. I think that is why it is my favorite.
Jackie: Can you Hear the Music has won two awards. I have watched the trailer. It's amazing. Of course you are a reader. All writers are. What is your favorite genre to read and why? 
I started out reading Harlequin Romance, graduated to their mystery/intrigue line.  Now I like Mystery and Intrigue, because it is so varied. I like more “meat and potatoes”. I also like some time travel (i.e. Night in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux). Authors I read now are Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Mary Higgins Clark, and Catherine Coulter to name a few.


Thank you, Sandra for a very interesting interview. I’m sure your readers will enjoy getting to know you better. Before we go, where can we find you online? And let’s be sure we list your amazon page, and the book trailers as well.
Sandra: You are welcome. Here’s the links for that.



SANDRA’S LINKS:

I have a website in bad need of updating so I don’t recommend it right now. I have two book trailers: The ghost story, Vernon House- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEeUROnxamA, and Can You Hear the Music?- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMzcqsMzF5E. For which we won two awards, Books ’N Sync Book Trailer Contest March 2012 and International Movie Trailer Festival Book Trailer 2013.

 There is also a sort video of how my son did the visual effects for Can You Hear the Music?- Special effects video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSt8P8b_Wfw

I have a video interview by a friend, a camera man for our local NBC television station: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWziaj7JrXA


Face book author pages: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Can-You-Hear-The-Music/456396787733038  and https://www.facebook.com/authorsandrafarris and main Face Book page https://www.facebook.com/writersan.




I also have 2 audio books, Lady Ace—Can-You-Hear-the-Music? Both can be found on Amazon on my author page or at ACX. com  http://www.acx.com/as?keyword=Sandra+Farris


FREEEEEEE KINDLE BOOKS!



THURSDAY TOOTS! FREE FOR YOUR KINDLE


THE CHRISTMAS MAIL ODER BRIDE by Kit Morgan
The sheriff asked for a pair of boots for Christmas—not a mail order bride!


ONCE UPON A MOONLIT NIGHT  by Janice Thompson
Bella Neely is coordinating  a wedding for a local meteorologist and her groom, a quirky astronomer/scientist with his own TV show for kids. It’s scheduled for the week before Christmas and if the bride’s predictions are right, the temperatures are supposed to be in the 60s….and when is the female meteorologist ever wrong?





FROM THIS MOMENT ON (Book 1,Windswept Bay Series) by Debra Clopton
Hurt by her failed marriage and dashed dreams, Cali Sinclair returns home to Windswept Bay with her heart wary and closed to the dreams of true love she so desperately wanted.

TRUE COVER by Ruth Kyser
I have never read anything by this author, but it looks like a page turner. I grabbed it.J
In a matter of 24 hours, Sarah Masters had lost everything that was important to her—her job, her friends, her house. Now a madman is hunting her down to kill her. FBI agents pledge to protect her, and they touch her life in a way that she never expected as they cause her to question God’s plan for her future.

THE MEASURE OF KATIE CALLOWAY   by Serena B. Miller
The Civil War has ended, but in Katie Calloway’s Georgia home, conflict still rages. To protect herself and her young brother from her violent and unstable husband, Katie flees north, finding anonymity and sanctuary as a cook in the Northwoods lumber camp. The owner, Robert Foster, wonders if she has the grit to survive the never ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in the winter.

AFTER THE RAIN by Leah Atwood
Two and half years after he promised his dying wife he would marry again, Rand McCade contacts a mail order bride agency in the east. He doesn’t want to remarry, but a promise is a promise.
Letty Morgan needed to leave Baltimore. She’s widowed and pregnant, and being pressured to marry a violent man. In order to protect herslf and her baby,she seeksout a mail order bride agency.