Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: Secrets and Scandals: The Gilman Gazette Cozy Mystery #1 by Piper Glendale

 

Secrets and Scandals: The Gilman Gazette Cozy Mystery #1
by Piper Glendale

About Secrets and Scandals 

 

Secrets and Scandals: The Gilman Gazette Cozy Mystery #1
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – A small mountain town in Oregon
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Primrose Publishing (May 17, 2022)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 248 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8986430003
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0B1P989TT

Emily Delaney, a reporter for one of Hollywood’s hottest gossip magazines, has her world turned upside down when her former journalism mentor dies, and she is called back to the hometown she thought she’d left for good.

Emily is quickly surrounded by small town intrigue, including a desperate effort to save the town’s failing newspaper, unraveling an unsolved mystery, and clearing the name of her beloved mentor who is suspected of murder. All the while trying to avoid memories of the terrible mistake she made in high school that forced her to leave town in the first place. Not so easy to do, especially when her ex-high school sweetheart is now a handsome local detective blocking her every turn.

Secrets and Scandals is the first book in the Gilman Gazette cozy mystery series. If you like page-turning mysteries filled with fun characters, humor and sweet romance, then you will love the first installment of Piper Glendale’s engaging series.

About Piper Glendale

Piper Glendale is the pen name of author Stacey Auer. Stacey lives with her handsome husband and lively twins in the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not writing she can be found walking her hound dog or recycling. Visit Piper’s website at www.piperglendale.com to sign up for author updates and get access to the Secret Page.

Author Links

Website www.piperglendale.com

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/piperglendale/

Purchase Link – Amazon 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

April 29 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

April 30 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 1 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

May 1 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW

May 2 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

May 3 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW

May 4 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

May 5 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 6 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 7 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 8 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 9 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

May 10 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

May 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 12 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

 

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Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: Graven Images: A Rock Creek Village Cozy Mystery (Callie Cassidy Mysteries) by Lori Roberts Herbst

 

Graven Images: A Rock Creek Village Cozy Mystery
(Callie Cassidy Mysteries)
by Lori Roberts Herbst

About Graven Images

Graven Images: A Rock Creek Village Cozy Mystery (Callie Cassidy Mysteries)
Cozy Mystery
6th in the Series
Setting – Colorado
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lori Roberts Herbst (April 23, 2024)
Number of Pages: 280
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CY9CQZWM
Paperback info coming soon.

A photo assignment at the cemetery leads Callie Cassidy to a corpse—this one above ground. Now, her search for the killer unearths some long-buried secrets…

Callie’s mother Maggie, a notorious hobby jumper, has embarked on a new pursuit—grave rubbing. When she recruits her daughter to photograph her first endeavor at the local cemetery, Callie brings golden retriever Woody and tabby cat Carl along for the outing. It’s a breathtaking autumn morning in Rock Creek Village, Colorado. Golden aspen leaves rustle in the cool breeze, and the air is filled with the scent of pine. What could go wrong on a day like this?

Then, a ghostly woman emerges from the trees, bleeding from a head wound and claiming to have no memory of how she arrived, or even who she is. Maggie quickly identifies her as a woman who disappeared from the village forty years ago—without a trace.

If that’s not enough intrigue, Woody disobeys her and sprints deeper into the cemetery. When Callie catches up to him, he is sitting sentinel at the tombstone of a recently deceased villager. And behind the stone, a man lies on the ground—with a pickaxe jutting from his neck.

Callie recognizes him as the low-level mobster who has been dating her best friend Tonya’s mother—and they’d been having problems. Did Tonya’s mother kill the man? Could it have been the mysterious woman? Or maybe someone with ties to his crime family?

Callie can’t resist investigating—and this time, Detective Raul Sanchez welcomes her assistance. Because if they can’t solve the crime soon, the town may be facing grave consequences…

About Lori Roberts Herbst

Silver Falchion and CIBA Murder & Mayhem award-winning author Lori Roberts Herbst writes the Callie Cassidy Mystery series. A former journalism teacher and counselor, Lori serves as Board Secretary for Sisters in Crime. She is a member of the SinC Colorado chapter, the SinC North Dallas chapter, and the Guppy chapter, where she moderates the Cozy Gup group. Lori spent most of her life in Dallas, TX, and now lives in Colorado Springs.

Author Social Media Links

• Webpage: https://www.lorirobertsherbst.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorirobertsherbst
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorirobertsherbst/?hl=en
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21039904.Lori_Roberts_Herbst
• BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/lori-roberts-herbst
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/lorirobertsherbst

Purchase Links  – Amazon 

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

April 23 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

April 23 – Christy's Cozy Corners – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY 

April 24 – Sneaky the Library Cat’s blog – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

April 24 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 25 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

April 25 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT, GIVEAWAY 

April 26 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 26 – MJB Reviewer – REVIEW

April 27 – Teatime and Books – SPOTLIGHT

April 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – CHARACTER GUEST POST, GIVEAWAY

April 28 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT

April 29 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

April 29 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here

Celebrate Lit Presents: What Color is God’s Love? Author: Xochitl Dixon

 

About the Book

Book: What Color is God’s Love?

Author: Xochitl Dixon

Genre: Children’s Picture Book

Release date: March 19, 2024

All the colors displayed in this world that God made—
every glorious, fabulous, beautiful shade—
show how good God is and will always be.
But what is the color of love? Come and see!
In What Color is God’s Love?, a little girl and her service dog join their diverse friends through a
whirlwind of adventures. As they celebrate the spectacular spectrum of colors God designed,
each color invites readers to explore their God-given emotions and becomes a reminder of God’s
unchanging character. While encouraging children to acknowledge God’s constant presence with every turn of the page,
What Color is God’s Love? also empowers children, with and without disabilities, to play, work,
and serve God together, by simply letting the colors of His love shine through them.
With each turn of the page, the focus shifts to a specific color—orange, yellow, blue, green, pink,
black, white, gray, brown, red, purple. Each lyrical rhyme invites readers to engage with God
through empowering and faith-building truth-statements that incite worship and encourage a
lifestyle of loving God and neighbors.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Xochitl (So-Cheel) Dixon, contributing writer for Our Daily Bread and God Hears Her, is the author of
Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. She loves Jesus and people, as she crosses
cultural, generational, and international lines with encouraging and sound biblical teaching. Celebrating
diversity and inclusion, she advocates for disability awareness with her beautifully diverse family and her
service dog, Callie. Her first children’s picture book, Different Like Me, now available in Spanish, is a
2021 ECPA Christian Book Award Children’s Book Finalist. In March 2024, Xochitl’s second picture book, What Color is God’s Love?, is releasing with WaterBrook.

More from Xochitl

The Heart Behind My Story

By Xochitl Dixon

Like most of my writing, What Color is God’s Love? began as an overflow of worship while I prayed and praised God. In 2018, my husband and I had followed God from California to Wisconsin. I’m disabled and can’t drive, so his long hours at work left me feeling isolated while I searched for a new church and new doctors. As the weather became more extreme, I grew more discouraged, frustrated, and resentful. I struggled as I wrote my first 31-day devotional for Our Daily Bread, Waiting for God: Trusting Daily in God’s Plan and Pace. I was praying for people, studying and teaching the Bible every day. So, I couldn’t figure out why I felt so out of touch with God.

When my new puppy, Callie, licked my tears away, I looked out the window and noticed the rain had finally stopped. Rays of sunlight pierced through the dark gray clouds, shining on a white heron that had landed in the greed foliage on the creek’s bank next to our front yard. I wept tears of grateful praise. I wrote the first draft of a free verse poem celebrating God’s loving care for the details in Creation and in the lives of His people.

As I prayed, I realized I had been spending time talking to people about God. However, as the physical, emotional, and mental effects of our transition overwhelmed me, I had stopped spending quality time with God. As I watched the white heron take flight, God led me to Psalm 33:6-9, which became the first What Color is God’s Love? Bookend Bible verse.

I released Waiting for God in 2019 and my first picture book, Different Like Me, in 2020. But God had me tuck that free verse poem away as He dramatically transformed me and the original manuscript over the next few years. I wanted to give young image-bearers what I never had growing up: a safe place to process emotions . . . in God’s presence. I also wanted God’s beautifully diverse image-bearers, people with and without disabilities, to see each color as a reminder of His unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace, as they experienced His unconditional love flowing for them, in them, and through them.

After I signed the contract in November 2021, God began leading me to the right Bible verses to build the messages for each color I shared. Over time, I created the Breath Prayer Cards as a free download on my website, the YouVersion reading plan, and the devotional for the rest of the colors not shared in the reading plan.

I wanted each color to be a reminder of God’s unchanging character, unlimited power, and unwavering grace as we experience His unconditional love flowing for, in, and through us. More importantly, I began praying that everyone who read What Color is God’s Love? would be inspired to open their Bibles and spend more time with God, including me.

Blog Stops

Lots of Helpers, April 24

Texas Book-aholic, April 25

Vicky Sluiter, April 26 (Author Interview)

BookZone Reviews , April 27

By The Book, April 28 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 29

Splashes of Joy, April 30 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 1

Beauty in the Binding, May 2 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 3

Sylvan Musings, May 4 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, May 4

Artistic Nobody, May 5

Blossoms and Blessings, May 6 (Author Interview)

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Xochitl is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of Different Like Me, and What Color is God’s Love?!!

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/2b144/what-color-is-god-s-love-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Presents: Lion Warrior Author: James R. Hannibal

 

About the Book

Book: Lion Warrior

Author: James R. Hannibal

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: April 23, 2024

The dragon war has breached the barrier.

The forces of the Liberated Land are near to breaking. Without a heavy and rapid shift in the Assembly’s strategy, a dragon invasion will be unstoppable.

Connor and Kara have kept the full knowledge of the Red Dagger’s location secret for almost a year. A chance to destroy Heleyor and end the war is within the Lightraider Order’s grasp. They must now reveal what they know and call for action.

With time running out, Connor, Teegan, and Aaron attempt to recover the dagger, and Kara helps the Airguard train a new corps of soldiers— windfighters—in their own bid to change the war’s tide. Meanwhile, Lee and Zel search for Heleyor’s army of tortured Aladoth. This force, thousands strong, has vanished. They’re heading for a hidden portal, and may emerge at the heart of Keledev at any moment.

Every path that lies before the cadets seems a great risk. The slightest misstep may cost them their lives, their loved ones, and their homeland. But to do nothing means certain failure. To succeed, they must charge ahead into dark uncertainty and trust the Rescuer.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

As a former fighter pilot, stealth pilot, and tactical deception officer, James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He is the award-winning author of thrillers, mysteries, and fantasies for adults and children, and he is the developer of Lightraider Academy games. As a pastor’s kid in Colorado Springs, he guinea-pigged every youth discipleship program of the 1980s, but the one that engaged him and shaped him most as a Christ-follower and Kingdom warrior was DragonRaid, by Dick Wulf—the genesis of the Lightraider world.

 

 

More from James

There and Back Again: A Game?

The transition from book to game and back again is no easy thing. I’ve been on a steep learning curve since the day I started writing Wolf Soldier, the first book in the Lightraider Academy trilogy. Lion Warrior is the third.

I should walk back a step. Lightraiders is a game. Did you know that? It began as DragonRaid, a 1980s fantasy adventure game designed for teaching Biblical learning and discipleship. DragonRaid had a huge influence on my Christian walk in my teens. I now have the honor of carrying the concepts designed by the game’s original creator, Dick Wulf, to a new generation through games and stories. Before he went on to be with the Lord, Dick was kind enough to write a foreword for Wolf Soldier.

The task, when it came to me, was monumental: take a highly allegorical game with isolated location details and expand it into a full-realm book series while also building a new version of the game designed for today’s teens and families. By His grace, God placed men and women in my path who came alongside me to help—fellow believers who are creators from the realms of Tolkien, Star Wars, DC Comics, and Disney. Without them, it could not have been done.

We’ve been building the game in the background for three years. At the same time, the books have served as a transition from the old to the new. Lion Warrior completes that transition, and the book and the new Lightraiders Adventure Bible System game for teens will release almost simultaneously.

If you read through the series starting with Wolf Soldier, you may get a feel for this transition. The first book is more allegorical and tightly focused, much like the original DragonRaid game. Fantasy terms used in that story draw from the original game, with only a few new terms introduced. Bear Knight begins to broaden that perspective. It stretches past allegory and introduces several new ideas that you’ll find in the new Lightraiders game. In Lion Warrior, my hope is that you’ll finally have a picture of the fully developed realm from the Liberated Land in the south to the frozen islands in the far north of the Dragon Lands. And that story is fully steeped in the new game with terms and game mechanics slipped in for astute readers to find.

So, we’ve come full circle. DragonRaid became the story world in Wolf Solder. Then, as I and the team God sent to me rebuilt the game for a new generation, new elements found their way into Bear Knight. And now we have Lion Warrior, fully based on the new Lightraiders discipleship game. If you read the full trilogy and check out the game, I hope you’ll see it all growing together.

I do love the idea of game to story or vice versa. Are there other game/story combinations you love?

Blog Stops

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, April 25

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 26

Artistic Nobody, April 27 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, April 27 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 28

Texas Book-aholic, April 29

Fiction Book Lover, April 30 (Author Interview)

Where Faith and Books Meet, May 1

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 2

By the Book, May 3

For the Love of Literature, May 4 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, May 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 5

Blogging With Carol, May 6

By The Book, May 7 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, May 8

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, James is giving away the grand prize package of a signed hardcover copy of the book, three Starlots acrylic gem dice (diamond, sunfire, and ruby), a postcard with character art on the front and a map of Talania on the back, and Amazon $100 gift card!!

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/2b145/lion-warrior-celebration-tour-giveaway

Celebrate Lit Presents: The Lost and Found Author: Jennifer Carr

 

About the Book

Book: The Lost and Found

Author: Jennifer Carr

Genre: Christian Suspense

Release Date: June 1, 2023

In the small quiet town of Owenston, Kentucky, former FBI agent Mark Collins has found a new purpose as the county Sheriff. Married and enjoying the prospect of becoming a father for a second time, Mark’s life seems picture-perfect. But when a series of petty thefts turns into a murder investigation, Mark’s peaceful life takes an unexpected turn.

With his steadfast resolve and unwavering faith, Mark embarks on a race against time to catch a killer, but as he digs deeper, he realizes that the case is more complex than he ever imagined, and danger hits closer to home than he could have anticipated.

The Lost and Found is a Christian suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, blending thrilling intrigue with heartwarming moments. Mark’s unwavering commitment to justice, his ever-expanding family, and his unwavering faith in God make for a gripping tale of redemption, hope, and love. Can Mark untangle the web of secrets and find a way to heal the wounds of the past? Discover the truth in this captivating story of courage, compassion, and the power of love.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

A wife, mom, author, marriage and family counselor, a former AP Psychology teacher, and a podcaster, Jennifer draws from her life experiences and imagination to connect with her readers and listeners through the written and spoken word.
Married to her childhood best friend and the mom of a creative daughter, Jennifer enjoys a quiet life on their farm in Alabama.
When she’s not wearing one of her many hats, you’ll find her tucked away with a book and what’s likely her third coffee of the day.

 

 

 

More from Jennifer

The Lost and Found is the second book of the No Matter What series but can be read as a standalone. I needed to make sure my characters were happy and healthy after their adventures in the book one so the day I sent No Matter What to my editor, I started writing The Lost and Found.

I love to bake and when I was pregnant with our daughter, I craved all things sweet. One of the characters in the book has a similar craving so I created a recipe for her to enjoy. I’d love to share it with you.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZUJhegaRSkQtwlG1Rk0UU-iYxTSJIPHg/view?usp=sharing

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 17

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 18 (Author Interview)

Pause for Tales, April 18

Texas Book-aholic, April 19

Lakesidelivingsite, April 20

Artistic Nobody, April 21 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 22

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 23

Cover Lover Book Review, April 24

Beauty in the Binding, April 25 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 26

Blogging With Carol, April 27

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, April 28 (Author Interview)

Exploring the Written Word, April 28

For Him and My Family, April 29

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a Six Month Subscription to Kindle Unlimited ($60 value) and a 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/2afa4/the-lost-and-found-celebration-tour-giveaway

Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours Presents: A Match Made in Murder (The Clover City Files) by Barbara Howard

 

A Match Made in Murder (The Clover City Files)
by Barbara Howard

About A Match Made in Murder

A Match Made in Murder (The Clover City Files)
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Fictional small town, Clover City (Mid-West, USA)
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently Published (February 14, 2024)
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 134 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8224039555
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CR44LMBR

“In the heart of Clover City, love is a grand affair orchestrated by matchmaker extraordinaire, Fiona Murphy. But this Valentine’s Day, her twelve perfect weddings become a chilling mystery. As the Boat House restaurant transforms from a haven of romance to a crime scene, ‘A Match Made in Murder’ unveils a tale where love and betrayal intermingle, and uncovering the truth becomes the ultimate act of love.”

In the heart of the charming town of Clover City, matchmaker extraordinaire, Fiona Murphy, is renowned for orchestrating love stories that culminate in dreamy weddings. This Valentine’s Day, she’s outdone herself by arranging twelve weddings in a grand celebration at the upscale Boat House restaurant, where love is on the menu and bliss is in the air.

Among the attendees is Fiona’s efficient and loyal assistant, eager to ensure everything runs smoothly. There’s also an unexpected guest—Fiona’s charismatic yet enigmatic ex-husband, whose presence adds a layer of complexity to the festivities.

However, as the festivities kick off, a hushed realization sweeps through the gathering—someone is conspicuously absent. The joyous occasion takes a dark turn when a lifeless body is discovered, casting a shadow over the day meant for love and celebration. Suddenly, the Boat House transforms from a haven of romance to a crime scene, and everyone present becomes a suspect.

With the victim silenced forever, secrets, grudges, and long-buried emotions rise to the surface. The task of unraveling the twisted threads of this romantic tragedy falls into the hands of the local patrons, as the Boat House becomes a stage for a mystery where the appetizer is suspicion, the main course is intrigue, and the dessert is justice.

Bonus: Recipes included.

About Barbara Howard 

Barbara Howard is an author of mystery stories featuring a female amateur sleuth, diverse characters, and a dash of romance. Barbara Howard is the author of two cozy mystery series; Finding Home and The Clover City Files. Her stories feature a female amateur sleuth, diverse characters, and a dash of romance. She is a first-generation tech geek turned master gardener. Ms. Howard returned to her Midwestern hometown after an extensive career as a Department of Defense Project Manager at the Pentagon, KPMG Eastern Region Project Leader, and Corporate Sales Representative for Borders Books & Music. She now spends most of her time treasure hunting, spoiling her fur-babies, growing veggies, and plotting whodunits.

Author Social Media Links

Website http://www.authorbarbarahoward.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraHowardAuthor

GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/barbarahoward

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bhowardphipps

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/barbarahoward/

Blue Sky Social @barbarahoward.bsky.social

Twitter/X https://www.x.com/barbarahoward/

Purchase Link – Amazon 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR PARTICIPANTS

April 24 – Mystery, Thrillers, and Suspense – SPOTLIGHT

April 25 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

April 26 – Literary Gold – AUTHOR INTERVIEW

April 27 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

April 28 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – SPOTLIGHT

April 29 – Elizabeth McKenna – Author – SPOTLIGHT

April 30 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST

May 1 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 2 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT

May 3 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

May 4 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST

May 5 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

May 6 – Celticlady’s Reviews – RECIPE POST

May 7 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

Have you signed up to be a Tour Host?
Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today!
Want to Book a Tour?
Click Here

Celebrate Lit Presents: Streams of Courage Author: Sandra Merville Hart

 

About the Book

Book: Streams of Courage

Author: Sandra Merville Hart

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: March 26, 2024

In a world turned upside down by war and betrayal…will his role as a spy bring them closer…or tear their future apart?

The war that Julia Dodd prayed to avoid is now reality, and with it, her world has been turned on its head. Her fellow citizens, who stood with her in their support of the union, have crossed firmly to the side of the south. And her mother, lost in her grief over the loss of her husband and children, can think of nothing but protecting Julia’s brother’s inheritance. She insists that her daughter seek a wealthier husband than Ashburn Mitchell.

Ash knows what his fellow citizens think of him when he refuses to fight for the Confederacy. Shouldering the accusation of being a coward and refusing to hide behind his limp, Ash remains in Vicksburg to support his family as a saddler while his two best friends join the fight. Struggling to increase his business so he can marry the woman he loves, Ash becomes a spy in support of the Union. He can’t fight for the South but won’t raise a musket against them.

As tragedy instigates Ash to risk greater danger to speed the end of the war, Julia can only pray it won’t cost them everything. She’s already lost her father and two siblings. Must she lose the man she loves too?

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Sandra Merville Hart, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author of inspirational historical romances, loves to discover little-known yet fascinating facts from American history to include in her stories. Her desire is to transport her readers back in time. She is also a blogger, speaker, and conference teacher.

 

 

 

 

More from Sandra

In Streams of Courage, Book 4 in my Spies of the Civil War Series, Julia, our heroine, has suffered several significant losses in her life, including her father and two siblings. Her mother’s insistence that Julia stop courting Ash, a saddler, and find instead a rich suitor makes no sense. Surely her father had provided for her.

Then she discovers that her parents have only provided for her younger brother, whom her mother had always adored. Julia will be penniless when her mother dies. The knowledge crushes her.

Ash is already supporting his mother and siblings. As Mama points out, adding a wife and children will stretch his income to the limits. Mama will not give her blessing should Ash propose. Julia, who had been raised in comfort, must find some means of support.

As I considered how Julia could make money in a war-time economy, it was clear her mother, as the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, would never condone her working in a shop. What can she do?

Tatting lace.

Her lace patterns have received compliments in the past. With fewer ships bringing goods into the city, lace is in short supply. Granted, the demand for lace has diminished because even dress fabric isn’t as available as before the war.

I enjoyed researching this skill that was once so prevalent among young ladies in society. I watched videos on making lace with a special needle called a tatting needle.

The most basic stitch is the double-stitch. There is a special way to hold the needle and thread so that the first stitch grabs thread from under the thumb and the second stitch grabs it from over the thumb. There is a rhythm to the stitching in the hands of a skilled lacemaker.

I watched videos that demonstrated making rings with picot trim. There is a variety of stitching. The variations create beautiful patterns. The lace is then rolled for storage.

Fascinating. It’s mesmerizing to watch the different patterns emerge.

Tatting is a small yet interesting aspect in the adventurous story. Ash has become a Union spy. For her and her family’s safety, he keeps his dangerous activities a secret from Julia.

Part of my research for this novel and the next two novels included a trip to Vicksburg, Mississippi. I toured the museums and walked the streets of the historic city. Though I wasn’t certain of my story at the time of my visit, I was inspired by the history.

Avenue of Betrayal, Book 1, is set in the Union capital of Washington City (Washington DC) in 1861, where a surprising number of Confederate sympathizers and spies lived. Boulevard of Confusion and Byway to Danger are set in Richmond, the Confederate capital in 1862. Actual historical spies touch the lives of our fictional family.

Through both real and fictional characters, this series highlights activities spies were involved in and some of the motives behind their decisions.

I invite you to read the whole “Spies of the Civil War” series!

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, April 17

Alena Mentink, April 18

Connie’s History Classroom, April 18

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 19

Bizwings Book Blog, April 20

Holly’s Book Corner, April 21

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 21

Texas Book-aholic, April 22

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 23

Betti Mace, April 24

Pause for Tales, April 24

Cover Lover Book Review, April 25

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 26

Books You Can Feel Good About, April 27

Lights in a Dark World, April 27

For Him and My Family, April 28

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, April 29 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, April 29

Blossoms and Blessings, April 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sandra is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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/2afa6/streams-of-courage-celebration-tour-giveaway