I'm excited to welcome Faith Blum. She joins us today to talk about her new Christian Western, The Solid Rock. It's about a talented detective with a mission to locate his kidnapped colleague. He finds himself working undercover with a heinous outlaw who has more plans than he ever realized.
About the Book
Joshua woke with a quiet groan. As his senses woke up one at a time, he cracked his eyelids open. Sure enough, there was a silhouetted form standing at the foot of the bed. From the smell, the person was either from the brothel down the street or had recently left one.
He forced himself to breathe evenly and reached for the knife in his thigh holster. With as tough and evil a voice as he could imitate, he spoke, “State your intentions.” Pinkerton detective, Joshua Brookings, is sent on a job that seems simple on the surface. His fellow detective has been kidnapped and his boss, William Pinkerton senses foul play. Joshua is sent to investigate Edward's case in hopes of finding the kidnapped detective and helping solve the case that has taken over ten years to investigate. Arriving in Cheyenne, Joshua finds much more than a simple kidnapping. Yet again, he must go undercover, something he made his boss promise never to make him do again. The only Christian in the outlaw group, Joshua falters and almost loses faith in God’s providence. Will he stand on the solid Rock or drown in the sinking sand?
You can also preorder a paperback copy here for $14.00 plus shipping.
Excerpt
Giveaway
Faith is giving away a full set of paperback books! Fill out this form to earn entries to the giveaway. Each entry gives you one point, plus there are opportunities for bonus entries.
If you haven't read any of my books and would like to try one for free, I am working on getting A Mighty Fortress available for free on all formats. It is currently free on Barnes and Noble, iBooks, and Kobo. If you also wouldn't mind helping me get it free on Amazon, I would appreciate that. To help, all you have to do is grab 1, 2, or 3 of the links where it is free and go to AMF's Amazon page, click on "tell us about a lower price" and submit a link or three. Thank you!
Facebook Party
To celebrate her release, Faith is holding a Facebook party on March 31st from 2-4 Central time. You can join her and 3 other authors here. There will be fun, games, giveaways, excerpts, and more. Some of the giveaways will stay open through Friday evening, April 1st. Fun fact: the other three authors are all homeschool moms.
About the Author
Faith Blum started writing at an early age. She started even before she could read! She even thought she could write better than Dr. Seuss. Now that she's grown up a little more, she knows she will probably never reach the success of Dr. Seuss, but that doesn't stop her from trying.
When she isn't writing, Faith enjoys doing many right-brained activities such as reading, crafting, writing, playing piano, and playing games with her family. One of her dreams is to visit Castle City, Montana someday to see the ghost town she chose for her characters to live in. She currently lives on a hobby farm with her family in Wisconsin.
Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Blum/e/B00GSPBHW6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HymnsoftheWest Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Faith_Blum Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/FaithBlumAuthor Website: http://www.FaithBlum.com Blog: http://www.FaithBlum.wordpress.com
Tour Schedule
March 26
Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Tour Introduction Writing Dreams-Excerpt and Spotlight God’s Peculiar Treasure Rae-Spotlight Tee Garner-Excerpt, Spotlight, Interview March 28 George's Shorts-Spotlight, Review Karan Eleni-Excerpt, Spotlight, Review BlondeRJ-Excerpt Rebekah Lyn Books-Excerpt Zerina Blossom's Books-Excerpt, Spotlight Life is a Four-Letter Word-Spotlight March 29 In the Bookcase-Excerpt, Review Ruth's Real Life-Excerpt Kelsey's Notebook-Review, Interview Shire Reviews-Review With a Joyful Noise-Excerpt, Spotlight Melanie D. Snitker, Author-Excerpt, Spotlight Wildflower Acres-Spotlight March 30 Clean Indie Reads-Spotlight Jaye L. Knight-Excerpt, Spotlight Stories by Firefly-Excerpt, Spotlight, Interview Chess Desalls-Excerpt Kendra’s Thoughts-Excerpt, Interview Frances Hoelsma-Excerpt, Spotlight March 31 Prairie Dust Trail-Review David Todd-Interview The Overactive Imagination-Excerpt Reading in June-Excerpt, Spotlight Rachel Rossano’s Words-Excerpt, Spotlight Trust and Obey-Guest Post, Spotlight April 1 Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections-Tour Wrap-up, giveaway announcement
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 Image by Victorine E. Lieske Calming the Storm was my debut novel, released in August of 2014. Brandon and Rachel's story came together over the course of many years before I chose to focus on my writing and make it one of my priorities. But even when I would put it on the back burner for a while, the story was always close to my heart. In Calming the Storm, Rachel faces a number of challenges. Her sister is killed in an accident and she's left to raise her young niece, Kendra, all on her own. She has no job and soon, they won't have a place to live, either. On top of all that, some distant relatives of her niece's father want to get custody. With no home and no job, Rachel knows keeping Kendra is going to be a long-shot, but she's the only family Rachel has left. At this point, Rachel's feeling more than a little overwhelmed, she feels like she's drowning and fast. I think we've all felt that way at some point in our lives. If you're like me, it's been more than once. I feel like I'm huddled on a little lifeboat in the middle of a giant ocean while a storm rages around me. Every time I think I'm making progress in one direction, the waves crash into my boat. I'm tossed around, confused all over again, and just praying I don't drown in the process. It can seem pointless and never-ending. And very lonely. Finally, the storm clears and my little lifeboat approaches the shoreline. I crawl onto the sand and collapse, exhausted. "God, why did I have to go through that? Where were You?" "I was with you all along, child." I blink. Didn't He just see what I went through here? "Then why didn't You just say a word and calm the storm? All that time I spent at the mercy of the waves... Why didn't you spare me?" "Did your boat capsize? Did it break apart into pieces against a rock in the ocean?" "Ummm. Well, no." I pull myself to my feet and look around me. "Are you not on land now instead of still waiting in the middle of the ocean?" The sky is blue and the sun warms my shoulders. Green trees line the beach, ripe fruit hanging from their branches. And not far away, I can see fresh water glistening. It wasn't what I'd expected or planned, but it's looking pretty good right now. "You're right. I am on land now. But why the storm? Why couldn't I just row here and be done with it?" I'm pretty sure I heard God chuckle. "If you'd had clear weather the whole way, and rowed in the direction you wanted to go, you'd be in a very different place. If it weren't for that storm, you wouldn't be where you stand now." Understanding begins to dawn. "Then you were watching me while I was being tossed around in the storm." "No, I was holding you. I may not have calmed the storm, but I was there with you. To help calm you as you traveled through it." Tears flooded to my eyes. "Thank you." "I love you, my child." When I look back on every challenge I've faced in my life, I can see the truth in this. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, our struggles with infertility, illness, or just days I feel overwhelmed, I always come out on the other side. I may be exhausted, and I may not be where I thought I should have ended up, but there are always blessings and experiences to be thankful for. Ones I never would have recognized if I hadn't gone through that particular storm in the first place. If you're going through a storm like that in your life, remember that you're not alone. God may not be calming this storm you're battling, but He's holding you close until it passes.  A marriage of convenience isn't exactly what Rachel Peters had in mind.
What else can she do if she wants to raise her young niece, and give her a more stable home than she and her sister grew up in? Rachel is at risk of losing custody of her last blood relative, and she needs to prove she can provide for her niece and raise her in a nurturing environment. Professor Brandon Barlow is invested in his college students’ lives, wanting to ensure their success. When it is clear that Rachel is struggling, he takes a personal interest in trying to help her. But can he keep his heart from getting involved in the process? Brandon reaches out to Rachel as he tries to break through the walls she has built up over the years. With love and patience, Brandon hopes to help Rachel realize that, even when she experiences storms in her life, she isn't always alone. Get your romance fix! Do you love that "ahhhh" feeling you get when you read a sweet romance? Especially when you get to that inevitable happy ending? Tamie Dearen's romantic comedy series, The Best Girls, can satisfy that craving. And the first book of the series, Her Best Match, is currently free. But beware.... it's addicting! The limited-time price-reduction for Her Best Match is already in effect, in preparation for March 13, the day of the big sale and the release of A Rose in Bloom, a serial romantic comedy. Unlike anything you've ever read before, A Rose in Bloom was written and published in small parts, week-by-week, on Tamie Dearen's blog, to the simultaneous delight and frustration of her devoted readers. Now, for the first time, the complete serial romance will be available to read as a novella. You can pre-order for only 99¢, but only though the March 13 release day!  Feisty, stubborn, and bored with life in Texas, Anne Best is about to get more than she bargained for. The lovely widow heads off to the Big Apple for a job interview, expecting no more than a few days adventure in New York City, only to find herself with a new job working for the most infuriating man she's ever met. Billionaire Steven Gherring is one of New York's Most Eligible Bachelors, and he has every intention of staying that way. But Gram has other ideas. She's on a not-so-secret campaign to find a wife for her grandson. As fearless as she is clumsy, Anne tackles every challenge (including her new boss) enthusiastically, with two lone exceptions... public speaking and recognizing her own feelings. Passions rise along with hemlines as Gram joins forces with Anne, a veteran matchmaker, to find the perfect match for Steven.   Elyssa Rose has delicate flowers in her hands and a muscular guy on her mind. The talented owner of A Rose in Bloom is determined to make a success of her floral business. And she doesn't want or need a man's help or interference! But trouble shows up in the form of her handsome, but antagonistic, neighbor, Jaxon McCall, a gym owner whose sole purpose is to buy her building from her. Jaxon McCall once had his eye on Elyssa's building, but now he can't take his eyes off her. Magnetic attraction draws them together, even as their stubborn personalities drive them apart. A Rose in Bloom is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Discounted to 99¢ through the March 13 release date! About Tamie  Tamie Dearen lives with her very romantic husband of thirty-three years. She has two beautiful daughters, two amazing son-in-laws, and one awesome grandson. She plays piano, flute, harmonica, keyboards, and guitar, and loves composing and art. And she hates housework. She has been a dentist in private practice for thirty years. She stays busy playing on her church's praise team and leading a weekly Bible study. In her spare time, she writes books. Tamie specializes in writing “clean’ books without excessive violence, offensive language, or explicit sex. She has published a Romantic Comedy series called The Best Girls, which includes a free novella and four full-length novels, and recently published her first Christian Romance, Noelle’s Golden Christmas. She has also published the two books in a Young Adult Fantasy series, Alora: The Wander-Jewel, and Alora: The Portal. To combine her love of music with her writing, Tamie composed the background music for the Alora Series video trailer and a Christmas song, which is linked in the back of Noelle’s Golden Christmas. Her latest book, A Rose in Bloom, a romantic comedy serial story, is available for pre-order and will be released March 13. Tamie met her husband as a freshman in college when she acted out of character on a whim. One night in the library lobby, she spied a cute guy with his first name written on the back of his shirt. She called out his name. When he approached to talk to her, she pretended that she'd met him before, asking about his classes and how he liked college. To her surprise and delight, he also pretended that he knew her, but of course he didn't know her name. They continued this false relationship for two months. Each time they saw each other, an event that occurred three times per week at the cafeteria, he would pretend he knew her. Meanwhile, all of Tamie's friends were careful not to reveal her name to him. When he finally admitted his ignorance of her name, he was astonished to learn the truth. And the rest is history. Find Tamie Dearen on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TamieDearen/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TamieDearen Website: http://tamiedearen.com Tamie Dearen's Amazon Page Follow Tamie Dearen on BookBub!
Today, I'm excited to help Faith Blum announce that not only does she have an official release day, but also a cover for her newest novel, The Solid Rock! There's a catch, though. You can't see the cover for the novel until you've gathered all 15 clues. There's also an exciting giveaway of 10 books .
I invite you to browse through the details below. Have fun searching for the clues! Instructions on how to see the cover are under the "Clues" section of the blog post. 
About the Book
Joshua woke with a quiet groan. As his senses woke up one at a time, he cracked his eyelids open. Sure enough, there was a silhouetted form standing at the foot of the bed. From the smell, the person was either from the brothel down the street or had recently left one.</em>
<em>He forced himself to breathe evenly and reached for the knife in his thigh holster. With as tough and evil a voice as he could imitate, he spoke, “State your intentions.” Pinkerton detective, Joshua Brookings, is sent on a job that seems simple on the surface. His fellow detective has been kidnapped and his boss, William Pinkerton senses foul play. Joshua is sent to investigate Edward's case in hopes of finding the kidnapped detective and helping solve the case that has taken over ten years to investigate. Arriving in Cheyenne, Joshua finds much more than a simple kidnapping. Yet again, he must go undercover, something he made his boss promise never to make him do again. The only Christian in the outlaw group, Joshua falters and almost loses faith in God’s providence. Will he stand on the solid Rock or drown in the sinking sand?
Giveaway
All the books in the giveaway are either Christian, Mystery, or Western. I have not read all of them, so I cannot vouch for what they are like inside. There will only be one winner (sorry), and since they are all ebooks, we can open the giveaway up internationally as well! Here is the list of the ebooks. To find out more about each book, please click on the title and read the Amazon description.
Dangerous Illusions by Barb Goss
A Box of Dreams by James DiBenedetto Heartfelt Cases by Julie C. Gilbert Pride and Butterflies by Franky A. Brown Guardian (Guardian Trilogy #1) by Robin Helm SoulFire (Guardian Trilogy #1) by Robin Helm Legacy (Guardian Trilogy #1) by Robin Helm Finding Hope by Elizabeth Diaz Lily of the Valley by Faith Blum Life and Salvation by Faith Blum
Clue
In order to gain access to the blog page that has the full cover on it, you need to hop over to the 14 other blogs to gather the clues. Each blogger will have a clue number and one character of the clue. Each clue is either a number, letter, or symbol. What you need to do is gather the clues and put them in the correct order. Once this is done, type in the password (no spaces) on the protected page (found here) and you will find the full cover in all its glory.
While you’re on each blog, be sure to read the excerpts and I’m sure each blogger would appreciate a comment. Happy sleuthing! 
Blogs
Amazing Grace on Sale!
To celebrate the cover reveal, Faith also has the third book in her series on sale! It will be $0.99 through 11 a.m. tomorrow and then will go up to $1.99 until Monday evening when it will be back at full price.
Here's a short description of Amazing Grace: A doubting man agrees to wed a widowed mail-order bride, but he struggles with whether or not he can be a father to the woman's daughter who desperately wants a father's love. You can purchase this book here: getBook.at/AmazingGrace.
Author Interview
How do you prepare yourself for writing? Find a quiet place, listen to music, etc.
I get my writing things ready. I sometimes type the stories on my computer, sometimes on Alfie, my Alphasmart Neo, and sometimes I write it out by hand. Once they are ready, I turn on some music and start writing. I almost always write in my bedroom or some other quiet place if I am not at home. Do you have any favorite snack foods that you eat while writing? My two go-to snack foods are dried mangoes either with or without walnuts or yogurt with strawberries and walnuts. Can you tell what my favorite nut is? What's your favorite part of writing: Starting the book, working on the middle, writing the end, etc. Coming up with the ideas and starting to write them down. The rest is usually fun, too, but the ideas and first draft would definitely be my favorite.
About the Author
Faith Blum started writing at an early age. She started even before she could read! She even thought she could write better than Dr. Seuss. (The picture doesn't show it well, but there are scribblings on the page of Green Eggs and Ham). Now that she's grown up a little more, she knows she will probably never reach the success of Dr. Seuss, but that doesn't stop her from trying.
When she isn't writing, Faith enjoys doing many right-brained activities such as reading, crafting, writing, playing piano, and playing games with her family. One of her dreams is to visit Castle City, Montana someday to see the ghost town she chose for her characters to live in. She currently lives on a hobby farm with her family in Wisconsin.  I've always enjoyed Hot Pockets, but with all the additives and high salt content, I started looking for a way to make them myself a few years ago. I found this recipe, gave it a try, and have made them many times since. The recipe is easy to adapt to include any fillings you want to use. This morning, I made some barbecue shredded chicken sandwiches for my husband. I've also made ham and cheese for myself. One of these times, I want to try bacon, egg, and cheese for breakfast sandwiches. I have no doubt that cheese and pepperoni would be great as well. Yum! To make ten sandwiches, I baked a whole chicken, removed the meat from the bones, and stirred in the barbecue sauce. I filled the sandwiches as full as I could and we didn't have any filling left. Here's the recipe I used after making some adaptations. Recipe and Directions: 3 cups flour (I used 1 cup wheat, 2 cups unbleached) 1/4 cup dry milk 1/4 cup sugar (I used raw) 2 1/2 tbsp yeast 1 cup warm water I put the warm water in a bowl, poured in the sugar, and stirred until dissolved. Then I added the yeast, allowing it to sit for two or three minutes. Meanwhile, I combined the flour and dry milk in another bowl just to have something to do while I waited. LOL Next, you'll want to add the dry mixture to the wet. Hand knead it well. I've always had to add an extra splash of water to this dough in order to get it mixed completely. This is a thick, sticky dough.  Small Confession: You know how there are some types of dough that are a joy to work with? Yeah, this isn't one of those. I'm not going to lie - it's a real pain. But trust me, it's worth it for the sandwiches. That said, I highly recommend having the filings prepared to make a double batch since you're going through the effort anyway. Back to the Directions: Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and place them on waxed paper. I then recommend covering them with a towel or something similar so they don't dry out as you roll out each one. At this point, put some parchment paper on your baking sheets or make sure you've greased them well. I roll the dough out on a piece of wax paper. You'll want to liberally sprinkle flour on the wax paper before placing each ball of dough there. I found I needed a new piece of the paper every third ball or so (or, you can get a bigger one and then fold it over to make it last longer).  Filling the Sandwiches: Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into a triangle. Or as close to a triangle as you can. Mine tend to look a lot more like an oval. But hey, it works! If you notice the picture here, I use a Play-Doh rolling pin. I have tried many different ones in the past and this one has always worked best for me, so I confiscated it from the kids a while ago. One of the handles broke, so I should probably try and locate another. LOL Put enough filling to cover about a third of the flattened dough. Honestly, you'll just have to play with it a time or two until you see how much you'll need. And it can differ depending on what you're using for filling. Fold an end over the filling. Bring the sides to the center and overlap, pushing or pinching gently to join them. Finally, fold the last end over to seal the filling inside. Place seam down on your cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated 350'F oven for 15-20 minutes until lightly brown.
These sandwiches freeze wonderfully. We've warmed them up in the oven as well as the microwave with great results. I hope you'll give the recipe a try!
This last weekend was a full one! Saturday was my birthday. There's a local zoo that we have a member pass for. They recently got in two new jaguars and so my family and I thought we'd go and see if we could get a peek at them. They're still acclimating and remained hidden, but we enjoyed looking at some of the other animals and then having a picnic lunch.
After that, we went to see the movie Zootopia. The kids have been laughing at the commercials for months. You know how a lot of movies will put every funny part in the commercial so you go to see the movie and it's like you've already seen it all? That's not the case with this one. There are a lot of great parts that the commercials don't even hint at. It's fantastic! I got a new chair for my desk. Trust me, this was needed badly and it's already done a lot for my back. I joked with my husband that I was tempted to roll it into the living room when we watch TV, it's that awesome. LOL I also finished the first draft of my new book last night. I don't yet have a title for it, but it's the first in my new series called Reinventing Family. I'm so excited about this book and I can't wait to share more with you all soon! I'm taking a break from it today but will start the editing process tomorrow. When will it be released, you ask? Some time in May! :-D All in all, it was a wonderful, busy, productive weekend! |
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