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Thursday, November 2, 2023

A Deeper Love Release Week Fun

 


A New Release

It's hard to believe, year one of the Suamalie Islands Series is complete. This week we are celebrating Heidi Gray McGill's new release, A Deeper Love. All the authors in the series are sharing their favorite family friendly dad jokes. The tour stops are all listed below, along with an awesome giveaway!


My Favorite Dad Joke

I've been blessed to have a wonderful dad. Besides being a great dad and Godly role model for me, he is also very funny. He's always telling some kind of joke or telling a funny story. One of my favorite dad jokes is one about snowplows.


One night during a snowstorm, a young woman was trying to travel home from out of town. When the snow was too thick to see through, she remembered some advice her dad told her about driving in a snowstorm. "Always follow the snowplows and it will keep you from getting lost."

The girl followed the advice of her father and followed the first snowplow she saw. After an hour of the girl following the plow, it stopped. The driver got out and walked toward her car.

Embarrassed, the young woman rolled down the window to talk to him. "I'm sorry about following, you. I hope you don't mind." She told him all about her dad's advice.

When she finished talking, the plow driver smiled. "That's good advice and I don't mind if you follow me at all. I just stopped to let you know I'm done with the Walmart parking lot now, but I'm headed over to plow at Kmart now. You can follow me over there if you want." 🤣


More About A Deeper Love

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work.

I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way.

Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you.

Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But when it comes to relationships, I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.




Follow the Tour


November 1: Amanda Tru

November 2: Rachel Skatvold

November 3: Susan K. Beatty

November 4: Tabitha Bouldin

November 5: Melissa Wardwell


Enter in the Giveaway

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Tropical Target Release Week Fun

 


Something New!

I'm excited to announce the release of another Suamalie Island book! Tropical Target by Jennifer Pierce looks like such a fun and exciting read! To celebrate this new release, the authors of the series ... myself included... are sharing a blog post. This week the theme is family. Look for my story below. Also, don't forget to read more about the book and sign up for the giveaway!

My Story...

In Tropical Target, Noa's mother cooks meals for her family, even though they're adults. Do you and your family get together regularly? What do you do? Watch a movie? Have a meal?

I can relate to having family meals together with my parents and siblings, even as adults. As a kid, we'd always have family night once a week. I had a family of six, plus my grandparents and uncle would come over, too, along with family friends. Sometimes we'd have so many people in the house, we'd barely have enough chairs for them all! I remember helping make the family meals and my dad saying to add extra green beans to the pot because a few more people were coming to dinner. I have a lot of good memories from family nights. We'd eat, play games, share old stories and enjoy plenty of laughter.

Today, we still get together when we can. My family is so big that almost every month has a birthday party to attend. We get together to celebrate, often with a big meal. I love my big family!

Do you have any fun family memories to share? If so, I'd love to hear about them in the comments!

More about the Book...

Being accused of murdering a client isn’t good for business.

Tropical islands are popular for destination weddings. But Le Cadeau ÃŽle won’t be a popular destination for long if Detective Noa Tanielu can’t find out who is responsible for a ring of thefts occurring during weddings. When the thefts escalate to the murder of a bridezilla, the most likely suspect is the new wedding photographer.

Wedding photographer Haley Marsh moved to the island to nurse her broken heart and start over after being dumped two days before her wedding. When she’s moved from the suspect list to the target list, a little white lie leads to a fake engagement. With Haley’s connections to the wedding business, it’s clear the key to solving this case lies in keeping up the charade.

Noa and Haley must navigate the investigation and Noa’s mother’s attempts to make the engagement all too real…if they survive that is.


Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.



Follow the Tour!


Jennifer Pierce: September 26


Rachel Skatvold: September 27


Tabitha Bouldin: September 28


Chautona Havig: September 29


Marguerite Gray: September 30


Melissa McKay Wardwell: October 1




Enter in the Giveaway...







Thursday, July 27, 2023

Room for Love Release Fun

It's release week for Room for Love by Marguerite Gray! I hope you've all been enjoying the Suamalie Islands Series as much as I have. It's like taking a vacation to an island getaway each month when one releases. This month we are celebrating this new release with a blog hop. All you have to do is go to each blog listed below, read the post and more about the new book. Then enter in the fun giveaway! Mine is below!



My Vacation Story...

This week we are talking about fun vacation experiences. In the book... Amy runs a bed and breakfast on Alexandre Island. She pours herself into making the experience memorable for her guests through her delicious recipes and comfortable, inviting accommodations. Do you have a positive (or funny) B & B or Airbnb (a cabin in the woods or a condo on the beach) experience to share? What made it special?”

As a young teen we took a family trip to Canada where we stayed in a little cabin by the lake. It was my first trip out of the United States, so it was interesting to experience something new. For example, the milk came in bags instead of cartons, and they had coins for a one and two dollar bill. 

We stayed for a week and fished every day. We fished so much that even at night in bed I still felt like I was in the boat! One time I woke up in the middle of the night and was trying to cast an imaginary pole off the side of the bed. Ha ha!

We had fish fries almost every night and it was a great vacation. Some memorable moments included spending time with my family, playing games, and reading lots of books. With no TV in the cabin, it made us spend more quality time together without so much distraction. Someday I'd love to go back to the little cabin by the lake.

What about you? Do you have any fun vacation stories? Tell me yours in the comments. 

More About the Book...

God gave her peace then; maybe He’ll do it again.



When Amy Lee’s son heads off to college, the bed and breakfast owner finds life even lonelier and emptier than she had after losing her husband. She needs something to occupy her mind and heart while she reinvents her life again. What more could she ask for than an after-school program for local children and a renewed interest in painting?

Then the arrival of a professor of archeology shakes her world and makes her yearn for the way things were only a few short months ago.

Still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and ignoring the warnings and protests of his grown children, Professor Walker Standish escapes on a six-month sabbatical. His heart, barely beating these past months, jerks to life again when he finds more than a room at a B & B.


 Where an ocean meets the shore, love has room for one more.


Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Purchase here

Follow the Tour...

Chautona Havig: July 26 https://chautona.com/room-for-love-release

Rachel Skatvold: July 27 

Susan K. Beatty: July 28   https://www.susankbeatty.com/celebrating-book

Tabitha Bouldin: July 29 https://tabithabouldinauthor.home.blog/2023/07/29/do-you-have-room-for-loves-release-week-party/

Amanda Tru: July 30 https://amandatru.com/room-for-love-release


Enter in the Giveaway...


Friday, June 2, 2023

A Heart for News Release

 


A Heart for News by Susan K. Beatty is here!

To celebrate, this week the authors in the Suamalie Islands Series are having a blog tour and sharing our stories of how opposites attract. Look below for my story and please don't forget to follow the rest of the tour this week and enter in the giveaway!

Do Opposites Really Attract?

I've always heard this saying, but never really thought much of it until meeting my husband. We are the same in many ways. We are both quiet and reserved and share similar hobbies. We also like to watch movies together, but we like different genres. He is a good sport and will sit with me if I want to watch Star Wars, but sc ifi and fantasy aren't really his cup of tea. I will do the same when he likes to watch car racing movies. However, we find a compromise watching a comedy. We laugh together and enjoy the show. I think it's important to find common ground and not be bothered by the differences between us. After all, it would get kind of boring if we were completely the same. I've come to realize our differences complement each other and I wouldn't have it any other way.

More about the Book

Will a heart for news get a scoop on love?

Though Margo Durand invests her whole heart into working for her family’s newspaper, her father refuses to modernize, and she harbors a secret fear of approaching interviewees and all things dangerous—except riding her Vespa everywhere. But when Margo follows evidence that two government officials are corrupt, Margo discovers danger, intrigue, and a legal sort of blackmail.

Professional race car driver, Steve Grayson, arrives to finish recuperating and overcome his fear of getting back on the track while pursuing his desire to open a race car driving school on Le Cadeau ÃŽle. If he can find the money and convince the owner to sell.

When Margo’s best friend sets Margo up with Steve as a tour guide, conveniently forgetting to tell him Margo is a reporter, they tour the islands until Steve is willingly dragged into the investigation. The investigation only opens new questions, creates new trials, and has the potential to destroy their budding romance.

Does pursuing a relationship just before he leaves to take part in one last racing season even make sense?

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.




Follow the Tour


Friday, April 28, 2023

The Tidal Wave Release Fun

The Title Wave is here!



I've been excited about Chautona Havig's book in this series since seeing the mock up cover over a year ago because it sounded like such an exciting story idea. It has been such a fun series to write in and Ezra sounds like a character full of spunk and an adventurous spirit. This week, some of the authors in the Suamalie Islands Series will be participating in a blog tour and sharing our own stories about friendship. Be sure to look for mine below and don't forget to enter in the giveaway!


Why the Best Friendships Often Pick Up Where they Left Off...

Being an introvert, I often find it difficult to make friends, so I treasure the close friendships I have. Recently I spent time with a friend from church, who I grew up with. Both busy homeschool moms, we don't get to see each other as much as I'd like, but It seems like we are always able to pick up right where we left off. One afternoon I sat in her living room, holding her baby. Our kids played together nearby while we talked and before long, I'd been there for a few hours without even realizing. Her sweet baby boy had fallen asleep in my arms as we talked about kids, homeschool, funny stories from the past, and more.

We didn't need plan a fancy outing to catch up. Just having some girl talk was exactly what we both needed. It's a blessing to have friends like that in my life.




More about The Title Wave...

All he wants to do is help people, but local women want to help themselves… to him!

When Henri Tupuola returned to Suamalie to open his holistic mental health clinic, he had no idea what he was getting into. After ten years in Australia getting his degree and practical experience under his mentor, the locals had all but forgotten the quiet “boy”  who had always made them feel like he could see right through them.

Not anymore! The ladies of Lafoina are eager to meet the island’s therapist and spend hours staring deeply into his eyes on their weekly dates… ahem, sessions.

Desperate for relief, he hightails it down to The Title Wave and begs Ezra to order him a couple dozen copies of his own book. Yes, author copies would be cheaper, but he needs these things fast. Maybe if he hands out his book like an old-time quack handed out pills, the ladies will get the hint and leave him alone.

But when he tells his troubles to Ezra (who’s the therapist now?), and she jokes at how much her father would love to have people flocking to his “sessions” so to speak, Henri gets an idea that could save his sanity… if only Ezra will agree.

Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Available for Purchase on Amazon

Follow the Tour...


Chautona Havig: April 25
Amanda Tru: April 27
Rachel Skatvold: April 28
Jennifer Pierce: April 29
Susan K Beatty: April 30


Enter in the Giveaway...


Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Wheeler's Design Release Week!


Today's the day! 

I'm excited to announce the release of Wheeler's Design, the second installment in the Suamalie Islands Series. Since this is my first book in the series, I would like to start out by thanking Sandra Barela and everyone at Celebrate Lit for making this series possible. Also, thank you to the wonderful authors I've had a chance to work with. It's been an amazing adventure so far.

To celebrate this new release, some of the other authors and I will be taking turns this to share a special story relating to the book. This week we will be talking about mentors who have inspired us. There will also be a giveaway offered, so don't forget to follow the list of authors on the tour below!

In Wheeler's Design, Sabrina Wheeler is a talented artist and single mom who runs her own pottery studio. After winning a scholarship, she follows her dream of expanding the business into a mobile studio, so she can travel to the different surrounding islands and teach pottery lessons.

Sabrina's love of pottery started in school while taking Mr. Dubois' art class. His enthusiasm for teaching art, inspired her to start a career in art. As an adult, she keeps in contact with her teacher and later buys his food truck to renovate it into her mobile studio. 


My Mentor Story...

Like Sabrina, I have had mentors in my life who've inspired me. There are many I could name, but today I will only mention three. In middle school, a choir teacher named Mr. Shirley sparked my interest in singing. I was a shy kid who barely talked to anyone but being in his class and helped me come out of my shell and enjoy going to school. Later, in high school, another teacher, Mr. Gorman took the extra time to help me learn how to use the pottery wheel and it is a form of art I still enjoy today. Last, Ms. Sodaro's fun teaching style inspired my journey in creative writing. All of these teachers played a unique role in molding the person I am today. I hope one day I can follow their example and pass along inspiration to someone else. 

More about Wheeler's Design...


Clay is messy and so is Sabrina’s life sometimes, but will God mold it into a work of art?

Sabrina Wheeler, single mom and business owner, won a scholarship to expand her pottery studio on Luamua Island. Now, she can finally have the career and life she’s been praying for. The scholarship includes a mentor, and Sabrina is anxious to make a good impression.

For Chad Berkley, an impromptu business trip to the Suamalie Islands couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Aside from it triggering his OCD personality, he also has important obligations in Yorkshire, and being absent for a month was not in his plans. The new assignment is an honor, however, and a huge step up in his career. He can’t risk disappointing his boss now.

But then he sees Sabrina. After their brief meeting at the business conference, he hasn’t stopped thinking of her. How had he missed that she is the business owner he’s been sent to mentor? Talk about distractions on his first big assignment. Will he be able to push his personal feelings aside and keep his focus on business?



Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Follow the Tour...

March 28: Rachel Skatvold
March 30: Jennifer Pierce
March 31: Marguerite Gray

Enter in the Giveaway...




Friday, December 9, 2022

Refining Josie Release Fun

Refining Josie is here!


The time has arrived! The very last book in the Independence Islands Series has been released. It's a little bittersweet since this has been such a wonderful one to be a part of. Carolyn Miller's book brings the stories of the islands to a close. To celebrate this new release, the authors are all sharing some stories of our own. This time the theme is mistakes. You can read my story below. Also, please don't forget to read more about the book, enter in the giveaway and follow the tour this week. Blessings!

A Gardening Mishap...

Everyone makes mistakes sometimes. It's just a part of being human. When I heard this theme, I couldn't stop thinking about a mistake I made as a young teen. My parents were away for the weekend one summer, leaving my older siblings in charge. We all had chores we were supposed to take care of. One of my chores happened to be watering the garden. I made sure to take care of my responsibilities by putting the hose inside the garden fence and turning it on. My dad said to give the tomato plants a good soaking, so I planned to leave it on for a few minutes and then move it to another section of the garden. However, I must have gotten distracted. The next day my dad received a phone call from the neighbor. A steady stream of water was heading out of our yard and down the street like a miniature river. The garden was flooded, the yard was a muddy mess, and I was in deep deep trouble. I felt horrible and offered to pay for the extra amount on the water bill with my allowance. Ever since that day I always check the water spigot twice just to be safe. It was a mistake I learned from the hard way.

I've made more serious mistakes I regret as an adult. Some in the form of sins that have brought deep sorrow and regret. However, I know God offers forgiveness when we mess up. Jesus died on the cross for our sins so we no longer have to carry them ourselves. What a wonderful gift! 

More about the Book...


What’ll it take for the prodigal daughter to share her deepest secrets… and her heart?

Josephine Green returns to the islands in an attempt to reconcile with her family, but with a cloud over the family business, and little in the way of gardening skills, Josie’s painful past and flaky ways prove less than endearing for Greener Gardens’ hardworking crew.

Stuck without any other options, Josie is forced to accept her sister’s offer of a job that takes her to Breakers Head where she encounters Aussie teacher, Lachlan Jones.

A long-lost relative might’ve brought Lachie to a tiny music recording studio on the Independence Islands, but it’s also brought questions about how to care for someone he barely knows, especially considering he’s the last family she has. Questions regarding his future soon pale when he encounters the vibrant-haired Josie, whose sass and attitude takes some getting used to.

Neither imagined more until they began to bond over music and environmental causes. Both discover that first impressions need not be lasting ones.

But with the future of Greener Gardens looking shaky, and Josie’s faith and self-worth just as tenuous, can deepening a friendship into something more ever work? And what happens when Lachlan’s work means he has to return to Australia after Christmas? What’ll it take for two hearts to heal and make a future possible?

This Breakers Head novel is Carolyn Miller's final book in the Independence Islands Series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.

The Independence Islands Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.


Follow the Tour...


Carolyn Miller -December 6

Chautona Havig  -December 7

Melissa Wardwell - December 8

Kari Trumbo - December 9

Rachel Skatvold - December 10

Tabitha Bouldin - December 11

Sandy Barela - December 12


Enter in the Giveaway...