Merry Humbug Christmas blog link- along featuring Reese

Welcome to the 5th feature in the "Merry Humbug Christmas" blog

 link-along! This link - along will take you through eight blogs which all talk

about different aspects of the wonderful novella's in Merry Humbug

 Christmas by Sandra D. Bricker! On the last blog you can enter to win a

copy of the book. Thanks for joining us.Please share this link-along

with your family and friends via this link: http://tinyurl.com/Merryhumbug  

Join me  as we visit Reese on her  Christmas misadventure.

Reese

It Came Upon a Midnight Deer,

A Merry Humbug Christmas Novel 

by Sandra D. Bricker



Best friends Reese Pendergrass and Joss Snow have escaped Christmas each

year by taking an annual trip together. This year things will be a little differnt

because they are unable to go together. Dr. Damian Palmer has placed a

gorgeous two carat diamond platinim ring by Harry Winston on

Reese's finger.  So for the first time ever she will be meeting the

family over the Christmas holiday's. The trip she had hoped would

prove her worth to the Palmer family turns into one misadventure

after another. Her misfourturn will have the Palmers racing to the ER,

have the fire department swinging by for a visit and have everyone 

wondering about her sanity. Even Paco the family dog has expressed

how he truly feels about her, by lifting his leg to her. Reese's story

will have you laughing out loud over and over again.  The author Sandra

D. Bricker is know for her laugh out loud books and this is no exception,

in fact it is  hilarious. I had a hard time putting it down. Her characters bring

their Christmas traditions and escapades alive.

 

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Merry Humbug Christmas

A Merry Humbug Christmas,

 

Two Tales of Holiday Romance

 

by Sandra D Bricker

A Merry Humbug Christmas features two holiday romance novellas from hilarious

and heartwarming author Sandra D. Bricker. In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell,"

A Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow’s  answer to this year’s

quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she’s re-booked on a different

 kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments

 seem  to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza.

An  escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in

rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas

festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe.

In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer," Reese’s guilt over abandoning best friend

 Joss on their holiday  tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by

 the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian’s family for the first time

on idyllic Sugarloaf  Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise

 as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they

hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems

to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this

 particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws’ family cabin ablaze,

 she’s pretty sure there won’t be even ONE golden ring in her future. 



My 5 Star review:

This book is about best friends Joss and Reese and their mutual dislike of

Christmas. They usually celebrate Jocelyn’s birthday and Christmas by

taking a trip but this year they are unable to go together so they each go

their separate ways.
 

Once Upon a Jingle Bell, 
A Merry HUMBUG Christmas Novel

On December 25 at 7:17 a.m. in San Bernardo County, California, unto the

world a child  was born, Merry Christmas Snow. Not only did Merry hate

 her name she hated everything  Christmas. She disliked it so much she changes

 her name to Jocelyn M. Snow, aka Joss.  This year for Christmas she decides

to take the Bah Humbug Cruise. Unbeknown to her the cruise is canceled and

 she is rescheduled on the 12 Days of Christmas Fun Cruise. There she  meets

gorgeous Irishman Patrick Brenneman. Join them as they take one hilarious

 

voyage  after another and get to know one another. You will have to read this

outstanding story to see  if they find love or not. While on the cruise Joss runs

into CEO of Vandermere Hotels &  Spas, Rodney Jenkins and family, she has been

trying to get him to sign with her  advertising company. Will misspoken words

 cost her their account. See how  fun a family of  seven can be when you tag

along on the ultimate Christmas cruise.

 

It Came Upon a Midnight Deer,
A Merry HUMBUG Christmas Novel 

Dr. Reese Pendergrass is engaged to Dr. Damian Palmer. She comes from

 humble roots while his family lives like the rich and famous. Join Reese as

she meets the Palmer family for the first time over the Christmas holidays.

She will take you on one misadventure from another while she tries to prove

her worth to Damian.s family. Her story will have you laughing out loud over

and over again. Reese’s adventures will bring you to the ER, have the fire

department swinging by and have her and everyone else questioning her

sanity. Is their love strong enough to withstand the trials of Christmas.

Read more to find out. The author Sandra D. Bricker is know for her laugh

 out loud books and this is no exception,  in fact it is hilarious. I had a hard

time putting it down. Her character bring their Christmas traditions and

escapades alive.

Winter in Full Bloom

 

Please welcome award winning author Anita Higman to 

 

One lucky winner will win a copy of Winter in Full Bloom,  see the

 

bottom of this post for your chance to win.

Anita Higman was able to answer a few question, I hope you enjoy

 

the answers:

 

1. I was curious as to what is her favorite scripture could be. She told

 

me it was Psalm 121:2-3 (KJV) "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,

 

from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which

 

made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:

 

he that keepeth thee will not slumber." I have to agree with her, I

 

find great comfort in this scripture it is so true and a great scripture

 

 to cling to because God is always our help.

 

2. Winner in Full Bloom is set in Texas as well as Australia. What made

 

you want to set the novel in these two places? Well I live in Texas so I

 

wanted to make use  of my home state. After living here for about 30

 

years, I have a soft spot for Texas now.  Also I have visited Melbourne,

 

Australia for about three weeks and have taken notes, and since it was

 

such an exotic place and I had such an amazing time there, I wanted to

 

 share some of my experiences with readers.

 

3. The cover is beautiful did you have any input in this cover? Yes,

actually, I did. The publisher sent me a few samples to look at, and

I chose this one. But the cover you see now was tweaked a number

of times. One of the changes was the addition of the red tulips along

the snowy path. I'm so glad the publisher  was open to changes. I'm

 very happy with the final cover. It reflects the story even better than,

 and I think that bit of unexpected intrigue along the road will  be

eye-catching to the bookstore browser.

 

4. The title is unique. How did you come up with Winter in Full Bloom?

 

Sometimes I brainstorm titles, and then sometimes I use the phrase I

 

find within the manuscript that works well as a title. Winter in Full

 

Bloom was created in one of my brainstorming sessions. As a side note,

 

there are couple of meanings to this title. The heroin's name is Lilly

 

Winter. Also half  of the book takes place in Houston at the advent of

 

winter, but when she flies to Melbourne  at the same time of the year,

 

Australians are experiencing the beginning of spring. So even though

 

Lilly has begun getting ready for winter, she suddenly enters into the

 

 season springtime --- literally and in her personal life.

 

5. Are the characters from your imagination, or do they come from

 

real-life? My characters are a mixture of both. I'll be watching someone

 

at the airport or  the mall or at church, and I'll think, "Wow, that gesture

 

 is perfect for my characters." Then some of my character traits will

 

come straight from my imagination. Usually it's a fun brew of all the

 

 above.

 

6. Do you and your husband travel a lot? We travel much more now that

 

we have an empty nest. Last year we went to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada.

 

This year we've been to Mexico, California, and right now as I type this

 

 answer, my husband and I are waiting at the airport to fly to Ireland.

 

Can't wait. I'm hoping to set one of my future novels in Ireland.

 

7. Why do you write? I have a real need to express myself creatively --- 

 

guess I was born that way --- writing and I fit well together.

8. Your hero, Lily Winter, is experiencing empty nest. Why did you add

 that element to the story? I was going through this rough phase of

motherhood , and  I thought it would be good to add this to the story. I

 hope it added an element of authenticity to the tale. And too, forcing

myself to write about the pain surely helped me deal with it better.

9. How long have you been writing? I've been in this profession for about

 30 years. It's been a long stumbly kind of journey. I've had some dark

hours --- those moments when I really didn't know what I was doing or

 why I was doing it. Moments when rejection swept me under like a

scary undertow. Moments when getting published seem pretty much

impossible. But I never gave up, and I'm glad I didn't. I have had 34

 books published  in many genres, and even though it's been a rough

ride, it has also been deeply satisfying.

 

10. This story is about twin sisters. Are you a twin or do you have a

 

sister?  I'm afraid I have to say no to both of these questions, but

 

 I've always  wanted to have a sister. And that desire I suppose

 

 fueled the dialogue and some of this story.

 

11. Winter in Full Bloom is a love story but also story of family

 

reconciliation. Have you experienced that last part in your own

 

life? Yes, I have known the miracle of family reconciliation, and

 

has brought me great joy.

 

12. Any final words for you readers? If you have ever taken the time

 

to read one of my novels, I thank you with all my heart. I sincerely

 

 hope that Winter in Full Bloom inspires you, and makes you laugh,

 

and when you come to the last page and close the book, I hope your

 

 heart and your step feels just a little lighter.



 

Book Description:Lily Winter's wings are folded so tightly

around her daughter that when empty nest arrives, she feels she can

no longer fly. But Lily's lonely, widowed life changes in a heartbeat

when she goes to visit a woman who is almost a stranger to her-a

woman who also happens to be her mother. During their fiery

reunion, her mother reveals a dark family secret that she'd been

hiding for decades-Lily has an identical twin sister who was put

 up for adoption when they were just babies. Without looking back,

Lily-with her fear of flying-boards a jumbo jet and embarks on a

quest  to find her sister which leads half way around the world to

Melbourne, Australia. Befriended by imprudent Aussie, he might

 prove to be the key to finding her sister. But her journey becomes

 a circle that leads  her back home to attempt a family reunion and

 to find the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance

 to fall in love again.

My 5 Star Review:

 Winter in Full Bloom a novel

by Anita Higman

Wow what I journey this book will take you on. The author Anita

Higman gives such vivid  descriptions, that you can not help but feel

 like you are in the mist of the story. Lily Winter has lived a hard life.

She has endured the hardship of being raised by a cruel mean unloving

mother. She has lost her father and husband but clings to her dear sweet

daughter, whom she loves and adores. After a nasty confrontation

with her estranged mother Lily finds out she has a twin sister she never

 knew about. So her journey begins and takes her to Melbourne Australia

in the search of her long lost sister Camille. There she meets American

Marcus Averill; he is charming, strange, funny, gentle. Like Lily, Marcus

 has lived through tough times. Together they  face life’s toughest

challenges, forgiveness, redemption  and the quest for acceptance and

 love.

Anita Higman is a fairly new author to me, I have not  read many books

by her but the few I have read I have really enjoyed. I highly

recommend this book; it is a Christian fiction with a little romance.

If you like what you have read here today and would like the chance

to win a copy, let me know in the comments below. I will announce

a winner on Octber 27, 2013. Include your email address  so I can

notify the winner.

 





Women Living Well, Finding Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home by Courtney Joseph

Publisher's Description:

"Women Living Well" will take readers to the word of God as it practically helps them navigate their

as  walk with Christ in the areas of marriage, parenting and homemaking.

Living well in this modern world is a challenge. Economic pressures, shifting mores, kids' activities, 

social media, smart phones--the landscape of our lives has changed just from one decade to the next.

At the same time, our fundamental needs have not changed. Our husbands, our children, our souls

still thirst for fulfillment. How do we match our families' age-old needs to the new challenges of

twenty-first-century life?

Mommy-blogger Courtney Joseph is a cheerful realist. She tackles this critical question head on,

 

starting with the keys to protecting our walk with God "even with toddlers in the home "

 

Her practical approach includes tons of tips that are perfect for busy moms, including:

• A Busy Mom's Guide to Meditating on Scripture
• Marriage and Media Landmines
• Handling Disappointment with Your Husband's Spiritual Leadership

There is nothing more important than fostering your faith, building your marriage, training your

children, and creating a haven for your family. "Women Living Well" is a clear and personal guide to

 making the most of these precious responsibilities.

My review: 5 Star

I had the honor of receiving an copy of this great book, from the author of a blog I follow and a group

 I take part in. Courtney Joseph founded the blog, WomenLivingWell.org in 2008 and the went on to

create Good Morning Girls.Org.. Good morning Girls exists to inspire, encourage and equip women

all over the world to get into God’s Word through an online communities. Bible studies, resources

and videos were created for women to use free of charge. In my opinion her book Women Living

Well, Finding Your Joy in God, Your Man, Your Kids, and Your Home is the child born from both

sites. In this book she shows Christians women, wives and mothers how to live the life Christ created

us to live. You will find a combination of parenting advice, marriage advice and Bible study all rolled

 into one. She shows how today’s women are faced with many challenges of being so busy that we

often push aside the most important. Courtney will give you the guidance to live like a Proverbs 31

women described in the Bible. Her ideas and advice is easy to follow and tailor to your own needs.

This book will give you the encouragement to live in a Biblical way following Christ, expressing

yourself, honoring your husband and walking with the King. This is a great book to help each of us

live well as wives, mothers and women. I especially loved how she backed everything she taught

with scripture. In each chapter you will find a how to, how to respect your husband, how to change

the atmosphere of your home, how to use peace-filled words, how do we get the eagerness of the

Proverbs 31 woman, and one of my favorites the how to of bubble bath basics. I would like to thank

the author Courtney Joseph for taking the step of faith and writing this book. 

I thougt I would share a few excerpts from the book:

Happily Ever After     

The days of dreaming of being a princess are long gone. I certainly found my Prince Charming, but

my tiara came tumbling off when I realized marriage was hard work. Without the Word of God and

the Holy Spirit’s help, I’m not sure we would have made it very long! My husband and I have read

countless books on marriage and have pursued building a strong marriage. As a result, my marriage

far exceeds anything I could have ever dreamed. My tall, dark, handsome husband still lights my fire

when he smiles at me! I have no fear for our future because following God’s Word is a safeguard to

our marriage. We will surely fall on hard times again and again, but together we can weather the

storms life brings as we walk with the King.

The Great I AM

Have we forgotten the power of the “I”—not the iPad, iPhone, or iPod—but of the Great I AM? Jesus

said:

 • "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall 

 never thrist" John 6:35• "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light  of life." John 8:12

• "I am the door. If anyonne enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture."

John 10:9 
 
• "I  am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." John 10:11   • "I am

the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live." John

 11:25

• "I am the way, ad the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it ia that bears much

fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” John 15:5

Bubble Bath Basics 

An awesome bubble bath takes planning, so here’s what you need:

1. Privacy—all children asleep and husband aware that you don’t want to be interrupted

2. Hot water and loads of bubbles—preferably ones that smell yummy!

3. S ome soft classical music

4. A hand towel rolled up as a pillow

5. A cold drink to set beside the tub

6. Your Bible, a good Christian book, or simply quietness— reflecting on your day and talking with

God in prayer

Optional: a lit candle

http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/09/the-women-living-well-blog-tour/

Life with a Heathen Cat

Echo came into my life in May of this year; he was only supposed to be here a little while. It looks like he will be staying longer than I had in mind. From outward appearances he seems to look like a nice looking tom cat but has a nasty attitude. I refer to him as heathen cat because the devil had to have gotten a hold of him, you see in my option he has to be possessed by something awful. He is a little guy about ten pounds of black and white fur. That tells me he had to have had the light of Jesus in him at one time but somehow he got mixed up with the darkness of the fallen angel Lucifer. His given name is Echo; I know why his parents choose that name. It seems he likes to hear the sound of his own voice. For about four or five days a month he screams incessantly. I mean for hours and hours at a time. The only time he hushes is when he is asleep and even then he is meowing. He walks around with his belly rubbing the floor and his hinny high in the air. His favorite thing in the whole world to do is work my last nerve. My cabinets are appealing to him and he can not pass up an opportunity to jump on them. I have had many talks with him about this problem but he turns a deaf ear to me. I call it selective hearing you know when your own children hear only what they want to hear; yes he has cat selective hearing. Nothing seems to phase this cat, I have tried hollering but my screams only give me a headache. I have swatted his backside with a newspaper hoping the noise would scare him and it does long enough for me to get back to my recliner and get my feet up. Last week we tried a Nerf gun that shoots those soft bullets but he eats them. I must admit it does scare the dogs, when they hear that thing cock the shoot out the room. Just this week I put some holy water in a spray bottle and it stopped him right in his tracks. I think he was letting God’s spirit minister to him for a few seconds then he hide only to come back when I was nice and comfortable. He has fooled me into thinking he has moved on to a nice condo in Timbuktu but that dream was short lived. He was found safe and sound after a few hours of being locked in the bathroom closet. His cries could have woke the dead. I would be glad to pay his rent but for some reason he refuses to leave. I may need the services of the Justice of Peace soon, too serve the eviction notice. I have had the pleasure of getting sweet revenge on his poor little lost soul. A few days ago I took a long soak in the tub. It was great you should try it sometimes. Fill the tub with hot water, grab a good book and soak until the water is frigid. It was at that point when I started to turn blue that I got my revenge. You see I had endured one hour of him stalking me in the tub, knocking the soap in the water, dumping my drink and pushing my towel in. Not to mention him giving me the evil eye the whole time. It was when I got out and was drying off that a bolt of lighting came out of nowhere and knocked him right off his four furry feet and into that fidget water. It did not take him long to make a mad dash to the side of the tub. I bet he felt like he was climbing Mt Rushmore trying to free himself. When he finally made it to freedom he did a little jig around the room. Shacking one paw off then another. I do not know why he would think he would need another bath after that but that’s just what he did. He sat for the longest time bathing himself and planning his next attack on me. What he does not know is that I have my eyes on him and I am watching him too. And I can not forget to mention that I have God on my side. I am fervently praying that he would find salvation and become a change cat with a new heart.

This is Echo the heathen cat trying to soak in God's love and mercy by sleeping on my Bible study bag.



Sin

We are all human, and will sin. Christ tells us it is serious business when we do. When we sin we alone are responsible for our actions and our words. It is not the fault of the guy who pulled in front of me that I cursed. Nor is it hubby’s fault we stayed out to late and could not wake up for church. It is my fault, mine alone. The word of God tells us that it would be better to die than lead someone else into sin. We are told to be very careful and to watch ourselves. If our brother, sister or neighbor sins we are too gently and lovingly correct him and forgive him. Forgive others as often as needed, seventy times seventy or more. Just as we should be held accountable for our actions and to each other we are called to forgive each other.

I challenge you today to look around and pray for someone. Pray for the driver that cut you off. The customer in line in front or behind you.

Prayer: Father in heaven I ask you to forgive me my sins. Help me to think about my actions and how they affect others. I want to be held accountable for the wrongs I commit, allow me to be gently corrected. I love you Father and thank you for forgiving me.

UNFORESEEABLE: BOOK THREE IN THE ROAD TO KINGDOM SERIES,

by Nancy Mehl 

Callie Hoffman knows she has a good life in Kingdom, Kansas. She's thrilled to be engaged to Levi Housler, the new pastor of Kingdom Mennonite Church, and she spends her days working with her friend and soon-to-be sister-in-law, Lizzie Housler, at Cora's Cafe.


However, Callie's idyllic life is interrupted when a body is discovered on the road outside Kingdom and the deceased turns out to be a victim of a serial killer. As Washington County's new sheriff begins questioning Kingdom residents, Callie and the rest of the town are appalled at the prospect of a killer among them. The very reason Kingdom exists is to protect the people from the temptations and dangers of the outside world, but all the town founders' attempts to plan ahead couldn't prevent a threat like this.
Unsettled at this unforeseen danger, Callie is concerned when it appears Levi knows more than he's telling. Desperate to find answers for herself, Callie never expected that she'd have to face some of her own past's skeletons.

As Callie and the residents of Kingdom fear this danger for which they never planned, they must learn anew that only God knows the future and their trust must always lie in Him.
My review of Unforseeable: Unforeseeable, Road to Kingdom Series by Nancy Mehl
Callie Hoffman has loved Levi Housler since grade school but thought he had never noticed her. She is now newly engaged to him. Levi is the newly appointed Mennonite pastor, some parishioners think he is to young to be pastor. It seems a serial killer has targeted their secluded community. "Murder and meatloaf just don't go together," Lizzie grumbled in the restaurant Callie was employed at. Can the newly appointed Sherriff protect the people of Kingdom? It seems not when the killer gets too close. Now they are pointing fingers at Levi. Callie has noticed some changes in Levi and she is questioning his love. Will they survive this test? The author Nancy Mehl has done a magnificent job keeping me guessing as to who has done it. She has interweaved faith among the action and suspense of this Christian Romantic Suspense Fiction. This is the third book in her Road to Kingdom series, I know if you pick it up you will enjoy it as much as I have.  


Nancy Mehl has been a writer for over twenty years. The author of fourteen books, with two scheduled to be released in 2013. She was first published in 2001. You will find a little something extra special in Nancy’s books, she shares a little of her faith. Her and hubby Norman call Wichita, Kansas home but hope to join their son and his family in Missouri soon. Every good author needs a muse to inspire and help with all their writing and work that goes on behind the scenes. Nancy is no different her muse just happens to have four legs and a tail, her puggle Watson. I had to know more about her furry friend,Watson, so I asked if she could share a little about him. Her reply was, "Watson, Oh, my. He's a special little boy. There are things he absolutely hates: Plastic bags, tin foil and flies. I don't understand the first two, but I'm with him on the last one. He doesn't like anyone to touch ANYTHING that belongs to him. His toys, his crate or his leash. He LOVES going for walks, doggie treats and his people. That's what we are, you know. The truth is, we don't own him. He owns us."

Nancy Mehl is a fairly new author to me. I stumbled upon one of her books about a year or so ago. Although I have not had the pleasure of reading all her books, the ones I have read gave me courage to grow, inspired greater faith and gave the feeling of walking with the characters. I have really enjoyed getting to read her books and getting to know her. I am lucky to call Nancy a friend and sister in Christ.

 I was able to ask Nancy what her favorite scripture was and she said "I love all scripture, but one of my favorites is Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I love this because so many people don't realize that they are special to God. God has a plan for all of us as individuals, and NO ONE can fill our role the way we can. I use my writing to encourage people to seek God's will for their lives. His plans are always exciting and fulfilling!" When asked how God has worked in her life lately, she said, "God works in my life every day. He's amazing! One example: Even though I wanted our house to sell earlier this year, he made us wait. Although it was frustrating, now I see why He did that. The timing is perfect in so many ways. He is so good!"

God uses each of us everyday in some way or somehow, but I was cuourious as to how he uses her as a writer and author. She told me, "I think God uses me to encourage people - to let them know they're not wandering generalities. They are unique, special, and loved."

If you have not had the oppertunity to read one of Nancy Mehl's books you are really missing out. You need to check out the first two in The Road to Kingdom series, Inescapable and Unbreakable.  She also has some other great books available.

Nancy's BlogNancy-Mehl-Fan-Page on Facebook
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