Spotlight and Giveaway: Logan vs the Pouty Paw Paw by Allen Brokken

About the Book

Book: Logan vs. the Pouty Paw Paw

Author: Allen Brokken

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Logan has a lip so pouty his Pa is sure a bird is going to poop on it.

Shoveling coal as a furnace feeder at the foundry is hot, sweaty work, but Logan is determined to pay off his debt for a broken spyglass—even if his lower lip sticks out the whole time. But when a “Pouty Paw Paw” tree begins growing in the soot of the foundry’s smokestack, the town of Blooming Glen starts catching a bad case of the “pouts”. When Gran’s legendary joyful jam is stolen and replaced with a “darkness jam” that makes everyone hateful, Logan must trade his gloom for the fruit of joy. With his pet raccoon Rascal by his side, Logan is about to prove that a joyful heart is the best weapon against a stinky, pouting plot!

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age-appropriate way. He’s dedicated 15 years of his life to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development. Now that his own children are off to college he’s telling stories and sharing clean humor on social media.

 

 

 

More from Allen

“Logan vs. the Pouty Paw Paw” is a special book in the series “Logan’s search for the Fruits of the Spirit” because it was written with the support of my stepdad, John Beghtol.  In the spring of 2025, we were working through the death of my Mom from a long battle with cancer.  He found out my kids were running a Kickstarter for one of my picture books, Meow Meow Milks the Cow, and decided to support it.  As a supporter, he earned the option to share some creative direction on one of my upcoming projects.

 

Over the summer of 2025, I was doing some research for my next Logan book, looking for a native Midwestern fruit that would be good for representing sadness, to contrast with the spiritual fruit of joy.  I learned that Paw Paws were a rare native fruit that would have been used to make jam in the 1860’s.  So, they seemed like a good fit, especially if they were Pouty Paw Paws.  It also kind of fit what was going on with us, both of us were sad at the loss of my mom, and many people use the name Paw Paw as another name for a Grandfather. So, it spawned the idea that Gramps from the Towers of Light series could be a key character in this adventure.

 

I shared an early flight plan for the story with him, and he liked it in principle, but then provided an idea around a mysterious stranger entering the town.  I like the idea, but I felt a little stuck because this story takes place after the Towers of Light series, where all the bad guys had been defeated, so who was this mysterious stranger?  Eventually, I just wrote a mini story about the stranger to place him in the city, and I was off with a solid story to tell.

 

The story ended up being a good cross-section of dealing with sadness of different forms, from being upset over chores that feel to hard, to the loss of a loved one. At the same time, I kept the fun and hijinks that only a boy and his pet raccoon can get into.  I hope your child enjoys it as much as I did while writing it with my Bonus Dad.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 6

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 7 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 8 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, August 9 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 11

Books, Books, & More Books, August 12 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, August 13 (Author Interview)

Fiction Book Lover, August 14 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, August 14

Vicky Sluiter, August 15

Labor Not in Vain , August 16

The Bookish Ledger, August 17 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, August 18 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, August 18

Stories By Gina, August 19 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Allen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/tMg4L/logan-vs-the-pouty-paw-paw-celebration-tour-giveaway

Spotlight and Giveaway: When the South Wind Blows by Barbara A Curtis

About the Book

Book: When the South Wind Blows

Author: Barbara A. Curtis

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 14, 2026

He’s spent his life chasing headlines—until the woman behind the story captures his heart.

Elizabeth Canton never planned to abandon her budding theater career, but after witnessing a crime, she has no choice but to disappear. When a family invitation offers refuge at the Double E Ranch, she seizes the chance to hide and finds unexpected purpose helping her young cousin rehearse for the stage, never expecting to be drawn to the local reporter who sees past her carefully kept secrets.

Ranch hand Logan Palmer has always dreamed of writing stories that matter, not livestock columns for the town paper. Elizabeth’s grace catches his eye. But it’s her patience and tenderness with her cousin that captures his heart, even as her mystery stirs his reporter’s instincts. The closer he grows to her, the more he questions whether some stories are better left untold.

As Elizabeth and Logan grow closer, danger follows her to Idaho. When her past catches up with her, she’ll have to choose between protecting her heart and trusting in love. And Logan must decide what matters more—the story that could launch his career, or the woman who’s stolen his heart.

Set against the rugged beauty of the American West, this touching historical romance explores the healing power of family, second chances, and learning that sometimes the greatest role we can play is simply being ourselves.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Barbara A. Curtis lives in Connecticut with her husband, and they have one grown son, a blessing to their hearts. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Novel Academy.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Barbara

Chocolate, Chocolate

What part does chocolate play in When the South Wind Blows? To little Susannah, it plays a big part, as Logan is going to help her frost her salvaged cake.

 

“Miss Lizzie?” Logan hadn’t moved from his spot next to the stove. “If it’s all right with you, may Susannah and I make the frosting for the cake?”

He knew how to make frosting? And again, he included the little girl.

“Thank you. Susannah, why don’t you pull out the cookbook for chocolate that your grandma and I like, and you and Logan will be in charge?”

“Oh yay! The Hershey’s Cookbook? They have the best frosting recipe.”

 

Yes, in 1934 Hershey’s had published a cookbook, so it would have been well loved and used in the Double E Ranch kitchen in 1950.

And Nestlé’s Toll House cookies weren’t far behind, as Nestlé acquired the rights to the original recipe in 1939. By World War II, the cookies were a staple included in packages sent to US servicemen overseas. Do you think they’d mind that Elizabeth called her version Victory cookies? Though they had nothing to do with the war but a little victory right at home.

Have you ever renamed a favorite recipe just for your family for fun?

I hope you enjoy When the South Wind Blows, the final book in the Blooms of the Bitterbrush series. Maybe with a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie to go along with it.

 

Blessings.

Barbara

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 4

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 5

Simple Harvest Reads, August 6 (Guest Review from Marilyn)

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 7

Texas Book-aholic, August 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, August 9

lakesidelivingsite, August 10

Books Less Travelled, August 11 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 11

DevotedToHope, August 12

Connie’s History Classroom , August 13

Cover Lover Book Review, August 14

Sydney Schmied Books, August 15

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, August 16 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 17

Pause for Tales, August 17

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/oVpBV/when-the-south-wind-blows-celebration-tour-giveaway

Spotlight and Giveaway: Lethal Design by S F Baumgartner

About the Book

Book: Lethal Design (KC & Orlando Prime Book 2)

Author: S.F. Baumgartner

Genre: Crime Thriller with Christian elements

Release Date: August 4, 2026

Some deaths are designed.

The death looks routine — no foul play, no reason to dig. But KC knows this building and what happened here a year ago. And the pattern spreading across the city is no coincidence.

Professionals with no addiction history are dying along eerily similar paths. Someone patient and invisible is engineering these outcomes. As the Orlando Prime task force chases separate leads across the city, the threads begin pointing to the same dark center.

The closer they get, the more dangerous the truth becomes. Some designs were never meant to be uncovered — and the cost of exposing this one may be more than any of them are prepared to pay.

Perfect for fans of Terri Blackstock and Lynette Eason who love fast-paced, clean crime thrillers with the intensity of Criminal Minds and the grit of NCIS.

Follow Kylie “KC” Cassidy and the Orlando Prime task force as they take on the cases no one else can crack, starting with Lethal Design.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

S.F. Baumgartner crafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets and Forgotten Secret—Books 1 & 2 of her Mirror Estate series—named Top Picks in the thriller & suspense categories, respectively, at Killer Nashville, and Tangled Secrets—Book 3 of Mirror Estate series—won couple of awards in the Christian Indie Awards and the Incipere Awards. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson’s style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.

 

More from S.F.

Lethal Design, Book 2 in the KC & Orlando Prime series, shifts the spotlight in a powerful way. While Fatal Invitation centered on Detective Kylie Cassidy, this installment dives deep into the elite Prime Task Force, especially its leader, Commander Frank Travers.

A year ago, Travers lost his wife to a brutal, unsolved murder. The case went cold. The killer vanished. But in Lethal Design, that past refuses to stay buried.

As KC and the Prime team investigate a new wave of suspicious deaths, threads begin to surface, threads that may finally lead Travers to the truth he’s been chasing. And this time, it’s personal.

What makes this story especially layered is how it connects back to the larger conspiracy introduced in Stolen Secrets. Pieces are moving. Secrets are colliding. And everything must align as the story builds toward a confrontation that’s been a long time coming.

Expect high-stakes action, tight investigative work, and emotional tension as justice and revenge blur into something far more dangerous.

Because when Travers comes face-to-face with his wife’s killer… there’s no guarantee he walks away.

And KC may be the only one who can keep him from crossing a line he can’t come back from.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, July 31

The Lofty Pages, July 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 1

Vicky Sluiter, August 2 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 3

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 4

Texas Book-aholic, August 5

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 6

For the Love of Literature, August 7 (Author Interview)

Blogging with Carol, August 8

Because I said so, August 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 10

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 11 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 12

Betti Mace, August 13

Leslie’s Library Escape, August 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, S.F. is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/uhz7K/lethal-design-celebration-tour-giveaway

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Husband Tree by Mary Connealy

About the Book

Book: The Husband Tree

Author: Mary Connealy

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: July 21, 2026

From bestselling author Mary Connealy comes a spirited Western romance filled with danger, determination, and unexpected love—a tale of a fierce widow rancher, a hardworking cowboy, and the family that brings them together. Perfect for fans of historical romance and strong heroines.

Belle Tanner has buried three husbands under the “Husband Tree” and managed her Montana ranch alone while raising four daughters. When she needs help with a dangerous cattle drive, she hires Silas Harden—a man who actually knows his way around cattle and horses. Unlike her previous husbands, Silas isn’t afraid of hard work, but Belle’s not about to let another man take charge of her ranch or her heart.

Silas never planned on falling for a widow with four daughters, especially one as independent as Belle. But as they face treacherous mountain passes, wolf attacks, and winter storms together, he discovers that what he thought was just another job might be his chance at a real family—if he can convince Belle to trust in love one more time.

With winter closing in and dangers mounting, Belle and Silas must learn to work together and trust in God’s plan. But can Belle let go of her iron control and let love lead? And can Silas prove he’s different from the husbands who came before?

A heartwarming story of faith, family, and finding love in the rugged Montana Territory.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedies with cowboys and is celebrated for her fun, zany, action-packed style. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist. She is the bestselling author of 75 books and novellas. She has over a million and a half books in print.

Mary lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her very own romantic cowboy hero. Visit her website or find her at Petticoats & Pistols!

 

More from Mary

The Husband Tree remains the book I am asked about the most when I talk to readers.

Or, if I get asked, which is your favorite character…someone inevitably says Belle Tanner.

There’s something about that woman.

The title of the book is based on the tree where she’s buried three worthless husbands. After Anthony died falling off the roof…where he was hiding from work as usual, she’s tossing dirt on his face while vowing to God and her children to never marry again.

She’s taught her girls to work hard at her side, but her main lesson is to teach them to avoid men at all costs. A warning that doesn’t survive, but not for lack of effort on Belle’s part.

She’s the meanest good guy I’ve ever written, the most enduring ‘fiesty lady rancher’. Yet somehow, her REASONS for being mean are so well tuned, that she gets away with being a very hostile-to-men woman.

Not that I haven’t written plenty of feisty lady ranchers…in fact I love the type so much I have to fight putting one as the heroine in every book. But Belle is in a league of her own.

Silas Harden is also NOT interested in a woman. He’s been burned bad TWICE by women. One woman a betrayer, another a sneaking liar who stages a ‘compromising situation’ to force a marriage. He’s lost two ranches because of it. He wants a place of his own and he’s not risking letting a woman ruin things for him. It’s cost him too much.

But, much as she hates to admit she needs a man’s help, Belle’s going to lose her herd if she doesn’t get the cattle to market and there’s no one else to help but the wandering cowpoke, Silas.

Belle and her four daughters, including a diaper-wearing baby, need to punch one thousand head of cattle over the roughest trail in the whole world…not that Belle’s familiar with the whole world, but it’s a brutally hard stretch.

Off they go, both bristling, but soon enough they’re working so hard they’re too TIRED to hate each other.

And then here comes love. A man Belle can’t help but respect. A woman Silas can’t help but trust.

If they all survive this drive…both of them might just take a chance again, on love.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 28

Texas Book-aholic, July 29

For Him and My Family, July 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 31

Guild Master, August 1 (Author Interview)

Book Holds and Jello Molds, August 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, August 2

Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 3

She Lives To Read, August 4

Simple Harvest Reads, August 5 (Guest Review from Donna)

Fiction Book Lover, August 6 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, August 6

Book Looks by Lisa, August 7

Cover Lover Book Review, August 8

Labor Not in Vain, August 9

Holly’s Book Corner, August 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Mary is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/GRmzP/the-husband-tree-celebration-tour-giveaway

Spotlight and Giveaway: Blue Jean Bayou by Janis Jakes

About the Book

Book: Blue Jean Bayou

Author: Janis Jakes

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance

Release Date: June 12, 2026

After Jenna’s father dies, she travels to his cabin in the Texas Piney Woods to oversee the remodeling and ready the property for sale. She’s surprised when the contractor is a childhood crush – now a handsome man with a heart of gold.

Their friendship reignites, bringing the possibility of more…but at a price. Jenna, a business owner, loves the bustling streets of Manhattan. Creed, a military veteran with a hero’s past, finds refuge in small-town living.

When Jenna learns her father led a secret life, her world turns upside down, and she suspects Creed knows more than he’s telling.

As the truth about her father emerges, Jenna faces the secrets hidden in her own heart and must choose: a life of high heels and high rises or a meandering bayou with the man she now loves.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Janis Jakes is an author of multiple contemporary and historical inspirational romances with an emphasis on courageous men, strong women, Texas sunsets, and happily ever after.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Janis

Texas is known for its vastness and cities like Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. While those cities are great, there’s something about a small Texas town that stirs the heart and evokes a sense of community.

 

When I wrote Blue Jean Bayou, I wanted Shelton’s Cove to be one of those small towns that every reader would want to visit—where they’d find hundred-year-old farmhouses, wooden bridges that clack under the weight of vehicles, country diners where chicken-fried steak is standard fare, and salt-of-the-earth folks who look after their neighbors.

 

I also wanted characters who embody the Texas nature I know so well: brave men with strong faith and a staunch work ethic, and women who face life’s unexpected twists and turns with strength.

 

My ultimate hope is that readers get a true sense of the town and enjoy meeting the characters who call Shelton’s Cove home. This is Book 1 of the three-book Small Town Texas Series.

 

A little backstory nugget: The café in Blue Jean Bayou is named Myrtle’s Café after my late grandmother. She could cook like no one’s business—her meringue is legendary!—so it only seemed right to give the café her namesake.

Blog Stops

Devoted Steps, July 27

Simple Harvest Reads, July 28 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, July 29 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 29

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 30

Guild Master, July 31 (Author Interview)

She Lives To Read, August 1

Fiction Book Lover, August 2 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, August 3

The Bookish Ledger, August 4 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, August 5

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, August 6 (Author Interview)

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, August 7 (Author Interview)

Holly’s Book Corner, August 7

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 8

Stories By Gina, August 9 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Janis is giving away the grand prize of a $75 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/N6cAK/blue-jean-bayou-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Quest of Fire: The Unending Light by Brett Armstrong

About the Book

Book: Quest of Fire: The Unending Light

Author: Brett Armstrong

Genre: Christian, High Fantasy

Release Date: December 30, 2025

War has consumed the Lowlands in both Jason and Anargen’s eras. Each teen struggles to keep true to the Quest as the armies led by the dark powers of the Lowlands edge closer to victory.

A secret buried in Ordumair can guarantee that evil Monarch Ilyron destroys the Tower of Light Anargen has striven to defend. And Jason’s brother, Dorian, has found an equally powerful weapon in the mysterious land of Jhi. The ancient threat of dragons returning to the Lowlands threatens to plunge the Lowlands into ruin.

Losses that leave both teens grieving deeply and an ever-diminishing list of allies means they must be willing to give everything to rescue their world from the looming desolation. But they must face the truth that it is still far too little to win, unless they can hold on till the King’s Day arrives.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow’s Edge series), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire saga). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

 

More from Brett

Quest of Fire is a story told across seven books that took twenty years of dreaming and drafting. A story about the High King, who is a reflection of the King of Kings and the great story He has composed in which we are all taking part. Our God is described as “a consuming fire”*, a fire that also refines us and is shaping us into His likeness. My hope with the Quest of Fire series is that after reading it that fire has caught and blazes in the reader’s heart and gives them the courage to stand firm. Because Quest of Fire is filled with moments in which a vast, terrible darkness seems certain to crush a small group bravely bearing up that light, and they must choose to stand firm no matter the cost. The final entry in the series, The Unending Light, picks up that theme and sees it to its harrowing end with epic battles fought across a world built with rich, immersive detail. Heart warming and rending moments take place that just as much as the dramatic and sweeping conflicts force the protagonists to face the dark and choose whether they will remain in the light and see the Quest of Fire to the end or turn back and flee like so many others around them. So my hope is that others will read and join in the Quest of Fire, because even though it is fraught and hope is fragile, there is one truth that both the protagonists of The Unending Light and we need cling to: “the darkness has not overcome the Light.”** This story, like the great story, is about Him.

* Hebrews 12:29

** John 1:5

Blog Stops

Stories By Gina, July 9 (Author Interview)

Simple Harvest Reads, July 10 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, July 11 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, July 12

Fiction Book Lover, July 13 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, July 14 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, July 15

Vicky Sluiter, July 16 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 17 (Spotlight)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 17

For the Love of Literature, July 18 (Author Interview)

Lily’s Corner, July 19

Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 20 (Author Interview)

Blossoms and Blessings, July 21 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, July 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, July 22

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Brett is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, an eBook copy of The Unending Light, exclusive digital map poster, and series theme music!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/EgmVf/quest-of-fire-the-unending-light-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

The Unending Light is the seventh installment from the Quest of Fire series by Brett Armstrong. I have read several books from this series and enjoyed each one. Even though this is part of a series, I believe it can be read as a stand alone. I do appreciate that the author includes a short reminder of what has happened previously the first six books. Jason and Anargen are thrown into danger that made me stay on the edge of my seat to see what outcome they will have in their own worlds.

The Unending Light is getting four stars from me. I would be interested in reading the other books I have missed from the Quest of Fire series to see what happened in those books. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy clean and exciting fantasy.  

I received Brett Armstrong's The Unending Light from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.