Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Traveling Prayer Shawl by Jennifer Lynn Cary

About the Book

Book: The Traveling Prayer Shawl

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Christian Women’s Fiction/Split-time

Release date: March 17, 2021

Her dream account just landed in her lap…

…So did the future of her family

And she’s got two months to save them both.

Cami Madison’s grandmother died, leaving her with a task she must complete or all the inheritance goes to charity. Plus her boss handed her the ad campaign that will win her the coveted vice presidency opening.

Both have the same time table.

When she realizes the projects are intertwined, things really start to unravel.

Kate Hanson raised her granddaughter after the child became an orphan in a car accident. But not all scars are on the outside.

Can Kate’s last request help Cami to heal?

Will Cami be able to step up to the job?

You will love this split-time women’s romance because when family is on the line, everyone knows the only way to survive is wrapped in prayer.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café and her split-time novel The Traveling Prayer Shawl.

 

More from Jennifer Lynn

The Traveling Prayer Shawl is actually a tribute to the wonderful women I’ve had the pleasure of making shawls with for the last ten plus years. We have a group that has remained faithful though some have had to leave, and new faces have joined. I thought this would be a book where there would be several points of view, sort of like how it is when we meet one Saturday per month. I even asked the girls when this idea began to churn if they could give me some character ideas.

 

Then one morning this scene came to me and wouldn’t leave. I wrote it out and sent it to my critique group. They thought I might be on to something.

 

Follow that with one of my prayer shawl girls asking if I was still interested in a character idea. Of course I said yes, and she handed me a fully fleshed out supporting character—Dericka.

 

I hadn’t planned on anything romantic but apparently my characters had other ideas. This story couldn’t get itself written fast enough.

 

The cherry on top was when another of my prayer shawl girls shared about a pattern her grandmother had designed that was published back in the 1960’s. With her permission, I include that pattern at the end of the book—an actual prayer shawl to crochet.

 

You will also see a prayer that is included with the shawl in the book. That is the same prayer that is given with each shawl from our Needles of Hope group. It was written by my dear friend, Pastor Lori Brown and used with her permission.

 

Crocheting is a relaxing craft for me and one I came to only a few years ago. My sweet grandmother tried to teach me to crochet, then gently suggested I stick with knitting. Ha! But my husband’s cousin came to visit and accepted the challenge, finally helping me to see what had been so elusive. Now I prefer it to knitting.

 

Though The Traveling Prayer Shawl is a stand-alone and not like my other books, I am currently working on another stand-alone split-time and have included the first chapter at the end of the book. Hope you will enjoy it and that you will try out my friend CeCe’s grandmother’s prayer shawl pattern.

 

Abundant blessings!

Blog Stops

An Author’s Take, May 24

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 25

lakesidelivingsite, May 25

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 26

Texas Book-aholic, May 27

Boondock Ramblings, May 27

Inklings and notions, May 28

For Him and My Family, May 29

Miriam Jacob, May 29

deb’s Book Review, May 30

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 31

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 31

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, June 1

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, June 2

Mary Hake, June 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 3

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, June 4 (Author Interview)

Vicarious Living , June 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 5

Blogging With Carol, June 6

Spoken from the Heart, June 6

Giveaway

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

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

 https://promosimple.com/ps/1df1d/the-traveling-prayer-shawl-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

The Traveling Prayer Shawl is the first book I have read by author Jennifer Lynn Cary. I thought it was a pretty good read. It is a heartwarming story of heartache, element of faith, power of forgiveness, and having hope. I wanted to keep reading to find out more about Morgan, Cami and Kate. It was great to see how the learned some great life lessons and having new perspectives within themselves. I loved that there was a dual timeline too. 

I am giving The Traveling Prayer Shawl four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean and inspiring fiction. I look forward to more books by Jennifer Lynn Cary in the future. 

I received a digital copy of The Traveling Prayer Shawl from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Book Blast and Giveaway: Murderous Interruptions by CJ Carson

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. C.J. Carson will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

The paranormal mystery The Veils of Parallel Times continues with “Murderous Interruptions”. Allie Callahan’s nemesis is a challenging and formidable adversary.

Travel with Allie as she finally accepts and embraces her ancestral gifts to stop her archenemy who would have her destroyed for his own lust of power. Explore the depths of her relationship with this rival in this life and beyond the veil.

Read an Excerpt

When I turned from the fire to respond, the woman hushed me. “You have much work to do, my dear, now rest.” She held me in her arms, swallowing me up in the most comforting sleep I could remember for a very long time, maybe ever.

Hours later, the warm glare of the sun’s first light sliced through the trees of the forest, waking me from a sound sleep. The air was cool and crisp, and I was laying next to the fire that had burned down to smoldering coals. Suddenly, realizing I wasn’t dreaming, I was in unfamiliar surroundings. I remembered the woman I had met the evening before, but she was not within eyeshot. Glancing around to get my bearings, it was shocking to be sitting in the middle of a small clearing of the woods. Several teepees made of tall tree branches wrapped in animal skins sat along the edge of the clearing. Standing and sliding out from under the animal skin blanket, I looked down to see myself dressed in unfamiliar clothes, and leather moccasins covering my feet. I had the strange sensation I was in a familiar place, but still not where I belonged.

Before I took one step, I scanned the area. Then something compelled me to approach one of the dwellings. As I drew closer, an Indian brave stepped out. Grabbing me by the arm, he pulled me into the teepee and shoved me to the ground. Walking to the edge of the space, he retrieved a large round basket and shot it at me with such force I thought it might fray. Shocked, I gazed up at him, he looked oddly familiar, but it was his eyes that gave him away. These new experiences were teaching me that the eyes were indeed the window to the soul. Those dark brown eyes were those of a man I knew all too well. Makya! Could this be Makya? Had I known him through other lifetimes? Although he spoke in a different tongue, it somehow translated perfectly for me.

He was angry and started barking. “You are a lazy dreamer. Why you insist on leaving our dwelling and choose to lay with the fire in place of me is a mystery. You need to do your gathering, and you are late in starting your day. I am off to hunt. You will obey me and begin behaving like a squaw worthy of me.”

I heard footsteps outside as someone was approaching. “Calian, are you coming? We are late; the morning is half over.”

Stunned, my eyes widened. Makya? Although the man called him Calian, the spirit was too familiar. It was the evil spirit I’d come to know as Makya! It didn’t look like him, but it was his temperament.

As I pushed up to my knees, Calian glared down at me, striking out in my direction. Although his hand never touched me, a force knocked me back to the ground. As I raised my hand to him, he grabbed my wrist, twisting it, and forced me back to the ground.

“You know better. Do not use your powers on me. I will strike you down every time. You are no match for me!”

Panic rose in me as I struggled to understand what was happening. If this brave was indeed Makya by a different name, how did we get here?

Pushing through the opening in the structure, he paused without turning to me. “Do not return this afternoon unless you have filled that basket with berries and some healing herbs. You must learn your place and mind your responsibilities. Do not make me the laughingstock of this tribe one more time!”

I listened to his footsteps as he jogged off, mounted his horse, and rode away before I got up from the ground.

About the Author:

CJ Carson was inspired by a great story from a very early age. What brought her to this juncture in life and encouraged her to put pen to paper are the many rich experiences and opportunities of her life's journey.

While working in the medical field, she explored energy work and became a Polarity Therapist and Reiki Therapist.

Exploring acting brought her into the theatre world both on the stage and behind the scenes.

Painting introduced her to a group of artists that shared her passion for bringing a scene to canvas.

Her love of singing allowed her to travel twice to Europe as a soloist with conductor Sonja Dahlgren Prior, who inspired her to do something, she never dreamed possible.

CJ Carson has always wanted to write. Now she is introducing to the world her second published book, "Murderous Interruptions," from her trilogy, Veils of Parallel Times.

Website

Audible
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb Blitz and Giveaway: When We Return by Eliana Tobias

When We Return

by Eliana Tobias

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GENRE:   historical fiction

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Who should be held responsible for public wrong? By 2008, it finally seems that the Peruvian government is ready to make amends to its citizens after the violent guerilla movement of the last three decades.

Otilia and Salvador, a mother and son torn apart during the conflict and separated for twenty years, are eager to have their pain and suffering acknowledged. But they hit a roadblock when the government denies responsibility in their legal case.

Things begin to look up however when Otilia meets Jerry, a kind man and the son of Jewish parents who escaped the Holocaust. Grappling with his own upbringing and the psychological struggled his parents endured, Jerry is just the person to empathize with Otilia's feelings. Together, Otilia, Jerry and Salvador must support one another through the turbulent journey that is healing from historical trauma. And through it, find the courage to rebuild their lives and open themselves to love and companionship.

Artfully weaving together different timelines and countries, this novel examines the nuanced topic of grief a community endures after a collective tragedy. In this exploration of the culture of remembrance following displacement and loss, we discover what happens when out past calls us back to what we must do to achieve justice and reconciliation when we return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT:

The email came late one night as Jerry Gold lay at home in his bed. He rubbed liniment on his right knee before applying an ice pack and, a little apprehensive, asked himself if he should consider giving up jogging at his age. Jerry didn’t make it a habit to look at his messages this late, but the pain kept him awake. When he reached for his cell, he noticed an unfamiliar name. Jerry almost deleted the message, but for some reason, opened it.

Mr Gol, my name is DarioAlvarez and I’m reaching out to you, wondering if you could be my relative. I was born in La Paz, Bolivia in 1949 to my mother Soledad Figueroa. When she was close to her death, my mother confessed that I was not the son of the man I lived with and called my father, but of a foreigner she had known by the name of Milan Goldberg. If you have any information about Milan Goldberf, I would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you for your help. 

As Jery lay in bed, he remembered how, at the end of his life, his father began to talk more about his time in Bolivia. Jerry tried to remember what his father had said about his time as a refugee, when he had been known as “Milan” but Jerry hadn’t paid much attention. At the time, he thought it was best the old man dream about his romantic entanglements rather than what he would have faced had he remained in his homeland in Eastern Europe. Jerry's father had rambled on about his relationships with Latin women in Bolivia, extolling the virtues of one in particular named Soledad. He said he’d had a serious relationship with this Soledad, who lived in a sheltered environment and had to lie every time she sneaked out of the house.

But had his dad fathered a child? This went ‘round and ‘round in Jerry’s mind. Would communication with Dario expose a family secret? He wondered if he should ask Dario for more information before committing to becoming involved. Young adult relationships came and went, and sometimes tough choices had to be made, but Jerry hadn’t really believed his father was in an intimate relationship with Soledad. Not in Jerry’s wildest dreams had he thought the relationship his father had described had, in fact, taken place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Eliana Tobias was born in Santiago, Chile, to immigrant parents who escaped the Holocaust. She graduated from the University of Chile then completed other degrees in early childhood and special education in the United States and Canada. After working in this field in various capacities, including teaching at the National University of Trujillo in Peru, she moved to Vancouver, where she has lived for thirty years and where she discovered her love of writing. Her rich experience of political turmoil, of listening to stories of the Holocaust when Jewish communities in Europe were shattered, of losing family in Chile under military dictatorship, and living in Peru during a time of intense civil conflict, fueled her passion to write about the ways in which people caught in devastation rebuild their lives. Eliana Tobias lives in Vancouver, B.C.

https://elianatobias.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16635485.Eliana_Tobias

http://www.twitter.com/TobiasElliana

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY:

Eliana Tobias will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: All That the Locusts Have Eaten: God's Redemption Through Loss and Heartache by Chuck Carr

About the Book

Book: All That the Locusts Have Eaten: God’s Redemption Through Loss and Heartache

Author: Chuck Carr

Genre: Narrative Nonfiction, Christian Inspirational

Release date: August 22, 2020

Are you suffering from loss? Confused? Do you feel like the world is set against you? Inspiring, this dynamic narrative non-fiction read tells the true story of how one man journeyed from the pit of despair to the purpose filled life God intended him to live. Mingled with poetry, scripture, and literary allegories, this artistically crafted masterpiece is sure to breathe life into even those in the deepest struggles.

Chuck Carr was raised on a farm by Christian parents and attended church each Sunday. Right after graduation, he married his college sweetheart and lived a life of fulfilled dreams.

Until it all fell apart.

In the true story of All That the Locusts Have Eaten, Chuck recounts how tragedy after tragedy struck his life, nearly destroying him. Depressed, desolate, and devastated, Chuck leaned into his faith in God to find answers.

Interwoven in this raw and personal account, Chuck shares intimate journal thoughts and asks hard-hitting questions designed to make the reader think. In a hero’s journey applicable to us all, he reveals how he found restoration after years of heartbreak, and how God put his life back together.

All That the Locusts Have Eaten will encourage readers who have suffered any type of loss. If you have struggled with overwhelming difficulties, you are not alone. Like Chuck, you, too, can discover hope for the future once again.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

As a former youth pastor, Chuck Carr has influenced hundreds of people throughout his life. Author of The Convergence, Navigating Grief, All That the Locusts Have Eaten, and Wonders In The Deep, he desires to help others live effectively despite hardships, as his testimony proves that sufferings can be changed into blessings. Losing a spouse in 2008, he strives to help those hurting from the same pain. While working on the family dairy farm, a life altering accident in 2018 left him with a traumatic brain injury, and his vision and life goal has been refocused to help others heal from devastating traumas. Now remarried to a woman of shared life goals, he has chosen to live with purpose despite his injuries, being an inspiration to others. He currently continues writing books and blogging and can be found at www.Chuck-Carr.com.

 

More from Chuck

Sometimes life hits you unexpected, and when it doesn’t let up, you might feel a bit bewildered.  That was me, when time after time I kept getting up, only to get knocked right back down again.  I couldn’t understand why bad things kept happening to me, a good person, a good man.  I was doing things the right way, so I thought.  I married a God-fearing woman.  I was using my life for God’s purpose.  I had devoted my life to teaching the next generation as a youth pastor.  Everything should have been smooth and easy, right?  Amid a dark storm, nothing seemed easy.  Why hardship hit so relentlessly was a mystery to me.  Things didn’t seem fair.  And when nothing made sense, I was reeling, searching, and found myself on the backside of the wilderness screaming to a God who only seemed to have a deaf ear turned my way.  Sound familiar?  In this book, I take you on a great journey to find answers when most answers seemed bleak, if not non-existent.  Take God’s hand with me, he’s there, I promise.  I’ll show you how his voice is so clear and distinct, even when we have trouble seeing which way is up.  All That the Locusts Have Eaten is a testament to how God can bring us through, and that, in unexpected ways.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, May 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 24

Simple Harvest Reads, May 25 (Author Interview)

Inklings and notions, May 26

For the Love of Literature, May 27 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, May 27

deb’s Book Review, May 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 29

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 30

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 31

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 1

Beauty in the Binding, June 2 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 3

Splashes of Joy, June 4

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, June 5 (Author Interview)

Miriam Jacob, June 5

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Chuck is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card & signed copy of the book!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1df1b/all-that-the-locusts-have-eaten-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

I appreciated how author Chuck Carr was able to tell his story in his All That The Locusts Have Eaten: God's Redemption Through Loss and Heartache.  I admired his honesty and courage to help encourage others who have, also, endured anguish and misery in their own lives. I love how he was able to find strength in his faith and in the Lord. I was inspired by reading this. 

I am giving All That The Locusts Have Eaten: God's Redemption Through Loss and Heartache a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading personal memoirs on how to overcome tragedy. I would love to read more by Chuck Carr in the future. 

I received a digital copy of All That The Locusts Have Eaten: God's Redemption Through Loss and Heartache from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Sprinkle in Time by Dana Mentink

About the Book

Book: A Sprinkle in Time

Author: Dana Mentink

Genre: Cozy mystery (general market)

Release date: May 24, 2022

It’s Alpenfest in Upper Sprocket! Yodelers are congregating in the square, tourists flocking to the town, and Trinidad Jones is scooping up some fall flavors at her Shimmy and Shake Shop.

The cherry on the sundae is her upcoming feature in Go West magazine. She’s determined to serve up the perfect interview, but it won’t be easy, thanks in part to her meddling Cuban grandfather Papa Luis who has decided to make Sprocket his home for the foreseeable future. Papa Luis has set himself up as a taxi driver in his classic 1951 Buick.

But things take a turn when Papa Luis tells her he’s found a corpse in his trunk. Upon closer investigation, they realize the body has disappeared. With the assistance of Juliette and Bonnie (her sisterhood of exes) and the way too handsome nut farmer Quinn Logan, Trinidad must solve the mystery of the disappearing corpse, before her father is up to his neck in a murderous mess.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Dana Mentink is a USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author as well as a two-time American Christian Fiction Writers Carol Award winner, and the recipient of a Holt Medallion. She’s written over fifty titles in the suspense, lighthearted romance and mystery genres. She is pleased to write for Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense, and Poisoned Pen Press. You can connect with Dana via her website at danamentink.com, on Facebook, YouTube (Author Dana Mentink) and Instagram (dana_mentink.)

 

More from Dana

Who wouldn’t want to visit Upper Sprocket? Sure there’s the odd corpse that turns up, but it’s a charming place, complete with a rail riders excursion business and the Shimmy and Shake Shop, run by the determined Trinidad Jones. It’s fall in Sprocket and the locals are hosting a series of Alpenfest events with everything from yodeling performances to sausage cook offs. Papa Luis, Trinidad’s grandfather is happy to shuttle people around in his classic Chevy Bel Air until a body turns up in his truck. But other than that, Sprocket is an idyllic place with a newly opened train car inn operated by Bonnie, one of three women who were married at various times to the same rapscallion of a man. Oh, and then there’s Noodles, Trinidad’s senior Labrador retriever who has learned how to operate the windshield wipers which comes in handy as stormy weather approaches. Trinidad, Papa, Bonnie and Noodles along with other Sprocket residents are going to have their hands full as Alpenfest kicks off and gruesome items begin to pop up around town. Come along on the adventure as Trinidad wades knee deep into the sticky mess.

Railriding research with my sister!

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 21

The Write Escape, May 21

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 22

She Lives To Read, May 22

Daysong Reflections, May 23

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 23

Texas Book-aholic, May 24

Pause for Tales, May 24

Inklings and notions, May 25

Blossoms and Blessings, May 25

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 26

For Him and My Family, May 26

deb’s Book Review, May 27

Blogging With Carol, May 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 28

Christina’s Corner, May 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 29

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, May 30

Simple Harvest Reads, May 30 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, May 31

Labor Not in Vain, May 31

Bigreadersite, June 1

Vicky Sluiter, June 1

Genesis 5020, June 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 2

Lighthouse-Academy, June 3

A Good Book and cup of Tea, June 3

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Dana is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and a signed book!!

(If the winner is outside the U.S., then he or she will receive an eBook.)

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/1df1a/a-sprinkle-in-time-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

I loved the first book from Dana Mentink’s Shake Shop Mystery series, Pint of No Return. I was excited to have the opportunity to read the second installment, A Sprinkle in Time. What another fun and entertaining addition to the series. I was delighted to catch up with Trinidad once again to see what else she gets herself wrapped up into this time. I thought it was great to find out how her and her friends were able to solve the mystery and see who was responsible. 

I am giving A Sprinkle in Time five stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean cozy mysteries. I will be eagerly awaiting to read the next book from the Shake Shop Mystery series. 

I received a paperback copy of A Sprinkle in Time from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Song Girl by Keith Hirshland

Song Girl: A Mystery in Two Verses by Keith Hirshland

On Tour Publisher: Beacon Publishing Group 

(January 21, 2022) 

Categories: Mystery Thriller, Detective/Police Procedural 

Tour Dates April and May, 2022 

ISBN: 978-1949472400 

Available in Print and ebook, 

388 pages

 

Description Song Girl by Keith Hirshland

Detective Marc Allen is ready to leave the Raleigh, North Carolina, Police Department. Two murders that happened on his watch have apparently been solved thanks to a suicide note confession written by a distraught father. But Allen isn’t buying it. He’s convinced that the man’s adopted daughter, Teri Hickox, is the one responsible for the heinous crimes. With his personal life a muddle and his professional career unsettled he decides the best thing for him is a change of scenery. The detective, now in Colorado Springs, is working new cases and making new friends. One of those friends is Hannah Hunt who, after suffering a freak accident, finds herself only able to speak in song titles. Another is a mysterious drifter who lives out of an old Dodge van and goes by “the champ”. But as Allen builds a new future, events unfold showing him that he can’t escape his past. Song Girl is… Part sequel to The Flower Girl Murder Part stand-alone mystery All entertaining

Praise for Song Girl by Keith Hirshland

”A well-written mystery”-The Hollywood Digest “Highly enjoyable! Engaging from start to finish.”-The Entrepreneur Magazine

Praise for Flower Girl Murder by Keith Hirshland

“I had to dig my teeth in the first pages but once I did, I was on a twisty turning ride. This one turned out to be worth the ride. A fast-paced story with great characters. The plot had some twists making it entertaining. As the bodies begin piling up it’s a race to solve the mystery. I enjoyed reading ‘The Flower Girl Murder’. and look forward to reading more from this author. “-My Reading Journeys The Flower Girl Murder is an exciting police procedural/crime mystery story that has realistic characters; witty dialogue and interactions; rich descriptions of the setting that transports the reader to Raleigh, NC, Reno, NV, and Aspen, CO; a fascinating behind the scenes intertwining of police procedural and investigative techniques and the news station on-air news stories and CTA (call to action) segments; and a multi-layered storyline that draws the reader into the interconnection between the main characters as the pieces of the murder investigations puzzle comes together and is solved. The Flower Girl Murder is the kind of mystery that easily keeps the reader captivated, guessing, on their toes, and wanting more!”-Kathleen, Jersey Girl Book Reviews “This is a great story and one that after I got into it I couldn’t put it down. I like how the deaths were linked. There were lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing along the way. This is one mystery I would recommend checking out”- JBronder Book Reviews “There was a lot of action, intrigue, and suspense to keep me entertained. The who done it kept echoing in my mind…guessing happened a lot. Keith Hirshland is a talented writer. He made it impossible to stop reading his book. The detective is a determined fellow who gives his all into solving his investigations. I really liked this character. Overall, this was a great read. I recommend it to all.”-Urban Book Reviews

Awards and Recognition for Keith Hirshland

Book Talk Radio Club Book of the Year 2020 (Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis) Top Shelf Award First Place (mystery) for Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis New Apple Awards Solo Medalist True Crime Category (Big Flies) Shelf Abound Award Winner Indie Book Competition (Big Flies)

About Keith Hirshland

Keith Hirshland is an Emmy Award–winning sports television producer with more than three decades of experience producing live and pre-recorded programs that aired on ESPN and ESPN2. Among the first forty people to be hired by the Golf Channel in 1994, Hirshland was in the middle of the action when that network debuted in 1995. He provided his talents for Golf Channel, as its live tournament producer, for two decades. Cover Me Boys, I'm Going In: Tales of the Tube from a Broadcast Brat is a memoir about his experiences in the television industry. Published by Beacon Publishing Group, Cover Me Boys was recognized as the Book Talk Radio Club Memoir of the Year. Hirshland’s second book, and first work of fiction, Big Flies, was published in 2016 and is the recipient of the New Apple Awards “Solo Medalist” in the True Crime Category. Hirshland followed that success with his third book, The Flower Girl Murder. In 2020 Beacon Publishing Group released Murphy Murphy and the Case of Serious Crisis, Hirshland’s third mystery novel. It was a Top Shelf Magazine First Place award winner and was named the Book Talk Radio Club Book of the Year for 2020. Song Girl Hirshland’s fifth book is the sequel to The Flower Girl Murder and was released in January of 2022. All five books are available at www.keithhirshland.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other bookstores. Keith Hirshland lives in Colorado with his wife and their Pyredoodle Mac. Website: https://www.keithhirshland.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/khhauthor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KeithHirshlandAuthor/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khhauthor/?hl=en

Guest Post

Topic: The A, B C’s of writing a good mystery or police procedural

Thank you, Amy, for allowing me the opportunity to engage with your followers. I’d like to take the “A, B, and C’s” in your topic and turn them into C’s, D’s and S’s” if you don’t mind. That would be the Characters, Dialogue, and Story. 

It seems to me most mysteries either fall into the “Whodunit?” or the “Can the protagonist figure it out?” categories and that’s where the “S”tory comes in. The writer can reveal the crime and the criminal to the reader and take us into the mind of the crime solver as that person works the case. I would say my books, so far, fall into this category. The story is centered around whether or not the “hero” in my books can figure out the crime. In Song Girl you the reader know who the “bad guy” is pretty early on but can Detective Marc Allen figure it out? Now, that’s not to say the author can’t also add a twist at the end. 

The other option is to keep everyone, including the characters and the reader, guessing throughout the entirety of the book until the “big reveal”. Many authors, maybe especially the great Agatha Christie, are exceptional at this.

But the story can’t keep the readers interest without compelling characters. That’s the “C” in my alphabet equation. In my humble opinion some of the best ideas for books have been undone by unlikeable, uninteresting, or ill-thought-out, characters. I think the reader has to want to go along for the ride and you need a captivating character somewhere along the way to get them in the car. At least that’s the way it is for me as a reader.

Finally, the character can only become fully formed through convincing dialogue which is, of course, my “D”. An author can come up with the most descriptive prose or paint an absolutely brilliant portrait with words of his or her characters but if, when they open their mouths, what comes out is unconvincing, flat, or not entertaining the whole thing can come tumbling down. Dialogue is key to storytelling because in addition to having to like or dislike a character the reader has to find that character believable. How that character speaks or what that character says has to hit the right notes or the author risks losing any and all of his or her story’s credibility. It is one of the more difficult aspects of writing but, in my mind, it’s absolutely critical to get it right. For example, in Song Girl Hannah Hunt can only speak in song titles but that quirky aspect to her dialogue has got to make sense. I felt it couldn’t just be a song title for the sake of a song title. That would be gibberish. I think I succeeded there and I hope the reader agrees.     

Buy Song Girl by Keith Hirshland

Amazon Barnes&Noble IndieBound

Giveaway Song Girl by Keith Hirshland

This giveaway is for 3 print copies One for each of 3 winners. This giveaway is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ends on June 1, 2022 midnight, pacific time. Entries accepted via Rafflecopter only.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow Song Girl by Keith Hirshland

Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus April 4 Kickoff & Interview Laura Lee Celticlady’s Reviews April 5 Guest Review & Excerpt Michelle Reading Authors Network April 6 Dee Amazon April 8 Review Jody G Amazon April 11 Review Sal Bound 4 Escape April 12 Guest Review Louise Amazon April 14 Review Suzie M. My Tangled Skeins Book Reviews April 19 Review & Interview Gud Reader Goodreads April 20 Review Mark Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus April 21 Guest Review Becky Life as Rog April 22 Review & Guest Post Kim F. Amazon April 25 Review Avonna Loves Genres April 27 Review & Excerpt Am Goodreads April 28 Review Jas International Book Promotion May 2 Review Denise Amazon May 4 Review Lisa's Writopia May 5 Guest Post Liam Goodreads May 6 Review Lisa's Writopia May 11 Review DT Chantel Amazon May 19 Review Nora S. Storeybook Reviews May 20 Guest Review & Excerpt Linda Lu Goodreads May 23 Review Betty Toots Book Reviews May 24 Review & Excerpt Bookgirl Goodreads May 25 Review Mindy Room Without Books is Empty May 26 Review Amy Locks, Hooks and Books May 27 Review & Guest Post Gracie Goodreads May 30 Review Bee Book Pleasures May 31 Review & Interview

My Review

Song Girl: A Mystery in Two Verses is my first introduction to the talents of author Keith Hirshland. It definitely will not be the last. I was quickly immersed in this mystery. It was action packed with twists I did not see coming. I never knew what was going to happen next. It was fun trying to figure out how it was going to end. I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish. It was so so good. 

I am giving Song Girl: A Mystery in Two Verses a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading mysteries. I would be interested in reading more books by Keith Hirshland in the future. 

I received a paperback copy of Song Girl: A Mystery in Two Verses from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.