Movie Review and Giveaway: I Heard the Bells

Coming to movie theatres this December, I HEARD THE BELLS
tells the inspiring true story behind the beloved Christmas
carol and its author,Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. 

Learn more at IHeardtheBellsMovie.com

Have you bought your tickets to see I HEARD THE BELLS in movie theaters

this December? Don’t miss your chance to experience this inspiring true story

as it comes to life on the big screen this December! IHeardtheBellsMovie.com

Known as America's Poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow leads an idyllic life... 
until the day his world is shattered by tragedy. With a nation divided by Civil
War and his family torn apart, Henry puts down his pen, silenced by
grief. But it's the sound of Christmas morning that reignites the poet's
lost voice as he discovers the resounding hope of rekindled faith.

I HEARD THE BELLS is in theaters starting December 1st!

An inspiring story of redemption and rekindled faith

The perfect film to watch with your family as you prepare to celebrate Christmas!

Synopsis: 

The inspiring true story behind the beloved Christmas carol and its author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Buy your tickets TODAY to see I HEARD THE BELLS in theaters starting 12/1!

https://www.iheardthebellsmovie.com/


Trailer:

    

My Review:

I loved watching I Heard the Bells so much. It was the first time I have heard the inspiration for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It was wonderful how the performers were able to bring it to life. Even my eleven year old son enjoyed watching it with me. Mr Longfellow had many struggles that made him to begin to lose his faith. It was encouraging how he was able to find his way back to God and finding hope and peace that he desperately needed. This movie would make a perfect addition to the Christmas movie list every year.

I am giving I Heard the Bells a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for viewers who enjoy faith filled, historical films that are based on true events. 

I received an early screener link to I Heard the Bells but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Disclosure:

Many thanks to Sight & Sound Films for providing a sample of the product for this re view. Opinions are 100% my own.


Giveaway:

One $10 Amazon giftcard

Leave a more than two word completed sentence telling me who will be watching I Heard the Bells with. Don’t forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Winner’s name will be drawn on December 5, 2022.


Giveaway Rules:

Giveaway is limited to US winners only.

Two word comments will be deleted and will not be entered into the giveaway.

Winners will have to reply to email that is sent to you to let you have won within 24 hours.
If no response, new winner’s name will be drawn and you forfeit the prize.

Winners from previous Momentum campaigns within 90 days will be disqualified.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman

Book Details:

Book Title:  Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman
Category:  Young-Adult Fiction (18 +), 286 pages
Genre:  Action-Adventure/Fantasy
Publisher:  Chelshire
Release date:   July 30 2022
Content Rating: PG. The author thinks the book is G-rated. A reviewer said it had some curses. Some may consider "Holy crap" is a curse.

"If I were to give a book to every young adult in this world, I would give them Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman without blinking. I absolutely loved every moment of this uplifting and fascinating story. It's filled with valuable life lessons, adventure, peril, and highly relatable and lovable characters." Reviewed by Emma Megan for Readers' Favorite

"Harry Potter meets Sky High. If you're a fan of young adult stories where protagonists go to mysterious schools to train their superhuman abilities, don't miss out on Grady Whill and The Templeton Codex." Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Reader's Favorite
 
"Carole P. Roman has created a world that is unique, inhabited by characters that young people can easily relate to because of their similar concerns about growing pains... This book has a strong message and theme that deserves to be read." Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Reader's Favorite​

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Book Description:

Templeton Academy- the superhero high school is finally open! The prestigious institution is recruiting the best of the best to enroll in its student body. The school is as mysterious as it is exclusive.

Grady Whill thinks there is nothing special about him to make the grade. However, his best friend, Aarush Patel has been selected and thinks Grady has the right stuff. Even school bully Elwood Bledsoe is attending.

​If Grady is fortunate enough to be picked, his guardian has forbidden him to attend. Will a family secret prevent Grady from becoming the superhero he was destined to be?

Buy the Book:
Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
add to goodreads

Also from the Pen of Carole P. Roman:

Book Details:

Book Title:  Giggles Galore Jokes, Riddles and Fun Facts for Kids of all Ages by Carole P. Roman
Category:  Children's Fiction , 170 pages
Genre:  Humor
Publisher:  Chelshire
Release date:   August 2022
Tour dates: Nov 7 to Dec 2, 2022
Content Rating: G. 

Book Description:

​What's more fun than a rainy afternoon?

A rainy afternoon with Giggles Galore!
Treat yourself and your child to this fun-filled book of jokes, riddles, and exciting bits of information.

Entertain your friends and family with a wide variety of jokes that include funny foods, animal antics, jolly jungles, farcical farms, dizzy dinosaurs, hilarious holidays, and a host of humor from all over our wacky world.

Fun facts are sprinkled throughout the book and give a welcome relief from all the giggles.
There's even a section where budding comedians can learn to create new jokes.

Lastly, join Carole P. Roman's beloved character, Susanna Maya Logan, for a short story about why we must use humor wisely, or it may not be considered funny by everyone.

A great tool to help a reluctant reader, Giggles Galore is the perfect way to practice social skills and develop friendships.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N 

Meet the Author:

Carole P. Roman is the award-winning author of over fifty children's books. Whether it's pirates, princesses, spies, or discovering the world around us, her books have enchanted educators, parents, and her diverse audience of children of all ages.

Her best-selling book, The Big Book of Silly Jokes for Kids: 800+ Jokes! has reached number one on Amazon in March of 2020 and has remained in the top 200 books since then.

She published Mindfulness for Kids with J. Robin Albertson-Wren.

Carole has co-authored two self-help books. Navigating Indieworld: A Beginners Guide to Self-Publishing and Marketing with Julie A. Gerber, and Marketing Indieworld with both Julie A. Gerber and Angela Hausman.

Roman is the CEO of a global transportation company, as well as a practicing medium.

She also writes adult fiction under the name Brit Lunden and has created an anthology of the mythical town of Bulwark, Georgia with a group of indie authors.

Writing is her passion and one of her favorite pastimes. Roman reinvents herself frequently, and her family calls her the 'mother of reinvention.' She resides on Long Island, near her children and grandchildren.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

Enter the Giveaway:

GRADY WHILL AND THE TEMPLETON CODEX Book Tour Giveaway

My Review: 

Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex: A Superhero High School Adventure is another fun and adventurous book written by the talented author Carole P Roman. It was entertaining getting to know the main character Grady Whill and his friends. I loved his narration of this story and enjoyed his humor sprinkled throughout the book. This middle grade fiction has a lot of adventure and action, along with some lessons to be learned that so many of us could learn from or be reminded of. It was great taking this plot twisting journey with Grady and the other characters for a few hours and had no problem at all having it all read in one day. 

I am giving Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex: A Superhero High School Adventure a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who are between the ages of nine and fourteen and enjoy reading about superheroes. I can not wait to hand my copy of the book over to my thirteen year old daughter to see what she thinks of it and see if she loves it as much as me. I will most definitely be looking for more books like this one from Carole P Roman in the near future. 

I received a paperback copy of Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex: A Superhero High School Adventure from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Book Review Tour and Giveaway: City Dog Walking Safety and Etiquette by Sunny Weber

 

Book Details:

​Book Title:  Beyond Flight or Fight: A Compassionate Guide for Working with Fearful Dogs by Sunny Weber
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  186 pages
Genre: Animals/Dogs/Training/Self-Help 
Publisher:  Pups & Purrs Press 
Release date:  September 2016
Content Rating: This non-fiction book is rated G.

Book Description:

Is your dog afraid of noises, objects, or you? Whether you have taken a fearful dog into your home, or you work professionally to save lives, Beyond Flight or Fight is an indispensable tool. Discover how to help dogs that have been neglected, abused, or are genetically timid.

Fearful, timid, and/or reactive dogs are the most commonly rejected and euthanized dog personality type. Shelters, rescues, and sanctuaries often do not have the financial resources, time, or qualified staff to help these dogs adapt to life with humans. By providing a concise, easy-to-understand guide for anyone who has chosen a fearful dog to adopt, foster, or rehabilitate for other potential owners, Beyond Flight or Fight will help many people save many innocent, confused, and overwhelmed dogs’ lives.

Unique points covered include:

• How fear works: primary vs. secondary responses.
• Why rescue programs may not work
• Safe places, escape, and helping dogs think
• Flooding, aggression, learned helplessness: what happens/fixing it
• Importance of: a familiar handler, time, and leadership
• Specialized training techniques
• Developing dog self-confidence
• How to use: voice, hands, body, correction cues, and dog psychology
• Why some dogs do not respond
• Maintenance, proofing, accepting optimal levels Learn to teach “special needs” pets how to fit into the human world.

Conquer brain-flooding stress hormones and help your dog move from knee-jerk, Amygdala-based fear responses to reasoned, calm, rational evaluation based in the prefrontal cortex of the dog mind. Fearful dogs can be saved and have quality lives free of anxiety.

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~  Audible
​BAM ~ B&N
Add to Goodreads

Check Out Sunny Weber's Other Dog Training Book:

Book Details:

​Book Title:  City Dog Walking Safety & Etiquette by Sunny Weber
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  110 pages
Genre: Animals/Dogs/Training/Self-Help 
Publisher:  Pups & Purrs Press 
Release date:  September 2018
Content Rating: This non-fiction book is rated G.

---

Book Description:

Think you need just a leash & a dog? So you think dog walking is a no-brainer, right?

Just snap on the old leash and head out the door, until. . .
• Your dog pulls you off your feet or jerks your arm out of its socket
• An off-leash dog races straight at you and your dog, in attack or play
• A speeding bicyclist barely misses hitting you
• Your dog jumps on a passer-by while you are distracted
• A panting, passing runner causes your dog to go ballistic from the aggressive, fast invasion of her space
• You encounter a coyote or snake

City Dog Walking Safety & Etiquette will cover all scenarios you and your dog can expect in urban and suburban environments. You will learn simple commands to help you understand each other, find the best fit of equipment, be aware of local hazards, and appreciate basic manners so you and your pup are welcome wherever you go. Sunny Weber will help you enjoy the outdoors with your furry friend—safely!

Buy the Book:
Amazon.com ~ Audible
 BAM ~ B&N
Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Sunny Weber has over 30 years in animal welfare advocacy. She has experience in rescue, fostering, medical care, service and therapy dog evaluation and training, shelter and sanctuary work and specializes in the rehabilitation of fearful animals. Sunny has rehabilitated then re-homed hundreds of dogs, cats and horses.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ linkedIn ~ goodreads ~ bookbub

BEYOND FLIGHT OR FIGHT Book Tour Giveaway

My Review: 

Sunny Weber has written yet another dog training tool in her release of City Dog Walking Safety and Etiquette. It provides some excellent pointers for those who walk their dogs through neighborhoods and urban areas. It gives several scenarios on what to do and what not to do. These include: dogs pulling, dealing other dogs that are not securely leashed, being greeted by bicyclists, coming across wildlife, and circumstances when your favorite canine goes crazy over every little thing. Sunny Weber gives some tips that would help to cope with these and other scenarios. It is important to teaching your loving furry friend good manners and practicing safety precautions will make a fun, stressful and uneventful bonding moment with them. All throughout the book are illustrations that will help the reader to better understand what the author is trying to convey. I thought this was a great book to have on hand, as well as, would be a great gift for new dog owners or for ones who are struggling with their furry pal.

I am giving City Dog Walking Safety and Etiquette four and a half stars. Dog lovers and owners that have a beloved canine within the city limits and needs a daily walking will definitely want to read this one. I am curious to see what other dog loving books Sunny Weber releases next. 

I received a paperback copy of City Dog Walking Safety and Etiquette from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Blurb Blitz and Giveaway: Under the Cloud by BR Erlank

 

Under the Cloud

by B.R. Erlank

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

GENRE:   Thriller

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

BLURB:

They call themselves The Settlement Bureau. A faceless, soulless organization coercing individuals with threats to expose their improprieties and vulnerabilities. Inhumanely persistent, they’ve secretly driven hundreds of victims into bankruptcy, despair – and several even to suicide.

But when this organization tries to blackmail IT expert Terry Reynolds, they make a serious mistake. Terry is down on his luck. He is penniless, divorced and in a dead-end job. Yet, the abuse of his personal information stirs Terry out of his lethargy and he fights back. He embarks on a digital game of cat-and-mouse with the cold, calculating minds behind The Settlement Bureau – and in doing so, uncovers a sprawling criminal conspiracy.

Under The Cloud is a chillingly plausible new thriller by B.R. Erlank. With a plot ripped straight from the headlines, advance readers warn, “this book delivers a roller coaster ride right up to the final pages.”

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

EXCERPT:

Rajiv looked Terry directly in the eyes, “Tell me, how would you use our tools and data to improve the risk management at a bank?”

Terry walked to the window from where he could see the Bank of America pyramid in the fading light. Down below, cars and people were bustling along the street. Lights in various glass towers twinkled in random geometric patterns. Not random, Terry thought, in fact, quite the opposite.

He said, “What if I told you that it is entirely predictable when each light in that apartment complex will be turned on?”

Rajiv made an encouraging gesture.

“It’s really quite simple. All you need is to cross-reference the identities of the occupants with their smartphone or Fitbit geo data. If you then pulled in data from their car or even air travel, you could get longer-range predictions. Imagine what that could do for security and law enforcement. If anyone doesn’t show up where they’re supposed to be, instantaneous action can be taken.

“Now imagine the same principles applied to managing banking risk. By analyzing the individual's personal and professional issues, you can update the risk profile in real-time. A car accident, job loss, an expensive health issue in the family, a child having to repeat a year at college. These are all predictors of financial risk. But to date, it simply hasn’t been possible to integrate that data fast enough to be meaningful. Well, now it is – we make it possible.”

Rajiv slowly clapped his hands and said, “Do it exactly like that tonight.”

Terry gaped, “What? Me?”

“You come across fresh, unrehearsed, authentic – that’s exactly what I want for the presentation to the bank.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Boris Erlank grew up in Southern Africa. He has lived and worked in places as diverse as Luanda, Cape Town, Singapore and San Francisco. Boris recently gave up his job as Global Privacy Manager with a Fortune 100 company to focus on writing full-time.

He has an extensive background in IT, data privacy and cybersecurity, and has drawn on that experience to craft his latest novel, Under the Cloud. His previous novel, Catch You Later, is a murder mystery set in Cape Town.

Boris lives with his family and two dogs in the foothills of Mount Diablo, east of San Francisco. He likes to cycle and hike. “Those solitary pursuits give me time to dream up the characters and plots for my novels,” he says. Boris also enjoys choir singing, travel, and listening to audiobooks.

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3nH9JNa

Website: www.brerlank.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082184847881

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boris-erlank/

The book will be $0.99 from November 15 - November 22.

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

GIVEAWAY:

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight Tour and Interview with Giveaway: Delaware Before the Railroads: A Diamond Among the States by Dave Tabler

 

Book Details:

Book Title:  Delaware Before the Railroads: A Diamond Among the States by Dave Tabler
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 100 pages
Genre: American History, Colonial
Publisher: Dave Tabler
​Publication Date: Nov 2022
Tour dates: Nov 25 to Dec 16
Content Rating: G. None needed. Works for all audiences.

---

"Tabler debuts with a visual feast introducing readers to the First State before the golden age of the railroad. Drawing on photographs of locations, reconstructions, and historical objects, together with brief captions and rigorous notes, Tabler weaves a rich tapestry of industry, politics, and faith. He organizes the photographs roughly chronologically, tracking Delaware’s development from Swedish settlers to American independence, and dedicates space to images that reflect Delaware’s Native American history, as well as tracing the impact that enslaved people had on the state’s historical development." - Booklife

"If you think you know Delaware, think again. Pirates? Quakers fighting with Pennsylvania? Towns so ugly no one would settle there? With stunning pictures and straightforward storytelling, Dave Tabler opens hidden passages and describes defining moments in this founding American colony. Telling this small state's story gives you a sense of the big picture in American history. Enjoy this fresh look at Delaware through Dave Tabler's eyes." -- Wendy Welch, author The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap
 
"Whether discussing the colored spear tips that showed the community if a person had been found guilty or not, to the stones that identified the Mason-Dixon Line, Dave Tabler's book on colonial Delaware offers the reader a smorgasbord of interesting stories and photos of its early years. This is another book to add to collections about the beginnings of our country." -- Sheila Ingle, winner, South Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution Historical Preservation Award for four of her young reader novels about South Carolina heroines during the Revolutionary War
 
"Thoroughly researched and well-written, Delaware before the Railroads offers a glimpse into the past through a present lens. Respected historian Dave Tabler utilizes colorful and intriguing photographs to tell Delaware's foundational stories." -- Jan Loveday Dickens, Tennessee author and educator
 
"Dave Tabler's impeccable research and clearly written descriptives tell a truthful and provocative story for anyone interested in the subject or doing research for other works covering the same period. The colorful and informative photographs tell the story of not only Colonial Delaware residents from 1638-1832 but our American forefathers in general. We learn about every aspect of their way of life during the most critical time of our country's history." -- Lisa Soland, author, and senior editor of Climbing Angel Publishing

"Dave Tabler has crafted a concise and fascinating photographic account of early Delaware. "Delaware Before The Railroads" is definitely a book that should be in the collection of anyone interested not only in the history of Delaware but also in the history of colonial America." -- Steve Gilly, "Stories, A History of Appalachia" podcast
 
"Beautifully illustrated and presented in a unique format, 'Delaware Before the Railroads' is an easy and informative read-sure to appeal to Early American and Delaware history buffs." --Amelia E. Miller, Tennessee author and historian

"Tabler's purpose, indeed, his mission, is to create a tribute to the culture and history of Delaware before the coming of the railroad. Consequently, he not only rediscovers the past, he also preserves and celebrates it with a montage of vivid images and an insightful narrative." -- Gary Carden, author, storyteller, playwright

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Book Description:

Delaware before the railroads arrived in 1832 was hotly contested real estate. Circle back to 1610 for a ride that takes you through culture clashes, colonization, revolution and beyond.

Buy the Book:
Amazon ~ B&N
Indiebound ~ BookShop 
add to goodreads

Meet the Author:

Ten year old Dave Tabler decided he was going to read the 'R' volume from the family's World Book Encyclopedia set over summer vacation. He never made it from beginning to end. He did, however, become interested in Norman Rockwell, rare-earth elements, and Run for the Roses.

Tabler's father encouraged him to try his hand at taking pictures with the family camera. With visions of Rockwell dancing in his head, Tabler press-ganged his younger brother into wearing a straw hat and sitting next to a stream barefoot with a homemade fishing pole in his hand. The resulting image was terrible.

Dave Tabler went on to earn degrees in art history and photojournalism despite being told he needed a 'Plan B.'

Fresh out of college, Tabler contributed the photography for "The Illustrated History of American Civil War Relics," which taught him how to work with museum curators, collectors, and white cotton gloves. He met a man in the Shenandoah Valley who played the musical saw, a Knoxville fellow who specialized in collecting barbed wire, and Tom Dickey, brother of the man who wrote 'Deliverance.'

In 2006 Tabler circled back to these earlier encounters with Appalachian culture as an idea for a blog. AppalachianHistory.net today reaches 375,000 readers a year.

Dave Tabler moved to Delaware in 2010 and became smitten with its rich past. He no longer copies Norman Rockwell, but his experience working with curators and collectors came in handy when he got the urge to photograph a love letter to Delaware's early heritage.

connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ pinterest ~ instagram ~ goodreads

Interview: 

What are my three biggest influences as a writer of history? Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Paul Harvey’s “Rest of the Story” radio show, and my 8th grade geography teacher, Mr. Jarboe. 

Ripley’s, because Robert Ripley was able to boil down the essence of a historical item into one cartoon panel visual; Paul Harvey because of his ability to lead the listener right up to the cliffhanger, leave them gasping for air during the commercial break, and then resolve the rest of the story very neatly in a minute or two. And Mr. Jarboe, because he used the clever hat trick of telling the story of famous people through their teenage eyes. Which of course appeals endlessly to 8th graders! 

I wanted to create a history book that has the stunning glossiness of National Geographic photography, coupled with event driven narrative that gallops along in ‘you are there’ first person. I wanted to work in an overall style that seduces the reader with a sense of just how familiar the lives of those from long ago feel once you get past the funny speech and the strange clothing. 

I’m not a Delaware native, and I’ve only lived here for 12 years. But the advantage of seeing this place as an outsider is that I notice things locals take for granted. How fascinating that “the penman of the American Revolution,” a close friend of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, hailed from Dover! That Delaware’s early history is in fact the nation’s early history in miniature! 

In “Delaware Before the Railroads,” I’ve avoided footnotes and a professorial tone. I want my reader to feel that history is not reserved for ivory towers and dusty bookshelves, that history is a living thing that informs who we are and how we got here, and told right, can help guide us toward how we might develop next as a culture.

Giveaway: 

DELAWARE BEFORE THE RAILROADS Spotlight Book Tour Giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Keeping Christmas Volume 2

About the Book

Book: Keeping Christmas Volume II

Authors: Chautona Havig, Tabitha Bouldin, Susan K. Beatty, Jennifer Sienes, Melissa Wardwell, and Stacy T. Simmons.

Genre: Christian Christmas Romance

Release date: October 18, 2022

In castles far and near, long ago and yesterday, find happily-ever-afters wrapped in love and tied with Christmas joy.

Escape to Greenaway (by Chautona Havig): She just wanted to escape another holly, jolly family holiday. Because snowbound in a castle B&B with one of Santa’s elves (or as good as) is so much better. With the help of the castle’s owner, Tonya plays matchmaker in a bid to get that Christmas-loving girl out of her hair.

The King’s Promise (by Tabitha Bouldin): In a world of airships and kings, a prince makes a promise that tears him away from his love. An ordinary baker’s daughter finds herself caught in the middle of a game where the winner earns the queen’s crown. They both want what they can’t have as they struggle toward a seemingly impossible happily ever after.

A Castle for Christmas (by Susan K. Beatty): Sadie Foster abhors wealth. Will Randolph, on the other hand, works for the uber-wealthy owner of an over-the-top castle on the California coast–Sadie’s father. When Christopher Foster leaves the castle to her, Sadie doesn’t want anything to do with it or his money. But what if Sadie and Will use the castle and her inheritance for the good of others—together?

An Irish Christmas Heart (by Jennifer Sienes): Will she choose love or an arranged marriage? In the midst of post-famine unrest, Eleanor Blake, daughter of an English nobleman, is thrown into a maelstrom of emotions. How will she escape the duty for which she was born and the confines of the ill-fated Menlo Castle of Galway, Ireland to find her true love?

Christmas at Curwood’s Castle (by Melissa Wardwell): A Christmas party at Curwood Castle should have been Angel Davis’ Cinderella moment. Especially when her dear friend Jimmy arrives. Instead, one obstacle after another threatens to break any chance at a happily-ever-after.

Christmas in the Cotswolds (by Stacy T. Simmons): She’s a paleontologist and ardent Jane Austen fan. He’s enmeshed in the exactitude of mathematics, can they find common ground? Do opposites attract, will the romantic castle, and dashing duke be the undoing of Victoria’s plans?

Grab a mug of something hot and delicious and curl up somewhere comfy. Your literary chariots await to take you on a journey from an early twentieth-century castle in the San Gabriel Mountains of California all the way across the pond to the beautiful Cotswolds of England. These six novellas, all set in castles real and fictional, celebrate the heart and joy of Christmas in this second volume of castle Christmas novellas.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

USA Today Bestselling author of Aggie and Past Forward series, Chautona Havig lives in an oxymoron, escapes into imaginary worlds that look startlingly similar to ours and writes the stories that emerge. An irrepressible optimist, Chautona sees everything through a kaleidoscope of It’s a Wonderful Life sprinkled with fairy tales. Find her at chautona.com and say howdy—if you can remember how to spell her name.

 

 

Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education, but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing—and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies including several in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

 

 

Tabitha Bouldin is a student at Southern New Hampshire University, where she is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing. As a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), she works with critique groups and provides endorsements for other authors. Tabitha’s genre of choice is Contemporary Christian Romance which she describes as: Adventure with heart. Tabitha spent ten years working as a Medical Assistant before God opened the door which allowed her to become a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom and author.

 

 

Melissa Wardwell resides in Owosso, Michigan with her husband and three teen-aged children.She doesn’t mind alternating between the world of writing and the reality of being a mother, but she would rather sit with a good book or a good friend and a cup of coffee. When she isn’t penning works of fiction, she is busy reviewing books for her blog, Back Porch Reads. To see more from Melissa Wardwell, visit www.melissawardwell.com

 

Who says you can’t begin a new career after middle age? Certainly not Susan K. Beatty. She is passionate about writing about finding courage through faith and grit, particularly through the trials of breast cancer and other life trials. Her daughter is a metastatic breast cancer “thriver” and has been an inspiration for her writing. Susan’s first novel, Faces of Courage, debuted May 2021, as part of the Faces of Courage series, including several novelettes. She is also the author of An Introduction to Home Education (AKA California Homeschool Manual). Susan is a professional writer/journalist and is active in the writer community. She is proof you can begin a fiction writing career at any age.

 

Stacy T. Simmons writes uplifting fiction that delights the reader’s romantic sensibilities. Thirty-four years of marital bliss is a great contributor. She is a mom of two grown children, and she and her family have a menagerie of pets she likes to call “Noah’s Ark.” You can find her working on her next manuscript with a piece of dark chocolate and a cup of coffee nearby. Connect with Stacy on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and her blog, Fueled by Faith and Caffeine.

 

More from Tabitha

Castles near and far. Over time and across worlds both real and fictional. When it came time to write for Keeping Christmas, the world opened up to offer each of us a jewel for our stories. While I chose to base my castle off of a real castle in Romania, others chose a different route. Yet we all came together with a singular mission to write stories about Christmas and to bring the joy of Christ into each and every book. Keeping Christmas is about more than overseeing a holiday. It is looking back through the years of Christmases far and wide, from our real world through fantasy lands some of us dreamed up, and keeping the spirit of the season alive.

Come and keep Christmas with us as we journey across land and sea, through the skies on an airship, and deep into the contemporary halls and towering turrets. Here you’ll meet characters to fall in love with and read stories that span the ages, from a scribe in King Herod’s castle to a paleontologist in the Cotswolds.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 16

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 16

Through the Lens of Scripture, November 17

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 18

By the Book, November 18

Inklings and notions, November 19

deb’s Book Review, November 20

Blogging With Carol, November 20

Texas Book-aholic, November 21

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 22

For Him and My Family, November 22

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 23

Older & Smarter?, November 24

Mary Hake, November 24

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 25

She Lives To Read, November 26

Holly’s Book Corner, November 26

Simple Harvest Reads, November 27 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

Splashes of Joy, November 28

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 28

Writing From the Heart Land, November 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 29

Giveaway

To celebrate their tour, the Celebrate Lit Authors are giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a 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/22acd/keeping-christmas-volume-two-by-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

Keeping Christmas: Volume 2 is a collection of six multi author Christmas novellas. These novellas include:
Escape to Greenaway by Chautona Havig
The King's Promise by Tabitha Bouldin
A Castle for Christmas by Susan K. Beatty
An Irish Christmas Heart by Jennifer Sienes
Christmas at Curwood's Castle by Melissa Wardwell
Christmas in the Cotswolds by Stacy T. Simmons

I enjoyed every one of these stories and could not pick just one as a favorite. I have read other works from these authors before and so happy to read their quick Christmas tales, as well. It was fun collection to read that has started getting me into the Holiday spirit. 

I am giving Keeping Christmas: Volume 2 a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love reading clean novellas, as well as, those centered on the most magical time of the year. It is a perfect addition for Christmas time reading.

I received a digital copy of Keeping Christmas Volume 2 from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.