Saturday, February 10, 2024

Author Interview: Fall When You're Ready by Jennifer Carr

Fall When You're Ready JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Fall When You're Ready by Jennifer Carr, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Fall When You're Ready
Series: Real American Country #1
Author: Jennifer Carr
Publisher: JCarr Writes
Release Date: February 1, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Clean Romance

Rachel never wanted to get in the way of Jordan’s dreams, but they were supposed to chase their dreams together. They made promises and swore to remain best friends through it all. But, just as all good things must come to an end, it would seem that applies to promises as well. When Rachel and Jordan end up on separate paths toward their own versions of success, they each learn the hard way that letting go is easier than it sounds. But when those paths bring them both home, all of those promises come flooding back and they have to decide whether it’s worth the risk to reopen the chapter they closed on their story so long ago.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookBub

Excerpt

We stared into the darkness for a long time before he said, “You know how when you read a book and the author is a cruel piece of work and kills off one of your favorite characters?”

I turned my head to look at him. “For a brief moment, you might put the book down or, as I’ve seen some people do, throw the book across the room,” he gave me a nudge causing a smile to barely make an appearance on my lips.

“You might even vow never to read to the end because you can’t bear the thought that it might happen again or that there will be no chance at redemption. After some time, however, you pick the book back up with severe anxiety and a hesitant eye and read the first sentence of the next chapter. And then you read the next sentence and the next.

Turning the page might even be excruciating. But the story continues, Rachel. Your story continues and the exciting part is that you get to write it. And because I know you, I know it will be spectacular.”

About the Author

Jennifer Carr

A wife, mom, author, marriage and family counselor, a former AP Psychology teacher, and a podcaster, Jennifer Carr draws from her life experiences and imagination to connect with her readers and listeners through the written and spoken word.

Married to her childhood best friend and the mom of a creative daughter, Jennifer enjoys a quiet life on their farm in Alabama.

When she’s not wearing one of her many hats, you’ll find her tucked away with a book and what's likely her third coffee of the day.

Connect with Jennifer by visiting jcarrwrites.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Author Interview with Jennifer

Q: What was the inspiration behind Fall When You’re Ready?

Jennifer: The title actually comes from a song! I am a sucker for 90s Country music. Brantley Gilbert sings a song called Fall Into Me and one line says, “Fall When You’re Ready, babe…” One day the song came on the radio and all of a sudden these two characters popped into my head and said, “Hey! This is our song!” I pulled out my phone, started leaving a note to myself using voice to text, got home and interpreted it the best I could, and here we are!

Q: How long did it take you to write this story?

Jennifer: I sent my first round of notes to my editor/sister in February 2023 but we were still wrapping up edits on a book that came out in June 2023 so FWYR didn’t get nearly the attention it required until June but I would sit down and write a random chapter here and there as the story unfolded in my mind. (When I say random, I mean, it could be chapter 3 one day and chapter 18 the next… and I never know until I sew it all together what it’s going to look like!)

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this book?

Jennifer: One of my favorite parts of writing Fall When You’re Ready was writing the short snippets between chapters. Some of them are “lyrics” written by the male main character Jordan whose stage name is Christopher Jordan. Others are taken from “an anthology” put together by our sweet female main character Rachel Redmayer – who happens to be an author. Hers were my favorite to write. This one can be found right before chapter 64 and is at the top of my list of favorites:

In moments of solitude, I find solace in knowing that our friendship, though different now, has shaped me in profound ways. You are woven into the fiber of my being. I have loved you for always and I’ll love you forevermore.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from Fall When You’re Ready?

Jennifer: Sometimes you have to take a risk, take a chance, make that hard decision. You will never know what it is that you’re missing out on and how amazing it might be if you don’t step outside of the fear or the anxiety.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers would not know?

Jennifer: If I could, I’d go back and tell my younger self that I didn’t NEED to go to college right out of high school. But, I was 17 and it’s what everyone else was doing. I floated adrift for YEARS. It took me a decade to finish school. I walked away with a Master’s Degree that I am proud of but still paying for and not officially using these days!

Q: How long ago did you start writing?

Jennifer: I have always loved writing. I was scribbling really bad poetry on paper as early as fourth grade. I actually stumbled across some of it when we cleaned out our attic a few years ago and it was embarrassing and hilarious to say the least. And no, it will never see the light of day again! HA! HA!

But, writing has always been a natural way for me to process my thoughts and emotions. I entered and won multiple writing and oratorical contests all throughout middle and high school. I did not, however, know that I could write a book and love doing it until 2021. And now, I can’t stop!

Q: What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

Jennifer: The research! There’s always SOMETHING I don’t know or want to understand better when I’m writing a book. And before I’ll put it in writing, I need to know that I’m being as close to accurate as I can get. Sure, I sometimes take a creative license here and there but I stay as close to reality as possible!

Q: Do you prefer to read ebooks or physical copies?

Jennifer: E-Book. I discovered the magic of Kindle Unlimited a couple of years ago (much to my husband’s chagrin 😆). I also love that I don’t have to keep one more thing in my Mary Poppins bag of a purse in order to have a book with me! BUT, I do have physical copies of books that I deem “my favorites”.

Q: How many bookcases are in your home?

Jennifer: Also a reason I don’t keep a ton of physical books - we only have room for about 2 bookcases and they are both FULL!

Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?

Jennifer: I host a podcast for creatives, and I cohost a podcast for authors and I love every second of that networking and connection. I love walking alongside other creatives and authors who may just be getting started and sharing the resources I have at my disposal through those connections.

If I’m not “working” I’m reading… and likely drinking coffee.

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a signed copy of Fall When You're Ready and a 6-month Kindle Unlimited Membership!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 6, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 13, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Book Spotlight: Renewed Hope by Carmen Peone

Renewed Hope JustRead Blog Tour

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Renewed Hope by Carmen Peone, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Renewed Hope
Series: Seven Tine Ranch Romance #3
Author: Carmen Peone
Publisher: Iron Stream Fiction
Release Date: February 6, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Western Romance

Can they find her son in time?

Sophie Cayes is on the road to success as an artist. Until her ex-husband threatens to sue for full custody of their son. Upon learning of a guest ranch in Eastern Washington that keeps a room open for women in need, she grabs her son and bolts. Although Chad Davis loves starting colts on the Seven Tine Guest Ranch, his goal is to have his own spread. Everything’s on course until a woman and her preschool son show up. He’s not thrilled about helping out. Until the boy comes up missing. On his watch. Along with a tribal cop, they head back to Montana in search of the boy, knowing his dad was the one who kidnapped him. Sophie prays they find him before her ex-husband and his new wife go on the run. Taking her son with them.

More Books In This Series

Excerpt

Emotionally. It all hit home with Sophie. Her insides had been tied up for years now, the abuse always on the edge of her mind.

“So, I stuffed her brochure in a drawer and continued to live my life in fear. After one of his violent episodes, I found the Seven Tine brochure and my notes. I’d jotted down her invitation for any women in need to come. Anytime. Without calling first. To just show up. She promised to always keep a room open. I packed a bag and came.”

“Anytime. Without calling first. To just show up.” The words soothed her like a sweet-scented balm. Her mouth parched, she took a sip of water. She got the feeling God had set up this conversation. His doing warmed her insides.

“When I arrived, Sydney wasn’t here. Feeling a bit helpless and terrified after my ex found me and threatened to bring me back home, I ended up going on the road with Robert. He was a bronc rider. I hated bronc riders. They were all arrogant. Cocky. Womanizers. Or so I’d experienced before meeting the love of my life.” Rita laughed.

Sophie chuckled too. But hers had come out edgy from the mutual understanding of the fear of men. Of terror turning into hate. No, she wasn’t laughing at the hate. She laughed because she wasn’t alone. She laughed because it felt good to find relief.

About the Author

Carmen Peone

Carmen Peone is an award-winning author of Young Adult and Contemporary Western Romantic Suspense and lives with her husband in Northeast Washington and on the Colville Confederated Indian Reservation. She weaves threads of healing, hope, and horses into her stories that lead to happily ever after.

Connect with Carmen by visiting carmenpeone.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

Tour Giveaway

(3) winners will win a signed copy of Renewed Hope, a $25 Amazon gift card, and a story-related postcard!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight February 5, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on February 12, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Author Interview: Water’s Break by Sophia Hansen

About the Book

Book: Water’s Break

Author: Sophia Hansen

Genre: YA sci-fi

Release Date: January 9, 2024

What if fear itself is the deadliest undercurrent of all?

Nica would do anything to avoid the hassles of her sister’s bonding ceremony—the wrap fittings, hairstyles, and braided fire coral—but she never imagined that the waters covering her planet would be broken. As the heavens rained fire and stone, mountains erupted from the sea and dry ground was birthed on the Deep, dividing the water—and the Olomi people—for the first time in their history.

In the wake of her world’s violent re-formation, Nica’s family is shattered. When the rookie Guardian leaves the safety of the Deep to find her sister, she is abducted by strange landwalkers who possess strength and technology beyond her imagination. Nica realizes that the disaster from above was by their design—a calculated plan to terraform the water planet and conquer her people. All Nica wants to do is find her sister and swim home to safety, but with the landwalkers closing in, escape may not be possible. And if Nica can’t save herself, how can she hope to save her sister—or her people?

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Sophia L. Hansen, raised in the melded cultures of Korea and America, understands not fitting into society’s boxes. Born on a tiny island in Alaska, then growing up in New York City and Boston, she now resides in the Southeast, writing and editing between fresh(ish) cups of coffee and slices of crisp bacon. She embraces life with her husband, their adulting children, and her new grandson, but her favorites are Jesus, family, coffee, and dark chocolate, mostly in that order.

Author Interview with Sophia

Q: What was the inspiration behind this novel?

Sophia: My first what-if was “What if someone fell into a river, was too surprised to fight drowning, and discovered they could breathe?” That set off a quest to back-engineer the story – figuring out what would lead to this.

Q: How long did it take you to write this novel?

Sophia: I started this story as a NaNoWriMo project in 2016, and finished its first, full, self-edit in 2020.

Q: What was the most surprising thing you discovered while researching and writing this novel?

Sophia: Denticles! These epidermal teeth (think shark skin) were such a cool thing to discover that I had to write them into the story.

Q: Do any of the novel’s characters hold a special place in your heart?

Sophia: Ugh. Don’t all of them for any author? I’m pretty empathetic by nature, and a role-playing gamer if I have the chance, so I pour myself into each of my characters, imagining what brought them to that state and what I might do in the same situation.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel?

Sophia: This is one of my favorites:

“Should we be taking risks like that?”

“Not if we want to survive,” he shrugged. “But if we intend to live, we don’t have the luxury of playing it safe.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

Sophia: That we should not allow ourselves to be defined by the opinions of others or our circumstances.

Q: If the novel was made into a movie, who would like you to see play the main characters?

Sophia: Wunmi Mosaku most closely resembles Nica. I based Nica’s best friend, Pescha, on Dichen Lachman. And Morris Chestnut most closely resembles Girac, Nica’s lovc interest.

Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Sophia: Since this is my debut novel, not a lot of people know much about me. One cool fact is that I was born in Sitka, a tiny island in Alaska’s panhandle that had just 12 miles of highway.

Q: In what setting do you enjoy writing the most?

Sophia: I enjoy writing in my office – two big monitors and a good bit of desk space. But I love the fact that I can bring my laptop anywhere. So as long as I can sit and ignore the world around me, I can get some writing done.

Q: What are you reading now?

Sophia: I’m about to break into Lumen, JJ Fischer’s highly anticipated and newly released follow up to Calor.

Q: How many bookshelves are in your home?

Sophia: Not enough! We moved this summer, and all my books are still in boxes!!!

Q: Who is an author you would recommend to anyone and everyone?

Sophia: I love Enclave authors because they’ve made it past a pretty grueling submissions process. Sharon Hinck and Cathy McCrumb are beautiful writers, and I love Lindsay Franklin’s Story Peddler series. And Kerry Nietz is an amazing SciFi author.

Q: What do you like to do when you aren't writing?

Sophia: Read, cook, spend time with my adult kids and my grandson.

Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your novel?

Sophia: https://watersbreak.com/ is all about my debut novel, and https://www.sophialhansen.com/ points you to all my interests.

More from Sophia

Once upon a time, there was a mom.
A mom with many children.
She was a very busy mom.
One day the pastor’s wife asked her to write something for the Christmas program.
“Why would you ask me?” she replied. “I’m just a mom.”
“Because you love words,” was the quiet answer.
When the mom heard this, she realized it was true. And so, she began to write.

The Beginning

Stories don’t grow in a vacuum. Neither do they flourish in a pressure cooker. Our ideas are like seeds; full of potential but needing time and space to germinate. My season of writing started after more than a decade of birthing, raising, and educating my children. We had five at the time and I was full up. There was little space in church activities for attached moms whose children didn’t nursery well, and I spent more of my Sunday mornings in the playground rather than the pews. Then, finally, a friend invited me to a study in her home, and all children were welcome.

As my soul feasted on the fellowship, Bible study, and sharing, I felt like a child sitting down to a holiday meal. I’d been so busy taking care of others that I didn’t remember what it was like to have an oxygen mask for myself. It had been far too long since my spiritual self had been nourished. Out of that beautiful season the seeds of my words, long dormant, began to sprout, including my what ifs about what would become the world of Water’s Break.

Water’s Break dives into Nica’s world, a water-covered planet inhabited by amphibian people. When disaster strikes, landmasses rise from the seabed, separating the water and its people for the first time in their history. Nica’s family is devastated: her father is gravely injured, her sister is missing, and her mother, grief-stricken. Nica, a rookie Guardian, is determined to find her sister and bring her home, even if it means she must venture out of the Deep. But no one knows what lies in wait abovewater.

I hope your hearts are encouraged as you join Nica’s fight to survive in a sea of oppression. And when survival is not enough, will she risk everything to choose life?

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, January 30

Exploring the Written Word, January 31

Blogging With Carol, February 1

Artistic Nobody, February 2 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 3

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 4

Guild Master, February 5 (Author Interview)

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, February 5

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, February 6

Beauty in the Binding, February 7 (Author Interview)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, February 8

Wishful Endings, February 9

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 11 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, February 11

Simple Harvest Reads, February 12 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sophia is giving away the grand prize package of a signed hardcover with swag (bookmark, stickers, character cards)!!

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

Link for giveaway: https://promosimple.com/ps/29b05/water-s-break-celebration-tour-giveaway

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Author Interview: Winds of Ruach by D.M. Griffin

About the Book

Book: Winds of Ruach

Author: D.M. Griffin

Genre: Biblical Fiction

Release Date: October 18, 2022

Winds of Ruach is a compilation of five novellas fictionally traversing a period in Israel’s history that spans three hundred years. God used the prophets to speak to His people during a tumultuous time when faith was challenged and spiritual discipline was necessary. Five prophets lived out the message of God in a way that girded their faith and inspired those who truly listened to God’s voice. Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Obadiah, and Malachi were God’s chosen spokesmen.

Book One: Jonah felt he had every right to be angry when tragedy struck his household. He would soon learn that anger was a barrier to a right relationship with God no matter how justified the source of that anger. What happens when Jonah realizes that his deep-seated anger might cost him everything? Will he learn to embrace his forgiving God?

Book Two: Nahum was a victim of God’s wrath as it fell on the land of rebellious Israel. Intimidated for the majority of his life with little memory about his origin, Nahum struggles to trust God for vindication. Grappling to understand why everything keeps going wrong, will Nahum surrender to the only One who can truly defend him?

Book Three: As a child, Habakkuk’s faith was pure and unadulterated. As a priest serving in the Temple, however, Habakkuk realizes that something is keeping him from experiencing the fullness of that faith. He doesn’t truly trust God’s heart toward him. Will he learn to be brave despite the circumstances that threaten the very existence of the Temple?

Book Four: Obadiah lived in two worlds while feeling as if he spiritually belonged to one. Born to an Edomite father and Jewish mother, he was constantly at war with his brother. How long would it take for Obadiah to learn that the Lord was with him in the battle? Even if he lost it all, would having God be enough?

Book Five: Malachi wrestles with what he knows to be true about God and how his life is unfolding in contrast to that knowledge. What does it mean to worship with a pure heart, not with ulterior motives? As God has the final say with His people, will they listen and faithfully wait for the promised future of redemption?

Explore the themes woven into the books of the minor prophets through these fictional journeys that reveal how mighty the Winds of Ruach (Spirit) truly are as they blow across history into today.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

D.M. Griffin currently resides in Northern California with her husband. They met in middle school a few days after she was transplanted to the West Coast at the tender age of twelve. She has three adult children who have been an endless source of delight and inspiration. She also has a precious new grandchild who brings her joy.

As a native New Hampshire girl, she fondly remembers spending her summers there as a child. Thick accents, small towns, and fascinating weather stirred the imagination of her young heart. She has always had a fondness for stories thanks to her imaginative mother who would make up wild, adventurous tales to tell her while tucking her into bed as a child.

She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.

Author Interview with D.M.

Q: How long did it take you to write this novel?

D.M.: I wrote this novel in three months. It was quite unexpected since the inspiration came when I was in the middle of writing a twelve-book series on the disciples. At first, I was going to dismiss it for a later time, but the ideas would not let go, so I accepted the diversion and wrote Winds of Ruach.

Q: Do you have a favorite quote from this novel?

D.M.: A favorite quote from the novel: His people, God’s chosen nation, were so similar to this tarnished vessel of praise. Layer upon layer of spiritual tarnish had accumulated over the years until the people of Judah and Israel were hardly recognizable as instruments of the Lord anymore. What would it take to polish away the defiling substance of their sin? Was the hand of God as weary and achy as Habakkuk’s were now? No matter how much he polished and refined them, God’s people did not reveal a purity worthy of Him. Placing the trumpet to his lips, Habakkuk blew a note. At least it still played. The fact that it was capable of making music lit the spark of hope inside of him. God always left a remnant, a faithful people who would praise Him even though the nation itself was tarnished.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from this novel?

D.M.: I hope that readers are inspired by Winds of Ruach to trust heartily in the sovereignty of God even when nations are at war with one another. I also hope that readers take away a new appreciation for the old prophets and the messages they brought. So much of it applies to our lives today as much as it did back then.

Q: How many bookshelves are in your home?

D.M.: There are three bookshelves in my home. One is dedicated to the books I have written. The other two are books I have read. However, I mostly read on my Kindle now because my library is just too big. And I like to take all my novels with me when I travel.

Q: Where can readers find out more about you and your novel?

D.M.: Readers can find out more about me and my other novels at http://devotedsteps.com I have a daily prayer section, book reviews, devotionals, and more on my website.

More from D.M.

I am a creature of habit who thrives on predictability. That being said, Winds of Ruach fell outside my comfort zone. If you have ever heard the phrase – if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans – you get the idea. I was deep in the throes of researching and writing a twelve-book series on the disciples of Jesus. My schedule was set. The routine was fixed. I had spent two years dedicated to The Follower Series. In between writing the first draft of book seven and editing book one, I was divinely halted. I didn’t exactly hit a block, so to speak. Instead, I was inspirationally diverted. It frustrated me for a short time.

Looking back on it now, I realize it was a blessing in disguise. At the time, my daily bible reading took me through the book of Jonah. Jonah 4:4 snagged my attention like a burr clinging to a pant leg. “Is it right for you to be angry?” That single phrase snared my heart with a compulsion to self-reflect. That meditation took me to places I had not been before. I followed the thread of anger woven throughout my life. Not the anger that manifests itself in hot, fiery outbursts but the hidden, silent anger that can turn into deadly pride or unrecognizable prejudice.

Anger wears many disguises. Some of those are loneliness and grief. I began wondering what might have happened in Jonah’s life to make him, a man of God, so angry that he would directly and blatantly disobey the Lord. The first short story was the beginning of a five-month diversion in my predetermined writing schedule.

I was inspired by other verses as I walked the landscape of Scripture through the books of the minor prophets.

With Nahum, I pondered how tragedy affects the trajectory of a life. With Habakkuk, I explored the difference between authentic worship and disingenuous faith. Obadiah is a short and sweet book of the bible, but it packs a punch. The theme of the resulting short story is about claiming one’s true identity as a child of God. Finally, Malachi wove the final thread into the fabric of this anthology which is ultimately about the Spirit of God moving through history to accomplish His will and purpose. Malachi is a story about knowing when to remain silent and when to ask questions of God. As I wrote Winds of Ruach, I thought about the importance of destiny and promise.

Some of my early readers asked me which was my favorite prophet. Honestly, the only way I could answer that question is to say that it is whichever story I am reading at the time. I was greatly blessed while writing Winds of Ruach, drawing out biblical themes I had never noticed before. These five prophets are near and dear to my heart. Truly, the imagination is a gift from God. And yes, I did go back to the ‘routine’ in writing. It took three and half years (half a year over my schedule) but the series I was working on prior to Winds of Ruach is now complete. God is good even in the distractions.

Blog Stops

Fiction Book Lover, January 31 (Author Interview)

Lots of Helpers, January 31

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 1

Guild Master, February 2 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, February 3

Artistic Nobody, February 4 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 5

Beauty in the Binding, February 6 (Author Interview)

Abba’s Warrior Princess, February 7

A Reader’s Brain, February 8 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 8

Cover Lover Book Review, February 9

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, February 11 (Author Interview)

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, February 12

Lights in a Dark World, February 13

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, D.M. is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card & copy of book!!

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

Link for giveaway:https://promosimple.com/ps/29b07/winds-of-ruach-celebration-tour-giveaway

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Epic Book Launch: A Storm of Doubts by JPC Allen

About the Book

Book Title: A Storm of Doubts

Author Name: JPC Allen

Genre: YA Cozy Mystery

Release Date: March 1, 2024

Her dad said nothing could hurt their relationship. But what if he isn’t her dad?

Summer gets off to a rocky start for twenty-year-old Rae Riley when the ex-wife of family friend Jason Carlisle claims their youngest child isn’t his and Rae’s con man uncle Troy returns to Marlin County, Ohio. Rae is already at odds with her father, Sheriff Walter “Mal” Malinowski, over her desire to help people in trouble. When she extends that help to Troy and Jason’s ex-wife, Ashley, she and Mal clash even more.

Then Ashley disappears, and Jason and his brother Rick are the main suspects. As Rae and her aunt Carrie, a private investigator hired to protect Jason’s kids, work to discover what really happened to Ashley, Rae wrestles with Troy’s insinuations that she may be calling the wrong Malinowski “Dad.”

Book Excerpt

"How about a race to shore?"

As an answer, I dove off the platform.

Christ beat me, of course, and waited for me when I stood in the shallows.

"You can't hound us because we're in public." That was Rick Carlisle.

Chris and I turned to his voice.

Rick faced a man and woman near the concession stand, pure fury pulling his narrow, bearded face thinner.

"We're not hounding you." The man was tall with finely sculpted pecs and abs—so fine they looked inflated, as if he worked out for a hobby rather than worked hard for a living. His hair was cut so short it appeared painted on his skull. "Ashley wanted to see her kids. Public areas are the only places we can do that."

"Rick," Jason called, holding Sylvie as Alli and Richard towels into a canvas bag. "Let's just go." His voice sounded strained, like he was fighting a deep pain in his gut.

"We can't run every time they show up" Rick glared at the couple.

The woman—Ashley—stood huddled in a bright teal jacket as if the breeze blowing over the beach chilled her. She lifted her hand and waved, but I wasn't sure at whom.

"Looks like trouble," Chris whispered, and then he strode over to Jason.

All Excerpts

Excerpt One: http://kid-lit.library-lady.blog/epic-book-launch-and-excerpt-a-storm-of-doubts-young-adult/

Excerpt Two: https://blossomsandblessings.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-storm-of-doubts-by-jpc-allen-epic.html

Excerpt Three: https://moments-of-beauty.blogspot.com/2024/02/epic-book-launch-storm-of-doubts-by-jpc.html

Excerpt Four: https://carolkeen.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-storm-of-doubts-epic-book-launch.html

Excerpt Five: https://storiesbygina.com/2024/02/12/a-storm-of-doubts-epic-book-launch-with-celebrate-lit-publicity/

Excerpt Six: https://www.artistwriterandstudentohmy.com/posts/a-storm-of-doubts-epic-book-launch/

Excerpt Seven: https://coverloverbookreview.blogspot.com/2024/02/a-storm-of-doubts.html

About the Author

JPC Allen started her writing career in second grade with an homage to Scooby Doo. She’s been tracking down mysteries ever since. Her Christmas mystery “A Rose from the Ashes” was the first Rae Riley mystery and a Selah-finalist at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference in 2020. Her first Rae Riley novel, A Shadow on the Snow, released in 2021. Online, she offer tips and prompts to ignite the creative spark in every kind of writer. She also leads workshops for tweens, teens and adults, encouraging them to discover the adventure of writing. Coming from a long line of Mountaineers, she’s a life-long Buckeye.