ROW80 Late Sunday Check In . . . Late!

I am late, for a very important date!!! I really didn't get a lot done with my writing. I was out of town, and didn't get back until late last night.

I did see a lot of people who would make great characters!

Days of Messiah - Volume 1 The Healer's Touch

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Amber Schamel

and the book:

Days of Messiah (Volume 1 The Healer's Touch)

Helping Hands Press (July 24, 2013)

***Special thanks to Amber Schamel for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amber Schamel was born in Littleton, CO and has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, and the Holy Land. She was raised in a family of 11 children, homeschooled through education and currently works with their 10 family businesses as bookkeeper and marketing director. She volunteers half of the summer at a non-profit Christian Family Bootcamp in rural MO helping and ministering to young girls and Christian families. Amber loves history, culture, reading and music. She has a musical ministry and travels throughout the United States ministering thru song. During her spare time she enjoys crafting Christ-honoring stories that will inspire and encourage her readers. Amber currently lives with her family outside of Colorado Springs, CO.


Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Aaliyah's last chance at winning her husband's love is destroyed when she is banished from her home as an 'unclean' sinner. Her husband has branded her as an adulteress and threatens to kill her if she comes near the town. Struggling to survive amidst the fear, grief and bitterness of living in a leper colony, she would give anything just to see her son again. Is God really punishing her with this disease? When rumors of a Healer from Nazareth reach the colony, Aaliyah wonders if this man could really heal her, or if He would despise her like the rest of her people. It is now that Aaliyah must make the most difficult decision of her life: risk her life to appear in public, or die a leper.

Product Details:
List Price: $7.59
Paperback: 76 pages
Publisher: Helping Hands Press (July 24, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1622084004
ISBN-13: 978-1622084005

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Circa 20 A.D.

The spring sun rose warm and clear over the Sea of Galilee. Aaliyah bustled about in the kitchen. She had already been up for several hours preparing for the Passover meal for that evening. Footsteps sounded as her husband shuffled sleepily into the kitchen. He lifted his hands above his head, stretching his tall frame.

"Good morning, husband." She smiled at him, suppressing her urge of mischief. "Did the sun sneak up on you today?"

"I didn't sleep well," he grumbled as he dipped his hands into the bucket and splashed water on his face.

Aaliyah scraped some breakfast onto a plate for him. "You tossed and turned all night; I dodged several blows from you." She offered him his plate, but when he reached out, she held it back. "Tell me, Tyrus, have you taken to beating your good wife in your sleep?"

"Perhaps if I did, she would behave during the day." Tyrus smiled softly and jerked the plate out of her grasp.

Aaliyah laughed under her breath. "Perhaps."

Picking up the bowl of dough she was mixing, she followed him into the dining room and sat across from Tyrus. As he ate, she studied him with a fond eye. He was still as handsome as the day she'd first seen him. His hair and full beard were dark as the midnight sky and his skin was tanned as evidence of his work ethic. His brown eyes were lively and ambitious; looking into them gave her the feeling that there were exciting new worlds he was waiting to conquer. His tall frame looked cramped sitting at the little table with his legs folded beneath him. Redness dabbed the nostrils of his distinct nose, the tell-tale sign, he was tired.

"What disturbed your sleep, my husband?"

Tyrus glanced up at her before replying. "Dreams."

Aaliyah's brow furrowed. "Dreams? What kind of dreams?"

He shoved his empty plate towards her and stood. "Never mind them now. Passover is tonight, and we've much work to do. The caravan I sent to Jerusalem is returning today, and I must inventory the merchandise before my patrons show up to buy them all. I'll bring our lamb

in later." He turned and left the room before she could ask more. She heard the courtyard gate close behind him. Tyrus was gone for the day.

Aaliyah bit her lip. His reservation seemed odd. Why would he not tell her of his dreams? Something about his manner gave her an uneasy feeling.

Sounds from the next room distracted her thoughts. The closing of the gate awoke their son, and the quick pitter-patter of feet sounded upon the tiled floor. Aaliyah crept through the courtyard and peeked into his room. Malon was sitting on the floor attempting to lace his sandals. His little pink tongue poked out as his chubby hands concentrated on the laces. Her heart warmed with a deep happiness as she watched him.

"Good morning, my son."

Malon's concentration was unbroken, and he continued fumbling with the laces until he managed to put his shoes on. He jumped up, but when he did, the knot he had formed around his calf came undone and the laces fell down around his ankles.

"Aww. Mama, I just can't do it right."

"It's okay; I'll help you," Aaliyah giggled.

She winked at him as she knelt to tie the laces. He returned her gesture with a hard blink.

When his shoes were fitly tied, Malon jumped up and bounded across the courtyard, headed for the gate. He stood on his tip-toes, reaching for the latch.

"Where are you going, Malon?"

"With Papa."

"Don't you want some breakfast first?"

Malon’s eyes swept around the kitchen as if searching for a hidden trap that would keep him away from his father. "Can I go with Papa after?"

"Yes, after breakfast you can go to the shop with Papa."

Malon plopped down on an overturned bucket and gobbled down his breakfast. Aaliyah ran her hand through his thick, dark hair.

"Don't eat too quickly. You don't want to choke on your food."

Malon's stubby hands extended the plate as his big brown eyes pleaded with her. "I'm finished now," he managed through a mouthful of food. "Can I go with Papa?"

Setting down the plate, Aaliyah took him by the hand, and together they walked across the courtyard and out into the street. The streets of Capernaum were busy with people rushing from

shop to shop gathering the needed supplies for Passover. They crossed the street into the market and waved to their long-time friends, Simon and Andrew, as the brothers brought in the night's catch. The bleating of the lambs just herded into the marketplace added to the bustle and noise.

Aaliyah and Malon approached their family's shop. Kish, Tyrus' apprentice, was bent over stocking one of the displays.

"Shalom, Kish. Where's Papa?" Malon grinned.

"Aw, he's over paying the tribute for the shipment that just came in. Help me sort these figs and he'll be over just as soon as he's finished. We've got lots of work to do today."

"No! Have mercy! Please husband, mercy!"

A commotion from a nearby house drew Aaliyah's attention. A man was dragging a woman, apparently his wife, out of the house and down the street towards the synagogue.

"Silence you insolent whore. How dare you...and in my own house! No, woman! You deserve what is coming to you."

The woman struggled trying to free herself of his iron grasp and her screeching faded as they disappeared down the street.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aaliyah noticed Tyrus standing beside her. His jaw was clenched and his eyes narrow.

"You look a little pale, Aaliyah. Does this scene--" he turned and looked intently at her. "--bother you?"

My Thoughts: Aaliyah is a faithful and dutiful wife to Tyrus. It is Passover and she is preparing food for the Passover meal. When she cuts herself with a knife, her husband noticed a purple spot on her arm and wanted to know where it came from. They write it off as Aaliyah being clumsy. The next morning Aaliyah wakes with a start as she has slept late, she goes to wash up before preparing breakfast and she notices more purple splotches, and she tries her best to hide them from Tyrus. Tyrus notices the splotches when she serves him breakfast. He immediately wants to know what is wrong with her face, he tells her to go to the bathing room and not to touch anything. He sends for the Dr. and it is confirmed that she has Leprosy. All Aaliyah cares about is her small son, Malon, her husband sends her away and accuses her of sinning which is why she got Leprosy, and he banishes her to the Leprosy colony. In the colony Aaliyah does her best to accept her lot in life, and she helps care for the others who are sicker than she is. Meira who befriends her, and is like a mother to her, says some of the most beautiful words to her. “My child, we cannot allow the actions of others to dictate ours, I don’t know what happened down there and I don’t need to know. Here - we’re family; here it is not our looks but our hearts that determine beauty.” What powerful words! In a society that determines worth based on looks, Meira lets Aaliyah know that it is not looks that determine worth but our hearts. Jesus said in Matthew 15:8, what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. We so need to remember this! Our looks don’t matter, but our hearts do. I loved this book from beginning to end. Amber brought the time period to life, I felt like I was in Galilee experiencing what Aaliyah was. I am anxious for the next book, and I can’t recommend this book enough!

ROW 80 Mid-Week Check In

 

I was able to work out the plot for my WIP, and my characters.

I am making slow, but steady progress. I am really enjoying what I am seeing develop in my story and with the characters. Dreaming about your work is great and pretty funny.

Millie's Treasure

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Millie's Treasure Harvest House Publishers (August 1, 2013) by Kathleen Y'Barbo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

RITA and Carol award nominee Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than forty novels, novellas, and young adult books. In all, more than one million copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad, and her books have been translated into Dutch, German, and Spanish, to name a few.

Kathleen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She holds a BBA from Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School and a certification in Paralegal Studies, and is a former member of the Texas Bar Association’s Paralegal Division.

A tenth-generation Texan, Kathleen Y’Barbo has four children of her own as well as seven bonus kids she gladly inherited when she married her own hero in combat boots. Kathleen is proud to be a military wife, even if it did mean giving up her Texas drivers license.

ABOUT THE BOOK

From bestselling author Kathleen Y'Barbo comes Millie's Treasure, the second book in The Secret Lives of Will Tucker series, a new set of novels involving romance, adventure, and hidden identity.

Memphis 1890--Bookish heiress Millie Jean Cope is as clever as she is beautiful. Unfortunately, though adept at solving puzzles and cryptograms, she doesn't realize her new fiancé isn't who he claims to be, but instead is a charming scoundrel. The infamous Will Tucker is presenting himself as a British gentleman, Sir William Trueck, though in reality he is a crafty criminal looking for a hidden map to a secret treasure.

Pinkerton agent Kyle Russell has been on Tucker's trail for years. At last Kyle believes he has Tucker cornered, but he is uncertain whether the lovely woman on the con man's arm is an unsuspecting victim or willing accomplice. Finding reasons to spend time with Millie is easy. Keeping himself from falling in love with her is another issue entirely. A fun and entertaining story of how God can shine the light of truth on the most cryptic circumstances.

If you would like to read the first chapter of >Millie's Treasure, go HERE.

My Take: I just started reading this and I love that she is a bookworm. I plan on finishing it soon! You can't go wrong with Kathleen Y'Barbo.

Meet Me at the Cupcake Café Giveaway

Book Blurb:

Having grown up in an apartment above her Grandpa Joe's little bakery, Issy Randal has always known how to make something sweet. She's much better at baking than she is at filing, so when she's laid off from her desk job, Issy decides to open up her own little caf . But she soon learns that her piece-of-cake plan will take all her courage and confectionary talent to avert disaster. Funny and sharp, Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe is about how life might not always taste like what you expect, but there's always room for dessert!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenny Colgan was a fussy eater as a child and didn’t even begin to learn to cook until she was 21, when her then boyfriend tried to teach her a few basics purely out of exasperation. While she is now able to make a variety of good, wholesome food for her family, she still can’t make scones. A former columnist for The Guardian, Jenny contributes regularly to national BBC radio and is the bestselling author of more than eleven novels, including The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris (coming out in the US in early 2014). She is married with three children and lives in London and France. For more information, please visit http://www.jennycolgan.com/ and follow her on Twitter, @JennyColgan. 

BONUS GIVEAWAYS IN AUGUST!!!

8/1         Book of Secrets

8/2         Luxury Reading

Weekend           

8/5         Radiant Light

8/6         Ruby’s Reads

8/7         Caffeinated Book Review

8/8         The Romance Dish

8/9         My Book Addiction and More

This giveaway will be a little different. To enter you must be a follower of my blog, and say so in your comment, also add your favorite bakery item. This giveaway starts today, August 5th and will end on August 15th. The winner will have 48 hours after I contact them to email me their mailing address, or I will choose a another winner.

This is open to U.S. & Canada only!

GOOD LUCK!!!

ROW 80 Sunday Checkin

I didn't get as much done as I wanted to from Wednesday to Sunday. My allergies are really acting up and I couldn't think, plus my hubby was gone so I just relaxed. Hoping to get a lot more accomplished between now and Wednesday since we'll be gone from Thursday til Sunday this week.

What A Mother Knows

Book Blurb:

An unsettling, emotional and suspenseful novel of the unshakable bonds of motherhood, in which Michelle Mason not only loses her memory after a deadly car crash, but can't find her 16-year-old daughter, the one person who may know what happened that day. But the deeper Michelle digs, the more she questions the innocence of everyone, even herself. A dramatic portrayal of the fragile skin of memory, What a Mother Knows is about finding the truth that can set love free.

My Take:

Could you imagine coming home from the hospital with nothing being like it was before. I have some understanding. I spent a month in the hospital after a car accident six years ago and I came home things were different. In this case there is a missing child, and as a mother it just tears at your heart. 
This is a book that will not only pull at your heart, it will also having you guessing.

A great summer read!