⭐PUYB Virtual Book Club⭐

⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Come To Me: A Devotional for Healing From Hurt by Amy W. Vogel #nonfiction #Christian

Have you been hurt by circumstances, situations, life, and people? Do you desire to find hope, find meaning in the pain and begin your journey into wholeness?

Title: Come To Me
Author: Amy W. Vogel
Publisher: AW Vogel Publishing
Pages: 123
Genre: Nonfiction/Christian

From the author of Third Person: 30 Days with the Holy Spirit comes a unique devotional experience. Come to Me stands out with messages from one particular passage, Matthew 11:28-30.

It is an invitation by Jesus to those who are hurting, with a promise to bring hope, soul-level rest, and a new vision of wholeness to those experiencing the wounds of life.

Jesus meets us right where we are, and through this collection of personal reflections, time-tested spiritual practices, and new ways to imagine God working, you can find the healing from the hurt you long for.

Amazon: https://a.co/d/69jzFNZ

Now, today, we get a clue about where we are going. If it is healing, if it is wholeness, if it is a longing for feeling a different way and the possibility of living differently, it will be in, with, and through Jesus.

Other gods offer something like this. Whether you listen to ancient gods or worship modern idols we make with our hands, the siren song of “you’ll feel different” is ever-present. And, for a brief period, even a second, we will. Anything that alters our reality can own us if we want to feel differently bad enough. The kick is that these coping mechanisms only work as long as they work. There is always an expiration date.

Jesus is making that claim. It is bold and audacious, and it’s scary. Jesus is saying that to experience true life, a life you don’t have to escape from, He is the way to that life. He is offering me a chance to see that my longing for the burden of my sadness, loneliness, and pain won’t be solved by turning to another project, another person, or another substance.

There are many instances in the Scriptures when Jesus tells people to “Come follow Me,” but Matthew’s Gospel is the only recorded time where He says, “Come TO Me.” This is a whole different invitation, not to service but to what will change us forever: the real life we were always meant for.

Prayer: Dear Jesus – I don’t know if anything will change if I accept this invitation to Come to You today. My battered heart wants to think it won’t because it often doesn’t. My situation never seems to change no matter what, not in any discernible way. So, I ask You to see me, hear me, and accept what little I have to give to You as I Come to You as You invite me to. You know I want to change, so start the change inside me. I don’t know how much I trust You, but I’m here. Amen.

Amy W. Vogel is an accomplished author, speaker, podcaster, and ministry consultant. She loves learning and sharing her knowledge through stories in her inspirational projects and fiction novels.

Amy creates, leads, and speaks to large and small groups and churches to help people understand their inherent worth and goodness by giving them a vision of hope for everyone, everywhere. She is married to David, has three daughters, and lives in Houston, TX.

Website: https://amywvogel.my.conva.site/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/amywvogel

Facebook: www.facebook.com/amywvogel

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/awvogel

⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐Mom's Search for Meaning: Grief and Growth After Child Loss by Melissa M. Monroe @triplemmeaning #Memoir

California Author Pens Powerfully Poignant New Book Recovering From Losing Her Child

Title: Mom's Search for Meaning: Grief and Growth After Child Loss
Author: Melissa M. Monroe
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 276
Genre: Memoir

Paralyzed by guilt, grief, and PTSD after her 2-year-old daughter Alice died in her sleep of unknown causes, acupuncturist Melissa Monroe determined not to become a victim in the story of her life. While taking the advice she had given to many grief and trauma patients throughout the years, hoping she could create a meaningful life without closure, she took notes throughout her healing process.

Struggling to advance her timeline beyond that of her daughter’s – and still eager to be the keeper of Alice’s stories – Melissa began to write about Alice’s life and the impact of her death. She became her own lab rat, trying various approaches to healing with the hope that her experience might be helpful to others stuck in a trauma time loop.

As much a study of trauma’s effect on time perception as it is an intimate view into the heart and mind of a bereaved mother, Mom’s Search for Meaning shows us that meaning resides in the search itself…with a spoonful of gallows humor to help the medicine go down.

Praise:

“Melissa doesn’t just say the way out is through, she very much takes us through what that looks like. And in being so specific, I think it’s universally relatable. The final chapter is “To be, or not to be”-level work. This is mom-loss Shakespeare.” Teresa Strasser, author of Exploiting My Baby, the upcoming Making It Home, and co-host of the syndicated TV show The List

“Melissa’s book provides powerful testimony to the strength of the human spirit and our vulnerable, complicated, and yet inspirational ability to heal.” Kim Cookson, Psy.D., founder of the Trauma and Resiliency Training and Services Program at the Southern California Counseling Center

“It is the story of how one person found her way – with grief and with pain, but also with humor and grace – back to a life that would be forever different, but which couldn’t be, and wouldn’t be, anything less than purposeful and honest.” Dan Koeppel, author of To See Every Bird on Earth, Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World, and Every Minute is a Day

“The explorations of compassion are deep, Melissa’s march toward love is inspiring, and the writing is beautiful. It is a book about child loss that – at times – made me laugh out loud. I will never stop thinking about this book. And I am so glad.” Liz Friedlander, film and television director

Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/yrmuumc6

Barnes & Noble: https://tinyurl.com/mryd9z7s

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/123189454

Billy Dees Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMzd6XXm-kU

"When everything we love turns to ash, all we have is love. I began to realize that if I marched toward the love — even on a day when I felt like shit — I would always be guided and surrounded by love. If I cursed the path, I wouldn’t see the love that was all around me and would find a cursed path.

When Alice died, it became crystal clear to me that nothing matters but love. That clarity was notable because not one other thing was clear. But more importantly, I began to see that love doesn’t die. My love for Alice went nowhere; I just didn’t know what to do with all that love when her body was no longer here, when I could not interact with her personality or hug her chubby belly. It was clear to me my love for her survived though her body did not. I could still feel her, though I couldn’t see or touch her. Grief is love in the absence of the recipient of the love.

Grief is the phantom limb of love.

This meant I had to learn how to love someone no longer here ... and to do that, I had to focus on the love that was here. And there was so much love around me, thank God.”

Now living in Los Angeles with her daughter Grace, Melissa M. Monroe was born in Yuma, AZ. She attended Loyola University in Chicago. After finishing at Loyola, she studied modern dance at University of Chicago. In 1995, she moved to California to train in Pilates, yoga, and acupuncture, which she practices as a professional.

Website: http://www.melissamariemonroe.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tripleMMeaning

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaMarieMonroeAuthor

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@triplemmeaning

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissammonroe/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-monroe-b0b1197/

PUYB Author Talks: ⭐A Bookish Conversation with 'Fateful Connections' Karen Charles⭐ #FatefulConnections #interview

Karen Charles is a children’s book author and educator. She lives with her husband on a beautiful bay in Washington State. Her latest book is the thriller, Fateful Connections.

Website: https://karenrabe18.wixsite.com/my-site-2

Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenra24229683

Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

Since it is based on the events of 9/11, I had to go back and read the timeline of events. I did detailed research on the settings, even though I had been there myself. There are some crimes committed that I had to research as to how they could have been done and how the police would deal with them. I also had to do research on the drug cartels of Mexico.

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

I opted to self-publish, giving me freedom to publish at any time and keep all the rights to my books.

If self-published, did you hire someone to format the ebook version for you or did you do it yourself? Can you tell us what that was like?

I had the publisher professionally edit the book, format the eBook, and worked with them on cover ideas.

If self-published, how did you determine the price?

The publisher gave me a range for the price so the picked the price in the middle.

If published by a publisher, what was your deciding factor in going with them?

The deciding factor in going with my publisher was a referral from another author.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book? Why?

I wanted my book to come out before the fourth of July. It reminds us of our freedom and patriotism.

How did you choose your cover?

Being a thriller, I wanted it to be dramatic and colorful. A publishing company has asked permission to use my cover in their advertising.

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I revised each chapter after I wrote it.

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

I am happy to give my book away to sell other copies.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

Form a street team, friends and collaborators who will promote the book on their own platforms.
Build a website and mailing list.
Get reviews early.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Virtual launch on social media.
Virtual launch on your website.
Guest-posting on other people’s blogs.

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out?

Made a website, set up a blog.
Facebook Page
Free book giveaways.
Twitter

Do you have a long term plan with your book?

Yes, this is not just a few months and on to another book.

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

I am so glad you are reading “Fateful Connections.” I know you will have a delightful adventure. When I wrote it, I fell in love with the characters and wanted to know what happened to them. Even though they had devastating, traumatic experiences, I gave them redemption in the end.

Inside the Book

Fateful Connections tells the story of four people brought together by the tragic events of 9/11 in the United States. These four individuals were attending a conference in Seattle, Washington, and found it nearly impossible to make it back to their homes, which were scattered across the country. They decide to rent a car and drive together, as they cannot get any flights home. As rental cars are also impossible to come upon, they find a friend who has access to a repossessed car, which he is willing to rent out. Unbeknownst to the friends, the rightful owner of the car wants his car back, and as they find out, hidden inside the car are drugs and guns. What ensues is a dangerous journey which impacts the four friends’ lives forever. The story follows them on their harrowing journey home, then one and two years later as they meet up for an annual reunion.

The strengths of this story are the easy-to-read narrative and compelling plot. The author introduces four intriguing main characters, as well as a number of antagonists, who hunt down the friends and engage in dangerous and illegal plans to not only recapture their guns and drugs, but also kill the friends so there are no witnesses to their illegal activities. The reader is instantly drawn into the storyline, and moves along with the characters as they experience fear, joy, love, and relief. The plot is compelling, and the reader cannot help but become invested in the lives of these four main characters.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/41WDECT

PUYB Author Talks: ⭐A Bookish Conversation with 'Larimar: Gem of the Sea' Christine E. Schulze⭐ #Larimar #interview @authorCESchulze

Christine E. Schulze has been living in castles, exploring magical worlds, and creating fantastical adventures and romances since she was too young to even write of such stories. Her collection of young adult and children’s fantasy books, The Amielian Legacy, is comprised of series and stand-alone books that can all be read separately, but also weave together to create a single, amazing fantasy.

One of her main aspirations for The Amielian Legacy is to create fantasy stories with characters that connect with readers from many different backgrounds. Her current focus is to include racially diverse characters and those with disabilities. The latter is inspired by Schulze working with adults with autism and other developmental disabilities at Trinity Services in Southern Illinois.

Schulze draws much of her inspiration from favorite authors like Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Diana Wynne Jones, favorite games like The Legend of Zelda, and especially from the people in her life. Some of her exciting ventures include the publication of her award-winning Bloodmaiden, as well as The Gailean Quartet with Words Matter Publishing. Her books for younger readers include In the Land of Giants and The Amazing Captain K.

Christine currently lives in a cozy Hobbit hole, but you can visit her on her website: http://christineschulze.com.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tiktok

Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

One of the things I love about writing fantasy is that overall, it doesn’t require a lot of research. I’m creating my own world, characters, races, magic, creatures, histories, and so on, allowing my imagination to be boundless. That said, when I do need research, such as how castle staff might operate or how certain weapons work or what kind of dragons I want to include, my research is always fun and filled with fascinating topics.

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

I’ve mostly self-pubbed but have done a bit of both. For my self-published books, I’ve worked with an amazing editor, Kira Lerner, for years. She has truly helped me to train my mind to develop more complex and cohesive characters and stories. I’ve worked with other great editors too, to give my readers the best experience. Quality is exceptionally important to me in everything I do. I do also currently have a YA/NA fantasy series, The Gailean Quartet, published with a small press, so that’s been a newer experience for me.

If published by a publisher, what was your deciding factor in going with them?

I used to have a few ebooks published with Writers-Exchange E-publishing. It was a positive experience, but ultimately we parted ways and I have since re-published the books I had with them. Through that experience, I met Laura Shinn, whom I have since hired for many years now to format my ebooks. She taught me how to format print, which I can now easily do myself, but I’ve stuck with her for ebook formatting as that can be tricky and involve attention to many more little details. She does such a great job, doesn’t charge high fees, and it works for both of us.

If self-published, did you hire someone to format the ebook version for you or did you do it yourself? Can you tell us what that was like?

If self-published, how did you determine the price?

Many of my books are self-published. Most of them are in the $3.99 or $4.99 range, which is pretty standard. I do offer a short story for $.99, which seems fair considering the length, and Larimar: Gem of the Sea for $2.99 as the first in the series. I’m published through Amazon, and they charge a delivery fee for ebooks, and that fee increases with larger file sizes. So, if I do any books with a lot of illustrations, like One Starry Knight, I may have to charge a bit extra in order to make any profit. I try to keep things as fair as possible while also making a profit, as I would ultimately love to write full time. I don’t want my books to be unnecessarily expensive and inaccessible to readers. For print, I also try to be as fair as I can, though that’s a whole other beast. That said, printing costs have recently increased (yay, inflation!), so if you see the price of mine and other authors’ books go up by a dollar or two, know that’s likely why, not because we want to.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book? Why?

For my most recent release, I did. The audiobook edition of Larimar: Gem of the Sea came out on April 20^th, 2023, which is my birthday. I figured, why not? What a fun thing to do, to have a book release on my birthday. Readers have really been enjoying the audiobook edition. My narrator, Jocelyn Duford, brings each character uniquely to life, and she also sings the two little songs I wrote inside the book.

How did you choose your cover?

For Larimar and other books in the series, I’ve used multiple artists over the years with different styles. I love original art, a sort of painted, whimsical feel, as my books are quite whimsical and magical. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to combine all my stand-alone titles into a single collection for readers. Having done so, I used another artist who was able to create the borders and update the fonts so that, even with the unique art on each, they have a cohesive series look to them.

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I don’t usually revise as I go, unless perhaps it has to do with the story itself needing to change. But I’m not one to line edit as I go along, as I think that would slow me down. Best for me to just get the story from my head to the page, then go back for several rounds of edits later. I don’t always write in order either. I may create an outline of what I want to happen start to finish, but if I’m inspired to write a scene from the end of the book before the beginning, then that’s what I’ll do.

Did you come up with special swag for your book and how are you using it to help get the word out about your book?

I have made some fancy bookmarks that match each book in The Amielian Legends. I haven’t used them just yet, but I’d eventually like to be able to offer autographed copies of my books on my website, which would each include a matching bookmark. That’s not a project likely in the near future, as I’ve got many other things on the horizon, but it’s on my radar to accomplish at some point.

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

I haven’t found this to work well, in my experience, though I’m still new to the world of marketing and still have loads to learn. That said, I do include a couple free short stories with my author newsletter, and I feel like that can be a valuable way to give readers a sample of my writing. I’ve asked readers, and some love receiving stories and excerpts, while others don’t and would prefer just learning the behind-the-scenes on how I create my books and characters. Different readers have different preferences, so I’ve been trying a bit of everything with my newsletter to find out what they like.

What are some of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

Have a plan! I’ve never had a plan before because of a lot of my currently published titles first happened when I was younger and didn’t know better. They’ve since been majorly revamped with professional editing and covers, but I never did a proper re-release. I have a few books planned, including two omnibuses of one of my series and a brand-new YA fantasy stand-alone. For those, I’m going to study, develop a plan, find my readers beforehand, and do my best to hype the books before they come out. And I’m going to set pre-orders, which I did for my audiobook edition of Larimar, and it worked out well.

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out?

For the Larimar audiobook, I talked about the book in my newsletter, made several videos on Tiktok, and posted to other social media. It was my first time doing a pre-order and also my first time making several sales the day a book released, so the proof is in the pudding. Reaching readers before a book comes out works. I just need to keep going and get better at it.

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

I’d love readers to know that if they love adventure, magic, diverse characters, romance without any on-screen spice that my books might be their perfect next read! Especially if they love stories along the lines of Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Legend of Zelda, or Howl’s Moving Castle. I’d also love to encourage readers to check out my newsletter, where you can learn more about my books and also pick up a couple of free stories. You can do that here: https://www.authorchristineschulze.com/newsletter. If you do sign up, feel free to reply to any of the emails I send out, or you can send me a message on my website. I love hearing from readers and do my best to reply to everyone who reaches out to me.

Inside the Book

Title: Larimar: Gem of the Sea
Author: Christine E. Schulze
Publisher: KDP Publishing
Pages: 140
Genre: YA | Fantasy

A Fearless captain and a mysterious girl who walks on water. An underwater city and a destined deadly curse. What could possibly go wrong?

Captain Jorah is renowned for being one of the youngest explorers to ever sail Zephyrian waters. He’s also notorious for landing his crew in situations they hadn’t counted on, involving man-eating mermaids and other dangerous misadventures.

When Jorah decides to search for the legendary underwater City of Larimar, he doesn’t account for the quest that follows. After being rescued from shipwreck by a mysterious young woman who walks on water and carries a singing seashell around her neck, he soon finds himself reunited with an old friend once thought lost to him. Before he knows it, he’s caught up in a race against time to save her yet again, this time from a looming prophecy about a deadly serpent destined to consume her entire race.

Can Jorah help her save her people before the dark prophecy completes itself?

The Amielian Legends is a collection of stand-alone young adult books, all set in the same fantastic universe, that can be read in any order. Read Larimar: Gem of the Sea today to discover new worlds filled with adventure, diverse characters, and whimsical magic.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/44u4tQY

Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Larimar-Gem-of-the-Sea-Audiobook/B0BZDYVKWY

🎈Happy Book Birthday to 🧁BABE IN THE WOODS by Jude Hopkins🎈 #bookbirthday @heyjudenotjudy @wildrosepress #PUYB

We're thrilled to announce the release of Jude Hopkins' Babe in the Woods today! To help celebrate, we are asking our readers if you can please pretty please pick up a copy at Amazon and come back and tell us how you liked it? Or, leave a review!

Congratulations, Jude, on your women's fiction new release, Babe in the Woods!

Is Now Available in Paperback!

It's September 1995, the first year of the rest of HADLEY TODD'S life. After a decade in Los Angeles, trying and failing to launch her career as a playwright, Hadley has returned to her hometown in rural New York to write and to be closer to her lonely, ailing father - not that he always welcomes the help. Between looking after him and teaching Shakespeare to teenage malcontents at the local high school, Hadley is determined to produce a masterpiece before 36. She even joins a writing group, thinking the structure will keep her focused. Hadley hopes to channel her recent heartbreak from being dumped in L.A. into writing a play about the last moment of a woman's innocence, a play that an agent friend in Hollywood has promised to produce. But she struggles with writer's block and seeks inspiration.

Enter TREY HARDING, a young, handsome sports reporter for a local radio station who covers sports at the high school where Hadley teaches. Trey reminds Hadley of her L.A. ex and is the perfect spark to touch off her imagination. Trey has two girlfriends who work at the school, giving Hadley a great perch from which to watch and write down their interactions. The fact that Trey is an aspiring rock star and she has L.A. record biz connections makes the alliance perfect. She dangles promises of music biz glory while watching his moves. But after they both go to Hollywood, Hadley learns that believing in herself is all the inspiration she needs.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/41FoWQa

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/451nn20

About Jude Hopkins

Jude Hopkins has published essays in The Los Angeles Times, Medium, and elsewhere, as well as poetry in numerous journals and magazines. Her work can be found on her website at judehopkinswriting.net.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/HeyJudeNotJudy
Medium: https://medium.com/@heyjudehopkins

⭐Pump Up Your Book Virtual Book Tour Kick Off⭐A Final Farewell by Marilyn Meredith #mystery @marilynmeredith

The discovery of a body in a neighbor’s pond piques retired deputy Tempe Crabtree’s curiosity, and she begins her own investigation…

Title: A Final Farewell
Author: Marilyn Meredith
Publisher: Independent
Pages: 227
Genre: Mystery

A woman’s body found in a neighbor’s pond piques Tempe’s curiosity. It isn’t long before she is enmeshed in the intrigue and gossip surrounding the mystery.

Miqui Sherwood has two handsome suitors both wanting to marry her. Does either one have any ties to the murder victim?

Tempe’s life is threatened, and the health of Tempe’s friend and mentor, Nick Two John, is failing.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/40YLA5V

Book Excerpt

“Oh, my goodness. Jerod Garfield drained his pond and found a body.” Tempe had been reading the local news on her phone while her husband read the Dennison Banner.

Hutch folded the Banner and put in on the kitchen table where they’d been drinking their morning coffee. “Nothing in here about it.”

“I don’t know why we bother with the paper. Now that it’s delivered by mail, the news is at least a day late.”

“I like it because it has positive articles about the schools, sports, and kids as well as others’ achievements. And I’ve always read the paper with my morning coffee.”

True, and Tempe once had done the same, but these days, it was easier and quicker to check her phone.

Her husband clung to his habits of the past. He refilled his mug from the coffee pot on the table. “Who is the deceased?”

“Authorities don’t know yet.”

“You have any idea who it might be?”

She shrugged. “If I were still on the job, I’d find out who has gone missing in the past few years.” Tempe had recently retired as the resident deputy of Bear Creek. She hadn’t been replaced. Instead, deputies from Dennison were assigned to patrol Bear Creek on different shifts, or were sent to respond in the case of an emergency.

These days, unless they planned to do something special, Tempe’s daily attire during the cooler fall temperatures consisted of a sweater, good jeans, and a comfortable pair of sneakers. Like she’d always done, she wore her still all-black hair in a long, thick single braid. Hutch usually donned his favorite well-worn Levi’s, a long-sleeved flannel shirt, and cowboy boots.

More...

About the Author

Marilyn Meredith is the author of over forty published novels, including the award-winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and on the board of the Public Safety Writers Association. She’s taught writing in many venues and appeared on numerous panels at mystery cons. Her home is in the foothills of the Southern Sierra, a place much like the fictional Bear Creek of the Tempe Crabtree mysteries. When not writing, Marilyn enjoys spending time with her large family.

Website | http://fictionforyou.com

Twitter | http://www.twitter.com/marilynmeredith

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/marilynmeredith