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Tag Archives: Race
ANNOUNCEMENT: I explained my answer to this question on an episode the Free Thinking Ministries podcast, with host Tim Stratton. We discussed Black Lives Matter, Christianity and more. And I explained my plan to achieve the American Dream as a person of color and legal immigrant to America. Live stream link here.
Systemic racism is the idea that people can't lift themselves out of poverty by making good decisions, because powerful groups in society that hold the poor down, regardless of their decisions. Do you think that America is a place where no matter what choices you make, you'll never be able to be more properous? That's what the leaders of Black Lives Matter think.
Here's what Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the 1619 Project, says in the New York Times (a former newspaper):
To summarize, none of the actions we are told black people must take if they want to "lift themselves" out of poverty and gain financial stability — not marrying, not getting educated, not saving more, not owning a home — can mitigate 400 years of racialized plundering.
Got that? It doesn't matter what individual choices a non-white person takes in America, they're going to be poor. The "systemic racism" of the powerful whites will always keep them down. Single motherhood doesn't make people poor, and marriage doesn't make people wealthier. Dropping out of high school doesn't make you poor, and getting a Masters degree in computer science won't make you wealthier.
But let's take a look at the data from the 2018 Census, and see the evidence.
White people are doing a bad job of keeping non-whites down
Well, it looks like at least SOME people of color are able to do well in America despite all the "systemic racism" that keeps non-whites down. And do you know what those non-white groups at the top have in common? They've made good decisions, they've worked hard, they haven't blamed other people when they fail, and they've saved their money instead of spending it on shiny junk.
Let's look at some decisions that the non-whites who are prosperous have made, that those further down have not.
Asians marry before they have children, so the kids have two parents
Education and marriage
This article is written by the far-left radical Nicholas Kristof, writing in the radically-leftist New York Times (a former newspaper).
A new scholarly book, "The Asian American Achievement Paradox," by Jennifer Lee and Min Zhou, notes that Asian-American immigrants in recent decades have started with one advantage: They are highly educated, more so even than the average American. These immigrants are disproportionately doctors, research scientists and other highly educated professionals.
It's not surprising that the children of Asian-American doctors would flourish in the United States. But Lee and Zhou note that kids of working-class Asian-Americans often also thrive, showing remarkable upward mobility.
[…]There's also evidence that Americans believe that A's go to smart kids, while Asians are more likely to think that they go to hard workers… Asian-American kids are allowed no excuse for getting B's — or even an A-. The joke is that an A- is an "Asian F."
One reason Asians students do so well is because their parents are usually married:
Strong two-parent families are a factor, too. Divorce rates are much lower for many Asian-American communities than for Americans as a whole, and there's evidence that two-parent households are less likely to sink into poverty and also have better outcomes for boys in particular.
American blacks have a 73% out-of-wedlock birth rate. A huge difference compared to Asians.
So, when Nikole Hannah-Jones tells you that education and marriage don't matter, she's just wrong.
Education and marriage are important, but so is saving your money. The wealthiest people in America are typically the ones who are experts at saving money early, and investing it. They know about the law of compound interest. If you invest money early and leave it alone, then it will grow into a fortune by the time you are read to stop working.
This graph explains compound interest:
Investing $24,000 from age 21 to 41 vs investing $24000 from age 47 to 67
What does Nikole Hannah-Jones say when she looks at that graph? She doesn't think that saving money makes a difference to having more or less wealth. She thinks skin color determines whether saving money makes you wealthy or not. The graph clearly shows what we should be recommending to young people of color. They need to stop spending money and start saving it, and the earlier the better. It doesn't matter what your skin color is, saving money early JUST WORKS.
Similarly, when she says that home ownership doesn't make you more wealthy, this is just terrible advice. It's always better to pay down your own mortgage (at least when interest rates are low like they are now) than to pay someone else rent. You have to live somewhere, and paying for your own home is better because it costs about the same as rent, and then you get to keep the home when you're done paying for it.
Nikole Hannah-Jones does have a "solution" to disparities in wealth. Her solution is communism. She wants to transfer money from those who earn, to those who don't. But we already have tried that in the 20st century and it resulted in the deaths of over 100 million people. That's not my opinion, that's all documented in a book published by Harvard University Press.
You don't even have to read the book to know the truth – just look at countries that score low on the Index of Economic Freedom, and compare their GDP per capita to countries that score high on the Index of Economic Freedom. The more communist a nation goes, the less wealth there is for the citizens. That's why people in Venezuela are eating zoo animals and selling their bodies in prostitution in order to get food to eat and water to drink. Nikole Hannah-Jones wants to reduce economic freedom, but we know by looking at other countries that this reduces per-capita GDP over time.
There's a lot more than could be said here, but the point is that we need to be telling American blacks to make decisions that match the decisions of other successful non-white communities in America. We need to start teaching young people basic economics so they don't fall prey to charlatans.
Basic EconomicsBlackBlack Lives MatterCritical Race TheoryEconomicsEqualityEquityIndianInequalityNikole Hannah-JonesPovertyRaceRacismWealth
Trump ends taxpayer-funded indoctrination in anti-American critical race theory in federal agencies
Her poor choices were caused by your racism, so you must pay her reparations
Good news, everyone! I think most people who are following the election closely know that there is almost no overlap between the Republican party and the Democrat party. It's common sense that we not use taxpayer money to spread hatred and division. The Democrats have been using taxpayer money to do that in federal agencies. But Trump has put an end to it.
Here's the story from Daily Wire:
The Trump administration announced late on Friday that it was cracking down on "critical race theory," a far-left anti-American ideology that promotes racial division, from being taught in federal agencies and paid for by federal money.
The memo released by Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, called critical race theory "divisive" and "anti-American propaganda," adding that the far-left ideology falsely promotes the notion that "there is racism embedded in the belief that America is the land of opportunity or the belief that the most qualified person should receive a job."
The memo states:
These types of "trainings" not only run counter to the fundamental beliefs for which our Nation has stood since its inception, but they also engender division and resentment within the Federal workforce. We can be proud that as an employer, the Federal government has employees of all races, ethnicities, and religions. We can be proud that Americans from all over the country seek to join our workforce and dedicate themselves to public service. We can be proud of our continued efforts to welcome all individuals who seek to serve their fellow Americans as Federal employees. However, we cannot accept our employees receiving training that seeks to undercut our core values as Americans and drive division within our workforce.
"The President has directed me to ensure that Federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to fund these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions," Vought wrote.
Now, I don't know about you, but my impression of the Republican party is that they were mostly fine with letting the Democrats warp the culture towards anarchy. Not just passively with Hollywood , Big Tech and professional sports, but actively, by subsidizing the universities, public schools, and public sector unions with taxpayer dollars. So this move comes as a big surprise to me. I would expect this from Jim Jordan or Mark Meadows, but not Donald Trump.
Critical Race Theory is nothing more than an attempt to remove responsibility from certain underperforming groups for the low results that are caused by their own poor decision-making. Not just their poor decision making with education, career, finances, but also with premarital sex, drugs, marriage and children.
We should be telling everyone, regardless of race, to act like East Indians and Asians and Africans in order to have success. Date like East Indians and Asians and Africans, Marry like East Indians and Asians and Africans. Educate yourself like East Indians and Asians and Africans. Work like East Indians and Asians and Africans. Follow the law and don't antagonize the police. This is not "acting white". This is taking responsibility to make good decisions and be disciplined. We need to teach people of all races to work backwards from the results that other non-white races are achieving, to the decision-making that produces those results. Critical race theory is teaching people the wrong message – don't make good decisions, cry racism when you fail to achieve good results. Awful.
In America, your success is largely determined by your decision-making, not by how other people treat you. We have non-white populations who are able to achieve far above whites, because they work harder, study harder, obey the law better, marry earlier, etc. than white people do, on average. The problem of failure to succeed cannot be caused by skin color when so many non-white groups are achieving far above native-born whites.
There is no path to stability and success that involves making decisions like the woman in the photo above. If a woman watches TV all the time, doesn't study in school, is overweight and makes babies with bad boys in order to go on welfare, then the solution to her problems won't be found in critical race theory. She'll have to start to control herself and make better decisions if she wants different results.
Instead of having taxpayer funded indoctrination to blame others for poor decision-making, we should remove all taxpayer-funding for failure, including student loans for non-STEM degrees and single mother welfare, and just pay people who try hard in school, who marry, and who have children after they are married. We should penalize people for divorce and drug use. We are getting failure in this country because we make excuses for people who make poor decisions. It's nice to see Trump at least stopping the flow of money from successful workers who pay taxes to irresponsible, reckless losers who think that teaching racism is a real job.
Corporate Virtue SignalingCritical Race TheoryDrug UseEmotivismFrugalityGovernment wasteIrresponsibilityLazinessMarxismMarxism is for LosersObesityPersonal ResponsibilityPracticalityRaceRacismRap MusicRecklessnesssResponsibilitySingle Motherhood By Choice
ANNOUNCEMENT: I'm going to be on the Free Thinking Ministries podcast today at 2 PM Pacific, 5 PM Eastern, with host Tim Stratton. Join us, and we will discuss Black Lives Matter, Christianity and more. And I'll explain my plan to achieve the American Dream as a person of color and legal immigrant to America. Live stream link here.
Why you should read "Up From Slavery" by Booker T. Washington
What's the best way to get up from slavery?
Lately, my friends have been very excited that I'm a non-white conservative. They want me to answer the grievances of BLM people, and explain from my own experiences what Christianity and conservative policies have to say about making the lives of non-whites better. My friend Wes recommended "Up From Slavery" by Booker T. Washington to help me focus my thoughts.
Here's a summary of the book:
Dignity through Labor
Over the course of Up From Slavery, Washington develops the idea and ideal of dignity through labor. For Washington, the gravest aspect of the institution of slavery is the denigration of labor for both blacks and whites. Because the enslaved had no personal investment or return on their labor, they did not complete their work with an attitude toward improvement. Likewise, whites, largely deprived of meaningful labor, were robbed of the ability to achieve self-sufficiency. In both races, this produced personalities and characters that seek to escape labor. Washington emphasizes labor as the only way to make oneself useful in an interdependent, modern society. Throughout the whole of Up From Slavery, Washington searches for and obtains work. Further, once he obtains it, Washington completes all labor to best of his ability, no matter how lowly the task. At the Tuskegee Institute, Washington makes this idea and ideal a foundational ethos. All students who study at the Tuskegee Institute must learn a trade or industry alongside their more traditional academic pursuits. In addition, many of the buildings, most of the furniture, the wagons, and the materials used at the school are produced by students. This level of practical skill and diligence also acts as the foundation of Washington's theory and program for racial uplift.
Selflessness, Desire to Be Useful to One's Community
The people that Washington most admires and models himself after are those he labels selfless. Washington defines this as the willingness to work on the behalf of others. For Washington, this is not only about duty or labor, but also about the willingness to do one's best for the benefit of the collective good. Washington believes that racial prejudice can be overcome if black people make themselves indispensable to their communities and their nation. The brick-making episode provides an example. Though the brick-making enterprise at Tuskegee felled three kilns before successfully producing bricks, the venture eventually proved successful and the school began to sell its bricks on the open market. Washington describes how whites who were unsympathetic or apathetic to the education of blacks and the overall project of the Tuskegee Institute were willing to purchase Tuskegee bricks due to their quality and convenience. Washington suggests that if black race can find their niche in society by fulfilling a need, then they can co-exist peacefully and productively with whites.
Impracticality of Political Agitation
Throughout Up From Slavery, Washington defends his ideas about racial advancement and uplift by subtly undermining the proposals of his critics. Though Washington does not explicitly state his objection to the strategies of specific thinkers like W.E.B. Dubois or even his predecessor, Frederick Douglass, he nevertheless highlights the wastefulness of political agitation for equal rights at every chance he gets. To do this, Washington shows that political agitation results in worse relations and outcomes than those that existed before. For example, when he goes home to Malden after his second year at the Hampton Institute, Washington finds that both the salt-furnace and the coal-mine are not in operation due to worker's strikes. In Chapter IV, Washington describes how strikers usually spent all their savings during the strikes and returned to work in debt, but at the same wages. He raises the impracticality of political agitation again after his controversial Atlanta Exposition speech. After the success of his speech, he hypothetically asks if a black man would have been invited to give a speech had people agitated to put a black person on the program. He answers in the negative, saying that such opportunities can only arise through merit.
And here's a summary of his most famous speech:
On September 18, 1895, Booker T. Washington was selected to give a speech that would open the Cotton States and International Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia. The speech, which is often referred to as the "Atlanta Compromise," was the first speech given by an African American to a racially-mixed audience in the South. In it, Washington suggested that African Americans should not agitate for political and social equality, but should instead work hard, earn respect and acquire vocational training in order to participate in the economic development of the South. By doing so, eventually, he stated, African Americans would gain the respect of white society and be granted the rights of full citizenship.
There's a free full audio version of the book, and the full text is online. I recommend this book to people of all races, because as the sexual anarchy brought on by feminism becomes widespread, the majority of the children of tomorrow will face the same kinds of challenges.
I see Washington's ideas as consistent with a Christian worldview, where we don't expect to be treated fairly. We expect sinful people to treat us badly. What Christianity says is to be patient, and focus on your relationship with God and loving your neighbor. And one way to love your neighbor is to sell them something valuable that you made through your labor. Another way is to work and save, and give to charity.
Government solutions to problems like racism and poverty aren't a top priority for Christians. Most of all, we need the freedom to be good, and to do good. That's priority one. You may not make your life better by being moral and diligent, but it's rare that doing so causes you to harm yourself. It's very important that you not harm yourself.
So, this dovetails nicely with my own story. My married non-white parents were not smart enough or willing enough to monitor my education, but they were clear that they wanted me to do well in order to find good-paying work. So I completed my BS and MS in a STEM field, and went to work right away, and I've been at it continuously for 20 years now. I save most of what I earn for charity and early retirement.
I've never experienced any of the racism or police brutality that American blacks complain about. And that's because I follow what Washington is teaching. I dress in a clean way that doesn't communicate danger to others. I'm careful to spend my time reading apologetics, economics and military history. I don't listen to popular music or watch popular TV or movies. I don't hang out with people who blame other people for their lack of success.
I got my first job by volunteering to do it for free on Saturdays for 7 months. My first full-time job salary after college was $50,000. Then I got a raise of $6,000 and then a raise of $9,000. I used to work 70 hour weeks in my 20s. I graduated college with $9,000 dollars in the black, and my net worth is now about $1.25 million. By the way, the secret to becoming wealthy is to not spend money on showing off. You can be very generous to your friends and still get rich. Just never buy anything that is designed to communicate "status" to anyone. And never spend money on alcohol or chasing sex outside of marriage.
At no time did I accept that the problems defined by the secular left were my real problems. And at no time did I accept their "solutions" as real solutions to anything. As black economist Thomas Sowell writes, the "solutions" of the left are not effective at helping people like me. The "solutions" of the left are designed to make leftists feel better, and look more virtuous to others. You are much better off reading the Bible, Christian apologetics, free market economics, American military history, etc., and then respecting what you learn from that in your decision-making. I think that reading the right stuff is even more important than having good parents or attending church.
BibleBlack Lives MatterBooker T. WashingtonChastityChristianityDignity of LaborDisciplineDiscriminationFree MarketRaceRacismSelflessnessServiceSobrietyUp From Slavery
Wayne Grudem explains what the Bible says about parents and schools
Theology that hits the spot
This is a must-listen lecture from famous pastor Wayne Grudem.
The MP3 file is here.
The PDF outline is here.
Note: public schools = government-run schools.
Does God care whether we people marry and have children?
Does God care whether Christian parents raise their children to know him?
Should government promote bearing children?
What are some effects of declining birth rates in other countries?
What are the economic effects of declining birth rates?
Who has the right to decide how children are trained: government or parents?
What does the Bible say about parents having to raise children to know him?
Does the government have the responsibility for training children?
What do educational bureaucrats think of parents training children?
What do school boards think of parents training children?
Should school boards be elected by local, state or federal government?
Should Christians be opposed to government-run education? (public schools)
How should schools be viewed by parents? As a replacement or as a helper?
How are schools viewed by those on the left and in communist countries?
How can you measure how supporting a government is of parental rights?
How is parental authority viewed in left-wing EU countries like Germany?
How is parental authority respected in the United States?
Should parents have a choice of where their children go to school?
What is a voucher program? How is it related to parental autonomy?
How does competition (school choice) in education serve parental needs?
Why do public school teachers, unions and educrats oppose competitition?
How well do public schools do in educating children to achieve?
Does the government-run monopoly of public schools produce results?
Does paying more and more money to public schools make them perform?
How do teacher unions feel about having to compete in a voucher system?
Does the public school monopoly penalize the poorest students?
Does the public school monopoly penalize children of certain races?
Does the public school monopoly cause racial prejudice?
What else should parents demand on education policy?
Is it good for parents when schools refuse to fire underperforming teachers?
This podcast is just amazing! This is what we need to be teaching in church. Church should be the place where you go to learn and reflect about how to tailor your life plan based on what the Bible says. And I think that this whole notion of free market – of choice and competition benefiting the consumer (parents) – applies to everything that government does, especially education and health care. The genius of America is that our Founding Fathers engineered a system that reflected all of this knowledge of economics, which then made it much easier for individuals and families to enjoy liberty and a higher quality of life. If we want to keep the benefits, we have to remember why these decisions were made at the founding of our nation.
AFTBarack ObamaCharter SchoolChoiceCompetitionConservatismEducationEducation PolicyEducation ReformEuropeGovernmentGovernment ControlNational Education AssociationNEAPolicyPoliticsPrivate SchoolPublic EducationPublic SchoolRaceRace to the TopRacismRegulationTeacherTeacher UnionVoucher
Truth2Freedom on William Lane Craig debates Wal…


Children are stubborn and they don't understand that viewing the computer (or TV) screen from too near a distance can affect their eyesight. As a victim of wearing glasses right from the eight grade, I have learnt this the hard way too. So designers Zhichao Xue & Chen Yizi have a very clever solution at hand. Place the I-CARE sensor on top of any screen and it keeps a check on the distance from which a person is viewing the screen. When the distance is less than 50 cm, the screen blurs up, forcing the person to step back for a crystal clear display.
I-CARE uses the human instinct rather than the preaching of the parents, and it can make the children take the initiative to adjust to the appropriate distance, so as to protect their eyes.
You can not hurt your eyes sitting too close. That is an urban myth and does not cause people to need glasses.
Selling a solution to an urban myth… anyone want some snake oil?
accounted for in the debunk-the-myth evidence.
I'm legally blind (since birth) and HAVE to sit that close to a computer screen. This product would not work for me.
Solution for a designed problem.
Thanks, doc, but I'll still sit back here where I'm comfortable.
If there are, shut off the water connection and repeat whatever step should fix the leak.
The possibilities are endless with today's line of hardware, woodworking and project supplies.
least 36 inches wide and 24 inches deep.
the ESPY Awards. The replacement device is called the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter and is quite strong.
If it makes you feel better about yourself, then I say do it," she said of her rhinoplasty. A nose job is really well-known due to the fact people think that any difficulties with it are very apparent to other folks simply because of its vantage position proper in front of the face. In particular, changes were noted in the ways patients perceived their own voices, and their emotional responses to them.
looks. One should remember that perspiration will cause uneven tanning.
causing it to stop from growing back.


text:
Rape suspect captured in Tuscaloosa
Sep 11, 2018 at 4:15 PM Sep 12, 2018 at 1:10 AM
Investigators have captured a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint Sunday.
Members of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit arrested Samuel Brown, 38, at an apartment complex in the 200 block of James I. Harrison Jr. Parkway on Tuesday.
He's charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree burglary. Brown told reporters he was innocent as he was being led to jail.
A woman, 28, told police she and Brown were hanging out at Creekwood Village all day Saturday before they began arguing during the early morning hours Sunday, said Capt. Gary Hood, Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit commander.
She called police, but he had left through a second-story window by the time officers arrived, he said. She later told police that she was later awakened by him standing over her and holding a knife.
"The victim said Brown held the knife on her and sexually assaulted her," Hood said. "The victim then said Brown bound her wrists and ankles with duct tape and wrapped a belt around her legs as well."
The woman escaped and called police. Brown eluded authorities for two days before he was captured.
He said Tuesday that he didn't attack the woman, which whom he has two children.
"You did all you can for someone and they turn their back on you and you get accused of something you didn't do," he said. "I want to let the people know I'm innocent. She knows what happened and I know what happened."
Brown was being held in the Tuscaloosa County Jail with bond set at $210,000.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Erinnert Ihr Euch an diesen Fächer ? Do you remember this fan ?
Es ist fast ein Jahr her, dass ich ihn Euch zeigte.
Lange Zeit hatte ich gar keine Listen, damit ich nicht jedes Mal das Gefühl des Scheiterns haben musste. Scheitern - was ist das eigentlich? Ein Gefühl? Tatsache? Ist es kulturell bedingt? Hier in Deutschland ist man da sehr streng in der Bewertung, während es in anderen Ländern zum Beispiel eher üblich ist, auch mal etwas auszuprobieren, was dann nicht funktioniert. Und, es dann nichts macht.
Kann man Scheitern lernen? Wie ist es bei Euch?
Its nearly one year ago that I showed it to you.
Long run I haven't got any list, because of the feeling of failure. Failure - what is it?
A feeling? Fact? Is it influenced by culture? Here in Germany one is very severe with you, when in other countries for example its usually to try it out.
What not stand the test, doesn't matter.
Is it possible to learn failure? How is it with you?
Auf ein Neues! Fächer, ich komme. Once again! Fan, I'm coming.
dear Ariane, you got a point there, failure and culture...there are cultures where the attitude is more one of easy come, easy go. With time our culture has become one of achievement, the more , the better and the pressure can be overwhelming and even unlivable.The high number of suicide can be linked i.a. to this fact.
On personal level, i believe we can only do the best we can and ofcourse there will be disappointments (maybe try on another point in one's life) but we have to be able to let go(also some practise needed here).
Or sometimes we can learn things about ourselves which make us reach our goal.
I believe it's good to reach for a high level but not at any price.
thank you for your thoughtful words.
Yes, I have learned through blogging about myself... and there is a healing going on. Especially with the drawing challenges... I remember that I was a bit shaky when I published 'paperdoll' and 'home' and... Today I'm lot less afraid to fail. You and some other blogger gives me poise with your lovingly comments.
Oh yes, I remember the fan!
Have a beautiful weekend, my dear!


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Chop tomatoes into 1/2" cubes. Chop onion into 1/4" cubes. Mince or shred basil as preferred. Drizzle on High Country Olive Oil and High Country Balsamic. Mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour. For traditional bruschetta, spread on Italian bread and broil lightly. Can also be used as a topping on chicken, a substitute for red sauce on pasta, etc.
Place all of the ingredients into a large zip-seal plastic bag. Add steak, seal, keep in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours, turning occasionally. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.


Anyone who has ever been to Argentina can tell you that there are a few things the Argentineans are passionate about namely football, tango, dulce de leche and asados. But there is something that unites all Argentineans it is their love for their national drink, and it is not beer or wine but Mate. If you are invited to try some Mate when you are in Buenos Aires there is an etiquette to be followed which we will outline for you.
Buenos Aires is often known as "the Paris of America", and in the historical district of San Telmo, it's easy to see why. In spite of this moniker, however, the district of San Telmo has retained a distinctly Argentinean flavour.
Buenos Aires is a huge city that is loved for its beauty and culture. Many tourists from all over the world travel to the Argentinean capitol to dance the tango, watch an exciting football match or admire one of the amazing sights. There is so much to do in this Latin American city that we decided to make a list of 10 things that are a must for travellers. Enjoy this vibrant city and let the exotic spheres carry you away.


I'm enjoying partaking in the 30x30directwatercolor2018 June challenge on facebook. It is getting easier using only a brush to paint the picture, or in my case, so far, to copy from a reference photo without an underlying line drawing. I'm using gouache but, as you will see later on, I have inadvertently slipped into another media.
#5 is after Irma Stern: "Portrait Of A Woman Wearing Red Head Scarf". I finished the painting but it was still in the ugly stage. As soon as I added the lines, as seen in the original art, it came alive.
#6 it is difficult getting the proportions correct, as if I ever really do, but I'm just happy that it's getting easier to draw with the brush.
#7 So, the other day when I was foolishly direct-painting trees in the park (previously blogged last week-ish), I also foolishly tried to paint a couple sitting at a table too too far away. Awful.
I wondered what would happen if I overpainted another image on top of the awfulness using gouache. In the head, neck and hand the old painting was obscured but still showed through the blouse area. It was an interesting effect but not for this painting so I overpainted the clothing with white acrylic and then gouache which I smeared with my fingers. This is one of my favorite artists and now it hides a secret.
#8 I resorted to the white acrylic simply because I enjoyed it so much in #7. That's what I told myself at the time. Stay tuned.
30x30directwatercolor2018 (gouache used) #7&8 have some acrylic also. #8 white gel pen.
Referred to reference photo. Lines added after direct Brush painting was finished.
Tiny Hahnemühle Bamboo mixed media pad; gouache, acrylic, white gel pen.


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Student debt companies would not survive without merchant accounts to process credit cards and other forms of payments. This is one industry that is on fire in recent years, growing at an exponential rate with no slowdown in sight. With student debt at the highest levels in history this vertical is well positioned for success for many years to come. Student loan debt has been one topic that has consistently topped headlines for close to a decade now. According to StudentLoans.net, student debt has topped 1,4 Trillion Dollars in the United States. With a growing amount of debt coupled with a default rate of 11.5 percent and a delinquency rate of about 5.4 percent, there are great concerns about what the future of the student debt market looks like. This is only further emphasized when we are talking about a pie that is about $1.4 trillion dollars large. Student debt relief, forgiveness, and consolidation services have emerged as one of the solutions for some of the debtors dealing with debt repayment issues. Due to governmental intervening in the late 1990's to the banking sector, the ability to file bankruptcy on a school loan is virtually impossible. Former students that may be struggling to keep up with payments because of misfortune, the inability to find a job or the payments just being too high create a need in the market. This only further reinforces the need for outlets and services in which struggling owners of student loan debt can turn to for help. This trend will continue for many years to come.
Diversified Acquirers with appetites for the student debt industry.


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Review + Double GIVEAWAY: A Midwinter's Tail by Bethany Blake
A Midwinter's Tail
By Bethany Blake
Lucky Paws Petsitting Mystery #4
Kensington, 2018
To bark or not to bark . . .
Professional pet sitter Daphne Templeton loves the holidays in Sylvan Creek, Pennsylvania. And nothing gets her into the spirit more than the town's annual Bark the Halls Ball. The whole community will be there to wag their tails, especially this year's special guest—Celeste "CeeCee" French, founder of a national chain of pet care franchises, who's returning home to announce plans for a bright new flagship store.
But not everyone's celebrating CeeCee's homecoming. Daphne's friend Moxie Bloom, owner of Spa and Paw, a unique salon for people and their pets, has plenty to growl about. So when CeeCee is found face down under Sylvan Creek's town Christmas tree, stabbed with a distinctive pair of professional-grade pet shears, suspicion lands squarely on Moxie. Despite Daphne's promises to Detective Jonathan Black, she quickly reprises her role as amateur sleuth. Ably assisted by her basset hound sidekick, Socrates, she must hurry to prove her friend's innocence before a killer barks again . . .
Includes recipes for homemade pet treats!
Amazon B&N Kobo Google Play IndieBound BookBub
This series by Bethany Blake is one of my favorites, and A Midwinter's Tail carries on the clean, joyful entertainment. From the quaint shops of Pennsylvania's Sylvan Creek and its Pocono Mountain backdrop, to the appealing ensemble cast, this story has all the essential elements for the best of quality cozy reading. The well-written narrative is filled with the most delightful gentle humor, and I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face the whole way through. Each story stands alone, but following the series gives a better understanding of the regular characters.
A series is only as good as its characters, and the whole cast shines here. Daphne Templeton, pet sitter and bakery owner, has a heart for animals, as well as friends and family - and willingly takes risks for them. Detective Jonathan Black, who I hope ends up being her sole romantic interest, is definitely a favorite of mine. A "handsome, enigmatic former Navy SEAL," he believed in helping former convicts transition back into society … "If you put people away, you probably have a responsibility to help them when they get out." Two different ways of connecting - friend vs. detective - add complexity to their relationship.
I don't know if it's possible for a community like Sylvan Creek to actually exist, but I love to imagine walking down the streets of this quirky, pet-friendly town and shopping at leisure. In fact, it might be the most pet-friendly town ever, with the Bark the Halls Christmas ball being just one example. And second only to my attraction for the detective is that for Daphne's basset hound, Socrates. I love how the author imbues him with human-like senses, and I often found myself waiting to see what his reaction might be.
The mystery theme itself is well crafted, with elements going back in time to the characters' senior year in high school. As much as I wanted to discover the solution, I hated to reach the conclusion. May this series continue with many more stories.
Bethany Blake lives in a small, quaint town in Pennsylvania with her husband and three daughters. When she's not writing or riding horses, she's wrangling a menagerie of furry family members that includes a nervous pit bull, a fearsome feline, a blind goldfish, and an attack cardinal named Robert.
Like Daphne Templeton, the heroine of her Lucky Paws Mysteries, Bethany holds a Ph.D. and operates a pet sitting business called Barkley's Premium Pet Care.
Webpage │ BookBub │ Twitter │ Facebook
GIVEAWAY #1
In addition to the Rafflecopter tour giveaway below, Bethany Blake is offering a print copy of A Midwinter's Tail to one of my readers!
To enter the drawing, please click on this link and share my Facebook post, then leave a comment here, letting me know that you shared. And if you do something special for or with your pet(s) at Christmas, please share that also.
BE SURE to leave your name and your email address in a safe format - [at] and [dot] - for the drawing. E-mail required for entry. Contest ends at midnight PST on Thursday, December 6. Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by e-mail.
Labels: Cozy mystery, Humor
Review + Tour GIVEAWAY: When the Heart Sings by Liz Tolsma
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for When the Heart Sings by Liz Tolsma, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: When the Heart Sings
Series: Music of Hope #2
Author: Liz Tolsma
Publisher: Gilead Publishing
Genre: Historical Fiction/Romance
Natia has a secret, and she's hiding him right beneath her captor's nose...
The Nazis have forced Natia and Teodor from their Polish farm to a labor camp. When the couple is separated, Natia is chosen to be the housekeeper for the camp's overseer, and Teodor is sent to work in the factory. Despite the strict camp rules—and the consequences for disobeying them—Natia finds a way to communicate with Teodor by sending messages through song as she passes Teodor's dormitory.
The stakes get higher when Natia finds a Jewish orphan on the overseer's doorstep. She is determined to protect the boy and raise him as the child she and her husband were unable to bear— but if her German captors discover how much she's hiding, both she and Teodor may pay the ultimate price.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Christian Book | Book Depository
God, my Lord, my strength,
My place of hiding, and confiding,
In all needs by night and day;
Though foes surround me,
And Satan mark his prey,
God shall have his way.
When the Heart Sings is not only a book that entertained and held me spellbound, but it touched me in a profound way. The Nazi-occupied Poland of World War II is not an easy setting to read about, but Liz Tolsma's exquisitely written narrative that focuses on two Polish Christians is one of hope. I was emotionally caught up from the very beginning, and although I was anxious to see how things turned out, I hated to turn the last page.
The scenario of a Polish woman living in a German home and trying to protect a Jewish baby is filled with tension. I grieved with Natia over the loss of her unborn child, and then when she and Teodor were forced to leave their beloved home shortly thereafter. The squalid conditions in train cars felt so very real and the separation of families upon arrival was pure agony. But the joy Natia found in music and the way she used it to communicate with Teodore in the factory dormitory was delightful.
God's grace shines brightest in the darkest of nights, and that is beautifully reflected in this story. A steady thread of faith and hope is visible in the seemingly hopeless times when the Enemy works to destroy that faith. Natia and Teodore, as well as others – such as the wife of the camp overseer and a local doctor – are good people trying to do the right thing when the personal risk is great. I especially enjoyed the unlikely friendship between Natia and the overseer's wife, Elfriede – one that grows over shared loss in spite of the language barrier. When the Heart Sings is a moving and uplifting story that will long stay with me.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours and Gilead Publishing. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Passionate might best describe Liz Tolsma. She loves writing, research, and editing. Her passion shone through in her first novel which was a double award finalist. On any given day, you might find her pulling weeds in her perennial garden, walking her hyperactive dog, or curled up with a good book. Nothing means more to her than her family. She's married her high-school sweetheart twenty-eight years ago. Get her talking about international adoption, and you might never get her to stop. She and her husband adopted three children, including a son who is a U.S. Marine, and two daughters.
CONNECT WITH LIZ: website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
(1) winner will receive (US only)
a print copy of When the Heart Sings
'Just One More Chapter' throw pillow seen HERE
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 26, 2018 and last through 11:59pm December 3, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Labels: Christian Fiction, World War II
Review + Tour GIVEAWAY: Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cossette
Book: Shelter of the Most High
Author: Connilyn Cossette
Genre: Christian Biblical Fiction
Release Date: October, 2018
The daughter of a pagan high priest, Sofea finds solace from her troubles in the freedom of the ocean. But when marauders attack her village on the island of Sicily, she and her cousin are taken across the sea to the shores of Canaan.
Eitan has lived in Kedesh, a city of refuge, for the last eleven years, haunted by a tragedy in his childhood, yet chafing at the boundaries placed on him. He is immediately captivated by Sofea, but revealing his most guarded secret could mean drawing her into the danger of his past.
As threats from outside the walls loom and traitors are uncovered within, Sofea and Eitan are plunged into the midst of a murder plot. Can they uncover the betrayal in time to save their lives and the lives of those they love?
Click here to purchase your copy!
Shelter of the Most High by Connilyn Cossette is a novel not to be missed. It's difficult for my words to adequately reflect the magnificence of this story, and a 5-star rating falls far short. I found it entertaining, informative, and uplifting. It stands tall in the biblical fiction genre, but reads purely as exquisite historical fiction also.
When a writer describes a setting or scene, I usually feel one of two ways – either standing at the edge, looking on to what is happening, or being drawn in, practically breathing the same air as the characters. I can't explain how Cossette does it, but the second effect is what I felt on every page. Everything from Sicily to Kedesh of 1388 BC is vivid, and I have a much greater understanding of the depth of meaning in the term refuge.
Characters are so very rich and complex …
… the relationship between Sofea and Eitan: "I'd vowed from the beginning that I wanted nothing of Eitan's interest, but at this moment I wanted nothing more than to live at the center of it."
… Moriyah, a devout woman who felt that Sofea and Prezi had been brought to their family in order to heal
… the strained relationship between Eitan and his stepfather, Darek
… Prezi, Sofea's cousin, once a follower who now found her voice: "Given the choice between the gods our people venerated on that hill and the God who offers shelter for even the most undeserving, I know whom I choose."
But what touched me the most was seeing Yahweh through the eyes of Sofea and Prezi, with their heritage of pagan gods and evil worship practices. I've always loved the revelation of God's character that the Old Testament gives us, and Cossette's narrative makes it fresh and new all over again. Yahweh, the God of refuge, shelter, protection … the God who values all life.
It's hard to put this book down at any point, especially when the danger and action picks up in the second half, but Cossette still gives readers time to breathe. Shelter of the Most High is a story that lives on long after the last page is turned.
Connilyn Cossette is the CBA bestselling author of the Out From Egypt series. Her debut novel, Counted with the Stars, was a finalist for the Christy Award, the INSPY Award, and the Christian Retailing's Best Award.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband of twenty years and a son and a daughter who fill her days with joy, inspiration, and laughter. Connect with her at www.ConnilynCossette.com.
Guest Post from Connilyn
Shelter of the Most High, the second book in my Cities of Refuge Series, will be the first I've written to have been influenced by my trip to Israel last year. When I started writing Biblical fiction almost nine years ago, I was limited to exploring the Land of Promise via Google Earth, books, and through a plethora of photos on the good ol' world wide web, but of course nothing can compare to actually experiencing the atmosphere and scenery for yourself.
So although I'd already written Shelter of the Most High by the time I hopped on a plane to join fellow author Cliff Graham's GoodBattle Tour, once I returned my editing was filtered through the sights and sounds I'd witnessed for myself. It had been a life-long dream to go to Israel and it did not disappoint, in fact it just went way too fast!
One of my greatest fears was that I would see the places I'd written about in my books and realize I totally messed up my descriptions, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that for the most part I'd been fairly accurate (although I did tweak a few things here and there).
Standing on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee I was able to envision Eitan, our hero in Shelter of the Most High, sitting on one of the black boulders there, defeated and weary as he searched for his love. I was able to look toward the snowy peaks of Mount Hermon in the north and over the fertile Hula Valley just below the ancient ruins of Kedesh, the city of refuge, and consider how Sofea must have felt as she experienced the landscape of her new home for the first time, both the fear and the awe.
One of my favorite sites was Tel Dan and although it does not feature in Shelter of the Most High it's lush greenness and dense forest gave me a better sense of what Israel must have been in the past before deforestation, war, and shifts in climate have done to the fertile land God himself called a land of milk and honey. Since I was so affected by Tel Dan (or Laish in ancient times) that city will be one of the settings in my upcoming third installment of the Cities of Refuge Series, Until the Mountains Fall.
Being a super visual person who is highly sensitive to sensory input, I took great pleasure in absorbing with all my senses as we walked paths, climbed mountains (yes, mountains), slogged through a long, cold, and wet tunnel deep beneath Jerusalem, hiked up to the secret oasis of Ein Gedi where David hid from Saul, and rocked along on a boat over the glassy surface of the Galilee. I felt like a sponge just soaking up every little detail and every grand vista.
Smelling the salty breeze off the Mediterranean and hearing the waves crash against the sandy beach in Tel Aviv and Caesarea Phillipi made me imagine our heroine Sofea looking over that enormous, blue expanse and wondering what sort of god had control of such a powerful thing.
Feeling the timeworn cobblestones beneath my feet gave me a sense of what it must have been like for Eitan and Sofea to walk through the streets of Kedesh, their own sandals scuffing against the rough-hewn stone as they went about their daily activities.
Running my fingers along the pitted surfaces of ancient buildings and tracing the chisel marks from craftsmen of the Bronze Age wrapped me in a whirl of imagination about who the people were that hefted those same rocks into place and the ingenuity it took to create structures that have lasted so long.
Tasting the unique spices and flavors of the Middle East gave me a sense of the passion Moryiah (our hero's mother) has for creating delicious new dishes to feed her growing family and the guests at her inn.
Although I write fiction, my stories are woven into Biblical accounts so going to Israel was a perfect reminder for me that the people that lived between the pages of Genesis to Revelations were real. They breathed, they cried, they loved, they mourned, they suffered, and they celebrated with their families. I am so grateful to have gleaned some great new insight into the Land and its resilient, vibrant people and hope that through Shelter of the Most High readers get a small sense of the beauty and wonder I experienced there. I cannot wait to go back!
To celebrate her tour, Connilyn is giving away ...
-- Grand Prize: All five of Conni's novels, including Shelter of the Most High, plus AHAVA Dead Sea Bath Salts
-- Three other winners will receive a copy of Shelter of the Most High!!
https://promosimple.com/ps/d66d/shelter-of-the-most-high-celebration-tour-giveaway
A Baker's Perspective, November 20
The Power of Words, November 20
Among the Reads, November 21
Gensis 5020, November 21
God's Little Bookworm, November 22
Book by Book, November 22
Remembrancy, November 23
Real World Bible Study, November 23
The Becca Files, November 24
Baker Kella, November 24
Bibliophile Reviews, November 25
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 25
By The Book, November 26
Reading Is My SuperPower, November 26
Aryn The Libraryan, November 27
All-of-a-kind Mom, November 27
Christian Author, J.E. Grace, November 28
Simple Harvest Reads, November 29 (Guest post from Mindy Houng)
For the Love of Literature, November 29
Janices book reviews, November 29
The Lit Addict, November 30
Just the Write Escape, December 1
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, December 1
Connect in Fiction, December 2
The Christian Fiction Girl, December 2
Bigreadersite, December 2
Babbling Becky L's Book Impressions, December 3
Purposeful Learning, December 3
Carpe Diem, December 3
Labels: Biblical, Christian Fiction, Historical, Romance
Review: If the Coffin Fits by Lillian Bell
If the Coffin Fits
By Lillian Bell
Funeral Parlor Mysteries #2
Crooked Lane Books, 2018
Funeral director Desiree Turner deals with death by natural causes all the time. Death by unnatural causes? Not so much. Yet, she and her boyfriend Nate have heard some not-so-dear things about the recently departed. A suspicious remark by the late Frank Fiore's daughters sparks some concern. And when Violet Daugherty faints behind the wheel of her car, Desiree suspects she's got a front seat to murder.
Desiree can't help but look into Violet's untimely end, but soon after, rumors begin to spread that she's accusing her clients of murder, which quickly spurs a mass cancellation and Desiree is on the verge of going out of business. What began as an effort to do due diligence for her client turns into a wild goose chase for Violet's murderer. Desiree must find her proof before everything she's worked for is lost. But that's easier said than done, because while everyone else in town is looking to take their business elsewhere, the killer sets sights directly upon Desiree.
Now it's up to Desiree to find the murderer before she becomes the next body her funeral parlor serves.
I don't know when I've enjoyed a cozy mystery as much as If the Coffin Fits, book #2 in the Funeral Parlor Mysteries series by Lillian Bell. This new-to-me author has crafted the most delightful storyline and a lead character that I want to spend more and more time with. Bell's writing is smooth, filled with snappy dialogue, and flows steadily across the page; not a wasted word to be found here. The sense of humor that comes across effortlessly in the prose makes me wish I could meet this author personally.
Two elements that surprised me personally turned out to be huge strengths. First, the funeral parlor setting and theme, which was not depressing at all. Quite humorous, in fact. Despite the best of intentions, Desiree seems to be accident prone when it comes to her words, which is kind of how she ended back up in the family business in the first place. And then there's the family, the mystery around Desiree's dad in particular. Is he really dead? Only time will tell.
German shepherd/malamute mix
The second surprising element is Orion, a malamute and German shepherd mix who instantly stole this cat lover's heart. I loved his antics, the way he interacted with Desiree and her reluctance to seek a home for him – but when he showed an unusual sensitivity to the needs of funeral parlor clients, I was hooked. The idea of Orion possibly becoming a therapy dog was fascinating.
Strong secondary characters add depth and complexity, as well as possible romantic interests for Desiree. I also loved her easy curiosity and sense that the occasional deceased person might not have died a natural death. Cleverly woven into the narrative are several short articles Desiree has written for her hometown newspaper, the Verbena Free Press. The mystery plot is well crafted and easy to follow, but not easy for me to solve.
If the Coffin Fits goes on my favorites list and I'm eager to read more of Lillian Bell's mysteries. May there be many more books in this series!
Note: There's some mild profanity that I wish had been omitted, but very clean otherwise.
I received a copy of this book through the Review Crew and Crooked Lane Books. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Lillian Bell is the author of the Funeral Parlor Mysteries published by Crooked Lane Books. As Kristi Abbott, she is the author of the Popcorn Shop Mysteries published by Berkley Prime Crime. She also writes as Eileen Rendahl and Eileen Carr.
Lillian lives and writes in northern California.
website │ Facebook │ Twitter │ Instagram
Review + Tour GIVEAWAY: Why Did You Choose Me? by Katie Cruice Smith
November is National Adoption Month, and we're celebrating with the Why Did You Choose Me? Saturday Hop and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Tours and Ambassador International! Every Saturday in November, hop along to the different host blogs and enter the great giveaway!
Title: Why Did You Choose Me?
Author: Katie Cruice Smith
Illustrator: Sarah Strickling Jones
Genre: Children's Picture Book, Adoption
Most adoptive and foster children struggle at some point in their life with knowing who they are and where they belong. They want to ask questions, and parents need to be prepared with an answer that helps their child feel loved and secure.
After searching for adoption storybooks to read to her own adopted children, Katie Cruice Smith decided that there was a need for more books that parents could read at bedtime to connect with their adopted and fostered children.
In Why Did You Choose Me?, Katie Cruice Smith answers that question in a way that young children can understand. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptive mom to three children, Katie uses the questions her own children have asked to help them see there never really was a choice she knew right away that they were hers.
With beautiful illustrations by artist Sarah Strickling Jones, Why Did You Choose Me? lovingly demonstrates the uniqueness that each child brings to a family.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Ambassador International
I was blessed to grow up in a home where love and security were never in doubt, almost to the point of being taken for granted. Beautifully written and illustrated by Katie Cruice Smith and Sarah Strickling Jones, Why Did You Choose Me? caused me to reflect on what my growing up years could have been like had my situation been different. This book gives voice to a child's insecurities and questions, and also the parent's need to communicate feelings of unconditional love, security, and acceptance. Best of all, it opens the door leading to a pathway for that communication.
I'm not familiar with children's books, but I suspect there's a void in this area and that Katie Cruice Smith will speak to many adoptive families with these words that God put on her heart, for questions will arise if they haven't already. This story is easy to read, filled with heartwarming and cute illustrations that will capture a child's imagination, yet contains a profound message.
Why Did You Choose Me? would be an asset to any church library. It would also be a great gift for adoptive parents, those on the path to adoption, or even someone just thinking about it.
Katie Cruice Smith is a freelance writer, journalist, and editor, and she resides in the Upstate of South Carolina with her husband and three adopted children. Katie is an adoption and foster care advocate, and she and husband are licensed foster parents and the founders of their church's orphan ministry. She is currently working on a devotional book to accompany Why Did You Choose Me?
CONNECT WITH KATIE: website | Facebook | Twitter
Sarah Strickling Jones enjoys working with oils, acrylics, ceramics, and printmaking. She creates her artwork and teaches students of all ages from her country home. She lives in Greer, South Carolina, with her husband Darren and four children: Trevor, Peyton, Blake, and Renea. Why Did You Choose Me? is Sarah Strickling Jones' first illustrated children's book in watercolor.
CONNECT WITH SARAH: Facebook
(1) winner will receive
a print copy of Why Did You Choose Me?
"For This Child I Prayed" ornament (more info HERE)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 3, 2018 and last through 11:59pm December 1, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead for a full list of stops/dates!
Posted by Carole at 3:36:00 AM No comments:
Labels: YA
Review + Tour GIVEAWAY: Return of the Song by Phyllis Clark Nichols
Welcome to the Blog Tour & Giveaway for Return of the Song by Phyllis Clark Nichols, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
Title: Return of the Song
Series: The Rockwater Suite #1
Author: Phyllis Clark Nichols
Genre: Contemporary Women's Fiction
When Caroline lost her love, she lost the music too.
Caroline Carlyle's dreams were crushed when her fiancé died six weeks before their wedding. For years she wrestled with aching loss and shattered faith, struggling to find the inspiration that once came so easily. Abandoning her half-finished piano compositions, Caroline trades her old ambitions for the comfort and familiarity of life as the town's piano teacher.
But Caroline's world turns upside down when a mysterious stranger enters her life. Filled with courage and fresh purpose, Caroline embarks on a quest to track down the beloved, rare piano she played as a child. Her search leads her to Rockwater, the Kentucky estate of a wealthy gentleman, where Caroline finds her heart may be composing a surprising new song.
She had been walking a straight, dull path the last six years, living on level ground in a valley of monotony void of mountain peaks. She had found comfort in the simmering state of her daily days; but from somewhere deep inside herself, a place she could not describe or explain, came the unsettling sense her path was about to take a turn.
Return of the Song by the gifted Phyllis Clark Nichols is the type of story I love most and I enjoyed every minute spent within its pages. There's a gentle thread of romance, but this is primarily in the women's fiction genre – the character-driven story of a woman gradually finding newness and hope after a heartbreaking loss six years previously. The prose is simply exquisite, the pace steady, and characterization is rich.
The story resonated with me on many levels, for like Caroline, I'm a musician who has taught piano, and I live in Georgia. From the small-town Moss Point setting, to Caroline's performance of the classics, composing, and instilling a love for music in her students, Nichols crafted a story that sparkles. The prologue gives us the last few hours of David's life in Guatemala and I'm so glad this was included, because it shows his heart for the Lord and his fiancé, allowing his spirit to live through the book.
There's a wealth of strong supporting characters – such as Sam and Angel, an older couple who love Caroline like a daughter, and the young savant Bella. And oh, how I loved Roderick! Because they converse by phone and don't actually meet in person until way in the book, it might seem at first that romance isn't a key element. However, I think this reflects the author's pure genius because I connected with Roderick from the beginning and felt the realness of their steadily growing friendship. Can't wait to see what happens with these two!
Although very much open ended, Return of the Song concluded satisfactorily for me and I understand that Freedom of the Song, to be released next spring, will pick up right where this one leaves off.
Highly recommended, "best of the best" for me!
Please click on the title to see my review of the previous excellent book by Phyllis Clark Nichols, Christmas at Grey Sage.
Phyllis Clark Nichols's character-driven Southern fiction explores profound human questions using the imagined residents of small town communities you just know you've visited before. With a strong faith and a love for nature, art, music, and ordinary people, she tells redemptive tales of loss and recovery, estrangement and connection, longing and fulfillment . . . often through surprisingly serendipitous events.
Phyllis grew up in the deep shade of magnolia trees in South Georgia. Born during a hurricane, she is no stranger to the winds of change: In addition to her life as a novelist, Phyllis is a seminary graduate, concert pianist, and cofounder of a national cable network with health- and disability-related programming. Regardless of the role she's playing, Phyllis brings creativity and compelling storytelling.
She frequently appears at conventions, conferences, civic groups, and churches, performing half-hour musical monologues that express her faith, joy, and thoughts about life—all with the homespun humor and gentility of a true Southern woman.
Phyllis currently serves on several nonprofit boards. She lives in the Texas Hill Country with her portrait-artist husband.
CONNECT WITH PHYLLIS: website | Facebook | Twitter
a print copy of Christmas at Grey Sage
a print copy of Return of the Song
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 12, 2018 and last through 11:59pm November 19, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Labels: Christian Fiction, Romance, Women's fiction
Review + Double GIVEAWAY: The Killer Christmas Sweater Club by Terry Ambrose
The Killer Christmas Sweater Club
By Terry Ambrose
A Seaside Cove Bed & Breakfast Mystery #3
Satori, 2018
All ten-year-old Alexandra Atwood wants for Christmas is to get her dad and the B&B's cook Marquetta under the mistletoe. After all, how can they get married if they don't kiss first?
When murder strikes in Seaside Cove, bed-and-breakfast owner Rick Atwood is asked to help find the killer. But this will not be an easy case to crack. Not only did the killer contaminate the crime scene, but there are suspects all over town. And they all received the same Christmas sweater from the victim.
Alex hears rumors about the murder and decides that since she's on Christmas break, she has time for a little multitasking. She launches her own investigation even as she continues her efforts to get her dad and Marquetta together.
Just when Rick thinks he's identified all the suspects, he discovers a new one—his estranged wife. With the days until Christmas ticking down, Rick feels pressured from all sides. He needs to solve the case. He needs to send his wife back to New York. But the one thing he doesn't need is for his daughter to be one step ahead of him and the cops.
The Killer Christmas Sweater Club is a fun cozy mystery with a great Christmas theme. The main characters are Rick, owner of the Seaside Cove B&B on California's coast, his lively ten-year-old daughter, Alex, and the B&B's chef, Marquetta. Reading the previous two books would give a better sense of the regular characters, but this story works well as a standalone.
Small towns make great cozy mystery settings, and Seaside Cove is no exception … "a small town without a whole lot to do other than watch what your neighbors are doing." The Christmas sweater theme really resonated with me because of personal experience. Some time ago, my eyes were opened when my daughter asked to borrow several of my Christmas sweaters for a contest she was planning with her campus ministry team – and until then, I had no idea these sweaters were anything but cherished by those who wore them. Such a fun theme for a book! The problem arises because the murder victim had given a few Christmas sweaters, all alike, to members of the community – apparently to make amends for the grief he had caused, but the real reason might have been to create divisiveness and distrust.
A lot of the fun in this story comes packed in the pint-sized body of Rick's daughter, Alex. Manipulative in a cute way in trying to get her dad and Marquetta together, and highly inquisitive when it comes to mystery investigation, she will literally steal the hearts of readers. And when she becomes a reporter for the Cove Talkers Newsletter – lookout! The story is told from two perspectives, Alex and her dad, and I loved getting to know Alex's thoughts and heart from her journal entries.
I liked that the romance between Rick and Marquetta is progressing slowly through the series, and Marquetta is great with Alex. However, a small hiccup in Alex's plans develops when Rick's estranged wife surfaces as a murder suspect. Suspects are plentiful and it's fun to figure things out along with Alex.
The Killer Christmas Sweater Club is an enjoyable story, recommended to cozy mystery fans.
Terry Ambrose is a former skip tracer who tracked down deadbeats for a living. He's long since turned his talents to writing mysteries and thrillers. Several of his books have been award finalists and in 2014 his thriller, "Con Game," won the San Diego Book Awards for Best Action-Thriller.
He likes cool photography, funny mysteries, and finding the oddest things while walking on the beach.
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