Welcome to the Tennessee Wildcat Celebration Tour! #giveaway

 

About the Book

Book: Tennessee Wildcat: On the Trail of Laura Ingalls Wilders’ Mr. Edwards

Authors: Robynne Elizabeth Miller and J.D. Rushmore

Genre: Nonfiction/Historical Biography/Literary History

Release date: August 24, 2023

Mr. Edwards … that colorful Tennessee Wildcat Laura Ingalls Wilder so deeply loved. He helped Pa build the family’s cabin, saved Christmas by carrying presents across a raging creek, and spit further than Laura thought possible. Though he was a little rough around the edges, Laura simply adored Mr. Edwards. Through her vivid, heartwarming stories, we came to love him, too.

But who was he? Virtually all Laura’s Little House characters were real people … even those whose names were changed to protect their reputations.

Mr. Edwards, however, wasn’t so easy to track down. In fact, he’s the sole Little House enigma … the only mentioned character that hasn’t clearly surfaced via historical records.

Was he fiction, for the sake of illustrating pioneer stereotypes? Was he a composite character, built from several men Laura knew during their time in Kansas? Was he a loose collection of memories and family lore, cobbled together for the sake of the narrative? Or was he a real man, whose full identity had previously evaded discovery?

We wanted to know the answer …

So, we dusted off our boots and headed out … hot on the trail of the wildcat from Tennessee!

 

 Marilyn's thoughts:     Tennessee Wildcat is a thorough research into Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Mr. Edward she portrayed in her books. The authors included their in depth search with graphics, facts and their own conclusion since the research did not produce one particular individual as Mr. Edwards. This is an interesting read with all the history of the prairie with homesteading, distance of neighbors and the stories penned by Wilder in her later years of life. Fans of Little House on the Prairie will enjoy the history the authors found in their conquest to discover the actual Mr. Edwards.

 

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and the authors without any obligation to write a positive review. I have expressed my own thoughts.

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Authors

Robynne Elizabeth Miller holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction and a B.A. in English Literature. She’s the author of ten books and countless articles, including Tennessee Wildcat, From the Mouth of Ma, and The Three Faces of Nellie.

Along with speaking nationally, Robynne is a writing and publishing coach and mentor, a writing teacher at writers conferences, workshops, and retreats, the Writing Track developer and director for Unbound, and the director of the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon.

She’s passionate about helping writers bring their stories and messages into the world and delving into the real people and places which populated the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

 

J.D. Rushmore is a history and genealogy buff, with a particular interest in American history before 1900. He’s enamored with the opening of the west, pioneers, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, etc. He’s particularly passionate about researching historical mysteries, especially when they relate to the Little House series of books.

He is a musician in his spare time, as well as an “at everything” father, husband, and friend. He prefers the smell of historic archives to fresh air (unless it involves poking around a remote historic cemetery!) and has a knack for reading handwriting on historical documents that is illegible to others. Nothing thrills him more than finding the one tiny detail that, after being overlooked for decades, or even centuries, changes EVERYTHING.

More from Robynne

If you’re a Little House fan like us, you know how risky it was to delve into Mr. Edwards. Rumors have flown for decades as to his real identity, and some folks have double-downed on who they believe he was … declaring a particular name with certainty.

But it just didn’t add up. Through all our team’s collective Little House research and general love of 1800’s history, the name that had been put forward just didn’t make sense.

So, we had a choice.

We could avert our eyes, go about our other writing projects, and leave this mystery untouched. Or, we could, with as much neutrality and meticulous research as possible, see if Mr. Edwards’ true identity could be established.

We risked two things: upsetting some people if our findings didn’t support their theories, and crushing our own hearts if Mr. Edwards turned out to be the one character who Laura Ingalls Wilder constructed purely from her imagination.

We hope our respect for previous researchers, and the strength of our newly discovered information, helped avoid the first worry. And, the second? We were thrilled to discover Mr. Edwards almost certainly wasn’t a work of fiction!

Blog Stops

Alena Mentink, May 10

Lots of Helpers, May 10

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 11

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 12

Holly’s Book Corner, May 12

Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 13 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 14

Texas Book-aholic, May 15

Mary Hake, May 15

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16

Blogging With Carol, May 17

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 18

For Him and My Family, May 19

The Lofty Pages, May 20

Life on Chickadee Lane, May 21

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, May 21

Connie’s History Classroom , May 22

Cover Lover Book Review, May 23

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, May 23

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Robynne is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon Card, copy of Tennessee Wildcat and The Three Faces of Nellie, and a goodie bag of Laura Ingalls Wilder related gifts, including a piece of the actual Loftus Store, mentioned prominently in The Long Winter!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b591/tennessee-wildcat-celebration-tour-giveaway

Jesus, Our Sudden Good Break By Sharon Musgrove #Devotional

 

Jesus, Our Sudden Good Break

By Sharon Musgrove

 

“Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a sudden good break can turn life around.” Proverbs 13:12 (MSG)

 

The rains had been pouring down in torrents and the dark skies confused the automatic headlights on my car as to whether it really was midday.  Despite the calendar flipped to May, a winter sweater was appropriate attire, and the heat was cranked past seventy to dry out the dank.

As I backed out of the driveway, a sight that usually brightens my heart suddenly had the opposite effect:  buds were forming on the rose bushes.  Rather than feeling the joyful anticipation of summer approaching, I looked on those pink points with sadness because roses do not thrive in cold, wet conditions.  They are sun lovers, and we weren’t getting much of that.  Too much rainfall and the roots rot, unable to keep the whole plant healthy and alive.

Root rot.  Was that my state of mind?  How, I wondered, did I get to this dark headspace?

Thinking back over the past few months, I realized I had been pocketing disappointments.  While both delightful and dreadful experiences had occurred in that time, I seemed to be holding onto the hurtful things rather than the hopeful.  It was as if I was digging a mote to retain the water that was drowning me, rather than actively working to drain it.

Realizing my frame of mind, I said a small prayer.

Heavenly Father, I see how heavy my heart has become with life’s disappointments.  I don’t want to savor pain.  I don’t want to suffer root rot.  Help me to count blessings over miseries.  Let me know the hope and love Your flower buds hold. 

Saying the words made me feel better, the air a lighter shade.

The dreary weather revealed in me a dreary heart, and so I took it to the One who can heal both.

Jesus came to earth a “sudden good break” in our “unrelenting disappointment.”  He came to shatter pain patterns that overtake us, and to fill us with hope when life doesn’t measure up to our expectation.

The Apostle John spoke of Jesus as “the light” in John 1:4.

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:4-5 (ESV)

Without the hope of brighter times or “light in the darkness,” we can become heartsick from life’s disappointments.  We can forget that this season of time is temporary, fearing that things will never improve.  We become darker inside, viewing the world with an ever-growing pessimism . . . aka . . . rotting roots.

We need Jesus. 

Soon the rain did stop.  And in a swift couple of days, the sun came out in a blazing heat, bringing summer temperatures.  The change was radical.  And very welcome. 

The rose bushes are healthy, blowing up in vibrant color with plenty of coaxing from the sunny weather.  My worry of a dismal garden was completely for naught.  But the experience brought light to my wet roots that had the potential of wreaking havoc.

If you, like me, struggle at times within, may you consider a flower bud as a symbol of hope and love.  And I pray the following scripture over you:

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”  Romans 15:13 (ESV)

 

Author Bio:

 

Sharon has been writing and teaching biblically based curriculum, Bible studies, and devotionals since 2007.    

 

She has had the unique position of writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to speak in Leadership camps intended on encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young women.

 

Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

 

Sharon and her husband, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. 

 

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is working towards a degree in Ministry. 

 

~*~

Connect with Sharon:

Website: Sharonmusgrove.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060

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

 

 

Author Bio:

 

Sharon has been writing and teaching biblically based curriculum, Bible studies, and devotionals since 2007.    

 

She has had the unique position of writing curriculum and teaching for two private, Christ-based, residential recovery programs. Both programs primarily served women in the homeless community.

 

Sharon has traveled multiple times to Kenya, serving on medical teams and teaching in the rural Maasai communities. She’s been privileged to speak in Leadership camps intended on encouraging and empowering the impoverished, underprivileged, and often abused young women.

 

Within these ministries, Sharon has witnessed the transformative power of loving words spoken to the broken-hearted. Sharing God’s love and witnessing its transformative power has become her passion.

 

Sharon and her husband, divide their time between Oregon and Hawaii. They have two grown children. 

 

Currently, Sharon is encouraging others via her inspirational blog, but prefers sharing face to face. Additionally, she is working towards a degree in Ministry. 

 

~*~

Connect with Sharon:

Website: Sharonmusgrove.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Sharon-Musgrove-Untethered-102208978041060

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

 

 

Fatal Witness: (Romantic Suspense K-9 Thriller Cold Case)

 

Fatal Witness: 

(Romantic Suspense K-9 Thriller Cold Case) 

February 6, 2024

by Patricia Bradley (Author)

As a child, artist and potter Dani Bennett witnessed the brutal murder of her parents. With no memory of the incident or her true identity, she was forced to take on a new name and a new life, hidden away in Montana for the past 25 years.

Mae Richmond has spent the same stretch of time searching for her granddaughter, who went missing the night her daughter and son-in-law were murdered. Convinced the woman she saw in a pottery magazine feature is the woman she's been searching for, she enlists the help of K-9 officer Mark Lassiter of Pearl Springs, Tennessee, who tracks Dani down.

Skeptical but curious, Dani sets out on a journey to uncover the secrets of her past and reclaim her true identity. But someone close to her is determined to keep the truth of what happened all those years ago hidden.

MY THOUGHTS:   Ms Bradley has done it again. A page-turning #romantic susspense that holds your interest and keeps you guesssing.  I figured out who-dun-it early on, but was sure I was wrong.  I love the decriptions of the setting, admired the characters bravery, and loved the romance.  Thhis was a grest read.  Recommended.  I was given a copy free and all opiniona are my own.  

Welcome to the Scandals and Mercies Celebration Tour! #Giveaway #Historical

 

About the Book

Book: Scandals and Mercies

Author: Kathleen Rouser

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: April 23, 2024

He’s a reporter determined to uncover the truth, but the secrets he finds could crush her family—and their second chance at love.

Taken from her family’s farm to be raised by her wealthy aunt and uncle, Nora Armstrong has accepted that not only will she never realize her dream of becoming a teacher, she’d also rather be a spinster than submit to her cruel aunt’s society selection of a suitable husband. The one man who caught her eye betrayed her best friend. And she’s got enough on her hands, hiding her sister’s shameful secret from her aunt.

When the local home for unwed mothers burns down, the arson investigation brings big-city reporter James Cooper back to Stone Creek—and back into Nora’s life. James also has a meddling aunt who raises more questions than she answers about his past. Not to mention, he can’t figure out why Nora constantly rebuffs him. When his reporting casts aspersions on the local church and lays the blame for the fire and a series of robberies at the wrong feet, he risks losing his new position at the paper.

As they seek to unravel the town’s mystery, rescue endangered mothers and children, and navigate their own family secrets forced to light, James and Nora increasingly turn to each other for help. But can they overcome James’s lack of faith and the disapproval of Nora’s guardians to find a second chance at love?

Marilyn's thoughts:    Kathleen Rouser brings us another intriguing historical romance filled with twists and turns, mystery, new beginnings, and finding oneself through faith in God. Her tales are penned with history and love woven throughout the pages with strong developed characters.

 

Nora compassion to serve others despite all she endured in life gave hope and meaning to individuals. James was on a mission to discover answers but God works in mysterious ways behind the scenes.

 

I highly recommend the entire series of Stone Creek Brides to fans of historical romance filled with a gentle and loving Christian message. I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit Bloggers tour and the publisher without being required to write a positive review.  I have expressed my own thoughts.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Kathleen Rouser is a multi-published, award-winning author of historical and contemporary Christian romance. She is a longtime member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Faith, Hope and Love Christian Writers. She resides in southeast Michigan, a location which she often uses in her novels, with her hero and husband of forty-some years and two sweet cats who found a home in their empty nest.

 

 

 

More from Kathleen

Writing Scandals and Mercies: A Personal Spiritual Journey

By Kathleen Rouser

Scandals and Mercies has been my hardest story to write thus far. It seems that as I work through issues in my life it may come out in my characters. And I can relate to Nora Armstrong, my heroine. I can understand some of her struggles, her tender heart toward the Coping children, and figuring out who she is in Jesus. The challenges I had in writing this book are reflected in the theme which came through as I wrote it—identity in Christ. Then I became more purposeful in exploring the theme. Nora felt alone and had doubts at the beginning, but then she learned what it meant for her to trust in God despite her difficulties.

Though I’d been a believer for nearly forty years when I began writing Scandals and Mercies, I was—and still am—going through some difficult trials that forced me to really think about what my identity in Christ is. Who am I in Him? Will I depend on Jesus through one of the worst trials of my life? Or will I become bitter? I think of when Jesus said some hard things and many of His disciples deserted Him. He said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” And Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Jesus is truly the only One who has the answers, the words of eternal life. Where else would I turn? And when He doesn’t directly answer, especially the way I want, it’s for me to trust in Him.

And it’s also about sharing in the fellowship of His sufferings, not that we can add anything to our salvation, but that trials and suffering are a part of the Christian life, meant to mold us and grow us in our faith. And if we allow it, to be changed more closely into the someone who projects the image of Christ to others. My husband likes to say we are “Jesus with skin on” for each other.

Working through all of that while writing how Nora grew in her faith took a lot of emotional energy, but God strengthened me and I finished her story, while He is still writing mine!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 7

Texas Book-aholic, May 8

Life on Chickadee Lane, May 9

Lighthouse Academy Blog, May 9 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)

Betti Mace, May 10

Devoted To Hope, May 10

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 12

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 13

lakesidelivingsite, May 14

For Him and My Family, May 15

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, May 16 (Author Interview)

The Lofty Pages, May 16

Book Looks by Lisa, May 17

Connie’s History Classroom, May 18

Holly’s Book Corner, May 19

Pause for Tales, May 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Kathleen is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

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

https://promosimple.com/ps/2b58d/scandals-and-mercies-celebration-tour-giveaway

An Interview with Sarah Reju, Author of Coop Messes Up

 

An Interview with Sarah Reju, Author of Coop Messes Up   For parents with a little one who loves to play with cars and trucks, a new series of books written by Sarah Reju and illustrated by Tania Rex will surely become an instant favorite. The Wheelies are a family of vehicles whose adventures are both fun and relatable to children ages 3–8. And when trouble finds young Coop, as it always seems to do, the truth of the gospel always steers him back in the right direction.    In book one, Coop Messes Up, the youngest member of the Wheelie family learns a big lesson in forgiveness and God’s love when he breaks one of the rules. Like many little ones, the energetic and inquisitive MINI-Cooper has a problem obeying the rules—and there are a lot of them! When Coop runs out of gas, his sister, Lucy, a police car who prides herself on always following the law, tries to help him learn to follow the rules.  Q: Your new series, The Wheelies, is about a family of cars which is sure to capture the attention of little readers. Can you introduce us to the cast of characters?   Coop Wheelie is the youngest member of a family of vehicles who live in Capital City. He’s an energetic Mini Cooper whose frequent mistakes help him learn big truths about God.    In addition to Coop, the Wheelie family includes siblings Nory (a fun-loving VW Beetle), Lucy (a rule-following police car), Joy (an adventure-loving Jeep), and James (a dependable pickup truck). Ma is a hard-working fire truck, and Pops is a servant-hearted garbage truck.    Q: Coop is what most would consider to be the typical youngest child of a family. What is his quickest route to finding himself in trouble?    Like many kids, Coop has a hard time following the rules, especially the rule about refueling when your tank gets low. He plays long and hard and forgets to fill up until it’s too late. Then, he lies about it to his mother because he’s afraid of disappointing her.    Coop feels bad and wants to do better, but he keeps getting distracted and messing up. He thinks the solution is to try harder to follow more rules, and naturally turns to his big sister, Lucy, for help.   Q: Tell us about Lucy, Coop’s big sister who is a police car and the epitome of a rule follower. What lesson does she try to teach Coop?   Lucy is a hard worker who is ready to help her little brother shape up and become more like her. She prides herself on her ability to perfectly follow the rules. She is prone to self-righteousness and judges others who don’t follow the rules as well as she does. She thinks Coop’s problem could be solved if he just tried harder.    When Coop and Lucy run out of gas together, Lucy is quick to blame Coop for their trouble. Lucy is shocked and humbled when she learns that Ma, the seemingly perfect fire truck who comes to their rescue, confesses that she struggles to follow the rules herself.  Q: Do you have any tips for parents who have a child who is like Coop and seems to be the sibling that messes up the most? How do you try to lead children to have a healthier respect for the rules?   I’d suggest that parents first seek to understand why their child is messing up so much. Is it deliberate disobedience where the child knows the rules but chooses to flagrantly disobey? Is challenging authority typical for your child? If so, she likely needs clear boundaries and spelled-out consequences that you consistently follow through on. She also needs lots of encouragement and celebration when she wisely chooses to obey.   Or is your child messing up because she gets distracted a lot? Is she so focused on whatever she’s doing that she forgets the rules? This child might actually want to do better and be really discouraged by how often she messes up. A child like this needs a big dose of encouragement and support, maybe breaking tasks into smaller parts with cues along the way to remind her of the rules.     Q: What about kids who tend to be like Lucy? How do you help your rule-follower children not become too self-righteous?   Rule-followers need to learn that their obedience is not for their glory—it’s for God’s glory! God put good authority in our kids’ lives to bless them, so when they obey, it honors God. They need to take their eyes off themselves and fix their eyes on the Lord. Kids like Lucy who tend to be self-righteous and find their identity in their good works need lots of reminders of grace. They need to know they can’t earn your love by what they do, but that you love them all the time, no matter what. This is a picture for them of the way God loves us.   Let them know that you expect them to mess up—it’s a normal part of being human. They’ll likely need help learning to take responsibility for their sins, rather than blaming others for their problems. Jesus is the only one who ever obeyed perfectly, and his perfect obedience is theirs if they repent and trust in Jesus.    Q: When Lucy and Coop both run out of gas, what lesson does the duo learn?    Lucy and Coop learn that Ma loves them completely, simply because they are her kids. She doesn’t love them more when they obey, or less when they disobey. Ma’s unconditional love for her kids is a picture of the way God has loved her.    Ma forgives Lucy and Coop for breaking the family rules because God has already forgiven her for breaking his law. Lucy and Coop begin to experience the freedom and peace that come from turning from their sin and being forgiven.  Q: What do you hope all children will learn about unconditional love from reading Coop Messes Up?   Sadly, many children are growing up under the crushing burden of thinking they have to perform in order to be loved. My prayer is that children who read Coop’s story will come to know the God who loves them simply because he loves them.    Before they were even born, God knew all the ways they would mess up. He loved them so much that he sent his son, Jesus, to obey for them, to die for them, and to be raised again for them, so that they can be forgiven and find new life with him.    Q: How do we make sure that our kids understand that just because we love them unconditionally, even when they mess up, that doesn’t mean that they don’t have to try to follow the rules or face the consequences of their choices?   Part of loving our kids unconditionally includes helping them learn to live under the Lordship of Christ. God made the world, so he gets to set the rules, and his rules are for our good, to help us flourish. Kids do need to learn to obey God, and experience consequences when they disobey.    But all of this should be in the larger context of understanding how much God loves them, and that his rules are for their good. He’s not a harsh taskmaster who’s looking for ways to make them miserable. He’s a good Father who knows what’s best for them and loves them enough to help them keep on his path. It also helps kids when they see that parents and other adults need to obey God too, and that we experience consequences when we disobey.   Q: Why is it important to confess some of the ways we mess up to our children?   Our kids already know we are not perfect. Or if they don’t know it yet, they will definitely know it by the time they are teenagers. Part of modeling the Christian life for them is letting them see what we do when we sin. Are we humble? Do we seek forgiveness and reconciliation? Do we take ownership for our sin and do what we can to make things right? Do our kids see us relying on the Savior that we claim to believe in?    Especially when our sin involves our children, we need to humble ourselves and seek their forgiveness. Our exhortations to them to confess and seek Jesus are going to mean a whole lot more if they have seen us living this out ourselves.   Q: Coop Messes Up is the first book in The Wheelies series. Can you give us a little spoiler of what’s coming up in the series?   The next book is called Coop Helps Out. Pops (the garbage truck) gets sick, and Coop feels responsible. Coop learns what it means to be a humble servant, like Pops, and in the process gets to know more about Jesus, the best servant who ever lived.   Coop Learns He Can comes next. Coop and his sister Joy (the Jeep) go on an outdoor adventure. Coop is sad he wasn’t made to do all the cool stuff Joy can do. But when Joy gets stuck, Coop is able to rescue her precisely because of the way he was made. He learns what it means to be fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Coop Messes Up The Wheelies Book 1 by Sarah Reju Illustrated by Tania Rex February 26, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-64507-411-3 Retail Price: $16.99 Juvenile Fiction/Religious/Christian/Values and Virtues

Read a Preview

About the Author and Illustrator

Sarah Reju, MDiv, is a pastor’s wife and mother living in Washington, DC. She has a MDiv in Christian Ministry from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.   Reju is the author of the children’s books Jesus Saves, God Is Better Than Trucks, God Is Better Than Princesses, and Coop Messes Up (the first in the new Wheelies series).    Sarah and her husband, Deepak, have five children.

About the Illustrator:   Tania Rex was born and raised in Vilnius, Lithuania. She’s happiest when she can take an idea and turn it into a picture. Experimenting with styles and drawing is how she spends most of her spare time. Tania draws inspiration from little everyday miracles, aiming to point audience attention to the ever-present magic of real life.