Sunday, October 31, 2021

Dishing Up Devotions

Homeschooling is a challenging journey that’s often misunderstood. The thirty-six weeks that parents have to educate their homeschooled children don’t just come together magically. There are lessons to plan and oversee, records to keep, routines to follow, and kids to motivate. It can feel overwhelming as the teaching parent—usually Mom—tries to tackle both the educational and spiritual aspects of the children’s lives while also keeping up with household tasks such as cooking and laundry.

Dishing Up Devotions: 36 Activities for Homeschooling Families infuses faith and fun to strengthen family relationships while nourishing the teaching parent’s soul.
It features thirty-six weekly devotions, faith-building activities for the whole family, and baking recipes connected to the weekly character theme.
Author Katie Trent’s goal is to take the stress out of homeschooling with a devotional that the whole family will love through:

Encouragement from other homeschooling parents
Biblical lessons even toddlers can understand
Interactive family activities
Delicious baking recipes related to the weekly theme

Homeschooling just got easier—and deliciously fun!

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

prb35upn7p18p4ur3mjv20hiq4._SY600_ Katie Trent is a homeschool mom and the director of a Christian homeschool community outside Phoenix, Arizona.

She has a decade of experience in counseling children, teens, and families, having worked as clinical director of two mental health agencies and as an elementary school counselor before transitioning to homeschooling and writing.

Katie and her husband James have over twelve years of pastoral ministry and church planting experience.

Through writing, blogging, and speaking, Katie loves to inspire women to grow their faith, strengthen their families, and simplify their homeschool journeys.

Katie received her B.A. degree in social work from Boise State University and her master’s in social work from Northwest Nazarene University. She has written for The Christian Journal magazine, blogs, and several websites.

More from Katie

Homeschooling is more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. These thirty-six devotions are fun for the whole family, and tasty. It is just the right flavor for a busy family.

—Robert BortinsCEO, Classical Conversations

JOY BOMBS (GLUTEN-FREE)

Ingredients

½ cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup walnuts, raisins, or toffee (optional)

Glaze (if desired)

1 ½ – 2 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

2-3 tbsp. milk

Directions

Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, and eggs in large bowl. Stir in evaporated milk and vanilla.66 Dishing Up Devotions

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, November 1

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 2

Mary Hake, November 2

For Him and My Family, November 3

deb’s Book Review, November 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, November 5

Blossoms and Blessings, November 6

Texas Book-aholic, November 7

Older & Smarter?, November 8

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 9 (Spotlight)

Lots of Helpers, November 10

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 10

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 11

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 12

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 14

Cats in the Cradle Blog, November 14

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Katie is giving away the grand prize of a $20 Starbucks gift card and a copy of the book!!

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/137e2/dishing-up-devotions-celebration-tour-giveaway

Saturday, October 30, 2021

A Picture of Hope

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographing pilots taking off and landing—and she’s bored. She jumps at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed. She enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines. On the journey, they come upon an orphanage where nuns shelter children with disabilities. Can they help save them before the Nazis come to liquidate it?

My thoughts: I enjoyed that this book showed so many different settings in WWII! Nellie is a heroic journalist who is blown away by what is going on in WWII and wants to paint a better picture of what is going on for her readers. As she goes deeper and deeper into enemy territory, her adventures expose the devastation of D-Day, as well as the evil side of Nazi regime through their treatment of people with Downs Syndrome. This is a well written, fast paced historical novel. I am enjoying this series and thought that this story was exceptional!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.

More from Liz

Why Another WWII Novel Set in France

You may well read the back cover of my latest release, A Picture of Hope, and wonder why on earth we need another WWII novel set in France. After all, Kristy Cambron just had one. Melanie Dobson and Sarah Sundin will be coming out with theirs in 2022. So why did I feel the need to write my novel with the same setting?

First of all, I’m a Francophile. I love all things French. It started when I took French in high school. Everyone else was learning Spanish, but I wasn’t into being part of the crowd. There were only a few of us in the class, and it was great fun. We had a wonderful teacher. Being able to pull out some of that French, refine it a bit, and use it in the book was a blast. But I also love French food (who doesn’t?) and everything else.

Secondly, I hadn’t written about France before. When I wrote this proposal at least five or six years ago, I didn’t know France would be so hot. God did, and the book came about in His perfect timing. I’d explored the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Philippines. Such a shame that I was leaving out France, so I set about to write a novel located in that country.

Thirdly, there was so much good material to pull from. The French resistance, while small, did good work and sacrificed a great deal to get Jews out of the country and into Switzerland or Spain. The books that Kristy, Melanie, Sarah, and I write are all so different. Only the setting is the same. And when I found out that the famous mime Marcel Marceau was part of the resistance, I couldn’t help but giving him a cameo. Be on the lookout!

Along the way, I discovered some truly heartrending incidents that took place in France. They also compelled me to write this book. I long for the world to remember what happened so that we will never forget. And so that the atrocities committed there will never be repeated.

Fourthly, this was originally the third book in a series. Don’t worry – it’s a stand-alone. Maybe someday I’ll get to publish the other two. The women in the series are all American journalists in Europe. One is a reporter, the other is a broadcaster, and so I decided to make Nellie, the heroine in A Picture of Hope, a photojournalist. And where better to take pictures than on Omaha Beach soon after D-day. How she gets there is based on a very interesting true story, so be sure to read to the end for that one.

There are so many stories about WWII to be told and so many countries that participated in the conflict in one way or the other. The ground is so rich that we aren’t plowing the same parcel. You’ll find all of these books to be very different from each other, each with its own message, its own voice, and its own plot.

The focus in my book is on children with Down syndrome. I have a background in special education, and my husband and I adopted a child from the Philippines with an intellectual disability, so I’ve always had a heart for people with special needs. My daughter brings us so much joy that I wanted to share a glimpse into what these remarkable people are truly capable of.

So that is why I wrote a WWII novel set in France. Make yourself a cup of café au lait, butter up a croissant, and enjoy A Picture of Hope!

Blog Stops

A Baker’s Perspective, October 28

Life of Literature, October 28

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 28

Genesis 5020, October 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 29

The Book Chic Blog, October 29

Blogging With Carol, October 29

Texas Book-aholic, October 30

Sodbuster Living, October 30

Spoken from the Heart, October 30

Elly Gilbert, October 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 31

Inklings and notions, October 31

Labor Not in Vain, October 31

CarpeDiem, October 31

Splashes of Joy, November 1

Reviewingbooksplusmore, November 1

Life, love, writing, November 1

For Him and My Family, November 1

deb’s Book Review, November 2

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 2

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 3

Betti Mace, November 3

Worthy2Read, November 3

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 3

Daysong Reflections, November 4

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 4

Vicky Sluiter, November 4

Southern Gal Loves to Read, November 4

Older & Smarter?, November 5

By the Book, November 5

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 5

Connie’s History Classroom, November 6

For the Love of Literature, November 6

Bigreadersite, November 6

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 6

Rebecca Tews, November 7

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 7

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, November 7

She Lives To Read, November 8

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 8

Where Faith and Books Meet, November 8

Pause for Tales, November 9

Christian Bookaholic, November 9

Through the Fire Blogs, November 9

To Everything There Is A Season , November 9

Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 10

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 10

Mary Hake, November 10

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of A Picture of Hope!!

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/12b83/a-picture-of-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway

Friday, October 29, 2021

Wolf Soldier

The fate of the Dragon Lands are at play.

The knights of the Lightraider Order disappeared nearly two generations past. Now, the Keledan have withdrawn behind their barriers, and the Dragon Lands of bordering Tanelethar are overrun with dark oppression. The people are living in disobedience to the Rescuer who freed them long ago.

A shepherd boy, Connor Enarian, and four young initiates rekindle the fires of the Lightraider Order in the hope of striking out across the mountains into Tanelethar to destroy a portal and stop an impending invasion.

Once in the Dragon Lands, Connor learns that the key to success lies with a missing Lightraider spy and his lifelong companion, a talking silver wolf. Can Connor and his friends find the spy before the portal grows too large to destroy? Or will a local young woman—or Connor’s own family history—betray them?

The dangers and secrets of Tanelethar test both trust and loyalty, and to save his homeland, Connor may have to sacrifice his innermost dreams.

My thoughts: While I was not familiar with the game that this story is loosely based on, I still found the fantasy style world that it is set in fascinating and well drawn. There are a variety of characters who are trying to help save their world, but not everyone is quite like they appear. I enjoyed the twists and turns to the story and look forward to reading more in this series!

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

Former stealth pilot James R. Hannibal is no stranger to secrets and adventure. He has been shot at, locked up by surface to air missiles, has hunted insurgents with drones, and was once chased by an armed terrorist down a winding German road. James is the Carol Award winning author of the Clandestine Service series and a three–time winner of the Silver Falchion Award for Juvenile Fiction for his Section 13 series.

More from James

Wolf Soldier: Origins

Did you know Wolf Soldier is set in a fantasy world created for a 1980s tabletop game? DragonRaid was an “adventure learning system” designed by Navigators author Dick Wulf. It used elements of choose-your-adventure stories and roleplaying games to teach Scripture memory and application. The game immersed players in the fantasy world of EdenAgain, where their hero characters applied Scripture to solve puzzles and battle “dark creatures.” Using God’s word in these allegorical challenges engaged the mind to increase understanding and retention.

I was one of the DragonRaid’s teenage fans. But the game vanished after only three years, buried by a ranting televangelist who created a campaign against it in a failed attempt to distract the world from his nefarious activities. Even worse, when the game vanished, it left us all on a cliffhanger—The Moonbridge Raid Campaign, Part One of Three.

Years later, with budding teens of my own, I sought out an old boxed set. When we ran out of the original stories, I wrote some of my own, and after playing these new stories with my little group, I sent them to the man who’d sold me the box. He sent them on to Dick Wulf, the original creator of the game.

Long story short: Dick, who had been given only a short time to live, asked me to take over the fantasy world and carry the game forward under the banner Lightraiders, including the task of novelizing the world.

That’s where Wolf Soldier came from. And I’m so excited to see where the characters and the Lightraider Order will take us. Dick went home to Heaven on July 6, 2021, but you can find the encouragement of his foreword inside Wolf Soldier.

By the way, I didn’t forget about the cliffhanger. Before turning in the novel, I completed Parts Two and Three of the Moonbridge Raid Campaign using drafts Dick Wulf wrote. Funded by a donor, our burgeoning Lightraiders game company matched the grand style of the original 1980s adventure guidebook, maps and all. Whew! What a relief to finally scratch that 35-year itch!

Blog Stops

Inklings and notions, October 30

Simple Harvest Reads, October 30 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 31

Blogging with Carol, October 31

deb’s Book Review, November 1

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, November 2

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, November 3

Texas Book-aholic, November 4

Artistic Nobody, November 4 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

For Him and My Family, November 5

Guild Master, November 5

Mypreciousbitsandmusings, November 6

The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 6

Rebecca Tews, November 7

Through the Fire Blogs, November 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, November 8

Labor Not in Vain, November 8

Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 9

Tell Tale Book Reviews, November 10

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 10

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, November 11

By the Book, November 12

Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 12

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, James is giving away the grand prize package of a signed Wolf Soldier Limited Edition Hardcover, Starlots Gem Dice 7-Color Set (Hand-Inked), and a $100 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/12b85/wolf-soldier-celebration-tour-giveaway

I Spy a Tiger

Worship daily in rhyme, reading I Spy a Tiger with the young ones in your life. On this colorful journey, introduce them to Adam’s beloved naming of the animal kingdom, God’s awesome design, along with a bit of His humor too! I Spy a Tiger invites young and old alike, “There is so much for us to see and explore! Go on … have a look … it’s right out your door!”

My thoughts: My children and I enjoyed this colorful storybook! We have been going through the Old Testament in school, so this book went well with talking about Creation. I love how interactive this book is and how it got me to think what it might of been like to name all the animals and discover them for the first time. The lyrical writing was delightful. This will be enjoyed for years to come.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit. This is my honest review.

Click here to get your copy! This post contains affiliate links.

About the Author

An Illustrator and Author, Clyde San Juan enjoys encouraging creativity through his art, writings and art instruction classes, young and old. I Spy a Tiger is a young creatives’ introduction to the word read aloud in fellowship with their parents and other family members. Recently becoming a Grampy, Clyde can’t wait till he can read I Spy to his grands!

More from Clyde

Cardamon Swirl Clafoutis with Marinated Prunes

A rustic, custardy moist cake (or maybe, envision a thick German Pancake dotted with fruit),
this French dessert is infused with the exotic presence of Cardamon. Clafoutis, usually a sweet, can incorporate all kinds of combinations of fruit, fresh, stone, or semi-dried like these prunes or figs. But to the creative, there can also be a bevy of whimsical savory takes to the additions and to the batter, thereby opening up a wide range of tasteful delights!

Prepare an 8×8 inch square baking pan by lining it with parchment paper

Marinated Prunes

Apprx. 1 cup pitted prunes, each cut into halves or quarters

3 tbsp unsalted butter

4 tsps granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp ground cardamon

optional: red food color

For the Marinated Prunes, add the fruit pieces, the butter and the rest of the ingredients and
sauté, stirring frequently to meld the cardamon with the fruit and to create a wonderful syrup. Gently. We do not want to reduce and dry up the syrup. Off heat, set aside, blending in the
red food color.

Batter

2 healthy tbsp dollops, vanilla yogurt

6 tsp granulated sugar

4 medium eggs or 3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup cake or all purpose flour

3/4 cup evaporated or whole milk

Finish

sprinkle of lemon zest

powdered sugar for dusting

Prep the loose base of the batter by creaming the sugar with the yogurt, eggs, vanilla extract
and baking powder with a whisk. It’s okay if the yogurt ends up as little lumps. Whisk in the flour, then the milk to bulk it out. It should look and stream like crepe batter.

*Preheat oven 320º

Reserving most of the syrup, spoon marinated fruit pieces into the pan, evenly over the parchment paper. Slowly pour or spoon the batter into the pan. You may need to redistribute some of the fruit back into the center of the pan. Drizzle the remainder syrup into the batter, swirling to your fancy, or create a beautiful herringbone pattern. This looks quite striking, if
you choose to use the red food color with the fruit.

Bake for 15 minutes or until all toothpick checks are clean, especially in the center. Choosing

to bake a little under gives the cake a more custardy mouth feel. *Note: depending on the heat of your oven, time and temp, this caveat stresses, not to overcook the batter, setting the eggs to a rubbery state. Baking gently with lower temps and/or shorter bake times can help you gage these variables. Try a Bain-Marie tactic, such as for flan!

Serve at room temperature, or slightly warmed, finishing with a dusting of powder sugar
and lemon zest.

excerpt recipe from What if Elijah knew how to cook and other stories