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Teaser Tuesday

I haven't done this is a while and saw that sugarandgrits had and figured I'd join in today too. :) In case you don't know how Teaser Tuesday works here are the "rules":

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers

His prayers had failed once again. And once again, a woman he cared for would die.

That is from page 139 of The Blue Enchantress by M.L. Tyndall

Sock Update

Well, I finished my second sock and guess what I have a matching pair of socks! I need to take a picture of them side by side but I haven't done that yet. I'm so thrilled that they turned out. I am now knitting these socks. I had a little trouble at first but I think that was due to the fact I was knitting while I was on my way to Houston. Don't worry I wasn't driving. ;) But after having to start over about three times they are finally starting to take shape. I'm so excited! I'm thinking if I can knit these socks successfully then my mom, mil, cousin, sil and niece may end up with a pair for Christmas. :) I think they are so pretty. When I get the first sock finished I'll take a picture of it so y'all can see it. :) Since I don't have any pictures of my socks to share I think I will end this post by sharing a picture of the cutest cat in the world...my Luke. Isn't he a cutie??

Back-to-School Fiction Blog Tour

Summary for Rose House

A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope.
Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms.

She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.

What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.

A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.

Tina Ann Forkner is the author of Ruby Among Us. Originally from Oklahoma, she now lives with her husband and three children in Wyoming, where she serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation’s board of directors.

Summary for The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper

The future is clearly mapped out for New York socialite Eugenia “Gennie” Cooper, but she secretly longs to slip into the boots of her favorite dime-novel heroine and experience just one adventure before settling down. When the opportunity arises, Gennie jumps at the chance to experience the Wild West, but her plans go awry when she is drawn into the lives of silver baron Daniel Beck and his daughter and finds herself caring for them more than is prudent–especially as she’s supposed to go back to New York and marry another man.

As Gennie adapts to the rough-and-tumble world of 1880s Colorado, she must decide whether her future lies with the enigmatic Daniel Beck or back home with the life planned for her since birth. The question is whether Daniel’s past–and disgruntled miners bent on revenge–will take that choice away from her.

Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, novellas, and young adult books, with more than a half-million in print. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she is currently a publicist with Books & Such literary agency.

Summary for The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love

Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status.

As the Knit Lit ladies read and discus classic romances like Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles.

Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennessee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other.

RITA Award-winning Beth Patillo combines her love of knitting and books in her engaging Sweetgum series. Pattillo served churches in Missouri and Tennessee before founding Faith Leader, a spiritual leadership development program.

Angie here: I didn't get Rose House read but I did read the other two books so first I'll start with The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper. Gennie Cooper is a lady wanting a wild west adventure and she ends up getting just that and perhaps a little more than she bargained for. This was an enjoyable read and I look forward to reading other books by Kathleen Y'Barbo.

The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love is apparently the second book in a series. I didn't realize that when I started reading this book but I was still able to enjoy this story. Actually, I read this book in about three days which is extremely fast for me. There are a lot of characters in this book and at first I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to remember who was who but I didn't have any problems. Anyway, I enjoyed this book and recommend both this book and The Confidential Life of Eguenia Cooper.

If your interested in any of the books just click either the picture of the cover or the name of the book to find out where to buy these lovely books. :)

Happy Reading!!

Wordless Wednesday

North! Or Be Eaten Blog Tour

Readers thrilled to the phantasmagorical adventures in On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, Book One of the Wingfeather Saga. Now in Book Two, Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby, mom Nia, ex-pirate grandfather Podo, Peet the Sock Man, and trusty dog Nugget flee north to rebel headquarters.

Their escape brings readers to the very brink of Fingap Falls, over the Stony Mountains, and across the Ice Prairies, while villains galore try to stop the Igibys permanently. Fearsome toothy cows and horned hounds return, along with new dangers: a mad man running a fork factory, a den of rockroaches, and majestic talking sea dragons.

Andrew Peterson’s lovable characters create what FantasyBookCritic.com says made Book One “one of the best fantasy novels in a very long time,” and Book Two contains even more thrills, exploring “themes universal in nature, ranging from the classic good versus evil, to the importance of family, and burdens of responsibility.”

If you are interested in this book then check it out here.

Andrew Peterson is the author of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of DarknessThe Ballad of Matthew’s Begats. He’s also the critically-acclaimed singer-songwriter and recording artist of ten albums, including Resurrection Letters II. He and his wife, Jamie, live with their two sons and one daughter in The Warren near Nashville, Tennessee. Visit Andrew’s websites: www.andrew-peterson.com and www.rabbitroom.com.

Exciting Knitting News

Okay, this may not be that exciting if your not a knitter but if you are then get ready for this: I knitted a sock!!!!!! I am so pleased with the fact that it turned out, I did it! I learned how to knit a sock! Here is a picture of my sample sock (it was a test sock just to see if I could knit a sock):



So after my sample sock turned out I decided to start on an actual pair of socks and I have the first sock done:

It fits and everything!! I'm so excited. :D Now I'm just hoping that sock #2 will look like it's mate. Plan on starting sock #2 tonight. I'll let ya know if it ends up matching the first sock. ;)

Wordless Wednesday

If you look closely there is a goat looking out the window. :)

Change..NOOOOOO!

Yesterday, I decided to finally go grocery shopping. I hate going grocery shopping so I usually put it off until I am forced to go, i.e. we have no food and the cats/dogs are out of food. So I make my list and tell myself this shouldn't take too long, I'll just run in get the stuff on my list and get out of there. So I arrive at the grocery store, a grocery store I have been going to since it opened it's doors in 2003, only to discover that they are in the process of rearranging things! Are you kidding me?!? Now I have no idea where the peanut butter is or the V8 Fusion and where the heck do I find Gain?? So I was forced to go down every row searching for the items on my list and I do believe I found them all. But my question is why? Why change things after so long? I knew where everything was. I could actually send my husband to the grocery store and tell him where to find stuff. Now I have to start all over. *sigh* I hate grocery shopping.

Friday's Fave Five

Well, it's Friday so that means it is time for Friday's Fave Five. If you would like to to part of Friday's Fave Five then be sure to go to Living to Tell the Story to join in the fun. So let's begin, shall we?

1) Knitting. I started knitting my first sweater a month or so ago but had set it aside but I picked it back up this week and am enjoying watching the back of my sweater take shape. Also, I'm planning on trying my hand at knitting socks. That should interesting.

2) Pictures from my trip to Pennsylvania. I finally downloaded my pictures from my vacation and it was fun to look at them and think about my vacation.


This is a picture of a barn that has been standing before the Civil War. If you look you can see a hole in the side of the barn that is from the a cannon ball from the Battle of Gettysburg.

3) Getting a surprise gift. My husband got me a game for my Nintendo DS. Love getting surprises. :D

4) Pretzels. When I was in Pennsylvania I bought a bag of Sourdough Special Pretzels..they were soooo good. Sadly, they don't sell them here in Texas but you can order them from the company's website so I ordered me some. I have no idea what makes them so tasty but tasty they are. :)

5) Air Conditioning. I am so thankful to whoever invented the air conditioner. I don't think I would be able to survive this summer if I didn't have it.

So that is my list of Five Favorites from this week. Hope all have a wonderful weekend. :)

The Hope of Refuge Blog Tour

Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.

Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim’s sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stoltzfus. Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose–or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything–including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life?

Author Bio:

Cindy Woodsmall is the author of When the Heart Cries, When the Morning Comes, and The New York Times Best-Seller When the Soul Mends. Her ability to authentically capture the heart of her characters comes from her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families. A mother of three sons and two daughters-in-law, Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband of thirty-one years.

Angie here: Last month I went to Pennsylvania and saw the Amish in their horse and buggies which was neat and it made me feel like I had stepped back in time. Pennsylvania is a pretty state and seeing the Amish country was really nice. So I must admit I was a little more interested in reading The Hope of Refuge after having been in Pennsylvania. I haven't ever read any Amish fiction before probably because I figured I wouldn't be able to relate but after having read The Hope of Refuge I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed this book. Actually I enjoyed it so much I hated that it came to an end. I highly recommend this book and if you were like me and thinking Amish fiction isn't for you well I say give this book a try and I think you will be like me, pleasantly surprised.

New York Times bestselling author Cindy Woodsmall is on tour, and she may be coming to a city near you! Don’t miss your opportunity to meet Cindy and have her sign her newest title The Hope of Refuge at one of the following events.

Tuesday, August 11 7 – 8:30pm

Barnes & Noble

5141 Peachtree Parkway, The Forum
Norcross, Georgia 30092
(770) 209-4244

Wednesday, August 12 7 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble Opry Mills

515 Opry Mills Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37214
(615) 514-5000

Thursday, August 13 6 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble

2540 Futura Pkwy. #135
Plainfield, Indiana 46168
(317) 838-7941

Friday, August 14 6 – 8pm

Barnes & Noble

1550 West 75th
Downers Grove, Illinois 60516
(630) 663-0181

Saturday, August 15 1 – 3pm

Baker Books

2768 East Paris Ave SE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546-6139
(616) 957-3110

Sunday, August 16 2 – 4pm

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

3700 Rivertown Parkway Ste. 2058
Grandville, Michigan 49418
(616) 531-1825

Monday, August 17 7 – 8:00pm

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

1739 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, Ohio 43212
(614) 298-9516

Tuesday, August 18 7– 8:30pm

Joseph Beth Booksellers

2705 E. Carson Street
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15203
(412) 381-3600

Wednesday, August 19 6 – 8pm

Hackman’s Bible Book Store

1341 Mickley Road
Whitehall, Pennsylvania 18052-4610
(610) 264-8600

Thursday, August 20 1 – 3pm

Rachel’s Country Store (Amish dry goods store)

6352 McClays Mill Road
Newburg, Pennsylvania 17240
(717) 530-9452

Can’t make the tour? You can still follow Cindy’s adventures on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. See you there!