Great Summer Reads Day 15: Pajama Party:The Story by E.C. Jackson

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. For three and a half years she published the Confidence in Life newsletter for Alpha Production Ministries, in addition to writing tracts and devotionals. 

Teaching a women’s Bible study at her church for eleven years naturally led to her current endeavor of writing inspirational romance novels and teen and young adult fiction. Her mission: spiritual maturity in the body of Christ through fiction.

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Most sleepovers are simple. Food, fun, and pillow fights. But sixteen-year-old Karen Duncan has bigger plans for her slumber party. Family troubles have changed her over the past year, and she’s no longer the petty, selfish girl she used to be. Now she’s ready to shake things up with her friends. The guest list comes as a surprise to some and a slap in the face to others. This popular girl has invited some not-so-popular guests. Even more shocking, she’s left out some of the girls she’s hung out with since middle school.

Diane and Evette are outsiders, nervous about being stuck in a house with the same girls who tease them at school. Kathy, Lisa, and Joann come to the party with the confidence of the in-crowd, but they’re masking inner-turmoil that is bound to surface. Sandy and Angela are usually the voices of reason…usually. And then there’s Linda, the friend that got away. She may not ever forgive the girls who abandoned her years ago. Karen hopes to change her mind.

Her agenda is ambitious, and it could spell disaster. But Karen is convinced God will use this party to spark a new beginning for everyone involved. This companion book to A Living Hope gives us the inspired story Sadie Cummings wrote for the girls of Shiatown.

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Snippet:

Angela polished her toenails and whispered to Sandy when Linda walked into the room. She’d come down earlier but the family room was empty. She’d thought they were in the kitchen and she ran back upstairs. Still unable to settle down anywhere, she tried to make another connection.

Uncertainty spoiled the splashy entrance she’d expected to make. Deflated, she looked around the room. Where were Karen, Kathy, and Lisa? No one was in the kitchen. She’d checked there first. Linda had sat at the table when she found the room empty. Her thoughts filled with what to do, once she reached the family room. She resisted the pull to push herself forward. Linda wanted to be asked to join in. So she waited for Sandy and Angela to notice she stood there.

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Great Summer Reads Day 7: Coffee Cottage Collection Vol 1,2 and 3 by Lynn U. Watson

Lynn U. Watson has incorporated her love for Jesus and passion for essential oils into a three-volume devotional Collection, sharing spicy and aromatic essences of Scripture. Her devotions encourage you to diligently cultivate your heart and grow your roots deeply in an intimate relationship with Jesus. Lynn holds a BA in Journalism from University of Memphis, a certificate in aromatherapy, and is a practicing reflexologist.

 She and Steve have been married since 1973 and call Bartlett, Tennessee home. Their lives are blessed with two adult children, their spouses, and five beautiful, of course, grandchildren. Jasmine, her tuxedo kitty, runs the house. Her current work-in-progress is a novel inspired by a painfully challenging event in the life of her great-grandmother, changing the course for her family forever.

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All three of the Cinnamah-Brosia devotionals in one ebook volume! 

Fruits; spices; essential oils; & botanicals of all kinds sprinkled over & planted on the pages of the Bible provide insights into God’s word. Our Coffee Cottage’s fictional characters, Cinnamah-Brosia and friends, courageously use the essences to season the world around them with an overflowing measure of Jesus. All three volumes of Cinnamah-Brosia's Inspirational Collection for Women are featured in this single e-book.

"The Essence of Courage: Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit in Solomon’s Locked Garden and in Your Heart"

As you breathe in the fragrant aromas found in Solomon’s Locked Garden (Song of Solomon 4), you'll harvest the Fruit of the Spirit and cultivate it in the garden of your heart.


"The Essence of Joy: Filling Your Heart with the Aromas of Jesus’ Nativity"

The scents of Christmas invite our imaginations into the holiday season. What emotions flood your heart when the holidays aromas waft your way?

You’ll meet women of the Bible and contemporary women (Cinnamah-Brosia and friends) like you and me who will encourage you to discover the refreshing essence of a life lived in the presence of Jesus. Let JOY fill your heart with the aromas of His nativity.

"The Essence of Humility: Live and Love Like Jesus"

We live in a culture overwhelmed with disrespect, egos, entitlement, rudeness, and offense — lives focused on self, rather than God or others.

Jesus entered our world and walked among us. He placed no importance on rank or position. Jesus’ life reflected love because it reflected humility, and He invites us to live and love like Him.

You’re invited to travel with Cinnamah-Brosia and friends once again to meet real-life people — our contemporaries and those on the pages of God’s word, who encountered the same real-life challenges you and I face each day. Learn the blessings of a life lived like Jesus lived —- with love and humility.

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Snippet:

From The Essence of Humility:

            I loved the purity and simplicity of linen fabric. No fancy weave — just open and airy — it’s color most often natural or ivory. Those characteristics give it a humble character, creating the perfect background to showcase cross-stitch and embroidery designs and skills.

            God chooses linen for the wedding gown of the Bride of Christ. Look what it signifies.

Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us give Him glory and hon- or, for the marriage of the Lamb has come (at last), and His bride (the redeemed) has prepared herself. She has been per- mitted to dress in fine linen, dazzling white and clean — for the fine linen signifies the righteous acts of the saints (the ethical conduct, personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character of believers).   (Revelation 19:8, Amplified Bible)

            Linen’s purity and humbleness create the perfect backdrop for the righteous acts of Jesus’ followers — His bride. Others observe the difference in our lives when we are in relationship with Jesus!

            Integrity, moral courage, godly character, and ethical conduct stand out in our self-serving society. The beauty of a life lived like Jesus lived and loved stands out on its humble background — a beautiful masterpiece! 

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Christmas Countdown Blitz Day Three: When Night Falls Around Us by Laura L Walker

Laura L. Walker grew up in a large family in the beautiful Gila Valley of southern Arizona. From the time Laura was young, she spent hours drawing characters on paper and fantasizing about their adventures. Life became more serious, however, when she met her own hero at Northern Arizona University and they later became the parents of six children. 

In between spurts of grocery shopping, sewing costumes or quilts, transporting kids to practices, and making dinner, Laura still enjoys putting her imagination to good use. She is the author of seven novels and three novellas.

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"Nineteen-year-old Felicity Everstone is living her dream while attending college and serving alongside her parents in the North Atlanta Georgia Mission for the LDS Church--not to mention dating a charming guy who sweeps her off her feet. But when she is unexpectedly sent home to Idaho to care for her nephew through her sister-in-law's difficult pregnancy, and the friend she has been sharing the gospel with no longer wants to pursue that path, everything that once brought light and joy into her life nearly flickers out. Until she meets her good-looking but solemn neighbor, Erik.

Erik Cannon has already lost the love of his life. Now, as a young, successful businessman, making money seems to be his God-given talent, but he can no longer ignore the emptiness he feels inside. He needs to find purpose and meaning in his life once again. When his best friend's sister comes to help her family through a crisis, Erik's heart is reawakened. He senses this is a second chance at love for him, and that he and Felicity might be able to build a beautiful life together--until her old boyfriend comes back into the picture.

When darkness settles over Erik and Felicity's path, will their emerging love be enough to light the way?"

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Q&A With the Author:

Describe yourself in 50 words or less:

I'm a little impulsive with the ideas that come to me. Sometimes they pan out; other times, not so much. I'm an introvert who loves being around my family--most of the time. I've also become a history nerd as I've turned to historical fiction writing. And chocolate--who can get enough of that?

What do you love most in the world?

My family and my Savior, Jesus Christ, whom we celebrate Christmas for.

What inspired you to become an author?

The dream of becoming an author resided in my soul from the time I was very young. I really don't remember a time when I didn't want to become an author. However, when I became a mother to some really rambunctious toddlers,

I thought that dream had died. It was resurrected when I realized I needed to develop other talents besides cooking and cleaning for a family. Although those are great things, I needed to do something for myself. Realize that dream!

Favorite Winter/Holiday Tradition:

I live in a desert, but we're also close to a mountain peak that gets snow. Every year right after Christmas, we try to go up there and play in the snow. We bring hot cocoa and our extended family goes, too. It's a lot of fun!

What is your trick for overcoming writers block? And what advice would you give an author who is struggling to tell their story?

Just start writing. What you write probably won't be publishable material at first. But as you get the creative juices going, you'll soon pull out of that slump. Also, read lots of articles about creative writing. Learn as much as you can. And keep writing.

Tell me a story:

Another fun winter tradition, if you could call it that, is that my husband and I got married at Christmastime. Since this also happens to be the time of year the last few Star Wars movies have come out, that's how we've spent our anniversary. At the movies. Watching sci-fi. Not even close to a romantic chick flick. LOL.

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