Tag: Amazon Books

35th Year Revised Edition of “CPR for Your Faith from Beyond Death’s Door” is here! Get Yours Now!

Have you been through a traumatic event? Have you felt like giving up? Does your faith need God’s CPR?

New, from Rivers of Grace Books (my imprint), it’s here! The 35th Year Revised Edition of my powerful, faith-building book, “CPR for Your Faith from Beyond Death’s Door” is now available on Amazon. The print/paperback version is available now, and I should have the eBook and hard cover versions available soon.

Available in print/paperback on Amazon. Get it now!

GIVING UP IS NOT AN OPTION, YET THE PULSE OF THE BODY OF CHRIST HAS DANGEROUSLY WEAKENED…

Let’s face it, this past couple of years haven’t been easy for any of us. Many of us have lost loved ones to the pandemic or other causes. August 29th was a year since I lost my husband, and then my mother 3 months later. I have also survived other close calls the enemy has made on my life in the years since the accident that almost took my life at 20 years old. For many of those grieving the loss of family members or friends, the Thanksgiving and Christmas season this year has lost its joy. So many are giving up on their faith in God and even in life itself….

I’ve been there. I may not have gone through the same things you have suffered, but I know what it feels like to feel hopeless, and I know the cold, dark, painful feeling of grief depression. Paul warned us that in the last days, there would come a falling away like never before, and that this would precede the return of our Lord, Jesus Christ to rapture the Church. I believe we are in those days. Never before have so many begun to give up hope. But we must remember, we are not defined by these things that have happened to us. That’s why I felt led to release this new, revised edition of my book, because so much has happened since I first published it. It’s more important than ever before that we share our testimonies of what Christ has done in our lives, because that’s what encourages others. Those who are hurting, depressed, and losing their faith need to know that if we only surrender the broken pieces to Him of what the enemy meant to use to destroy us, He will turn it into a powerful testimony we can use to bring hope to them. So, I am happy to announce that it’s finally here!

The print version of this special 35th Year Revised Edition of my book is now available on Amazon. I hope to have the eBook and hardcover versions available soon. This is my testimony of my Near-Death Experience in a car accident with my first husband at 20 years old, what I have learned in the years since, and the “CPR” your faith needs, for those who have been discouraged by life’s hardships. The powerful concepts and life lessons I have shared in the book are strongly accented with scripture from the Word of God, and the book has been updated to reflect more recent events, including the loss of my husband. It also includes a special, encouraging new preface dedicated to all who have lost family members to the pandemic or other recent tragedies. The book is especially written for those who have suffered any type of traumatic event and felt close to giving up on their faith. Here are just a few of the powerful, faith-building concepts featured in the book…

  • The 5 main reasons your faith is under attack
  • God’s CPR and the importance of unclogging your “faith arteries”
  • The Great Physician’s recommendations for a healthy Christian heart
  • Throwing off excess baggage & preparing to sail toward God’s plan for you
  • Navigating your course with God’s “GPS”
  • The hidden part of the “iceberg” the enemy doesn’t want you to see
  • The crucial reasons giving up is NOT an option
  • How our “pulse” as the Body of Christ can beat strongly again, and more …

I know it’s actually been 36 years as of this year, 2021, but I had intended to have the book available before now, and November 16, 2020 marked the 35-year milestone of the day Jesus said to me, “No, go back. It’s not your time yet. I’m not through with you yet…“. I believe you are one of the reasons He sent me back that day. I also believe He has a special purpose and plan for your life, and that no matter how hopeless things may seem to you, if you will only surrender it all to Him as I have, He will take it all and make it into something greater than you ever dreamed possible. I know this because His Word promises He is no respecter of persons. What He has done for me, He will do for you. Each of us has the potential to reach countless others for Him through the power of our testimony. I truly hope my book will help you to learn how you can become a powerful witness for our Lord and triumph through His healing, restoring, and renewing grace and power, and that what I’ve shared in it will be the CPR your weakened faith has needed.

If you know someone who could be encouraged by this, please feel free to share this and help me get the word out. Thank you all and may we all work together and encourage one another in these trying times. I am a little later than I wanted to be in getting this out, so I can’t promise you will get it by Christmas unless you get the fast shipping option, but it’s here! I’ve also updated the description, so that should be reflecting on the page soon. So, I hope you will head on over and get yours and share the news with anyone you know who could use some encouragement! God brought me through, and He will bring you through as well! What He has done for me, He will do for you! So, from Rivers of Grace Books, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year!

“CPR for Your Faith from Beyond Death’s Door”, 35th Year Revised Edition, Get it on Amazon now.

“CPR for Your Faith from Beyond Death’s Door – 35th Anniversary Special Free Book Promotion…a Calm in the Storms of 2020

I don’t think anyone would disagree with me that 2020 has been a rough year. Have you lost a loved one this year to Covid (or anything else for that matter)? Is your family struggling with the financial setbacks and utter chaos that the “storms” of this year have left in their wake? Have you or someone you love been through some other traumatic event? Have you thought about giving up? Well, please wait before you do, and read this…

I can relate to you, believe me. Which brings me to why I haven’t been on much for the past few months. I can honestly say in more ways than one, that this has just about been the worst year of my life, and it’s not over yet. In truth, there are not many people who can say this pandemic has not affected them or someone they love. Many more will eventually be affected by it. So, back to why I haven’t been on here posting much…

On July 17th 2020, I tested positive for Covid 19. My dear, precious husband, Keith, received a false negative and was sent home. Not a week later, he was in the hospital. The strange thing is, the way this virus seems to work. As some on the medical team that cared for Keith told me, they are still learning about the way it works and how to treat it. Just when we thought he was getting better, he took a turn for the worst. He had been texting me, saying they were going to try and get him up in the chair, and that he was going to try to eat. A couple of days later, he was intubated. After only a week, he maxed out on the ventilator, and was placed on an artificial lung (ECMO machine – Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation). Keep in mind, that all this time, I was unable to even be with him.

Finally, he tested, then retested negative, and they were able to move him out of the Covid unit, into the Surgical ICU, but only one could visit (one designated visitor per family). But even though the virus was gone, the damage was done. On the evening of Saturday, August 29th, after they had exhausted every effort to save him, we gathered around him to say our goodbyes, and I held the hand of the love of my life as he slipped away. And no, I will not ever “get over it”. But I will also not let the enemy use it to destroy me.

Me with my late husband, Stacy Keith Stewart, from our engagement pictures, I think a couple of months before our wedding, Dec. 23, 2014

You don’t have to let the storms you’ve been through destroy you either. Just about all of us have lost someone to this pandemic, or even other circumstances. For those who have lost a spouse, as I have, here is a song by someone else who recently lost her husband. I found it comforting. This is a tribute Libbi Stuffle, of The Perrys, sang as a tribute to him. I was blessed to get to meet her a couple of years ago when Keith and I, and our pastor and his wife, were in Gatlinburg, TN at the Convention Center for the Church of God Sr. Talent Nationals…

We can all agree this has been a terrible year, or…

We can choose that we are not going to let the enemy use these tribulations and tragedies to destroy us, and we can trust in the God Who has promised us He will never leave us nor forsake us to help us salvage the memories, and the ways He can use it to strengthen us and work through us to help others. It’s really our choice. Each of us must decide whether we are going to let the devil use it all to harden us and make us bitter, or whether we are going to surrender it to the One Who loves us more than we can ever understand, and trust Him to use it all to make us stronger in a way that will bring Him glory. Jesus said in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”.

Today marks the 35th anniversary of a very traumatic event in my life, one that not only almost took my life, but it nearly destroyed me. In my book, “CPR for Your Faith from Beyond Death’s Door”, you can read my story of my Near Death Experience in a horrific car accident on November 16, 1985, what I have learned in the years since on my journey to recovery with my Savior, Jesus Christ, and how He turned it around into the powerful testimony it is now. So, if you have been through a traumatic event, or lost a loved one/s to this pandemic, or other tragedies, and felt like giving up, I honestly feel that what He has given me to share with you in this book is the “CPR” your weakened faith needs. In the book, I will also get into a little about what the Bible calls “the falling away”, that would happen in the last days. My friends, many are giving up on their faith and turning their backs on God, at a time when as I said toward the end of the book, “giving up is simply not an option. You don’t have to end up being one of them.

FREE KINDLE EBOOK! Click here to download my book, 11-17-2020 through 11-21-2020!

None of us are promised tomorrow. Don’t let the one time you decide to give up on God be the day you end up paying the price for eternity. God didn’t bring sin, sickness, and death into the world. Our sin did that. But He did send His Son, Jesus into the world to bear all our sin on that cross so we could have a way to escape the high cost of our sin: eternal damnation and torment, and separation from God forever. Jesus paid it all. Don’t believe me? Let my 12-Year-Old self explain…Click here to read more about that 😉 , and how to surrender all to Christ and be saved. I could go on all day and get into more scripture to help you out, but I think the book does a pretty good job of that.

We can’t do anything about these terrible storms of trauma and the trials of tribulation, sickness, and death we are all facing now, but we can choose to not let the enemy use it to destroy us. We can choose to be thankful for the memories we had with our loved ones, and trust our Heavenly Father to guide us as we cherish these priceless “gems” in the treasure box of our hearts, and show us how He can use it to help others. We can choose to help each other, reach out to one another and comfort others, as He comforts us (see 2 Corinthians 1:4). We can choose to surrender it all to Him, so He can take what the enemy wanted to use to destroy us and turn it all around into a powerful, ground-breaking testimony that will bring others to Him. Now THAT’S how we can all give the storms of 2020 a swift kick in the pants!

So, let me help. Consider this my little humble contribution, a “calm in the storms”. This week only, from Tuesday, November 17, 2020, through Saturday, November 21, 2020, you can download the eBook version of my book, “CPR for Your Faith from Beyond Death’s Door” (“Resuscitating the Christian Heart…Yes, Your Ship is Coming In!”) from Amazon (Kindle) for FREE!

Click here to visit my Amazon page for the book and download your FREE copy!

Get your copy, FREE this week only! (eBook version only)

Each of us has some way we can help if we stop seeing ourselves as “victims” of whatever has happened to us, and start seeing ourselves through His eyes instead. It’s time for us to come together and unite as the Body of Christ and get out of the “victim mentality” that the enemy is using to destroy so many. It’s time for us to come together and take the rest of 2020 by “storm”, a storm that is much bigger and more powerful than anything we will ever face in this world. It’s time for us to work together and escort the storms of 2020 out with the power of God’s promises that He knew we would need during this time, that are right there in His Word for us. It’s time for us to trust Him to help us “mount up with wings as eagles” (Isaiah 40:31) and soar above the storms of this life and see the bigger picture of the plan He has for each of us (see Jeremiah 29:11). Surrender to defeat, or soar to new heights? It’s a choice each of us must make on our own.

Are you a victim, or a victor in Christ? I choose victory. After all, through God’s grace, I have survived an accident that took the lives of 2 people, breast cancer, and Covid, and the loss of my husband of almost 6 years. I’ve also seen God’s grace carry my family through the difficult years after the loss of my brother, Charles, at only 9 years old, when I was 12, and our younger brother just had started school. I’m still here, and I’m not giving up. And you aren’t either. After all, as the old song by Ray Stevens says, “United, we stand, divided, we fall.” We’re all in this together, and if we work together and help each other, we’ll make it, by God’s grace. Without Him, and our Savior, Jesus Christ, we are nothing. Believe me, I tried for too many years to struggle through it all on my own, without His help. It won’t work. He said in John 15:5 (NKJV), “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” I have found this to be true, the hard way. It is so much easier letting Him carry the load, but He will not force us to surrender it all to Him. The right choice is the truth that will set us free, the calm in our storms, by the Master of the Seas, the One Who is still calming storms, if we only believe in Him. Now, here is another powerful encouraging song by Natalie Grant, who is also currently recovering from Covid. I had the blessing of singing in her back up choir a few years ago. There is nothing like the power of praising Him right in the middle of our storms, then watching Him calm our seas, and brighten our horizons, as only He can…

What will you salvage from the “Storms of 2020”? We may not know what the future holds, but as our Church of God General Overseer, Bishop Tim Hill, says in his book, “The Speed of Favor”, we can rest in calm assurance in knowing that our awesome and almighty God is already there. After all, remember, after the storm comes the rainbow. 🙂 I’m still here, 35 years later, after the enemy tried to take me out, and has several times since, because God still has work for me to do. You are still here because He still has a purpose for you, but we’ll get more into that in the book!

So, go and download my eBook while it’s FREE this week, and be encouraged. Then, go and start telling your own story. Know someone who could be uplifted by this information? Please share using the buttons below! May God bless you, and thanks for stopping by!

1 Day Left! FREE Kindle: A Southern Historical Time Travel Fantasy

cropped-cropped-kimg15561.jpgHi all, hope you had a good weekend! Just a reminder, only 1 day left, that’s today, Monday, August 22nd, to get your FREE download of “A River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose”! The FREE Kindle download promotion ends today! But the good news is, if you buy the print version of either of my books, both of which are in the Kindle Matchbook Promotion, OR if you have in the past, the Kindle version of that book is free for you to download. That way, you can read it on the go. (Just don’t try to read while driving, lol)

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Click to download on Amazon

I also have some sneak previews of other projects I am working on, which you can check out via the ‘Books Coming Soon’ tab. Meanwhile, if you know anyone who would like to read, please share!

I also have a couple of major projects I have been working on, which I am very excited about, so subscribe if you haven’t so you won’t miss out! Lots going on, so, I am getting ready to roll up my sleeves, quit procrastinating (see my last post on that here, for any of you writers out there), and make it happen!

Have you ever heard of a writer interviewing their characters? Well, this author did! Somewhere in the forest lies a secret…not many in Anna’s little dirt road town somewhere in the South (she won’t tell us where) know about it. Folks say there’s a secret place in the river out there in the forest somewhere where if you touch the water there, you will look around and realize you have traveled forward, or even backward, in time! Of course, not many of the folks in town will admit it, but then, there are those who have a story to tell, and Anna knows who they are…

Click here to read my interview with her!

Just a fair warning, it’s been a while since Anna and her twin brothers set out to try and  find the secret place back in the summer of 1877, when she was 12 and they were 15, so let’s just say she says what’s on her mind. She may be 87 years old now, but she knows how to tell a story! She has some stories to tell, but none quite like the “Summer of the Rose”!

Well, that’s it for now, more to come in the very near future, I will be sure to keep you posted! If you happen to be reading this after Monday, Aug. 22nd, which was the last day of the FREE Kindle promotion, both of my current 2 books are regularly $2.99, and they are also in the Kindle Unlimited program, so if you are a member of that, they’re free to you anyway! Head on over to Amazon for more details on that. Also, remember, you don’t have to own a “Kindle” device now to be able to download books, most smart phones have the app already loaded onto them, or you can download the app right from the Amazon page. Oh, and if you happen to be a writer, or if you have thought of writing a book but don’t really know where to start, be sure to see my last 2 posts, loaded with tips and resources for writers, and a little advice on what has worked for me, ways to learn from the pros, quit procrastinating, and get started on writing that best seller!

And be sure to link back to me when you’re book comes out so I can celebrate with you! Until next time, hope everyone has a great week!!!

 

 

Book Writing for Procrastinators, Part 2: Overcoming Distractions & Mind Blocks #WhatsYourStory #WritersHelpingWriters

Book Writing for Procrastinators... 8 Ways to Learn from the Pros, Get Started, and Write that Best Seller! #writingtipsfornewbies

Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he’ll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer.  – Ray Bradbury

“It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn’t give it up because by that time I was too famous.” —Robert Benchley

cropped-cropped-kimg15561.jpgHi again, everyone! I hope everyone’s enjoying this lovely Saturday – and yes, I do plan to get out with my husband and enjoy it a little myself in a little bit. But first, I wanted to share with all of you other writers out there, (or would  be writers, hey what are you waiting for?) my second installment of “Book Writing for Procrastinators, Overcoming Distractions & Mind Blocks”. I also have a little surprise I want to share with you, a podcast on this very subject I happened to stumble across. But before I get into all of that, I would like to suggest that if you haven’t read my first post on this subject, take a moment to go here and read it.  It’s loaded with tips on what has helped me, and 8 ways to learn from the pros, and get started writing that book, along with some links to resources from some more experienced writers who have been some of my greatest teachers, so be sure and check that out for some good advice on how to quit procrastinating, get started, and write that best seller! Hey, I know I’m not quite there yet, but we’re all writers helping writers, right? So without further ado, let’s dig in to what I have for you today!

How Procrastination is Born: Overcoming Mind Blocks…

In the last post, I mentioned that I have PTSD from a terrible car accident years ago. That’s just it, I have it, it doesn’t have me! As I mentioned in that last post, for years I struggled with lack of confidence and other issues, which mainly stemmed from the PTSD. Of course, I am doing much better now than I was a few years ago. Now, through my faith in a God that will never leave us nor forsake us, and the love of my wonderful, sweet husband, who is also my high school sweetheart, whom God recently reunited me with after all these years, I am doing much better. You can read some of our story here! Here is a sneak preview of my book on faith that is coming out soon, which will have my story of my near death experience and what I’ve learned on my road to healing. So, with 2 books now under my belt, I want to share with you what has helped me…

Mind Blocks: Finding the Root Cause of Procrastination…

My point here is, you just wouldn’t believe how much things like this can affect you. I know it did me, for a long time. Besides that, for years, I suffered from low self esteem, in large part due to the fact that I worried too much about what other people thought about me, among other things. What I didn’t realize was, over time, all of this just kind of conglomerated into a mind block. This, together with the bouts of depression that come from going through “the change” (I am a grandma now), along with my tendencies to become easily distracted, caused me to develop a mind block that nearly derailed my ever getting much of anything done, that is, until I decided enough was enough. I prayed about it, and I talked it over with my husband. Then, I came across a powerful podcast from Kary Oberbrunner. If you haven’t heard of him, he’s a very influential author, coach, and speaker working to “help other writers, people, and others just like you and me to discover who we are, why we are here, and how to become souls on fire so we can share our message with the world.”  Visit him and check out his website and some of the resources he has available here.

So, Check This Out…

Over time, this stuff can really “clog your mind up”, just like an old, nasty air condition filter in your home that needs replacing. You pull it out to replace it and say, “Wow, I didn’t know all of that was in there!” Well, that’s how our minds get sometimes, and eventually, it causes you to form a mind block, like I did. That lack of confidence in yourself can spill over into an addiction to social media and email, etc, which is what Kary Oberbrunner talks about in this podcast, which I found to be very helpful. So, I will just share the link here with you, and you can go check it out for yourself. So, since he explains it better than I can, here you go, head on over and just listen to this. I know it helped me.

How to overcome an addiction to email and social media, by Kary Oberbrunner 

For me, as well as the rest of us in the undiagnosed generation of people who likely suffer from an adult form of ADD – or Attention Deficit Disorder, it can be a challenge to get things done that others find so easy to just breeze right through. After listening to Kary’s podcast, I began to realize that it was my own lack of confidence in myself, among other things, that led to my eventually letting things like email, social media, and other things provide that “sense of accomplishment” he refers to here. Now that I understand a little better what the root of my problem was, I, like others who read this, can begin to become friends with myself again, and work to cut out the “time wasters” that have distracted me. I can work to put myself on a schedule that will be effective for me, just like I do my young grandsons when they come to stay with “Mamaw”, and I can finally believe in myself enough to overcome procrastination and get those books written, and I think you can too!

You Can Do This!

It is in exploring the root cause of procrastination, that we will finally begin to understand it better, and thus, overcome it, and the mind blocks that come with it, and eventually replace it with a focused plan and a schedule. It is in doing so, that we will finally understand who we are, why we are here, and what our message is that we have been put here to share with the rest of the world. That is where the renewed confidence in ourselves will come in, and we will become a powerful and unstoppable force, moving forward to the prize before us.

Well?…

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Okay, so I snitched this pic from Facebook. So what’s your story? And why aren’t you writing? Let me know when your book comes out! Until next time, happy writing! Now, if you will excuse me, I have some writing to do, and I think you do too!

Thanks for reading, hope this helps someone! If it’s helped you, then please feel free to share it with someone! Then, get to writing!

Click here to read Part 1: Book Writing for Procrastinators… 8 Ways to Learn from the Pros, Get Started, and Write that Best Seller!

 

FREE Kindle Download! Aug 18-22!A Romantic Southern Historical Time Travel Story You Just Might Not Believe…#historicalfantasy #timetravel #greatreads

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

Hi everyone!


thickpaperbackfront_604x964I just wanted to post this little update letting you know about a FREE Kindle Promotion I’m having for my book, “A River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose”, the 1st book in the “River of Love’s Rose” Time Travel Trilogy. Now through Monday, August 22nd, you can download the Kindle version FREE! Also, both of my current books are in the Kindle Matchbook Promotion, so if you purchase the print version of either of them, or have in the past, the Kindle version is FREE for you to download. This is a truly enchanting and romantic Southern Historical Time Travel Fantasy that will take you back in time, to a charming little dirt road town “somewhere in the South” as “Anna” puts it, in the summer of 1877, where she’ll tell you a story you just might not believe…about a secret place in the river somewhere in the forest, where folks say if you touch the water there, you will look around and see that you have traveled forward or backward in time! There are others around town who have stories to tell and Anna knows who they are…

So mark your calendars so you won’t forget to download your copy, starting this Thursday, August 18th and running through Monday, August 22nd! Be sure to get yours, and share this post with anyone you know who would enjoy this wonderful little story that will take you on a truly heartwarming and romantic journey you won’t soon forget!

Here is the book trailer for it…

Click here to download it on Amazon.

The story was inspired by the movie, “Tuck Everlasting”, which was adapted from a children’s book by Natalie Babbit. It’s a long running favorite of mine, which my son introduced me to. Want to meet “Anna”? You can! Click here to read my “interview” with her!  But I’ll have to warn you, she’s 87 now and she’s something else! She says what’s on her mind; I’ll put it that way.  A lot has happened since that summer of 1877, when Anna was just 12, and she and her twin brothers set out to find the secret place in the river. A coming of age story in a sense, I feel it will appeal to young and old alike!

And one more time, just for you, here’s the movie trailer for the movie that inspired the series! If you have kids, this is a rather enjoyable movie they will enjoy watching with you. Here you go, enjoy!

It is my sincere hope that this book will take you on an enchanting and inspirational journey you won’t soon forget! Meanwhile, whether you are an author or a reader or both, I also want to tell you about a great club I am a member of, called Author Marketing Club. If you are an avid reader, you can subscribe with your email and receive daily emails of free books that are currently in free promotions to download. If you are an author, they provide some pretty awesome tools and resources to promote your books. Some of the resources are available to (free) members, others are only available to premium subscribers. I am a member, and definitely planning to become a premium member soon! Just thought I’d share! Click here if you’re interested…

Book Marketing & Selling Tips for Authors

For now, like many of you, I am an Indie Author working my way to the top, although like most of us authors, I am working towards finding a literary agent for some of my upcoming works, which I feel really excited about. Hey, we all know it’s hard work trying to make it as an author, especially with all of the competition we have out there. Click here to read my last post which featured links to some very helpful resources for authors, along with tips from learning from the pros, which I am sharing from my own experience. Now, if you’ve been procrastinating, like many of us have done at times (hey, I’ve had times I could be the queen of procrastinators, I explain more in the post linked above) check out that post and some of the tips I’ve shared, and get to writing that best seller. If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book, you can! See you at the top! Believe it, dream it, and you can do it!

Know anyone who would love this book or find this information helpful? Please share! And if you enjoy the book, don’t forget to stop back by my Amazon page and leave me a nice review! Be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss out on any of my upcoming books! Remember, the free download dates are Thursday, August 18th through Monday, August 22nd! I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for stopping by!

 

Interview With “Anna”: “Summer of the Rose”#characterinterviews

“Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.”
― Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

An INTERVIEW with your STORY CHARACTER? Why not?!

This is an enchanting Southern Historical Fantasy that is also a bit of a Romantic Time Travel story that will take you on a journey you won’t soon forget! It was inspired by a movie that my son got me onto, which is a favorite of ours, adapted from a children’s book and starring Sissy Spacek, called “Tuck Everlasting”. The first book is available now, and the 2nd one is coming soon! Once more, since I’ve updated some things, I’ve decided to repost this one more time, for those who don’t know about my “Secrets of Rose River” Time Travel Trilogy. The first, book, which “Anna” is here to tell you about, is now available in print and Kindle versions on Amazon   Great news! It’s now available on B&N online in hard cover edition, as well as paperback and Nook, click here! So, here you go, and if you know someone who might enjoy this, please share the page to your Facebook or  Twitter!

Feature Photo (above): Dancing Stones Cabin, Cherokee, NC – If you’re looking for a great retreat in a truly rustic atmosphere that will take you back in time, click here! Arizona Jane will make you feel right at home! I went on a personal retreat there and my husband and I spent part of our honeymoon there! You’ll love it!

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Barnes &Noble

Amazon

Here is the interview with “Anna” and I hope you enjoy it and tell a friend! But now, I have to warn you, she’s 87 now and she’s something else!

It is late in the summer of 1952, in this little town “somewhere in the south”. I am here, sitting out in front of the store with “Anna”, our story teller from my “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, the first of which is “A River of Secrets: Summer of the Rose”. Meanwhile, why don’t you go on into the store here and get you a drink and come back out and sit down here with “Anna” and me and we’ll just let her tell you a little of what to expect. I told her it would be nice if we gave everyone a little of what it’s all about so she agreed to let me interview her. Now, let me just say, before we get started, “Anna” is one of the best story tellers around, and folks here in town will tell you, she knows how to tell a story. So, without further ado, let’s see what she has to say..

WHAT IS IT?
ME: So, Anna, tell me, what is this “Secrets of Rose River” all about?

ANNA: “Well, you see, folks say there’s a place somewhere along the river that runs deep into the woods here alongside our town that holds a secret. They say the water there in that place is like magic. It can take you places. The story goes that if you were to find this place, and touch the water there in that certain place, you will look around and see that you’ve gone forward in time, or even backward. But now, as far as I know, nobody’s ever found it, at least that would admit to it.”

WHERE IS IT?
ME: So, nobody you know of has ever found this place?

ANNA: “Well now, that all depends on how much of this story you want to believe. Of course, not too many around here ever told their stories, but then, who would believe them anyway? So, you just have to read my story and then decide for yourself. But, if you are willing to look through the eyes of a child once again, there is a little place somewhere down that little path in that forest of imagination you took as a child, where you could believe that just about anything’s possible. But of course, you know too, that I’m not going to just come out and tell you that. Now, that would spoil the magic of the whole story, now wouldn’t it?

ME: OK, I can understand that. So, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, Anna?

ANNA: Oh, naw, I don’t mind a bit! I’m eighty-seven. I was born Anna Elizabeth Brownfield, the youngest of eight children. I was born in 1865 just as the Civil War was ending.

ME: Anna, what is the name of your town here?

ANNA: “Wouldn’t you love to know? Of course, I’m not going to tell you that! Then all you folks would be a tryin’ to get here and see if you could find that place, now wouldn’t you?”

ME: (Laughing) OK, well, that makes sense. I can understand that. So, tell me, why do they call it a “river of secrets”?

ANNA: “Folks have called it that because that river, well, they say it’s like this enchanted lady that’s out there just a windin’ her way through the forest. The way we all put it, old Lady River has secrets she will never tell. That’s the truth too. I can tell you that river’s got secrets she will never tell. One thing I can tell you for sure is, ain’t many ever been able to ignore her when she comes a callin’.

ME: So, the river has a way of calling you?

ANNA: Oh yes! That’s how she gets you. See, there’s just this way the water kind of takes on this sparkle to it that just makes you want to go just a little farther, until before you realize it, you’ve done and gone too far.”

ME: You talk about Tater telling his story after a while. So, what do folks around here think of his story?

ANNA: Now, that’s a mighty interesting question! Of course, now, you know I learned from the best. Old Tater knows how to tell a story. Course, now, everybody around here knows he’ll knit you a yarn a mile long if you’ve got time to sit and listen to him. But now, old Tater, he loves to tell tall tales. So, there again, you just have to kind of take what he says and put it through the strainer, if you know what I mean, and just decide for yourself what you believe and what you don’t.

ME: So, tell us a little bit about Flapjack.

ANNA: (Laughs) Oh, that old dog, he’s something else. He’s always just kind of belonged to himself in a way. All I can say is, he plays a big part in our whole story, and I know a few things about old Flapjack that you don’t, so you just have to come back and listen to the story and see.

ME: Alright. So, tell me, what do you mean by “summer of the rose”?

ANNA: “Oh, well, that’s the whole romantic part of the story. Most of us have some kind of interesting story of how we met our true love. The rose plays an important part of my story. But then, I can’t tell you much more than that, you see. It would spoil the story. So, just come on back sometime and I’ll tell it to you. Well, I’m getting tired. I’m gonna go on back in there and rest a bit. But now, come on back, you hear? Come on back sometime soon, and I’ll sit here and tell you the whole thing. Believe you me. It’s a story you won’t soon forget. But now, just remember, if you mess around here long enough, Lady River out there, she knows you’re here, and she’ll soon come a callin’. If you’re like most folks have been, you won’t be able to ignore her. Everybody around here knows she’ll keep on a callin’ until she gets what she wants out of you.

ME: Well, Anna, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me and answer my questions. I’m sure folks will enjoy your story!

ANNA: Oh, you’re quite welcome! Come on back now, and I’ll tell you all about it! You be careful going back through them woods, now. That old river, she’ll take you on a trip you won’t believe if you mess around her long enough! Bye now, y’all come back!

ME: Good bye, Anna! We’ll be back for more of your stories!

We close that gate for now, and return to the present. Be sure to look for the second book in the series, coming soon, titled, “Scent of the Rose”. But don’t let “Anna” fool you. She’s just getting started!

Interested in reading more? Preview & purchase the book here!

And now, here is the movie trailer for the movie that was the inspiration for the “Secrets of Rose River”  Time Travel Trilogy. Adapted from a children’s book by Natalie Babbit, it is a lovely little story that I found enjoyable. My son, Joshua, got me onto the movie, and I guess you could say it is one of those you could watch again and again and never get tired of. So here you go, enjoy!

Again, I have already started book 2 in the series, “Scent of the Rose”, which will be coming in the near future, but right now, I am still playing catch up, as my husband and I have had a lot going on, plus I am also a grandma to my awesome grandsons. Also, I am in the planning stages of some neat stuff for you to include here on the website for download in the near future, so check back, and be sure to subscribe to my email so you don’t miss out! As always, thanks for stopping by!

If you know anyone who would find this interesting, please share!

Repost: Interview with “Anna” – River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose #NewCover #Update

Hi everyone! I just wanted to repost this in case you missed it before, especially since I have a new cover on it! This is my “interview” with “Anna”, just to give you a little idea of what the story is about. Here is the original post (with the new cover pic of course)…

Oh, and I am including at the end of this one, the link to the post I did on my inspiration for this story, which you might find interesting, along with a special treat for you at the end of that one. Link is at the end of this post!

My latest, first in the "Enchanted River of the Rose" series, now available in Kindle (Amazon) and Nook (B&N) versions for $1.99!
My latest, first in the “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, now available in Kindle (Amazon) and Nook (B&N) versions for $1.99!

It is late in the summer of 1952, in this little town “somewhere in the south”. I am here, sitting out in front of the store with “Anna”, our story teller from my upcoming “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, the first of which is “River of Secrets: Summer of the Rose”, which is now available in book and Kindle versions on Amazon.com and in ebook (Nook) online at B&N . Meanwhile, why don’t you go on into the store here and get you a drink and come back out and sit down here with “Anna” and me and we’ll just let her tell you a little of what to expect. I told her it would be nice if we gave everyone a little of what it’s all about so she agreed to let me interview her. Now, let me just say, before we get started, “Anna” is one of the best story tellers around, and folks here in town will tell you, she knows how to tell a story. So, without further ado, let’s see what she has to say..

WHAT IS IT?
ME: So, Anna, tell me, what is this “River of Secrets” all about?

ANNA: “Well, you see, folks say there’s a place somewhere along the river that runs deep into the woods here alongside our town that holds a secret. They say the water there in that place is like magic. It can take you places. The story goes that if you were to find this place, and touch the water there in that certain place, you will look around and see that you’ve gone forward in time, or even backward. But now, as far as I know, nobody’s ever found it, at least that would admit to it.”

WHERE IS IT?
ME: So, nobody you know of has ever found this place?

ANNA: “Well now, that all depends on how much of this story you want to believe. Of course, not too many around here ever told their stories, but then, who would believe them anyway? So, you just have to read my story and then decide for yourself. But, if you are willing to look through the eyes of a child once again, there is a little place somewhere down that little path in that forest of imagination you took as a child, where you could believe that just about anything’s possible. But of course, you know too, that I’m not going to just come out and tell you that. Now, that would spoil the magic of the whole story, now wouldn’t it?

ME: OK, I can understand that. So, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you, Anna?

ANNA: Oh, naw, I don’t mind a bit! I’m eighty-seven. I was born Anna Elizabeth Brownfield, the youngest of eight children. I was born in 1865 just as the Civil War was ending.

ME: Anna, what is the name of your town here?

ANNA: “Wouldn’t you love to know? Of course, I’m not going to tell you that! Then all you folks would be a tryin’ to get here and see if you could find that place, now wouldn’t you?”

ME: (Laughing) OK, well, that makes sense. I can understand that. So, tell me, why do they call it a “river of secrets”?

ANNA: “Folks have called it that because that river, well, they say it’s like this enchanted lady that’s out there just a windin’ her way through the forest. The way we all put it, old Lady River has secrets she will never tell. That’s the truth too. I can tell you that river’s got secrets she will never tell. One thing I can tell you for sure is, ain’t many ever been able to ignore her when she comes a callin’.

ME: So, the river has a way of calling you?

ANNA: Oh yes! That’s how she gets you. See, there’s just this way the water kind of takes on this sparkle to it that just makes you want to go just a little farther, until before you realize it, you’ve done and gone too far.”

ME: You talk about Tater telling his story after a while. So, what do folks around here think of his story?

ANNA: Now, that’s a mighty interesting question! Of course, now, you know I learned from the best. Old Tater knows how to tell a story. Course, now, everybody around here knows he’ll knit you a yarn a mile long if you’ve got time to sit and listen to him. But now, old Tater, he loves to tell tall tales. So, there again, you just have to kind of take what he says and put it through the strainer, if you know what I mean, and just decide for yourself what you believe and what you don’t.

ME: So, tell us a little bit about Flapjack.

ANNA: (Laughs) Oh, that old dog, he’s something else. He’s always just kind of belonged to himself in a way. All I can say is, he plays a big part in our whole story, and I know a few things about old Flapjack that you don’t, so you just have to come back and listen to the story and see.

ME: Alright. So, tell me, what do you mean by “summer of the rose”?

ANNA: “Oh, well, that’s the whole romantic part of the story. Most of us have some kind of interesting story of how we met our true love. The rose plays an important part of my story. But then, I can’t tell you much more than that, you see. It would spoil the story. So, just come on back sometime and I’ll tell it to you. Well, I’m getting tired. I’m gonna go on back in there and rest a bit. But now, come on back, you hear? Come on back sometime soon, and I’ll sit here and tell you the whole thing. Believe you me. It’s a story you won’t soon forget. But now, just remember, if you mess around here long enough, Lady River out there, she knows you’re here, and she’ll soon come a callin’. If you’re like most folks have been, you won’t be able to ignore her. Everybody around here knows she’ll keep on a callin’ until she gets what she wants out of you.

ME: Well, Anna, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me and answer my questions. I’m sure folks will enjoy your story!

ANNA: Oh, you’re quite welcome! Come on back now, and I’ll tell you all about it! You be careful going back through them woods, now. That old river, she’ll take you on a trip you won’t believe if you mess around her long enough! Bye now, y’all come back!

ME: Good bye, Anna! We’ll be back for more of your stories!

We close that gate for now, and return to the present. Be sure to look for the second book in the series, coming soon, titled, “Return to the River, Scent of the Rose”. But don’t let “Anna” fool you. She’s just getting started!

Now, here for you is a short excerpt from the first chapter of “River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose”. Remember, here, Anna is talking to you:

“…The truth was, probably everyone had wondered about it at one time or other, maybe even talked about it. But they kept it quiet if they did.
As I sat there listening to Tater’s story, I began to think back to when I had been sitting on the river bank by the bridge earlier. That’s when it hit me, something I think I’d known, and probably everyone around there had, but no one wanted to admit. Or maybe most of us were afraid to. There were times when the wind would pick up a certain way, that there was just something about the way the water moved down stream that seemed almost as if it were enticing you to follow it. It was just something no one could really put their finger on, that made it seem the water itself had taken on a mysterious way about it that almost seemed to beckon you…
No one else seemed to notice when Flapjack suddenly lifted his head up, looked around, then got up and walked off, headed in that same direction he always took—no one but me that is…”

And now, click here to read the original post I did on the movie that was my inspiration for “River…”

If you’d like to read the first two chapters free, click the link below…

Click here to read more…

Again, I have already started book 2 in the series, “Return to the River, Scent of the Rose”, which will be coming in the near future, but right now, I am still playing catch up, as I was pretty busy this past summer with my husband, who finally had his kidney transplant, and then we were back at the hospital when he went through a slight case of rejection, but he is better now and doing great. Also, I am in the planning stages of some neat stuff for you to include here on the website for download in the near future, so check back, and be sure to subscribe to my email so you don’t miss out! As always, thanks for stopping by!

If you know anyone who would find this interesting, please share!

River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose: New Cover!/End of Summer Back to School Splash Out #greatweekendreading #endofsummer

New Cover, New look, available on Amazon, in print and Kindle versions. Kindle, $2.99, free with purchase of print version
New Cover, New look, available on Amazon, in print and Kindle versions. Kindle, $1.99, free with purchase of print version. Click to purchase.

Just couldn’t wait to share this with you all: “River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose”, the first book in my “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, now has a new cover, as well as a new and improved, and hopefully more informative (without giving away too much, wink, wink) back blurb (description/summary). (Please note: for now, until it has time to get into the system, you may still see the old versions when you click onto the Amazon listing, but you would receive the newer version.)

For those who may have been wondering why I haven’t posted in a while, my husband just recently finally got his kidney transplant, and he just recently ended up back in the hospital with a mild case of rejection, but the awesome doctors and specialists on his care team at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC have done a wonderful job, and we are back home now. (If any of you are reading this, much love and hugs to you all for the awesome expertise and care you have shown us during Keith’s surgery and recent hospitalization! We appreciate you!) So, it goes without saying that we have been pretty busy, and for the first few weeks after the surgery, I have been busy taking care of him, making sure he gets his meds, especially his anti-rejection meds, which are important to keep him from rejecting the kidney, weekly follow up visits, etc. After all, he is my high school sweetheart, and has in return been my closest confidant and advisor, and a big help to me with advice concerning my books, marketing, plans, and all of that good stuff AND he has read both of my books!

Meanwhile, now about my End of Summer, Back to School Blow Out! The Kindle versions of both of my books are now only $1.99! That’s right, I have just lowered the price for the Kindle version of this book, as well as the Kindle version of my first book, “Return to Freedom, Voices in the Wind”. It may be a day or so before they are available at the new price because of course, any changes we make have to go through their approval process, but check back in a day or so and they should be up. So, the new price for the Kindle versions of both of these books is now only (insert drum roll) $1.99! Also, both of these are in Amazon’s Kindle Matchbook Program, meaning if you buy the print version of a book, the Kindle version is free. The print versions are still $9.95, I have gone as low as I can on them (we can’t list them below the minimum cost to produce them, etc.) If you don’t have a Kindle device, that’s okay, you can now download the Kindle app to your smartphone or device. There are links on the page to download the app.

Amazon Createspace eStore link: Click here for Createspace eStore Listing (Shows new cover).

Amazon Kindle: Click here to preview and purchase “River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose”.

Amazon Kindle: Click here to preview and purchase “Return to Freedom, Voices in the Wind”.

As summer comes to an end and everyone is getting ready to go back to school, what better way to unwind on the weekends than curling up with a great summer read for one more last minute summer adventure? Both of these stories involve events happening in the summer time, making them great summer reads. In Return to Freedom, Voices in the Wind, mysterious winds are blowing at Windy Mountain Campground and Resort, and, in the latter half of the book, the Wilkerson family is getting ready to go on a vacation that will take them on a journey they will never forget! Read the first two chapters free here. In River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose, well, the title says about all I can give you without giving too much away, wink, wink. I’ll just say that Anna’s story will take you down a summer road on a journey you won’t soon forget. Read the first two chapters free here. Get yours now and if you know a friend who would be interested in reading these, then by all means, feel free to share this post, Facebook it, Tweet it, or email it!

Oh, and I hope everyone has had a truly great summer, and wish you all the best in whatever road you choose to take! Hopefully, by next summer, Anna will be back to take you on another journey back in time in book 2 of my “Enchanted River of the Rose” series, “Return to the River, Scent of the Rose”! I hope everyone has a great school year! Study hard, drive safe, and when you need a break, read!

Please share this with anyone you know who might enjoy reading these! Also, be sure to subscribe to my email through the tab above, so you will be sure not to miss out on my upcoming projects! Stay safe and enjoy whatever is left of your summer break!

Reader Reviews:
5 Stars 
* * * * *
A wonderful book. October 8, 2014
By Dailyreader
This book is a wonderful and inspiring story. It takes you back to a simpler time and surprises you with unexpected twists and turns. A must read for everyone. Keith
 Five Stars
* * * * *
By R Byrd  December 28, 2014
Great story

Books by Flossie Stewart #GreatSummerReads

First in the Enchanted River of the Rose Series! Click here to read about the inspiration behind the series!

River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose

My latest, first in the THE RIVER HAS SECRETS SHE WILL NEVER TELL… Somewhere deep in the forest, where not many have ventured to go, lies a secret. Most of the folks in Anna Brownfield’s little dirt-road town “somewhere in the south” don’t have time for fairy tales about some secret place in the river that can take you to another place and time if you touch the water there. Yet, Anna, who’s now eighty-seven years old, can tell you she knows the ones that have stories to tell. Take a journey back in time if you dare, back to a time when in many ways life was simpler. Go back to a time when you saw the world through the eyes of a child and dared to imagine the impossible.

Read more…                    Read now for free!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Return to Freedom, Voices in the Wind

New Cover! Kindle (Amazon) and Nook (B&N) versions only $2.99
New Cover! Kindle (Amazon) and Nook (B&N) versions only $2.99

Become the eagle, and take a journey into the past… Back to 1740. Ten winters have passed since his people were taken to serve as slaves for the white men. Now, Soaring Eagle is a strong, proud, Lakota Sioux warrior who will stop at nothing to find his people and return them to their sacred lands.

Then back to the present…Joe “Dreaming Hawk” Thomason has no answers for the dreams he’s been having. Nor can he explain the strange sense of closeness he feels to the Native American elder who tells the stories by the fire at night for the guests at Windy Mountain Campground and Resort. The elusive story teller has given little information about himself, leaving Al and Naomi Edgewood to wonder about the future of the campground. Yet, it is this air of mystery about him that continues to draw the guests each year.

Read more…                          Read now for free!

Do you know anyone who would enjoy these books? Please share!

“River of Secrets, Summer of the Rose” – Sneak Preview Excerpt #GreatSummerReading #BooksforSummer

“Don’t be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don’t have to live forever, you just have to live.”
― Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

cropped-cropped-cropped-timeline_cover_donotrename173.png

New Cover, New Price! Click here for more info!

(Anna is now 87 years old, and is telling the story reflecting back on her childhood. Here, in this scene, she was 12 years old, and her twin brothers, 15.)

Now, looking back, all I can say is, it’s just as old Sam said. It’s hard to really know because at first there is no change that you can notice around you—no obvious ones anyway. No one was ever really certain that it could be pinpointed to one exact location. But then, the folks around here had always known that the river has a kind of personality of its own. It was like the way things happened, it seemed to keep everyone guessing. After all, we all knew that the river had secrets it would never tell.

We got off of our horses and tied them to some nearby trees, then just walked around admiring the beauty of the place. All we were really thinking of at the time was that it was a nice place to stop. It didn’t seem a possibility in our minds at the time that we might have found the secret place. But then, the river itself wouldn’t have told us if we had.

We ran through the trees and climbed the rocks like silly children, laughing the whole time. But then, as we looked down into the water, once again, something about it seemed to beckon us.

I stood there, looking at my reflection in the water as we let our horses drink their fill of it. I looked every bit of my twelve years, although I had often been told I looked older than I was. But then, something in the water seemed to beckon me to come a little closer. It was like it suddenly seemed to take on a life of its own, like some sort of magical rippling effect in the water, making you want to reach down and touch it. Perhaps it was just that curiosity that seemed to have taken ahold of each of us. I would never know for sure. It was when I reached down with my fingers and touched the water that I knew immediately that something had changed.

The wind blew a little differently, somewhat stronger. All of a sudden it was late in the day. I looked around. The horses were gone. My brothers were gone. There was no one but me. It was later in the afternoon. At first it seemed nothing around me had changed that much. But then, as I looked around, I began to realize what my mind did not want to accept. I had somehow gone to another time.

You’ll want to be sure to add this one to your summer reading collection! Then, check back soon for the second book in the series, “Return to the River, Scent of the Rose”! Subscribe to my email via the tab above, so you’ll be sure to get email updates and be sure you don’t miss out!

Now, for a special treat, here is a Trailer Preview for the movie, adapted from a children’s book by Natalie Babbit, which was the inspiration for the “Enchanted River of the Rose” series. Also, a big thank you goes to my wonderful son, Joshua, who got me addicted to this lovely and enchanting movie, which starred Sissy Spacek. Here it is, enjoy!