Last month’s catch was a light one, and you know what? That’s cool! I spent loads of time with my grandkids and worked on two client books. Then I got Covid. Other than cooking, there’s little I enjoy more than reading, but Covid put the kibosh on that. For nearly three weeks, all I did was sleep, and although I’m behind schedule, I still have some great book recommendations for you. Here you go! The Noticer by Andy Andrews “You see, with a degree of intelligence and a hint of wisdom, most people can tell the difference between good and bad. However, it takes a truly wise person to discern […]
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And Winner Is…. Mary James!
I have the coolest job. For the last 15+ years I’ve been working at home (long before it was a thing) writing books with and for the noteworthy and notorious… from former terrorists, to music stars, to CIA operatives, to convicted felons. Through my writing career, I have had the privilege of sharing the stories of some amazing people who offer encouragement and inspiration as we navigate the roads of this crazy world. I’m thrilled to announce my latest collaboration. Together, recording artist Mary James and I will write her prescriptive memoir and accompanying Bible study. Mary is a 6-time Inspirational Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year, speaker, […]
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Sparks Like Stars – a novel set in Kabul
The current situation in Afghanistan is madness. The horrors being experienced by citizens and foreigners are unimaginable as thousands run for their lives. Sadly, the land that is now Afghanistan has a long history of domination by foreign conquerors and strife among internally warring factions, from Genghis Khan to ISIS. In March, I read an astonishing novel by Nadia Hashimi set in Kabul during the 1978 communist coup. It has eerie similarities to what is taking place today. Hashimi was born and raised in New York and New Jersey, but both her parents were born in Afghanistan and left in the early 1970s before the Soviet invasion. She writes with […]
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Healing for the Broken Heart
It’s hard to believe that the God who created the universe and everything in it cares about every hair on our head, and every sorrow in our heart. But He loves us more than we can imagine and through Him all things are possible. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” ~ Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)
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Yours Cheerfully Book Review
When the Ministry of Information calls on Britain’s women’s magazines to help recruit desperately needed female workers to the war effort, columnist Emmeline Lake is thrilled to be asked to step up and help. But when she and her best friend Bunty meet a young woman who shows them the challenges women war workers face, Emmy must tackle a life-changing dilemma between doing her duty and standing by her friends. This was a darling historical novel. I’d never thought about how women war workers left on the home front managed finances, home, and family while their husbands were off fighting against tyranny or had paid the ultimate price. Both the […]
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The Chanel Sisters Book Review
Abandoned by their family years before, Gabrielle and Antoinette Chanel grow up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic novels and magazine cutouts beneath the floorboards are all they have to keep their dreams of the future alive. The walls of the convent can’t shield them forever, and when they’re finally of age, the Chanel sisters set out together with a fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them. It was refreshing to read about the humble beginning of famous fashion designer, Gabríel (Coco) Chanel, through […]
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Greater than Gold
When I read that American Kyle Snyder won the silver medal in Freestyle Wrestling (215-pound category) at the Tokyo Olympics, it reminded me of interviewing gold medalist Brandon Slay for my book, How Do You Know He’s Real: God Unplugged. Wow, has time flown. I thought you might find his story inspiring. I surely did. Brandon Slay surprised the world when he won the Olympic Gold Medal in Freestyle Wrestling at the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia. A native of Amarillo, Texas, Slay has wrestled most of his life, including a successful career at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned dual degrees in Finance and Management from the prestigious […]
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Amy’s July Reads
We’re practically in the middle of August and I am just now posting by book reviews for July. Yikes! I spent a lot of time hanging with my grandies, and that is far more important than writing a blog, right? I know some of you wonder why I post reviews of books I didn’t care for instead of just those I loved. It’s simple. Who wants to invest precious time in books that aren’t awesome? Of course, you might totally disagree with my ratings, but hey, that’s what makes this fun! Please let me know on social media what you’ve been reading! Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell You enjoy historical fiction. You’re […]
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Searching for Nazi Gold
Have you heard of the Nazi gold train (Wałbrzych)? I apparently live under a rock, because I hadn’t until I received a publisher galley of Janet Evanovich’s latest book, The Bounty. Unfortunately, this is just an urban legend about a train laden with gold and treasure that was hidden by the Nazis in southwest Poland during the last days of World War II, but the book was still a fun read. Special agent Kate O’Hare and international con man Nick Fox team up for the seventh time to face their most dangerous foe yet—a vast, shadowy international organization known only as the Brotherhood. Directly descended from the Vatican Bank priests […]
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Amy’s June Reads
Need an excellent book for the long holiday weekend? Look below and you’ll find inspiration, thrills, chills, romances, and history. Something for everyone! These are in order by my favorites, top to bottom. Enjoy! The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray “Glory is a bittersweet wreath of both flowers and thorns.” ~ Stephanie Dray, The Women of Chateau Lafayette A mysterious castle, a hero of the American Revolution, spies, what’s not to love? Stephanie Dray writes long, ambitious books. After reading and enjoying her historical novel America’s First Daughter (written with Laura Kamoie) about Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, I was excited to receive an advance reader copy of her […]
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