Fearless Friday - Meet Sharon Lavy!

Meet Sharon A. Lavy

www.sharonalavy.com

https://www.facebook.com/sharon.a.lavy

https://twitter.com/OldOrderTweeter

Author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ATRL8C8

 

Sharon A Lavy lives with her husband in SW Ohio.

When not reading, writing, or sewing for her family, she enjoys traveling with her husband in the small plane they call Charley.

She is best known in the novel writing community, as that German Baptist lady.

In the Old German Baptist community she's a dressmaker, a pattern maker, and the sister who writes books set in NW Ohio—a place called the Ohio Valley.

But in her own mind she's a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, but above all a child of God. ~~ Her greatest desire is to be a woman after God's own heart~~ Sharon has a heart for hurting women, and writes women's fiction. Because when~~it's all said and done~~It's all about relationships.

WordServe client since 2012 Represented by Sarah Joy Freese
Her debut book Dreaming of a Father’s Love was released December 26, 2012.

 

About the Book:

Sara Brubaker was two years old when a German Baptist couple adopted her. She has become a beautiful woman, and works as a secretary for Alexander's. Now she's torn between wanting to live in the normal world of fun and fashion, or joining the Dunkards to truly belong with her adoptive family.

Birdie Alexander thinks if she works at the family business hard enough and long enough she will gain her father's love. Can she learn a thing or two from the German Baptist secretary?

Irene West is Birdie's lifelong Sunday school friend. Irene misses having a father figure around, and is very boy crazy, which causes Birdie to struggle with the friendship and Irene to struggle with life.

 

Will Birdie overcome her self-righteous nature before it's too late—for Irene?

Available through Amazon.com

Paperback: 442 pages

Publisher: Story and Logic Media Group

·         ISBN-10: 0615724361

·         ISBN-13: 978-0615724362

Kindle version

 

Your unique talent:

I can roll my tongue. I thought everyone could. But lately I have learned that is not true. So I am looking for ways to use this talent. Any suggestions?

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets?

 

I don’t care for strange dogs to sniff at me. I rather like cats, but husband is a strictly no pet person.

 

Would you rather travel or stay at home?

Like many writers, I am a deep introvert. So if the choice is social or stay at home I may choose stay at home. But husband has a small plane and we  do love to travel.

 

Do you read more or write more?

I write more. Or at least I sit in my chair and stare at the blank screen. I understand reading is the writer’s homework so my goal in 2013 is to read more.

 

Prefer cake or pie?

 

Ouch. Unfair question. I am now reacting to wheat and sugar with blood sugar crashes. So all real deserts are off limits to me. But I love both. Cookies too.

 

Would, or do, you ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car?

In my youth, I have ridden on the back of a motorcycle. In my mature years I limit my daring activities to riding in a two passenger plane cross country with my awesome husband.pilot

 

Bus or taxi or walk? (In your case, I forgot to ask, fly?)

I prefer to ride. But we have done a fair bit of walking on our travels.

 

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church?

I am part of a small denomination of roughly 2,000 members nationwide. Our local congregation has less than 90 members. So we are cozy.

 

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail?

 

Hands down I choose email. I consider texting a bit of a pain too with the small keyboard. But I did finally consent to learn how to text.

 

Are you happy or joyful?

Giggle. You caught me in the middle of a good year, today.

 

Do you eat at home or eat out?

Yes. (that means both.) Husband likes to eat out because he likes to make eating an event.

 

Listen to music or prefer quiet?

I do enjoy music sometimes, but I really crave quiet time.

 

Prefer sunrises or sunsets?

I love both, but I am more apt to be awake for a sunrise than for a sunset.

Fearless Friday - meet our Fearless Leader, Lorilyn Roberts!

Lorilyn Roberts, author, mother, broadcast captioner, follower of Jesus Christ – in very random order

What makes me content?  A Starbuck’s Vanilla Latte, Grande, extra-hot, half-caf, just two teaspoons of vanilla, not four, with my Kindle, under an umbrella, lying on a beach.

Sixteen very random facts about me that most people do not know:

1.      I was almost kidnapped when I was six. A man tried to coax me into his car with candy.

2.      When I was four, on the way to see the lighting of the tree in downtown New York, we got stuck inside a burning car when it became engulfed in flames.

3.      I drank poison when I was two. The only reason I lived is because I ate ice cream for lunch and it coated my stomach (it must have been vanilla).

4.      I know what it’s like to throw up forty feet under water. 

5.      When I took a genetics course in high school, I was the last person standing – I had more recessive traits than anyone else in the class – blonde hair, green eyes, can’t roll my tongue, can’t make a hitchhiker’s thumb, am left-handed, don’t have a widow’s peak, and something about an ear lobe – forgot what that one was. Now, how many of you reading this have just tried to roll your tongue?

6.      Had a positive pregnancy test twice on the way to surgery – really, I did question for one second if I was the second immaculate conception – and was terrified! (The machine was broken.)

7.      I was accused by a teacher in fifth grade of plagiarizing a report (I wonder today if that was prophetic).

8.      My first awareness of the existence of God came when I was four.

9.      My first awareness of God’s love came through a stray dog.

10.  My desire for God’s presence in my life came through Jewish classmates.

11.  My salvation came through reading the Gospel of Matthew.

12.  Charles Dickens and I had the same beginnings – we both started out as court reporters.

13.  I am a descendant of Anne Bradstreet (1600s), the first poet and first female writer in the British North American colonies to be published.

14.  Can write over 300 words per minute (on my stenograph machine).

15.  I am an introvert, love chocolate, and would rather read a good book than watch TV or a movie.

16.  Studied classical guitar as a teenager and performed at many events.

                                  Lorilyn with her daughters in Colorado Springs, August 2012.

Check out her latest book, Seventh Dimension - The Door at Amazon:

http://amzn.to/T8nJeI   Print version

http://amzn.to/TThwRe Kindle version

Leave a comment and follow our blog if you aren’t already. One person will be selected for a free PRINT copy of the newly updated How to Launch a Best-Selling Christian Book. 

Fearless Friday - Meet Jill Richardson!

Jill Marie Richardson

 

 

Don't Forget to Pack the Kids:

Short-TermMissions for Your Whole Family

 

About Jill

Jill has been a high school teacher, pastor, editor, and writer, and the field is still wide open for future options. She writes in a variety of genres, having published hundreds of magazine articles, one novel, one book of plays, and two non-fiction books.

Currently, she is marketing a young adult novel involving one very unwilling heroine and her questionably legal friend. She is about to sign a contract for a teen devotional/youth group guide based on Tolkein characters. She is writing a book on her most-requested speaking topic, “How Come I Was So Nice before I Had Kids?”

Jill has a BA in English and Education from Washington University in St. Louis and an MDiv in theology from Bethel University, St. Paul. She speaks in Chicago and surrounding areas. She serves as Pastor of Discipleship at Resolution Church.

Connect with Jill

Facebook

Blog
Youtube

About the Book:
Think mission trips are only for teenagers and adults-no-kids? Think again. Do you long to: --See your kids understand other cultures and levels of privilege? --Help them realize they can be ministers at any age? --Inject compassion and generosity into your daily life and their future? --Do something meaningful for others now? Don't let fears that your kids are too young, you don't have the money or the time, or anything else stop you. Start planning that life-changing experience now! Detailed, step-by-step instructions to make it happen fill this book. Pack the kids--and go!


Buy the Book on Amazon

$8.00 paperback, $3.99 Kindle

ISBN-10: 0615581188

ISBN-13: 978-0615581187

 

What is your unique talent: Seriously, my talent is to see what people really need and relate my speaking to it in a way that communicates God's grace and applies. Not so seriously, it's to police grammar and to sing the really high notes in our theater productions.

Share something not many people know about you: I had to take weapons away from students when I student taught in a tough neighborhood. All 5'2” 115 pounds of me (back then).

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets? Um, would telling you we once had 23 animals in our house answer that question? We're now down to 3 cats and 2 tree frogs, however.

 

Would you rather travel or stay at home? I love to travel! I want to go everywhere, but right now most especially New Zealand, Tasmania, Iceland, Scotland, and the Galapagos Islands.

Do you read more or write more? I've read more recently, but they take turns.

Prefer cake or pie? Pie.

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car? A car. Too scared of motorcycles. Could be all the years my husband worked in the ER. Mostly, I'd prefer to be on a train or boat and let someone else do it.

Bus or taxi or walk? Walk.

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church? Small. I serve in a church plant. It's the best experience ever.

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail? I hate phone calls. Much rather email.

Are you happy or joyful? Joyful. I'm a pretty even keel person who doesn't show a ton of emotion. It's just in there deep. You won't see me jumping around much, but I'm very full of joy.

Do you eat at home or eat out? If I can avoid cooking, I will. But can't really afford that all the time!

Listen to music or prefer quiet? When working, I must have quiet.

Prefer sunrises or sunsets? I used to prefer sunsets, but I think I've changed my mind. Maybe it's just because I never used to get up early enough to see sunrises. There's something about the subtlety of a sunrise that is so peaceful, slow, and full of promise. Truly beautiful.

Fearless Friday! - Meet Kimberly Rae

Kimberly Rae
Author, Speaker, Former Brave Girl
www.stolenwoman.org www.stolenwoman.blogspot.com http://www.facebook.com/HumanTraffickingStolenWoman
https://twitter.com/KimberlyRae10

 

Kimberly Rae has lived in Bangladesh, Uganda, Kosovo and Indonesia. She has been published over 200 times and has work in 6 languages. Her Amazon bestselling Stolen Series on international human trafficking (see www.stolenwoman.org) has led to another series for younger teen girls. Kimberly is always contracted for a series on living with chronic health problems. Having returned to the US due to health problems, Rae now lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children.

 

ISBN-10: 1461068932

ISBN-13: 978-1461068938

Human Trafficking…Asha knew nothing about it before meeting 16-year-old Rani, stolen from her home and forced into prostitution in Kolkata, India. Asha must help this girl escape, but Mark, a third-generation missionary, keeps warning her away from the red-light district and its workers. Will she ever discover why? And will they ever stop their intense arguments long enough to admit their even more intense feelings for one another? When Asha sneaks out one last time in a desperate attempt to rescue her friend, someone follows her through the night. Is freedom possible? Or will she, too, become one of the stolen?

Available at amazon.com, kindle, www.stolenwoman.org

 

 

 

 

Your unique talent: I sing and play the piano, and I painted a huge mural of Thomas the Tank Engine on our basement wall for our kids. =)

Share something not many people know about you: I'm afraid of flying (which is ironic, seeing how God has sent me on 18-hour flights with no stops, and to 20 countries!).

Getting to Know You:

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets? No pets-I have asthma.

Would you rather travel or stay at home? Love to travel (at least I did before I got sick)

Do you read more or write more? These days I write more because with 2 young kids I don't have time to do both! But I used to definitely read more.

Prefer cake or pie? Cake--CHOCOLATE!!!

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car? Car. I rode the back of a motorcycle side-saddle once in Thailand. That was enough for me!

Bus or taxi or walk? Bus, unless it's a short walk.

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church? Small church

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail? Definitely e-mail.

Are you happy or joyful? I like to be both!

Do you eat at home or eat out? Both, but if I had more money, I'd eat out more. =)

Listen to music or prefer quiet? Music, definitely.

Prefer sunrises or sunsets? Sunsets

Fearless Friday! Meet Hallee Bridgeman

Hallee Bridgeman lives with her husband and their three children in small town Kentucky. When she's not writing Christian romance novels, she blogs about all things cooking and homemaking at Hallee the Homemaker.

Hallee started writing when her oldest child and only daughter was a baby, but a busy professional career and being the wife of a deployed soldier had her shelve her books for another time. Two more children, a cross country move, and God's perfect timing brought the books back to be dusted off and presented to you now.

Hallee loves coffee, campy action movies, and regular date nights with her husband. Above all else, she loves God with all of her heart, soul, mind, and strength; has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ; and relies on the presence of the Holy Spirit.

She prays her books are a blessing to you and would love to hear back from you.

Connect with Hallee:

Hallee Bridgeman
Sapphire Ice, Emerald Fire , Topaz Heat
Find Hallee's books:
Amazon,Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Goodreads
Find Hallee online:
Her Blog -- Facebook -- Twitter -- Google+-- Manic Readers

Purchase Sapphire Ice

ISBN: 9781452416526
Short description The men in Robin's life have never been anything but pushers and users. Tony's intrusion into her exhausted world both infuriates her and intrigues her. Does Tony have a chance to break through the wall of ice Robin built around her heart? Extended description To Robin Bartlett, men were nothing more than violentusers. After a hair-raising childhood, Robin and her two younger half sistersbattled simply to survive. Determined to give her sisters a very different lifefrom that of their mother; to never have to rely on a man for anything, sheworked two jobs and put them both through college, while accepting help from noone. Her heart had turned to ice and she had no use for men or God.Antonio “Tony” Viscolli had grown up on the streets, homeless. At seventeen, heentered a downtown church with the intent of casing it, but found himself onhis knees at the altar. After being fostered by the youth minister, Tonyfollowed God’s leading and eventually became a very successful and powerfulbusinessman. In a fallen world, he was a gem.When Tony bought the restaurant where Robin bartended, she immediately resentedhis intrusion into her well ordered, but exhausting, life. She suspected hisoffering her special attention and constant kindness was merely his way ofexpecting something from her in return, something she wasn’t willing to give.Tony knew God had led him to Robin. Would she ever allow herself to trust him?Could she ever allow herself to trust God? Or would the winter of their tragicyouth rise from the shadows of the past and freeze any chance at happiness?

 

Purchase Emerald Fire

ISBN: 9781452449715
Short description Beautiful and vivacious Maxine Bartlett finally finds a love that will release her from the prison of her terrifying past. But, will her new husband's mistrust of God stand in the way of their happily ever after?

Extended description A terrifying past imprisoned Maxine Bartlett all her adult life, shackling her with fear anytime a man even touched her.

In a spontaneous weekend, she unintentionally elopes with an unlikely groom. After a magical wedding night filled with love and passion, "Maxi" finally discards her dreadful chains.
She doesn't know that her new husband has turned his back on God. Worried over how the world might see the completely unexpected – and some would certainly say inappropriate – marriage, in his pride he promises Maxine a quiet annulment.

Unwilling to let their marriage disappear as if it never happened, Maxine refuses to cooperate. Seeking God's will, she moves in with him and informs him that when he decides to act like her husband again, he will find his loving wife waiting for him right there in their home. As the days stretch into weeks, the newlyweds slowly begin to trust and even love each other.

Then, just as they begin to live the "happily ever after" love story that neither of them ever dreamed could come true, a sudden and nightmarish catastrophe strikes that could wreck everything. Will her husband realize that he must trust God once more? Can he find peace and strength enough to carry them through the flames?

Purchase Topaz Heat

ISBN: 9781452471600
Short description From the moment Derrick meets Sarah he knows there is no one else for him. Derek is a poor tough street kid made into a billionaire's protégé and groomed for wealth and success. Sarah sees only an unshaven tough kid covered with tattoos. She shuts down every advance. A decade later, will Sarah finally set aside her prejudices and open her heart to true love?

Extended description: The very moment Derrick meets Sarah, he realizes he has a reason to live. Sarah sees only an unshaven tough kid covered with tattoos and shuts down every advance.

Sarah Thomas has no memory of her broken young life leading up to the tragic murder of her mother. Her memory begins the morning she wakes in the home of her loving adoptive parents. She doesn't even know her sisters exist until her 15th year. She learns to love her siblings, but always feels a little out of place in their presence.

A benevolent billionaire offers Derrick DiNunzio a home and an education. Fresh off the streets and rescued from a criminal future, Derrick sheds his old life. He trades his ripped leather jacket for silk suits; dealing drugs for mentoring "at risk" youth; lock picking and back door jobs for the rigors of mountain climbing and hotel management.

Sarah cannot seem to see beyond the past Derrick left behind … until one day she does. When they finally come together, an indictment threatens their future. Now the heat is on. Will Sarah finally set aside her prejudices and open her heart to true love or will the long forgotten past tear them apart forever?

Hallee, share your unique talent:

I can cook anything. Reading cookbooks is a way for me to relax. I cook whole, fresh foods from scratch -- so far from scratch that I actually grind my own wheat to make flour. If my family consumes it, chances are good that I made it -- from bread to pasta to yogurt.

Share something not many people know about you:

I know that I will eventually work in ministry in Africa. It calls to my heart. I don't ever talk about it, because when I do, I feel like I'm making excuses for not already doing it. I have always been drawn there, and will be ready to go when God says, "Go!"

                                                                                      Getting to Know You:

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets? I have a dog and a cat, but often think about how much simpler life would be if I didn't have them. My family loves them, though, so we will likely have one dog and one cat always.

Would you rather travel or stay at home? I LOVE to travel. I like being home and don't like having to leave to run errands and such, but a couple times a year, we travel.

Do you read more or write more? I haven't read a piece of fiction in years. Any reading time I have is used for reading homemaking books, cook books, or faith-based books about parenting, marriage, or life in general.

Prefer cake or pie? Yes. Heh.

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car? I prefer to drive a car.

Bus or taxi or walk? I will walk first. I don't mind long walks.

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church? My church is moderately sized -- about 200 on Sunday mornings.

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail? I do not like to talk on the telephone. I much prefer electronic correspondence. I did learn while my husband was in Afghanistan that I like video conferencing - it's much easier than talking on the phone to me. I look forward to the day that video conferencing replacing telephones as a norm.

Are you happy or joyful? Joyful.

Do you eat at home or eat out? Food is very much a focus to our family. We have educated ourselves about the benefits and/or danger of food and try to eat naturally and fresh. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of restaurants who cater to that kind of eating where I live. So, the default is to eat at home. But, going out is a treat, because preparing a meal is an involved process for me. We have a few restaurants we cater occasionally.

Listen to music or prefer quiet? Much prefer quiet.

Prefer sunrises or sunsets? Sunrises.

Fearless Friday! Meet Kevin Smith

Meet Kevin Mark Smith, an evangelical criminal defense and family law attorney in Wichita, Kansas. Kevin graduated cum laude from Regent University School of Law in 1999 where he served as Issue Planning Editor for the Regent Law Review. He is a former Assistant District Attorney for Sedgwick County, Kansas. He has published several law journal articles and other nonfiction articles with publications such as The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.

 

 

 

 

 

Broken: A story of hope and forgiveness

B008VTIC02

Find on Amazon

$2.99

 

Broken follows the lives of Robert Allen Baxter and family as they try to understand how God could allow an innocent young man to suffer at the hands of a criminal.

 ^{Ps 34:18} “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

This Scripture is prevalent throughout the story as each of the family’s members as well as periphery characters discover their own brokenness and realize that such horrific circumstances often usher in God’s healing grace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get to know Kevin!

 

Your unique talent: Evangelical Criminal Defense and Family Law Attorney

Share something not many people know about you:

I like to hunt. Deer, birds, whatever. We are stewards of this earth and harvesting the fruits of it is required by God.

Are you a “pet person” or prefer no pets?

I love dogs, but my wife won't let me have one. Instead, we have a cat.

Would you rather travel or stay at home?

Home.

Do you read more or write more?

Lately I write more. However, reading is my second favorite leisure activity.

Prefer cake or pie?

Cake

Would, or do, ride a motorcycle or prefer to ride/drive a car?

Car

Bus or taxi or walk?

Walk

Are you part of a big church congregation or a small church?

Small, The Family Church

Do you like to telephone people or prefer to use e-mail?

Telephone

Are you happy or joyful?

Joyful

Do you eat at home or eat out?

Out

Listen to music or prefer quiet?

Music, classical.

Prefer sunrises or sunsets? Sunsets.

I prefer to sleep through sunrises unless I'm in a deer stand.