Thursday, August 27, 2020

Our Story BEFORE The Story ~ Characters of SOWN IN PEACE (Operation Return To Peace Bk 1)

Hello,
We're so glad you've visited us here at Journeystojoy.net. Our author, Joy Avery Melville has given us life in her latest release ~ SOWN IN PEACE ~

My name is Tori... well... it's Victoria Kinsey Archer, but other than my battle buddies I've served with, I'm Tori. Oh, wait! To my dad, I'm Torrent, 'cause he says I have gone through life torrentially. O... kay, maybe I have. I've served in the Army for nearly ten years and ended up in an IED bombing at our U.S. Army Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan. Would you believe that was on July 4, 2014. Changed my life in huge ways... Ever hear of PTSD? Might want to see what that's all about. Sure has done a number on me. Not just me, though. Some of my buddies have suffered, too. There's a tag our author wrote for ACFW FICTION FINDERS... pretty much fits my story before the story. Check it out below ~
The war she was forced to leave behind 
was nothing compared to the battle she faces within and at home

Hi, there. My name is Griff McKay. I'm a MWD (Military Working Dog) and handler trainer. I was before I retired from the Army about five or six years ago. I had some major issues with anger over how things were being dealt with, concerning returning veterans and the dogs they'd bonded with. My sister helped me through some major issues with anger when I returned to Three Rivers, Michigan.

I'm his sister, JJ Mckay Russell... actually it's Dr. Russell. I've worked hard to achieve degrees in psychology and physical therapy in order to work with wounded warriors, specializing in PTSD and the physical wounds as well. I'm married to a driven guy, Ethan Russell, and we live in Three Rivers, Michigan. I opened a practice in Three Rivers in January of 2015 and have been working with those with other psychological needs, while I establish the wounded warrior platform. My brother, Griff, has been working out at his farm, to get a therapy dog program going for veterans. He's had two successful matchings of dogs to vets, training both the dogs and the vets in handling them. It's been hard work, but he's seeing how beneficial his new program, Paws That Care, is. He's had a lot of help getting buildings ready. A contractor by the name of Rex Archer has been busily making Griff's goals come to fruition as far as housing vets during training.

Rex Archer here.  You may remember me from a few weeks back here at Journeystojoy... I kind of spilled my gut, concerning the things I did to dig a ditch... deep and wide... between me and my daughter, Torrent. I won't repeat all I said in that other post, but know, I've got more work cut out for me in filling in that ditch than anything I've been doing out at the Paws That Care therapy dog farm. If you read our story, you'll meet some other mighty fine people... Marty and Pam Douglas... they were there for me when I was floundering in grief. You'll meet Deana Kinsey Langford... I'll let you get to know her on your own. The less I say here, the better. Let me see... without spoiling any of the new novel Joy Avery Melville has written, I think I'll just recommend you read it for yourselves.

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 Our Story Title:   Sown In Peace  (Operation Return To Peace ~ Bk 1)

Our Story Genre:  Christian Contemporary Women's Fiction ~ Romance

Our Story Releases:   TODAY! 
   Thursday ~ August 27, 2020


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The Author of Our Story:    Joy Avery Melville

Joy Avery Melville's heart’s desire is to be the author God has called her to be by sharing Him with readers in such a way they long to have a deeply committed personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord.
Fully intending to write Historical Romance—had in fact— she had no plans to deviate from that. God had something else in mind for that ‘call’ He’d made on her life back in 1967. A mere eighth grader at the time, she had no clue about the topics she’d be drawn to write about.
Surrendering to the genre God placed on her heart has given Joy new insight into the hearts and lives of those who too often hurt in silence.
The settings of Joy’s books are near where she lives in Schoolcraft, Michigan with her husband of  47 + years and their 23 mo-old Yorkie, Is-A-Bella Bindi, (Is-a-beautiful little girl) who thinks she’s a much larger breed with tomboy tendencies.
Joy loves to hear from readers and will respond!

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  Get Connected:

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WHERE can the book be purchased? 

(Both formats available)

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The author will be honored to gift a winner a signed copy of
SOWN IN PEACE
(U.S. ONLY)
Be sure to leave a comment with an email address where you can be reached should you win.
DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ Sept 1, 2020

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Thursday, August 20, 2020

My Story Before the Story ~ Talitha ~ In ~ Talitha, the Traveling Skirt ~ by ~ Becky Van Vleet

Open the door and step into my world! I am a little traveling skirt, and my name is Talitha. My author named me after a little girl in the book of Mark in the new testament. I have been traveling in a very special family for more than 70 years. And yes, that makes me very old, but my red pleats are still intact and my plaid colors are bright. I only have one button missing! My author wrote a book about me because her mother, Alberta, started a family tradition in 1948. Who would have every guessed that I would travel around to all the little two-year-old girls in Alberta’s family for three generations. And I always got my picture taken. My author, Becky, wore me in 1955. As I got older and more little girls were added to the family tree, I began to fly on airplanes all over the country and that’s been fun! Today I am resting in Becky’s drawer until another little girl needs to wear me for a picture. Oh, let me tell you, I have won two awards: the 2020 EIE 1st place award and the Purple Dragonfly award 2nd place, general category.

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My Story Title:   Talitha, the Traveling Skirt

My Story Genre:  Historical Romance

My Story Releases:   Released August 2019
                              (Happy Anniversary, Talitha!)

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The Author of My Story:    Becky Van Vleet




Award winning author Becky Van Vleet has been married to her college sweetheart for 45 years. She lives in Colorado Springs and is enjoying retirement from her teacher/principal positions. After raising four daughters, she and her husband are now enjoying life as empty nesters.  And certainly, the scampering around of eight grandchildren are an added blessing. Becky enjoys writing, gardening, oil painting, and hiking and biking around in God’s great playground He designed in Colorado. Her website is devoted to creating and preserving family memories.




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Get Connected:

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WHERE can the book be purchased?

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Becky Van Vleet will gift a winner a copy of
Talitha, the Traveling Skirt ~ Including ~ Color Sheets

Comment with an email where I can reach the winner.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ August 26, 2020

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Thursday, August 13, 2020

My Story BEFORE the Story ~ Selina Kendall ~ THE MARRIAGE MANEUVER by Anneliese Dalaba

Since there is no mutual acquaintance here to introduce us to each other, please allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Lady Selina Kendall. My father is Viscount Runswick. I don’t know him very well. I have a vague memory of my first few years at Gracebourne Manor, my parents’ home. But when I was six years old, they sent me away to live with my aunt and uncle. I never understood why I was sent away, yet my two sisters and brother were allowed to stay. Although my aunt and uncle were wonderful to me, I continued longing for home. Surely, my family must miss me by now.

When I turned eighteen, the long-awaited letter finally arrived. My heart pounded in my chest as I ran upstairs to pack my trunk. My family wanted me home at last! And just in time for my first Season in London. Mother loved attending the London Season each year. She must be delighted to present her second oldest daughter to society. I can already imagine the lovely gowns my parents would purchase for me and all the parties and picnics I would be attending.

When I finally arrived at Gracebourne Manor, only the butler was there to greet me at the front door. He led me to the drawing room and announced my arrival. I stepped in. My eyes landed on the grinning face of my father who stood by the fireplace with a glass of wine in his hand. Two blonde young ladies sat on the sofa next to an older woman, whom I immediately recognized as my mother. Gray strands now competed with her blonde hair, and tiny wrinkles on her brow and around her eyes marred her once smooth skin. I glanced around the room and realized they were all strangers to me now.

“Stop gawking, Selina, and come here!” came the strident voice of my mother.

I hurried to obey and stood before her.

“Hm. You will never be a diamond of the first water, but you will do well enough.” Mother waved a hand toward the chair across from her. “Sit down. I can’t stand having to stretch my neck back to gaze up at you.”

I felt my shoulders slump as I dragged my feet across the small space to do my mother’s bidding. I didn’t dare lean into the chair but held my back ramrod straight with folded hands on my lap, just as mother and my sisters were sitting.

“I think it’s best if we lay our cards on the table right from the start. The reason your father and I called you home is that it is time for you to marry and help fill the coffers of our estate. You are of age now.”

My heart dropped and I found myself staring trying to make sense of my mother’s words. “I-I don’t follow. Am I to have a London Season in the hopes that someone will propose marriage?”

“No, Selina.” Mother frowned and waved her hand dismissively. “We have no money to give you a Season in London.”

“Aunt Theo said she would pay for all expenses,” I tried to explain.

“Stop interrupting!” Mother scolded.

I stiffened my shoulders and neck, not daring to open my mouth again.

Mother looked at Father. “Runswick, please explain to your daughter what is expected of her.”

He cleared his throat before speaking. “It’s like this, Selina. We have some huge debts to pay off and we need you to do your part. You will marry the man your mother and I have chosen for you.”

My mouth hung open. I could barely hold myself back from running out of the room to climb back into the carriage and return to Aunt Theo’s side. My heart pinched at my parents’ betrayal. They had called me home, giving me false hopes, only to tell me I must marry for the sake of filling their coffers. How could I have been so naïve?

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My Story Title:   The Marriage Maneuver

My Story Genre:  Historical Christian Romance

My Story Released:  November 2018

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The Author of My Story:    Anneliese Delaba


 Anneliese Dalaba is an author of Christian historical romances. The genre she has chosen to write in is Regency England, early 1800s. The Marriage Maneuver is the second book in The Arranged Marriage series. Anneliese won a silver medal in 2019 from Reader’s Favorites for Reluctant to Wed, the first book in this series. She’s also an avid reader and book reviewer.

She lives in Michigan with her husband of almost 33 years. He is a credentialed minister and district official with the Assemblies of God. Before taking this position, they pastored an international church in East Lansing, Michigan—MSU country. Prior to this, they lived in Germany and helped refugees in Nuremberg. They have traveled much of the globe and met people from many cultures, which has enriched their lives.

While raising their two children, Anneliese worked from home as a medical transcriptionist. Now she is experiencing the wonderful phase of grandparenting—three so far.

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Get Connected:

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WHERE can the book be purchased?

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The author will be honored to gift a winner
 a kindle copy - or - signed copy of ...

 The Marriage Manuever 

Be sure to leave a comment!

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ August 19, 2020.

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Thursday, August 06, 2020

My Story BEFORE The Story ~ Abby Ferguson ~ Second Hand Sunsets by Gail Kittleson

You might think of beauty as a gorgeous sunset or a bird’s song. There was a time in my youth when sketching the flowers and wrens in our yard in Poplar Bluff, Missouri brought me such joy.

Then war came, that terrible conflict between North and South. Elwood and I were young, and the fighting scarcely touched our community until the battle at New Madrid.

Suddenly, Elwood and his comrades, patriots all, went off to do battle, and in no time at all they came home—in the back of a wagon. The whole town gathered to see them off, this time to heaven. My name, Abby Ferguson, would never blend with Elwood’s now, and nothing would ever be the same.

Though Mama’s hollyhocks and the bittersweet over the back gate remained, the world turned dull for me. The cardinal called outside my window before dawn every morning, the sunset brought glorious tones, and work at Papa’s store continued, but with no meaning.

I used to ask Union soldiers passing through, “What of your adventures? Have you traveled in the wild territories west of here?

But with Elwood’s passing, all of my interest ceased. Even my passion for sketching disappeared. Elwood and I had such plans, you see. After we made our marriage vows in our little church, we would hitch up a wagon and head west.

We had heard the call echoing through this great land and had determined to set our course. Westward Ho!

Now, all those dreams were buried with Elwood under granite stone. What difference did my frivolous sketches make? What difference did anything make? How the days passed, I could not say, but they did, one after another.

I thought losing my beloved the very worst experience I would ever endure. But then one summer evening, Papa and Mama perished, too, as they worked late at the store.


Many weeks have passed. Still, I think Mama will sweep through the dining room to offer an herbal remedy to a hurting soul, or Papa might cross the threshold.

The devastating fire that took their lives perplexes our Marshall. How could this tragedy have happened? With both a back door and the front entrance, what had prevented two able adults from escaping on that fateful night?

The Marshall’s questions trouble me greatly. Did Papa have an enemy? There was no finer man in our town. An enemy? Unthinkable. And Mama…tears start again as I recollect upon her loving ways. At every turn, she reached out to the needy.

A melancholy mourning dove heralds the close of day and I ponder what lies ahead for me. I can scarcely bear the looks of pity from our townspeople, and must borrow Aunt Susan’s faith, for my own lies as shattered as my family.

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These days, support groups, abundant literature, and professional counseling help us navigate painful experiences. But during pioneer days, and especially in wartime, what did sufferers do with the many losses and transitions they endured?

Perhaps that’s the answer. One day, one moment at a time, they endured.

Second-hand Sunsets tells the story of a young woman who thought God had forgotten her and that her life was over. But despite her horrific trials, little reminders of grace find her in the untamed wilds of Arizona Territory. With time, she discovers that second-hand sunsets can offer beauty, too.
This novel will release sometime before Christmas. Please subscribe to my blog and watch for a notice of its release. Since the cover is not yet available, I’m sharing a photo of a gorgeous Arizona sunset, thanks to Horizon Worden and Lisa Delight.

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My Story Title: Second Hand Sunsets

My Story Genre: Western Historical

My Story Releases: Near Christmas 2020

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The Author of My Story:    Gail Kittleson

Gail Kittleson lives with her husband Lance in northern Iowa. A history buff long before they met, he shares her love for research. About ten years ago, the World War II bug big Gail, and she’s thoroughly addicted to the era. Her Women of the Heartland series and other stand-alone novels reveal make-do heroines who face great odds to make a contribution to the war effort.

In winter, Gail writes from Arizona's Mogollon Rim Country. Learning more about this rugged, beautiful land led to a developing story, and over a decade, she has gleaned new understanding of life under the Rim during the Civil War era. If someone had something to hide, this remote area would be perfect, and the word deceptive describes the antagonist in Second-Hand Sunsets to a T.

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