My Story BEFORE The Story ~ Tammy ~ Gifts of Grace ~ by ~ Kathy McKinsey

“Grandma, I don’t wanna be a doctor!”

I was seven, and my older twin brothers had just left for college, both headed for medical school. My father was a surgeon, and my mother was an ER doctor. I’ve always figured that when it came to me, all the genius cells had been used up.

For most of my growing up years, the bus dropped me off after school at the house of my Grandma Pearl, my mom’s mother.

Today had been a rough day. I’d spelled every word on the spelling test wrong, and the teacher made me come to the chalkboard and write every word ten times. When I tried to count by tens to 100, I kept forgetting and threw in 35, 65…

“Grandma, I’m dumb.”

Throwing myself into her arms, I sobbed like my dog just died.

“All right, sweetie, that’s enough.” Grandma sat me up on her lap and handed me a clean handkerchief. “Wipe your face.”

“Do I have to be a doctor?” Hiccupping, I blew my nose.

“No, ma’am. God’s got some other special plans for you.”

My family didn’t go to church much, but Grandma did. If I was at her house on Sunday, she took me to church with her. I loved when we had snacks at Sunday school.

Grandma often read me stories from the Bible too. Now, she picked up the Bible story book with lots of pictures and flipped through the pages.

“Remember David?” She pointed to the shepherd boy. “He wasn’t as big or impressive as his older brothers, but God chose him to be king.” She moved on and came to the picture of baby Jesus in a feed box.

“Mary was just a plain village girl, but God chose her to be Jesus’ mother. And Joseph was just a simple carpenter, but he became Jesus’ adopted father.”

She tipped my chin so I could look up at her. “Two things, my Tammy. You are not dumb.”

I opened my mouth, and she laid her fingers over my lips.

“And, if you don’t want to be a doctor, that’s all right. God has some other really special job in mind for you.”

I knew my parents loved me, but they were busy with their careers. Much of my time was spent with Grandma. She helped me become more confident with my homework. She taught me to drive. She stayed up all night with me, preparing for college entrance exams.

When Karl and I decided it would work for our family, for me to be a stay-at-home mom, Grandma was the role model I wanted to be like.

After we were Christians, I knew I had the most important job in the world—teaching my children to love Jesus.

But now what? The kids are grown. They don’t want to hear my advice about decisions in their lives.

And right now, looking at my heart, I don’t want them to follow after me anyway.

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Title:   Gifts of Grace

My Story Genre:  Women's Fiction

                               Collection of Novellas

My Story Releases:   February 23, 2021 (Just 12 more days!)

~ ~ ~ ~

Author Kathy McKinsey is offering ONE SIGNED COPY TO A U.S. RESIDENT

COMMENT BELOW TO BE ENTERED IN THE DRAWING
WED FEBRUARY 17, 2021

~ ~ ~ ~

The Author of My Story:    Kathey McKinsey

Kathy McKinsey  grew up on a pig farm in Missouri, and although she’s lived in cities for more than 40 years, she still considers herself a farm girl.

She’s been married to Murray for 33 years, and they have five adult children.

She’s had two careers before writing—stay-at-home-Mom and rehabilitation teacher for the blind.

She lives in Lakewood, Ohio with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille transcribing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dog.

~ ~ ~ ~

Get Connected:

• Website: https://www.kathymckinsey.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey
• Email: Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the book be purchased?

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gifts-Grace-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B08T7ZHLMZ

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My Story BEFORE The Story ~ Cheryl Chandler ~ in THE PERILS OF CHERYL ~ by ~ Carol McClain

My name is Cheryl Chandler, and I always knew the truth about fairy tales. With every beat of my heart, I believed today would prove their reality.

Warm lips pressed against my cheek.

Martin.

I reached for him, pulled him close as he …

“Cheryl, if you don’t get up now, you’ll miss your wedding. You’re the only woman ….”

Mom—not Martin—blathered on about me oversleeping then flounced out of the room.

I clutched the pillow I had believed was Martin and swiped off the damp from Mom’s kiss. Yuck. But today? I sighed the dreamy exhale of romance novel heroines. I’d marry my prince.

Out of bed, I threw open the shades. Azure sky peeked out of fluffy white clouds with black-streaked bottoms. What did my earth science teacher call them? Strato-accumulate? No. Martin played a Strat guitar, and he certainly accumulated a lot of them. Ah. Stratocumulus! Perfect.

My stomach rumbled. I sniffed hoping for the scent of French toast with strawberries and whipped cream.

Nope.

In the bathroom, I stuttered to a stop. My hair! Cosmo Kramer looked better. No problem. That’s why God invented hairdressers.

With all toiletries complete, I opened the bathroom door and walked into the solid wall that was my mother. She stood with arms crossed so close to the door, her nose had to have been touching it. “In five minutes, you have a hair appointment. Twenty-minutes away.”

She grabbed my arm, and off we ran through the summer morning that smelled—what? Somewhat ionized? I looked up. Still, lots of blue.

Even with oversleeping and only eating the cold (non-French) toast Mom thrust at me, the rest of the day would bring my happily-ever-after. All fairy tales abounded with problems. But the ending …? I sighed.

Again.

Two hours later, with stomach rumbling, we arrived at the Lodge—our premier wedding venue. The tulle and silk flowers decking the gazebo fluttered in the breeze that seemed more of a gale than a zephyr. No time to think about the wind currents.

In the dressing room, my best friend, Janelle, helped me slip on my dress. “You look gorgeous. Perfect hair. Perfect make-up. Perfect day for an outdoor wedding.” She grabbed the zipper and pulled.

Pulled some more.

And more.

“Breathe in,” Janelle said.

I sucked in air.

“More.”

I tightened every abdominal muscle, stopped breathing until the world whirled around me. The zipper wouldn’t budge.

“It fit perfectly a month ago,” I wailed. “Could it have shrunk in storage?”

“Could you have eaten a gallon of Ben & Jerry’s every night?”

My face heated. Coughing overtook me, and I couldn’t answer.

Janelle moaned her signature lament—the once she’d used since grade school when she dealt with my missteps. She dashed out of the room.

My stomach growled, and I paced. What would I do? If Janelle took any longer, I’d lose enough weight to fit my dress.

“Here we go.” Janelle breezed into the room brandishing needle, thread and safety pins. “Out of the dress. I’ll let out the seams. Hopefully, we’ll have enough play to make it fit.”

Finally, perfectly coifed and fitted, but late for my own wedding, I stood at the exit of the Lodge. I peered through the glass doors. Martin and the groomsmen stood under the gazebo. Guests filled the chairs under the canopy. Above me … I looked up. No. Those beautiful clouds looked dirty, like they four-wheeled through a mud run.

The violinist played the wedding march.

I stepped out.

The wind blew flowers out of my bouquet. I clutched my veil as my father gripped my arm as though to keep me from becoming Dorothy off to Oz. Only twenty steps to the canopy.

We took step two.

Rain pelted us. We ran.

The Olympic sprint in the rain drenched us. Of course, once under the canopy, the torrent subsided.

At the altar, Dad gave me to Martin. We recited our vows.

Happy is the bride it rains upon, is the old cliché.

Married to my prince, in twenty-years, I’d discover the truth about fairy tales.

~ ~ ~ ~

Carol is offering a free copy of The Perils Of Cheryl, direct from Amazon

for one who leaves a comment. 
Please leave your email address, so we can contact you after the drawing

THURSDAY MORNING, DEC 24, 2020

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Title:   The Perils of Cheryl

My Story Genre:  Women's Fiction

My Story Releases:   January 4, 2021

                        Up for PRE-ORDER NOW

~ ~ ~ ~

The Author of My Story:    Carol McClain

Carol McClain's a passionate Christian whose stories show the redemption of the unredeemable. Although themes range from forgiving the unforgiveable to escaping the trauma of the past, all her stories are told with humor and compassion. They will make you laugh and cry.

She’s an author of four books.

Yesterday’s Poison
A New York Yankee on Stinking Creek
The Perils of Cheryl

In February, Elk Lake Publishing will release Borrowed Lives

~ ~ ~ ~

Get Connected:

• Website:  www.carolmcclain.com 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.Carol.McClain
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/carol_mcclain/
• Twitter: @carol_mcclain

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the book be purchased?

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perils-Cheryl-divorce-dating-divine-ebook/dp/B08NZYJ81X/ref  (ebook)
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Perils-Cheryl-divorce-dating-divine/dp/B08P1H4PLN/ref  (print)
• Barnes & Noble:  Should be out there on January 4, 2021

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Before the Story ~ Faith McCreary ~ Faith and Hope

You know that saying? The one about how if you want to make God laugh, make plans? Well, I guess He’s laughing. I am a planner, through and through. I’ve had my life planned out since about second grade. So, when Sam and I got married six years ago, we knew we wanted to wait a few years and then grow our family even bigger.

Well, right on schedule, two years after our wedding, we started trying. I never doubted I’d get to be a mommy. After all, that’s the way God designed things, right? And Sam and I had done everything right. Surely, God would bless us quickly and we’d have a baby by our third Christmas together.

That Christmas came and went, and no baby. But we let it roll off our shoulders. After all, the experts said not to worry until after a year had gone by.

But that year went by, too.

Needless to say, the last few years of life have been hard. Hard? That’s an understatement, if I ever made one. Painful. Heartbreaking. Devastating. Those are all much closer to the truth.

I wouldn’t wish infertility on my worst enemy.

But maybe ... just maybe ...

Well, let’s just say I might have a surprise for Sam soon. Shh. Don’t tell him. I’m going to find a cute way to do it on pinterest tonight.

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Title:  Faith and Hope


My Story Genre: Christian Contemporary Women's Fiction
*with a thread of Romance*


My Story Release Date: April 2019
*Happy Anniversary*

~ ~ ~ ~

Author of My Story: Amy Anguish

Amy R Anguish grew up a preacher's kid, and in spite of having lived in seven different states that are all south of the Mason Dixon line, she is not a football fan. Currently, she resides in Tennessee with her husband, daughter, and son, and usually a bossy cat or two. Amy has an English degree from Freed-Hardeman University that she intends to use to glorify God, and she wants her stories to show that while Christians face real struggles, it can still work out for good.

~ ~ ~ ~

Connect With My Author:

• http://abitofanguish.weebly.com
• http://www.facebook.com/amyanguishauthor
• https://twitter.com/amy_r_anguish
• https://www.pinterest.com/msguish/my-books
• https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEiu-jq-KE-VMIjbtmGLbJA

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Can Be Purchased At:

• https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Hope-Amy-R-Anguish-ebook/dp/B07PLKBZ6R

NOTE:  For the rest of April - the EBOOK IS MARKED DOWN TO $2.99!!!! Remember this if you are not the winner!

~ ~ ~ ~

Amy Anguish would be honored to gift a winner a signed copy of
Faith and Hope

Be sure to leave a comment WITH an email address where you can be reached should you win.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ April 15, 2019.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY ~

HAPPY SPRING ~

Although our temperatures and scenery doesn't depict it yet here in Michigan, I've seen pictures on Facebook that show daffodils and crocus just bursting with blooms.

CELEBRATE MY BIRTHDAY ~ March 19th ~ 

I want to gift SOMEONE with a free copy of MEANT FOR HER          

  ~ or ~ 

If you already own a copy of the book ~             I will gift you one of my very unique bookmarks

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Title:   Meant For Her

My Story Genre:  Christian Contemporary Women's Fiction with Romance 

My Story Released:   November 14, 2019

~ ~ ~ ~

Author of my 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 didn’t want to deviate from that. God had different plans 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 46 years and their 18 month-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.

~ ~ ~ ~

Get Connected:

• Email: joyjournaling@gmail.com
• Twitter: twitter.com/Journeystojoy
• Website: https://www.joyaverymelville.com
• Blog: https://www.journeystojoy.net
• Facebook Author Page: http://facebook.com/jamauthor
• Facebook Personal Page: http://facebook.com/joy.averymelville
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/joyaverymelville
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/joyjournalinggmailcom
• Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joy-avery-melville

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the ebook and paperback be purchased?

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Meant-Her-Intended-Avery-Melville/dp/1691723665/ref

~ ~ ~ ~

I look forward to gifting one of you a free signed copy of
MEANT FOR HER
or
One of my very unique BOOK MARKS

Be sure to leave a comment with an email address where you can be reached should you win.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ March 25, 2019.

My Story BEFORE The Story ~ Morgan James ~ A Magnolia Blooms in Winter

Hello! Or as we say in the South, Hey, y’all! Although as an actor—nobody says actress anymore— on Broadway, I’ve been working hard to eliminate my Southern accent. I’m Morgan James and I’ve been in New York for several years, striving for my big break and a starring role on Broadway.

Last year, I played the second lead in a Broadway show and got good reviews. Then, I recently auditioned for the lead in Bloom!, a new off-Broadway production. I’m was born for that part. I keep asking God, since He gave me my talent, to please give me favor with the director. I know it’s Off Broadway, but it’s the lead and one step closer to being a Broadway star. My old high school sweetheart, Andy Wayfield, always told me to reach for the stars.

Then my mother calls me. Y’all are going to love my mother. She is so funny. She talks all around a subject before she gets to the point. Drives me to distraction, but all my friends love her. Well, it seems she somehow squashed the music minister at church, and they need my help to put on the Christmas musical. I guess since I wrote it, they think I’m the best one to help out.

Do I need to tell you who that music minister is? You guessed it...my old flame, Andy. Just saying his name still makes my heart flip over. But our lives are so far apart, what with him back home in Sugar Hill, Georgia and me in New York City. But, since it was my mama who broke his ankle, I can’t say no.

Then, I arrive home and see Andy. Oh my!

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Title:  A Magnolia Blooms in Winter
A Southern Season:
 Four Stories From A Front Porch Swing

My Story Genre: Romance

My Story Released:   September 2018

~ ~ ~ ~

The Author of My Story:    Ane Mulligan


While a large, floppy straw hat is her favorite, Amazon bestselling author Ane Mulligan has worn many different ones: hairdresser, legislative affairs director (that's a fancy name for a lobbyist), drama director, playwright, and bestselling novelist. She firmly believes coffee and chocolate are two of the four major food groups. Ane resides in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler who thinks he’s a teddy bear.

~ ~ ~ ~

Get Connected:

• Website
• Amazon Author page
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• The Write Conversation.

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the book be purchased?

• Amazon

~ ~ ~ ~

The author will be honored to gift a winner a signed copy of
A SOUTHERN SEASON.

Be sure to leave a comment with an email address where you can be reached should you win.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ October 23, 2019.

Our Story BEFORE The Story ~ Rachel and Emily ~ The Trouble in Willow Falls

The day I spread a blanket on our foyer floor and invited Mom to join my audience of stuffed animals she applauded my five-year-old version of Aladdin and called me her darling, Rachel, a talented little actress. For six years she inspired me and my friends to create our own one-act performances. Her love and accolades gave my dream wings and made me believe I could fly.

Then cancer snatched her away and reduced my family of three to two. My father rarely watched my childhood performances. He was too busy building Streetman Enterprise into the South’s most successful real-estate-development firm. His vision for my future didn’t include acting. Thus, he began to groom me to follow in his footsteps, hoping one day I’d become his successor. For years I secretly held tight to my dreams, until my final performance as Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street at the University of Georgia. That’s the night my father presented me with a bouquet of roses and said, “Nice job, Strawberry Girl, but it’s time to grow up and take your place in the real world.” Which I did, for seven long years. Then I met Charlie Bricker and Emily Hayes and discovered Willow Falls.

Hello, I’m Emily. I live two hours north of Atlanta in Willow Falls, the little town where I grew up. Although as an only child I yearned, even begged for a sister, I had a happy childhood and a lot of friends. Some of my fondest memories include Scott. We often played hide-and-seek in his family’s store. He sparked my sixth-grade crush when he found me crouched behind a barrel of kitchen gadgets and kissed me for the first time. Little did I know he’d one day become my husband and inherit Hayes General Store.

Today I’m editor of the Willow Post and an aspiring novelist, motivated by Mom’s passion for reading and my parents’ love for Willow Falls. Most of our childhood friends moved away. The result of the town’s long painful path to failure triggered when Sadie Liles killed the town hero. She spent thirty years behind bars, before returning to scene of her crime.

The story of Willow Falls’ quest to transform itself into a tourist destination, and Rachel’s, Sadie’s, and my collision with truth and destiny began in The Secret of Willow Inn.

~ ~ ~ ~

Our Story Title:   THE TROUBLE IN WILLOW FALLS                                   Willow Falls Series - Book 2
Our Story Genre:  Contemporary Women's Fiction
Our Story Releases:   November 4, 2019

Readers: Mark that on your calendars!!!!

~ ~ ~ ~

The Author of Our Story:    Pat Nichols

Retired from a twenty-seven-year corporate career, Pat Nichols draws on her experience in seven different management positions working with hundreds of amazing women from all walks of life to create stories about women facing challenges in the pursuit of their dreams. Her debut novel, The Secret of Willow Inn, Willow Falls series book one, was released January, 2019. Book two in the series is scheduled for release November 2019. Pat received a 2018 NGCWC Georgia Peach Award for her short story, The Vet and Valentine’s Day and the 2017 CRW Woman of the Year Award. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Word Weavers International.

~ ~ ~ ~

Get Connected:

• Website:  https://patnicholsauthor.blog
• Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Pat-Nichols/e/B07JLZW6LJ?ref
• FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.nichols.52459
• Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/patnicholsauthor/
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47937747-the-trouble-in-willow-falls?ac
• Sign up for newsletter: send eMail to: patnichols@patnicholsauthor.blog

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the book be purchased?

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WGWFP72/

~ ~ ~ ~

The author will be honored to gift a winner a signed copy of
The Trouble in Willow Falls.

Be sure to leave a comment with an email address where you can be reached should you win.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ October 16 , 2019.

Our Story BEFORE the Story ~ Claire Bennett & Patsy Kowalski ~ Chapel Hill Revival

Hey, there! I’m Claire Bennett, and this is my best friend since kindergarten Patsy Kowalski.

“Hello.”

Patsy isn’t as outspoken as I am. In fact, when we were in Kindergarten, I always spoke for her. She’d whisper to me, and I’d tell the teacher whatever she wanted. If the teacher called on her, she’d cry. They finally tried to separate us into different classes. Ha! They didn’t count on her mama storming into the school to stop that nonsense.

“We’re the owners of The Painted Loon, our art gallery. I paint and Claire’s a potter.”

Patsy, do you remember the morning my Joel left without kissing me goodbye? He’s kissed me every morning before he leaves since we got married, but somewhere in twenty-seven years of marriage, I’d become a LazyBoy recliner. A steady, comfortable piece of furniture. How utterly humdrum.

“At least he wasn’t like Nathan. He was doing sixteen of the Twenty-One Signs of a Cheating Husband.”

True, but nobody likes to be taken for granted. So, we embarked on Operation Marriage Revival. At the same time, the new widow on the hill, Lydia, hesitantly mentioned how Chapel Springs had grown a little shabby and could use reviving.

“And she was right. Since Claire and I were already in ‘revival’ mode, she pulled everyone together and we began a town-wide campaign to freshen up Chapel Springs. Of course, we got a lot of flak from the mayor and his cronies. They’d prefer to leave us stuck in the 1950s and not enter the Twenty-first Century.”

That’s the truth. Then, in the midst of all of it, my son Charlie got engaged to Sandi, and she wanted to have the reception at our house. Her mama erroneously thought I was the cook in our family. I had to learn how fast, so I could cook the dinner she coerced me into. Sandi’s mother was a piece of work. But you’ll have to read the book to learn how I managed it. And the fire was not my fault!

“Our story has been out for 5 years now, and it has remained in the top 100 books in its category on Amazon that entire time. We’re pretty excited about that. Should we tell them what happened with Operation Marriage Revival?”

No way. They need to buy the book to find that out. They can go to Amazon and find it there.

“Or they can leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win it.” (See below)

They can? Well, isn’t that nice!

~ ~ ~ ~

Our Story Title:   Chapel Hill Revival 1st Edition

Our Story Genre:  Southern Women's Fiction ~ Ane's brand - Southern Fried Fiction

Our Story Releases:    HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
            CHAPEL HILL REVIVAL 1st Edition !!!! ~ Sept. 2014

~ ~ ~ ~

The Author of Our Story: Ane Mulligan

Ane Mulligan writes Southern-fried fiction served with a tall, sweet tea. She's an award-winning bestselling novelist, a multi-published playwright and contributor to the award-winning blog, The Write Conversation

She resides in Sugar Hill, GA, with her artist husband and a rascally Rottweiler who thinks he’s a teddy bear.

~ ~ ~ ~

  Get Connected:

• Website:  anemulligan.com/
• Blog: The Write Conversation
• Facebook: Facebook.com/anemulligansouthernfriedfiction
• Amazon Author page
• Pinterest
• Twitter
• Instagram

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the book be purchased?

• Amazon

~ ~ ~ ~

The author will be honored to gift a winner a signed copy of
Chapel Hill Revival .

Be sure to leave a comment with an email address where you can be reached should you win.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ September 18, 2019.

My Story BEFORE One of FIVE Stories ~ MY FAMILY ~ ALL MY TEARS

Martie from MY FAMILY

Most of my family and friends call me Martie, not Martha. I guess that’s because I was a tomboy when I was a kid.

I can’t complain about my family growing up. Dad had his own business, so he was busy, not around much. Which meant that Mom was always bossy, trying to handle everything at home by herself.

But we knew they loved us.

My sister RuthAnne was beautiful, but she wasn’t snobby about it. She and I were good friends.

But I felt most comfortable hanging around with my brother John and his buddies. Playing ball, hiking through the woods, underneath somebody’s car trying to get it to run.

When I finished college, I needed to move away. John had joined Dad in his business. RuthAnne was married with a baby—so happy.

I didn’t fit in. I needed to make a place for myself in the world.

I moved to a large city, found a job and a church, started making new friends. I missed my family, but I visited on holidays. Once in a while, one of them would come to visit me. And I was making a life for myself.

Then RuthAnne and her husband died. And they made me guardian for their eight-year-old daughter Kim.

Kim doesn’t like me. She doesn’t want to stay with me. What do I know about being a parent?

My friend Jessica helps a lot. And Will, too, the cop who . . . Well, I won’t tell you about that yet.

Kim is so sad. Of course, she is. So am I. But she’s just eight, and she needs help. How can I help her? Sometimes I wish John and my parents were closer, to give me advice, to lean on.

Kim’s other grandmother, on her dad’s side, isn’t helping at all. How did RuthAnne get along with this woman? Of course, RuthAnne always got along with everybody. Maybe I should have hung around her more, let some of her sweetness rub off on me.

Kim loves my dog. She’s making new friends at school and church. But I can’t find the trigger to get her to trust me. I pray that God will help us make this work.

~ ~ ~ ~

My Story Title:   MY FAMILY (one novella of five in ALL MY TEARS

My Story Genre:  Women's Fiction

My Story Releases:   April 2, 2019 ~ Just THIS week!

~ ~ ~ ~

The Author of My Story:   Kathy McKinsey    

 Kathy McKinsey grew up on a pig farm in Missouri, and although she’s lived in cities for nearly 40 years, she still considers herself a farm girl.

She’s been married to Murray for 31 years, and they have five adult children.

She’s had two careers before writing—being a stay-at-home-Mom and working as a rehabilitation teacher for the blind.

Now she lives in Lakewood, Ohio with her husband and two of her children. Besides writing, she enjoys activities with her church, editing for other writers, braille transcribing, crocheting, knitting, and playing with the cat and dogs.

~ ~ ~ ~

  Get Connected:

• Kathy.mckinsey@gmail.com
• http://kathymckinseyauthor.blogspot.com/
• https://www.facebook.com/kathy.brinkmann.mckinsey
• https://twitter.com/kathymckinsey

~ ~ ~ ~

WHERE can the book be purchased?

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/All-My-Tears-Kathy-McKinsey-ebook/dp/B07P92QZPJ/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=All+My+Tears+by+Kathy+McKinsey&qid=1551488626&s=books&sr=1-1-fkmrnull

~ ~ ~ ~

The author will be honored to gift a winner an

AMAZON GIFT CARD

Be sure to leave a comment with an email address where you can be reached should you win.

DRAWING TO BE HELD WEDNESDAY EVENING ~ April 17, 2019.

INTRODUCING ~ Our Stories Before The Stories

Journeystojoy is excited to announce a brand new concept in author/novel promotion.

Each Thursday morning ~ February 14 through December 12, 2019 ~ you're invited to read from the character's viewpoint of MANY novellas and novels, just how they arrived in the story they've been written into.

You'll be introduced to a wide array of Christian authors and genres from Children's, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Historical Romantic Suspense, Western Historical, Contemporary Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romantic Mystery, Speculative Romance, Women's Fiction, to a whole LOT more.
 

Can you tell I'm excited about this project?
                                                                YOU BET I AM.

I've had the opportunity to read the post scheduled for NEXT THURS ~ FEB 14th - OH WOW - I can hardly wait to see your reaction to the two characters who've told their back story in a Romantic Mystery novel.

For your participation ~ those characters have a signed-by-the-author book awaiting one blessed winner.

JOIN US HERE, BEGINNING NEXT THURSDAY! We are so looking forward to your visit.

Drawings for give-aways will be held WEDNESDAY EVENINGS preceding the next post-date. You'll have several days' opportunity to comment!

May God richly bless you through the characters and their stories this year!