Leila Tualla: Mama, Author, & Advocate
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            News & Bookshelf

Spotlight: The Kees and Colliers Blog Tour

7/29/2019

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This is my stop for the Kees and Colliers Blog tour. Today, I am spotlighting both the author and her books! Don't forget do the giveaway at the end!! 
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The Lady of the Vineyard

Is it too late for Adele to return to her daughter’s life?

When her ex-husband reappears in her life determined to spend more time with their child, Adele Collier allows him to take Judy to France for the summer. As the summer goes by, an internal battle rages in Adele’s heart. Can she give up her glamorous lifestyle to win her daughter’s heart?

Six-year-old Judy is more than happy to trade Adele’s neglect for her father’s adoring care. She loves his vineyard and wishes she could stay there forever, but someday she must return to England. Can Judy trust her mother again?





​
“A great story about love, emotional turmoil, and the desire to set things right.” ~Long and Short Reviews


“A whimsically beautiful and heartwarming story.” ~Faith L. Potts, author of Dandelion Dust


FURTHER INFO:

Published Before?: Yes
Changes to New Version: rewritten (went from 15,000 words to 40,000 words), new cover
Cleanness Levels: parental guidance suggested // 12+ (mentions of divorce, mentions of attraction between a once-married couple, a brief mention of a miscarriage, lots of arguing)
Published: June 1st, 2019

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lady-Vineyard-Kees-Colliers-Book-ebook/dp/B07S9TW15X/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+lady+of+the+vineyard+by+kellyn+roth&qid=1560146051&s=gateway&sr=8-2
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44156942-the-lady-of-the-vineyard
​

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​Flowers in Her Heart


Can Adele change her entire lifestyle to be a mother to her babies?

When her husband goes off to war, Adele feels lost and confused. In a new, less-than-ideal place in a frightening, less-than-ideal time, she flees to the garden with her daughters, determined to make their new house a home, even if it is from the outside in.

Battered by her own inner turmoil and scoffed at by those close to her, Adele seeks to make something beautiful amidst chaos. But can even the most beautiful flowers cover the years of scars?




“So sweet, so true, and so downright good.” ~Angela R. Watts, author of Seek

“A fantastic story about family, faith, and a search for beauty and truth.” ~Goodreads Reviewer


FURTHER INFO:

Published Before?: Yes
Changes to New Version: title changed from “Flowers,” rewritten (went from 10,000 words to 35,000 words), new cover
Cleanness Levels: parental guidance suggested // 12+ (mentions of a woman having a bad past, mentions of miscarriage, mentions of a married couple sharing a bed)
Published: July 1st, 2019

​Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TNR35CT/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44156963-flowers-in-her-heart

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From Now ‘Til Forever

The war is over, but it’s not as easy coming home as he anticipated.

Troy Kee doesn’t know how he’ll settle back into life with his family after WWII, but he’s determined to do so. He feels that if he can just get his family back to their vineyard in France, everything will be all right. But his wife has other plans.

This charming novelette finale to the Kees & Colliers series highlights the difficulties of returning home after a war.






FURTHER INFO:


Published Before?: Never
Cleanness Levels: parental guidance suggested // 10+ (brief mention of miscarriage, brief mention of pregnancy)
Publishing: August 1st, 2019

Amazon: COMING SOON (August release, no preorder)
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44156985-from-now-til-forever
[COMING SOON] Signed paperback copies:
https://kellynrothauthor.com/shop/

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Souls Astray


Adele has been lost for a long time now ...

Adele Collier has sought a carefree lifestyle ever since her tragic childhood. Determined to never allow anyone or anything to control her life or emotions again, she consistently seeks distraction in gaiety. But shaking her ghosts isn’t as easy as she’d like.

Troy Kee has been alone in the world since the Great War took his parents and left him in care of his younger sister. When she marries, he’s left to seek after his goal of a healthy, complete family. But how can he focus on his dream when trouble plagues his family vineyard?

When Adele and Troy meet, a whirlwind romance begins—but can two lost souls have a healthy relationship?

“A tragic, well-crafted story of romance, family dynamics, and pain in the years between WW1 and WW2.” ~Jana Tenbrook
“Souls Astray is a heartrending novel, full of poignant themes and topics that are important even today. It is a captivating read and will leave you wanting more.” ~Michaela Bush

FURTHER INFO:

Published Before?: No
Cleanness Levels: 13+ only (full content review here)
Published: May 2019


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Giveaway

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Prize One: THE LADY OF THE VINEYARD and FLOWERS IN HER HEART in paperback & a cool FLOWER NECKLACE.

Prize Two: THE LADY OF THE VINEYARD in paperback & FLOWERS IN HER HEART and FROM NOW ’TIL FOREVER in ebook

​
a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

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Kellyn Roth is a Christian & historical author from North-Eastern Oregon. Kell is a ranch girl, homeschool graduate, proud sister of four, proud auntie of five, and owner of two goofy border collies, two presumptuous cats, and a very active betta fish.

​Check out her website, kellynrothauthor.com, for more info.

Author Website: http://kellynrothauthor.com/
Blog: http://kellynroth.blog/
Reveries Co: http://reveriescompany.com/
Coach Kell: http://coachkell.com/
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest: @ReveriesofRuby


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Review: Messiina (Book 1 of the Casa Bella Chronicles) by Liz Galvano

9/30/2017

2 Comments

 
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Ominous words from the stone-faced physician at the temporary hospital greet her: "Welcome to hell, Miss James." No description could be more accurate. Earthquake, tsunami, and fire have razed Messina, Sicily. In a single night in 1909, one hundred thousand people never wake up. Physician Lucille James is determined to help despite horrendous conditions, almost non-existent medical supplies, and the opposition of the medical community she worked so hard to join. Giovanni Castello, the man facing her now, stands as her biggest opponent. Surrounded by blood and death and pushed to the edge of exhaustion, Lucille relies on God as her only option. When God gives a gift, after all, a person must use it. Will she have the strength, courage, and faith to do so? Messina - Book 1 in the Casa Bella Chronicles Liz Galvano  has been writing since she was a little girl. Her stories combine old style adventure and romance with a dash of humor. She loves family, food, animals, and all things Italian. Liz lives with her husband Jeff, two rambunctious dogs, two entitled cats, and a horse who thinks she's a princess.
Buy Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Messina-Book-Casa-Bella-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B017DVVUEI/
https://www.amazon.com/Messina-Liz-Galvano/dp/1498453074/

~My Review~

Truly this is one of those "do not judge the book by its cover." The cover, for me at least, looks plain, a little lacking and something I would have passed over in a bookstore. But within these pages contains rich Italian languages and words that flowed so easily they were able to transport me to Italy in just a few short paragraphs. What a wonderful story of redemption, hope and faith amidst the destruction. Perhaps because of the recent devastation of Puerto Rico and seeing it in person after Hurricane Harvey, I could see the images so vividly. As a believer, all I could do during the storm was pray and my faith in God and His people continued to give me hope as I saw neighbors helping neighbors. God is there in the rubble. I was pulling for Giovanni  and hoped that I would read his testimony.....and Liz didn't disappoint. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. I can't wait to read both Giovanni  and Lucille's continuing story! This was more than just a slow budding romance, more than a look at societal norms in the early 20th century, more than just a tragedy......this was what hope and faith reads like in the devastation of Messina. 

***I received this book in exchange for an honest review. However, these thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm not required to write a positive review.***

About the Author

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​Liz Galvano has been writing since she was a little girl. Her stories combine old style adventure and romance with a dash of humor. She loves family, food, animals, and all things Italian. Liz lives with her husband Jeff, two rambunctious dogs, two entitled cats, and a horse who thinks she’s a princess.

To follow her on Amazon, click here.
2 Comments

Author Spotlight: Stephenia H. McGee

6/3/2017

0 Comments

 
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Blurb:
Her heart sought shelter. Her soul found home. 

Ella Whitaker rescues a newborn from the dying arms of a woman of ill repute and at long last she has someone to love. In need of a wet nurse, she arrives at Belmont Plantation just as Federal soldiers demand to speak to the owner. Thinking quickly, Ella masquerades as a Yankee officer's widow in order to have a roof over her head and a home for the child.

Major Westley Remington has dedicated his life to serving his country. The Civil War has divided his family, torn his thoughts of glory, and left him with a wound that may never heal. Westley returns home on medical furlough to settle his father’s estate at Belmont Plantation, only to find his home is being run by a fiery and independent woman—one many believe to be his wife. Now he is faced with a conflict he’s never been trained to fight, and one she has yet to conquer.

Buy Links: 
In His Eyes
http://amzn.to/2ptw3wi
 
Links of other books by Stephenia H. McGee:
The Whistle Walk http://amzn.to/2pCPYr8
Heir of Hope: http://amzn.to/2qBA4g1
Leveraging Lincoln: http://amzn.to/2ptELuw
Losing Lincoln: http://amzn.to/2p5Vstq
 Labeling Lincoln: http://amzn.to/2p65pH
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Editorial reviews

"The character development is impressive and the plot kept me riveted. I couldn't wait to see what happened to Major Remington and Ella--and once you begin reading this book, you won't want to put it down either." ~Andrea Boeshaar, Author "A Thousand Shall Fall" and "Too Deep for Words"

"With dynamic, realistic characters and colorful descriptions, I was more than just reading a story on a page, I felt like I was participating in the story. I laughed, I cried, and loved every moment. I hated to see it come to an end...I loved how this story seamlessly included the gentle reminders of God's love for us and the importance of our reliance upon Him, without coming across pushy or like you are reading a sermon. It's was ever so soft, just like a whisper." Joy of Reading Blog
 
"In the post-Civil War South, we have a Union officer who is physically wounded from battle, emotionally wounded from the loss of his parents, and spiritually wounded by his lost relationship with his God.  Into his world steps a spunky, spirited red-headed southern belle. Let the sparks ignite!" Dennis E. Hensley author, Pseudony

About the Author

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Winner of the 2012 RONE Best Inspirational Book of the year (2012) and author of six Historical novels, Stephenia H. McGee has a fascination with hoop skirts and ball gowns, Greek revival homes and horse-drawn carriages, quirky Southern sayings, and home-grown recipes. She currently lives in Mississippi with her husband and two boys, (accompanied by their two spoiled dogs and mischievous cat) where she writes stories of faith, redemption, and stories steeped in the South. 

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​Social Media Links: 
Visit her website at www.StepheniaMcGee.com and be sure to sign up for the newsletter to get sneak peeks, behind the scenes fun, the occasional recipe, and special offers.
FaceBook: Stephenia H. McGee, Christian Fiction Author
Twitter: @StepheniaHMcGee
Pinterest: Stephenia H. McGee

0 Comments

Author Spotlight: Naomi Rawlings

5/27/2017

2 Comments

 
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Blurb: 
Journey back to a time when neighbors knew each other's names, and a handshake meant a person's honor. The bestselling Eagle Harbor Series continues with Book 5, Love’s Winter Hope.

When Jessalyn Dowrick’s husband left her and their three daughters to head west five years earlier, she had no choice but to pick up the pieces of her broken life and continue without him, eventually supporting herself as Eagle Harbor’s seamstress, and secretly hoping her husband would return. But days soon slipped into months, and months into years, all without word of Thomas or a cent of the money he’d promised to send.

While working day and night to build a new life that his wife would be proud of, Thomas wrote Jessalyn every week, asking her to come to South Dakota. But she never arrived. In fact, she never answered a single one of his letters. When he returns to Eagle Harbor in search of answers, he finds a woman who thought him dead . . . and soon regrets he didn’t come after her earlier.

As winter closes in and storms trap Thomas in town until the harbor opens in the spring, will he be able to convince his wife he’s worth a second chance?
 
Love's Winter Hope
Amazon http://geni.us/hMnm
Apple http://geni.us/EHappl
Google Play http://geni.us/EHGP5
Nook http://geni.us/EHnook5
Kobo http://geni.us/EHkobo

Come visit the historical town that readers can't get enough of.

Eagle Harbor Series--Where Love Finds Its Anchor 
Book 1: Love's Unfading Light (Mac and Tressa) 
Book 2: Love's Every Whisper (Elijah and Victoria) 
Book 3: Love's Sure Dawn (Gilbert and Rebekah) 
Book 4: Love's Eternal Breath (Seth and Lindy) 
Book 5: Love's Winter Hope (Thomas and Jessalyn) 
Book 6: Love's Bright Tomorrow (Isaac and Aileen--winter 2018)
Prequel Novella: Love's Violet Sunrise (Hiram and Mabel)
Short Story: Love's Beginning (Elijah and Victoria)
 
Buy Links:
Love's Unfading Light:
Amazon http://geni.us/aWuz7d0
Apple  http://geni.us/Appl1   
Google Play http://geni.us/EHGP1
Nook http://geni.us/EHnook1
Kobo http://geni.us/EHkobo1
 
Love's Every Whisper: 
Amazon http://geni.us/o2WQ.
Apple http://geni.us/appl2
Google Play http://geni.us/EHGP2
Nook http://geni.us/EHnook2
Kobo http://geni.us/EHkobo2
 
Love's Sure Dawn: 
Amazon http://geni.us/5hbq
Apple http://geni.us/appl3
Google Play http://geni.us/EHGP3
Nook http://geni.us/EHnook3
Kobo http://geni.us/EHkobo3
 
Love's Eternal Breath:
Amazon  http://geni.us/dSxzxAD
Apple http://geni.us/appl4
Google Play http://geni.us/EHGP4
Nook http://geni.us/EHnook4
Kobo http://geni.us/EHkobo

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​“Step over here, where there’s some room.”
                He glanced around the cluttered shop, then raised his eyebrows.
                Well, there would be room just as soon as she moved the stack of shirts. She bent and gathered them in her arms, then placed them on the table between the socks and mackinaw coats, which of course sent half the pile of socks plopping to the floor, but at least they took up less space than the shirts.
                She measured his arms first, from wrist to wrist, never mind that his reach spread wider than the table where she’d just stacked the clothes. Then she did the length of his torso, from his shoulder seam down to his waist, ignoring the hard muscles beneath his shirt as she stretched the tape down him—or at least trying to. But when she wrapped the tape around his chest, much as she did when measuring one of their daughters, her breath hitched, and she stilled. Of course her left hand didn’t reach the tape she’d stretched behind him with her right. She’d known her hands couldn’t touch. So why had she measured him this way? Habit?
                He looked down at her, not moving, barely even breathing. His face loomed over her own, her head tilted back to see the blue of his eyes. She needed to step back, put distance between her and this big, burly man who owned too many of her memories.
                If only that big, burly man didn’t have the power to trap her beneath his gaze until she forgot how to move.
                 “Do you do this with the other men that order shirts from you?” he rasped.

About the Author

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Naomi Rawlings is the author of multiple historical Christian novels, including the Amazon bestselling Eagle Harbor Series. While she'd love to claim she spends her days huddled in front of her computer vigorously typing, in reality, she spends her time homeschooling, cleaning, picking up, and pretending like her house isn't in a constant state of chaos. She lives with her husband and three children in Michigan's rugged Upper Peninsula, along the southern shore of Lake Superior where they get 200 inches of snow every year, and where people still grow their own vegetables and cut down their own firewood--just like in the historical novels she writes.

Author Links:
www.naomirawlings.com
https://www.facebook.com/author.naomirawlings/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5339357.

2 Comments

Spotlight: The Secret Slipper by Amanda Tero

5/25/2017

4 Comments

 
This is my stop for Amanda Tero's blog tour. I love this cover and the story it evokes.....and the story itself sounds intriguing! Good luck and hope you have a happy blog tour, Amanda!!
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​About the Book
Being a cripple is only the beginning of Lia’s troubles. It seems as if Bioti’s goal in life is to make Lia as miserable as possible. If Lia’s purpose is to be a slave, then why did God make her a cripple? How can He make something beautiful out of her deformity?
 
Raoul never questioned the death of his daughter until someone reports her whereabouts. If Ellia is still alive, how has she survived these ten years with her deformity? When Raoul doesn’t know who to trust, can he trust God to keep Ellia safe when evidence reveals Bioti’s dangerous character?
 
As time brings more hindrances, will Raoul find Ellia, or will she forever be lost to the father she doesn't even know is searching for her?
Purchase Link
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071R5859Y
​
For Paperback copies, click here
 
Get “Befriending the Beast”
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01L2IDEUQ
 
(Order “The Secret Slipper” by May 26, 2017, to get it at the discounted price of $.99!)
(“Befriending the Beast” Sale: $1.99 on May 25-26, 2017)
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About the Author

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Amanda Tero is a homeschool graduate who desires to provide God-honoring, family-friendly reading material. She has enjoyed writing since before ten years old, but it has only been since 2013 that she began seriously pursuing writing again – starting with some short stories that she wrote for her sisters as a gift. Her mom encouraged her to try selling the stories she published, and since then, she has begun actively writing short stories, novellas, and novels. If something she has written draws an individual into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, it is worth it!
 
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

Connect with Amanda
Email: amandaterobooks@gmail.com
Website: http://amandatero.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandaterobooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandateroauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amandaruthtero/
Blog: www.withajoyfulnoise.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AmandaTero
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/amandater

4 Comments

    Book Pick:


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     I use Goodread's rating scale

    1 star – didn’t like it
     2 stars – it was OK
     3 stars – liked it
     4 stars – really liked it
     5 stars – it was so amazing, it's on my reread pile!

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Hi there! Here's a quick bio

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Leila Tualla is a Filipino-American poet and author based in Houston, Tx. Leila’s books include a YA contemporary romance called Letters to Lenora and a memoir/poetry collection called Storm of Hope: God, Preeclampsia, Depression and me. Her poetry is featured in several mental health anthologies and she is currently working on a poetry collection based on Asian American stereotypes and identifies. Her chapbook “pmdd & me,” will be out this Spring 2022. ​

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  • HOME
  • about me
  • Blog
  • News & bookshelf
    • Media
    • Books >
      • Letters to Lenora
      • Love, Defined
    • Poetry >
      • PMDD & me (poetry chapbook)
      • Storm of Hope
    • Anthologies >
      • The Sacred Feminine II
      • The Poetry Marathon 2021
      • Remnants of Home
      • Poetica II
  • ADVOCACY
    • RESOURCES for PMDD warriors >
      • IAPMD
    • Community resources for moms >
      • Pregnancy and Postpartum Support
      • 2020 Mom
      • Preeclampsia
      • Momma's Voices
      • Shades of Blue Project
  • Contact