Indie Christian Reads // Black Friday Sale & Giveaway!

Howdy, Dragons! I hope your Thanksgiving was absolutely fantastic! 💜

Today, I'm excited to turn over the mic to Leah E. Good (author of Counted Worthy), who has some special Black Friday / Cyber Monday deals to share with you!

It's that time of year. The time for buying presents, making wish lists, and planning New Year's Resolutions. If any of those activities involve books for you, Indie Christian Books has a perfect event for you!

From November twenty-fourth to November thirtieth, a huge selection of independently published Christian books are on sale. You can find discounted paperbacks, dozens of books offered with free shipping, $0.99 ebooks, package deals and more. Even if your budget is depleted from Christmas shopping, we have some freebies for you! Need even more of a reason to support indie authors and fill your shelf with good stories? When you purchase a paperback book through indiechristianbooks.com you'll be eligible to enter an exclusive giveaway including free books and an Amazon gift card!

You can meet our authors by visiting the author database on the website. Want to get to know the authors better and have the chance to win some fun prizes? We'd love to have you join our week-long Facebook party which will feature thirty-nine authors over seven days.

What awesome reads of 2017 are you grateful for? What books are you looking forward to reading in 2018?

A note on the ebooks only page. Many of the books are listed as "sold out". This is because we aren't selling those directly through our site. Please click onto the product pages to find descriptions and links to discounted or free ebooks.

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Leah E. Good and Kendra E. Ardnek for their work organizing this sale, and Hannah Mills for her fantastic design work on the website graphics! Feel free to contact Hannah at hmills(at)omorecollege(dot)edu for more information on her design services.

This is one of my favorite events of the year, and I'm SO EXCITED!!!! *flails* I may or may not have started a list at the beginning of 2017 for all the books I need to buy through it. 😉

Are there any books you hope to find at this year's sale? Have you entered the giveaway, yet?

❤,

For This I'm Thankful...

Tomorrow, THANKSGIVING DAWNS. It's the time of year when my mom and I are hard at work in the kitchens, preparing (vegan) chocolate pies, pumpkin pies, sweet potato casseroles, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gluten roasts, boiled carrots, and toasted corn. It's the time of year when my dad does one last run-through of the house, with a vacuum cleaner in one hand and a feather duster in the other. It's the time of year when my grandparents arrive to stay with us. It's the time of year when IT IS OFFICIALLY SPARKLING CIDER SEASON. *cheers* To celebrate, I wanted to share just a few of the things I am thankful for...

• I'm thankful for the Lord. I'm thankful to be created by a God -- the God -- Who is so merciful and kind although we are so undeserving. I'm thankful that, although He is a God of justice, He loves us and offers us His grace.

• I'm thankful for my parents. I'm so thankful for your constant love and support and encouragement, and all the times you've stayed up late with me to help me with school, editing an essay, or finishing a science project (thankfully, that last bit hasn't been too often *winks*). 💗

• I'm thankful to live in the United States. True, our country is very, very messed up... but we are oh-so-blessed for the freedoms we have.

• I'm thankful for my church friends. I'm thankful for the people in my life who lead me deeper into faith, drawing me closer to our Savior.

• I'm thankful for my school pals. All our afternoons of pizza, Pre-Calculus homework, and moaning over test grades make high school just a little more bearable. 😉

• I'm thankful for my teachers. My teachers make school worthwhile; here's to all of you who strive to truly educate your students, with all your extra office hours, your reasonable negotiations, and your deadline extensions.

• I'm thankful for my pets. Sweetie and Belle, you have brought such joy to my life! And Bob, Raz, Jackie, Sunnyhead, and Arnold, -- frogs, hamsters, and moth-friend -- you taught me so much.

• I'm thankful for my writing. Creating worlds, tearing them down; giving life, taking it away... all with twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks. 😁

• I'm thankful for theatre. Two years ago, I decided that maybe -- just maybe -- I would audition for the MEA Theatre Company's first-ever production... I had no idea the journey ahead of me.

• I'm thankful for books. Through books, I have traveled to worlds unseen; through books, I have found identity; through books, I have found true love (*coughs* I don't CARE if Will from Rising Shadows is a fictional character -- he's MINE! 😜).

• I'm thankful for unicorns. Whoever decided that horses should have long, rhino-esque horns protruding for their foreheads... thank you.

• I'm thankful for rain. True, it's a rare event down here in SoCal... but when it rains, I am happy.

• I'm thankful for holidays. Birthdays, Christmases, Thanksgivings, New Years(-es?), Independence Days, Halloweens, summers... anything for further time spent with friends and family.

• I'm thankful for my writing/blogging buddies. I'm so, SO thankful for my chances to connect with you, to find friendship online, at coffee shops, at book signings, at meet-ups... 💕

• I'm thankful for my future. True, I don't know what's coming, and I may not like it when it first arrives... but I'm thankful to know that God has me in "the shadow of [His] wings".

• I'm thankful for authors. Here's to all of you! You ALL inspire me.

• I'm thankful for #RealmMakers2017. My first writers' conference, and hopefully not my last! Though I don't expect to make it to Missouri next year, I'm hoping to be there in 2019!

• I'm thankful for Rooglewood Press. Each Rooglewood Press fairytale retelling contest has taught me something, and I cannot wait to see what y'all have in store in the years to come!

• I'm thankful for all my readers, followers, subscribers, and supporters: that's right, I'm thankful for YOU. Whether you're here for the first time, or you've been a long-time comment-er... you have encouraged me. You have inspired me. You have supported me, when I had absolutely no idea what to do next! Thank you, dear reader. 💖

Happy Thanksgiving!

❤,

This December: LITTLE WOMEN Read-Along!

My dear Dragons, I have a confession: I HAVE NEVER READ LITTLE WOMEN. (THERE. I SAID IT.) I've seen the movie dozens of times over, cried every time at THAT ONE PART, and cried again at THAT BEAUTIFUL ENDING. With the holidays approaching, don't you think it's high time I read the book? Dragon... would you like to read Little Women with me?

Here's what to expect:

• Eleven chapters per week, which is approximately one-and-a-half chapters per day
• Book discussions every Friday, from December first to December twenty-second
• Chats with fellow fans of Louisa May Alcott
• Reading Little Women for the first time... or again, with new friends to fangirl with!

Here is the schedule:

1. December first: discuss chapters one through eleven
2. December eighth: discuss chapters twelve through twenty-three
3. December fifteenth: discuss chapters twenty-four through thirty-five
4. December twenty-first: discuss chapters thirty-six through forty-seven

No commitment is required. If you're interested in participating, feel free to pop in and out whenever you please, and if you fall behind or get ahead, that's totally fine! 🙂

If you'd like to continue the discussion on Twitter or Instagram, you're more than welcome to tag me and use the hashtag #WinterWithLouisa.

I hope to see you there!

❤,

If I Had a Royal Wardrobe // Regal Reads Blog Party!

HELLOOOOO, DRAGONS! Today, I'm absolutely thrilled to be sharing my first ever fashion post, in honor of Livy Lynn's Regal Hearts blog party! If you haven't chatted with Livy yet, YOU TOTALLY SHOULD. This girl is an amazing human being and has such a sweet heart! 💖 You can connect with her pretty much anywhere: her blog/website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads. 😸

The prompt I selected for my post today is all about princess fashion. BECAUSE PRINCESSES + FASHION. What's not to love, right? 😍 So without further ado, I present a small portion of my dream wardrobe... 😁

COURT WEAR

{Source.}

Because I'm a princess, there are obviously tons of outfits I must wear from day to day. In the morning, after a bath and warm buffet breakfast with the family, court duty calls! My parents and their trusted advisers take their seats to hear the voice of the people. Since this a very serious (yet exciting!) affair, I'm dressed in a light, vintage dress in tribute to the dashing 1960s, but it's decked out in lace and pearls -- complete with a set of blue gloves! -- as homage to the elegant Regency era.

ACADEMIC WEAR

Though studies with the castle tutor are not my favorite, it is something every princess must do. Together, my tutor and I study maths, kingdom histories, ancient legends, language, medical sciences, and survival skills. For this, I wear a Renaissance gown in memory of the revival of the arts.

{Source.}

BATTLE WEAR

{Source.}

After my studies and the midday meal, I change into my armor to train with my father's knights. Ever since his reign began, our kingdom has been at peace with neighboring countries. And though -- should the unlikely event of war ever rise -- I'd never be called to the front, I like to be prepared. And it is excellent exercise!

AFTERNOON WEAR

Now that training's over, it's nearly time for tea! So I return to my chambers, take another bath (this time so I can wash my now-sweaty hair 😉), and change into a fun, frilly dress (usually pink, purple, or yellow).

{Source.}

EVENING/DINNER WEAR

After tea and a fair bit of time to myself for writing and Bible-reading, I change into some even more exciting clothes! This is where I like to have lots of fun! I undo my standard braid, restyle it into something more adventurous, and choose a sleek, velvety gown to wear throughout dinner and the minstrel's post-supper entertainment.

{Source.}

BALLGOWNS & TIARAS

{Source.}

Sometimes, during Easter, summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year's Eve (or a family birthday), my parents will host a ball! My mother has ballgowns specially tailored for this, with poofy skirts, unlike my typical evening wear. This is one of the few chances for me to wear my tiara, as well!

{Source.}

NIGHTWEAR

After a long, tiring, yet lovely day as a princess, I head to my bedchambers and change into my favorite pair of pajamas. A few hours minutes of reading, and I turn out the lights, get some sleep, and prepare for my next day as royalty.

{Source.}

Thank you so much for the blog party and post prompt, Livy! This was a TON of fun to write and put together! 😄

And thank you for reading, dear Dragon! Don't forget to swing by Amazon so you can pick up your copy of Regal Hearts! 💕 If you'd like some tunes to listen to whilst exploring the next five days' party stops, I've already created a playlist! If you're interested, you can find it here on Spotify. 😉 😁

Hey, princess! How would you dress for a day at court? Or an afternoon writing? Or for a night out at a ball?

❤,

THERE WAS ALWAYS LAUGHTER IN OUR HOUSE // Blog Tour

Good morning, m'dear Dragons! Today, I'm happy to be sharing with y'all self-published author Sarah Holman's latest book -- a piece of nonfiction, all about her childhood as a homeschooled country girl...

ABOUT THE BOOK

What do you get when you mix two parents who grew up in the city, six kids who have always lived in the country, and add homeschooling? You get a whole lot of laughter!

Homeschool graduate and author Sarah Holman shares stories about her family that range from thought-provoking to side-splitting. She shares both hilarious mistakes and heartbreaking moments in her family. In this collection of stories, she endeavors capture some of the answers to the questions people have often asked her about growing up in a conservative homeschool family as well as some of the wisdom she has gleaned along the way. Sarah invites you to open up this scrapbook of memories. She hopes that you come away encouraged, inspired... and laughing.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Holman is a not so typical mid-twenties girl: a homeschool graduate, sister to six awesome siblings. If there is anything adventuresome about her life, it is because she serves a God with a destiny bigger than anything she could have imagined. You can find out more about her at her website.

KINDLE FREEBIE

In celebration of her new release, Sarah is currently offering her short story If He Lives for free on kindle! But hurry -- this story will return to its original price at the end of the tour!

TOUR SCHEDULE

• Thursday, November 16
• Reachel – Sneak Peek
• J. Grace Pennington – Interview
• Esther Filbrun – Review
• Tarissa Graves – Review
• Friday, November 17
• Leona Ruth – Review
• Chloe – Review
• Saturday, November 18
• Kaylee – Review
• Alexa – Excerpt
• Sunday, November 19
• Liv K. Fisher – Spotlight
• Kelsey Bryant – Review

This certainly sounds like an exciting read! Especially for someone (moi 😉) who's never been traditionally homeschooled, and has always wished she was raised in the country. I can't wait to read There Was Always Laughter In Our House! 😁

What's your schooling story? Do you live in the country, or the city?

❤,

Why Your Story Needs Parallels

I AM ALIVE AND AWAKE AND WELL AND IT IS OFFICIALLY THANKSGIVING BREAK, Y'ALL!!!! (PSA: There are going to be a LOT of posts next week. Like, almost every day. One tour, one party, two announcements... just an FYI. Consider it my reaction to #FREEDOM. 😁)

Today, I am talking parallels! Parallels/ironies are huge deals that can add SO MUCH. This is usually the point at which I'd discuss why your story needs them, but... that's sort of the whole point of the post. 😉 So read on and enjoy.* 😄

*I mean, you don't NEED to enjoy this post... but it is the recommended course of action. No pressure, though. 😜

1. PARALLELS ACT AS MIRRORS

Ever heard of a foil? Foils reflect another character's (usually the protagonist) morals, standards, weaknesses, and strengths. Where one character is strong and courageous, the foil is weak and cowardly. Where the character feels hopelessly lost, the foil feels a sense of guidance.

Parallels are just the same as foils.

If one couple is overjoyed with their coming child, there might be a single, pregnant woman who fears for her future. If a poor but sincere man proposes to his sweetheart, a lonely yet wealthy man might inherit a title and estate, thus adding to his already great fortune. Where one couple's marriage might crumble, another's might be strengthened.

2. PARALLELS SHOWCASE THE CHARACTERS' EMOTION

Besides reflecting other characters' situations and increasing the tension between them, parallels also display the raw, gritty emotions the characters already feel. A continuation of mirroring, parallels serve to prove these emotions true, like foils work as evidence for the protagonist's virtues.

3. PARALLELS INCREASE TENSION

Say the single woman from the first reason learns of the couple's pregnancy. Or the poor man of the wealthy man's riches. Or the lonely man of the sincere man's happiness. Or the first couple of the second's empowerment. Parallels increase conflict and add the potential for jealousy. And nothing makes a story more enjoyable than heightening the risk. 😉

Granted, not every story needs parallels. And sometimes they're just not helpful to throw in. But, when available, they sure are fun to work with. 😁

Thank you so much for reading! Tell me: have you ever worked with parallels/ironies before? Have you ever found them in fiction?

❤,

No Post Today

HELLO, DRAGONS!

So I'd totally planned on there being a real-ish post today... BUT THAT'S JUST NOT HAPPENING.

My Thanksgiving break begins next Friday/Saturday, so I plan to take that time to pre-write posts and revise my blogging schedule. Lord willing, I'll see y'all then (and this time I mean it 😉)!

Blessings!

❤,

VINTAGE JANE AUSTEN // Blog Tour & Giveaway

GREETINGS, MY FAIR DRAGONS! Today, I'm thrilled to present the Vintage Jane Austen series, as my final blog tour post for the week! Retellings are always a favorite of mine, as are Austen adaptations; combine those two with the 1930s, and you get six marvelous books, the final an anthology! I can't wait to read them, myself! 😁

ABOUT THE BOOKS

What would it be like to see Elizabeth Bennet in 1930s clothes? What if Emma Woodhouse was the daughter of a car dealership owner? What if Marianne Dashwood was seeking to become a movie star in the golden age of film? The Vintage Jane Austen series explores the world of Jane Austen, set in 1930s America. Five authors took on Jane Austen's five most popular novels and retold them set in the depression era, remaining faithful to the original plots. As an extra bonus to the series, there is a collection of short stories that were inspired by Jane Austen. Which of these books do you most want to read?

BOOK ONE: EMMELINE BY SARAH HOLMAN

Retelling Emma

The talk of stock market crashes and depression isn't going to keep Emmeline Wellington down. Born to wealth and privilege, Emmeline wants nothing more than to help her new friend, Catarina, find a husband. Emmeline sets her sights on one of the town's most eligible bachelors, but nothing seems to go right. Even her friend and neighbor Fredrick Knight seems to question her at every turn.

BOOK TWO: SUIT & SUITABILITY BY KELSEY BRYANT

Retelling Sense & Sensibility

Canton, Ohio, 1935. Ellen and Marion Dashiell's world crumbles when their father is sent to prison. Forced to relocate to a small town, what is left of their family faces a new reality where survival overshadows dreams. Sensible Ellen, struggling to hold the family together, is parted from the man she's just learning to love, while headstrong Marion fears she will never be the actress she aspires to be. When a dashing hero enters the scene, things only grow more complicated. But could a third man hold the key to the restoration and happiness of the Dashiell family?

BOOK THREE: BELLEVERE HOUSE BY SARAH SCHEELE

Retelling Mansfield Park

It's March, 1937, and Faye Powell couldn't be happier. After moving to live with her uncle, a wealthy banker, she's fallen into the swing of life with his exuberant children -- including Ed. The one she'll never admit she's in love with. But she hadn't reckoned on the swanky Carters getting mixed up in that vow. Ed seems to be falling for charming, sweet Helene Carter. And when Faye's cousin BeBe trusts her with a secret about Horace Carter, Faye is in over her head. Will she betray the confidence BeBe's given her? Will she lose Ed to Helene? The days at Bellevere House are crowded with surprises and only time will tell how God plans to unravel Faye and Ed's hearts.

BOOK FOUR: PERCEPTION BY EMILY ANN BENEDICT

Retelling Persuasion

Upstate New York, 1930. Thirteen years ago, Abbey Evans was persuaded to break off her engagement to a penniless soldier headed to the front lines of the Great War. A daughter of one of America's wealthiest families could never be allowed to marry so far beneath herself. But Black Tuesday changed everything. With her family's prominence now little more than a façade, Abbey faces the loss of her childhood home. As if that weren't enough, the only man she ever loved has returned after making his fortune -- and he wants nothing to do with the young woman he courted before the war. With the past forever out of reach, the time has come for Abbey decide her own fate, before it is too late...

BOOK FIVE: PRESUMPTION & PARTIALITY BY REBEKAH JONES

Retelling Pride & Prejudice

~ coming soon! ~

BOOK SIX: SECOND IMPRESSIONS, AN ANTHOLOGY

Jane Austen's stories have inspired writers for generations... in this collection they inspire fiction across the genres! From the English Regency to the American 1950s, in Houston or a space freighter, fairytale land or a retirement center... Austen's timeless characters come to life again.

GIVEAWAY

In celebration of the tour, the authors are giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Readers may enter via the form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

• November 5
• Review of Emmeline – Once Upon the Ordinary
• Review of Bellevere House – Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Series Spotlight – A Real Writer's Life
• Interview with Kelsey Bryant – Resting Life
• Series Spotlight – Kelsey's Notebook
• November 6
• Interview with Sarah Holman – J. Grace Pennington
• Review of Emmeline – Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Mini-Reviews and interview with Sarah Scheele – Deborah O'Carroll
• Interview with Rebekah Jones – Livy Lynn Blog
• Review Suit and Suitability – Resting Life
• November 7
• Interview with Kelsey Bryant – J. Grace Pennington
• Review of Perception – Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Review and Interview of Perception – Purely by Faith Reviews
• Review of Second Impressions – The Page Dreamer
• Series Spotlight – Finding the True Fairytale
• November 8
• Interview and Review Suit and Suitability – Once Upon the Ordinary
• Review of Suit and Suitability – Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Review of Perception – A Brighter Destiny
• November 9
• Series Spotlight – God's Peculiar Treasure
• Review of Second Impressions and Suit and Suitability – Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Father
• Interview with Rebekah Jones – Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Series Spotlight – Christian Bookshelf Reviews
• November 10
• Review of Suit and Suitability – With a Joyful Noise
• Series Spotlight – Liv K. Fisher
• Review of Second Impressions- Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Review of Perception – She Hearts Fiction
• Interview with Sarah Holman – Rebekah Ashleigh
• November 11
• Series Spotlight – Reveries Reviews
• Review of Suit and Suitability – Faith Blum
• Interview with Sarah Holman – Kaylee's Kind Of Writes
• Interview with Hannah Scheele – Peculiar on Purpose
• Review of Bellevere House – Seasons of Humility

BOOOOKS. AND JANE AUSTEN! 😻

If all goes as planned, I'll see y'all tomorrow as I slide (somewhat) back onto my normal schedule. 😁

What's your favorite Jane Austen novel/movie/mini-series?

❤,