About The Author: MaKenzi Fox, a full-time teacher and children’s book author, released her first book, “Jerry the Giraffe: Quiet in the Classroom,” in May 2023.
The book, written by Fox and illustrated by Jaylin Monroe, is now available on Amazon and featured in four different Oklahoma bookstores Deer Clan Books in Bethany, Pear Street Books in Oklahoma City, Best of Books in Edmond and Full Circle Bookstore in Oklahoma City. Title: Jerry The Giraffe: Quiet In The Classroom Genre: Children’s Book Synopsis: Jerry the Giraffe is SO TIRED of coming to school! Jerry feels that the classroom is always too loud, and the noise makes it hard for him to learn and focus in class. Because of this, his teacher, Ms. Fox, comes up with a solution to get the classroom to be quiet, which makes it a better school day for everyone! She invents the "Jerry the Giraffe" hand signal, which helps quiet down the classroom! In Jerry the Giraffe: Quiet in the Classroom, you as a teacher will find a manageable solution to help quiet down your classroom. This book is meant to be read to your students and will introduce to them the "Jerry the Giraffe" method, a fun and engaging way to "quiet down" your classroom! Find The Book: https://amzn.to/407Wasv YouTube: https://youtu.be/iWRmcNWsDYE Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/ycxat8mk
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Listener Advisory: Language, Violence, Mature Situations, Graphic Descriptions of Death
About The Author: In about 1985 Edward began research in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin newspaper the Daily Northwestern, regarding a local artist, John Franklin Waldo, who lived there in the late nineteenth century. He noticed that, as mention was made almost weekly of the frightening loss of life and limb, the use of language enabled me to visualize much of the intense pain and suffering of the individuals involved in those events and also of the friends and relatives surrounding them. His intention in assembling these life-endling stories - the ultimate in realty - is to share that fascination with, and the appreciation for, journalism in the 1880's. Title: What A Way To Go: Death In Oshkosh in the 1880’s Genre: Historical Non-Fiction Book Synopsis: Before photography was commonplace, newspaper writers used a unique, graphic style of writing to allow readers to visualize the sometimes horrific and tragic events that occurred in their cities and neighborhoods. This book showcases such articles and obituaries from the 1880's in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and is a fascinating read for residents, researchers and history buffs. Find The Book: https://amzn.to/49Zo8Lf Visit Edward’s Amazon Page: https://tinyurl.com/32hfm4vw Find The Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/46UHBGnXX1A Find The Episode on Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/3mx35xk4 About The Author: Kathryn LeBlanc, is also the author of award-winning Quilting Cozy Mysteries under the pen name Kathryn Mykel. She is an avid quilter and full-time author in both the cozy mystery and romance genres.
Book Title: Quinn Genre: Historical Romance Book Synopsis: Standing at the altar with her soon-to-be husband–a vile businessman–Quinn Gallagher is powerless. Worse than losing her choice to marry for love, she’s losing the one thing she truly cares about–being a nurse. A marriage designed for one thing–merge two prominent Montana families. Will her father understand her decision to run? Fleeing her home with little more than her hopes and dreams, uncertainty and indecision land Quinn in the middle of a dangerous situation. And in the arms of Sheriff Thomas Lincoln–a heartbroken widower on a mission to find a new doctor. Will Thomas realize that Quinn is just what he, and his community need to heal? Potts, Arkansas–sixteen hundred miles from Montana–a close-knit, stubborn community of thirty-five. Rocked by loss and searching for a new small-town male doctor. Will the community accept a gifted female nurse instead? Find the Book Here: https://amzn.to/40JN5pR Find Rhys’ Website Here: https://www.facebook.com/authorkathrynleblanc Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/2s3chup7 YouTube: https://youtu.be/_3rGOhrAuCE It was three days until Winter Solstice, and Sean was pleased with having crossed nearly everyone off his list. The last gift to buy was for his wife, Sophie. They’d been together fifteen years, and still, he struggled with a gift that would make an impression. It wasn’t so much that she was difficult to buy for, it was more that she enjoyed simple tastes, and sometimes those were difficult for merchants to price. She was easy to please. All she ever asked for was one glass of wine at dinner, chocolate chip cookies whenever she needed to celebrate, and a soft, small dog to cuddle when he was away on business. They rarely argued and shared a love of children. Even though Odin hadn’t seen fit to bless them with a child yet, Sophie never lost hope that one day, he would. Sean walked the aisles of the Holiday Market, hosted by the local Lion’s Club, searching for something that couldn’t be found in the shopping malls and high-priced boutiques. After so many seasons together, he knew the gift had to be special, a real stand-out, and he knew he wouldn’t find that at some franchisee. After passing rows of tables containing displays of hand-made quilts, hand-blown glass, beeswax candles, and the like, he was beginning to become discouraged. Although each item was unique and crafted with love, nothing he discovered was distinctive enough to match Sophie’s delicate nature. He was all but ready to leave when a diminutive elderly woman with bright hazel eyes caught his attention. She sat at the end of the last aisle, behind a table adorned with a red and gold tartan tablecloth and several small, hand-crafted wooded boxes in front of her. The boxes were beautifully carved, lacquered, and finished to a polished sheen. The woman sat quietly sipping tea and stroking a tabby cat that sat upon a green cushion on a nearby chair. She wore a rough woolen coat and gloves without fingers. “Is there something I can help you find, dear?” she asked gently. “I’m searching for a Solstice gift for my wife. She loves unique presents and beautiful things. I saw your lovely boxes and thought that one of them might be a perfect choice. How much are these?” “The cost of the boxes is very inexpensive,” she said. “Yet, what’s inside… well, that son is quite a bit more significant.” She gave him a wry smile, and her eyes twinkled as she took another sip of her tea. “Really?” Sean asked, his curiosity piqued. “What do you have hiding inside?” He moved to pick up a box and open it, but she gently slapped his hand away before he could get the chance. “Oh, you mustn’t fondle the merchandise, dear. You might upset the gift, and that could be disastrous. These are special gifts and must be handled with the utmost care and concern,” she tutted. Sean was shocked and now, even more, curious by the old woman’s words and actions. She was more agile than he’d imagined, even as her fingers were crooked with the effects of arthritis. “These boxes are indeed lovely,” he said. “But what could they possibly hold that could be so delicate. I see you don’t have signs...” “We don’t need signs,” she interrupted, stroking the sleeping cat. “The gift you need is inside the right box, and there’s never any confusion if it’s the right one for you. Look them over carefully, hold the image of your wife… her heart, her soul, her dreams, in your imagination, and you will know which box holds the right gift for her.” Sean looked at her questioningly. When he set out that morning, he wasn’t anticipating stumbling upon an old gypsy soul… but that’s exactly what she seemed to be. It made him a bit wary and a bit amused, simultaneously. Well, this is weird. She must be going senile. I’ll just play along and give the old woman a little holiday money. No harm done. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and regarded the boxes carefully. They sat in a haphazard collection, with no specific display intention… yet beautifully presented. There were squares, trapezoids, octagons, rectangles, circles, stars… every shape you could imagine. Each was made of inlaid teak of every shade of the tree rainbow. He thought about his dear Sophie and how she would be captivated by this old woman, her cat, and the conundrum he now faced. He could hear her say, “This is so much fun! Would you ever imagine this would happen to us! Which box should we choose?” She had the pure heart of a child, untarnished by the negativity surrounding her daily life as an oncology nurse. Even though Sophie experienced so much pain and death every day, she never allowed it to diminish her love for life or her optimism for what the future would hold. Often, he wished he had her outlook and perseverance. Too often, he allowed his frustration to get the better of him. He felt like an incompetent husband because he couldn’t give her a child – the one thing in life she wanted more than anything else. He would have given anything, including his own life, to make that dream come true for her. There were times when he was annoyed with Odin for refusing her such a gift. Sean continued to study the boxes, unsure of which to choose. The old woman noticed his apprehension and tried to help him along. “Don’t take too long, dear. You don’t want the gift to grow stale. You must be careful with your choice, but don’t over-think it. Life offers up consequences for those who ask too much and delay the inevitable.” Stirred out of his musings by the old woman’s comment, he selected a box. “I believe I’ll take this one,” he said, pointing at an octagonal box with an alternating pattern of three shades of teak. “A marvelous choice,” the old woman crooned. “That’ll be twenty dollars.” She carefully wrapped the box in white tissue paper. She gently placed it inside a red velvet drawstring bag as he retrieved the money from his wallet. “Thank you very much,” Sean said, gently laying the money in her creased and crooked hands. “I’m sure my wife will adore it.” “’Tis certain she will, young man. Remember, do not give it to her until Solstice night, else the gift will not have time to mature. In the meantime, cradle it carefully, and after she opens it, help her to care for it.” “I promise I will,” he said. “Be certain, young man. Such a promise should not be hastily made.” The old woman was sincere in her instruction, and he could not avoid her gaze. “I promise,” Sean said again, in full earnest and with a broad smile. “Very well,” she said, handing him the package. “Happy Solstice.” “Thank you, Happy Solstice to you and to your cat.” At this, the cat looked up and blinked. The old woman stroked its back. Contented that its presence had been acknowledged, it laid its head down and went back to sleep. Three nights later, Sophie and Sean sat together enjoying their festive meal on the soft carpet near the stone hearth. He waited for just the right moment, and then he presented her with the elegant gift bag. “What’s this?” she asked, a gentle smile on her face. “Happy Solstice,” he said. “But we agreed we wouldn’t buy each other gifts this year,” Sophie said with a playful agitation in her voice. “I know,” Sean said. “But I saw this, and the old gypsy woman who I bought it from was certain you’d enjoy it.” “Gypsy woman? Where?” she asked. “At the Holiday Market in the Square. Oh, you would have loved her.” Sean’s eyes lit up as he remembered the encounter. “She was terrific. She made me promise to take special care of this gift and only give it to you on Solstice night. She claimed that if I didn’t, the gift wouldn’t have time to mature. She had a cute cat, too.” “What’s inside?” Sophie asked. “I don’t know,” Sean replied. “What do you mean, you don’t know? You bought it for me, right?” She was puzzled by the whole affair. Although she loved surprises, in her line of work, she rarely encountered them. So much in the cancer world was predetermined. Even though each individual’s illness was different, it usually led down the same path. There was little room for deviation where outcomes were concerned. “I don’t know what’s inside… she made me promise not to open it, but she said that if I waited, she was sure it would be the right gift for you. You would have loved her, Sophie; she was a distinctive soul. I went back yesterday to see if I could find her again and maybe buy another box, but the director of the market said that she’d done what she came to do and has moved on. I’m not sure what that means, except that we probably won’t be able to find her. The director said she paid cash for her table.” Sean returned Sophie’s puzzled gaze and added his own inimitable smile. Sophie remained a little dumbfounded, still holding the gift in her hands, silent and still. “Well, are you going to open it?” he asked with a smirk. “I… I guess so,” she said. Slowly and carefully, she untied the drawstring and reached into the pouch. She pulled out the tissue-wrapped box and tilted her head at her husband, smiling again. “Keep going,” he said with a nervous giggle. “The suspense is killing me.” She unwrapped the tissue and revealed the beautiful box. “Oh Sean, this looks really expensive. You shouldn’t have…” “Just open it, will you… I can hardly stand the anticipation!” Carefully, Sophie lifted the lid of the octagon box. Inside was a small fortune cookie. Silently, she lifted the cookie. Sean nodded his encouragement. With one smooth, gentle movement, she broke the cookie in two. Sophie set the empty half back in the box and pulled a small slip of paper out of the other half, then set that part of the cookie back in the box as well. “Odin is pleased with your love and patience,” Sophie read aloud. “By Autumn Equinox, you will receive the gift of life in triplicate, reflecting the strength, kindness, and love you share. Take care as you wait. Don’t expect too much, and much will be given. Rush your heart, and consequences will be yours to endure.” The two looked at each other, down at the tiny fortune, and back at each other again. A bemused, quiet excitement enveloped their souls. They hugged and kissed, each sharing tears as they delighted in the wonderment of the season. Nine months later, at Fall Fest near the Autumn Equinox, three tiny souls, Ian, Megan, and Connor, made their Earthly debut amidst songs of praise to Odin, and his promise of a life fulfilled.
About The Author: Linda Hansen grew up in St. Louis and currently lives in Florida. She works in watercolor and acrylics. Her style is often filled with bold color and though her work is not abstract.
Linda’s work background is diverse but for 25 years she was the Executive Director of a non-profit. During this time Linda created a book for the non-profit called Beauty Is… It is a book about self-esteem. Linda has a lifelong love for animals. Currently, Linda and her husband own two dogs, ‘our girls’. Since moving to Florida, Linda has helped save a great grey heron, an anhinga, a snowy egret, and a grackle nestling. Recently, they rescued a lost dog and found him a loving home. Title: Little Lost Dog, Looking For His Home Genre: Children’s Fiction Book Synopsis: Join the journey of a sweet little lost dog who was discovered wandering the streets of a suburban neighborhood. Explore the themes of love, commitment, and the importance of responsible pet ownership as the family goes above and beyond to find the Little Lost Dog's home. Find The Book: https://amzn.to/3T2UGhF Visit Linda’s Website: https://www.lindahansenauthor.com/ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ymy4nufctinyurl.com/ymy4nufc YouTube: https://youtu.be/XynFJZAEnfw About The Author: Australian Jennifer Raines writes contemporary romances set mainly, but not exclusively, in Australia – think Malta, Finland, and New Zealand. A dreamer and an optimist, her stories are a delicious cocktail of mutual respect, passion, and loyalty because she still believes in happily-ever-afters. An award winning author, Jennifer Raines’ stories combine a love of romance with contemporary conflicts. Her writing is both relevant and heart-warming. Each story is a journey across the world. Jennifer likes to think her readers get occasional hints of the deep passion of a Nora Roberts or the unshakeable loyalty of a Grace Burrowes where love conquers loneliness, distrust, and fear.
Title: Lela’s Choice Genre: Romance Book Synopsis: Lela has been a dutiful daughter and aunt for the past decade. But her plan to wean her father and orphaned niece off their dependence on her is scuttled when her niece and boyfriend flee Sydney for Malta. Lela suspects her autocratic father of provoking the flight. Lela’s desperate to reach the teenager before her father’s ultimatums blow another generation apart. Widowed, Australian international child-protection lawyer, Hamish McGregor accepts Giovanni Vella’s request to remain in Malta after a conference to search for Vella’s missing granddaughter. Hamish’s formidable reputation is built on putting the needs of the child first. He doubled down on his work after the revenge murder of his pregnant wife by a client’s husband, vowing never to get close enough to another woman for her to be a target. Lela doesn’t expect her father’s henchman to beat her to Malta. Hamish doesn’t expect the girl’s doting aunt to see him as the enemy. Reluctant partners, they navigate false leads and unexpected attraction. Can Lela balance her family’s demands with her love for Hamish? Can Hamish accept living life is all about taking risks? Find The Book: https://amzn.to/49UccdU Visit Jennifer’s Website: https://jenniferrainesauthor.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/95tBpZA3i1E Spotify: http://tinyurl.com/tdjkkybw About The Author: Jennifer Willcock grew up telling herself stories in the middle of the night to keep away the monsters that lurked in the dark. Once she realized there weren’t any real monsters, she kept telling stories.
A voracious reader, Jennifer reads many different genres, but she never outgrew young adult fiction. A degree in English Literature enabled her to keep her love affair with reading and writing alive. Besides being a mom to two sons, she is married to Mark, a pastor. She works part-time in the local library, where she’s inspired every day to write a book that will one day be on the shelves. The family’s pet dwarf rabbit, Whiskers, is her muse as he sits at her feet while she writes. Title: Weight of The Crown Genre: YA Fantasy Book Synopsis: He is the new king, but someone else wants the throne. Can he protect his kingdom and those he loves? No longer the playboy prince, King Teo is determined to be the ruler Wolf Kingdom needs. When a toxic plant found in the forest threatens the safety of the kingdom, he is desperate to find answers before someone dies. Stalked by his own anxieties and an unknown threat to his reign, the young king isn’t sure who is friend or foe and fears the worst is yet to come. Can Teo save himself as well as Wolf Kingdom, or will his paranoia turn him into his cruel, dictatorial father, destroying his world in the process? Weight of the Crown is the thrilling sequel to the YA fantasy Red Riding Hood retelling, Into the Forest. If you like brotherly bonding, love triangles, and fighting evil, then you’ll love Jennifer Willcock’s engrossing tale. Find The Book: https://amzn.to/3RlwHZE Visit Lisa’s Facebook Page: https://jenniferwillcock.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/4c5IP6xPjyg Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/34e5cvak
About The Author: Jessica K. Foster writes funny, heartfelt Young Adult Contemporary fiction with a dash of romance. She is a middle school Language Arts teacher with a penchant for hot tea and romantic beach reads. Jessica lives in West Michigan with her husband, two boys, and their ragtag crew of rescue animals. Find her at jessicakfoster.com where all her socials are also linked.
Title: Andy and the Extroverts Genre: YA Romance Book Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old bookish Andy has no friends. When her over-involved mother has the audacity to ship her off to summer leadership camp, she's thrust into an introvert's nightmare. Everyone is a Communicator with a capital C, icebreaker activities are scheduled into every waking moment, and horror of all horrors: there's no coffee. Even the girls who take her under their wing are the kind of self-assured people Andy could never dream of becoming. Then she meets Lucas—hot, attentive, and everything Andy reads about in her books. Though the girls in her cottage try to warn her about him, she's swept into the first romance of her life. But when she discovers her friends may be right, she'll have to find her inner confidence to save her summer and become the leader she was always meant to be. Find The Book: https://amzn.to/40a0CGY Visit Jessica K. Foster’s website page: www.jessicakfoster.com YouTube: https://youtu.be/r57U4vJp07s Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/47x2x9jx About The Author: Inspired by the laugh-out-loud and fanciful aspects of cozies, Kathryn Mykel aims to write lighthearted, humorous mysteries that play on her passion for the craft of quilting. She’s an avid quilter, born and raised in a small New England town.
Title: Sewing Suspicion Genre: Cozy Mystery Book Synopsis: Secrets and a patchwork of lies. Can Alex string together the truth before her life unravels? Alex Bailey’s heart feels threadbare. Struggling with the dubious practices of her NYC law firm, she’s left her high-profile career and is eager to clear her conscience with a trip home to care for the woman who raised her. But when an ill fate befalls the quilting matriarch, the shocked lawyer suspects someone is covering up murder. Unpicking the strands of her beloved grandmother’s life, Alex patches together clues that prove her loved one’s death was no accident. And when the practice’s stained history weaves into the culprit’s devious handiwork, she’ll need to stay alive long enough to expose a heartless killer. Can Alex get to the bottom of a sinister pattern before she ends up buried in a flower garden? Find The Book: https://amzn.to/3FIqxwg Visit Kathryn Mykel’s website page: https://authorkathrynmykel.com/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/XmKGOSuVYV8 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/swfc3zdd |
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