Gilead Publishing; 270 pages; Buy Link; Blog Tour

Now available from Gilead Publishing is the Amish-romance Seeds of Hope, book one in the Harvest of Hope Series, by Barbara Cameron.

The novel centers on an Amish woman named Miriam Troyer, who receives a blast from the past when her childhood crush, Mark, returns to the Amish community.

Mark isn't Amish, but instead he was raised an Englischer, but spent his summers on his grandfather's farm in Paradise, Pennsylvania. After losing his job as lawyer, he finds himself traveling back to Paradise to help his family's farm with the harvest, which is more of a way for him to distract his mind of his recent failures. He keeps telling himself that's he's only just visiting and not planning on staying, well, that is until he meets and old friend - Miriam.

Author Carol DeMent has taken time out of her busy schedule to talk about her book Saving Nary, which is now available on Amazon!





When did you become interested in storytelling?

I always like to write things down but storytelling didn’t really occur to me until I felt the urge to tell a particular story, that of the refugees who survived the Cambodian genocide.

What was your first book/story published?

“Savng Nary” is my first full-length novel. I’ve had a few articles and stories published in professional journals and cycling newspapers here and there over the last twenty years.

What inspired you to write “Saving Nary”?

In the late 1980’s I was working at a refugee center non-profit in Olympia, Washington, helping to resettle refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. This was right after I had come from two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand, so I was very familiar with the cultures and the issues the refugees had lived through and were now facing. Their stories were heartbreaking and planted the seeds for the book I would later write.

What character in "Saving Nary" is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

I would say Gail is most like me because we both taught English to refugees and had a “hook” that enabled us to move quickly and more deeply into friendship with our students. For me, it was having lived in SE Asia; for Gail, it was her handicap and how matter-of-factly the Cambodians accepted her – without pity or embarrassment. Also, we both have a bit of the rebel in us!

What is your favorite part in "Saving Nary"?

Well, my initial try at answering this question gave away a major plot point, so I am going to be a little vague here. But I love the party scene, where the protagonist, Khath, sees a photo of a person he believes may have been Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. The ensuing chaos destroys a perfectly wonderful celebration and pulls the plot into darker territory. And just when things were starting to go so well for our protagonist!!

What was the hardest part to write?

Brick siding is a nice-looking choice generally as it is deliberated to last a lifetime. This together with its elegant, rustic, and attractive aesthetic have many homeowners coming back to brick exterior siding. You can find buildings and houses around 100 years ago with the brick siding still in good form.

Brick siding originates in regular brick masonry (solid brick) plus as brick veneer which is a completed exterior that assembles on the house as contrasting to solid brick that holds up the house! Brick veneer is typically a thinner coat on the exterior of the home like old-style siding. Below are the cons and pros of brick siding:

• Brick can effortlessly last a lifetime, 100 plus years, with just a over-all wash every now and then.
• Brick siding is extremely fire resilient.
• No wood ants  or termites will be recovered inside of brick siding.
• Brick never requires to be finished or repainted, weathers gorgeously, and will not decay or fade.
• Since it’s durable, termite proof, and fire resistant, home insurance is generally lower for brick siding homes permitting you to recuperate your investment faster.

• Brick siding is certainly one of the more costly choices for siding, fluctuating from $10 – $15 per square foot.
• Color option is set once you choose on the kind of brick, no renovating allowed.
• Ultimately the mortar joints can depreciate and require to be substituted.
• Long fitting period if you are getting the job done by yourself.

Author Kimberly Love has taken a few minutes out of her busy schedule to talk her new book "You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine."




When did you become interested in storytelling?

Probably around the time that I was 18 or 19, so a good almost 20 years ago. I always had stories to tell, but I didn’t know how to tell them. I slowly got interested in how to write a book, though I’ve been reading my whole life.

What was your first book/story published?

I wrote a romance novel in 2009, and it wasn’t my best work I have to admit. Mainly because it wasn’t the genre I should have been in. I published You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine almost ten years later and I’ve grown so much as a writer, that I have to say that it’s certainly a far superior book.

What inspired you to write You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine?

I guess changing my life is what inspired me to write, You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine. I had gone through some pretty horrendous things in my life, things that I talk about in the book. I could have let those things, like abuse, haunt me but instead, I accepted the fact that it made me the person I am today and to acknowledge that I didn’t deserve those things. I’ve moved on and now I’m just hoping to help others to get rid of their demons.

What character in You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine is the most/least like you, and in what ways?

It’s a memoir, so it’s all like me.😀

What is your favorite part in You Taste Like Whiskey and Sunshine?

I love the chapter title: Dating is Cool, But Have You Ever Tried Stuffed Crust Pizza! It’s a hilarious take on the ups and downs of dating in today’s society!

What was the hardest part to write?

I experienced familial emotional abuse from an older sister while I was growing up. It certainly impacted a huge part of my life. I’ve moved on from those experiences but digging it all up again was by no means an easy ordeal. I prefer my demons tucked away nicely in a locked closet.

What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

I can’t imagine being anything else but an author. But if I had to choose something else, it would have to be something in the world of an entrepreneur. I do not function in a 9-5 atmosphere. I need to have flexibility and freedom.

Do you read reviews of your books? If so, do you pay any attention to them, or let them influence your writing?

One thing I love doing in my book is putting in different foods that would have been popular in the time and setting in which I’m writing. Montana is filled with huckleberries, cherries, and asparagus. So I must confess that these often make appearances in my books. In book 2 of the Montana Mountain Romance series, WILD PASSION, the heroine is a camp cook.

I once had a friend ask me if huckleberries were real. She thought it was nothing more than a famous phrase uttered by the ever so sexy Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in Tombstone. But what does “I’m your huckleberry” or “I’ll be your huckleberry” mean? According to urban dictionary, it was a popular nineteenth century slang phrase meaning “I’m the man you’re looking for.” It’s such fun phrase that it has become a popular answer in my own family (as my husband is a huge Tombstone fan…both the movie and the actual town).

But I digress.

Huckleberries are one of the most delicious berries I have ever tasted, and they are a Montana staple. Many Montanan’s wait all year for huckleberry season so they can go up to the mountain slopes and pick gallons upon gallons of berries. Jam, syrup, honey, even huckleberry pies and shakes are a popular guilty pleasure in the Big Sky State.

I am currently working on putting together a free downloadable cookbook which will feature recipes featured in all three Montana Mountain Romance books. For you, I’m going to give you a preview of one of my favorite Wild Passion recipes. And guess what…it’s huckleberry. 

 

The half-shell heroes go full throttle on their final missions!

First, the turtles clash with some classic movie monsters before traveling to another dimension and allying themselves with the great rabbit samurai Miyamoto Usagi. And in a post-apocalyptic feature, a battle-worn Raphael and Donatello must fight their way through a mutant wasteland in order to reunite with their long-lost brothers. Plus, old enemies return for a shocking rumble in a special double episode!

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Illumination, the studio that brought you Sing, The Secret Life of Pets and the Despicable Me franchise, continues the adventures of Gru and his family in Despicable Me 3. After he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to take down Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker, “South Park,” Team America: World Police), the latest evil mastermind to threaten humanity, Gru finds himself in the midst of a major identity crisis. But when a mysterious stranger shows up to inform Gru that he has a long-lost twin brother — a brother who desperately wishes to follow in his twin’s despicable footsteps — the former super-villain rediscovers just how good it feels to be bad.

Academy Award® nominee Steve Carell (Foxcatcher) reprises his hilarious role as reformed criminal mastermind Gru, as well as his newly discovered twin, Dru. The all-star voice cast also features Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids, Despicable Me 2), Miranda Cosgrove (Despicable Me 1 & 2, School of Rock), Steve Coogan (The Secret Life of Pets, Philomena), Jenny Slate (Zootopia, The Secret Life of Pets), Dana Gaier (Despicable Me 1 & 2) and legendary singer and actress Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins).

• All-New Mini Movie — The Secret Life of Kyle 
• Minion Moments — Watch the Minions cause more hilarious mayhem with Gru.
• Deleted Scene — With intro by Dana Gaier, the voice of Edith
• Character Profiles — The inside scoop on the most popular characters, from the actors who play them. 
• The Making of Despicable Me 3 — A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie. 
• Developing Dru — Behind the scenes character development of Dru. 
• The AVL Files — Through the lens of the Anti-Villain League’s hi-tech database, this ultra secret, interactive surveillance briefing showcases all of the agency’s amazing creations and top agents. 
• Freedonia Visitors Guide — Welcome to Freedonia! See all that the town has to offer with this interactive map. From its world class cheese, to its beautiful coastline, Freedonia has it all!
• Despicable Me TV — Tune in for some fabulous fun with these Despicable Me 3 infomercials. Includes “Balthazar Bratt Action Figure,” “Bad Boy Bod by Balthazar Bratt” and “Agnes’ Super Cute, Incredibly Amazing Toy Sale.”
• “Doowit” Sing-Along — Sing along with Pharrell Williams as the Minions plot their escape from prison.
• “Yellow Light” Music Video — Official music video by Pharrell Williams Minion Mugshots — The Minions add to the long list of celebrity mugshots in their very own “rogues gallery.”
• Wanted Posters — Have you seen these Minions wanted for various crimes?