A New Book Release and First Book is an Award Finalist
June 12, 2025 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Denise M. Colby, finalist, new releaseI wanted to share my exciting book news – a book release AND an award final announcement! My first book become an award finalist and my second book released, all while on our three-week trip abroad (I will write another post about all the great research I did).
2025 ACFW Award Finalist
My debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist in the debut category. It is such an honor to be recognized in this way.
I was so surprised. In fact we were at Disneyland, Paris when I started receiving texts early in the AM (think nine hours ahead). I might’ve made a few incoherant sounds as I reached for my laptop to find the website page and confirm before I said something to my family. Sure enough, my book was listed. I think I walked around the parks in a daze that day. As I said, such an honor. Winners will be announced at the ACFW conference gala on September 6.
A New Book Release
My second book, A Slight Change of Plans, released May 27th. About midway through our trip. In fact, I was going through the final proof on the plane to London.
Which meant I didn’t have a book in hand with me on my trip. Instead I printed out the cover and glued it to cardstock and carried it around with me taking pictures against major landmarks.
It was my little way to celebrate the release of my book and be able to create this graphic for launch day, announcing it was released to the world.
I took way more than what could fit on one graphic, so I thought I’d share them here. See if you can guess some of the places I visited. Once the book released, I stopped (and kindof wished I hadn’t).
Celebrating both a Book Release and becoming an Award Finalist
I was staying present for our trip, except to respond to all the well wishes on both announcements.
On release day it rained as we walked to find a coffee shop and breakfast. This is the one picture of me and the book cover that day. I was a little wet and tired (we had walked and walked and walked every day). But still celebrating. A Slight Change of Plans made it to the 7th spot in one of the new release categories on Amazon, and has received many lovely reviews.
This week A Slight Change of Plans is on a blog tour. Click on the link to check out all the interviews, excerpts, and reviews being highlighted this week.
It’s been an exciting month having a book release and become an award finalist. Thank you everyone for your support. I’m so happy to see readers enjoying the story and feeling encouraged. I love to write stories full of faith, hope, and love. If you are interested in learning what inspired and influenced my stories, I wrote this blog post a few months back about it.
0 0 Read moreTo L.A. With Love Release Day
June 10, 2025 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Featured Author of the Month, Spotlight tagged as Charity Anthology, Ebook, new release, The Widow Next Door, to L.A. with love
❤️❤️ Get Your Copy Now ❤️❤️
To L.A. With Love is live June 10, 2025!
I can’t wait for you to read The Widow Next Door, Ellie Raynes’ and Neill Yates’ meet cute. The Widow Next Door is one of about 100 short stories in this charity anthology raising money for the Los Angeles and Altadena Public Libraries.
❤️❤️Buy Buttons ❤️❤️
_____________________________________
B L U R B
When wildfires destroyed two beloved Los Angeles public libraries in January 2025, the romance community answered with heart.
In To L.A. With Love, 100+ local and international authors and poets weave tales filled with sexy contemporary passion, dreamy historical romance, and spellbinding magical encounters. From the sweetest kiss to steam between the sheets, these tales remind us why we fall in love with books—because like libraries, they offer refuge, inspire dreams, and bring people together.
This anthology celebrates the power of romance, and all proceeds from To L.A. With Love support the restoration of the Altadena and Pacific Palisades libraries, proving that love stories can heal more than fictional broken hearts—they can rebuild community.
Thank you to Kate Farlow for designing AND donating our gorgeous cover!
❤️❤️ Pick up your copy today, and join us in writing a new chapter for Los Angeles. ❤️❤️
❤️❤️Buy Buttons ❤️❤️
Featuring stories by:
Aarti V Raman, USA Today Bestselling Author
Alexa Santi
Alexis Roark, USA Today Bestselling Author
Alice Duncan
Aliza Mann
Allie Lasky
Amanda Richardson
Amy Award, USA Today Bestselling Author
Amy J. Hawthorn
Andrea Johnston
Anna Quinn
Anne Barwell
Arell Rivers, USA Today Bestselling Author
Aria R. Blue
Arianna Quinn
Ashley Erin
Ashley Olivier
B. Ryan
C.B. Noy
C.G. Burnette
Caitlin Loggins
Cecilia Rene
Christina Alexandra
Christine Ashworth, USA Today Bestselling Author
CJ Warrant
Claire Davon, USA Today Bestselling Author
Claire Marti, USA Today Bestselling Author
Crystal Perkins
Cynthia Diamond
Dee Lagasse
Jennifer Worrell
DL Gallie
Ella Braeme
Ellena Espejo
Gemma Snow
Gwen Galloway
Heather C. Myers
Heather Scarlett
HL Miller
J. M. Zuniga
J.C. Hannigan
J.l. Perry
JCC Downing
Jeannie Choe
Jeannine Colette
Jodi Chow
Juliet Gauvin
Karen Grey
Katherine Moore, USA Today Bestselling Author
Katrina Marie
Kelly A. Varner
Kelly Violet
Kennedy L. Mitchell
Khushi T. Saha
KL Hill
Kristen Elizabeth
Leesa Bow
Lena Cove
Libby Waterford
Lisa Rayne
Lyra Parish
M. Solis
Marianne H Donley
Marilyn Throne
Michelle Mars
Milly Gray
Monica Ross
Monique Stokes
N.J. Ember
Nanxi We
Natalie Tay
Nicole Sanchez
Nikki Prince, International Bestselling Author
Olivia Huxley
Pamela DuMond, USA Today Bestselling Author
R. Snow
R.L. Merrill
Rae Shawn
Ren Alexander
Rhian Cahill
Rose Bak, USA Today Bestselling Author
Roxie Noir
Samantha Shaye
Shana Gray
Shannon Myers
Shelley Kassian
Simran
SL Hannah
Sorcha Mowbray
Stephanie J. Scott
Stephanie Marie Whitson
Susannah Erwin
Tessa McFionn
Theresa Lambe
Tiffany Carby
Tori Mitchell
Tracy Reed
V. Walker
Vi Summers, International Bestselling Author
Victoria Ellis
❤️❤️Today June 10, 2025 is the ebook Release Day❤️❤️
New Release: Fifteen Keys by Peter J Barbour
June 3, 2025 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Spotlight tagged as action-adventure, adventure, becoming an adult, coming of age, ethics, family values, fantasy, Fifteen Keys, journey, Life Lessons, middle grade, Mussar, new release, odyssey, Peter J Barbour, quest, right of passage, self-reliance, survival, Travel, virtues
Fifteen Keys
Written and Illustrated
by
Peter J Barbour
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-954675-06-3
Print ISBN: 978-1-954675-05-6
Blub
In the year 1890, from a remote village in the Pacific Northwest, three teen-aged boys undertake a challenge, a rite of passage, to find fifteen “keys” that will help them grow into responsible adults and enable them to return home to become leaders in their community. They face challenging terrain, untamed wilderness, hostile weather, and a host of odd characters, any of which might delay or defeat them in their quest. But each experience has a lesson to teach the boys—a key to their development as young men.
Meanwhile, their cousins, too young to join them on their journey, wait at home, caring for their livestock, learning lessons of their own, and hoping they will see their kindred again. Will the boys be able to surmount their obstacles and return home, or will the dangers they face get the better of them, forever separating them from their families and the community they hoped to serve?
Fifteen Keys is an action-adventure fantasy for middle grade and young teens.
Amazon listed Fifteen Keys as the #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult 19th Century Historical Fiction eBooks.
More Praise for Fifteen Keys
Set in the Northwest at an earlier time than today, the book, so well written, presents a totally original story, and it is filled with life lessons, well told and well taught.
It is a book to be read by each of us, and more importantly it will be a wondrous read for our children and grandchildren, at just the age when they begin to face these ethical concerns in their own lives.
Fifteen Keys, even more than a great read, helps kids grow up more comfortably with their ethics sharpened.
~ Rabbi BergMiddle school students and young adults will immediately be hooked on this page-turner. This spiritual discovery reminiscent of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, teaches patience, faith, humbleness, and maintaining equanimity, just to name a few. It is a must read for young people facing the challenges of daily life today.
~Stephanie Szilagyi, MEd Reading SpecialistFifteen Keys is an exciting, engaging adventure story about three teenage boys in the Pacific Northwest in the late 19th century. As the reader anxiously follows their experiences, the author seamlessly weaves valuable life lessons into the tale.
~Carol Marin, BA, MA History, high school teacher
The author’s skill in describing the beauty of the mountains, forests, plains, and waterways as well as the challenging weather conditions of the Pacific Northwest, puts the reader directly into the action. Highly recommended.
~John P. Linehan, retired high school teacher
About the author
Neurologist Peter J Barbour, M.D., retired his reflex hammer to become a full-time writer and illustrator. His works include a memoir, Loose Ends, three illustrated children’s books: Gus at Work, Oscar and Gus, and Tanya and the Baby Elephant, and over forty short stories that have appeared in e-journals and magazines. One of them, “The Fate of Dicky Paponovitch,” earned him “Raconteur of the Month” from Susan Carol Publishing Company. He belongs to the Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). He lives in Oregon with his photographer wife. They enjoy traveling and the outdoors. He is actively involved in Mussar, an ancient study of Jewish ethics, virtues, and mindfulness leading to character development. He participates in the process as a group facilitator and brings Mussar’s timeless wisdom to the writing of FIFTEEN KEYS.
Welcome to My Book Birthday Celebration!
May 12, 2025 by Denise M. Colby in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as Book Birthday, Denise M. Colby, new releaseThis month, I’m having a book birthday celebration as my second book, A Slight Change of Plans releases on May 27, 2025. This is book 2 in my Best-laid Plans series.
I’m excited to share Jenny and Ren’s story with everyone. Out of the five teachers coming west, Jenny is the most insecure. She didn’t have a lot of love and affection growing up and hoped this new start would change all that. But the book starts with her school shutting down and she has no other options, so she heads to Washton, where Olivia is (the heroine in book 1, When Plans Go Awry).
You’ll meet Ren, and see familiar characters from book one including the rooster, Bert.
I’ve been busy putting together tidbits and information related to this story to share with everyone on my website, blog, and social media. Sign up for my newsletter to follow along.
Book Launch Activities
This time around I’m doing a blog tour through JustReadTours June 9-13
I’ve also created some of my own graphics to share
My son added on to the original map of Washton to show the parts mentioned in the story. This rests in the front of the book matter (and hopefully soon on my website)
My husband had designed the journal notebook for the first book, and so I asked him to do something for this one as well. This is what he came up with.
Other Book Launch Things
I recently was interviewed on Awesomegang.com, and have new listings of A Slight Change of Plans on all major platforms.
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231221127-a-slight-change-of-plans
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/a-slight-change-of-plans-best-laid-plans-book-2-by-denise-m-colby
AllAuthor: https://allauthor.com/book/97529/a-slight-change-of-plans-best-laid-plans-book-2/
fictionfinder: https://www.fictionfinder.com/book/detail/10961
As most of you know, it’s a lot of work to organize a book launch, yet so rewarding after spending so much time writing, editing, and marketing this story. And I get to do it again in six months when the prequel releases in November.
Earlier this year, I wrote a blog post sharing which books inspire my writing. I also pick a word every year to focus on. This year it is Flourish.
Thanks for following along in this journey with me!
0 0 Read moreGREEN PROMISES: GIRLS WHO LOVED THE EARTH by JEANNINE ATKINS—A REVIEW BY VERONICA JORGE
April 22, 2025 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as Green Promises, Jeannine Atkins, new release, review, Veronica Jorge
GREEN PROMISES: GIRLS WHO LOVED THE EARTH
JEANNINE ATKINS
Atheneum Books For Young Readers
2025
ISBN 978-1-6659-50572
I can’t think of a better way to welcome Spring and celebrate Earth Day than with a new book, especially one about nature and the earth, and following after Women’s History Month.
In Green Promises: Girls Who Loved the Earth, Jeannine Atkins delves into the lives and achievements of two extraordinary women who made significant discoveries and important contributions to our knowledge of nature and the Earth.
Like many young people of her time, (Mary) Agnes Chase, (1869-1963), left school in eighth grade to help support her family. But it was her skill at drawing plants that distinguished her and earned her a position at the Smithsonian Institution. Agnes published more than seventy scientific works, and went on to become the first woman president of the Botanical Society Of America.
Marguerite Thomas Williams (1895-1991), focused on the way rivers shape the land and the ways that people shape the rivers. She discovered that floods happen when rivers try to be where they belong but their space has been taken. Yet we can change the course of a river by planting more trees and grasses with roots that hold the earth. Those same tree roots serve to filter the water and hold the riverbanks in place. “Like memory, the river moves forward while trying to hold where it came from.” Marguerite became the first African-American to earn a PhD in geology.
The book, written in verse, with informative and lyrical language invites us to take a closer look at the natural world around us.
Pick up a rock and examine it. Rocks hold clues to changes in climate and have stories to tell.
Take a walk and feel the earth beneath your feet, accepting that “land matters because everyone needs a place to stand.”
“History is like a river. No one can see it all at once.” Though you might not feel it, the Earth is turning while no one is watching. So, every day, every moment, keep looking. You don’t want to miss the wonder!
While you may not like math or science, this book may persuade you to interact with them and give them a chance to tell their stories. Let math show you the beauty of building connections that take you beyond numbers. And science, as Marguerite says, “is a quiet way to love the world.”
Jeannine Atkins is the author of numerous critically acclaimed books for young readers, though adults will enjoy them as well. Some of her other titles include: Girls Who Looked Under Rocks: The Lives of Six Pioneering Naturalists; Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science; Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math; Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis.
Inspiring books to read and to give as gifts, I hope you will pick a few. You won’t be disappointed.
See you next time on May 22nd!
Veronica Jorge
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