Guest Pam Hillman: Tigger, The Muffin Man, and Me

I’m so glad to have Pam Hillman guest on the blog, today. She has a story about people who have made an impact on her life through their smiles and friendly manner. It’s something I think we can all relate to. I know I can. Welcome, Pam!

Tigger bounced into the office, hand outstretched, an infectious grin on his face. “How are you today, Ms.Johnnie?” 

The receptionist couldn’t help but respond to his energetic step, his jovial manner, and his wide grin. He didn’t look like a Tigger. He was tall and lanky and middle-aged, and he was a cardboard box salesman. 

But he acted like a Tigger, and he brought a smile to the entire office as he peddled his wares. And over the years it became apparent that he wasn’t friendly and bouncy and interested in us just to sell boxes. No-siree! 

He genuinely cared about people. 

One time my husband had a life-threatening injury that kept him in the hospital for ten days. Tigger dropped by the office while I was out. He was so concerned for my husband (whom he had never met), that he got the number to the hospital and called to check on us. You don’t forget Tiggers like that. 

I haven’t seen Tigger in several years, but I will never forget him, and I’ll always think of him as Tigger, and when I do, I will smile. 

The Muffin Man was another one of our favorite salesmen. I dubbed him The Muffin Man because he brought us to-die-for muffins from The Beagle Bagel Café! 

Oh.My.Stars! 

They were the size of dinner plates and so moist, they just melted in your mouth. One would hold you all day…if you could manage to stop at just one. If The Muffin Man visited in the morning, forget lunch. I just skipped the healthy stuff altogether and ate a Beagle Bagel Café blueberry muffin with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee. Yum!

The Muffin Man shared pictures of his beautiful daughters, his latest hunting escapades, and his turkey calls and always asked about my boys. Eventually we got around the purpose of his visit, talking about stainless steel. 

Good men, good salesmen who took the time to get to know their customers, who sometimes came bearing gifts, and always came bearing smiles, the gift that keeps on giving. 

I haven’t seen Tigger or The Muffin Man in several years, but when something triggers a memory of one of them, I smile. 

~

 Pam is thrilled to announce the release of her second novel,

Claiming Mariah

 

In light of her father’s death, Mariah Malone sends a letter that will forever alter the lives of her family. When Slade Donovan, strong willed and eager for vengeance, shows up on her front porch, Mariah is not ready to hear his truths: her father’s farm, the only home she’s ever known, was bought with stolen gold. With Slade ready to collect his father’s rightful claim and force Mariah and her family out on the streets, Mariah must turn to God for guidance. Though Mr. Fredrick Cooper, a local landowner, promises to answer her financial woes if she agrees to be his bride, Mariah finds herself drawn instead to the angry young man demanding her home.

With the ranch now under Slade’s careful eye, he will unearth more than he ever imagined as a devious plot of thievery, betrayal and murder threatens more than the well-being of the ranch, endangering the lives of those who hold it dear. With days dwindling until the rest of the Donovan clan arrive to the Lazy M ranch, Mariah and Slade must rise above the resentment of their fathers and see their true feelings before greed alters their futures forever.

Breaking News!!!

Claiming Mariah will be

ON SALE for $1.99 February 10-16^th

Click here for links to your favorite etailer

>>>> Tyndale ebook Promos <<<<

 

Mark your calendars, put a string on your finger,

or a reminder on your iPhone, (you want me to call???)

but whatever you do,

don’t let this opportunity slip by.

 

To celebrate, Pam is giving away two eReaders

(choice of Kindle Wi-Fi, 6″ Display, or Nook Simple Touch)

Two Winners: One on facebook. One through Pam’s Newsletter.

Facebook Drawing for Kindle/Nook

Pam’s Newsletter

Registering both places is not required but will double your chances of winning. Also keep in mind that you will receive updates more often being connected on Facebook than through the newsletter. Just sayin’

Contest runs from January 1^st until March 31^st, 2013.

 

And….that’s not all! There will be prizes offered randomly throughout the tour.

Click here to View Current Giveaways!

 

PREVIOUS STOP ON TOUR:

February 8th: Blogging with Liz Tolsma

 

NEXT STOP ON TOUR:

February 12th: Blogging with Gail Pallotta

AND in Seekerville!

 

Click for a Complete List of Stops Along the Tour

 

www.pamhillman.com

Pam Hillman was born and raised on a dairy farm in Mississippi and spent her teenage years perched on the seat of a tractor raking hay. In those days, her daddy couldn’t afford two cab tractors with air conditioning and a radio, so Pam drove the Allis Chalmers 110. Even when her daddy asked her if she wanted to bale hay, she told him she didn’t mind raking. Raking hay doesn’t take much thought so Pam spent her time working on her tan and making up stories in her head. Now, that’s the kind of life every girl should dream of! Claiming Mariah is her second novel.

Thanks, Pam! I took advantage of the sale that started Sunday. The book sounds exciting and the cover is beautiful. Kudos to the designer for the latter!

Let’s discuss the Tiggers and Muffin Men (or Women) in your life. Where did you meet them? What made them special? What about them makes you smile even today?

I have received no compensation for this post and have no material connection with any product(s) mentioned. Embedded links are strictly for the convenience of my readers. Contests are the responsibility of the author and are not a part of this blog.

 

Historical Flavor: Bad Luck or an Act of God?

While looking for information on the website of the U. S. Department of the Treasury, I came across this little tidbit of history I found interesting.

On January 30 of 1835 an unemployed painter named Richard Lawrence tried to assassinate President Andrew Jackson. Standing before the capitol, in point-blank range of the president, the man’s pistol misfired. After a second pistol did the same, Jackson beat his attacker with his cane. He was furious and convinced the Whigs had tried to kill him. I read accounts that others in the party who assisted in Lawrence’s capture included Davy Crockett and Washington Irving. After claiming to be the centuries dead Richard III (and/or king of the United States, depending upon which account you follow), the man was institutionalized for the rest of his life.

The interesting part came in the 1930s when the Smithsonian test fired each weapon—both went off without a problem. It was estimated the odds of both pistols misfiring at the same time were 1 in 125,000.

Um, excuse me, but I think the odds were higher than that.

Have you heard this story or others like it before? What do you think—luck (good or bad) or intervention?

 

Trailer Tuesday: Short-Straw Bride

I think you’ll enjoy this trailer from Karen Witemeyer for her new novel Short-Straw Bride.

        

                  

No one steps on Archer land. Not if they value their life. But when Meredith Hayes overhears a lethal plot to burn the Archer brothers off their ranch, a twelve-year-old debt compels her to take the risk. Fourteen years of constant vigilance hardens a man. Yet when Travis Archer confronts a female trespasser with the same vivid blue eyes as the courageous young girl he once aided, he can’t bring himself to send her away. And when an act of sacrifice leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt send him riding to her rescue once again. Four brothers. Four straws. One bride. Despite the fact that Travis is no longer the gallant youth Meredith once dreamed about, she determines to stand by his side against the enemy that threatens them both. But will love ever be hers? Or will Travis always see her merely as a short-straw bride? 

            

Two-time RITA® Finalist and CBA bestselling author, Karen Witemeyer, writes historical romance fiction for Bethany House, believing that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.  

        

             

 

I have received no compensation for this post and have no material connection  with any product(s) mentioned. Embedded links are strictly for the convenience of my readers.

 

 

Review: Chameleon

BLURB:

Lady Victoria Grayson has always considered herself a keen observer of human behavior. After battling a chronic childhood illness that kept her homebound for years, she journeys to London determined to have the adventure of a lifetime.

Jaded by his wartime profession as a spy, Lord Witt understands, more than most, that everyone is not always who they pretend to be. He meets Victoria after the regent requests an investigation into the activities of her physician brother, Lord Ravensmoore.

Witt and Victoria become increasingly entangled in a plot targeting the lords of Parliament. Victoria is forced to question how well she knows those close to her while challenging Witt’s cynical nature and doubts about God. Together they must confront their pasts in order to solve a mystery that could devastate their future.

          

            

The mystery takes center stage in this romantic suspense. Danger brings together a somewhat cynical hero, who would rather be raising his horses than spying on a fellow gentleman, and an adventure-seeking heroine, the sister of that gentleman. Together they seek to discover the person responsible for horrific attacks on the lords of Parliament—attacks instigated by a human, but not carried out by one.

Victoria is a fresh face. She’s spunky. Naive. A little spoiled. And irresistable to Lord Witt. Jonathon Denning, aka Lord Witt, finds himself in the prickly position of being smitten with Victoria while risking the ire of the Prince Regent if his infatuation interferes with his duty.

Jillian Kent’s Chameleon, the second book in The Ravensmoore Chronicles is not your run-of-the-mill Regency novel. Yes, it ‘s filled with lords and ladies. Yes, they attend a ball with other members of the ton. Yes, there’s a romance. There are even scenes with “Prinny.” But this book delves deeper into the less romantic side of early nineteenth-century London.

The reader is immediately drawn into the setting of a mist-shrouded London park and what is discovered there. From then on, the story rolls like the wheels of a speeding coach and four through the townhomes of the ton and behind the walls of Bedlam.

Though it’s not a heavy tale, Ms. Kent takes us into the world of the mentally ill, someplace we don’t usually go in a novel about Regency England. While the culprit was not a total surprise, she did get me with the twist. Good job!

Bottom line: If you enjoy regency romances or if your favorite genre is mystery/suspense, Chameleon is well worth the read.

    

What book has held the boldest “Wow! I wasn’t expecting that!” ending for you?     

             

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from Realms with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

 

Review: A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee

Back cover copy:

Heaven’s Stolen His Heart

After witnessing the ravages of the Civil War, Travis Logan vowed to give up doctoring. But when fellow steamboat passenger Caleb Wharton collapses at his feet, Travis knows he must lend his aid. As the old man lies dying, he makes Travis promise to take care of his land and find Heaven. Travis can’t help but wonder what Heaven has to do with a real place, so he heads to Caleb’s farm to fulfill his promise.

Weeks of facing marauders and caring for her father’s home have finally taken their toll on Heaven Wharton. When an unknown young man charges the house, Heaven attempts to fire a warning shot but ends up shooting the man instead. Shocked, she and her sister, Angel, drag a semi-conscious Travis into the house and nurse him back to health.

As Travis and Heaven both struggle to control their destinies, will they learn that only a heart that follows God can ever find peace on earth?

            

                   

All Travis Logan, a reluctant doctor, wants is to raise horses. But what’s a man to do when someone offers him a Tennessee farm and heaven?

When Heaven Wharton’s ma drilled into her all the proprieties of being a lady in society, she should have included a lesson on the impropriety of shooting a stranger, even if it’s accidental.

This is how the hero and heroine in A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee meet. He tries to save her father’s life. She shoots him.

As lighthearted as that sounds, from the get-go, we’re drawn into the sad state of affairs in the Wharton cabin. The family of four who once lived a middle-class life in Nashville is now a family of two, one of whom is blind, living on a rundown farm in a backwoods community. Heaven tries hard to take care of her sister, but her mother focused on preparing her for life in society and not the practicalities of keeping a home. She becomes a worrywart whose overprotective tendancies irk her younger sister.

Travis is a likeable character who shows a great bit of patience in dealing with Heaven. He has his own worrisome issues to work through. Does he practice medicine or doesn’t he? Should he marry Heaven and, if he does, how can they have the same type of loving relationship his parents knew? And what does he do once the old beau shows up from the dead?

This is the second of Barbour’s “A Bride’s…” novels I have read and reviewed. (See my review of A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas here.) Okay, I’ll cut to the chase and say both have been pleasurable reads.

Diana Brandmeyer weaves humor through a serious story of worry over daily survival and drives home the point that we should, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

In A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee, she has set up a sequel to this book. At least, I hope she has since she spent a good bit of time and point-of-view on two other characters. If so, it will be interesting to read how she makes Jake Miles into a sympathetic and likeable character.

If you’re looking for a light read to take on vacation—one that sparks laughter and a few “oh,no” moments—then check out Diana Lesire Brandmeyer’s A Bride’s Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee.

Have you read any of the “A Bride’s…” novels from Barbour? Which one(s)? What did you like best about the book?

     

          

Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from Barbour with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.