Friday Finds for 08 July 2022 | Indie Authors, Author News, New Books, Summer Recipes, Pin Loom news, & a Blog Roundup
Hello, my friends & welcome to the Friday Finds for 08 July 2022!
I hope all my US readers enjoyed a nice holiday weekend. I spent most of my time unplugged and visiting with family, friends, and catching up on my NetGalley reading. I also made a good bit of progress on my BBNYA excerpts for round one.
I took a day off to go with the grandkids to lunch and watch Minions: The Rise of Gru at the imax theater. It’s a funny movie and the soundtrack was great. We sang all the way home. Have you seen the movie? It’s a hoot!
I’ve been playing catch-up all week, but I’m getting there. As I’m writing this post on Thursday afternoon, we still haven’t had any rain, it’s raining NOW and the garden, flowers, fruit trees, and pool are quite thankful. Who says rain dances don’t work!
So what’s new in your world this week? Want to chat about anything? Leave a comment below to get started.
Peace & Love
Amazon Prime Day is almost here (July 12 & 13). I’m putting together a couple of guides to help you find the best deals!
Friday Finds | 08 July 2022 | Author News
Do you have a new book releasing soon, a special promotion coming up, or any other news of your author-life I can share with my readers?
In the reported book and author news this week…
Alex Austin reports that his latest novel, End Man, has been acquired by Cursed Dragon Ship Publishing and will be released in October 2022. I’ll be reviewing it in the near future. I can’t wait, it sounds fascinating.
Janie Emaus has a new adult fiction novel, The Time-Traveling Matchmaker, releasing later this July! My review is scheduled for August.
You have about 1 more week to enter this drawing! I highly recommend this tale! Two print ARCs of my thriller “Whatever Happened to Cathy Martin” will be available as Goodreads Giveaways from July 1-17, 2022: “Kathy Reichs meets Sherlock Holmes in this gothic Midwest thriller set in southern Indiana in 1978 that seeks to unravel a deadly tangled web of lies surrounding three former high school friends, one of whom has been missing for over a decade … but which one? And why?” Thanks so much for the opportunity to include it in your author announcements ~ Mim Eichmann
Would you like to be featured as my Author/Blogger of the Week? Please drop me a comment below to let me know. That’s all it takes! (hint…hint… if you are a blog subscriber, newsletter subscriber, or patron, you will get a bump up on the signup list)
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Friday Finds | 08 July 2022 | Book Finds
These are a few of the books that caught my eye this week. Have you read them, would you like to?
It’s not often you find a book suitable for ALL ages. This looks like one.
Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury
A thought-provoking journey of companionship, courage, tenderness, and tea.
Big Panda and Tiny Dragon embark on a journey through the seasons of the year together. They get lost, as many of us do. But while lost, they discover many beautiful sights they’d never have found had they gone the right way. Told through a series of beautiful drawings and quiet, sometimes silly, conversations, the panda and the dragon explore the thoughts and emotions, hardships, and happiness that connect us all. In nature, they learn how to live in the moment, how to be at peace with uncertainty, and how to find the strength to overcome life’s obstacles together.
Inspired by Buddhist philosophy and spirituality, British author and artist James Norbury created the adventures of Big Panda and Tiny Dragon to share ideas that have helped him through difficult times. The book’s series of vignettes can be read cover to cover or dipped into whenever inspiration is needed. James hopes the book’s words and images will inspire others to pause, enjoy the stillness, and look at life in a positive new way.
WORDS OF WISDOM: The seemingly simple, and often silly, conversations between Big Panda and Tiny Dragon reveal meaningful insights on friendship, inner wisdom, and self-acceptance.
INSPIRING IMAGES: Depicted in bold brush strokes reminiscent of calligraphy, big, fluffy Panda and tiny, wiry Dragon journey through rolling hills, wooded forests, and blooming meadows in more than 120 elegant black-and-white and full-color scenes.
FOR READERS OF ALL AGES: From youngsters at storytime to new graduates with the world ahead of them to adults in moments of challenge or transition, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon offer comfort, inspiration, and a wry smile for every reader.
WORK OF ART: Featuring a beautiful cover and a collection of stunning illustrations, each one more beautiful than the next, every page in this book is worthy of framing.
HEARTFELT GIFT: Full of wisdom and touching humor, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon makes a thoughtful gift to be treasured.
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I have an interview with Janie Emaus soon in conjunction with my August 9th review of her newest novel “The Time-Traveling Matchmaker” to be released July 25th, 2022 from The Wild Rose Press.
Latkes for Santa Claus by Janie Emaus
To: Santa
From: Anna
My new dad and stepbrother celebrate Christmas, so you’re coming to my house for the very first time. And I think you must be REALLY tired of cookies. I’m going to leave you the best Santa treat ever.
Anna is excited that Santa will be visiting her house for the first time, and she wants to leave Santa a treat that blends the holidays her new family celebrates: Christmas and Hanukkah.
She expresses this idea to her stepbrother, Michael, who insists that Santa doesn’t need anything but his sugar cookies. Anna imagines Santa has to be bored with cookies by now and is determined to find a Jewish recipe that he’ll enjoy. The catch? It has to be something easy for Santa to grab and go.
It can’t be matzo ball soup—soup in a sleigh with galloping reindeer will never do.
It can’t be noodle kugel—imagine that by the handful. What a mess!
And as certain as Anna is that Santa would devour tzimmes, she knows he just doesn’t have the time to sit and enjoy a hearty stew on Christmas Eve.
Anna retreats to her thinking corner to figure out the perfect finger food for Santa, not wanting to disappoint him on his very first visit to her house.
In this humorous and endearing picture book, blending both Christmas and Hannukah, a little girl and her stepbrother compete to leave Santa the best treats ever.
Latkes for Santa Claus concludes with Anna and Michael’s winning recipes, ready for children to replicate for Santa in their own kitchens.
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I think this one would be perfect to listen to while I’m weaving.
The Art of Vanishing: A Memoir of Wanderlust by Laura Smith
A young woman chafing at the confines of marriage confronts the high cost of craving freedom and adventure.
At 25, as her wedding date approached, Laura Smith began to feel trapped. Not by her fiancé, who shared her appetite for adventure, but by the unsettling idea that it was hard to be at once married and free.
Laura wanted her life to be different. She wanted her marriage to be different. And she found in the strangely captivating story of another restless young woman determined to live without constraints both an enticement and a challenge.
Barbara Newhall Follett was a free-spirited trailblazer who published her first novel at 11, enlisted as a deck hand on a boat bound for the South China seas at 15, and was one of the first women to hike the Appalachian Trail. Then in December 1939, when she was not much older than Laura, she walked out of her apartment on a quiet tree-lined street in Brookline, leaving behind a fraying marriage, and vanished without a trace. Obsessed by her story, Laura set off to find out what had happened.
The Art of Vanishing is a riveting mystery and a piercing exploration of marriage and convention that asks deep and uncomfortable questions: Why do we give up on our childhood dreams? Is marriage a golden noose? Must we find ourselves in the same row houses with Pottery Barn lamps telling our kids to behave? Searingly honest and written with a raw intensity, it will challenge you to rethink your most intimate decisions and may just upend your life.
Friday Finds | 08 July 2022 | Recipes
I love garden-fresh green beans! This recipe from Carlsbad Cravings sounds delicious.
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I have a son-in-law that loves Key Lime Pie. I think I’ll try this recipe from BrownedButterBlondie for his birthday/
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Friday Finds | 08 July 2022 | Creative Projects
What’s your current favorite creative outlet?
I finally ordered the pin looms from BluebonnetCrafters that I have been mooning over for ages. By the time I met my self-imposed rules allowing me to purchase them, they were sold out. You can bet I was quick to snap up my set when they were back in stock! Gabi van Tassell, the co-owner is one of my favorite pin loom weavers.
You can also expect to see my review of the latest Little Looms magazine very soon. The tie-in here is that the talented Gabi designed the Cathedral Window Blanket that is featured on the cover. My copy arrived today but I can’t open it until this post & email are DONE! Do you see a method to my productivity taking shape here?
There were lots more crafty links in the newsletter. Sign up today so you don’t miss a thing! The form is at the bottom of every page.
Friday Finds | 08 July 2022 | Gina’s Blog Roundup
If you missed one of my reviews in the past week, here’s an easy link to find them all, or click on the image & links below.
The Brighter the Light by Mary Ellen Taylor | 4.5 Star Book Review | #FamilySecrets #DualTimeLine
What would you like to see in next week’s Friday Finds?
Thanks for reading this week. Peace & Love!
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Didn’t see this until now, Gina (which probably is because I had not subscribed to your blog … that’s fixed) … thank you for the kind mention!
Green beans and key lime squares? YES! I’m on it.
And, for me, this had been a day for pandas, In a cute book and on the back of my husband’s horse. I wish there was a way I could attach a photo.
We are in need of rain here too. It was supposed to rain and then it didn’t. We’ll have to water the garden if it doesn’t rain soon.
The Minions movie sounds interesting. We always wait until it comes out on video. I’m too cheap, lol! My kids haven’t ever been to a movie theater. They can go when it’s their own money they are spending.
I have been working on my blog more recently while trying to ramp up efforts on my affiliates. I got a notice that I only have until the end of July to make a sale in the CJ affiliate website or they will deactivate my account. I get clicks but nobody buys. It’s so frustrating.
I hope you are having a great summer!
Stay cool and well!
I got that same notice from CJ. Like you, I’m getting tons of clicks but no purchases? I’m trying to thin my affiliates down to only take the time to use the ones that convert well.
I’m glad I’m not the only one then, but it’s such a shame. You’d think with all the clicks there would be at least one sale. At least we tried.
Hi Gina! I just found your fun blog thanks to the One Great Summer Read collab. I’m looking forward to exploring it more.
My 13yo really wants to go see the new Minions movie. I’m glad to hear it’s worth the watch!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
What is the one great summer read collab? Thanks!
Carol, from the Reading Ladies Book Club runs a summer blog collaboration where she invites 20 bloggers from around the world to share their 1 must read book for the year. This is my second year participating and I’m thrilled to be included amongst such inspiring bloggers.
Peace and love to you too! Those keylime bars look fabulous!