Tag Archives: Olivia Newport

Guest Post — Olivia Newport, Author of In The Cradle Lies

29 Nov

Today concludes my month long 10 Year Blogiversary Celebration guest posts. Please welcome author Olivia Newport as she shares about her Tree of Life series, combining both contemporary and historical stories through the means of genealogy, and the blessings of life. Thanks, Olivia, for helping me celebrate!

The Light of Joy Along the Way by Olivia Newport

 “May you always find nourishment for your body at the table. 

May sustenance for your spirit rise and fill you with each dawn. 

And may life always feed you with the light of joy along the way.”

“That’s an Irish blessing if ever there was one,” Tucker said.

Tucker is a character from my book In the Cradle Lies, but he said essentially the same thing that my friend Len, from my class at the gym, said.

“Where did you find that?” Len wanted to know. “I’ve never seen that one before.”

Len is a faithful reader of my books, so I could gladly tell him that I’d written the blessing for the family history of an Irish character in the first book in the Tree of Life series (The Inn at Hidden Run), where Len first encountered it. I hope he’ll be just as pleased to see it again in In the Cradle Lies (November 1, 2019 release). 

We come to tables to eat food. It’s a place to set a plate or bowl and minimize dribbling onto our shirts. (Hey, I’m not saying I ever dribble. Okay. Maybe just all the time.) But around the table aren’t we also looking for other forms of sustenance? A few moments of respite? Connections with those close to us? New bonds with new friends? Encouragement that carries us through what comes next in our day?

In the Tree of Life series, Jillian and her Irish father, Nolan, open their hearts to people who need the light of joy along the way. In In the Cradle Lies, that someone is Tucker, who has arrived in the mountain town of Canyon Mines, Colorado, with a charming personality but some reckless habits that just don’t add up — including potentially bringing harm to himself. When Jillian puts her genealogy skills to work, and the story of Tucker’s grandfather and grandfather unfolds, new light sheds perspective on what has Tucker knotted up. 

Nolan’s family Irish blessing is one way to let Tucker know he doesn’t have to figure out life on his own. 

Recently I made some changes in my kitchen. I bought a table from Facebook Marketplace for next to nothing and painted it. The shape fits our space so much better than the old one, greatly improving the traffic flow in the room. I also took down a large wall hanging to make space for a painting a sister-in-law made for me. When a friend who has read both The Inn at Hidden Run and In the Cradle Lies saw the changes, she said, “Now you just need to put your blessing up.”

I hadn’t thought of it, but she may be right! Sustenance for both body and spirit, and hope for life, are what I want for everyone who visits my home — or my stories. 

Olivia Newport chases joy in Colorado at the foot of Pikes Peak where she enjoys life with her husband and nearby adult children. In the Cradle Lies is the second book in the Tree of Life series. The Inn at Hidden Run released in 2019. When I Meet You and What You Said to Me are forthcoming in 2020. Visit www.olivianewport.com and http://www.treeoflifefiction.com

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10 Year Blogiversary Celebration!

1 Nov

I can hardly believe it has been 10 years since I started blogging! 10 years of books, authors, bloggers, and all the bookish goodness I could find. November is going to be one long party! I have lined up some friends to help me celebrate with guest posts about their publishing journeys, books they love, the blogging life, and much, much more. See the schedule below.

 

Of course you can’t have a party without gifts, so I am gifting one of my readers a big box of books and bookish swag. The box includes nonfiction, a variety of fiction genres, and even a cookbook! Some of the books are brand new, others are ARCs, and some are gently read. To enter the giveaway, just leave me a comment. (Please US residents only.)

 

I have to give a big thank you to all those who have read my blog over the years. Your encouragement to me is very appreciated. I have loved every minute of the blogging journey, and I count you all as great fellow travelers. 

 

Guest Post Schedule

11/4  Sarah Sundin, author of Sunrise at Normandy series

11/5  Carrie Booth Schmidt, blogger, Reading Is My SuperPower

11/6  Rachel Dylan, author of the Atlanta Justice series

11/7  Amy Green, fiction publicist Bethany House Publishers

11/8  Heather Day Gilbert, author of Belinda Blake And The Snake in The Grass

11/11  Lindsey Bracket, author of The Bridge Between

11/13 Courtney Clark, blogger, The Green Mockingbird

11/15  Rachel McMillan, author of the Herringford And Watts Mysteries

11/18  Janet Ferguson, author of the Coastal Hearts series

11/20  Iola Goulton, blogger

11/22  Susie Finkbeiner, author of All Manner of Things

11/25  Kimberly Woodhouse, author Daughters of The Mayflower series

11/26  Carole Jarvis, blogger, The Power of Words

11/27  Rebecca Maney, reviewer, Inkwell Inspirations

11/28  Olivia Newport, author of the Tree of Life series

 

 

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Book Review + Giveaway! — The Inn at Hidden Run

23 May

About the Book

Inn at Hidden Run_COVERA Father-Daughter Genealogy Team Link Present to Past on Family Trees

Meri flunks out of medical school—and runs from her parents. Genealogist Jillian Parisi-Duffy’s digging traces the family long tradition of doctors to an ancestor saved during a yellow fever outbreak in Memphis in 1878. As Meri’s family closes in, Jillian gets the final puzzle pieces in place just in time for them all to learn the truth. The Inn at Hidden Run is the first book in the Tree of Life series. Readers will come back to backdrop of a lovely mountain town of Canyon Mines again and again to explore and celebrate unforgettable family stories that inspire them to connect with their own family histories and unique faith journeys.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Impressions:

The Inn at Hidden Run is a dual timeline novel that connects stories from the past with the present through a family tree. This first book in a series by Olivia Newport focuses on the modern day family interactions of Meri Davies. Long held expectations force her to run to the small, charming town of Canyon Mines, Colorado and the Inn at Hidden Run B&B. Her plight is soon discovered by the nosy inquisitive 😉 residents of the town. Nolan, a lawyer and father to Jillian, a genealogist, discover long lost family stories that help Meri discover who she is meant to be. I found myself really looking forward to the historical elements of this book — I loved learning about the Memphis Yellow Fever outbreak in the 1870s and the valiant efforts of volunteers to provide healing and comfort. A great fictional story line gave this glimpse into history a personal feel. The present day story that was the impetus for the historical thread fell a little flat with me. I found it hard to connect to the characters, especially Meri and her family. They just seemed way over the top in their actions and reactions. The premise of the book is good and I will probably read another in the series, mostly for the history and mystery.

A very quick read, The Inn at Hidden Run will appeal to those who like discovering more about family connections and the impact of the past on the present.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Celebrate Lit for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

About the Author

OliviaNewportOlivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

More from Olivia

Of Family Lines and Family Lore

I suppose it all started in a cemetery.

Once, while a group of relatives were visiting a cemetery, one of my cousins and I wandered off and looked at all sorts of graves, speculating about the names we read and the lives they represented. We were duly scolded both for separating from our families, which caused some consternation, and for being disrespectful—though I think the second accusation was a false one!

Just because we were young children didn’t mean we were disrespecting the dead. Quite the opposite. We were respecting lives long forgotten with our curiosity about who they were and what legacies they left.

These days a lot of people are interested in genealogy. Entire TV series spin around the theme, and DNA kits show up in Christmas stockings. Lost branches of family trees find the main trunk—sometimes with big surprises.

My new Tree of Life series is set in the backdrop of a lovely Colorado mountain town I hope you’ll want to visit often, where a father-daughter genealogy team link present to past on family trees and characters learn about who they are, where they come from, and their unique faith journeys as they discover their own Tree of Life.

It all starts with The Inn at Hidden Run. When Meri arrives in Canyon Mines because she wants to run away from her family, true answers come from understanding the past that generations have forgotten—the accounts from another time and place no longer handed down but that still form the backbone of the family’s story.

What’s the backbone of your family’s history? How is it shaping your own future?

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, May 18

The Avid Reader, May 18

The Power of Words, May 18

Daysong Reflections, May 19

Texas Book-aholic, May 19

Through the Fire Blogs, May 20

Lighthouse Academy, May 20

A Baker’s Perspective, May 21

To Everything A Season, May 21

Reflections From My Bookshelves, May 22

Pause for Tales, May 22

Hallie Reads, May 22

Bigreadersite, May 23

By The Book, May 23

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, May 23

All-of-a-kind Mom, May 24

Connect in Fiction, May 24

Maureen’s Musings, May 25

Seasons of Opportunities, May 25

Inklings and notions, May 25

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 26

Godly Book Reviews, May 27

janicesbookreviews, May 27

Retrospective Spines, May 28

Mary Hake, May 28

Quiet Quilter, May 29

A Reader’s Brain, May 29

Remembrancy, May 30

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 30

Just the Write Escape, May 31

Moments, May 31

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Inn at Hidden Run!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/e1c1/the-inn-at-hidden-run-celebration-tour-giveaway

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If You Liked The Gift of Christmas Past . . .

13 Dec

I usually recommend books for further reading at the end of each month. But because the book BTB read this month is a Christmas novella, I didn’t want you to miss out on any great Christmas-themed books. Here are a few books that I think you will like if you enjoyed Cindy and Erin Woodsmall’s The Gift of Christmas Past. Happy reading!

 

A Christmas Journey Home by Kathi Macias

During Isabella Alcantara’s seventh month of pregnancy, her parents and siblings are murdered in gang- and drug-related violence, simply because their home was targeted by mistake. Isabella knows she was spared only because she now lives in a different location, but she knows too that the same thing could easily happen to her and her husband, Francisco. When her grandfather offers to hire a coyote to bring them across the border to America, she agrees. But Francisco and Isabella are abandoned by the coyote and left to die. Francisco then valiantly sacrifices himself to get Isabella to safety. Homeless, nearly penniless, pregnant, and alone, Isabella determines to find a way to honor her promise to her beloved husband.

Living on one of the smaller spreads along the Arizona border, Miriam Nelson becomes furious with God and turns from her faith when her border patrol agent husband, David, is killed in a skirmish with drug smugglers. Though her mother and young son do their best to woo her back from the anger and bitterness that have overtaken her, they make little headway.

Two widows one driven by fear and a promise, the other by bitterness and revenge must make their journeys along different pathways, but with the same destination: a barn full of animals that stands waiting for them on Christmas Eve. Forced to face their personal demons, Isabella and Miriam soon discover a common yearning that will bind them together in a most miraculous way.

Colors of Christmas by Olivia Newport

 Christmas in Blue
In the wake of a personal loss deeper than anyone realizes, Angela plans to bypass as much of the season as possible and get through her duties as the church organist by going on autopilot. Instead, she finds herself in charge of the town’s celebration. After a mysterious young man arrives, townspeople suspect he is the reason that one set of plans after another disintegrate until little is left of their traditions. Yet Angela warms to Gabe because she suspects they share a secret—his real reason for coming to town. Even when all they have to work with is a garish supply of blue Christmas decorations, Gabe helps Angela discover the hidden beauty of hope.

Christmas in Gold
After eighty years, change is nothing new for Astrid. By the time she was twenty, she survived the destructive Nazi regime, caring for her family under brutal circumstances, moving to America, and losing her husband. At forty she was widowed again and left to build a new life with her children. Now, when she faces a move into an assisted living community and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves to stir up hope through tragedy one more time.

Remembering Christmas by Dan Walsh

Rick Denton lives his life on his terms. He works hard, plays hard, and answers to no one. So when his mother calls on Thanksgiving weekend begging him to come home after his stepfather has a stroke, Rick is more than a little reluctant. He’s never liked Art and resents the man’s presence in his life, despite the fact that his own father abandoned the family when Rick was just twelve. When what was supposed to be just a couple days helping out at the family bookstore turns into weeks of cashing out old ladies and running off the homeless man who keep hanging about, Rick’s attitude sours even more.

Still, slowly but surely, the little bookstore and its quirky patrons–as well as the lovely young woman who works at his side each day–work their magic on him, revealing to Rick the truth about his family, his own life, and the true meaning of Christmas. With skillful storytelling, Dan Walsh creates a Christmas story will have readers remembering every good and perfect gift of Christmas.

Unexpected Christmas Hero by Kathi Macias

Josie Meyers thinks she is living the American dream when she marries a nice, handsome man with a promising future. The dream quickly becomes a nightmare when Josie becomes a widow and must deal with the fallout of her husband’s decisions. She soon finds that she and her two small children are forced to live on the streets and in homeless shelters.

While the scenes surrounding Josie are dominated by Christmas decorations and carols, Josie finds herself struggling with the demands of caring for her two small children. She is forced to lean on the kindness and generosity of others. What she doesn’t know is that the influence of one homeless man in particular is about to change the course of her life and lead her home to the One who waits for her. He becomes her unexpected Christmas hero

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Book Review/Author Guest Post/Giveaway! — Colors of Christmas by Olivia Newport

26 Oct

About the Book

 

Name of book: Colors of Christmas

Author: Olivia Newport

Genre: Contemporary Christmas

Release Date: October 1, 2017

Christmas in Blue
Angela just wants Christmas to be over. Instead, she finds herself in charge of the town’s celebration, and everything goes from bad to worse. Can she rescue Christmas for the town—and herself?

Christmas in Gold
When eighty-year-old Astrid moves into an assisted living community and meets a young woman on the brink of despair, she resolves to stir up Christmas hope one more time.

Click here to purchase your copy.

My Impressions:

Generally the Christmas novellas I have read involve romance. And while a Christmas romance is a sweet treat, I really appreciated the unique stories that Olivia Newport shares in her 2-novella collection, Colors of Christmas. In both stories, Christmas in Gold and Christmas in Blue, the main characters are dealing with tough issues. Loneliness, grief, unwanted change, even an instance of a stalker, are topics not often developed in a holiday story, but for many people, Christmas just aggravates existing troubles and problems. I loved that the characters are ordinary people with struggles common to all. And the hope that God promises (and was fulfilled in the first Christmas) is shared with them and the reader. Both stories touched my heart. The well-thought out settings, the realistically portrayed characters, and the message of Christmas’ true meaning all provided a very satisfying read. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a heartwarming read for their holiday season.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to the publisher for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

About the Author

 

Olivia Newport’s novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. Her husband and twentysomething children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

Guest Post from Olivia Newport

We All Have a Story

I’m younger than most of the people I exercise with. It started when I had a lot of pain in my feet and needed low-impact classes with the option of sitting down and learned I didn’t have to be a senior citizen to take their classes at my gym. Then I discovered how tough most of them are. Years later, though my feet are better, these are still my people.

A couple of years ago, while we waited for the younger and allegedly-but-not-really-tougher crowd to clear out of the group exercise room so we could invade it, a woman I would not have guessed to be 80, because she could out-cardio and out-lift me any day of the week, mentioned she had been widowed since she was 39. And she’d been widowed the first time at 19. And she’d grown up in Germany while Hitler was intent on destroying Europe and life was not easy.

Then the changing of the guard happened and I was left with my mouth gaping. I knew I had to hear this story. The next week after class, we went across the parking lot to Culvers for lunch and I scribbled notes on the backs of a pile of brown napkins while Astrid talked. Later she let me read the account of her life that she had written herself.

Astrid faced so many tragic circumstances, but she would be the first to tell you that God was with her even before she knew how to call on him. Many people with her life story would have found plenty of reason to wallow and stagnate. But not Astrid. Truly she is one of the most hopeful people I know.

Her story was the beginning of Colors of Christmas, which includes two stories. Astrid’s is “Christmas in Gold,” and the other is “Christmas in Blue.” Astrid inspired me to write about hope for a time of year when the Christian message resounds with hope yet so many people struggle to grasp hope for themselves. I pray these stories will help many recover a sense of hope afresh.

Olivia Newport chases joy in Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

Blog Stops

Books N Baubles, October 17

Christian Bookaholic, October 17

Bukwurmzzz, October 17

Janices book reviews, October 18

Singing Librarian Books, October 18

Moments Dipped in Ink, October 18

A Simply Enchanted Life, October 19

G.O. & D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, October 19

Bigreadersite, October 19

Reader’s cozy corner, October 20

Have A Wonderful Day, October 20

Reflections from my bookshelves, October 20

Blogging With Carol, October 21

Just the Write Escape, October 21

Zerina Blossom’s Books, October 21

A Greater Yes, October 22

Mary Hake, October 22

Daysong Reflections, October 22

A Baker’s Perspective, October 23

Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 23

Baker Kella, October 23

Smiling Book Reviews, October 23

The Fizzy Pop Collection, October 24

It’s Storytime With Van Daniker, October 24

Remembrancy, October 24

Carpe Diem, October 25

autism mom, October 25

Bibliophile Reviews, October 25

A Reader’s Brain, October 26

By The Book, October 26

The Power of Words, October 26

With a Joyful Noise, October 27

Pause for Tales, October 27

Splashes of Joy, October 27

Jeanette’s Thoughts, October 28

Christian Chick’s Thoughts, October 28

Karen Sue Hadley, October 28

Reading Is My SuperPower, October 28

Vicky Sluiter, October 29

To Everything a Season, October 29

Pursuing Stacie, October 29

Just Jo’Anne, October 30

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 30

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Olivia is giving away a grand prize of a Christmas Bundle Bonanza which includes 7 Jumbo rolls of Christmas wrapping paper, 2 sets of stick-on gift tags, 2 packages of Christmas cards and envelopes, 2 collections of Christmas novellas — 18 stories in all, and a signed copy of Colors of Christmas!!

Click below to enter. Be sure to comment on this post before you enter to claim 9 extra entries! https://promosimple.com/ps/c319

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Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR List

19 Sep

Can you believe that in two days it will be Fall?! Here in middle Georgia the department stores are sporting Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas decor for sale, but the temperatures are hovering in the Summer-range, so Fall doesn’t seem that imminent. But what is imminent is my Fall TBR list (or pile!). The folks at The Broke And The Bookish are asking bloggers to share what they will be reading in the next few months, and I am always eager to oblige. I have a wide variety of reading ahead of me — historical, romance, contemporary, mystery/suspense, and interestingly enough, a couple of Christmas novels! So without further ado, my Fall TBR List!

Top Ten Books on My TBR List

The Case of The Clobbered Cad by Debra E. Marvin

Charming The Troublemaker by Pepper Basham

The Christmas Blessing by Melody Carlson

Christy by Catherine Marshall

Colors of Christmas by Olivia Newport

Deeds of Darkness by Mel Starr

How Sweet The Sound by Amy Sorrells 

Lydia by Diana Wallis Taylor

Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

Vanishing Point by Lisa Harris

What are you reading this Fall?

 

 

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Book Review: Hidden Falls: Ordinary Secrets (Episode 1)

16 Jan

Hidden-Falls-Ep1-262x400Thirty years of small-town secrets — now the key to the mystery is gone. The small town of Hidden Falls is abuzz. Former students, friends, and loved ones are prepping for tonight’s big event to honor Ted Quinn’s many years of compassionate service. Quinn is reluctant about a night in the spotlight–but is tenderly prodded by Sylvia, mayor of Hidden Falls and Quinn’s dearest friend and confidante. Ethan and Nicole won’t let the shadows of their pasts stop them from returning to Hidden Falls–but only for Quinn–no matter how much it hurts. Liam, a former student, and Jack, a town newcomer, are both hoping the night works toward their own gain–or, if they’ll admit it, their chance for redemption. Like Quinn, Dani and Lauren are mainstays in Hidden Falls. They keep close to home–and have secrets to keep close, too.

 

 

Olivia-NewportOlivia Newport’s novels twist through time to discover where faith and passions meet. Her husband and two adult children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

 

My Impressions:

Hidden Falls by Olivia Newport is a serialized novel with 13 episodes. Beginning January 24, you will be able to download the ebooks weekly for a total of 13 episodes (audiobook versions will also be available). While not a new concept (Charles Dickens’s works were serialized), this is certainly a new venture in today’s publishing world. Hidden Falls is a mystery novel, and this genre works well with serialization. In Ordinary Secrets the reader meets the main characters, and secrets and mysteries are introduced. Newport does a good job with the characters — we begin to see their personalities and motivations. And of course, the first installment leaves the reader wanting more. I am looking forward to each week’s visit to Hidden Falls.

Hidden Falls: Ordinary Secrets (Episode 1)
Hidden Falls: Losing Quinn (Episode 2)
Hidden Falls: A Town in Trouble (Episode 3)
Hidden Falls: Unexpected Hero (Episode 4)
Hidden Falls: The Mayor’s Quandary (Episode 5)
Hidden Falls: No Time for Answers (Episode 6)
Hidden Falls: Yesterday’s Promise (Episode 7)
Hidden Falls: All You Need to Know (Episode 8)
Hidden Falls: A Fair Refuge (Episode 9)
Hidden Falls: One Familiar Tune (Episode 10)
Hidden Falls: When Memory Came (Episode 11)
Hidden Falls: The Groundskeeper Remembered (Episode 12)
Hidden Falls: Distinguishing Marks (Episode 13)

To download Episode 1, click HERE.

There is a BIG, BIG giveaway with the release of this series, click HERE for details.

(Thanks to Handlebar Publishing for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine.)

 

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