Encouraging others to let GOD heal. Plus a Giveaway.

 Help me welcome Sondra Umberger to the Diamond Mine.

Be sure to enter the giveaway for an E-copy of this great trilogy.

Sondra is a new author to me. Let’s learn about her together.

Renette: Welcome Sondra, before we jump into your books. Tell us a bit about yourself. What kind of things do you enjoy for fun?

Sondra: Great to be here. My first passion is fun. I love to have fun even when I am working. My second passion is travel. I arrived home yesterday after exploring the treasure of God’s creations in the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Cave exploration takes you into a world of imagination. I was amazed at the beauty of the stalactites, stalagmites, columns, popcorn, pearls, chandeliers, and what is called bacon formations. It is called bacon, because it looks just like bacon hanging from the walls of caves. This cave was exceptional because, in the past, it was an ancient underwater reef. Talk about a kaleidoscope of design and formations; I was in constant motion pointing out all imaginary characters coming into focus, similar to cloud watching.

Renette: Wow, how awesome to see GOD’s creativity and beauty. He shows Himself everywhere, doesn’t He? Traveling to see new things is such fun. Where else have you been?

Sondra: I love to travel and have traveled the world. I have explored over 60 countries and hope to continue with travel as I have a new book brewing in my mind that takes place in Jerusalem. I would love to return to the Holy Land to explore and do some research on an upcoming book.

Renette: Speaking of books I understand you have a few to share with us today.

Sondra: Yes, I am excited for the opportunity to share with you and the audience about my trilogy, UNRAVELED-REWOVEN. Below is the description of the trilogy. Each book stands alone, but it is very connected to the following book in the series. The titles themselves give you a hint at what the books entail—just a quick sneak preview. I can’t resist. Book One: ROBBED, Book Two: RIPPED, and Book Three: RESTORED. The three-book series is a story of trauma to triumph, victim to victor, and regret to restoration. Hopefully, I have wet your appetite for more.       

UNRAVELED-REWOVEN

                                                        A trilogy based on true events.

                 Author: Sondra Umberger

 

CATHERINE—must face her suppressed childhood memories, secrets hidden for decades, from when her family called her CATIE. Fragments of haunting images creep out of her subconscious and merge into one recurring nightmare.

 Determined to unlock the mysteries of her past, Catherine seeks Christian counseling with MARION. Together they reopen terrifying windows in time Catherine nailed shut nearly thirty years ago. A time she refers to as her lost years.  

 Catherine fights to remember the horrific abuse of her dreadful, deceiving stepmother. She battles to save herself, and her baby brother, CHARLEY, from the evils of the Satanic occult, a world that few people realize exists; a diabolical can of worms.

A time—meant to be forgotten.

 When HUNTER enters her life, spawning an unexpected relationship, Catherine’s pursuit of truth takes new twists and turns. While Catherine unearths her youth, digging for the truth, new perils arise as her husband; HUNTER’s dark secrets are exposed. 

 Secrets—meant to be concealed. 

Frightened and fragmented, only seeing pieces to the puzzle, Catherine perseveres. Images appear. Secrets revealed. Questions are answered as the recollections unravel. Catherine experiences God’s provision, protection, and exercises the unique gifts he gave her as a child.

· As darkness is uncloaked, a spiritual battle erupts. Is it all too much?

· Will Catherine overcome the formidable odds stacked against her?

· Will she trust an invisible God and a husband whose betrayal amplifies her brokenness?                   

 

          The unspoken—is exposed.

          When all feels lost, discover hope, healing, and redemption.   

          What was once unraveled is now rewoven.

            www.ConnectingToChrist.com ConectingtoChristwebsite@gmail.com                                   

                  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L4KLKT2

                  Books2Read E-books https://books2read.com/rl/Wjmbd0

Renette: Tell us more. Which character will we love?

Sondra: The books are novels based on a true story written from the three main characters’ point of view, which are: Catherine, the adult, Catie, who is Catherine as a child, and Marion, the Christian counselor.

I believe each character offers something unique to the reader. CATHERINE is open and raw about her struggles. She speaks out of the things, so many women are thinking and feeling but are too afraid to say. She takes the reader through the process of finding the courage to address her fears in order to find healing and wholeness.

CATIE is Catherine as a child. She is a spunky little kid that will capture your heart. She gives a child’s perspective and shows how lies and beliefs are introduced and reinforced or built upon through life’s experience. Catie’s pure childlike faith inspires others to cling to the truths of the Bible as Catie did---as her very life depended upon it for survival.

MARION, the Christian counselor, plays a vital and powerful role. She tackles the struggles by asking probing questions that assist Catherine, Catie, and the reader to search their hearts for answers. Marion equips the characters and the reading audience with the word of God and encourages the application of Biblical principles in order to overcome the many battles we all face. The books are written as novels but they address the real issue with real solutions. Regardless of the character’s circumstances, my books offer hope, the truth, and the answer through JESUS!

Renette: Can you tell us why you chose these stories and this subject?

Sondra: The key point in writing the trilogy UNRAVELED-REWOVEN was to emphasizes the redemptive and healing powers of Jesus Christ and how the scars and pain from the past and devastating sins of the present need not be permanent. The books are a great testimony of how God can use everything in our lives, even evil deeds, to accomplish His ultimate purposes TO SET US FREE. I want to give others hope through my books, showing that healing comes in and through God. The Lord himself proclaimed that it is the truth that sets us free.

Renette: Writing this kind of trilogy must take a lot of energy and inspiration. How and where do you find them and the time to write?

Sondra: Many women have a shoe collection, but I seem to have a hat collection, as I wear many hats; as a Christian counselor, a wife, ordained minister, author, sister, friend…you get the idea. So, I had to make the time. At first, I just starting writing, letting the story pour out of me. I would write in between appointments, and if I had a client cancellation, the keys would sound loud, tap, tap, tap, for the whole duration.

Once the books were written, I knew I needed more time and took a sabbatical to do the editing and fine-tuning. The inspiration was from God. I was obedient to give a voice to the story he asked me to tell.

Energy, I’m not sure. I was dancing as fast as I could and still was burning the candle at both ends. Coffee was definitely my friend during some long sessions, but I admit writing captivates me.

Renette: It is so interesting to learn how each author writes. We all are facing obstacles, trials, and unique issues in today’s way of life. What is one piece of advice you would like to leave us with?

Sondra: What I have learned as a faith-based counselor for almost 20 years is that false perceptions and lies can be seared into our minds through a tragedy or a significant emotional event. Examine your thoughts for truth. Examine your problems through becoming a truth seeker. The storyline in my books help others learn about the battle for the mind and how trauma, abuse, betrayal, misspoken words, and various other circumstances can be used to distort our views of God, ourselves, and others. Most problems are rooted in our identity. If you don’t know who you are, you set yourself up to let someone else define your identity. I’m not talking about what you do; I am talking about a much deeper sense of how you identify yourself. As a child of God, I know who I am. I understand that I will continue to face struggles, disappointments, and an onslaught of challenges, but I also know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I hope my words bring you hope and encouragement.

Renette: I love that you want to share and encourage others in how to let GOD heal them. Anything else you‘d like to tell us before we go?

Sondra: I’d love to give away an E-copy of the entire trilogy. God is our great physician and is gracious to bring us healing in various ways. I’ll choose one winner who briefly shares an experience where the Lord brought them hope and healing.

Renette: Thank you, Sondra, so kind of you. Folks jump right in with your comments to be entered in the drawing. Be sure and leave your email address so we can contact you.

Thank you, Sondra, for the wonderful interview. It has been a blessing having you with us.

Sondra: Thank you for having me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my story. You have been awesome, and I’ve enjoyed our interaction. I hope your audience is blown away by my books and that they find hope and healing as they cruise the pages of UNRAVELED—REWOVEN. Blessing to you all, Sondra

Sondra Umberger 

www.connectingtochrist.com

Sondra Umberger, Christian counselor, an ordained minister, and President of Healing Hearts Ministry, Inc., and Connecting to Christ, offers faith-based materials and counsel on how to prevail

through the challenges and struggles of life. Sondra instructs on a variety of topics, including confronting and overcoming abuse.

Sondra loves to laugh and enjoy outdoor activities and adventures with her husband in the vast playgroundUSA. 

                                   

                                     www.connectingtochrist.com

Thank you for joining us today. May you be blessed by HIs SONshine.

Renette Steele

Lady SONshine

Interview with Mary Manners with Giveaway

It is with extreme pleasure to share my interview with Mary Manners.

She has graciously offered to give away Miracle Cove: The Collection

Be sure and read to the end to find out how to enter for your chance to win.

Thank you for coming to The Diamond Mine. I am so happy to have you and to promote you and your writing. Pray you find this  interview fun and a blessing.


Mary: I’m so happy to be here today on The Diamond Mine. Thanks a bunch for hosting me!

I have been a long-time fan of Mary Manners stories. They are charming. I tell her they are Hallmark able.  Let’s learn a bit more about this wonderful author. Mary, would you mind telling us who your biggest influence is on your life?

Mary: I would have to say that my dad had the biggest influence on my life. He taught me to work hard, and to believe in myself and never give up. He loved the outdoors and I do, as well. Dad gave me advice that I have carried through life: If you’re going to do a job, do it right. I try to live by this every day.

Most dads are extra special, aren’t they? Yours sounds like a wise, loving man. Much like our Father in heaven. What was your occupation before writing?

Mary: I was a teacher and school principal for 31 years as my ‘day job’ while I was also growing my writing platform. I started out teaching special-needs children and then moved to elementary and middle school. I finished my career as an intermediate school principal. I have so many great memories of my days in the classroom!

Special – needs children have a special place in my heart. I’d wanted to teach them from the time I was in third grade. What a joy they are. I’m sure any student who knew you was blessed just by that beautiful smile of yours. Do you have any hidden talents?

Mary: I love to sing. I think I get this talent from my mom, who sang in the community theatre in Chicago when she was a teenager. She loved musicals and used to sing all the time as she did her chores around the house. I love Christian music and do my best singing to these faith-filled songs.

My husband used to tell us we had to sing our complaints, it’s hard to stay upset when your singing. Unfortunately, I have not a musical bone in my body. Lol. Would you mind telling us when your most productive brainstorming time might be?

Mary: I love to wake up early in the morning, before the sun is up, when it is quiet, and the entire world seems still and new. It’s then that I do my very best brainstorming. A cup of flavored coffee helps, too.

Everything is new every morning. I love that Promise from our Father. Do you use a storyboard while you write?

Mary: No. I write my books by hand and then edit as I type. I love this blend of old-fashioned and modern, and it works well for me!

There aren’t many these days who still write by hand first. I still like a good old pencil and paper for writing as well. Do you have a life verse?

Mary: “When you look at a field of dandelions, you can either see a thousand weeds or a thousand wishes.” This reminds me to always look for the positive in every situation. It’s been a huge help to me in tough times.

I love this quote! It is so true how we view things, makes a difference. What do you hope your writing leaves the reader with?

Mary: It is my greatest hope that my stories leave readers with a sense of hope. I think our lives are like a canvas, with imperfections that can be made into works of beauty if we only keep trying, learning, and improving. With God all things are possible, and tomorrow brings new opportunities.

Mary, I have no doubt your stories do this and much more for your readers. They bless my heart every time. This interview has been a blessing for me as well. Thank you again for joining me on The Diamond Mine. May you be blessed with His SONshine.

Mary: Thanks so much for joining me today. I am honored to share my story with you!

Mary has graciously offered to give away a book collection. Mary, what do folks need to do to enter?

Mary:  I would love to give away a copy of Miracle Cove: The Collection. Readers can enter by sharing their favorite inspirational quote.

Miracle Cove: The Collection

 If you like sweet small-town Southern romance, then you’ll love these faith-filled stories set in the beautiful Smoky Mountain foothills of East Tennessee. Four Heartwarming Christian Romance Books that will leave you smiling with a renewed sense of hope! BOOKS INCLUDED IN THIS SET: Mischief in Miracle Cove Secrets in Miracle Cove A Miracle Cove Reunion Christmas in Miracle Cove Plus...a special sneak peek into Honeysuckle Cove: The Collection

You can purchase Mary’s books:

https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Manners/e/B004AL16YY%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Mary Manners lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee with her husband Tim and their rescue dog Axel, mischievous cats Colby and Rascal, a flock of chickens, and an aquarium teeming with fish.
Mary writes small-town family romances laced with faith, hope, and humor. Her books have earned multiple accolades including two Inspirational Reader’s Choice Awards, the Gail Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold, the Heart of Excellence, and the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.

Mary loves long sunrise runs, Smoky Mountain sunsets, flavored coffee, and chocolate…lots of chocolate.

Where to connect with Mary Manners

Newsletter Subscribe: https://www.subscribepage.com/f6w0j6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mary-Manners-author-303173983043284/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryManners1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunriserun63/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mary-manners

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mary-Manners/e/B004AL16YY/

Interview with Bernadette Botz and Giveaways!

Granberrybooks.com

https://www.facebook.com/Granberry-Books-101385917935955/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-botz-84106819a/

Amazon.com

It is my honor and extreme pleasure to introduce you to Bernadette Botz. We first met when our kids were school age and played sports together. She lives in Montana (as do I) and is a sweetheart.

Bernadette has graciously offered to give away not one but two copies of her debut book, Liar. Be sure to read this post to the end to find out how to enter for your chance to win a copy.

 Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Bernadette.

BB: Thank you for the opportunity to be here.

RS: I know this is your debut novel. Can you tell us what your occupation was before writing?

BB: I homeschooled my five children. Read-aloud time was my favorite. I wrote Liar as a read-aloud specifically targeted to homeschooling families.

RS: I loved storytime with the kids.  I even read aloud to my study hall students. It seemed to help them work better. Did this time with your children influence your writing?

BB: Absolutely! I want to create quality fiction that will challenge and encourage the Body of Christ. I also want to create characters that stay in the mind and heart of the reader. We read a few books at home that my kids are still talking about. To see that happen for other families would be a dream come true for me.

RS: I think as authors, we all our dream of writing something that will stick with others in some way. I believe your novel Liar will do that. Can you tell us about your inspiration for this story?

BB: My kids were struggling with the messages of the world. I wrote it because I wanted to make them aware of the enemy’s voice. “Idiot. Worthless. Ugly. Stupid. Fat. Unliked. Unloved. Unwanted.” That and the suicide rate in Montana. I felt sick over the enemy’s work, and I wanted to expose him as much as I possibly could.

RS: The enemy’s voice can be so strong. You are right; the suicide rate here in Montana is high. Liar will definitely bring hope to the hopeless. I know the Bible brings you hope. Can you share with us your life verse and why you chose it?

BB: It’s always hard to choose one verse, but I always go to Zephaniah 3:17. This was the first verse I memorized as a new believer at the age of thirty.

“The Lord, your God, is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you with his love. He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”

The Lord did a lot of housecleaning when I first became a Christian. This verse meant a lot to me because I read that He was with me, that He didn’t turn His back on me, even when I didn’t have my act together. I read that He is a mighty warrior. I needed someone to fight for me, and I knew I could trust Him to do that for me. That Jesus Christ takes delight in me with His love, that He no longer rebukes me (which I deserve) and especially that He rejoices over me with singing??? I couldn’t believe what I was reading! In this verse, my Savior expresses so much of His character from beginning to end, and it has helped me overcome a lot of my fear of man. It reminds me that I am known, protected, delighted in, loved, rejoiced over and amazingly… that I belong to a Savior who sings over me. I never, ever thought about the Lord singing, and it just blew my mind!

RS: I was thirteen when I became a Christian, but I will never forget the first time my daughter Sharla showed me the verse in Philippians 2:15, where it refers to us as shining like stars in the sky. That blew my mind. I couldn’t believe I’d missed God’s voice in this verse. 

Liar speaks a lot about voices and which one we are to seek. Your characters take quite a journey in this book.  Did you take a personal journey as well while writing? 

BB: This book sent me on the hardest journey for any Christian. It is voiced in my book when Yeshua asks, “WILL YOU TRUST YOUR KING?” 

Will I trust Him when everything is upside down? Will I trust Him when I feel alone and unseen? Will I trust Him to be enough for me when nobody knows what the work is costing me? Will I trust that He won’t let me put something worthless out into the world? Will I trust Him with critics? Will I trust Him with haters? Will I trust Him to help embrace that part of His design for me that is writer? Even though I’m terrified? Even though I feel completely inadequate.

I wrote this book for my kids. Jesus saw to it that I wrote it for myself.

RS: Powerful questions. How does it feel to see your book in print?

BB: When my book was delivered to my house, I just happened to be alone. I opened up the box and saw my name and the beautiful cover. (painted by my friend, Kathy Smith) I wanted so much to share my joy with someone – someone who would understand all that I had been through in birthing this story.

  Since I was alone, I sat on the hearth of our fireplace, imagining all my characters around me.  I read the entire book aloud to them!  It was a profound moment.  It was a way to honor them for all their help, and it was a way to say goodbye. As my original intent was that the book function as a read-aloud, it was a wonderful way to say, “The End.”  It was a holy moment shared only with the characters from my book and the Lord. They fully knew the cost.

RS: I have enjoyed our interview. I pray you have, as well. One last question before we talk about the giveaways. What do you hope to leave with the reader through your writing?

BB: I hope Liar leaves the reader with a renewed sense of hope in doing the right thing. For men, that means returning to protecting women, children, and culture. Men are called out of passivity in this story. For women, it means leaving fear and insecurity behind. It means allowing yourself to become vulnerable so that you can be free. It means that freedom first starts with Christ. I want my reader to leave the kingdom of Struggle having identified with the characters in a way that changes their life. I want the Body of Christ to return to the kingly qualities of truth, courage, honesty, and confession so that they can take their rightful position in the battle against the enemy. To arms! This book is a call to arms!

RS: After reading Liar, I believe you and GOD will accomplish much in the direction you speak. The story is poignant and thought-provoking, indeed.

BB: I’m so grateful to you!  Thank you for investing in me this way.

Let’s do two free book giveaways. One drawing for signing up for my newsletter. One drawing for signing up for writing practice. Please go to https://granberrybooks.com/category/news/, then come back here, drop a note in the comments letting us know which or both you have signed up under.