As many of you know, I love taking sky shots. I have lots of them. These photos are from one morning in March. I also used two sky photos from my archives to create quotes from my very first published story in one of two charity anthologies for Ukraine.
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Introducing the Keeper Chronicles Series & Win A Threat of Shadows eBook! A Keeper's Tale
About the Book:
Title: A Keeper's Tale | Author: JA Andrews | Pages: 163 | Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Book Description:
Tomkin Thornhewn, youngest son of the Duke of Marshwell, has a problem: he’s not heroic. Regardless of his aspirations, the bookish, untrained young man is better suited to recording the deeds of heroes than being one himself. Which becomes an obvious problem when he finds himself clinging to a ledge above a sleeping dragon. And instead of wielding his family’s great sword with valor and skill, he drops it—onto the dragon. The problem grows immeasurably worse when Tomkin himself falls off the ledge—also onto the dragon. And his problem reaches its peak when Tomkin, after being captured, discovers a maiden locked in a tower. But this is no sweet damsel. Not only does she refuse to be rescued, she refuses to even admit she’s in distress. It’s too bad for the people of Marshwell that Tomkin is the only thing standing - or falling - in the dragon’s way. JA Andrews introduced the world to the magic-wielding, world-saving, story-telling Keepers in A Threat of Shadows. Now you can enjoy one of the Keeper’s most beloved tales: The Story of Tomkin and the Dragon, in this engaging, lighthearted novel.
A Keeper's Tale is about the hilarious misadventures of Tomkin in "Tomkin and the Dragon." The damsel in distress doesn't want to be rescued from the dragon and Tomkin isn't a hero. He can hardly hold his sword, let alone wield it. This is a descriptive story with engaging characters, lively adventures, and a touch of romance for good measure. A Keeper's Tale is a companion story and can be read before or after Book 1. It's referred to as a well-loved story in A Threat of Shadows, the first book in the Keeper Chronicles.
A Threat of Shadows
About the Book:
Title: A Threat of Shadows | Author: JA Andrews | Pages: 452 | Genre: Epic Fantasy
Book Description:
When Alaric’s beloved wife is poisoned, he uproots his life as a Keeper and sets out to find a way to heal her. Along the way he befriends magical characters — and encounters an ancient evil that stands between him and a cure. Alaric was a Keeper; a good man, protecting the land with knowledge and magic, until his wife was poisoned and he betrayed everyone and everything to save her — only to fail. Now Alaric has one last chance at a cure, but it's buried in an ancient stone. To find it, he'll need the help of an enigmatic elf, a crotchety dwarf, and a bumbling wizard. However, Alaric isn't the only one seeking the stone; an old evil stirs, and one of Alaric's companions will betray them all. The task would be nearly impossible for a Keeper; so what chance does the shadow of a former Keeper stand? Alaric must find the strength to become the man he used to be, cure his wife, and save the world from the looming shadows — but he cannot have all three. Which will he sacrifice? Join Alaric in a land of magic, elves, and the occasional dragon as he is forced to make impossible sacrifices to save everything he knows. A Threat of Shadows is the brilliant introduction to the magical world of The Keeper Chronicles, a new epic fantasy series by JA Andrews. Fans of Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, and Terry Pratchett will enjoy this unputdownable noblebright tale.
A Threat of Shadows is not a typical fantasy story with an essentially good hero or heroine who finds true love. It's not even a coming-of-age story, but it's still appropriate for young adults to read. The only elements of a typical fantasy are the elf, dwarf, and wizard. The rest of the story takes several unexpected twists and turns, keeping it new and interesting.
Love for his wife has driven Aleric, a tarnished Keeper, to do despicable things in order to try and find a cure before it's too late. With all the sacrifices that he has made, he still finds himself running out of time and options. He also has to make tough choices and many past choices have left him with regrets. He ends up joining a motley crew as they learn to work together toward the same goal. At least that's how it seems, but nothing is ever that simple.
This is the first book in the Keeper Chronicles and I'm looking forward to reading more from this talented indie author, JA Andrews.
My Favorite Quote from A Threat of Shadows:
"If you don’t want to be a Keeper today, then don’t be one. But if the only thing holding you back is choices you made in the past, well, those choices are done. Let the past inform your choices today, but don’t let it rule them." (Page 248 Kindle Edition)
How JA Andrews began writing her first book:
My husband was out of town for an entire month and bored every evening. So I made it my goal to send him a chapter a night, just for pure entertainment. I think I ended up writing only about 10 chapters, but I liked them so much that even though I let them sit on a computer neglected for years, the characters and the story kept calling me back. Eventually I pulled them out again and decided to finish the story. It turned into my first novel, A Threat of Shadows. And those early chapters are still some of my favorites.
Win A Threat of Shadows eBook!
JA Andrews is giving away a digital copy of her book, A Threat of Shadows, to one of my lucky readers. Just answer the question below by leaving a comment and your name will go into a draw. Question: What's the best book that you've read this year? The winner will be announced on Friday the 6th of October on my weekend blog hop post.
About the Author:
JA Andrews
JA Andrews is a writer, wife, mother, and unemployed rocket scientist. She doesn't regret the rocket science degree, but finds it generally inapplicable in daily life. Except for the rare occurrence of her being able to definitively state, "That's not rocket science." She does, however, love the stars. She began writing stories and creating coloring books because these sorts of things need an outlet. And now good markers are a deductible business expense. She spends an inordinate amount of time at home, with her family, who she adores, and lives deep in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, where she can see more stars than she ever imagined.
Disclosure: I purchased A Threat of Shadows and received a free copy of A Keeper's Tale. These are my honest reviews.
Today I want to introduce you to a friend of ours whom we met at Youth With A Mission (YWAM), South Africa, a few years ago. She's now living in Portland, Oregon, as a full-time missionary and we still keep in touch. Her name is Portia and she's got a fundraiser on the go. She explains it best, so keep on reading!
From Portia
I am passionate about seeing positive change come to the lives of the most vulnerable in society. Since joining the team at Loom International, where we work with a wide range of different community development projects aimed at vulnerable women and children, I have become aware that my earlier training is not enough. Granted, I have had the privilege of using my accounting knowledge here and on the field (I studied accounting before I became a missionary), I find that by and large I am handling issues that I am ill-equipped for.
That is why I am now pursuing an MA in Global Development and Justice. This MA is perfectly suited to what I am doing and what I hope to pursue in the future. Please sponsor me as I seek to raise $10,000 towards my tuition fees. I am slowly building stamina for my sponsored 10k run (July 23rd - Sunset on the Springwater). I will still work full-time and study part-time. Finally, it may interest you to know that I have the full support of Loom International.
What is Loom International?
Loom International brings people, resources, training and information together for the benefit of women and children at risk. We are committed to bring change by working with others in hope and interdependence.
Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly with Your God - Micah 6:8
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Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.
Now on to my blog hop...
It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!
Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.
All family friendly blogs are welcome!
If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
This is a selection of some of my favorite ocean and sea photos that I've taken over the years. The above photo was taken in Hermanus where I went Whale Watching with Samantha last year. There is beauty all around us, but if we don't look after what we have, then we'll not be able to enjoy it. Our oceans will always be there, but we've already polluted our waters, which is harming the ecosystem. I saw this unique project by Boyan Slat to clean up our waters. Check it out in the YouTube video below!
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Click on the photos to see them at their best!
Camps Bay (near Cape Town)
Knysna
Our family visited Knysna (the "K" is silent) last year and it was one of the most stunning locations we've visited. I shared some wonderful photos taken near the Knysna Heads. If you have a moment, take a look!
Brenton-on-Sea
When we visited Knysna, we stayed at Brenton-on-Sea for two nights. We probably would have missed this spectacular beach if it wasn't for our online booking, because the road to it is off of the main road that goes through the Garden Route. Make sure you visit 1camera1mom to see all of my Brenton-on-Sea beach photos!
Brenton-on-Sea
Brenton-on-Sea
Shelley Point
Every Christmas we visit my in-laws at their beach house in Britannia Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. They live on South Africa's West Coast, near St. Helena Bay and Shelley Point. I always have fun taking lots of photos and there's always something to photograph!
Amanda Watching a Sail Boat,
Britannia Bay
The Cure for Anything...
by Isak Dinesen
Sea Shells from Britannia Bay
The Ocean Stirs the Heart...
by Robert Wyland
Red Sail, Britannia Bay
Being Out There in the Ocean...
by Bethany Hamilton
Wind and Sails, Britannia Bay
Wind and Sails in Black and White,
Britannia Bay
Related Posts:
(The posts below refer to Bethany Hamilton and date back to 2012
Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.
Now on to my blog hop...
It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!
Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.
All family friendly blogs are welcome!
If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
Prince, our black and white cat, was adopted as a kitten from the local animal shelter. He is Samantha's kitty and he was our first. When we got him, we were told that he was a girl and so Samantha named him Tabitha. We loved our new kitten so much. He brought us a lot of joy. One day he went missing and we put up signs at the shelter, the vets, and a public message board. We were so heartbroken.
At one of the vets we were told that a lady in town had some kittens that were from a farm and were needing good homes. She had already brought the kittens in for their first injections. We found out that the lady had one kitten left, so we adopted it. We told Amanda that if we got Prince back, then this new kitten would be hers. Amanda named the brown striped kitty, Sheela.
Only when Prince was found, did we discover that he was indeed a boy. He had developed during his days lost in the veld. He was, and still is, a very social kitty and we think that he had followed homeless people. Hubby even went there to look for him and offered a small reward to the people he met. Thankfully, a friendly couple who enjoyed hiking found him and brought him to the shelter.
"There’s no need for a piece of sculpture in a home that has a cat." Wesley Bates
I’m a mom blogger and indie author. I post about books, share original photos, and host a weekly blog hop. Amanda's Books and More is based on my youngest child and our love of books.
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![A Keeper's Tale: The Story of Tomkin and the Dragon by [Andrews, JA]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61GLz-xEviL.jpg)
![A Threat of Shadows (The Keeper Chronicles Book 1) by [Andrews, JA]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61d2UBudczL.jpg)
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