Read with Audra Blog Tour featuring Karin Beery and her debut book

Welcome to my blog's stop on Karin Beery's first "Read with Audra" blog tour!

Karin is a new author who is putting her first published book out there into the world. The book is called Summer Plans and Other Disasters.

Here's my review, short and sweet: I thought that this book was pretty amazing for a new author! The characters are likable, the plot is intriguing and the dialogue is fresh. I think that you should give this book a chance!

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About the Book:
Elementary school music teacher Callie Stevens thinks she’s finally figured out God’s plan for her life—she even made a list to keep her on track.

Moving in with her brother and reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend are at the top of the list. What’s not on the list is running into her childhood crush, Ryan. God wanted her to connect with Kyle, right?

Trying to figure out God’s plan is hard enough. But a dating-averse older brother, the young blonde who adores him, a pregnant best friend, and Callie’s continual mishaps make her wonder whether her best-laid plans were truly God-inspired.

Now available from Elk Lake Publishing!

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About the Author:

Karin wrote her first novel in 2007 to cope with her husband’s cancer diagnosis (no worries – he’s cancer free now!). With the support and encouragement of her family, she submitted that manuscript. That particular manuscript has not been published yet, but Summer Plans and Other Disasters, her first published book, releases in September 2018.

Karin writes contemporary and speculative fiction stories with a healthy dose of romance, but she’s also expanded her repertoire: she writes feature stories for the local paper, copy material for businesses, and blog posts for herself and others. She even edits (offering copy editing, fiction editing, and critiques through Write Now Editing Services) and teaches (she’s the Substantive Fiction Editing instructor for the PEN Institute and can be found around the country teaching writing and editing courses at conferences and at her local college).

When Karin’s not reading, writing, or editing, she enjoys cooking and baking. She plays the piano and sings (the key of E, please). She kayaks with her husband in the summer, watches football in the fall (Go Blue!), and enjoys Christmas lights all winter long. 

Shy but extroverted, Karin adores her nieces and nephew and loves spending time with her family. Learn more about Karin at karinbeery.com.

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Connect with Karin:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/authorkarinbeery/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/karinbeery
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/karinbeery/

Elk Lake Publishing (for tagging) details:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ElkLakePublishingInc/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/ElkLakePubInc
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/elklakepubinc/

Book Review: A Moment to Breathe

Author: (in)courage and Denise J. Hughes (editor)
Book: A Moment to Breathe: 365 Devotions that Meet You in Your Everyday Mess
Reviewed by: Alexis A. Goring

"A Moment to Breathe: 365 Devotions that Meet You in Your Everyday Mess" is a beautiful book complete with heartfelt devotionals written by women. This book is the brainchild of (in)courage ministries and Denise J. Hughes who is the editor. These are devotionals for your heart.

Hughes and the ladies of (in)courage invite the reader (target audience: women) to take a moment to breathe, relax and read at least one devotional in this book today. Each devotional has its own dose of refreshment for the weary woman’s soul. The stories are personal, lighthearted and heartwarming. Each author speaks from her personal experience and shares lessons learned in a way that will make you smile and think about your own life. This book will encourage you to not only take a moment to breathe but to invite others to do so as well.

The authors and editor of this book want the reader to feel like she is spending time with a friend, a very good friend who has their best interest at heart when sharing their story. As a reader, I found this to be a wonderful way to reach the hearts of women and encourage them in their journey.

This book is also a good read for women who feel lonely. Reading these stories is like spending time with a good friend. It’s a well-known fact that books make the most faithful friends (outside of Jesus Christ, of course, because He is the most REAL and Faithful Friend that any human can have in this life).

The people behind this book achieve their goal in helping the reader realize that we’re all in this journey called life together so we should reach out and encourage each other. Eighty writers contributed to this devotional book and each of their stories are like lifelines to the sinking soul because it’s more than just sharing a personal story, it’s about pointing people to the Giver of Life (God) and the most Faithful Friend (Jesus Christ). I enjoyed every moment that I breathed in the “everyday faith” stories that are shared in this book!

This book is a must-read that’s well worth a five-star rating. I’m going to recommend it to all of my female family members and friends.

* I (Alexis A. Goring) voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from the author’s publisher. My opinions are my own.