Interview with Rachel Pellegrino, founder of Little Lamb Books

Welcome Rachel Pellegrino to the blog again! We featured her publishing company, Little Lamb Books, on my blog this past Saturday (August 1, 2020).

 Today, the focus is on Rachel as a business owner who has a passion for Jesus Christ and providing faith-based books for children. Enjoy!

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Q&A with Rachel Pellegrino, founder of Little Lamb Books: 

Thanks for agreeing to this interview! Let’s start by talking about you, Rachel.

Question: Are you married?

Answer: Yes, we celebrated 12 years in June.

Q: Do you have children?

A: I have an eight-year-old daughter and a 16-year-old stepson.

Q: What is your family life like?

A: We are a blended family that is constantly on the go and juggling calendars and schedules, and we have good days and bad days as we navigate all our adventures together. But, we are very family-focused and we spend quite a bit of time with grandparents and making memories, whether in our own backyard or traveling to our favorite places.

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Purple, of course!

Q: Do you prefer to drink a cup of coffee or tea?

A: I’m not a coffee drinker, so in the fall and winter, it’s absolutely hot tea with milk and sugar. Summer is all about ice cold sweet tea.

Q: Who is your favorite author as an adult?

A: Dee Henderson wrote my favorite adult series ever. Right now, though, you’ll find me reading quite a bit by Lynette Eason and Jody Hedlund.

Q: What was your favorite book when you were a child?

A: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott left the biggest impression for me as a young girl.

Q: Why do you believe in God and choose to follow Jesus Christ?

A: I gave my heart to Jesus as a young child and following Him has been the one constant in my life. He gives me purpose and continues to be the most reliable, trustworthy, and dedicated best friend. Even when I’m hard to love, He loves me. Even when I’ve given up, He carries me through the hard times, and there’s been a few! I may not always understand His plans and schedule, but following Jesus is the best decision I ever made.

Now that we know you a bit better, let’s talk about your publishing company that you launched in 2015 … 

Q: What led you to start Little Lamb Books?

A: I started Little Lamb Books for a few different reasons. First, after having my daughter I knew I wanted to do something that would leave a legacy of faith for her in the future. There are really wonderful books on bookshelves everywhere, but there is a void when it comes to books that are both entertaining and faith-filled. I want my daughter to grow up having books full of God’s truths that she can cherish and pass on to her kids. The second reason was that after 15 years in the classroom as a middle school and high school teacher, I was a proponent of students knowing how to read and enjoying it. I wanted to build a company that was focused on creating inspiring stories, entertaining characters, and colorful settings.

Q: How is your company filling a gap in the faith-based children’s book world?

A: There are good books that re-capture Bible stories straight from the Bible. There are even some great concept books available by amazing celebrity authors. But, where I think Little Lamb Books excels is producing realistic fiction that not only tells a story founded on biblical principles, but tells it in such a way that is entertaining and fun for young readers. Plus, we partner with authors, whether they are well-known or not. I think that makes us unique.

Q: In what ways can people support your small business?

A: There are several ways parents, pastors, educators, and librarians can support our small business. First, they can buy our books! We have a variety of titles from picture books to young adult novels. Second, they can tell other friends, family and colleagues about our books. Word of mouth is such a big encouragement for new purchases. Third, write a review. If someone has purchased our book and loved it, we would really appreciate an honest review and not just on Amazon. Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart and other places love having product reviews. The more positive reviews we have, the better. Lastly, we are currently hosting a Kickstarter campaign because of the impacts of the Coronavirus. This is a temporary opportunity that will expire in August, but if anyone would like to pledge their support in a monetary way, we are trying to raise funds to produce and market our books over the next year, and every dollar counts.

Q: How will people who contribute to the Kickstarter campaign for Little Lamb Books, help your publishing company’s mission?

A: Our mission is to shepherd the next generation of faithful readers and in order to do this, we have to invest in our authors, our books, our business. Starting a business from scratch is challenging in the best of times. Throw in a pandemic, and well, you lean on your faith minute by minute not just day by day. If fully funded, this campaign will allow us to reward our supporters and fans as well as assist us in producing our 2020-2021 catalog and keeping our family-oriented business open so we can put faith-filled books in the hands of families.

Q: What difference do you want Little Lamb Books to make not just in the publishing world, but in the life of your young readers?

A: Our books are inspired by our faith in God and the Bible. We have three new titles releasing this year and over four titles next year that talk about everything from being kind to loving God’s design for your life to making good choices. All of these messages are positive and uplifting and important for kids to hear.

Q: Who are your bestselling, award-winning authors? Name the top two or three and mention what awards they’ve won.

A: Almost all of our titles have won at least one or two awards, which is pretty awesome. Currently, these three have found quite a bit of success:

1) Shelly Roark, author of The Bubble Who Would Not POP! and Gracie Lou Wants A Zoo, has won a gold Benjamin Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association and silver in the Illumination Awards.

2) Michelle Medlock Adams is the author of C is for Christmas, which has won gold in the Illumination Awards, bronze in the Moonbeam Awards, and gold in the Benjamin Franklin Awards.

3) Launch, book 1 in Jason C. Joyner’s Rise of the Anointed young adult series, has won gold in the Illumination Awards and won Best Debut in The Realm Awards.

Q: In what ways is your publishing company comparable to Harvest House and Zondervan?

A: The quantity of titles and the genres of titles we all produce varies greatly, but I think overall, we are each wanting to provide families with resources and partner with them through content that is biblically sound and trustworthy. We all produce illustrated picture books and strong chapter books and that’s really good for young readers.

Q: What are your hopes and dreams for Little Lamb Books in the next 5 to 10 years?

A: My hopes and dreams for this company are expanding daily and as long as God is in the center of it, I believe He has a great story that He is writing with our company. I love watching Little Lamb Books growing and I hope that we can bring on additional staff. I know we will continue to search for fresh talent and diverse voices for our community. We plan to produce amazing titles and branch out and enjoy new opportunities, like hosting our very own conference.

Q: What do you want families to know about Little Lamb Books?

A: I want families to know that we publish high-quality books that are wholesome, clean, and safe for your children to read. Little Lamb Books are picture books, chapter books, and novels that will not only encourage kids in their faith in Christ, but will also entertain the whole family, teach them more about walking out their faith, and leave them wanting to read more.

Q: Where can people buy Little Lamb Books?

A: Little Lamb Books titles are available on our website shop as well as online with Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, Amazon, and other indie bookstores. If a store or library doesn’t carry a specific title, we encourage everyone to request it.

Thanks for the interview, Rachel! 

~*~
Author Bio:

Rachel Pellegrino is the owner and publisher of Little Lamb Books, an award-winning publisher of children’s books. 

Launched in 2015, Little Lamb Books has produced almost a dozen titles, all of which have won national awards, including two golds in the Benjamin Franklin Awards. 

Rachel is passionate about collaborating with fellow publishers as well as empowering authors to be successful.

Based in Texas, Rachel talks with her hands, offers individual author coaching, prefers Pepsi to coffee, and has a growing plush lamb collection much to her daughter’s delight.

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Connect with Rachel:
Website: https://www.rachelpellegrino.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaePelleTX/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raepelletx/

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Follow Little Lamb Books:
Website: https://littlelambbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlelambbooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_lamb_books/

~*~
Support Little Lamb Books by contributing to their Kickstarter Campaign:

Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/littlelambbooks/little-lamb-books-publisher-of-childrens-books

Devotionals for the Heart: Smile

The Power of A Smile
A devotional Jessica Brodie

You know how those famous actresses and models seem to light up the world with their mega-watt smiles? It’s not just because of their big, toothy grins, either—it’s as though their very eyes are sparkling with warmth and laughter, sending lightning bolts of friendliness that dazzle you from head to toe. They don’t even need to be gorgeous, though most of them are. That smile does it all.

I read once that it’s because they’re really smiling with their eyes, not their mouths. Sure, their lips curve up and their teeth show, but take a look and see what I mean: You could cover the bottom half of their face and still tell that they’re smiling.

All this mask-wearing I’ve been doing since coronavirus began to spread has been making me think a lot lately about the power of a smile—a real smile, the kind that lights up your eyes and radiates love. Most communities now are recommending we wear face masks to protect ourselves—and others—from the virus, which spreads largely through respiratory droplets from one person to another. 

Masks are not terribly comfortable, and they tend to fog up eyeglasses and leave interesting dents in your hair, not to mention make us even hotter in the summer than we already are, and they’ve made lipstick-wearing more than a bit obnoxious. It doesn’t matter if they’re cloth masks, the ultra-extra filtered kind, or the N-95s—whatever style you wear, they typically cover your face from mid-nose to chin, with straps tucking behind the ears or all around your head.

There are other drawbacks, too—they muffle sound, so it can be really hard to hear cashiers, bank tellers, and others you’re in conversation with. I’m a bit hard of hearing, so this means any lip-reading I do is now officially out the window when it comes to public exchanges.

But they’re necessary. Masks save lives. They’re a way to love my neighbor, a small bit of self-sacrifice I can do to protect others from any germs I might be carrying (and perhaps me from getting whatever they carry, as well). It’s the responsible thing to do.

Still, for me, the worst part about masks is that it makes the generic social smiling I do incredibly difficult. See, I’m a big fan of smiles in general. My daughter teases me that I even drive my car smiling. Somehow, a smile is the expression that tends to rest on my face. I don’t mind this, even though she says it makes me look a bit loopy sometimes (ha!). That’s because I love what a smile can do for others. It can offer a small bit of friendship in a scary, difficult world. It can encourage someone having a tough day. It can serve as an invitation to talk, or send the message to someone needing a little help: “Go on. It’s OK. You can ask—I won’t bite.”

But now, it sometimes feels like I’m a walking robot as I don my mask and push my cart through the aisles in the grocery store. Everyone’s just wearing their mask, focused on their task, getting in and out of the store as quickly as possible. No more small talk with the people in the checkout line. No more pause-and-chats. It’s all business, or at least it feels that way.

However, a couple weeks ago, standing in line at the grocery and listening to the cashier huff and groan as she swiped items across the scanner and into bags, I could see she was having a hard day. My heart tugged. And suddenly, those smiley-eyed actresses and models popped into my head.

When it was my turn with the cashier, I greeted her with as friendly and sincere a hello as possible. I cocked my head at her and gave her as warm-eyed a smile as I could. My body language instantly felt more relaxed, more expansive, which was an interesting observation.

And I could see the effect it had on her, which was even more interesting. She slowed her pace, then swiveled her head a little my way. We made small talk about nothing and nonsense—the weather, that sort of thing—and then I was on my way.

But it transformed our interaction, this smiling-with-my eyes thing. So I’ve started doing it everywhere I go, and guess what? It seems to have a universal effect. Plus, focusing on letting that joy spill out of me in new and more obvious ways had a surprisingly relaxing effect. It warmed my heart, literally and figuratively.

When we feel joy, it should spread through us and not stop. Our joy in the Lord should explode—into a smile, into our eyes, and keep going! Our whole body should radiate that love and light! Our joy doesn’t depend on emotion—it isn’t rooted in happiness or mere feelings. We can feel joy even in our darkest, most painful hours.

I close with some Scriptures that encourage:

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” — Proverbs 17:22a NIV

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful.” — Proverbs 15:13a NIV

“Those who look to him are radiant.” — Psalm 34:5a NIV

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
— Romans 5:3-4 NIV

God bless you, and remember to let your light shine always, no matter what. 

That light could draw someone else to Jesus Christ.

~*~
Author Bio:

Jessica Brodie is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach and the recipient of the 2018 American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award for her novel, The Memory Garden.

She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at http://jessicabrodie.com.

She has a weekly YouTube devotional, too. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and more. She’s also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You’re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.

My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Candee Fick's book giveaway

Welcome to the third day of my blog's birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Candee Fick.

She's here to give away one paperback copy of Catch of a Lifetime!

Candee is also giving away one e-book to be chosen by another winner! The winner may choose one of Candee's ebooks from the graphic below:

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a bit more about Candee and her books ...

Author Bio:

Candee Fick is a multi-published, award-winning author. 

She is also the wife of a high school football coach and the mother of three children, including a daughter with a rare genetic syndrome. 

When not busy writing, editing, or coaching other authors, she can be found cheering on the home team at sporting events, exploring the great Colorado outdoors, indulging in dark chocolate, and savoring happily-ever-after endings through a good book.

~*~

Back Cover Blurb for Catch of a Lifetime:

Football is his life, but she thinks athletes can get away with murder.

After a tragedy involving a football player destroyed her family, graduate student athletic trainer Cassie Parker moves across the country looking for a fresh start, but a surprise change in financial aid lands her in the middle of her worst nightmare.

Meanwhile, rookie college coach Reed Worthington worries his dream career will slip away as injuries plague his players and his star receiver teeters on the brink of ineligibility.

As the two work together to salvage the season, they struggle to keep their budding romance a secret from the team. However, after a scandal erupts, Reed must choose between the game he loves and the woman who just might be the catch of a lifetime.

If you like college football, clean romance, and faith-based fiction with authentic characters, then you’ll love this standalone debut from Candee Fick. Get Catch of a Lifetime and kick-off the action-packed adventure today.

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Connect with Candee:
Facebook Author Page - https://www.facebook.com/Author.Candee.Fick
Twitter - https://twitter.com/CandeeFick
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/candeefick/
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/CandeeFick/
BookBub (follow) - https://www.bookbub.com/authors/candee-fick
Amazon (follow) - https://www.amazon.com/Candee-Fick/e/B0056B94VE/
Website - https://candeefick.com

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Beth Wiseman's book giveaway

Welcome to the second day of my blog's birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Beth Wiseman.

She's here to give away three of her books!

    

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a bit more about Beth and her books ...

Author Bio:

Bestselling and award-winning author Beth Wiseman has sold over two million books. 

She is the recipient of the coveted Holt Medallion, is a two-time Carol Award winner, and has won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Award three times. Her books have been on various bestseller lists, including CBD, CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly. 

Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying country life in south-central Texas.

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Back Cover Copy for A Beautiful Arrangement:

Can Samuel and Lydia find love in their marriage of convenience? 

Lydia still can’t believe that she is Mrs. Samuel Bontrager. Or that she is seventeen with a six-month-old daughter. As Baby Mattie grows fussier by the day, Lydia wonders how she will survive a lifetime of marriage to a man she doesn’t love—at least not in the way she wants. 

Samuel knows that he and Lydia did the right thing by marrying when Lydia became pregnant. He has even grown to love Lydia, though he never seems able to say the words out loud. What if she doesn’t love him back? After all, she pushes him away whenever he tries to draw closer. 

When Lydia and Samuel introduce their mutual friends Beverly and Joseph to each other, they are as envious as they are delighted to watch their friends fall in love. But just as Samuel thinks Lydia might be softening to him, she gets involved in investigating the mysterious past of a local homeless woman—a curiosity that threatens to drive the couple further apart. 

The third and final novel in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman explores how wounds from the past must come to light before they can hope to heal. 

“A Beautiful Arrangement has so much heart, you won't want to put it down until you've read the last page. I love second-chance love stories, and Lydia and Samuel's story is heartbreaking and sweet with unexpected twists and turns that make their journey to love all the more satisfying. Beth's fans will cherish this book.” —Jennifer Beckstrand, author of The Petersheim Brothers series 

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Back Cover Copy for Hearts in Harmony:

Their love of forbidden music brings them together, but it could be what tears them apart.

Musical prodigy Levi Shetler hasn’t touched a piano since he secretly played one many years ago. His strict Amish community forbids instruments or the singing of any music not in their approved songbook. Levi asks God often why music tempts him when playing an instrument isn’t allowed in his world.

One person knows Levi’s talents: Mary Hershberger, the girl who promised years ago to keep his secret. Mary comes from a more liberal district than Levi, but she’s facing family troubles of her own. The mutual care for an aging Englischer, Adeline, reunites Mary and Levi as young adults. They realize that, despite their differences, they have a shared love of music—and a shared confusion about whether their talents are God-given gifts or temptations luring them into the Englisch world.

The couple realizes they must compromise or part ways, but a tragic accident shakes their decision. Both Mary and Levi will need to reconcile what they love with what their hearts say is right.

“Beth Wiseman has penned a poignant story of friendship, faith, and love that is sure to touch readers’ hearts.” —Kathleen Fuller, author of The Middlefield Family novels

“Beth Wiseman’s Hearts in Harmony is a lyrical hymn. Mary and Levi are heartwarming, lovable characters who instantly feel like dear friends. Once readers open this book, they won’t put it down until they’ve reached the last page.” —Amy Clipston, bestselling author of A Seat by the Hearth

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Back Cover Copy for Listening to Love:

Falling in love can only mean trouble for an Englisch girl and an Amish boy… unless there’s another way for them to listen to their hearts.

Englischer Natalie Collins looks forward to Friday night suppers at Levi and Mary Shetler’s house every week: delicious food, wonderful conversation with her Amish friends, and, best of all, the presence of Levi’s older brother Lucas. Natalie and Lucas have become best friends despite their different backgrounds. They share a love of books, and he is teaching her about God in a way that she can understand.

But the closer they become, the more opinions everyone seems to have. Levi and Mary, Lucas’s family, and even Natalie’s mother—whose own life is a mess at the moment—have concerns about their relationship. Why can’t everyone understand that it’s possible to just be friends? Besides, they couldn’t be together even if they wanted to be. Lucas would never leave the Amish faith, and Natalie is Englisch and pursuing a degree in veterinary medicine.

But when a terrifying accident happens, Natalie and Lucas are forced to confront their true feelings and decide if they can stay true to themselves and each other.

This sweet Amish story is the second in the Amish Journeys series by bestselling author Beth Wiseman.

“I always find Beth Wiseman's books to be both tenderly romantic and thought provoking. She has a way of setting a scene that makes me feel like I'm part of an Amish community and visiting for supper. I loved the title of this book, the message about faith and God, and the heartfelt romance between Lucas and Natalie. Listening to Love has everything I love in a Beth Wiseman novel—a strong faith message, a touching romance, and a beautiful sense of place. Beth is such an incredibly gifted storyteller.” —Shelley Shepard Gray

"Listening to Love is vintage Beth Wiseman...clear your calendar because you're going to want to read this one in a single sitting.” —Vannetta Chapman, author of Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series

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Connect with Beth:

You can find Beth at Fans of Beth Wiseman on Facebook where she interacts with readers and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bethwiseman.

~*~

Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

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My Blog's 10th Year Birthday Bash: Bell Renshaw's book giveaway

Welcome to the first day of my blog's 10th birthday bash!

Please welcome my author friend Bell Renshaw! 

She's here to give away two of her books from her Justin Harbor series!

Enter the book giveaway contest via the Rafflecopter widget the end of this blog post. Only residents of the USA are eligible to receive a signed paperback copy of this author's books. International residents will only receive ebook copies due to costs of mailing books outside of the USA.

Let's learn a bit more about Bell and her books ...

Author Bio:

Annabell “Bell” Renshaw has always loved books and the power of a good story.

She turned those passions toward writing at an early age, finding solace and adventure in made-up worlds when her mother would read to her as a kid. 

She’s grown up now, but still finds herself lost in those worlds. She believes in the power of a happy ending and the fact that—no matter what—love will always find a home.

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Back Cover Blurb for Bell's book As Easy As Riding A Bike:

Emma Holland is almost finished with the renovation of The Brown Bear Lodge nestled just off the Pacific Coast 101 Highway in picturesque Justin Harbor, Oregon. Being a business owner in a small town isn’t easy, but Emma’s got more than enough determination—not to mention an excellent eye for interior design. There’s only one problem. One of her first guests of the season is someone she hoped she’d never see again.

As a famous landscape photographer, Connor Pearson has traveled far and wide following his dreams at the cost of losing his first love. Now, back in Justin Harbor, Connor is looking for more than just a place to stay. He’s looking for himself.

As Emma and Connor rediscover their lost friendship and seek to find common ground in the present, Connor feels the tug of his small town roots. Is it possible that a man who’s traveled the world could find his home where his dreams began? Can Emma come to terms with the fact that self-reliance isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? Will their bonds from the past weather the storms of the present?

As Easy as Riding a Bike will introduce you to the salty air and calming waters of Justin Harbor, the first novella in a series featuring small town women business owners.

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Back Cover Blurb for Bell's book As Easy As Cherry Pie:

Maggie Petten has perfected the perfect pie—at least that’s what everyone who tastes her confections says. But when the size of her shop interferes with the possibility of a dream-job, she’s resigned to turn down the opportunity.

Fletcher Knight finds it difficult to say no to those who need help. When his father died leaving him in charge of the family’s contracting business, as well as his younger brother, he thought he was ready for the challenge, but his kindness has turned into his weakness. After a few financial hits, he’s not sure he can survive. Still, when he overhears Maggie’s predicament, he immediately volunteers to help before knowing the scope of the job.

Maggie isn’t in a position to be picky, but is she ready to work with Fletcher? After all, he was her worst (and best) first date experience a year ago, but his silence since then speaks volumes. But as a business woman, she understands the benefits outweigh the discomfort—or so she hopes.

When the project begins, things turn from awkward to disastrous leaving Maggie and Fletcher to question their working relationship and more. As they work to overcome the difficulties and challenges life and business throws at them, they start to see they may have more in common than they realize. And that together their success may cross from professional to personal.

Journey back to the small, coastal town of Justin Harbor, Oregon and let the warm, salty air surround you as this couple trips and stumbles into love.

~*~

Connect with Bell:
Website - www.bellrenshaw.jimdo.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bellreadsbooks/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/authorbellren
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/bellrenshaw/

~*~
Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Little Lamb Books: Company Spotlight

Writing Books for Kids from a Faith Perspective
A guest post by Rachel Pellegrino

As a faith-based children’s publisher, I can tell you without hesitation that there is a hole in the market for faith-based fiction for young readers. There are numerous devotionals, journals, coloring books, and other non-fiction titles to choose from, but what families are looking for are entertaining books to rival what kids are learning about from friends, finding at school book fairs, or picking up in local bookstores.

In fact, walk into any major bookstore, and you will find shelves of interesting books for kids that tell stories of dystopian worlds, royal contests, and magical mutants. There are wonderful board books about the alphabet and counting and picture books and early readers that are seasonal or solve mysteries or teach new recipes. And, all these books are well-written and encourage the reading habits of children.

But, for families longing for more stories founded on biblical principles, it can be challenging to find even one shelf in a local bookstore where they can find wholesome, clean, and faith-oriented books that they don’t have to scan first, especially as children become tweens and teens.

The count is even less for those books that tell children it’s okay to lean on Christ, okay to love the Lord who made them, and okay to pray when they are afraid, lonely, or worried…far less that offer biblical references for encouragement, strength, joy, and love.

Why is this?

I don’t have all the answers. But, I do know that this is why I launched Little Lamb Books. As a premiere publishing company, our mission is to shepherd the next generation of faithful readers by striving to produce three to five fiction titles a year for elementary, middle grade, and young adult readers. We want to put picture books, chapter books, and young adult novels that weave engaging plots with interesting characters in the hands of kids and encourage conversations about an almighty God that loves them and made them unique.

There is a hunger for stories that affirm a biblical worldview and celebrate God’s presence in our world as well as for stories that answer the need for colorful, entertaining, and yes, even humorous examples of characters overcoming obstacles, engaging in positive family relationships, and shining a light in a dark world, especially now, when nothing feels “normal” around us.

We need more writers wanting to grow in their God-given talent and build on their calling to write by creating wonderful fiction that enriches the imagination for the readers and inspires their love for reading while incorporating scripture, values, and salvation.

Our children read books to be entertained, to see themselves in the characters, to travel to new places, and to laugh and not feel alone. We need to give them those kinds of stories while encouraging discussions about challenging situations and believing in a God they cannot see or cannot touch.

As writers, we need to write stories for the elementary readers forming their own opinions and viewpoints with grace and dignity, integrity and kindness.

We need to write stories for middle grade girls and guys learning to stand up for themselves among their peers and how to value truth amidst the onslaught of virtual messages that distort the truth on a daily basis.

We need to create stories for high schoolers longing to be seen and heard, those young adults who value new worlds where love is real, friendships are valued, and diversity is accepted.

We need more faith-based fiction for elementary, middle grade, and young adult readers, and I know that at Little Lamb Books we are doing everything we can to make those books a reality. If you’d like to help us by contributing to our Kickstarter campaign, please visit here.

~*~
Author Bio:

Rachel Pellegrino is the owner and publisher of Little Lamb Books, an award-winning publisher of children’s books. 

Launched in 2015, Little Lamb Books has produced almost a dozen titles, all of which have won national awards, including two golds in the Benjamin Franklin Awards.

Rachel is passionate about collaborating with fellow publishers as well as empowering authors to be successful. Based in Texas, Rachel talks with her hands, offers individual author coaching, prefers Pepsi to coffee, and has a growing plush lamb collection much to her daughter’s delight.

~*~
Connect with Rachel:
Website: https://www.rachelpellegrino.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RaePelleTX/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raepelletx/

~*~
Follow Little Lamb Books:
Website: https://littlelambbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/littlelambbooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_lamb_books/

~*~
Support Little Lamb Books:

Kickstarter Campaign:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/littlelambbooks/little-lamb-books-publisher-of-childrens-books

My Blog turns 10 this August 2020! You are invited to the celebration!

 

Dear Blog Friends,

My blogging journey on "God is Love" began when I published my first post on August 2, 2010. I shared a song "I Still Want You" performed by Tramaine Hawkins.

Holley Gerth, one of my favorite writers who used to work for DaySpring Cards (company), was the first and only reader to comment on my first blog post! She made my day!

Since then, I've discovered my "voice" as a blogger and God connected me with wonderful people who now provide most of the content for my blog through guest posts, stories and author interviews.

Over the years, many of my guest bloggers have become good friends. And you (my blog readers) have also become special to my heart. I hope that my "God is Love" blog has been and will continue to be a blessing for your heart.

Now that my blog is turning 10 years old in only two days, I'd like for you to help me celebrate this amazing milestone!

My author friends who have been guests on my blog over these past ten years, have graciously agreed to help me celebrate my blog's birthday! They want to celebrate this milestone by giving away some of their beautiful books!

Every day in August 2020, there will be a book giveaway contest that you can enter via Rafflecopter. One of my author friends will be featured each day here on my blog. All of the info you need to know about their book(s) that they're giving away will be in the daily blog posts this August.

This grand giveaway event starts on August 1 and will end on August 31. The winners of each book giveaway contest will be announced on my blog by September 2, 2020 and they will be connected with the authors via email so that the authors may send their book(s) to the winners.

I say "book(s)" because some of my author friends have offered to give away more than one book! One of my author friends has agreed to give away 10 e-books! Other authors have agreed to give away at least one, signed paperback copy.

I am SO excited to celebrate my blog's 10th birthday! I hope you are too.

May God bless you and keep you!

Love,

Alexis A. Goring, MFA
Founder of "God is Love" blog