Disclaimer

DISCLAIMER:

I do not read every book/author I spotlight or book tour I host!
Readers, Please research and use wisdom before buying

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

#TuesdayTreasure: Guest post by Jan Elder!

Good Morning Friends,

I am very happy to bring you a new Pelican Book Group author with something she treasures!

Jan Elder is a Christian romance writer with a zeal for telling stories other women can relate to. She strives to write the kind of book that will strengthen the reader's faith, while also providing an entertaining and engrossing love story. Pelican Book Group/White Rose is publishing her first novella, Manila Marriage App, one of many in their successful Passport to Romance series. Besides writing romance, she enjoys the occasional hazelnut cappuccino while watching Turner Classic Movies. Always an avid reader, she devours books voraciously, both Christian and secular. She was born a cat-lover and all future books will, no doubt, feature a feline in some way or another. Happily married for twelve years to loving (and supportive) husband, Steve, the two live in central Maryland along with Jamie (a tuxedo cat), and Shu-Shu (a tortoiseshell cat). On the weekends, Jan and Steve comb the nearby countryside in search of the perfect ice cream flavor. 


My mother, my friend

My 91-year-old mother has lived a good life. She grew up in a Christian home. She was born again at age 10. She worked until she was 29, married a wonderful man, and raised three children. And then she worked some more as a school secretary to help support our family.
She should be slowing down, right? Enjoying her “emeritus” years. Sitting in a rocking chair, baking the occasion sheet of chocolate chip cookies, allowing people to take care of her for a change. Except she’s not. At age 90, she wrote her memoirs, her fourth book. She still drives, teaches Sunday school, studies her Bible each and every day, and witnesses to her friends. In the fall, she plans to start another Bible study for the lost in her retirement community.

My mother has a life richer than anyone I know. God is using her and she still has more to do.

When I grow old, I want to be like my mother.


How beautiful! Having lost my mother in November, I can understand why Jan treasures hers.

Find out more about Jan by visiting her website and connecting with her on Facebook and Twitter!

Check out Jan's book, Manila Marriage App. a Passport to Romance novella from Pelican Book Group!


It all began as a lark. Shay Callahan’s life was just fine, thank you, but when the seemingly misogynistic missionary, Timothy Flynn, places an advertisement for a wife in a Christian magazine, she decides to give it a whirl and sends in the five-page application. Why not? After all, she’s not currently seeing anyone, and this man truly needs to be taught a lesson.

Finding out she’s Dr. Flynn’s pick of the litter, Shay hops on a plane and flies to The Philippines. The strategy is to jet in, enjoy an exciting two-week vacation, and jet out again, all at his expense. Instead, her plan backfires. The handsome missionary man is not what he seems, and the foreign land has far more to offer than she could imagine.

Embark on a tropical adventure with Shay that challenges everything she believes.

Excerpt from Manila Marriage App

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I strolled into the room. Behind a massive teak desk sat the man I’d come to meet. The photo he’d emailed me didn’t do him justice. Not by a long shot. If I’d been the obvious sort, my jaw would have dropped to the floor. And drool. There’d be plenty of drool.

He stood as I entered the room, cool gray eyes raking over me. His bio had told me he was a tall man, but the head shot hadn’t captured the aura of authority he projected. Mister-too-important-to-pick-me-up didn’t say a word, although that intense stare roamed my face with apparent disbelief. Perhaps he was confused as to my shabby state, but he didn’t have to be rude.

We glared at each other. In fact, he examined me as if he were judging a heifer at the county fair. If he were testing my mettle, I was not going to be the first one to blink. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head, loosened his lips, and said the words I least expected. “Miss Callahan, you’re blonde.”

Words spilled out of my own mouth before I could filter them. “Whoa, nothing gets past you does it, Dr. Flynn?”

“In the picture you sent me, you were a brunette.”

Well, he had me there. Before last Tuesday, I had been a brunette. Light brown, but still brown. I straightened my spine. “Hey, I didn’t go platinum or anything. The appealing color you see before you is called Golden Latte. Two measly shades lighter.” Huffing, I pushed my long mane behind my ears hoping no remaining traces of peas were visible. “And what am I doing justifying my personal color preferences to you? It’s my hair.”

He kept staring at me. “Putting that issue aside, you’re also not…how shall I put this? You’re…you’re not what I expected. You’re way too…”

“I’m way too what?” My chin rose, as did my ire.

“Oh, never mind,” he mumbled. His head hung down and, I swear, his feet shuffled. That was unexpected. Was he arrogant or bashful?

Either way, still standing in the doorway, I’d had enough of this strange exchange. Since he didn’t seem to know how to greet me like a decent human being, I’d give him a demonstration. “Okay, let’s try this again. Dr. Flynn, I presume? I’m Shay Callahan. You know, the woman you ordered with a ‘keen mind, and a rational outlook on life’?”


Manila Marriage App can be purchased at Pelican Book Group or Amazon.

Well friends, hope you enjoyed today's Tuesday Treasures!

Stay tuned for Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

PamT

7 comments:

Jacqueline Seewald said...

Jan,

Congrats and best wishes for the success of your new novel.

Margo Hoornstra said...

All mothers are to be treasured. Yours sounds exceptional. Entertaining excerpt. Best of luck!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the comments, Jacqueline and Margo, and thank you Pam for the opportunity to share about my mom. Yes, my mother is EXCEPTIONAL and I don't take it for granted. In an hour I'm off to have dinner with her, a once a week treat for both of us. Smile.

Zoe M. McCarthy said...

I loved hearing about your mother, Jan. My mother died at 92 and had accepted Christ just 5 months before. Answered prayer to a whole lot of long-time praying. And I got to witness her acceptance of Christ. I want to be like your mom too. I will be ordering Manilla Marriage App.

Alicia Dean said...

I'm so sorry to be late reading your blog post, and what a beautiful post it is. Your mother is definitely an exceptional woman and you are very blessed, as is she. Congratulations on your new release...sounds like an excellent read!

Susan Coryell said...

Love the excerpt! Best wishes for success and may you continue to write!

Unknown said...

Zoe! How absolutely wonderful about your mom accepting Jesus. Must have been one of the best moments in your life! You are a great example of perseverance in prayer.

Alicia and Susan, thanks for your comments! Mom and I had dinner in the Blue Note Bistro last night and she ordered expensive coffee for the very first time (we splurged--mine was caramel, hers was chocolate.)