Giveaway – Mikal Dawn

Christmas Round-Robin: Once Upon a Christmas!

Posted on December 9, 2019December 3, 2019 by Mikal

Merry Christmas! Welcome to the Christmas Round-Robin! At each author’s blog post, you will find a question that can be answered by checking out the free Amazon preview of their book. Provide the answer at this Google Form. Note: You must answer the questions for every author in the round-robin to be considered to win: First place is $250 Amazon gift card, second place is $150 Amazon gift card, third place is $75 Amazon gift card! At the end of my post is a link to the next blog, who will provide a link to the next blog, etc., to the very end.

With contemporary retellings of Sleeping Beauty (Upon a Dream by Andrea Boyd), Snow Preorder Crop White (A Snow White Christmas by Toni Shiloh), Cinderella (Christmas Ella by Angela Ruth Strong), and the Little Mermaid (A Splash of Love by Jaycee Weaver), I was in good company to write a Mulan-inspired tale (Claim My Heart).

Mulan isn’t as well-known as the other fairy tales, but she’s always been one of my favourites because of her loyalty and courage to put herself in an extremely uncomfortable and scary situation, all for the love of her father. Spinning this into a contemporary Christmas tale, however, wasn’t easy! Thankfully, I had already created a world to pull Li Na into (my Emerald City Romance series), and lo and behold! She found her happily ever after.

All the stories in this collection are incredibly unique. It was such an honor to write with and grow closer to Andrea, Toni, Angela, and Jaycee!

Let’s begin this scavenger hunt! Go to the book on Amazon at this link and open the “Look Inside” feature and start reading! What did Talia’s aunt make her for breakfast? When you have the answer, fill out this form and head on to the next blog!

Thank you so much for visiting! The next author on the tour is Pam Gree r, who is telling us all about her Christmas book The Old Fool. You can find it at this link: Christmas Scavenger Hunt Round Robin: The Old Fool. Remember that the round-robin will end on December 16th at 11:59 PM EST!

Giveaway

An Emerald City Giveaway!

Posted on March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 by Mikal

I’m SO excited that my author page recently hit over 500 followers! AND Count Me In just hit 100 reviews on Amazon! You guys! That just brings me joy. In addition, If She Dares, the novella previously released in the Once Upon a Laugh collection, has been released on its own as both an ebook and a paperback!

And in all my giddiness, I thought a giveaway would be a fun thing to have happen. SO BEHOLD! I present to you the Emerald City Giveaway!

Emerald City Gift Box

Included in this prize for one lucky reader is:

A signed paperback of Count Me In
A signed paperback of If She Dares
A small moleskin Seattle Map notebook
A “Faith Over Fear” silver cuff bracelet
A Seattle skyline rain globe
A Count Me In mug
An If She Dares mug
A $10 Starbucks giftcard (because all things Seattle!, not pictured)

Thank you, dear readers, for your support, encouragement, and PATIENCE as I continue to write (albeit slowly) the next story in the Emerald City Romance series. I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know.

I wrote this first series as an ode to my old (nearby) stomping grounds, Seattle. I love Seattle and all its beauty (both God-made and manmade), uniqueness, and presence. You have to visit one day, if you haven’t already! And while you’re there, you need to visit Vancouver because it’s just as unique as Seattle, despite how close they are to one another.

Click here to enter the Emerald City Romance Giveaway!

And stay tuned for more Emerald City Romances later this year!

*Void where prohibited. Open to US addresses only, please. (I’m sorry…shipping is a nightmare!)

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Giveaway

Crown of Souls Winner!

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Mikal

I know it’s late on Sunday night, but with family and friends in Florida, I’ve been glued to the weather. Praising God that Irma has been downgraded, but still–many are without power and still in harm’s way. I’m praying for all those who have been affected, and for those who will still feel her fury. Please join me in prayer, and when the time comes, helping those affected in a tangible way. You guys are the best. ❤

On to happier things! We have a winner for Ronie Kendig‘s Crown of Souls! I’m excited to announce Caryl Kane was chosen via a random name picker as the winner! CONGRATULATIONS Caryl!!! Please message me over on Facebook with an address I can send your book to. And if you’re in an area that’s been affected by either Harvey or Irma, let me know and I’m more than happy to hang onto your book until you’re able to receive it.

Book Review, Giveaway, New Releases

Review: Crown of Souls…and a Giveaway!

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Mikal

Would you believe me if I told you I was speechless? (For once.) Well you should. But then again, apparently I’m not because I have lots to say about this review! If you follow me on Facebook, you might know that I have another name…Ms. Book-Buying Bossypants. And for good reason. There are a lot of books you should be buying because they’re just that good. And today is no different. (And hey! Read until the end, because there’s a giveaway involved!)

Crown of Souls by Ronie Kendig

Release date: September 5, 2017

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/crown-of-souls/378761)

Author’s Web Site: http://www.roniekendig.com

From the publisher:
When You Stare Into the Abyss It Also Stares Into You

The bullet that rips into Cole “Tox” Russell was never meant to kill. It was meant to send a message. Only one man is skilled enough to have taken the shot, a rogue Special Forces operator who vanished months ago.

Alec King is perhaps the only person as skilled as Tox, and he’s out for justice. Furious with orders that got his men killed, he intends to make those responsible pay. And he insists Tox join him, believing they are the same breed of soldier.

Afraid his old friend could be right, Tox battles a growing darkness within himself as he and his team are forced into another deadly encounter with antiquity. It appears Alec is harnessing the power of a mysterious artifact, a crown that history has linked to some of the worst slaughters in humanity. Racing to stop Alec before his vengeance is unleashed, Tox must fight the monster without becoming one.

My thoughts:
In looking back at my reviews of Ronie Kendig’s books, I’m pretty sure that with each release, I’ve called it her best yet.

I don’t lie. And I’m saying it again today. Crown of Souls is her best work yet.

Kendig not only brings her signature rapid-fire action, but ties it so intricately and brilliantly with intrigue, supernatural happenings, and a tender thread of romance. To do all this takes extreme talent.

Cole “Tox” Russell fights his own demons while tracking down and trying to stop a brother-in-arms from using an ancient artifact to…well, you can read the book. And while Tox is fighting for the world, his girlfriend, Haven, is fighting for him. In the midst of all this, the secondary characters absolutely shine with fantastic one-liners, fierce loyalty, and some mystery of their own.

Tight writing, stellar pacing, and great editing make this book a must-read (and must-own-for-your-bookshelf)! This is for sure a 5-star book. Please. I beg of you. If you’ve never read any of Ronie Kendig’s work, please, please, please start. I don’t believe, for one second, that you’d be sorry.

Crown of Souls is the second novel in The Tox Files, but there is a prequel novella that starts the series off with a bang, and it’s free!

Novella: The Warrior’s Seal
Book one: Conspiracy of Silence

One more thing: that solider on the cover? Yeah. He’s a legit Special Forces veteran. And the men on the front of Ronie’s Quiet Professionals series? You guessed it. #respect

*I was given this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own—I was not required to write a positive review.

So, I happen to have an extra PAPERBACK copy of Crown of Souls and one lucky winner gets to have it! Leave a comment below letting me know if you’ve read any of Ronie’s books and, if so, which one is your favorite. I’ll choose a winner at random on September 10th! (Due to shipping costs, this giveaway is only available to the continental US. I’m sorry!)

Blog, Giveaway

Christian Fiction Summer Reading Safari

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Mikal

Fun fact: It’s always been my dream to go on a safari. A real one. In Africa. And can I admit that I was a little envious when my son, at 14-years-old, got to go with his grandparents to visit my sister-in-law’s family in Kenya AND WENT ON A SAFARI? Because I was.

So while I sit here, lamenting over the fact I’ve still not been on a real safari, let me tell you about another safari that’s just as (okay, honesty time: almost) as fun as a real safari!

Singing Librarian Books had the genius idea to run a FUN reading challenge!! What does it mean for you? Why, the chance to WIN BOOKS, of course!

Head over to the Christian Fiction Summer Reading Safari page (you might need to scroll down just a little bit) to learn all about it and see how YOU can have the chance to win some books! Not all the buttons are live quite yet, but the “Share Buttons” button is!

GO FORTH AND HAVE FUN!!

Blog, Book Review, Giveaway

Someplace Familiar Blog Tour (and Giveaway!)

Posted on June 16, 2017June 14, 2017 by Mikal

You guys. I’m so proud and excited to have my beautiful critique partner, Teresa’s, debut novel featured here today!!! And she has a GIVEAWAY going!!!! You won’t want to miss this book. Trust me.

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger. I’m posting today about this debut novel, a contemporary southern romance with themes of faith, hope in new love, and grace. It’s the first in a series of books set in Laurel Cove, a fictional town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. I’m joining other bloggers this week to tell you a little about the book and spread the news about the giveaway Teresa is hosting! Be sure to enter to win a signed book and more from Teresa at the end of this post. And leave your comments and questions below—Teresa will be stopping by to visit with us!

First, here’s a little about Someplace Familiar:

Artist Livy Johnson needs a fresh start. That’s what a broken heart and forgotten dreams can do to a person. On little more than a whim, she reclaims her grandmother’s old home in quaint Laurel Cove, North Carolina and vows to restore its original charm. When she literally collides with childhood friend, Jack Bowdon, Livy wonders if she’s back for an entirely different reason.

Jack can’t believe his childhood crush is back. As the owner of Bowdon’s Supplies, and once again the town’s most eligible bachelor, he offers to help Livy with repairs. Together they embark on the project—and an undeniable whirlwind romance.

But it’s not all smooth sailing. Can they survive the destructive pain of their pasts to discover God’s grace waiting to renovate their hearts?

Find Someplace Familiar on
Amazon Kindle: http://a.co/iYoxB1U
Amazon Paperback: http://a.co/inEBGpa
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2mo0GAc

Isn’t that cover gorgeous?!?! I ❤ it big-time.

I’m thrilled to have Teresa answer a few questions for us!!

Christian romance is a popular genre. What defines the genre for you as a writer?

The story of Christ’s love for us is the truest, most pure romance. So, when a book of fiction can combine the love story between two humans with the transforming, powerful love of God it’s the best of both worlds. I personally enjoy romances that show readers that real life and relationships are messy and the “happily ever after” isn’t necessarily riding off into the sunset, but rather comes with sacrifice and compromise. So, that’s what I aim to write, too!

As an indie author myself, I know how difficult choosing to independently publish can be. What was the biggest challenge about the decision to self-publish Someplace Familiar

Oh boy! Self-publishing has taught me so much about the business of being a writer. The most challenging part is keeping all of the spinning plates moving and not crashing to the floor. Editing, design, marketing, networking, etc. These days, however, even traditional publishing requires authors to be major players in every step of the process. So, I think all authors must learn to multitask—and, for me, that’s a challenge.

Thank you so much, sweet friend.

My (admittedly short) review:
It isn’t often a debut author can pull off a novel of such depth and beauty (and some fun flirtations!), but Teresa Tysinger has done it. From her descriptions that pull the reader right on in (I could *smell* the fresh mountain air!) to the romantic tension between Jack and Livy to the plot itself, Teresa Tysinger has truly shone.

About Teresa
Teresa Tysinger is a wife and mother transplanted from North Carolina to North Texas. When not working as the Director of Communications for a large downtown church, she writes charming southern romances inspired by grace. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Religious Communicators’ Council, and the Association for Women in Communications, Teresa has spent over a decade committed to telling stories of faith through written word. She loves coffee, caramel, and stories with happy endings.

Connect with Teresa on:
Web: www.teresatysinger.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16536072.Teresa_Tysinger
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresatysingerauthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmtysinger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresatysingerauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/teresatysinger/
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2qHqhro

You guys. For real. Please go buy this book. It’s beautiful and sweet and charming and deep and truly, truly amazing! But if you’re a patient sorta person (so not me) and want to wait a couple of days, you have a chance to WIN A COPY of Someplace Familiar AND an 8×8″ original canvas painting by the extremely talented Cyndi Browning, and a $10 Amazon gift card! And if you don’t win, promise me you’ll go buy it!

ENTER HERE (https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e36c22633/) to win a signed paperback copy of Someplace Familiar, a custom 8×8” canvas painting by artist Cyndi Browning (in honor of the book’s heroine, Livy, who is an artist), and $10 Amazon Gift Card. Winner will be announced on Teresa’s website on June 18 once the tour wraps up. (Open to continental US residents only; sorry international readers!)

Giveaway

Excellence in Indie Giveaway!

Posted on May 20, 2017May 20, 2017 by Mikal

Excellence in Indie Publishing

You guys! Release week for Count Me In is going so far beyond what my imagination, well, imagined, and I couldn’t be more thankful. Thank you for making it such a smashing success!! I’m seriously blown away.

In other FUN news, Carrie over at Reading Is My Superpower is hosting a huge giveaway of books written by indie authors like (and actually including) me! Believe me when I say, you do NOT want to miss this giveaway!

Look at these prizes in four different genre categories!

Giveaway

(Did you see Count Me In in the contemporary category?!?) So go on over right this very moment and enter!

(Click the picture above to be taken to the giveaway post. If it doesn’t work, please click HERE.)

Good luck!!

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Book Review, Giveaway

Review: Conspiracy of Silence…And a Giveaway!

Posted on December 12, 2016 by Mikal

conspiracy-of-silence

Release date: December 1, 2016

Publisher: Bethany House Publisher (http://bit.ly/2guxsec)

Author’s Web Site: http://roniekendig.com/

Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Christianbook.com, Books-A-Million

Get the Prequel (FREE): The Warrior’s Seal: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

From the publisher:

This Is the Way the World Ends.
Four years after a tragic mission decimated his team, Cole “Tox” Russell has been disavowed by the United States. And that’s fine–he just wants to be left alone. But when a dormant, centuries-old disease is unleashed, Tox is lured back into action.

Tox and his former Special Forces team regroup to work with FBI deception expert, Kasey Cortes, and fiery archaeologist, Tzivia Khalon, to search the globe for answers–and a cure. As the mission leads from one continent to another, it becomes clear they’re not just fighting a plague but battling an ancient secret society whose true goals remain hidden.

With time running out and the threat for a global pandemic rising, Tox and his team realize their sole chance might be to reach back through centuries of silence to find the only answer that can save them all.

My thoughts:

Okay. So if you read my reviews at.all., you pretty much know that I’m a Ronie fanatic—uh, fan. Her books have always thrilled me. But Conspiracy of Silence…you guys. For serious. THIS. BOOK.

Here’s what I wrote on Goodreads: I can’t even. I just can’t. Ronie is THE WOMAN when it comes to writing incredible, fast-paced military action with twists that I can’t even hint at because they’re too awesome.

You NEED to read this extremely well-written, entertaining, makes-you-Google-things book!! I can’t even begin to say enough! My eyes rounded, my mind raced, and my breath was stolen. I loved this book!

That pretty much says it all, but because I know you’re curious about the writing style as much as the content, I will say Ronie’s style lends to the tension and rapid-fire pace of her stories. Conspiracy of Silence is no different. Actually, I would venture out on a limb and say this is her best yet. Brutal (not in a graphic way, but…oh, just read it already), brooding, fast-paced, thrilling, unexpected, with a twist. And that cover!! I’m a sucker for a good cover, and CoS is definitely a GOOD cover! From the front cover to the back cover, and every single, deliberate word in between, Conspiracy of Silence is probably in my top three a-giveaway favorite books for this year. And I’ve read a lot of good books this year.

I love this book so much, that I’M GIVING AWAY A PAPERBACK COPY!! I’m so bossy when it comes to telling you to buy books (especially if you’re a friend on Facebook), that I’m hoping you already own this one. But if you don’t, rest assured, I’m going to give one away to one lucky winner! Just leave a comment below, and one person will receive a shipment from Amazon (who doesn’t love it when an Amazon box shows up on your doorstep?!)!! YAY FOR GIVEAWAYS! The winner will be chosen THIS FRIDAY, December 16, 2016 at 4:30pm CST. (Open to US residents only. I’m sorry!)

And speaking of giveaways, head over to Instagram to participate in the #ToxFilesChristmasChallenge hosted by @createexploreread. Make sure to read the instructions on that post in order to receive entries to a FAB giveaway!!! Seriously. I’m dying over this giveaway.

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*Note: I was actually not asked to post a review on this blog, but I loved this book so much, I had to. And while I did receive a free copy, I also bought it. And yes. You should, too.

Giveaway

Giveaway Winner!

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Mikal

You guys love me, right? RIGHT??? Even when the days go screaming by so fast I don’t realize I MISSED DOING THE GIVEAWAY!

I stink. (Not literally, though. That’d just be awkward…well, more awkward than this post.)

But I do have a winner for Dawn Crandall’s The Cautious Maiden!!

Drumroll, please…

Congratulations to:

winner-alertcongratulationskelly-goshorn

Kelly, I’ll email you for your address in just a few moments! Congratulations!!

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The winner was picked by a random generator online:

giveaway-winner

Book Review, Giveaway

Review: The Cautious Maiden…and a Giveaway!

Posted on October 14, 2016October 13, 2016 by Mikal

Oh. My. Goodness.

Yeah, I know. I say that with pretty much every book review. But for serious. I have excellent taste in books. You guys should know that by now. 😉 So don’t be shocked when I say, you must get this book!

I’m talking about The Cautious Maiden by Dawn Crandall. This is the fourth book in The Everstone Chronicles, meaning it’s Vance Everstone’s story. Go ahead, everyone. Let’s all thecautiousmaiden together now, SIGH. He’s swoon-worthy like nobody’s business. And Violet Hawthorne is a worthy heroine. ❤

I had the huge privilege of writing an endorsement for the ARC (advanced reader’s copy), and honestly, I don’t think I can say much about this book any better than that endorsement. So, here it is for you:

“Dawn Crandall’s unique voice in historical fiction blends romance, faith, and a hint of intrigue into one masterful tale. The Cautious Maiden, the fourth book in The Everstone Chronicles, is no exception. She has crafted characters you will immediately love and cheer for, whose passion for one another stems not just from the physical, but a spiritual and emotional attraction, too. The story told through Violet’s eyes is lifted by Dawn’s elegant prose, and brought to life by the spiritual truths woven throughout. Dawn has become a ‘must read’ author for me, and The Cautious Maiden has only reinforced her status.”

And just so you know, even though I own the ARC, I still bought the ebook. Because there’s nothing better that you can do for authors than to buy their books (or request them from your local library so they buy them) and leave reviews.

About the Book
Violet Hawthorne is beyond mortified when her brother Ezra turns their deceased parents’ New England country inn into a brothel to accommodate the nearby lumberjacks, but when Violet’s own reputation is compromised, the inn becomes the least of her worries. In an effort to salvage her good name, Violet is forced into an engagement with a taciturn acquaintance, Vance Everstone. As she prepares for a society wedding, Violet learns that her brother had staked her hand in marriage in a heated poker game with the unsavory Rowen Steele, and Ezra had lost. Now Rowen is determined to cash in on his IOU. With danger stalking her and a new fiance who hides both his emotion and his past, Violet must decide who to trust—and who to leave behind.

About Dawn
Dawn Crandall is an ACFW Carol Award-nominated author of the award winning series dawn-crandall-200x300 The Everstone Chronicles, which consists of four books: The Hesitant Heiress, The Bound Heart, The Captive Imposter and The Cautious Maiden.

Apart from writing, Dawn is also a mom of two little ones and serves with her husband in a premarital mentorship program at their local church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A graduate of Taylor University with a degree in Christian Education and a former bookseller at Barnes & Noble, Dawn Crandall didn’t begin writing until 2010 when her husband found out about her long-buried dream. It didn’t take her long to realize that writing books was what she was made to do.

Dawn is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the secretary for the Indiana ACFW Chapter (Hoosier Ink), and an associate member of the Great Lakes ACFW Chapter. She is represented by Joyce Hart of Hartline Literary Agency.

So YES! Dawn is a must-read author, and The Cautious Maiden is a muuuuuuust reeeeeaaaaaaad. So go buy it, please.

Contest Time!
And GUESS WHAT?!?!?! Dawn and her publisher are being so extremely gracious and doing a giveaway of The Cautious Maiden!!! I’m so super excited for you all to read this highly romantic story! To enter, leave a comment answering the following question and I’ll choose a winner randomly on October 21st!

Question: Vance was pretty rotten in the prior books. How do you feel when a previously unlikable character is redeemed? Do you have any favorite redeemed former villains?

And for more opportunities to win, Dawn is running a giveaway herself through November 4th. Check out Dawn’s contest HERE or click on the picture below!

If you haven’t read the other books in the series, click on the covers below to be taken to their Amazon purchase page!