BLOG TOUR: Zondervan's NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls + GIVEAWAY!

Hey everyone!  Today I'm excited to be reviewing the new NIV  Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for girls. 

ABOUT THE BIBLE

Created especially for girls ages 8 to 12, this beautiful Bible provides ample space for young artists to express themselves through coloring and journaling. Girls can get creative with the detailed, ready-to-color line art surrounding the hundreds of inspiring verses in the NIV Beautiful Word™ Coloring Bible for Girls. This Bible is a perfect gift for a special young girl in your life and will become a cherished keepsake full of personalized creative expressions of faith.

 Features include: 

*Hundreds of verses illustrated in ready-to-color line art 

*Thicker white paper for enduring note-taking 

*Lined, wide margins for notes, reflections and art 

*Complete text of the accurate, readable and clear New International Version (NIV) 

*Easy-to-read black letter text in single-column format 

*Lays flat in your hand or on your desk 

*Ribbon marker 

*Beautifully designed Leathersoft-over-board cover featuring screen-printing and other cover embellishments 

*8-point type size 

Using the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV) text makes the Bible accessible and easy-to-read for kids. The NIV is the result of over 50 years of work by the Committee on Bible Translation, who oversee the efforts of many contributing scholars. Representing the spectrum of evangelicalism, the translators come from a wide range of denominations and various countries and continually review new research to ensure the NIV remains at the forefront of accessibility, relevance, and authority. Every NIV Bible that is purchased helps Biblica translate and give Bibles to people in need around the world.

MY REVIEW

Okay, full disclosure here.  I have a Beautiful Word NKJV Bible that I was given a few years ago and it's a favorite of mine, between the note-taking space, stunning illustrations, and the formatting, so I'm a bit biased in favor of the brand itself!  I was excited to see that Zondervan was rolling out a version of their coloring Bibles for young girls, which seems like a great target age for budding artists who would like to add a little color to their Bible pages.  This would be an excellent starter Bible for girls - again, the age range is 8-12.  It has lots of space for note-taking and it also has gorgeous illustrations to color in.  The pages are nice and sturdy; not likely to tear or bleed through.  I was impressed by how nice the Bible's cover feels -- I'm really weird about textures that I deem 'icky' and faux-leather material tends to be on that list, but this cover is so nice.  It's soft to touch and has neat metallic print.  I even found myself stroking it while I was skimming through!  The cover and binding also appear to be rather sturdy - meaning it will hold up through the childhood years!  

I can see a lot of girls really getting into this Bible.  The NIV translation is a good stepping stone for young girls, and this Bible can get them interested in note-taking or journaling and Bible art as well, which are two things that are pretty huge right now.  It'd be a wonderful Christmas gift for your daughter, granddaughter, niece, or cousin!  

Some of the illustrations are only in the margins, while others take full pages (or two-page spreads) -- these are of popular verses like portions of 1 Corinthians 13 and others.  Here's an example of a full-page illustration: 

To test out this Bible's pages for strength while coloring, I decided to test one of the illustrations  - and since it's approaching Christmastime, I was glad to find such a sweet illustration from Isaiah 9.  To note, I did use my Prismacolor brand colored pencils, which are a bit softer/more buttery than the typical colored pencil, but I had no problems whatsoever with the page scratching, denting, or otherwise being damaged, and I didn't even see color showing through on the other side.  A pretty great testament to the strength and quality of these pages!  Even the dark colors stayed on their own side of the page.   I didn't try pen on it, but I'd say that it would hold up pretty well under journaling pens.  

(Isn't the word art gorgeous here?)

If you'd like to try coloring some of the designs from this Bible, feel free to download coloring pages HERE!  I'm probably going to do just that for my niece next time she comes over.  (And they even have bookmarks!)  

GIVEAWAY

Want a copy of this Bible and a Beautiful Word Bible for adults?  There's a giveaway package that goes along with this blog tour!  Make sure to enter it before December 16th for your chance to win a  copy of this beautiful Bible, as well as a copy of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible and 8-Pencil Gift Set geared toward adult journaling and reading!  A great gift idea for mom and daughter, grandma and granddaughter, or aunt and niece.  Check out the giveaway below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Feel free to check out tour host Audra Jennings' blog post HERE for more illustration examples and enter the giveaway if you haven't already!

Do you have a Beautiful Word Bible or other kind of journaling Bible?  And do you plan on using some of those gorgeous coloring pages?

 I received a copy of the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible for Girls  from Zondervan (HarperCollins Christian Publishing) for this review.  This post is sponsored by Zondervan.  

Looking for signed books?

Hey everyone!

As I put away my copies of Guide Me Home, I realized that I have an entire drawer full of my books waiting for new homes.  I counted twenty two books...YIKES.  (And yes, that drawer is hard to open because it's so heavy...)

SO I decided to offer sets of my books (each book in the series thus far) for sale at discounted rates.  If you're interested, I included all the info on the form below, which you can use if you'd like to place an order.  Each set will be shipped Media Mail, so orders will only be open for ONE WEEK -- due the 12th of this month.

I have very limited quantities of each set available:

2 sets of the Faith, Hope, and Love collection

2 sets of the Mount Sterling series

2 sets of my poetry and short story books



Click HERE to see the form!

COVER REVEAL: Dust To Flame by Hope Ann!

Hey everyone! Today is the cover reveal day for Hope Ann's upcoming book, Dust To Flame! This is one that I'm super excited about, and the cover is amaaaazing! BEFORE you check it out, I wanted to mention that Hope Ann is offering this book for 0.99 preorders FRIDAY ONLY - so if you like what you see, preorder today!!

COVER

SYNOPSIS

When you defeat everything life hurls at you, it’s a perfectly legitimate move to rub your conquest in the faces of those who sneered at your suffering.

Rafe, a former street-lad who clawed his way to the glittering life of a story-actor, has been waiting. But from the moment he sprung from his carriage into the gritty dust of Cainth, life has not gone Rafe’s way.

Unexpectedly dragged into a web of greed, treachery, and stolen rift powers, Rafe intends to do what he has always done. Survive.

At least that was the plan before he accidentally protected a child.

Before he accidentally gained the powers of an immortal.

And before he caught himself accidentally slipping toward the deadliest mistake possible.

The mistake of letting one’s self care for another.

Welcome to the world of…

DUST TO FLAME

GOODREADS | AMAZON

BIO

Hope Ann entertains a mob of younger siblings, manages shifts at Culver’s, and writes a wide range of fantasy. Fueled by passion, relationships, and constant learning, she works to provide an escape from the grind of normal life through fiction and the sarcastic, no-nonsense inspirational posts on her blog. The self-published author of the Legends of Light series, a personal writing coach, and the Story Embers newsletter manager, she has more information on her website: authorhopeann.com

You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter.

BLACK FRIDAY DEALS!

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving, and I hope you're getting the best deals if you're Christmas shopping today! 

Don't forget to shop small - indie artists and business owners sometimes have more unique gift ideas than anything that can be bought at Amazon or Wal-Mart!

While you're busy shopping, make sure to check out the books I have available for free or for more than half off list price!

Faith, Hope, and Love Collection: 

Welcome Home (#1): Free ($3.99 list)

My Compass Home (#2): Free ($3.99 list)

*New Release: Guide Me Home (#3): $2.99 ($4.99 list)

Sale prices continue through Cyber Monday.

Mount Sterling Collection:

Beautiful Chaos (#1): Free ($5.99 list)

Something New (#2): 0.99 ($5.99 list)

Sale prices continue through Cyber Monday.

Everything I Never Said: 0.99 ($3.99 list) - Black Friday ONLY

Everything And Nothing: 0.99 ($3.99 list) - Black Friday ONLY

I am also offering free shipping on all orders through my Etsy store, so if you'd like to pick up some journals or signed books, stop by HERE!  I just listed Guide Me Home for $9.99, so if you want a signed copy of the new book, here's your chance!

 The code is SHIPFREE 

I also wanted to mention that Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick's fantastic sale (I mentioned it in THIS post) is officially open for business!  There are 280+ indie books available on Kindle for 0.99 or less through this sale, and you can check them all out through her website HERE. Tons of great books by fantastic authors!!  I know I'll be picking up some fresh reading.  The sale runs from Black Friday through Cyber Monday, so make sure to stop by and support some awesome authors!

I also wanted to recommend that you check out Carolyn Bush's Etsy store, CJ's Crafts Shop, for some great handmade products.  She has some really cute embroidered reading pillows and book cozies in stock - cozies for Kindles as well, and embroidered coasters for your coffee or tea - so if you're looking for gifts for readers, make sure to check her store out HERE.   She's running a 10% off sale on all her items, plus free shipping.

Finally, with the end of NaNoWriMo quickly approaching and the holiday season upon us, I've decided to offer some end-of-year specials through my business!  Make sure to sign up ASAP!  You can submit your query under my 'services' tab.  (If you're on mobile, click "HOME" in the top left corner and then click "SERVICES" -- it's a weird spot to find a menu but it's there, I promise!)

Immediately effective and running through December 31, 2019, make sure to book my editing services for only $3.00/1000 words -- normally $4!  This rate applies to ALL editing I offer - line, copy, and content.

If you're working on an anthology or polishing a short story, I have lowered my rates for those as well!
Short stories 3,000 words and under: $15
Short stories 3,001-10,000 words: $30


Finally, if you're planning on sending your book out into the world soon, order a media kit for just $50, which includes everything you'll need to market your book to influencers, reviewers, bloggers, and readers once it's live! 

GUEST POST by Livy Lynn Jarmusch: London Love

Hey everyone!  Today I have a super-special guest post written by none other than Olivia Lynn Jarmusch, author of the Tales of Tarsurella Series!

Before we get to her fantastic guest post (I mean, now I want to go to London too!) I wanted to let you know about her latest release, The Wedding (The Tales of Tarsurella Series #3).

SYNOPSIS: 

“Vanessa Bennett is living in a real-life fairytale. Now that she’s engaged to the man of her dreams, The Palace Staff is consumed with wedding preparation. The upcoming event is no small affair, as Vanessa is bombarded with hundreds of decisions she needs to make before the wedding date arrives. Amidst the endless details concerning dresses, decorations and napkins, a greater question looms: is Vanessa truly ready to become Queen? As tensions rise within Tarsurella, the role of joining her betrothed in governing an ever-shifting nation is no small task. Will she crack under the pressure?Meanwhile, Jane Akerly is hoping to awaken from a nightmare. Her father has been missing for months. Advised to accept the harsh reality that he may never return, Jane isn’t ready to give up. She finds comfort in the one place she’s always run to for escape–her daydreams. Her imagination has the power to carry her across the ocean, stroll the streets of London, and imagine that all is well. In an unexpected turn of events, Jane is given the opportunity to create the future of her dreams–but will her pen be enough to save her? The Wedding is Book #3 in The Tales of Tarsurella Series.”

Purchase The Wedding on Amazon HERE and shelf it on Goodreads HERE!

What Livy Would Do If She Spent A Day In London, Like Jane In The Wedding

I have 24 hours to spend in the most magical, rainy, sparkly city on earth...London, England.

How would I spend it?

Creating a dream itinerary for just 24 hours in this whimsical city, isn’t a task for the faint of heart. With a wealth of history hiding behind every cinder block, a girl could get lost in the endless possibilities. (And trust me, I have. Many-a-lazy-Sunday-afternoons have been spent creating the perfect, London itinerary!)

It’s absolutely on my Bucket List to someday take a trip to London, just like Jane did in The Wedding. But my dream itinerary consists of spending two weeks in England - so how am I supposed to narrow down so many adventures into one day?!     

*Inhales deeply*. Buckle up folks, because this won’t be easy. I hope you have your passport. Ready? Let’s go!

First and Foremost: The City Soundtrack 

No trip to London would be complete without a proper soundtrack! Music is the spice of life, and we can’t fly ALL the way across the ocean without the sounds of the city serenading us on our way! 

You can find the full London playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDQHcwSlJGyS-FGApY7ZSEE5eVXNQuGni

But these are a few of the “Must Have loaded onto your phone” highlight songs.  

Underneath the Lovely London Sky - Mary Poppins Returns

London Eyes - Livy Jarmusch

Here Comes the Sun - The Beetles

We’ll Be a Dream -  We the Kings and Demi Lovato

The Second Star to the Right - Disney Instrumental

Juliet and Dawsey - The Guernsey Island and Potato Peel Pie Society Soundtrack

Top Attractions

First order of business? Hopping on a red double decker bus! I don’t know what it is about these iconic vehicles, but much like Jane in The Wedding, I have a fantastical obsession with them, hehe.

I’ll get my London Pass from (https://www.londonpass.com/) and I can hit up multiple attractions at once! 

~ Big Ben 

My Peter-Pan loving heart pitter-patters when I think about standing before this iconic clock tower.

~Buckingham Palace

I know the Queen will want to meet with me! ;)

~The London Eye

The idea of being 440 feet in the air, towering above the ground is slightly terrifying, but I think it’s the closest I’ll get to feeling like I’m soaring over the city! Will you ride it with me?! Comment below and let me know if you’d like to stay on the ground and eat a pretzel, or come brave the heights with me! 

~The London Bridge 

Perfect Instagram location, right?! 

~Kensington Palace

So long as we’re visiting royals, I must drop in and say hello to Kate and William as well! ;)

~Kensington Gardens

Soul mission: Find Peter Pan. 

~The West End Theater 

My Broadway-loving heart would ADORE seeing a Broadway show in the West End!

My Personal Bucket List 

In addition to exploring the wondrous sights above, I have a few personal “bucket list” items that I feel must happen in order to have a most delightful 24 hours in London! Something kinda comical about this list, is a few of the items simply came about after writing The Wedding, and because of certain things my characters did...now I want to do them too! :D 

~Eat in a genuine “Fish and Chips” shop, like Jane did. 

~Attempt to make a Royal Guard laugh.

~Speak in my horribly fake Brittish accent and see if anyone mistakes me for a local. (As I’m carrying a vlogging camera in my hand and snapping a million photos? Ha! Fat chance!) 

~Buy the cutest little tea-pot a girl can find.

~Break out in the chorus of “London Sky” (from Mary Poppins Returns) and leap around with some fabulous dance moves.

~Go into at least one, high-fashion, crazy-expensive clothing store and pretend I’m actually going to buy something.

~Find a Brittish husband - oh wait, did I say that out loud?

~Sit in a park, lay on my back, and stare up at the sky, absolutely flabbergasted by the fact that I finally made it to London. <3 

There you have it, friends! That’s how I would spend 24 hours in London! What about you? Comment below and let me know what you would do in this sparkly city!

Livy Jarmusch - YA Christian Fiction Author of The Tales of Tarsurella and Regal Hearts

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest |Goodreads | Email updates

Before you go....

If you read any of Ms. Jarmusch's books, make sure that you check out The Great Review Race, a Multi-Author Monthly Giveaway started by Victoria Lynn.  You can submit your reviews HERE to be entered into the giveaway.  The November winner will receive a $30 Amazon Gift Card!  Read Victoria Lynn's post about The Great Review Race HERE.

BLACK FRIDAY INDIE BOOK SALE!

Hey everyone!

So last year, author Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick had the great idea for an indie book sale - where authors band together to promote each other's books at a discounted rate, with links for all of them on one extremely well-organized website.  It was a blast, both as a reader and as an author (I'm still reading some of the books I snagged during last year's sale!) so I was excited to hear that the same thing would be happening this year.

There were tons of books available last year, so I can only imagine that this year's offerings will be even greater!  If you want to join in on the fun and get a reminder when the sale goes live, feel free to join the Facebook event HERE!  It's only one week away, so make sure to join ASAP!

The sale will run from November 29th through December 2nd - Black Friday through Cyber Monday.  Every single ebook available will be on sale for either FREE or 0.99 - which is a pretty great deal!  In case you're wondering, my books are available: you can get Welcome Home, My Compass Home, and Beautiful Chaos for free, and Something New for only 0.99.  It's a great time to catch up on each series before the final books come out - remember, Guide Me Home's release is slated for early next week, so while it misses the threshold for this sale, you can still pick up the first two books for FREE  before you read the finale!

Starting November 29th, make sure to check the link HERE for the official list of books available during the sale period!  And share, share, share -- especially if you have friends who like to read too!

GUIDE ME HOME: The Ayes Have It!

It's been a pretty wild ride writing Guide Me Home.  At first, I planned on splitting the finale in two novellas a-la Infinity War & Endgame.  Then I decided against it (thinking about all the angry Marvel fans who initially did not approve of the final two Avengers films being split in two instead of being a massive 6 hour long ordeal..)

Then life got in the way and messed up my planned summer release, which I didn't bother mentioning because around the same timeframe, I was...

*graduating college (no biggie, can totallllly plan a book release around finals and graduating)

*getting a puppy

*catching up on all the commitments I'd slacked off on during the last year and a half of college (oof)

*having migraines incessantly

*launching a business

*having a grad party


(credit: The Office // Imgur)

So anyway, I didn't even get the first draft of Guide Me Home done until Camp NaNo, where my 35k goal swept on by and was trumped by 45k.  Then 50k - officially a novel....and then 65k.  I think it sits around 66,000 words right now, which makes it the longest book in the series.

And let me tell you, there is NO filler in this book.  No fluff chapters.  Every chapter has a key detail you'll need.  Foreshadowing.  Fun things.

Then my original plan was to do a December 6th release, because I thought it would evade the Black Friday insanity.  Not a great marketing plan, because everyone's sick of getting those ads and seeing fun new things for sale, right?  On top of that, before deciding on the release date, I had signed up for some blog tours that I didn't expect to be accepted into, and their posts will be around that time, so I didn't want to balance a launch with tour commitments.  (Definitely stay tuned for those December 6th & 7th -- I'm super excited!!)



(Credit: The Office // Global HD)


So I did a quick poll on Instagram and the ayes have it --
I will be releasing Guide Me Home early (say beginning of next week, unless KDP hates me, and frankly, that's a real possibility, although things have been going well so far).  That's right. 

The final chapter (er, novel) is coming almost 2 weeks early!

That's not all, though.  I'm releasing the novel and knocking it down to a sale price immediately.  So if you want to read it, you'll definitely want to snag it while it's on sale. 

The Kindle price will officially be $4.99, but between the release date and December 6th (honoring the original release date), the book will be priced the lowest Amazon will let me, which is only $2.99!  That means you'll be able to buy a copy for almost half price through the first week of December.  Paperbacks will also be available, and I'll be offering signed copies for ~ $10 shipped when I can get some shipped in.  Paperbacks will be $7.99 on Amazon.



(credit: Thor: Ragnarok //Tenor)


So what do you guys think?  Are you excited for the release?  Leading up to it, I'll be sharing my favorite quotes and some other fun things about the book.  Stay tuned!

Also, if you're interested in buying a signed copy from me, please let me know in the comments or email me if you definitely plan on it, so I can figure out how many to buy.  I'll invoice you when I get the books in.  They should be available for shipping in time for Christmas!