Peace begins with loving thoughts. Peace has the power to heal the minds and hearts of people worldwide. The enemy of peace is violence. War is the exterior manifestation of people’s attitudes and emotions. Change these and we can change the world. . .
~Elizabeth Upton Author
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In our constantly changing and evolving world, this is a time for prayers of peace. We can seek peace from within ourselves to soothe the fears and stress that come with the many changes happening like a new incoming president, as well as to support the hopeful ceasefire and the release of hostages in the agreement between Hamas, Palestinians, and Israel, the seemingly constant shootings, the New Orleans and Las Vegas explosions.
We may not be able to control these events; however, we can turn to prayer and peace to help our hearts and the hearts of others feel they are not alone. Supporting one another in unity is the essence of our humanity, capable of overcoming the struggles of war, alleviating our fears of the unknown, and revealing the love we share at our best.
May you find peace and hope by sharing this excerpt from my new book project, which will be my next non-fiction book release coming in the next few months. . .
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God’s Light in a Broken World: The Lighthouse of Hope
Book Project Excerpt:
“Peace begins with loving thoughts. Peace has the power to heal the minds and hearts of people throughout the world. The enemy of peace is violence. War is the exterior manifestation of people’s attitudes and emotions. Change these and we change the world.
Years ago, Costa Rica’s president, a former general, made the courageous decision to dissolve the country’s military because he believed in the power of peace. Since then Costa Rica has been blessed with a productive economy, with most of their resources directed toward education and preserving the rainforest. When I visited this beautiful country, its vibrant energy offered hope that all nations can live with hope and peace.
There have been many times in my life when I’ve had to confront anger in issues of social justice; the mistreatment of elders and helpless people. I’ve been upset about people’s disregard for our planet and the abuse of its creatures. What is good, right, and fair always burns inside me.
Particularly, when I was a nun, I learned that anger can serve as an engine when it’s directed toward positive social action. Anger is emotional energy and how we direct it is in our control. Every form of violence is anger out of control. Peace is not passivity. Peace is purposeful. Peace achieves more because it is reflection. It takes perseverance.
Anger is the master of deception. It hides behind social acceptability, justification, and rationalism.
Peace expands from your heart through the power of love. Peace is transformational. Peace affects everyone and everything. Only peace can dissolve anger. Negative feelings and attitudes are in your control to change. Choose peace. Choose joy. Choose goodwill and you will know what it is to live with grace”. . .
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A universal prayer for peace
“Master of Peace, Creator of all things. May it be thy will to put an end to war and bloodshed on earth, and to spread a great and wonderful peace over the whole world”
“By the award-winning author Elizabeth Upton, known for her gripping mystery novels “The Shaman and The Mafia” and the “John Callahan Series,” is back to offer readers “Murder in the Lonely Graveyard: Who’s Next.” This charming cozy romantic mystery suspense proves that love can blossom when murder happens within a …”lonely graveyard.” ~Novelist E. Upton
“Releasing late autumn and just in time for the ‘Holiday Book Giving Time!” Cover Reveal – ‘Murders in the Lonely Graveyard: Who’s Next?
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About The Mystery: (Temp. Book Description)
“When murders begin to occur in an old historic graveyard outside of town, the town’s sheriff starts to investigate. He begins to suspect that there may be a killer on the loose. During one of his visits, he notices a woman kneeling at a headstone, which catches his eye.
With so many unanswered questions surrounding the murders, the sheriff wonders: could she have been visiting at the time of the murder? Could she have seen or heard something? Is she connected in some way?
Could she be the next victim? Does she even realize that a murder has taken place in this lonely graveyard? As he approaches her to introduce himself, he thinks, “She is a beautiful lady.” Can romance bloom against the backdrop of murders in a desolate graveyard?
Set to release in late autumn 2024, this cozy romantic mystery will reveal how the story unfolds.
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ABOUT THE NOVELIST & AUTHOR
Elizabeth Upton is an award-winning author and influential writer of gripping romantic thrillers and inspiring self-help nonfiction books.
Her best-selling books, ‘Secrets of a Nun: My Own Story,’ ‘The Silver Woman of Fire’ and ‘The Healing Swords of Love and Innocence’ helped set her firmly within the world’s literary map. With many novels to her credit, her newest fiction book, released in June 2022, titled ‘Lovers’ Secrets and Revenge,’ a gripping thriller, and her non-fiction released titled ‘You Are a Sovereign Woman of Strength, Love, and Grace: Embrace Your Journey’ and a new mystery titled ‘Murders in a Lonely Graveyard: Who’s Next.’
The Author’s favorite book she enjoyed writing was ‘The Shaman and The Mafia,’ as she shares, “The creation of this story has been an exciting journey. If possible, I would love to meet all of the characters in this book in real life.” Elizabeth’s nonfiction books and novels are available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle and are featured on fine literary book sites and magazines.
Elizabeth was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA., until the age of sixteen, when she entered a New York State Convent and became a nun for twenty years, but she yearned for a more authentic spiritual life. Elizabeth left the convent and chose to attend and receive her B.A. from Syracuse University. Returning to her native state of California, she attended and received her M.A. in psychology from Chapman University.
The Author began working for over thirty years in family counseling as a social worker and probation officer working with troubled teens and abused children. She is a speaker, spiritual mentor, and advisor. Elizabeth is happily married and enjoys writing books for all her fans around the world. When the Author is not writing, she works out with a personal trainer to stay fit and healthy; she loves long walks on the beach with her husband and dog.
Elizabeth enjoys reading good books by her favorite authors, such as Geraldine Brooks, Hanh, Jerry Archer, Joseph Murphy, and Michael Connelly. She and her husband reside in Santa Barbara, California.
Now introducing “The Arduous Quest Western Adventure” Novel Series by author B. S. Daniels. Book One, titled “Trail of Fate,” is a knee-slapping captivating tribute to the action-packed adventures of the wild, wild west, and a must-read for fans and buffs of the old classic Westerns!
The Fantastic Intro To “Trail of Fate” ~ B. S. Daniels
Reg is a man of honor, but his quest for justice may result in bloodshed. Will the fate he faces prove to be a turning point in his life? Justice or despair? ******
From The Author: “This book isdedicated to all thosewho have crossed my path.In one way or another, they helpedcreate who and what I am today.” ~B. S. Daniels
“If there is no will,There is no way. If there is the will,There is always a way.“
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PROLOGUE
THE TRAIL OF FATE ******
The sun rises. Is it fate?
The moon rises. Is it fate?
The people we meet and the placeswhere we travel.
Is it fate?
All the many roads, twists, and turns, the peoplewho come and go in our lives.
Fate … What does it have in store for you?
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First Sneak Peek Of Trail of Fate~And so it begins!
LATE 1800s – COLORADO FOOTHILLS
REG
The air was crisp and cool, carrying a hint of sage and the constant feel of prairie dust. I slept as all men on horseback do, using their well-worn saddle as a pillow and the stars as trail companions. The morning light began to show in a cloudless blue sky.
The small fire I built helped keep the morning chill at bay, and the smell of wood smoke and fresh coffee was a pleasant aroma.
I had a hundred memories of times gone by sitting around a fire with a pot of hot coffee, enjoying the fire by myself or with companions. New or old timers, ones from just over the hill or miles away in this vast country, we all had a story to share.
The one thing we had in common was the stories. We kept a few to ourselves, but there were others we gladly shared. Coffee and a campfire were the best ways to gather information, or maybe just by listening to a tall tale that would be passed on for many years. It was the cowboy way to keep a person’s memory and legacy alive.
All my senses snapped into full alert when I heard the report of a gunshot in the distance. Another shot rang out as I strained to look through the early morning’s dim light. Instantly, I determined it was shots from two separate guns.
Every gun carried a specific tune; some were short and snappy, while others played a smoother ring. The shots split the air only seconds apart and rang from what seemed south of my location. I figured the shots echoed up from the valley floor below me, and with the sound traveling uphill, I estimated it to be about two miles down the adjacent draw.
The air and the surrounding area were now as ghostly quiet as a graveyard. I thought about why the shots had occurred. I was in the middle of no man’s land. . .
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WHO IS Novelist B. S. Daniels?
B. S. Daniels is an American writer, novelist, and former professional bull rider from Gunnison, CO.
Daniels will soon release his first book in The Arduous Quest – Adventurous Western Novel Series and aims to revive the popularity of the classic “Spaghetti Westerns” for a new generation of readers with “Trail of Fate,” which will be book one of the series and will be available in late summer 2024 from Amazon and Barnes and Noble and featured in various online magazines and book sites in paperback and Kindle formats.
Raised in Colorado, Daniels has been a successful business owner and creative entrepreneur for 40+ years. Now, bitten by the writing bug, he plans to write and publish several novels in his Arduous Quest series after the release of Trail of Fate. When Daniels is not writing, he enjoys spending time with his cattle dog in the great outdoors while still working on entrepreneurial endeavors.
He has raised four wonderful children and now delights in spending time with his “little posse” of grandkids, teaching them to appreciate the simple things in life. The author and novelist currently resides in Wyoming, USA.
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(Western Photos Courtesy of Freepic)
~ Now Another Special Sneak Peek Excerpt Read Of Trial of Fate ~ Enjoy! 🌵🐎🌵📚🤠
Just as the bounty hunters left town, the stagecoach filled with passengers and luggage rolled to a stop directly in front of the ladies. The make-shift station inside the café was the regular drop-off point in Two Forks.
A clean-cut gentleman stepped out of the coach, waving away the road dust, and greeted the proprietor.
“Hello, I would like to introduce myself, my dear lady. My name is Mr. Asher Lionel,” he said as he leaned on a black walking stick topped by a cut glass knob.
“My charges and I are passing through, and I hope to find a suitable establishment to settle in and rest our weary bones for a few days. Would you be kind enough to direct me and point out a fine eatery, as well?”
“Uncle, have we finally arrived after being delayed an extra day? And for a baby, no less!” said a young lady inside the coach. “I am parched and disheveled from riding in this awful conveyance.”
“That would be my niece, Jaida,” he said. “Well, then, alight and enjoy nature’s bounty.”
Mr. Asher put his hand forward to help Jaida out of the carriage. The teenage lass wore finery that suggested she was on her way to the debutant’s ball in New York City. She flapped her arms and flounced her dress, fussing over the dust on her delicate slipper shoes.
Jetta covered her mouth so the girl wouldn’t see her giggle while Sara poked her in the ribs.
“Oh, my goodness,” Sara whispered.
“Uncle, may I get out of this cage, also?” said a boy looking out of the side window of the coach. “I don’t want to miss watching a cowboy in a gunfight while stuck inside this box.”
“And that voice belongs to her younger brother and my nephew, Chase,” said the impeccable Mr. Asher.
And out of the carriage shot a young boy in a beige linen traveling suit smeared with sweat-dried dust around the collar and handprints on the trousers.
“Nephew, a bath for you before we dine!”
“Welcome to Two Forks,” Maggie said. “My goodness, the dust is thick today,” she continued, blaming her choking voice on the ever-present street dust. “Please step up onto the boardwalk and out of the street.”
“Street? You call this a street?” said Jaida in the most sarcastic tone. “This looks more like a back alley in the slums.”
“Jaida, your manners!”
Maggie stepped off the boardwalk to glance inside the coach to unload the baby, but no one seemed willing to help. Baby, what baby? I thought I heard her say they were delayed because of a baby.
Wanting to assure herself that it was empty, she glanced again and stepped away from the coach, wide-eyed but saying nothing.
She recognized the famous Mr. Scott sitting inside and thought it best to keep quiet until he revealed his presence.
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“Watch yourselves! This here stuff ain’t gonna unload its own self. Dern! Whacha totin’ in them bags, rocks? Look out under me,” said Bailey, Zeke’s newly hired driver, as luggage pieces rained down off the coach.
“Missy, you best get ya some boots for stompin’ here abouts. Ya getting’ me, ya heah me? Rattlers and such bite mitey hard.”
“My carpetbags are ruined!” Jaida moaned as she saw one had landed in a horse’s road apple.
Interrupting the grumbling, Maggie welcomed the newcomers again and invited them inside the café for a meal.
Sara served Zeke and Bailey a glass of lemonade before they scrambled out the door to hit the trail.
“Ready to giddyap, Zeke?” Bailey asked.
“I believe I am ready to leave these city slickers in our dust, Bailey,” replied Zeke with a shake of his head.
“Well, don’t leave me here with this bunch,” grumbled the unknown man from inside the coach, who obviously preferred to remain unidentified. “I will take my chances to unload elsewhere if you don’t mind.”
“Hiya, you girls! Giddyap, there!” Bailey called to the team.
Sara stood in the corner, gaping at the three sitting in the dining room. She had never witnessed people act like this anywhere, especially in Two Forks.
Gazing through the oversized café windows, Jaida’smouth worked like a guppy gasping for air as she watched Bailey’s hat fly off her head, landing on her shoulders. Luckily, Bailey wore a rawhide tie on her hat, or she would have lost it in her rush to get the team away from the depot.
“Why, Uncle, that was a girl who drove our stagecoach. How utterly uncivilized,” remarked Jaida.
“What? A girl! Now this I gotta see,” echoed Chase, knowing if this were true, he would have the first of many stories to tell his friends when they returned home.
“Looks like the town could have some excitement coming our way in the near future,” Maggie said, nodding her head with a spring in her step.
No sooner were those words out of Maggie’s mouth than Jaida became even more astonished.
“Here comes some sort of wagon with another girl driving it. Surely you DO NOT expect me to learn the ways of the dust-eating, uneducated, backwoods mountain girls while we are staying here?” she yelped while Maggie’s customers stared in awe.
Maggie looked out the window and said, “Oh, look. It’s Nancy back with the girls, and she let Caty drive. I wonder if they have any news from the ranch?”
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CAT knows that for all my readers who enjoy reading Western action and adventures with splashes of Western humor, you will want to read B. S. Daniels’ new novel “Trail of Fate” and “The Arduous Quest” series! The Cat had heard a rumor that he was hard at work writing book two of the series.
I hope you enjoyed meeting B. S. and the sneak peek excerpts. Book one will be released sometime next month. So Y’all come back as I will be sharing a cover reveal and more! 📚🌵🤠🐎 🪢🌵
In “The Broken Circle, Beyond Cedar Cove,” Cynthia Ulmer tells a moving story about hope, resilience, and the bonds that unite a community in times of crisis.
In this second part of the series, we find the tranquil town of Cedar Cove on the brink of chaos; the local Baptist Church, a cornerstone of the community, is thrown into turmoil when its pastor, Joe Marley, crashes his car into the Jansans’ feed store. James Jansan, the respectable head deacon, must find a substitute preacher to take over while the community grapples with various issues that threaten to unravel its tight-knit fabric.
Meg Kerwood, known for her abusive and neglectful behavior toward her six-year-old daughter, wants to have a baby boy. She believes that unwavering faith and divine intervention will answer her prayers. But her journey toward motherhood takes an unexpected turn, leading her down a path of heartache and turmoil. Adding to the chaos, someone from Grandma Cal’s past resurfaces, bringing secrets and complications that test the town’s unity.
As the truth comes to light, Meg’s life takes a frightening turn, leaving her shattered and on the brink of disaster. Will Cedar Cove find the strength to overcome the challenges that threaten to tear them apart, or will they succumb to the weight of their secrets?
In this captivating novel, join us on a breathtaking journey filled with compassion, redemption, and the power of faith.
Underneath the Honeysuckle Vine Beyond Cedar Cove (Book 1)
It began underneath the honeysuckle vine. Meg Evans came from a privileged background. She thought she was better than most around her. She had beauty, money, and prestige. She lived in a fantasy world, ignoring the mistakes she made. When it all crashed and crumbled, she blamed her illegitimate daughter Carin for her misfortune.
What will happen as she lies, cheats, and steals to return to the life she believes she deserves? Will her daughter Carin survive the abuse? Will Meg change? Will a return visit to the honeysuckle vine help?
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ABOUT THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR
Award medal recipient and acclaimed writer Cynthia Ulmer was born in Newport News, Virginia, and raised in Leland, North Carolina. Her wholesome ‘Southern Family Fictional’ book series, The Cedar Cove Chronicles, is an award-winning series of books.
It is a Christian-themed realistic drama series that follows the Jansan family and their friends and neighbors in the fictional community of Cedar Cove, North Carolina, during the 1940s and 1950s. Books one and four of “The Cedar Cove Chronicles” have won medals from the ‘Wishing Shelf Indie Book Awards’ and several have received several 5-star book reviews from Readers Favorite.
Now ready to bring readers to the present, she has released a new book series called Beyond Cedar Cove. Book one, Underneath The Honeysuckle Vine, was released in 2021, and book two, Broken Circle, is set to release soon. Her titles are available on Amazon, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and many other online bookstores and literary publications.
Cynthia shares, “Some people grapple with their life’s purpose, while others are born knowing it. At an early age, I knew I would be a writer–as the narratives were always alive in my mind.” The author’s characters are so rich and relatable that readers will feel an intimate connection with them and eagerly anticipate the next chapter in their lives. The author hopes her books resonate with readers, stirring their hearts and inspiring them to foster deeper faith-filled connections with the Lord.
When Cynthia isn’t writing, she finds joy in cooking, crocheting, immersing herself in music, and delving into the works of her favorite authors, Catherine Hyde Ryan, Lucinda Berry, and Wiley Cash. Above all, she treasures the time spent with her extensive family, particularly her grandchildren. Cynthia and her husband continue to call North Carolina home.
"CAT'S BOOK LIBRARY 4 READERS" 