Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
I'm so excited to be a part of CelebrateLit's Suamalie Islands series! My contribution, Tropical Target, will release September 26, 2023. But Tropical Target is just one of many great stories that take place on the Suamalie Islands.
This is where you will find everything related to Suamalie Islands: Book news, giveaways, blog posts, fun facts, and more!
I'm so excited to be a part of CelebrateLit's Suamalie Islands series! My contribution, Tropical Target, will release September 26, 2023. But Tropical Target is just one of many great stories that take place on the Suamalie Islands.
This is where you will find everything related to Suamalie Islands: Book news, giveaways, blog posts, fun facts, and more!
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Kiana in An Unexpected Gift is a closet video gamer on the internet. It is how she decompresses at the end of a long day.
What is something you do to relax or decompress after a long day?
Everyone has long days. Some feel longer than others. Some are more stressful than others. There are a lot of different ways to decompress. Watching television. Reading a book. Playing card games. Long soak in a hot bath. Working out. Cooking a meal for the family.
I like to come home and just chill out. I don’t always do the same thing but it always starts with me coming home and getting comfy. I switch from work clothes to pajamas.
From there it depends on what the rest of the family is doing. More often than not, I end up reading a book, watching television or playing on social media. Sometimes, all of the above.
When I’m reading, I prefer romantic suspense books and I love to watch crime shows. There are times my kids will want to play card games so we’ll play Skipbo or Phase10.
What’s something you do to decompress?
What is something you do to relax or decompress after a long day?
Everyone has long days. Some feel longer than others. Some are more stressful than others. There are a lot of different ways to decompress. Watching television. Reading a book. Playing card games. Long soak in a hot bath. Working out. Cooking a meal for the family.
I like to come home and just chill out. I don’t always do the same thing but it always starts with me coming home and getting comfy. I switch from work clothes to pajamas.
From there it depends on what the rest of the family is doing. More often than not, I end up reading a book, watching television or playing on social media. Sometimes, all of the above.
When I’m reading, I prefer romantic suspense books and I love to watch crime shows. There are times my kids will want to play card games so we’ll play Skipbo or Phase10.
What’s something you do to decompress?
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An Unexpected Gift by Melissa Wardwell releases August 29, 2023.
Something’s up in Suamalie, and it’s looking like love! When Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani decide it’s time for the islands to have affordable wedding options, Something Suamalie becomes the marriage of skills, friendship, and wedding splendor on the islands. Cruising around the island on a Moped in a business suit may seem incongruous, but Kiana knows how to blend practicality and professionalism, a strong work ethic and relaxation. With no time for mistakes or changes in plans, she’s also decided to forgo romance (for herself). There just isn’t enough time in the day. That is until the early arrival of one of the groomsmen of Something Suamalie’s first booking throws everything off balance, including her thoughts on long distance dating. Beau was perfectly content with his job and the growing attraction to a girl back home; however, he hadn’t figured in the sassy and sometimes unprofessional wedding planner. Seeing her world begin to unravel while she and her partners fumble with their first weddings tugs at his heart strings and leaves him second guessing his choices in the romance department. She’s a study in opposites. He’s attracted. So now what do they do? Click here for a chance to win an eBook copy of the book and $5 Amazon card! |
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Room for Love by Marguerite Martin Gray released July 25, 2023
God gave her peace then; maybe He’ll do it again. When Amy Lee’s son heads off to college, the bed and breakfast owner finds life even lonelier and emptier than she had after losing her husband. She needs something to occupy her mind and heart while she reinvents her life again. What more could she ask for than an after-school program for local children and a renewed interest in painting? Then the arrival of a professor of archeology shakes her world and makes her yearn for the way things were only a few short months ago. Still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and ignoring the warnings and protests of his grown children, Professor Walker Standish escapes on a six-month sabbatical. His heart, barely beating these past months, jerks to life again when he finds more than a room at a B & B. Where an ocean meets the shore, love has room for one more. |
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In Love Like No Other, Colin is struggling to accept that the goals he had for his life are no longer possible. He needs to find a new direction. When is a time when God nudged you to change course?
Sometimes God doesn’t nudge. One July, right before my youngest son turned one, I was the only one working. My husband had gotten caught up in the massive layoffs that affected much of the country.
I had been at this particular job for about four years despite having an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. I had attempted to work for an attorney previously but only lasted two weeks because the particular attorney was very difficult to work for. Which scared me off from trying to find another job as a paralegal. I could definitely do better but I was happy where I was. It was comfortable and safe.
Then I was fired. I was devastated. Jobs were scarce in the area and we had two children to take care of. It was the worst thing that could happen to us. We ended up moving in with my mother.
I found a job through a temp agency but continued employment wasn’t a guarantee. So I kept looking. I saw an ad in the paper for a paralegal position. I emailed my resume and waited. I never got the call.
I kept looking for a job and ended up getting hired at Walmart for the holiday season. Once Christmas was over my, hours were decreased. My husband and I were working part time but still living with my mom.
It was the beginning of January and my dad needed a ride to the VA for a procedure 45 minutes away. While waiting for my dad to be released, I got a telephone call. From the attorney’s office I emailed my resume to a couple of months before. They wanted me to come in for an interview that afternoon. I told them I wanted to interview but explained where I was and what was happening. We set up an interview for late in the afternoon when my father was released.
Wouldn’t you know it? Dad’s pulse ox wouldn’t raise enough for him to be released in time for the interview. I wasn’t able to make it that day but I did get an interview. And then a second interview. And then the job.
I’ve now been at this job for twelve and a half years. God has blessed us so much in that time. I firmly believe He wanted to bless me but I was in the way.
Click here for a chance to win an eBook copy of the book and $5 Amazon card!
Sometimes God doesn’t nudge. One July, right before my youngest son turned one, I was the only one working. My husband had gotten caught up in the massive layoffs that affected much of the country.
I had been at this particular job for about four years despite having an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. I had attempted to work for an attorney previously but only lasted two weeks because the particular attorney was very difficult to work for. Which scared me off from trying to find another job as a paralegal. I could definitely do better but I was happy where I was. It was comfortable and safe.
Then I was fired. I was devastated. Jobs were scarce in the area and we had two children to take care of. It was the worst thing that could happen to us. We ended up moving in with my mother.
I found a job through a temp agency but continued employment wasn’t a guarantee. So I kept looking. I saw an ad in the paper for a paralegal position. I emailed my resume and waited. I never got the call.
I kept looking for a job and ended up getting hired at Walmart for the holiday season. Once Christmas was over my, hours were decreased. My husband and I were working part time but still living with my mom.
It was the beginning of January and my dad needed a ride to the VA for a procedure 45 minutes away. While waiting for my dad to be released, I got a telephone call. From the attorney’s office I emailed my resume to a couple of months before. They wanted me to come in for an interview that afternoon. I told them I wanted to interview but explained where I was and what was happening. We set up an interview for late in the afternoon when my father was released.
Wouldn’t you know it? Dad’s pulse ox wouldn’t raise enough for him to be released in time for the interview. I wasn’t able to make it that day but I did get an interview. And then a second interview. And then the job.
I’ve now been at this job for twelve and a half years. God has blessed us so much in that time. I firmly believe He wanted to bless me but I was in the way.
Click here for a chance to win an eBook copy of the book and $5 Amazon card!
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Love Like No Other by Tabitha Bouldin releases June 27, 2023
Trying to overcome a past like hers might just help him overcome his. Alicia Gray wants one thing: to prove her capabilities as a doctor. Maybe then she can escape the feeling that her mother's abandonment was deserved. She's never felt worthy and grew up in foster home after foster home, always being told that if she did better, if she was more amenable, she'd find her place. When she came to Suamalie, the last thing she expected to find was a man whose grumpy personality conflicted so piercingly with her sunshine demeanor. Colin Tremblay was dishonorably discharged from his army medic position and sent home in disgrace after his twin brother stole from his clinic. Back on the islands, he's bounced from job to job, never finding anything that satisfies him. To make matters worse, his twin niece and nephew convince him to spend his summer overseeing their camp activities while working alongside Little Miss Sunshine herself. This grumpy versus sunshine romance is sure to send them both scrambling when Colin confronts Alicia's need to please while she reminds Colin that not every bad day is a reason to run for the hills. Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart. |
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A Heart for News by Susan K. Beatty released May 30, 2023
Will a heart for news get a scoop on love? Though Margo Durand invests her whole heart into working for her family’s newspaper, her father refuses to modernize, and she harbors a secret fear of approaching interviewees and all things dangerous—except riding her Vespa everywhere. But when Margo follows evidence that two government officials are corrupt, Margo discovers danger, intrigue, and a legal sort of blackmail. Professional race car driver, Steve Grayson, arrives to finish recuperating and overcome his fear of getting back on the track while pursuing his desire to open a race car driving school on Le Cadeau Île. If he can find the money and convince the owner to sell. When Margo’s best friend sets Margo up with Steve as a tour guide, conveniently forgetting to tell him Margo is a reporter, they tour the islands until Steve is willingly dragged into the investigation. The investigation only opens new questions, creates new trials, and has the potential to destroy their budding romance. Does pursuing a relationship just before he leaves to take part in one last racing season even make sense? Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart. |
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Rekindled friendships.
In The Title Wave, Ezra and Henri were friends for a long time (each actually really cared about the other but never said anything). But after eight years apart, they have to rediscover each other and their friendship... or more.
The youth leader from my teen years turned into my best friend. I graduated high school and moved away. We lost touch. When I moved back to town I had a husband and newborn daughter. I returned to the church and found her. She had a daughter a little over a year older than mine and she was due with her second daughter a few months later. We lost touch again but then three years later I was drawn back to that church. And she was still there. Our friendship grew and we were eventually best friends and have been since. Our girls grew up together and her youngest graduated with mine. We have celebrated with each other and cried with each other. God definitely blessed me with a best friend like her.
Click here for your chance to win an ebook copy of The Title Wave and a $5 Amazon giftcard.
In The Title Wave, Ezra and Henri were friends for a long time (each actually really cared about the other but never said anything). But after eight years apart, they have to rediscover each other and their friendship... or more.
The youth leader from my teen years turned into my best friend. I graduated high school and moved away. We lost touch. When I moved back to town I had a husband and newborn daughter. I returned to the church and found her. She had a daughter a little over a year older than mine and she was due with her second daughter a few months later. We lost touch again but then three years later I was drawn back to that church. And she was still there. Our friendship grew and we were eventually best friends and have been since. Our girls grew up together and her youngest graduated with mine. We have celebrated with each other and cried with each other. God definitely blessed me with a best friend like her.
Click here for your chance to win an ebook copy of The Title Wave and a $5 Amazon giftcard.
The Title Wave by Chautona Havig released April 25, 2023
All he wants to do is help people, but local women want to help themselves… to him!
When Henri Tupuola returned to Suamalie to open his holistic mental health clinic, he had no idea what he was getting into. After ten years in Australia getting his degree and practical experience under his mentor, the locals had all but forgotten the quiet “boy” who had always made them feel like he could see right through them.
Not anymore! The ladies of Lafoina are eager to meet the island’s therapist and spend hours staring deeply into his eyes on their weekly dates… ahem, sessions.
Desperate for relief, he hightails it down to The Title Wave and begs Ezra to order him a couple dozen copies of his own book. Yes, author copies would be cheaper, but he needs these things fast. Maybe if he hands out his book like an old-time quack handed out pills, the ladies will get the hint and leave him alone.
But when he tells his troubles to Ezra (who’s the therapist now?), and she jokes at how much her father would love to have people flocking to his “sessions” so to speak, Henri gets an idea that could save his sanity… if only Ezra will agree.
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
All he wants to do is help people, but local women want to help themselves… to him!
When Henri Tupuola returned to Suamalie to open his holistic mental health clinic, he had no idea what he was getting into. After ten years in Australia getting his degree and practical experience under his mentor, the locals had all but forgotten the quiet “boy” who had always made them feel like he could see right through them.
Not anymore! The ladies of Lafoina are eager to meet the island’s therapist and spend hours staring deeply into his eyes on their weekly dates… ahem, sessions.
Desperate for relief, he hightails it down to The Title Wave and begs Ezra to order him a couple dozen copies of his own book. Yes, author copies would be cheaper, but he needs these things fast. Maybe if he hands out his book like an old-time quack handed out pills, the ladies will get the hint and leave him alone.
But when he tells his troubles to Ezra (who’s the therapist now?), and she jokes at how much her father would love to have people flocking to his “sessions” so to speak, Henri gets an idea that could save his sanity… if only Ezra will agree.
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
Mentors
In Wheeler's Design, Sabrina Wheeler starts her own mobile pottery studio, inspired by a high school art teacher who encouraged her follow her dreams.
There have been several people in my life that have helped me along the way. Whether it’s spiritually, academically, emotionally, with raising kids, or in other aspects of my life. So many people I can think of. My mom, my husband, a certain coworker, and my former youth leader turned bestie are just a few.
Right now in this season of my life, I’m working on becoming a better writer. And my friends and family have supported and encouraged me along the way.
Right now, Lisa Phillips is mentoring me in my writing journey. What started off as a mentor/mentee relationship quickly developed into besties. I’m not kidding, we are like bestie soul mates.
She is an uber talented amazing author and she’s slowly guiding me in her ways. If you haven’t read any of her books you’re missing out. Go read them all now. I’ve let go of my pantsting ways and I’m slowly turning into a plotter. I want to be Lisa Phillips when I grow up.
Seriously though, I can tell that my writing has grown so much with her help. And I’ll forever be grateful for her help but most importantly her friendship!
Click here for your chance to win an eBook copy of the book and $5 Amazon card!
In Wheeler's Design, Sabrina Wheeler starts her own mobile pottery studio, inspired by a high school art teacher who encouraged her follow her dreams.
There have been several people in my life that have helped me along the way. Whether it’s spiritually, academically, emotionally, with raising kids, or in other aspects of my life. So many people I can think of. My mom, my husband, a certain coworker, and my former youth leader turned bestie are just a few.
Right now in this season of my life, I’m working on becoming a better writer. And my friends and family have supported and encouraged me along the way.
Right now, Lisa Phillips is mentoring me in my writing journey. What started off as a mentor/mentee relationship quickly developed into besties. I’m not kidding, we are like bestie soul mates.
She is an uber talented amazing author and she’s slowly guiding me in her ways. If you haven’t read any of her books you’re missing out. Go read them all now. I’ve let go of my pantsting ways and I’m slowly turning into a plotter. I want to be Lisa Phillips when I grow up.
Seriously though, I can tell that my writing has grown so much with her help. And I’ll forever be grateful for her help but most importantly her friendship!
Click here for your chance to win an eBook copy of the book and $5 Amazon card!
Wheeler's Design by Rachel Skatvold released on March 28, 2023
Clay is messy and so is Sabrina’s life sometimes, but will God mold it into a work of art?
Sabrina Wheeler, single mom and business owner, won a scholarship to expand her pottery studio on Luamua Island. Now, she can finally have the career and life she’s been praying for. The scholarship includes a mentor, and Sabrina is anxious to make a good impression.
For Chad Berkley, an impromptu business trip to the Suamalie Islands couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Aside from it triggering his OCD personality, he also has important obligations in Yorkshire, and being absent for a month was not in his plans. The new assignment is an honor, however, and a huge step up in his career. He can’t risk disappointing his boss now.
But then he sees Sabrina. After their brief meeting at the business conference, he hasn’t stopped thinking of her. How had he missed that she is the business owner he’s been sent to mentor? Talk about distractions on his first big assignment. Will he be able to push his personal feelings aside and keep his focus on business?
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
Clay is messy and so is Sabrina’s life sometimes, but will God mold it into a work of art?
Sabrina Wheeler, single mom and business owner, won a scholarship to expand her pottery studio on Luamua Island. Now, she can finally have the career and life she’s been praying for. The scholarship includes a mentor, and Sabrina is anxious to make a good impression.
For Chad Berkley, an impromptu business trip to the Suamalie Islands couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Aside from it triggering his OCD personality, he also has important obligations in Yorkshire, and being absent for a month was not in his plans. The new assignment is an honor, however, and a huge step up in his career. He can’t risk disappointing his boss now.
But then he sees Sabrina. After their brief meeting at the business conference, he hasn’t stopped thinking of her. How had he missed that she is the business owner he’s been sent to mentor? Talk about distractions on his first big assignment. Will he be able to push his personal feelings aside and keep his focus on business?
Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.
Vacation Time!
In Amanda Tru’s Where Treasure lies, the main characters arrive in the Suamalie Islands thirty years apart, but they both have epically lousy first days on the island paradise. Nothing goes according to plan. But sometimes even the worst travel woes can end in our greatest blessings! Have you ever experienced any ridiculous, hilarious, or just plain bad travel luck? Did your story have a silver lining?
I’ve vacationed to several places over the years. I’m not sure that I’ve ever had a vacation experience that included ridiculous, hilarious and bad luck. Although, I’ve had vacations that have had at least one.
I’ve vacationed in Arkansas, Texas, California, Colorado, Missouri, and spent the spring break of my senior year in France. I’ve seen the woods, the beaches, and the mountains.
Vacations are for memories. Some are better than others.
France was amazing. A dream come true. I got to visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Couer, the Normandy Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery, and more. It was a whirlwind seven days. The food was great. The jetlag not so much.
Our Texas beach vacations tend to have a little of the not so fun memories. Like the time a jellyfish stung me. It must have been a little one because it didn’t look too bad, but boy did it burn. Then there was the time we were in a car wreck that totaled my mom’s car and stranded us in Texas a couple of extra days.
We vacationed in Colorado as a child, visiting the Royal Gorge, Pikes Peak, Cave of the Winds, and more. In 2017, my husband and I took our children and visited some of those same spots. It started as a bittersweet goodbye and moved into a great family vacation. Did you know the Arkansas River begins in Colorado? I remember my dad stopping at the beginning of the Arkansas River and collecting a jar of water and carrying it back home to Arkansas. And the beginning of the Arkansas River is where we released my father’s ashes. Not exactly the same spot, but close. That was also the vacation my son saw an ironing board and excitedly yelled “Look, a surfboard!” What does that say about my domestic abilities?
In the years down the road after vacations, you might vaguely remember the not so pleasant moments but you’ll cherish the great memories you’ve made.
In Amanda Tru’s Where Treasure lies, the main characters arrive in the Suamalie Islands thirty years apart, but they both have epically lousy first days on the island paradise. Nothing goes according to plan. But sometimes even the worst travel woes can end in our greatest blessings! Have you ever experienced any ridiculous, hilarious, or just plain bad travel luck? Did your story have a silver lining?
I’ve vacationed to several places over the years. I’m not sure that I’ve ever had a vacation experience that included ridiculous, hilarious and bad luck. Although, I’ve had vacations that have had at least one.
I’ve vacationed in Arkansas, Texas, California, Colorado, Missouri, and spent the spring break of my senior year in France. I’ve seen the woods, the beaches, and the mountains.
Vacations are for memories. Some are better than others.
France was amazing. A dream come true. I got to visit the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Couer, the Normandy Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery, and more. It was a whirlwind seven days. The food was great. The jetlag not so much.
Our Texas beach vacations tend to have a little of the not so fun memories. Like the time a jellyfish stung me. It must have been a little one because it didn’t look too bad, but boy did it burn. Then there was the time we were in a car wreck that totaled my mom’s car and stranded us in Texas a couple of extra days.
We vacationed in Colorado as a child, visiting the Royal Gorge, Pikes Peak, Cave of the Winds, and more. In 2017, my husband and I took our children and visited some of those same spots. It started as a bittersweet goodbye and moved into a great family vacation. Did you know the Arkansas River begins in Colorado? I remember my dad stopping at the beginning of the Arkansas River and collecting a jar of water and carrying it back home to Arkansas. And the beginning of the Arkansas River is where we released my father’s ashes. Not exactly the same spot, but close. That was also the vacation my son saw an ironing board and excitedly yelled “Look, a surfboard!” What does that say about my domestic abilities?
In the years down the road after vacations, you might vaguely remember the not so pleasant moments but you’ll cherish the great memories you’ve made.
Where Treasure Lies by Amanda Tru released on February 28, 2023.
Two stories…thirty years apart. Will solving the mystery of the past provide the key to the present?
Scott Connelly arrives in the Suamalie Islands determined to acquire property for his father and leave as soon as possible. But he doesn’t count on the animosity of the residents, the fascinating local legend of a sunken Spanish treasure ship, or the highly unavailable waitress who comes to his rescue. The fabled treasure promises to buy his freedom, but even seeking it may be a dangerous risk.
News of her father’s death precedes Tavia Connelly’s arrival in the Suamalie Islands. Despite the hatred of the island residents, Tavia’s determined to settle her father’s affairs and return immediately to assume her role as head of the family company. But her father’s wishes require her to find out what happened long ago, given only Scott’s mumbled clues, crazy rumors, and a centuries-old fable.
Tavia should be safe after all those years, but her presence attracts a lot of resentment, and the ghosts of Scott’s enemies may still lie in wait for someone to come searching for a treasure that may have never existed.
But what if it did?
Two stories…thirty years apart. Will solving the mystery of the past provide the key to the present?
Scott Connelly arrives in the Suamalie Islands determined to acquire property for his father and leave as soon as possible. But he doesn’t count on the animosity of the residents, the fascinating local legend of a sunken Spanish treasure ship, or the highly unavailable waitress who comes to his rescue. The fabled treasure promises to buy his freedom, but even seeking it may be a dangerous risk.
News of her father’s death precedes Tavia Connelly’s arrival in the Suamalie Islands. Despite the hatred of the island residents, Tavia’s determined to settle her father’s affairs and return immediately to assume her role as head of the family company. But her father’s wishes require her to find out what happened long ago, given only Scott’s mumbled clues, crazy rumors, and a centuries-old fable.
Tavia should be safe after all those years, but her presence attracts a lot of resentment, and the ghosts of Scott’s enemies may still lie in wait for someone to come searching for a treasure that may have never existed.
But what if it did?
