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Keri's Christmas Wish - Pamela Thibodeaux


Christian Theme:
The power of faith to heal 
                                        
Tagline:
Can Keri get past her angst over Christ’s birth and enjoy the Christmas season?

Blurb:
For as long as she can remember, Keri Jackson has despised the hype and commercialism around Christmas so much she seldom enjoys the holiday. Will she get her wish and be free of the angst to truly enjoy Christmas this year?

A devout Christian at heart, Jeremy Hinton, a Psychotherapist, Life Coach, Spiritual Mentor and Energy Medicine Practitioner has studied all of the world’s religions and homeopathic healing modalities. But when a rare bacterial infection threatens the life of the woman he loves, will all of his faith and training be for naught?

Find out in Keri’s Christmas Wish

Synopsis:
In Keri's Christmas Wish we get a glimpse into the life and spiritual practice of an ordinary woman who goes through an extraordinary experience.

Keri Jackson is an accountant who, although she loves Christ, abhors the hype, commercialism and controversy of His birth. As she embarks on a spiritual quest to determine why she feels this way, a rare bacterial infection threatens to take her life before she can find answers.

Jeremy Hinton, a Psychotherapist whose practice is a bit unorthodox as far as the medical community is concerned, has been enthralled by Keri from the moment the two meet. He feels she is a highly intelligent, deeply emotional, intensely complex human being. He has studied the human psyche and spiritual evolution for as long as he can remember. Keri's attitude toward Christmas baffles him, but Jeremy is sure together they can get to the bottom of it. Until she is beset by a rare infection that she may not recover from.

But what Jeremy and the doctors don't know is that while her body is under attack, Keri's soul is alive and well in another realm.

We travel this journey with Keri as she discovers a spiritual truth that is sure to set many people free from preconceived notions about heaven, angels, Christ, Christmas and the value of a relationship with Jesus.


Excerpt #1: Later that evening, Keri sat in her apartment bewildered and confused. Her search around the apartment complex after work had uncovered not a single string of wind chimes. Not one. She’d found nothing to explain the music she’d heard while drifting off after her evening prayer the night before.

Goose bumps rose on her flesh in response to the shiver that shook her soul. Could it be God used the music to acknowledge her prayer? Would this be the year she finally let go of all the angst she felt around Christmas and just enjoyed one of the holiest seasons? Would her Christmas wish finally be granted?

Excerpt #2: She turned to face him, took his hands in hers and stood on tiptoe to brush her lips across his. “Thank you. I’ll bet you do wondrous work with your patients. You sure have made me feel better.”

He caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “I’m not the Healer, love, just the vessel. Not the Source of Wisdom, only the messenger.”

Keri’s insides turned to mush at his use of the term ‘love’ when addressing her. She smiled. “And you do both beautifully.”

Excerpt #3: Nothing fascinated Jeremy more than the mind, body and emotions of man, and the effect one had on the other. How the mind could cause fear to manifest in the body and how emotions could influence both physiological and psychological functions amazed and baffled him in equal parts. When you added the spiritual aspect to the equations, it added a whole new level of intrigue to the entire concept of what a human being was comprised of. He’d found that miracles and madness sometimes went hand in hand.

Excerpt #4: An image began to form in her mind…a young girl being led around on a horse by an ethereal figure. As the trio came closer, Keri felt as though she looked in a mirror. Her heart swelled. Tears clogged her throat, filled her eyes, and slipped down her cheeks.

“Hi, Keri!”

The childlike voice reverberated through her entire body. Keri smiled and whispered, “Hello.”

Excitement lit the youngster’s eyes. Brilliant colors vibrated around her. “Do you know who I am?”

“You’re me as a little girl. That’s Spark, my horse who died when I was a teenager.”

Spark nodded his head as the girl giggled—a joyous melody that rang through the atmosphere. “No, silly, I’m your big sister. Only, I didn’t live very long.”

Tension seeped in, a mixture of shock and awe.

“Don’t be afraid. Ask mom.”

And then the mirage disappeared.


Excerpt #5: She awoke in another dimension. Keri had no idea if she was in Heaven, but neither did she fear Hell. Her surroundings were reminiscent of a dense forest at dusk. Shadows danced against a sunset where brilliant colors bled from the sky. A light shone in the distance but as she moved toward it, Keri felt as though she plowed through molasses. Unease pricked her skin. The sound of water drew her deeper into the woods until she stood at the base of a vast waterfall and rapids so swift she dared not attempt to cross the river.

The light grew stronger, brighter. Beckoning.

I need to get to the light.


Q&A:

Question:  What inspired you to write your newest release Keri’s Christmas Wish?
Answer: When I look back on the beginning I can honestly say Keri’s Christmas Wish was totally inspired by God. I’d finished a short story and sent the collection off to my editor when a vision of a young woman scrolling through her newsfeed came to mind with the words: Bah Humbug…. The entire story evolved from that one image and I completed the manuscript within a very short time. Since this was the first, original fiction story I’ve written in its entirety since 2009 I’m very excited to see it come to fruition.

Question: Why should people buy this book and who is your potential audience? 
Answer: Keri's Christmas Wish will give readers an enjoyable fiction story that shares the miracles and magic of the books and movies made over the last several years based on a true account of someone's visit to heaven. Those who love reading, hearing about and watching a true account of someone's visit to heaven as well as those who wonder if heaven is for real and what it is like, will enjoy Keri's Christmas Wish. 

Question: Is there anything else you feel is relevant to this story?
Answer: True accounts of heaven, angels, miracles as well as Energy Medicine, and meditation/self-help techniques are huge topics of interest in the world today. This story combines all of the above in a manner sure to entertain as well as enlighten.

Question: What is the message you hope to get across in this story?
Answer: That regardless of where you are in your faith journey God and His angels are always there to guide and guard and that He loves you in spite of your doubt and fears.

Question: What is the one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?
Answer:         Q: To what or whom do you credit your success?
                        A: Many people have a love/hate relationship with their muse. My muse is the Holy Spirit and I accredit every ounce of success to the grace of God because without HIM I seriously doubt I could write a single word, much less stories that bring hope and healing to so many.

Question: What is your work schedule like when you are writing?
Answer: Unlike many writers, I'm not strictly disciplined. However, when I am actively writing, I write—very little editing, or working on other projects, limited time online, not much networking or blogging, sleep comes only in snatches, meals are scarce and light, and definitely no playing!

Question: When do you feel like it all began to come together for you as a writer—was there a particular moment?
Answer: After years as a closet writer, penning stories in 5-subject notebooks, I'd have to say when I purchased my first, USED word processor and started typing in all those handwritten manuscripts I really began to feel like a writer.

Question: Who has influenced you most as a writer and why?
Answer: There is really no one person to whom I can attribute this to, so many have helped me along the way. I’d have to say that my love of reading has influenced me the most. Reading opens doors to the imagination, takes you places you’d never be able to go otherwise and improves your visualization and vocabulary skills. Now, I’m able to implement all those things into my own writing.

Question: What are some of the challenges you face as an author?
Answer: The biggest challenge I face is not having my work accepted by the “Christian” publishers. As one reviewer said, “though undeniably Christian, it is never dogmatic or insular; offering faith rather than religion.” (Review of Tempered Dreams by Elizabeth Burton for Blue Iris Journal) My books deal with issues in a way that is unacceptable in the traditional CBA market. Now that is not saying that my books are better than those published through traditional CBA publishers, only different. As I’ve said many times, everything that gives God glory deserves to be praised!

Question: What are a few writing tips you could share with aspiring writers?
Answer: The bible exhorts us to “study and show yourself approved.” Keep studying, keep writing, keep learning, stay open to constructive critique and NEVER GIVE UP! Writing is both gift and talent given to you by God. Don’t hide your gift or bury your talent. Whatever you write, write well. Strive for excellence. Stay teachable, pliable, and flexible. Never believe that you know it all because knowledge is power and the more you know the more valuable you become. Above all share what you learn with others and make someone’s load lighter to bear.

Question: Any marketing tips?
Answer: Marketing is an intricate part of the publishing business and publishers today expect authors to do their fair share. However, marketing/promotion can be overwhelming as the more you learn, the more there is to learn. For everything you accomplish, there are hundreds more you can do. My motto is: Do something every day and your best then let God do the rest and remember it takes time to build a career.

Question: What is your goal or mission as a writer?
Answer: A committed Christian, I firmly believe in God and His promises. God is very real to me. I believe that people today need and want to hear more of His truths wherever they can glean them and I do my best to encourage readers to develop a personal relationship with Him. The deepest desire of my heart is to glorify God and to get His message of faith, trust, and forgiveness to a hurting world. My hope is that all of my stories will touch the lives of everyone who reads them and - in some way - bring them a truer knowledge of God and urge them into a closer walk with Him.


Author Bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder and a lifetime member of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction as well as creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ and reviewed as “steamier and grittier than the typical Christian novel without decreasing the message.”

URL for Photo: http://bit.ly/SAsS2T 

Links:
Website address: http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com    
Twitter: http://twitter.com/psthib @psthib
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1jUVcdU 
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/pamela-s-thibodeaux

Blog Tour Stops:

Dec 3rd – Saturday Spotlight on my personal blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

Dec 4th – Patty Gordon/Patricia Kiyono Blog: http://creative-hodgepodge.blogspot.com/

Dec 5th - Linda Rondeau Blog:  http://lindarondeau.com/snarksensibility
Dec 6th - Clare Revell Blog: http://telscha.blogspot.co.uk/
Dec 7th – Diana Rubino Blog: http://dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com/
Dec 8th – Tina Gayle Blog: http://tinagayle.blogspot.com/2016/10/pam.html
Dec 9th – Linda Carroll-Bradd Blog: http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com/
Dec 10th – Marilyn Leach Blog: marilynleachteaandbooks.com
Dec 11th – Robin Bayne Blog: http://wwwwritingbetweensundays.blogspot.com/
Dec 12th – Raquel Byrnes Blog: http://nitewriter6.blogspot.com/
Dec 13th – Cami Checketts Blog: http://www.camichecketts.com/  
Dec 14th – Linda McLaughlin Blog: http://lindalyndi.com/reading-room-blog/
Dec 15th – Diane Burton Blog: http://dianeburton.blogspot.com/
Dec 16th – Maureen Bonatch Blog: http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/
Dec 17th – Alicia Dean Blog: https://aliciadean.com/alicias-blog/
Dec 18th – Jody Day Blog: http://jodysdevotionaljournal.blogspot.com/

Dec 20th – Marian Merritt’s Blog: http://marianmerritt.blogspot.com



* Rafflecopter Giveaway – 5 E-copies & 5 Print copies of Keri’s Christmas Wish
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Comments

Thank you so much, Clare for hosting my new release today.
Good luck and God's blessings to you!
PamT

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