Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Meet Susanna Maurer

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Susanna “Susie” Maurer is Ambassador International’s newest team member, as Publicity Director. Susie has a BA in English & Creative Writing and a penchant for adventure. When she is not toting her children around Europe, she is trying to find her keys. Susie believes in the power of forming strong relationships in her work, and that has carried and propelled her through a variety of customer service, communication, and management roles. The most important relationships in Susie’s life are her relationship with Jesus, her relationship with her husband and children, and her relationship with coffee.

Of these items below, let us know which five you think are true about Susie and which one is not true!

…Met her husband when they were both seven years old.

…Likes to make at least one new friend in every new country.

…Loves cooking, especially French cuisine.

…Cannot drive stick shift, despite living in the UK for three years.

…Loves peppermint ice cream, Americanos, and quality pillows.

…Has a fear of parking in public, but loves speaking in public.

 

For all inquiries, Susie can be reached at [email protected]

“Fate of the Watchman” Cover Reveal Scavenger Hunt and Giveaway

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Join the scavenger hunt to see the full cover of Chad Pettit’s Fate of the Watchman and also look for clues to win a $10 Barnes and Noble egiftcard and a free digital pre-release ebook of Fate of the Watchman!

Welcome to the Fate of the Watchman Cover Reveal Scavenger Hunt! You have arrived at stop #8.

Please take time to carefully read the details below and follow the clues to the next stop.
The hunt began August 30, 2018, at Reading is My Superpower and ends on September 7, 2018, at 11:59pm EST at Chad Pettit’s site where he’ll reveal the full cover for his book! There will be 9 stops on this scavenger hunt, and you will find a CLUE IN RED at each stop. Write them down as you go. At the end of the hunt, you will unscramble and enter the clues into the giveaway entry form.

Chad Pettit

Who is Chad?

Chad Pettit grew up in Oregon with books and the mountains to help his imagination grow. After high school, he spent ten years in the Army, travelling and deploying all over the world, including two combat tours in Iraq. After the military, Chad earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas A&M University-Central Texas, and then he started teaching English at an early college high school in central Texas. Chad currently serves in a local church as a deacon and the Sunday school superintendent.

What is Fate of the Watchman?

Lester Sharp is a workaholic, obsessed with the success of his business and oblivious to the world around him. All of that changes when a peculiar stranger comes into his shop asking for food and help. Lester soon finds himself on an impossible journey around the world to bear witness to some of the greatest tragedies a person can know, all frozen in a single moment of time. In this challenging and gripping novel, debut author Chad Pettit, delivers a supernatural, pulse-pounding adventure in which Lester Sharp is in for the longest second of his life and learns lessons to last a lifetime.

Fate of the Watchman is a novella that releases on October 1, 2018, and will be followed by Chad’s second full-length novel Fate of the Redeemed {release date TBD}.

What’s next?

Below is the cover teaser!

Fate of the Watchman

Follow Chad for more updates on his novels! Details below:
For more information about
Chad Pettit & Fate of the Watchman
please visit:
www.chadpettit.net
@pettit_chad
www.facebook.com/ChadPettit.Writer
Instagram: @chad_pettit_

 

Thanks so much for stopping by our site and participating in the Fate of the Watchman Cover Reveal Scavenger Hunt and Giveaway. Before you move on to Stop #9 to pick up your next clue, be sure to write down this clue: to

See you at the end and happy hunting!

If you missed the beginning and need to go back, you can find the links below:

Day 1:

Reading is My Superpower

Day 2:

Allen Steadham

Day 3:

Daphne Self

Day 4:

Christian Shelf Esteem

Day 5:

Heather Norman Smith

Day 6:

Allison Wells

Day 7:

Katie Cruice Smith

“Fate of the Watchman” Scavenger Hunt Cover Reveal Giveaway

The 2018 Southern Book Prize Long List

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Tales of a Cosmic Possum

Ambassador International is pleased to announce that Tales of a Cosmic Possum by Sheila Ingle is on the 2018 Southern Book Prize Long List, featuring all the eligible titles that have been nominated for the Southern Book Prize (formerly the SIBA Book Award). Finalists for each category in the 2017 Southern Book Prize will be announced April 16, 2018. 

Congratulations, Sheila!

To learn more about the 2018 Southern Book Prize Long List, go HERE.

To learn more about Sheila and Tales of a Cosmic Possum, go HERE.

Readers’ Favorite 5-star Review of “What Good Is Jesus?” by Marv Nelson

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Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review Seal

Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers’ Favorite

What Good Is Jesus? is an inspiring and captivating Christian non-fiction book written by Marv Nelson. Nelson writes the book from a fresh new perspective in consideration of today’s culture and ideas. He does not shy away from delving into difficult topics and questions that Christians tend to avoid. Targeted toward millennials, What Good Is Jesus? seeks to answer questions related to the identity and character of Jesus, the interaction between the church and politics, and the appropriate Christian approach to political agendas. He challenges Christians to remember that they are representatives of Christ here on earth and should, therefore, present the right image of Him. Nelson defends his viewpoint with appropriate scriptural backing as he navigates some of the most intricate areas of Christianity that are usually ignored or assumed away, but are equally crucial.

From the point I read the title of the book, I knew this would not be just any another Christian book. As I turned the pages, every chapter challenged me to look at Christianity in a fresh new way and not just what I have adopted through tradition. Marv Nelson wisely tackles difficult questions that are usually on the minds of many millennials. He helped me remember what Christianity is all about as defined by the Bible itself. Further, being a millennial myself, Marv Nelson helped shed light on areas that I find puzzling in the Christian faith. I couldn’t help appreciating his sheer honesty and pluck as I read What Good Is Jesus? Above everything, reading the book reminded me of the foundation values of the Christian faith such as love, compassion, faith, trust and complete surrender.

Learn more about What Good is Jesus? HERE.

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Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.

Why Did You Choose Me? Pre-order Perks and giveaway!

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Katie Cruice Smith’s highly anticipated new book Why Did You Choose Me? is now available for pre-order! Katie Cruice Smith, a foster and adoptive mom, strives to answer that question in a way that young children can understand. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptive mom to three children, Katie uses the questions her own children have asked her and her husband in order to draw them to the response that there never really was a choice—she knew right away that they were hers.

Pre-Order Smith’s new book Why Did You Choose Me? and you’ll enjoy some great freebies and offers including:

+ Free download of The Itzels’ There is Hope (Siri’s Song)
+A downloadable adoption print by artist Sarah Strickling Jones
+A chance to win:
  • A copy of Hope CD by the Itzels
  • A LulaRoe $25 credit {provided by an adopting family}
  • A copy of Why Did You Choose Me? {to keep or gift!}

 

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Simply purchase your book from an online retailer and forward your receipt to [email protected] to receive your free download and be entered in the giveaway!
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Why Did You Choose Me? is available at the following retailers:
Ambassador International: https://buff.ly/2gxoSB2
Book Depository: https://buff.ly/2g4JEIr
Books-a-Million: https://buff.ly/2z83eJ1

**purchases from any retailers are accepted**

Author’s New Book Receives a Warm Literary Welcome

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Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review Seal

Readers’ Favorite announces the review of the Children – Social Issues book Why Did You Choose Me? by Katie Cruice Smith, currently available at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/162020603X. Why Did You Choose Me? received a Readers’ Favorite 5-star review!

 

Reviewed By Vernita Naylor for Readers’ Favorite:

In today’s culture, there are so many children awaiting adoption. Children are a special gift and should be treated as such. As adults, it is our job to be the leaders, heroes and the protectors of our children and their well-being. There are so many different circumstances that cause a child to be placed in the foster care system. Why Did You Choose Me? by Katie Cruice Smith offers a great set of answers to those sensitive questions that a foster child may ask. Your answers to their questions could either help or hurt your child, not only in their development, but in how they see the world and themselves. Katie is a foster mother to three children and when they asked ‘Why me?’ she wanted to provide them with answers that would offer comfort, peace, and transparency. All children and especially foster children need to know that they’re wanted, needed and have a stable place to call their own. The beauty in the way that Katie answers these questions shows the love and patience that any parent should display when answering them. With just one wrong response we can do harm to a child’s emotions, confidence, and self-esteem.

This is a great book because as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) I specialized in emancipated youth and they have the same questions as well, despite their transitioning from a child to an adult. They confided in me that at times they would mess up their adoption situation because they couldn’t believe that anyone wanted them after having being abandoned by their birth parents. Their initial feeling of abandonment and loneliness caused them to disbelieve what their foster parents said. This book helps to display to these children that they are not alone. Foster children feel that they have to be perfect, either academically or be talented, but little do they realize that no one is perfect; it is a parent’s job to show them that they matter.

You can find out more about Why Did You Choose Me? here.

Why Did You Choose Me

Apply for the “Why Did You Choose Me?” Launch Team

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Ambassador International is presently accepting applications for the Why Did You Choose Me? Launch Team!

Most adoptive and foster children struggle at some point in their life with knowing who they are and where they belong. They want to ask questions, and parents need to be prepared with an answer that helps their child feel loved and secure.

After searching for adoption storybooks to read to her own adopted children, Katie Cruice Smith decided that there was a need for more books that parents could read at bedtime to connect with their adopted and fostered children.

In Why Did You Choose Me?, Katie Cruice Smith answers that question in a way that young children can understand. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptive mom to three children, Katie uses the questions her own children have asked to help them see there never really was a choice she knew right away that they were hers.

With beautiful illustrations by artist Sarah Strickling Jones, Why Did You Choose Me? lovingly demonstrates the uniqueness that each child brings to a family and is one book that should be in the homes of all adoptive families—and we’d like your help to make that happen!

 

Why Did You Choose Me

Apply here.

Applications will be accepted through 8/9/2017 and selectees will be notified by email by 8/11/2017.

Endorsements for Why Did You Choose Me?:

Why Did You Choose Me? explores a familiar adoption theme, but is pleasantly unpredictable. The illustrations are sure to put a smile on your child s face, and your own. Though the book is written in rhyme, the verse is not sing-songy and the book has just enough sophistication to be enjoyed by everyone.
Dr. Daniel Nehrbass
President of Nightlight Christian Adoptions

Why Did You Choose Me? is a perfectly simple way to make any adopted child feel like they are exactly where they need to be! When our daughter asks why we chose her to be a part of our family, even though she looks different than us, this book will be invaluable to communicate our love for her. I am always thankful for books that help to aide us in communicating with our child about adoption.
Shannon Patterson
Adoptive mom and President of Bethany Christian Services Board in Greenville, SC

As a foster parent myself, I believe Why Did You Choose Me? is the perfect emotional journey to answering the very sensitive question all foster/adoptive children want to know and would recommend families add it to their library.
Robert Whitney
Thornwell Foster Care Recruiter

As one who has served adoptive families for a decade, I’ve had countless parents ask me, “How do I talk to my children about adoption?” Now, after all these years, I finally have a go-to answer: “Read Katie Cruice Smith’s Why Did You Choose Me? to them, over and over.”
Dan Cruver
Co-founder of Together for Adoption, Author of Reclaiming Adoption

As any adoptive parent will tell you, our adopted children do ask many times, “Why did you choose me?” Now my clients who adopt have a fun and colorful resource to touch on and answer this all-important question. Katie Cruice Smith and Sarah Strickling Jones have prepared a learning tool adaptable to a child’s early years, which allows an adopted child and her parents to connect on different levels with the topic of adoption. Your child will laugh and smile while learning about adoption, love, and acceptance. I will be buying Why Did You Choose Me? for all my adoptive couples!
Raymond W. Godwin
Father of two adopted daughters and adoption lawyer in Greenville, SC
Co-author of The Complete Adoption Book

Why Did You Choose Me? is tender, genuine, and refreshing, and it does this adoptive mom’s heart and soul some good. Our daughter, from India, is now asking this very same question proposed in the book. This thoughtfully written and charmingly illustrated book is a great reminder to her of how special and unique she is, and it is a great reminder to her mom (me) of the beautiful gift of adoption. Any family, adopting or not, will be blessed by this sweet story.
Kelly McCorkle Parkison
Adoptive mom and author of He Knows Her Name

Honoring all the Mothers of Our Lives

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Mothers Day

In honor of all mothers, both authors and readers, Ambassador International has selected an array of books to put on sale. These books are written by and/or for mothers. Thank you, moms! We couldn’t do life without you!

Good Morning, Beautiful: At two-and-a-half, Christina was autistic. She didn’t speak and had the cognitive ability of an infant. With one-hundred seizures a day, her life was being ripped away by a relentless villain epilepsy. When doctors gave up, we hung on to hope and became her advocates, researching, praying and believing for a miracle. A special diet, with roots in Scripture, became the first miracle. Christina proved nothing is impossible when she repeated words to a song, Good Morning Beautiful. Extremely delayed, it was a huge milestone. Her story caught the attention of the national recording artist who recorded the song and prior to brain surgery, people around the world began praying for her. Now seizure and autism free, therapists cite services are no longer needed as Christina s file doesn’t match the patient. She made honor roll and still sings Good Morning, Beautiful. Find it here.

From Dishes to Snow: Bayne Harris has lost everything she holds dear in her life. Her husband and children are dead. She was the one who caused the accident—the one behind the wheel. She cannot escape that night as it continuously haunts her thoughts. A year after they’re gone, nothing has changed. The memories are still unbearable. She can’t breathe. She can’t function. She needs to get away. View Top Mountain provides the perfect escape. No one will bother her there. No one will want to check on her or talk about what happened. She can live her life alone, away from do-gooders and any chance of happiness. This is her plan, but she soon finds out God has something else in store. Find it here.

From Driftwood to Sapphire: Samantha Jordan spent her entire life within a family unit of two—herself and her father, Wren—until Bay Harris came into their lives. Now, with the addition of a stepmother, a little sister, and another sister on the way, the family unit has stretched itself to a loving number of five. She enters her senior year at Brenton College hopeful and happy, planning to make the most of her last year as a student. Although her best friend has graduated, leaving her to a freshman roommate with unusual social problems, Samantha still has Trevor James, a driven and handsome friend from her hometown, View Top Mountain. However, when tragedy occurs and secrets are revealed, Samantha’s world turns upside down and her trust in God is tested. Find it here.

Grace in the Middle: “You are beautiful, little girl of mine,” Wendy Duke whispered over her newborn daughter. It was a still moment amidst the turmoil of birth defects and a life-threatening illness. Grace in the Middle is a memoir recounting one young couple’s struggle to hold on to an unraveling faith during the greatest crisis of their lives. Heartbreaking, triumphant, and funny in just the right places, this inspiring story is an authentic reflection on battling and overcoming physical illness and disability, resisting the dark doubts that plague us in the midst of tragedy, and trusting the faithfulness of God through the deep twists and turns of life. Find it here.

Rebecca Stubbs: Rebecca Stubbs, the beloved daughter of a conscientious village vicar in Victorian England, has always enjoyed a sheltered, idyllic childhood. Her parents work tirelessly for their small farm community, aiding both the church and the poor. When an unexpected outbreak of fever rages through the town, Rebecca must face growing up alone. As she matures into womanhood, Rebecca finds that she is ill-prepared for her new world. With no home, no family, and few prospects, she is determined to make her own way in life. As a housemaid at Barton Manor, she struggles to find her place in a world of double standards and man-made rules. Can she keep her faith strong amidst a lonely life of domestic service? Must she always be a bystander, watching other people’s lives unfold and flourish? Or is there something else in store for her servant heart? Find it here.

Celebrate Life: Every day is a gift that we have been given from God and that’s something to celebrate! God blesses us daily with so many good things and sometimes we just need to slow down, look around at His creation, and enjoy the blessings He has given us! This book helps you celebrate those good things with your mate, your children, your church family, and your friends. It gives you ideas to plan a day once a month to do something fun and exciting with those you love and care for. Each celebration includes a theme, verses to read and meditate on, and recipes to make your celebrating special! Being together is such a good way to encourage each other, laugh with each other, and make some memories for years to come! Hopefully the ideas in this book will help you and even maybe spark a few ideas of your own! It might take a little extra work on your part, but it will be worth it! God is always good and we are always loved. Everyday is a gift He has given us and we get to choose how we live it. Let’s celebrate it! Find it here.

He Knows Her Name: There are an estimated 20 million orphans in the country of India. Thanks to Kelly and Scott Parkison, that number has decreased by one. Having promised to never return to India after her experience on the reality show The Amazing Race, Kelly never dreamed she would one day be a mother to a beautiful Indian girl named Lyla. This is the amazing and true story of how God uses the most unlikely circumstances for His greater purpose. Calling the Parkison’s adoption story a rollercoaster ride of emotion would be an understatement. After almost every major decision in the Parkison’s adoption process, God put a twist in their carefully laid plans only to lead them to greater opportunities. Faced with an overwhelming amount of fundraising, mountains of adoption paperwork, an unexpected pregnancy, a medical issue to patch with their new daughter, and the adjustment of bringing their child into a new culture, the Parkisons clung to God through their whirlwind adoption of Lyla. Their heartwarming story is a beautiful testament to the gift of adoption on this earth and the love of God for all of us as His children. Find it here.