I usually can’t find time to enjoy a good book because I am always working on my own book projects. However, I made time this time because I had an inkling this new book would be just that good, and it did not disappoint.
Today is official launch day for Joanna Alonzo’s new book, King of the Crown Imperials.
Here’s my 5-star book review:
“Serve the King of kings first and foremost; serve the kingdom next. You cannot fail.”
Insightful words spoken by an ailing King Edward to his once wayward son, Prince Philip, who was bracing himself for the impact of a kingdom thrust upon him during the threat of war with a neighboring island.
Rest assured this is not a typical fairy tale or typical Christian fiction for that matter. The two main characters, Prince Philip and his fake fiancé Vivienne, will tug at your heartstrings as you are immersed from the very beginning of this high stakes romance. I found myself so immersed in this story that I wished I had the time to sit all day and binge read from beginning to end.
Joanna Alonzo is a brilliant author who has weaved together an emotionally charged masterpiece inspired by the biblical story of Queen Esther. I couldn’t wait to turn the page to see what happened next. Throughout the drama, I had to remind myself that the emotions I was feeling were based on fictional characters. My mind knew that, but my heart had a hard time not being truly fixated on whether the story would have a happy ending. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t know who to love, who to trust, who to pity, and yes—who to despise.
Suffice it to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the intrigue, the romance, the drama, the suspense, the powerful storytelling, and the truth hidden inside the pages. Although technically a work of fiction, we can all learn from this book and be inspired to serve God first and foremost. While Philip and Vivienne thought they came from vastly different backgrounds, they discovered, just as we all should, that humanity is interconnected regardless of where we come from or where we may try to hide. All is not fair in love and war, but if you trust God above all else, you cannot fail.
In other words, buy this book! My only regret is that it ended. I am now officially an addict and can’t wait to read the next book in this series!
Follow Joanna Alonzo here on Instagram and take a sneak peak at one of the book’s videos below.
Well, actually it’s only been 13 years since I published my very first book, Living Inside The Testimony. A lot happened since 2009 after I thought I had published my first and only book. A lot more has happened in my 57 years of life, and I am amazed at how God has been ever-present the entire time.
Today, I am releasing the e-Book for the 3rd edition of that first book. So let me get to the main reason for writing this blog post today. I need your help to boost sales so that it reaches Amazon’s #1 bestseller list. Click this link to purchase the e-Book for only $0.99 cents TODAY only: Living Inside The Testimony (3rd edition)
Here’s the book synopsis I compiled from various 5-star reviews:
Betty Collier engulfs readers with heartfelt authenticity and sincerity permeating the pages of her inspirational narratives. The stories are written as if you are sitting at the kitchen table sipping your favorite beverage while listening to Betty recount surprising victories and daily struggles of life. She showcases her unique storytelling ability with humor and unwavering faith that God has orchestrated her life’s path every step of the way. As she shares memories of trauma and triumph, you will discover that blessings are all around us. Learn how to view life from a different perspective of thankfulness whilst acknowledging that God will see you through life’s trials and tribulations.
You will be instantly drawn into Betty’s faith-filled outlook on life as she puts her Christian values on full display in a wonderfully unexpected way. You will be moved as she talks with a refreshing sense of love and exuberance about meeting her future husband in middle school only to face a near-death experience that left her heart shattered a week prior to high school graduation. Her emotional diary to her unborn child, as well as how she accepted and embraced God’s plans for her life as a wife and mother, will tug at your heartstrings.
Discover the faith within you, and be encouraged to share it to inspire others.
So now that you know what the book is about and that I’m writing this post to encourage you to purchase the e-Book for .99 cents TODAY, I would like to leave you with an excerpt taken from an anthology in which I was a featured author. It helps explain this unlikely author-hood journey I have been on from 2009 until now. For more information about the anthology and how you can order an autographed copy from me, please visit my website here. This book was a #1 bestseller in 9 different categories on Amazon when it was released in November, 2021.
The anthology For Such a Time as This is a powerful compilation of stories written by twenty different men and women who decided to defy the odds, move past the mountains of uncertainty and life’s mishaps because they knew God called them to fulfill a greater purpose for their lives
The visionary author who compiled those stories is Paulette Harper. She asked me to be a featured author in her book. My task was to write a one-thousand-word chapter to share my personal story. It could be any topic I felt added to the theme of the book. Some of the stories shared by other co-authors were accounts of bravery, struggles, danger, death, and faith. While their stories most definitely pulled at heartstrings, readers also walked away from the book with a sense of hope that they too could find the courage to begin again, hope again, and live again despite challenges and setbacks.
With an opportunity to share my story with a new audience, I chose to focus on my twelve-year journey as an author from 2009 when I wrote the first edition of this book until 2021 when the anthology was published. I truly believe all of my experiences, both good and bad, have prepared me for such a time as this. Now was the time for me to embark upon new writing challenges and become part of something much bigger than I had ever envisioned. These are the one thousand words I chose to share in that book.
My chapter in Paulette’s #1 bestselling anthology For Such a Time as This was aptly entitled Living Inside the Testimony. It reads thusly:
I was living inside the testimony all along but never realized it until I started writing what I thought would be my first and only book in 2009. Now it’s 2021, and my testimony has taken me places all across America that I never thought I would go. It is beyond my wildest imagination that I am the official storyteller of a series of books featuring the John 3:16 Global Placement Project. This new mission is definitely for such a time as this and brings to fruition in my life an epiphany “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).
My goal when I wrote my testimony was simply to bring honor and glory to God. I shared stories of His amazing love and abundant blessings in my life. By taking readers on my journey of inspiration, faith, hope, humor, romance, and love, I discovered I was following the path God had chosen for me before I was ever born.
That first book was aptly entitled Living Inside The Testimony because that is exactly what I had been doing since birth without even knowing it. At age forty-four, I sat at my laptop, opened up a blank word document and typed the first sentence of my book after dreaming about the book cover the night before. Approximately one month later, I was finished and embarked upon the most exciting yet disappointing, fulfilling yet discouraging, God-inspired yet fearful journey of my life. It was time to make the book available worldwide for all eyes to see what I felt God had inspired me to share.
I never thought I would write another book after that. I was satisfied that I had completed the task God had given me. As they say, my life truly was an open book at that point. Anyone could find the book online, and Amazon certainly made it easy for a novice like me.
After being obsessed with urgently writing the book without hesitation because that is what I felt the Lord was leading me to do, I settled back into my nursing profession as a certified case manager. My priorities were still my husband, who is the love of my life, and our two children. They were very busy and active boys at ages fourteen and nine, and nothing brought me as much joy as my family life with them.
I was finished being an author, but God wasn’t through with me yet. About a year later, I found myself engulfed in someone else’s testimony. Lillie Hopkins asked me to write her story that she had kept quiet for thirty-one years. I was chosen to tell her fascinating story of love, compassion, and forgiveness. It was an audacious responsibility to engulf readers in her devastating saga of excruciating sadness and total brokenness. Because of her miraculous angelic encounter, which left her with indescribable peace, my second book, Angel in My Room was born.
I started describing myself as a nurse by profession, author by passion and storyteller by the grace of God. Although I had great insecurities about my writing ability, I consistently received 5-star book reviews, but the biggest surprise was yet to come.
After reading the headlines that tennis star Venus Williams suffered from Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, I began my quest to share the journey of others battling this chronic, incurable disease. I was compelled to find answers not only for myself but also for the other four million people afflicted with this second most common autoimmune disease that most people had never heard of.
Sjogren’s is pronounced SHOWgrins; hence the title of my third book, SHOWgrins. I released it in 2013, and it became a #1 bestseller and Readers’ Favorite ® Gold Medal International Book Award Winner. At that moment, I felt like I had indeed been called to be a storyteller for such a time as this because the world was looking for inspiration. The headline in my local newspaper was simply “God Leads, Collier Writes.”
Afterwards, I felt God compelling me to convince a friend to write a book about her son, James, who has Down syndrome. I approached Julia Gray about the book idea after being mesmerized with her stories about James on Facebook. She agreed to follow my lead, and The Book about James was the result of my mentoring her throughout the writing process. I helped her to share her enlightening, refreshing, and inspirational story about raising James. Sadly, Julia passed away in 2016, the year after the book was released. However, her twenty-one unique short stories continue to captivate readers with her openness and brutal honesty.
Where would I go from there? I thought I had accomplished a great deal as an author, while still maintaining my full-time position as a nurse case manager. I decided to take a break from writing. God had other plans though. Once I submitted my will to become His will, I was able to hear His voice in my innermost being. No, I never audibly heard it, but in my heart, I knew I had to keep writing.
In 2017, the opportunity presented itself when an artist, Terry Gurley, asked me to write a fictional story about the beautiful sculpture of The Gospel Symbol that he created. I was to introduce that symbol to the world. The end result was an intriguing tale of heartbreak and hope, the first of many books in my new book series. We released The Birthday Gift in the midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic on May 1, 2020, which was truly for such a time as this.
That same gospel symbol became the centerpiece of the John 3:16 Global Placement Project launched in 2021. As such, all books in my series will be part of that mission. Being an unlikely author who is now the storyteller for a global movement to share the gospel around the world is exceeding abundantly above all this nurse could have ever imagined!
P.S.
Please remember to purchase my new e-Book today, LIVING INSIDE THE TESTIMONY, for only $0.99 cents. I really think it’s worth every penny!
I blog on Facebook more often than I blog on my blog. This is another instance when I was “thinking out loud” and wrote my reflections on Facebook. Now I’ve decided to copy those thoughts to my blog. It all started like this a couple of days ago…
Most of the time, I really don’t think about my age, but I looked at the calendar today and started to think about turning 57 in a couple of weeks. Well, that sent me on a wild tangent. I started reflecting about a whole lot of things. I think I’m most reflective today simply because of the title of the book below on the left, For Such A Time As This that is coming out this month at the same time I’m turning 57. I am only a featured author in that book. There are 20 other contributing authors, so it’s most definitely not just about me.
This is the picture I posted on Facebook as I was reflecting on these 2 books.
A lot of people will make a statement and then say “for such a time as this”, but what does that really mean? At this stage in my life, I am convinced one thing it means to me personally is related to being an author…. A storyteller for such a time as this.
Not that I don’t want to be an author (now), but once upon a time, I really didn’t. NOT.AT.ALL! Like I’ve said before, this was God’s idea, not mine. I was reluctant, but after I surrendered MY will to become HIS will, I knew it was something divinely orchestrated that I was appointed to do. I am smart enough (better known as having enough faith) to know better than to try to convince God that he has given me something to do that I can’t handle.
So I started writing because that is what he gave me to do, certainly not because I felt equipped to do it. (He had to equip me too!) After all, I’m a nurse, not a writer. I used to be a computer programmer analyst too, but that’s another story.
Meanwhile in the midst of being an active “participant” in someone else’s anthology and coming along for the ride in promoting it and posting stuff all over social media and my website and blog about it, I am truly spending most of my time, every available minute that I can get a clear head, working on that other book above on the right, The Birthday Gift. If all goes as planned, I will re-launch the rebranded version on 12.01.2021, but right now my head is spinning.
As I think about what has changed in that book since I first released it in May, 2020 until what the bonus material will reveal in that same book this time around gives me justifiable reason to pause and reflect. I’m really writing The Birthday Gift for such a time as this. Now is the time, and it just so happens that I’m also part of the other book, aptly entitled For Such A Time As This.
I will be 56 when one comes out, and less than a month later, I will be 57 when the other comes out. Both really are for such a time as this, but for vastly different reasons. It just wasn’t supposed to happen until 2021…. because of the times in which we are living these days. The message in both truly are for such a time as this. So when you see me post about both books, please know this is NOT my idea, and it’s certainly NOT for me or about me. It’s something much greater for which I have no control over. The books are actually for the readers who will benefit from reading them… for such a time as this. They are for y’all, not me.
That was the gist of my Facebook post. I guess the older we get, the more reflective we become. It seems my reflections have been working overtime lately though. Perhaps you are even reflecting on some things in your life as you’re reading this.
I’ve blogged about both books before, so I hope you are excited about both of them coming out over the next 30 days. Just to give you a few more details in case you have not visited my website lately:
I’m actually rebranding The Birthday Gift, which is my first fictional work. It was originally released in May 2020 and will be relaunched in December 2021 with an upgraded cover and new features inside including a “behind the scenes” section of epic proportions. I’m the only author featured in the John 3:16 Global Placement Mission. As a storyteller, I have been commissioned to write a series of 5 fictional books for this project. The Birthday Gift is the first one.
The Birthday Gift Movie (Book)Trailer
While this appears to be an intriguing tale of heartbreak and hope, what this book as well as the 4 others that will be part of this book series all have in common is that they will deliver the gospel message found in John 3:16.
What really made me reflect is the role I’m playing in the other book though as a featured author. I only have a 1,000 word chapter in that book. There are 20 other co-authors who all have 2,500 word chapters. The author compiling all the stories asked me about being featured in the book. It’s title alone has opened up new doors and a new audience that I had not been able to reach yet. That makes it quite surreal to know this is happening at the same time I have begun working on my new 5-book series… which is truly for such a time as this, but that’s not the title of the series. The series is actually The Birthday Gift Book Series.
If you’d like more information about the anthology, you are welcome to tune in on Saturday, November 13 at 7:00 P.m. EST for our Book Launch Celebration. You will have the opportunity to hear from all 20 co-authors who will be sharing hope, wisdom, inspiration and a little about their chapters. Reserve your free virtual seat for the celebration here.
Visit my website for more information about this anthology and find out how you can order the paperback. You will get a free copy of my eBook, The Birthday Gift if you place your order by November 15th. Details are on my website here.
Now I’d like to pose a question to you. Is there anything in particular that you have been reflecting on lately that you would like to share in the comments? I’d love to hear from you and see what’s on your mind… for such a time as this.
During my typical Saturday morning 5K walk around a lake in my hometown of Bartlett, TN, I noticed the flags were flying at half-staff. This was not the typical Saturday morning though. It was September 11, 2021, exactly 20 years after the worst terrorist attack in American history.
City officials as well as police and fire departments were preparing for our town’s 9/11 Memorial Ceremony being held right next to the lake in our Memorial Park for Bartlett’s First Responders. I didn’t know the event was being held there, so I stopped to take it all in. As I continued my walk, I started reflecting on all the activity happening at the same time within that 1.5 mile diameter around the lake and park and decided to record some video clips of what I was seeing.
When I got home, I put some of my clips together and posted my reflections on my social media accounts. I decided to share the video with you now even though today is 9/13.
While the date itself is insignificant, that date will always be remembered as the day our lives change FOREVER. The world was forever changed. Unimaginable hate knocked us down to our knees that day. Incomprehensible actions that changed the course of history unfolded right before our eyes. America was under attack by foreign enemies, and we were literally afraid of what the next moment would bring. Some of us feared the worse and still live in overwhelming fear today. Grief struck our nation, but collectively we came today with that great American spirit that no other country in the world has. For a period of time, we truly were the UNITED States of America.
Much has been written about the events of 9/11 by prolific thinkers and scholars, government officials, victims’ families and survivors, first responders, “world class” authors, etc., so I dare not try to write my own version of anything concerning that day. Instead, I’d like to share my little homemade video reflections with my blog readers and pose a question at the end.
What strikes me the most as I look at all the different activities happening in that same general area is that some people appeared oblivious and nonchalant about the memorial ceremony. They continued on their Saturday morning as just another busy day or typical weekend. Some cars drove by without stopping, slowing down, pausing, or even looking that way. Some of the walkers and runners took alternate routes to avoid going around the track where the ceremony was being held even though there was plenty of clearance to stay on the path without interfering with it.
I know 9/11 means vastly different things to different people. We were all affected in a countless variety of ways, some of which we may still be grappling with trying to unravel and understand. I was simply making observations of what I saw and how people responded.
As I said earlier, our lives changed forever on 9/11. That is undisputable.
My thought to ponder today is this: While the aftermath of 9/11 is undeniably the single most horrific and cataclysmic event in modern history that will have untold effects that will last forever, that day does not have to live in infamy in vain. We have seen how hate from some groups of people in a foreign land can destroy this nation. Let’s not let the hatred brewing amongst ourselves today destroy America beyond repair. It’s time to put an end to all that divides us because there should be so much more that unites us.
I don’t like using the term “the golden rule” nor do I like quoting from Wikipedia, but in this case, I will because it seems to summarize what I am trying to say.
The Golden Rule is a moral which says treat others as you would like them to treat you. This moral in various forms has been used as a basis for society in many cultures and civilizations. It is called the ‘golden’ rule because there is value in having this kind of respect and caring attitude for one another.
People of many religions see the value of this mandate and have similar expressions. In Christianity, Jesus Christ taught this idea to his disciples and others when he gave his Sermon on the Mount. It is recorded in the Holy Bible in the book of Matthew, Chapter 7 and verse 12. Jesus explained to his listeners that all the things that were recorded in the Jewish law and that the prophets had taught about concerning morality was summed up in this one rule. The context of this statement (Matthew 7) is about God’s mercy and kindness. The principle that was shared is to not always treat others as they might deserve to be treated, as we may judge some as undeserving, but instead to always be merciful and charitable, not withholding good.
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
So my question is this: Have Americans learned the most basic yet apparently one of the hardest things to do? Love your neighbor as yourself. Treat others as you would like to be treated. If we would simply do that, I don’t think hate would stand a chance. Love conquers all. While you can’t respond for everyone else, you can be responsible for your own actions. Social injustice, racial tension, the great political divide, COVID-19 being politicized, democrats versus republicans, masks and vaccines and those anti’s against one or both (YIKES), and everything else causing Americans to fight amongst themselves has got to go. We need to be kind to each other while respecting our differences.
God is loving, merciful and kind. He extends his grace to us every single day. Let’s try to do the same. I guess that is one thing I’ve learned from 9/11 and what can happen if we as the human race don’t learn to treat each other as we would like to be treated.
I am excited and very honored to announce that I was asked to be a FEATURED author in visionary author Paulette Harper‘s upcoming anthology, For Such A Time As This, which will make its debut in November, 2021.
This book is a powerful compilation of stories written by 20 different men and women who decided to defy the odds, move past the mountains of uncertainty and life’s mishaps because they knew God called them to fulfill a greater purpose for their lives.
It will take you on a gamut of emotions as you read personal stories from each of the 20 contributing authors as they unapologetically share their stories with transparency and candor. Join them on their journeys, life lessons, and challenges they had to overcome to set them on a new path filled with hope and purpose.
As you are engulfed in each personal testimony, my desire is that you will discover your own unique trajectory toward fulfilling the greater call on your lives. Despite challenges and obstacles, discover how you too can achieve what you may have previously thought was not possible. It’s never too late to move toward your destiny for such a time as this.
Are you curious about my featured author chapter? Here’s a sneak peak at my story, Living Inside the Testimony:
I was living inside the testimony all along but never realized it until I started writing what I thought would be my first and only book in 2009. Now it’s 2021, and my testimony has taken me places all across America that I never thought I would go. It is beyond my wildest imagination that I am the official storyteller of a series of books featuring the John 3:16 Global Placement Project. This new mission is definitely for such a time as this and brings to fruition in my life an epiphany “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV).
The pre-sale starts today and is only for 24 hours.
*** Your purchase today for $25 includes shipping of an autographed copy of the book. To show my appreciation for your support in pre-ordering, YOUR NAME WILL BE LISTED in the book as a sponsor. ***
Who will be my first 25 sponsors?
*** PLEASE NOTE: The pre-sale opportunity to be listed as a sponsor in the book has ended. The Paypal button to place a debit or credit card order has been removed from this page. There will be more information posted later on how to order the book once it is released in November.
Thank you very much for your support! I exceeded my goal of 25 sponsors thanks to your generosity and encouragement. I pray that you will be abundantly blessed not only by the book but also in every aspect of your lives!
