Welcome to the Takeover Blitz for Fields of Bounty by Lauraine Snelling, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Fields of Bounty
Series: Leah’s Garden #3
Author: Lauraine Snelling
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: March 21, 2023
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
They must set aside their own plans and rely on their faith to bring their true destiny to light. Lilac Nielsen’s dream has come true: handsome young Reverend Ethan Pritchard has finally noticed her. Yet she must balance this new courtship with the pursuit of another dream–the publication of her artwork in a New York paper. She has secretly been submitting a series of drawings under a pen name, and if anyone traces the drawings back to her and finds out where Lilac and her sisters settled, the entire Nielsen family could be in danger. As their family farm expands and Lilac’s relationship with the reverend grows, it’s a time of new beginnings. But when a family crisis back in Ohio shakes the Nielsen sisters, can they continue to build the new life they’ve begun in Nebraska? And will Lilac be prepared for what God has in store for her future? “A tender story. I know my readers will enjoy these stories and look forward to the books yet to come.”–TRACIE PETERSON, bestselling author of the Pictures of the Heart series
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About the Author
EXCERPT
Connect with Lauraine by visiting laurainesnelling.comto follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
This had been a terrible idea.
Rev. Ethan Pritchard tugged at his collar, sweat trick- ling down his neck as he vainly tried to corral the
attention of a dozen distracted youngsters collected at the front of the schoolhouse. Here it was the
actual performance, and he was having no better success than during rehearsals.
“Children, attention, please.” Did his voice sound as feeble to them as it did to him? Only a few from the
untidy group even glanced his way. The others whispered and giggled, fiddled with their own hair ribbons
or pulled each other’s, fidgeted their toes, and stared out at the assembled audience. One small boy poked
his finger into his nose.
“Children!” Ethan used his handkerchief to mop his brow. The August heat would have been bad enough
without him flying after this harebrained notion of organizing the schoolchildren into a makeshift band,
supposedly providing entertainment for Salton’s celebration today honoring Nebraska’s statehood. That
official event would be held later in nearby Lincoln, the new state capital, but he’d managed to get one of
the dignitaries cur- rently building up that city, Phineas P. Gordon, to come and speak at Salton’s
celebration here today.
Mr. Gordon stood in one corner of the schoolhouse, stylish goatee quivering in distaste—or so Ethan
inferred. Not to men- tion the disapproving murmur running through the assembled gathering of
townsfolk. He distinctly saw Mrs. Jorgensen shake her head and whisper something to her husband.
Ethan set his jaw. He had seen Miss Delphinium Nielsen, now Mrs. RJ Easton, conduct a student choir
twice this size at the school Thanksgiving program last fall, and do it with ease. Surely he could handle
twelve kids. He rapped his stick sharply on his makeshift podium, and roughly half the children quieted and
looked at him.
Well, that was an improvement. He glanced back at the congregation—or audience, he was too used to
being in church— and put on what he hoped was a welcoming smile.
“We will now begin our program with ‘Yankee Doodle,’ per- formed by the children of Salton.”
He began to conduct his ensemble, putting as much energy as he could into the gestures. The children
absently blew on their tin horns or combs, strummed their handmade banjos, and banged spoons and
triangles with as little regard for timing and harmony as a gaggle of chickens. And even less for his
direction. The sweat ran into his ears. Lord, help. How did I get myself into this mess?
The tuneful note of a fiddle paused his arm midgesture and halted those few children still gamely
soldiering on. He glanced over to see Lilac Nielsen standing near, her dark curls swept up for the day,
fiddle tucked neatly beneath her chin.
“So sorry to be late.” She inclined her head apologetically, her voice clear enough for the audience to
hear, even if sup- posedly not meant for their ears. “How can we expect a band to play without someone
to give the pitch?” With a gracious nod, she smiled at the children.
“Now then, children, are we ready?”
The children stood straighter, eyes bright and fixed on the slender young woman. They nodded and lifted
their homemade instruments.
“Right then. Reverend?”
Ethan managed a nod and began conducting again. It didn’t matter that his muscles trembled with weak
relief, for the chil- dren had eyes only for Miss Nielsen. The melody of her fiddle and the effortless
guidance she gave by a tip of her head kept the motley ensemble in better time and tune than Ethan had
thought possible.
At the conclusion of the piece, the group’s irregular bows met a surprisingly generous burst of applause.
Which, in Ethan’s opinion, should have been directed wholly at Lilac Nielsen, now shepherding the
children efficiently back toward the seats.
Shooting her a glance in which he hoped she could read the gratitude, Ethan cleared his throat. “Thank
you. We will now hear from our guest of honor for the day, Mr. Phineas Gordon, as he details the impact
our new state capital promises for us here in Salton.”
Grateful to be out of the spotlight, Ethan sank into the chair he’d set to the side and wiped his brow once
more as Mr. Gordon took the stage. That had been worse than a year’s worth of sermons.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a paperback set of the first three books in Lauraine Snelling’s Leah’s Garden series: The Seeds of Change, A Time to Bloom, and Fields of Bounty!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 29, 2023 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on April 5, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
