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Lyndie Blevins blogging from Sage-Texas where you can expect greater things to come

Book Review - TRACE OF DOUBT

Book Title        Trace of Doubt

Book Author      DiAnn Mills  

Pub. Year         2021

Genre               Christian Mystery & Suspence

My Rating         5 stars

Ease of Read    Fast moving, intriguing story

ISBN                 978-1496451859  

I was attracted to this book because… I have been a fan of DiAnn Mills for many years. I always look forward to her next book. (I did receive an advance copy of this book, but I have also purchased a copy.) And the title does make me wonder about the doubt. 

This book was about… Shelby Pearce’s attempt to make a fresh start in the world on her release from fifteen years in prison for confessing to the murder of brother-in-law. FBI Special Agent, Denton McClure, always believed Shelby was also guilty of the unsolved embezzlement five hundred thousand dollars from her brother-in-law’s account. Now, as an undercover agent, he has rented a cabin next to where Shelby plans on living. As he befriends, Shelby, plans on revealing her involvement with the embezzled funds. 

As Denton comes to know Shelby and be a part of threats against, he begins to have ‘a trace of doubt’ about what he has believed for over fifteen years about her. 

Things I liked about this book…The story is fast moving, providing many clues, and a variety of locations and characters. The plot lines keep you away from discovering the devastating evil behind the story until the last possible moment. 

The character development of both the female and the male protagonists is very captivating. I found this presentation brought me closer to both of these characters in a satisfying way. 

   

Why you should read this book…This story will remind you of how careful we should be with first impressions. Things are often not what they appear to be.     

  

Contact DiAnn Mills

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Seeking Sage Newsletter Vol 47 July 12, 2021

Cake in the shape of a book with Farewell Karl on one page welcome Lyndie on the other page

Memories

The last year or so has been full of major milestone anniversaries. 

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Adventures of My COVID-19 Rabbit Episode 397

Another great Sunday

https://youtu.be/MOFCPDgr42Y

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Adventures of My COVID-19 Rabbit Episode 391

A good Monday...

https://bit.ly/3sG822B

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A year we want to move forward and not go back in time.

time change small mar 2021

One time we can be positive about not going back in time, even for a second. 

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Celebrating National Public School Week

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Thank you to all students, teachers, supprt staff and administrators of our publis schools, especially in such a difficult year. Our prayers of protection and success for all of you. 

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Seeking Sage Newsletter Volume 24 Jan. 11, 2021

wilderness small

Today, I read the story of when Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. In the version I was reading, it said Hagar wandered aimlessly in the wilderness. I stopped reading and said ‘wandering aimlessly.’

That pretty much sums up how my life feels. This last week for sure, but maybe for several past years. 

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Happy New Years - 2021

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Wishing you the best for 2021  Happy New Year  - Lyndie Blevins

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Adventures of My COVID-19 Rabbit Episode 232

A special Veteran

https://bit.ly/2IkiifP

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Book Review - THE PATH BETWEEN US - Study Guide

Book Title        The Path Between Us - Study Guide 

Book Author         Suzanne Stabile  

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Adventures of My COVID-19 Rabbit - Episode 210

An empty parking lot. 

https://bit.ly/3oc8HHF

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Seeking Sage Newsletter - Volume 11

Community small

Working toward the common good is an innate part of my character. It spills out in all I do. 

The common good should be core focus of a community, but sadly, personalities and self-interests often win the day. 

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Seeking Sage Newsletter Volume 8

Trust small

Have you ever experienced a time of such distrust? 

It is hard to find anyone or any group you can trust?

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Adventures of my COVID-19 Rabbit - Episode 2

Today's adventure is about shopping in COVID-19 

https://bit.ly/33GyfDd

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Thinking of you on February 14, 2020

small romans 5 8

Ona day we are all serching for love. we shold remember the true source of love.

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At work at ACFW DFW, February 2020

Lyndie Sara

With Sara-Meg Seese, hard at work on the details on being Treasurer and Secretary at the February's meeting at ACFW DFW Chapter.

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Speaking at ACFW DFW on Twas the Night Before Christmas

At the 2019 Christmas Party, at ACFW DFW,  I spoke on the history and poetic structure of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. 

Not one time when we pulled this story/poem out to read, did my parents tell me it was written in anapestic tertrameter. 

Thinking about Point of View, I'm taken with how the poem's format keeps you completely in the story. Not only that, but end though the can anticipate where each line is going, the rhyme doesn't allow you to skip the line, but demands hearing the rhyme.  

Lyndie Speaking At ACFW DFW

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Duncanville High School Class of 1970 50th Reunion

May 2, 2020 6:00 -11:00 pm - Warren's Backyard, Granbury, Texas

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Helping our friends in Louisiana

There are many ways you can help the flood victims in Louisianna 

Here is one at the North American Misssion Board

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Book Review - The Innocents Abroad

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Book Title     The Innocents Abroad
Book Author  Mark Twain
Publisher       Readers Digest
Pub. Year      1869
Pages           432
Genre           Travel 
My Rating      ♥♥♥♥♥
Ease of Read  Moderately easy 
ISBN             08957733920
 
 
I was attracted to this book because...
 
   I need to research traveling by ship in 1867. This book was the perfect answer to learn about traveling in Europe in this time period, as well as an idea of writing in the time period. Matt Twain went on a Grand Tour of Europe and the Holy Lands in 1867. This book met all my research needs. 
 
This book was about...
   Mark Twain had an opportunity to take a Grand Tour of Europe and the Holy Lands on the Quaker City with 64 other Americans. The voyage took about six months. He relates the experience of the trip in his own words. He sent newspaper reports throughout the voyage. As cholera was rampant in many places they visited, they often experienced quarantines in many ports lasting various time periods. Some were over nights and others where they were completely blocked from entering and had to move on. When the time period was short, Twain was always in the group which managed to go into town anyway. 
 
   As humor often does, Twain’s approach to classical art, historical locations and sacred art and places, revealed a great amount of truth lacking in writing that respects the traditions of these objects.   
 
   Spoiler Alert: There is absolutely no political correctness in this book. (Makes you wonder what Mark Twain would do today.) If you are Muslim, Catholic, Mormon, well not Protestant,  French, Russian, well not American, American Indian, Police, and other groups I didn’t pick up on, and a member of Congress, read this book with caution. 
 
Things I liked about this book...
   I confess. I have the same sense of humor as Mark Twain. So I enjoyed the way he documented the trip, his fellow travelers and the places they visited. He often drew parallels to locations he visited to places in America. I found this very helpful. He used Lake Tahoe several times. I know the first time I visited Lake Tahoe in the dead of winter, I thought it has to be the most incredible place on earth. I found the comparisons  of other localities on point. It also helped me have a better understand the size of the landscape he was describing. 
   If you replace gas lights with electric lights and horses/carriages with mini-vans, you would think you were reading about a trip today. (Although it would be interesting to see the Holy Lands on donkey/horseback. 
  If I get a chance to go back to Europe and visit the Holy Lands, I’m taking this book with me. 
 
Why you should read this book...
   This is considered the best travel book ever written. According to Leslie Fiedler, who wrote the afterward in the Readers Digest Edition, “it became an instant best seller (.429)”... “and for a long time it outsold all of Twain’s other books, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (p. 430)” 
   The prose can be wonderful. After one draw on a Turkish narghile pipe, he writes, “For the next five minutes I smoke at every pore, like a frame house that is on fire on the inside.” (p. 240)
   Recently, I’ve read some posts on how memoirs an be a great way to break into consideration as a serious writer. This book took Mark Twain from a ‘newspaperman’ into a professional writer in Twain’s mind, as well as the general public. 
   In the Afterward, Fiedler says this is the book where Samuel Clements found his voice as Mark Twain. As a writer, it is worth the read to see that voice develop. 
 
This book lived up to the back cover copy...
  Actually, I have this book on my Kindle and I got my hard copy from Half-Price Books, so I don’t have a back cover. It did live up to what I read on the internet and to the comments in the Afterward by Leslie Fiedler. If your copy has the Afterward, I would recommend reading it first.  
 
Contact the Author ...



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Where We Are Located

Lyndie Blevins

P.O. Box 381029
Duncanville, Tx 75138
LyndieBlevins@guidingwind.com