Sunny Signing in Fort Myers Beach

Annette Stillson welcomes Laura Allen Nonemaker and Benny's Angel to Fort Myers Beach

Saturday was an ideal day for a book signing in sunny Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Annette Stillson kindly hosted the signing at her shop, Annette's Beach Book Nook, in Santini Plaza. Many of the  friendly people who stopped to investigate my display of Benny's Angel picture books, 3-D books, and T-shirts were escapees from the cold, snow, and rain of northern states.  Happily, sales were good and to top it off, Paul had the privilege of praying with an elderly gentleman who was in Florida to sell his condo due to the critical illness of his wife. It is always a blessing when the Lord allows us to minister in some way, while at the same time making available my little children's book with its timely message of the importance of prayer and trusting God.

Benny's Angel in Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Let Benny lead your little ones on an adventure that teaches them about the importance of prayer!

Event Date: 

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Artist/group: 

 Laura Allen Nonemaker

Artist/group e-mail: 

 lauranonemaker@gmail.com

Annette's Book Nook will host author, Laura Allen Nonemaker, on Saturday, January 28 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. when she introduces her colorful new picture book, Benny's Angel, to the Fort Myers Beach community. Benny's Angel was written for pre-K through early elementary age children and is the first book in the God's Secret Garden Adventure series. Pastor Dan Betzer of First Assembly of God, Fort Myers,author of the Dan and Louie Bible Stories, says of Benny's Angel, "In this charming book, she will take her readers into a garden of flowers, aromas, and beauty. This book will be an asset in the child's spiritual foundation and faith in God." Benny and his animal friends are sure to delight the little ones on your gift list!

Location

Annette's Book Nook

7205 Estero Blvd. # 701, Villa Santini Plaza, Next to Bank of America

Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931

:In addition to being at Annette's this coming Saturday, I will be at Ornery Attitude Cafe in Fishermen's Village, 122 W. Retta Esplanade #28 in Punta Gorda, Saturday, February 4, from 1 pm to 3 pm. David Jones has been kind enough to allow me to set up right outside his popular meeting place. If you like Blue Bell Ice Cream and gourmet coffees and latte's, Ornery Attitude is the place to be...and they claim to be able to change the most ornery attitude out there!

Fishermen's Village is an upscale shopping arcade and resort with an island flavor. Drop in and visit me at Dave's place and check out the mall before you leave!

 

A Christmas Memory for 2011

Last December I shared a precious Christmas memory from my childhood, helping my father prepare his traditional family recipe for plum pudding. New readers can refer to my archives if they would like to read that article.

This year's special memory is of the first Advent season I spent at Mount Saint Agnes Academy when I was ten. In what I call a mysterious move by God, I was enrolled by my Anglican father and Jewish mother, neither of whom attended any religious services, in a Catholic school. It seems that when they married, they agreed not to impose either of their religions on my brother and me. We learned respect for God through our nightly prayers with our mother, but we did not have a clear understanding of who Jesus was.

It was the custom during Advent for the nuns to give us each a flyer containing directions for making a "crib" for Baby Jesus It listed various prayers and recitations, each of which represented an item needed to prepare a baby's bed. For example, the mattress might be ten Our Father's, the sheet might be fifteen Glory Be's, and the blanket ten Hail Mary's. In addition, there would be a pillow and a pillowcase. As a child who had never been exposed to any details of the Christian faith, I was absolutely fascinated with this ritual. I was to have the honor of preparing a crib, in reality my heart, where the Christchild would be welcomed.

Now, as an adult, I believe I know why this so appealed to my young spirit. Through this symbolic exercise, God was giving me a tangible point of contact to begin to place my faith in and build  my anticipation for the One whom I would eventually receive into my heart as my Lord and Savior.

Praise God for the mysterious ways in which the Good Shepherd leads us into His fold.

                                                                                     Laura Allen Nonemaker

Announcing the Winner of the Benny's Angel Blog Tour Grand Prize

Congratulations to Grandma Carol B, whose name was drawn by random.org as the winner of the grand prize gift package.


Thank you, Carol, for leaving your comment at the blog tour for Benny's Angel, which appeared on Abi Buening's blog, www.myheartbelongs2books.blogspot.com. Your prize is on its way!

Sheila McKinney DeChantal's Review of Benny's Angel

                                                 

This book was sent to me as part of a tour with KCWC Blog Tour.  While this book is short and sweet, it packs within its pages a powerful message about our joy and how we are in control of the way we respond when things go wrong. 

  I remember when my boys were growing up and they would come home all upset about what someone had said to them.  Maybe it was name calling, or maybe it was a comment about how they played a game or answered a question.  I always told my boys that they had the power to choose how they responded, a kind response or none at all can really take the power away from the offender, after all – they are fueled by the reaction.  The same goes for the message within this book, while Count Slime wanted to see the animals of the garden have sorrow and feel scared, when that reaction was missing – the Count goes about his way… defeated.

 I think even as an adult I need to remind myself sometimes that I choose how I respond to situations that may be difficult or painful.  Knowing that, somehow makes me feel better.

 This book would make a wonderful addition to a Christmas stocking.  The book also includes a code for a free download of the audio version of the book.  What fun to play the audio version while paging through the colorful illustrations that go along with this story.

 Thank you to KCWC Blog Tour and Tate Publishing for offering me this book for review.

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Filed under: Book Review    Order Benny's Angel: www.godsgarden.tateauthor.com

The Joy of Writing: Benny’s Angel by Laura Allen Nonemaker

The Joy of Writing: Benny’s Angel by Laura Allen Nonemaker: I love finding new picture books that beautifully communicate the finer points of God’s Word and theology to young children. Benny’s Angel ...

A Grandmother Reads Benny's Angel to Her Granddaughter

Thank you to this grandmother for her touching account of reading Benny's Angel to her 3 yr. old granddaughter.

BENNY'S ANGEL: Who stole the flowers in God’s Secret Garden?

My 3-year-old granddaughter, Julia, found my copy ofBenny’s Angel, a new children’s book by Laura Allen Nonemaker, during Thanksgiving. As I read it to her, I was amazed at how quietly she sat in my lap. In fact, she asked me to read it to her again later. Julia laughed as we read about Benny and his animals friends—I think she liked the silly voices that I used as I read her the story.

I enjoyed reading Benny's Angel to Julia—sometimes it's fun just to observe at a simple tale through the eyes of a child. Even though this book skimmed the surface with its biblical teachings, it opened the door for me to talk to my grandchild about prayer in a way that she could understand. The tale also seemed to captured Julia's imagination. With all the technology available to entertain children these days, it's refreshing to find a book that helps me to connect with my grandchild, using simple concepts, words, and pictures. So, I’m grateful to add this enjoyable little story to my children’s books at home. BLESSED, kj