No, this is not a post promoting piracy. I’m an author! I would never condone stealing from authors by downloading illegal copies of their books! What I am talking about is how to access a Kindle book (mobi file) that you receive by email directly from an author or in a free giveaway.

There are a few different ways to do this. You may want to skip to the section that applies to you.

You Have a Kindle

If you have an actual Kindle device, in my opinion, the easiest way is simply to email the book to your Kindle. Every Kindle has its own email address. The trouble is, to avoid spam, Kindles automatically block all incoming emails, unless they are from an “approved” sender. Here’s how to find your Kindle’s email address and tell it to accept email from you.  

1. Go to www.amazon.com and sign in if you aren’t already signed in.
2. Click on “account & lists” near the top right. (This is what I see on my laptop, but if you’re on another device, it might just say, “Hello, (your name)”. Click on that. Everything else in the steps below should be pretty much the same.)


3. From the dropdown menu, select “your content and devices”.


4. From the horizontal menu near the top, click “preferences”.



5. Click “personal document settings”.


6. Look under “send to Kindle email settings” to see your Kindle’s email address (it will end with @kindle.com).


Scroll down a little to where it says “approved personal document email list”, then click on “add a new approved email address”.


7. Type in your normal email address and click “add address”. (That will let your Kindle know it’s ok to accept emails from that address – otherwise, Kindles block all incoming email, to avoid spam.)
8. Go back to your email inbox and forward the email you received with a mobi (Kindle ebook) attachment to your Kindle’s email address. Or if you downloaded a mobi file to your computer, create a new email, attach the file, and send it to your Kindle’s email address.


You Don’t Have a Kindle, but You Have the Kindle App on Your Computer, Tablet, or Phone

If you’re checking your email on a computer that has the Kindle app installed, simply download the mobi file in the attachment. Then, go to your downloads folder or wherever you saved it and double-click the file. It should automatically open up in the Kindle app, and you’ll be able to start reading immediately.

If you have the Kindle app on another device, follow the 8 steps above to send the book to your Kindle’s email address. 

Note: Those 8 steps work for most devices, but not all. Here’s what Amazon has to say about it:

In that case, you’ll probably see a screen like the one below, that skips the section above “Personal Document Settings” where the Kindle’s address would normally be:

In that case, I suggest you install the Kindle app on your computer (see the instructions below) or ask the author if he/she could possibly send you a PDF instead.

You Don’t Have a Kindle or the Kindle App Installed on Any Device

It’s easy (and free!) to install the Kindle app. Just go to this link

Then click on whichever of the black buttons applies to your device. Follow the instructions to download and install it. Once you’ve done that, come back here and follow the instructions in the section above (“You Don’t Have a Kindle, but …”)


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If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 2 Corinthians 3:9 (NLT) What would it look like for you to be bold, transparent, free, and truly the person God created you to be? What would it look like for you to BE YOU? In this four week mini Bible Study journey with author Heather Bixler as she shares some of her personal struggles with you in an effort to be transparent with you, the reader. God wants us to shine and radiate His glory, but truly this can only be done through our brokenness. God is looking for transparent women to help guide others to a true and intimate relationship with Jesus through the sharing of their own brokenness, and compassion for one another. If we are truly going to shine for HIS glory in the new ministry of HIS righteousness then we must learn the art of being who God created us to be. We often think this is found through performance and behavior changes, but when we have given our life over to Jesus then everything God created us to be is found in the Holy Spirit that is already living within us. Come and unwrap the beauty that is already within through the four week mini Bible Study, Be You!
Download on Kindle today for Only $0.99!

Free Kindle Book to Celebrate the Launch:

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Download your copy of our brand new Mini Bible Study Bundle for FREE! This Mini Bible Study Bundle includes the following Becoming Press Mini Bible Studies in One:

Download the Becoming Press Mini Bible Study Bundle- Vol. 1 for free today and tomorrow (11/29 & 11/30)!

Free Online Bible Study using the “Be You – Four Week Mini Bible Study!

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Sign up today for a free four week online Bible Study with author Heather Bixler. Starting in January 2014 you will have the chance to participate in an online Bible Study of “Be You – Four Week Mini Bible Study.” Be sure and sign up today, space is limited and registration is required!
Sign up for the FREE online Bible Study here!

Giveaway!

Still time to enter our giveaway. Just submit your entries using the rafflecopter widget below: a Rafflecopter giveaway This is a Becoming Press LLC book launch. Sign up here to become a book launch blogger!

Welcome To CrossReads’ Fall Into Reading Book Sale!

Where We Invite You to Fall into Good, Wholesome Books – and Save Money!

fallreading2
During the week of October 7th, readers can get books by several of their favorite CrossReads Christian authors who have joined together to offer their books at bargain prices.
Monday through Friday (the 7th-11th), readers can get over 30 books during our book sale and enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card to get even more books to read!
Then, we invite you to hop over to CrossReads on Saturday, October 12th, to get 9 books absolutely free and find out who won the giveaway!
The books included in the book sale are listed below – fiction first, followed by nonfiction, and then the giveaway – enjoy!

Fiction:

Mystery, Suspense and Thrillers

Serenity Springs, Ohio by Lillian Duncan Mystery/Suspense

An abandoned bird; an ailing aunt; and an unhappy fiancé. What else could happen? Oh, yeah—a murder! Chief of Police, Matthew Travis moved home to avoid the violence of being a big city police officer, but murder shatters the peace and tranquility of his hometown.
It appears to be an open and shut case. A troubled teenager at the scene covered in blood with the murder weapon in his hand is arrested. Unfortunately, as Matthew ties up loose ends, his once open and shut case unravels.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Times of Turmoil by Cliff Ball

Thriller
In this prequel to Times of Trouble and Times of Trial, we follow how the Evans family gained their riches and eventually their power to influence events in the United States. We see important events that the Evans family gets themselves involved in: such as the return of the Israelites to Israel, the assassination of President Kennedy, the terrorism of 9/11, and eventually events that lead to government tyranny in the United States with the sole purpose of destroying Christianity and its influence in the United States.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Times of Trouble by Cliff Ball

Thriller
The Atwood family watch the US descend into chaos as the End Times approach.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Times of Trial by Cliff Ball Thriller Christians are persecuted when the President declares a dictatorship as the End Times approach.

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John Ryan by Cliff Ball

Thriller
Jon Ryan has to deal with government healthcare as a doctor before the End Times.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

The Mystery of the Indian Carvings by Gloria Repp
Middle Grade/Mystery
A young teen is sent to visit her Canadian relatives who have a wonderful dog, but disappearing artifacts and a spiteful cousin threaten to ruin her hopes for the future. She can’t help wondering: does God care?
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Romance

The Difference Between Night and Day by Melissa Turner Romance Nathaniel Taylor was a Christian who thought believers were exempted from “dark times.” That was until he entered his own long time in the dark. When he meets Lilly, a young woman in danger, it sends him on a journey to discover the difference between night and day and that during dark times, the Light is hidden, not gone.

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Rock and A Hard Place by Bonnie Blythe Christian Romance Faith Conrad is used to striving. After more or less raising her twin sisters because of an absent father and ailing mother, she knows the meaning of responsibility. She had to drop out of high school to pay the bills, hamstringing her future. When handsome Bureau of Land Management ranger Shane Zadopec rescues her from a rock climb gone wrong and reveals that he’s a photographer too, she feels threatened and rebuffs his attempts to get close. Will she ever picture them together?

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Forewarned by Debra Ullrick Christian Romantic Suspense After a near fatal accident in the Colorado wilderness, Jasmine Moore suffers during the harsh Steamboat Springs winters. Unable to socialize because of pain, she goes online in hopes of finding some new friends to fill the void the long, lonely winters bring. A budding online friendship develops, and soon, Jasmine finds herself in danger.

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Déjà vu Bride by Debra Ullrick Christian Romance Furious with God, Olivia Roseman vows to never trust Him again. Why should she? Once again her prayers have gone unanswered, and once again another loved one has been ripped from her. With no job and only a few dollars, Olivia makes a choice to start over again. Without God and without love. However, her handsome new boss isn’t going to make forgetting God or keeping her vow to never love again very easy.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Winter’s Past by Mary E. Hanks Romance When Winter speaks at a conference in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, and her ex-husband shows up, she is shocked by the change in him. Radically different from the self-absorbed guy she remembers, he stands before her crying—crying!—and humbly asks her forgiveness. This man who broke her heart, betrayed her, is now gut-wrenchingly sincere in his apology, prays for her like a long-lost friend, and he has a request. One unbelievable request that could change everything.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Use Coupon Code: YQ38K

Three Hearts, One Town by Sarah Jae Foster Historical Romance More than courage, she needs faith.

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Rocky Mountain Oasis by Lynnette Bonner Christian Historical Romance He’s different from any man she’s ever known. However, she’s sworn never to risk her heart again. Brooke Baker, sold as a mail-order bride, looks to her future with dread but firm resolve. If she survived Uncle Jackson, she can survive anyone. When Sky Jordan hears that his nefarious cousin has sent for a mail-order bride, he knows he has to prevent the marriage. No woman deserves to be left to that fate. Still, he’s as surprised as anyone to find himself standing next to her before the minister.

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A Heart’s Home by Laura J. Marshall Christian Historical Romance Novella set in 1746, India Born in England and raised in India by her father after her mother’s untimely death, Asyra has been ostracized from her small village most of her life. News of her impending marriage arranged by her grandmother back in England only serves to confuse her further about who she is and where she fits in. When Madras is attacked by the French before Asyra’s ship sails, she must pretend to be the wife of her grandmother’s agent, who happens to be the elder brother of her intended. Can she move beyond prejudice to find her place in the world?

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To Protect and Serve by Staci Stallings Contemporary Romance What happens when a control freak falls for a fireman with a death wish? Lisa Matheson runs a semi-successful ad agency that’s on the brink of falling apart. Her employees are incompetent and her schedule has become exhausting. When she takes on a client with a brilliant idea for a big conference, she thinks that maybe, finally this is her lucky break. However, the fire station wasn’t what she had in mind for finding conference speakers. When she falls for a handsome but shy firefighter, it’s possible that life might just be going her way for a change.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Fantasy

Armored Hearts by Pauline Creeden and Melissa Turner Lee Fantasy Steampunk When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother’s side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales. Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair. Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Time and Again by Deborah Heal

Fantasy
The olden days aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. . .
Abby thinks tutoring an “an economically disadvantaged adolescent” as her college service project for the summer will be a snap. Merrideth, her sullen 11-year-old student, thinks “No thanks, I don’t need a babysitter.”It’s difficult for Abby to break through Merrideth’s emotional wall. The girl has been closed down ever since her parents’ divorce, especially since she was forced to move to the dilapidated old house that her mom inherited. But when her dad sends her a top-of-the-line computer to make up for it, Abby and Merrideth discover a crazy program that invites them to “Take a Virtual Tour” of houses around the world– including Merrideth’s.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Unclaimed Legacy by Deborah Heal

Fantasy
Those who have read Time and Again know that Abby Thomas is a college student on a summer service project with 11-year-old Merri. And they know that the summer is not going the way Abby had expected—but in a good way. For one thing, she meets a very nice guy named John Roberts. And for another, she discovers a strange computer program called Beautiful House that lets her fast-forward and rewind life. Not her own, of course, but those of the people who lived in Merri’s old house.
And now Beautiful House comes in handy when Abby, John, and Merri agree to help the “Old Dears” next door with their family tree. Except Abby and John learn more about one of the ladies’ ancestors than they ever wanted to know. Convicted in 1871 of murder and arson, Reuben Buchanan is a blight on the family’s reputation. But was he really guilty? Abby and John must get inside the mind of a murderer to find out.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Return to Kingsley by Cynthia P. Willow Fantasy Thirteen-year-old Callie dreams of having her own adventure in the magical world of Kingsley like her grandmother and her great-great grandmother before her. But she doesn’t have very high hopes since the portal to Kingsley was shut fifty-two years ago. Little does she know that the inhabitants of Kingsley are in desperate need. A plague is killing Kingsley’s creatures. But Callie doesn’t live on the lake, nor does she have the magical bracelet to allow her to breathe underwater. How will she get to Kingsley? And will she figure it out in time to save the land?

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

The Captives by Precarious Yates YA Fantasy When the mermen and peaceful aquavians turn violent, who will restore the seas?

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Other Fiction

Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden Apocalyptic Science In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meets The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it… When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Rain Dance by Joy DeKok
Contemporary Christian Fiction
What happens when a Christian woman facing a childless future and a woman seeking an abortion are waiting to see the same doctor? What if after that “chance” encounter they are unable to forget each other? What if they find themselves drawn together in spite of their drastic differences by their surprising similarities? What if they somehow find the courage to become friends?
Rain Dance takes the reader into the hearts of these two women as they journey closer to the heart of the One who offers hope and healing.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Diving in Deep by Nora Ballew
Young Adult
How thin is thin enough? Just as her family’s troubles start to mount in their new home town, Kelly Eberly dives head first into a strict diet and rigorous swimming routine. Nearly drowning in an ocean of doubts and insecurities, and feeling lost and alone in a new place, Kelly wants nothing more than the “nice normal family” her mother talks about.

Before long, even within the chaos that is the Eberly family, everyone is noticing her dramatic weight loss. Her aunt is praying. Her brother is lecturing. Even her new friends are studying her under a microscope. How thin is thin enough? If she gets too thin, will she be able to stop; or is she in too deep? With so much going on in her family, will anyone be able to help her resurface?

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Deep Blue Sea by Valerie Howard
Women’s Contemporary Fiction
Jamie Walker’s life is a mess. She lives like a widow while her husband leaves for weeks at a time on business. She is childless, lonely, and depressed, and now her job as an editor at a magazine is in jeopardy. Not to mention the fact that her past mistakes are threatening to overwhelm her at any moment. Jamie has two options: swallow the bottle of sleeping pills in her husband’s nightstand or reach out to the God she’s been running from since she was eighteen.
Which will she choose and how long can she live like this?
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Sunshine Leaking, edited by Annie Douglass Lima
Poetry
Created by fifth-grade students, Sunshine Leaking features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to diamond poetry, tanka, and haiku. Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Josie’s Angels, a nonprofit organization that provides food, education, and a secure living environment for impoverished, abused, and at-risk girls in the Philippines.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Autumn Changes by Beverly Nault
Women’s Fiction
Along with shorter days and cooler nights, big changes are stirring up Cherryvale! While the trees along the CherryPath exchange summer-green garments to autumn’s crimson and gold, Grace and Maggie scurry to prepare for the town’s annual Harvest Festival, but spar over how to help pop star Tiffany Lane adapt to her new lifestyle and adoptive hometown. A surprise visitor—or two—spice up the town like cinnamon in Grace’s pumpkin walnut muffins just in time for “The Scrapbook’s” preview opening. The second book in The Seasons of Cherryvale, Autumn Changes continues the stories of the friendly folks and charming small town introduced in the much loved Fresh Start Summer. Will peaceful Cherryvale be the same after all the changes blown in on the autumn wind?
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
The Billionaire’s Gift by Edward Iwata
Inspirational
A greed-driven CEO seeks a higher purpose with the help of his devout secretary.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Daughter of the King by Carlene Havel and Sharon Faucheux
Biblical Fiction
Princess Michal was the youngest daughter of Saul, the first king of Israel. In an age when fathers arranged marriages, Michal dared to fall in love with a handsome young musician named David, from the little town of Bethlehem.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
Experience Life in Poetry by Shannon Sonneveldt
Poetry

This is volume two in the Experience Life in Poetry series, a series focusing on observations about life. The second volume focuses on relationships including those between family, friends and romance. The poems are a mixture of fun, sweet, sad and touching moments and experiences, but then life is all these things as well.

Enjoy your journey through life in poetry.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
What If… Super Hero’s Were Real? by Shannon Sonneveldt
Children’s Book
JJ loves to imagine new worlds where anything is possible. In this book, we see the world he creates using his imagination as he plays the ‘What If‘ game with his mom. A world where superheroes are real.
Not only are superheroes real, but everyone has the potential within themselves to become a superhero if they believe in themselves and their unique gifts. A group of young superheroes band together to form the Warriors of Truth and are in a race to help others see their potential before the Band of Bullies can get to them first and convince them that they are unworthy.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

Non-Fiction:

My Journey With Jesus Christ by Corine Hyman Children’s eBook My Journey with Jesus Christ is a personalized devotional, designed to help a child grow in their relationship with Christ while teaching them the key principles of the Christian faith.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
21 Prayers for Teen Girls by Shelley Hitz and Heather Hart
Prayer Book
Depression, Purity, Acceptance, Peer Pressure – these are all issues that teen girls face today. But how do we deal with it?
Prayer is the avenue that is recommended the most. We hear all the time that if we are struggling with something, we should pray. But how do we do that?
In “21 Prayers For Teen Girls” Shelley Hitz and Heather Hart model prayers for dealing with many of the issues teen girls may be confronted with on a daily basis. They encourage teens to pray along and make a habit out of praying for God to mold them into the woman He created them to be – a woman whose true beauty is found in Christ.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Teen Devotionals… For Girls! by Shelley Hitz, Heather Hart and Contributing Authors

Devotional
90 devotions that will take teen girls on a journey through God’s Word, learning about different areas in the Bible thet can relate to. Followed by ideas for ways they can be applied to real life, and a prayer. Written with teen girls who want to find their true beauty in Christ, the authors encourage you to read one each day, think on it and apply what you have learned to your life.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Purposeful Planning by Phyllis Sather Christian Living “Late for an appointment, a man hurried out and hailed a cab. Jumping in, he said to the driver, “Get going and drive as quickly as you can.” After a few blocks, he impatiently asked, “Are we almost there?” “Almost where?” replied the driver. In his hurry the passenger had failed to give the driver the address of his destination. That may seem like an unlikely story, yet today many people are so busy trying to keep up with the rapid pace of living, they haven’t stopped to consider what their goal in life is.” Millie Stamm Our book Purposeful Planning will help you figure out what goals the Lord would like you to have as a person and as a family.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Complete by Arabah Joy Christian Living Research shows it takes only 21 days to change the way we think. In Complete, Arabah Joy takes readers on a 21 day journey to think about themselves truthfully: that in Christ, we are complete. Believe it. Live it. 21 Days.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:
21 Days of Generosity Challenge by CJ Hitz
Christian Living
Do you want to live a life of generosity? Do you want your life to be a blessing to others? Do you want to have a giving spirit that overflows from a heart that is fully trusting in God as provider? If so, consider embarking on this 21 Days of Generosity through this short but powerful eBook.
Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Thoughts on Being Left Behind by Phyllis Sather Christian Living At one time or another we all feel left behind – whether because of illness, loss of a loved one, or the busyness of parenting and/or homeschooling. These timeless pieces, written by someone who went from the life of an active and involved woman to a near invalid within just a few weeks, speak to the heart of anyone who feels like they’ve been put on the shelf and possibly forgotten.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

The Godly Man’s Picture & A Godly Wife by Puritan Thomas Watson Spiritual Growth The soul being so precious, and salvation so glorious-it is the highest point of prudence to make preparations for the eternal world. It is beyond all dispute, that there is an inheritance in light; and it is most strenuously asserted in Holy Scripture that there must be a fitness and suitability for it (Col. 1:12). If anyone asks, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?” the answer is, “He who has clean hands, and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:4). To describe such a person is the work of this ensuing treatise. Here you have the godly man’s portrait, and see him portrayed in his full lineaments.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Forgiveness Of Injuries by John Angell James Spiritual Growth “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times;” thus inculcating a breadth of forgiveness widely removed from the narrow law of the Rabbis on the one hand, or the supposed liberality of Peter on the other. Let us examine, then, the basis on which this doctrine rests, and the arguments by which it is sustained.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

Reflections on Life by Staci Stallings Spiritual Growth In this thought-provoking Christian book, Reflections on Life, Staci opens her heart and shares with the reader the Anointed words God has given her to write. Find the power of prayer, faith, hope, and joy found in everyday life as you walk the Christian journey with Jesus at your side.

Get Your Copy Now For Only $0.99:

 

And Now For A Giveaway!

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Don’t forget to hop on over to CrossReads on Saturday to find out who won and get some free books!
http://crossreads.com/fallintoreading

 

Keeper of Reign By Emma Right

About the Book

Books written in blood. Most are lost, their Keepers with them. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Or could it? For Jules, the heir of a Keeper, no less, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. It was bad enough that his people, the Elfies of Reign, triggered a curse which reduced the entire inhabitants to a mere inch centuries ago. All because of one Keeper who failed his purpose. Even the King’s Ancient Books, did not help ward off that anathema. Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn’t get himself killed first.

Keeper of Reign (Reign Fantasy) On KindleKeeper of Reign in Paperback
*~*

Emma Right
Emma Right is a happy wife and homeschooling mother of five living in the Pacific West Coast of the USA. Besides running a busy home, and looking after their five pets, which includes two cats, two bunnies and a Long-haired dachshund, she also writes stories for her children. She loves the Lord and His Word deeply, and when she doesn’t have her nose in a book, she is telling her kids to get theirs in one. Right worked as a copywriter for two major advertising agencies and won several awards, including the prestigious Clio Award for her ads, before she settled down to have children.

Follow Emma RightWebsite | Facebook | Twitter

Enter to Win a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Enter below to enter a $50 amazon gift card, sponsored by author Emma Right!

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This book blast is hosted by Crossreads. We would like to send out a special THANK YOU to all of the CrossReads book blast bloggers!


I’ve been teaching a unit on poetry to my fifth grade class here at Morrison Academy, and my students have enjoyed writing poems in a number of different styles.  Now that we’re finished, I’ve chosen the best ones (at least one from each student) to put together into a poetry anthology.  The class is very excited that this has now been published as a Kindle eBook and is available for sale on Amazon.com!

The book only costs US$.99, and the class voted to donate all proceeds to Josie’s Angels, a nonprofit organization in the Philippines (more information below).  This is a great ministry that some of our high school students have worked with on mission trips to the Philippines.


I chose our book’s title from among several lines in various poems that I felt presented vivid and interesting word pictures, and then I held an optional cover-designing contest among my students.  There were seven different entries, some created individually and others in pairs.  As you can see, all those who participated did a great job and were quite artistic!  I showed the students all the entries on the big screen, and they voted for their favorites.  (I know these aren’t the best quality photographs; they’re just pictures I took of the artwork lying on my desk.  Yes, that’s the shadow of my hand with the camera across each of them!) 

Below is the final version of the winning cover design.  I scanned it on the school’s color scanner, and then our computer teacher graciously volunteered to touch up the colors a little in Photoshop and add the black border.  You can see the difference!

Here’s the “product description” (like the blurb on the back of a paper book) that I wrote about our anthology.  I tried to use tidbits from as many students’ poems as possible:

In the mood for adventure?  Step inside these pages and experience crazy coasters and soaring stunt planes, a terrifying tsunami and an atomic bomb.  You’ll meet characters ranging from heroic Jedi to monsters of all varieties; sprinting soccer stars to a malicious doctor who eats his patient (who happens to be a chicken).  Join us for a trip around the world: listen to nature singing in harmony in the peaceful countryside of Ostfriesland, Germany; run barefoot across a beach in Busan, Korea; dodge the noisy traffic of a street in Vietnam; sample a soft pineapple mooncake in Hsinchu, Taiwan; and wrap yourself in the dangers and charms of New York City.  Prepare to mourn the tragic deaths of a lovely butterfly and a lonely wolf; then console yourself with music as relaxing as blankets and comforting as pillows.  Along the way, watch out for wayward Frisbees and the sun about to crash into the earth.  Hold your breath as you’re blasted with ash from that erupting volcano and sprayed with the seeds of an evil tomato.  But who needs a shower when you have liquid sunshine leaking over you?

Created by fifth-grade students, Sunshine Leaking features poetry in a variety of styles, from free verse to diamond poetry, tanka, and haiku.  Proceeds from the sale of this anthology will benefit Josie’s Angels, a nonprofit organization that provides food, education, and a secure living environment for impoverished, abused, and at-risk girls in the Philippines.  Learn more at http://bit.ly/josiesangels.
Sunshine Leaking is available on your Kindle or any device with a Kindle application.  The app can be downloaded for free from Amazon for the iPad, iTouch, iPhone, Android, PC or Mac, Windows 7 Phone, etc.  Click here to view or purchase our poetry anthology on Amazon or download the Kindle application.  Morrison’s fifth grade students and Josie’s Angels appreciate your support!


Click here to read about A Boom in the Room, the anthology written by my last year’s class.

Interested in putting together your own anthology (or other eBook)?  Click here to see the step-by-step instructions I put together on how to go through the process.  It isn’t exactly easy, but it’s free and very doable for those willing to put in the time.