Time for the First… MY TENDER HEART BIBLE Friday Round Up!

My new book, MY TENDER HEART BIBLE, released a week and a half ago and, in celebration I have FOUR fun things to share today – including a GIVEAWAY! I hope you will grab a cup of coffee or tea and check them out.

First, on Tuesday, I was delighted to be hosted by Paraclete Press for a special TENDER HEART-themed Valentine’s Day story time which included a chat with host Rachel McKendree, a reading of three of my favorites from the collection, a Q&A and a sneak peek at my next TENDER HEART book which will be out in the fall. You can enjoy that here:

Second, in case you missed my interview over at Terrie Hellard-Brown’s “Books That Spark” podcast, here’s the link for that plus a snap-shot quote which really shows my heart in writing this new book.

Third, yesterday I was honored to be guest blogger over at Darlene Beck Jacobson’s blog on a topic close to my heart — sharing God’s Word with little ones in RHYME! (PLUS, Darlene is giving away one SIGNED copy of my newest release: MY TENDER HEART BIBLE. (This is the giveaway I mentioned above!) Find all the details here.

Finally, be sure to check out Sally Matheny’s review of MY TENDER HEART BIBLE. Her reviews are always so thoughtful. While you are there, I hope you will enjoy exploring her many other reviews as well.

Check back in next week for more fun bookish things! Happy Weekend, all! (And if you aren’t following my blog yet and want to, I’d love that! Buttons to do so are in the sidebar and footer.

JOIN ME for a Valentine’s Day VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH EVENT for MY TENDER HEART BIBLE!

VALENTINE’S DAY INVITATION! You and your little ones are invited to a special Valentine’s Day Book Launch Event for MY TENDER HEART BIBLE this coming Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 3pm Eastern. Hosted by Paraclete Press, the event will include:

1. An introduction to My Tender Heart Bible
2. A little chat time with the author – me!
3. A reading of THREE of my favorite stories from the collection
4. A Q&A
5. The unveiling of some awesome free resources to go with the book

I hope you will join us! To sign up, press here. It will also run on on Facebook so you can check here for that.

And if you want to order a copy for your church, school, or home library… or to give as a gift, check here for easy links.

And, just in case you haven’t seen the book yet, here is the book trailer:

I hope you will join us!

MONDAY FUN: Listen to the HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD StoryJumpers and Collide Kids Podcast Episodes!

One of the joys of having a new book out is getting to do special things like chat on these two family-friendly podcasts. Here’s a little bit about each podcast followed by links for easy listening.

First. it was my pleasure to be interviewed by podcast host Andrew Jackson for his children’s story time program, StoryJumpers, a bi-weekly Christian podcast that features a children’s book read by the author and an interview with the author. The episode which features HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD (Paraclete Press) aired, Friday, December 9th, 2022 over at www.wearethebridge.org a community supported, non-commercial Christian radio station serving Delaware, South Jersey, parts of Maryland and beyond. 

Thank you, Andrew, for being such a great host!  I had a wonderful time. Here’s the link: 

https://www.wearethebridge.org/streaming/podcasts/storyjumpers/episode/happy-birthday-christmas-child-by-laura-sassi/

TIP: Just listen and enjoy, or for an ever richer experience, grab a copy of the book so your little ones can enjoy the pictures as I read. 

Second, on Friday I was the featured guest on the fun and lively Collide Kids Podcast. Per host Christen Clark’s description, “The Collide Kids Podcast is a show for kids and families were fun and faith COLLIDE! We will get to know friendly, interesting people who can teach us something new. Our goal for every episode is to help kids discover they are loved by God!”

Her guests include people from wide variety of professions and I’m honored to have been part of her line-up. Christen Clark is also fun and funny which makes for a great podcast vibe!

Here’s the link to the HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHLD Episode: https://anchor.fm/collidekidspod/episodes/How-to-Share-the-Christmas-Story-w-Laura-Sassi

Happy Monday, all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD Book Launch Party Craft: Make a Mouse!

Are you ready for the HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD Virtual Book Launch Party? I am and so is my storytelling companion, Mouse. That’s why we’re reminding you to join us on Instagram Live on Thursday, December 1st at 7pm Eastern (that’s TOMORROW!) to celebrate the release of HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD. 

Here’s the invitation:

And, now, as I promised, here is the craft!

Inspired by illustrator Gabi Murphy’s darling little mice, our party craft will be making your own mouse. These are some we made in Sunday School. Aren’t they darling? (I will introduce the craft at the party, and you can make it after the party.)

To make one, each child will need:

• One circle cut from gray construction paper
• Two circles cut from pink construction paper
• One circle cut from black construction paper
• Strips of black and gray construction paper for whiskers and tail
• OPTIONAL:  two googley eyes
• You will also need scissors and glue.

Here is the tutorial for the craft from The Little Crafties (and be sure to check out their YouTube channel for oodles of other great crafts:

As a closing reminder, this is the adorable craft that I’ll be presenting at the HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD Book Launch Party which will take place LIVE on my Instagram Page on Thursday, December 1st at 7pm eastern.  Here’s the link to that page: https://www.instagram.com/laurasassitales/. Just show up!  It’s that easy. And if you follow me there, you’ll be sure to get all the updates for this and other bookish things.  

Hope to see you soon!

Mark Your Calendars: NOVEMBER AUTHOR EVENTS with LAURA SASSI (Plus an Interview)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. I have several events at book stores, churches and a library planned for November with more on the way. If you are a school, church, mom’s group, library, or daycare, I’m booking now for winter and spring. Learn more in the “Author Visits and Speaking Engagements” tab. And now… the November line up, plus the link to my recent interview over at Frog on a Blog.

Book Your Holidays: Chester Authors Day

November 5, 2022 10am – 3pm
Chester Library
250 West Main Street
Chester, NJ

Lexington VA Book Book Signing with Laura Sassi

November 10, 2022, 3 – 5 pm
Downtown Books
13 W Nelson
Lexington VA

Holiday Book Signing with Laura Sassi

November 19, 2022, 11 – 3 pm
Jesus Book & Gift Store
675 US 1 South
Woodbridge, NJ

New Providence Presbyterian Church Live Nativity (with story time!)

November 25, 2022, late afternoon, specific times to follow
New Providence Presbyterian Church
1307 Springfield Avenue
New Providence NJ

’Tis the Season for Books! Book Signing with Laura Sassi

November 27, 2022, 1 – 3 pm
Periwinkles Fine Gifts
19 North Union Avenue
Cranford, NJ

“Joyful Noise” with guest author Laura Sassi

November 28, 2022 4:30 (Sign up at libertycorner.org/author-reading)
Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church
45 Church Street
Liberty Corner, NJ

And last, but not least, the link to my interview over at Frog on a Blog.

Note: If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to my blog using the subscribe button in the footer or sidebar. I post once or twice weekly with inspirational reflections, tips, interviews and more.

Fall 2022 AUTHOR EVENTS with Laura Sassi (Plus Unboxing my New Book with my Pooch!)

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. I have several events at book stores and a library planned for fall 2022 with more on the way. I hope you’ll be able to join me at one or more of them. And if you are a school, church, mom’s group, library, or daycare, I’m booking now for fall and winter. Learn more in the “Author Visits and Speaking Engagements” tab. And now… the fall line up, plus your first peek at my first peek of my newest book HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTMAS CHILD with an unboxing video presented by Sophie, my literary cockapoo, and cute assistant.

First the line up:

Then the cute canine unboxing video:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Laura Sassi (@laurasassitales)

MAY 2022 Author Events with LAURA SASSI

YOU’RE INVITED! I have several book store events planned for May 2022. I hope you’ll be able to join me at one or more of them. And if you are a school, church, mom’s group, library, or daycare, I’m booking now for summer and fall. I have a few spots left for spring as well. Learn more in the “Author Visits and Speaking Engagements” tab. And now… the May line up!

YOU’RE INVITED! Join Me and Host Valerie Ellis for an Our Everyday Parables LIVE Interview

Tune in this Thursday, March 10, 2022 at 12:12 eastern on Instagram for my first Instagram LIVE interview. I’ll be joining Valerie Ellis, host and founder of Our Everyday Parables, a blog dedicated to “inspiring families to faith and compassion through everyday moments and excellent books”.  

The interview will include questions from listeners, so if you have a question you’ve always wanted to ask about any of my books or about using books to foster faith in our little ones and want it answered on Instagram LIVE (squee!) please let me know in a comment here and I will share it with Valerie.  You can also DM her with questions on the Our Everyday Parables instagram page.  You can also type your question in during the interview. 

If you want to come, I highly recommend popping over to her Insta page and signing up for the reminder. It’s easy and then Instagram will remind you to come!  Neat, huh?  I signed up so I won’t forget to come either. LOL.

Oh, and there will be a multi-book giveaway too. This image gives a clue as to which four books will be included in that. I hope you can make it.

Blessings all! And remember to leave your question. Any that aren’t answered at the interview, I will put in queue to incorporate into future blog posts!

SPRING 2022 Book Store Events with Laura Sassi

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. In celebration of the release of BUNNY FINDS EASTER (and my other titles as well), I have several book store events planned for Spring 2022. I hope you’ll be able to join me at one or more of them. More are in the works, as well, so stay tuned for those. (And if you are a school, church, mom’s group, library, or daycare, I’m booking for those now as well. Learn more in the “Author Visits and Speaking Engagements” tab. And now… the line up!

SPECIAL EVENT: Christmas in the NICU Author Reading

If you have been following along with me on Instagram or Facebook, then you may have seen the special “Christmas in the NICU” book blessing (with Goodnight Manger as the book) that I have been so honored and amazed to be a part of.  Read here to learn how, at God’s prompting, it grew from 15 to just over 770 books. 

Here are a few pictures from along the way:

Now all these the books and notes have either been delivered (or are being delivered this week) to multiple NICUs and PICUs across nine states and will be given to families who find themselves with little ones in the intensive care over Christmas.  

As a NICU mama myself  — my 24-week, 1 lb 9 oz preemie is now in college — my heart goes out to the 770+ families who will be receiving the books and notes.  It is, most certainly, a dark and scary time. But there is hope… and light… and LOVE to be found in our Lord God. He is the Great Comforter and what better time to celebrate that than at Christmas.

With all this in mind, founder Jessika Sanders has added an extra layer of blessing.  This Thursday, December 23rd at 7pm Eastern on the Praying Through Ministries Facebook page, we will be having a special Facebook LIIVE “Christmas in the NICU” Reading.  Jessika and I will be there together to share some Christmas love with families — current and past — who have journeyed through the NICU or PICU with their precious ones or who are in the midst of the journey now. I hope you will join us. 

Here’s the link with more information:  https://www.facebook.com/events/958750131514688

Blessings all!