A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World
by Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer
Adult Nonfiction (18 +) / Self-help / Trivia
Publisher: Bear Paw Press
Release date: August 2025
Page count: 218 pages
SCROLL DOWN FOR A GIVEAWAY!
Feeling wired, tired, and stretched too thin? You’re not alone—and you’re not broken.
In Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired, Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer, a respected researcher, epidemiologist, clinician, and thought leader on joy, wonder, and well-being, offers a compassionate and eye-opening look at why so many people feel chronically stressed, fatigued, and disconnected. She also reveals why the traditional wellness model, first conceived decades ago, is no longer serving us.
Part science-backed reflection, part celebration of the world’s awe-inspiring details, this book blends thought-provoking commentary with bite-sized facts and trivia designed to reignite our sense of childlike wonder. From the mysteries of the cosmos to the miracles of the human body and so much in between, each chapter encourages readers to pause, reflect, and reconnect—with nature, with curiosity, and with what truly matters.
This isn’t a how-to guide or conventional self-help manual. Instead, it’s a gentle, joyful invitation to look up, look around, and rediscover the extraordinary in the ordinary. Through powerful insights and warm encouragement, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired helps readers step off the “happiness = wellness” hamster wheel, take a big step back, and breathe deeply. It creates space to experience the tears, the chills, and the thrills of a world filled with wonder.
Perfect for anyone seeking a mental reset or a moment of inspiration, Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired is both a balm for the soul and a spark for the spirit.
I don't spend time on book summary, so please read the synopsis above.
HALL WAYS REVIEW: 4.5 STARS. Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired is almost like a reference book for finding inspiration in a world where we're assaulted not only by toxic negativity, but also toxic positivity, which can be equally problematic. Author Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer offers readers a respite and new perspective on well-being in this well-written, well-edited, and well-researched gem of a book.
I'll be sharing my full book review the afternoon of Monday, 9/15/25.
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Meet the Author: Dr. Pam Stephens Lehenbauer, Ph.D., MBA, MSN, PMHNP-BC is an epidemiologist, nurse practitioner, researcher, educator, and an adjunct professor at Northern Kentucky University where she teaches in the faculty of graduate studies and investigates well-being. Pam is a popular international speaker and thought leader on wellness and well-being, how wonder, joy, and interacting with nature impact health and wholehearted living, and why we need to shift the paradigm from wellness to well-being. She is also the creator and author of the popular blog, Mother Nature’s Apprentice, and her first book is Wonder and Joy for the Wired and Tired: A Guide to Finding Inspiration and Well-Being in a Wonder-Filled World.
Pam has over forty years of combined experience in clinical practice, health administration, and teaching. She has served on the editorial and administrative boards for several provincial, state, and national nursing organizations and is a member of the American Nurses Association, the Kentucky Coalition of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives, Sigma Theta Tau International, and is a clinician member of the Planetary Health Alliance.
In addition to her extensive professional and academic work, Pam is also an avid gardener, a Certified Home Horticulturalist, and a conservationist who has created award winning gardens and sustainable wildlife habitats.
Pam lives on a small acreage in beautiful Northern Kentucky with her husband, Marty. They are the parents of several adult humans and countless non-humans who walk, fly, flutter, swim, crawl, and burrow. She loves to read, write, play piano, and explore the world’s beauty and wonders with her husband, family, and friends.
A rescue team searches for a missing young girl and suspects all is not as it seems in this high-stakes romantic suspense novel from the author of Lethal Standoff and Facing the Enemy
When wilderness survival expert Therese Palmer receives a frantic phone call from former colleague Professor Rurik Ivanov, she is shocked by the news that his young daughter, Alina, is missing—and that Rurik wants Therese’s help finding her. She’s sure Rurik hasn’t given her the whole story . . . especially since he refuses to report the kidnapping to the police. Yet with a child’s life hanging in the balance, Therese can’t turn down this mission. She knows the clock is ticking and she can’t do this alone.
Therese reaches out to Texas Ranger Blane Gardner, whom she met seven months ago during one of her training courses in wilderness survival skills. Blane’s specialized training and background with the Crisis Negotiation Unit make him uniquely prepared for this search-and-rescue mission. He agrees to help Therese and to accept Rurik’s terms to keep Alina’s disappearance quiet, and as the two begin working together, Therese is determined the spark growing between them won’t distract from their mission to save Alina.
Traversing deep into the desert of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Alina’s last known location, Therese and Blane struggle to separate truth from lies within the mix of intel they’re receiving. As they close in on answers that suggest the involvement of Russian organized crime and a high-profile international assassination attempt, they must fight to rescue Alina before she becomes an innocent casualty of a much bigger plot—no matter the risk to their own lives
Plus, Canyon of Deceit includes two original songs written by the heroine, Therese—one from her childhood and one that captures the depth of her love and transformation as an adult. These heartfelt lyrics come to life in custom-recorded tracks that reflect the emotion and spirit of the novel.
I don't spend time on plot summary, so please read the book synopsis above.
HALL WAYS REVIEW: It
takes a talented storyteller to so fully immerse a reader in her book that all
else completely fades away. In Canyon of Deceit, author DiAnn Mills transports
readers into the wilds of the Guadalupe Mountains and beyond in this
pulse-pounding, action-packed thriller. (Author bonus points: the setting she managed to remove me from was lounging under a palm tree on a pristine Maui beach. What sea
turtles and sparkling waters? Impressive reading escape.)
“The
weather matched my mood. The more we learned, the more it rained disillusion.”
In
Canyon of Deceit, events quickly escalate, and Mills doesn’t shy away
from describing the violence that comes with these kinds of shady characters
and the organizations that fund them – and the organizations that fight them.
Some of the scenes are intense, but they are never gratuitous and always increase
the reader’s heartrate and page-turning pace.
“My
mind clicked like a photographer’s lens, sealing incredible views into my
life’s album.”
I’ve
read several of Mills’s books, and her gift for writing richly detailed descriptions
and realistic, complex characters always shines. In Canyon of Deceit, the
nuances of Guadalupe Mountains National Park pop to life on the pages, as
readers explore its rugged splendor that’s both devastatingly beautiful and
deadly. A few chapters later, we’re dodging bullets in dodgy dive bars where
the ick-factor is palpable. And we’re seeing it all through the eyes of our
main characters, Therese and Blane.
Chapters
are told mostly from our MCs’ alternating points of view, so we get good
insight into how these people tick. But Mills does something interesting in Canyon
of Deceit by providing backgrounds of some of the unscrupulous characters. So, readers may feel sympathy and maybe even
relief that there is a reason for their evil. It forces thought about the
ages-old nature versus nurture argument.
“Had
God shown up to walk with me into the hereafter, one with more misery than I’d
ever known?”
There
is another character in this book, and it is faith. Not a character named
Faith, but faith in the one sovereign God. In Canyon of Deceit, the
faith journey of both main characters is front and center, which surprised me. It ventured out
of the comfort zone of my own faith practice with the witnessing, instantly becoming
a believer, and crediting God for the placement of a deadly bullet. My
experience with the Christian fiction category in the past several years,
including some of Mills’s other titles, is that the faith element is subtle: a thoughtful
thread that complements the story without taking center stage -- and that’s my preference. But that’s not to say that plenty of other readers won’t enjoy the religious
aspect exactly as it’s done in this book.
“Did
I want to get stuck in a quicksand of crimes?”
Careful
readers may pick up on small clues and bits of foreshadowing that Mills carefully
sprinkles throughout Canyon of Deceit. If so, one might figure out a
thing or two before the spectacular resolution reveals all the answers. But never fear! In Canyon of Deceit, there are so many shifts and twists, the
pleasure is in the journey getting to the fantabulous resolution. Readers will finally let out the breaths they've been holding and miraculously, despite the body count, feel hopeful.
I read an ARC of the book, so I assume the final copy will be edited clean as a whistle, as all Mills's books have been. I recommend Canyon of Deceit for readers who want all the suspense and
pacing of a high-stakes thriller but without the profanity, steamy scenes, and doom and gloom
endings to bog it down.
I voluntarily reviewed this book and received a print ARC from the author
through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
Beach read bliss!
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AUTHOR BIO:
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who invites her readers to step into stories where suspense meets adventure and romance warms the heart. Known for crafting unforgettable characters tangled in unpredictable plots, DiAnn believes every breath we take unfolds a story waiting to be told—so why not make it thrilling?
Her novels have consistently landed on bestseller lists including CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly, and have won prestigious awards such as the Christy, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol awards.
DiAnn is a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Conference Advisor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers. She actively participates in Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn passionately invests in helping fellow authors succeed through mentoring, book coaching, and editing. She travels nationwide speaking and teaching engaging writing workshops.
A proud coffee snob who roasts her own beans, DiAnn also enjoys diving into good books, experimenting in the kitchen, and unabashedly spoiling her grandchildren—whom she insists are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband make their home under the sunny skies of Houston, Texas.
Connect with DiAnn online for behind-the-scenes glimpses, writing tips, and lively discussions:
Visit these other great hosts on this tour for more great reviews, interviews, guest posts, and opportunities to WIN in the giveaway! Click here to view the Tour Schedule
ABOUT THE BOOK: A fierce storm is gathering in the distant hills and in the lives of the people living in the Lake Travis community in Austin, Texas. When two bodies are found wrapped in plastic and buried at the top of the hillside, the community goes on high alert. A neighborhood party brings everyone together on that raging, stormy night but when yet another body turns up, Neil Vienna, Jillian Martin, and Dr. Bill Jasmine find an incriminating spotlight shining directly on them.
Author Linda Dennis interweaves perspectives of unforgettable, enigmatic characters whose lives become permanently intertwined as they seek to peel back the layers of dark and sinister secrets, some of which speak from the grave.
Taking place in the heart of the famous Texas Hill Country, Gone by Morning is a tale of murder, broken trust, quiet obsession, and lives clouded by secrets.
I don't spend time on plot summary, so please read the book synopsis above.
HALL WAYS BLOG REVIEW. AUDIOBOOK REVIEW. In Gone by
Morning, readers are given several intriguing and juicy subplots that will hold
them captive until the last page. Author Linda Dennis nails the Lake Travis,
Texas, setting and the affluent vibe of that area, and I couldn’t stop
listening.
As someone quite
familiar with the setting of Gone by Morning, I really enjoyed having a
fictional peek into the lives of the wealthy and their gorgeous houses that most
of us only get to see across the water. The author’s real-life realtor
experience certainly contributed to the rich descriptions and decadence found
in and around the characters’ homes. Mentions of actual Austin-area places,
like The Driskill Hotel, The Oasis, and Zilker Park, bring a level of authenticity
to the story.
ABOUT THE
NARRATION: Justin Fife does an admirable job voicing all the characters, giving
each something unique to help readers keep up with the ever-multiplying cast.
Something odd happens around the last third of the book, and his pacing changes
enough I needed to change my listening speed, and there are some oddly-long and
oddly-placed pauses. This mirrors a similar shift within the storyline, which
suggests perhaps there were re-writes of the manuscript that necessitated some
fixes to it, and created hiccups in the narration.
Upon finishing Gone
by Morning, I had gone from being all-in to being confused; I even thought
I’d missed a chapter because of a huge time jump. There is a huge, delicious
reveal that pops out of nowhere, but sadly, it’s an info-dump that tells
readers what happened instead of showing us. I’m left with more questions than
answers and feel there are some big plot holes.
However, since I learned that the
next book in the series, Cold by Nightfall, is already out, and the series finale,
Die by Moonlight, AND a prequel, From the Shadows, are on the horizon, I’m going to give the author the benefit of the
doubt. My guess is that if one commits to the full series, everything that’s murky
as the waters on Lake Travis will eventually come to light. Stay tuned.
The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: While staying overnight in a home on Lake Travis in Austin Texas, Linda was captivated by the enchanting region, and it set her imagination on fire. The dangerously steep hills, serene lake, eclectic Oasis restaurant, and the lively community seemed the perfect ingredients for unforgettable drama, characters, and adventure. It was then that the seeds of the Lake Travis novels were sown.
Linda is a native Houstonian whose passion for storytelling and her love for the enchanting region around Lake Travis in Austin, Texas, have shaped her creative pursuits.
In addition to her career as a novelist, Linda is also a published poet. Beyond her literary endeavors, she holds a real estate license in the state of Texas, and works as a licensed Realtor®. She combines her knowledge of the real estate industry with her creative flair, further enriching her perspective on storytelling. LEARN MORE ON HER WEBSITE.
Publisher: BookBaby Release date: June 2025 Content Rating: PG-13
Some language and a non-explicit post-coital scene
Scroll down to enter the giveaway!
Book Description:
Frustrated novelist Danny is resigned to writing material for trade shows, promoting garage doors and non-stick cookware. His ex-wife threatens legal action for non-payment of alimony. Danny never dreamed the answer to his troubles could be larceny.
But then wealthy, charming Packard Hale III reenters his life. He was Danny's college roommate, and like Lupin and Raffles, he now fancies himself a gentleman thief. Packard hires Danny to write about his capers.
Danny follows Packard as they break into a mansion and steal, among other things, a priceless Chinese vase and a curiously valuable souvenir blanket from Branson, Missouri. However, it's not Packard who is pursued by the police, but Danny.
Simultaneously, he struggles to please his client, a lawn-and-garden CEO with an erotic attraction to lawnmowers. Danny also endures abuse from Soren, a boozy has-been Vegas magician. He tolerates the mistreatment because of Crystal, the magician's assistant. He's falling for her.
When he learns Soren screwed Crystal out of rights to magic tricks she's created -- and in spite of the cops on his tail -- Danny plots revenge. He and Packard attempt the daring theft of a state-of-the-art lawnmower—during a live performance in front of 400 people.
Your book is set in Chicago; have you ever been there? I’ve lived in Chicago off and on since I came here to college in the 1970s. Some of the locations mentioned in the book are real – Astor Street, the Drake Hotel. Some locations are fabrications – Clancy’s Steakhouse and the Zekman Theater.
How did you research the book? I gorged on gentleman thieves (A.J. Raffles, Arsène Lupin) and their stories, and I binged on caper films – Topkapi, Ocean’s 11, and The Hot Rock. I’ve also done my share of industrial shows. I even played Carnegie Hall in a show for Wilson Jones Office Products.
In The Gentleman Thief Steals a Blanket, who was the hardest character to write? Crystal, the knockout magician’s assistant. I wanted her to be heroic and sexy. All the time I’m wondering, can a man write this character convincingly? Happily, my wife gave Crystal her seal of approval.
The easiest character? Danny. A bit out of shape. Terrified of adventure but craving it at the same time. I heard his voice loud and clear.
What genre do you typically write in? It’s not a genre, but everything I’ve ever done is funny. This includes sketches, songs, short stories, and feature films. Why? There’s nothing better than making people laugh.
What advice would you give to budding writers? Forget that nonsense about opening a vein and bleeding on the page. Writing is fun. Enjoy the process and share the joy with others.
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About the Author:
MARK NUTTER grew up in a motel near Joliet, Illinois, which is not as glamorous as it sounds. He's the author of the humorous heist novel The Gentleman Thief Steals a Blanket. He wrote three collections of comedic short stories: Giant Banana Over Texas, Dancer on the Ceiling, and Sunset Cruise on the River Styx. He won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award and the LA Weekly Theater Award for the music & lyrics for Reanimator the Musical. Mark also wrote for television (SNL, 3rd Rock from the Sun) and feature film (Almost Heroes).
Now available for the first time as an audiobook, this lyrical novel comes alive in a tour de force performance by narrator Hillary Huber.
Psychological Thriller / Suspense / Series Starter
Audiobook Publisher: Paradise Press in Association with Fright Night Audio
Audiobook Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Audiobook Length: 9 hours, 51 minutes
Print & eBook Publisher: Penguin Random House
Number of Print Pages: 300
Synopsis:
USA TODAY BESTSELLER R. K. Jackson’s lyrical, twisty psychological thriller follows an aspiring journalist as she uncovers dark truths in a sea swept Southern town—aided by a mysterious outcast and pursued by a ruthless killer.
When Martha Covington moves to Amberleen, Georgia, after her release from a psychiatric ward, she thinks her breakdown is behind her. A small town with a rich history, Amberleen feels like a fresh start. Taking a summer internship with the local historical society, Martha is tasked with gathering the stories of the Geechee residents of nearby Shell Heap Island, the descendants of slaves who have lived by their own traditions for the last three hundred years.
As Martha delves into her work, the voices she thought she left behind start whispering again, and she begins to doubt her recovery. When a grisly murder occurs, Martha finds herself at the center of a perfect storm—and she’s the perfect suspect. Without a soul to vouch for her innocence or her sanity, Martha disappears into the wilderness, battling the pull of madness and struggling to piece together a supernatural puzzle of age-old resentments, broken promises, and cold-blooded murder. She finds an unexpected ally in a handsome young man fighting his own battles. With his help, Martha journeys through a terrifying labyrinth—to find the truth and clear her name, if she can survive to tell the tale.
Perfect for fans of authors Alice Feeney, Megan Miranda, and Tana French.
I don't spend time on plot summary, so please read the book synopsis above.
HALL WAYS REVIEW: AUDIOBOOK REVIEW.In The Girl
in the Maze, readers encounter so many genre elements that one could be
worried the book’s having an identity crisis. However, author R.K. Jackson
weaves mystery, paranormal, psychological, and even horror components together to
pack a punch and keep interest high. From the opening lines, the hook is
planted:
“She wants
to kill you.”
“Martha’s
fingers tightened on the Pentel No. 2 pencil, clutched in her lap like a secret
talisman.”
Through richly
written descriptions and the use of figurative language, in The Girl in the
Maze, Jackson presents an engaging story that was difficult to stop devouring.
His evocative writing forces us to mirror the feelings main character Martha has:
fear, anxiety, unease, doubt, and even empowerment, to name a few. The author masterfully
creates specific moods that weigh on readers, sucking us in and holding us within the stories.
The author throws
a wrench into the works by making readers, along with Martha, have doubts about
her experiences. Martha has been diagnosed with and is being treated for mental
illness. But is it in fact something else entirely? The journey to finding the
answer is fascinating, and the author keeps readers a little off-kilter and
questioning what is truth and what are tricks of the mind.
It’s unclear
when, exactly,the story takes place. A long-distance
phone call requires a pre-paid phone card, and there are no mentions of cell
phones. And further complicating matters is how in the town of Amberleen, on Shell
Heap Island, and in the coastal swamps, time seems to stand still a bit. And, there are those who want to take control of these places and make
changes in the name of progress; where in actuality, it’s purely for profit. Greed
and lust for power provide fodder for many a twist and turn in The Girl in
the Maze, and these things also make it relevant and timeless.
The addition of
the historically factual Geechee community brings layers of authenticity and mystique to The
Girl in the Maze. The Geechees, African Americans descended from West and
Central Africans who were enslaved to work on plantations, have a dwindling
population, distinct Creole language, and their history has been preserved only
orally within their circle. My favorite character, the wise, old Lady Alberthe, tells terrifying
tales of Boo Hags and lost, restless spirits that cause the spine to tingle. And,
oh wow – just when readers think they are heading towards the resolution, there’s
a Geechee story within the story that holds readers spellbound.
ABOUT THE
NARRATION: One of the reasons I love reading with my ears is to be gloriously
free to enjoy a story without seeing the sentences.
(Blessing or curse, my eye is drawn to written errors.) Narrator Hillary Huber
gives listeners an outstanding experience. Her pacing is perfect, and her performance
of the various characters is stellar. Coupled with Jackson’s characters to love
and loathe, Huber especially excels with voicing the creepy people (and there
are quite a few), the accents of the Geechee, and convincingly depicts males and
females. Well done! I listened, glitch-free, at regular speed, on the
BookFunnel app.
Suspenseful, twist-filled The Girl in the Maze will have readers catching their
breath by book’s end. Many questions are answered, and loose ends are tied. But
happily, author R.K. Jackson also plants some
seeds that let us know that Martha Covington has more adventures in store. I’m
in! (Hoping for an audiobook version of Kiss of the Sun, the next book
in the series, soon!)
I voluntarily reviewed this book and received an audiobook code from the author
through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
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Click to listen to an audio clip from The Girl in the Maze!
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Author Bio:
R.K. Jackson is a former CNN journalist who now works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is the author of two novels of psychological suspense: the USA Today bestseller The Girl in the Maze and its sequel, Kiss of the Sun, both originally published by Penguin Random House.