Michaela Bush's Blog, page 5

UPCOMING RELEASE: ESPERANZA AND OTHER FANTASY SHORT STORIES!

 Hey all! I'm excited to announce my next pulication for 2025, which is Esperanza: And other Fantasy Short Stories. I've had a backlog of short stories that I'd been sending to anthologies, journals, and the like, all of which were either rejected and improved or the contracts had expired. So I bundled them up into a book for your enjoyment! (Y'know. If you enjoy that sort of thing.) If you like short stories, fantasy with a bit of dragons and lightheartedness mixed in with more impactful stories of overcoming darkness, this one will be a fast, easy summer read for you! Kindle preorders are now open, and release day is June 24th, 2025! 

In case you were wondering, the cover is also here ;) PLUS some snippets!

Order here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D33Q5HZR/

INTERVIEW with KELLYN ROTH: Like the Air After Rain Blog Tour!

Hey, folks! Today I have the privilege of sharing about Like the Air After Rain by Kellyn Roth, including an interview! Follow along with the rest of the blog tour and keep up with the schedule HERE. Keep reading for a giveaway!

ABOUT THE BOOK

What if nothing’s left after the storm fades?

Aubrey Montgomery has three problems: the care of his adolescent sisters, the managing of his household, and his own loneliness. Over two years have passed since he was rejected by Cassie Hilton. Although he no longer trusts himself to love a woman properly, he could settle for an amicable partnership—if the right woman came along.

Lorelei Hilton only has one problem that she knows of: her manipulative and controlling father is arranging a marriage to a spineless boy in order to maintain the family business—and keep it out of her very determined, very female hands. But if Lorelei can’t force her way through a door, she’ll crawl in a window. To rescue herself and her sister, she sails off to England in search of a man with the gumption to stand up to her father.

After a chance meeting and an intense contract negotiation, Lorelei and Aubrey agree to a marriage of convenience. As they grow closer and struggle through the trials of their utilitarian arrangement, Aubrey is left with a question. Can the sacrament of marriage be entirely practical—or is there something otherworldly about it?

Like the Air After Rain is the second novel in The Hilton Legacy, a stand-alone trilogy featuring characters from the author’s first series, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy.

AMAZON | WILD BLUE WONDER PRESS | GOODREADS

AUTHOR

Kellyn Roth is the author of ten historical romance novels with strong Christian themes, a touch of humor, and messy situations that put the main characters through the wringer and force them to face hard questions. Kell is the founder and owner of Wild Blue Wonder Press, a small press with the mission of sharing fictional stories full of grace and truth. Her goal is to create stories that matter, to delve into the deepest and sometimes the saddest parts of life, and to return from the darkest valleys resplendent in the light of hope and the fullness of joy. When not building her author career, Kellyn is likely drinking iced coffee with her husband, getting lost somewhere in the Pacific Northwest with her friends, or watching period dramas and facetious comedies with her border collie.WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | GOODREADS | AMAZON | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | BOOKBUB

INTERVIEW

Question 1: Like the Air After Rain sounds like a fascinating story. What's your biggest reason for writing it, or the heart behind it?

Other than wanting to write a story about Lorelei, I don't think I really understood the heart of the story until I started drafting. I thought I did, but of course, Lorelei had to go and surprise me!
As I wrote the story, a purpose unfolded: I wanted to show a couple sorting through the difficult first year of a marriage, working through their beliefs about what a godly marriage actually looks like, and of course, coming to love each other. More than that, I wanted to write a main character who is very different from me in her goals and beliefs, but who slowly comes to realize that God's plan for her life is far better than she could imagine.
This isn't perhaps the first story I've written and published with similar themes, but it is the first with this much angst and longing and fear and grief! Lorelei was definitely a difficult character to write in a lot of ways, but I quickly came to understand the hurt little girl behind the blunt, devil-may-care attitude, and further, to understand that it would take time to work through those deep wounds. This wasn't a story I could wrap up quickly - that would be unrealistic. So, I hope, I gave Lorelei some time to breathe - and I am so hoping that readers will also see that they have time to breathe and to let God provide them comfort during their healing journeys!
Question 2: What was the most difficult scene (if you can share spoiler-free) to write in this book?
There were a number of scenes that had proven difficult in one way or another, but I struggle to pinpoint one that was especially difficult - it was more like the book overall was insisting upon defying me! I had a hard time pulling off some of Lorelei's worst "stuck in a dark spot" rambles, though. It's hard to share hope when your main character feels hopeless! So those types of scenes got a lot more TLC in the editing stages.

Question 3: We love a good marriage-of-convenience storyline! To contrast, what was common practice for arranged marriages in this time period, and how did that understanding influence your story idea?
I think by this point in history (the 1880s), arranged marriages weren't so much arranged as they were practical. Yes, some people definitely had arranged marriages, but in general, it was more likely that a couple would be choosing each other out of a few dozen (or whatever) "suitable options" their parents either recommended or simply introduced them to. There was choice! And honestly, how could you marry someone you'd never been introduced to anyways? So in that way, many marriages weren't "arranged" even if they weren't the most random, passionate love stories we've come to think of as romantic as modern audiences.
That said, this is not to say the romantic movement wasn't in full swing, but courtship was a great deal more formal for many upper class ladies and gentlemen, and therefore, it was more likely to feel "arranged" or practical to our modern sensibilities. I think a lot more people had "love matches" than we tend to think when looking back on the Victorian era, or even earlier eras. Honestly, I laugh, because Victorian women probably had a lot more options romantically than I feel I did when I was dating. :P

Question 4: If you could convince someone to read this book using only one sentence, what would that sentence be?

I mean, a sentence really only ends when I say it ends; it could keep parading on endlessly, discussing topics such as the main characters' growing relationship with God and how they navigate the first year of their marriage together, or perhaps I could talk about what a sweet husband Aubrey is to Lorelei, or what a hilariously blunt spitfire Lorelei can be at times; further, I could talk about the descriptions of picturesque windblown coastal Dorset and tell you that you should bring a cup of tea (or a mug of coffee, if you're like Lorelei) and settle in for a cozy-ish story with lots of angst; that said, I think if I were to say one thing about this book, it'd be "if you love sweet but challenging historical romances and want to read a marriage of convenience story that is more focused on Biblical truth than all the feels (even though those are there, too, certainly!), you'll love Like the Air After Rain!"
What? It's one sentence.

Question 5: If you could name one song that fits the vibe/overall story for Like the Air After Rain, what would it be?

Just one? Don't you know I have a whole playlist full of songs that fit the vibe/overall story perfectly but only as a group, not as individual songs?
I guess I'll go with Taylor Swift's You're On Your Own Kid, though I admit that may not be the best choice. Still, it fits Lorelei so well!
Thank you so much for interviewing me, Michaela! It was a blast, and I so appreciate it!
Thanks so much to Kellyn for taking the time to answer my questions! Now, if this sounds like a book you'd like to read (and if you're a fan of Victorian era fiction, the answer is probably yes!) then you can grab a copy on Amazon or Wild Blue Wonder Press. But if you'd like to take a chance on a giveaway for not only the first two Hilton Legacy books, but also the Chronicles of Alice & Ivy series, click HERE! If you're on Instagram, there's a second giveaway afoot--check it out at @wildbluewonderpress! 

YE OLDE DRAGON GIVEAWAYS!

 Hey everyone! I'm excited to share that there's a huge giveaway for fantasy anthologies by Ye Olde Dragon Books! There's a print giveaway for U.S. readers, and an eBook giveaway for international readers! I have a short story, "The Dragon-Keep's Servant" in Tales from the Tower, a Rapunzel retelling that is included in a five-book bundle of fantasy retellings!

The giveaway starts April 28th, 2025 and ends May 12, 2025--so get your entries in ASAP!

Get your International giveaway entries HERE

And your Print U.S. giveaway entries HERE!

April Writing Updates!

April Accomplishments: I've had a contemporary novel idea rattling around in my head for the past couple years after a lot of super-fun betrayals and broken trust IRL, so I decided to dust 'er off again and finally face what I don't want to write, once again. This will be on the caliber of Back to Me. Will it release this year? I'm not 100% sure. But I'm adding it to the pile and refined the plot this month. I also began writing it! 

Additionally, I got some great beta reader feedback for Project MiT that completely re-energized the project for me! I'm looking forward to revisions and getting the project moving forward! 

I also continued writing TQOL and got some last-minute tweaks done for Esperanza, which I will share more about very soon. I drafted two guest posts that I will be honored to share more about later in the summer. I began digging into revisions for Rooted and made a surprising amount of progress. It's going to be a very difficult revision process--not so much in what needs redone, but what the Lord's prompting me to share. But that's...proving to be a theme. It'll get done! Prayers would be appreciated. I also began writing (finally) (send help) project QSAL and got a couple new ideas I'm trying to throw onto the backburner. But I have a feeling I'll be sharing about them sooner rather than later too. Also received two more acceptances for anthology submissions! That clears my plate for pending submissions. Finally, I got some work done on a couple articles that will be submitted to respective projects--more on that later. 

May goals: Publish TKOTT; continue writing TQOL; continue writing Project R; continue revising Rooted; more progress writing QSAL. Some research for the horse-themed series would be great too, as well as progress on Project MiT.

Current projects pending publication with anthologies: Five
2025 goals: Publish hello is goodbye (DONE!)
                    Publish Where the Bridge Begins (DONE!)
                    Publish Project WHB (DONE!)
                    Publish Legends of Lanaria 5 (TKOTT/The Keeper of the Tower) (READY TO ROLL!)
                    Publish my devotional, Rooted
                    Write two novellas within the Midnight Hour series (#0.75 and #1.5)
                    Publish Project CL
                    Publish Super Secret Project MiT
                    Write the first draft of a middle grade series
                    Write a sequel to A Dance of Rebels
                    Write Super Secret Project QSAL
                    Plot thriller series--Project PRM
                    Start Legends of Lanaria 6 (TQOL)
                    Plot a horse-themed series, young adult
                    Write Project TTWL
                    Publish a short story collection, Esperanza (READY TO ROLL!)                    Write Project R

One month (and two days) til THE KEEPER OF THE TOWER!

 Hey folks! Just a reminder that The Keeper of the Tower is coming in one month and two days--May 27th! Preorders are still open for $0.99 HERE. 

Why Holy Week?

 

Jesus doesn’t love us by accepting sin that hurts us, no matter how much we think we want to pursue that sin. He calls us to Him, as a hen gathers her chicks, to protect you. He also calls us to specific behavior that keeps us within boundaries designed for our protection. But just because He set the example doesn’t mean we listen.

In my church's young adult Bible study, we've been covering biblical love as it relates to how broken our interpersonal relationships are here on earth, and it got me thinking about the different examples of love Jesus set forth during Holy Week. It's a little harder to miss earlier on in the week, through the table-flipping and rebuking and chatter about the end times...but it's there. So— Love in today’s society demands you love and accept everything, even the detrimental. And on the flip side, we're continually hurt by the detrimental things that we pursue, that our loved ones pursue, and it turns into a mucky mess of resentment and brokenness. But Jesus shows us something higher, through Holy Week — acts of love, even in the tables flipped.

Palm Sunday: Luke 19:29-40 He came in humbly. He didn’t just take what was His, nor did He come as a military leader or king like what the Jews were wanting. Love is sacrificial. It puts others above ourselves. It defends those we love (and others who love us defend us when we're under attack, including surrounding one another in prayer.) Our love for God sets the stage for how we love others. If we don’t have love, our words are just loud and abrasive, they don’t add up to much. If we give up everything but do so without love, that everything becomes nothing. But then in Matthew 23:37 we see Jesus mourning the fact that He knows Jerusalem will not accept His mercy or His love —and sets the stage for the rest of the week. Jerusalem even went so far as to kill the prophets that came before Jesus too, loving their own ways and selfish desires more than they loved God. And that’s how the world works. Yet, Jesus still went through with it all. Monday: Matthew 21:12-17The people selling stuff in the temple were preventing prayer which was what the temple was for. (Obviously.) So in Jesus’ righteous anger, there was love. Love doesn’t let us continue down paths of destruction. It corrects in truth and love (and sometimes that love has to be tough). The Lord knows how destructive sin is, including and especially the sins we refuse to admit or own up to. And He wants to restore and redeem us. Love doesn’t let those we care about continue messing around with sin that we should’ve left on the cross. (We’ll get there.) Love isn’t easily angered—and Jesus certainly wasn’t. But sometimes confrontation is needed, and He knew when and where it needed to happen. And it certainly doesn’t delight in evil like twisting worship and learning times into a time of self-seeking and profit and visiting and chaos. Yet, the Pharisees had no issue with the money that was made (a percentage of the profit went to the temple coffers) and had the audacity to be upset by Jesus teaching children and healing the sick at said temple (because they were making a racket…as if the sellers and money changers weren’t.) But to those who don’t follow Christ, or who are steeped in legalism, our actions might just not make sense. Tuesday: Matthew 21:23-45 Love also corrects and even rebukes when someone’s trying to lead others astray and cause chaos. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus with His words. The religious leaders of that time were arguably just as lost as your average atheist because they couldn’t see their own Messiah when he looked them in the eye. Literally. They were so steeped in their sin and tradition that they couldn’t see anything but their own greedy desire--and that’s why God gives us His living Word, to avoid becoming that hardhearted. And when the leaders continued to create strife and try to drive people away from Jesus, He rebuked them. But he did so by posing a series of questions to force their hand and show others the importance of steering clear of their leadership by uncovering their plot through parables. Love is not jealous or prideful or full of strife. At least, it shouldn’t be. And if it is…maybe we need to take a long, prayerful look at it.  Wednesday: Matt. 24:1-36Jesus loves us so much that He prepared His followers for the signs of the end times before the coming pain and fear of the crucifixion--making sure those words were recorded for us forever, too. There is no confusion in love. In our world there certainly is, and in our relationships and friendships and family dynamics, but our Lord’s love toward us is the purest sort we will ever experience. If we love our Lord, we continue to watch and wait for these very signs to show us the season of this world that we’re in. God’s love for us should be a shelter from the heartbreak and pain that so often accompany human relationships, because He doesn’t act on human impulses or twisted ideals or manipulation. Thursday: John 13The Last Supper showed us another symbol of humility. Washing someone’s feet when they came in the house, and especially if they were visiting—that was a norm in the culture at the time, but that was reserved for the absolute lowest servant…certainly not a King or Messiah. There's a lot of cultural importance around how filthy feet were at the time, too, and it was insulting to show the bottom of your foot to someone. But Jesus set the example for us. Humble love doesn’t look at only what we want the other person to do for us, but how we can serve the other person. At least, it should. Love went out in the garden of Gethsemane to pray for all believers, including you and me. And we see Judas, one of His twelve disciples, one who ate dinner with Jesus and probably was there to have his feet washed by Him, who got to witness miracles and was probably sent to do signs and wonders earlier in Jesus’ ministry, betrays Him. We have to look to God for fulfillment and love, and do what we do for Him, because when it comes down to it, we can’t control others and how they love us. Only our own actions. Good Friday-Sunday: Matthew 27, 28 When all else passed away, there was love. Who recently gave themselves up for a crime they didn’t commit, dealt with people screaming accusations and slapping and beating you, then whipping you until you literally should’ve been near death, then forced you to drag a 300 pound cross—crossbar being upwards of 90 pounds—to then be nailed to, a crown of these thick thorns jammed down into your forehead, and left to die? All for someone you loved? It’s obviously clear that we can’t reach that level of love in our daily life. But it’s a love that is freely offered to us even though we don’t deserve it. It’s a love that exemplifies and goes above and beyond 1 Cor. 13. And on Sunday, He rose again having defeated death for all of us. His example should influence our every action and every way we love others. Whether it’s in relationships or families or in correction or serving strangers—He’s the only example we can truly look to. He sets boundaries to protect us because He knows how sin will harm us—both in the here and now AND the future AND all of eternity. He prevents things from happening that we don’t even know about. Love doesn’t tolerate things that will harm us, it seeks to correct, make right, confront, resolve, and turn away from the sins that will eventually kill us! Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we could keep living in the same dirty rags forevermore, sinning the ways we like best to the detriment of those around us and grieving our Father. There’s even a parable about doing so—the wedding feast. When we as believers cling to certain sins and claim we’re just born that way or even worse that we’re right and anyone who tries to point you in the right direction is wrong and attacking you—-we aren’t living with Christ’s love in our hearts, we’re living with selfish desire which is the antithesis of love. A refusal to change and be made into a new creation, a BETTER creation that is kind and humble and sacrificing and gentle yet strong and filled with faith, that’s when we have to take a good honest look at our commitment to Christ and continually renew it. Love also isn’t a doormat. We ARE called to forgive, not to let people treat us like garbage all the time. God gives us guidelines for what to do even then, because He knew our world would be filthy rife with the type of manipulation that says “I’ll only love you if you do everything I say.” (Which isn’t love, by the way.) Jesus wasn’t no doormat. I’ve seen a lot of sentiment online lately that he was weak, a  pushover and couldn’t defend Himself…NO! He allowed the events of the cross to transpire because it was God’s will and what He came to do for us. He could’ve called down all of heaven’s wrath to protect Him…but instead, He asked the Father to forgive those who cast lots and mocked him as he hung on the cross because they didn’t know what they were doing. That’s us most times. We act out and don’t even think about what implications it might have. But love forgives. And Jesus showed enough self-control to never take control and turn the crisis into something that would benefit Him--we see it clear back at the beginning of His ministry when He was tempted by Satan in the desert, and we see it even more when He allows the betrayal, the crucifixion, the agony of His Father turning from Him because He cannot look on sin...in order to pave the way for the resurrection. Even if it’s a person you’ll never deal with again, or some type of abusive circumstance or friendship or relationship or family dynamic that you have to leave (also biblical), we are still called to forgive because our Father first forgave us. That isn’t accepting sin or tolerating someone’s unacceptable behavior. BUT that love and forgiveness keeps us safe from the same pit of sin and death that are influencing them. Because we don't fight against flesh and blood, but against the evil influence behind those actions. God sent His son to show us what love REALLY is, and how we can strive in our own fumbling ways to be like Him. Will we be perfect? No. He's the only one who can claim that title. But should we do our level best to try? Absolutely. It means talking it out with people you disagree with--even if you continue to disagree with their opinion. It means setting boundaries with those who hurt us continually with no intent to change. It means protecting others from the influence of wickedness. It means loving when it's hard and forgiving even if you gotta white-knuckle your way through. It means serving and lowering ourselves in humility--the Lord also promises that the proud will be swiftly humbled and the humble will be lifted up. Because Jesus did it for us first.

JESUS & BETRAYAL Part Two

 

When the rubber met the road, everyone left.

After three years of fellowship and camaraderie, of learning and growing and suffering together--boom. Gone. Betrayed by one of their own. What else is there to do? One of their own led them into a trap. 

Then, the person who jumped up to promise he'd never, ever leave just hours before...pretended he didn't even know his friend.

Out of a dozen, only one bothered showing up. And at that, nothing could be done. The events were set in motion before time began. The best he could do was stay and be there. Assure his friend he would watch over his widowed mother. And hold down the fort. 

Sound familiar by now? If you are a follower of Christ, you probably got tipped off already. But to clarify, we're talking about Jesus, the cross, and the fact that He knows betrayal well.

Did He have an unfair advantage, knowing very well that Judas would betray Him? I'd like to pose a different notion: How did He still love Judas, and wash his feet, and treat him as an equal when He would have known the suffering that would be set into motion by Judas' inability to see? 

Or did Jesus separate Judas from the actions Satan would influence him to do? Separate the sin from the sinner. It's easier for Him to do that. He's God. 

...But as fully God as He is, He is also fully man. The crucifixion was excruciating beyond belief. He was whipped nearly to death before the crucifixion even began! The three years of His ministry full of trials and pain and rejection--from His own hometown and beyond. So the emotional pain of watching His disciples and friends ditch Him, including presumably two of the three of His closest inner circle, was probably eclipsed a little. (Or perhaps it was magnified with frustration as the time for His sacrifice approached--He'd warned them time and again of the coming crucifixion, and yet they were so completely unprepared and unassuming.) 

We just don't know. 

But what we do know, is that Jesus knows betrayal intimately. Even further, the Lord knows our every hurt and tear and pain. He knows our hurts and hurts with us. It shouldn't come as a surprise when even our close friends and family backstab, because if they could do it to Him, how much more easily can they do it to others? The Lord didn't promise an easy life. In fact, He says He did not come to bring peace, but to bring a sword that divides one from another in Matthew 10. This doesn't mean acting out violently, but being prepared with the knowledge that following Jesus comes at a cost. Some just won't get it. Some will claim to follow Him but still follow the world. Some will follow their selfish desires instead. And those who diligently follow Jesus can expect to be caught in the crosshairs--because the others simply will not get it. 

Sure easy to understand when we're talking about believers versus unbelievers. But what about fellow believers who still betray and follow their selfish desires and lie and cheat and gossip and create rumors and backstab? And the list goes on. 

I could rant and rave about it plenty. But instead, I want to offer a reminder: the crucifixion was part of God's plan from the beginning of time. Which means that Judas' betrayal was part of His plan from the beginning, too. The Lord also knew that His disciples would scatter...but the remaining disciples, minus Judas, would come back. They would see the resurrection. They would believe. They would spread the story of His death and resurrection far and wide, to the ends of the earth. And He knew that their mission would be picked up by generation after generation, right up to where we are now and beyond. The evil influence that overtook Judas? Turned for God's glory and literally everyone's good. (Romans 8:28). 

It's easier to believe that Romans 8:28 promise when things are good. And it's a lot harder when things aren't good. When there are so many burdens on your heart that you don't even know where to begin when you pray. When there are people coming against you. When you're the one trashed for standing up for what's right. When you're the one who points out a problem and ends up a pariah. 

But God saw all of that before He even formed you. He knew what would happen in your life. He knows the hurt that will come your way, and He has a plan to redeem and restore every ounce of it for His glory and your good--if we just trust Him to take care of it. (Psalm 139.) He turns darkness into light. 

He is with us always, even to the end of the age. 

He created us all. And though it grieves Him when someone goes astray and errs on the side of wickedness, and when believers walk in the works of the flesh, and come after His children--He knows how to deal justly with them and how to turn around evil and use it for good. As a testimony of His power and might. We only need to cast aside fear and be still (Exodus 14:14).

So if you're walking in the midst of pain, or you've got a Judas in your life, or you're struggling with circumstances out of your control: He knows, His heart hurts with yours, and He has a plan of redemption for you, for those circumstances--one that you'll just have to share with others when you walk up out of that valley. 

Hold tight. Darkness eclipsed the earth that Friday long ago. Anguish and mourning came that Shabbat day in between. But Sunday was coming. 

REVIEW: CAPTIVE by Bradley Caffee!

Hey everyone! I'm excited to share about Captive by Bradley Caffee, a dystopian ride with twists and turns beyond belief. Check it out below!

BLURB

They destroyed his world. They killed his father. And now one of them is his prisoner.

Ted James hates the Skya'ja, the fish-faced aliens who destroyed the Earth. Promising humanity the clean, renewable energy that transformed them into a peaceful spacefaring species, the invaders lured scientists like Ted's father into their project. Instead, the explosion known as the Cataclysm wiped out electrical grids, governments, and militaries. Two years later, the Earth is a scrapheap where the remaining few humans and aliens war for the resources that are left.

Living among the ruins of Charlotte, Ted wants answers about his father's fate and why the downtown area is covered in a shimmering Bubble that seems to kill all who try to enter. A lucky shot allows him to capture the scouting Skya'ja known as Tash'jya for interrogation. The only problem is his hatred is hard to maintain the more he learns about his prisoner.

Running from Revon, a violent militia leader who wants all Skya'ja dead, Ted teams up with gutsy clinic nurse, Loren Westfield, to keep his prisoner alive long enough to get the information he needs. Can Ted uncover the truth behind Tash'jya's mission-and what it has to do with his father?

Grab the paperback NOW on Amazon and preorder the ebook -- click HERE!

REVIEW 

While this book did start out a lil on the slow side for me, it really picked up the pace and had me scrambling to turn pages. It's a fresh, new concept, fascinating worldbuilding, and impactful themes about who our enemies really are. It's dystopian with a sci-fi flair, and I'd like to say that if you're a Star Wars fan who wants to dip their toe into the dystopian genre, this would be an excellent read. It's a great story with a lot of heart, and I hope you'll grab a copy soon!

**I read an early ARC copy to write my review; opinions above are my own!**

MIGRATING NEWSLETTER: IMPORTANT

 Hey all! 

Due to changes upcoming with MailChimp, I'm going ahead and doing what I've been thinking about doing for a long time anyway. If you're on the newsletter OR would like to join the newsletter, please join me for free on Substack! It works in a very similar fashion, and it's a lot easier to work with overall. You'll actually get a little more content than the newsletter has been getting lately, so that's a plus too! Check out this link to subscribe: https://substack.com/@tangledupinwriting 

THANK YOU for understanding! 

B e t r a y a l...While THE KEEPER OF THE TOWER only tou...

 

B e t r a y a l...

While THE KEEPER OF THE TOWER only touches the surface of the betrayal Evangeline and the rest will face in the rollercoaster-ride of the series finale, it's full of twists that even took me by surprise. But betrayal isn't always the villain making her overt power play. Sometimes it's the family member twisting the knife. Sometimes it's the friend you thought you could trust, or the one who draws you close just to discard you. Sometimes it's a community member who is only happy when someone else is miserable. Rumors, lies, jealousy, strife. And then the Lord says to forgive them anyway. Because Jesus knows betrayal intimately. And He forgave anyway. For everyone, for all time. I'm gonna yap about that some more later in the month. But for now, betrayal and healing from that hurt is going to be a rolling theme throughout the next handful of books I'm currently working on. Along with grappling the commands of the Bible to forgive even your worst betrayer and enemy. It's easier, David says in Psalm 55, to forgive your enemy than it is to forgive someone close to you who becomes your enemy. Satan may use his weapons well, but the Lord sees and knows it all and holds you in His care too.Even when it feels like He's far away.I said my theme for this year's writing was unshakeable hope, fullness of joy, and conquering light...and only in the darkest of times will we ever see the fullness of His work through those three things. Only when we cannot see how those things are attainable, will we ever see how the Lord moved and made it happen anyway.