Michaela Bush's Blog, page 7

REVIEW: THE CRUELTY OF A DOOR by R.C. Lloyd!

 Hey everyone! I had the privilege of endorsing this poetry collection by R.C. Lloyd, and wanted to share a review of it in honor of release day! The Cruelty of a Door is available now. If you enjoy poetry collections, make sure you snag a copy today.

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What fabled light are you chasing?

The Cruelty of a Door is a collection of poems that dares you to ask what it is you’re really longing for, to exchange your breathless pursuit for a lullaby of contentment, and to rest in the hope that sunrise is coming. For it always does.

GOODREADS

REVIEW

"Why must missing someone feel like claustrophobia?" 

The Cruelty of a Door is one of those collections that you can envision as reading material in colleges one day. From artful prose to deep contemplation and lines that made my jaw drop with their impact and simplicity, R.C. Lloyd weaves an incredible portrait of faith in waiting, longing, and the search for contentment in a restless world.

February Writing Updates!

I'd love it if you left a comment to chat about what you're working on right now!

Current anthology submissions pending acceptance/rejection: Four

Current projects pending publication with anthologies: Two
Accomplished in February: One of the anthology publications, Snowdrops in Springtime, was released last weekend! I received one short story rejection, but I'm a little excited because I can revise and maybe expand it just a smidge. The rights for another short story reverted back to me, so I'm looking to tweak it and re-release it as well. I officially have a gameplan for Book 6 of Legends of Lanaria and continued brainstorming Project QSAL as well as a new idea, TTWL. I got some brainstorming done for the next Bethlehem Belle novella as well. I also finally (finally, finally, at long last, dear heavens) finished the first draft of Super Secret Project MiT!!! I finished Draft 2 of The Keeper of the Tower and immediately dove back in for the third draft and knocked out a lot of major revisions, plus several rounds of editing/proofreading for the final push. Some background work for a special project was also completed; more on that later.

March goals: Finish prepping TKOTT for publication in May; Draft 2 of MiT; begin writing QSAL; assess revisions for Rooted; begin writing TQOL; continue prep for TTWL and a couple other side-projects; assess unpublished short stories for compilation.
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)
                    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

X FOLLOWERS, NOTE:

 

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RELEASE DAY: SNOWDROPS IN SPRINGTIME!

 HAPPY RELEASE DAY! I'm thrilled this little anthology by @queenanneslacepublishingllc is available NOW. And for a good cause, too! You can snag a paperback or ebook copy today--and if you do, let me know what you think of my story, "At Storm's Edge," published alongside so many other sweet and compelling stories of hope and determination!

BLURB:Picturesque poems, gritty stories of magic and survival, and tales of romance all come together for Snowdrops in Springtime, an anthology of hope. From dragons and mermaids to war and love, this anthology contains a wide variety of poems, stories, and themes. All entries in this anthology, no matter how dark or grim, end in hope or a happy ending–because the darkness does not win. The authors included in this collection are Andi Michelson, Annee Clark, Camille Esther, C. F. Treader, Christmas Beeler, Dawn E. Dagger, Donna J. Bunner-Miller, Katarina Kelley, Kathryn Rossati, Megan Huffman, Michaela Bush, Rachael S. Conte, RJ Conte, Rose Kirby, Schro Grey, Taryn Skipper, and more. All publisher proceeds from this collection will be donated to 988, the Suicide and Crisis Hotline.Order here: https://books2read.com/snowdropsinspringtime

LEGENDS OF LANARIA COVER REVEAL: THE KEEPER OF THE TOWER

 The day has arrived, and it's officially time to reveal the cover for The Keeper of the Tower, the next book in the Legends of Lanaria series! This one is part of a two-part finale, so make sure to snag a preorder (which is now also live!) 

May 27, 2025 is the release day, so make sure to keep following along as we barrel toward May! This is a story on doing what's right even if you might lose it all, and seeking God's face on the darkest day.

Preorder here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DXFLM683

REVIEW: MIDNIGHT ON THE SCOTTISH SHORE by Sarah Sundin!

Hey everyone! Today I'm sharing a review for Midnight on the Scottish Shore by Sarah Sundin! Here's more info before we get into my thoughts. 

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To escape the Nazis, she must become a spy. To save theAllied cause, must he betray his heart?

The only way Cilla van der Zee can survive the Germanoccupation of the Netherlands is to do the unthinkable–become a spy for theNazis in Britain. She soothes her conscience with a plan to abandon her missionand instead aid the Allies. Her scheme is thwarted when naval officer Lt.Lachlan Mackenzie finds her along the Scottish shore and turns her in to beexecuted.

But perhaps she is more useful alive than dead. Britishintelligence sends her to Scotland to radio misleading messages to Germany,messages about the naval base at Scapa Flow to be crafted by Lachlan. At thestation in the lighthouse at Dunnet Head, Lachlan and Cilla must work togetherif the war is to be won. But how can he trust a woman who arrived on his shoresas a tool of the enemy–a woman certain to betray both him and the Allied cause?

Master of World War II fiction Sarah Sundin takes you to thewild Scottish seaside, where danger lurks under the surface of the water–and inthe depths of the human heart–for a WWII tale you won’t soon forget.

For more information and purchase links: https://www.sarahsundin.com/books/midnight-on-the-scottish-shore/ 

REVIEW

I absolutely loved reading this book--as per usual, Sarah Sundin knocked it out of the park. The characters are relatable, enjoyable to read, and there are layer upon layer of stories and character arcs going on between the main characters and even secondary characters. From a historical perspective, I've never read anything about Scotland's involvement in WWII, so this was a unique book for sure (and one my little Scotland-loving heart was so excited for!) This book has strong faith elements, moral conundrums, and one of the most heart-pounding finales I've read in historical fiction. Holy thunder. This was one book that I wasn't entirely certain would have a happy ending, and she kept me guessing up until the very end. There are double-crosses, TRIPLE crosses, plot twists, really in-depth questions of faith and ethic in war, and more. Definitely pick up a copy if you enjoy Sundin's books!

I read an eARC from Netgalley; all opinions are my own. 

RELEASE DAY: WHERE HOPE BEGINS!

 And release day, take two, for this week! Where Hope Begins is available in paperback and Kindle -- now! Check it out HERE. This is a quick little novella for readers who want a little reminder that anything is redeemable, who enoy small-town romance, and stories on hope and healing: this one's it for ya! And the cover was designed by the incredible Brooklyne Elysse Design Studio, to boot! Make sure to give her a follow on Instagram. 

COVER REVEAL: HE LOVED ME THROUGH MY LETTERS by SARA FRANCIS!

 Hey everyone! I'm SO thrilled to share the cover reveal for Sara Francis' upcoming book, He Loved Me Through My Letters, which is another of my most highly-anticipated releases for 2025. I hope you love this reveal as much as I do!

ABOUT THE SERIES

He’s a camp counselor haunted by past mistakes.
She’s an event planner stuck in a toxic relationship.
Neither of them expected to fall in love with the ghosts trying to save them.

“The Waiting Series” is a slow-burn paranormal romance series that dives into themes of self-love, relationships, and healing for fans of Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston, Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle, and The Atlas of Us by Kristin Dywer.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Violetta believes someone will die–she just doesn’t know who.

Despite her family’s warnings to leave, Violetta stays tethered to her toxic boyfriend by guilt. To escape her growing fear for her safety, she writes daily letters to her future spouse. When his replies magically appear on the pages, she’s convinced she’s speaking to a ghost–just like her aunt did before she was killed by the man she once loved. But is this ghost here to protect her or to warn her that someone else will join the afterlife? Or has her mind finally unraveled under the weight of it all?

No matter the truth, Violetta is determined to rewrite the ending of her story before it’s too late.

Follow book 2 on Kickstarter right here:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sarafrancisauthor/the-waiting-series-books-1-and-2-hardcovers-art  and get ready for the official Kickstarter launch MARCH 18, 2025! He Loved Me Through My Letters launches in June.

RELEASE DAY: WHERE THE BRIDGE BEGINS

 Today's the day! Where the Bridge Begins is the second book in the Bethlehem Belle Novella collection, and it's available now in paperback and Kindle formats. Check it out HERE!

For readers who...

Need to know they belong
Want chronic illness rep
Love reading holiday romance, stories of healing, frenemies to lovers, and more friends like family. 

VALENTINE'S WEEK SALES!

 This week kicks off a LOT of good Valentine's Week sales for my books, in case you've been waiting to snag one or all of them. For contemporary readers, Faith, Hope, and Love Collection Volumes 1 & 2 are free; Back to Me and Between Us are free, and Where The Last Verse Ends is $0.99 alongside NEW RELEASES for this week, WHERE THE BRIDGE BEGINS and WHERE HOPE BEGINS! I'm so excited to share them with you.

For fantasy fans, catch up on the Legends of Lanaria series and grab all four of the current releases for only $0.99, and A Dance of Rebels is free, with Chasing the Lutetia Light on sale for $0.99.
That's a LOT of reading to get done. It might even get a bookworm through the rest of winter. The sales will run through February 10-14, so make sure to check 'em out!
To see all my books, check out the link HERE.