Marbeth Skwarczynski's Blog, page 5

Hammer Time

Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying, “When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

It’s a pithy little saying that I keep in mind as I write my novels. The Rose Collection targets spiritual/church abuse issues, meaning I spend much of my time researching the subject. As a result, I’m on high alert for red flags—or, to stick with my analogy—loose nails. I can’t help it. The hours I spend watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, reading memoirs, and studying books about cult leaders and their practices have predisposed me to see BITE markers everywhere I turn.

BITE is a model developed by psychologist Stephen Hasan to help people better recognize high-control organizations. It’s all about the extreme control of:

BehaviorInformationThoughtEmotion

For those of us who spent decades in one or more of these organizations, the four markers of the BITE model are not unusual. But ACKNOWLEDGING them as wrong IS. For us, the control was completely normal, even preferable. It was something we aspired to—and when we failed to achieve the perfection expected of us, we crumbled in on ourselves, ashamed of our defects and determined to do better.

While writing, I add plenty of examples of the BITE markers, and in fact, a character in my current WIP learns about the BITE model in a psychology class. I do this because it is important that my characters break free from the expectations of their organizations. They take control of their behavior and seek out new sources of information. Developing their critical thinking skills is paramount, and allowing themselves to feel is the ultimate freedom.

While I do my best not to look at every organization as a loose nail I can fix with my “mighty hammer of writing,” it isn’t easy. They are everywhere. Last month, I listened to multiple interviews of cult survivors who had eerily similar stories despite not being in the same religious organizations (LDS, SDA, IFB). They all experienced lives with parents who embraced the most radical views of their faiths and withdrew from society (except for attending their church). They all lived in homes located in the middle of nowhere without electricity or running water. Schooling was neglected in favor of “teaching” the children to live off the land and serve their parents. Child labor was encouraged. Medical care was not. Listening to those podcasts, I was shocked at the stories’ similarities.

And then, a reader suggested I read Educated by Tara Westover for research. My readers are awesome, so I listen when they make a recommendation. It turned out that part of Tara Westover’s experience was living off the grid with radicalized parents who spent time with no electricity or running water. They later reconnected those services, but medical care and education were still extremely restrictive. No one else in their LDS church believed as her parents did, but they looked the other way as the Westovers raised their children in abusive destitution.

To get to the roots of this kind of teaching, I read A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life by Don Veinot (also recommended by a reader). Most people have not attached the name Bill Gothard to the materials he’s written and published. Instead, they have seen the materials second or third-hand, usually as illustrations and handouts, and his teachings have infiltrated multiple religious organizations. He creatively used Scripture to “back up” his teachings, and people who saw the words “Bible,” “Scripture,” and “Christian” scattered throughout his curriculum assumed he was legitimate and read his works as if they were based on truth, without doing any research of their own. However, Gothard was a master at taking Bible verses out of context. Many times, the verses he used to press his point are so twisted that when one goes back to look at the context, the reader learns that the verse actually means the OPPOSITE of what Gothard claimed.

And, speaking of opposites, while Bill Gothard claimed to promote nine specific principles (design, authority, responsibility, suffering, ownership, yielding rights, moral purity), there are plenty of examples in the book about how he didn’t follow his own teachings. While he had never been the pastor of his own church, never been a parent, and never had children, he wrote thousands of pages of instructions on how to preach and parent.

Oh, and one of the things he encouraged? Complete separation from the world—including a lack of medical care and education.

The last book I read for research was called The Poverty of Patriarchy by Tricia Johnson. Johnson points out that many of the organizations that could be considered high control can also be defined as patriarchal in their operations and practices. The patriarchy keeps its followers uneducated, economically ignorant, spiritually undeveloped, and physically threatened. It is a philosophy that hurts everyone because it attempts to control the behavior, information, thoughts, and emotions of others.

I am relieved that so many people are speaking out against these high-control groups. The more we talk, the easier it will be to see the red flags, and hopefully, those teachings will cease taking hold. I know I cannot do much to stop these organizations or philosophies. But I’ll keep hammering away.

I’m Fine

I’m not writing today.

I keep reminding myself that taking a day off occasionally is good. I push down the panic, knowing that it won’t be a one-day hiatus. I’m not writing tomorrow either. But I’m fine. Really.

This week, I had three days where I hit word counts of over 2,000. My story flowed, and I had a better idea of who my characters were and how their situations formed them. And now, I’m stopping cold. It’s abrupt and uncomfortable. Still, it needs to be done.

A month ago, my sister and her husband had the opportunity to go on a much-needed vacation, so I came back to California to stay with our mom. It’s been a good visit overall. We’ve played a lot of Scrabble, watched some game shows, and had a few important conversations. For the most part, Mom keeps to her room, where she reads, makes phone calls, and watches the news.

Most of my days were wide open, and I did my best to use them wisely. For the last two weeks, I concentrated on my WIP. What felt like a complete disaster of a novel is finally taking shape. According to my Facebook Memories, this feeling is common for me. It turns out I made a series of GIFs about writing a year ago today, and they perfectly relay my current feelings.

I have less than 50 pages left to type before I set it on the back burner to let it simmer before the rewrites begin. I’m really looking forward to that first editing process. This is going to be a good one.

But I’m not writing today.

Today is about washing sheets, sweeping the floor, cleaning the bathroom, and seeing my husband for the first time in a month. Tonight and tomorrow is a visit with my returning sister and brother-in-law, teary goodbyes, and the road trip home to Nevada and our family members there.

I’m looking forward to that road trip. We’ve got Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone cued up and ready to go on Audible and a planned bathroom stop at Eddie World (the largest gas station in California, where I was inspired to make this meme).

More than anything else, I’m looking forward to going home to the perfect little nest of our apartment where Theo and I plan to wrap up our Sunday night eating burgers (turkey for him, veggie for me) and fries and catching up on Bob’s Burgers together. It’ll be kinda perfect.

And on Monday, I’ll write.

But not today.

And that’s fine.

What I Learned on The Street

I was a reader long before I became a writer. Bible stories were part of my childhood bedtime routine, but I was pretty much on my own to read the other books in my little collection. Like most people of my generation, I learned the joy of reading (as well as a good dose of sarcasm) from Sesame Street.

When I started writing, I wanted to move my readers the way I had been moved when reading my favorite books. I wanted my characters to be real — flawed, smelly, exhausted, happy, nervous, and doing their very best to navigate the world around them. While I found plenty of examples of well-rounded characters in my grown-up novels, I first learned the importance of oddity as a character trait from The Street. No human (or Muppet) is perfect, and that’s a good thing. Our imperfections make us relatable.

When I was little, I related to Oscar. More than that, I wanted to BE Oscar.

He had it all. When he was feeling extroverted, he was smack-dab in the middle of the action. All he had to do was poke his head out and join the conversation. When he was ready for some alone time, he could say, “SCRAM” with zero guilt. He was a grouch with a sharp sense of humor who understood his limits and made sure that everyone around him respected his boundaries.

Plus, he had a bowling alley, a full library, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool in his can. Come to think of it, I STILL want to be Oscar.

Even as a writer, he knew how to reach his readers. Yes, he was a bit manipulative, but one can’t argue with his success.

One of the best things about writing is communicating with my readers and other writers. Readers usually reach out to me to say that they identify with a character or situation I’ve written. I tell my husband that those conversations prompt my two-fold response: “Yay! I wrote a realistic character with a relatable problem!” and “Oh, rats! That poor reader! Why does this stuff keep happening?” Praise God that, people are finally speaking out more and are less accepting of spiritual abuse. We’re finally setting those boundaries Oscar patterned for us over 50 years ago.

When it comes to connecting with other writers, our conversations take on the secondary layer of genuine surprise at how our stories and characters evolve. They become so real to us that they’re borderline sentient. Too often, what we have planned is not what ends up on the page. Then we start talking about our craft — and THAT is when our Sesame Street training really kicks in. When you really think about it, has there ever been a better representation of a reviewer/editor/beta reader than Oscar the Grouch? And what about Ernie? That little orange guy was quick on the draw with his sarcastic observations. As for Bert? Oi! Poor Bert is the stereotypical writer who has a plan for his novel, only to watch his characters completely reconfigure the plot. He is the writer who ends up taking his characters’ dictation.

As a child, I wasn’t just watching my favorite Muppets. I was reading them. I noticed the wide eyes, raised eyebrows, the face in the hand, and the head tilt that let me know they were sneaky, coy, or sarcastic. When they offered commentary on the world around them, I perked up. I listened. I laughed.

The best thing about those marvelous Muppets? They had amazing writers. I don’t spend any time on The Street anymore. My grandkids are past the age where Sesame Street enthralls, so I have to look elsewhere for my reading entertainment.

My new favorite books are those I’ve started reading after joining the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group page and Celebrate Lit Bloggers. I don’t confine myself to a specific genre and enjoy a wide variety of stories. From Medieval Era mysteries, westerns, romantic comedies, fairytale retellings, and contemporary novels, there is plenty of entertainment available. I have incredible respect for the authors who have taken the time and effort to craft an interesting story full of humor, pathos, and ethos, all while pointing the reader to the God who loves them.

I’m excited when I’m asked to beta read or when speed through an ARC copy to create a blurb. I share the author’s happy news when they’re about to release a new book. I know that they’ve put their heart and soul into their work. I love it when other readers share the work of their favorites. It is a beautiful symbiotic relationship.

Encouraging one another is something else we learned on Sesame Street, and to be honest, writers need more encouragement than people think.

This week, I went to the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook group’s page and wrote the name of every author whose book was shared by an appreciative reader. I wrote until I had about two dozen writers represented. Next, I opened my social media sites and started typing in the names. If an author was on that site, I followed them. I added them to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X (Twitter), and TikTok feeds. Why? Because I know what it’s like to stare at the followers count that hasn’t moved a single digit in two weeks. Or how discouraging it is when no new reviews are written. It feels like we’re shouting into a void when what we’re really trying to do is connect.

As a writer, I understand the need for a platform. But I also empathize with authors who are frustrated when their writing is put on hold as they try to find new ways to present their books. We want to maintain a relationship with our readers while simultaneously trying to expand our base of book lovers. We struggle to stay current on social media while we’re busy working on our next novel.

If you are a reader or a writer — or both — take a minute to follow a writer on whatever social media pages you visit. They’ll appreciate the boost to their platform. If you want to do something a little more impactful, a review on Amazon or Goodreads — or even a nice post about a book on your favorite Facebook page — is an amazing sunny day, clouds chased away, adrenaline boost for a writer.

Sometimes, all you need is a book to read — and an author to write it.

When it rains …

I spent much of my childhood in a desert city where the average yearly rainfall was two inches. Any storm was an EVENT. We knew when one was coming. The neighbors would be out on their lawns looking up. We’d watch the clouds to see if they were moving our way. We’d get a whiff of the acrid stench of moisture mixing with dust and say, “Smells like rain.” (I was an adult before I discovered that rain smells GOOD in other elevations.) We might get a drop or two. “It’s sprinkling!” And then, if we were very, very lucky, we’d get a nice, normal rainstorm. Anything longer than ten minutes was considered long, and as a kid, I took advantage of every second, one eye always on the horizon for lightning.

Even when we didn’t have rain, we had lightning, and we all knew the protocol. Go inside. If you can’t go inside, get close to the ground, and don’t stand under a tree.

Once every couple of years, we’d get a cloudburst that set everyone on edge. Desert soil doesn’t absorb water very well. During a normal rainstorm, I could dig down a quarter inch and find dry soil under the moist top layer of dirt. So, when we’d get a sudden dump of rain, it resulted in flash floods that washed out streets, alleyways, yards, and sometimes even homes.

We didn’t get much rain, but we prepared for it. Block walls replaced chain link fencing to prevent property damage. Landscaping was planned with an eye toward “flooding.” “Old timers” had rain barrels ready and waiting.

I haven’t lived in that city for over thirty years, but still prepare for the rain. It’s just metaphorical rain now—a rain of words, scenes, and writing.

Last month, I experienced a refreshing deluge of writing rain. While I worked on my own WIP, I also read four novels by other authors whom I met via the Avid Readers of Christian Fiction Facebook Group.

For Heidi Gray McGill, I had the opportunity to read two novels she wrote as part of the Suamalie Islands Books. I wrote the blurb for one, but I also read its prequel, A Deeper Love, which is coming out on October 31. Both books were entertaining and so much fun to read. If you are looking for a sweet and swoony romance, preorder A Deeper Love. I know that fall has just begun, but that doesn’t mean you can’t cozy up to the fireplace with this phenomenal beach read.

I also wrote the blurb for Jane Daly’s upcoming book, Where is My Sister? It’s her best book yet. More than the fast-paced plot and dynamic characters, the book is also a heart-breaking look at how easily leaders with charisma can sway us. Daly is unafraid to confront the challenging issues of sibling rivalry, life-changing accidents, opioid addiction, homelessness, cults, and human trafficking. Keep your eyes peeled for this one.

I don’t have a release date for this one, but Jane Daly’s Broken series is available now.

And then, I got an email from the very first friend I found on Avid Readers. Our friendship started when I realized that I should probably start reading more books in my writing genre. I posted a request for contemporary Christian fiction selections, and Catherine Brusk was one of the first to answer. She included a link for her Finding Faith series. I found the first book, What Love Washed Up, on Kindle and began reading. I was blown away. I was gobsmacked. To quote my favorite Shakespeare play, “I was “Ama’zed for a little while.” I wrote a review. She read my first book and wrote a review. We commented on each other’s posts, and before we knew it, we were friends.

So, when she asked if I would give her newest novel another read-through, I said yes. Why wouldn’t I want to spend some time with her fantastic characters, Nick and Anna? They’re hilarious and earnest, and their situations and conflicts are so real! The book Forgiving Saint Nick will be released in November, and let me tell you, it will knock your socks off.

I think that becoming a writer has allowed me to enjoy reading even more than I had before. I can see and appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into the scenes and characters. I know that, like me, the words for other writers come long before they are committed to the page. They build up, billowing, and ever-changing while hands and mind are too busy to sit and type. Scenes play out in our minds until they are so real that they can no longer be contained. They must be released into keyboards and onto paper and made complete and whole creations.

Those creative moments may come as a sprinkle here and there or rush through us as a flood, but we’re ready. We’re prepared to catch the rain.

The Resourceful Stockman Review

I signed up immediately when The Resourceful Stockman blog tour was announced on Celebrate Lit. All I needed to know was that it was set in Prescott, AZ. My husband was born and raised in Prescott, and I love the place. It’s beautiful and a perfect setting for a Western romance, and The Resourceful Stockman by Karen Baney delivers.

The book’s format is multiple POV—two men and two women—with a clear delineation of who is speaking at the beginning of each section. I don’t usually see many first-person speakers in a novel, but it worked well. It was especially helpful in understanding Deacon, who is embarrassed about his “quirks.” He knows he is uncomfortable when things aren’t tidy or in what he perceives as a “correct order.” The book’s readers will immediately recognize behavior on the spectrum and OCD. I never expected—and was thrilled to see—how well Deacon was supported by his friends, family, and coworkers who loved him. They saw his “odd behavior” as a gift that allowed him to learn quickly, recognize patterns, and solve problems. Instead of labeling him “strange,” they saw him as “resourceful.”

The Old West was a rough place, but there were pockets of godly people who looked to Scripture as a guide for how to treat others with kindness. That truth shines through in this book.  

Not that Karen Baney glosses over the roughness of the Old West. The characters must deal with rustlers, gangs, cruel fathers, revenge, justice, and displacement. The author, however, brings together a complete picture of Prescott, where no one balked at women working as office managers, clerks, or teachers and instead respected their intelligence and skills. Men were also judged according to their abilities and character.

The Resourceful Stockman is an exciting trip back to Old Prescott in the company of good people the reader would be proud to call friends.

Get your copy here:

About the Book

Book: The Resourceful Stockman

Author: Karen Baney

Genre: Christian Historical Romance, Christian Western

Release Date: January 24, 2023

Gripping western romance and murder mystery set in Prescott, Arizona Territory in 1893.

Deacon Colter was happy in his job as the stockyard vet. But when his best friend asks him to work as a livestock inspector, he must confront his own obsessive-compulsive nature to support his friend. Even though he hopes for a family of his own one day, he believes that no woman will see past his quirks. Will he find a woman who can overlook his behavior to see his true heart?

Grady Thatcher waited six long years for justice for his parents’ murder. When a strange twist of fate puts him in a position to find the killers, he must decide if he will sacrifice his budding romance with one of the Harper sisters to pursue justice. Will he choose love over justice?

Lilian and Justine Harper were two sisters who moved to Prescott to escape the abusive men their father tried to pair them with. When Lilian meets Deacon Colter, she wonders if he could ever love someone with her past. Justine falls hard for Grady Thatcher. Yet she doubts if he truly loves her or if he befriended her only to get information about the men who killed his parents. Will Lilian and Justine find true happiness with the men they love?Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Karen Baney is passionate about writing stories full of flawed characters. She enjoys weaving together stories of second chances, redemption, and overcoming personal trials. As a transplant to Arizona in the late 1990s, she loves researching the state’s history and finding ways to seamlessly incorporate real history and real settings into her novels. In addition to writing and speaking, Karen works as a Software Development Manager for a Christian ministry.

Her faith plays an important role both in her life and in her writing. Karen and her husband, Jim, make their home in Gilbert, Arizona, with their two dogs, Bella and Daisy. Both Jim and Karen are active at Rock Point Church in Queen Creek, Arizona.

Visit Karen on the web at: www.karenbaney.com

More from Karen

What was the inspiration behind the Colter Sons Series?

The Colters (Will and Hannah) are the central characters from my first series, the Prescott Pioneers. For years, I have wanted to write stories about their children. I love the idea of writing many series about several generations of the same family.

Nothing came of the idea until I brought back a character, Joshua, from the Prescott Pioneers who fancied Hannah before she married Will. Joshua’s unrequited love led me to write a scene where he meets Hannah and Will again after eight years. To hit home the point that Hannah had everything he always wanted, I spontaneously wrote that she had five sons. Only a few sentences sparked the idea for the entire Colter Sons Series. (Joshua’s story is in Joy for Mourning, Book 2 in the Desert Manna Series).

Before I mapped out a series outline or developed the characters, I wrote the introductory chapters in the first person from each of the son’s point of view. Their personalities came to life, and I eventually fine-tuned that writing exercise in Chapter 1 for each of the books in the series.

Where does Deacon Colter fit into the series?

Deacon Colter is the fourth Colter Son, and his book is the fourth in the series. Since he was a very minor character earlier in the series, I refined some of his character traits. (Don’t worry, I write each book in a series to stand on its own, so you won’t miss anything.)

Out of all the Colter Sons, Deacon is the most socially awkward. What made Deacon special for me was that behind his looming, large exterior lies a soft heart and fierce loyalty for those who he cares about. When under stress, his obsessive-compulsive tendencies become harder to control.

Do you normally write a story with over two points of view? Why write the four points of view in The Resourceful Stockman?

Other than my very first series, The Prescott Pioneers, I usually stick with two points of view in my novels: the hero and the heroine.

However, earlier in the Colter Sons Series, I wrote that Deacon Colter became fast friends with Grady Thatcher, the younger brother of the woman who married Deacon’s older brother Sam (The Reluctant Cattleman, Book 1). When it came time to outline the story, I knew Grady’s story had to be told along with Deacon’s. Doing anything else would disappoint fans and leave the story feeling incomplete.

Grady’s quest to solve his parents’ murder provided the perfect catalyst to force the routine-loving, obsessive-compulsive Deacon outside of his comfort zone. Because he is fiercely loyalty, he risked much to help his friend.

Where did the idea for livestock agents come from?

I initially wanted to make Deacon and Grady Arizona Rangers. However, during my research, the timing and even some duties didn’t fit either of these men. I like to stay true to history. Rarely do I take creative liberty because I want readers to learn about Arizona history. Deacon and Grady’s ages put them about a decade before the Arizona Rangers formed.

So, I continued with my research about brand-burning and rustling. When I stumbled on an Arizona Territorial statute to create a Livestock Commission, complete with details on what the duties entailed, I had my answer. The timing and duties fit. Many livestock agents started as veterinarians or ranchers. They had the authority to hunt down the rustlers and deal with disease outbreaks. All this fit with my characters.

And, yes, everything in the novel about their jobs and the livestock commission’s start is true to history, except for the names of real people.

Blog Stops

, September 28

Lakesidelivingsite, September 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 29

Texas Book-aholic, September 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 1

The Lit Lady, October 1

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 2

The Book Club Network, October 3

Connie’s History Classroom, October 4

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 5

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 6

Bizwings Book Blog, October 7

Cover Lover Book Review, October 8

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 9

Pause for Tales, October 9

For Him and My Family, October 10

Lily’s Book Reviews, October 11

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package a $50 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Resourceful Stockman!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/282a5/the-resourceful-stockman-celebration-tour-giveaway

The Last Disciple: Escape from Antioch Review

Jerusalem is no longer a city of peace. Ongoing threats from Rome, “rebels” who pressure others to join them, and the explosion of unchecked crime make leaving the city the best option.

Mary’s death hit John hard. Many of his fellow disciples had already passed away, and caring for the mother of Jesus was one of John’s great comforts. But now, she was gone, and the city John loved was unrecognizable. It was time to move on. With the help of Cleophas’s grandson, Emmaus, John begins his journey toward the cosmopolitan city of Antioch. This was where the term “Christian” was coined and where he and his young charge could begin their ministries anew.

But the robust church of Antioch is caught between the two warring factions, and the persecution against Christians is on the rise.

About the Book

Book: The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch

Author: Kurt Brouwer

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

Release Date: June 15, 2023

He was the Beloved Disciple…
…and he would be the last.
The burden to tell the whole story now rests on his shoulders.

He was the Beloved Disciple, chosen by Jesus and destined to be the last to carry the divine message. Devastated by the loss of his adopted mother Mary, John has no time to mourn. The streets of Jerusalem teem with danger, as Roman rulers engage in fierce conflict with Jewish rebels, all vying for control.

While his allegiance lies with his people, John is at odds with the rebels’ passion for earthly power. His quest is to preserve and share the legacy of Jesus.

Will he succeed in spreading the gospel?

Or has he waited too long?

As Jerusalem descends into chaos, John escapes to Antioch. He finds rest, renewal, and purpose among the devoted Christians there and begins sharing his account of the life and teachings of Christ.

Yet even within this refuge, the old conflicts descend on Antioch too, and the dangers ignited in Jerusalem draw near.

Set against a backdrop of actual events, The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch is the second novel in a series woven from the Bible and Christian history.

Join John as he embarks on an extraordinary journey, discovering the true essence of faith, love, and divine purpose.

Your heart will embrace The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch because John’s story is the story of our hope and promise.Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Kurt Brouwer is a Christian and a member of a vibrant Christian church in Hawaii. He also loves to write.

A few years back, Kurt did a study at his church on the Apostle John. If you’ve ever been obsessed by anything, you’ll understand that Kurt couldn’t stop researching, digging, diving into the life of John and other first century Christians. The result is a series of Christian historical novels.

The Last Disciple: Crisis in Jerusalem was published on Amazon in November 2022. It has been in the top five for Inspirational Religious Fiction and Religious Historical Fiction in 2023.

More from Kurt

Right now I’m living in two worlds: writing and researching the first century world of the early Christians while also tackling the technical demands of self-publishing and online book promotion in the 21st century.

LIVING IN TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS

Writing a book and publishing it have become almost polar opposites, at least for me. Research and writing require a focus on history, places, people, and then the work of creating a written narrative that brings all these to life. With my books, I focus on the first century Biblical world of John, the disciple of Christ. So I have to study, imagine, and then describe the life of first century Christians like John, Timothy, Priscilla and many more.

But publishing has to be done in the modern world of software, online apps, book cover graphic design, and navigating sites like Amazon.com. I actually enjoy this, but I definitely find it frustrating too.

GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR BOOK TWO

For example, I had my book cover designer create a graphic I wanted to use as a part of the book detail page on Amazon. But when I go through the step-by-step instructions on Amazon, I get an error message. Eventually, I’ll figure it out, but there’s a steep learning curve in the publishing and promotion side of writing. Here is the design. It may not be on Amazon yet, but you can see it now.

This is the description for book two:

He was the Beloved Disciple…
…and he would be the last.
The burden to tell the whole story now rests on his shoulders.

He was the Beloved Disciple, chosen by Jesus and destined to be the last to carry the divine message. Devastated by the loss of his adopted mother Mary, John has no time to mourn. The streets of Jerusalem teem with danger, as Roman rulers engage in fierce conflict with Jewish rebels, all vying for control.

While his allegiance lies with his people, John is at odds with the rebels’ passion for earthly power. His quest is to preserve and share the legacy of Jesus.

Will he succeed in spreading the gospel?

Or has he waited too long?

As Jerusalem descends into chaos, John escapes to Antioch. He finds rest, renewal, and purpose among the devoted Christians there and begins sharing his account of the life and teachings of Christ.

Yet even within this refuge, the old conflicts descend on Antioch too, and the dangers ignited in Jerusalem draw near.

Set against a backdrop of actual events, The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch is the second novel in a series woven from the Bible and Christian history.

Join John as he embarks on an extraordinary journey, discovering the true essence of faith, love, and divine purpose.

Your heart will embrace The Last Disciple: Escape to Antioch because John’s story is the story of our hope and promise.

But now I’m heading back to what I really love, writing and research. I’m about half way through with the first draft of book three in the series. The title will be, The Last Disciple: Exile to Ephesus.

Yours in Christ, Kurt

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 23

Christina’s Corner, September 24

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 25

Texas Book-aholic, September 26

Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, September 27

The Lit Lady, September 27

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 28

Lights in a Dark World, September 29

Cover Lover Book Review, September 30

Lily’s Book Reviews, October 1

Artistic Nobody, October 2 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 2

Connie’s History Classroom, October 3

The Book Club Network, October 4

She Lives To Read, October 5

To celebrate his tour, Kurt is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KG9WQFW?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_m_mng_rwt_sft_tpbk_tkin

Battered and Torn Review

Considering the cover featuring brightly colored doughnuts, I didn’t expect Battered and Torn by Allison Pearl to be anything other than a sweet and bubbly rom-com.

I was wrong in the most delightful way. The beautifully gritty prologue was evocative of scenes from Arrow or The Batman, and the subsequent chapters were engaging and kept me reading long after bedtime. The tension throughout the novel comes from multiple directions. More than a “will they, won’t they” romance, Battered and Torn is firmly rooted in issues of danger, reinvention, hiding in plain sight, family expectations, and rediscovered faith.

The novel stands alone, but you’ll also want to read the first book—and the third book that is teased in the epilogue. Don’t sleep on this series. Get all of Allison Pearl’s books and prepare for some novel-induced insomnia.

About the Book

Book: Battered & Torn

Author: Allison Pearl

Genre: Faith-Based Romantic Suspense

Release Date: February 6, 2023

As just another staff member in the mansion of billionaire Archie Hamilton, Nora’s finally found a place to hide from her murderous family. But when the handsome bigshot asks her out on a date, she worries Archie’s interest—no matter how thrilling—will blow her cover and shoot up a flare for those hunting her. And if she can’t squash his crush, only God will be able to keep him out of danger.

When Archie turned in his scalpel to run the family business, life became too busy to go home and deal with his grief. But when he discovers a suspicious hire at his ancestral estate, he’s forced to confront the situation as well as his anger at God for taking not only his family, but his dreams. Despite his objections, his grandmother is determined to keep Nora on staff, but that isn’t going to stop him investigating her on his own—no matter how attractive he finds her. But the more he digs, the more questions he has.

Drawn to Nora again and again, Archie wonders if she’ll help lead him back to the truth or get him killed. Is trusting a beautiful stranger worth the risk to his family, his life, and his heart? And when Nora’s past catches up with them, will anyone be left alive? Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Allison Pearl is a small-town girl who’s lived just about everywhere. She loves books, tea, chocolate, and watching old movies with her husband and furbabies. To keep in touch and get updates on new releases visit www.allison-pearl.com or follow her Facebook page ‘Books by Pearl’ at www.facebook.com/allisonnicolepearl/, on Twitter at @AllisonPearl5, and on Instagram at @allisonnicolepearl.

More from Allison

We’ve all fantasized about running away and starting over. Maybe it’s to some gem of a small town or a thrilling big city, but who hasn’t wondered what it would be like to leave our history, our anxieties, and our problems behind and trade them in for something fairytale-worthy and new? Nora didn’t just dream about starting over, she did. But did she run far enough? The nightmares that haunt her at night say otherwise, leading her to wonder Can we ever really start over or do our fears just lie in wait?

Nora’s written her own fairytale, but will her murderous family steal the happy ending? Find out the truth by getting your copy of BATTERED & TORN!

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 20

Texas Book-aholic, September 21

Gina Holder, September 22 (Author Interview)

The Lit Lady, September 22

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 23

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 24

Lily’s Book Reviews, September 25

Splashes of Joy, September 26 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 27

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, September 28

The Book Club Network, September 29

Beauty in the Binding, September 30 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, September 30

For Him and My Family, October 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 2

Through the Fire Blogs, October 3 (Author Interview)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Allison is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/27fb5/battered-torn-celebration-tour-giveaway

Why We Speak

I’m staying with my mother for the next month while my sister and her husband take a much-deserved vacation. I have plans to reach out to friends later, but spent this first week settling in and getting to know the household’s routines.

The conversations we’ve had have been enlightening — and quite different from our old ones. I was raised with the old-school, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all” teaching. It sounds innocuous, and I think it was supposed to be. I mean, it’s advice given by a bunny in a Disney movie for crying out loud. But, even so, it was misapplied. It was supposed to refer to not bullying people based on their appearance or abilities. It was never meant to teach people to remain quiet about abusive situations.

But that’s what happened.

I don’t blame Thumper for his part in the mess. The philosophy of “keep it quiet so things don’t get unpleasant” long predates his contribution. We’ve found comfort in keeping the peace, which bled into every aspect of our lives to devastating results.

People learned to keep quiet about:

sexual harassment in the workplacepredatory adults in our families, schools, and churcheschurch leaders who committed crimes or covered the crimes committed by others

We were supposed to absorb what we knew, hold it deep within our tissues, and smile as if nothing was wrong. Pointing out problems got a person labeled negative and bitter.  The term “victim mentality” was used to denigrate those who looked for justice for themselves and protection for others.

The standard practice of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” ensured that evil men and women could continue their paths of destruction unchecked. Vulnerable people were used, destroyed, and discarded.

Fortunately, more people are speaking out. We use strong and accurate language like rape, assault, and trauma. We are becoming quick to correct old assumptions. We protest when a child or teen is blamed for the crimes committed against them by adults. We refuse the argument that rape victims are somehow responsible for the crimes committed against them. We are vocal online and in print. I am one of many authors who uses her talents to write books exposing spiritual and church abuse. There are hundreds of blogs, podcasts, and documentaries designed to support victims while demanding that their perpetrators be reported, arrested, tried, and imprisoned. We are making this hidden subject mainstream.

Even around the family table, we listen to the stories of the “good old days” with growing horror as we start to read between the lines, like the one about a teen girl from the neighborhood who, like her mother before her, was so “out of control” and had so many pregnancies that the local government had her sterilized. Somehow this was justified as a moral act. But as details emerge, the listener realizes it had nothing to do with the (male) leaders guarding the morality of their town. They were likely involved in the human trafficking of this girl and her mother and were afraid their participation would be exposed.

Or there’s the story about a teen who was given no sexual education and thought that kissing her boyfriend meant she was “impure.” She was so ashamed of her reckless behavior that she eloped, thinking no one else would ever want her. According to her parents, she was always rebellious, even though they did not “spare the rod” as they gave her unjust and unmerited “whippings.” No one could understand why she left home as soon as she met her future husband. The one time she did try to make amends and return home, she was told she wasn’t welcome back and that “You made your bed, now lie in it.” There was no support for this vulnerable, very young woman.

Or the multiple red flags proudly flown by the “good Christian boy” who tried to seduce a different girl every week. Did his spiritual leaders ever pull him aside to address his predatory tendencies? Kind of. They told him that while the girls at church were to be treated with respect and an eye toward marriage, that didn’t mean he couldn’t mess around with the “other” girls in town if he kept it quiet. A practice he continued throughout his ministry and marriage. No one ever talked about it, though. They didn’t want to hurt “his work for the Lord.”

We’re paying closer attention to these stories today. We’re becoming more vocal. We are doing our dead-level best to keep history from repeating itself. That means we must keep speaking up and speaking out because, unfortunately, it’s still happening. While the three stories above are decades old, they could be in the headlines today.

For instance, his week, another Christian school employee (vice principal/teacher/coach/youth leader) was arrested for inappropriately touching a student. The good news is a fellow employee turned the vice principal in. That wouldn’t have happened a decade ago. Back then, the teaching staff would have turned the man over to the pastor, not the police. Now, people know better. We’ve started talking about what MUST be done when abuse is discovered. It is up to the police — not a church leader — to launch an investigation.

The bad news is that there is a victim who was tested, groomed, and traumatized. I’m heartbroken for the student and hope he/she gets the help and support they need as they emerge from this trauma.

We still have work to do. Some people still haven’t gotten the message that a rapist is a criminal committing a criminal act. Their victims are blameless. The crimes committed against the victims have nothing to do with what they wear, where they are, their age, their economic class, their race, their gender, or their availability. We need to put the blame where it belongs and keep it off the fragile shoulders of those who have already been victimized. Rape is a crime committed by the rapist, not the victim.

It is time to stop protecting the criminals, no matter who they are. It’s time to stop hiding the truth. Keep speaking out. Deeply buried secrets help no one.

The Art of Persisting is a novel dealing with the subject of SA and its long-term effects.

Itty Bitty Faith Review

The Bedford County Series by Jennifer Sienes is always enjoyable. The internal dialog, sense of humor, and southernisms add to their charm.

After reading the first two books–Night Songs and Shadow Dancing–for the Celebrate Lit blog tour, I immediately signed up for book three. I am so glad I did.

Itty Bitty Faith is the story of Alyssa Mitchell, a single mother who has spent the past 18 years focused on raising her son, caring for her mother, and developing a career that would provide for all of them. Although she lives from day to day, Alyssa feels like she’s doing her best–until she overhears her son complaining about the fact that he never knew his father.

Brandon Jamison has spent most of his adult life on the mission field, developing ways to bring clean water to communities around the world. Now, he’s returned home after a disastrous broken engagement only to discover that his girlfriend from high school had tried to contact him years before–to tell him he had a son. A son who is now a junior in high school.

Can Alyssa and Brandon work past nearly two decades of separation to become the parents their son needs?

About the Book

Book: Itty Bitty Faith

Author: Jennifer Sienes

Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction, and Southern Fiction

Release Date: July 18, 2023

Sometimes your past comes back to haunt you…

As a single mama, Alyssa Mitchell learned to depend on no one but herself while raising her boy. She never even gave Jared’s daddy a single thought—well, not often anyway. Why would she when he left her behind to go off and save the world? It didn’t matter one little bit that he was unaware she was pregnant, she felt betrayed just the same. But when she overhears Jared lamenting over not even knowing who his daddy was, she tucks her pride away long enough to track him down.

Brandon Jamison spent years bringing clean water to third-world countries. It was downright confounding why God would see fit to bring him back to the states – with no job or clue what to do next. That is until Alyssa Mitchell shows up and drops a bomb – Brandon has a seventeen year old son. All his past failures and shame came to the surface just like the lemon in Mama’s sweet tea.

It’ll take more than itty-bitty faith to put the past behind them. Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Jennifer Sienes holds a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in education but discovered life-experience is the best teacher. She loves Jesus, romance and writing–and puts it altogether in inspirational contemporary fiction. Her daughter’s TBI and brother’s suicide inspired two of her three novels. Although fiction writing is her real love, she’s had several non-fiction pieces published in anthologies–two in Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has two grown children and one very spoiled Maltese. California born and raised, she recently took a step of faith with her real-life hero and relocated to Tennessee.

More from Jennifer

It’s easier for me to write an entire novel (or novella) then to come up with a title. I wasn’t impressed with Itty Bitty Faith, and hoped my publisher might change it. No such luck. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to fit.

I love that the Bible tells us in Matthew 17:20 “…Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Faith as small as a mustard seed is what I’d call itty bitty faith.

Even though I was raised in the church, I didn’t come to truly know Jesus until everything I held dear was taken away, and I had nowhere to go but my knees. Some of us like to think we’re in control—and I was no exception. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”—Proverbs 16:18. And boy, was I proud. But it didn’t keep my children safe, or my marriage intact, or my mother from dying of cancer. And it wasn’t until I acknowledged the goodness and sovereignty of God (yes, that’s sometimes a hard one to reconcile) that I began to truly grow in my faith.

Alyssa Mitchell struggles with a faith-crisis of her own. A single mother to a teenage boy, living under the same roof as her own mama, she thinks her family is a victim of some cruel curse. The high school boy she loved left her alone and pregnant to serve the Lord. It’s enough to make her suspicious of the so-called righteous, and she’s held onto bitterness longer than a body should. It’s not until she hears her son Jared lament over never knowing who his daddy is that she takes a step of faith (although it’s not what she’d call it) to search out Brandon Jamison.

The key theme in this story is how God works in the background to give us the desires of our hearts long before we even know what they are. Isn’t that incredible? We just need to open our hearts and eyes to see His hand in every detail. Bitterness is poison to the soul, but when we can let go of it and trust in Him, life has a way of working out far better than we can hope or imagine.

I pray you will enjoy this journey alongside Alyssa, Brandon, and Jared. And that even if your faith is still itty bitty, the Lord will grow it to gargantuan proportions.

Blog Stops

Texas Book-aholic, August 25

By the Book, August 26

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 27

SusanLovesBooks, August 27

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 28

lakesidelivingsite, August 29

An Author’s Take, August 30

Locks, Hooks and Books, August 31

The Book Club Network, September 1

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 2

She Lives To Read, September 3

For Him and My Family, September 4

Adventures of a Travelers Wife, September 5 (Author Interview)

The Lit Lady, September 5

Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, September 6

Splashes of Joy, September 7

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card & a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/27785/itty-bitty-faith-celebration-tour-giveaway

Flawed or Realistic?

I tend to write plus-sized characters because *gasp* I am a curvy girl myself. I am also a part of that generation whose body type and size were openly examined and critiqued. Somehow, it was never considered impolite for our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers to mock the size of our thighs, caution us about love handles, or make crude remarks about the size and shape of our bottoms. As children, teens, and young adults, we didn’t always feel like we could stand up for ourselves and tell our families that their casual cruelty hurt us emotionally and developmentally. As adults, we might have finally faced those who made us feel so horrible about ourselves only to be told to “grow up,” “get over it,” or “let it go.” Some might push it down far enough to then brag that they’d “survived” just fine and that anyone who complained about their childhoods must be “stuck in the past” or “too sensitive.”

Many of the people in my novels have dealt with these same criticisms. As a result, my readers include many curvy women who can relate to my characters. They have faced the challenge of feeling inferior due to their weight, being deemed less spiritual, intellectual, and wise. They understand what it is like to work in ministries, raise families, foster children, work hard, and make sacrifices for others, yet still be judged solely on their appearance. Their size is seen as a flaw or defect in their character–even when they prove their integrity daily.

They see the reflection of their personal experiences in the characters of The Rose Collection.

In Plague of Lies, Cheryl Andrews is a busy mom of two who has just welcomed her husband’s long-lost daughter into her family. She also helps run their church’s youth group. Cheryl is curvy but not obsessed with her weight and doesn’t make it part of her identity. https://www.amazon.com/Plague-Lies-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B08K68BFZ3/ref=sr_1_2?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691115&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-2

In Twists, Turns, and Curves, Caroline Taft HAS made her weight part of her identity. She had no choice since no one could see past her plus-sized measurements. As a result, Caroline couldn’t see her beauty until she met Ty Lang, who found her attractive both inside and out. https://www.amazon.com/Twists-Turns-Curves-Rose-Collection-ebook/dp/B094HNP92V/ref=sr_1_4?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-4

For Nana, there are more important things in life than her size. But, since she can’t exactly ignore her shape, she shops at a curvy girl’s boutique whose clothes make her feel fabulous. Nana from No Longer Invisible has learned to enjoy her life, and she’s ready to help her granddaughter, Julia Williams, to love her own. https://www.amazon.com/Longer-Invisible-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B09J241YXX/ref=sr_1_5?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-5

Reinvention features my most sophisticated and glamorous main character. Ally James is a semi-retired plus-sized model who has embraced her “natural size” after years of being forced into a body type that wasn’t her own. Now, she’s helped create a system that allows other curvy girls to find clothing made for their specific body shapes (AXIOm). https://www.amazon.com/Reinvention-Rose-Collection-Book-4-ebook/dp/B09YVTHJXF/ref=sr_1_6?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-6

My pastor wife’s character in Wise and Mighty knows she’ll be judged for her voluptuous figure, but she’s determined not to be frumpy. Instead, she’ll dress with class and specifically for her “X” body type while she leads the church’s Wise Women’s group. https://www.amazon.com/Wise-Mighty-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B0BCF25ZX4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-3

Ginger Douglass from The Art of Persisting has embraced what she used to think of as her “weirdo body.” She’s an “O” body type and learned to wear clothes specifically cut for her. As a result, her self-confidence has bloomed, encouraging her to follow her God-given dreams. https://www.amazon.com/Art-Persisting-Rose-Collection-Book-ebook/dp/B0CCKWMJ52/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B6HSP4E8DT88&keywords=marbeth+skwarczynski&qid=1693691173&s=digital-text&sprefix=%2Cdigital-text%2C408&sr=1-1

Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates my attempts at inclusion and body acceptance. There is a mindset among some readers (and agents and publishers) that a plus-sized character MUST be miserable and looking to lose weight. One of the reasons for this may be the idea that a character must have flaws to be interesting. Instead of “flaws,” I prefer the term “realistic.”

Realistic characters need room to grow and change. Unfortunately, those who don’t quite understand or embrace size inclusion look at the main character’s weight as the primary thing that needs to change. They tend to overlook the inner evolution of the character and become frustrated that their focus wasn’t on losing weight to become thin–to fix her perceived flaws.

But the curvy bodies of my characters are NOT flaws. They are the vehicles through which my characters move through their lives. The issues my characters face go deeper than their appearances. It is much more important to confront and fix the problems of misplaced guilt, over-committing, and fear. While I keep my books conversational and spanning only a short amount of time, I make sure that my characters can face their deficiencies and take steps to correct them.

Cheryl will become the spiritual leader she never had. Caroline will discover that she is worthy of love. Nana will have a second chance. Ally will empathize. Kelly will protect the vulnerable. Ginger will embrace her life goals.

But, of course, they will never be perfect. Instead, they will grow and continue to reflect the real women who read the books.