Vanessa Hall's Blog, page 2
August 20, 2024
Coming Soon: Nova and the Lost Stars by Lillian Keith
Are you looking for a great book for kids? Well, there’s one coming out this month! Read on to learn all about this new release.
Genre: Children’s Adventure Chapter Book (non-magical, though contains whimsical elements).
Age Group: 6-10 years old
Author: Lillian Keith
Illustrator: Amelia Grace
Ebook Release Date: August 30th
Page length: 72 pages
Preorder On Amazon Add On Goodreads“Nova, the stars are so bright, no darkness can hide them.”
When The Great Comet knocks three of the brightest stars from the sky, 10-year-old Nova must venture north to return them to the Star Keeper. Will she get them back in time to light Papa’s way home? Or will the sky be dark forever?
Author/Artist Link:
August 12, 2024
Coming Soon: Peril in Dry Springs by Kristina Hall
There’s a new Western novel coming soon! If you read the first book in this series, you know that this series is full of action, faith, and even some humor. Peril in Dry Springs is coming in just a few months – and you can even preorder it now!
Dry Springs hasn’t seen the last of trouble.
Ira Burke is surviving—just barely thanks to an injury that about stole his ability to hold down a job. The fact that the new saloon owner finds him a threat further complicates matters, as does the town matchmaker’s attempts to marry him off to the woman who helped him during the war.
Patience Ashbee arrives in Dry Springs to care for the younger sister she hasn’t spoken to in six years. What she doesn’t expect to find is an acquaintance from the war—or the dangers that follow her all too closely.
Because peril has once again come to Dry Springs.
From Kristina Hall, author of women’s Christian fiction, comes a historical novel featuring high stakes, faith, humor, and a hint of romance.
August 6, 2024
Looking for More Christian Fiction?
If you’re looking for some great deals and new reads, check out FaithBooks! From their site:
“The FaithBooks Update is sent twice per week and includes the best deals and new releases in Christian Romance and exclusive giveaways.
FaithBooks is a one-of-a-kind email newsletter for lovers of Christian romance. Which means, each Wednesday and Saturday, you’ll receive a curated list of Christian Romance Recommendations.“
Sign up here!Unknown (Grace Sufficient, #1) is featured in this week’s newsletter, so if you sign up, you can keep a lookout for Sofia’s face in there. 
August 5, 2024
Coming Soon: Diverged in a Wood Anthology
Release Date: September 4th (National Wildlife Day), 2024
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Dystopian, Contemporary, Poetry, Sci-Fi/Cli-Fi
Curator: Kylie Beevers
Authors: Amelia Cabot, Elizabeth Mae Wolfram, J.H. Lehr, Lorelei Angelino, Rhys-Marie Whitnell, Lillian Keith, Kaytlin Phillips, Emily Gingrich, Noah Mugrage, Caitlin Boatman, Lori Ann Nelson, Olivia Godfrey, Abigail Kay Harris, Katja H. Labonté, Laurel Luehmann, and Alissa J. Zavalianos
Cover Art: Dillon Desmond
Goodreads!
“We need those moments amidst wildflowers—times when a spark of imagination reignites our urge to play like knights and princesses again, to construct forts, scale trees, leap into mud puddles, chase fireflies at twilight, gaze at stars on a pristine night, and to cherish the curiosity and passion for the small things. We need those precious moments—and we rely on stories to encapsulate them in ink, for the next generation to know of God—the Creator and Provider who gives breath to all things, and whose works testify to His greatness.”
– Kylie Beevers, curator of Diverged in a Wood
Embark on a literary journey off the beaten path with “Diverged in a Wood”, where a cadre of sixteen Christian authors have crafted stories that echo Robert Frost’s iconic poem: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
This anthology promises a wide blend of genres—from fantasy to sci-fi/cli-fi, National Park adventures to historical tales, and dystopian adventures. Pack your bags, lace up your boots, and hit the trail with us!
Diverged in a Wood features narratives from Amelia Cabot, Elizabeth Mae Wolfram, J.H. Lehr, Lorelei Angelino, Rhys-Marie Whitnell, Lillian Keith, Kaytlin Phillips, Emily Gingrich, Noah Mugrage, Caitlin Boatman, Lori Ann Nelson, Olivia Godfrey, Abigail Kay Harris, Katja H. Labonté, Laurel Luehmann, and Alissa J. Zavalianos! This Middle-Grade short story collection is the perfect literary hike for ages 8+! 
August 2, 2024
Unforgiven Launch Week: That’s a Wrap!
I don’t know about you, but this week has flown by for me – and it’s crazy to think that Unforgiven is officially released! Praise God for that, because I had no idea how I was going to get it edited and released in two months. Yet God did His perfect Work, and by His grace, that book is completed and released into the world!
Just a reminder on the sales that are still running for about another week …
Unknown (Grace Sufficient, 1) – Free!
Unworthy (Grace Sufficient, 2) – $3.99
Untold (Grace Sufficient, 3) – $3.99
Thank you to each of you who have followed along this week, and special thanks to all the bloggers/social media folks who shared about Unforgiven‘s release and/or read ARC copies. Y’all are amazing!
As I look ahead, I have to admit that I’m not certain what’s next for my writing future. Last year, I found that writing was extremely difficult to fit into a demanding full-time work schedule, and when I did have time, my creative energies had been completely depleted because of the constant demand of music-making and forming engaging lessons. I have several works in progress that could be published in the future, Lord willing, but none are certain. Unforgiven may be the end of the Grace Sufficient series (which is a little bit sad to say!), but there is a possibility there could be another novella in there somewhere … or maybe another novel. We’ll just have to see where the Lord leads.
I also have a few ideas in different genres – historical fiction is still one of my favorites, and I would love to publish a his-fic book at some point! However, those are pretty far away from being ready to be published, so those may be many years down the road.
So to all of you who have followed along this journey so far … thank you for all of the encouragement and readership you’ve so generously given. May God bless you and keep you!
Romans 15:13
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
August 1, 2024
Unforgiven Launch Week: Happy Launch Day!
Redemption isn’t free.
Guilty of countless crimes, Vladislav Genkin is desperate to find forgiveness. Violence has long scarred his soul, and his sins push him to Grace Baptist Church to confront Nikolai Alexandrov, one of his victims. Yet Nikolai’s forgiveness brings Vlad no peace, and against Vlad’s will, he’s drawn into the circle of the church and Nikolai’s dangerous past.
Katya Voronova rebuilt her life from the shambles of a long-ago divorce, and Vlad’s appearance leaves her shaken and besieged by memories better left untouched. Yet she is drawn into the rising danger, and Vlad’s past becomes more apparent—and unforgivable.
As the past finally catches up to Vlad and Katya, will they find the forgiveness they crave—and will they discover that grace has already accomplished it?
A novel is a conglomeration of all an author has dreamed, feared, experienced, and imagined—and all that the Lord has pressed upon a Christian author’s heart. When I first wrote Unforgiven, I did not understand so truly and deeply what the themes of this book ought to be. I simply wrote as the story came to me and set it aside when it ended.
Last year, I set out to edit this book—to publish it during the summer after I’d graduated university and before I presumably got a full-time teaching gig. And yet those plans came to naught. I have never been in such a drought of being able to work on a story, and I had to fully stop. I had to rest and surrender to the reality that God’s Will wasn’t mine in the timing for Unforgiven. (And that’s a lesson in itself for the rest of life.)
But as the year rolled on after that summer, the truths within Unforgiven became buried more deeply in my heart by God’s grace. Tears and prayer and hard emotions and doubts and pleas usually come along with some of the greatest growth in our Christian walks … read some of the Psalms if you don’t believe me. 
And then God brought me to this summer, changed from the author I’d been the year before. Perhaps I wasn’t improved—or even at the same level—of writer that I’d been when I’d published Untold in 2022. Maybe I didn’t have the same writing chops I’d once had when stories flowed so freely.
But truth, praise God, was more deeply anchored in my heart—and I knew what Unforgiven had to say.
Vlad Genkin was a character I initially never would’ve pinned as an MC—not until my dear sister, Kristina, suggested I write a book about him. He was a complete scumbag when he first appeared in Unworthy, even threatening poor Evgeny Yurlov. (How dare anyone try to harm my Evgeny.) And when we get to Untold, the depths of his crimes become more apparent through Nick’s soul-deep suffering.
Vlad had committed great crimes against countless people (even against other MCs) … how could this character ever be redeemed?
Katya Voronova had very little background in the series, other than being mentioned in Untold a couple of times. She had no dreadful past mentioned, but she had a hidden past—one with Vlad. A divorce had separated them years earlier, and Katya’s conviction led her to never remarry—leaving her hopelessly single, childless, and grudge-bearing against Vlad.
And the only hope for either of these characters—and for me and you—is the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.
Vlad, in all his sin, could never atone for his wrongs. He could never suffer or beg enough for redemption.
Katya, in all her discontent and unforgiveness, could never rescue herself.
Yet Jesus could rescue each of these characters, and I promise you that if you come to Him, He can rescue you. He can fully and graciously forgive every sin, for He is the great Sin-bearer, the Atonement for our sins. He became a curse for us that we might be blessed, and by His stripes we are healed. By faith in Him, we are saved from all our transgressions—even the ones that condemn us unforgiveable. His grace is sufficient for us.
And those of you who are mired in unforgiveness and discontent … Jesus can teach you forgiveness. He will teach you to forgive your enemies and to love those who persecute you. He will satisfy you with His love, His goodness, His protection, His care, and His deep and abiding affection that is never moved by your failures.
No matter your trials or sins or anything in your life … Jesus is greater, and I promise that He is able to deliver you. Call upon Him, and He will save you.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.
July 31, 2024
Unforgiven Launch Week: Yet Another Sale—and All about Untold!
On this third day of Unforgiven’s launch week, I’ve finally reached the third book in the series—Untold!
You can only run for so long …
Two years hasn’t erased the sting of betrayal and the shadow of the past, but Nikolai Alexandrov has finally found a way to live. Moscow, Russia, is the last place anyone would look for a rogue ex-CIA officer, and the members of Grace Baptist Church see beyond his past to the man he is now.
Molly Baird never wanted to be a missionary, but due to her father’s wishes, she lands in Moscow to aid her missionary cousin, Gabe Kelly. All is foreign in the massive city, though, rendering her unable to serve. Only the few English speakers in Grace Baptist’s congregation hold a trace of familiarity—including Nikolai, whose kindness she can’t deny.
Yet when a sniper’s bullet strikes far too close, Nikolai and Molly are thrown together in a desperate race against untold threats. When time runs out, will Nikolai and Molly be able to trust God with the past—and with the future?
For a limited time, Untold is $3.99!
Purchase!Unlike Unworthy, I quite well remember plotting Untold—and it all came to me in a very short amount of time. Wouldn’t it be nice if all books turned out like that? But I guess all books wouldn’t be as fun to write, since plotting—at least for me—as a write is quite the experience
However, Untold was when I finally got my spy! Gabe had turned out to be way too much of a sweetheart, Evgeny was … well, let’s just say he got mixed up on the wrong side of all of the spying matters, but when Nick Bates showed up, he was the man.
Originally, Nick was this hardcore, Southern guy who just talked about drinking sweet tea, and it was cringy. The dude was literally out of a bad country song.
But after many edits, I think he leveled up from that status—and interestingly enough, I think he’s one of my characters who had the strongest “voice.” I just knew what he sounded like, what he would say, etc., more easily than maybe any other character I’ve ever written.
Except maybe for Gregor.
Gregor Malkov was a side character in this book, but he did his best to take over. (Of course, I didn’t let him.) I had so much fun with his character, and I enjoyed watching how Nick and the entire of Grace Baptist loved on this guy who had such a rough exterior yet such a broken heart.
And finally, there’s Molly Baird—my poor, timid heroine. Molly and her musical heart was so enjoyable to explore, and her interactions with the Russians were so relatable.
Nick and Molly are probably my favorite couple that I’ve ever written—these two Americans in Russia who have wildly different pasts but are bound together because of their love for Christ. Both of them deal with different struggles with anxiety—obviously Nick’s is brought on by his traumatic past—but Molly’s fears were just as real as his. And together, they walk through trials of various sorts, all the while clinging to Christ.
And that’s the overwhelming theme of this book—looking to Jesus. I love that old hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus,” and it’s such a pivotal song for Nick and Molly throughout the entire book. And what a reminder we all need in the everyday stresses and anxieties of this life—whether you’re like Molly and stress out over talking to someone you don’t know, or if you’re like Nick, who has suffered unspeakable trauma—Jesus can strengthen, heal, and uphold you.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Forever, His grace is sufficient!
July 30, 2024
Unforgiven Launch Week: Another Sale and Unworthy’s Story!
While I don’t have another free book for you today, I do have a sale! Unworthy (Grace Sufficient, #2) is $3.99 for a limited time. You can find it at the link below:
Buy now!After I finished Unknown, it was quite the natural progression to pick up where I left off—at least two years in the future from where I left off. Evgeny Yurlov had made his dramatic appearance in Unknown, and he demanded a story—as did Sasha Dvornikova, who happened to have been the villain’s girlfriend from Unknown.
One moment, one choice can change a life forever.
Two years ago, Evgeny Yurlov’s dreams shattered on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre. Without many options, he lands a job—far different from ballet—and returns to Moscow. There, he’s reunited with old friends—friends who need his help as government scrutiny intensifies on Grace Baptist Church.
Sasha Dvornikova isn’t the woman she once was, but Dmitri Rykov’s shadow is relentless. Reminders of her past lurk everywhere, and her sins have branded her undeserving of a man like Evgeny.
As mounting danger surrounds both the church and his job, Evgeny finds past struggles reignited, struggles that reach even Sasha. Amidst so much darkness, will Truth prevail, or will Evgeny’s choices destroy him—and those he loves?
And now as I’m sitting here around five years after I initially wrote Unworthy, I can’t tell you how I plotted it or why any of it happened. I almost have no recollection of even plotting it. In the drafting of this book, most of what I remember is being kind of frustrated and not knowing what was happening. Maybe that’s why I can’t remember much of the writing process!
Regardless, when I came back to edit and publish this book, it probably came together better than some of the others I’ve written—God’s grace! The characters had to sort through moral dilemmas, the cost of answering God’s call, and feeling themselves unworthy. Evgeny struggled with the reality that he’d committed grievous sins as a Christian. Sasha had been lied to countless times that she was unworthy of most everything—and her past condemned her unworthy of Evgeny’s love.
And in the end, both of these characters had to find their identity not in their goodness or past or present, but in the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ. He is the only One Who is truly worthy of all praise and honor and glory. We have worth because we are created by God, yet we are unworthy because of our sin.
But in Him, we are made worthy … because He is worthy.
Revelation 5:12“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.”
July 29, 2024
Unforgiven Launch Week: Unknown Free for a Limited Time!
That’s right! For a limited time, the ebook version of Unknown is available for free. I’d be honored if you’d check it out at the links below:
Purchase for FREE!Add on Goodreads
Given this is Unforgiven’s launch week, it might seem weird to be talking about the first book in the series, but Unknown is where the entire story begins. One of my favorite parts about the flow of this series is that main characters from previous books are always in the following ones. Bad news for the poor characters, I guess, but I really enjoy that I get to continue writing about characters I’ve come to know so well.
And these two characters from Unknown, Gabe and Sofia, get thrown into every single book that comes after them.
I began writing Unknown in 2018, which now that I think about it, is six years ago. Unknown was my first real attempt at modern-day fiction and really my first adventure into romantic suspense/thriller. Prior to Unknown, I had been stuck in the 1860s … and we don’t even want to talk about that time of my writing. (If you’re interested, you can check out this rather distressing post to see a taste of how I wrote many years back.)
Unknown was originally supposed to be this spy/thriller sort of book, with Sofia as the alluring ballerina and Gabe as some suave spy. (I kind of still like the idea, just not with these characters, haha!) However, after some plotting—and no doubt the Lord’s provision—Gabe turned into an average guy who became a missionary, and Sofia was a gritty ballerina solely focused on her art.
He knew there was a cost. He just didn’t know how great it’d be.
Gabriel Kelly returned to Russia for one reason—to bury his parents. After ten years in the United States, he hadn’t expected to return to his childhood home in the face of tragedy. However, after short days in Moscow, he begins to consider if the same call that cost his parents’ lives is now upon him.
Sofia Rykova’s dreams finally came true when she became a principal soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet. One night, though, an old crush walks back into her life, making her wonder if there is more to life than ballet. Gabe Kelly is just as she remembered, just as she longed for—yet religion stands between them.
Unknown to Gabe and Sofia, danger lurks closer than either would have guessed. The deaths of Gabe’s parents grow more suspicious by the day, and Gabe and Sofia are drawn into the midst of a plot neither can escape. Will obedience to God’s call—in spite of their fears and desires—result in a price too steep to bear?
There are so many things I enjoyed in this book—exploring the world of professional ballet in Moscow, missions in a foreign country, the struggles of a relationship that doesn’t look like it’s going to work out, and even armwrestling … because you gotta give those characters something fun to do!
And in the end, there’s plenty of action and drama and heartbreak and even a little bit of romance in this book, but most of all, Unknown is a story of obedience, sacrifice, and the truth that salvation lies in Christ alone.
Launch Week for Unforgiven (Grace Sufficient, #4)!
Wow. Even writing that title feels a bit amazing to me, because I have been thinking about and hoping to publish this book for what feels like a very long time. Even when I was working on the earlier books in the series, I was so excited to get to this fourth book in the series—I’d enjoyed writing it that much!
Publishing a book is no small task, and I can honestly say that I couldn’t have done any of this without the Lord. I’m so thankful I get to serve Him through doing something I love so much—writing—and I pray that this book brings glory and honor to His Name alone.
Thursday is Unforgiven’s official launch date, but I come with the very exciting news that the ebook is now available to purchase! You can check it out at the link below.
Purchase!Goodreads!
Redemption isn’t free.
Guilty of countless crimes, Vladislav Genkin is desperate to find forgiveness. Violence has long scarred his soul, and his sins push him to Grace Baptist Church to confront Nikolai Alexandrov, one of his victims. Yet Nikolai’s forgiveness brings Vlad no peace, and against Vlad’s will, he’s drawn into the circle of the church and Nikolai’s dangerous past.
Katya Voronova rebuilt her life from the shambles of a long-ago divorce, and Vlad’s appearance leaves her shaken and besieged by memories better left untouched. Yet she is drawn into the rising danger, and Vlad’s past becomes more apparent—and unforgivable.
As the past finally catches up to Vlad and Katya, will they find the forgiveness they crave—and will they discover that grace has already accomplished it?
