Julie Arduini's Blog, page 15
July 19, 2023
Rekindled for Christmas Eve by Janetta Fudge Messmer
REKINDLED FOR CHRISTMAS EVE BY JANETTA FUDGE MESSMER
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
(Almost twenty years in the making)
Today, I’m going to tell you about my latest novella, Rekindled for Christmas Eve. It is a Contemporary Christian Romance set in Annapolis, Maryland. And with any book – it has to have a back story.
However, the backstory in this one doesn’t have anything to do with the plot of Rekindled for Christmas Eve and all to do with my siblings and their help on this particular project.
Let me explain.
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY: Years ago (2004), I spent a few weeks with my two sisters. We sat down for a couple of nights together and started brainstorming this particular story.
My oldest sister, Debbie, shared some great ideas to get me started on the plot. But my other sister, Linda, aimed for the stars when she said, “When Hollywood makes this into a movie, Tom Selleck will be perfect for the part of Reese.”
I laughed at her optimism for my not-yet-written book and about the said story making it to the big screen. However, for whatever reason, when I returned home – I put the story away and worked on many other projects.
In 2022, I glanced through my idea folder and found the notes from my sisters and our brainstorming session from 2004. So I decided it was time to sit down and write Reese and Madison’s story.
When I typed THE END, this is where I brought my brother Stan into the picture because he’s retired Navy. And since the Naval Academy is part of the story, I sought his expertise on all things Navy. I am forever in his debt for helping me get the Naval ranks correct.
After my brother and I finished discussing what I needed to fix, I said, “Stan, you can now check off your Bucket List that you’ve read a Christian Contemporary Romance.” He laughed and said, “I enjoyed reading it. Then he added, “It’d make a great Hallmark movie.”
Concerning Rekindled for Christmas Eve becoming a movie – Mr. Selleck won’t play the main character, but he would make a perfect Captain Pointer. For Reese, I’m voting for Bradley Cooper. Just saying…
We’ve all heard the saying that “It takes a village.” In my case, my family helped me accomplish a task that I’m not sure I’d have finished on my own.
Here is the short blurb for Rekindled for Christmas Eve:
Reese Solomon returns to Annapolis—the place where Madison broke his heart. He’s not back in Maryland a week and learns he has a twenty-five-year-old daughter named Kimberly.
The two meet and agree it is a God thing. They spend time together, and Reese finds out Madison (Kim’s mom) is a widow. He hopes they can rekindle their romance, but Madison wants nothing to do with him.
Where was he when she needed him? Why believe him now? And the so-called miracles Reese and her family talk about are driving Madison nuts. Will she continue to believe the lies others have told her, or will she allow the past to convince her of the truth and to trust in Reese and the Lord again?
And to celebrate Christmas in July, I’ve lowered the price for Rekindled for Christmas Eve to .99 cents for the e-book until July 30th. Hurry and get your copy before it’s too late.
Janetta Fudge Messmer
“Turning Life Into Comedy”
Author of Christian Comedies (with a touch of Romance).
My books are available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01DWHA1EW
E-mail: janettafudgemessmer@gmail.com
Website: http://janettafudgemessmer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janetta.fudge.messmer
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nettiefudge
July 17, 2023
Paint the Sunset by Dawn V. Cahill
NEW RELEASE!GOLDEN STATE TRILOGYBook IIIPAINT THE SUNSET
More about Paint the Sunset:
Exploring today’s social problems, Paint the Sunset tells the story of believers navigating a new world of drug addiction and homelessness in the finale to Dawn V. Cahill’s Hot Topic fiction series.
Newlyweds Jon and Meg Paulson are enjoying the good life in beautiful Marin County, California. Jon runs a successful business, and Meg eagerly anticipates the birth of her first grandchild. But their contentment is shattered when Jon discovers his shop ransacked, and the culprits on the run. With the rampant drug culture enslaving new victims every day, even their own children succumb to addiction. Will Jon and Meg lose everything they hold dear, or does God have other plans?
Meanwhile, an investigative reporter goes undercover to a local homeless camp, and a devastated young woman, Myla, is fleeing from the law and from her own demons. Will the reporter uncover the corruption responsible for so many ruined lives? Will Myla’s tragic past catch up to her, or will she find hope for a new future?
WHY I WROTE PAINT THE SUNSETA few months ago, I watched an appalling YouTube documentary on homelessness in a certain US west coast city. The hosts filmed block after block of shanty-like structures, ragged tents, trash, and graffiti, and compared it to Haiti. They blamed several factors: rampant drug use, lack of law enforcement, indifference by city policy makers, high rents.
In the scenic west coast city where I live, I have seen in person the tragic after-effects of the opioid crisis, chronic narcotic addiction, and out-of-control housing costs. In my city, it might not appear as bad as what I saw in the video, but it sure appears to be headed that way. With all the blue tents blocking sidewalks (the tents and tarps are given out by the county, I’ve learned), the piles of trash, the ugly graffiti and broken-down RVs, my city has become unrecognizable. Crime has soared, and people are concerned.
But why? Why didn’t we see this scene ten, fifteen years ago? What has happened to our nation?
If you live in a major US metropolitan area, you have likely been affected by the homeless crisis which has exploded in the past ten or so years, especially in the states of California, Florida, and New York. In this story, I aimed to humanize the problem by setting part of the story in a homeless camp. In my own experience with a homeless outreach ministry, the houseless folks I chatted with one-on-one proved to be real people like you and me who had either gotten caught up in addiction, or some other misfortune had victimized them. But so many others have been hardened from years of substance abuse. These are some of the ones either doing the victimizing, or they are capitalizing off the addicts.
I also found, as illustrated in Paint the Sunset, numerous reasons why people end up on the street. But too many times public policies try to solve the problem with a singular focus instead of getting to the root cause or emphasizing prevention. Perhaps it takes too much individual investment and time? Yet I am thankful for the many non-profit organizations and ministries who do take time to tailor individual solutions. In my opinion, however, there just aren’t enough of them. As the fictional county official in Paint the Sunset said, “The problem is exploding faster than we can solve it.”
This is not merely a liberal or conservative problem. Blaming the other side won’t solve anything, yet too often I see pointing fingers on social media. In my opinion, we can only solve the problem through practical, sacrificial means, and by being willing to invest time and resources into individual lives.
As the books in my Hot Topic Fiction series demonstrate, it’s clear there are no pat or easy answers to complex social problems. But individual believers can do a lot. Together, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus.
About the Author
Dawn V. Cahill, an indie author from the land of microbrews and coffee snobs, published her first book, When Lyric Met Limerick, in 2015. She published her first full-length novel, Sapphire Secrets, in January of 2016. “The characters in my stories face situations which would have been unthinkable even 20 years ago. We live in a vastly different world than our parents did, and that’s the world I write about.”
Seeing an unfilled niche in the Christian market for edgier fiction, Ms. Cahill came up with the concept of Hot Topic Fiction (HTF) at an intensive four-day writers conference. HTF isn’t afraid to explore the question, how does God want us Christians to live out our faith in this not-so-brave new world? Without insulting the reader by offering pat or easy answers—because there aren’t any—HTF tells stories of ordinary Christians following hard after Christ in a world of terror and violence, of upside-down morality, of hostility to Judeo-Christian values.
She has written six novels, several newspaper articles, and more limericks than she can count. Email her at dawn@dawnvcahill.com, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, and her website. She is a member of Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
July 5, 2023
Fiction Finder: July 2023 New Releases
July 2023 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website
Contemporary Romance:
Dial S for Second Chances by Linda Shenton Matchett — Jade Williams agrees to be on the high school reunion committee because the-one-that-got-away is out of the country and won’t be home in time to attend the festivities. Now, he’s not only home but joined the committee. Is it too late to back out or can she set aside forty-five years of regret and pretend she isn’t to blame for her broken heart? One of the downsides of being rich means fielding requests for money and favors. But when an old high school buddy contacts Derek Milligan to be on the reunion committee as just one of the gang, no strings attached, he can’t resist. At the first meeting, he’s dismayed to find himself sitting next to his former high school sweetheart. He should be angry. Instead, he’s attracted. Can he risk his heart a second time? (Contemporary Romance from Shortwave Press)
Fire and Ice by Carolyn Miller — Hannah Wade’s heart might’ve once been touched by a rancher’s son, but her real passion has always been sports. Years later, when her sports career is cut short by injury and an opportunity arises to be one of Calgary’s first female sports analysts, she jumps at the chance. Trouble is, some of the old dinosaurs she works with think she’s only there to look good, add ratings, and stir controversy among the fiercely loyal hockey fans. She longs for the chance to prove herself, so when an opportunity comes along to interview newly traded defenseman Franklin James, she meets him. Or, more accurately, re-meets him. With disastrous effect. Can these two overcome prejudice and find a way forward? And what has faith – or the lack of – got to do with anything? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Sweet Romantic Fiction Editors’ Choice Christmas Collection by Barbara Britton, Renee Blare, Anne Greene, C.E. Hilbert, Susan Lyttek, and Dixie Jarchow — An editors’ choice collection of Pelican Book Group’s Christmas stories. Join the fun at Christmas and all the year through. (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing (Pelican)
General Contemporary:
Room for Love by Marguerite Martin Gray — God gave her peace then; maybe He’ll do it again. When Amy Lee’s son heads off to college, the bed and breakfast owner finds life even lonelier and emptier than she had after losing her husband. She needs something to occupy her mind and heart while she reinvents her life again. What more could she ask for than an after-school program for local children and a renewed interest in painting? Then the arrival of a professor of archeology shakes her world and makes her yearn for the way things were only a few short months ago. Still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and ignoring the warnings and protests of his grown children, Professor Walker Standish escapes on a six-month sabbatical. His heart, barely beating these past months, jerks to. (General Contemporary from Celebrate Lit Publishing)
General Historical:
Rebecca by Shannon McNear — Born the daughter of a Powhatan chieftain and a woman of unknown origins, Mato’aka enjoys a carefree life. When strange men from across the eastern waters appear near her home, she regards them at first as a mere curiosity. Soon, though, she finds herself torn between friendship with one of their leaders and the opinions and politics of her elders. Drawn to a young Englishman, John Rolfe, who has lost a wife and baby daughter, she shares his griefs. . .and perhaps something more. Could she have a future among the English of Jamestown, accepting their ways and even changing her name? Could her fate be a part of the lasting legacy of the Lost Colony of Roanoke? (General Historical from Barbour Publishing)
Historical Biblical:
Plagues and Papyrus: Egyptians by Christine Dillon — What if life is built on the wrong foundation? Kheti and his family have farmed papyrus along the Nile for generations. He’s confident the gods of Egypt and the harmony maintained by the divine Pharaoh are the sources of his prosperity. Then he watches his beloved river turn to blood, his crops fail, and his nation descend into chaos. The Hebrew God wants his people released from slavery. When the gods remain silent and Pharaoh is powerless to stop the carnage, Kheti wrestles with which way to turn. Replant his flattened crops and cling to Egypt’s gods? Or forsake his roots to follow new friends and a new faith to a distant land? Could there be a place in God’s family for an Egyptian who kept God’s people as slaves? (Historical Biblical from Links in the Chain Press)
Historical Romance:
A Summer at Thousand Island House by Susan G. Mathis — She came to work with the children, not fall in love. Part-nanny, part entertainer, Addison Bell has always had an enduring love for children. So what better way to use her creative energy than to spend the summer nannying at the renowned Thousand Island House on Staple’s Island? As Addi thrives in her work, she attracts the attention of the recreation pavilion’s manager, Liam Donovan, as well as the handsome Navy Officer Lt. Worthington, a lighthouse inspector, hotel patron, and single father of mischievous little Jimmy. But when Jimmy goes missing, Addi finds both her job and her reputation in danger. How can she calm the churning waters of Liam, Lt. Worthington, and the President, clear her name, and avoid becoming the scorn of the Thousand Islands community? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Hoping for Treasure by Bettie Boswell — A few months after Ginny and Scott’s marriage begins, tragedy strikes when a miscarriage dashes their hopes of starting a family. As Ginny seeks comfort through a manuscript about her great-grandparent’s unlikely post-WW 2 romance, she discovers secrets about her family and the Woodson House’s hidden room. Ginny found the manuscript about her great-grandmother’s romance hidden in a secret compartment in an old wooden desk, along with poems about Missy’s life after the Civil War. When researching her musical, Ginny wondered if Samuel and Missy’s romance led to marriage, but how did her grandmother come into possession of the poetry? As she and Scott read through the story, they find some comfort until Ginny’s teaching position is threatened, if a tax levy doesn’t pass. Scott helps campaign, but finds his own tenure threatened by the distraction. Can Scott and Ginny survive the trials that face them in their young marriage? (Historical Romance from Mt. Zion Ridge Press)
Over the Horizon by Penny Zeller — A most unusual proposal…Alone in 1870s Idaho Territory, Paisley Abbott has nowhere to turn. With no other options, she finds herself consenting to an unconventional, but mutually beneficial agreement. During an unplanned return to his family’s farm, prodigal Tyler Shepherdson inherits three orphans. When Tyler finds a woman hiding in the back of his wagon, an idea begins to form and he makes a rash decision that results in perhaps one of the most spontaneous marriages of convenience ever. Despite an unorthodox beginning to their marriage, will Paisley and Tyler trust God as they forge ahead to create a home for three children? Will love arise from a desperate situation? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)
Uncharted Grace by Keely Brooke Keith — An inherited orchard offers a fresh start in a new village for social butterfly Caroline Vestal. She believes Good Springs is where she will finally find a soulmate, but building a genuine relationship means being honest—even with the family secret that could ruin her new life before it begins. With his relaxed manner, professional expertise, and dapper appearance, physician Jedidiah Cotter makes a good first impression in his new village. Once the Good Springs elder council officially titles him, he can establish his career and be safe from the obligation to return to his crooked family’s business back home. But when the council unexpectedly stalls the process, Jedidiah must discover the cause and quickly find a cure. Though Caroline is smitten with the dashing new physician who lives across the road from the orchard house, his attraction to her drives him to ask questions she isn’t prepared to answer. If she trusts the wrong person with the shocking truth about her family’s past, she could lose the inheritance and the man she loves. (Historical Romance from Edenbrook Press)
Romance:
Sweet Romance for Every Season by Felicia Ferguson, Hope Bolinger, Renee Leonard Kennedy, and Lori Z. Scott, — So many sweet romance stories always take place over Christmas. We love an adorable kiss in the flurries of gentle snow. But it’s time some other holidays get a little love too. Set during every month of the year, this collection of sweet romances will have you swooning from early January to summer solstice to New Year’s Eve. Proving that a happily ever after can take place at any time of the year. An anthology from End Game Press authors, we are very proud to bring you their excellent stories! (Romance from End Game Press)
Romance Mystery:
Like Honey for the Bones by Brandy Heineman — Present Day. Solveig Borja fled Virginia to escape the guilt of one reckless night, and once she settles the family estate, she’s Norway-bound and never looking back. Meanwhile, Kyle Benton has come seeking asylum from past sins—which Solveig shatters even as their hopeless romance blooms. But when they discover a skeleton at Rice Caverns, its century-old mystery holds startling links to the here-and-now. 1919. The Great War is won. Gussie Rice longs for her beau’s return from France, until she learns he’s confined at a stateside hospital and her closest confidant is part of the secret. Her bid for love sparks a confrontation that ricochets through time…Bad blood and escalating threats swirl around Solveig, and Kyle’s new life proves no haven from the old with his brother’s killer trolling the shadows. As the past rears up, the cavern’s hidden places beckon with power to light their hope or to swallow them in utter darkness. (Romance Mystery, Independently Published)
Romance Novella:
His to Adore by Z. Peabody — Elise Montgomery has always wanted to be a professional singer. Becoming one of the world’s greatest Gospel singers of all times, is more than a dream, it’s one of her life’s goals. Elise would sing for her supper in almost any venue she could, to pay her dues. Now comes her big break, to join a Gospel tour in New York. When Elise has a five-hour layover on her way to an awards show, Elise gets side-tracked by a tall, handsome cowboy. That night Elise makes one of the hardest decisions of her life when she walks away from her handsome cowboy. But that decision will come back full-circle four-years later. (Romance Novella from Z. Peabody Publishing)
His to Honor by Z. Peabody — Braun Hartgrove, is a retired Army Ranger and detective with the Cody, Wyoming police department and a happy bachelor. After ten-years of serving his country, Braun is happy to settle into his life in his childhood town, enjoy his bachelorhood, and enjoy some nights with his military family at his favorite place, The Caverns. While attending his future brother-in-law’s bachelor party, Braun gets an unexpected surprise, one that he will later figure out, too late is his greatest blessing. Now the bachelors’ life doesn’t seem so enjoyable. But Braun needs to wait to claim his blessing, and wait he will, because what is his, only God can take away. (Romance Novella from Z. Peabody Publishing)
Science Fiction/Time Travel:
A Gilded Age Getaway by Stephania McGee — Can one magical night of glamour in the past save their future? When Fiona Robinson imagined her life with Tyler, she dreamed of a grand adventure. Together. But after a decade of marriage, suburban seclusion, and stress from his job, she’s let the strain of being a stay-at-home mom of two toddlers squeeze all the fun out of their relationship. With pressure mounting at work and his homelife growing stale, Tyler’s fighting to recapture the joy in his marriage. But he can’t seem to do anything right, his job’s drained his energy, and his wife no longer resembles the fun-loving girl he married. Then Fiona’s mother presents them with an anniversary weekend getaway at a seaside B&B, and they hope it can rekindle their romance. But they never could have imagined their room would transport them to the Gilded Age in New York! Now, can one night at the famed Vanderbilt ball reignite their spark, or will they be stuck in a future neither of them expected? (Science Fiction/Time Travel, Independently Published)
Thriller/Suspense:
A Mountain Too Steep by Robin Patchen — A car accident that might not be an accident at all. A murderer bent on revenge. And a woman desperate to keep her family together. She’s already lost her soul mate. She’ll do anything to protect her children.For the sake of her kids, Camilla Wright managed to survive after her husband’s murder. When she’s awakened in the night with the news that her teenage son and nephew have been in a horrific car accident, she rushes to the hospital in a haze of shock and panic.The boys were supposed to be skiing in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. What were they doing so far west? More alarming, the wreck might not have been an accident at all.While Jeremy fights for his life, Camilla is running out of time to discover who lured her son and her nephew into the desert. With each new clue, the terrifying truth becomes clearer. Her husband’s killers are closing intenure threatened by the distraction. Can Scott and Ginny survive the trials that face them in their young marriage? (Thriller Suspense, Independently Published)
Thriller/Suspense/Crime:
No Child of Mine by Kelly S. Irvin — When the remains of a young girl are found near the site of a foster child’s kidnapping, two colleagues risk their lives to bring one home and find justice for the other. The day a colleague’s eight-year-old foster child is kidnapped at a wedding reception, homicide detectives Deborah Smith and Alex Luna find the bones of a little girl not far from the abduction site. Both are determined to save the boy and solve a five-year-old murder, even as Deborah struggles to hang on to her newfound sobriety while Alex works to get a foothold in her life. The two detectives travel from the seamy underside of San Antonio’s drug-dealing gang territory to the back roads of rural America where secrets fester in simple country homes. Their investigation rips off the bandage that covers the cracks in an overburdened, understaffed foster care system and reveals the painful reality that children are all too often battered, terrified victims of the people who should love them Deborah and Alex must risk everything–even their lives–to bring a little boy home safely and unmask a child’s murderer. (Thriller/Suspense/Crime from Ally Press)
Romantic Suspense:
Defending the Witness by Sharee Stover — To catch a killer…She must trust her protectors. After witnessing a murder at the hands of a notorious gang leader, Ayla DuPree is a marked woman sent straight to witness protection. But when her handler is killed and her safety compromised, she has no choice but to run—forcing US Marshal Chance Tavalla and his K-9 to chase her. Can Chance keep Ayla alive long enough to find safety and justice? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired/Harlequin)
Frozen in Jeopardy by Melanie D. Snitker — A routine stop turns deadly. When Police Officer Gabe Harrison and his K-9 partner, Loki, investigate a stranded vehicle during the fury of a winter storm, they unexpectedly uncover evidence of a drug shipment. Suddenly, gunfire erupts from the tree line, and Loki is hit. Gabe is forced to shoot the attacker before taking him into custody. With Loki in need of urgent medical care, Gabe races to the veterinarian, praying he’ll get there in time. As the storm of the century howls through Destiny, Dr. Paige Wade decides to stay at her clinic to care for any animals that need help. Her quiet night takes a turn when her longtime friend brings in a prisoner along with his beloved dog suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite all the distractions, she’ll do everything in her power to save Loki’s life. With the storm raging outside and a violent gang intent on freeing the member Gabe has captured, Gabe and Paige must race against the clock to protect the clinic–and each other–until help arrives. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)
Unseen Danger by Jerusha Agen — This woman and her K-9 protect others. Now who will protect them? After a brutal attack, it took Nevaeh Williams six years to rebuild her life. Now a security specialist at the Phoenix K-9 Security and Detection Agency, she faces danger nearly every day. But when an old friend is targeted, her fragile stability begins to crumble. Celebrity bodyguard Branson Aaberg could lose more than his career if he fails to end the mysterious threat against his client. Soon he’s more concerned with rescuing the tough but vulnerable woman who joins his security team. Nevaeh is there to protect her friend, but what if she needs protection? What if the feeling she’s being watched isn’t the result of her traumatized imagination? If the danger is real, Nevaeh’s only hope for survival may be the God powerful enough to defeat her worst enemy—the one she doesn’t see before it’s too late. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Dedicated to the One I Love by Beth K. Vogt — She doesn’t believe in love anymore. He doesn’t either. (Contemporary Romance) Gypsy for God by Yvonne M. Morgan — Kathleen is a middle-aged woman who loses her job, which leaves her doubting herself and fearing the future. (General Contemporary) Love’s True Calling by Lori DeJong — Harper Townsend, has finally found her true calling … and her true love. (Contemporary Romance) New Embrace by Cindy E Huff — Can these two broken people heal into one whole love? (Contemporary Romance)The Coyote and a One-Armed Man by B.D. Lawrence — Failure means his death and her enslavement. (Thriller/Suspense/Crime)
Three confess by Luana Ehrlich — When Silas McKay crosses paths with a killer, a man who’ll stop at nothing to achieve his objective, he has only one thing on his mind—stop the killer before he destroys his family. (Romantic Suspense)
June 14, 2023
Aivan: The One Truth by Kayla E. Green
Rune sunk to the ground in despair. Hot tears rolled down her face. How could she leave the temple with no vision? How could she face the elders? How could she admit that she had doubted the gods and was now being punished?
She had her future planned out, but, instead of coming to fruition, her dreams now crumble before her. Rune Kallio, one of the sixteen year-old protagonists of Aivan: The One Truth, has a choice to make–Will she forsake the polytheistic religion of her people and everything she’s ever known to follow the one who claims to be the only true God? Aivan promises her a life greater than she ever imagined, but her heartache makes Rune question if happiness is possible for her anymore. Further still, Rune only wants a simple life. Who is she to Aivan and his plan?
Though Rune’s brief story in the fantasy realm of The Great Continent is geared toward a young adult audience, her emotions are universal. As humans, we struggle with disappointment and finding our place in this world. We struggle with our identity as who the world wants us to be is at war with who we are as children of God. When we are called to step outside of our comfort zone we immediately become like Moses asking, Who am I?
In Exodus 3:11 (NIV) Moses asks God, “Who am I?” after he is told to go to the Pharaoh to rescue the Israelites. God tells Moses, “I am with you,” (Exodus 3:12, NIV). Similar to Moses’ walk of faith, Rune, like us all, must learn to accept the truth. Like Aivan in the fantasy novella, our God, the one true God, is always with us. We may not immediately–or ever–understand His plan; however, through Him we are whole, redeemed, and loved. And in that, we have great purpose.
As an author, my prayer is that Rune and Rolf’s journey in the fantasy story, Aivan: The One Truth, will serve as a guiding beacon to lead readers of all ages to seek truth in our reality–the truth that can only be found through our one true God. May whoever reads this prequel novella of the upcoming Chronicles of The One Truth series find parallels to our own world and may you find solace knowing that you are because God is the great “I Am.”
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Author Bio: Kayla E. Green is a school librarian, speculative fiction author, and poet living in the eastern United States with her husband and their furbabies. When she isn’t writing, reading, or taking photos for her bookstagram, she loves singing loudly and off-key to KLove Radio, napping, and pretending she’s a unicorn. Her award-winning YA fantasy novella, Aivan: The One Truth, and her inspirational poetry collection, Metamorphosis, are now available through book retailers. Kayla also has stories and poems featured in various anthologies, and she has several flash fiction stories through Havok Publishing. Connect with her online at theunicornwriter.com and on Instagram @theunicornwriter93.
All Links: https://linktr.ee/theunicornwriter93
Website/Blog: https://theunicornwriter.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theunicornwriter93
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theunicornwriter
Newsletter: https://bit.ly/theunicornwritersnewsletter
Book Blurb: Two young people from opposite sides of the Great Continent must make sense of their life.
Rune has grown up all of her life in the mountainous northern nation of Kansanai. As granddaughter of the Senior Elder, she has been a devout believer of the Vihishki gods her whole life. Yet, when a prophet challenges the Vihishki gods against his Aivan, the One Truth, everything she thought she knew is turned upside down. Will she be able to let go of the life she thought she deserved for something far greater than what she could have ever imagined?
Rolf goes through the motions of everyday life in the southern nation of Etalentin. Yet, his routine is disrupted when a voice claiming to be the one true God speaks to him. Listening to his heart, he follows Aivan, but he is thrown temptation after temptation on his journey. Will Rolf be able to resist the temptations in order to fulfill Aivan’s plan for him?
Aivan: The One Truth is a story about self-discovery, identity, and faith.
Amazon Order Link: https://amzn.to/3nFEBB5
Editorial Reviews:
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June 12, 2023
The Greatest Sacrifice by BJ Bassett
Julie’s Note:
I’m excited to share BJ Bassett’s newest release. The Greatest Sacrifice. BJ is in the same critique group as I am and I watched this evolve from an idea to a draft to a completed manuscript. I watched BJ send out to publishers in hopes they would believe in her story. When one did, like all authors, she had to submit her “baby” knowing an editor’s job is to read with one eye on having the best story and the other eye on knowing what readers are looking for.
BJ worked super, super hard and here it is, ready for pre-order. This is wonderful women’s fiction featuring adoption, addiction, and forgiveness. Congratulations to BJ and please check out The Greatest Sacrifice.
—Julie Arduini
Stevie is a young woman trying to come to terms with giving her baby up for adoption after being raped as a teenager. She numbs her pain with alcohol and a quick marriage. Two children follow, but the marriage is abusive, leaving Stevie a weary single mother.
After years of infertility, Annie and Joe believe their lives are complete when they adopt Zoey, a beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed girl. Their perfect family unit isn’t quite as it seems when Zoey is colicky and Annie gives all her attention to their daughter. Joe, feeling neglected, is unfaithful. Annie refuses to forgive him, ending their marriage in divorce.
Will Zoey be the catalyst to heal Stevie, Annie, and Joe’s hearts?
BIO:
B. J. Bassett is an author, teacher, and speaker. Her books include The King’s Daughters—A Women’s Devotional, a historical novel Lily, Gillian’s Heart,and Sweet Charity.She coauthored My Time with God, Focus on the Family, Heritage Builders, with over 55,000 copies sold while in print.
Her books are available on Amazon.com, including her newest release on June 20, The Greatest Sacrifice.
Magazines, devotional booklets, curriculum, and newspaper publishers include Focus on the Family, Woman’s World, The Quiet Hour, Pathways to God, Devotions, Harcourt Brace, WordAction, Gospel Publishing, and Times-Standard (newspaper).
She teaches writing workshops and is a speaker for Stonecroft Ministries. She recently moved to the picturesque Danish town of Solvang, California.
June 1, 2023
Fiction Finder: June 2023 New Releases
June 2023 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website
Contemporary Romance:
Operation Find a Guy by Amy R. Anguish — Skye Jones has one goal for the summer—keep her father from taking away her convertible. That’s the only reason she agrees to work at her sister’s bridal shop in Boulder, Colorado, while she searches for a non-boring job. Why else would she have anything to do with weddings when she has no interest in marriage?
Benjamin Smith somehow ended up as a groomsman in two weddings over the summer, so he’s spending a lot of time at Happily Ever After events. Falling for a blonde with no dreams of settling down wasn’t in his five-year plan, yet the more he sees Skye, the more he wants to figure her out.
But all she sees him as is a boring attorney−her complete opposite. Besides, romance is supposed to be for Skye’s friends, not her. And she’s in Colorado to get a job, not a guy. Right? (Contemporary Romance from Scrivening’s Press)
A Green and Vibrant Hope by Valerie Comer — Arleigh O’Neill gambles on starting her own flower farm with a tight budget on leased land…and loses when the river overflows its banks, demolishing the rented greenhouse, drowning her fields, and destroying her mobile home. She needs both a home and a job, but no one in Galena Landing seems to be hiring. Widowed farmer Mitchell Ackerman is at wit’s end with his two rambunctious sons, but his brother’s suggestion he hire Arleigh to nanny the boys is a nonstarter. He can’t afford to pay anyone, and besides, she annoys him with her hippie-flower-painted van and independent attitude. Arleigh thinks he’s arrogant. Mitchell thinks she’s frivolous. What will it take to get them to see into each other’s hearts and grasp a green and vibrant hope? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Love Like No Other by Tabitha Bouldin — Alicia Gray wants one thing: to prove her capabilities as a doctor. Maybe then she can escape the feeling that her mother’s abandonment was deserved. She’s never felt worthy and grew up in foster home after foster home, always being told that if she did better, if she was more amenable, she’d find her place. When she came to Suamalie, the last thing she expected to find was a man whose grumpy personality conflicted so piercingly with her sunshine demeanor. Colin Tremblay was dishonorably discharged from his army medic position and sent home in disgrace after his twin brother stole from his clinic. Back on the islands, he’s bounced from job to job, never finding anything that satisfies him. To make matters worse, his twin niece and nephew convince him to spend his summer overseeing their camp activities while working alongside Little Miss Sunshine herself. (Contemporary Romance from Celebrate Lit Publishing)
Love Somebody Like You by Carolyn Miller — For Lexi Franklin, returning to Trinity Lakes feels a little like running home with her tail between her legs. But what’s a girl to do, when her life has been turned upside down on the other side of the world? She needs a place to regain hope and healing – just didn’t count on meeting a cowboy whose own battered heart might need nursing back to health too. Jackson Reilly has his own set of troubles, between caring for his ranch, his mom, and the black hole of finances. So when a pretty redhead with a sassy tongue offers some distraction – and a potential solution to one of his most pressing concerns – he’s not going to say no. But as they spend time together, questions soon rise about their future, and whether faith can truly win over fears. Will Jackson be able to save his ranch, and his hopes and heart, before Lexi returns to Australia? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
And Then There was You by Nancy Naigle — Reeling after falling prey to a Romeo con-artist who just waltzed away with the better part of her belongings, Natalie Maynard works closely with the detective assigned to her case, only the few leads have led nowhere.
Detective Randy Fellowes can’t promise Natalie restitution, but he’s determined to find the culprit and serve up justice. Married to his work, he’s caught off guard when Natalie has his thoughts wandering to more than the case.
Natalie soon seeks refuge in the one thing she still owns ― an old fishing cabin in the mountains of Chestnut Ridge. She quickly falls in love with the town and the eccentric people who are teaching her so much about the area and its heritage.
Through these people, and the determination of Detective Fellowes, she rediscovers her courage, self, and a reason to risk love again. (Contemporary Romance from St. Martin’s Press)
General Historical:
To Calm a Storm by Heather Day Gilbert — For years, Kadhrin has anticipated marrying her betrothed, Vikarr, who is now second in command only to the king. As she settles into married life, she becomes increasingly convinced that her husband would make a far better ruler than his distracted cousin, and she urges him to heed advisors calling for an overthrow. Vikarr is honored to marry such a noble bride, but he hasn’t bargained for Kadhrin’s boldness. Although pleased by the growing passion between them, he struggles to understand her motivations. As rumors of an insurrection build, Vikarr is torn between the captivating woman who has laid claim to his heart, his loyalty to his king, and his growing desire to seize the kingship so he can unify his country against looming threats. Caught up in a web of political intrigue and personal betrayal, Kadhrin and Vikarr must choose not only which war to wage, but also which side to stand on, even if it means sacrificing everything they hold dear. (General Historical, Independently Published)
Historical Romance:
Beneath a Peaceful Moon by Debby Lee — Mary Wishram, an orphaned Yakima tribal member, aches for her brother who suffers in a POW camp in the Philippine Islands. Her Japanese friends languish in a relocation center. Determined to end the war by any means necessary, she employs her language skills to become a spy. She leaves Camp Pendleton for the South Pacific and faces escalating threats of peril to help bring her loved ones home. John Painted Horse, a proud Navajo, struggles with the loss of his father who died in WWI for a country that didn’t consider him a United States citizen. Though his home state doesn’t offer him the right to vote, he joins the Code Talker program at Camp Pendleton. Thrust into mounting danger in the South Pacific, he hopes to bring long overdue recognition and honor to his people, no matter the cost. Will these two wounded souls find healing from their past traumas and a deeper relationship with God, before it’s too late? Or will they lose their chance at love, and everything they hold dear? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
Love Most Certain by Penny Zeller — Can newfound love heal a broken heart? Genevieve Amsel is recovering from a canceled engagement when her dear friend, Tillie, invites her to move to Ellis Creek for a fresh start. While she settles into life in the friendly Montana town, one thing is for certain: Genevieve will never fall in love again, no matter what marriage prospects come her way. Becoming the new postmaster in Ellis Creek is not for the faint of heart. Attempting to do his best to replace the popular Mr. Norman who recently retired, Oliver Bessell relocates from Bozeman and attempts to win the hearts of Ellis Creek residents, especially one in particular. Can he prove to Genevieve he’s nothing like the man who broke her heart? Soon Oliver makes it his mission to encourage and brighten Genevieve’s day by leaving her notes at the breakfast table at the boarding house where they both reside. And when a mysterious letter arrives at the post office, will the solving of the puzzle draw him and Genevieve closer? (Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)
Mystery:
Backstory by Susan Page Davis — A hurricane lashes the Novel Inn, forcing guests to remain when they’d hoped to leave. Add an elderly neighbor, Kate’s ex-fiancé, and a clandestine thief. When a guest is found dead in the Hercule Poirot Room, it’s time for the Gage siblings and the local police to go into action. (Mystery from Scrivenings Press)
Romantic Suspense:
Blue Ridge Mountain Escape by Loretta Eidson — The firefighter rescued her once…But can they outrun the dangers?
A peaceful vacation is what Haley Gordon needs to put her troubles behind her. Instead, she finds herself fighting for her life against a raging forest fire. Forest Service firefighter Kendall Simpson vows to protect Haley—although he has questions about her story. But with the firestorm out of control and news of escaped convicts on the mountain, can Haley and Kendall trust each other enough to survive? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired/Harlequin)
Hold for Release by Heidi Glick — Carlotta Hartman’s life is falling apart. Although Carlotta desperately wants a child, her journalist husband just wishes their marriage would go back to the way things used to be before infertility treatments took over their schedule. While volunteering at an animal shelter to fill the void, Carlotta stumbles upon dead animals and a human body. Days later, Jake confesses to an affair with a co-worker. Hurt and confused, Carlotta moves in with her sister. And then things go from bad to perilous. As Jake receives counsel from a pastor, he pledges to woo Carlotta again and piece together their shattered marriage. But as Carlotta rushes out of Jake’ s arms, she runs straight into danger. Like the articles Jake writes and holds for release, a psychopath, bent on revenge, vows to hang onto Carlotta until the time is right. In the end, a secret from the past threatens to kill all hopes of a happy future. (Romantic Suspense from HarborLight Books/Pelican)
Western Romance:
The Laws of Attraction by Mary Connealy If widowed town seamstress Nell Armstrong has to make one more pair of boring chaps for the cowboys in her tiny Wyoming town, she might lose her mind. So meeting Brand Nolte, a widower father struggling to raise three girls, seems like her dream come true. Brand has no idea how to dress the girls, and Nell finally has a chance to both create beautiful dresses and teach the girls to sew. But Nell is much more than a seamstress, and the unique legal and investigative skills and knowledge she picked up alongside her late lawman husband soon become critical when a wounded stagecoach-robbery survivor is brought to town. As danger closes in from all sides, Nell and Brand must discover why there seems to be a bull’s-eye on their backs. (Western Romance from Bethany House/Baker)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
A Musician’s Heart by Sandra Ardoin, How will two people with opposing visions for their futures find common ground? (Contemporary Romance)
Ben: Ben Mitchell/Titus Ray Mysteries, Books 1-3 by Luana Ehrlich, Is Ben really in love with the daughter of a Turkish dissident? (Thriller/Suspense/Romantic) Finding Her Frontier Home by Louise M. Gouge, A ranch out West could be the home she’s longed for. (Historical Romance) The Keys to Gramercy Park by Candice Sue Patterson, His life and new home in Gramercy Park are the envy of his peers, but nothing is as it seems. (Historical Romance)Where Promises Remain by Heidi Chiavaroli, Hannah Martin thought she was about to have an empty nest . . . until the illegitimate daughter of her late husband shows up on her doorstep. (Contemporary/Women’s Fiction)
May 29, 2023
Every Hidden Thing by Valerie Massey Goree
Every Hidden Thing by Valerie Massey Goree
Reading for pleasure came late into my young life. It wasn’t until my teens that I discovered the joy of reading. Nancy Drew books hooked me first, and later, I read numerous Regency Romances. The heroines were always petite and blonde, and the heroes – usually much older – were tall, dark, and handsome. Blonde heroines suited me fine at the time because I was born with white-blonde hair which didn’t darken until my early 20s.
Many years later when I began writing fiction, I based my characters’ outside appearances on people I associated with, lived beside, worked with. Some of my heroines are blonde and some of my heroes are tall, dark, and handsome. But I’ve made a conscious effort to create characters who don’t follow the Regency Romance criteria and who might live in the area where the story is located.
During the planning stages of writing Every Hidden Thing, I knew I wanted Jo, my heroine, to be different. Not just to create a character who didn’t fit the model, but because her outward appearance affected her personality, and thus created friction between her and her mother. This angst forms a major plot thread.
Jo is nearly six feet tall, redheaded, freckled, and not movie-star beautiful. For the most part, she has come to terms with her outward appearance, but she has to tolerate her mother’s constant criticism and comparison to her older, “perfect” sister. Jo makes a comment that “she was a child of God, unique in many ways,” and decides not to change to appease her mother.
Being a unique child of God is one of the takeaways in the story.
Few of us female readers are petite blondes, or fall in love with a tall, dark, handsome guy, but whatever our physically appearances, we are children of God, cherished by the Father who made us. Wouldn’t the world be a boring place if we all looked alike?
I was still writing this novel when I moved to a new apartment. My neighbor is interested in my day-to-day life working on my next book and she’s curious about my characters. As I state in the Dear Reader letter at the back of the book, my neighbor, now in her eighties, silver-haired, and stooped, was a redhead most of her life and close to six feet tall. When I described my heroine to her, she was tickled that someone actual wrote about a woman who resembled her.
Author Dorothy Parker added her own spin to a popular idiom. “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.” How true. We can spend thousands of dollars trying to change our outward characteristics, but if our thoughts and actions are “ugly”, we’ve wasted our time. Jo reaches this same conclusion—we might not be in control of what we look like on the outside, but we can definitely change our inner attributes.
In conjunction with accepting herself, Jo has to learn how to forgive her mother. Flynn, my not-so-tall or dark hero, has his own issues to overcome, but he helps Jo in her quest. Forgiveness might be one of the hardest acts we have to accomplish in the real life Christian walk.
Back Cover Blurb:
While documenting needed repairs on a mansion, Jo makes a discovery that endangers her life. To complicate her plight, she uncovers a secret that could rip her family apart. Flynn, a co-worker, strives to keep her safe, however, a relationship from his past comes crashing back into his life and interferes in his efforts.
Jo and Flynn are both scarred—one emotionally, one physically. As they work together and learn to trust each other, they find their perilous circumstances are intertwined, and culminate when a young man’s life is threatened.
Will they unravel the strands of intrigue in time to rescue the victim? Can they overcome their fear of commitment and foster their growing attraction for each other?
Bio:
American Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Award winner Valerie Massey Goree resides in the beautiful Texas Hill Country northwest of San Antonio.
After serving as missionaries in her home country of Zimbabwe and raising two children, Valerie and her husband, Glenn, a native Texan, moved to Texas. She worked in the public school system for many years, focusing on students with special needs. Now retired, Valerie spends her time writing, traveling, spoiling her grandchildren, and learning to live as a widow.
Valerie loves to hear from her readers.
Check Valerie’s website to learn more about her romantic suspense novels and Glenn’s non-fiction books: www.valeriegoreeauthor.com
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May 22, 2023
Captive by Michael Garrett
My Christian suspense novel, Captive, has a story of its own to tell.
In the late 1980s I completed my first secular novel, Keeper, and submitted it to one of the top literary agents of the day. My high hopes were squashed when I received a scathing response: This doesn’t work at any level. It will never sell.
I was devastated. I had poured my heart and soul into this book; how could I have been so wrong as to actually believe it was good?
After awhile, I got angry. Why would a respected literary agent be so brutal? His opinion applied to no one but himself, so I set out to prove him wrong and persisted with submissions. Soon, the novel that was predicted to never sell sold out its initial printing and was optioned for a movie. Now, over thirty years later, I still receive royalties. How’s that for a novel that will never sell?
I learned a valuable lesson through that experience and I hope my fellow writers will glean from it as well: No one is the ultimate authority in this industry. No single individual’s opinion matters.
If you believe in yourself, never give up. Prove your critics wrong!
Over the years my life has changed. No one is the same now as they were thirty years ago. I decided to re-tell the Keeper story from a Christian perspective and take it in a new direction. Captive is the result: Elise Farmington, rescued from certain death by good Samaritan David Stetson, suffers from PTSD and can’t recall the accident, mistakenly believing instead that she’s been kidnapped. Trapped together in isolation by a freak ice storm, Elise realizes that her misperception has become a reality when she’s held captive by a lonely, desperate man who falls in love with her and longs to hold her forever.
Some dreams should never come true . . .
I hope you’ll give it a try.
You might also consider my woman-in-jeopardy Christian suspense novel Over the Edge. A newbie Christian, Larissa Baxter, has been in hiding to avoid prosecution for a crime she didn’t commit. Although all charges have been dropped, she remains reluctant to resurface. But just when she considers living publicly again, a new threat catches her by surprise and her life is in greater danger than ever.
For the second time in her life someone wanted Larissa Baxter dead . . .
And watch out for Nothing to Lose, coming soon,and find out how Larissa got into this mess in the first place.
Many blessings to you all!
About the Author
Michael Garrett holds the distinction of having served as Stephen King’s first editor and publisher. He’s one of the world’s top independent book editors, living in a small Alabama town. [image error]His life revolves around God, his wife of 35+ years, Sharon, two adult children, five grandchildren, a dachshund, and one grand dog.
As a former Writer’s Digest School Editorial Associate and contracted editor with Pocket Books and Kensington Publishing, Michael has worked with scores of highly successful authors, as well as thousands of new writers seeking publication. For over twenty years he taught a highly acclaimed writing workshop series coast-to-coast. Michael is a devoted Christian who is truly blessed. “God has given me so much. All of the goodness in my life comes directly from Him.”
May 3, 2023
Fiction Finder: May 2023 New Releases
May 2023 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website
Children’s/Picture Books:
Super Doople by K.A. Cummins — You’ve heard the legend of Humpty Dumpty, but do you know the legend of Super Doople? He’s faster than a chicken. He flies higher than an ostrich. No fall can break his shell! And he was once Little Doople, a small and fragile egg like all the other dooples, until his bad habit of not listening caught up to him. Engaging text with expressive illustrations, Super Doople is a lighthearted tale about resilience and learning to listen. This funny picture book for ages 3-8 is perfect for reading aloud in the classroom or at home. (Children’s/Picture Books from Eleonora Press)
Contemporary Romance:
Always by my Side by Iola Goulton — A hardworking introvert meets a handsome adventurer longing to settle down. Tabitha Thomas longs to leave Trinity Lakes and travel the world in honor of the beloved grandmother who raised her and her siblings. But she’s needed at home—she’s the responsible triplet, the one who stayed home to run the family inn while her brother and sister left to live their dreams. Kiwi Logan Wylde doesn’t call any place home. When an injury frustrates his travel plans, he accepts an invitation to return to Trinity Lakes and recuperate at the Lakeview Inn, where he hopes to rediscover his purpose in life. When Tabby and Logan find a property deed while cleaning out Gran’s rooms, Tabby embraces a new challenge—to solve the mystery of the floodplain and renovate the old boatshed. Working with Logan reignites long-suppressed feelings, but will their differences drive them apart? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)
Love in the Headlines by Penny Zeller — Can paper and paw prints draw these two nemeses together? All Carleigh Adams wants is a relaxing evening. But Sullivan Theodore IV, her wayward Shih Tzu, has other plans. After escaping from home, Sullivan Theodore unlawfully enters what Carleigh assumes is a stranger’s house via a doggy door.
Trey Montgomery has had to work with “Quirky Carleigh,” his top competitor for the best articles at The Oakville Daily, for the past two years. It’s safe to say that she and her criminally-minded pet are his adversaries. Trey’s attempts to keep his distance from her are demolished when their boss thrusts them together as The Oakville Daily Duo, forcing them to work as a team on every. Single. Article. Petty crimes and crazy shenanigans in Oakville soon draw Carleigh and Trey into doubling as detectives. As they work to report the daily news and solve the crimes in Oakville, can these two stubborn reporters find love in the headlines? (Contemporary Romance, from Maplebrook Publishing)
Loving the Rancher’s Children by Mindy Obenhaus — When Alli Krenek returns to her hometown, she’s surprised to find herself agreeing to become a nanny to Jake Walker’s children. Seventeen years ago, Jake betrayed Alli’s trust, and she’s avoided him ever since. But the more time she spends with Jake, the more his two little ones melt her heart and Alli begins to see the man Jake has become. Is this their chance to finally heal old wounds? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)
Historical Mystery:
A Vanishing Act by Edwina Kiernan — Hollywood legend Kent Selwood isn’t happy sharing the limelight with rising star Stella Sanders. Tired of her diva drama, Kent makes it clear—he wants Stella gone. Seamstress Bonnie Roseland is practically invisible to everyone at the studio, except for slick actor, Jerry Jackson — the one man she wishes would leave her alone. Her deep-rooted faith helps her see beyond the glitz and glamor to the broken realities and dysfunctional atmosphere at the studio. She sometimes wonders if God has a purpose for her there or if she should just move on. When the studio receives blackmail letters, Kent’s attitude makes him the prime suspect, and he’s swiftly banished from the lot, despite insisting that he’s been framed. Only Bonnie believes him — and she’s confident she knows who the real culprit is. But when a ransom note arrives after Stella goes missing and evidence is discovered that clearly implicates Kent, will Bonnie help him uncover the truth in time to save his career… and Stella’s life? (Historical Mystery from Celebrate Lit Publishing)
Historical Romance:
A Season at the Grand by Sherri Wilson Johnson — Can the perfect picture reveal the truth before it’s too late? Photographer Amelia Harris has had enough of her aunts’ meddling matchmaking. So when The Photographic Times commissions her to spend the summer on Mobile Bay taking portraits of the elite and capturing nature for penny postcards, Amelia happily accepts. But this job is not as simple as it appears, and Amelia must defend against naysayers if she’s to ever gain respect in a man’s world. And that doesn’t leave any room for romance. Point Clear Resort General Manager Titus Overton never wanted the position he inherited when his cousin passed away. When threats arise against Amelia and the other resort guests, Titus knows he must step in to help. But she insists they trust God for deliverance. How can he turn to a God who took away his first beloved? As the danger closes in, he must find the courage to overcome his past before someone gets hurt-especially the woman he’s come to love. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Counterfeit Faith by Crystal Caudill — As matron of Final Chance House of Refuge, Gwendolyn Ellison has dedicated her life to serving the children deemed delinquents by society. She’ll protect them with everything she has. So when she suspects someone is using Final Chance for criminal deeds, she’s determined to investigate and put a stop to it. But villains don’t like to be crossed–and they’re willing to kill to get their way. Gwendolyn knows she can’t quit fighting. More than her own life is on the line if counterfeiters go free. She must find someone she can trust to help her expose the criminals and protect the children under her care. Charming and chivalrous Secret Service operative Josiah Isaacs has never been able to turn his back on a woman in trouble–and capturing counterfeiters is his job, after all. As both peril and interest grow, he begins to consider whether a second love may be possible–if they can live through this case. At the same time, he’s put off by her faith in a God he no longer trusts. How can a future together even be possible when their beliefs are at odds? (Historical Romance from Kregel Publications)
Frontiers of Liberty by Shannon McNear — A collection of three stories from America’s struggle for independence…The Highwayman: 1775, the Shenandoah Valley: A secret identity … an unspoken love. Quiet, ordinary Samuel Wheeler wants to quit moonlighting as a vigilante, until the night he unwittingly saves the girl he loves. Defending Truth: 1780, the Overmountain settlements: For Truth Bledsoe, what began as simple Christian charity toward a starving enemy soon becomes … more. And the fate of her family—and their community—may rest in the hands of a loyalist who is no longer sure where he belongs; The Counterfeit Tory: 1781, the South Carolina backcountry: War-weary Jedidiah Wheeler accepts a mission of subterfuge that almost certainly will be his end. It’s the quiet, fierce daughter of a Tory innkeeper who gives him cause not only to fight, but stay alive. (Historical Romance from ShenandoahDawn)
Murmur in the Mudcaves by Kathleen Denly — He came to cook for ranch hands, not three single women. Gideon Swift, a visually impaired Civil War Veteran, responds to an ad for a ranch cook in the Southern California desert mountains. He wants nothing more than to forget his past and stay in the kitchen where he can do no harm. But when he arrives to find his employer murdered, the ranch turned to ashes, and three young women struggling to survive in the unforgiving Borrego Desert, he must decide whether his presence protects them or places them in greater danger. Bridget “Biddie” Davidson finally receives word from her older sister who disappeared with their brother and pa eighteen years prior, but the news is not good. Determined to help her family, Biddie sets out for a remote desert ranch with her adopted father and best friend. Nothing she finds there is as she expected, including the man who came to cook for the shambles of a ranch. When tragedy strikes, the danger threatens not only her plans to help her sister, but her own dreams for the future—with the man who’s stolen her heart. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
Revealing the Truth by Lorri Dudley — being shipped back to her ruthless guardian, who will kill to get his hands on her inheritance and the famous Jenkins Lipizzaner horses. But even under the pretense of amnesia, she cannot shake the memory of her sister and Katherine’s need to reach her before their guardian, or his marauding bandits, finish her off. Will she be safe in the earl’s manor, or will the assailant climbing through her window be the death of her? British spy, Stephen Hartington’s assignment to uncover an underground horse-thieving ring brings him home to his family’s manor, and the last thing he expected was to be struck with a candlestick upon climbing through the guest chamber window. The manor’s feisty and intriguing new house guest throws Stephen’s best-laid plans into turmoil and raises questions about the timing of her appearance, the convenience of her memory loss, and her impeccable riding skills. Could he be housing the horse thief he’d been ordered to capture—or worse, falling in love with her? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)
The Counterfeit Tory by Shannon McNear — 1781 … the backcountry of South Carolina: Lizzy Cunningham resents any man who thinks he can get by with a wink and a smile. Doubly so the ones who try to get close to her—she knows she’s homely and difficult of temper, and that not a man has been made who can bear with her for a lifetime.
Jedidiah Wheeler (Sam’s cousin from The Highwayman) has always depended on his easy charm to get him through. He’s also used to girls falling all over themselves when he glances their way, so it’s a shock to find one who responds with definite hostility. It might also be a bit of a challenge … especially when he discovers her connection to an infamous Tory leader he’s tasked with bringing down. As Jed gains the trust of the Tories, he sees that Lizzy is far more than the snarling tavern maid she pretends to be. Truth be told, in her unguarded moments she’s one of the most fetching misses he’s ever met—and bravest, when his own life is on the line. How can he complete the mission without endangering her? And dare Lizzy risk family loyalty for a kindness she’s sure is too good to be true? (Historical Romance from ShenandoahDawn)
The Keys to Gramercy Park by Candice Sue Patterson — Investigative historical journalist Andrea Andrews is tired of waiting tables to make ends meet. If she could find and write the next breakout story, she could secure a promotion with Smithsonian Magazine as their writer-at-large. But not much happens in lower Manhattan out of the ordinary until she discovers post-Civil War counterfeit bills hidden in the wall of her historic district apartment.
Politics have always been Beau Davidson-Quincy’s passion, despite his family’s real estate empire. His clean image and single status make him a target in the media as he prepares to build his campaign for New York governor. He has nothing to hide until a cute waitress unravels a mystery that could destroy his family’s reputation.
Two centuries earlier, wounded Civil War veteran Franklin Davidson lost everything—his house, his wife, his standing in society. In his darkest moment, he’s awarded a position with the newly formed Secret Service to combat the spread of counterfeit U.S. currency. His life and new home in Gramercy Park are the envy of his peers, but nothing is as it seems. Secrets are meant to be kept, and Franklin will take his to his grave. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)
To Enchant a Lady’s Heart by Robin Lee Hatcher — He has nothing to offer. She has everything to lose. Despite the dishonorable circumstances of his own birth, Adam Faulkner has never begrudged his half-brother Sebastian’s legitimate position as the Viscount Willowthorpe. Having a title and everything that goes with it never mattered to Adam—until “everything” became the hand of Miss Eliza Southwick. Adam knows, as the stable manager at Hooke Manor, he shouldn’t hope to wed a well-born miss. After all, enchanting such a lady’s heart would take a true gentleman…something he is not. Eliza Southwick loves horses more than society and doesn’t care a whit about status or titles. But her father has set his sights on the Viscount Willowthorpe for his future son-in-law and has brought his daughter to Hooke Manor in hopes of arranging a marriage contract. When a spark first kindled during a chance meeting between Eliza and Adam grows stronger, she doesn’t dare tell her father how she feels. He will disown her entirely if she fails to do his will, and the cost of following her heart has never seemed higher. (Historical Romance from RobinSong, Inc.)
Thriller/Suspense/Crime:
East of Evil by Joni M. Fisher — A colossal fortune. A secret reaper. A young woman whose drive for due process makes her the target of dangerous people…Nefi Jenkins dreams of becoming an FBI agent. After outing her parents’ heartless killer, the Harvard grad focuses on getting into a stellar criminal justice master’s degree program. But her career goals take a back seat when she inherits a ten-million-dollar trust from her late parents…with a hefty chunk gone. Seeking the help of a forensic accountant, Nefi discovers a cunning thief has been stealing from her inheritance. And with her legacy at stake, the hidden enemy’s scheme to swipe her cash could turn deadly. Can Nefi restore her parent’s wealth before her investigation turns fatal? (Thriller/Suspense/Crime, Independently Published)
Thriller/Suspense/Romantic:
A Deadly Wilderness by Kelly S. Irvin — A frantic anonymous crisis center hot-line call propels counselor Susana Martinez-Acosta smack into the center of a murder investigation and a homicide detective’s arms. Exactly where she doesn’t want to be. Following the tragic death of her husband, she’s struggled to build a safe haven for herself and her son. That new world doesn’t include hit men and persistent detectives with dangerous jobs. An idyllic wilderness hike turns deadly when homicide detective Ray Johnson tumbles into a ravine and lands on a corpse later identified as the son of a prominent citizen. Ray works to solve the political hot potato murder before city leaders bumps him from the case. His determination to find the man’s killer leads him from the wealthiest enclaves in San Antonio to the city’s dark underbelly, all the while trying to win the woman he loves. (Thriller/Suspense/Romantic from Ally Press)
Counter Attack by Patricia Bradley — No sooner has Alexis Stone been sworn in as the interim sheriff for Russell County, Tennessee, when a serial killer dubbed the Queen’s Gambit Killer strikes again–this time in her hometown. Pearl Springs is just supposed to be a temporary stop along the way to Alex’s real dream: becoming the first female police chief of Chattanooga. But the killer’s calling card–a white pawn and a note with a chess move printed on it–cannot be ignored. Pearl Springs chief of police Nathan Landry can’t believe that his high school sweetheart Alexis (he refuses to call her Alex) is back in town, and he can’t help wanting to protect the woman he never stopped loving. But as the danger mounts and the killer closes in, can Nathan come through on the promises he makes to himself to bring a killer to justice before it’s too late. (Thriller/Suspense/Romantic from Revell)
Explosive Trail by Terri Reed — Can an officer and her K-9 partner survive a bomber with a vendetta? When a serial bomber’s explosion in Olympic National Park lands K-9 officer Willow Bates in the hospital, her estranged husband, FBI agent Theo Bates, rushes to her side. He’s determined to protect her and the baby he didn’t know she was carrying. But the bomber has revenge on his mind and will stop at nothing to finish them off. (Thriller/Suspense/Romantic from Love Inspired/Harlequin)
Vengeance in the Mist by Robin Patchen — Assistant District Attorney Misty Lake wants nothing more than to ensure Boston lawbreakers face justice, but how can she when she’s faced with an increasing workload and pressure to offer plea deals? When a criminal she prosecuted is released on a technicality, she doesn’t have time to worry about the threats he once breathed against her. Tate Steele dreams of rising in the ranks at the DA’s office, but idealistic prosecutor Misty is in his way. When the district attorney asks him to assist her with a few cases, he’s eager to close them quickly to prove his merit. But he and Misty discover her apartment has been broken into, and this is no run-of-the-mill burglar. The intruder escapes and leaves no trace. Either the vengeful convict Misty put away has upped his skills, or there’s more at play than a defendant seeking revenge. (Thriller/Suspense/Romantic, Independently Published)
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:
Holidays in Hallbrook: Books 1-3 by Elsie Davis, A city executive who gets an insta-family including a giant St. Bernard, an event planner who can’t plan what happens, and a Christmas story where a snowstorm and an avalanche have the power to warm hearts. (Contemporary Romance)
Holidays in Hallbrook: Books 4-6 by Elsie Davis , A single dad with twin daughters who aren’t on board with a new romance, a woman who’s always wanted to be a mom and she gets the chance…temporarily, and a single mother who’s hired to find and photograph a pair of eagles and their nest after a reported sighting in the area. (Contemporary Romance)
Holidays in Hallbrook: Books 7-9 by Elsie Davis , A woman war hero in search of her military canine, an ice cream competition with a winner-take-all prize at stake, and a baseball player and a middle school principal who find themselves at crosshairs with their kids adding fuel to the fire every step of the way. (Contemporary Romance)
Hopefully After After by Beth Wiseman, Eden’s and Samuel’s futures hang in the balance as they face decisions about who they are meant to be—both as individuals and together. (Amish Romance)
Jacob’s Wellby Urcelia Teixeira, Dark secrets swirl around the small coastal town of Weyport as Mary-Jean Foley discovers just how far she would go to protect her son. (Mystery/Police Procedural)
Loving Lydia by Susan Pope Sloan, Two Southerners thrown together by the Union army. He’s on a quest for vengeance. She’s determined to preserve her family. (Historical Romance)
The Body Electrocution by Marissa Shrock, A secret love decades past, the supposed ghost of a custodian that stalks the community center halls, and a motive for murder that neither Bobbi Sue nor anyone else in town saw coming. (Cozy Mystery)
Cheese Grits and Hissy Fits by Jann Franklin, The Town of Graisseville, Louisiana needs leadership, and Jen Guidry’s ready to help! (General Contemporary)
May 1, 2023
Help! I’m a Foster Parent by Nikki Hertzler
Being a foster parent is being intentional in looking for God’s will. And God’s will is often not easy to follow. Foster parenting is gritty and messy, yet also beautiful and rewarding. Help! I’m a Foster Parent contains prayers, scriptures, reflection questions and a personal experience story to encourage foster parents to keep leaning on God’s strength and wisdom in this journey.
Today is Release Day! Help! I’m a Foster Parent is available now, May 2nd, in time for Foster Care Awareness Month!
As a foster parent myself, I have experienced both sides—how difficult and yet how rewarding. I wanted to encourage others, to let them know that what they are facing is real, is necessary, is often isolating, yet they are not alone. I wanted this book to be a group effort and so I reached out to everyone I knew in order to find other foster parents who could write chapters for issues that I had not experienced.
Of those foster parents who do not have a kin-relationship with the children, a study by PEW Research shows that 65% attend religious services. That is a sizable amount. Our faith propels us to this mission. Being able to point children to the God who created them and to Jesus their savior is a valuable part of fostering.
Throughout the United States, over 400,000 children are in foster care and of those, over 100,000 are awaiting adoption. With over 300,000 Christian congregations in the US, we should be able to take care of all of these children. Churches are stepping up and speaking up about fostering and adopting. My own pastor’s family added three little boys to their family through the foster/adopt process.
Who do you know who could use encouragement in their fostering journey? Who do you know who can pray for those families? This book is a perfect gift for everyone who came to your mind.
With thirty-four chapters written by over a dozen authors, here is godly inspiration for many issues we face in fostering. Besides foster families, we have chapters written by a family court judge, a case worker, and a woman who was a child in the foster system. Some chapters address situations like working with biological families, a parent who is in jail, children with special needs, and the teenagers who are aging out.
Would you like ideas on how to pray for foster families? Would you like scriptures to help encourage those families? The stories told by families in the trenches are both poignant and hopeful. Each chapter has reflection questions to keep us focusing on God in this journey. Because it is for Him that we foster and with His strength that we continue our mission.
Join me for fostering/adopting thoughts and tidbits on NikkiHertzler.com
Nikki Hertzler resides in northern Nevada. She and her husband have lived in several states before settling with their three children in Nevada almost two decades ago. Nikki is an avid reader, an elementary teacher, and as a speaker, she speaks on the importance of early childhood development as well as on foster care. Her family enjoys participating in their church ministries and being on outdoor adventures. A few years ago, with their biological children on the brink of leaving home, the Hertzlers felt God calling them to foster. Since then, they have been introducing their foster children to the fun of hiking, skiing, Lake Tahoe, and the God who created them.
Website/blog: NikkiHertzler.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Nikki_Hertzler
Email: nikki@nikkihertzler.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teacher_nikki_lee
