Julie Arduini's Blog, page 21

A Sweet and Clean Summer

To me, there’s nothing better than a summer day when I can get outside and read. I love a good romance, and I love even more when I can point readers to books that don’t make me blush. They might not all be Christian, but I can count on them being sweet and clean reads.

Anchored Hearts has a Christian message of course, and it is of course a sweet/clean read. That’s important to me. Sadly when I meet strangers and talk about my work, they want to read bedroom scenes. That’s not the call on my life. I want to see you encouraged and transformed, and if my fictional married couple wants to take it to the bedroom, they can have their privacy, LOL.

Anyway, if you can relate to that, I have a couple promotions I want to point you to. The first is A Sweet and Clean Summer! You can find a plethora of books, including Anchored Hearts, by clicking this link.

Again, if you enjoy your read, be sure to leave a review on Amazon/GoodReads/BookBub.

Happy Reading!

Basketful of Books

Happy July! This summer is flying by. I released Anchored Hearts in May, our daughter graduated in June, and our son marries at the end of the month. Both return to school in August (our son is a teacher,) and I start research and plotting Repairing Hearts then.

I do have a few promotions and other good things to share, so I wanted to let you know about them. The first is Basketful of Books. I’m so excited to be a part of this. Here’s what’s going on.

It’s giveaway time!

I am thrilled to announce my book, Anchored Hearts, is part of the Basketful of Books Giveaway. This giveaway runs 7/11 through 7/17, and the prize consists of twelve Christian books. The 1st place winner will receive all ten books (authors’ choice of format) and the 2nd place winner will receive three books (authors’ choice of format) of their choosing. A variety of genres, from fantasy to historical romance to suspense and more, are featured.

You can enter to win here:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bfce54d35/?

The opportunity to have a basketful of books? I love it. Make sure you click the link above and enter.

Remember, if you enjoy a book, reviews are so helpful. The more reviews a book has, the more visibility it has. For me, the best places to leave a review are on Amazon, GoodReads, and BookBub.

Happy Reading!

A Home in Cranberry Cove by June Foster

A Home in Cranberry Cove, book 4 in the Cranberry Cove series, arrived on the market Tuesday, June 21, on my grandson’s birthday. Since the story is a romantic suspense, I figured Julie’s readers might enjoy an excerpt from the book—Micah and Madison’s first kiss. Micah is a doctor who lost his wife to cancer several years before. Madison hesitates as Micah leans in to kiss her. She remembers Ellen, the woman in Micah’s life before her. Hope you love the kiss like my characters did.

He leaned nearer, only inches from her. “Do I have permission … ” he whispered.

“Um, hum.” Madison lifted her face and slipped her arms around Micah. What more could she ask for?

He placed his lips on hers, causing Madison to forget that anything or anyone existed besides the two of them. Then an uncomfortable notion struck, and she moved away. “Are you ready, Micah? Ready for this? I mean, what about Ellen?”

Micah rubbed his forehead. “Ellen is enjoying eternity. There’s nothing I can do to change the loss of my wife. She would want me to find someone else.” He bent to kiss her nose. “I loved her dearly, but I need to move on.” He held out his left ring finger. “For a long while after her death, I wore my wedding ring. A few months before I met you, I’d taken the band off. For me, the act symbolized the end of my marriage.”

“I understand.” Madison stood on tiptoes and slipped her arms around him again. “I’m grateful you want to move in my direction.” She lifted her lips to kiss his, this time with no interruptions.

Micah tightened his arms around her waist, his lips moving more passionately on hers. Then he stepped back and raked his hand through his hair. “I need to back off. I don’t want to get too … er … enthusiastic about kissing you. I might find myself in trouble.”

She ran her hand down his cheek and laughed. “I’ve adopted new standards I never had before—thanks to you.”

“I think when the Lord comes into a person’s life, that person is changed by the Holy Spirit.”

I hope you enjoy the story. If you haven’t read any in the series, I recommend you start with the first book, The Inn at Cranberry Cove, which won first place in romantic suspense in the 2021 Selah awards. https://amzn.to/3sMMLVb

About A Home in Cranberry Cove

Madison Mitchell will never trust a man again. The love of her life broke her heart and married a French chef. Now she throws herself into her work at The Inn at Cranberry Cove. When she accidentally tangles with the manager of a nearby fishing supply store, she suspects the handsome guy is hiding something.

Micah Collins flees Sacramento seeking solace in the seaside village in Washington state. But he discovers an enemy has followed him to Cranberry Cove. He must endure frightful threats at the same time keeping his previous life secret. When Madison finds herself in danger, Micah blames himself.

Madison and Micah are haunted by someone from Micah’s past, but is the culprit the real enemy or should they look elsewhere? Will they find a future together?

When Madison Mitchell tangles with the manager of Cranberry Cove’s fishing supply store, she’s certain he’s hiding something.

Madison and Micah are haunted by someone from Micah’s past, but is the culprit the real enemy or should they look elsewhere?

Someone from Micah’s past threatens, but he must keep his previous life a secret.

An award-winning author, June Foster is a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. June began writing Christian romance in 2010 as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written over thirty contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who encounter real-life difficulties yet live victorious lives. She’s published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

Her novel, The Inn at Cranberry Cove, won the 2021 Selah award for Romantic Suspense. It is available on Amazon in paperback, hardback, and eBook format.

Heart’s Journey by Linda Hoover

Thank you, Julie, for scheduling me on your blog.

I’m excited to share about my new book, Heart’s Journey, which begins in 1880. Book two in the Heart’s Desire series begins with newlyweds Julia and Jacob traveling to their new home in Iowa. Julia is leaving Boston high society behind to be a farm wife. She has no experience with homemaking and no real idea of what’s she’s getting into. Before they arrive at the farm, Julia has a confession for Jacob.

Quote: Julia gave Jacob a sheepish look. “There’s something I need to tell you, something I probably should have mentioned before now. I’ve never been in a kitchen.”

Jacob searched for words. He had assumed even rich women knew what to do in a kitchen. Finally, he said, “Are you telling me you’ve never, in your whole life, been in a kitchen?”

“Never. Mama didn’t think it was important.”

A little later, Jacob gave Julia surprising news.

Quote: Julia stared at Jacob, horrified. “Do you mean to tell me I’m going to feed these animals then turn around and eat them?”

“God gave us animals to eat. You’ll get used to the way things are done.”

A shudder rolled over her. She preferred her food to appear on the table without thinking about where it came from.

Julia has many mishaps as she learns her way. Through it all, she and Jacob lean on God for guidance. Life brings ups and downs including a great loss which takes them through a dark period where only complete surrender to God’s plan restores their relationship. They are also blessed to experience humor and joy as well as good friends and neighbors. Their lives are full and rich as they get involved with those around them.

I did a lot of research on farming in Iowa and the many duties of the homemaker. Gardening and preserving was a huge job as well as cleaning the house and cooking and baking with a woodburning cookstove. Laundry would be my most hated task. They even made their own laundry detergent. Here is Julia’s first look at the laundry room.

As Julia continued to explore their new home, she saw a room off the kitchen with three large wooden tubs leaning against the wall. A contraption with two rollers and a hand crank stood propped in a corner, while several crocks with lids lined a wall. A free-standing cupboard stood opposite the tubs along with a big wicker basket and a table with a cloth bag full of wooden pegs. She would need an explanation for these items.

Heart’s Journey will be available soon, but in the meantime, you can preview the first two chapters of the book on my website. Just click the HEART’S JOURNEY PREVIEW tab. While you’re at the site, sign up for my newsletter. You’ll be among the first to know when the book is released, and new subscribers will receive a Kindle copy of Joel & Ella. Click on the novella’s cover on the BOOKS page.

The website link is: http://www.lindahooverbooks.com

All of my books are available in print, Kindle format and Kindle Select.

Linktree has links to all the places I can be found on the web.

http://linktr.ee/lindahooverbooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Linda lives in west central Ohio with her husband, daughters, grandson, two cats and a dog. She earned a degree in psychology from Anderson University where she learned the voices in her head were actually characters from stories waiting to be told.

Linda got her start writing columns and a middle grade serial for the South Charleston Spectator. A retired librarian, she now enjoys being a fulltime author in her home office, despite interruptions from family members and pets.

Fiction Finder July 2022 New Releases

July 2022 New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Contemporary Romance

Leaving the Past Behind by Sandra Ardoin — The joy Danni Barnett found in her job as a travel writer and photographer faded around the same time her husband walked out on her. When her late sister-in-law’s will brings the couple together to care for her children, Danni must face her fear of motherhood or lose a second chance with Brooks. Brooks Barnett’s life has spun out of his control. A crumbled marriage. A career on hold. The loss of his sister. Brooks determines to keep Danni at arm’s length, but it’s a daunting task when his niece and nephew love her as much as he does. How will Brooks protect two grieving children from more loss when he can’t even protect his heart from Danni’s pull? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Muskota Blue by Carolyn Miller — For Sarah Maguire, spending the summer at Lake Muskoka was supposed to be about finding the courage to put back the pieces of her shattered life—not falling in love with the charming yet unsophisticated hockey player from next door.
Daniel Walton may have been praying for Miss Right to appear, but Sarah’s ice princess act just cries Miss Wrong. Dan’s summer plans hadn’t included befriending a redhead with a sassy tongue and cute accent, but as Muskoka works its magic he soon discovers that underneath the frost and prickles is the funny, feisty, loving woman he’s waited all his life to meet. As their friendship deepens, Sarah comes to appreciate Dan’s patience and kindness yet struggles to let go of the past and embrace the future, while Dan, only too conscious of the personal history he wants to forget, questions the wisdom of pursuing a girl whose heart may never be wholly his – who may soon return to live on the opposite side of the world. Will past regrets lead to further heartbreak? Or can Sarah and Dan learn to leave the past in the past and embrace God’s promises for the future? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Seaside Proposal by Narelle Atkins — Billie Radcliffe has a secret. And she isn’t sharing it with anyone, including Zach Montford. Even though she feels an instant connection with the good-looking banker and youth leader, she’s wary of rejection. Besides she’s only in the close-knit beach community until she meets the one man who can fill in the blanks about her history. Zach hopes his temporary stint with the church will help him decide whether to go into full-time ministry. Though his career plans are uncertain, he’s sure about his growing feelings for Billie. When a shocking revelation throws everything into question, Zach and Billie have a chance to put the past to rest … and walk into the future together. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

To Begin Again by Emily Conrad — Michaela Vandehey’s reality show win transformed her from the girl whose own father ignored her into a pop singer loved by the masses. But fame has proven hard to keep. To bolster her floundering career, she heads to Wisconsin to snag a collaboration with the iconic rock band Awestruck. There, she meets bass guitarist Philip, a dad whose devotion challenges her skepticism about love and family. Whatever faith Philip Miller had died with his wife. Now, “Amazing Grace” is nothing but a lullaby to sing to his children in her memory. Thanks to Awestruck, he can provide privileged lives for his kids, but he has no intention of finding love again. If only he weren’t so drawn to Michaela. When he falls for her despite himself, Michaela learns the dark secret that threatens his family’s future. The grace they’ve heard so much about might grant them the fresh start they need, but to begin again, they’ll first have to sacrifice what they hold most dear. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

General Contemporary:

The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold — Frustrated reporter Aidyn Kelley begrudgingly agrees to help a hospice patient prepare her obituary. But old Clara Kip has some incredible stories–and some surprises up her sleeve–that promise to make this seemingly throwaway assignment a life-changing one. (General Contemporary, from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

More Than Sparrows by Claire SpencerChristensen — Kate is at a crossroads. A lapse in judgement has her clashing with management at Westbrook Community Justice Service, her offer to accommodate a client in her own home breaching department regulations. Not only does this infuriate her team leader, but it provides the clever, charismatic department psychologist, Dr Paul Leeuwin, yet another opportunity to heap scorn on her world view and rubbish her belief in God. The pressure increases when she dares to question a church leadership decision to fund an extension, seemingly ignoring needy families in the surrounding suburbs. Her concerns dismissed, she falls out with friends when she suggests the community could be better served if the money was spent on a parachurch organisation. In conflict at work and at odds with fellow believers, what is God trying to tell her? (General Contemporary, Independently Published)

Perfectly Placed by Liana George — Six weeks after leaving China, Nicki Mayfield returns to complete two critical tasks: restore order at New Hope Orphanage and re-connect with the little girl who stole her heart. However, between a stubbornly stone walling supervisor, missing documents, and personal tragedy, Nicki faces challenges at every turn. Is she the best person to bring order – and longevity – to the place these children call home? Then, with the help of an unexpected ally, Nicki makes a life-altering decision that upends her well-planned life and the lives of those around her. Will she lose it all, or has she found the way to save what matters most?
(General Contemporary, from Scrivenings Press)

Historical Romance:

A Feeling of Home by Susan Ann Mason — Isabelle Wardrop’s well-to-do life has completely unraveled. Within months, she’s lost both her parents, her fortune, and her home. With nowhere else to turn, she and her younger sister move in with a trusted former servant in an impoverished area of the city. Desperate for work but having no qualifications, Isabelle is forced to accept help from Dr. Mark Henshaw, the very man she blames for her mother’s death. (Historical Romance from Bethany House (Baker) Publishing)

Byway to Danger by Sandra Merville Hart — Everyone in Richmond has secrets. Especially the spies. Meg Brooks, widow, didn’t stop spying for the Union when her job at the Pinkerton National Detective Agency ended, especially now that she lives in the Confederate capital. Her job at the Yancey bakery provides many opportunities to discover vital information about the Confederacy to pass on to her Union contact. She prefers to work alone, yet the strong, silent baker earns her respect and tugs at her heart. Cade Yancey knows the beautiful widow is a spy when he hires her only because his fellow Unionist spies know of her activities. Meg sure didn’t tell him. He’s glad she knows how to keep her mouth shut, for he has hidden his dangerous activities from even his closest friends. The more his feelings for the courageous woman grow, the greater his determination to protect her by guarding his secrets. Her own investigations place her in enough peril. As danger escalates, Meg realizes her choice to work alone isn’t a wise one. Can she trust Cade with details from her past not even her family knows? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Inventions of the Heart by Mary Conneally — Her heart seeks safety. But will trouble find her even here? After her sister’s marriage, Michelle Stiles is left hiding at Two Harts Ranch with the handsome but stubborn Zane Hart. She’s managed to stay one step ahead of her stepfather and his devious plans, but if he finds her, she will no longer be safe. Zane has problems of his own. Having discovered a gold mine on his property, he must figure out how to harvest it without kicking off a gold rush. Michelle, educated and trained to run her father’s business, wants to manage all aspects of the mine, but Zane thinks for a person so smart she can have some misguided ideas. Running the mining operation will be a dangerous job, and he can’t risk putting her in harm’s way. But danger finds Michelle anyway when she’s suddenly attacked. If they go to the sheriff, they’ll reveal her location, but if they do nothing . . . their troubles have only just begun. (Historical Romance, from Bethany House (Baker) Publishing)

Matters of the Heart by Heidi Gray McGill — Katie is an unconventional and impatient Irish immigrant with a determination to champion the needs of Civil War orphans and widows, no matter the fallout. Hans served his time and has no desire to join another cause to help the needy unless he’s the one in question. Stubbornness and demons of their past may keep them from their goals and each other, yet in the end, they realize the answer isn’t always in the one you seek. (Historical Romance, ACFW QIP (Qualified Independently Published))

Speculative Fiction:

Aivan: The One Truth by Kayla E. Green — 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? (Speculative Fiction from Ambassador International)

When Legends Rise by Daphne Self — He is now one of them. Genetically altered… Designed to kill… Trained to eradicate…Until he became more. Juliet 7-A was the top elite assassin for the Global Federated Territories until an ambush deemed him unsalvageable. He was scheduled for decommission. His only recourse for survival is a new identity and his search for the one friend he had–a friend who deserted him. Those he once hunted will save him. Yet it comes with a price. A price that demands much of him. What happens when an assassin awakens? (Speculative Fiction from Ambassador International)

Thriller/Suspense/Romance:

Sabotaged Mission by Tina Radcliffe — When a failed mission leaves CIA operative MacKenzie “Mac” Sharp injured and her partner presumed dead, going off-grid is the only way to survive. But her old flame, CIA officer Gabe Denton, has tracked her down and led a well-connected enemy right to her door. Now with someone trying to frame and kill her, working with Gabe is the only way to clear her name…and stay alive. (Thriller/Suspense/Romance from Love Inspired (Harlequin))

Western:

The Sister’s Search by Susan Page Davis — Molly Weaver and her widowed mother embark on an arduous journey at the end of the Civil War. They hope to join Molly’s brother Andrew on his ranch in Texas. When they arrive, Andrew is missing and squatters threaten the ranch. Can they trust Joe, the stranger who claims to be Andrew’s friend? Joe’s offer to help may be a godsend—or a snare. And who is the man claiming to be Molly’s father? If he’s telling the truth, Molly’s past is a sham, and she must learn where she really belongs. (Western from Scrivenings Press)

Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

 

  Anchored at Mackinac by Carrie Fancett Pagels, Will hearts be broken when choices are made—or will all hoped-for wishes be fulfilled? (Historical Romance)

 

 

  A Place to Heal by Allie Pleiter, Dana’s found the perfect place for her camp–but will Mason agree to her terms? (Contemporary Romance)

 

 

  A Thousand Lies by Kathy Cassel, Will uncovering her true identity bring the closure and purpose Bailey seeks—or turn out to be the worst mistake of her life? (General Contemporary)

 

 

  Ben in Trouble by Luana Ehrlich, Can Titus get them out of the mess they’re in, or will Ben salvage the operation and bring it to a successful conclusion? (Thriller/Suspense)

 

 

  Close Encounters of the Mysterious Kind by Marissa Shrock, Bobbi Sue knows she can’t stay quiet, and the problem is, the person behind the murder is intent on her doing exactly that, no matter what it takes. (Mystery: Cozy)

 

 

  Love at the Garden Tomb by R. F. Whong, Love—one plus one can’t be two. Longline: Chance meetings at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem force ex-lovers to journey through betrayal, guilt, redemption, and reconciliation. (Contemporary Romance)

 

 

  Shadow of Honor by Ronnie Kendig, Faced with her true identity, Eija sees her purpose snap into focus, and she realizes the war Marco fears may be the very one he has been called to start.(Speculative Fiction)

 

 

  Wages of Sin by Urcelia Teixeira, To find her future, she must embrace her past.
(Thriller/Suspense)

 

The Enigma of Father Vera Daniel by Michael Gryboski

Behind the Story: The Enigma of Father Vera Daniel

By Michael Gryboski

Before he became famous for losing the Battle of Little Bighorn, George Armstrong Custer served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. In the middle of that horrid conflict, Custer attended the wedding of a friend from West Point named John Willis Lea. The event sounds innocuous enough, until one learns that Lea was a captain in the Confederate Army. And yet, Custer attended the ceremony, as his friendship to Lea was greater than the violent differences between North and South.

Custer’s actions seem especially outlandish in our modern era. Although there have been times of greater incivility, the present age ranks poorly when it comes to political discourse. It has become very easy to cut off people, even family and close friends, on the basis of posting the “wrong” thing to social media, going to the “wrong” restaurant, liking the “wrong” politician, or even using the “wrong” pronouns. It takes so remarkably little to offend, and for that offense to be used to justify total cancellation. I would not be surprised if every person who reads this blog entry has had at least one friend or family member sever ties with them in recent years over ideological differences. It is a disturbing trend for which no faction in America can claim innocence.

This is driven by an innate refusal to understand the intentions of the other. It seems beyond the intellect of many to understand that maybe support for a controversial presidential candidate comes in spite of their shortcomings, not because of them. Maybe they patron a given business in spite of the political stances of their leadership, not because of them. Maybe, just maybe, a person speaks well of another not because they subscribe to every moral aspect of their worldview, but because they are friends, whose friendship has always recognized differences. Such benefits of a doubt, such concessions of basic human decency, appear to be bestowed less and less across partisan lines. There is so much self-inflicted wounding, making necessary political choices all the more painful.

Next week, I will have my latest novel released. Titled The Enigma of Father Vera Daniel, the story follows an eighteenth century Catholic priest trying to survive in an increasingly intolerant Kingdom that is on the eve of Revolution. While the setting and the story are both fictional, the issues it raises are quite relevant: A political climate that is becoming more and more volatile, people becoming less accepting of ideological differences, a binary politic that rewards the most extreme of political actions, and ordinary people being forced to choose between one vile faction or another.

It is my hope and prayer that readers of The Enigma of Father Vera Daniel will not only enjoy the story, but be positively influenced by the messages I hope to convey through the tribulations of its main character. It is my hope and prayer that if readers see themselves in the protagonist, they will also see someone politically different in the protagonist.

This is not a call to back away from principle. Father Vera Daniel was guided by principle throughout his adult life, as shall be seen in the pages of my story. The issue is how to respond to finding human beings on the other side. Not cartoonish villains, not internet bots, not social media trolls, but fellow human beings, who, for their own reasons, are face-to-face instead of shoulder-to-shoulder.

Pre-Order The Enigma of Father Vera Daniel.

Pre-Order today!

Michael Gryboski was born and raised in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. He graduated from George Mason University with a bachelor of arts and then a master’s, both in history. In addition to writing fiction, Michael also writes news articles for a living. Michael would rather be correct than widely accepted.

Why I’m Pro-Life

As you have most likely heard, the Supreme Court has announced the overturn of Roe V Wade. I believe the abortion issue is as divisive and heartbreaking to our country as slavery was (and honestly still is) when we warred against each other. I hate hearing the calls for violence and that friendships have severed over this.

There is a lot about the last few years I have waiting to pour out, but my promise to God when I surrendered my fears and said I’d write for Him was that I’d write what He gives me, when He gives me the okay. And now is the time to share my thoughts on why I am pro-life.

If you know me, I am not a confrontational person, and I’m not sharing to gloat or antagonize my already riled up social network feed. I feel like there is at least one person who is confused and would like to know why do I feel the way I do? And if that’s you, I hope this post gives you something to chew on and absolutely go to God with. How He longs to show you truth about your life and those around you.

Julie Arduini

I am pro-life for a few reasons. You might guess because of my faith in Christ that it is for religion. Not quite. But give me a second.

-I’m pro-life because I was an infertility patient.

I didn’t think much of having a family until I was told I might not be able to. That announcement might as well have been a bolt of lightning piercing my heart. It changed me. And it wasn’t long after I met my now-husband. I wanted nothing more to be a wife and mom. At the time I had chronic pain, debilitating, honestly. Before I even married I took every precaution to give my body the best atmosphere to conceive once I was married.

When I married and we started trying, every month that was a not pregnant just about did me in. Although my story ended with a surgery that healed my pain and enhanced my ability to conceive, I would have adopted. I still have a tug on my heart to foster or at least mentor vulnerable children/teens. I know the infertility community and their arms are open to receive.

-I’m pro-life because I’m an advocate

I worked with senior citizens for a decade and a slice of that job was visiting places that broke my heart. Either the place was a danger to the residents or the residents were abandoned by family and admitted they slept because that was all they had left to do. I will never forget how hard those visits where. When I saw something that put another life in danger, I spoke up. There were advocates in place called ombudsmen who acted on behalf of the residents and their well-being.

I feel life begins at conception, and for that, these humans need an advocate. And I’m willing for that voice to be me. They deserve a safe haven in the womb and out.

I’m pro-life because the Bible is my guide

I am not a religious person. But I am a Christ follower and life is everything to Him. So much so He gave up His life for all our sin. His Word says killing is a sin. Abortion is killing. It is ending the life of a baby. Do I hate women who have made this choice? Do I hate doctors or staff that have participated? No. I believe we are to hate the sin. I hate abortion. I don’t hate the people. I’m a sinner, I just sin differently and we are all in need of forgiveness. But I stand by life.

I’m pro-life because the place women go to for resources is lying to you.

Abortion is big business. BIG. I am a reader and I have read testimonies from those who worked for the biggest organization that provides abortion and have changed their stance and left. Their marketing would lead women to believe they support your situation and want to help.

They could care less about you.

Abortion is an industry with a dark, evil underbelly. Ever hear of andechrome? It’s the secret elixir of the elite and guess where the best comes from? Babies. I believe sooner than later you are going to hear about this in the way that will absolutely devastate the majority of the world. It was never about giving women freedom. It was about making money and selling baby parts. God’s honest truth.

Now look at the pregnancy care centers. They counsel long term and offer resources. You aren’t shuffled in and out and left alone. They fundraise tirelessly so they can have state-of-the-art equipment to show you the precious life inside you and how to best care for yourself and baby. I know women who have had abortions and their experience was not rooted in care. They felt left alone, hastened, and used.

I know there are cases of forced encounters or a chance of something being wrong, and I understand that argument. However, I have read of women who allowed those babies to live under those circumstances. For those who were forced, there are women who gave their babies up for adoption. There are those who raised the children despite the devastating encounter, and those mother/child relationships were amazing.

For those that heard of a diagnosis that could alter the child’s life or mother’s, that’s where my faith comes in. I trust God. If it comes to pass, I have to believe God would equip families. Honestly? I know more families who heard a terrible diagnosis and chose to continue the pregnancy and absolutely nothing came to pass at birth. Everyone was healthy.

I can’t imagine the fear a woman must have when she learns she is expecting and it wasn’t part of her plan. My heart goes out to her. It truly does. But when I’m asked where I sit on the abortion issue, I will always speak for life. It begins at conception. Every human deserves to have a voice. I’m not aware of any woman who celebrates her abortion choice and didn’t suffer emotional and even physical consequences when the place they went to gave zero support. I believe not just in God, but I believe God. And deep in my heart, naïve as I might come across, I believe He will take care of everyone involved when they choose life.

What if I’m wrong? I don’t think I could be seeing my principles are based on His Word. But if by chance I am, my consequences are minor. The bigger question is what if you don’t agree and you’re wrong?

I pray for anyone wanting a little back story found it today.

If you have had an abortion and would like to speak to someone who understands and can help you sort out your feelings, Pregnancy Care/Life centers offer counsel. Do not grieve alone. I know women who received deep emotional healing from their choice by seeking counsel there.

Love Unforseen by Penny Zeller

The Inspiration Behind the Love Letters of Ellis Creek Series

When I decided to write Love from Afar, I had no idea it would morph into an actual series.

Love from Afar made its debut appearance in The Secret Admirer Romance Collection published by Barbour Publishing in 2017. The collection included nine historical romance novellas of concealed love. When Barbour reverted the rights back to the authors, Love from Afar found a second home with Maplebrook Publishing this past February.

But soon, the creativity kicked in and I knew I couldn’t stop with just Gabe and Meredith’s love story. Tillie and Willard begged for their own book. Before I could stop the flow of a pen, or shall we say, the flying of fingers across my keyboard, Willard, aka Will, was returning to Ellis Creek, hoping for a chance with Tillie Waller, the girl he’s always been fond of. An added bonus? Lula Kleeman had a second chance to be a matchmaker (and eat more jawbreakers).

Tillie and Will’s story was a particularly fun one to write. Highlighting Tillie as a logophile and rekindling Will’s love for a girl he knew from eleven years ago presented a plot I couldn’t refuse. Tie in love letters and Love Unforeseen was born. New characters were created and old ones revisited.

Some books are lighthearted and an easy escape from this at-times challenging world in which we live. I designed the Love Letters from Ellis Creek Series to be just that.

The only problem I discovered when writing Tillie and Will’s story was that other secondary characters were pleading with me to have their stories written as well. All with letters and notes as an underlying theme.

Mollie, Gideon, Genevieve, Oliver, Jacob, Mr. Norman, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Vannostrand, to name a few, have all vied for stories of their own, or to, at the very least, star again as secondary characters. Taking a return visit to the charming Ellis Creek, Montana, in the late 1800s, a town where everyone knows everyone else and falling in love via the written word, was too enticing to refuse.

Stay tuned for Love Most Certain, the third installment of the Love Letters from Ellis Creek franchise, where I once again connect readers with characters finding love through the penning of letters and notes.

Until then, happy reading!

Love Unforeseen Blurb:

Will a best friend’s matchmaking scheme be successful?

Tillie Waller finds her life’s purpose in molding young minds as a teacher in Ellis Creek in the late-1890s. While she claims contentment, there is a part of her that longs to marry and be a mother, like her sister, Meredith, and best friend, Lula. But no matter. With her students and books, how could she ever be lonesome?

Willard “Will” Fairbanks has longed to return to Ellis Creek since the day he left the town with his family twelve years ago. When a job offer at Ellis Creek Mill beckons his return, Will eagerly embraces the opportunity. An added bonus? He hopes to reconnect with Tillie Waller, the girl he has always loved—the girl who never felt the same about him.

When Tillie encourages her pupils to write to pen pals in another town, she can’t possibly foresee how such an assignment will impact her own future. Her best friend, Lula, concocts a plan, unbeknownst to Tillie, for Will to become Tillie’s pen pal under a false name. Tillie forms a connection with her pen pal and even dares herself to fall in love.

When she falls in love with both Will and her pen pal, which one will she choose?

Will love unforeseen become a reality for Tillie and Willard?

Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. While she has had a love for writing since childhood, she began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics. Today Penny is the author of over a dozen books. She is also a homeschool mom and a fitness instructor.

When Penny is not dreaming up new characters, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, camping, hiking, canoeing, reading, running, cycling, gardening, and playing volleyball.

She is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency and loves to hear from her readers at her website www.pennyzeller.com and her blog, random thoughts from a day in the life of a wife, mom, and author, at www.pennyzeller.wordpress.com.

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Where to purchase Love Unforeseen

With Each New Dawn by Gail Kittleson

With Each New Dawn

            Sometimes a girl needs a little pick-me-up, so my publisher created this new cover for With Each New Dawn, and we’ve spruced up the contents, as well. Due to a couple of bone breaks, I’m tardy with this announcement, but am picking up where I left off.

So let me tell you about Kate Isaacs . . . one of my favorite World War II characters.

The Great War left Kate an orphan, and World War II renders her an expectant but resilient RAF widow. In spring 1943 as she works in a London government office, a mysterious Frenchman, Monsieur le Blanc, claims he knew her mother in the Great War and ignite Kate’s buried hunger for her father.

Monsieur claims Kate has her mother’s courage. But Kate shelves her haunting questions in preparation for motherhood and her best friend Addie’s arrival from the States to help with the baby. The Allied Invasion of France, for which Addie’s volatile husband Harold trains with his unit on the British coast, overshadows everything andalso affects the French Résistance.

Domingo, a Basque shepherd, guides downed Allied pilots over the Spanish border, but longs to settle on his ancestral homestead with his beloved Sancha. Against his wishes, she volunteers to aid Jewish refugees. Then Domingo learns that the Gestapo has rounded her up with some children.

He and his partner Philippe return Sancha’s body to her parents. Domingo recommits himself to thwart the Nazis, always aware of his aged mother and younger brother Gabirel caring for the family’s sheep.

In July Addie replaces Kate in Charles Tenney’s government office. She immediately impresses Charles, a wounded RAF veteran. His mother and Addie see Kate through a life-threatening miscarriage, but restlessness motivates Kate to accept a position at Allied headquarters. She again encounters Monsieur le Blanc, who suggests that like her spy father, she is born to aid French Jews betrayed by the Vichy government.

Kate joins the Secret Operations Executive. In the Auvergne, Domingo meets her parachute drop, nurses her hurt ankle, and carries her to safety. She settles in Le-Chambon-sur-Lignon, a refuge for displaced children, and acts as a courier.

Hours away, Domingo still grieves his dear Sancha. Sometimes, the uncomplaining American agent he met rises in his memory as he carries out increased Resistance missions to thwart the Nazis.

The rest of the story? All of these threads intersect meaningfully in With Each New Dawn.

While instructing college writing classes, penning a memoir paved the way for Gail Kittleson to write historical fiction. Her make-do characters, usually World War II era, rise above adversities to make a difference. She loves to encourage other writers through her workshops. She and her retired Army Chaplain husband enjoy grandchildren, research, and creating a Northern Iowa cottage garden.

http://www.gailkittleson.com/
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Living Water by Allison Wells

Living Water by Allison Wells

Living Water is the story of a wallflower in a family of prize-winning roses. Based on the story of the Woman at the Well in John 4, Roxie DePrive only wants one thing – to be loved unconditionally. That desire leads her to get married fresh from high school to the first boy who pays her attention. But when that marriage is short lived, she marries again, and again. She gets married five times in all, just like our Samaritan woman in the New Testament.

I’ve always wondered what led that woman to be married so many times. Was she five times widowed? Did her husbands leave her? What happened in her life? We know that because she went to get water at mid-day, she was not a popular woman in town. Most of the village women would have gone to the well early when it was still cool. They would have traded gossip and laughs as their children ran around playing. This is a big social time for the women of the village.

But not our dear girl, she was excluded from that. She did not walk with the other women, she did not trade recipes and stories. She was likely the story on everyone else’s lips. A woman fallen from grace for some reason or another. In fact, in the Bible, she is never given a name. This grieved me.

So I wrote her story in a modern era. Starting with her high school years in the 1990s (anyone who came of age in the 90s will love the references) and carrying Roxie through to the 2020s, we see her transformation from senator’s daughter and a first time bride to social pariah who is rumored to be a man stealer. Roxie is pushed away from polite society after her five marriages.

Just like the woman in the Bible, Roxie is at an all time low when she meets Jesus in the form of a kind pastor who offers her living water. Neither woman understands what that is until it’s explained. And then, oh, then how their lives change. In John 4 we see the woman put down her water jar and run back to town to tell everyone about the Messiah.

Y’all. The social pariah of the town literally ran to those who scorned her to tell them about Jesus. That’s powerful stuff there. She was the first evangelist. That’s the power of Jesus coming into your life.

Roxie’s life is strife with sin and condemnation. But because someone believed in her and encouraged her, she turned her life around. I do love a good story of redemption and this is a big one. No matter how many times you stumble, God will always be there to pick you up. He guarantees it in Psalm 37:24.

I hope and pray that this story of redemption will resonate with all readers. No matter your past, you have a future with God in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Back of book blurb:

As the lackluster youngest daughter of a U.S. Senator, Roxie DePrive spends her life thirsting for one thing: to be loved unconditionally.

So, when her first boyfriend turns into her first marriage, Roxie’s life undergoes a drastic change. And when that first marriage doesn’t work out, she marries again.

And again.

Until Roxie marries five times.

The first marriage is puppy love, then dangerous love, convenient love, wishful love, and one that might possibly be the real deal.

And yet, none of the men she marries can quench the thirst she feels in her heart. It’s only when she meets a man who knows her entire life and all her mistakes that Roxie learns the power of something else-the deep and abiding peace of Living Water.

A modern retelling of the Woman at the Well in the New Testament, Living Water shows us that no matter our past, it’s God’s love that truly quenches the thirst of our souls.

Short Excerpt: 

Remi came into the restaurant mad as a hornet. He was muttering and sputtering what I could only figure were expletives in French. 

“What’s the matter?” I asked as I chopped peppers across from him. There had been no hint of anger when I had left our apartment an hour before. I wondered what would cause such a change in demeanor so quickly. 

“Stupid government,” he said before ranting again in French. “My visa has expired. I have to go back to France.” 

I stopped my knife mid-chop. “Go back? Why? Can’t you stay here?” I knew Remi had his own life, but I was asking for purely selfish reasons. Remi had been such a wonderful friend to me. I didn’t want to lose him. 

“I have tried to extend it, but it’s been denied. I will be deported within the week,” he said, throwing his hands up in the air. “I don’t want to go. I don’t want to leave this restaurant and you, cherie. And I cannot leave Becca.” 

I began chopping again, hoping the repetition would LIVING WATER 85 help me think. An idea came to me immediately. “I know! Why don’t you and Becca get married?” 

Remi’s face softened and he looked at me. “Ah, Roxie, I wish it could be. But est impossible.” 

I came around the table we were working on and took his hands. “But why? It would allow you to stay here. And I admit, Remi, I need you. You’ve been such a great friend to me.” 

“Roxanne,” Remi sighed. “We have not told you and Erin the whole truth. Becca and I are in love, yes. But the reason she moved in so fast is that she is trying to get a divorce from her husband. So we cannot get married because she already is married. He is what you say about Josh – a bum.” Remi looked down at his shoes, embarrassed. 

“I had no idea,” I whispered. “My divorce was over pretty quickly. But we had an annulment. Can’t she do that?” 

He shook his head. “No, apparently not. I see no way through this. But it kills me to think of leaving Becca. I was going to propose to her and everything. You know, after the divorce was final.” He pulled a little ring box from his pocket and showed me a modest, but dazzling, little engagement ring. I shook my head at the shame of it all. 

Surely there was an answer somehow. Later that day as we were preparing for dinner, several men in black came to the restaurant asking for Remi. Chef Tallant burst through the kitchen doors from the front room in a tizzy. “Remi, you need to go. Immigration is here!” Chef Tallant was a hard boss, but he treated his employees like family and he had grown increasingly fond of Remi. He pushed Remi’s arm in an effort to slide him out the back door. 

“What do you mean immigration is here?” he asked, his voice high. “I thought I had more time!” Remi looked from Chef to me, his eyes pleading. 

Thinking quickly, I stood next to Remi and dug into his pocket. I opened the ring box and put it into his hand and shoved Remi down on his knee. The door burst open and three men in suits stood in the doorway just in time to see my fake excitement at a wedding proposal that had not actually happened. 

The men looked at the scene before them. Chef Tallant stood mouth agape. Remi on the floor before me with a ring extended. The rest of the kitchen looked shocked. Hopefully this plan would work. 

“What’s going on here?” asked the one in front. His eyes narrowed and his mustache twitched. 

“Shh,” Chef said, waving a hand at the man. “Do not interrupt this beautiful moment.” He had caught on immediately. 

Remi looked distressed, so I quickly piped up, “Yes, I will marry you!” I grabbed the ring and put it on my finger. I was relieved it fit. I bent down and hugged Remi, helping him back to his feet. Quietly I whispered, “Play along.” 

Once he understood what I was doing, he jumped into the role. “Oh, cherie, I am the happiest man today!” And he kissed me. It was probably the most dramatic kiss I had ever received in my life; I had to stifle a laugh. 

Once the moment was over, everyone in the kitchen applauded. Everyone, that is, except for the three uniformed men who had intruded. “What the devil is going on?” the first one asked again. 

“Don’t you see? They are in love!” Chef exclaimed, shaking his round body before him. “I will make you the best wedding cake! I will make all the food for your wedding!” He came over to us and kissed us both on the cheek. 

“Remi Bonhomme? You will have to come with us,” the man with the mustache said. He took two huge steps toward us. 

I cozied up to Remi and batted my eyelashes at the men. “You can’t take him, we just got engaged!” 

Buy Links:

https://amzn.to/3HdpBQh

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/living-water-allison-wells/1138623694

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18239522.Allison_Wells

https://www.monsterivy.com/living-water

Allison Wells is an author, avid reader, and sweet tea addict. She graduated from Clemson University and began writing books as a way to escape the doldrums of newspaper reporting. Allison is married to a wonderful man and they are raising one red-headed teen daughter and three wild boys in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Check out her daily adventures on social media. Her motto is, “Life is Short, Eat the Oreos.”

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https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18239522.Allison_Wells