Supreme Court nominee will do anything

It's still cold out there...

When nobody loves you, you have nothing to lose.

Lily Masters is not getting involved with any fake job scheme covering a sex trafficking operation supposedly cooked up by her stepbrother, prison guard Art Townsend. Hoping to get help at a friend’s place deep in the woods of northern Wisconsin before a blizzard, Lily loses her way. At first, she doesn’t realize how fortunate she is to be found by Cam Taylor, a poetry-spouting former lit professor. Cam has his own reasons to hide while writing a biography of his Civil Rights activist grandparents and accidentally stirs up a cold case murder involving a potential Supreme Court judge. When trouble follows, either of them is the likely target.

Beneath every story is layer upon layer of trust and lies. Who can they believe when things go from surreal to devastating?

Amazon Print: http://amzn.to/2fPE5tt

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2ew7YMM

Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2fPIAEj

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2fwuwia
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/understory-1

Women’s Fiction

Romantic Suspense

Keywords: racism, prejudice, Wisconsin, suspense, sex trafficking, prison life, dogs, blizzard, Civil Rights

Theme:

The underlying theme of UnderStory is prejudice—how we look and perceive others and judge them and ourselves by the way they look, whether we can see the physical or emotional scars. Lily Masters is born with a genetic condition, Poland’s syndrome, which colors her world, makes her feel unloved and unwanted, and although she’s learned to hide her condition and feelings, get a good job and function in public, she can never again connect with someone who would learn about her physical problem and reject her. When Lily is rescued by a biracial Literature professor, Cam Taylor, who is dealing with prejudice on so many levels, and they are stranded together, she begins to learn not to judge people and situations by what others say or even by her own standards. Lily and Cam’s journeys are about learning that shame is a reaction they choose based on others’ perceptions and standards, not something they have to accept. Learning to free herself from the bonds of self-loathing, Lily realizes how to be strong and fight for her family and how to accept love as well as give it. Cam comes to a peaceful place as he learns to see the world through what is, not through what he anticipates.

Endorsements:

Lisa Lickel weaves together a masterful tale of intrigue and romance, and the multilayers of complexity will leave the reader turning the pages. The characters are well-developed, and overarching themes involving racism and prejudice will resonate with the reader. The story takes place in the Midwest—in a small town that harbors a big secret—perhaps more common than anyone dares to imagine. UnderStory is one of those rare books that’s not only a great read but makes a statement about what’s most important—in the midst of depravity, unfairness, and greed.

—Lorilyn Roberts, award-winning author and founder of the John 3:16 Marketing Network

Drugs, human trafficking, and corruption all play their part in Lisa Lickel’s atmospheric thriller, UnderStory, but it’s the characters and the love story you’ll remember most. In some ways, the book reminded me of the movie Fargo—quirky locals, investigators facing not only ruthless criminals but also a frozen winter landscape of snow and ice in an isolated far north town. The blizzard is the catalyst that brings together two emotionally damaged strangers when Cam finds the mysterious Lily unconscious near his isolated cabin. When he brings her inside, he becomes involved in both love and dangers he never expected when he hid himself away in the woods.

—Robin Johns Grant, author of Summer’s Winter.

Excerpt

Cam Taylor listened to ice crystals pinging his kitchen window pane. Too cold to make decent snowflakes.

He’d let his dogs inside last night—early morning—when they made a ruckus. After filling a water bowl and offering treats, he let them stay near the woodstove. The mercury plunged way below the fat red zero on the ancient Wisconsin Bank of the Great North Woods outdoor thermometer. It was really cold out there in the driving blizzard…not counting wind chill.

He gulped the last of his coffee while he watched the two animals pace between the kitchen stove and the front door, restless. They were as mixed up a breed as he. Lear was mostly retriever, the shelter said, and Iago, part Shepherd with the usual dark markings, but shorthaired.

“So, you want to show me what you found? Hmm? Maybe some deer hide we can salvage?” Fatally cold out there, yeah, but a brisk walk through lashing snow might shake the vapors of the ghosts that clung after his dreams.

While he dressed for outdoors, he continued to talk to them. “Better be more exciting than a rabbit, guys.” The white stuff already heaped six inches deep in places, and he couldn’t tell exactly where his driveway started. The dogs shot out the door as soon as he opened it. Lear and Iago howled and acted stupid, pouncing and prancing in the blowing fluff. Cam lashed his snowshoes to his boots, grabbed his poles, and took off from the porch steps after them. One deep breath sent him sputtering and rasping. He tied his scarf across his face and muttered, “Twenty-four below, one gangsta ready to roll…”

Author Lisa Lickel is a Wisconsin author who loves books, collects dragons, and writes inspiring fiction. She also writes short stories, feature articles, and radio theater, and loves to encourage new authors through mentoring, speaking, and leading workshops. Lisa is a member of Women Fiction Writers of America, the Council for Wisconsin Writers, the Chicago Writer’s Association, and vice president/instructor for Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp and Writing Retreat, Inc. She is an avid book reviewer and blogger, and a freelance editor. Find more at LisaLickel.com.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lisalickel

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lisajlickel

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisalickelauthor

Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/2bPxi2X

The Fourteenth of September by Rita Dragonette

$16.95 Print

$9.99 Ebook

Buy on Amazon

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About the Book:

On September 14, 1969, Private First Class Judy Talton celebrates her nineteenth birthday by secretly joining the campus anti-Vietnam War movement. In doing so, she jeopardizes both the army scholarship that will secure her future and her relationship with her military family. But Judy’s doubts have escalated with the travesties of the war. Who is she if she stays in the army? What is she if she leaves?

When the first date pulled in the Draft Lottery turns up as her birthday, she realizes that if she were a man, she’d have been Number One—off to Vietnam with an under-fire life expectancy of six seconds. The stakes become clear, propelling her toward a life-altering choice as fateful as that of any draftee.

The Fourteenth of September portrays a pivotal time at the peak of the Vietnam War through the rare perspective of a young woman, tracing her path of self-discovery and a “Coming of Conscience.” Judy’s story speaks to the poignant clash of young adulthood, early feminism, and war, offering an ageless inquiry into the domestic politics of protest when the world stops making sense.

A brief interview with the Author:

Rita, what do you love about this book? 

I love the fact that this is a woman’s story and point of view about the Vietnam War, which is an era we think about as being all about the men and their voices. As we note the many 50th anniversary milestones of the period, it’s time, as we sit back and are able to be less raw about the subject of the war, to realize that there are many angles and stories that are important that have yet to be told. The story of women is and should be at the top of that list. 

In my novel I wanted to present a female dilemma with the same emotional intensity as the key issue of the day for the men. For them it was: do I go and probably lose my life to fight in a war that I don’t believe in and my country no longer supports? Or, do I go to Canada, which is another kind of death, where I lose my history, my family, my country. I’d be alive, but everything else would be gone. 

In The Fourteenth of September, Private First Class Judy Talton, in college on a military scholarship, goes on a similar journey to her “Coming of Conscience,” as she weighs her concerns about the war and her role in it. 

Rita, introduce us to your most challenging character. 

By far the most difficult character to write, all the way through the penultimate version of the manuscript, was Judy’s mother. It was important that she reflected her military background and the overall generation gap in her determination to ensure that Judy stayed on her version of the straight and narrow path. It was what she had learned was lacking in her experience. She wanted Judy to have a better life. 

However, I continued to make her so mean and unyielding that she always ended up a one-dimensional villain. Perhaps I was letting in too much leftover anger from my own relationship with my mother, and it’s true the computer really “smoked” when I wrote those scenes. 

Eventually, I settled into what I hope is a vision whereby the objective reader can clearly see that although her mother’s methods may be a bit harsh, she clearly is trying to help Judy in the only way she knows how. And Judy, being a teenage girl, doesn’t see this at all. 

Share two things you learned while researching this story. 

The first were the rapid developments within the timeframe of the story. Though I had lived through the real-life incidents depicted in the novel, I had a researcher fact-check and was astounded at how quickly the historical events unfolded. This influenced the pacing of the novel. I originally wanted Judy to take far longer to “change” and more slowly evolve into what would become an imperative to make her very important decision. However, this being historical fiction, I had to make it happen within the very short time constraints of the real occurrences. The entire story takes place in only a few months. The time between Judy walking into the Tune Room and the Moratorium is only a month, the March on Washington only a month after that, the Lottery another month. The rhythm of the plot had to move from genuine historic incident to incident. 

The speed of events also dictated the structure of the story. Originally, I had been planning a narrative about the three key women—Judy, Vida and Marsha—showing different aspects of the women’s experience of the time and how they were drawn into the movement, etc. However, there just wasn’t “time” in the historical framework of the novel, so it became Judy’s story. 

The second thing I learned was about the women’s movement in these early days of feminism. Though I had a clear focus of what I’d experienced, through research I learned more about what happened outside my own campus. Though many of us had felt disenfranchised, I came across those who knew that women had actually been in charge of much of the antiwar movement and bristled at the old phrase that “men manned the battlements while women made the coffee.” I ended up acknowledging that although there were always strong and vocal female leaders, the tremendous sexism of that early-feminist era intimidated many others. And sometimes that intimidation—as in my own case—was self-imposed. 

What are you reading now? 

I’ve been reading a lot of local authors as I’ve become more involved in the literary community while bringing my own novel to market. I’ve offset the frenzy of final editing and book-launch details by immersing myself in wonderful books written by writers of staggering talent: Swarm Theory, by Christine Maul Rice, Once in Lourdes by Sharon Solwitz, and The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. Next up is Paulette Livers’ Cementville, another female point of view on Vietnam. 

What’s coming up next? 

I have three projects in various stages of development: 1) a homage to The Sun Also Rises about expats in their ’50s and ’60s who have come to San Miguel de Allende with their last dream; 2) “Master Race,” a novel about women (German and American) in World War II and how their war experiences shape themselves and their children and grandchildren; and 3) “Violating the Prime Directive,” a memoir in essays.

Those sound exciting. Thank you, Rita.

About the Author:

Rita Dragonette is a writer who, after spending nearly thirty years telling the stories of others as an award-winning public relations executive, has returned to her original creative path. The Fourteenth of September, her debut novel, is based upon personal experiences on campus during the Vietnam War, and she is currently at work on three other books: an homage to The Sun Also Rises about expats chasing their last dream in San Miguel de Allende, a World War II novel based upon her interest in the impact of war on and through women, and a memoir in essays. She lives and writes in Chicago, where she also hosts literary salons to showcase authors and their new books to avid readers.

My review:

The Fourteenth of September is a glimpse into the life of a co-ed during the tumultuous draft lotteries of 1969-1970. At Central Illinois University, Private First Class Judy Talton has a lot to consider as she walks in her mother’s footsteps. An army nurse who served in World War II, Judy’s mother pushes her oldest daughter into the one avenue that would get Judy out of their narrow lower middle class lifestyle and into the bigger and better world. Their timing is terrible, as Judy, scheduled for nurse’s training through Walter Reed Hospital, will most certainly be sent to Vietnam once her education is finished.

Judy jumps out of her shell at age nineteen during her sophomore year to force open her own eyes and heart about the student protest movement. Can students—can she—really change the world? Is that what life is all about?

Rita Dragonette, a Chicago author and former public relations executive, uses her experience of being on campus during the turbulent years when the lotteries were being held, as the structure for her debut novel.

Written in three consecutive parts, the novel traverses a transformative period in which Judy meets a dynamic campus leader, David, and his cadre of dedicated fellow rebels seeking to make their voices heard. Vida becomes her closest friend. They want to stop what they view as a senseless war, to stop the killing using any means, even violence, and join the outcry from campuses across the States.

Once Judy makes her fateful decision on her birthday, September 14, to immerse herself in counter-culture, she can no longer go back to her former naïve self. “She was starting to feel there was an incredible groundswell everywhere she looked,” Dragonette writes, “and in everything she listened to about love and understanding and a common agreement that there was no longer any need for war. The army was wrong and Vida was right. She felt the world had started to turn a corner, and was convinced she didn’t want to be left out of it.”

As the story progresses, Judy tries to stay out of any limelight that will betray any or all of the fronts she’s fighting: her friend Pete in the ROTC who reminds her that she made a vow to serve her country; her new friends who are practicing what they believe with a fervor she partially fears; and her mother who cannot accept Judy’s need to see both sides of the story.

“This is a different war,” Judy tries to get through to her mother.

In Part II, student groups from CIU join thousands of others who travel to Washington DC in an attempt demand President Nixon hear their opinion. By Part III, the second semester opens upon reality. Until now, the students have been protesting for something they’ve heard, or read about, or watched on television. When the lottery starts, the war hits home, especially when Judy sees her male counterpart with the same birthday, Wil, receive the lowest draft number, meaning a certain call to report for service. Wil chooses to accept his fate, prompting Judy to continue to reexamine her own choices. When betrayed, Judy has more decisions to make which shows the extent to which she’s willing to go to end the violence, the killing, in her own place and time.

The story is beautifully written with compassionate and thoughtful narrative and engaging characters who play out all the angst of the era set on a Midwestern college campus when America was at its most vulnerable. Dragonette show us what we can be, both in our best and in our worst. The story contains liberal drug use, sexual situations, and language that parents may want to discuss with their early high-school-aged children prior to reading.

The Black Diamond meets his match!

Black Diamond Regency series

The Captain’s Conquest

White Rose Publishing, a division of Pelican Ventures LLC

Fifth full-length novel in the Black Diamond series

September, 2017

$5.99 Kindle

Inspirational Regency

Buy on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Captains-Conquest-Black-Diamond-ebook/dp/B07DTYH8P2

About the Book:

Captain Jared Allendale is weary of war, but Wellington gives him one final assignment before he is free of his obligation to the Crown: retrieve a package in Scotland and return it safely to London. Easy assignment for a man who's been an aide-de-camp for the past several years—until the package turns out to be Lucy Cameron, daughter of the Duke of Diamond. Lord Diamonte was banished to France for his treasonous acts. As Jared fights old demons, the dangerous journey south begins. The spectre of death hovers over them as Lord Diamonte's minions hunt Lucy and Jared. It will take love, gifts and their faith in God to help them overcome the evil that looms. Can Jared deliver his package without either of them losing their lives...and their hearts?

My Review:

The British throne is under threat from obvious enemies like Napoleon, as well as from subtle enemies, such as the evil Lord Diamonte during the early nineteenth century. This is the era of haves and have nots, the titled and landed gentry, those who know their places in society, and those with secrets. It’s time to reveal some of them, like the whereabouts of the treasonous duke’s daughter—the one who can defeat him.

The evil duke needs a virgin to sacrifice to his malevolent master in order to secure the power necessary to wrest the British throne. Unfortunately for him but mightily fortunate for her, his daughter Penelope, aka Lucy, has fallen into an accidental marriage with her escort. As Captain Allendale follows his orders to retrieve Lady Penelope from her hideout in Scotland and return her to London, he completely understands she is far above his minor standing in society He would not make a proper husband in any case after the horrors he’s been through as a prisoner of war in France. He plans to retire to the boring countryside alone after this final mission. But he learns he cannot fight both his own night terrors and the calm, soothing Lucy’s love. By the time they need to fight together, they and their family and friends are more than ready to put an end to the Black Diamond for good.

Twists and turns, red herrings and false impressions guide the reader through this well-drawn picture of the Regency era. While this episode in the series, as all of the books, can be read on its own, or in any order, readers familiar with the background of the family members and friends of the title character will enjoy reuniting with them. Captain has endured unspeakable ill treatment at the hands of the enemy, while Lucy has been trained to fear her father and love the Lord. Written in alternating voices, readers of inspirational historical romance who don’t mind reading about brutalities of war, hints of satanic ritual, or second sight will appreciate this fitting endcap to an evil lord, but hopefully not an end to other regency romances.

About the Author:

Susan M. Baganz chases after three Hobbits and is a native of Wisconsin. She is an Acquisitions Editor with Prism Book Group specializing in bringing great romance novels and novellas to publication. Susan writes adventurous historical and contemporary romances with a biblical world-view.

Susan speaks, teaches and encourages others to follow God in being all He has created them to be. She has a degree in counseling psychology, a background in the field of mental health, and serves in church ministry.

You can learn more by following her blog www.susanbaganz.com, her twitter feed @susanbaganz or her fan page, www.facebook.com/susanmbaganz

Other books in the Regency Black Diamond series

Two novellas:

The Baron’s Blunder https://www.amazon.com/Barons-Blunder-Black-Diamond-ebook/dp/B077N2N173 novella, free 11/17

Gabriel’s Gift https://www.amazon.com/Gabriels-Gift-Christmas-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B0774ZX27T novella, 12/17

Full length novels in the series:

The Virtuous Viscount https://www.amazon.com/Virtuous-Viscount-Black-Diamond-ebook/dp/B076BSVDDS novel 11/17

Lord Philip’s Folly https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Phillips-Folly-Black-Diamond-ebook/dp/B076BRPQNG  novel 11/17

Sir Michael’s Mayhem https://www.amazon.com/Sir-Michaels-Mayhem-Black-Diamond-ebook/dp/B07949YZPH  novel 2/18

Lord Harrow’s Heart  https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Harrows-Heart-Black-Diamond-ebook/dp/B07DV3K4M1  novel 7/18

Black Diamond series – now available, the first three full length books in one: The Virtuous Viscount, Lord Phillip’s Folly, and Sir Michael’s Mayhem

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-3-Book-Series/dp/B0799T65WD

All three for $15.99

Zoe McCarthy and the Putting Green Whisperer

About the book:

Suddenly unemployed, petite and peppery Allie Masterson returns home to Cary, North Carolina to caddy for her father on the PGA Seniors Tour. There, she encounters Shoo Leonard. The easygoing caddy drives Allie insane, but Shoo's uncanny ability to read the contours of the greens and his determination to overcome a personal hand injury, fascinate Allie. She finds herself agreeing use her sport science degree to become his trainer...and then she falls for him. Shoo Leonard is grateful to Allie for her singular determination to get him ready for the PGA tour, but he isn't ready for anything more. Still raw from a broken engagement and focused on his career, he's content to be her fist-pumping buddy...but then he falls for her. What seems like a happily-ever-after on the horizon takes a turn when Allie decides she's become a distraction to Shoo's career. Is it time for her to step away or can the putting green whisperer find the right words to make her stay?

$5.99 ebook

White Rose Publishing, an imprint of Pelican Ventures, LLC

September 14, 2018

Buy on Amazon

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A brief interview with the author:

Zoe, what do you love about The Putting Green Whisperer?

Allie Masterson lives golf, she caddies on a men’s PGA tour, and her father is a pro golfer, so she associates mostly with males. She’s more a tomboy than prom queen type. I love that guy caddies are romantically drawn to Allie—except Shoo Leonard. He’s the caddy with high ideals and destined for pro golf, the one she’s painfully in love with. Shoo is still raw from a broken engagement and is content to be Allie’s best friend. I like the social play between the guys and feisty but loyal Allie.

Introduce us to your sidekick.

Caddy Mark Hampton is hero Shoo’s best male friend. Mark’s pro player is off his game and not making it into the money. So, the stocky guy suffers financially, eating Ramen noodles and rooming with other caddies in cheap motels. He comes across as blunt, moody, and slovenly. But under his façade, is a loyal friend with a big heart and a good golfer.

Share something you learned from researching The Putting Green Whisperer?

I was surprised to learn that many pro golfers as well as their caddies struggle to financially stay on the PGA tour. Some pros are well off enough to fly to the next tournament, while others have to drive through the night to make the next tournament in time. Also, I learned that the PGA has a Tuesday night fellowship that includes worship and a Bible study.

What do you hope readers will tell others?  

Although the book has a golf background, I hope readers will tell others that the book is humorous and tender. I hope they’ll mention that the book is full of relationships that help Allie to grow in character and faith, such as with her father, her stepmother, Shoo, the other caddies, Shoo’s family, and Jesus.

What are you reading now?  

I’m embarrassed to admit, I have several books going. My husband and I live about forty minutes from stores and like to travel, so I read to John in the car. To him, I’m reading The Taking of Carly Bradford by Romana Richards. After lunch in my office before I plunge into the next writing task, I read Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Phoebe’s Light. In bed, I’ve been reading the Newberry winner hardback, Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool. When it’s time for lights out, I enjoy reading And Then Blooms Love by Sally Jo Pitts on my iPad.

What’s next for you?  

Edits should be back soon for Book 2 of the Twisty Creek series, The Identical Woman in a Black Dress for which The Invisible Woman in a Red Dress is Book 1. My nonfiction, Tailor Your Fiction Manuscript in 30 Days will release this fall, so I’m preparing to promote that book. Also, I've started writing a novella for a 2019 Valentine Day's collection, which will host five authors’ Valentine’s Day romances.

About the Author

A full-time writer and speaker, Zoe M. McCarthy writes contemporary Christian romances involving tenderness and humor. She is the author of The Invisible Woman in a Red Dress, Gift of the Magpie, and Calculated Risk. Believing opposites distract, Zoe creates heroes and heroines who learn to embrace their differences. Zoe and her husband live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Website and blog: https://zoemmccarthy.com

Now in paperback Justice with Emily Conrad

About Justice

Jake thought he was meant to marry Brooklyn, but now she's pregnant, and he had nothing to do with it. Brooklyn can’t bring herself to name the father as she wrestles with questions about what her pregnancy means and how it will affect her relationship with Jake. If Harold Keen, the man who owns the bookstore across from Jake's coffee shop, has anything to do with it, the baby will ruin them both. Can Jake and Brooklyn overcome the obstacles thrown in their path, and finally find the truth in God's love and in each other?

Released from Pelican Ventures last March, Justice is now available in print! $16.99

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble

Read my review here

What do you love about Justice?

I love the way the circumstances of the novel challenged my faith. As I wrote, I studied some tough questions about suffering, marriage, justice, and forgiveness. I hope the way this reflects in the characters’ lives and actions is as encouraging to readers as it was to me throughout the drafting process.

Introduce us to your sidekick.

I have two sidekicks—my dogs. Luther is a coonhound mix. When he’s up and moving, he’s a troublemaker, but he also really likes to be comfortable, so he spends a good portion of his day curled up in the papasan chair next to my desk. Our pit mix Sadie, is older and quieter. Sometimes she naps nearby, other times, she looks for a quiet corner farther from Luther’s habit of barking at passersby on the sidewalk outside the window.

Share something you learned from researching.

In Justice, a character is coping with the aftermath of a sexual assault. I learned that the number of women who face this is much higher than I ever suspected. Rainn.org reports that 1 in 6 American women have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetimes. Find that statistic and other resources here: https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence

It’s my prayer that Justice deals with this sensitive and important topic well and in a way that offers hope.

What do you hope readers will tell others?

I hope readers will tell others the story hooked them and left them thinking long after they turned the last page.

What are you reading now?

It’s not very glamorous, but I’m reading a book on the mechanics of punctuation, Proofreading Secrets of Best-Selling Authors by Kathy Ide. It’s important for writers to know the basics.

What's next for you?

I’m drafting a series of Christian romances where each novel follows a different member of a rock band. These have been so fun to write, and I hope someday they find a publisher!

Bio

Emily Conrad lives in Wisconsin with her husband and two rescue dogs. She loves Jesus and enjoys road trips to the mountains, crafting stories, and drinking coffee. (It’s no coincidence her debut novel is set mostly in a coffee shop!) She offers free short stories on her website and loves to connect with readers on social media.

www.emilyconradauthor.com

facebook.com/emilyconradauthor

Instagram.com/emilyrconrad

Twitter.com/emilyrconrad

Manhattan Grace by Clarice James

Manhattan Grace

Clarice G. James

Elk Lake Publishing

June 1, 2018

eBook $7.99

Print $12.99

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

About the Book:

When a door opens for Gracie Camden to leave Cape Cod and move to Manhattan as a nanny for a Juilliard drama instructor, she fully expects God to use her acting talent and launch her to stardom. She’s been here been six months. What’s taking him so long?

Seymour Kaufman relocates to New York City from Iowa due to a shortage of mohels (circumcisers) in the tri-state Messianic congregations. Secretly, he hopes to explore a deeper relationship with Metropolitan Opera star and fellow Moldovan, Polina Zelenka. Seymour is conflicted when he meets her less complicated, widowed cousin.

Meanwhile, fresh from Palm Beach, the Chief plans to cap off his short yet lucrative career as an international jewel thief with a multi-million dollar heist during the Met’s gala in Polina’s honor. His usual modus operandi is to work alone—but this time is different.

While Seymour celebrates every closed door by believing God will open a better one, Gracie whines and wonders why God doesn’t bless her plans. Gracie finally learns success is not about making it big in the Big Apple, but about living God’s perfect plan for your life.

My Review

I just like these characters and this fun story. Gracie has a ways to go to grow up, but don’t we all? I loved her grandmother who kept her grounded with fun sagacity and the always funny “say goodnight, Gracie” schtick that never grows old. I thought Seymour was a hoot, especially since I have family near Postville and really enjoy hearing how people adapt to the craziness of America.

I wondered how on earth these two stories were going to intertwine and, while I occasionally got a little impatient waiting for something to happen, was thoroughly entertained by a jewel thief, ala Cary Grant, prepping for his biggest heist. I figured out several whos, and loved finding out the why, which all came together in a symphonic, justifiable end.

Written from multiple viewpoints, readers follow a young woman on her way to fame and fortune and a middle-aged Jewish immigrant on the hunt for his soulmate. Strangers not for long in the Big Apple, they blunder and assist each other to the good and Godly life.

About the Author

Author Clarice G. James writes smart, fun, relatable contemporary women's fiction. When she's not writing, Clarice is reading, planning another New England Christian Authors Round Table Talk, or involved in a home decorating project. She and her husband, David, live in southern New Hampshire. Together, they have five married children and ten grandchildren.

Arthurian legends to love from Danielle Shipley

The Legend of Allyn-a-Dale, 

The Outlaws of Avalon, Book 3

Danielle Shipley

Ever On Word

October, 2017

eBook $2.99

Print $12.99

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble 

About the book:

Long ago: Hailed as heroes, killed as criminals, an extraordinary band of outlaws met their end in Sherwood Forest – all except the four who were supernaturally saved, and the one who did not exist. …Not yet.

Now: With Avalon Faire’s living legends finally free to move between the realms of magic and modernity, there’s no dream too fantastic to reach – including that kept alive by a secret society, awaiting only the right time, and the right minstrel, to rewrite history.

Just when the future seems brightest, the Merry Men find themselves thrust into the past, facing a second chance at the lives they might have lived … or the death they might not have the luck to cheat twice. For the otherworldly Allyn-a-Dale, it’s all in a day’s destiny. For an already struggling Will Scarlet, it’s a nightmare that may prove black enough to break him. And for the whole of the band, it’s anyone’s guess whether courage, cunning, and camaraderie can win out against their most infamous enemies: The Sheriff of Nottingham, Sir Guy of Gisborne, and – for once in eternity – Time.

My review:

I confess I’ve had this book since it came out. I happened to be moving at the time, so I saved it. I’m also one of those readers who hates for a really good thing to come to an end, so I avoid beginnings. Tragic.

Shipley’s absolutely delightful balladeer’s skills make me want to sit at her feet around the fire pit at the Ren Faire while she strums her stringed whatever and shares her stories. This one, an addition to the accidental heroic cast of Sherwood Forest fame charmed into modern-day fey life, is everything readers of Arthurian fantasy love. Especially if you’re a huge music fan. I’m enthralled by music, but half the giddiness for me is that I know nothing about it, so Shipley’s adorable chapter, or set piece openings to establish the pace of the segment, add to the magic and way-coolness.

Our noble cast by this time have accepted their fates, more or less, and adapted to contemporary life, some better than others. As a late-comer. Allyn a-Dale has a few more ponderences than the others, namely, was the whole time travel thing his fault? And if so, how can he fix it? The story seems like it might come to an abrupt shrug when Merlin assures him he’ll die trying. But of course, that little tidbit of act is only a challenge to a group of modern day misfits who think it’s their business to “correct” the past. Just an aside, if you’ve ever wondered how time travel can reasonably happen, read this. It somehow makes perfect sense. Especially coming from Merlin.

Shipley’s turn of phrase takes a little getting used to, but I promise you’ll be ruined for reading and have to stop a lot and just flop back and think, “wow, love that,” too often the first time through. But that’s okay. Read it again for a grip on the story.

And then meet me at the Faire. Sigh.

 About the author: Danielle E. Shipley is the author of the Wilderhark Tales novellas, the novel Inspired, and several other expressions of wishful thinking. She has spent most of her life in the Chicago area and increasing amounts of time in Germany. She hopes to ultimately retire to a private immortal forest. But first, there are stories to make.

Historical Romance in Seattle with Christine Lindsay

Sofi’s Bridge

Christine Lindsay

Pelican Ventures

c. 2015

ISBN 978-1611165203

Historical Romance

Ebook $4.99

Print $15.99

Buy on Amazon 

Buy on Barnes and Noble 

About the Book

Seattle debutant Sofi Andersson will do everything in her power to protect her sister who is suffering from shock over their father's death. Charles, the family busy-body, threatens to lock Trina in a sanatorium—a whitewashed term for an insane asylum—so Sofi will rescue her little sister, even if it means running away to the Cascade Mountains with only the new gardener Neil Macpherson to protect them. But in a cabin high in the Cascades, Sofi begins to recognize that the handsome immigrant from Ireland harbors secrets of his own. Can she trust this man whose gentle manner brings such peace to her traumatized sister and such tumult to her own emotions? And can Neil, the gardener continue to hide from Sofi that he is really Dr. Neil Galloway, a man wanted for murder by the British police? Only an act of faith and love will bridge the distance that separates lies from truth and safety.

My Review

First and second generation Americans with secrets help each other move beyond their stereotypes to protect the ones they love. One succeeds and the other watches another member of the family lose the battle.

Sofi Andersson, born of Swedish immigrant parents, has never suffered until the day her beloved papa didn’t come home, and her younger sister became so traumatized she can no longer function. Her mother Roselle is held up only with destructive advice from her physician and late husband’s business partner, who Sofi has long mistrusted. When threatened with institutionalization, Sofi kidnaps her sister with the reluctant help of their newly hired Irish gardener, Neil Galloway, who is not what he appears.

Sofi knows what she’s doing, running back to her late grandfather’s homestead and the friends and family who knew and loved him. Her father had certainly been a modern turn-of-the twentieth-century man who instilled independence in his daughters, encouraging them in daring to cross gender roles in architecture, math, and engineering skills. But he failed to surround them with the support they needed, and Sofi did right to leave Seattle high society and its rules to hunker down amongst her grandfather’s unconventional partners and family. It doesn’t hurt that this hiding place is also near her bridge-building late father’s last project. Sofi, at twenty-one, has absorbed all the skills necessary to build a railroad bridge, and when she realizes her father’s unscrupulous partner has changed her specs, she’ll move heaven and earth to save his reputation.

Meanwhile, Sofi is distracted by her new partner in crime, the Irish gardener Neil, who out of necessity confesses his true vocation and eventually the reason for his subterfuge. Their relationship grows over the summer, but as events come to a head, realize reputation is always trumped by faith, hope, and love.

About the Author

Irish born Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction and non-fiction. Readers describe her writing as gritty yet tender, realistic yet larger than life, with historical detail that collides into the heart of psychological and relationship drama.

This author’s non-fiction memoir Finding Sarah Finding Me is the true-life story that started this award-winning career in Christian fiction and non-fiction. This book is a must for anyone whose life has been touched by adoption. Christine is currently writing a new fictional series set on the majestic coast of Ireland and loaded with her use of setting as a character that will sweep the reader away. Subscribe to her newsletter on her website www.christinelindsay.org.

New Bible study from Larry Vaughn

A Crash Course in the Bible

By Larry Vaughn

Nonfiction Bible Study

89 pp.

Released May, 2018 from Bible Believers Publishing

$2.99 ebook

$6.99 Print

Buy on Amazon

See this post for other details.

About the book:

God is the author of the Bible as well as the author of life. He reveals his heart and his mind through his words. And when you read his words, you get to know him. A Crash Course in the Bible contains approximately two hundred Bible verses. And these Scriptures will teach you what God wants you to know.

“God so loved the world that he gave . . . .” That’s the essence of God. He’s a giver. That’s who he is and what he does. He loves us so much that he gave us his only begotten Son. And through him, God gives us everything that we need.

He gives us hope and joy and peace. He gives us the desires of our hearts. He gives us eternal life and many other precious gifts. A Crash Course in the Bible describes thirty-eight gifts that God has provided for you. And it tells you how to receive them.

My review:

Larry Vaughn, author the The Bible Believer’s Handbook, has released another little gem in A Crash Course in the Bible. In this tidy little book, Vaughn plucks lessons from everyday life, from children to faith to recompense to salvation and wisdom, and shows how the Word of God teaches God’s ways to humankind.

Opening with an introduction on how times have changed since the Pilgrims first sought America, Vaughn urges us to return to those spiritual roots, and ends with “Twelve things” every believer should know; again, the basics from what faith and redemption are to how to achieve that state of grace and what we should do about it through our newly opened conscience and confidence.

Readers of nonfiction Biblical works will find peace and comfort in these verses, as well as a good way to quantify your faith to share it in a meaningful and understandable way with others.

  

Two questions with Larry:

What do you want readers to know about your latest book, Larry?

I wanted to make the Bible easy to access and easy to understand. And to show how great God is and how generous he is to us.

What do you hope readers will take from this book?

The readers of my book will know what the Bible says. And they will understand what that means to them.

About the author:

Larry Vaughn has been married to his best friend Marie for fifty-one years. They have three daughters, eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. And they live just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. Web: http://larryvaughnauthor.blogspot.com and http://Biblebelieverspublishing.com

DiAne Gates and Roped, Booger Daddy, and Giveaway

About the Book:

Thirteen-year-old Crissy Crosby chases a dream to live up to her parents’ rodeo legacy. But the rodeo championship is two months away and problems beyond her ability to solve stack and teeter like a game of Tumbling-Towers. Meanwhile rival Jodie Lea and her father, Ed Fairgate, contrive to swipe the silver buckles from Crissy’s grasp any way they can. Prejudice, anger, and dark secrets simmer in a pot of family feuds destined to boil over in a tragic nightmare at the rodeo. Will Crissy develop courage and faith to overcome the consequences of her temper? Will her dreams of buckles and titles become reality? Or will the character-building adversities of her life quash her dreams forever?

$3.99 Ebook
$12.99 Print
Buy on Amazon

DiAne says:

I always want to know what prompts an author to write a story—

A vision in the night? A flashback? Daydreaming or what?

GIVEAWAY:

DiAne will give an ecopy of Roped in a drawing of those who comment with a story idea! What dream or flashback would you like to see in print?

Drawing will be held at 5 pm Central Standard Time on Tuesday, August  14, 2018.

The Roped Series had played in the back of my mind for years while I hung a million yards of wallpaper. Hanging from a ten-foot ladder, sloshing the glue, and trimming the paper, all the while writing a story in my head. It didn’t hurt my paper-hanging-partner was a rodeo champion and I often went to rodeos with her to shoot pictures.

One such night I was perched atop a chain link fence in a field judge’s seat snapping shot after shot of bronc riding and barrel racing when the announcer’s voice gave me cause to consider… Do I really want to be here?

But his twangy Texas drawl droned, “Hold on to your seat all you little range wranglers, bull riding’s up next!”

I looked at the large mud puddle beneath me…surely no self-respecting bull would venture over here…right?

With the camera lens set just right I peered in the zoom to see Booger Daddy…that’s right Booger Daddy…same bull that Crissy Crosby rides in the first book of the series Roped…B.D. did a quick rump rustle and sent his rider flying. Next thing I realized that snot-nosed-bull glared right at me.

Yep! He pawed three times, turned on the afterburners, and headed right at me, the fence and the mud puddle!

My husband screamed, “Jump and run.”

I couldn’t move. My legs were noodles. My mouth opened to scream, but no sound came out. Seconds seemed like hours, but a pick-up man saw my peril, cut his horse around between the fence, me, and the bull. They all arrived at the mud puddle at the exact moment and an explosion of wet, sticky, black Texas mud splattered my camera lens, and left nasty little me in my white eyelet peasant blouse, skinny jeans, and boots covered.

All in a night’s work for the cowboy and bull. But a horrible nightmare for me as I wobbled down from the stand, and with husband’s help headed for the car to clean and stow my camera for the night.

At that moment I knew one of the spot lights in Roped would introduce Booger Daddy to the world.

From Roped, Chapter Twenty-eight:

“The name Steer #1801-Booger Daddy, was right beside my name. I gawked at the board and thought of the picture on my night table. No. It couldn’t be.

But I found him in the pen, and the tag in his ear read Booger Daddy, III. O great. If it weren’t for bad luck—

Snot slung from his nose and he raked his horns across the iron pipe prison. The clanking and banging sounded like a jackhammer. Our eyes met. He pawed the ground and lunged at my side of the pen. My heart skedaddled behind me. This silver-gray Brahma, who looked just like his granddaddy, was the biggest, most ornery bull of the bunch. Talk about the luck of the draw.” 

The Builders Reluctant Bride by Stacey Weeks

The Builders Reluctant Bride

Stacey Weeks

White Rose Publishing, an imprint of Pelican Book Group

Released July 2016

ebook $3.99

Buy on Amazon

About the Book

He wants a second chance. She says there's no going back. Ten years ago, a public disgrace sent Jenna Jenkins running from her hometown. Now, the success of her professional future hinges on joining her hometown church restoration project. Her partner and team leader on the job is William Scott—expert renovator, volunteer fireman, and the ex-flame who ruined her life.  William is in crisis, facing the tightening screws of personal and professional failure. When the interior designer on the church renovation project turns out to be Jenna Jenkins, William sees it as a chance to make amends. But Jenna wants nothing to do with him.  How much will William sacrifice to redeem his mistakes and prove his love? Can Jenna protect her heart this time or will William break her for good?

My Review

Reunions aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. A decade should have healed all the hurt, but once Jenna sees William, the former high school love who crushed nearly everything about her in a senior joke gone horribly wrong, it’s like reliving the whole nightmare over again. Compounded by a gruesome marriage in between, Jenna can’t seem to catch a break. Sure, she’s grown up and successful, even finally well-put-together enough to rival the former cheerleading crew who gave her grief in high school, but the victory is hollow considering the changes that have occurred in her hometown during her absence.

A boost to get her interior decorating column in national syndication drives her home to help renovate a church. On television, no less, as the builder is trying out for a reality show. Her job is the inside. And to work with the building contractor who turns out to be none other than the young man from the disastrous high school prom night now turned into a real home town hero. The ten-year cushion may have helped them step back and put their lives into perspective, but accident on accident, misunderstandings, false pride, and a potential health crisis will most likely derail any possible romantic chance they might have had unless they can slow down and really listen to each other.

Beautifully written well-developed characters and story lines drive this lovely story of getting past some really bad choices and learning how to be gracious and forgive. These people have a long way to go by story’s end. They’re not perfect, though they have a conscience and will get there. I appreciate a good tale that doesn’t sugarcoat everything. Told through the two main character’s perspectives, I occasionally felt like I was missing something when I realized time had elapsed between the opposing narrator, but that’s natural and real. Those who enjoy highly inspiration elements in a romance between hard-bitten and twice-shy people will find a lot to love about this contemporary romance set in Michigan.

About the Author

Stacey Weeks is a novelist, writer, and painter of everything. She rotates between fiction and non-fiction work, loving the unique features of each. When not writing, she is usually painting or renovating something in her home. Visit www.staceyweeks.com for more information.

In Too Deep by Stacey Weeks

In Too Deep

Stacey Weeks

White Rose, an imprint of Pelican Book Group

Released November 2017

ebook $4.99

Buy on Amazon

About the Book

Like an anchor wedged in the lake floor, Grace Stone's heart is submerged in the past. Drowning in guilt over the role she played in her father's and sister's deaths, Grace prays that launching her water survival program at Camp Moshe will properly honor their memory and enable her to move on. But success depends on Grace risking everything on the man hired to rebrand the Christian camp. Kye Campton's usual confidence wavers when his extreme sports campaign lands him in hot water with the cautious instructor and it becomes increasingly evident that Camp Moshe's fight for survival is against more than a declining economy. Will Kye be able to save the camp—and Grace—from a saboteur determined to close the camp at any cost?

My Review

Set in northern Ontario, this Canadian adventure has multiple tugs in the reader’s heartstrings. A week at camp so kids can learn how to spread wings and make new friends should definitely be on every family’s agenda. With Camp Moshe’s model of discounting fees to make it affordable for almost anyone, it should be possible…but even generosity has its limits. When the camp begins a pattern of operating in the red, the board of directors demands a change or they’ll accept one of several offers to buy up their precious lake property for development. In comes Malachi, Kye for short, Compton, boy wonder fix-it man with a reputation for turning around sagging businesses. His idea to upgrade the camp offerings with riskier activities seems to be working with better enrollment and a great staff experienced in rock climbing and trail biking. Except for the water sports director. Grace has some bugaboo about safety and caution, and when things start to unravel at camp, doesn’t hesitate to nag with “I told you so.”

The threats and “accidents” get personal. Both Kye and Grace have their futures resting on a positive program at the camp—Grace with a national program to promote water activity safety, and Kye to keep up his reputation as a genius businessman. Between a dangerous bear, malfunctioning equipment, booby-traps and fire, not to mention astronomical insurance, everyone, especially the kids, will lose if they have to close the camp. Everyone but the mastermind behind the sabotage, that is. The race is on to save camp, and for Kye and Grace to discover what’s truly important in life: their individual goals and their mutual attraction.

Alternating points of view between Kye and Grace tell their story, inner desires, and mutual goals in this charming story. Readers will be transported to their own days of experience at summer camp, or at least get a fun twist on summer romance—meddling moms and all. Lots of fun.

About the Author

Stacey Weeks is a novelist, writer, and painter of everything. She rotates between fiction and non-fiction work, loving the unique features of each. When not writing, she is usually painting or renovating something in her home. Visit www.staceyweeks.com for more information.

Toby's Troubles by Carole Brown

A new mystery in the Appleton, WV series!

released July 10, 2018
$2.99 ebook
$11.99 Print
Buy on Amazon
Book 4 in the series

About the book

Everyone loves Toby Gibson. A co-owner of Undiscovered Treasures, a unique shop of antiques, collectables and junk, Toby is friendly, generous to a fault, the director of the local plays in Appleton and supports his church's youth functions. But the minute his sister, Caroline and her new husband, take off for their honeymoon, a “ghost” begins to haunt the shop—or maybe it's just an intruder. If so, Toby has no idea for what the thing is looking. To add to his troubles, he suspects Amy, not only is bidding for the property he's wanted forever, but is in love with him. And he's not interested.

Amy Sanderson who owns the only flower shop in Appleton—Bloomin' Life—is drawn into capturing Toby's “ghost” when her own business is damaged by a destructive intruder. Having loved Toby since a teenager, she's more than willing to join forces with him. But she has no interest in being his best friend or a sister to him. And if she has to resort to schemes of outbidding him at his frequent auction attendences to get his attention, then so be it. She can be just as stubborn as the man who's determined to ignore her love.

In between the break-ins, destruction of property, thefts and personal competitions against each other, Amy and Toby work together to find the thief who seems so determined to find a valuable item, he'll stop at nothing.

My Review

Toby Gibson is sure he’s got a ghost in Undiscovered Treasures, the store he owns with his sister, who’s out of town on her honeymoon. He’s alone in the above store apartment, but as sure as he is that he’s got an unwanted visitor, he’s equally sure Detective Eddie of the Appleton Police won’t be able to help. Not until his friend Amy from the flower shop on the other side of the abandoned building between them and he start experiencing real break-ins, that is.

From the moment Toby meets a grumpy old man badgering Amy who outbid him on a piece of furniture we wanted at an auction and stole his dream of expanding into next building this fourth book in Brown’s series is like coming home to old friends.

Poor, clueless Toby, is about to get a lesson in the real meaning behind best friends. It’s a riot to watch Toby get what’s coming to him while working with his friends to unravel the mystery of dark family secrets in sunny Appleton, West Virginia.

Cleverly weaving businesses and friends from the previous stories and melding them into a new mystery, Brown makes Appleton a fun place to visit. Told from multiple perspectives with good pacing. Brown’s stories are clean and inspirational, and recommended for junior high readers and up.

About the Author

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole  Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. She loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband have ministered and counseled across the country. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons? 

Connect:

Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.author
Twitter: https://twitter.com/browncarole212
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brown