October Clash of the Titles. Vote Now!

Autumn leaves are falling from the trees, and we've raked in some great books for this month's Clash of the Titles!
Vote for your Fave!

Scroll through these releases and cast your vote for your fave.

It's a tough choice, but it's up to you to determine our Clash Champion!

Love's Faithful Promise by Susan Anne Mason
Widower Dr. Matthew Clayborne is devoted to two things: his work with wounded soldiers and his four-year-old daughter, Phoebe. When Deirdre O’Leary, a feisty New Yorker, arrives requesting he use his skills to help her stricken mother, he has no idea how his life is about to change.
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Feta and Freeways by Susan M. Baganz



Nikolos Action is the lead singer of the band and doesn't realize love is right in front of him until their manager, Tia, is almost killed trying to save his life. After years of ignoring her is it too late to earn her trust...and her love?

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Dangerous Alternative by Kelli Hughett

Hollywood grip, Levi Boulter unknowingly puts himself in the crosshairs of a murder plot. Now, he'll do anything to keep the woman he loves safe, even if it means losing her forever.

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Inconceived by Sharyn Kopf

Realizing you’re a spinster is one thing; understanding what that means and how to handle it is another. And, it would seem, Jolene, Uli and Catie still have a ways to go before they truly comprehend what God is trying to show them not only in their desire to marry but in their longing to have children of their own.

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Child of Dust by Shoba Sadler

After the sudden death of her parents, Vietnamese socialite Cao Kim Lye steps out of a world of crystal and chandelier to enter the dust and chaos of working-class Hanoi when she goes to live with her Amerasian chauffeur and his adoptive family at a shop cum living quarters.

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Gillian's Heart book review

Gillian’s Heart 

BJ Bassett

Desert Breeze

c. October 2015

ISBN 978-1612525358

$3.99

$8.99

Buy on Amazon 

Buy on Barnes and Noble

About the Book

Abandoned as a child by her alcoholic parents, Gillian Grant was raised by her grandmother in a beach house in California. As an adult, in tribute to Gram’s memory, Gillian wishes to restore the house to its former splendor. But she can't do it alone, and hires Dusty Bradshaw to help her.

Gillian and Dusty have nothing in common, except the restoration of the house. Gillian suffers from anorexia and is in denial. While she has a strong faith in God, Dusty is an unbeliever. Add to the complicated mess Gillian's confusing feelings for Josh and the sudden, unwanted appearance of Gillian's mother Betsy, who claims the house is hers. And she intends to sell it.

Gillian always dreamed of her wedding in her grandmother’s garden overlooking the Pacific. Will there be a wedding? Who will capture Gillian’s heart -- her stable, longtime friend Josh -- or Dusty, a new Christian, who has kept secrets from her? And who holds the deed to the house?

My Review

A young woman feeling abandoned with the death of her beloved grandmother is estranged from her alcoholic mother. Gillian, a school teacher, lives in her grandmother’s once-safe haven of a California beach house, surviving by holding to her deep Christian faith and gift of music, and by renting a bedroom and the apartment over the garage to friends Samantha, Josh and his new friend. Josh notices her predilection toward extreme thinness, and his friend, the surfer/handyman Dusty, who matches her loss for loss, reluctantly agrees to help watch over her while Josh is away on business.

Dusty challenges her prejudices in ways that make Gillian take stock of her soul. She is unaware of her friend Josh’s lifelong love and hopes to marry her, instead turning away from him, her close friend, toward Dusty who she is determined to introduce to matters of faith, and inadvertently creates a tangled romantic web. A quick, pressure-filled engagement reveals their need to trust before their mutual leap.

Told in multiple viewpoints, Gillian’s Heart is a lesson in overcoming life skirmishes that threaten our identity and relationships with others and with God. The author takes a lighter touch with the troubling illness of anorexia nervosa than a more realistic approach which would normally include lots of hard work and therapy to deal with, but other than that I found the characters compelling and the story entertaining and well told. A sweet romantic read with the sweetest happily ever after.

About the Author

B. J. Bassett encourages others as an author, teacher and speaker. Her books include a historical novel Lily, iUniverse; A Touch of Grace—The G.R.A.C.E. Ministries Story, Xulon; and coauthor of My Time with God, Focus on the Family, Heritage Builders, with over 55,000 copies sold. She teaches writing workshops at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon and at writer’s conferences. As a speaker for Stonecroft Ministries, she tells her story of rejection and acceptance, not only in life, but as a writer as well. She also offers book talks, including discussion questions and shares the journey -- from the seed of an idea to a published book. She enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles, knitting, munching warm scones oozing with butter and strawberry jam and sipping earl grey tea. A native Californian, she now lives with her husband of 57 years in Roseburg, Oregon, where she wrote Gillian’s Heart. Her current work-in-progress is Sweet Charity.

Carole Brown's WWII work

With Music in Their Hearts The Spies of WWII Book 1

Carole Brown

ISBN  978-1941622032

$2.99 Ebook

$12.99 Print

Story and Logic Media Group (November 1, 2014)

Buy on Amazon 

About the Book

Angry at being rejected for military service, Minister Tyrell Walker accepts the call to serve as a civilian spy within his own country. 

Across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio, a spy working for a foreign country is stealing secret plans for newly developed ammunition to be used in the war. According to Tyrell’s FBI cousin, this spy favors pink stationery giving strong indications a woman is involved. 

Tyrell is instructed to obtain a room in the Rayner Boarding House run by the lovely, spunky red-haired Emma Jaine Rayner. Sparks of jealousy and love fly between them immediately even as they battle suspicions that one or the other is not on the up and up.

While Tyrell searches for the murdering spy who reaches even into the boarding home, Emma Jaine struggles with an annoying renter, a worried father (who could be involved in this spy thing), and two younger sisters who are very different but just as strong willed as she is.

Tyrell works to keep his double life a secret and locate the traitor. He refuses to believe that Emma Jaine could be involved even when he sees a red-haired woman in the arms of another man. Could the handsome and svelte banker who’s also determined to win Emma Jaine’s hand for marriage, be the dangerous man he’s looking for? Is the trouble-making renter who hassles Emma Jaine serving as a flunky? Worse, is Papa Rayner so worried about his finances and keeping his girls in the style they’re used to, that he'll stoop to espionage? 

Will their love survive the danger and personal issues that arise to hinder the path of true love?

My Review

Ms. Brown’s historical novel is a delight. The book adds a twisty dimension to the WWII spy game that isn’t often considered from the US war-time arena. Yes, there were spies in the US, stooping to betray their country and sell information to our enemies, creating a new level of mistrust when these traitors could be our next-door neighbors, or even family members.

When a young pastor tries to enlist but is turned down for head-scratching reasons, his debonair, fun-loving cousin comes to the rescue. Or was this all part of some elaborate plan? Tyrell Walker gets to serve his country after all, just not on the European or Asian fronts. With his cousin Ben’s contacts, Tyrell is pulled into the underworld of espionage and given orders to find out who is selling secrets. He is given a position as a church pastor and a room in a boarding house which the government believes hides their target. Nearly every boarder, from the spunky elderly Miss Gertie, to the aspiring catty actress, the couple who always argues to the banker who seems to have a lot of late nigh crises at the bank, not to mention the owner of the boarding house who’s falling on hard times, is a potential spy. Tyrell has his work cut out for him, but his heart is truly in God’s corner and the pastorate is not just a cover. He is God’s servant first, an undercover agent second, and falling in love with his landlady, Emma Jaine. Can he keep all of these pieces of his life in control, or will he let his heart overrule his good judgement?

Brown uses period clothing, lifestyle and a lot of slang in her tale of life Stateside during the perilous era of World War II. Told in multiple viewpoints, the story opens with action, clues, and faith that God is in control during an era gone amok. For those who like inspirational period historical novels with lots of romance, relationship issues, and 1940s culture. Discussion guide included.

Thrilling contemporary fiction from Jim Baton

A Way Out of Hell

Book two of the Peace Trilogy

Buy on Amazon US 

Barnes and Noble

Ebook $5.99

Print $15.99

About the Book

When ISIS turns your city into a living hell… ISIS unleashes a reign of terror across Indonesia. As a former jihadist, Abdullah knows all too well the high cost and absolute ineffectiveness of fighting such violence with violence. He accepts the impossible challenge of finding the ISIS cell hidden in his city, and disbanding it non-violently. But time is running out, and there may not be any city left to save. Meanwhile, he has to protect his adopted daughter Sari, a Christian university student, who is one of ISIS’s targets. Together they come face-to-face with the holy warriors of mass destruction and strive to overcome that evil with good. In this riveting sequel to Someone Has to Die, Jim Baton introduces us to the real people caught in the web of terrorism, with their wide variety of backgrounds and motivations, and the possibility that they, too, can change.

My review

Baton has racked up an impressive amount of endorsements for his very fine work, Someone Has to Die and A Way Out of Hell, including a former congressman. Although I trip but am willing to reason over his website declaration that Christians and Muslims worship the same Father, I can read his fiction and appreciate his craft for sharing a story that is frightening realistic and full of possibilities.

A Way Out of Hell is a sequel to the 2012 story, Someone Has to Die. Both are set in Indonesia, a heavily Muslim country, but one actively fending off radicalized Muslims who promote one world extreme sharia dominance through acts of murder and terrorism. Obviously portraying the fascinating setting and culture in a natural manner draws in a reader unfamiliar with this part of the world. A sympathetic peacemaker who sees and acknowledges his human flaws, the societal failures and resulting loss of his family through divorce and murder, Abdullah makes his purpose one of not giving in to hate and cruelty; to look beneath the reasons and meet needs in a positive way that is able to turn and pass it on. The back cover description shares the story. My review is simply that the writing is stellar, the story riveting and excruciating and occasionally embarrassingly true when Baton showcases who is willing to risk peace at all costs and who doubts it can be done. This is the ultimate lesson in meeting extreme prejudice head-on and refusing to blink. Baton makes me believe.

Told through multiple characters, A Way Out of Hell is a lengthy but page-turning, cringe-worthy tale of extraordinary people in an alien setting, whether native or guest, forging peace and brotherhood without thought of price.

About the Author

Jim Baton (pen name) has spent the last 20 years living in the Muslim world, where he’s been involved in a variety of peace and reconciliation activities including interfaith dialogue, training elementary through university students in peace principles, and bringing Christians and Muslims together to pray.  His real name and photo won’t appear on this site to protect his identity from radical groups where he lives out his faith.  When in America, Jim is available to speak to groups that have a heart for loving those of the other religion and can protect his identity.

Goodreads Giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Innocents Pray

by Lisa J Lickel

Giveaway ends October 31, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

New Inspirational Fiction from Jan Elder

About the Book

Didi O’Brien is engaged—at least she was an hour ago. Now she’s not so sure. Her fiancé, the suave Kevin Cabot, has just revealed that he’s been unfaithful, and he’s not the least bit sorry. Reeling from the betrayal, with her plans for a happily-ever-after life in doubt, she prays for direction. The answer comes as a complete surprise. God has someone better in mind.

Middle school teacher, Jake Montgomery, is struggling with some issues of his own. Sadly, a year previously his fiancée had been killed in a car crash. Battling anger and despair, in a mountain-top experience, Jake wrestles with the Almighty, and is ready to live again. In his youth, he’d felt an unmistakable call to the ministry but, like the prophet Jonah, since then, he’s been running hard in the wrong direction.

Through a crisis of faith, and glimpses of mercy, Didi and Jake find each other. But can they find the strength to resolve the many obstacles that conspire to keep them apart?

Prism Book Group, September 2016

$3.99 eBook

$14.99 Print

ISBN:  978-1537410845

Buy on Amazon

A Brief Interview with Jan

Jan, welcome. Tell us what do you love about this book.

Seven (long) years ago, I started to write my first book, Love, Lies, and Fireflies. I loved the process of dreaming up exceptional characters with unique personalities and it kick-started my creative juices. Creating characters with hardships and major flaws, just like real people, was something I really wanted to achieve in an entertaining way. And what was most important? Making sure that God showed up as a central character—without being preachy. That will always be a passion for me.  

One of the most wonderful aspects of writing this book, though, was that I could slip parts of REAL people in there. The hero, Jake Montgomery, is a lot like my dear husband and the heroine, Didi O’Brien, has a lot of me in her. In the novel, Didi’s father passes away many years before the book starts and my own amazing father died in 1992. I made Didi’s dad a lot like my own. She has wonderful memories of sweet times spent with her father, and so do I. In fact, the title of the book has a lot to do with her daddy. I feel pleased that by including him in my book, I can honor my father in this special way.

Cool! That is an awesome tribute. I doubt I'll ever publish my first book, but every once in a while I pull it out and glance through it. Introduce us to the easiest character to work with.

That would have to be Jacob Scott Montgomery, a.k.a. Jake the easygoing introvert with the word “hero” stamped on the back of his tee-shirt. Seriously, though, he’s a good guy who’s had some real tragedy in his life, but he’s determined to make it through.

I’ll give you a taste of this sweetheart’s personality with a short excerpt from the book:

Didi opened the door with a sunny smile. “Hi, Jake. I see you found me.”

On this unseasonably warm evening she was wearing cream-colored slacks and a petal-sleeved, burgundy, flowered top. Jake had remembered her as being cute, but this evening, his date was downright beautiful.

Full of admiration, his eyes widened. “Nice outfit. You look great.” He handed her the bouquet with a flourish. “I hope you like flowers.”

Didi’s face lit up with pleasure. “How thoughtful, Jake. I love flowers, and these are beautiful. Please come in for a minute, and I’ll put these in water.”

They moved into the living room as the cat from the window scampered into the room.

“Remember Maisie? I hope you’re not allergic to cats.”

“Definitely not allergic. I have a cat of my own.” He squatted down and extended his hand to the calico. “My, you’re pretty.” Maisie sidled up to him, rubbed her face against his leg, and fell in a happy heap at his feet. Doubtless, it was because his hands still smelled like the catnip he’d just given his own cat, Lucy, but there was no need to share that information with Didi.

“Little flirt.” Didi slanted her head. “I’m shocked. Maisie’s usually wary of men, so this is a monumental occasion. Look at her. She’s practically batting her eyelashes at you.”

Jake hoped to have Didi batting lashes at him soon, but for now, winning over her cat was a good start.

Sounds like a guy you’d like to take home to mother, doesn’t he?

Definitely! Share two things you learned during either the writing or publication process of this book.

Everything takes longer than expected but you make some wonderful friends along the way.

And speaking of friends, in the Christian world, publishing is not only about what sells, but also about how to get the word out there that God loves us unconditionally and He wants to have a real, exciting, personal relationship with His children. If we are all focusing on this truth as a team, nobody loses. I am blessed to work with so many remarkable authors who feel the same way.

What do you hope readers will tell others when they've finished the book?

I will share a review I received on Amazon that made my heart soar. As an author, hearing words like this are so very uplifting because you feel the reader actually “got” what you were trying so hard to convey. A humbling moment that truly brought tears to my eyes and a “Thank you, Jesus”:

This story certainly didn’t disappoint! The characters were engaging and well developed. In fact, they practically came to life and jumped right off the page. On the surface, this was a romantic tale with a suspenseful twist, but on a deeper level, this story explored the love of God and many other Christian issues. As the story unfolded, it discussed the complexity of dating relationships and the consequences of certain choices. I appreciated how the author gave the characteristics of abusive relationships and explained how a person could get out of one. I also appreciated the emphasis the author put on God. I thought this was a truly wonderful book. It had romance, suspense, and a beautiful, redemptive message. I’m looking forward to reading more books by this author.

What are you reading now?

I’m SO glad you asked that question. I stayed up until 3:00 a.m. this morning reading an advance copy of YOUR new novel, UnderStory. That’s another cool thing about being an author—getting to read some stellar books before anyone else!

Blushing...Thanks, Jan. What's next for you?

I’ve just finished writing a Christmas novella for a boxed set with four other inspirational authors. The set is called Frosting and Flurries and there is a cake and a celebration featured in each book somewhere. My book is titled Moostletoe, set in a fictional town in Maine called Moose Creek. Here’s the short blurb:

Rev. Samantha Evans lands in Moose Creek, Maine, where parishioners chew up new ministers for breakfast. Happily, she also reunites with forest ranger Eric Palmer, her best friend from her teenage years. With Samantha’s career on the line, Eric must save her job and rescue his own shattered heart in the process. But where does Matilda the moose factor in?  

At the moment, I am writing book 2 in the series, tentatively titled Moosed Opportunities. Lots of fun!

That does sound like fun. Can't wait to see it in print. I've got Love, Lies, and Fireflies on my list. Watch for a review!

About Jan

Jan Elder is an inspirational romance writer with a passion for telling stories other women can relate to on a deep level. She strives to write the kind of book that will strengthen the reader’s faith, introducing the reader to a loving and forgiving Lord who walks beside us in our daily lives, while also providing an entertaining and engrossing love story.  

Happily married for thirteen years to loving (and supportive) husband, Steve, the two live in central Maryland along with Jamie (a chubby black and white tuxedo cat), and Shu-Shu (a willowy tortoiseshell cat). On the weekends, Jan and Steve comb the nearby countryside in search of the perfect ice cream flavor.

Connect with Jan:

http://janelderauthor.com

https://www.facebook.com/janice.elder.author

https://twitter.com/JanElderAuthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13261561.Jan_Elder

https://www.amazon.com/Jan-Elder/e/B00VXW5F2C/

Judy DuCharme and the Society of the LAMB

Society of the L.A.M.B.: Love. Authority. Mercy. Boldness.



$3.99 eBook
$11.99 Print
Near future Inspiration thriller
Prism Book Group

Buy on Barnes and Noble
Buy on Amazon

About the Book

In a raucous colony of those who celebrate dark desires, Josiah and other LAMBers who believe King Glory lives are hunted and imprisoned…or worse. But hope and truth endure in the midst of total danger. After fleeing the colony, Josiah finds light and hope at his grandfather's house, where a secret gathering of LAMBers have escaped the watchers. After learning of the power of the shout within himself, Josiah is chosen to carry the truth to others. But how can he return to the colony without being captured and put to death? The shout cannot be denied. Josiah knows his mission.

My Review

I honestly didn’t know what to think the first time I read this book. On the second reading, I wondered if I knew this place, this too-near, impossible, frightening future when Christianity is forced underground and grunge rules. Not if, but when.

DuCharme paints a grim picture of a time when active persecution against authority or show of faith is taking place in America. The persecution doesn’t even stem from a cohesive structure or face, but is a pervasive mentality which is somehow more frightening. It’s easy to fight something that has a name. Faith never dies, but emerges more determined than ever to show itself through Love that conquers, Authority over evil, Mercy toward the undeserving, and Boldness of witness.

A small but growing group of faithful Christ-followers are determined to retake their lives and battle near anarchy. Under the wing of the newly-awakened Josiah who returned to the fold of his grandfather, those who hear and practice the Shout gleefully strip the Over Garments of chaos and restore colonists, when possible, to Jajireh. With the help of an amazing angel band who has just as much joy overcoming every obstacle the evil one sets up, the Lambers rescue the kidnapped and retrain the near-lost.

Told mostly from Josiah’s perspective, the Society of the L.A.M.B. is sure to spark great conversation.

A brief interview with Judy

Judy, tell us what you love about this book.

What I love about this book is that it deals with today even though the idea formed several years ago. At the time it was, in my mind, a scenario far in the future, and it seems closer every day. I also love that it gives practical truths on how to be strong in the Lord on the inside, which is my heart. It's not enough to know that...we need to walk it out, and I love that it can be done in a novel, not just non-fiction.

I honestly felt that way too. Thank you for sharing your thoughts in this story. Can you tell us some things you learned on this publication journey?

Because, this was the first novel I wrote, I learned so much about writing, about letting go of wordings and giving words and scenarios more clarity. I also learned that it's a longer process than I first imagined, but that it's worth it. I still am learning how to market as it's a whole different skill set.

I didn’t guess this was your first book, thought I knew it had been published previously. We never stop learning and growing. What are you working on next?
What's next is the publication of my novella, Run With the Wind, and short story Christmas Ivy, both in November. I'm currently working on the Hall of Fame Edition of the Cheesehead Devotional. It will be out for the 2017 football season. I'm praying for the publication of my second novel, Blood Moon Redemption. And, I'd like to finish another novel that I began a while ago. Plus I'm working on a short piece for Guideposts right now. And then there's hiking, and family, and church, and life :-).

Exciting! And Run With the Wind is a cutie story. Thanks, Judy, and best wishes.

About the Author

Judy DuCharme is a retired fifth-grade teacher (22 years at Gibraltar School in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, with an emphasis in science), former Christian radio announcer, Bible study teacher, speaker, author, and a great fan of the Green Bay Packers. She obtained her B.A. from Michigan State University in Communication Arts and her teaching degree through the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Judy s passion in all she does is to see people strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Her first published book, The Cheesehead Devotional earned her the Best New Writer Award (2013) at the prestigious Write-to-Publish Conference. Judy lives in Wisconsin with her family.

The South, Football and Life

Congratulations to Janet W. Ferguson and the novel Tackling the Fields for taking home this month's Clash crown! We're pleased to feature this guest post, which gives us a little insight into Janet's book and football...yes, football!

In the South, most of us love football. It’s something we talk about, cheer for, and spend time watching with friends, whether in person or as a group viewing it on TV. The adrenaline seems to flow as the leaves begin to turn from deep greens to those fall yellows and oranges, a chill touches the air, and those pads and helmets are put on.

My husband played high school football. He was a center. I’ve always watched the sport at whatever school I attended, and of course, in Mississippi, a lot of us follow the SEC games. I never thought a whole lot about why we enjoy watching so much or about the injuries the players battle with—until my son played the sport.

His junior year, he tore his ACL and his shoulder labrum participating in this sport he loved. And he was not able to make a comeback. I saw the game through different eyes as he struggled with the loss. He missed the comradery, the goal, the discipline, the friendship. Everything about being a part of a team.

While he was going through three of four surgeries that he ended up having, I began writing Tackling the Fields. It combines this love for a game with the loss of a dream for one character and the loss of innocence for another. It was a challenging, almost painful, book to write. But in the end, God heals our wounds and helps each of us recover from our broken places.

He’s there to free each of us from the heartaches that try to take us captive.

About the book:

Cole Sanders is a changed man. The university quarterback questions his direction in life after serving on a mission trip in Honduras. Things that used to fill Cole’s ego seem empty after witnessing the developing country’s extreme poverty and the death of a precious child. The one glimmer of hope through his confusion is the fresh perspective he now has about his tutor, Audrey. She possesses something beautiful inside and out—something that might help him become the person he wants to be.

University senior Audrey Vaughn tutored Cole Sanders for an entire year and never imagined the popular quarterback would see her as anything more than a friend. After partnering with him on the mission trip, they are drawn together. And he appears to have changed for the better. To let Cole into her life, Audrey will have to overcome not only her brother’s distrust, but also the paralyzing fear still lingering from a past she’s tried to leave behind.

Cole can’t walk away from Audrey now that they’re back in Oxford. He’ll have to figure out how to keep her giant of a brother, a lineman on his football team, from killing him when the coach has his back turned. But can Audrey trust her heart to a player so similar to the one who stole so much from her in the past?

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Prism Book Group Love Is series A Haven in the Woods

Love Is Number 11: Love always protects

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a New International Version (NIV)  

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is no tproud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8. Love never fails

A Haven in the Woods

Nancy Bolton

Novella, romance

$2.99 eBook

Buy on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2dcG2Td

Print collection coming soon

About the Book

Ellen is running away. Heartbroken and carrying the ever growing shame of her foolishness in trusting a man, she rents a remote cabin in the woods. All she needs to do is survive until the baby is born. Once that happens she’ll be free to start a new job and a new life. The last thing she expected was to be pulling out her gun on a strange man walking out of the woods.

Robert loves the solitude of the mountains. Tracking the wildlife with only his dog for company. It’s not the profitable career his family would desire for him. He wished they’d understand. But the woman in the cabin, while an annoyance, also concerns him. She’s not prepared for the brutal winter in the mountains. And pregnant? He resolves to help her.

Robert falls for the taciturn woman and even more for the child she carries. When her home is destroyed he brings her to his…offering protection and shelter from the harsh winter. He can’t understand why she won’t talk about the baby, or make plans for it.

Can two lonely souls trapped together, testing the limits of solitude and friendship, find true love?

My Review

All of the books in this series connected only by a Bible verse are based on one aspect of First Corinthians 13:4-8. Bolton’s romantic novella uses love “always protects,” and takes place deep in the Appalachians. Ellen and Robert have both decided to take a break from the harshness of society and chosen to battle nature instead. Brutal, beautiful, predictable in the change of season, each needs a chance to be alone in order to assess their individual wounds, and then to heal. Winding up as unexpected neighbors, Robert has the advantage of a cabin with a working stove to protect him from winter’s blast, while Ellen must learn that there are heroes in the world, and that trust is not overrated. That lesson comes hard to both of them.

Robert is one of those too-good-to-be-true superheroes I adore. Yes, he has grown from a wounded heart, yes he’s stubborn, but that’s what gets him back on the road to life. Who doesn’t love a man who’s willing to give everything for an infant? Ellen comes from a bubble that is difficult to break from, and yet, when she does manage to free herself, she realizes that freedom can have overwhelming consequences. As a faith-filled couple, they are better at facing life head-on, meeting their obligations and serving the Lord with joy together.

Bolton’s lush setting paints a perfect backdrop for these people who learn that protecting each other, no matter who they came together, as well as living under the protection of God’s wings, makes life worth living. Told in multiple viewpoints from the perspectives of the main characters, this sweet novella clips right along at a quick pace. Full and satisfying, readers will root for both Robert and Ellen, even in the darkest moments.

Enjoy an Excerpt

She kept the gun aimed at him. “Stay off my property or I’ll shoot you.”

“Technically, I’m standing on my land.” His calm voice didn’t fit with having a gun trained on him. He pointed at a small orange flag affixed to a rod in the ground near him. “The survey marker shows where your land starts and mine ends. Also, you can’t just shoot someone in New York State for stepping onto your property.”

He seemed like a reasonable person, but didn’t people always say psychopaths were good at appearing normal? She continued to point the gun at him. “I can shoot anyone I think means to harm me.”

“Well, that wouldn’t be me.” He shrugged and gave a brisk flip of his hand. “See ya.”

About the Author

Nancy Shew Bolton is a wife of 42 years, mother of five grown sons, and grandmother to a boy and girl. Ever since she learned to write, she would jot down her thoughts and impressions in little snippets of inspiration in the form of poetry, song lyrics, or short essays. About six years ago, she decided to try her hand at writing a full-length book. She’s since written five works of fiction, two non-fiction, and is working on an idea for a children’s book, as well as more fiction manuscripts. Writing a full-length work is much more challenging than she thought, and she has received so much valuable assistance from other writers, especially from the ACFW critique groups. Her husband has been supportive of her long hours spent at the keyboard. Many thanks to her beloved Johnny! She thanks God and His Son for her life, her loved ones and the spark of creativity inside every person. She believes each person is a unique creation, with their own special voice and place in this amazing universe. God’s handiwork amazes her every day!

Feta and Freeways by Susan Baganz

Prism Book Group

2016

ISBN 978-1537366043

eBook $3.99

Print $13.99

Buy on Amazon, BN, Smashwords

From the Back Cover

He’d never noticed her…till now.

Nikolos Acton is the lead singer of a Christian Band, Specific Gravity, struggling to make it in the industry after an unplanned break, touring the country with their manager, Tia.

Tia Bartel loved Niko for the longest time, but it wasn’t until she stepped in to save his life that he finally realizes what has been there all along. Is it too late for him? Could a relationship between them work after years of ignoring her? How would he ever convince her he’s worthy of her trust?

As they journey on the freeway of life and love, they encounter struggles as they are forced to rely on their faith, and friends, to make it through.

My Review

I’m a big fan of outside-the-box contemporary fiction, and the Orchard Hill series steps right in to fill a rut of genre-specific romance, suspense, or mystery. Yes, these are love stories, but tales with a purpose that don’t need to be formulaic.

This fourth story from Baganz follows her general true-to-life premise that everyone has issues, everyone is broken and everyone needs the Lord as Master of his or her life. Then we need each other, and it’s the dealing with each other part that always gets tricky, even for Christians. These very faith-oriented stories are all stand-alone, but draw on characters from the other books. In this book, the person who makes everything work for a rising contemporary Christian band, Tia, prefers the shadows of anonymity to worship her hero, the lead singer Niko, from afar. When Niko receives his wake-up call after Tia’s attack by a crazed not-fan, the spotlight shines on her—both the ugly and the good sides of what she’s made of. Coming into the light is a huge risk, yet one she’s willing to take with Niko’s enlightened promises and support.

Feta and Freeways is this story of what it takes to be committed to a higher purpose, a network of people who rely on each other through faith, family, and talent offered to the glory of God. It’s not perfect, it can be messy and twisted, but through it all there’s some giggles, a number of surprises and twists, revelations and a set up for the next adventure. A truly enjoyable read with a peek into life on the road, roots and wings, and the joy of camaraderie. For those who like faith-based stories of contemporary life in sometimes not so nice places and realistic decision-making.

Family drama fiction from Terry Barnes

As the Leaves Kiss the Stream 

Terry Barnes

ISBN-13: 978-1632132505

Print $10.99

Ebook $4.99

August 2016

eLectio Publishing

buy on Amazon Kindle or Print

Family drama

novella

... a story about a father and his seventeen-year-old daughter. He is a missionary; she is a problem.

Together they go camping and fly fishing in the Ozarks. Together they clash and argue.

Then one cold, October morning as they fly fished beside the pure water of the stream, together they learned something about grace.

For the tears of a father ... are as the tears of God ... that fall silently and caress the one beloved, much as the autumn leaves that gently fall and kiss the stream.

MY REVIEW

As the Leaves Kiss the Stream is a beautiful, poignant novel, a vignette of a three-day battle culminating a lifetime of passing in the night. The combatants have only words, memories, and perceptions for weapons. There is blood, tears, a baptism and the promise of rebirth. And fly fishing.

If missions begin at home, Elijah Gamble missed the boat. He’ll be the first one to admit it, once he learns how truly deep the home field and Kenya divide had grown. Elijah and Evelyn, his wife, did the best they could with their only child, daughter, Erin, to provide the safest and best education while in Africa. This is the part of the story that reveals how parenting can go so very wrong—not for lack of love or good skills, but for doing the best a parent can in a situation where that will never work out the way it should. The story reminded me of my family in a similar situation, but without the fallout.

At his wits end, Elijah takes his daughter on a camping trip to get her away from her volatile mother. The reader winces throughout his truthful inner monolog and Erin’s harsh, self-condemnation, through soaking, cold, stormy nights and days, fried trout & potatoes, caddis flies & confessions. Somewhere during these stubborn days comes the revelation of emotion and spiritual abuse from a wrongly trusted place, a deep-seated sense of abandonment. Elijah comes to grip with his call to serve God in a way he couldn’t hear while serving as an alien in a foreign land.

Told in first person from the father’s point of view, with flash forwards and real-time memories of past events, readers who appreciate and explore family drama in novella—short book—form will be touched by this lovely, thoughtful story. Hope, faith, and love…yes, these three remain.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Terry Barnes won the 2005 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest for his first novel, In Everything Give Thanks. His second novel, Whispered to the Heart, also explores the fundamental questions of life and faith. His latest novella, As the Leaves Kiss the Stream, is a story of conflict and grace between a father and his seventeen-year-old daughter, in the context of fly fishing in the Ozarks.

His writing shows the quest for meaning in the swirl of life, a struggle common to humanity. As for literature, its purpose is to illustrate truth with such words that will capture the heart and soul of the reader. 

Terry is also an online adjunct professor of religion for several major universities. His website is http://terrybarnes.us.

Rex Owens and Contemporary Irish Fiction

               

Murphy’s Troubles

Rex Owens

eBook $2.99

Print $14.99

ISBN: 978-0615895048

348 pp

Buy on Amazon

Ian Padraic Murphy harbors a scandalous secret. To avenge the death of his best friend in a Belfast raid, Ian joins the Provisional IRA which he conceals for 30 years. He meets investigative reporter Eileen Donohue and friendship blossoms into a love affair. Eileen inadvertently discovers the man she thought was a reclusive novelist is actually the brain trust for the IRA. Eileen betrays her lover by disclosing his secret in Ireland's leading newspaper. Driven by guilt and remorse, Ian atones for his years in the IRA by working with Sinn Fein to negotiate the 1998 Peace Accord which ended The Troubles in Ireland. After deserting the IRA Ian's own troubles are far from over when they order his assassination. The assignment is given to his friend, IRA Commander, Kieran Fitzpatrick. Will Ian pay the supreme price for disloyalty to the IRA?

My review:

Owens has a passionate voice for the historical extremist movement in contemporary Ireland. Told mostly through alternating viewpoints, the reader is carried along with Ian Murphy, who as a young university student, is recruited and serves the next thirty years in the Irish Republican Army.

With loving exacted scenery and dialect, the author transports his readers to the Ireland of the sixties, to the underlying despair of prejudice, anger, and inequality due not to outward characteristics, but to devotion and heritage according to faith. Allegiance to a culture of religion causes sides to be taken and lines to be drawn. Owens’ fictional account of the inner workings of what it might have been like for principal players in the movement, unable to trust anyone, not even the people you grew up with, called brother, or confessed to or shared a bed with, provides a rich and satisfying read.

Out of Darkness, book 2

Rex Owens

eBook $2.99

Print $14.99

400 pp

ISBN: 978-0983298489

Buy on Amazon

Author Ian Murphy battles lifelong alcoholism and chronic depression. Desperate to cleanse his soul, Ian dedicates himself to finding redemption. To confront his demons, he spends a summer hiking on Dingle Peninsula. He meets Mairin McCarthy, and finds unconditional love but still succumbs to the shadows within. 

In the fall of 1998 the British government is determined to build walls in Belfast to separate Catholics and Protestants. The only peace citizens of the city can have requires walls. Murphy dedicates himself to stopping more walls from being built. He's convinced the challenge is his path to redemption. 

While living in Belfast Ian learns that distrust and hatred divide the city's residents as much as the walls do. Both Catholics and Protestants accept the walls as the price of peace. The walls will be built. How will Ian Murphy find redemption and crawl out of the darkness?

My review:

Owens slips into first person for this second book of his trilogy about contemporary Ireland and the violence of religious extremism. We left Ian Murphy at the end of book one still alive after his friend is ordered to execute him. Realizing his entire life was one of self-imposed seclusion and layers of lies, Murphy tries to reach out and grasp a spark of life before he has nothing left but darkness. In the first book, Murphy wants to end it all; in this book, he’s coming out to meet the life he’s missed.

Told in on-the-spot scenery and dialog, Owens transports readers into a vicarious visit in Ireland of today, with all the nuances, smells, and sights that hide the brewing troubles. The authors has a fine voice with a message of hope that any reader in any era can grasp.

About the Author:

In 1997 novelist Rex Owens attended the first of many UW Madison Writers Institutes. The featured speaker was author was Robert Moss who talked about conscious dreaming as a way to explore the writing life. The die was cast to be a writer. In 1999 he joined a critique group led by Dr. Laurel Yourke where he learned craft the old fashioned way – by writing. 

His son brought him newspapers from Ireland. He read a story of children injured in the Peace Zone in Belfast in 1998 which became the inspiration for MURPHY’S TROUBLES. By 2003 Dr. Yourke suggested he had enough material to consider writing a novel. 

Touring with Barbara Britton and her book Providence

Today we welcome debut author Barbara M. Britton.

Barbara, welcome!


Providence: Hannah’s Journey was a blessing to write, edit, and share with the world. Little did I know when I wrote this novel, that its theme would carry me through a challenging time in my own life. My main character, Hannah bat Zebula, is on a mission to find the prophet of Israel and find out what she needs to do to be healed from deformities she has suffered since birth. Hannah goes through many trials. Conflict and tension are mainstays in modern day writing, but as a writer, you want the chaos to stay on the page.

The theme I chose for Hannah is—God is in control even in the chaos of life. Great theme, eh? It was and is today. After I sold my story to Pelican Book Group and finished my edits, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A lumpectomy and radiation were supposed to take care of the cancer. Though, after surgery, I still had cancer. What? That’s what I said. This news was a major bummer with major chaos. But, I remembered my theme. Through much prayer and consultations with doctors, I became a cancer ninja. I battled cancer with a bi-lateral mastectomy, physical therapy, and radiation. Is the cancer gone? The doctors are hopeful. I’m hopeful. I’m also prayerful.

I received my galley for Providence: Hannah’s Journey after my second surgery. I had to laugh at the timing. God knew I needed a distraction from hospitals and doctors and needles. What a blessing to focus on my debut novel rather than cancer, prosthetics, or a recurrence. Jesus was my rock. His gift of writing served as a diversion from the chaos of cancer.

That’s not all. Through radiation, I edited my second book in the Tribes of Israel series. Another wonderful distraction. Would I change anything? No, because God, in all His providence, knows what journey is best for me. And, I couldn’t have asked for a better release month for my print edition than October—Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I urge all my female readers to get regular 3D mammography. If something shows up, do not wait to have a biopsy. Cancer doesn’t want to be found. And remember, if you receive a cancer diagnosis, God is still in control. His church and His people can walk beside you on your journey.
Because He lives, I can face the chaos of life.

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My website: www.barbarambritton.com
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
My real name is Barbara M. Britton. The journeys will continue in February with “Building Benjamin: Naomi’s Journey.”

 
Thanks to Barbara for stopping by today. Be sure to pick up her debut Biblical fiction, Providence: Hannah's Journey.
 

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Visit all the stops along the tour

COTT Olympia Champion Jennifer Uhlarik

Many deserving competitors entered the fray. One became the victor!

Congratulations Jennifer Uhlarik,

2016 Olympia Award Champion.

We took a few moments to get to know Jennifer a little better, and now here's your chance to do the same:

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won five writing competitions and finaled in two other competitions. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.

How did you come up with the idea for this book and what made you want to write this particular story?


While working with a few other authors on some novella collection ideas, I came up with the idea of three adult siblings who reunite after being separated by adoption in their youth. This story and the two that follow it are the result of that idea—three strong siblings devoted to law and justice, each in their own way.


What does winning the Olympia Award mean to you?


It is such an honor! I love the Olympia since the first round is judged by readers. That is probably the truest group of judges one can have. And I know the competition is always stiff in contests, so just to final is quite humbling. To win is indescribable (and I’m an author, so that says a lot. I’m speechless. LOL)


How can people find you online/contact you?


I can be found in the following places:

Website: www.jenniferuhlarik.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferUhlarikAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferUhlarik
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenuhlarik/