About the book:

A modern retelling of the Old Testament story of Ruth—a sweet romance about courage, loyalty, and second chances.

When Julia passes through the small town of Coldwater, driving her screeching pickup with her mother-in-law and everything she owns in the RV they’re towing, all she wants is to get Helen settled on what’s left of the family farm and hurry back to civilization.

Julia’s still mourning her husband, and so romance is the last thing on her mind. But whenever Neil Ashe shows up, the attraction between them flares—even though his divorce has left him leery of city women, and she’s not interested in muscle-bound farmers, no matter how handsome they may be.

Julia soon realizes she’s going to have to stick around to help Helen hold on to her forty-acres because someone is after them. Besides, how could she leave her mother-in-law to the tender mercies of the legalistic bullies who have taken over Bethel Church? They pick at Helen like Job’s “friends,” telling her God has cursed her. Why else would her husband and both sons die in tragic accidents?

Julia is determined to deal with everything on her own, just as she’s been doing ever since Lucas died. But Neil thinks it’s his job to make all their problems go away. Will Julia stubbornly go it alone, holding on to both her pride and the memory of her husband, or will she ask Neil to come to the rescue—and into her heart?

Lisa's review:

I was a Deborah Heal fan before I learned she was working on a series of Biblical fiction set in contemporary times. This story of Ruth and Naomi is a beautiful and timeless story perfectly fit for today. I learned a lot about the setting and fully enjoyed the characters as they played out the loyalty, despair and love that go along with making a forever commitment. I adore too-good-to-be-true heroes, even though they make me sigh into tomorrow and realize they're not perfect. That only makes them sweeter. We don't get to know Boaz's inner angst in the Bible, but the author of Holding On made an excellent and determined effort to show it.

No, it's not the time traveling adventure of her earlier series, but show Heal's versatility, and you know...in a way, we do time travel here in this story that parallels the biblical romance of Ruth and Boaz. Recommended for teens and up. Told from multiple viewpoints.

3.99 eBook

11.99 Print

Buy on Amazon US

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Opposites on Steroids with Susan Baganz

Bratwurst and Bridges book review

Susan Baganz

Pastor Dan Wink has suffered his greatest loss. His best friend, Sharon, died a year ago. He’s ready to walk away from ministry…and life. But the men he’s ministered to over the years won’t let him. Sometimes accountability stinks! And the redhead next door, with her precocious, adorable children, brings up desires he thought had died with his wife.

Skye O’Connell has given up much to rescue herself and her kids from her ex-husband’s drug abuse. With a new career, she’s come to the Milwaukee suburbs to start over…but something about the enigmatic pastor who lives across the hall has her asking uncomfortable questions.

A man stuck in grief is challenged by a woman who is lost…can both find their way to life and love?

4.99 eBook

15.99 Print

Buy on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0744Z1CM2

Buy on BN - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bratwurst-bridges-susan-m-baganz/1126839502?ean=9781943104956

My review:

Opposites on steroids!

A man who’s so stuck in his inability to move forward and a young woman who’s trying to move past her bad choices end up across the hall from each other in a Milwaukee apartment complex. Fuzzy pink boots and two energetic kids frazzle the uptight pastor who recently lost his wife after years of being unable to have children. Coming to terms with being a forgiven daughter of the King makes the freewheeling artist wonder why she keeps falling for the wrong men. Surely a divorced woman who doesn’t play the piano is all wrong as a pastor’s wife.

Facing a life of imperfection creates strange company as two lost souls kindle friendship, support, a new sense of purpose and commitment. Then realize that two really are better than one, especially with Christ as their cornerstone.

Loving addition to the Orchard Hill series of contemporary romances. Readers new to the series will be able to perfectly follow this story; readers familiar with the characters will enjoy running into past friends. Sweet contemporary romance suitable for late teens on up. Told from two viewpoints.

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. With her seminary degree in counseling psychology, a background in the field of mental health, and years serving in church ministry, she understands the complexities and pain of life as well as its craziness. She serves behind-the-scenes in various capacities at her church as well as on the board of her local ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) group. Her favorite pastimes are lazy ones--snuggling with her dog while reading a good book, or sitting with a friend chatting over a cup of spiced chai latte.

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

40 Days of Healing with Danyelle Scroggins

Write Now Literary is pleased to announce 

40 Days of Healing 

by Danyelle Scroggins

Publication Date: June 12, 2017
Genre: Inspirational
ASIN: B072MS2TLR
ISBN-10: 154806775X
ISBN-13: 978-1548067755

 

40 Days Of Healing takes the reader through 40 days of fasting in hopes of being delivered from the "IT" that has caused separation between them and God, and gives them the opportunity to journal their most personal prayers, thoughts, and intentions.

40 Days Of Healing is also a complete guide to 40 days of fasting and spiritual renewal. It is an opportunity for mind renewal in your mind, body, and spirit. It is saturated with wonderful scriptures to help usher you into your healing.

Pastor/ Author Danyelle is the Senior Pastor of New Vessels Ministries North in Shreveport, Louisiana. She studied Theology at Louisiana Baptist University, has a Psychology Degree from the University of Phoenix, an Interdisciplinary Degree in Psychology /Biblical Studies from Liberty University, and is presently working on a Master’s in Religious Education from the Liberty University. Pastor Danyelle owns Divinely Sown Publishing LLC and is the author of both Christian fiction and non-fiction books. She is the wife of Pastor Reynard Scroggins Sr., the mother of three by birth and two additional by marriage.

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Tour hosted by Write Now Literary Book Tours www.wnlbooktours.com

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DiAne Gates and her new novel Twisted

In these days of transient and blended families we’ve lost the generational stories of the good ole’ and not-so-good ole’ days, and have settled for the deception of a me-first, get-it-now culture. And relationships within families are the casualties. This breaks my heart for the kids, their parents, and grandparents.

My introduction to the action-packed world of rodeo, a number of years ago, seemed the perfect background to convey a story of teens trapped in circumstances beyond their control. Yet to confirm to teens and adults reading ROPED and TWISTED there is a Sovereign Creator God who is in control of all things. A God who loves them and died for them, so they in turn might live for Him—even when they don’t have a care or clue who He is or what He’s done.

But that process sometimes takes years, and some are lost in the process, as the Fairgate family history shouts.

The three teen personalities of ROPED and TWISTED had to be diametrically opposed to each other at the core of their being. And Crissy Crosby, Jodie Lea Fairgate, and Chun Len have lived up to and beyond my expectations—real life teens with a boo-coodle of every day and not so everyday problems they must face. Problems that threaten to destroy them and their families.

Jesus conveyed His message to the crowds by parables—stories of their culture which ordinary people could understand and hopefully apply to their lives. If our Lord used this method, don’t you think we might reach others for the Kingdom if we told our stories to those He places in our path?

Crissy Crosby, my protagonist, has a get-‘er-done at all costs attitude that is often annoying and generally plunges her in a heap-a-trouble. Guess whose character traits I followed for that girl? Uh-huh! Yours truly, my daughter, and granddaughter! Those apples didn’t fall far from that tree.

Jodie Lea Fairgate’s downright hateful and mean. Devoid of any comprehension of what’s right and good, while she lives in the luxury of the town’s rich, but bully father and coward mother.

Chun Len and his family immigrated from China and have just arrived in a small town in East Texas. Where the Fairgates despise anything different.

One of my edit partners fell in love with Chun from the get-go. And oh my, doesn’t racial prejudice punch a hot button in our world today? But Crissy can’t abide prejudice in any shape, size, or form—especially from Jodie Lea Fairgate.

ROPED gave us a peek into the dark side of consequences, but TWISTED rips off the secret death shroud of the Fairgates cesspool of relatives.

I’m seven chapters into Book Three, UNTIED, and all I can tell y’all is hang on to your hats!!! It’s going to get gruesome! But God is still in control.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NAS).

Buy Twisted on Amazon $4.99
Buy Roped on Amazon $3.99

About DiAne:

Texas writer, DiAne Gates, illustrates and writes fiction for children and YA, and serious non-fiction for the folks. Her passion is calling the Church’s attention to how far we’ve catapulted from God’s order and walking in obedience to Him as evidenced by her blog Moving the Ancient Boundaries.

DiAne worked as a photographer and writer for the East Texas Youth Rodeo Association magazine, and had the opportunity to be in the rodeo arena, feel the sting of Texas turf in her face and across her camera lens, giving birth to her western rodeo adventure series, released by Prism Book Group in August of 2015, ROPED. This first book of the series placed #5 on Top Ten Christian Reads for Teens and Tweens, 2016, as well as being a finalist in the 2015 Grace Awards, and a finalist in The Christian Literary Henri Awards for 2016.

 Book Two in the ROPED SERIES—TWISTED, was released by Pelican Book Group July 14, 2017.  And the third book, UNTIED, her current WIP, continues the adventure of two Texas teens and their families. DiAne writes a monthly article for Crosswalk, an online Christian magazine.

She also leads LifeSavers, an adult edit group for North Texas Christian Writers. And has a new blog THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF FLAVOR, where she shares family recipes and many tricks to cutting calories while retaining a massive injection of southern and southwest flavor into each tasty bite. DiAne facilitates GriefShare, an international support ministry for those who’ve lost loved ones.

Wife, mother, and Mimi, her passion is to share those hard life lessons God allows in our lives. Lessons she hopes will leap from the page into your heart and play out in loving family relationships.

Movingthe Ancient Boundaries

TheSouthern Side of Flavor

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Jonas and Olivia celebration book trailer

It's been a year since I met and reviewed a lovely little story by young author Victoria Minks. I'm happy to help her celebrate through sharing her video and book information.

I reviewed the book here.

About the Book:

Fourteen year old Olivia Wilkerson is left desolate and grieving when her patriot father passes away. Directed by his will to be placed in the care of an old friend, Olivia is forced to venture away from all she’s ever known to make her new life among people who are strangers to her. 

Unaware of the new responsibility about to be thrust on him, Jonas Carmichael lives the life of a reclusive in an attempt to ignore the painful memories of the past. His heart has grown hard and bitter over the past thirty years of solitude, and his hatred towards people has only multiplied. 

Suddenly burdened with Olivia, Jonas’s only burning desire is to shove the girl off on somebody else. But Olivia, still suffering from her loss, is only looking for someone to love her as her father did-- and soon realizes that there is more to Jonas than meets the eye.

With the Revolutionary War pressing closer around Jonas’s secluded bubble of safety and threatening to burst it at any moment, Jonas discovers that there are choices to be made--choices that will not only affect himself but those around him as well. 

Book information

Inspirational historical fiction
Trade Paper ISBN: 978-0996993821
$9.99

Ebook $3.99

Buy on Amazon

Enjoy the trailer.

Four in One Gospel book tour

Write Now Literary is pleased to announce 

The Four In One Gospel of Jesus, by Nikola Dimitrov 

Virtual Book Tour, July 3-28, 2017.

Book Release Date: May 1, 2017

Genre: Christian non-fiction

About The Book

The Four in One Gospel of JESUS is the Four Gospels compiled chronologically and contextually, this giving the fullness of each Bible story in the Gospels. This unique material is describing the life of Jesus in its fullness, without the repetitions. 

It stores all facts about Jesus and comprises a full biography of Jesus Christ. It's a chronological Bible project, but also a contextual one, featuring subjects such as: Jesus in the Old Testament, the story of the birth of Jesus, Jesus life, Jesus saves, Jesus Cross, Jesus crucifixion, Jesus death, Jesus blood, Jesus tomb, Jesus resurrection, Jesus in Heaven, Jesus works, Jesus miracles, Jesus baptism, Jesus crown, Jesus call, The Jesus teaching, the Passion of Jesus, etc. It shows us how we can be walking with Jesus, the Anointed One, and how we can be servants of Jesus. 

The book will show You that King Jesus loves You, and will trigger our falling in love with Jesus as well. It's a one of a kind material indeed, the result of thousands of hours of work in compiling, referencing, structuring and fitting all details in this easy to read, yet, fully referenced edition of the Four Gospels of the Bible.

About The Author

In 1992 Nikola Dimitrov experienced a miraculous conversion, receiving Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Since 1995 he has been a full time minister of the Gospel, serving as pastor, Bible teacher, preacher, and Christian educator. He started his first church in 1994, which is still standing today, and in 1998 he began his traveling ministry. Nikola is currently pastoring several church groups in Bourgas, Bulgaria and is frequently sought out as a speaker around the country. He also serves as a Bible teacher at the Apostolic Kingdom Institute in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. As editor-in-chief of Vetil Media Ministry, Nikola has translated and published more than thirty books into Bulgarian, as well as writing some himself. He is passionate for a glorious Church, without spot, wrinkle or any such thing. Nikola’s dynamic preaching pointedly encourages believers to be everything the Lord created them to be. He then encourages his congregations to take responsibility in word and deed toward that end. As a translator, Nikola has also produced and distributed around the nation nearly 1000 Bulgarian versions of audio and video teachings by famous foreign preachers and teachers. As part of a charity in Bulgaria, along with other volunteers, Nikola takes care of needy people from the minorities, distributing clothes, food, medicine, and school materials to children. Nikola is married to Helen, and they have two lovely young-adult daughters, Annie (which means grace) and Mikaela (which means who is like God?). Both are part of Nikola and Helen’s ministry, serving in the area of music.

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Tour hosted by Write Now Literary www.wnlbooktours.com

10 Books Every Christian Should Read guest post by Jim Baton

Top 10 Books Every Christian Should Read

By Jim Baton, Christian thriller writer

Every novelist is inevitably a reader first. I confess that I’d rather spend a holiday reading a good book than doing hardly anything.

Over the years, so many books have greatly impacted my life. But there are certain books that were absolutely transformational—they either brought the most important things into crystal clear focus, or took me to a new place with God where I desperately needed to go.

These books may not get the notoriety of Christianity Today’s or Amazon’s Top 100 Lists, but I guarantee they will all rock your world!

1)      How Jesus Saves the World from Us by Morgan Guyton

The Pharisees had the Scriptures but had created a religious culture that kept the common folks from God—have we done the same today? This book is ripping me up right now!

2)      Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle

Los Angeles gang members’ hearts get melted by the raw love of God—I cried through the whole book.

3)      The Seven Mountain Renaissance by Johnny Enlow

A prophetic, insightful and hopeful view of the glorious Bride God is forming us into and how this maturing Church will be powerfully impacting all aspects of culture by 2050.

4)      Speaking of Jesus by Carl Medearis

Whether talking to a Hezbollah terrorist or a gay activist, Carl convinces us that Jesus would rather hang out with them than visit Carl’s church!

5)      The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind by Bill Johnson

“Jesus is perfect theology,” Bill states, then gives us a “mind-makeover” to step into a supernatural life with Him.

6)      Praying for Strangers by River Jordan

What if every day we took time to stop and pray for a stranger? River Jordan did, and it changed her life.

7)      Come be My Light by Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa’s personal letters and thoughts reveal long struggles in the darkness, along with a determination to see Jesus in the face of the dying and “offer Jesus my smile.”

8)      Culture of Honor by Danny Silk

A revolutionary book on moving from punishment-based discipline to honor-based relationships without fear.

9)      Falling Upward by Richard Rohr

For those over 30, the second-half of life requires a new way of thinking, and Rohr is a brilliant guide.

10)   Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning

Walking through darkness, taking risks, releasing our need for clarity—all these require deeper levels of trust—not in Biblical principles, but in a faithful Father who is completely trustworthy.

Jim Baton’s 20 years of cross-cultural learning in a Muslim nation have birthed a series of novels that are transforming people’s perceptions on Muslims and how God would have us relate to them in love. Find out more at www.jimbaton.com.

Read Lisa's reviews of Jim's books:

Someone Has to Die

A Way Out of Hell

A Violent Light