New Historical Fiction from Janalyn Voigt

Hills of Nevermore, Montana Gold Book 1

Janalyn Voigt

Mountain Brook Ink Publishers

May 1, 2017

Inspirational historical romance

Electronic: $.99

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About the Book

Can a young widow hide her secret shame from the Irish preacher bent on helping her survive?

In an Idaho Territory boom town, America Liberty Reed overhears circuit preacher Shane Hayes try to persuade a hotel owner to close his saloon on Sunday. Shane lands face-down in the mud for his trouble, and there’s talk of shooting him. America intervenes and finds herself in an unexpectedly personal conversation with the blue-eyed preacher. Certain she has angered God in the past, she shies away from Shane.

Addie Martin, another widow, invites America to help in her cook tent in Virginia City, the new mining town. Even with Addie’s teenage son helping with America’s baby, life is hard. Shane urges America to depart for a more civilized location. Neither Shane’s persuasions nor road agents, murder, sickness, or vigilante violence can sway America. Loyalty and ambition hold her fast until dire circumstances force her to confront everything she believes about herself, Shane, and God.

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, Hills of Nevermore explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.

My Review

Two lost souls risen from the ashes of loss of opposing hardships find freedom, redemption, and a new start on the American frontier.

A privileged young woman with a big lie on her heart feels she’d been dealt God’s justice when her new husband dies and she’s left to fend for herself and her newborn. A circuit preacher faces his sense of inadequacy when he sees little reward for his labors in the wild west just opening up to fortune-hunters and the fast life that goes with it.

America Reed and her infant daughter Liberty hitch up with a wagon train heading for Idaho, and befriends another woman and her teenage son who have suffered the terrible drowning loss of Addie’s husband on the route. The wagon train breaks up when they reach a settlement near which a gold strike entices many to stake their claim. America is disheartened by the roughness and wild antics of the west. Unwilling to return to her wealthy disinterested and dysfunctional home in St. Louis, she does the best she can, partnering with Addie who plans to open her own restaurant. When strange feelings over a circuit riding minister tickle America’s conscience, she knows she must spurn his interest in her lest he, too, serves as punishment for her sinful past.

Shane Hayes, an Irish immigrant so desperate to meld with America that he’s changed his name, faithfully follows God’s call to keep religion alive in a land determined to profane it. Hoping to make great advances for the Lord, he practices what he preaches by turning the other cheek and eye and jaw so often he loses the respect of those he wants to reach. To top it off, he’s become distracted by a widow who obviously needs Christian charity in light of her situation…and succeeds in securing more than his Christian love. Trying twice to convince his superiors he’s not fit for his call, one last piece of advice and encouragement from his friend helps Shane find his way.

Vogt’s research and use of recorded events bring this story of redemption and romance alive. The side stories all effectively channel the tale to a satisfying conclusion. Told in multiple viewpoints, those who enjoy reliving the wild west will enjoy this vicarious visit to the birth of Virginia City.

About the Author

My father instilled a love of literature in me at an early age by reading chapters from The Wizard of Oz, Robinson Crusoe and other classics. When I grew older, and he stopped reading bedtime stories, I put myself to sleep with tales I "wrote" in my head. My sixth-grade teacher noticed my penchant for writing and encouraged me to become a novelist.

 

I'm considered a multi-genre author, but I like to think of myself as a storyteller. The same elements appear in all my novels in proportions dictated by their genre: romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy. 

Cute&Quick Holiday Reads

Mixed-Up Christmas

Dixie Jo Jarchow

Holiday cowboy romantic novella

Ebook 2.99

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About the book:

When rodeo superstar Mix Malone announces he’s retiring from the bull riding circuit, his family is furious. Mix is tired, hurt, and disillusioned, but broken bones and concussions are not good enough excuses for quitting, according to his family whose fortune is built on Mix’s success. They’ll do anything to keep him riding.

Blossom Deavers has always told her special education students to follow their dreams—but finds herself faltering in her own attempts to run the Outlaw Café. Making it work is a lot tougher than she’d ever imagined. She has no time or energy to waste on good-looking superstars who seem to have it all.

But when Mix Malone staggers into her café and passes out at a table during the blizzard of the century, she is drawn into a family brawl with no holds barred. Blossom discovers that she can’t just abandon him. Her already hectic life is about to get a lot more complicated when she sets herself against his family’s wishes and advises him to quit. 

My review:

Mad bulls and mothers from the pit color this cute gulp of a holiday read. A family secret and all the wonderful smells of a coffee shop in cowboy country lend depth to a story where a busted rider and a worn-out former teacher have to haul themselves up by their bootstraps and punch out their dreams. Delightful scenarios, some twists, miscommunication, and machismo wash over everything. Two are always better than one when tackling life.

All I Want for Christmas

Janalyn Voigt

Holiday romantic inspirational romance novella

Ebook $.99

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About the Book:

Hailey may just give up on men entirely. When Corey broke her heart, her best friend Matt helped pick up the pieces. Matt made his interest in her no secret when they first met, but seemed happy to accept a friendship, at least until now. With Corey looking her way again, Matt has started acting funny.

If Matt wasn’t a cubicle worker who moonlights as a Seattle street musician, this could have been easy. Hailey can’t afford a drag on her ambitions. She needs to climb the career ladder to keep her childhood home, all she has left of her parents. 

After Amy ditched him for a man with more money, Matt isn’t about to tell Hailey that the fiddle he carries is a Stradivarius or that he owns a tuxedo. Let her love him for himself or not at all.

My review:

Quick and fun holiday bite of a read to keep your fun romance side going. A tale of mistaken identities, longing-for-more friendships, daily latte and office politics set in Seattle create a sweet story. The story of seeing what you want to see, having a hard time looking past your nose, and fearing failure and the future catch two people square at holiday time. Orphaned Hailey is good at her head job, but her artsy heart work may not pay the bills. If she was to fall in love, it would have to be with someone who won’t take advantage of her. Matt’s been burned a time too many and when he’s not being pursued for who he is, he can let his fun side out…only when confession time comes, he needs a stiff upper lip and the help of Hailey’s friend.

Venture into Faeraven with Janalyn Voigt - special pricing today

Just seeing the cover of Janalyn's first book, DawnSinger, made me want to jump onto a wingabeast and fly into Faeraven. Naturally I was devastated when that first story came to an end. But now WayFarer is come! And hop on over to AuthorCulture for a special lesson about the fantasy creatures on Faeraven on January 8.

Amazon Kindle

Barnes and Noble Nook

Pelican Books e-book

 

Books paperback

DawnSinger: A headstrong young princess and the guardian sworn to protect her fly on winged horses to the Gate of Life above the Well of Light in a desperate bid to release the DawnKing, and the salvation he offers, into a divided land. Will they each learn in time that sometimes victory comes only through surrender?

 

 

 

WayFarer: When an untried youth ascends to the high throne of Faeraven, his mistakes tear kingdoms apart and allow just one chance at redemption. He must humble himself before the man he banished.

 

 

 

Enjoy the Trailer

 

 

About Janalyn Voigt

As children, my older brother and I would beg my father for bedtime stories, and he would give them.  His deep voice rumbled against my ear at his chest as he unfolded stories of exotic places like Oz and Neverland. My imagination carried on with the tales even after he closed the book for the night. When eventually he stopped reading stories, I began creating my own.

Within a few years I’d become storyteller of my neighborhood. The other children would gather in a circle on our lawn while I invented stories to entertain them. No one, including myself, thought of this as anything unusual. It wasn’t until my sixth-grade teacher pointed out my ability to spin a tale that I and my parents took note. This is how at the age of twelve I decided to become a novelist. At it turns out, the fulfillment of that dream took a few more years than planned. 

Find out more about Janalyn, her closet writing office, and her books at the author website for JanalynVoigt.