To Write or Not to Write

Posted on July 6, 2020 by

To write or not to write—what a silly question for a writer, right? You’d think.

If you’ve kept up with me at all over the last two years, you already know how insane my life has been and how I’ve struggled to work on the manuscripts I started and haven’t finished. I’ve even given myself pep talks on this very blog similar to the one I’m going to give myself today. Maybe this one’ll stick.

Part of my problem is just being unsettled. The house is coming together nicely, but it’s not done yet, and it demands a lot of my attention. And not just that. Big chunks of my time are taken up with the one thing I’m happiest about and love most: family—something that was never an issue when we lived two and a half hours away because we never got to see anyone. So, I’m not about to complain that we get to see them now.

Another part of my problem is that I can’t seem to get into a routine. When MSB was working, I had a routine that involved hours and hours of work time. Now, when I have time in my office, I find myself scrambling to catch up with things other than writing. I wish I could get back into the swing of things.

But it all comes down to this:

I may not have the big blocks of time to write that I used to have, but I do have time. I’ve just been wasting it.

This morning, I again thought of my friends who find time to write against all odds. Kathleen Y’Barbo and Janice Hannah especially amaze me in their ability to make deadlines despite the traumatic events that have occurred in their lives.

Maybe that’s part of my problem. I don’t have deadlines. I don’t have my feet held to the fire where writing is concerned. Meeting contractual obligations for clients isn’t difficult for me, but for the past couple of years, I haven’t been much of a self-motivator where my writing is concerned. This year, I think I’ve written around 1500 words in my work-in-progress. I started it last year, and I’m 8000+ words into it. Since the thing is a novella and not intended to be over 25K words, you’d think I could have finished it in two years.

But this year isn’t over yet. It’s time for me to stop whining, stop wishing I had my old writing schedule  and start taking advantage of the time I do have. It’s time for me to move from wish to do.

It’s only 25K words. I’m almost halfway there. If I spend more time writing than belly-aching about it, I bet I could get the first draft done by the end of the month.

 

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Especially for Writers

Posted on July 3, 2020 by

Posted in write tips, Writing, Writing Tips | 4 Comments

Go Maskless: Read!

Posted on July 1, 2020 by

July 2020 New Releases

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

Contemporary Romance: 

How Sweet It Is by Robin Lee Hatcher — A businessman trying to reconnect with his brother returns to his hometown and rents the apartment where his great-great-grandparents lived during the late 1920s. He never suspects his attractive landlady, a struggling restaurant owner who works with women at a local shelter, is the one person who might help him reach his brother. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

 

Love’s Autumn Harvest by Patricia Lee — A widow, a divorcee, and a widower find themselves in a love triangle that gets complicated as each one finds themselves drawn into the tangled web they weave. (Contemporary Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

Ready to Trust by Tina Radcliffe — Rancher Reece Rainbolt’s shocked to learn he’s inherited half of Claire Ballard’s family farm—and that he’s a father. Now Claire’s determined to break ties with the man who once left her behind. But Reece will buy her half only on one condition: she must stay in town to help with the harvest…and let him get to know his little girl. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

The Truth About Fame by Toni Shiloh — When a superstar’s bodyguard pretends to be her fiancé to flush out her stalker, the woman starts falling for a happily ever after that’s just as fake as her tabloid life. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Falling for the Innkeeper by Meghann Whistler — Single mom Laura Lessoway won’t accept her mother’s plan of selling her late grandmother’s inn without a fight. But when big-city attorney Jonathan Masters arrives to arrange an offer from his client, she’s drawn to him. And working together as he helps with repairs only brings them closer. With his career and her home on the line, can they ever find common ground? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Historical Romance:

A Place to Call Home by Susan Page Davis, Susanne Dietze, and Erica Vetsch — Duck for cover in the Superstition Mountains as a woman flees her capture and a marshal pursues his prisoner while the couple is handcuffed together. Exit a stagecoach in an Idaho boom town, where a mail-order mix-up has everyone scrambling to right an embarrassing mistake—or was it really a blessing? Gallop into Fort Bliss, Texas, where a battle wages between an eastern fashion artist and a US Cavalry surgeon for the custody of two orphans. Delight in the journey as faith and romance intersect in these three full-length novels. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Gentleman Spy by Erica Vetsch — A bluestocking and a newly minted duke join forces to unravel a mystery…but the greatest mystery might be the duke’s true identity. (Historical Romance from Kregel Publications)

 

Mystery: 

A Bitter Brew by Elizabeth Ludwig — The cousins are thrilled when Jan is invited to compete in a nationally televised baking contest. Things go awry, however, when the prize money disappears. Worse, Jan and Elaine find themselves as the prime suspects! Certain they are being framed, the cousins seek out clues that will lead them to the thief. Can they do it before the contest ends, or will they fall faster than Jan’s award-winning souffle? (Cozy Mystery from Guidepost Publications)

Murder at Madison Square Garden by Linda Shenton Matchett — A private investigator helps a scrappy, female photojournalist, who is accused of murder after an assassination attempt on Charles Lindberg at the America First rally leaves another man dead. (Historical Mystery from Shortwave Press)

Romantic Suspense: 

Explosive Situation by Terri Reed — With his K-9 partner at his side, can he survive false accusations and a bomber? Detective Henry Roarke’s determined to prove his innocence to internal affairs officer Olivia Vance—but first he must survive the bomber targeting him and his bomb-sniffing K-9, Cody. With a coming baby to protect and an investigation to pursue, Olivia has her hands full…until she becomes a target, as well. Can they catch the bomber before they all lose their lives? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

 

Rocky Mountain Revenge by Rhonda Starnes — To survive her deadly homecoming, she’ll need to trust a man from her past… Temporarily home to help at her family’s vet clinic, Grace Porter has no intentions of staying—but someone’s determined she won’t live long enough to leave. With both Grace and her sister in the crosshairs, her ex-boyfriend, Police Chief Evan Bradshaw, must protect them. But can the single dad lawman uncover the truth about why a killer’s out for vengeance before time runs out? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Suspense:

Relative Silence by Carrie Stuart Parks — Forensic sketch artist Tucker Landry and American heiress Piper Boone form a bond after surviving a mass shooting on Curlew Island. Amid rumors of the Curlew Island Curse which whispers say has taken the lives of several members of Piper’s family, the pair must unravel the Boone family’s true history before Piper becomes the next victim. (Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Young Adult: 

Heart of a Princess by Hannah Currie — Behind the smiles and designer clothes, Princess Alina has a secret. She’s barely holding it together. After a moment of panic almost ends in tragedy, Alina is sent to a refuge far from the palace to recuperate. Her family claim it’s for her own good but – faced with cows, knife-beaked ducks and far too many of her own insecurities – Alina is pretty sure it will kill her first. And Joha Samson, infuriating man that he is, will laugh as it does. Only there’s more to Joha than she realizes, and more to herself too. When the time comes to make a stand, will she find the courage? (Young Adult from WhiteFire Publishing)

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

Before Summer’s End by Johnnie Alexander, Brenda S. Anderson, Eleanor Bertin, Sara Davison, Deb Elkink, Stacy Monson, and Marion Ueckermann, A collection of stories of faith, family, and forgiveness. (General Contemporary)

Honor Bound by Carol Ashby, Honor had forced him to act. Time would tell if he’d regret it. (Historical)

Ralley Point: Place Of Refuge by Daniel Bishop, The Baskins overcome the loss of their unborn child and come to a place of refuge, redemption, restoration. (General Contemporary)

Two Autumns, One Spring by Elizabeth Ann Boyles, A deceitful mother-in-law, Nagasaki’s vengeful official, conflicting beliefs—all work against a near-perfect marriage in 1861 Japan. (Historical)

The Sugar Baron’s Ring by Lorri Dudley, A ring is her only tie to a distant homeland, until a marooned Englishman anchors her heart. (Historical Romance)

Let Him Go by LuAnn K. Edwards, Keedryn and Blake acknowledge their love in this wholesome romance, only to find trouble brewing at the office and turmoil bursting in their hearts. (Contemporary Romance)

Afraid of the Light by Cynthia Ruchti, Clinical psychologist Camille Brooks vows she’ll never let another family suffer from the fallout of a hoarding disorder like her mom’s, but soon discovers that she has her own collection of hurts to confront. (General Contemporary)

Deadly Hideaway by Marissa Shrock, A relaxing getaway. A rocky romance. And a dead body. Will life ever be normal? (Cozy Mystery)

The Cowboy’s Missing Memory by Shannon Taylor Vannatter, He needs to remember and she’s his best hope to help him reclaim his past and build a future. (Contemporary Romance)

Posted in ACFW Releases, Reading | Leave a comment

It’s an Office! (almost)

Posted on June 29, 2020 by

One of the perks of having to move from my beloved pond-front home is having an office now. My very own corner office with a door I can close—and lock, if I must. It’s a converted bedroom, of course, and I have to admit that considering how very little I’ve written since we moved, I was beginning to wonder if it shouldn’t just stay a bedroom. But it’s starting to look like an office, and with each day that goes by and each thing that gets done, I get more antsy to start back on my neglected manuscripts.

Here’s a tour of my almost-office, starting with the silliness that’s visible all the way down the hall:

What do you think of the Holstein? These are a few of the gifts folks have blessed me with. I wish my carrot had stayed up, but its string broke. Yes, I said carrot. A long time ago, a friend gave me a stuffed carrot with a green-leaf forelock and bright eyes. It has a tiny nose and a great big smile as it waves at me with one of its root-hands. I’ve had that thing around 40 years, and I hate that the string broke. I need to get it back up on my silly wall.

Here’s my brag wall and my old desk. The desk once belonged to my great aunt, so it’s old and all stained up. I intend to refinish it or maybe paint it. Daddy bought the secretary’s chair for me when I was in college and paying for my books by taking in typing. Just me and my IBM Selectric III. I clocked 160 words per minute and managed to earn quite a bit of money from those who barely mastered the hunt-and-peck style of typing or couldn’t type at all. I sold the IBM just before moving here. Can’t imagine what anyone is going to use it for in this day and age.

In the corner is my new desk, the one my sweet Billy just assembled for me. And I do mean assembled. It came in two boxes, each the length of one of the desk tops, but they were barely four inches thick. MSB put this thing together with a close eye on the instructions. All it needs now it the desktop computer I have yet to buy.

The desk chair is actually the one I bought Mom for Christmas last year. Since it can be raised and lowered, I thought we’d be able to set it at a height she could easily get up from. Great idea that didn’t work, and now the chair is mine. Good thing, I guess. It’s horribly uncomfortable, so I’m glad she’s not stuck with it.

The comfy chair is a recliner, and I just love it, though it’s not the one that was supposed to go in here. I found this chair in another fabric that is wild and bold and just plain fun. MSB hated it at first, so I bought it, then I bought another one just like it and picked out upholstery that I thought would match in our family room. Well, it doesn’t. And that’s why this one is in here and my fun one is in the family room. MSB has grown accustomed to it.

Oh, did you notice that my windows are bare? We’ve been living in a fishbowl since we moved in. One of the thrills of moving during a quarantine. But by this time next week, they’ll at least have shades. I got super frustrated with trying to pick out curtains/shades/whatever for the windows all through the house. I’ve never done it before, and all the choices confused me. During one of the rare times we were allowed out, we went to Lowe’s, and I found some shades I just loved. So the helpful clerk pulled out a book of that brand of shade and all the other shades the brand makes—a big heavy book with so many choices and colors I was like a kid at a dessert buffet who’s allowed only one dessert. How to choose?

These cabinets are one of the reasons I chose this room as my office. The reason is apparent—they hold some valuable things. Mostly books that pertain to my work as an editor and a writer, but also some of the coffee cups that have been given to me by fans and friends over the years. They aren’t all in there yet; that’s what’s in the box on the floor.

And in this corner are my printers, but the corner holds more than that. Daddy made the cabinet the printers sit on back in the early 1970s. The two doors in front slide, and inside are my supplies—paper, file folders, mailing envelopes, etc. Next to the cabinet is his old Royal typewriter. Daddy would use his thumbs and index and middle fingers to peck away on that old thing. Typed at a pretty good clip too. Next to it, though not visible, is one of his dog tags, and under it, on the typing stand he gave me to hold my IBM, is the flag Mom received when he died. Daddy served with a recon unit in Korea—something he never talked about until months before he passed away.

Anyway, the bare space above my printers is reserved for a wall-mounted TV. When I wrote Give the Lady a Ride, I did a lot of my research by watching the PBR events. Now I feel I can use that as an excuse to get a TV in here.

So there ya go. I still have a few things to hang on the walls. Still need curtains. Still need my desktop computer. Still need to organize the desk drawers. But it’s almost an office. My very first at-home office. I hope I’m not sorry I didn’t just leave it a bedroom. I miss writing. I hope I get to do it again someday soon.

 

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Especially for Writers

Posted on June 26, 2020 by

Posted in write tips, Writing Tips | 4 Comments

Lessons Learned from The Dance

Posted on June 24, 2020 by

Monday, I reviewed this wonderful novel, The Dance, and gave my impressions of the context. Today, I want to go back and illustrate what I learned through Walsh and Smalley’s writing.

I classify this novel as Christian Fiction because if you pull out the Christian thread, the novel would unravel—or at the very least, become just another secular book about a failing marriage. The fact that it takes a very real problem among couples today and illustrates Biblical principles of how to solve it makes The Dance the epitome of Christian Fiction.

Although I’d recommend the novel to anyone and everyone, its audience would primarily be Christian, those who already acknowledge the authority of God over their lives. The authors let us know in a hurry that the characters were believers—flawed believers, just like the rest of us, but believers just the same. Being saved doesn’t mean we don’t face the same kinds of problems the rest of the world faces. It means we must address them differently and expect different results.

So, although not all Christian Fiction is directed to Christians, that’s the first thing I learned about writing CF from this novel—recognize your audience. And, as Terry Burns and I discussed in Writing in Obedience, when writing to Christians, address the problem up front. In The Dance, the problem is a marriage on the brink of crumbling because of the husband’s self-centeredness.

The next thing the authors did was to illustrate how the problem affected everyone, from the couple themselves to their children to extended family. They also illustrated the wrong way for the church to react to the couple’s problem. That was something—a reminder to church leadership that there is a right way and a wrong way to address an issue.

Hard emotions were presented bare-faced and bare-fisted. The authors didn’t gloss over them. Marilyn Anderson was hurting, almost to the point of hating her husband. Jim Anderson didn’t have a clue as to why because he could see her and her situation only from his own perspective—“I’ve given her everything!” Her pain and his anger were evident in the early chapters. Her pain held on for quite some time, but his anger slowly melted into confusion, then fear that he’d lose her.

Then, about midway or just beyond, the authors introduced another character who would guide Jim through the restoration of his marriage. With her wisdom, he came to recognize his role in causing his wife’s and children’s pain, and he repented of his behavior. Then he started the long process of winning her back.

From her perspective, Marilyn faced everything Jim presented with suspicion. Years of conditioning by the “old” Jim kept her from trusting the new one. But she faced another problem too: the fact that a man not her husband found her attractive. Her friend kept her on the right path by helping her recognize the fact the man was putting “the moves” on her. (Personally, I believe the authors could’ve developed this from Marilyn’s perspective a little better. When a woman has been neglected for so long, she becomes hungry for attention, and kind words from a stranger can go a long way. Though illustrating a carnal temptation isn’t necessary, illustrating a temptation to more often be in the presence of the one who seems to recognize your worth would’ve been a little more realistic.)

Finally came the big event, during which the two begin to reconcile. Marilyn’s daughter, who was steadfastly in her corner during this fight, had begun to work on her mother, telling her that Jim seemed to be changing. So when the finale came and Marilyn was curious to see whether what her daughter said was true, she was more open to reconciling with him.

And it was a very satisfying reconciliation. I cried (of course).

So, here’s the nutshell of what I learned about writing Christian Fiction to a Christian audience:

  1. Identify your characters as Christian early.
  2. Present the problem early.
  3. Over the next several chapters, illustrate the extent of the problem realistically and, also realistically, present how that problem affects everyone else.
  4. Show the evolution of the change of attitude, taking the characters through each step of the process. People don’t go from pain to healing to forgiveness overnight. There is an abundance of emotions from one end to the other.
  5. Around midpoint, present someone who will facilitate the change required in the characters using Biblical principles (but not spouting verses. Christians recognize Biblical principles without requiring a sermon).
  6. Spend several chapters illustrating the process of change realistically from each POV.
  7. Write a satisfying climax.

Finally, don’t preach. Don’t preach. Don’t preach. Realistic illustration is the key. Don’t preach.

Posted in write tips, Writing, Writing How-To Books, Writing Tips | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Dance, a Review

Posted on June 22, 2020 by

Smoothly written and easy to read, The Dance is a Women’s Fiction novel that every man should read.

With great wisdom and Christian principles, Walsh and Smalley tackle the household problem of invisible fixtures and doormats, otherwise known as “the wife.” It has been years since I’ve felt this way on a regular basis, but a marriage long ago and far away ended as most marriages end in the secular world when the wife is tired of being unnoticed, unappreciated, whisked into the public eye for the husband’s personal gain, then tucked back on her shelf.

It wasn’t supposed to be that way. God joined man and wife and instructed that man should leave his family and cleave to (cling to/be one with) his wife. Paul continued the instruction with the notions that man should love his wife like Christ loved the church and the wife should respect her husband.

But when love has been chipped away for so long, the lure of giving up—especially in this day of no-fault divorce—is far more appealing than fighting for something you no longer have the energy for. And that’s exactly what Walsh and Smalley portray: a woman who is on the brink of giving up.

From there, the authors put this primarily in the husband’s POV. They illustrate the why of it all from the woman’s perspective, then trace the husband’s reaction, from feeling victimized—“She has no right! I’ve given her everything!”—to realizing he just might lose the best thing that ever happened to him, to learning how to get her back. The road isn’t easy, and the authors illustrate that. But watching the fork in the road, where she goes one way and he another, return to a unified highway is far more fulfilling than reading yet another book of a victimized woman learning to hate and distrust all men.

Definitely a good one. The Dance, from “The Restoration Series.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Guess what? I’ve done it again!

I’ve teamed up with 60+ fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Inspirational Fiction & Nonfiction books to 2 lucky winners!

Oh, and did I mention the Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader? 😁

You can win Book 2 of my Circle Bar Ranch series, THE FINAL RIDE, plus books from authors like Suzanne Woods Fisher, Ane Mulligan, and Robin Patchen.

Enter the giveaway by clicking here 👉 bit.ly/InspyReads-June2020

Good luck and enjoy!

Posted in Promotion/Publicity/Marketing, Reading, Reviews of exceptional books | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Especially for Writers

Posted on June 19, 2020 by

Posted in Writing | 11 Comments

Last Day!

Posted on June 3, 2020 by

⏰ This Sweep ends today! If you haven’t read SKYDIVING TO LOVE, you can enter to win it on BookSweeps today — plus 30 exciting Christian & Inspirational Romance novels from a great collection of authors… AND a brand new eReader 😀

Enter here 👉 bit.ly/InspyRomance-May2020

And if you don’t want to enter the sweep (with its $350 worth of prizes!), feel free to follow me on BookBub anyway! Find me here!

Posted in Promotion/Publicity/Marketing | Leave a comment

Cool Books for Summer!

Posted on June 1, 2020 by

The newest releases from your favorite ACFW authors!

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

Contemporary Romance:

Forever Home by Amy Grochowski — A Canadian Amish farmer proposes a convenient marriage to a Lancaster Amish businesswoman so they can join a new community welcoming married couples only. They are both surprised when a Prince Edward Island foster child finds her way to them in need of a home. Yet what will happen when the English world and the Amish world collide? (Romance from Ambassador International)

Start With Me by Kara Isaac — A professional woman and her old flame, who doesn’t remember her, are forced to work together when the companies they work for merge. (Romance, Independently Published)

A Father’s Promise by Mindy Obenhaus — Is he ready for fatherhood? He doesn’t think he deserves a family… But now he has a daughter. Stunned to discover he has a child, Wes Bishop isn’t sure he’s father material. But his adorable daughter needs him, and he can’t help feeling drawn to her mother, Laurel Donovan—a woman he’s finally getting to know. But can this sudden dad overcome a past tragedy that has him convinced he’s not meant to be a husband or a father…and make a promise of forever? (Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Historical:

Until June by Barbara M. Britton — When a young seamstress agrees to take care of a WWI amputee in a remote Alaskan lodge, there’s enough friction to melt a glacier. (Historical from Inspired [Prism Book Group])

A Cord of Three Strands by Christy Distler — As 1756 dawns, Isaac Lukens is torn between loyalty to his Lenape heritage and a childhood friend who needs to marry in order to raise her siblings after her father was killed by his people. (Historical from Avodah Books)

Persuaded: The Story of Nicodemus by David Harder — From the prison colony on Patmos, the Apostle John entrusts Nicodemus with manuscripts for the Christian fellowships increasing throughout the Roman Empire. While transcribing the manuscript, Nicodemus is prompted to recall his former life and his encounter with Yeshua – a man of mystery, a healer, a teacher, and a prophet. An encounter that changed everything. Under the cover of darkness, risking his reputation and endangering his life even further, it is here that Nicodemus realizes the world-changing power of the Good News . . . and what being a follower of Yeshua truly means. (Historical from Ambassador International)

Historical Romance:

Love’s Mountain Quest by Misty M. Beller — When a Rocky Mountain widow returns home from work to find her son and the woman watching him missing–and the sheriff dead–she enlists a man she prays has enough experience in this rugged country to help. (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker])

The Damsel’s Intent by Mary Davis — Washington State 1893. Nicole Waterby has lived her whole life in the hills away from town due to her grandfather’s mistrust of people. But now he’s passed away, and Nicole is left to care for her two younger cousins. Feeling inadequate to handle the responsibility, she heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. She doesn’t realize women don’t wear trousers, buckskins, or carry a gun. She has a lot to learn about being a lady if she’s going to catch a husband. And the quilting circle is just the group of women to help her. Rancher Shane Keegan has drifted from one location to another to find a place to belong. He longs to have a family of his own but feels doomed to live a life alone. When Nicole crosses his path, he wonders if he can have love, but he soon realizes she’s destined for someone better than a saddle tramp. Even though he knows there’s no future for him with the intriguing mountain girl, he still steps in to help her at every opportunity. Will love stand a chance while both Nicole and Shane try to be people they are not? (Historical Romance from Mountain Brook Ink)

Line By Line by Jennifer Delamere — Since she was young, Alice McNeil has seen success as a telegrapher as the best use for her keen and curious mind. Years later, she has yet to regret her freedom and foregoing love and marriage, especially when she acquires a coveted position at an important trading firm. But when the company’s ambitious junior director returns to London, things begin to change in ways Alice could never have imagined. For Douglas Shaw, years of hard work and ingenuity enabled him to escape a life of grinding poverty. He’s also determined to marry into high society—a step that will ensure he never returns to the conditions of his past. He immediately earns Alice’s respect by judging her based on her skills and not her gender, and a fast camaraderie forms. However, when Alice accidentally angers a jealous coworker and his revenge threatens both their reputations, Alice and Douglas are forced to confront what is truly important in their lives. Will their growing bond give them the courage to see the future in a different light? (Historical Romance from Bethany [Baker])

An Appalachian Summer by Ann H Gabhart — After the market crash of 1933, the last thing Piper Danson wants is to flaunt her family’s fortune while so many suffer. Although she reluctantly agrees to a debut party at her parents’ insistence, she still craves a meaningful life over the emptiness of an advantageous marriage. When an opportunity to volunteer with the Frontier Nursing Service arises, Piper jumps at the chance. But, her spontaneous jaunt turns into something unexpected when she falls in love with more than just the breathtaking Appalachian Mountains. (Historical Romance from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

The Widow & The War Correspondent by Linda Shenton Matchett — Are a new life and new love possible in a country devastated by war? Barely married before she was widowed after Pearl Harbor three years ago, journalist Cora Strealer travels to England where she’s assigned to work with United Press’s top reporter who thinks the last place for a woman is on the front lines. Can she change his opinion before D-Day? Or will she have to choose her job over her heart? A sought-after journalist, Van Toppel deserves his pick of assignments, which is why he can’t determine the bureau chief’s motive for saddling him with a cub reporter. Unfortunately, the beautiful rookie is no puff piece. Can he get her off his beat without making headlines…or losing his heart? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

An Impossible Price by Davalynn Spencer — With no husband of her own, midwife Sophie Price lives to keep others calm in their hour of need. But when a handsome horse handler steps off the train with a fiery stallion, he brings anything but calm as he looks her dead in the eye and clear through to her soul. Clay Ferguson returns to the place he once called home, hunting a fresh start and the one woman who could draw him back. If he can hide his battered heart and the brutality of his past, maybe she’ll take another look and give him a second chance. Both bear scars from their fathers. Both fight for life. Together, they may learn that love is worth its impossible price. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Mystery:

Pride and Pettiness by Elizabeth Ludwig — A hairdresser fears she may lose her business when appointments go terribly wrong. (Mystery from Guidepost Publications)

Romantic Suspense:

Don’t Keep Silent by Elizabeth Goddard — Investigative reporter Rae Burke will do anything to find her missing sister-in-law, even if it means facing Liam McKade, a man who almost lost his life saving hers. (Romantic Suspense from Revell – A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Closer Than She Knows by Kelly Irvin — Court reporter Teagan O’Rourke thinks her job taught her everything she needed to know about murder until a serial killer decides to teach her a new lesson–up and personal. (Romantic Suspense from HarperCollins Christian Publishing)

Direct Threat by Kimberly Rose Johnson — One little girl. Two bodyguards. Only one chance to guard their hearts. Protection Inc. co-owner, Carissa Jones, an ex-cop turned bodyguard, has one goal—keep her young client safe. When her business partner brings in a new guy to help, she discovers her heart desires more. Can she still do her job and follow her heart without compromising her client’s safety? Marc Olsen, a former Military Police officer, struggles to find his way as a civilian. He agrees to help out an old friend for the summer. He gets more than he bargained for when he’s assigned to work with the feisty co-owner of Protection Inc. When sparks fly faster than bullets, will the bodyguards be distracted from their task, or will they work together as an even stronger team? (Romantic Mystery, Independently Published)

Imminent Threat by Kimberly Rose Johnson — The Protection Inc. team is growing, and so is their client list. Former cop and new team member, Peter King, seeks to solve the mystery surrounding threatening notes being sent to Jenna Walsh. Facing an uncertain future, Jenna is afraid for her life. Will the team at Protection Inc., specifically Peter, be able to stop the threats before things escalate, or will tragedy strike before Peter is willing to face his growing attraction to Jenna? The team must divide and conquer when two big cases present themselves at the same time. Carissa Jones and Marc Olsen work to protect a young college student who is staying in the home of a federal judge. All work and no play has put a strain on their relationship. Can they find balance or will their fragile bond be extinguished? (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Plain Refuge by Dana R. Lynn — On the run from hired gunmen, can she find safety in Amish country? After overhearing an illegal weapons deal, Sophie Larson knows two things: her uncle’s a dangerous criminal…and he wants her dead. Now undercover cop Aiden Forster has no choice but to blow his cover and protect Sophie by hiding her and her deaf sister in Amish country. But with a mole in the police force, danger isn’t far behind. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Speculative:

Evocatus by Burke Speed — Jamie is a young veteran with a painful history. He’s done battling for others…until the whole “fight for your life in a mini-mart” thing. Without warning, Jamie is attacked by a sword-wielding man and warned to stay away. From what, he’s not sure. Unexpectedly, he is invited to join a covert band of brothers that fights to keep these evil beings, called Malum, at bay. To accept their invitation is to add death matches against evil to his resume. To decline is to live . . . at least for a while. Kate is a beautiful barista and an important member of this undercover organization. She just might have the key to victory over the Malum but is kidnapped before she can tell what she knows. Everything hinges on a timely rescue of Kate as Jamie’s past and present collide. Now an Evocatus, a veteran called again to duty, Jamie must decide how far he’s willing to go to fight-and love-again. (Speculative from Ambassador International)

Young Adult

Fade to White by Tara Ross — Thea Fenton’s life looks picture-perfect, but inside, she is falling apart. Wracked by anxiety no one seems to understand or care about, she resorts to self-harm to deflect the pain inside.

When a local teen commits suicide, Thea’s anxiety skyrockets. Unexplainable things happen, leaving her feeling trapped within her own chaotic mind. The lines between reality and another world start to blur, and her previously mundane issues seem more daunting and insurmountable than ever.

Then she meets Khi, a mysterious new boy from the coffee shop who seems to know her better than she knows herself—and doesn’t think she’s crazy. His quiet confidence and unfounded familiarity draw her into an unconventional friendship.

Khi journeys with her through grief, fear, and confusion to arrive at compassion for the one person Thea never thought she could love.

A deeply transformational novel from an authentic new voice in Christian young adult fiction.

 

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


Three Steps Away by Luana Ehrlich, Romantic Suspense
Perfect in His Eyes by Linda Goodnight, Contemporary Romance
Cross Shadow by Andrew Huff, Thriller/Suspense
That Place Called Home by D. L. Lane, Romance
Then There Was You by D. L. Lane, Romantic Suspense
The Same River Twice by Mark Medley, Adventure
Doubly Dead by Lisa Wessel, Cozy Mystery

Available now for preorder:

 

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