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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Welcome Martha Rogers and Autumn Song

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARTHA ROGERS is the author of the Winds Across the Prairie series which is four books about Oklahoma with a prequel, Amelia’s Journey coming in January. Her new series, Seasons of the Heart now has books one and two released. Not on the Menu, was part of a novella collection with DiAnn Mills, Janice Thompson, and Kathleen Y’Barbo; and River Walk Christmas, a novella collection with Beth Goddard, Lynette Sowell, and Kathleen Y’Barbo. A former schoolteacher and English instructor, Martha has a master’s degree in education and lives with her husband in Houston, Texas where they are active in the ministry at their church. When not writing, Martha enjoys spending time with her family which includes nine grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

AUTUMN SONG
by Martha Rogers
Published by Charisma Media

ABOUT THE BOOK

Why does everyone think a girl’s only lot in life is to find a husband and settle down?

Kathleen Muldoon is twenty-three and tired of ranch living. Fiercely independent and determined to become a nurse, she has left her family’s ranch to study medicine under Old Doc Jensen andlive in town with her Aunt Mae, who runs a boardinghouse.

Daniel Monroe has just arrived in Porterfield to set up his law practice. Sparks fly when he is introduced to Kate at the boardinghouse, but the initial attraction quickly dissolves into an argument—the first of many. Daniel is enamored with Kate but uncomfortable with her independent spirit and dreams of becoming a nurse.

When trouble erupts between the ranchers and lumberjacks over timber rights, Kate is furious to learn that Daniel has worked out an agreement she believes will destroy her father’s land. Can they overcome their pride and help each other become everything God wants them to be?

Set in the late 1800s, the Seasons of the Heart series follows the lives of four women and their families, weaving together their stories of faith, life, and love as they bond in friendship only God could orchestrate.

Readers, buy your copy of Autumn Song today!

Summer Dream and Autumn Song are now available from CBD, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Check with your local Christian book store for availability. E-book editions will also be available. These are available from the Realms fiction, a division of Charisma Media.

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

What Does Age Have to Do With Anything?

We make so many excuses for not submitting our writing. I don’t have enough time. I have too many other obligations. I’m too young. I’m too old. I’ve got too many rejections. I don’t have an agent. Any sound familiar? If I had used the excuse of age, I would never have been published. My agent believed in me and kept submitting my manuscripts. When I wanted to quit, friends encouraged me to keep on.

When God calls us to a task, He expects us to finish it. If we’re obedient to that call, He will give us what we need to complete it because He who began the work in us will carry through until it’s completed. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to grow weary when we’re doing God’s work because we’ll reap a harvest when God sets the time.

At one time I asked God if He’d forgotten how old I was getting and how time passed by. Of course He knows how old I am and how long I have on this earth. I just wished He’d let me in on His plans. With so many younger authors were getting contracts and having success, I began to think it would never happen to me, but I persevered, not ready to give up.

Well, God doesn’t forget. He doesn’t sleep. He never quits work. He’s always there willing to help us reach our goals when we call on Him for help. The Lord does expect us to do our part. That part is to put ourselves in that chair and write.

Whether you first contract comes at age twenty-three or seventy-three, God’s timing is always perfect. He’ll never let us down. The answer may not always be what we hoped and prayed for, but His answer is the best for us at that time. It always is.

I’ll be 75 in two months and by that time I will have five novels and one novella published with another five novels contracted. When God opened the door for me, He kicked it wide open. Prayer, perseverance and patience reaped the harvest at the time God ordained.

Do whatever it takes to write. Quit making excuses. If you’re serious, God will help you find the time, face rejection, find an agent, or create the stories. At other times He may tell you to wait a season and take care of other things first. Listen to His voice and calling. Write as much as you can when you can. Be patient, and pray for His guidance in all that you do. Jeremiah tells you to call on Him, and He will answer and tell you great things you do not know. Jeremiah also tells us that God has great plans for us, plans to give us hope and a future. So press on to what God has called you to do whether it is to wait for a season to begin or whether it is to work hard now. Pressing on will lead you where you need to go.

* * * * *

Thank you, Martha, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question: So what excuses have you used to keep from submitting? And if you aren't a writer, what excuses have you used to keep you from doing what God is calling you to do in your life?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Welcome Patti Lacy and Reclaiming Lily

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PATTI LACY, at the age of 50, traded her grade books for a writer’s pen after the Still, Small Voice encouraged her to novelize the story of her best friend. Patti’s first three novels, An Irishwoman’s Tale, What the Bayou Saw, and The Rhythm of Secrets, explore the secrets women keep and why they keep them.

Patti’s fourth book, Reclaiming Lily, a Bethany House title, transports readers to the steps of a Chinese orphanage, where two cultures and two women collide. Claiming writers as diverse as Francine Rivers and Jodi Piccoult as influences for this novel, Patti weaves a story of grace and God’s mercy with an insidious hereditary disease and a rebellious teenager. Reclaiming Lily transports the reader from Fort Worth to China to Boston in a quest journey of faith, of love…of Joy.

Patti soothes her itch to teach by leading seminars, facilitating writing classes, and speaking at women’s events. Patti and her husband, Alan, a college administrator, live in Normal. They have two grown children and a dog named Laura.

RECLAIMING LILY
by Patti Lacy
Published by Bethany House

ABOUT THE BOOK

Two women. Two cultures. One child.

Can Kai, a determined Chinese doctor, and Gloria, a worried pastor's wife, shatter the prejudices and pride that enslave them and partner to save Joy, a rebellious teenager who just happens to be Kai's sister...Gloria's daughter?

Span seas and secrets and the depths of God's grace in Reclaiming Lily!

Readers, buy your copy of Reclaiming Lily today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Writing and Noshing—Do the Two Mix?

Gather round. Perk up your ears. It’s time for a secret from Patti Lacy, the author who spans seas and secrets and has a new Bethany House release, Reclaiming Lily.

We’re not handling the usual heavy topics of a women’s fiction writer. Not on a Wednesday!!

Ready for the revelation?

I nosh.

When words clog in the cerebral journey from gray matter to fingertips, I turn to the system taught by a dear college friend...

“Kathleen, I’m sick of this.” The dorm bunk sags as I shift my weight, rearrange Baylor Bear pillows. “We’ll never get through.”

Kathleen smooths straight hair into a ponytail. “Oh, yes, we will. We have to.”

I’m tired. Bored. Sure I’ll never pull off a decent grade point this semester…or any other. “No, we won’t.”

Like the lawyer she’s studying to be, Kathleen folds her arms across her chest and fixes droopy blue eyes on my face. “Okay.” She taps her pencil against our handouts. “We’ll do one page, then get a Coke. Do another, get some candy.”

My stomach growls, as well it should. We skipped dinner…to study. I close my eyes. Hear the Snickers—no, the Almond Joy, with its creamy dark chocolate, chewy coconut, nut-crunch, calling to me from the vending machine down the hall. “How about the candy first?” I blurt out.

She eyes me, wondering if more argument will exhaust her waning store of energy. “Okay. Candy first.” More tapping. “But it’ll cost you two pages.”

Noshing—whether to relieve the daily page requirement of a writer, the mundane job of scrubbing toilets, the twenty items on a Mom’s to-do list—has been officially classified as a coping technique for difficult, mediocre, hey, sometimes IMPOSSIBLE days.

Peanut butter slathered on crunchy crackers and topped with dried cranberries. Dove dark chocolate. Chilled carrot sticks. Hummus. Yogurt. Roasted peanuts. Hersheys almond bars.

Since domestic veganism has claimed us Lacys as “victims,” cheese has been slashed from the menu. But never chocolate!!

Hey, wait! You’ve got to write 500 words before you head to the fridge!

As my age and waistline have expanded, I’ve implemented other rewards for meeting page or word count or domestic goals:

Check Facebook comments. Dance to a Pandora hit (Ashley Cleveland’s on right now.) Look out the window. Pet Laura the dog, who as house publisher rules from the lumpy ottoman in my office. File nails. Make a phone call. (No, not THAT phone call. A fast one!)

* * * * *

Thank you, Patti, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question:  Do you implement a finish-and-feed system to persevere? Does it involve chocolate? Share your favorite nosh to be eligible for a random drawing giveaway of Reclaiming Lily.


ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book featured above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Welcome JoAnn Durgin and Second Time Around

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JOANN DURGIN is a full-time estate administration paralegal and lives in southern Indiana with her husband and three children. She is a winner and finalist in several writing contests, an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and its Indiana chapter, as well as the Romance Writers of America. Awakening, JoAnn’s debut novel featuring the adventures of Sam Lewis and Lexa Clarke, released in November 2010. Second Time Around, the second in The Lewis Legacy Series, released in September 2011. It’s her desire to touch hearts with the redeeming love of Jesus Christ. She’d love to hear from you at www.joanndurgin.com or send her a friend request on Facebook.

SECOND TIME AROUND
by JoAnn Durgin
Published by Torn Veil Books (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

ABOUT THE BOOK

A fateful misstep steals a newlywed’s memories and becomes her groom’s fall from grace. Determined to help her reclaim her life, Marc Thompson makes great strides until a ghost from the past threatens to destroy it all. Join their journey as Marc and Natalie travel from Massachusetts to Montana and enlist the help of Sam and Lexa Lewis and the lively TeamWork crew. Along the way, they discover that surrendering all isn’t failure, it’s faith, and it might be the only way back to one another . . . the second time around.

Second Time Around has grace as its central theme, with Hebrews 4:16 as the key verse: Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (NASB). Other themes are also present−forgiveness being a major one. The pervasive truth I’d like the reader to see is that when we put ourselves aside and give it all to the Savior, He will bless. So many people have trouble surrendering their lives and their troubles to Someone more capable, but when they do, they find strength, solace, comfort, peace and joy. As Marc Thompson, my hero in Second Time Around, learns, surrendering all at the throne of grace isn’t failure (his greatest fear), it’s simply faith.

Readers, buy your copy of Second Time Around today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

“Getting to the Heart of Contemporary Christian Romance”

Lately I’ve been pondering why romance novels in general are popular, and more specifically, what elements make them popular. While I’m aware there are detractors who look down their noses and believe romance equates with “fluff” or claim not to read romance for various reasons, based on sales figures and the preponderance of romance novels available, it would appear romance is alive and well and will be around for a long time to come. Thank the Lord! Not to be flippant or discount any of the following, but−strictly for the record−here are some of the predominant reasons I’ve heard for not reading (or writing) romance novels: Never had it, don’t want it, had it and lost it or (perhaps saddest of all), don’t think I’ll ever find it.

Let me start with the reason I personally write romance. First of all, I write what I love to read, and nothing is more precious than love. God first loved us, after all. I’m blessed to have great love in my life and have been married to the same man for almost a quarter century. While not a prerequisite for writing romance, of course, I know it’s helped in my own writing. Of course, there are many forms of love, but is there anything more exciting than that first blush of love, that tingly feeling, that shortness of breath from a glance or a touch, when a man and woman first realize there’s something between them? Sometimes it’s at first glance (it can happen!), but most often love takes time. Depending on characters and circumstances, a lasting, lifelong kind of love can take anywhere from days, weeks, months or years to develop.

If you’ve read my debut novel, Awakening, you’ll know that I don’t write formulaic romance. Sure, it follows the basic formula, and I’m a great believer in happy endings. When you start the book, you pretty much know how it’s going to end, but it’s the unique journey of the characters that makes the difference. I’ve had those who shook their heads and told me I got Sam and Lexa together too quickly in the book, they kissed too early, there wasn’t some earth-shaking event that kept them apart, and I was even told several times over that no one would want to read a book about a couple working together in a summer missions camp. Good thing I didn’t listen and followed the Lord’s leading, and readers are responding in a very positive way. Almost a year after its release, I’m thankful Awakening is still selling very well, especially as a debut author with a new publisher. I give all the praise and honor to the Lord as He gives me the inspiration and the impetus to keep going when arrows are slung my way (it’s inevitable and, trust me, it does happen – one of those hard, but important, lessons to learn as a new author).

If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to propose the following as reasons why Awakening is a marketable novel. Please understand I share these not from any "Look at me!” viewpoint but because I’ve been asked by other writers, especially those starting out, wanting to know how I broke “out of the mold.” These are my specific ideas and thoughts concerning Awakening, but many of the following elements would apply to any romance novel.

1. A hero and heroine who are attracted to one another physically, mentally, intellectually and emotionally (they challenge one another on certain levels)
2. A spiritual journey on both the part of the hero and heroine
3. Circumstances that force them together, willingly or not
4. Something in the past of both the hero and heroine that impacts their outlook on love
5. Internal and external conflicts
6. A lively cast of secondary characters
7. Realistic, smart dialogue
8. Humor and identifiable situations even in the midst of unusual circumstances at times
9. Good pacing – action interspersed with dialogue for a plot that moves
10. Something that breaks the hero and heroine apart (no matter the length of time), but they find their happy ending by the end

The last item on the above list is key in Awakening. Sam and Lexa experience a breakup halfway through the novel, but based on the strong foundation and mutual respect they’ve developed, they overcome it. I’ve heard that once a couple is “together” in a novel, there’s no reason for the reader to keep reading. This is why most romance novels build up to the romantic reunion in the final pages. But it’s my belief this “formula” is stale for many readers, and it’s why they find Sam and Lexa’s story refreshing. The reader will keep reading if the writer gives them a reason to keep reading. With my characters, there’s a maturity level, and a willingness to seek the Lord’s will, that helps them face the obstacles. They’re more tentative with one another and don’t immediately resume their romance, but they work through difficulties together, and that bonds them and strengthens the friendship. When their love is later tested by a geographical separation, this couple stands the test of time.

The most important element in my romances is faith. My readers know when they pick up one of my books, they’re going to get a solid biblical message. The spiritual journey of a character should be interwoven, natural and seamless. My books aren’t literary, but they’re the books of my heart. As long as I stay true to the Lord, I know He’ll continue to open the doors of His choosing−but in His time, not mine. The story of my journey to publication is posted on my website at www.joanndurgin.com.

Thanks so much for allowing me to share with you today! Blessings. Matthew 5:16

* * * * *

Thank you, JoAnn, for sharing with us today.

Guest Question:  What is the one element of a Christian romance (whether historical or contemporary) that makes it memorable for you as a reader?


Monday, October 10, 2011

Monday Mishaps with Mom - Deadlines and Sick Kids

This week is for those facing a deadline and the interruption of sickness in the house.

Now, many of you here know I'm an author. And that means I have deadlines for completing books. My editors don't like it too much if I'm late. Today is one of those days. I am attempting to finish the revisions on a novella, but I have had next to zero time the past 3 weeks to work on it. And when I say revisions, I mean my own edits, not those from the editor once it reaches that stage in the process.

This past weekend was awesome as my husband took care of the kids for most of the 2 days and allowed me uninterrupted time to write. But, I didn't get as far as I needed to get. And this morning, the infant only slept for 45 minutes (normally 1-1/2 to 2 hours) then decided he wanted to scream for 30 minutes. The toddler wouldn't keep her hands off him, only making his crankiness worse.

To top that off, there has been sickness and tummy issues in the house for the past 2-1/2 weeks. Both kids had it and my husband caught it as well. That meant I played nursemaid, washer woman, disinfecting queen, and chief house mother to everyone. I washed 2 loads of laundry every day, cleaned out soiled clothes and spent a lot of time cuddling or snuggling. Praise God no one got a fever, but it wasn't easy getting a toddler to eat when everything she ate came out in a rather unpleasant fashion. She simply didn't want to eat or drink anything.

So, looks like I'm in for a marathon editing session during naptime today with a ton of prayers that both kids sleep well during that time.

How about you? Have you ever been under a deadline of any kind, and your best laid plans were interrupted by the needs of your family? What happened, and how did you handle it?

Tune in next week for the next "Monday Mishap with Mom." See you then!

And you can always look at the labels at the bottom of the right column to find "monday mishaps with mom" and read up on any week you've missed. My goal is to encourage mothers who feel a bit frazzled, and to help brighten your day as you start off your week. You're not alone.

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Welcome Lynn Squire and Joab's Fire

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LYNN SQUIRE is an avid writer who artistically intertwines Biblical truth with colorful narrative. Her childhood farm life, coupled with her equestrian experiences, brings authenticity and heart to her stories. Lynn actively serves her church through her writing in and in other ministries and is currently the president of the American Christian Fiction Writers San Francisco Bay Area Chapter in California, where she resides with her husband and three children.

JOAB'S FIRE
by Lynn Squire
Published by HigherLife Publishing

ABOUT THE BOOK

Joab black and his wife Sarah overcame the worst of pioneer hardships in order to establish a prosperous farm in Alberta, Canada. But those challenges never prepared them for the tragedy they now faced—a staggering loss and intense pain causing them to doubt everything they had ever believed. In the midst of their sorrow, even their closest friends interpret their sufferings as a result of God’s judgment. Has God abandoned them?

Inspired by the Biblical book of Job, this novel includes a Bible study exploring the perfection of God’s plan and the bounty of His love even in the most inexplicable and intense sufferings.

Readers, buy your copy of Joab's Fire-A Distant Hope today!

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR FEATURE AUTHOR

Novelists Are a Rare Breed
By Lynn Squire

Novelists are a rare breed of humans with spirited imaginations and unusual behaviors. Even amongst themselves, unique is normal and peculiar is acceptable.

Every novelist keeps her own hours. Several creep in the late hours of the night, while some may crow with the roosters in the morning. Still others give the appearance of normalcy by operating in the middle of the day. I, for one, am heavy into my characters from the hours of 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM when no one else is home. But should my children be present, I crow with the best from before sunrise until mid morning.

Encountering a novelist during her working hours can be a fearsome event. Please understand, in the privacy of her writing world, she transforms into the character she creates on paper. If she snarls at the sight of you, she really isn't mad (at least, with the first encounter . . . a second one, well, let's just say I'm not making promises).

Should you telephone her during writing hours, beware. She may be enduring great emotional trauma for the past several hours as the character whose mind she's been submerged in has. Give her a few minutes to surface and shake off that character's hold.

Don't be surprised if you knock on the door and she appears dressed in the costume of some character or wearing the expression of someone who just slew a giant. This too will pass as your novelist extracts herself from that protagonist (or possibly it's the antagonist). Be patient, but don't stay for coffee. She might be enjoying her work too much.

That said, let me enlighten you. The wisest of neighbors will not intrude upon her until she's closed her laptop or set down her pen for the day.

Perhaps your neighborhood novelist shares with you where she is at in her current project. Take warning, a different creature emerges at each phase of the novel production.

During her research time you might feel safe to visit. However, be forewarned. Don't stay for supper if your novelist is experimenting with poisons. You never know just how realistic she wants her experiments to be.

In the first draft, she is particularly queer. Her characters are not fully developed. She's just meeting them herself. In this phase, her antics are highly unpredictable.

As drafts progress, she settles into each character and each plot line with greater ease. Coming out of them, however, is far more difficult.

When revisions are required by her editor, expect her to roar like a lion, cry like a baby, and breathe fire like a dragon. Eventually, she will calm down and emerge from the process a little more sane and usually happier for having gone through it.

The book release--the happiest stage. You'll find your novelist the most receptive to your visit or call. After all, she expects you to buy five dozen books, encourage your friends to do the same, and invite all your relatives (a thousand of them would be nice) to her book signings. If you don't comply . . . well let’s just say you'd better pray her next novel isn't about a crazed serial killer.

* * * * *

Thank you, Lynn, for sharing with us today.

Guest Questions: 1. Have you ever called a writer friend in the middle of her writing time?

2. What do imagine William Shakespeare was like when he was writing the three witches in Macbeth?

3. What classic author do you think would be the most interesting to meet? The most terrifying?

ENTRY RULES Readers, leave your email address (name at domainname dot com/net) along with your answer to the question for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of the book detailed above. If you do not answer the question, and your email address isn't provided, you will not be entered.

This week, the contest is open to US/Canada residents only.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

2011 INSPY Awards Finalists Announced

The INSPY Advisory Board is pleased to announce the shortlists for the 2011 INSPY Awards. CONGRATULATIONS to all the finalists.


Creative Nonfiction
Little Princes by Conor Grennan, William Morrow, January, 2011
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, Zondervan, January, 2011
Passport Through Darkness by Kimberly L. Smith, David C Cook, January, 2011
The Waiting Place by Eileen Button, Thomas Nelson, June, 2011
The World is Bigger Now by Euna Lee & Lisa Dickey, Broadway, September, 2010

General
City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell, Henry Holt & Co, September, 2010
The Blackberry Bush by David Housholder, Summerside Press, June, 2011
The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue, David C Cook, October, 2010
Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett, David C Cook, April, 2011
Words by Ginny Yttrup, B&H Publishing, February, 2011

Mystery/Thriller
Back on Murder by J. Mark Bertrand, Bethany House, July, 2010
Darkness Follows by Mark Dellosso, Realms, May, 2011
Digitalis by Ronie Kendig, Barbour, January, 2011
Over the Edge by Brandilyn Collins, B&H Publishing, May, 2011
The Bishop by Steven James, Revell, August, 2010

Romance
A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell, Bethany House, March, 2011
A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman, Revell, September, 2010
The Preacher’s Bride by Jody Hedlund, Bethany House, October, 2010
Within My Heart by Tamera Alexander, Bethany House, September, 2010
Yesterday’s Tomorrow by Catherine West, Oak Tara, March, 2011

Speculative Fiction
Heartless by Anne Elisabeth Stengl, Bethany House, July, 2010
The Charlatan’s Boy by Jonathan Rogers, Waterbrook Press, October, 2010
The Falling Away by T. L. Hines, Thomas Nelson, September, 2010
The Resurrection by Mike Duran, Realms, February, 2011
The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead, Thomas Nelson, August, 2010

Young Adult
A Girl Named Mister by Nikki Grimes, Zondervan, August, 2010
Losing Faith by Denise Jaden, Simon Pulse, September, 2010
Saint Training by Elizabeth Fixmer, Zondervan, August, 2010
The Fences Between Us by Kirby Larson, Scholastic, September, 2010
The Truth of the Matter by Andrew Klavan, Thomas Nelson, September, 2010

October New Releases in Christian Fiction

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

A Wedding Invitation by Alice Wisler -- General Fiction from Bethany House; When Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart.

Attracted by Fire by DiAnn Mills -- A Thriller/Suspense from Tyndale. When a Secret Service Agent is assigned to the Vice President's rebellious daughter, danger lurks in every corner - and her heart.

Deeply Devoted: A Novel; The Blue Willow Brides Series by Maggie Brendan -- A Historical from Revell -- She is staking her future on a man she's never met. Can she learn to love him?

Freezing Point by Beth Goddard -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired. Casey Wilkes didn't realize her simple human-interest story would put her life at risk—again.

Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry M.D. -- A Thriller/Suspense from Abingdon; A doctor discovers that the experimental "wonder drug" that offers the only hope of cure for a universally fatal infection can be attacking more than just bacteria.

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist, -- Historical Romance from Bethany House. Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Maggie's Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley -- A Historical from Realms (Charisma Media). Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she's adopted and her journey begins.

Recipe for Deceit by S. Dionne Moore -- Mystery from Barbour. The third LaTisha Barnhart mystery finds the sassy diner owner trying to figure out who put the hit on a hitman.

Rodeo Dust by Shannon Vanatter -- Romance from Barbour Heartsong; Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

Southern Fried Sushi: A Novel by Jennifer Rogers Spinola -- General Fiction from Barbour; Ride the roller coaster of Shiloh Jacobs’s life as her dreams derail, sending her on a downward spiral from the heights of an AP job in Tokyo to penniless in rural Virginia.

Ten Plagues by Mary Nealy-- Thriller/Suspense from Barbour; A demon possessed serial killer pits himself against a former ego driven cop, who's found peace as a mission pastor and a tough lady cop with the spiritual gift of discerning spirits.

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy-- Thriller/Suspense from Thomas Nelson; To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

The Chair by James Rubart-- Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing; If you were given an ancient looking chair and told Jesus Christ made it, would you believe them?

The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight-- Romance from Love Inspired; When a battle weary cop and a Christmas crazy teacher join forces to care for an abandoned, mute boy in a small town, neither is prepared for the shocking revelations waiting...just in time for Christmas.

The Lady's Maid by Susan Page Davis-- Romance from Barbour; As a lady's maid, Elise will follow her mistress anywhere, even into the Wild West.

The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O'Dell-- Young Adult from Barbour; Join conflicted sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield on her journey to hope and healing as she leaves her messed-up life behind and moves into home for troubled teens

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones-- Young Adult from Thomas Nelson; Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.

When Love Gets in the Way by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Straight from the heart of the Old West, the Colorado Runaway series is full of adventure, humor, and romance.

When Two Hearts Meet by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Rachel Garrett finds that attaining her dream of becoming a nurse is fraught with peril, and a deputy sheriff with a wall around his heart doesn’t help matters.