Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Ruth Wong

 God’s Son—One Claim, Two Cultures 

By Ruth Wong

Every one of my books touches upon the Christian faith. That thread continues in my latest book, Fire Between Two Skies (special $2.99 promo at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2YZZ8LG; watch the teaser video at https://youtu.be/UE9egV5VlUs). Set against the fiery upheaval of the Taiping movement, the story explores a question that has long gripped me: how can the same claim—“I am the Son of God”—ignite such different responses in different cultures?

In first-century Judea, monotheism was the heartbeat of Jewish identity. For a Jew to claim to be the Son of God was to tread on sacred ground with fire. Such a claim was against the social order and also against God Himself. The consequence was predictable: rejection, and ultimately, death. Now set that alongside nineteenth-century China. Traditional Chinese society, with its richly layered spiritual landscape, offered a different frame. When Hong Xiuquan announced he was God’s son and Jesus’ brother, his message found ready ears. The result was not isolation but the mobilization of multitudes to follow his vision.

That divergence fascinates me. Culture shapes plausibility. What sounds impossible in one context can appear inevitable in another. Yet even acknowledging that, I can’t stop thinking about Jesus’ claim and authority.

When I first read the Bible, I was stunned by how unapologetically Jesus spoke. As a Jew, He knew His

words that identified Himself with the very name of God would collide head-on with the traditions of His people. Was He crazy? Only someone unhinged would insist on such things—unless, of course, His claim was true.

I’m a PhD scientist and always keep an open mind. If someone can point me to ancient texts that foretold his coming, and if that person fulfilled those prophecies—particularly through a death in accordance with those texts—then I have to take the claim seriously.

This is where the Dead Sea Scrolls, one of archaeology’s greatest finds, enter my vision. Among the original seven scrolls discovered at Qumran is the Book of Isaiah, dated to around 125 BCE. Nearly complete, remarkably preserved, and consistent with later manuscripts, it stands as a witness to the integrity of the text across centuries. Within Isaiah are passages about Jesus from birth to death. For me, the existence of the Old Testament, centuries older than Jesus’ earthly life, adds weight to the belief that history is not random, that God speaks and then brings His word to fruition.

Fire Between Two Skies is not a theological treatise, but a story that stares at the juncture between faith and culture. Jesus’ claim was not aimed at regime change but at heart change. He refused the sword, embraced the cross, and fulfilled words spoken long before He walked the Galilean hills.

As a writer, I’m drawn to the tension between earth and heaven. As a scientist, I’m compelled by evidence that endures scrutiny. As a believer, I surrender to a story that is bigger than me, yet personal enough to answer my search.

If those themes resonate with you, I invite you to explore them with me in Fire Between Two Skies. And whether you come to the book as a skeptic, a seeker, or a fellow traveler in faith, I pray you’ll find, between the two skies of culture and conviction, a fire that illuminates more than it consumes.

About Ruth
Dr. Ruth Wuwong (PhD in biochemistry, MBA in finance) has published 120+ scientific books and papers (under her legal name) and a few Christian fiction books under R. F. Whong. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, a retired pastor. They served together at three churches from 1987 to 2020. Her grown son works in a nearby city.

She currently runs a small biotech company (www.vidasym.com) and has raised more than twenty million US dollars during the past few years for Vidasym.

In addition to her weekly newsletter and the platform (www.ruthforchrist.com), she’s active in several writers’ groups, including ACFW, Word Weavers, Facebook, and Goodreads. Through these connections, she plans newsletter/promotion swaps with others and has writers endorse her books, write forewords, and host her on guest blogs.

Ruth was chosen as a featured author by the Minnesota Anoka County Library in 2025 and by the Suffolk Virginia Authors Festival in 2026.

Her book, Echoes over Stormy Sea, has won a few awards, including being chosen by readers as a winner in the HOLT Medallion Contest.

Fire Between Two Skies

Two eras. One relentless quest for truth amid desires and temptation. Across the centuries, two men are bound by parallel destinies that echo through time. Book 3 of this dual-time odyssey delves deep into the passions and struggles that connect their worlds.

In 2022 Hong Kong, Jason Guan, after losing his job as an assistant supervisor for wetland conservation, joins his uncle’s real-estate business. A chance meeting with his high school classmate, Vivian Jiang, draws him into a web of secrecy, seduction, and moral compromise. Amid the chaos, he and his wife, Debra, read an unpublished manuscript by her father, a celebrated writer, about the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864) and a man’s futile pursuit of justice and peace on earth.

In nineteenth-century China, Zhang Xin, an orphan saved from the streets by Missionary Issachar Jacox Roberts, is swept into the fiery rebellion of the Taiping movement. Torn between the dream of a just kingdom, his forbidden love for Miao Lan, and his loyalty to his ruthless brother, Xin reckons with doubt, conscience, and the cost of faith.

When greed and exploitation eclipse justice, both men must navigate their respective perils. Will they prevail or be consumed?

Action/Adventure; Dual-time Odyssey Book 3): new release in January 2026; special $2.99 promo at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G2YZZ8LG. Series Page: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F4LKXS2W By R. F. Whong, named a 2025 Featured Author by the Minnesota Anoka County Library. 

Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ruth.wuwong
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWuwong
Website: www.ruthforchrist.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-wu-wong
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruthwuwong/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/love.respect.grace
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42632055.R_F_Whong
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/r-f-whong

Photo Credits:

Author Photo and book image: Courtesy of Ruth Wong

Bible: Pixabay/James Chan

Nebula: Pixabay/Lumina Obscura

On Tour: The Bible Companion

 

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 7 Proverbs-Song of Songs

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study

Release Date: September 6, 2025

Are you disappointed with life?

The Bible Companion Book 7 helps you reconcile the realities of life with the promises of God. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scriptures without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

In the Books of Wisdom, God speaks to us in poetry—the language of the heart. These books reveal a God concerned not only about our minds and bodies, but also our emotions. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs bridge the gap between life as we hoped it would be and life as it is. If you struggle with your life’s circumstances, The Bible Companion Book 7 will help you find guidance, comfort, and strength in the poetry of men and women who searched for God in the dark and found Him.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

More from Karen

The Promise Box

My mother had an intricately carved wooden box approximately 4” x 3” that was passed down to her by her mother. It was called a Promise Box and held 150 small cards in assorted colors. One side had a Scripture verse, the other a prayer. Most of the verses came from Proverbs.

The Promise Box was always kept in place we passed many times a day. A place where we’d be sure to see it and be enticed to pull a card. I’d lift the lid and breathe in the musty smell of years gone by then choose a card, eager to see what message from God awaited me. The limp cards with their faded colors told me I wasn’t the first.

My mother’s Promise Box had belonged to her mother. When my mother-in-law died, I received the Promise Box that had belonged to her grandmother. By then the metal box engraved with an intricate family scene had seen better days. The hinges had broken apart. The once shiny box had darkened to near black. But I couldn’t part with it. It had to be more than 150 years old. I couldn’t help but wonder how many times those who owned it reached for a word from the Lord to get them through their day.

Most had lost children. They depended on God for daily bread literally as the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl took their family members and livelihoods. As an adult, I understood that we aren’t to treat the promises of God like fortune cookies we hope will bring us good luck. A daily visit to the Promise Box doesn’t substitute for time spent with God in prayer and His Word but it has value. The Promise Box reminds us that God is not only in the church, He is in our homes. He wants us to see Him, to reach for Him, and rely on His promises. If a little box nudges us to look to Him with expectation., then it is not only a gift we should treasure, but a treasure we should pass on.

 

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 19

Girls in White Dresses, March 20

She Lives To Read, March 21

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 22 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 22

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 23

Texas Book-aholic, March 24

Lots of Helpers, March 25

Cover Lover Book Review, March 26

Books Less Travelled, March 27 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 28

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 29

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, March 30 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, March 30

Mary Hake, March 31

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, April 1 (Author Interview)

An Interview with Karen Westbrook

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

Freedom and solitude. I’ve named two things but one makes possible the other. Being a writer gives me freedom—flexibility of time and projects—but also requires solitude. A productive writer must set aside time to write. If that goes against your grain, you’re not likely to stick with it. But it suits me well. I love that time alone where I can process and create with God by my side. I’ve had to develop daily routines that make room for my craft, but I can shape them to suit my personality (extroverted introvert) and my natural rhythms (early riser). That’s privilege. I can spend leisurely time with the Lord because I wake up early (3:00-4:00 am) and write for several hours before the household awakes.

What was the best money you spent as a writer?

First was paying for education that equipped me to write—MFA, seminary, writer’s conferences. Second was buying a big screen monitor which allows me to see resources and documents that I’m comparing for editing at the same time.

How do you come up with story lines/book topic?
Because I’m going through the Bible chapter by chapter in The Bible Companion, I read the text first and ask the Holy Spirit to show me to what God is telling us about Himself in the passage and what word does He want people to take away. I always have ideas about the text, but I don’t know what people most need to hear. I rely on the Holy Spirit to help me point to Jesus and our hope in Him.

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I intended to write fiction but felt God calling me to write a series that would make His Word more accessible to people first. I think The Bible Companion may be a “first fruits” work and I will be released to write fiction after I complete it. We shall see.

What is one thing you wish you could do?

Sing with a strong, clear, beautiful voice. I’ve always sung in choirs and ensembles but have a blending voice. When I plan and direct worship services not having a strong voice makes leading difficult. I always have to have someone lead with me I pray will catch the vision of where I believe the Spirit is leading. Writing this, I can appreciate why God limited my singing ability. I tend to do too much on my own. 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/Y0MR0/the-bible-companion-book-7-proverbs-song-of-songs-celebration-tour-giveaway

On Tour: How to Make a Miracle

 

About the Book

Book: How to Make a Miracle (How to Be a Hero Book 2)

Author: Carol Schlorff

Genre: Middle-grade action and adventure

Release Date: February 17, 2026

Three teenagers. One perilous quest. A miracle worth risking everything for.

Trapped in the Past … A visit to an old palace takes an unexpected turn when Stefan, his sister Julia, and their friend Hugo are mysteriously hurled into the harsh, unpredictable world of the Bible, where they meet Nasiya, a young slave girl caught in a dreadful fate.

Danger and Destiny … In a land where any shadow can hide an enemy, the trio must summon every ounce of faith to survive. For Stefan, however, the battle isn’t only against ruthless warriors—it’s against the anger and guilt holding him captive for too long. As the teens embark on a dangerous journey, Stefan must face the wounds of his past before they shatter his future.

A Race Against the Clock … With time running out and lives hanging in the balance, Stefan must discover that the greatest miracles aren’t about changing the world—they’re about renewing the heart. Fast-paced, richly immersive, and carrying a powerful message of redemption, this middle-grade adventure will grip readers from the first page to the last.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Carol’s passion is to write exciting stories that encourage, inspire, and boost the reader’s faith, possibly because she has always felt like an outsider. She was born in North Africa to American parents and grew up in France. At age 15, her family’s abrupt move to Philadelphia resulted in a rough transition to American life.

After graduating from Penn State, Carol joined the Army in search of adventure. She was stationed in exotic—for her—locations like California, Arizona, and Texas.

Since then, Carol has lived in Krakow, Poland, where she teaches English and organizes language camps. She also writes a blog on faith-related topics.

Carol enjoys watching or reading a good murder mystery and getting nervous while watching NFL games.

More from Carol

The idea for a middle-grade novel came to me while I was listening to a series of sermons on meditating on God’s Word. How could I show that the Bible is exciting, far from boring, relevant to our lives, and has the answers we seek about our purpose in life? And do so in a way that is fun and intriguing, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats? Write a time-travel adventure into the Bible, of course! Granted, the premise may not be new, but I aimed to write it in a way that is fresh and stimulating, giving valuable insights into the Bible.

The result of this crazy idea is the How to Be a Hero series, of which How to Make a Miracle is the second installment, although each book can be read as a standalone novel.

I targeted middle-grade readers because it’s an awkward age when young people begin to question what their parents have taught them and seek answers for themselves (speaking from experience, here). If my books can encourage them in their faith, I will consider my writing a success.

I chose the book themes based on issues young people struggle with. How to Make a Miracle addresses the problem of anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness, which I don’t need to tell you are far too prevalent in our society. The solution is forgiveness—and we all need to learn how to forgive each other, regardless of age.

Blog Stops

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 17

Simple Harvest Reads, March 18 (Author Interview)

For Him and My Family, March 19

Artistic Nobody, March 20 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, March 21

Guild Master, March 22 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 23

Fiction Book Lover, March 24 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, March 25 (Author Interview)

Mrs. Ryan Moser’s Book and Movie Reviews, March 25

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, March 26 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, March 27

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, March 28 (Author Interview)

For the Love of Literature, March 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 29

Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 30 (Author Interview)

Interview with Carol:

What questions do you ask yourself when preparing to write a new book? Most of the questions concern the main characters. I go through a worksheet with a list of questions that help me cover every aspect of each character before I even type the first paragraph of the book. Here are a few examples of what I ask myself: What goal does he want to achieve? What false beliefs does he hold? What is his dominant emotion? What does he need? How will he change during the story? What are the stakes if he doesn’t change? What idiosyncrasies does he have?

These questions help me take a deep dive into the character's psychology before I even begin writing. Of course, as I write, I may realize I need to change the character in some way, so I update my answers to those questions. Regardless, asking myself these questions is invaluable in creating a character who is real and engaging.

How do you come up with story lines/book topic? The idea for the How to Be a Hero series, of which How to Make a Miracle is the second book, came to me while I was listening to a sermon on meditating on God’s Word. I immediately had the idea for all three books, time-travel adventures set in the Bible, as a way to bring the Bible to life. I wasn’t looking for a story idea; it came to me.

I have another storyline idea for a possible future book, inspired by a real event—the war in Ukraine. I live in Poland and have had contact with many Ukrainian refugees. Listening to their stories gave me the idea for a book about teens trying to reach the Polish border at the beginning of the war.

Why do you write in your particular genre?

I chose middle grade because it’s a strategic time when many begin questioning what they’ve been taught about the Bible and Christianity. They want to know why they should believe what they’ve been taught. This was what happened to me at that age, even though I grew up in a Christian family. I had many questions, and I’m grateful to those who took the time to answer them. My prayer is that my books will help my readers find answers to the spiritual questions they’re asking and show them how the Bible still speaks today—with the trustworthiness we can live by.

As to why action and adventure—well, because I love a good adventure!

What is one thing you wish you could do? I’m an introvert, and I wish I were an extrovert. I wish I could easily strike up conversations with people on the street or phone people I don’t know without being stressed. I’ve always wished I were more outgoing. But over the years, I’ve come to realize that God doesn’t make mistakes, and he has his purposes for creating me as I am. I can’t compare myself to others. Instead, I must focus on being faithful to what God has called me to do.

What was your favorite childhood book and why? My favorite childhood book was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I loved the story and the talking animals, and I checked the inside of a wardrobe more than once to see if, by chance, it led to Narnia. The character of Aslan fascinated me, and I’m sure he helped me be drawn to Jesus. My parents read all the Narnia books to me when I was little, and then I read and re-read them multiple times since then. Even as an adult, I still read them from time to time, especially The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Carol is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/OTSG5/how-to-make-a-miracle-celebration-tour-giveaway

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome, Gretchen Carlson!

 Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Gretchen Carlson!

I’m thrilled to be hosting, fellow ACFW member, Gretchen Carlson whose novels are set during my favorite time-period! Read on to me her, and learn a bit about her inspiration, research, and lots more.

Share a real-life event that inspired your writing:

Born in 1900, my grandmother spoke of her horse and buggy experiences, life through the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and both World Wars. However, she was in her eighties when she shared a Christmas story from 1939 that had been kept secret for decades. The beauty of the event, how a poor struggling farm family got electricity, burned in my heart until I wrote the last page of More Than Grit. Her story is of broken lives, deep friendships and the power of forgiveness. Today’s culture applauds independence and self-sufficiency, but we need more than determination and our own grit.

What research did you do for your story, and was there an interesting tidbit you knew you had to include?

The setting of my debut book, More Than Grit, is rural Kansas in September 1939 which is when Hitler

invaded Poland. As European countries fell, American politics grew hot with debates of Isolationism. As I wove threads of the World War II, I enjoyed reading President Roosevelt’s and Winston Churchhill’s speeches, and I listened to original radio recordings. Each chapter begins with a quote from one of them.

A humorous tidbit I discovered (and included) revolved around the date of Thanksgiving. During the fall of 1939 our national holiday mushroomed into a huge political issue. States and families chose different dates for the holiday.

Is your book a part of a series: Did you set out to write a series?

No … but … I did. When my readers asked for another book, I got busy. I Be Brave is a sequel, however, both books have their own ending. The second book begins in 1940 with the same farm family and many of the original characters. I didn’t dare cut readers’ favorite onery, Old Man, but I added a heart-tugging Down Syndrome teen. Once again, I wove in events of World War II.

What draws you to the time period about which you write?

The people. The Great Depression and both World Wars hammered ordinary individuals into heroes and a resilient generation. I enjoyed researching and telling their stories. Inspiration for one character came from an obituary of a Sunday School teacher in a small rural church who greatly impacted youth.

How are your characters like you? Different?

When I finished writing the last paragraph of More Than Grit, I wept. It hit me that I am like my protagonist. Too often I strive and push, thinking everything depends upon me, but even when I’ve failed to trust God, he pours out his grace—especially through family and friends. My prayer is that my books will remind readers that God is involved in the details of our lives.

About I Be Brave:

While war rages in Europe, a Kansas family faces battles of its own.

In the summer of 1940, as Hitler’s armies destroy Europe, guilt ravages thirteen-year-old Sissy’s heart after her younger brother dies—on her watch. Nothing she does can mend the rift between her and her mother. When an abused and abandoned boy follows Sissy to her farm in rural Kansas, she knows he can’t stay permanently with her broken family, and yet she tries to help him.

Her actions stir up fierce controversy in the community and threaten the loss of her family’s farm, driving a deeper wedge between Sissy and her mother. Even though Sissy risks everything to save the boy, her courage can’t heal the hurt and bitterness which blaze hotter than the Kansas summer sun—unless there is forgiveness. But forgiveness is as elusive as victory in Europe.

Award-winning author of More Than Grit, Gretchen A. Carlson writes books that appeal to readers who love to root for the underdog and who desire to rise above fear.

Purchase Links:
More Than Grit: https://amzn.to/47Wc26d

I Be Brave: https://amzn.to/4uF0zSv

Social Media Links:
Email: gretchencarlsonwriter@gmail.com
Website: https://gretchen-carlson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gretchen.carlson.31
Television Interview: https://www.wibw.com/video/2022/09/27/more-than-grit-gretchen-carlson-author/

Photo Credits:

Author Photo and Book Image: Courtesy Gretchen Carlson

Turkey Dinner: Pixabay

Farm: Pixabay/Albrecht Fietz

Wartime Wednesday: German Maps and Secret Missions

Wartime Wednesday:

German Maps and Secret Missions

In these days of GPS which give instantaneous location information, it’s easy to forget that the technology is relatively new, with the first satellite being launched in 1978. During World War II, the lack of what is called geodetic data – the measuring and representing of Earth’s geometric shape, orientation in space, and gravity field – was an issue because shelling was done over great distances, often without seeing the actual target through gun sights. Unfortunately, this created situations during which the shells “went awry,” as one source put it.

When word reached the upper echelon of the U.S. Army of enormous stashed of maps held by the Germans, it was decided to create a top-secret intelligence force that would ferret out and capture the documents. Named HOUGHTEAM after the man in charge, Major Floyd Hough, the unit was composed of nineteen specifically selected individuals:

• Four educated civilians: an engineer, a geographer, a linguist who spoke five languages, and a Kentucky socialite who’d mostly grown up in Europe.
• Ten enlisted men who included a Japanese interpreter on loan from OSS and European immigrants who had fled to the U.S. to escape Nazi persecution.
• Five who’d been stationed at Camp Ritchey where they received training in interrogation and psychological operations. They would be responsible for questioning civilians about troop movement as well as prisoners of war.

The men carried 1,800 pounds of cameras and other equipment for creating microfilm records and

11,000(!) index cards that included such information as the holdings of the Army Map Services, lists of technical universities, government institutions, libraries, and other places that ostensibly had the materials they sought, and lists of German scientists indicating which might be willing to cooperate and those who must not be trusted. (Can you imagine flipping through those to find what you needed?

In the autumn of 1944, the unit followed the army into Germany often arriving at a particular city days or even hours after it had fallen to the Allies. Speed was of the essence. Aachen was the first major successful mission, and most scholars feel the information found there hastened the end of the war because of the massive cache of scientific data and records discovered in the library. The project stalled when the Allies were held back, then the terrible winter that saw the Battle of the Bulge.

By March, 1945, the Allies were again on the move, and Hough followed, first to Cologne, then onto Frankfurt, and Weisbaden, collecting bundles of papers, books, maps, and survey reports that had immediate operational value. The interrogation of a captured officer revealed the name of two small towns in the region of Thuringia. The U.S. Third Army was in the midst of taking the area, so Hough gathered his men and headed east to Friedrichroda and Waltershausen. A short search turned up the entire archive of the German national survey agency. Just as important was the discovery of a man they’d been seeking for weeks. Questioning provided the name of yet another small town: Saalfeld.

Four days after the U.S. 87th Infantry took the town, Hough and five of his men rolled in. After explaining to the mayor what they were looking for, he led them to a warehouse which held a thirty-foot by fifty-food room stacked flour to ceiling. They’d found “nothing less than the central map and geodetic data repository for the Germany Army – the mother lode.” Exciting, yet, but Saalfeld was in a section of Germany that was going to be Soviet-occupied territory, and the Russians were on their way.

With a pace not thought possible, Hough borrowed (commandeered?) trucks, planes, and enlisted me from nearby U.S. Army units to load the trucks. He also mandated help from German civilians. By the time Germany had officially surrendered on May 8, 1945, Hough and his team had shipped thirty-five two-and-a-half-ton-capacity trucks with maps, data, and instruments such as stereoplanigraphs (cutting-edge technology used to create topographic maps from aerial photos and worth about $7M in today’s money).

In September, 1945, Hough returned to his old job as head of the Geodetic Division of the Army Map Service in Washington, DC, then went on to travel extensively to international conferences to meet with other geodesists about connecting the rest of Europe to the geodetic network. The project was completed in 1951.

_______________________

Shetland Sunset

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again?

Distraught when the Germans overrun her beloved Norway, Tonje Bondevik refuses to take the occupation sitting down. She joins the fledgling resistance movement, deriving great satisfaction distributing the underground newspaper and performing acts of sabotage…until the day the Nazis come looking for her, and she must flee for her life. Perhaps she should have listened to the handsome Norwegian American when he offered to take her to Shetland.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AWqJk

Sources:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15420353.2021.1922569#d1e130
https://www.archives.gov/files/publications/ref-info-papers/79/index.pdf
https://www.neatorama.com/2019/10/23/The-Untold-Story-of-the-Secret-Mission-to-Seize-Nazi-Map-Data/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/untold-story-secret-mission-seize-nazi-map-data-180973317/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ED50
https://medium.com/@NGA_GEOINT/floyd-w-hough-454ca5ac933f
https://amerisurv.com/2020/03/03/behind-the-lines/
https://community.esri.com/t5/coordinate-reference-systems-blog/the-european-datum-a-history-part-2/ba-p/902120

Photo Credits:
Map: http://www.loc.gov/item/2004629096
Equipment: The National Archives
Floyd Hough Passport Photo: The National Archives

Fiction Friday: New Releases in Christian Fiction

 

March 2026 New Releases
More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Amish Romance: Feuding with the Amish Farmer by Anne Blackburne -- Lida Mae Beiler and Tom Fisher, both feeling betrayed by their parents, find healing, acceptance and forgiveness, while forging a future together. (Amish Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Children’s Middle Grade /Chapter:

The Case of the Duct Tape Disaster by Becca Wierwille -- A mess of duct tape. A missing dress. Can Scout and Barnaby bring the dress destroyer to justice? Along with her trusty canine sidekick, Barnaby, Scout is determined to crack the case—before the Camp Gala begins and the culprit gets away with it. (Children’s/Middle Grade, Independently Published)

Contemporary Romance:

Fairest Inn All by Amy R. Anguish -- Kari White never planned to rescue a historic inn—or risk her carefully guarded heart. Summoned to coastal Georgia by seven uncles she barely knows, Kari arrives with one goal: fix the failing Apple Inn and leave before old wounds or deeper feelings can surface. But with an aggressive developer closing in, deadlines looming, and the inn’s future hanging in the balance, walking away may cost more than she’s prepared to lose. (Contemporary Romance from Scrivenings Press)

A Father’s Promise by Sandra Ardoin -- Nothing has changed for him, but everything has changed between them. Years ago, Paige Matthews left Hidden Veil to escape her love for Sutton Vance and their opposing visions for the future. Now, struggling to relate to her adopted children, she returns to her hometown with the keys to the house she and Sutton always imagined would be theirs. But nothing in life has turned out as Paige expected. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

The Rancher’s Stolen Past by Tabitha Bouldin -- Coming home isn’t easy for cowboy Zane Kingsley—but he’s eager to earn back the trust of the woman he never stopped loving. Single mom Molly Jacobs is still grieving the husband she lost six years ago, and the last person she wants to see is the man she blames for his death. When they’re forced to work together at a summer riding program for kids, Molly can’t help but notice the growing bond between Zane and her young son. Can Zane convince her that he’s a changed man and that he’s worthy of her forgiveness…and her love? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

The Police Chief’s Instant Family by Mindy Obenhaus -- Tumbleweed police chief Daniel Montgomery never understood why Emily Kent walked away from him back when they were high school sweethearts. But when tragedy makes them co-guardians of their siblings’ twin daughters, Emily and Daniel find themselves together again after years apart, facing the unexpected challenges of parenthood. As buried feelings rise to the surface, the spark between them becomes impossible to ignore. With old hurts and past secrets between them, will they ever get a chance at their long-awaited happily-ever-after? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

The Hidden Key of Brooke Sumner by Susan L. Tuttle -- Brooke Sumner has been carefully avoiding Storm Whitlock ever since he betrayed her trust. When he also joins Caspar’s mysterious treasure-hunting group, she steps away to focus on her antique shop and keep herself busy rather than work alongside him. Then Caspar invites her back for one final assignment, and Brooke is torn. Returning to Halstead Manor to help the team she’s been a part of find the second half of a key sounds intriguing. It also means this time, she’d be working with Storm. (Contemporary Romance from Kregel Publications)

Cozy Mystery:

One Rotten Apple by Penny Frost McGinnis -- Lyndie Lavender expected apple pie and pumpkins, not murder. With her sister and her aunt’s handsome tenant, she sleuths through Seldom Seen to catch a festival killer. (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published)

General Contemporary:

A Most Peculiar Providence by Angela Hunt -- Joshua Donnelly has lived a careful, orderly life in the old house on Church Street, as his mama taught him. Then, on the coldest night of the year, a newborn baby appears in his care with no explanation and no instructions. Only a prayer answered in the most unexpected way. Heather Thomas arrives in Peculiar carrying her own heartbreak, running from mistakes she cannot undo. When her path crosses Josh’s, the two form a fragile, improbable unit built on kindness, faith, and more hope than sense. (General Contemporary from Hunt Haven Press)

Historical Literary:

Chasing the Wind by William Isley -- Three young men, James an Epicurean, Freddy an atheist seeking knowledge, and Bart desiring wealth, make a pact in 1972 to meet 25 years later to see how their philosophy of life worked out only to discover that their dreams were not only unfulfilling, but deadly, without God. (Historical Literary, Independently Published)

Historical Romance:

The Blacksmith’s Songbird by Kimberly Burkhardt -- Beneath the glow of the gaslight lamps and smoky haze of the Big Blue Saloon, nineteen-year-old Laura Shining feels like a songbird trapped in a cage. She longs for freedom, a life away from the leering eyes of the drunken cowhands and controlling saloon owners. When one of the saloon owner’s simmering jealousy turns violent, Laura must rely on courage, friendship, and the love of a man who has forged his way into her heart, to escape the saloon life. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Eyewiness Sketch by Danielle Grandinetti -- CHICAGO, Ill., 1931—CHICAGO, Ill., 1931—Gabriella Salatino, an illustrative journalist for the Di Stasio Giornaliste Agency, never planned to return to her island home at the tip of Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula. Nor did she plan to witness a murder. But when her life is threatened, she has no choice but to hide out under the protective care of the man she left behind. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Shetland Sunset by Linda Shenton Matchett -- Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war? After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fisherman who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again? (Historical Romance from Shortwave Press)

Listen For the Chickadees by Terri Wangard -- John Walsh is a skilled aircraft carrier fighter pilot, but on December 7, 1941, he’s shot down over Pearl Harbor by American sailors. Taken to an aid station, he comes face to face with … Gloria Bloch? His friend Daniel’s cousin? She’s all grown up now and a navy nurse. And she’s gorgeous. Gloria’s thrilled to see John. She’s loved him her whole life. As a nurse aboard the USS Serenity, she follows the combat task force across the Pacific. John comes to the Serenity often because he’s frequently wounded. He’s always pleased to see her, but is she more than just a kid from home? (Historical Romance from Scrivenings Press)

Zenith of Tea by R F Whong -- Tomb robber Wang Mijen survived the 1920s with her blade, but her heart remains guarded. When she saves Joseph Cheung, their journey leads from dangerous bandits to a Vancouver teahouse. Can faith and a fight for justice turn a hardened survivor into a woman of hope? (Historical Romance from Vidasym Publishing)

Romantic Suspense:

Unexpected Target by Penny Zeller -- What if a random break-in isn’t as random as initially believed? That’s what Oaklee Newbold thinks when a series of forced entries shakes her quiet neighborhood. With seemingly nothing stolen and no obvious motive, the police are stumped. No one is prepared when the perpetrators strike again. Only, this time they aren’t targeting houses—they’re targeting Oaklee. (Romantic Suspense from Maplebrook Publishing)

Suspense:

Special Target by Jerusha Agen -- For tough-as-nails Chicago social worker Ashley Sorenson, it’s nothing new to risk her life for hurting children. But Ashley faces a special challenge when Matthew Borden, a sixteen-year-old with Down syndrome, is orphaned. Finding a suitable foster home for the boy becomes the least of her problems when someone starts threatening her and Matthew. (Thriller/Suspense, Independently Published)

Suspense – Police Procedural:

Logan’s Way by Urcelia Teixeira -- Logan’s Way is the long-awaited turning point of the Angus Reid Mysteries. What begins as a procedural investigation becomes a dangerous descent into family secrets, small-town corruption, and a system built to quietly erase inconvenient lives. The deeper Angus searches, the higher the cost. Because some truths don't set you free. This isn’t just another investigation. This is the one that will shake his foundation. (Thriller/Suspense Police Procedural, Independently Published)

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

Hadley the Hippo is What She Eats by Kayla E Green -- Hadley the Hippo is hungry, and she won't rest until she finds something to eat. But as she walks through her jungle home, she finds that the snacks in the jungle have an odd effect on her-they change her color! (Children’s Picture Book)

Trading My Way To You by Elle Ann Brown -- When a hopeful nurse barters her way toward a new home, the only thing more complicated than the trades is falling for the man she’s not allowed to love. (Contemporary Romance)

Frazzled Moms Play Matchmaker by Stephanie Paige King -- Two moms play matchmaker to pair up their cantankerous colleagues only to find out the hard way that love can't be managed or organized, no matter how hard you try. (General Contemporary)

Sunshine Alley by Gail Kittleson -- Sunshine Alley is a sweeping, multi-generational saga set against the historical backdrop of rural Texas, the American home front, and the fractured battlefields of the War in the Pacific. (Historical Romance)

Shadows Over Hotel Grim by Robin Caroll -- In the heart of Texarkana at the Texas/Arkansas state line in 1946, the Hotel Grim stands as a beacon of grandeur, but beneath its elegant facade lurks a shadow of fear. The Phantom Murderer, a cunning and elusive serial killer, haunts the areas teenagers like to use as a “lovers’ lane,” preying on unsuspecting victims. (Historical Suspense)

Shield of Fire by A L Evans -- When Elizabeth’s supernatural special-ops team joins forces with local law enforcement to dismantle a human trafficking ring, they expect monsters of the mortal kind, but what they uncover is far darker. (Speculative Fiction/Romantic Fantasy)

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Terri Wangard

Talkshow Thursday: 

Welcome Back, Terri Wangard

I enjoy Terri's books and admire her dedication to research. I had the pleasure of being an ARC reader for her latest releases Listen for the Chickadees. Get to know Terri, then grab a copy the book. You'll be glad you did. 

What does your writing space look like?

It’s wide open. After eighteen years of writing in a cramped bedroom, I’ve taken over office space from our now defunct family business, along with one of the computers. I can spread notes out and leave them there. The computer works as it should, unlike my laptop that moves the cursor around without my knowing it until I have a huge mess.

How do you deal with the pressure of deadlines?

By avoiding them. I’m not a procrastinator by nature and have always avoided having to complete something at the last minute. My first series of three books was already complete when I signed the contract. This latest book wasn’t started when I received the contract and I knew a moment of panic when I realized my original story plan wasn’t going to work and I had to come up with an alternate in a hurry. Fortunately, it came together quickly and I’m so happy with it.

How do you develop your characters? (e.g. decide on their vocation, names, etc.)?

My characters are how I’d like to be. Seamstress, artist, plant whisperer, musician; those are not my

talents. For the men, I’ve had an astronomer (I’ve been fascinated with the solar system since learning about it in the second grade.), lawyer, journalist, photographer. These are white collar occupations. My dad was a home builder and my siblings and I had to help by mucking out basements after storms or putting in itchy insulation. Result: I want clean jobs. Most of my stories take place overseas during wars, but hometowns are usually in Wisconsin because that’s what I’m most familiar with.

Tell us about your road to publication.

In the early 2000s, I wrote a short novel that I submitted to a line of Christian romances. They had the manuscript for a year before rejecting it. Meanwhile, I’d written another one, but then put writing aside. In 2008, I read Debbie Macomber’s Twenty Wishes, about a group of women fulfilling wishes they’d always wanted to do but never did. I decided to write again. My first writers’ conference was in 2010 and I had appointments with agents and editors for the next several years. A friend had her YA series published by a small publishing house, and I submitted my proposal. Friends & Enemies was published in 2016.

If your book is part of a series: Did you set out to write a series? Why did you decide to write a series?

My debut novel was meant to be a stand-alone, but an editor told me I’d likely need a series to land a contract. Fortunately, I had so much material from researching B-17s that writing two more books was no problem. For the current series, it seemed like the expected thing to do.

How has your series changed since your original plan?

This series was originally planned as war brides from unusual places. In other words, not from England or France. That’s what Seashells in My Pocket was, set in Brazil. Iceland was the planned setting for book two, No Leaves in Autumn, but finding the bride turned out to be a hassle. In the initial planning, I’d read that a Canadian unit was in Iceland, including women. That doesn’t seem to be the case and the rule of thumb in writing historicals is, if you can’t verify something in three sources, forget it. I had to sneak a French Canadian woman into the American Red Cross. The new book was the real problem. Today is the 84th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin, Australia. That event was supposed to kickstart the book, but it didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t have a full-length novel there. When I hit on the idea of Gloria being John’s bride, it was “Hallelujah!”

What writers or books have influenced you?

My debut novel was inspired by a collection of letters written in 1946-1947 by distant cousins in Germany to whom American relatives were sending them care packages. These letters provided a fascinating look at their lives before, during, and after the war, although not nearly as complete a picture as I wished. I had a vague idea based a book on them, but had no clear direction. Then I read Robert Vaughan’s Touch the Face of God. This is the story about a B-17 pilot and the woman he hopes to marry. Aha! My storyline came together in Friends & Enemies.

What books are on your nightstand right now?

I’m reading the print copy of Elizabeth Camden’s Beyond the Clouds and on my Kindle, I’m reading an ARC of Jen Dodrill’s No Egrets, to be followed by an ARC of Linda Matchett’s Shetland Sunset.

What is your next project?

I’ve submitted a proposal for a collection of three pre-WWII novellas featuring Americans heading for home before war engulfs them. My current work in progress is contemporary with a WWII tie-in.

Listen for the Chickadees

She’s loved him forever. He’s never seen her as more than a memory from home. Then Pearl Harbor changes everything.

December 7, 1941 shatters the illusion that anyone is safe.

Navy nurse Gloria Bloch wakes to the thunder of enemy planes over Pearl Harbor, certain of only one thing: John Walsh, the boy she has loved since childhood, is far from danger aboard an aircraft carrier. Or so she believes.

When panicked American gunfire brings John down over the harbor, their reunion is brief and breathtaking, forged in chaos neither can escape.

As the Second World War drives the United States into the Pacific conflict, Gloria and John are swept onto separate paths of duty. Gloria serves aboard the hospital ship USS Serenity, tending shattered bodies and wounded souls. John flies combat missions as a Navy fighter pilot and combat photographer, risking everything to document a war that refuses to leave him untouched.

Their paths cross again and again in fleeting moments between air raids and surgeries, courage and fear, longing and loss. With every meeting, the feelings they have buried deepen. But war demands more than love. It demands sacrifice, tests faith, and steals time without warning.

When separation stretches into silence, Gloria must face the terrifying possibility that hope itself has become another casualty of war.

As war and distance threaten to pull them apart, only the smallest signs remain: a whistle, a painted bird, and a promise worth holding onto.

Listen for the Chickadees is a Christian World War II historical romance set against the backdrop of Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy, and the Pacific War. It is a story of steadfast love, quiet faith, and the courage it takes to trust God when tomorrow is uncertain.

Buy link: https://amzn.to/4aGFBKT 

Connect with Terri:

Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/1076843c6329/sign-up-for-terris-newsletter

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorTerriWangard

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terriwangard/

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/terriwangard/

Website: http://www.terriwangard.com

Photo credits:

Author photo and book image: Courtesy Terri Wangard

Space: Pixabay/Mattia Verga

Chickadee: Pixabay/Veronika Andrews

Movie Monday: Gilda

 Movie Monday: Gilda

Released March 14, 1946 in New York City and nationwide a month later, Gilda is considered one of Hollywood’s best film noirs. The movie met with mixed reviews from critics, but most agreed that Rita Hayworth (in the title role) and Glenn Ford gave noteworthy performances. Audiences flocked to see it, and the movie earned almost $6M worldwide on a $2M budget.

Gilda was directed by Hungarian immigrant Charles Vidor who arrived in the U.S. in 1922 after having served in the Austro-Hungarian army during World War I. He initially worked as a basso for an opera company and eventually made his way to Hollywood where he secured an assistant’s job with director Alex Korda, another Hungarian immigrant. Vidor did well in the silent film era and came to the attention of executive at Universal Pictures after his success with the 1929 movie The Bridge.

The plot per imdb is “Just arrived in Argentina, small-time crooked gambler Johnny Farrell is saved from a gunman by sinister Ballin Mundson who later makes Johny his right-hand man. But their friendship based on a mutual lack of scruples is strained when Mundson returns from a trip with a wife, the supremely desirable Gilda, who Johnny once knew and learned to hate. The relationship of Johnny and Gilda, a battlefield of warring emotions, becomes even more bizarre after Mundson disappears.”

Gilda is actress Rita Hayworth’s first major dramatic role. By this time, she had already appeared in

dozens of films, but most were comedies or romantic comedies. The movie shot her Hollywood star even higher, but for Rita, there were drawbacks to being labeled a femme fatale. She was angered to learn her likeness was put on an atomic bomb being tests in the Marshall Islands alluding to her being a “bombshell.” Years later she commented that the men she dated “go to bed with Gilda but wake up with me.”

The film was also a big hit for Glenn Ford whose father had told him early on, “It’s alright for you to act, if you learn something else first. Be able to take a car apart and put it together. Be able to build a house, every bit of it. Then you’ll always have something.” The role was Ford’s first postwar film after having served in the Marines. He entered as a private and was promoted to sergeant before being medically discharged.

Even though Gilda was produced after the Hays code was implemented (“A set of industry guidelines for self-censorship of content applied to motions pictures.” Wikipedia), the movie pushed the envelope of acceptability with Hayworth’s attire (form-fitting black satin) and her “legendary one-glove striptease, “Put the Blame on Mame.””

Code “don’ts” include:

• Profanity
• Licentious or suggestive nudity – in fact or in silhouette
• Inferences to sexual perversion
• Illegal drug traffic
• Ridicule of clergy

Nominated for the grand prize at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival, Gilda didn’t receive any Academy Award nominations, however in 2013 was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Have you seen this classic?

____________________

Shetland Sunset:

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again?

Distraught when the Germans overrun her beloved Norway, Tonje Bondevik refuses to take the occupation sitting down. She joins the fledgling resistance movement, deriving great satisfaction distributing the underground newspaper and performing acts of sabotage…until the day the Nazis come looking for her, and she must flee for her life. Perhaps she should have listened to the handsome Norwegian American when he offered to take her to Shetland.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AWqJk

 
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilda_(film)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038559/
https://www.criterion.com/films/27909-gilda
https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/10460
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gilda
https://moviecrashcourse.com/2019/08/13/gilda-1946/

Photo Credits:

Movie Poster: By Robert Coburn - Scan via Heritage Auctions. Cropped from the original image., Public Domain.

Movie Still: By Columbia Pictures - DVD with the film & the trailer, Public Domain.

Movie Still: By Trailer distributed by Columbia Pictures - DVD with the film & the trailer, Public Domain.