Fiction Friday: New Releases in Christian Fiction

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

Children’s/Middle-Grade Chapter Books:

Charly’s Volcano by Lorisa D. Wiedenheft -- It’s the fall of 1993 in small-town North Carolina. Twelve-year-old Charly is in seventh grade and excited to be in junior high. But then her best friends start trying new things. Wya joins the basketball team, and June decides to be a cheerleader. Charly feels left out and can’t shake the anger simmering inside her. One minute she’s fine, and the next she’s blowing up at the people she cares about most. (Children’s/Middle Grade, Independently Published)

Contemporary Romance:

Falling into Us by Denise Hunter -- When a reluctant woman travels to Gibson, NC to deliver her late mother’s final letter to the grandmother she’s never known, she strikes a deal with a widowed journalist seeking a career-making story—only to discover that healing old wounds might require risking their hearts. (Contemporary Romance from Thomas Nelson Fiction [HarperCollins])

The Baker of Christmas Wishes by Georgia Curtis Ling -- Sarah Baker is about to find out if her grandmother’s folklore is really just a recipe—or something more. They say Christmas Wishing Cookies carry prayers straight to heaven, but for Sarah, they reveal a secret she never saw coming. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Not So Very Sensible by Carolyn Miller -- Elinor and Katie Bennett are as opposite as sisters can be: Elinor loves structure, planning and design, while Katie’s head is in the clouds as she chases fanciful, romantic dreams. A college graduation trip to the Blue Mountains sees them staying at the Hydro Grand hotel for a murder mystery weekend. There, they end up meeting two men who just might hold the keys to their hearts—taking the sensible Elinor Bennett by surprise while crushing the romantic Katie’s hopes. . .and proving that the path of love doesn’t always follow one's plans or dreams. (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing)

The Pastor’s Christmas Prayer by Mindy Obenhaus -- Returning to Legacy Ranch with his two young daughters, widowed youth pastor Jonathon Bauer is delighted to find his first love, Meredith Hunt, is one of the owners. When Jonathon and Meredith are thrown together to oversee the annual Christmas Under the Stars event at the ranch, past affections stir between them. But Meredith has been keeping a secret since they were teens—one that she must reveal if she and Jonathon are ever to have a future together. Will the truth tear them apart…or give them everything they’ve always dreamed of? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

More Than Enough by Krystina Renae Rankin -- Teacher and former foster care youth Isabelle and pastor and single father Dustin learn to heal and love again. (Contemporary Romance from Quirky Bullpen Press)

The Sweetest Thing About You by Alyssa Schwarz -- She’s been looking for somewhere to belong for ten years. He’s been running away from the only place he ever had. Two plane tickets. One month. And one Maple Lake bakery about to remind them both what home actually feels like. (Contemporary Romance from Sunrise Publishing)

Crazy for Christmas by Penny Zeller -- It’s Christmas in Cloverdale Falls! Take a trip to the town you’ll want to become a resident of in this hilarious installment, perfect for the Christmas season and beyond. She’s an extrovert who loves Christmas. He’s an officer who loves law and order. And there’s a Corgi. (Contemporary Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Contemporary Suspense:

The Glades by Angela Hunt -- A dual-time novel about the consequences of man's hubris in the Everglades. Billionaire’s wife Katherine Armstrong is planning a quiet birthday weekend on her private island in the Everglades—just her children and her two closest friends, far from the cameras, her husband, and the noise of her public life. Then the storm comes. By morning, the power is gone. The water is off. The mainland is unreachable. And in the mangrove shadows beyond her mansion in the mangroves, an apex predator circles. What was meant to be a retreat becomes a trap. (Contemporary Suspense from Hunt Haven Press)

Cozy Mystery:

Fatal Impulse by Janet Sketchley -- When a newly-discovered corpse could be a neighbouring teen's runaway mom, can Landon prove the secretive woman is still alive? Landon Smith doesn’t dare investigate. Juggling intense university courses, a fledgling romance, and an empty bed and breakfast, the twenty-four-year-old trauma survivor is fighting for her dreams. Yet her heart breaks for the hurting teen who’s convinced his mother is the body in the woods. For his sake, she’ll dig into the secretive woman’s abrupt flight. But when the missing persons case ties into the murder, Landon fears she’s placed herself on the villain’s hit list. (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published)

General Contemporary:

Letting Go of Perfect by Janell Goodrich York -- When Olivia moves with her two children to a small town, she hopes to find her footing, finish her degree, and give her family the fresh start they need, but what she doesn't expect is a community determined to make her one of their own. (General Contemporary from Scrivenings Press)

A Bookshop for Christmas by Heidi Chiavaroli -- When Brooke’s beloved grandparents die unexpectedly, their final wish brings her scattered family back to Hope Creek, including Jeremiah, the boy she once loved—the same boy who abandoned them when the Chilton clan disintegrated years ago. Despite the long-held grudges and awkward secrets that kept them all apart, Brooke and Jeremiah convince the Chilton cousins to help honor their grandparents’ last request: to take the old church they saved from destruction and turn it into a bookshop that will serve their beloved community. And to do it all before Christmas. But repurposing the church building may be easier than healing the deep wounds that tore their family apart. (General Contemporary from Hope Creek Publishers LLC)

Mercy’s Rose by Delores Topliff -- Mercy’s Rose invites readers to join a young Amish woman’s journey as she struggles to help her family through a medical crisis while respecting the confines of her community’s faith. This is a sweet coming of age story that allows Mercy to grow into the right love and the right role for her through discernment and faith. (General Contemporary from TrueNorth)

Historical Biblical:

Unwavering Heart: The Story of Rebekah by Angela Hunt -- When Rebekah is offered a marriage to Isaac--heir to wealthy and well-respected Abraham--she leaves behind the only world she has known and ventures into the sunbaked lands of Canaan. (Historcial/Biblical from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Historical Romance:

Mail-Order Lady by Misty M. Beller -- Five sons of an English duke, all raised in the Rocky Mountains… She agreed to a safe, sensible marriage. He agreed because she already holds his heart. From a USA Today bestselling author comes a royal family saga featuring a marriage of convenience, unrequited love, and a family mystery that spans continents…all set in the rugged Montana Territory. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Loyalty’s Pursuit by Shannon McNear -- August 1780. After the Battle of Camden leaves British camp follower Bess Eaton widowed, expecting a child, and stranded in enemy territory, she faces two impossible choices: a return to an England that offers her nothing...or marriage to a stranger before the army marches on without her. Backcountry loyalist Rob MacFarlane has already buried a wife and son and has no intention of risking his heart again. But he can't ignore the vulnerable widow in his path. What begins as an act of duty quickly becomes something far more complicated when he offers Bess protection—and a name. (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Romantic Suspense:

Coordinates of Death by Darlene L. Turner A police officer will do anything to catch the serial killer that got away—even if it means playing a deadly game in the icy wilderness. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Deadly Charade by Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood -- One wrong move and their cover is blown. So their charade sparking real feelings is the last twist they can afford. Special Agent Kira Miller's new career at the FBI has started--in translations. It's not the opportunity she was hoping for to show off her skills, until she detects a lead in some paperwork. Now assigned an undercover role, she's in her element as she gathers intel on an art smuggling ring. She's daunted not by the mission but by her cover--posing as a married woman to the fake husband she met less than twenty-four hours earlier. Special Agent Bryce Lambert's assignment to go undercover as a newlywed couple with Kira has the two of them moving next door to the prime suspects, and a relationship is the last thing he wants, fake or real. With secret auctions and hidden treasures, there's plenty to keep them busy--if only they can play the part their lives and careers depend upon while keeping their own hearts in check. (Romantic Suspense from Revell [Baker Publishing Group])

Speculative: Soft Science Fiction and Romantic Fantasy:

The Prodigy and the Telepath by Kenneth Bliss -- After burying his adoptive mother, thirteen-year-old psionic prodigy Eric D'Tra'val discovers that the voices of rage and despair filling his mind are something far more dangerous than grief. (Speculative/Soft Science Fiction, Independently Published)

Violet Fly by Demi Griffin -- Rescued by a Mystic with no memory of his life prior to the event that should have ended it, Siaran becomes the ward of Prince Enris. He matures into a young man with all the privilege and protection of the Emerald Palace while the kingdom is ravaged by enemies. Life in the palace on the mountain should have been peaceful. The disappearance of the king’s firstborn child haunts the corridors and hearts of the royal family. With the Cerulean Rose wilting, the kingdom’s divine protection falters. Siaran is desperate to do something to help. An unsanctioned departure from the palace takes him on an adventure that brings the legend of the Violet Fly to life, making him the hero the kingdom needs. Wrestling with the unknowns of his past, Siaran’s restless soul leads to his captivity. Only one thing can save him - the woman he mistook for an enemy. (Speculative/Romantic Fantasy, Independently Published)

Western Historical Romance:

The Heart’s Most Wanted by Mary Connealy -- When a mysterious threat follows their every step, can two wounded hearts find refuge and love? With outlaws, a rugged hero, and a spirited heroine, Mary Connealy presents another action-packed Old West historical romance. For fans of second chance romance, frontier journeys, and hijinks in the Colorado wilderness. (Western Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Young Adult: Into the Crashing Waves by Stephanie Cardel -- After Dante Edmonds is torn from his foster dad and the girl he loves and sent to juvie for a crime he didn’t commit, he is forced to escape and assume a new identity. But he doesn’t want a life on the run. HE WANTS REVENGE. (Young Adult from WordCrafts Press)

Edges & Other Hard Things by Lauren Thell -- A teen artist with a sensory disorder and a high-strung boy photographer hiding a dangerous secret collide in this sweet, faith-based YA romance. (Young Adult, Independently Published)


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

Murder at Crayfish Cove by Suzie Peace Pybus -- Hester receives an empty envelope in the post, follows it to Crayfish Cove and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. (Cozy Mystery)

Just Grace by Kimberly Banet -- Two families. One long-held secret. Only God’s grace can heal them when they collide. (General Contemporary)

The Seafaring Women of the Faithful by Susan Page Davis and James S. Davis -- Captain Alice Packard and her all-female crew face danger, uncertainty, and a fight for their future when the Vera B reaches England, forcing them to rely on faith, courage, and one another both on land and at sea. (General Historical)

Moonshine River by Marie Wells Coutu -- She'll break the law to save her mother. He'll uphold it to save her soul. (Historical Romance)

Vision of My Heart by Heidi Gray McGill -- Blinded by smallpox and guarded against pity, Serafina Shankel never expects a steady Irish horseman named Connor Finnegan to unlock a love built on trust, patience, and a way of seeing that has nothing to do with sight. (Historical Romance)

The Lost Warrior of Noridge by Demi Griffin -- His life was a mistake. Her love had to remain hidden. Would their united faith shine bright enough to save their world? (Speculative/Romantic Fantasy)

As the World Burns by Aaron Ryan -- For the Earth to survive, one father must sacrifice his only son. (Speculative/Science Fiction)

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Thomas Goodman

 

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome back, Thomas Goodman!

I’m excited to welcome Thomas Goodman back to my blog. His second historical novel comes out TODAY(!), October 1. Set amid the sawmills, logging camps, saloons, churches, and pine forests of turn-of-the-century East Texas, Through Many Dangers combines historical crime and suspense with questions of courage, faith, marriage, and the limits of lawful resistance. You can find out more about his book and where to buy it at www.ThomasGoodmanWrites.com. In this interview, we’ll learn a bit about the book and the author behind it.

What was your inspiration for the story? I was astonished no one had turned the true story into a novel before. The story is based on a real-life Methodist minister who moves his young family to the timber boomtown of Groveton in East Texas in the opening years of the 1900s. He expects to lead a church, not a war, but he finds a town where bootleggers operate with impunity and powerful men have little interest in enforcing the law. A corrupt sheriff, an indebted lumber baron, and a cold-blooded enforcer help keep the criminal operation intact. As threats turn to violence, the preacher begins carrying a Colt revolver and eventually places the loaded pistol on his pulpit each Sunday. He must decide how far a man of faith can go when the law refuses to act and the people he loves are in danger.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit

you knew you had to include? There is little remaining history about this minister. Aside from a few passing references to his name in turn-of-the-century newspapers and Methodist church reports, we have two reliable records of his life: Flora Bowles’ 1966 history of Trinity County and Patricia Hensley’s 1995 application to the Texas Historical Commission for a historical marker in front of the Groveton Methodist Church. The pastor's remarkable story appears in only a few paragraphs of each account. But I was able to do extensive research on early twentieth-century law enforcement and attitudes toward saloons and early prohibitionists, and that helped me build a three-dimensional world in which to tell his story.

Tell us about your road to publication. When I was unable to find an agent for my debut novel, I researched all I could about independent publishing. The book won a 2024 Spur Award from the Western Writers of America as well as a 2024 Will Rogers Medallion, and it is selling well. With that reception, I decided to stay on the indie route for the second novel.

This is the second book in a series. Did you set out to write a series? Why did you decide to write a series? While researching independent publishing, over and over I ran across advice to write in series. Since my first book was based on a true crime, there was no way to turn it into the kind of series where a protagonist or an ensemble of characters returns in later books. But I decided that turn-of-the-century Texas had enough material to create a series of standalone novels based on true stories. So, the series I’m developing is called “Texas Tales.”

If you were to write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why? I had a fictional character in the closing chapters of my first novel I enjoyed creating. Vivy is a widowed boarding house operator in her 70s who shows tremendous grace to the main character. After the book was published, I got curious about what her young adult life would have been like in the late 1870s, early 1880s. I actually wrote a few chapters of a novel entirely about her and her tragic life, but I decided to file it away and work on this other story that became Through Many Dangers.

Why do you write in your particular genre? When I spoke to a Rotary Club about the true crime my first novel was based on, a man was just incredulous as to why a pastor would have any interest in writing about true crime. I said, “Well, our faith is based upon a true crime, isn’t it? Christianity is based upon the greatest injustice in human history, so why wouldn’t a pastor be attracted to true crime stories?” He seemed to appreciate that answer. It’s true that crime fiction portrays some bad people, but it’s against that dark backdrop that good qualities like heroism and repentance and grace shine even brighter.

What is your process for writing? I’m a pastor with a full week of responsibilities, so I write early in the morning before the church office opens. It’s hard to figure out what a pastor’s “own time” is, but our church’s leadership agreed with me that writing novels the 90-120 minutes before the church office opened counted as my “own time” for trying my hand at being a novelist.

How does/did your job prepare you for being a novelist? A big part of being a lead pastor, of course, involves writing—especially sermon preparation. Of course, there’s a huge difference between a sermon and novel, but through 40 years of sermon prep, I have honed the ability to stick to the keyboard and write on a deadline.

What is your advice to fledgling writers? It’s vital to learn all you can not only about the craft of writing but the business of writing. The more you learn about how to publish and market your books, the more confident you’ll feel that all your hard work of producing the book has an actual outlet at the end. And, though I highly recommend that new authors in the 2020s seriously consider the independent route as I have, you need to know as much as you can about the business of writing even if you’re hoping an agent and publisher will pick you. The hard truth is, most publishers will not provide the marketing your book deserves—and publishers are even cutting back on the editing services they once promised authors. More and more of the success of your book falls on you, so you had better learn some strategies for success.

What is your next project? The third novel in my “Texas Tales” series is also based on a true story.

This one, however, is not inspired by a true crime: not a single pistol shows up on a page! It’s about a Baptist pastor in northeast Texas who, two years before the Wright Brothers flew, became convinced that the opening vision from the book of Ezekiel would be his guide for creating a flying machine. He was a tinkerer with a few patents to his name, and he called his new invention the Ezekiel Airship, and he planned to fly it at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1903. Did he beat the Wright Brothers into the air? You’ll have to wait for the new book to find out!

_________________________

About Thomas: Tom Goodman was born in 1961, and has lived in Alabama, the Philippines, Virginia, Maine, Louisiana, the Cayman Islands, and Texas. He is a graduate of Baylor University in Waco, Texas (BA ‘82), Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (MDiv ‘86), and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana (DMin ‘92). He has been the lead pastor of Baptist churches in Louisiana, the Cayman Islands, and Texas, for over forty years. He currently serves as the pastor of Hillcrest Church in Austin, Texas, where he has served since 2003 (https://hillcrest.church/). Tom is the author of Broadman & Holman nonfiction books and he is the contributor to a Broadman & Holman Study Bible. He has written hundreds of articles for Lifeway publications, and he is the author of several independently-published nonfiction books. Lately, he has begun to write a series of novels called “Texas Tales,” all based on true stories from turn-of-the-century Texas. Tom has been married to Diane, his high school sweetheart, since 1980. They have two adult sons. Tom enjoys fly fishing, scuba diving, and puttering around his woodworking shop.

 
Social Media Links:

Website: www.ThomasGoodmanWrites.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThomasGoodmanWrites/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42243353.Thomas_Goodman
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CC6YF6V9

Photo Credits:

Author Image and book cover: Courtesy Thomas Goodman

Keyboard: Pixabay/Simon

BiPlane: Pixabay/ArtsyBee

On Tour! Return of the Guardian-King

About the Book

Book: Return of the Guardian-King

Author: Karen Hancock

Genre: Adult Fantasy

Release Date: September 22, 2026

Special Hardcover Edition of a Classic Christian Fantasy

Believed dead by all but the handful of supporters who rescued him from his Mataian enemies, Abramm Kalladorne has fled his homeland to the high mountains of northern Chesedh. Traveling under a new name with a group of bitter and increasingly desperate fellow exiles, Abramm hopes to reunite with his wife, Maddie, where he will offer his services to her father in fighting the invading armies of the Black Moon.

But with every step, he is thwarted from the direction he wants to take, and it soon becomes clear Eidon has other plans for him.

In the royal city of Fannath Rill, Maddie alone believes Abramm still lives. But since she has no proof, her friends, family, and public opinion press her to remarry. With its neighboring realms now under enemy control, Chesedh has become the last bastion of Eidon’s Light. Desperately overmatched, it cannot survive on its own. Yet an eastern warlord has a vast fleet of galley ships that could turn the tide in their favor if Maddie agrees to his offer.

As war, betrayal, and shifting alliances close in, both Maddie and Abramm have their faith tested beyond what either of them could ever imagine.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Karen Hancock has won Christy Awards for each of her first four novels —Arena and the first three books in the Legends of the Guardian-King series. She graduated from the University of Arizona with bachelor’s degrees in biology and wildlife biology. Along with writing, she is a semi- professional watercolorist and has exhibited her work in a number of national juried shows. She and her family reside in Arizona.

 

Excerpt from the Book

THE BELL-TONED VOICE DREW ABRAMM KALLADORNE

into the sunlight of the open meadow, a yellow butterfly zigzagging ahead of him above a patch of purple lupine. He pressed through the bloom-laden stalks into rippling grass, following the plucked notes of a lirret and a voice as familiar as his own. She must be just beyond that primrose at the meadow’s far edge.

Children’s laughter echoed in counterpoint to her sweet voice, and his pace quickened. Ian would be over two by now, walking well, maybe even talking in phrases and sentences, while Simon would have left all his toddlerhood behind, a real little boy at last. Then there was Maddie.

Abramm ached for her so badly sometimes he could hardly bear it. Now finally, that was behind him. All the worrying about threading the high passes before winter closed them had been for naught. In a moment he would step around that bush and there she’d be, her gray-blue eyes widening with surprise at the sight of him an instant before she’d cast her lirret aside and fling herself into his—

His foot slipped, and he lurched to regain his balance, gripping his walking staff hard as he drove it into the snow. The misstep jolted his entire body as the vision winked out and the dark, icy reality of the blizzard-swept heights filled his senses again. She wasn’t here. His boys weren’t here. There was no meadow. The passes were not behind him, and winter was very definitely closing in . . .

Realization slammed him so hard he reeled to a stop, struggling to breathe as he felt again the cold and the exhaustion and the misery.

Wind screamed around him, pelting his heavy woolen cloak with slivers of snow and flapping its snow-caked hem about his legs. For a moment, the desire to give up was so strong he nearly collapsed.

But he couldn’t. Maddie was waiting for him. His boys needed him. And so he drew a deep breath and reached up to dash away the ice that continually froze onto his beard and mustache. Chunks of it clung also to the long hair dangling beside his face, some of them rasping against the inside edge of his cowl, others frozen to his beard. He no longer felt his feet, and his fingers, numb beneath a double layer of glove and mitten, could hardly grip his walking staff.

He squinted down the rocky hill to where a shin-deep trough of footprints angled across the slope through the rapidly accumulating snow. At the end of his pocket of visibility, the last of his companions were starting down the next switchback, obscured by the shifting veils of snow. Shuddering, he started after them, placing steps and stick carefully to avoid any more almost-falls.

Neither he nor anyone else in his party had any real idea where they were going, only that having come through the Kolki Pass they must descend the barren slopes beyond to an ancient Terstan monastery just below the tree line. “The way will be obvious,” the men back at Highmount Holding had assured them. Maybe it would be if clouds hadn’t swallowed the world and driving snow hadn’t made it hard to open one’s eyes and the rock cairns that were supposed to be their guides weren’t fast disappearing beneath the drifting snow.

It was typical, though, of the bad luck that had plagued them since leaving Kiriath, transforming what should have been a three-week journey through the pass into a six-week trial of endurance. They’d run out of food two days ago and burned the last of their dung-pats in last night’s fire. Water had been in short supply for over a week, and they had an old man, a pregnant woman, and a number of children with them. Thinking they’d be in Caerna’tha tonight, they’d left much of their bedding and tents with the wagon when it had irreparably broken down in the pass that morning. Now, with the day three-quarters gone, and the tree line still who knew how far below them, their situation was growing desperate.

For not the first time he sent up a prayer for guidance and protection.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 25 (Spotlight)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 26 (Spotlight)

Artistic Nobody, September 27 (Spotlight)

The Lofty Pages, September 28

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, September 29 (Spotlight)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, September 29

Guild Master, September 30 (Spotlight)

Lily’s Corner, October 1

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, October 2 (Spotlight)

Fiction Book Lover, October 3 (Spotlight)

Vicky Sluiter, October 4 (Spotlight)

Texas Book-aholic, October 5

For the Love of Literature, October 6 (Spotlight)

Romances of the Cross, October 6

The Bookish Ledger, October 7 (Spotlight)

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 8 (Spotlight)

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/n17Pb/return-of-the-guardian-king-celebration-tour-giveaway

On Tour! The Missing Captive

 

About the Book

Book: The Missing Captive

Author: George Lapin

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: February 28, 2025

An unforgettable journey of faith, courage, and personal transformation

Swept into the treacherous French-allied territories of eighteenth-century Canada, a young English translator embarks on a dangerous quest through the wilderness to uncover the fate of his captive sister in this tale of survival, faith, and self-discovery.

Gideon Bates must confront his deepest fears, navigate complex tribal politics, and forge unlikely alliances as he searches for his sister seized during a devastating raid. Torn between his father’s missionary ambitions and his own yearning for freedom, Gideon’s journey will test his courage, challenge his faith, and lead to an unexpected reckoning with his past.

Rich in historical detail, The Missing Captive is a tale of love, loss, and the indomitable power of the human spirit. Don’t miss this saga of courage, self-discovery, and the transformative journey of one man in a time of colonial upheaval. It is a historical adventure that will captivate fans of colonial American history and transport you to a bygone era.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

George Lapin is a beginning writer with a focus on Christian Historical Fiction. His first book titled The Missing Captive is set in early colonial America in a tumultuous period decades prior to the French and Indian War. The story explores the struggles, faith and resilience of the individuals in this time period. With a passion for history and Christian values, George’s writing offers a unique perspective on the lives of early Americans and the spiritual challenges they faced.

George retired as a construction executive and discovered that he had a desire to write fiction. He possesses a vivid imagination and believes that he can use that gift to write an intricate plot.

 George realized that most of the historical fiction novels he read centered on the French and Indian War or later. It seemed that there was such a rich history in early colonial America that was being overlooked, so George decided to write about that time period with all of its political and religious conflicts. The changes in North America during this era could help produce an interesting story.

More from George

I tried to make the story protagonist, Gideon Bates, unique in a different sort of humorous way. Born into a Puritan Missionary Family in early America, Gideon’s mother raised him to aide others when they were in need.

Gideon had no desire to be a missionary but desired to be in the military. He learned many fighting moves from his uncle who was currently a ranger in the New England Militia. He also participated in village wrestling matches and usually won.

However, whenever he got into a fight and the foe was vanquished, Gideon’s mother’s teaching kicked in. He would attempt to help his foe recover by giving him a helping hand or leaving a little money for lunch.

An Interview with George

What is your favorite thing about being a writer? Creating the plot. Telling the story.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? How incredibly hard it is to be a successful writer.

What questions do you ask yourself when preparing to write a new book? I attempt to write something that I would enjoy reading. If I like the story, others probably would like the story also.

What was the best money you spent as a writer? Getting some coaching.

Why do you write in your particular genre? I like adventure stories with a Christian theme.

Blog Stops

Simple Harvest Reads, September 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 18

Devoted To Hope, September 19

Artistic Nobody, September 20 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, September 21 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, September 22

Fiction Book Lover, September 23 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, September 24 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, September 25 (Author Interview)

Books You Can Feel Good About, September 26

Life on Chickadee Lane, September 27

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

Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, September 29 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, September 29

Vicky Sluiter, September 30 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Pilgrim, October 1

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, George 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/p5Nek/the-missing-captive-celebration-tour-giveaway

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Laura DeNooyer

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Laura DeNooyer

I'm a big fan of Laura's work, so I'm thrilled to have her visit today. Her books are fabulous. Read on to learn more about her and her stories. 

How many books have you written, and which is your favorite? I have four published books. House of Wind, my fourth, just released on September 8. Additionally, I have 10+ Unpublished novel manuscripts in different stages of revision! Keep in mind that I’ve been writing since 2nd grade. 😀

It’s tough to pick a favorite because I’m emotionally invested in each one and love them all for different reasons. Many authors say their favorite is the one they’re working on, and I could probably say that too. But maybe that’s a copout.

If I have to choose, I’ll pick A Hundred Magical Reasons because learning about The Wizard of Oz author, L. Frank Baum, was fascinating and I would love to have met him and spent time with him on his Lake Michigan porch in the early 1900s. I get to do that vicariously through my character Charlotte.

That book is a dual timeline story, rather epic in proportion, and most definitely literary with a lot of Americana and my own family history woven in.

What was your inspiration for the story? The inspiration for my newest release, House of Wind, came from walking alongside my friend as she was unraveling from a destructive marriage. She went through a horrific seventeen years of emotional abuse from her narcissist husband.

After she sought help and healing, she started sharing her story with others. Women started coming out of the woodwork with their own horrific tales. Sadly, some of these situations took place in Christian families with “Christian” husbands who were active in church ministry. Some women were hearing about emotional abuse for the first time—even though they’d been victims of it for years.

I wanted to write a story that would reflect this phenomenon and show readers what emotional abuse looks like and how to break free. It’s a tough book, but it’s also hopeful and encouraging.

How do you develop your characters? (e.g. decide on their vocation, names, etc.)? My characters need to suit my purposes, but they also take on minds of their own—which can prove both exasperating and fun.

In House of Wind, I shaped Wendi according to her various roles as wife, mother, and pastor’s wife, but I also had to consider how the emotional abuse would have impacted her over the years. I knew I wanted to show her emotional roadblocks as well as her growth, so I started with that framework, then fleshed out the story events to accommodate that.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit

you knew you had to include? After learning a lot from my friend’s and other women’s experiences, I read more about narcissism and emotional abuse. Though no one woman’s experience is exactly the same, I was amazed to discover all the similarities. Saddened by so much darkness, I was also encouraged to find great resources for women who face these situations. There is help! No woman needs to walk this road alone.

I list resources in the back of the book, but I’ll mention two here: Lysa TerKeurst’s podcast Therapy and Theology, and Leslie Vernick’s podcast Relationship Truth: Unfiltered. Their scripture-based ministries seek to bolster women through relationship trauma and destructive marriages in order to heal spiritually and emotionally.

How are your characters like you? Different? Wendi, the protagonist in House of Wind, was trained as a teacher, but was denied the opportunity to teach elementary school as she so wanted. I was a teacher who taught for decades.

Wendi’s a natural as a pastor’s wife in regard to hospitality and cooking for guests. Though I enjoy having people over, that is definitely not my gift!

I’ve also never had to go through what she went through in this story. I really put her through the wringer.

How has your book changed since your first draft? After several revisions, I gave the manuscript to some beta readers, some who had gone through similar experiences to Wendi’s as victims of emotional abuse. My tale is fiction, but I needed to know if the story rang true. The readers were able to identify what worked and what needed to change. I was very grateful, and revised accordingly.

What was the best money you spent as a writer? In my younger years, I spent a lot of money on books—learning the craft of novel writing. I studied them, taking profuse notes. They definitely helped me improve my craft. But another great investment was writers’ conferences for in-person training and networking with other authors.

How does/did your job prepare you for being a novelist? My occupation as a teacher was vital in becoming a novelist. Since I (mostly) taught high school art and creative writing, I loved inspiring students’ creativity and stretching them to improve their problem-solving skills as they developed their stories, poems, drawings, and paintings.

One thing I emphasized was that the creative process is more important than the product. It’s more about what we learn along the way. The first solution to a problem isn’t always the best one, so learning to brainstorm and follow the necessary steps as part of the process was vital—no shortcuts allowed.

That’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart many times as I compose my own stories. In fact, numerous times I promised myself I was done, done, done with a particular manuscript. No matter what, I wasn’t going to change anything more. Nada. Never. Not one more word. I’d done everything I could.

And then … I’d get feedback that actually made good sense. After some metaphorical screaming and hair pulling, I’d jump back in for another rewrite. And voila! I had a better, stronger story. So I learned to never say never … and to embrace the journey!

What is your next project? My next novel is Rain in the Wilderness, due to launch on January 26, 2027 by Scrivenings Press. This one is Biblical fiction set in the time of Christ.

I’ve never been good about staying in my literary lane! I’ve published Southern historical fiction, dual timeline fiction (2x), and contemporary women’s fiction. Why not throw Biblical fiction in the mix?

I write the story of my heart. I starting writing Rain in the Wilderness almost thirty years ago. It was inspired by the tragic tale of the Bethlehem massacre in Matthew 2. After becoming a mother, I viewed that catastrophe in a new light. I got to thinking . . . what if a mother who lost her baby that night later found out that the event was connected to Jesus of Nazareth—the one baby who got away? That got the ball rolling . . .

Blurb for House of Wind:

Wendi Burkham lives in an emotional prison she unwittingly walked into. Nobody understands, and her captor holds the keys.

Married to a respected pastor, Wendi lives a life others admire—with two children and a home that reflects faith, stability, and love. But behind closed doors, Wendi is trapped in a cycle of control, manipulation, and emotional abuse no one else can see—and no one would believe. How do you escape when no one thinks you need to?

For sixteen years, she has stayed silent. Stayed faithful. Stayed afraid. Until one night forces her to choose between the life she has built … and the truth she can no longer ignore. Her husband's warning echoes: "Planting wind only reaps a harvest of tornadoes.” But what if the storm is the only way out?

This powerful novel exposes the reality of emotional abuse—and the courage it takes to break free. Readers who enjoy thoughtful fiction with emotional depth will appreciate this novel in the vein of Amanda Cox, Katie Powner, Susie Finkbeiner, and Erin Bartels.

 
Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/45Zx5nj

Website: http://www.lauradenooyer-author.com
Monthly newsletter signup: https://www.subscribepage.com/standoutstoriesnewslettersignup
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/256325187-house-of-wind

About Laura:

Laura DeNooyer thrives on creativity and encouraging it in others. A Calvin College graduate, she is a teacher, wife, parent of four adult children, and a multi-award-winning author of heartwarming historical and contemporary fiction. She’s an active member in her church and American Christian Fiction Writers. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking, drinking tea with friends, or taking a road trip.

Photo Credits:

Author photo and book cover: Courtesy Laura DeNooyer

Podcast Logo: Courtesy Therapy and Theology

Classroom: Pixabay/DeltaWorks

Wartime Wednesday: The Federal Reserve System During WWII

 

Wartime Wednesday: The Federal Reserve System During WWII

What is the Federal Reserve System (AKA Federal Reserve Bank)? Simply put (and per its website http://www.federalreserve.gov), the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 “established the Federal Reserve System as the central bank of the United States to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system.” The impetus for its founding was a history of bank banks, the most recent being the Panic of 1907 when a massive credit crisis almost caused the collapse of the financial system. Several private financiers stepped in to save banks which was a wakeup call to Congress that realized the country had no central lender to give banks emergency loans during a panic. Per Wikipedia “Although an instrument of the US Government, the Federal Reserve System is considered an independent central bank due to its structural insultation from political interference as it is managed by a Board of Governors.

When America found itself at war in 1941, the board announced that it was “prepared to use its powers to assure at all times an ample supply of funds for financing the war effort.” Wars are won by those who can out produce their opponents which takes money, and America was going to need a lot of it. The military was small, numbering fewer than 200,000 soldiers, and its weapons were obsolescent. Thousands of ships, aircraft, and vehicles, and millions of guns as associated weaponry were needed. Add to that the recruitment, training, and deployment of soldiers, sailors, and airmen. Finance became a foundation of the war.

The question became how to raise the money. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department

teamed to create the plan and ultimately decided on taxation and domestic borrowing. They felt that taxes on current income would minimize inflation and prompt economic stability at the end of the war. For domestic borrowing, they created a variety of securities that would allow small savers to get involved as well as the wealthy or large corporations to invest at greater levels. The twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks organized Victory Fund committees and created campaigns to market war bonds; eight campaigns in all between 1942 and 1945. Thanks to posters, radio broadcasts, and wide celebrity endorsement, the total raised was $187.5 billion with more than eighty-five million people participating.

Another issue to deal with was to “keep the cost of the war reasonable.” At the Treasury’s request, the Federal reserve kept interest rates at low levels. The Banks purchased Treasury bills at three-eighths of a percent per year, significantly lower than the peacetime rates of 2-4 percent. Wartime can create inflation because of increased income and employment affected by limited consumer goods. As the Reserve put it: When more money chases fewer goods, prices typically rise. To combat the potential for inflation, regulations on the price of goods and workers, and a rationing program were implemented. Consumer credit was also regulated.

The War Manpower Commission declared the Reserve’s work as essential to the war effort, and as a result Reserve employees were not subject to the draft. However, hundreds did volunteer for military service.

_____________________

Swedish Sunrise

Espionage. Diplomacy. Resistance. Is there any room for love?

Weeks after being accepted into America’s Office of Strategic Services, Birgit Westgard finds herself in Stockholm, Sweden - “Casablanca of the North.” The job is supposed to be easy: typing and filing. Then her handsome boss taps her to be his “plus-one” at social events where they collect intelligence, plant propaganda, and dance the nights away. How much longer can she remain impervious to his charm?

Silas Cronin is one of the lucky ones, and his plane crash lands in neutral Sweden. Bored with cooling his heels in an internment camp, he raises his hand when the government comes looking for someone who can type. Suddenly, he’s in Stockholm, mired in intrigue and subterfuge, and more than a little attracted to his new secretary who wants nothing to do with him. Is she right that wartime is no time for romance?

Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RRqyv

Sources:
https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/feds-role-during-wwii
https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/economic-perspectives/2021/2
https://www.federalreservehistory.org/topics/fed-in-wartime
https://www.atlantafed.org/who-we-are/atlanta-fed-history/first-75-years/world-war-ii
https://www.stlouisfed.org/open-vault/2022/nov/how-fed-served-during-world-wars
https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/california-state-university-east-bay/economics-for-managers-in-a-global-economy/federal-reserves-financing-role-during-wwii-1941-1945/128748873
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve
https://www.federalreserve.gov/aboutthefed.htm

Photo Credits:

Marriner Eccles, Chairman, Federal Reserve System 1934-1948: By Harris & Ewing, photographer - Library of CongressCatalog: Public Domain.

War Bond Poster: Public Domain

War bond rally to buy bonds, February 1944.  (Photo: Mark Goebel Photo Gallery/Archive Photos/Getty Images) 

Traveling Tuesday: Portland, Maine

 

Traveling Tuesday: Portland, Maine

First settled in the early 1600s as part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, then formally founded in 1786, Portland, Maine was the first stop on our cruise. The city’s early history was fraught with attacks during colonial conflicts and suffered four devastating fires prompting the depiction of a phoenix rising from ashes on the city seal. As a deep-water port, Portland has a long history of commercial shipping and marine economy.

During the American Revolutionary War, Portland heavily supported Patriot activities and at one point humiliated British Captain Henry Mowat in an incident known as Thompson’s War. In retaliation, Mowat bombarded and burned the town on October 18, 1775. About four hundred buildings were destroyed leaving hundreds of residents homeless. The event served a catalyst that moved the Continental Congress to establish a naval defense. As a strategic port, Portland also saw action during the War of 1812. On September 9, 1813, a major battle occurred between the USS Enterprise and Britain’s HMS Boxer. Britain lost the battle, and tragically, both captains died. The Civil War brought a Confederate raid that led to the Battle of Portland Harbor, one of the conflict’s northernmost battles.

With the completion of the Grand Trunk Railroad to Montreal, the city became the primary ice-free

winter port for Canadian exports. The Portland Company manufactured locomotives as well as engines for ships, trains, and fire engines. Many of the company’s employees were Canadian immigrants.

Portland’s growth was exponential, increasing from a population of 8,500 in 1820 (the year Maine was established as a state) to 12,500 in just ten years. By 1860, the city more than doubled in size, doubling again by 1900.

World War II saw Portland become a strategic naval base with the establishment of the US Naval Station in late 1941as well as the location for shakedown training for new vessels and anti-submarine warfare exercises, refueling and repairs at the Long Island Fuel Annex, outfitting of destroyers for convoy escort, and major anchorage for the Atlantic Fleet. Located off the coast of Portland, the Casco Islands were also commandeered during the war, with fifty-eight military structures on Peaks Island alone. From gun emplacements and watchtowers to barracks and fire-control posts, the islands were transformed.

Education plays a key role in the city with three major universities all founded from 1865 to 1878. Healthcare is also well-represented with US Marine Hospital in 1855, Maine General Hospital founded in 1868, Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary in 1891, Children’s Hospital in 1898, St. Barnabas in the early 20th century, and Northern Light Mercy Hospital in 1918. When Maine General opened, it was the first hospital in the state available to the general public.

Commercial fishing and lobstering continue to play large roles in the city’s economy, but rife with history, Portland also has a strong tourism industry, including the arrival of multiple cruise ships each day during season. An interesting and beautiful city to visit any time of year.

__________________

Swedish Sunrise

Espionage. Diplomacy. Resistance. Is there any room for love?

Weeks after being accepted into America’s Office of Strategic Services, Birgit Westgard finds herself in Stockholm, Sweden - “Casablanca of the North.” The job is supposed to be easy: typing and filing. Then her handsome boss taps her to be his “plus-one” at social events where they collect intelligence, plant propaganda, and dance the nights away. How much longer can she remain impervious to his charm?

Silas Cronin is one of the lucky ones, and his plane crash lands in neutral Sweden. Bored with cooling his heels in an internment camp, he raises his hand when the government comes looking for someone who can type. Suddenly, he’s in Stockholm, mired in intrigue and subterfuge, and more than a little attracted to his new secretary who wants nothing to do with him. Is she right that wartime is no time for romance?

Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RRqyv

Sources
https://www.discoverconcordma.com/articles/697-the-destruction-of-falmouth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland,_Maine
https://www.visitportland.com/
https://www.mainehistory.org/maine-connection/casco-bays-front-line/
https://www.portlandpaddle.net/6-historic-forts-you-can-see-from-a-kayak/
https://www.islandinstitute.org/island-journal/world-war-ii-left-a-big-footprint-on-casco-bay-islands/
https://sphistory.pastperfectonline.com/Archive/56EA2046-A54C-4C8C-BC6B-403953237868
https://www.mainememory.net/record/67327/image/67327


Photo Credits: All photos taken by Linda Shenton Matchett

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Susan Page Davis

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back, Susan Page Davis 

I'm a big fan of Susan Page Davis's books, so I'm thrilled to welcome her back to my blog. 

How do you deal with the pressure of deadlines? I’m one of those people who thrives under deadlines. When I have one, I tend to start right away and plan out my work, so much per day or week on the project. If there’s no deadline, there’s no push to start and see progress. I need that push to get me going and keep me on track.

What was your inspiration for the story? I love writing historicals, and I’d read several nonfiction accounts of women on sailing ships. I had the idea of a captain dying in a foreign port and his wife taking over to sail the ship home, but having to raise a crew of women after all the men disappeared. My son Jim, who had spent time in Australia, thought the Australian Gold Rush would be the perfect backdrop for this, as many ships were abandoned in harbors there when it occurred. We decided to write the first book in the series with this premise, and The Seafaring Women of the Vera B was born. We followed it up with The Scottish Lass, and now we’re bringing out the third book, The Seafaring Women of the Faithful. All follow the same main cast of characters. Each book can be read alone, but I know readers will love the series most if they read all three books.

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

vocations were easy. They all ended up as sailors. But their backgrounds were a little harder. We tried to give them some major differences. This included their names, ethnicity, and accents. Sri is one who moves from the Malay culture into the British culture, and we show some of her struggles with language, manners, etc. For Bessie, a former slave, we’ve tried to be sensitive in showing her growth into a free society and being an equal with the other sailors.

What sort of research did you do for your story, and was there an exceptionally interesting tidbit you knew you had to include? We had to do a lot for this book, as with all historicals. We used several resources, both online and off. A history timetable gave us several key events happening that year to fit into the story. It would have been odd if the characters hadn’t commented on events happening back in Australia, for instance. We did a lot of geography research on eastern Britain, southern Scotland, and the North Sea. As always, our study of sailing ships and methods helped us keep it realistic. But there were a lot of minor things too, such as fashions for an Edinburgh wedding “back then,” and divorce laws in England at the time.

If your book is part of a series: Did you set out to write a series? Why did you decide to write a series? I don’t think we did at first, but it soon became obvious that Book 1 could not contain the women’s full story. We took them as far as Batavia (Jakarta) in that one, and in Book 2 sent them on an Indian Ocean adventure. In #3, they are back in the British Isles—or, for some, for the first time.

If you were to write a spin-off book about one of your secondary characters, which one would you choose and why? Maybe Sonja Frantzen, the Norwegian girl who has never been in the northern hemisphere before. She’s traveling to America to find her extended family, and the story could go in any direction.

How do you come up with story lines? Jim and I discuss our ideas extensively before starting to write, and we prepare an outline. That can be amended as we go, but it gives a little structure and helps us to know where we want to end up. Then we go on and plan it more thoroughly.

What is your next project? Susan: I’m polishing up a novel I started and laid aside for a few years. Hope I finally get to write “The End” this time. Jim: I'm working on a young adult modern thriller involving a fictitious island nation. I began the story over 30 years ago and it got lost, so I'm making a much better version of it now.

About Susan:
Susan Page Davis and James S. Davis are a mother-son team. Originally from Maine, they’ve relocated father south. Susan is the author of more than 100 novels and has won the Carol Award, three Will Rogers Medallions, two Faith, Hope, and Love Readers’ Choice Awards, and more. Jim is a fiction writer in multiple genres and has produced novels, short stories, and serial fiction.

Social media links:

Website (Susan): https://susanpagedavis.com
Website (Jim): https://jsdauthor.com/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Page-Davis/e/B001IR1CGA
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-page-davis
Twitter: @SusanPageDavis
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanpagedavisauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/255473.Susan_Page_Davis

BOOK BLURB:

Their ship was declared lost. Their courage was not.

Captain Alice Packard and the women of the Vera B have crossed the ocean and reached England, only to discover their ship has been written off and marked for the wreckers’ yard. With no clear path, Alice and her crew face an impossible choice: scatter in search of work and family, or fight for the vessel that has carried them through danger.

When a wedding calls them north to Scotland, hope seems to rise with the tide. But at Dunbar Castle, Sarah Fiske is refused entrance to her husband’s home, two young women vanish, and the crew is drawn into a dangerous scheme of greed, kidnapping, and betrayal.

As secrets surface and danger follows them from castle walls to the open sea, the women must rely on faith, friendship, and hard-won courage.

Then a brutal North Sea storm places beloved friends in the path of disaster.

Read The Seafaring Women of the Faithful and set sail on a historical adventure where found family, fierce loyalty, and faith hold fast through every storm.

Pre-order Link: https://amzn.to/4i9UfP3

Photo Credits:

Author headshots and book image: Courtesy Susan Page Davis

Globe: Pixabay/lrewolede