Love Thine Enemy

by Louise M. Gouge

Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical

The tropics of colonial Florida are far removed from America’s Revolution. Still, Rachel Folger’s loyalties remain with Boston’s patriots. Handsome plantation owner Frederick Moberly’s faithfulness to the Crown is as certain as his admiration for Rachel—but for the sake of harmony, he’ll keep his sympathies hidden. After all, the war is too far distant to truly touch them...isn’t it? A betrayal of Rachel’s trust divides the pair, leaving Frederick to question the true meaning of faith in God and in country. Inspired by Rachel to see life, liberty, and love through His eyes, Frederick must harness his faith and courage to claim the woman he loves before war tears them apart.

 Available at Walmart, www.bn.com, www.amazon.com, and www.christianbooks.com, and fine bookstores everywhere.
For more information, contact author at www.Louisemgouge.com.

THE BELIEVER

by
Ann H. Gabhart

“Gabhart’s characters are written with depth in her latest historical.” - Romantic Times 4 Star Review

“..the book rings with researched authenticity..” – Publishers Weekly

Will a forbidden love destroy all they know?

Elizabeth Duncan has nowhere to turn. In charge of her younger brother and sister after their parents die, her options are limited: she can give in to the unwanted advances of an odious landowner – or she can flee. When Elizabeth hears the nearby Shaker community takes in orphans, she presents herself and her siblings at Harmony Hill. Despite the hard work and strange new beliefs, Elizabeth is relieved to have a roof overhead and food to eat. But life gets complicated when she finds herself attracted to a handsome young Believer named Ethan. Will Elizabeth be forced to leave the village to keep Ethan from stumbling?

The Believer is available wherever books are sold. Purchase a copy online at ChristianBook.com or Amazon.com.

Living just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky, Ann H. Gabhart has walked the same paths that her characters might have walked in generations past. Gabhart is the author of several books, including the bestselling The Outsider, a finalist for Christian Fiction Book of 2009.

Visit Ann’s website - http://www.annhgabhart.com
Visit Ann’s Blog - http://www.annhgabhart.blogspot.com

Painted Dresses
by Patricia Hickman

Gaylen Boatwright, a woman suffering a recent marital separation, has come back home to Boiling Waters, North Carolina to bury her father and move her troubled younger sister Delia into the family home. The relatives who gathered to bury the family patriarch have all left the home. Gaylen drives Delia to her dilapidated trailer to gather her belongings and move her back into their father’s now-empty house, the family homestead. The sisters are left to sort through and perform their father’s last wishes even though Delia is of little help to Gaylen who has been handed the mantle her father had carried, that of keeping Delia out of trouble.

This story is one that is full of many surprises and also many sources of inspiration. I met a young artist who would dip women’s dresses in paint and then arrange the painted dress on a canvas. When a woman allowed him to use her wedding dress I began to think about the story’s behind women’s dresses but how time and family secrets cover up those stories. From that sprang the story of two sisters on a perilous road trip delivering these mysterious painted dresses relative-to-relative. Painted Dresses has a deep spiritual subtext and is written for readers and book clubs who might like southern literary fiction or books by authors such as Barbara Kingsolver or Sue Monk Kidd. While southern lit provides a vehicle for dark themes, the sisters’ family problems create moments of levity and the funny things that happen in all of our families.

“Hickman gamely unpacks the lies families tell each other, the cost of family secrets to ourselves and others, the bonds between sisters and the walls between husbands and wives. Her sparkling talent is evident in this engrossing story.” (Publisher’s Weekly’ July 2008)
“With engaging characters—quirky, flawed, but endearing—a vivid sense of place, and a wonderfully droll, tell-it-like-it-is narrator in Gaylen Boatwright, Painted Dresses is the ideal book to lose yourself in on a rainy—or any—day. “
--NAEEM MURR, author of The Boy, The Genius of the Sea, and The Perfect Man.

All men whilst they are awake are in one common world: but each of them, when he is asleep, is in a world of his own.
—Plutarch

http://www.patriciahickman.com/
Patricia Hickman is a humorist and a storyteller and speaks around the country on family issues and the craft of writing.

Deadly Intent
By Camy Tang

SCENE OF THE CRIME

The Grant family’s exclusive Sonoma spa is a place for rest and relaxation—not murder! Then Naomi Grant finds her client Jessica Ortiz bleeding to death in her massage room, and everything falls apart. The salon’s reputation is at stake...and so is Naomi’s freedom when she discovers that she is one of the main suspects! Her only solace is found with the other suspect—Dr. Devon Knightley, the victim’s ex-husband. But Devon is hiding secrets of his own. When they come to light, where can Naomi turn...and whom can she trust?

Read the rest of Deadly Intent on Camy’s website: http://www.camytang.com/

Camy Tang writes romance with a kick of wasabi. She used to be a biologist, but now she is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads a worship team for Sunday service. She also runs the Story Sensei fiction critique service. On her blog, she gives away Christian novels every week, and she ponders frivolous things like dumb dogs (namely, hers), coffee-geek husbands (no resemblance to her own...), the writing journey, Asiana, and anything else that comes to mind. Visit her website at http://www.camytang.com/ for a huge website contest going on right now, giving away fourteen boxes of books and 30 copies of her latest release, DEADLY INTENT.

Hometown Courtship
by Diann Hunt

Steeple Hill Love Inspired


His matchmaking brother is sending another single gal Brad Sharp's way. Under the guise of community service! The Make a Home project-building houses for the needy-is Brad's life. He fully expects hair stylist Callie Easton to show up for "work" with a pink hammer and not even use it. Hardly a match for him!

With a heart of gold and a talent for transformation, Callie works hard. Still, Brad won't notice her. His grief over a tragic loss has hardened his heart. Well, Callie knows all about loss. And thanks to Brad, she knows even more about making a home-for them.

Hunt's warmhearted story demonstrates that sometimes following God means just staying where you are. ~4 STARS, RT Book Reviews

Available at http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.christianbooks.com/

For more information, contact author at http://www.diannhunt.com/ and/or http://www.facebook.com/diann.hunt

"A taut, engrossing story about familial love and redemption." --Booklist

"A heart wrenching story, beautifully rendered." --Francine Rivers, bestselling author

"This book is a treasure, and not to be missed." --Angela Hunt, bestselling author

Abigail Bennett was completely in control of her life until tragedy pushed her to the brink of something she'd never experienced: obsession. Now, she's given up everything she's ever worked for to chase down the object of that obsession. His name is Tyler Kamp. As Abigail follows him across the border into Canada to a beautiful winery in British Columbia, her journey is awash in memories of family and childhood, especially those of her younger sister, Hailey. Dangerously beautiful yet indefinably needy, Hailey seemed to take all the risks Abigail avoided. Until now. But even as Abigail races into her future, her past continues to pull her back. Only when she is brought to the edge of her obsession will she be able to come to terms with the tragedy that ignited it.

A breathtaking story about the emotional risks of relationships, The Moment Between explores the cost of regret, the desire for revenge, and the redemptive power of forgiveness.



The Moment Between
By Nicole Baart


She left the world the same way that she had entered it: swathed in robes of scarlet so red and angry and portentous as to be mistaken for black.

You can find Nicole online at: http://www.nicolebaart.com/

Buy from Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/bookSearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=1414323220&r=1

Buy from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414323220?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1414323220&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2
Buy from Christianbook: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=323220&item_code=WW&netp_id=604376&event=ESRCN&view=covers

Never the Bride
By Cheryl McKay & Rene Gutteridge

“Never the Bride teaches us all powerful lessons about God’s plan, control,
and the peace that comes with surrender.”
—JIM STOVALL, author of The Ultimate Gift

“It’s time to surrender the pen….”

http://www.renegutteridge.com/
http://www.cherylmckay.net/
FIND US ON FACEBOOK!

Second Chance Family
Love Inspired July 2009
By Margaret Daley


“Daley delivers an insightful look at the problems of autism—and how God’s plans are always the best ones.” –RT magazine reviewer, Susan Mobley


Dedicated teacher assistance Whitney Maxwell gave up her dream of a family years ago. But she’s about to get a lesson in faith and family from an unexpected source—a brave little boy named Jason. Jason and his dad are dealing with his autism the best they can, but Dr. Shane McCoy can’t put his tragic past behind him. As Whitney and Shane work together to help his son, could these two lost souls open their hearts to love again and become a lasting family?

Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. Recently she has won the Holt Medallion, Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, and the Barclay Gold Contest. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines. She has sold sixty-five books to date.

Click on this link to buy Second Chance Family at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Family-Love-Inspired/dp/0373875355/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245519923&sr=1-4
http://www.margaretdaley.com/
Watch Second Chance Family’s trailer at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scHiL5CLehA

Murder in House
By Veronica Heley

After her first husband’s death, Ellie Quicke discovered that she was stronger than she’d thought. By networking in the community, she’d even solved some neighbourhood crimes. Now married to the Reverend Thomas – her best friend as well as her dear love – she was finding marriage second time round deeply satisfying, but this didn’t mean she knew all the answers, especially where murder was concerned. --the tenth of the “Ellie Quicke Mysteries.”

Ellie and her new husband are suffering from terrible colds when called to deal with Ursula, a student who has staged a sit-in at church and refuses to move. Ursula challenges Ellie to solve three mysteries; a broken engagement, her friend Mia’s disappearance and a murder. When Ellie agrees to return Ursula’s engagement ring to her fiancé, she begins to suspect that there is more to Mia’s disappearance and the ‘accidental’ death of another friend than their families and the police are willing to admit. As Ellie attempts to solve the mysteries, she finds her friends and family targeted, as a powerful group hunt her down.

Veronica Heley
http://www.veronicaheley.com/

From good bookshops everywhere. Also available from Amazon – see the link on my website.

Scent of Murder
by Virginia Smith
http://www.virginiasmith.org/

Scent of Murder is the third and final installment in Virginia Smith’s Classical Trio Series. This time the trio is scheduled to play their last wedding at an artist colony in the Blue Hills of Indiana. Caitlin, who is reeling from being dumped by her long-time boyfriend, has sworn off men for a full year to give herself time to heal. But that’s before she meets Chase Hollister, the handsome owner of a scented candle factory. Before she knows it, she and Chase are caught up in a haunting crime from his past – and pursued by a deadly killer in the present.

“Plenty of action and suspense, a fine mystery and the knowledge that the love of God is for everyone, no matter what they've done.” – Romantic Times, 4 ½ Star Review

For more information about Scent of Murder, and the other books in the Classical Trio Series, visit http://www.virginiasmith.org/.

Listen to the author read the entire first chapter to you here:
http://bigcontact.com/VirginiaSmithBookExcerpts/scent-of-murder-chapter-1

Support your local bookstore! If you don’t see Scent of Murder on the shelf, ask them to order it for you. Or purchase it online at:

Christianbook.com - http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1142059&item_no=443437

Amazon.com - http://www.amazon.com/Scent-Murder-Steeple-Inspired-Suspense/dp/0373443439/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244205367&sr=8-1

or order the Kindle Version - http://www.amazon.com/Scent-of-Murder-ebook/dp/B002B9MHL8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243458428&sr=8-2

Breathe
By Lisa Bergren


"Breathe riveted me with its fascinating peek into Colorado Springs history and well-drawn characters I quickly grew to love. I couldn't put it down! Bergren is one of my favorite authors." -Colleen Coble


"Breathe is a sweet and sensitive tale of faith, love and devilry on a raw frontier just coming into its own." -Kristen Heitzmann


Colorado, 1883

A publishing heiress is on the brink of life.and death. Her beautiful, younger sister is called to the forbidden stage. Her brother, troubled guardian, is raging inside. A veiled treasure map leads to a hidden silver mine. A threatening villain hovers in the shadows. And a hero is bent on saving his bride. Just breathe.

Watch the video trailer at http://www.lisatawnbergren.com/!
Available at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.cbd.com/, and fine bookstores everywhere.

How Do I Love Thee?

by Nancy Moser

Come witness the romance of all romances . . . Elizabeth Barrett is a published poet-and a virtual prisoner to her weak health and a tyrannical father who forbids any of his children to marry. She has resigned herself to simply existing. That is, until the letter arrives... "I love your verses with all my heart," writes Robert Browning, an admiring fellow poet. And as friendly correspondence gives way to something more, Elizabeth discovers that Robert's love is not for her words alone. Could it be that God might grant her more than mere existence? And can she risk defying her father in pursuit of true happiness? Included in the back of the book are the complete Sonnets from the Portuguese that included her famous poem: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Romantic Times 4-star review: "This peek inside the private life of secluded poetess Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a delight. The journey her heart takes to go against all she knows and embrace the unknown is suspenseful, sad, and very interesting."

Get How Do I Love Thee at your local bookstore or at http://www.amazon.com/. To find out more about Nancy Moser's books go to http://www.nancymoser.com/.

In a Flickering Light

Jane Kirkpatrick


In A Flickering Light, (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, A division of Random House), Jane Kirkpatrick draws a page from her grandmother's photo album to capture the interplay between temptation and faith that marks a woman's pursuit of her dreams in her fifteenth novel. Jessie Gaebele was a photographer's assistant in 1907 in Winona, Minnesota in this first book of the Portrait of a Heart series. Publisher's Weekly, in a starred review, called the novel ".exceptionally authentic" with ".exquisite nuance.aching and hopeful." The story is told over three years through the eyes of Jessie, her employer, F.J. Bauer; and his wife, Mrs. Bauer. Five actual glass plate photographs are reproduced in the novel with Jessie as the first person narrator of her story behind each photograph. The first is what Jessie calls "The Subject" and it begins the novel.

Jane Kirkpatrick, author of A Flickering Light (WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group), Book one of A Portrait of a Heart series, is available now at http://www.jkbooks.com/; http://www.powellsbooks.com/; http://www.bn.com/; http://www.amazon.com/; http://www.christianbook.com/; and fine bookstores everywhere.

The Vanishing Sculptor
By Donita K Paul

Tipper is a young emerlindian who's responsible for the upkeep of her family's estate during her sculptor father's absence. Tipper soon discovers that her actions have unbalanced the whole foundation of her world, and she must act quickly to undo the calamitous threat. But how can she save her father and her world on her own?

The task is too huge for one person, so she gathers the help of some unlikely companions--including the nearly five-foot tall parrot Beccaroon--and eventually witnesses the loving care and miraculous resources of Wulder. Through Tipper's breathtaking story, readers will discover the beauty of knowing and serving God.

You can find The Vanishing Sculptor at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.borders.com/, http://www.cbd.com/ and wherever books are sold.

http://www.donitakpaul.com/
http://www.dragonblogin.blogspot.com/

Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Witness to Murder
By Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Publisher: Steeple Hill
Release Date: June 2009
ISBN: 9780373443451


Poised for an interview, TV reporter Hallie Berglund walks into a murder scene instead. The victim’s boyfriend stands over the body, murder weapon in hand. Hallie couldn’t stop the crime, but as the star witness, she’ll see the man brought to justice . . . right? Not according to her colleague Brody Jordan, who is convinced the police—and Hallie—are targeting the wrong man. To prove it, he’ll need Hallie’s help. The victim was wearing a bracelet handcrafted by Hallie’s long-dead mother. Now Hallie is the only one who can unearth the secrets of the past—and bring the sinister truth to light.

--------------------
AUTHOR BIO

Jill Elizabeth Nelson is an award-winning author of mystery and suspense. She writes what she likes to read—tales of adventure seasoned with romance, humor, and faith, earning her the tagline: Endless Adventure, Timeless Truth. Jill speaks at conferences, writer’s groups, library associations, and civic and church groups. She and her husband live in rural Minnesota where they raised four children and are currently enjoying their first grandchild.

Visit Jill Elizabeth Nelson’s website at http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/ for excerpts, book giveaways, and contests.

You can order this book directly from your local bookstore, retail stores such as Wal-Mart, or online here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0373443455/jillelizabeth-20

Beyond Corista
by Robert Elmer

Book three in the “Shadowside” sci-fi/fantasy trilogy for YA (young teen) readers
Oriannon and her friends Margus and Wist hurtle through space on a dangerous mission, guided by the pilot stone. Their enemy, Sola, is on board as well, and Oriannon soon begins to regret rescuing the blind woman from battle. As the odd crew flies from way station to way station, Oriannon delivers the warning that she received from her mentor, Jesmet—the Troikans are coming to destroy Corista! At each location, Oriannon is met with disbelief, and soon even she begins to wonder if the threat is real.
Are her visits from Jesmet only a hallucination? Oriannon must find the answer—and the faith—to race toward a destination only she can see.

Designed to challenge young readers to re-examine their own faith, the allegorical setting of Beyond Corista puts a compelling extraterrestrial twist on the second chapter of Acts, particularly the missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul and his friends. What if the Creator of the universe visited another planet?

Available at your local Christian bookstore, wherever good books are sold, or online at Christianbook.com. Just paste this link into your browser if it doesn’t take you there immediately: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=714231&netp_id=578265&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

Also please be sure to visit Robert’s website http://www.robertelmerbooks.com/ to learn more about the trilogy. You’ll want to read book one (Trion Rising) and two (The Owling) as well. And finally, please do not reproduce without permission, but that goes without saying. Enjoy!

Cheryl Wyatt

A Soldier's Reunion

Cheryl Wyatt

 

Book Info:

A Soldier’s Reunion by Cheryl Wyatt-Wings of Refuge Series

June 1, 2009-Steeple Hill Love Inspired

·         ISBN-10: 0373875320

·         ISBN-13: 978-0373875320

Back cover blurb:

Despite a decade apart, this isn't the reunion Mandy Manchester expected! She thought she'd put high school sweetheart Nolan Briggs behind her. Now he's back…and the pararescue jumper literally sweeps her off her feet. He's ready and willing to rekindle what they once shared. Mandy, though, isn't prepared to put her heart at risk. He left her before—she won't trust him again. Can Nolan teach this grounded girl to take a leap of faith?

 

Purchase Links:

Special! 40% off the cover price here at eharlequin for a limited time only:

http://www.eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=19563&cid=236

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Soldiers-Reunion-Love-Inspired/dp/0373875320

Christianbook: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=875320&netp_id=607243&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW&view=covers

Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Soldiers-Reunion/Cheryl-Wyatt/e/9780373875320/?itm=1

Author Bio:

Born Valentine’s Day on a naval base, Cheryl Wyatt writes military romance. Her Steeple Hill debuts earned RT Top Picks plus #1 and #4 on eHarlequin's Top 10 Most-Blogged-About-Books, lists including NYT Bestsellers.

To receive her quarterly newsletter for updates on new releases and contests with GREAT prizes, visit her Web site atwww.cherylwyatt.com and sign up in the space provided. Cheryl respects your privacy and will not share your e-mail address with a third party.

Cheryl’s Blog:

http://www.scrollsquirrel.blogspot.com

Other Blogs Cheryl participates in:

http://www.loveinspiredauthors.blogspot.com/

http://www.seekerville.blogspot.com

http://www.craftieladiesofromance.blogspot.com/

Roxanne Rustand

Deadly Competition

Roxanne Rustand

Blurb:The single mother hasn't been found. And all her daughter, Sarah, has is her uncle. Clueless at parenting, Clint Herald seeks a loving, responsible nanny. What he finds instead is a stranger as mysterious as his sister's disappearance. Mandy Erick is secretive and seems scared, yet she's so good with Sarah that Clint can't help but trust her. In fact, he even enters Mandy in the town's Mother of the Year contest. But attention is the last thing Mandy wants. Her time in the public eye may prove just as dangerous as she fears.

Excerpt: "The single mother hasn't been found. And all her daughter, Sarah, has is her uncle. Clueless at parenting, Clint Herald seeks a loving, responsible nanny. What he finds instead is a stranger as mysterious as his sister's disappearance. Mandy Erick is secretive and seems scared, yet she's so good with Sarah that Clint can't help but trust her. In fact, he even enters Mandy in the town's Mother of the Year contest. But attention is the last thing Mandy wants. Her time in the public eye may prove just as dangerous as she fears.
Mandy Erick flinched as the door of the Greyhound slid shut behind her.

The bus lumbered away, taking with it her chance to reach Texas or California or Oregon anytime soon. Leaving her standing on the edge of Loomis, Louisiana, a backwater town in the middle of nowhere.

Though maybe the middle of nowhere was the safest place for someone who'd had to leave her old identity behind."

http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html;jsessionid=00C164E53E0203C5C0D554CDC6E6A90D?cid=359

For more about Roxanne Rustand, visit http://www.roxannerustand.com/ and her new blog "All Creatures Great and Small."
Lyn Cote
The Desires of Her Heart, 2-10-09
http://www.strongwomenbravestories.blogspot.com/
Every woman has a story! Share yours.

A Claim of Her Own
Stephanie Grace Whitson

Bethany House Publishers

Dear reader,

When Mattie O'Keefe arrives in Deadwood, South Dakota, she finds the future she hoped for shattered. Determined to claim a fresh start, Mattie must soon decide where true riches lie--and what's worth dying for.

If you "run away from home" with Mattie, you'll be bullwhacking and prospecting alongside some pretty tough characters. But then you'll also get to dance with Wild Bill Hickok and meet a handsome guy named Aron Gallagher. The way to Mattie's happy ending isn't always easy, but it's my prayer that you'll decide it's worth the journey and be encouraged in your own walk of faith as you read it.

May the Lord bless you & yours,
Stephanie-G

A Claim of Her Own (cover price $13.99) is available:
• from your favorite local bookstore (they can order it if they don't have it on the shelf)
• via your favorite online resource (http://www.cbd.com/, http://www.bn.com/, http://www.leebooksellers.com/, etc.)
• at http://www.stephaniewhitson.com/
• by calling Bethany House Publishers 1-866-241-6733

Order autographed copies from the fine folks at Lee Booksellers in Lincoln, Nebraska. Call toll free 1-888-665-0999.

Visit Stephanie online at http://www.stephaniewhitson.com/.
Learn more about her other books.

Register for her online newsletter.
Invite her to come speak to your civic or church group. (Request a speaking brochure.)
She'd love to hear from you!

The Reluctant Cowgirl
By Christine Lynxwiler

"This old-fashioned romance set in present-day Arkansas is the first book in Lynxwiler's fantastic new must-read McCord Sisters series. Crystal and Jeremy begin as friends, and their love develops over time. Be prepared to drop everything and settle down in a nice cozy place, because you will not want to leave Crystal and Jeremy until their story is told." ~ Romantic Times (4 ½ stars, TOP PICK for April)
“Clever dialogue flows easily and wittily, almost screenplay-like. . .”
~ Publisher's Weekly

Award-winning author, Christine Lynxwiler, is happy to present an excerpt from her newest release, The Reluctant Cowgirl. Here’s a brief summary of what has happened before the excerpt begins —

New York City – Barely off Broadway—It’s bad enough that actress Crystal McCord gets an email from her brother about a family crisis on the same day that her play is closing. But she has to face the defeat and emotional turmoil alone thanks to her boyfriend, Brad, who texts her that he’s helping a friend move instead of attending her performance. His absence, along with a splitting headache, convinces her that she needs to skip the cast party and call it an early night. . .

Meanwhile back at the ranch—Cattleman Jeremy Buchanan has spent the last year searching for his five-year-old daughter Beka, kidnapped by the mother she barely knew. Tonight, the PI on the case came by with news of another dead end. When the man leaves, Jeremy goes upstairs to bed, but instead of going into his room, he approaches the closed door beside it. . .

The Reluctant Cowgirl, as well as Christine’s other novels, may be purchased at bookstores everywhere and online at Christian Book Distributors - Author/Artist: Christine Lynxwiler -Christianbook.com Search - and other online sellers. Visit http://www.christinelynxwiler.com/.

Robin Lee Hatcher

A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
by Robin Lee Hatcher


Who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?

Put up or shut up! Complaining about Bethlehem Springs' dissolute mayoral candidate, Gwen Arlington is challenged to take on the role herself. For seven years, she’s carved out an independent life in the bustling mountain town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, teaching piano and writing for the local newspaper. But now she’s a single woman running for mayor — and in 1915 this decision is bound to stir up trouble.

Morgan McKinley is fed up with the delays that hinder the construction of New Hope Health Spa, a place where both rich and poor can come for rest and healing. New to the area, he has determined that serving as mayor would help him push through his agenda for progress.

Gwen and Morgan each want to prove they are the most qualified candidate, not only to voters but to each other, and so sparks fly as the two campaign. Although Morgan has learned to guard his heart as fiercely as Gwen guards her independence, could they learn to be allies instead of adversaries?

This first book in the Sisters of Bethlehem Springs Series provides intriguing insights into how women challenged convention and shaped America in the early twentieth century.


BIO:

Robin Lee Hatcher is the best-selling author of over sixty books. Her well-drawn characters and heartwarming stories of faith, courage, and love have earned her both critical acclaim and the devotion of readers. Her numerous awards including the 2000 Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the 1999 and 2001 RITA Awards for Best Inspirational Romance, Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards for Americana Romance and for Inspirational Fiction, and the 2001 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Catching Katie was named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin began her writing career in the general market, writing mass market romances for Leisure Books, HarperPaperbacks, Avon Books, and Silhouette. In 1997, after several years of heart preparation, Robin accepted God's call to write stories of faith and hasn't looked back since. She has written both contemporary women's fiction and historical romances for CBA publishers, and in 2009 her 60th book, A Vote of Confidence, was released, launching a new series (The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs) that looks at the question, "Who says a woman can't do a man's job?" The setting is Idaho during the WWI era.


A NOTE FROM ROBIN:

Ideas come to writers in lots of different ways. The idea for The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series came to me back in 2003-2004 and had its genesis in a couple of other books. From Catching Katie had come a fascination with the decade leading up to the passing of the 19th Amendment that gave American women the right to vote. From a secondary character in Speak to Me of Love came a fondness for a woman in an unusual occupation. While those two things were rolling around in my head, up popped the final ingredient. A question: Who says a woman can't do a man's job? And the next thing I knew, I'd met Gwen and Cleo Arlington, the heroines of the first two books in the series. I had to wait to meet my third heroine until the hero of A Vote of Confidence walked into my imagination. Guess what, Morgan McKinley had a younger sister, Daphne. Each of these women have jobs that weren't considered a woman's domain in their time (1915-1918). I hope readers will become as fond of Gwen, Cleo, and Daphne -- and the men with whom they fall in love -- as I am.

Susan May Warren

Nothing But Trouble!

PJ Sugar - Trouble Collection

ISBN 1414313128
Tyndale
Romantic Comedy/Suspense


PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:

After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that’s become her life, she needs a fresh start.

The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister’s wedding is Boone—her former flame and the reason she left town.

Her best friend’s husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg , Minnesota , has seen in more than a decade.

What PJ doesn’t know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she’ll uncover much more than she bargained for—a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she’s been longing for.


About Susan:

Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of seventeen novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep’s Clothing, a thriller set in Russia , was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader’s Choice award. A former missionary to Russia , Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota .

Also! It's launch month for my new book, Nothing But Trouble, and I'm running a "sweet" contest when people go "Hunting for Trouble" in their local bookstore! Click the link for Contest details! http://www.susanmaywarren.com/contest.html

Also…here are two articles you might, could use.

Where did the idea for PJ Sugar come from?

Every author dreams of a moment where someone says something, or they see something on the news, or in a newspaper and it springs out at them, nearly shouting – STORY IDEA! This happened to me a number of years ago while talking to friends about their daycare situation, and how one of the parents ended up being a murder suspect! Scary! But an interesting idea. About that time, I was a mom who wore many hats – homeschooling mom, writing teacher, speaker, children’s church leader, -- and it occurred to me that a mother really has to be a sort of PI. Not only taking on different roles, but sleuthing out daily household mysteries like, who ate the last of the peanut butter (and put it back in the cupboard?) and whose socks are laying in the middle of the floor, and finally…(in our house), who let the dog (and her muddy feet!) in the house! PJ is the alter-ego in every mom, that super-hero inside of us that allows us to have esp (I know you’re not really done with your homework!), or have “eyes in the back of our head,” (stop poking your sister!) or even figure out how to whip together an award-winning science project the night before the fair. PJ just applies all those skills to bad guys and figuring out the truth.

PJ Sugar is also a woman who wants to be all things to all people. She wants to be her nephew’s champion and her sister’s best friend, and her mother’s favorite daughter, and Boone’s special girl, and the hero of her hometown. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Maybe…because God wants her to be His girl, and satisfied in who He made her to be. And that is a journey for all of us PJ Sugars.

A note from Susan May Warren

Sometimes, do you feel like you just don’t fit in? You look around you and if anyone knew how difficult it was just to put yourself together, to smile when you feel completely overwhelmed, to even figure out what you were making for supper, they’d know what a mess you were. Maybe you totally relate to those words in 1 Peter – God’s elect, strangers and aliens in the world. Do you feel like when you look in the rear view mirror, all you see are your mistakes?

Maybe not. But if so, then PJ is your gal. I wanted to write a story about the person in so many of us who just wants to get it right…but can’t seem to stay out of trouble. My friend and I have what we call the “stupid mouth” club…and we report our weekly foibles (usually on Monday, after Sunday church!). PJ is our charter member. She’s the girl that changes her mind, always hopes for the best, is always discovering that she is just a little different than everyone else. PJ is us.

And that’s good news. Because God loves PJ. He loves her messiness, and her impulsiveness, her heart bent toward others, the hope that fuels her actions. And He has a plan for PJ – one that includes her weaknesses as well as her strengths.

Yep, I need to hear that – need to hear that I don’t have to be perfect for God to love me, use me, sing over me. Need to hear that although I don’t fit in, well, I’m not supposed to…in fact, I’m supposed to be a little…alien.

I wrote PJ for everyone who feels just a little messy, just a little like they can’t quite get it right. And who needs to hear that God loves them. Period. Full stop. Hallelujah.

Chapter-a-Week Contest!

There are still two weeks left to sign up for our ten pound box of new releases.

Please read the directions below carefully (don't reply to this message).

Simply send an email with "Chapter-a-Week Summer Reading Giveaway" in the subject line to cawcontest@gmail.com and you'll be entered in the drawing. If you get a friend to sign up for the contest and they give us your name you'll be entered twice! The deadline for signing up is May 15th and the winner will be announced May 22nd so the books will arrive in plenty of time for summer reading.

Get your entries in and be sure to tell your friends to sign up for Chapter-a-Week!

To qualify, the return email address must be on the Chapter-a-Week membership list. Continental U. S. residents only, please. Industry professionals should refrain from entering, and though we'd love you to share our books with your friends, these books are not for resale.
Thanks and happy reading!

Your friends at Chapter-a-Week

A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE
Robin Lee Hatcher


Who says a woman can’t do a man’s job?

Put up or shut up! Complaining about Bethlehem Springs' dissolute mayoral candidate, Gwen Arlington is challenged to take on the role herself. For seven years, she’s carved out an independent life in the bustling mountain town of Bethlehem Springs, Idaho, teaching piano and writing for the local newspaper. But now she’s a single woman running for mayor — and in 1915 this decision is bound to stir up trouble.

A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE is available on-line at Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and other on-line retailers, as well as in local bookstores everywhere. To obtain autographed bookplates or for more information about books by Robin Lee Hatcher, visit her web site at http://www.robinleehatcher.com/.

AMAZON:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310258057/novelistrobinlee
CBD:
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1138486&item_no=258056

SAINTS IN LIMBO
by River Jordan

“River Jordan’s written words are as poetic and captivating as her name, and her story, Saints in Limbo, is as powerful and healing as the River Jordan itself.”–DENISE HILDRETH, author of The Will of Wisteria
“Saints in Limbo brims with truth and insists on hope. River Jordan has written a lyrical and relentlessly beautiful book.”
–CONNIE MAY FOWLER, author of Before Women Had Wings and The Problem with Murmur Lee

“Strange as it sounds, River Jordan’s fascinating novel Saints in Limbo somehow reminded me of Walker Percy and Dean Koontz simultaneously. It’s that original. It’s that good. It’s a wise, funny, joyful, and deadly serious book. Saints in Limbo is the kind of story they ought to publish in leather-bound hardcover with gilded pages so you could leave it to your grandchildren.”
–ATHOL DICKSON, author of River Rising and Winter Haven

“River Jordan practically sings her characters to life. Saints in Limbo is a triumph of the spirit and a reminder that there’smuchmore to life than meets the eye. Read this book to remind yourself that heaven can be found right here, right now.”
–NICOLE SEITZ, author of A Hundred Years of Happiness, Trouble theWater, and The Spirit of Sweetgrass

Synopsis
Ever since her husband Joe died, Velma True’s world has been limited to what she can see while clinging to one of the multicolored threads tied to the porch railing of her home outside Echo, Florida.

When a mysterious stranger appears at her door on her birthday and presents Velma with a special gift, she is rattled by the object’s ability to take her into her memories–a place where Joe still lives, her son Rudy is still young, unaffected by the world’s hardness, and the beginning is closer than the end. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma wonders if it’s possible to be unmoored from the past’s deep roots and find a reason to hope again. While Velma is consumed with the man's gift, her son Rudy is also being presented with a challenge to his self-centered, complacent lifestyle. And a teenage girl winds her way to Echo, determined to unravel the mysteries her dead mother left behind. As secrets old and new come to light, Velma finds herself unmoored from the fears of the past and feeling her way toward freedom.

This lyrical, Southern novel weaves mystical elements with tangible touches of God's redemptive grace to reveal a pattern of irresistible hope.

Available wherever good books are sold – Author site – http://www.riverjordan.us/

Amy Wallace - Her Interview

Q and A with author Amy Wallace

Q. Where did the idea for the stories in the DEFENDERS OF HOPE series come from?

A. The Defenders of Hope series started with a literal dream about an FBI agent with a wounded heart and a mom on a dangerous quest for answers. That dream became the book Ransomed Dreams. During the research for Ransomed Dreams, I met with a federal agent and asked the question—what would happen if an FBI agent found out he had cancer? His answer became the second book, Healing Promises. And the third book in the series, Enduring Justice, grew out of a secret one of the characters, Hanna Kessler, struggles to keep hidden.

Q. Your current release is Enduring Justice, book 3 in the Defenders of Hope series. Is it necessary to read all the books in order?

A. I’ve been told by many readers and read reviews that have said the Defenders of Hope books can be read as stand-alones. The cases and suspense story-lines are self-contained, no cliffhanger endings until the next book. But the characters’ friendships and relationships grow and are challenged in each book, so I’d say it’s best but not necessary for the stories to be read in order.

Q. You’ve said that Enduring Justice contains the shards of your once-broken heart. What do you mean by that?

A. Fifteen years ago, God placed me in a safe place and used my future husband’s hands to hold me together while my heart shattered. David was the first person to hear about my being date raped when I was a teen. For five years I’d denied what happened or blamed myself. So when my walls of secrecy started to crumble, I felt alone and terrified.
But God met me there. He covered my shame with His grace and we started down the painful path of healing. Even though this isn’t the same circumstances as what Hanna Kessler faces in Enduring Justice, a lot of my personal story went into the writing. And while this subject may qualify this story as “gritty,” the focus is not on the past experiences, but on the healing an adult woman finds as she opens up to her family and the man she loves.


Q. One of the key themes running through Enduring Justice is racism, as Hanna’s love interest, FBI Agent Michael Parker, is investigating a white supremacist. Why is this topic near to your heart?

A. I grew up in the military and had friends of all skin colors and nationalities. One of my best friends was African American. We never talked about our skin color, but I remember one time she made a comment about how people treated her differently because of her skin. She wouldn’t explain. It wasn’t until years later after hearing some ugly words from extended family members about people of other skin colors that I started to understand racism still exists. And it breaks my heart.
Through Hanna and Eve and Michael and Lee, I wanted to highlight some of the challenges I’ve learned about from friends of other nationalities and also to show that it’s not skin color that matters, it’s who we are on the inside. We truly can be color-blind.

Q. Where can readers learn more about you, Enduring Justice, and your other books?

A. I enjoy and value email from readers! So please visit me on the web at the Dark Chocolate Suspense site: www.amywallace.com and leave a note in the guestbook, drop me an email, or join the Dark Chocolate Suspense newsletter community: http://www.amywallace.com/Newsletter.html.

Readers can also check out a very cool book format and read the first two chapters of Enduring Justice online: http://www.amywallace.com/ej_chapter.html

Amy Wallace - Her Book

“If you love breath-stealing suspense, unforgettable characters, and remarkable
spiritual depth in your fiction, Enduring Justice is a book to
savor. Amy Wallace is at her best with this poignant, grace-filled addition
to her deeply satisfying Defenders of Hope Series.”
—CLAUDIA MAIR BURNEY, author of Wounded: A Love Story



ENDURING JUSTICE

Secrets Can’t Last Forever

A PAINFUL PAST

Hanna Kessler’s childhood secret has remained buried for over two decades. But when the dark shadows of her past threaten to destroy those she loves, Hanna must face the summer that changed her life and the man who still haunts her memories.

A RACIALLY-MOTIVATED KILLER

As a Crimes Against Children FBI Agent, Michael Parker knows what it means to get knocked down. Difficult cases and broken relationships have plagued his entire year. But when the system fails and a white supremacist is set free, Michael’s drive for retribution eclipses all else.

A LIFE-ALTERING CHOICE

A racist's well-planned assault forces Hanna and Michael to decide between executing vengeance and pursuing justice. The dividing line is the choice to heal. But when the attack turns personal, is justice enough?


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601420145

Shadows on the River
By Linda Hall


I was only fourteen when I witnessed a murder on the riverbank. A murder that went unpunished. Unless you count what happened to my family. We were forced out of town by the teenage killer's prominent parents. And the murder was forgotten-by everyone but me. Now, the killer is a respected businessman. I can't let him get away with it. But I'm a single mother with a child to protect, what can I do? The new man in my life, Mark Bishop, warns me to be careful. For there's already been another murder. Close to home.


- With a voice well suited to mystery and suspense, Hall creates an almost gothic atmosphere and a wonderfully satisfying conclusion in this final installment of her Shadows series. Romantic Times 4 stars

About Linda Hall:

Award winning and twice Christy-nominated author Linda Hall has written fifteen novels plus many short stories. She has also worked as a freelance writer, news reporter and feature writer for daily newspaper.
She grew up in New Jersey where her love of the ocean was nurtured. Most of her novels have something to do with the sea. When she's not writing, Linda and her husband enjoy sailing the St. John River system and the coast of Maine. In the summer we basically move aboard their 34' sailboat aptly named - Mystery.
Shadows on the River is available in all bookstores, grocery stores, department stores, and online bookstores, or can be ordered from her website: http://writerhall.com/

Do Not Reproduce without permission.

Enduring Justice
By Amy Wallace

Secrets Can't Last Forever

When the dark secrets of Hanna Kessler's past threaten to destroy those she loves, she must face the summer that changed her life and the man who still haunts her memories. Crimes Against Children FBI Agent Michael Parker wants to help. But when the system fails and a white supremacist is set free, Michael's drive for retribution eclipses all else. Then a racist's well-planned assault forces Hanna and Michael to decide between executing vengeance and pursuing justice. The dividing line is the choice to heal. But when the attack turns personal, is justice enough?


Praise for Enduring Justice:
"If you love breath-stealing suspense, unforgettable characters, and remarkable
spiritual depth in your fiction, Enduring Justice is a book to
savor. Amy Wallace is at her best with this poignant, grace-filled addition
to her deeply satisfying Defenders of Hope Series."
-CLAUDIA MAIR BURNEY, author of Wounded: A Love Story


OTHER NOVELS IN THE DEFENDERS OF HOPE SERIES
Ransomed Dreams
Healing Promises

Author Bio:

Amy Wallace is a wife, homeschool mom of three, writer, speaker, Bible study leader, and avid chocoholic. She loves crafting high-action suspense that delves deep into heart issues, but who she really is can be summed up in a few short words: Amy is a daughter of the King learning to live and love with laughter. Amy is also the author of the Defenders of Hope series: Ransomed Dreams, Healing Promises, and Enduring. Visit Amy at http://www.amywallace.com/ and sign up for the Dark Chocolate Suspense Newsletter http://www.amywallace.com/Newsletter.html.


Enduring Justice
Amy Wallace
Multnomah Books (April 14, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1601420145
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1601420145
http://www.amywallace.com/ej_chapter.html
http://www.amywallace.com/Newsletter.html Dark Chocolate Suspense Newsletter

Leanna Ellis

Wizard of Oz meets Cinderella in Ruby’s Slippers, a novel by Leanna Ellis

When Dottie Meyers loses her ‘no place like home’ during a Kansas tornado, she wakes up to find a pair of ruby slippers left by her father who abandoned his family thirty years ago. With her sister hot on her trail to find the treasured ruby slippers, Dottie travels a yellow brick road with three friends to find her father. No wizard can solve her problems. Only the love of a heavenly father can heal her wounds and give her the desires of her heart.

There’s no place like … the heart for God’s healing touch.

Winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, Leanna Ellis writes quirky women's fiction. When she’s not busy writing, taxiing her kids to and from dance and fencing, or taking the dogs in and out, then she’s contemplating some new weird plot. Visit her website at http://leannaellis.com.