Brenda Bradley's "The Boaz Factor"

Title: The Boaz Factor
Publisher: Ellechor Publishing House

Cover blurb: Looking for Love? Knowing who Boaz is will free you from looking for love in all the wrong places. You will be encouraged, remembering the priority is not you finding him, but him finding you focused and determined.

Found, but not Chosen?Grounded in scripture, truth and past experiences, The Boaz Factor will first help you to see truths that shift the paradigm of your relationships. Then, through practical, hands on application using her "Me Time" Devotional thoughts and prayers, Elder Brenda Bradley gives you a new plan to obliterate the cycle!


For women currently in a relationship, knowing who Boaz is will save your heart from putting more time into something that will not materialize.


Based on the Biblical account of Boaz and Ruth, The Boaz Factor will take you on a journey of self-discovery, highlighting why we hurt from past relation ships and why we continue in a cycle of false relationships that we desire to be real.


1) How did this story come to you?
Ruth is one of my favorite ladies in the Bible. I wanted to explore relationships, so I examined the relationship between Ruth and Boaz.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I met a graphic design artist on line whose work I admired. She connected me with Ellechor Publishing House. I was preparing to do it myself, but it worked out beautifully another way.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I am star trek fan! A horrible Gardner (I will kill grass) and I love day old Pizza.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am putting finishing touches on the play, “Seasons of Change” that brings the book to life!

5) Parting comments?
Thank you for this opportunity! It was never in the plan for us to be in pain behind our relationships. It is time to flip the script. It is time for Boaz!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Facebook, elderbrendabradley.com

James Rubart's "The Chair"

Title: THE CHAIR named TOP PICK for September by Christian Retailing Magazine
Publisher: B&H Fiction

Cover blurb: If you were given an ancient looking chair and told Jesus Christ made it, would you believe them? When an elderly lady shows up in Corin Roscoe’s antiques store and gives him a chair she claims was built by Christ, he scoffs. But when a young boy is miraculously healed after sitting in the chair, he stops laughing and starts to wonder: Could this chair heal the person whose life I destroyed twelve years ago?

As word spreads of the boy’s healing, a mega-church pastor is determined to manipulate Corin into turning over the chair. But the mysterious woman who gave him the piece insinuates it is Corin’s destiny to guard the chair above everything else. But why? Desperate, he turns to the one person he can trust, a college history professor who knows more about the legend of the chair than he reveals.

Searching for truth about the artifact and the unexplained phenomena surrounding it, Corin soon realizes he isn’t the only one willing to do almost anything to possess the power that seems to surround the chair.

1) How did this story come to you?
I was reading an article about a Jewish historian from the first century who noted that some of the plows Jesus made were so well constructed they lasted until the second century.

It made me think, "What if Jesus made something that lasted until today? What if it was a chair? What if it was a chair he sat in after he was resurrected? What if it contained Jesus' healing power? And what would an ordinary person do if the chair was given to him?

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I got the idea in the summer of 2008 and B&H bought it and BOOK OF DAYS (my second novel) in late '09 so I had the premise for a long time before I started writing it—which was the fall of 2010. But it wasn't until I brainstormed the story with three author friends that the plot fell into place. (Thanks, Great Ones!)

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
• I used to voice and appear in radio and TV commercials.
• I almost lost three fingers on my right hand when I was 1 ½ years old
• I used to be a semi-pro magician

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
In the spring I signed a new five-book contract so I'll be penning a few more novels! It's a continuation of my dream and it's still surreal to think I'm getting paid for something I love to do. Right now I'm working on my fourth novel and I love where the story is going.

5) Parting comments?
The heart of this book is about the restoration of relationships and came from a falling out (and reconciliation) with one of my best friends. My desire is people will read this book and find the hope of restored relationships in their own lives and it will set them free.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Web site: http://www.jameslrubart.com/
Facebook: James L. Rubart
Twitter: @jimrubart

Thanks for having me, K. Dawn! Always fun to be here.

Diana Buckley's "Betsey Anne"

Title: Betsey Anne
Cover blurb: Drawn by a charm that Jefferson seemed able to turn on and off at will, and longing for a home and children of her own, Betsey Anne plunged into marriage with a man she hardly knew. But life on the Michigan homestead was far from idyllic in a rough, two-room cabin with a dirt floor. Though neighbors cleared their land and developed successful farms, Jefferson was unable to make a living on his place, leaving Betsey, a skilled seamstress, no choice but to take in sewing as she struggled to care for her growing family. Jefferson's charm was more consistently "off" than "on," and frequently, he would be absent from home for days at a time with no explanation. Duty became Betsey Anne’s constant companion, though sometimes she viewed it as a penance to be borne and other times she virtually wrapped it around her shoulders like a warm blanket. Always, she longed for the peace, contentment and fulfillment that others seemed to find so easily. Would it elude her forever? Or would she finally see that it had been within her grasp all along? Set in rural Michigan during the Civil War, Betsey Anne is a story of love and loss, hardship and joy, and a young woman’s journey to lasting inner peace.

1) How did this story come to you?
Betsey Anne is based loosely (very loosely) on the story I read in letters that my grandmother’s grandmother had saved over a period of many years. My grandmother gave me the letters when I was 16 years old, and as soon as I read the first one, I knew it was a story I had to tell.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I like to put it this way: I spent several years researching, about a year writing the book, about a year and a half editing, and editing, and rewriting and editing. I spent about 18 years saying to myself, “What if I can’t really do it?” I’ve learned that the 18-year part was really of no actual value! Also of no value were the 12 years I spent waiting for a publisher to knock on my door and say, “Hey, have you got the next great American novel stashed in the bottom of your closet?”

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1 – most of my professional writing experience is in the political arena; ads, letters to the editor, fundraising letters, brochures, website content.
2 – I grew up on the Navajo reservation in northern Arizona.
3 – I am an avid hobbyist; I sew, quilt, gild (who even knows what that is?), make cards, turn pens on a lathe, and play the piano (very badly!). Plus I’ll probably pick up at least two new hobbies within the next year!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I just finished an authorized biography, on contract, for a Texas politician with a fascinating life he wanted to preserve for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I have begun writing a novel titled “Flight of the Suburban Housewife” and I am researching a sequel to Betsey Anne. Because I am a stickler for accurate historical detail, the research will take at least as long as the writing, but it is also just as much fun.

5) Parting comments?
Please read Betsey Anne! And if you have a dream you’ve been putting off for fear you can’t really do it – get over that and get on with it! You won’t be sorry! Also, if your book club is interested in reading Betsey Anne, a friend of mine has prepared some lovely book-club-style questions and answers to go along with it.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
I’m on Facebook under Betsey Anne and under Diana Buckley; if you’ll “like” Betsey Anne, you’ll be among the first to know when Flight of the Suburban Housewife hits print. If you would like, you can e-mail me at diana1985@sbcglobal.net; or find Betsey Anne on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Jamie Carie's "Pirate of my Heart"

 Title: Pirate of my Heart
Publisher: B&H Publishing

Cover blurb:She gave up everything for a chance at true love . . .

When her doting father dies, Lady Kendra Townsend is given a choice: marry the horrid man of her uncle’s choosing or leave England to risk a new life in America with unknown relatives.

Armed with the faith that God has a plan for her, Kendra boards a cargo ship and soon finds herself swept away by the rugged American sea captain Dorian Colburn. But this adventurous man has been wounded by love before and now guards his independent life.

He wasn’t prepared to give up anything for anyone…

No swashbuckling man needs an English heiress with violet-hued eyes to make him feel again or challenge his faith with probing questions—or so he thinks. It is not until Dorian must save Kendra from the dark forces surrounding her that he decides she may be worth the risk.

1) How did this story come to you?
I just had so much fun with these characters! Lady Kendra Townsend is so sweet and loving to everyone around her. But when she meets Dorian, he really rocks her world and tests her "goodness." Dorian fights his feelings for her for a long time. He doesn't want to need her or love her, but he can't help it. There are sparks flying between these two which makes for a great story.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Well, this is book six in my second three-book contract with B&H Publishing. Fortunately, I get to write just about anything I want (I would discuss it with them if it strayed away from historical romance though). It took me eight years to break into publishing with my first book, Snow Angel, now I’m blessed to have continuing contracts offered to me.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) My parents were deeply involved in the Charismatic movement when I was growing up and I have lots of wild stories about that. I’m thinking to write a memoir type book soon.
2) My favorite card game is a mid-west classic - Euchre. I love playing it with neighbors and my boys.
3) I twirl my hair…constantly. I think I might have a bald spot on my right side and have got to quit this habit!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am currently working on a Regency era, three-book continuous series called The Forgotten Castles series. The first book, The Guardian Duke (February 2012) is set in England and Ireland. The second book, The Forgiven Duke (July 2012) is set in Iceland and the third book, A Duke’s Promise (Fall 2012) which I am writing now, is set in Italy. Here’s the back cover blurb for book one - The Guardian Duke:

Gabriel, the Duke of St. Easton, is ordered by the King to take guardianship over Lady Alexandria Featherstone whose parents are presumed dead after failing to return from a high profile treasure hunt. But Alexandria ignores this royal reassignment, believing her parents are still alive and duly following clues that may lead to their whereabouts. Gabriel, pressured by what are actually the King’s ulterior motives, pursues her across windswept England and the rolling green hills of Ireland but is always one step behind.

When they do meet, the search for earthly treasure will pale in comparison to what God has planned for both of them.

5) Parting comments?
A big thank you to book lovers and bloggers! Getting the word out about a new book is almost as important as writing it and I appreciate opportunities like this more than you know!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
Website: http://www.jamiecarie.com/
Blog: http://jamiecarie.com/blog
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamie.carie
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jamiecarie
Google “Jamie Carie” for lots of reviews!

Brandon Barr & Mike Lynch's "After the Cross"

Title: After the Cross
Publisher: Ellechor Publishing

Cover blurb: Colton Foster, once hailed as a renowned expert in Latin, Hebrew and Greek, had his reputation destroyed when a shadowy antiquities dealer outwitted him with master forgeries from Solomon s Temple. Years later, his career and self-respect still in pieces, a team discovers an 800-year old letter in Istanbul and his life takes a pivotal turn. The job of translating the letter, purportedly revealing the hidden cross of Jesus, is his for the taking, and with it a chance to redeem himself.

Mallory Windom is smart, beautiful, and skilled at getting what she wants. A linguistic prodigy with a dark history, she trusts no one, an important skill in the black market antiquities trade where she regularly sells her expert talents to the highest bidder.

As Colton and Mallory hunt for Christianity s most prized relic, mysterious forces seem bent on stopping them at every turn. They soon discover that the most important struggle of their lives is not around them, but from within, testing their beliefs, their ethics, and their growing love for one another.

1) How did this story come to you?
ML: A few years back I watched a documentary on TV about Helena, the mother of Constantine. He's considered the Roman Empire's first Christian emperor. She converted from paganism to Christianity in her 70's, and went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem a few years after that. Inspired by the stories she had read about Jesus in the Gospels, she wanted to see the places where Jesus lived and performed His miracles, the most important being the place where He was crucified. After arriving in Jerusalem in 327 A.D., she was horrified to see that a Roman temple had been built on Golgotha, and ordered it be torn down immediately. As the soldiers set about breaking down the temple, they discovered what she believed to be the actual cross of Jesus buried nearby. It became a holy relic of Catholic Church for many years, until it disappeared from history eight centuries later. As I was watching this documentary I wondered what it would be like if Jesus' cross in our time, and the impact it would have on the world. And thus our story was born.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
ML: It took Brandon and me about a year to write the book, and get into publishable shape. Then it was a matter of sending it out to different publishers, until we received an e-mail from Ellechor Publishing, saying they were very interested in the story. After our agent negotiated a publishing contract with them, we had a signed deal. The book came out 11 months after that.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
BB: I’ve had three pet rats, each named Mr. Rathead. I love studying theology and apologetics. One of my favorite genres to read is science fiction and fantasy.
ML: I pride myself for never having owned a cell phone, I taught myself how to juggle and ride a unicycle, and I was an extra in a movie once.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
BB: Currently Mike and I are working on a science fiction novel, and in the future, we have a historical novel in mind.

5) Parting comments?
ML: Brandon and I appreciate your interest in After the Cross, and letting people know about the book. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
BB: http://www.brandonbarr.com/
ML: http://www.mikelynchbooks.com/

Laura Hilton's "A Harvest of Hearts"

Title: A HARVEST OF HEARTS
Publisher: Whitaker House

Cover blurb: A Harvest of Hearts Book 2 of the Amish of Seymour series, September 2011

Matthew Yoder volunteered to be part of the swap of Amish men from his Old Order Pennsylvania Amish Community, to the Amish community in Seymour, Missouri. There is nothing for him in Pennsylvania, as the youngest of twelve children, and the lack of farmland around Lancaster County, he felt he could make a better future in another district. Shanna Stoltzfus has been raised Amish, and couldn’t wait for her rumspringa so she could pursue her education. She hated having to quit school in the 8th grade to stay home and learn everything that makes a home run smoothly. But now she has earned her GED and is taking college courses, but her family is begging her to come home; her little sisters miss her. And there’s something about newcomer, Matthew Yoder that draws her attention. But is it enough to give up her dreams of education and join the Amish church?

1) How did this story come to you?
I was praying about an idea for a second book in the series and God answered

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I wrote a proposal for book one (three books and a synopsis) and blurbs for this book and one other, and it sold.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1. I met two of the stars of Hee Haw when I was a waitress (work/study program) at the College of the Ozarks
2. I am a breast cancer survivor.
3. I love lighthouses – and have visited most of the ones in Michigan

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m working on book one of another series that hopefully someone will want.

5) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://laurav.hilton.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Laura-V-Hilton/161478847242512?ref=ts

Mary Moore's "The Aristocrat's Lady"

Title: The Aristocrat’s Lady
Publisher: Love Inspired

Cover blurb: For a few moments on a moonlit balcony, Nicole Beaumont was just a beautiful woman catching the eye of the handsome Lord Devlin-but she knew the illusion couldn’t last. If the enigmatic aristocrat knew her secret, he’d realize that her disability left her unfit for love. So who could blame her for hiding the truth a little longer?

Devlin had never met a woman like Nicole. Her unique combination of innocence and wisdom left him utterly intrigued. Yet what was she hiding? For a man who did not trust easily, discovering her secret was devastating. Overcoming their pasts and forging a future would take faith, forgiveness and trust. And second chances could lead to new beginnings….

1) How did this story come to you?
As we’ve all discussed, Regencies are usually about the very rich and elite of Georgian England. I knew that was needed in any Regency I wanted to write, I just thought it would be different if the heroine wasn’t perfect. I just wanted to write a story unlike one I had ever read before.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
It’s been a long time coming. I wrote the story 15 years ago. I knew nothing, literally nothing about getting a book published, so when I made a half-hearted attempt and nothing happened, I put the manuscript in a box and packed it away. During a year of surgery and chemo treatment for breast cancer, I pulled it out and began to re- write it with actual knowledge of what real trials were about. God led me to Jenni Burke, my agent, and He’s been at the helm through the whole process. We (Jenni and my editor, Rachel Burkot) put a lot of hard work into it and God brought it to where it is today!

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
a) I still write with a pad and pen. I cannot for the life of me use the computer when I’m creating my stories.
b) I’m not a huge fan of reading westerns, but I’m a John Wayne fanatic!
c) I have a black lab Darcy; named after Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice!

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
For the rest of this month, I am doing all of the work that is associated with the release of the book. I have a few more blog interviews and two book signings. After that I have a little breathing room to get my second Regency ready for submission. I’m really excited about delving back into that story.

5) Parting comments?
I’m just really thankful to God for this whole experience. Almost every single author I’ve come into contact with has been nothing short of wonderful. They’ve helped me through this process time and time again when I didn’t know what to do. Like you, many have offered me the opportunity to talk about the book and get it out in front of the public. Jenni and Rachel took my story and made it the very best it could be, with guidance and forbearance the entire way. And I just pray that the readers that might need the message in this book are the ones it finds its way to. Thank you again for this forum and the service you provide. I truly appreciate it!

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
a) My website it www.marymooreauthor.com
b) My facebook page is facebook.com/mmooreauthor
c) My Twitter name is sugarbean1020
d) My email is mmooreauthor@swva.net

Anne Mateer's "Wings of a Dream"

Title: Wings of a Dream
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Cover blurb: Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he's the man she's meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother's sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur's training camp as God's approval of her plans.

But the Spanish flu epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt's death, Arthur's indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebekah is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

1) How did this story come to you?
The first kernel of this story came in the form of family history--my great-grandparents’ history to be exact. But I couldn’t just tell their story. Several years after the initial idea, I learned some local historical facts that gave the story a more sturdy framework.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
I’d been writing seriously for 9 years and completed 4 novels, 3 of which were contemporary, before the Lord made it very clear that it was time to again tackle my true love--historical fiction. I began the book in January of 2009 and entered it in ACFW’s Genesis contest. It finaled and I received a request for my full manuscript. Eleven months and two revisions later, I received a two book contract.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
1) I am fiercely competitive in our family’s fantasy football league.
2) I hate mornings.
3) I absolutely despise cooking.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I have another book (as yet untitled) releasing in September of 2012 that involves missionaries and auto racing in 1916. How’s that for a hook? That book is completely done, so now I’m fleshing out new story ideas. We’ll see what God has in store!

5) Parting comments?
I am honored that you took the time to read a little more about my book and about me. I very much enjoy connecting with people who read.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
I can be found at www.annemateer.com, www.facebook.com/AuthorAnneMateer and www.twitter.com/AnneMateer.

Anne Patrick's "Fire and Ash"

Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem and Faith, including the award-winning and best-selling Fire and Ash and Sabotage.

As a kid growing up in a rather boring neighborhood it was up to Anne and her friends to generate their own excitement, so when other kids wereoff playing with dolls and army men, they were out solving make believe crimes in the neighborhood. Each day was a new and exciting adventure with danger lurking around every corner. Then in high school she discovered the wonderful world of romantic suspense and she’s been spinning stories ever since.

Her Clash of the Titles winning excerpt competed in our Author’s Choice category. When asked what made this particular scene her favorite, Ann replied, “The tension between Jordan and Sam, and the hint that she’s still in love with him.”

A Familiar Evil’s Jordan Russel had the perfect life until the brutal monster from her childhood resurfaced, opening up scars she thought were healed. With the hope of finally finding closure, Jordan leaves her cheating husband and her career in the FBI, and returns to where her nightmare began. But what awaits her in Thorny Creek will push her to the very edge of sanity and bring her face to face with her abductor.

Where does Ann come up with such intense stories? She says she’s a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of girl. “I never plan anything,” Ann says. “As a matter of fact I didn’t know who the killer was in A Familiar Evil until toward the end of the book when he sprang out at me and said, ‘I’m your man.’ Of course I had suspected he was the one but I wasn’t for sure. There are several possibilities.”

Want to see the kind of writing her unplanning leads to? Check out a blip of her Clash-winning excerpt:

“Excuse me. I’m looking for Chief Russell.”

Jordan’s stomach did a nosedive at the familiar voice of her soon-to-be-ex-husband.

“You found her,” Frank answered.

Jordan looked up just as Sam smiled. “Indeed I have.” He started toward her desk.

Colleen barged through the opened door. “Chief, there’s an Agent Russell here to see…oh, I guess you found her.”

“Agent Russell,” Frank repeated. He turned back to Jordan, “Isn’t Russell your married name?” He then shifted his gaze back to Sam, “That must mean you’re her husband.”

“Not for much longer.” Jordan hurried around her desk and ushered Frank out the door. “You’ll be hearing from me.” She closed the door and looked at Sam. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here at your request.”

Visit Clash of the Titles (http://www.clashofthetitles.com/2011/08/new-kind-of-clash-authors-choice.html) to read more, then stop by Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Familiar-Evil-Anne-Patrick/dp/1461118514) to order your copy.

Jennifer Slattery writes for Christ to the World Ministries, Samie Sisters and The Christian Pulse and is the Marketing Manager for the literary website, Clash of the Titles (http://www.clahofthetitles.com/)

Find out more about her and her writing by visiting her devotional blog, JenniferSlatteryLivesOutLoud. (http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/)

Register to win a $15 Bath & Body Works Gift Card

Check out 4 great books we're giving away this week in the posts below.

Be sure and register to win a  $15 Bath and Body Works gift card on the sister blog at http://www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com/ .

So, after you're register for the books, hop on over there and register for the gift card. Good luck and thanks for following our blogs!

Vannetta Chapman's "Falling to Pieces" (A Shipshewana Amish Mystery)

Title: Falling to Pieces (A Shipshewana Amish Mystery)
Publisher: Zondervan

Cover blurb: In the Amish community of Shipshewana, two women—one Amish, one English—reluctantly join forces for a short-term business venture. Neither is looking for friendship, but when the town's newspaper editor is murdered, and an unexpected prime suspect is identified, the women form an unlikely alliance to solve the mystery.

Description: In this first book of a three-book series, author Vannetta Chapman brings a fresh twist to the popular Amish fiction genre. She blends the familiar components consumers love in Amish books—faith, community, simplicity, family—with an innovative who-done-it plot that keeps readers guessing right up to the last stitch in the quilt.

When two women—one Amish, one English—each with different motives, join forces to organize a successful on-line quilt auction, neither expects nor wants a friendship. As different as night and day, Deborah and Callie are uneasy partners who simply want to make the best of a temporary situation. But a murder, a surprising prime suspect, a stubborn detective, and the town's reaction throw the two women together, and they form an unlikely alliance to solve a mystery and catch a killer.

Set in the well-known Amish community of Shipshewana, Falling to Pieces will attract both devoted fans of the rapidly-growing Amish fiction genre, as well as those who are captivated by the Amish way of life.

1) How did this story come to you? I was asked by Sue Brower (executive editor) to come up with several ideas for an Amish mystery series. I submitted 5 series ideas with 3 stories each and this is the one she chose! We wanted to pair an Amish woman with an Englisch, and it just so happens Callie is from Texas--like me!

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
My first inspry was picked up by Abingdon Press. Zondervan saw that manuscript and liked it, but didn't need a writer for Amish romance because they have the fabulous Amy Clipston. When Sue asked me if I'd be interested in writing something different, I jumped at the chance.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I have a phobia about tall bridges (driving over them), I play the piano fairly well, and I didn't receive my college degree until I was 34 years old.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I'm working on book 2 of my Pebble Creek Series (Amish romance) for Harvest House. This is a lovely series set in Wisconsin. Book 1 will release in June of 2012. We hope to continue with more Amish mystery, as early reader response for Falling to Pieces has been tremendous.

5) Parting comments?
Be open to changes in your "life plan." Things haven't always turned out as I envisioned them, but God had something better in mind.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
They can find me through my webpage (http://www.vannettachapman.com/) or on facebook (www.facebook.com/vannettachapmanbooks). Also I post to my blog 3 times a week (http://www.vannettachapman.wordpress.com/).

Martha Rogers' "Summer Dream"

Title: Summer Dream
Publisher: Realms Fiction Division of Charisma House.

Cover blurb:  As the daughter of a small-town minister in Connecticut, Rachel Winston fears that the only way she’ll ever find a husband is to visit her aunt in Boston for the social season. But when Nathan Reed arrives in town, she can’t help but wonder if he’s the one.

Although attracted to Rachel, Nathan has no desire to become involved with a Christian after experiences with his own family. What’s more, he realizes that even if he wanted to court her, he has little chance of doing so until he resolves his anger with God and his family.

When Nathan is caught in a devastating blizzard and lies near death in the Winston home, Rachel and her mother give him a lesson in love and forgiveness that leads him back to his home in the South. Will he make peace with his family and return to Briar Ridge before Rachel chooses a path that takes her away from him?

1) How did this story come to you?
I saw a story on Discovery Channel about a great blizzard in New England in 1888. I started reading about it from newspaper clippings of that day and saw what a huge storm it was and that they gave it the name, “The Great White Hurricane.” I decided I had to write a book that included the storm in it. So the book was born and set in Connecticut.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
As it happened, I was finishing up a series for Realms when they asked me if I had other ideas. Summer Dream was in my files so I offered a proposal for it and three more to follow. They liked the idea and gave me another contract.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I once was a nursing major in college.
I was on the tennis team in high school.
I had my own column for our high school newspaper, “Around the Halls at WW” (Mostly a “gossip” column.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m finishing up the last book in my present series and then I have a Christmas book to write for Realms.

5) Parting comments?
My first series was a great success thanks to people like you who hosted me on their blogs. I really do appreciate the opportunity to share with others.

6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My website is: http://www.marthawrogers.com/
I also have several blogs that are linked on my website.

Margaret Daley's "From This Day Forward"

Title: From This Day Forward
Publisher: Summerside Press

Cover blurb: Rachel Gordon is stranded in South Carolina, pregnant, a recent widow when her husband fell overboard on the voyage to America. Nathan Stuart, a physician who came home from serving in the American army during the War of 1812, disenchanted with his life and the Lord, rescues Rachel and saves her life. Feeling responsible for her, Nathan tries to discourage her from living at a rundown farm her husband bought to start a new future in America. He wants her to return to England.

Rachel refuses to go back to England where her father disowned her for marrying against his wishes. The farm is all she has, and she is determined to make it on her own. But Nathan has other ideas and becomes her farmhand to discourage her from staying in America. Instead he ends up protecting her and being challenged by her. Can two wounded people heal each other?

1) How did this story come to you?
Years ago I wrote a secular book which was part of a three book series. The publisher stopped publishing historicals. This is based on the second story but I changed the time period to after the War of 1812 instead of the Revolutionary War. I like that period in American history.

2) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I was a cheerleader in high school. I can’t sing but then that wouldn’t really surprise my readers if they heard me. I hate liver, fish and coffee.

3) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I am writing the third book in A Town Called Hope Series for Love Inspired. After that I have my third book in the Men of the Texas Rangers Series for Abingdon Press to write.

4) Parting comments?
I love to write stories, especially ones with a faith element in them.

5) Where can fans find you on the internet?
http://www.margaretdaley.com/  Sign my guestbook on my website for a chance to win an autographed book.

Mary Ellis' "A Marriage for Meghan"

Title: A Marriage for Meghan
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Cover blurb: How long will true love wait? Meghan Yost is bright, talented, and eager to prove to her father, the bishop, that at nineteen she’s mature enough to teach in an Amish school all by herself. But just as she gains confidence and assurance, a troubled student challenges her authority and an enthusiastic suitor in the headstrong Jacob Schultz challenges her patience. How can Meghan outgrow her nickname of “little goose” if she can’t prove herself to be a capable adult who can stand on her own two feet? When a series of apparent hate crimes sweep through the district, the sheriff calls in the FBI, and Special Agent Thomas Mast arrives in Wayne County carrying a secret he’s hidden for years. Will he come to terms with the past and regain his relationship with God (before his career hardened his heart)? (With more on her plate than one girl can handle, Meghan sets out to help with the investigation.) Thomas works closely with the bishop, who hopes the criminals will be arrested before Meghan finds herself in love with the most inappropriate of suitors—an Englischer…An engaging story of one girl’s quest for independence and true love as social prejudice tests a community’s faith in a simpler world.

1) How did this story come to you?
As a former schoolteacher, I still have nightmares regarding facing six classes of middle-school teenagers during my first year. My heroine experiences similar jitters. Regarding hate crimes against the Amish, I ran into (and interviewed) a county sheriff’s department deputy who sparked that part of the story.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
We don’t really have kind of time, do we? I can only say I never gave up despite my fair share of rejections. Keep your dreams in your heart and pray for direction is the best advice I could give. Keep knocking on doors until one opens, even if it’s only a crack.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I’m obsessed with Niagara Falls; I’m obsessed with popcorn (I eat it every day) and I make an incredibly good lobster bisque (soup). Can you tell I just returned from a research trip to Maine?

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
My next release in Feb 2012 will be An Amish Family Reunion. It will be book four of the best-selling Miller Family Series. For those who enjoyed the series, we pick up the story 12 years after A Widow’s Hope and 4 years after The Way to a Man’s Heart. Right now I’m working on Living in Harmony, set in Maine.

5) Parting comments?
Any readers who’d like my recipe for lobster bisque can send me an email: maryeellis@yahoo.com

6) Where can fans find you on the internet? I hope they’ll stop my blog:

http://www.maryeellis.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/Mary-Ellis/126995058236

Sam Batterman's "Maximal Reserve"

Title: Maximal Reserve
Publisher: Deep River

Cover blurb: WHAT IF OIL ISN’T SCARCE? A secret that can change the balance of the world’s power and finance in a moment is known by the most unlikely of people—and he’s only been employed for a week.

Philip Channing was just an ambitious college graduate who wanted to make his mark on the world. He didn’t know that mark would be the greatest oil discovery of all time—in the wrong place. Philip finds the largest oil reserve in history, a reserve that dwarfs the lucrative reserves in Saudi Arabia and threatens to change the world’s balance of power and wealth in favor of the most unlikely country of all.

But Phil isn’t the only one who’s discovered the reserve—and an alliance of crooked politicians and European terrorists will do anything to keep it secret.

1) How did this story come to you?
I have always been curious about whether or not oil was generated when the dinosaurs died, or if something else provided all this petroleum we burn in our cars every day. As a Christian, I don’t prescribe to the notion that dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago and thus created all the hydrocarbons on our planet in a “geologic instant.” In searching for this answer, I came across a real scientific theory that underpins the Russian Science Academy and the Russian Exploration effort and also endorsed by scientists like Hans Bethe and Freeman Dyson. With that kind of scientific pedigree behind it, I figured I had found something worth writing about.

2) Tell us about the journey to getting this book published.
Maximal Reserve was relatively easy for me to get published. Wayback was a best seller for my publisher, Deep River and I have continued to build my audience (which is the real hard work for an author now days). The Christian publishing market (and actually the entire book market) is going through tumultuous changes right now.

3) Tell me three things about yourself that would surprise your readers.
I work at Microsoft, I teach computer programming at a Christian High School for an elective, I travelled to Israel back in March, it was amazing to see many of the things I write about (the Lion Gate, Masada, the Dead Sea and the Western Wall) in person.

4) What are you working on now and what's next for you?
I’m working on the sequel to my first book, Wayback. It’s called Insurrection and I’ve rewritten it three times in the hope of getting it “right.” Insurrection picks up where Wayback leaves off and includes quite a number of surprises and twists from the original. The most difficult part of writing a sequel is giving it its own feel and theme to be different, but making it close the original to make it feel like a continuation. In short, it’s not easy. I have a lot of other ideas cooking in my mind, but they have to wait until I get Insurrection out.

5) Parting comments?
Here are some endorsements:
“Maximal Reserve is a fascinating adventure into the depths of God’s earth. Batterman’s book is a combination James Bond movie and Ken Ham seminar—entertaining and educational. And Batterman makes science fun. He presents his theories in an action-packed way that makes it all seem so realistic, I wonder if it isn’t happening this way right now. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the way it made me ponder the great mysteries of this planet.”
---Jill Williamson, Christy Award-winning author of By Darkness Hid

“The world needs oil, and Phil Channing has just discovered the greatest single oil reserve in history. Ripped from the headlines, Sam Batterman’s sophomore techno-thriller is a compelling, fast-paced read that weaves together scientific discovery, biblical prophecy, romance, and action-packed adventure in the Middle East. From the riveting opening to the jaw-dropping conclusion, readers will delight in drilling to the depths of Maximal Reserve. Batterman especially excels at wedding science with biblical truth in Crichton-esque plots. An awesome ride!”
---Adam Blumer, author of Fatal Illusions

“Maximal Reserve has a shockingly intelligent premise, bolstered by equally intelligent research. The stuff truly great techno-thrillers are made of.”
---lan Brown, author of The Firstborn and The Overseer

“A rousing, suspense-fueled thriller that grabs you from page 1, Maximal Reserve is a cautionary tale about the world’s largest oil reserve, found at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and the terrible price people are willing to pay to get to it.”
---Mike Lynch, author of American Midnight

“Maximal Reserve has an intriguing premise involving fascinating science and relevant history. I love it when a novel not only entertains, but educates.”
---Kerry Nietz, author of A Star Curiously Singing.

“In Maximal Reserve, Sam Batterman ratchets up the tension about Israel’s future. As timely as today’s headlines, this techno-thriller plunges the reader into the struggle for the world’s lifeblood—oil—and combines the need for diminishing resources with end-times prophecy, resulting in a timely novel for the inquiring mind.”
---Diane and David Munson, bestselling authors of Hero’s Ransom


6) Where can fans find you on the internet?
My author site, http://www.sambatterman.com/, or my fan site on Facebook:
Wayback Fan Site (http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=79413287456)