International Christian Fiction - New Releases | July 2018 #giveaway

Miss Serena’s Secret by Carolyn Miller

With devastating scars in her past, Serena Winthrop is sure no man can be trusted—especially not men like the far-too-smooth Viscount Charmichael. His reputation as a charmer and a gambler is everything she despises. And the young artist makes sure that this disreputable heir to an Earldom knows of her deep disapproval whenever they encounter one another.

Henry, Lord Carmichael, is perfectly aware of his charms to the women of the ton. He's gambled with plenty of their hearts as easily as he does their husband's money—it's all in good fun to him. But lately he's been wondering if there's more to life—and confronting the idea that his actions might not prove worthy of the admirable wives his friends have found.

When Serena's brother-in-law asks his best friend to protect his young ward, Henry promises to be on his best behavior and not woo her. But the more he learns of her, the more he realizes she might be his best reason for changing his character. Then the lady's art leads her to London infamy. Now Henry must choose between the life mapped out for him as the Earl apparent, and the love of his life. And Serena's secret may mean the end of his titled family line.

The second in a new series by internationally popular author Carolyn Miller is full of the same rich historical detail and evocative writing that readers enjoyed, and familiar characters make appearances here. The witty banter will continue to draw in fans of Jane Austen, Sarah Ladd, and Julie Klassen.

Giveaway

Carolyn Miller is giving away an ebook copy of Miss Serena's Secret. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post and/or Carolyn's Wandering Wednesday post on July 25. Receive two entries in the drawing by commenting on both posts. The giveaway closes on Tuesday July 31.

Journey to Derbyshire and Pemberley, the setting of Pride and Prejudice tv and movie adaptions, in Carolyn's upcoming Wandering Wednesday post.

Available from Amazon.com

Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joanne Bischof

A Tale of Family, Brotherhood, and the Healing Power of Love

After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of Nineteenth-Century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family.

But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength.

As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?

A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.

Available from Amazon.com

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

Andrea Sullivan is so consumed by her hospitality consultant job that she's forgotten what brings her joy. She dreads her new assignment—a last chance to snag a high-profile client in Scotland. Yet the lush Isle of Skye transcends her preconceptions. As does the man she must impress, the rugged, blue-eyed Scotsman James MacDonald.

He's passionate about cooking but after six restaurants, four cookbooks, and his own television show, he's grown weary of the scrutiny that comes with living in the public eye.

Soon Andrea and James begin to sense these five days in Skye together may just be God's wild invitation into deeper life ... and truer love.

Available from Amazon.com

Jane Austen's Sense And Sensibility Colouring and Activity Book: Featuring Illustrations from 1896 (Jane Austen's Colouring And Activity Books) by Eva Maria Hamilton

Let Historical Romance Author, Eva Maria Hamilton, take you back to the world of Jane Austen. Immerse yourself in colouring illustrations from the 1896 edition of Sense And Sensibility. Enjoy activities, such as Matching Characters to Quotes, Search Words, Anagrams, and more. Have fun in the Regency Era!

Available from Amazon.com

Bookish Tuesday: Introducing Solo Tu in A Tuscan Legacy plus #Giveaway | Narelle Atkins

By Narelle Atkins @NarelleAtkins

I'm thrilled to introduce my tenth book - Solo Tu: Only You - Book 7 in A Tuscan Legacy - a contemporary Christian romance novella series spanning three continents.

Solo Tu is releasing today on Amazon Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.

I've always wanted to write a book for a continuity series that has shared characters and a connected story world.

A Tuscan Legacy is the brainchild of my author friends Marion Ueckermann and Autumn Macarthur. I was delighted to accept their offer when they asked me to join them in their journey to write an indie novella series based in Tuscany.

The series has an overarching family mystery plot that links all the books together. I've loved working with my authors friends in the group who live in England, South Africa and USA. Marion Ueckermann introduced the series back in January - Wandering Wednesday: Beautiful Tuscany.

Here's the video trailer introducing A Tuscan Legacy:

Let me share Solo Tu with you and introduce you to my characters - Sienna Rossi and Dave Maxwell.

If you read A Tuscan Legacy series from start to finish, you'll meet Sienna in That's Amore (Book 1) and Ti Amo (Book 4) before journeying to Sydney, Australia for Book 7.

Home means everything to Sienna Rossi.

Four years ago, Sienna defied her father by moving to Australia to obtain her teaching qualifications. Her grand plan is shaken by her father’s unexpected death and a trip back to Tuscany for her grandmother’s eightieth birthday where she renews her close bond with her sister, Alessa.

Teacher Dave Maxwell likes the freedom of his nomadic lifestyle. He works contract-to-contract, moving to different high schools around Australia. He’s in Sydney for a season, caring for his grandma while his aunt is on an extended overseas vacation.

Back in Sydney, Sienna moves in with her Aussie cousins and starts her first teaching job, torn between her dream for a future in Australia and her longing for home. Sienna and Dave work at the same school, attend the same church, and quickly become friends. They are drawn together by circumstances and an undeniable attraction.

But their idyllic time together is temporary. Can the girl from Tuscany and the boy from Australia risk everything for love?

A Tuscan Legacy series - Amazon Kindle and coming in print

A Tuscan Legacy novellas are available on Amazon Kindle and Kindle Unlimited. The books will be releasing in ebook format first, and will later be available in print. Please check out A Tuscan Legacy series page on Amazon.com for more information.

Here's the complete A Tuscan Legacy series list and the Amazon Kindle release dates.

AVAILABLE NOW:

THAT'S AMORE: That's Love Book 1 by Marion Ueckermann - set in Tuscany, Italy.

LUNA ROSA: Blushing Moon Book 2 by Elizabeth Maddrey - set in Washington DC, USA.

RAPSODIA: Rhapsody Book 3 by Alexa Verde - set in Texas, USA.

TI AMO: I Love You Book 4 by Marion Ueckermann - set in Rome, Italy.

LA FIAMMA SACRA: The Sacred Flame Book 5 by Clare Revell - set in England.

BELLA NOTTE: Beautiful Night Book 6 by Heather Gray - international setting (Europe and USA).

SPECIAL PRE-ORDER PRICE OF 99 CENTS (US):

SOLO TU: Only You Book 7 by Narelle Atkins - releasing MAY 29 - set in Sydney, Australia.

DOLCE VITA: Sweet Life Book 8 by Autumn Macarthur - releasing JUNE 5 - set in Wales.

LA RISPOSTA: The Answer Book 9 by Autumn Macarthur - releasing JUNE 12 - set in Tuscany, Italy.

A Tuscan Legacy Reader Group on Facebook

A Tuscan Legacy has a Reader Group on Facebook. If you'd like to follow the series and keep up-to-date on the latest news, please join our Reader Group.

Giveaway

I'm giving away a print copy of Solo Tu. The giveaway is open to international entrants with a mailing address where Amazon USA delivers.

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post and/or the May New Releases post on May 21. Receive two entries in the drawing by commenting on both posts.

The giveaway closes on Tuesday June 5 and the winner will be announced soon after in a comment on this post and the May 2018 New Releases post.

The winner can claim their prize by leaving a comment on this post with their email address or by contacting Narelle via social media. A redraw will take place if the winner doesn't claim their prize by June 30, 2018.

A fun loving Aussie girl at heart, NARELLE ATKINS was born and raised on the beautiful northern beaches in Sydney, Australia. She has settled in Canberra with her husband and children. A lifelong romance reader, she found the perfect genre to write when she discovered inspirational romance. Narelle's contemporary stories of faith and romance are set in Australia.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Bookish Tuesday: Cora Villa by Meredith Resce with giveaway

by Jenny Blake | @ausjenny

Today we have author Meredith Resce joining us to talk about her book Cora Villa. I read this book and wanted to visit the house and area and thought it would be great for a Wandering Wednesday post and do a Bookish Tuesday post finding out how the book came about.

Welcome Meredith to ICFW today and thanks for talking about Cora Villa.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what books you like to write and if you have a preference?

Hi Jenny. Thank you so much for inviting me to this interview. I have been published as an author since 1997, starting out mainly writing period drama romance—that is drama set in an historical context using romance as one of the main elements, but not just romance, but other issues to be faced as well. Most of my work is set in colonial or early 20th Century Australia. However, over my time of writing, I have tried several other genres, including contemporary drama/romance, fantasy/allegory, murder mystery and a crime drama under a pseudonym, EB James. At present, I am working on two non-fiction books.

Apart from writing, I have for the most part of my adult working life been in domestic management with the department of home affairs (euphemism for stay at home mother). I have taught music as a side line in and around the children. Once the three children left home and became totally independent, I went to university, studied a double degree in Arts and Education, and now work part time as a teacher. Currently, I am teaching media and music, though I have done drama, English, history and geography.
I currently live in Melbourne, but all of my family, children, parents, siblings etc live in South Australia, so I gravitate there in my heart and in my writing as well.

What was the inspiration for Cora Villa?

From 1989 til 1994 we lived as a family in Geelong, Victoria. My husband is a minister, and so we have lived around in various places. While there, I used to take the scenic route to church on a regular basis. This not only got me out of the main traffic, but also took me along the bay waterfront in Geelong, which is picturesque and inspiring. I always drove past this magnificent stately home on the cliff front overlooking the bay. It had huge leafy oak trees in the yard, manicured gardens and I just loved looking at it as we went by. At that time, I had only just started writing, and was not yet published, but I was churning out novel ideas at a fair rate. One day when driving past, I said to my passengers in the car, I’m going to write a novel about that place. What do you think the story is behind it? We began to throw ideas around, and one point came up, that it would be about a mysterious visitor with no known past. I pondered on this idea, and my imagination ran away with it, as it usually does. One day I drove by the house and decided to stop and take a closer look. The entrance gate was on the side of the house, a solid, white, wrought-iron gate that had a gold plaque on it. I thought it said Cora Villa. Perfect. That would be the name of my main character – and so Cora Stewart was born. It wasn’t until I looked closer and did some research, the plaque actually says ‘Corio Villa’. The house is perched above Corio Bay, so that makes sense. But never let the facts get in the way of a good story. By the way, the story has nothing to do with actual historical fact. Only that it is set in Geelong, and that there are a load of merchant warehouses along the water front, to service the busy trade port of the past.

Can you tell us a little about the book and the heroine and hero?

Set in late 1880’s. Cora Stewart has recently lost her mother to drowning in a ferry accident. Cora is a strong-minded young woman who has already challenged her father’s authority by developing a relationship with one of his office managers. When her mother dies, Garrison Stewart sinks deep in depression, and Cora is afraid she will lose her father as well. She breaks off the relationship because her father has always had his heart set on his daughter marrying to fulfil an old betrothal arrangement formed when she was a young girl. Before they left England to emigrate to Australia, Garrison arranged with his best friend that their two children would marry and that his English estate would then go to the Bennett family, along with his daughter.

Cora has known about this betrothal, and has resisted it all her life.

Then Cora finds a stranger, injured and collapsed on the beach. She has him brought back to the house to be nursed. While at first she thinks the stranger dirty and ill-mannered, there is something alluring about him, and she finds herself fascinated by him.
Garrison doesn’t see the danger in offering kindness, and once he realises that something has formed over a period of time between them, he throws him out of his home.
I won’t tell you any more, because there are a lot of bits and pieces that help to build a mystery surrounding our stranger. Who is he, and can he be trusted?

Did you find any fun titbits while researching the story and area you would like to share?

I researched some on the orphanage in this area. Cora takes a notion to be useful, and goes to help with the orphans.
I also researched the real history of Corio Villa. The house was apparently made in the UK (Scotland I think) and shipped out to Australia, but was never claimed on the dock as the person who had ordered the prefabricated house died. It was sold to another owner, and it is probable the house was constructed without plans. It is known to be the first prefabricated cast-iron house to be built in Australia. Look up the history of Corio Villa. It is interesting, but you will notice that my story has nothing to do with it. I was merely inspired by the house.

Is there a message you would like readers to take home from this book?

I wrote this book originally way back in 1993, and have re-written it twice since then. It could possibly do with another re-write, given all the changes in writing styles, however, I think the original message I hoped to have come through was the delicate balance between respecting authority in your life and being able to carefully consider what is right for you before God, even when someone over you has a strong view. Cora moved between defying her father to fearing her father. I hoped that finally they could talk together and understand each other. Hopefully that their final outcome would be the heart of God the Father, not the strong will of either one of them.

Have you ever been able to visit Corio house?

I have only ever visited the outside, and walked along the beach front many times, just for inspiration. It is a beautiful day out. Of course the water front would have looked very different one hundred and thirty years ago.

Is there anything else you would like to share today?

I hope you get to read this book (it is only $3.99 on kindle) https://www.amazon.com/Cora-Villa-Meredith-Resce-ebook/dp/B00COW2E6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521768995&sr=8-1&keywords=cora+Villa+meredith+Resce
I am aware that some of the writing is not according to the most recent editing standards, but I have not had time to go back and rewrite. If you’re a stickler for POV, speech attributions, excess adverbs etc, you might find some things to complain about. But if you can switch your internal editor off, you will enjoy the story—the characters, the drama, the mystery and the romance.
Also, if you’d like to see a visual representation of it, click the following You Tube link. I produced a short trailer for this book a number of years ago, using the same characters who you see featured on the cover.

We will be giving away one Ecopy of this book. To enter you just need to comment today or tomorrow with a way to contact you. You will get one entry for each comment. Check back on April 18 to see if you have won.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gELHXmOsY4o

South Australian Author, MEREDITH RESCE, has been writing since 1991, and has had books in the Australian market since 1997.
Following the Australian success of her “Heart of Green Valley” series, they were released in the UK and USA.
She recently released her 17th project, ‘Echoes in the Valley’.
Apart from writing, Meredith also takes the opportunity to speak to groups on issues relevant to relationships and emotional and spiritual growth.
Meredith has also been co-writer and co-producer in the 2007 feature film production, “Twin Rivers”.
With her husband, Nick, Meredith has worked in Christian ministry since 1983.
Meredith and Nick have three adult children, one daughter and two sons.

www.meredithresce.com

www.facebook.com/MeredithResceAuthor

Bookish Tuesday: Food, Glorious Food

by Jeanette O'Hagan

I WANT TO EAT MAIZE-BREAD!
But seriously, everyone in Akrad’s Children eats it and it sounds delicious.  

Michael, Goodreads review.

I had to chuckle when I saw this review on Akrad's Children - not because seeing new reviews brings a smile of pure happiness to my face (mostly); okay not only because I love seeing new reviews, but because it was such a great way to start a review. And it got me thinking about memorable mentions of food in books I love.

After all, food tells us so much about the characters, the setting, the occasion. It grounds us in the story, gives us warm feelings and makes our mouth water (or our stomach curdle).

One of my short stories starts this way:

Dana snatched a food packet and shoved it into the rehydrator, keying in the sequence.

Not a mouth-watering meal perhaps, but in one sentence we've learnt something about Dana, about where she is likely to be, about the genre of the story.

Are you surprised to learn the title is Space Junk* and that this is a science-fiction story?

So what are some memorable food moments in literature that you remember?  Here are some of mine.

Blueberries in The Palace Thief, Ruhanna's Flight and other stories

Oliver Twist 

Who can forget in the book and the film, when Oliver draws the short straw.

"Please, sir, I want some more."

With only three small bowlfuls of oatmeal gruel per day, an onion twice a week and a bread roll on Sunday, the boys in the workhouse are ravenous. The empty bowl; Oliver's pale, wane face; the outrage on the well-fed master's face says it all. We feel Oliver's hungry and wonder how anyone could treat children this way. (Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens) 

Anne of Green Gables

Do you remember Marilla's famous raspberry cordial which poor Anne (unaware that it's alcoholic) gives to her best friend Diane in a wonderful tea party full of cake and cherry preserves. The results are catastrophic. Diane greedily guzzles three glasses and goes home tipsy. Her mother is rightly incensed and bans her daughter from ever seeing Anne again. Anne learns a hard lesson, but luckily for the bosom friends, Mrs Barry eventually relents. (Anne of Green Gables by L M Montgomery)

Lucy Pevensie in Narnia

Two food scenes stays with me in C S Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe  - one is Lucy's brother Edmond gobbling down the wicked White Witch's enchanted Turkish Delight. Her flattering words, false promises, his own jealousies, and the addictive sweetmeat all lure him into betraying Aslan, his siblings and all of Narnia.

In contrast, there is the cosy meal Tumnus the fawn offers Lucy- lightly boiled eggs, sardines of toast, honey on toast, sugar-topped cake. While this did seem a bit ordinary to my seven-year old self (but probably not to war-torn rationed Brits), I loved the homeliness of the meal. For sure, Tumnus was attempting to lull Lucy to sleep so he could hand her over to the White Witch, but he repents and he risks his life to save hers.

Two meals, two temptations, two different outcomes.

Hobbits and Elves

As a teen devouring J R R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, I loved the idea of Lembas - the Elven waybread (a gift to Frodo and his companions from the Lady of Lothlorien). It was wrapped in leaves, nutritious, long-lasting, and delicious - and sustained Frodo and Sam on their epic journey into the horrors of Mordor in their quest to save the world. The gifts of friendship and fellowship make their heroic deeds possible.

And then there is the feast Bilbo unwillingly provided to his unexpected guests of twelve dwarves and Gandalf at the start of The Hobbit. Bilbo's pantry seemed endless, full of cakes, and cold meats, and tasty delights, though by the end of the night, it was pretty much empty - and Bilbo found himself going on an adventure into the unknown. The hilarious scenes tells us a lot about dwarves - and hobbits - and the need at times to let go of our familiar comforts.

Mina Improvises

In Stephen Lawhead's Skin Map (Bright Empire series), Mina is separated from Kit Livingstone and is lost in an alternative earth, in seventeenth century Bohemia. Fortunate for her, she meets up with a baker and together they create the best (and only) coffee shop in Prague with delectable pasties. While her talents languish in the ordinary world, the new situation brings out her ingenuity and grit.

Ruhanna's Flight

And before I leave, I'd love to share another food scenes from my recent release Ruhanna's Flight and other stories.

In the first story Ruhanna's Flight* - Ruhanna prepares for her father's homecoming with a gift - and a special meal.

From the little kitchen came tantalising smells fit for the palace in Silantis. Mariam had surpassed herself with Baba’s favourite dishes—turtle and seaweed soup, baked fish, baby tomatoes and sea-sage, oysters and rock crays with a creamy dill sauce, stuffed quails and fresh wave-berries with yarma cheese to finish off. Everything was ready by late morning.

Ruhanna sank down on a cushion in the reception room, stroking the carved albatross on Baba’s box, and waited.

I have fun thinking up food appropriate for the different people and places in my fiction.

What meals do you remember in your favourite books? I'd love you to share them in the comments.

* Space Junk - first published in Mixed Blessings: Genre-lly Speaking (Breath of Fresh Air Press, 2016), also included in Ruhanna's Flight and other stories.
* Ruhanna's Flight first published in Glimpes of Light (edited by Jeanette O'Hagan and Nola Passmore: By the Light Books, 2015), and also included in Ruhanna's Flight and other stories.

Giveaway  Ruhanna's Flight and other stories

Ruhanna's Flight and other stories by Jeanette O'Hagan (By the Light Books, 6 March 2018)

Tales of wonder, romance, adventure - dip into the world of Nardva with this exciting collection of stories. It includes Ruhanna's Flight,  Before the Wind, Heart of the Mountain, The Herbalist's Daughter, Moonflame, Rendezvous at Alexgaia and many other stories. A delightful introduction to Jeanette O'Hagan's fantasy world of engaging characters and stirring adventures.

Available from amazon.com

Jeanette O'Hagan is giving away a e-book copy of Ruhanna's Flight and other stories. To enter the giveaway, on this post and/or ICFW's March New Releases post on March 19. Receive two entries in the drawing by commenting on both posts. I'll draw a winner from the comments on Saturday, March 30.

Jeanette recently published a collection of fantasy and sci-fi Nardvan stories, Ruhanna's Flight and other stories. She started spinning tales in the world of Nardva at the age of eight or nine. She enjoys writing secondary world fiction, poetry, blogging and editing.

Her Nardvan stories span continents, time and cultures. They involve a mixture of courtly intrigue, adventure, romance and/or shapeshifters and magic users. She has published numerous short stories, poems, two novellas and her debut novel, Akrad's Children.

Connect with her: website | facebook | pinterest | twitter

Wandering Wednesday: Himeji Castle with Giveaway

Walt Mussell | @ICFWriters

Today we welcome Walt Mussell back to our blog.

(Citation: Guide to World Cultural Heritage Site “Himeji Castle)

I’d like to thank Jenny for having me as a guest this Tuesday and Wednesday. I apologize for answering questions late. I’m operating on east coast U.S. time. 😊

Last summer, after numerous years of frustration, I received the great news from Kindle Press that the book of my heart, The Samurai’s Heart, would be published. Since penning the initial words (and getting initial rejections), I’d published three novellas, two short stories, and several magazine articles. I’d also written some very bad manuscripts that will forever stay hidden.

So why did this one manuscript stick with me? I must say I had some inspiration.

I used to live in Japan. I met my wife there. We’ve been married over twenty years and have two sons. We’ve done our best to visit Japan to see friends and family as often as we can.

On one of those trips (in 2008), we went to see Himeji Castle.

Himeji Castle is Japan’s best-known castle. It’s a six-story structure built to resemble a white heron in flight. It was the backdrop for the movies The Last Samurai and You Only Live Twice. It was also the backdrop for the made-for-TV miniseries Shogun.

Himeji Castle is also the site of one of the biggest mysteries of Japan’s Christian Century, the Himeji Castle Cross (at the top of this page).

In yesterday’s post, I spoke about Japan’s Christian Century (1549 – 1650) and how Christianity was driven underground in the mid-17th century. One of the things the government did at this time was to destroy everything that had even a hint of a connection to Christianity.

The cross I speak of first appeared at Himeji Castle in the late 16th century. Officially, according to the sign at Himeji Castle, no one knows where the cross came from. It appeared when the castle was only three stories tall and Christianity was still welcome though under watch. When the castle was remodeled (1601-1609) to its current six-story appearance, the cross was one of the few items that survived the reconstruction. A picture of how it appears to castle-goers now is below.

(Citation.: Maru-Jan by Signal Talk)

The tiles pictured with the cross along the castle roof edge are called “devil’s tiles.” They are set there to ward against tsunamis, fires, typhoons, etc. They’re meant to bring luck. You can find them on many castles.

But only Himeji Castle has a cross.

And the image of that cross, placed among the tiles, has remained with me. How did it survive the Christian purge? Why would a government that was destroying every trace of Christianity it could find leave such a display on its greatest work of castle architecture?

The blogosphere does offer a theory. The cross may be tribute to a former castle lord that was himself a Christian. It’s also thought that a majority of the samurai in charge of the remodel were Christian. But no one knows.

Anyone have any ideas?

Please comment below for a chance to win an e-copy of my book, The Samurai’s Heart. Check back March 28th to see if you are the winner.

Walt Mussell lives in an Atlanta-area suburb with his wife and their two boys. He primarily writes historicals, with a focus on Japan, an interest he gained during the four years he lived there. He refers to his work as “Like Shogun, but the heroine survives.”
Walt is a 2017 Kindle Scout winner, which led to the contract for his first novel, The Samurai's Heart. E-copies can be downloaded from any Amazon website. Print copies can be ordered at your local bookstore. Please visit Walt’s website at waltmussell.com to subscribe to his newsletter.

Telling The Story Of The Great Unknown Martyrs with Giveaway

Walt Massell | @ICFWriters

Today we welcome Walt Mussell to our blog today. Walt will be joining us again tomorrow and is giving away one ecopy of his book.

When I started writing Christian fiction set in medieval Japan, I knew I would learn much about Christianity’s early efforts there.
What I did not expect, was that knowledge would compel me to do.

Japanese history has what is called a Christian Century, roughly 1549-1650. In 1549, a team of six missionaries, led by Father Francis Xavier, landed at Kagoshima, Japan, and begin the spreading the faith. Within 65 years, the Christian population surpassed 300,000, making it the jewel of missionary efforts in the Far East. However, in 1614, the ruling government, the Tokugawa Shogunate, began driving the religion out of the country. Missionaries were ordered to leave and those that stayed risked death. Over the next few decades, tens of thousands of Christians would be killed. The Jewel of the Far East was now as forbidden as the Garden of Eden.

And one of the worst part about all of this is that so few people today have ever heard of these Christians. A former pastor of mine put it best when he referred to these people as The Great Unknown Martyrs.

It was this history that led me to create a presentation that I now give at churches. I call my presentation, “The Path to Silence: Japan’s Christian Century and Beyond.” The title is based on the book Silence by Japanese novelist Shusaku Endo. The book’s setting is the 1640s, at the end of Japan’s Christian Century. Silence is the story of two young priests who journey to Japan to find their mentor, a priest who’d reportedly committed apostasy. In the end, one of the two priests dies for his faith. The other priest apostatizes to save the lives of local Christians. It’s an excellent representation of what happened in the time period.

The presentation runs roughly 90 minutes. Within a few weeks, I will be doing a 30-minute version for the Atlanta Archbishop’s office for a Lunch-n-Learn. I hope that people will want to invite me to their churches to do the full presentation.

And it’s this presentation that I think has changed me. Of all the things I thought about when I started writing, I never imagined giving speeches. I never imagined being a guest on national (U.S.) radio show as a subject-matter expert on Japanese martyrs. In one way, it’s like I came up with my own ministry.

But then I know it really wasn’t my own doing. 😊

My question today is this: Is there a way you feel you are being called?

Please comment below for a chance to win an e-copy of my book, The Samurai’s Heart. Check back March 28th to see if you are the winner.

Walt Mussell lives in an Atlanta-area suburb with his wife and their two boys. He primarily writes historicals, with a focus on Japan, an interest he gained during the four years he lived there. He refers to his work as “Like Shogun, but the heroine survives.”

Walt is a 2017 Kindle Scout winner, which led to the contract for his first novel, The Samurai's Heart. E-copies can be downloaded from any Amazon website. Print copies can be ordered at your local bookstore. Please visit his website at waltmussell.com to subscribe to his newsletter.

International Christian Fiction - New Releases | January 2018 #giveaway

Deadly Exchange by Lisa Harris

When one of the girls she rescued goes missing and her father’s kidnapped, trauma specialist Kayla Brooks is sure she’s the human traffickers’ next target. Her only ally is Levi Cummings, the brother of a man she helped put in prison — a man she isn’t sure she can trust.

Giveaway

Lisa Harris is giving away an ebook copy of Deadly Exchange. To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment on this post and/or Lisa's Wandering Wednesday post on January 17. Receive two entries in the drawing by commenting on both posts. Check out Lisa's post on Wednesday for more information on the giveaway and Lisa's journey in Amsterdam - the European setting for Deadly Exchange.

Read a FREE sample of Deadly Exchange at Amazon.com

Isaiah's Daughter by Mesu Andrews

In this epic Biblical narrative, ideal for fans of The Bible miniseries, a young woman taken into the prophet Isaiah's household rises to capture the heart of the future king.

Isaiah adopts Ishma, giving her a new name--Zibah, delight of the Lord--thereby ensuring her royal pedigree. Ishma came to the prophet's home, devastated after watching her family destroyed and living as a captive. But as the years pass, Zibah's lively spirit wins Prince Hezekiah's favor, a boy determined to rebuild the kingdom his father has nearly destroyed. But loving this man will awake in her all the fears and pain of her past and she must turn to the only One who can give life, calm her fears, and deliver a nation.

Available at Amazon.com

A Mother for His Family by Susanne Dietze

A Convenient Arrangement.

Lady Helena Stanhope’s reputation is in tatters…and she’s lost any hope for a “respectable” ton marriage. An arranged union is the only solution. But once Helena weds formidable Scottish widower John Gordon, Lord Ardoch, and encounters his four mischievous children, she’s determined to help her new, ever-surprising family. Even if she’s sure love is too much to ask for.

All John needs is someone to mother his admittedly unruly brood. He never imagined that beautiful Lady Helena would be a woman of irresistible spirit, caring and warmth. Or that facing down their pasts would give them so much in common. Now, as danger threatens, John will do whatever it takes to convince Helena their future together—and his love—are for always.

Available at Amazon.com

A Daring Escape by Tricia Goyer

Danger Closes In. Can the Children be Rescued?

As the threat of World War II looms on the horizon, American Amity Mitchell is living a comfortable life abroad as a tutor in England. Life changes when an urgent telegram arrives from her brother, Andrew, summoning her to Prague. Nazi forces tighten their grip on the country, and Andrew's efforts to help Jewish children escape Czechoslovakia grow desperate. Children's lives are at risk. Amity knows she can't ignore God's call to join her brother's cause.

Amity's boss, Clark, arrives in Prague, urging her to return. Soon, he too finds himself helping prepare kindertransports bound for the safety of England. With the sound of German tanks rumbling over cobblestone streets, Amity and Clark race to save innocent lives. Will their prayers for deliverance be answered?

A Daring Escape is a gripping tale of hope, self-sacrifice, and the power of unrelenting love overcoming unspeakable hate.

Available at Amazon.com

Judah's Wife by Angela Hunt

Seeking peace and safety after a hard childhood, Leah marries Judah, a strong and gentle man, and for the first time in her life Leah believes she can rest easily. But the land is ruled by Antiochus IV, descended from one of Alexander the Great's generals, and when he issues a decree that all Jews are to conform to Syrian laws upon pain of death, devout Jews risk everything to follow the law of Moses.

Judah's father resists the decree, igniting a war that will cost him his life. But before dying, he commands his son to pick up his sword and continue the fight--or bear responsibility for the obliteration of the land of Judah. Leah, who wants nothing but peace, struggles with her husband's decision--what kind of God would destroy the peace she has sought for so long?

The miraculous story of the courageous Maccabees is told through the eyes of Judah's wife, who learns that love requires courage . . . and sacrifice.

Available at Amazon.com

The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma

Anna has one chance for survival—and it lies in the hands of her mortal enemy.

It’s 1943 and Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost nearly everything. Most of her family has been deported, and the Nazi occupation ended her career as a concert violinist. Now Anna is left to care for her grandmother, and she’ll do anything to keep her safe—a job that gets much harder when Nazi officer Horst Engel is quartered in the flat below them.

Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Horst, dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.

Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals might stop the music forever.

Available at Amazon.com

A Song Unheard by Roseanna M. White

Willa Forsythe is both a violin prodigy and top-notch thief, which makes her the perfect choice for a crucial task at the outset of World War I--to steal a cypher from a famous violinist currently in Wales.

Lukas De Wilde has enjoyed the life of fame he's won--until now, when being recognized nearly gets him killed. Everyone wants the key to his father's work as a cryptologist. And Lukas fears that his mother and sister, who have vanished in the wake of the German invasion of Belgium, will pay the price. The only light he finds is meeting the intriguing Willa Forsythe.

But danger presses in from every side, and Willa knows what Lukas doesn't--that she must betray him and find that cypher, or her own family will pay the price as surely as his has.

Available at Amazon.com

This Offer Is Open To…

Posted by Valerie Comer

Ever get tired of reading the following disclaimer? “This offer is open to residents of the continental USA only.”

Yes, the publishing world revolves around the United States of America, and most of our books, both digital and paperback, are sold to American readers. But, as international authors, don’t we wish to reach out to readers in other countries? Don’t we wish we could include them in giveaways, too? Readers of International Christian Fiction Writers, don’t you want to be included?

Authors, if you’ve given away paperbacks and mailed them internationally, you already know what a hit that can take to your bank balance. I live in British Columbia, Canada, and once mailed a signed paperback to Ontario. The cheapest postage still came in at a higher cost than the retail price of the paperback! Ouch! I can’t afford to do that very often.

But it still bugs me when I don’t qualify for a giveaway because of where I live — even though I totally get it — and it still bugs me when I have to limit one of my own giveaways by geography.

So I’m delighted to announce that Inspy Romance, a website dedicated to Christian contemporary romance, is offering an international paperback giveaway this summer, along with a group of paperback bundles slated for USA delivery.

We ran this international giveaway in our February Birthday Bash, and found not many of our commenters admitted to living outside the USA. So… if you’re a reader of Christian contemporary romance (and aren’t one of the Inspy Romance blogging authors), please swing by Inspy Romance and comment as many times as you’d like between now and September 11, 2017. Please give your country of residence in your comment(s). And let your friends and neighbors know!

How are we able to offer an international paperback giveaway? By utilizing the Book Depository to send out the winner’s books. (In 2013, I posted about how Book Depository works.) However, if we can’t grow our international readership, we won’t be able to continue offering this particular giveaway.

What’s included in this bundle? Four paperbacks and four e-books.

Paperback books:
o The Soldier’s Secret Child by Lee Tobin McClain
o Muffins and Moonbeams by Elizabeth Maddrey
o An Informal Introduction by Heather Gray
o Sprouts of Love by Valerie Comer

E-books:
o His Father’s Son by Autumn Macarthur
o A Love Song for Kayla by Kimberly Rose Johnson
o Calming the Storm by Melanie D. Snitker
o Love’s Choice by Ginger Solomon

Enter early. Enter often. And help us spread the word!

Psst, American readers of ICFW: you’re welcome to come on by and enter, as well! We’re always happy to have new readers join the community at Inspy Romance.

Full details and a complete list of prizes can be found here.

How do you define an exotic setting? (plus gift card giveaway)

By Narelle Atkins

Last week I read Marion Ueckermann’s debut contemporary romance novella, Helsinki Sunrise, set on an island near Helsinki in Finland. A great read, and you can check out my book recommendation here. One thing that struck me as I read Marion’s novella was the authenticity of the Finnish culture and setting that flavored the story. I consider Finland an exotic setting, and a place I’d love to visit. I live in Australia and many of our American readers consider Australia an exotic setting. A country they dream of visiting in real life, and enjoy reading about in books.

North Curl Curl Beach in Sydney, Australia.

I belong to a Goodreads group with my Heartsong author friends and we have regular author Q and A chats with our reader friends. Our discussions have been an educational experience for me, as an Aussie, and I’m learning a lot about North America from our conversations. North America is an exotic setting from my perspective, and I love hearing reader friends talk about life in different parts of the world.

My conclusion is an exotic setting is like beauty, and very much in the eye of the beholder. We all have different ideas on which locations we consider exotic, often depending on our heritage and life experiences. I have a Friday Weekend Escape travel feature on my blog. Many of my guests showcase their home towns in locations I’d define as exotic.

I love travelling and reading fiction books set in different parts of the world. I was recently browsing our blog backlist titles page and 2013-2015 Releases page, which categorizes our book releases by country.

Through my reading I could travel to exotic locations outside Australia including: 

• Africa with Lisa Harris and LeAnne Hardy 
• historic India with Christine Lindsay 
• China with Kathi Macias 
• Japan with Jennifer Rogers Spinola 
• England with Donna Fletcher Crow 
• historic Scotland with Eva Maria Hamilton 
• Ireland with Grace Bridges 
• historic Siberia with Janice L. Dick 
• UK, USA and Australia with Ian Acheson 
• North America with Sandra Orchard, Valerie Comer, Jenn Kelly and Lisa Harris.

Closer to home I can read Christian fiction books set in Australia by Aussie authors including Mary Hawkins, Jo-Anne Berthelsen, Rita Galieh, Paula Vince and Dale Harcombe.

I can travel to other worlds and read sci-fi books by P.A Baines and Grace Bridges or fantasy by Valerie Comer.

Which settings do you consider exotic? Is there a particular exotic location or setting you enjoy reading, or would like to read? 

Leave a comment on this post with the name of a book you'd like to read that's set in an exotic location, and I’ll put your name in the drawing. One lucky reader will win a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card that they can use to buy the books on their wish list. Don’t forget to include your email address with your comment. Good luck and happy reading!

  

NARELLE ATKINS writes contemporary inspirational romance and lives in Canberra, Australia. She sold her debut novel, set in Australia, to Harlequin's Love Inspired Heartsong Presents line in a 6-book contract. Her debut book, Falling for the Farmer, was a February 2014 release, followed by The Nurse's Perfect Match in May 2014, The Doctor's Return in August 2014, Her Tycoon Hero in November 2014, and Winning Over the Heiress in February 2015.

Narelle blogs regularly with Australasian Christian Writers and Inspy Romance. http://australasianchristianwriters.blogspot.com/ 

http://www.inspyromance.com/ 

She is also a co-founder of the Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance (ACRBA).

http://acrba.blogspot.com/ 

Website: http://www.narelleatkins.com

Blog: http://narelleatkins.wordpress.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NarelleAtkinsAuthor

Twitter: @NarelleAtkins https://twitter.com/NarelleAtkins

Reeling the Reader In: Fabulous First Lines (Giveaway)

First lines. Terrible ones can make you put a book down without reading any further. Good ones keep you reading. Great ones have you clicking "buy now" or walking to the register without having to read another word. 

The best first lines tell you a something about the character, the situation, or the setting but most of all they intrigue you, reel you in, so that you cannot put that book down. Then they keep on delivering with the first paragraph, the first page, the first chapter. 

As I'm pondering (aka procrastinating) starting my next story, I've been thinking a lot about first lines - both my own and in books I've read. Out of the four manuscripts I've written, my favorite first line (so far) comes from my third:

"Paige McAllister didn't think it was possible, but there was something worse than being single and thirty at your nineteen-year-old sister's wedding." 

The first lines from a few of my favorite contemporary romances include:

"She never should have said yes." Beth Vogt, Wish You Were Here

"At least they couldn't fire her." Carla Laureano, Five Days in Skye

"The girl with the haunted eyes reentered his life on the other side of a lowering casket, humidity and the shrill song of cicadas tangling together in the South Carolina heat." Katie Ganshert, A Broken Kind of Beautiful

"Will you marry me?" Becky Wade, Meant To Be Mine

"She'd found bliss. Perhaps even true love." Rachel Hauck, Princess Ever After

So how about you? What are some of your favorite first lines? Either your own or from favorite books? I'm going to be giving away one of the five books I've listed above. Even if you don't have a favorite first line just leave your contact email and which title you'd like to win to be in the draw. Open to residents of any country that Book Depository delivers to :) Entries close Friday 15 August, midnight PDT.

* Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand where she spends her days being double-teamed by her ninja toddler and his baby sister, and her nights dreaming up horrible things to do to her characters.

Represented by Chip MacGregor of MacGregor Literary Inc, she loves writing romantic comedy and can be found on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Writer and on Twitter @KaraIsaac.

Review: Londonderry Dreaming by Christine Lindsay...and Interview...and Giveaway

This series is called "Passport to Romance." Wow, is that ever apt! In Londonderry Dreaming, two young people with roots in Northern Ireland return home, not expecting to find each other there.



Keith Wilson, a musical therapist in the USA, has returned to Londonderry for his beloved Gran's funeral. She'd asked for him to be the one to close up her house, an almost overwhelming task because of all the memories.

Keith doesn't expect the most poignant memory to be the woman at the door—Naomi Boyd, an acclaimed New York artist he'd loved a few years ago. She'd broken up with him at the insistence of her grandfather, now recently deceased. She had received a letter from Keith's grandmother offering a gift, but Naomi didn't know the older woman had meanwhile passed on.

Londonderry had been the setting for Naomi and Keith's earlier romance. As they seek the gift reserved for Naomi, they come across a painting of Gran as a radiant young woman. Naomi immediately recognizes the artist's style as that of her grandfather, but why was Gran's face so full of love for a man she didn't marry? Is this the gift she meant Naomi to have?

Keith and Naomi seek answers to questions buried in the World War II era but can't escape the inevitable contemporary repercussions. Will what they find drive them apart for good, or can they leave the past behind and find a new future…together?

I'm a sucker for a good contemporary romance story. Christine Lindsay, author of the Twilight of the British Raj series set in historical India, proves she can modernize her setting and story line while giving a firm nod to the historical framework of both.

I loved the wintry Irish setting with its quaint dialect, the cold gray Irish Sea, the Giant's Causeway, and St. Augustine's Church. More than that, I loved the characters: Naomi, as the ground shifts beneath her feet; Keith, as he longs to be reunited with her; Keith's cousins Garrick and Sandra, typical 20-somethings with an Irish flair; and even Ginny McGowan, the owner of the B&B Naomi stays at in Derry, with her rich brogue and star-struck ways.

Thankfully you don't need an actual passport to enjoy this virtual getaway to romantic Northern Ireland. Pick up a digital copy of Londonderry Dreaming and let the story take you away.

Christine Lindsay loves to write Christian novels with strong love stories and equally strong family life themes such as her multi-award-winning debut novel, Shadowed in Silk, which is set in India during a turbulent era. Christine's long-time fascination with the British Raj was seeded from stories of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India.

Adding to Christine's Irish pride is the fact that her great-grandfather and her grandfather both worked as riveters in the Belfast shipyard and one of the ships they built was the Titanic.

The Pacific coast of Canada is Christine's home, and like a lot of writers, her cat is her chief editor.

VC: Hi Christine! Thanks for the opportunity to read Londonderry Dreaming before its release. That's coming up really soon, February 21. Congrats!

This is your first contemporary romance. In what ways did you find writing it different than your usual fare of historical set in India?

CL: The biggest difference was that Londonderry Dreaming is a contemporary romance, featuring characters from the US. So their mindset is very American, whereas my series Twilight of the British Raj has British and Indian characters. So it was odd for me to have my characters speak in the kind of dialect I use every day. It felt a bit odd, as if I wasn't really writing. Apparently I've grown a certain creative bent to write in authentic dialect. It's like painting with special paint.

But the similarities in writing this novella are that the reader is taken out of the US to an international setting. This time N. Ireland. Not as exotic as India, but with so many fascinating cultural aspects, and of course the breathtaking beauty of the setting---the rugged, northern coastline of Ireland...the pastoral green fields dotted with sheep.

VC: Your historical novels are full length. Was fitting a complete romantic tale into novella length a challenge for you?

CL: Yes, that was a challenge. I'm used to writing several plots with a larger cast of characters, as well as a romantic theme within the larger historicals. While writing Londonderry Dreaming I had to remind myself constantly to stick to the romantic plot alone, and not bring in murder and mayhem like in my other stories. Londonderry Dreaming has a certain amount of mystery, but it is strictly an inspirational romance.

VC: You were born in Northern Ireland. How familiar are you with Londonderry? Did you have to do a lot of setting research or was it more a matter of remembering?

CL: That's what excited me so much when I saw the submission call for the "Passport to Romance" series---especially when I saw that they wanted a story set in Londonderry. Belfast, where I was born, is only 70 miles away from Londonderry. I have been there and to the surrounding area to visit relatives. In fact, I dedicated this novel to my Aunt Maggie who is now with the Lord, because much of the scenes in the Bed and Breakfast in the book are inspired by my aunt's farm and beautiful farmhouse.

Most of the setting is from memory, but of course I had to check things. It was an honor to communicate over email with the Vicar of St. Augustines Church in Londonderry. Not only did I receive the vicar's permission to use the ancient church in my novel, but a blessing as well.

VC: How about the Irish brogue? I loved the bits of it found throughout the story.

CL: Many of the humorous bits in the book from the 'Irish cousins' are what my cousins have said in conversations with me. And to a lesser extent, this is the way I speak when I spend time with my relatives. There is also a certain rhythm to the Irish accent which I have naturally. I was born in Ireland, and was raised in Canada, but all my extended family is Irish---so I know how they talk and think. I know their blarney...oh my do I know their blarney.

VC: Your story features two sets of jilted lovers. How purposeful was the reflection across the generations?

CL: The story of the jilted lovers was very purposefully laid in this book. The relationship between Naomi and Keith's grandparents is a mirror for their own current-day circumstances. I love how romance plays out in real life over the generations. Our grandparents and parents fell in love just like we do, and our children and grandchildren fall in love the same as us. God created romance to keep the world going. I love seeing how those older romances can affect today's. There's nothing more romantic than hearing stories of how your great granny and granda got together.

VC: So true! Thanks for answering my questions today, Christine! I wish you all the best with this new contemporary romance story, Londonderry Dreaming. Congrats again on its release.

Londonderry Dreaming will be available on Friday in Kindle and Nook, or directly from Pelican Books. Christine has offered ONE commenter on today's post a free digital copy of her novella. Please add your email address with your comment before Monday, February 24, replacing @ with (at) and .com with (dot) com.

"Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws."

Valerie Comer's life on a small farm in western Canada provides the seed for stories of contemporary inspirational romance and farm lit. Like many of her characters, Valerie and her family grow much of their own food and are active in the local food movement as well as their church. She only hopes her creations enjoy their happily ever afters as much as she does hers, shared with her husband, adult kids, and adorable granddaughters. Visit her website and blog to glimpse inside her world.

The second novel in Valerie's Farm Fresh Romance series, Wild Mint Tea, releases March 1,2014.