Jenna Brandt would love for you to follow her on Amazon. Just click the follow button. She's an award-winning, international bestselling author who writes sweet inspiring contemporary and historical fiction with elements of romance, suspense and faith. You can find out more about her any time and sign up for her newsletter.
She has been an avid reader since she could hold a book and started writing stories almost as early. Jenna has been published in several newspapers as well as edited for multiple papers and graduated with her BA in English from Bethany College where she was the Editor-in-Chief of her college newspaper. Her first blog was published on Yahoo Parenting and The Grief Toolbox as well as featured on the ABC News and Good Morning America websites.
Writing is her passion but she also enjoys cooking, watching movies, reading, and spending time with her three young daughters and husband who are the inspiration behind lots of her characters. She enjoys living in the Central Valley of California and spending summers on the Central Coast. She's active in her local church where she volunteers on their first impressions team as well as in the crisis care ministry.
She’s a women’s suffrage advocate with her own substantial wealth, he’s a livery worker saving for a future he may never get. What happens when she comes tumbling into his life?
Elizabeth Holt has her own inheritance that she wants to be in charge of, but her aunt and brother think her incapable of running her own life. When she makes one mistake in Boston, her aunt sends her to stay with her brother in Silverpines. When she arrives, she is less than happy about the situation, and she doesn’t want to be stuck in the remote town filled with strangers.
George Caldwell left his home in Rockwood Springs, Texas to chase the woman he thought he loved. After being rejected not only by her, but by a second woman he met in Silverpines, George wonders if he will ever find the right woman to love. When the uppity Elizabeth Holt gets dumped by her horse into his proverbial lap, he knows she can’t be the one, or could she?
Jenna Brandt would love for you to follow her on Amazon. Just click the follow button. She's an award-winning, international bestselling author who writes sweet inspiring contemporary and historical fiction with elements of romance, suspense and faith. You can find out more about her any time and sign up for her newsletter.
She has been an avid reader since she could hold a book and started writing stories almost as early. Jenna has been published in several newspapers as well as edited for multiple papers and graduated with her BA in English from Bethany College where she was the Editor-in-Chief of her college newspaper. Her first blog was published on Yahoo Parenting and The Grief Toolbox as well as featured on the ABC News and Good Morning America websites.
Writing is her passion but she also enjoys cooking, watching movies, reading, and spending time with her three young daughters and husband who are the inspiration behind lots of her characters. She enjoys living in the Central Valley of California and spending summers on the Central Coast. She's active in her local church where she volunteers on their first impressions team as well as in the crisis care ministry.
Conrad Gaines spent his whole life being made to feel inadequate, even after he got into an elite Ivy League college and created a company worth billions. Once he accepted he would never fit in, he focused on taking down those who made his life miserable.
Tiffany Boswell has always had to prove herself capable as any man. First to her professors, then to her father, and even to her brother. When she's finally given the opportunity to co-run the family oil business, she's determined to not let anything get in her way, especially a man like Conrad Gaines.
As the two rivals are forced to work together, the attraction simmering just below the surface comes billowing to the top. Can Conrad find a way to put his past hurts aside for a chance at love? Will Tiffany decide to take a chance on her brother's enemy? And can they find a way to be together despite all the obstacles?
Some of Ken’s favorites are early mornings, the desert in spring, kind and honest people, baseball and other sports played by those who don’t take themselves too seriously, most kids, and films he and his Zoe can enjoy together.
He reads classic novels, philosophy, theology, and all sorts of mysteries. On his blog, he offers some hard truths and encouragement about living as a writer.
He has long been the author of novels, stories, articles, poems, and essays. Lots of honors have come his way, including a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship; Poets, Essayists and Novelist’s Ernest Hemingway Award; Private Eye Writers of America Best First Novel and Shamus Best Novel; and several San Diego and Los Angeles Book Awards.
Midheaven, Ken Kuhlken’s first novel, was originally published by Viking Press. The haunting story, set in and around the exquisite Lake Tahoe basin, is told through the mind of a precocious seventeen-year-old torn between her quest for God and her love for a man.
In the early 1970's, high school senior Jodi McGee turns from drugs and boys to Christ, but soon thereafter falls for her English teacher. As a result, tragedies test her will, her faith, and her sanity.
"The pace, clarity and assurance of Midheaven made it a pleasure to read."~Anne Tyler, Chair of the Ernest Hemingway Award selection committee
"Kuhlken has, with Jodi, created a character new to us--the born again adolescent who’s in-the-know--and he provides her with grit and honesty."~Kirkus Reviews
"Midheaven is one of those rare gems of a novel that sneaks up on you and nestles in your soul. I especially enjoyed the setting and character development. The sun-dappled mountains and cold water beauty of Lake Tahoe hold too many secrets for a teenage girl to bear. Jodi is a character you won't soon forget."~Andy Straka, Novelist
Lorana Hoopes is a teacher originally from Texas who now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. When not writing, she can be seen kickboxing at her gym, acting on stage, or singing at her church.
William wanted nothing more than to marry Emma, but shortly after his proposal, his past comes back to haunt him. Unable to leave men in danger, William mounts up and rides again. Will he be able to fulfill his duty and get back to Emma?
Emma had no doubts when she said yes to William's proposal, but then things began happening to delay the wedding. When her sister gets sick, she wonders if these signs are God's way of telling her she shouldn't marry William.
Will the two find their happily ever after or will events out of their control tear them apart?
“You’re so lucky” Carrie sighed as the girls got ready for bed that night. “That proposal was so romantic.”
“I’m sure yours will come soon,” Emma said with a smile. “I saw you dancing with Phillip Alder, and he had stars in his eyes.”
“What about me?” Jennie asked.
Emma laughed. “You have a few years yet, Jennie Bean, but there’s a man out there for you as well. You just have to be patient.”
Jennie’s lower lip fell out in an adorable pout. “I want to be older now. I want to be kissed like you were, Emma. It looked so romantic.” She put her little hand on her forehead and fell onto the bed.
“Oh, dear,” Emma said. “We have our work cut out for us with this one.” She slipped her dress off and her nightgown on and climbed into bed beside Jennie. Carrie followed suit and climbed in on the other side of Jennie.
“Have you thought about the wedding yet?” Carrie asked.
“He just proposed tonight,” Emma said as if dismissing the motion. The truth was she had already been thinking about the wedding. She wanted it in the church of course. Carrie would be a bridesmaid and Jennie the flower girl. Emma wondered if William would ask Samuel to be his best man. The two had been spending a lot of time together building William’s homestead, but there was also Jesse Jennings, who William had become close with.
Of course, Emma had also become good friends Kate Jennings. The two were fairly close in age and had begun spending more time together a few months earlier when William had made it clear he was staying and courting Emma. Once or twice a week, they would get together and trade secrets and recipes. They also spoke often of children.
Kate was going to reach that milestone first. She was already with child and nearing her fifth month. Though Emma enjoyed seeing her friend grow, she couldn’t help feeling jealous, and so she hoped William would be okay with a fairly short engagement. She wanted to start a family with him.
“I know he just proposed tonight,” Carrie continued, “but I bet you’ve been thinking about the wedding since the first day he kissed you.”
Emma was glad the light from the lantern was low so her sisters wouldn’t see her blush. She had been thinking about the wedding since that day. Well, not the wedding itself, but the marriage. She had already had one wedding, so even though they were enjoyable and beautiful, that wasn’t her main focus. Her focus was on being a wife and mother. Something she had hoped for with her first marriage, but it had ended so shortly it was almost nonexistent.
As much as Emma loved her family, she wanted to be a wife again, to run her own homestead, cook for her husband, and enjoy quiet times in front of the fire. And, eventually she hoped to fill the house with children, but that was at least a year away.
“Get some sleep,” Emma said in answer. “We can talk more about the wedding tomorrow.”
“Do I get to throw the flowers again?” Jennie asked, her voice heavy with sleep.
“Yes, Jennie Bean, you can throw the flowers. Now, get some sleep.”
Carrie and Jennie obliged and soon were breathing softly beside her, but it was Emma’s own mind that refused to shut down. When it wasn’t reliving the wonderful night and the proposal, it was thinking forward to what had to be done for a wedding. She would need to make the cake, get flowers, and see if she could alter her old wedding dress a little. Emma couldn’t afford a new one, and it would have been a frivolous waste of money anyway.
Lorana Hoopes is a Christian romance and children's author who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and three children. When not writing, she can be seen kickboxing at her gym, acting on stage, or singing at her church.
William Cook enjoyed serving the town as a lawman until a tragic accident took everything he loved. Wanting to leave his past behind, he turns to bounty hunting, enjoying the constant distraction—and the money isn’t too bad either. When he suffers a life-threatening injury, he is forced to stay put for longer than he is used to doing. The woman who tends his wounds intrigues him, but he isn’t looking for love after what happened the first time.
Emma Stewart recently lost her husband and has moved back in with her widowed father, the town doctor. While she likes helping him heal the sick, she still longs for a family of her own, so no one is more surprised than she is when she starts to develop feeling for the bounty hunter, who hides his heart of gold behind a rugged exterior.
Can Emma offer William a reason to stay? Can William find a way to heal from his broken past to start a future with Emma? Or will a haunting secret take away all the possibilities of this budding romance?
William “Wild Bill” Cook smoothed his black duster and stepped through the swinging batwing doors into the saloon. His eyes scanned the bustling, noisy room, but the slim, bearded man whose face he had memorized from the Wanted Poster didn’t appear to be in the room. Of course, that meant nothing. Sometimes the men tried to disguise themselves or hide in low-lit corners. Occasionally, he even found them upstairs with one of the saloon girls, if they had the money. Once he had even found a mark upstairs pretending to be a saloon girl. He hadn’t been the brightest one, not realizing his full beard was a dead giveaway. It didn’t matter. Wild Bill Cook always got his man.
He sidled up to the bar, pulled his black hat low on his eyes, and ordered a Whiskey. He wasn’t a big drinker - his wife had hated the stuff - but he found one drink honed his senses and allowed him to survey the room without standing out too much. The last thing he needed was someone recognizing he didn’t belong and warning Frank Malone. The man was merely a cattle thief, but no man liked the prospect of jail time and most fought tooth and nail not to go.
When the drink slid his way, William picked it up, trying to ignore the cloudy film on it - Catherine would roll over in her grave if she saw him drinking from such a cup - and adjusted his position so that his back was to the bar.
A heated poker game was taking place at a table across the room, but a closer look ruled out any of those men. Another few men sat at a table closer to his position, tossing back beers, but they were all too large to be his mark. His eyes continued to scan left, but after coming up empty, he finished his drink and turned back to the bartender. Malone must be hiding out upstairs then.
“Who do you have working tonight?” William asked the bartender. “It’s been a long ride, and I’d like to unwind.”
The long-haired bartender smiled at him, revealing a bottom row of crooked teeth. “What’s your flavor?”
William shook his head as he spun the glass on the counter. “I’m not particular. What are my choices?”
The bartender scanned the room. “Looks like we have two blonds, Nellie and Lizzie, down here which means Minnie, my brunette is upstairs, engaged in other business.”
“I guess I’ll take a blond then,” William said.
“Nellie,” the bartender hollered across the noisy room. He cocked his head in a “come here” gesture, and a moment later, a plump blond appeared at William’s side.
Janell Butler Wojtowicz, born and raised on an Iowa farm, was one of those kids who loved to write the dreaded “What I did on summer vacation” essay. It’s no surprise that she has spent her entire 30-year career in writing, including newspaper journalism, Christian higher education and nonprofit public relations, and local government public information. Much of her writing has been the “people stories” of trial, tragedy, and triumph, which are reflected in her debut novel, “Embracing Hope.” Janell is a freelance writer/editor, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. She and her husband, Frank, live in New Brighton, Minnesota. She has two step-sons, a step-daughter-in-law, and three step-granddaughters.
Christian college dean Drew McKinley mourns his dead wife and still wears his wedding ring. He stumbles on a desperate journey to understand God’s motives for her tragic death. Crossing his perilous path is Allison, a graduate student and new employee in the dean’s office. Even as she deals with financial hardships, she recognizes Drew’s unresolved grief from her own loss. Putting up a roadblock is Chris Whitney, the handsome but egotistical student senate president. He carries the secret burden of a dysfunctional family and a below-the-surface temper. The road Drew must navigate is fraught with career upheaval, a reawakening heart, substance and domestic abuse, a violent assault, and the struggle for forgiveness and restoration. Will Drew finish his journey to embrace the hope God offers, the love Allison shares, and the guidance Chris needs, or will he turn his back on all three with catastrophic consequences?
Drew wrung his hands. Something else was wrong. Mitch had never seen Drew visibly upset. Even during those first days after Kendra’s death and throughout counseling, he had never displayed much emotion beyond sadness, loneliness, and the inevitable questions. But tonight, the young man’s discomfort was painfully evident as his eyes darted about the room and he pulled the coat tighter around him.
“This isn’t just about chapel, is it?” Mitch asked.
Long seconds of silence passed. Then, finally, “I crossed the line,” he mumbled.
Mitch froze. “What line?”
Drew’s hand scraped through his hair again. “With a student. I … I hugged her.”
Mitch barely heard Drew’s whispered words.
“She was upset … and about to cry—” He jumped up and retreated to a dark corner of the room. “I—I could be in trouble with my job. They fire men for this. It’s…it’s sexual harassment! She could press charges!”
Mitch followed Drew, his heart accelerating. “Take it easy. Don’t panic. Explain slowly what happened.”
Drew backed against the wall, his arms stiff at his sides, hands fisted. “I don’t remember most of it…just hugging her. I’m not even sure what we were talking about before.”
“Where did this happen? Who was it?”
Drew stared at the floor. “My office. I didn’t do it on purpose and the door was wide open.” He shook his head. “I can’t tell you who… I don’t want to get her in trouble.”
Mitch released the question, but he already knew the answer. “Was it Allison Bennett?”
Drew’s head snapped up, fear-filled eyes wide.
Mitch placed a firm hand on Drew’s forearm afraid his friend would run out of the house. “Relax. I know you. It wasn’t sexual harassment, and I’m sure Allison realizes that, too.”
He steered Drew back to the couch. “You didn’t cross the line. You aren’t her professor. You aren’t her dean. You aren’t her direct supervisor. You’re both university employees and you’re both responsible and single adults.”
Drew twisted his ring. “I feel like I cheated on Kendra.”
“That’s a natural feeling. But it’s OK to move on, Drew, as hard as it seems right now. The bigger problem is you’ve been holding your emotions in too long and someday they’ll come out.” Mitch chuckled. “Actually, I think they leaked out this afternoon.”
Drew groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “This can’t be happening. It’s not right.”
“What do you think of Allison?” Mitch wondered.
His friend opened his mouth then closed it again. Was he even breathing? Finally, “I like her.”
“Obviously,” Mitch snickered. “Why?”
Drew looked up as if searching the sky. The silence stretched on and Mitch gave him a gentle pat on the back.
“Be honest.”
He inhaled deeply. “She’s genuine and honest. She doesn’t try to impress you or turn the attention on herself. She’s a bit negative at times, yet she’s also warm and supportive. But this afternoon, she was hurting, and I wanted to stop the hurt.”
J.D.R. Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. She is one of only a few female Civil War authors, and uniquely describes the front lines from a Confederate perspective. Her Renegade Series includes A Beautiful Glittering Lie, winner of the John Esten Cooke Fiction Award and the B.R.A.G. Medallion, A Beckoning Hellfire, which is also an award winner, and A Rebel Among Us, which has just been published. These books tell the story of a family from north Alabama who experience immeasurable pain when their lives are dramatically changed by the war. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women’s Writing Guild, Pikes Peak Writers, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. She is currently working on a nonfiction book about the War Between the States, as well as another sequel for the Renegade Series. Learn more about her.
David Summers never expected any of this… not in a million years. He thought for sure he was a goner.
After leaving Alabama and enlisting with the cavalry, his delusion of chivalry was suddenly quashed when he saw for himself the horrors of battle. Now, after being shot and ending up at a strange farmhouse, he’s found himself being nursed back to health by four beautiful girls, and has learned that his Confederate brethren have deserted him in Pennsylvania after fighting at Gettysburg. It’s more than he can fathom. On top of that, he’s been presented with an even bigger dilemma. He knows he’s falling in love with the older sister, Anna, and she has enticed him with an interesting proposition. However, her scheme goes against his principles, and the reasons why he enlisted in the first place – to avenge his father’s death and defend his sacred homeland.
To David’s dismay, he must make a decision. Should he stay and help Anna with her underhanded plan, deceiving everyone around him by pretending to be a Yankee? If discovered, he would be considered a traitor to the cause, and she could be in jeopardy of treason. Or should he leave the farm, say goodbye to her, and risk certain capture? Either way, his perilous situation doesn’t seem to offer an encouraging outcome. If that isn’t bad enough, Anna’s neighbor, a Union officer, is in love with her, too, and he would stop at nothing to have David arrested … or worse.
Within an hour’s time, Maggie returned, and Anna knew he was with her. Patrick’s jovial laughter infiltrated the air. She went downstairs to greet him. He had already dismounted his horse and was assisting Maggie down from Alphie when she reached them.
He turned to see her. “Well, there’s me bonnie lass!” he exclaimed in his melodic Irish brogue and gave her a hug. Releasing her, he said, “Your lovely sister, Maggie, has informed me there’s a party here this very morn, so I brung along some refreshment!” His green eyes twinkled with amusement. “But I’ve never known ye lasses to indulge in spirits so early in the day, and on the Sabbath, no less!”
“Don’t be silly, Patrick!” Anna laughed.
With a wink, he handed her a bottle of whiskey.
The two little girls came out of the barn. “Patrick!” they screeched, running toward him.
He picked Abigail up and twirled her around, causing her to squeal with delight before he set her back down.
“We haven’t seen you in so long, Patrick,” she said. “Where have you been?”
“Why, workin’, of course.” He gave Claudia a hug. “‘Tis a busy time with the crops right now, lass. I’m sure you’re well aware.” Turning back to Anna, he pulled the cap from his head, revealing thick, brown hair. “So, how might I be of service to ye fair maidens?” he asked.
“We have something to show you,” Anna said, “but you have to swear not to tell a soul.”
Patrick raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Well now, if I agree to it, will ye be fixin’ me a fine meal in return?”
“Of course,” she replied, taking his hand. “Come with me.”
She led him into the farmhouse’s back door, through the kitchen, and up the staircase to the second floor. Stopping at the doorway at the top of the steps, she turned to look at him.
“There’s somethin’ ye want to be showin’ me in your father’s bed chamber?” he asked, comically raising his eyebrow.
Anna bit her lower lip. She turned the knob and pushed the squeaky door open. “We found him in the barn the night before last with a bullet in his shoulder,” she explained.
The three other girls followed behind.
“He’s a Confederate soldier.”
Patrick’s jaw dropped slightly. “Saints preserve us,” he partially whispered.
God looks down on Earth and is disgusted with what he sees his creation has become. He decides that humanity is a failed experiment, and he orders Earth and all of humanity destroyed. He will start again from scratch. Jesus, however, intervenes and requests one more opportunity to turn mankind around. He is given one year to see if he can make a significant difference.
If you are a fan of the "Left Behind" series, this is your type of book. Asking the big; What If? question and following it through with a story interwoven with Christian symbolism.
"The Second Coming" begins with Jesus (JC to his friends) in an induced coma in a Manila hospital after having been hit by a bus, losing his memory in the process. The book follows the exploits of Jesus and his "disciples" as they seek to firstly recover his memory and then embarking on a mission of saving humanity from the brink.
There is interwoven into the story a romance between Jesus (Jose Christian Castillo or JC for short) and his number one "Disciple" Maria Lyn Manyanan (Ma for short).
The sequel to The Second Coming; Rise of the AntiChrist will be published in December 2015.
I told my Mum when I was eight years old that I wanted to write books, when I grew up; books that would excite people, like I was excited by the books I read. She smiled sweetly, as all mothers do and told me I could be anything I wanted.
It just took me 45 more years to grow up. When I moved to The Philippines, I had to find something to do - I was too young to retire, so I rediscovered my boyhood promise and hopefully made my late mother smile down on me from heaven and say; "I knew you would make it".
Simply put - writing is my bliss and it's what makes me happy and fulfilled.
What genres do you write?
I like to try and answer the what if? questions.
My books tend to transcend genres and ask and hopefully answer moral and ethical dilemmas. If you were to try to categorise me, I would say the following genres: Romance, Action/Adventure, Spiritual Fiction and Christian Fiction
Is there a genre that you've been wanting to experiment with? If so, what is it and what attracts you to it?
Absolutely - two actually
I want to write an historical romance, because I love history with a passion and would love to do the research necessary to facilitate an accurate portrayal of a period.
Science Fiction, because since I was a child I have been in awe of the imagination and genius of science fiction writers like Herbert, Heinlen, Arthur C Clarke et al. I want to see if I can actually stretch my mind to that genre,
What inspires you to write?
My wife. She is my muse, my inspiration and my biggest fan.
My other inspiration is my burning desire to do so - to write. I don't care if I'm not a best-seller (although that would be nice). My books will be my legacy to this life. Nothing I have done before compares to the sheer joy and excitement of a completed novel.
If you could choose an author to be your mentor, who would it be?
That's easy - it would be Paolo Cohelo. The Alchemist is by far and away my book of a lifetime.
I love the way he is prepared to interact personally with his readers and has no airs or pretensions. If I had a role model, it would definitely be him.
When did you first consider yourself an author?
I've had this discussion before with a number of people. I WAS an author the moment I typed the first word on my first manuscript. I might be a published author now, but I was an author at that point.
I would even argue that I was always an author....just undiscovered in my own mind.
What are your goals as an author? Where do you see yourself in five years?
My goals are fairly simple and straightforward and have nothing to do with sales or money.
My goals are to write three books a year for the rest of my life. In five year's time that should mean I have fifteen books to my name.
I want people to read them and enjoy them, but I don't need that to validate myself as a success. I am a success because I am an author.
What is the best writing advice you've ever received?
This was a quote I read somewhere on Pinterest I think. I can't even remember who said it - maybe Stephen King.
"The worst writing you ever did, is still better than the best writing you never did."
What is the worst writing advice you've ever received?
Follow the rules!
Following the rules if for formulaic, legacy authors who want to be rich and successful. I don't begrudge the Clive Cussler's, the John Grisham's and the Tom Clancy's of this world, their success, fame and wealth, but I cannot abide formulaic, plots and characters. Yes, they make money, if they're successful, but really what difference is writing that to working on a factory production line? Not a lot in my opinion.
What do you enjoy doing aside from writing?
Reading. I read voraciously.
Before I became an author I read all the legacy published superstars. These days you couldn't pay me to buy their books.
I read only "indie" authors now and there are some truly fabulous ones out there, ever bit as good as the legacy published authors.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, and you could only have five books with you, what would they be?
Swiss Family Robinson
The Alchemist
The Hero
Dune
1984
How many books do you have on your "to read" list? What are some of them?
About 20: They're all "indie" authors: A few are
There Was No Body; by Colin Griffiths
The Road to Dar Rodon: by Nat Russo
Rampant Damsels: by Michael H Kelly
Mud on Your Face: by Rachel McGrath
The Caravan of Love: by Annie Lancaster
I will never run out of the awesome number of "indie" books available.
Are you a pantser or outliner?
Absolutely a pantser.
When I come up with an idea, I usually have a beginning and an end......it's that pesky bit in the middle that is the problem.
In general terms I write chapter by chapter. It is usually while I am taking a break in the middle of a chapter, the idea for the next development and chapter, will hit me.
How long does it take you to write a book?
I try to make my novels a minimum of 100K words. It usually takes me about two months to write the draft and then two months to edit the draft.
There are times I long for a professional editor, but the reality is that self-editing, painful that it is, is actually very elemental to becoming a better writer. I learn so much about my writing through self-editing.
Do you ever base your characters on people you know?
My latest book, Just A Drop in the Ocean, although fictional is based on real people and their characters certainly show through.
I think every character I've ever written has some basis in a person I've met or known. It is often hard to divorce reality from fantasy.
What are you working on now?
I am working on an anthology of short stories, in collaboration with my son, who realised earlier than me where his true talents lie. I'm incredibly excited to be doing something in tandem with my son.
The genre is horror, which is his forte, but definitely not mine, so I'm looking forward to seeing what I can squeeze out of my fevered mind in that genre.