RELEASE DAY: Stephy Smith "Magical Love"

Blurb:

Captured within the mind of Cleo Little by the disgraceful dark mist of Madonna, Greta Smith was taken on a wild, wicked journey she fought to escape. Greta presented the problem to the Shuvihani and Thad to vanquish the evilness of her childhood friend.

Against Thaddeus Porter’s better judgment and by the order of the clan’s witch, Thad entered the minds of the dark coven out to destroy the clan. The only way to save his people was to join forces with Greta to defeat the evilness prevailing around them. Their energy was strong, the clan’s Shuvihani was missing, and dark evil was out to steal the souls of the caravan.

Could Greta and Thad’s Magical Love be sufficient to conquer the jealousy, betrayal and dark magic to save their people?

Author:

Stephy Smith was born and raised in the Northwest Texas Panhandle. She owns and operates her own ranch. Most of her inspiration comes from the weather, wildlife, and imagination from country living. When she not spending time with her three sons, she loves to read, ride horses, watch rodeo’s and paint. Stephy is a member of Panhandle Professional Writers, American Quarter Horse Association, and Foundation Quarter Horse Association. Stephy is an award-winning author of Shining Moon Rises. You can find her books at www.barnesandnoble.com www.amazon.com www.audible.com www.smashwords.com and www.kobo.com

RELEASE DAY: Catherine Bennett "Devon's Choice"

Blurb:

Life holds no surprises for Devon Murphy. Her life consists of keeping tabs on her aging Irish father, working part time at a coffee shop, and building her online graphics design business. Devon’s only tricky situation is a shallow relationship with the pampered and affluent Michael Turner, who sees her as just another woman to conquer. 

Following his father’s death, Brandon’s only goal is to expand the family business and live life on his own terms. That is, until he walks into the coffee shop one snowy evening and meets the enchanting, red-haired barista behind the counter. But can Devon and Brandon’s attraction for each other be strong enough to help erase their deepest disappointments and renew their faith in God? 

 

 

Author:

Catherine Bennett lives in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio. Her first book, “The Trouble With Charlie”, is published by Astraea Press. Catherine has two grown sons and resides with her husband and two Labrador retrievers.

 

 

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Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

 Devon stood up to her boot tops in snow as she breathed in the crisp, winter air. The first sunrise of the New Year peeked between the houses and spilled onto the street. The sturdy branches of the old maples bowed to the weight of the fresh snow. Parked cars and drawn curtains let her know most of the neighbors must be sleeping in from their late-night revelry. Now the only sound to break the peaceful silence came from the snow plows a few streets over and old Mr. Taylor’s Chihuahua barking ferociously at Bubby from his living room window. A tug on the leash signaled that Bubby had finished his business and was ready to move on.

 “Just a minute, boy. I’ve got to pick up your mess.” Devon bent down and nimbly thrust her hand into the bag while Bubby strained at the end of his lead. “Hold on, my boots don’t have traction control,” she told him as he lunged playfully into the fresh powder. She dumped the bag into the trash and they continued their walk around the small park.

 Devon pulled on the leash. “C’mon, Bub. We’ve got to get home. Daddy’s frying bacon.” Bubby’s ears perked up at the mention of “bacon” and their pace quickened toward the house.

 “Hi Daddy,” Devon said, closing the door behind her. She unsnapped Bubby’s leash, slipped off her boots and parka, and walked into the kitchen. “Happy New Year!” She kissed her father on the cheek and opened the dog food container. Hearing the dry kibble being poured into his bowl, Bubby raced across the room and began to eat.

 “He sure loves his food,” Charles Murphy observed. “Don’t think I could eat the same bland stuff everyday. I guess if I did, I’d lose some of this belly.” He pointed to his small pot of a stomach.

 “Unless you ate only barbeque potato chips and crème-filled sponge cake rolls.”

 “Okay, you got me. Tell you what, I’ll make that my New Year’s resolution. I, Charles Murphy, solemnly promise that starting tomorrow, I will eat only bran flakes and skim milk for breakfast. And I will become a health food nut just like my crazy daughter.”

 Devon raised an eyebrow at him while he piled several strips of bacon onto his plate. A mound of scrambled eggs and overly buttered toast lay next to the bacon strips. His first fib of the New Year; he had no intention of following through with the resolution. She carried her plate of eggs and whole-wheat toast to the table. Charles followed with another plate of greasy hash browns.

 “You’re full of malarkey! You know you can’t give up your pot roasts and pork sausages, which, by the way, are not helping your blood pressure. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat fish, unless it was coated and deep fried.”

 “And you never will! Fish is meant to be dunked in batter and fried in as much grease as possible.” Charles sat down at the table and dug his spoon into the potatoes. “That kind of food will put meat on your bones.”

 “I know, I know. You’ve been telling me that since I could chew. And don’t give Bubby any bacon. You’ll make him fat!” The guilty look on Charles’s face let her know he’d already dropped a piece on the floor for the dog.

 “Fat! The way you run that dog in the park, he could qualify for the Kentucky Derby!”

 They laughed, then ate in companionable silence. Devon glanced over at her father. His white hair showed no yellow tinge as happens to some seniors; it was white as a new, starched napkin. His bushy eyebrows matched and caused his cobalt blue eyes to sparkle even more. Though not a tall man, his personality made him seem larger than life. He always flirted with words and could make people laugh, no matter how depressing the circumstances might be. And for not being born in Ireland, he exuded his Irish heritage in every way, especially in his stubbornness.

 Fifteen minutes later, Charles leaned back in his chair. “Now that was one of the best meals I ever ate!”

RELEASE DAY: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy "Tidings of Comfort and Joy"

Blurb:

They met during the holiday season and married in May.  Jessica savored every moment of happiness with her beloved husband Johnny but their newlywed bliss is shattered when he’s caught in a storm on the lake on the Fourth of July.  First missing, then presumed dead, Johnny Devereaux appears to be gone and everyone mourns him except his wife.  Jessica refuses to believe he could be dead and she steadfastly refuses to give up hope that he is alive and will return.

As the months pass, each holiday is another reminder of his absence and it becomes harder to believe but she refuses to yield to despair.  As his family, especially his brother Tad, struggles to accept Johnny’s death, only his great-grandmother and bride hang onto their hope.  Jessica comes to believe he’ll return to her at Christmas so the holiday takes on new significance as she waits for tidings of comfort and joy.

 

 

Author:

Growing up in historic St. Joseph, Missouri, Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy scribbled her stories from an early age.  Her first publication – a poem on the children’s page of the local newspaper – seems to have set her fate.  As a full time author, she has more than twenty full length novels published along with assorted novellas and short fiction.  A contributor to more than two dozen anthologies, her credits include Chicken Soup For The Soul among many collections of short fiction.  She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Missouri Writers Guild, and the Ozark Writers League.  Lee Ann earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Missouri Southern State University as well as an Associate Degree from Crowder College.  She has worked in broadcasting, retail, and other fields including education.  She is currently a substitute school teacher.  As a wife and mother of three, she spends her days penning stories, cooking, reading, and other daily duties.  She currently makes her home in the Missouri Ozarks, living in what passes for suburbs in a small town.

 

 

Now available on
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Excerpt:

Prologue

Christmas one year earlier

She loved Christmas. Every detail from the scent of fresh-cut evergreens, to the bright, glowing beauty of holiday lights, to the quiet moments curled up listening to her favorite vintage holiday music. Jessica could never wait for Thanksgiving to end so that the Christmas season could start.

That year, the year she fell in love — really in love — for the first and what she felt sure would be the only time in her life, the holiday season provided the perfect setting. Snow began the week after Thanksgiving and continued so the ground remained white through December. Even though most people griped and groused about the weather, Jessica adored it because it made a winter wonderland for her holiday romance. The songs, from her favorite Sing We Now of Christmas to the soulful, lovely refrain from God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman, echoed through her mind and she trilled a few lines of the refrain in her alto voice, “Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy…”

The night she first met him was magical...

 

Chapter One

The Fourth of July

"Hey, are you comin' with me?" Johnny's whisper sliced through layers of sleep, and Jessica stirred, uncertain whether it was morning or midnight.

The bed sagged as he sat down beside Jessica. "What?"

"I'm going fishin', remember? It's the Fourth of July, and everyone's comin' down to the cabin later. Are you comin' with me now or going down later?"

She stirred, sat up, and scrubbed her face with both hands. "What time is it?"

"It's almost four."

She moaned. "It won't be daylight for almost two hours. I want to sleep."

Johnny laughed with that rich, full sound she adored. "You can. I just didn't want to leave without telling you and giving you one last chance to come with me."

"Do you have to go so early?" She loved going out on the lake with him, but she hated rising before the sun.

He grinned, facing her from where he sat on the edge of their bed. "I do if I want to catch anything. I like to hit the lake before daylight. What time are you comin' down?"

Jessica struggled to make her mind work through the remnants of sleep-fog. "I guess noon or a little after. When's your mom going to be there?"

"I think she said by four. Amy's comin', too, and so is Tad."

Johnny's sister Amy had been a bridesmaid in their May wedding, and Tad served as Johnny's best man. Tad's girlfriend Isobel helped to cut the cake at the reception. "Is Isobel going to come, too?"

"I think so. Honey, I need to go if I'm going."

"Okay," she said with a yawn.

She sat all the way up, circled his neck with her arms, and he delivered a potent kiss that promised more to come later. Jessica considered heating things up, knowing if she did, she could get him to stay later but she didn't. He loved fishing, and she wanted him to have that solitary time he wanted out on the water.

"I'll see you this afternoon," Johnny told her. "You be careful driving down, and watch the holiday traffic, okay?"

"I will," she promised. "Have fun, and catch lots of fish."

"I'll do my best. See you, honey."

With another quick kiss, he was off the bed and out the door before she could say anything more. He never said good-bye — it was their personal tradition something he taught her on the very first night that they met. She remembered that moment as she laid her head on the pillow.

"I'll call you."

"If you don't, I'll call you."

He grinned. "You won't have to, Jessica. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Promise," she said, and he traced a cross over his chest.

"Cross my heart," he said. "See you."

She opened her mouth to tell him good-bye but he held up one hand.

"There are no good-byes but one, and that one is final," Johnny said. "So don't ever say it."

Jessica smiled and touched his face with her hand. "Then I'll say' later.'"

"Later, darlin'."

Then, she hadn’t understood the reason. Later, when he explained how devastated his family had been by his dad’s unexpected death and told her how one of his cousins said ‘good-bye’ before heading home to die in a house fire, Jessica understood his reasons. And it became their custom, their habit.

RELEASE DAY: Tracy Krauss "Lone Wolf"

 

Blurb:

Thomas Lone Wolf has recovered from a brush with death – and from a broken heart. His work of opening a First Nations cultural center at an archaeological site near the town of Marshdale is almost complete. Once his son graduates from high school, he and his daughter will have to move on to the next project. Just when he has resigned himself to being a single dad for the rest of his life, he meets a woman who seems perfect. But can his wounded heart take a chance on love again?

 

 

 

Author:

Tracy Krauss is a best-selling and award winning author, artist and playwright. She is a member of 'American Christian Fiction Writers', 'Inscribe Christian Writers Fellowship', and ‘The Word Guild’. Originally from a small prairie town, Tracy received her Bachelor’s Degree from the U of S with majors in Art, and minors in History and English. She teaches High School English, Drama and Art – all things she is passionate about. Apart from her many personal creative pursuits, she also leads worship at her local church. She and her husband, an ordained minister, have lived in many remote and unique places in Canada's north. They raised four children and were active advocates of the homeschooling movement for many years. They currently reside in beautiful Tumbler Ridge, BC, known for its many waterfalls. Visit her website for more info: http://www.tracykrauss.com

 

 

Now available on
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Excerpt:

 

Chapter One

 

Thomas Lone Wolf poured himself a cup of coffee, inhaling the heavenly scent as he clattered the pot back into place on its burner. He cradled the mug in his hands and sniffed, enjoying the warmth and the aroma before taking a tentative sip. He winced and touched his cheek, then let out a whispered oath. Good thing the kids were still sleeping. He didn’t usually swear, but he’d had a toothache for days and the hot liquid touched a nerve. He took another sip, bracing himself against the pain. Once the steaming brew was past the tooth and down his throat he expelled a groan. It was a tossup which was worse, the pain in his tooth or going without his morning coffee. The third sip went down much better. Once the initial shock was past, it didn’t hurt so much. He took another larger gulp and stopped to gaze out the kitchen window. He lifted the faded sheer material away from the frame just a bit more so his view wouldn’t be obstructed.

He’d come to love the vastness of the view before him. Wide open prairie. Some people said it was boring. Table flat with nothing to see. Thomas saw it differently. There was subtleness to the land. It wasn’t flashy or brash, yelling to get attention. Instead the grasses rippled like the waves on a calm ocean, just barely discernible, but moving nonetheless. He loved the change in color, too. Muted browns, rich ochers, vibrant greens, each taking their cue as the seasons morphed against a backdrop of sky. Perhaps this was the most impressive of all. The sky was a living thing here, awe-inspiring in its vastness; sometimes clear and blue, sometimes filled with fluffy cumulus clouds, sometimes flashing with powerful forks of lightning. Magnificent.

Thomas let the curtain drop back into place. He downed the rest of his coffee and set the empty cup in the sink. It was time to wake his children. His daughter, Whisper, was in the second grade at Marshdale Elementary School. She’d been in kindergarten when they moved here. His son, Ryder, was in his senior year at the high school, ready to graduate in just a couple months’ time. Then he’d be off to college. Time sure had a way of flying.

Thomas had decided when he first moved to Marshdale that they would stay put, at least until Ryder graduated. His children had been through enough upheaval in the last five years since their mother passed away from cancer. When they moved to Marshdale so that Thomas could oversee the opening of a First Nations cultural center, he decided then and there that it would be their home until the center was complete. As it turned out, it was perfect timing. The grand opening was taking place this summer. He felt a melancholy mix of relief and sadness. He would no longer have an excuse to stay.

Not that life in Marshdale was ideal. Initial resistance to the center and thinly veiled racism had been a hard obstacle to overcome. There weren’t very many other aboriginal families in the small farming community, and he tended to stick out. At well over six feet, with his long, black braid and dark complexion, it was hard to mistake his indigenous heritage for anything else. Still, they had managed, despite some rough spots, and had since settled into the life of the community.

The fact that Thomas had a strong faith was partly what got him through the first few months. Without God on his side, he wasn’t sure he could have weathered the opposition. His biggest adversary turned out to be a lunatic of sorts, who had stabbed him on the steps of the church shortly after Christmas the first year they lived here. Thankfully, he’d recovered fully. The incident might even have swayed public opinion in his favor, since the culprit was also the chair of the heritage committee.

It had been a tough first few months. He’d even thought he was in love at one point, with his daughter’s teacher no less. Just when he thought he was ready to love again, she’d rejected him. In hindsight he saw it was for the best. He wasn’t ready for a relationship at the time and she ended up marrying a local farmer. It had been awkward at times, since he and Con McKinley, the man in question, were also good friends.

RELEASE DAY: Lucie Ulrich "The Rose Ring"

 

Blurb:

With a will that reads like a piece of fiction, the return of his long-lost brother, and the possibility of losing the family ranch, Micah Cooper calls on high school friend, Sky Baxter, to bail him out of a bad situation.

Though her brain tells her no, Sky’s heart says yes. She accepts Micah’s in-name-only proposal, knowing it’s unlikely anything permanent will come of it. She’s been in love with him since the ninth grade, and if he hasn’t figured it out by now, there’s little chance he ever will.

When an unexpected kiss ignites a spark, giving Micah hope for a possible future with Sky, a tragic accident threatens to take it all away. Torn between following his heart, doing the right thing, and forgiving the past, Micah is lost in a whirlwind of pain and emotions. Will he make it through the next two years, or will a long-kept family secret be the undoing of the Cooper family? (or… be the undoing of all of them?)

 

 

Author:

Lucie Ulrich hasn’t stopped writing since her first skit was performed on a church stage more than fifteen years ago. An avid reader, she enjoyed sharing her passion for writing and storytelling with her middle and high school drama students. No longer part of the teaching profession Lucie looks forward to traveling the country with her husband, Rick, seeking story ideas, taking photographs, and enjoying life to the fullest.

 

Now available on
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Excerpt:

CHAPTER ONE

Sky Baxter leaned against the worn red counter and stared through the diner’s plate glass window. Dime-sized snowflakes flitted around the streetlamps before joining the three inches already on the ground.

Sighing, she thought of the fur-lined boots sitting on the rubber mat by her front door. Why hadn’t she listened to the weatherman?

“Go home, Sky.”

She pivoted toward the small kitchen area behind the counter. Her boss and friend, Carl Johnston, scraped charred burger remains from the grill.

“But I still need to mop the floor.”

“I’ll mop. You go.”

“It’s only ten blocks. The snow won’t pile up that much more in the next few minutes.”

He stepped into the dining area, his limp more pronounced after the long day. “All the same, I’d rather you leave now.” He held out her parka and handbag. “And call me when you get there.”

Carl lived upstairs and didn’t have to worry about cold or snow. She knew he would have driven her if he could, but he’d given up driving two years ago. An auto accident had left him with a severe limp. That in itself wouldn’t have stopped him, but burying his wife a week later did.

“Guess you’re right.” Sky threw on her parka, covered her long black ponytail with a knit cap, and shoved her hands into a pair of gloves. She planted a kiss on his cheek. “See you tomorrow.”

Cold air and heavy snow swirled around her as she darted across the street and hurried down the sidewalk. A familiar black pickup stopped in front of her as she was about to step off the curb. The passenger window lowered. “Need a lift?”

Sky peered into the cab. The sight of Micah Cooper’s crooked smile sent a wave of heat from her icy nose to her frozen toes. She’d been crazy about him since high school. “I’m not fool enough to say no.”

He pushed the passenger door open. “I always knew you were smart.”

Scraping the snow from her shoes on the running board, she climbed in. “If I were smart, I’d have worn my boots today. That and figure out a way to buy a car.”

With a quick flick of his wrist, Micah put the truck in gear and pulled out into the nearly deserted street. “News flash. You have to know how to drive before they’ll give you a license.”

“Yeah, well, if my mother had ever owned a car, or could have afforded Driver’s Ed when I was in school, I’d already know how to drive. Besides, learning isn’t the problem. Saving is.”

“Hang in there. Who knows? Some customer might just leave you a thousand dollar tip tomorrow.”

 “Pssh. We’re talking Elk Flats, Montana, not New York City. The biggest tip I’ve ever gotten is six bucks. Old man Bentley left it after he pinched my backside and I didn’t slap him.”

Micah laughed. “With his arthritis, I’m surprised you felt anything.”

“That was two years ago. He doesn’t come in much these days.” The truck was warm, so she pulled off her hat and gloves. “Speaking of coming into town, I’m surprised to see you so soon. You normally don’t show up twice in one week.”

He stopped for a red light. “This month’s co-op meeting was moved up at the last minute. I also have a meeting with my grandfather’s lawyer in the morning.”

“You staying in town, then?”