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Hi folks! Erika here. My novella Fear Not Tomorrows is being published in Wild Blue Wonder Press’s collection Springtime in Surrey along with novellas by seven other authors. (You can preorder the book here or join the blog tour here.) Kellyn’s story Courage to Stay is one of them, and I’ve been honored to work with her on this collection over the past several months. I’ve followed her blog for YEARS, and I always strangely and thoroughly enjoy her eclectic mix of impassioned rants in conversational, witty style defined by solid Biblical TRUTH. I’m happy to finally have a post of hers on my blog! Today she’s sharing some lessons learned through her novella!

Hello Reader! Thank you so much for checking out this guest post—and, of course, thank you Erika for letting me do this guest post. Erika, as you may already know, is a part of the first-ever Wild Blue Wonder Press anthology, Springtime in Surrey. She has a novella in said collection, as do I!

My novella is called “Courage to Stay,” and I’d like to talk about the themes of my story  and specifically how they relate to my life as a writer.

Here’s the thing. I stand before you with an unwavering belief in the power of words. As Christian writers, we are called to be vessels of hope, truth, and encouragement. We are entrusted with the incredible opportunity to shape narratives that touch hearts and transform lives.

In this guest post, I invite you to embark on a journey of embracing courage—the central theme of my novel, “Courage to Stay,” as the title indicates. Let us delve into how this theme can empower and invigorate us as Christian writers.

The Courage to Embrace Your Calling:

In the realm of Christian writing, courage manifests itself as an essential ingredient. It is the force that propels us forward when self-doubt and uncertainty loom. As we delve into our calling as writers, we often face moments of questioning, feeling ill-equipped for the task at hand.

However, remember that God does not call the qualified but qualifies the called. Embrace your divine assignment with courage, trusting that God will equip you with the necessary gifts and talents to fulfill it.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josiah 1:9)

The Courage to Share Vulnerability:

Writing, at its core, is an act of vulnerability. It requires us to open our hearts and share the depths of our experiences, joys, struggles, and triumphs.

When we choose to be vulnerable, we invite readers into our lives and offer them the opportunity to connect with our words on a profound level. It takes courage to expose our vulnerabilities, trusting that God will use our stories to bring healing and encouragement to others. Embrace the courage to share vulnerably, knowing that your words have the power to touch lives and inspire change.

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:17)

The Courage to Stay Committed:

Writing is a journey that demands perseverance and unwavering commitment. In a world that often values instant gratification, staying the course as a Christian writer requires courage. It is easy to become discouraged by rejection letters or the slow progress of our work. However, remember that our faith calls us to trust in God’s timing and to remain steadfast in our commitment to the craft.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14)

The Courage to Tackle Challenging Topics:

As Christian writers, we are called to address difficult and controversial topics with grace and truth. Courage enables us to tackle these subjects head-on, approaching them with sensitivity and discernment. By engaging in such discussions, we have the opportunity to provide a unique perspective grounded in faith and wisdom. Let your writing be a catalyst for meaningful conversations, promoting understanding and unity while staying true to your convictions.

“I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

In Conclusion:

As Christian writers, we are entrusted with a powerful platform to proclaim hope, truth, and love to a world in need. The theme of courage resonates deeply within our craft, empowering us to embrace our calling, share vulnerably, stay committed, and tackle challenging topics. Let us remember that our words possess the ability to bring light into darkness, to offer solace to the broken-hearted, and to stir hearts towards God. May the theme of courage inspire and embolden you as you continue your journey as a Christian writer.

So, dear readers, may you find the courage to step forward, pen in hand, and embrace the beautiful calling of a Christian writer. Rest assured that as you courageously navigate this path, your words will make a lasting impact on hearts and souls, bringing glory to God and igniting hope in the lives of those who encounter them.

Kellyn Roth is a historical romance & women’s fiction author who writes stories to share hope in life’s storms. Her novels include the inspirational Victorian family saga, The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy, and the Kees & Colliers series, which follows a broken family in the tumultuous years of the first half of the 20th century. You can find out more about Kell at https://kellynrothauthor.com/

Hi folks! We’re back with Surrey Saturday. My novella Fear Not Tomorrows is being published in Wild Blue Wonder Press’s collection Springtime in Surrey along with novellas by seven other authors. (You can preorder the book here or join the blog tour here.) Katja’s story The Tussie-Mussie is one of them, and I’ve been honored to work with her on this collection over the past several months. Her story is amazing and I can’t wait for you to read it! Today she’s sharing some thoughts on the spiritual themes in her novella.

My Springtime in Surrey story, “The Tussie-Mussie,” deals with self-worth and surrender of control to God. I hadn’t really intended to write about that. Originally, I was going to talk about depression, peer pressure, and following God’s plans instead of what society/everyone else thinks we should do. I thought I already knew about self-worth and surrender of plans to God. 

Actually, those themes weren’t as deep as they usually are in my novels—I didn’t have the time for my typical long discourse. This book wasn’t the product of “I just learned this lesson.” Instead, it was more of a reflection of what I was warring about inside. This story was a romance—when I myself was struggling deeply with my own singleness as more and more of my peers (and younger friends!) paired off. It was about friendship—when I felt I was losing my most precious romances. It was about surrendering dreams, when I was hanging so hard on my dreams I almost convinced myself they were real and about to happen. 

After the initial writing of the novella, I fell into depression for the first time in nearly a year. There was a lot going on, and I was overwhelmed by all the deadlines and important, big things in my life. From the writing of the novella in March, to the final editing in May, I am ashamed to admit I read my Bible very little, and prayed even less. I was “too busy surviving,” I told myself. In reality, I was avoiding God because I knew my heart had issues and I didn’t want to give them up. 

I was battling strongly because I craved being the most important person to someone. I longed for someone’s constance presence. And I wanted a husband to supply all that. Over and over, as I fled from God on social media, He showed me things to remind me I was foolish. I was wrong. Only He could fulfill me in the ways I longed for. Again and again He reminded me what my life goal was—serving God—and that marriage was all about serving God together, not about my desires. 

I knew I needed to go to Jesus. Make Him my Friend. The person I longed for. But I was reluctant to give up my dreams. I had specific dreams about my “future husband,” and they had become very dear… all too dear, for now they replaced Jesus. Suddenly I realized that instead of going to Him with my griefs and joys and anger, I thought about how my “ideal” would respond. 

Earlier, one of my friends had told me she’d dedicated this year to intentional singleness, pursing Jesus. At the time, I thought it was good, but not for me. But the Lord kept reminding it to me, and eventually, sitting in the pew on Wednesday night, I caved. I felt an urge to write out a prayer and a promise to the Lord, and I did. 

Lord, show me Your love so deeply I don’t rely on that of a man. Make Your presence so known to me that I don’t crave another. Be the One most important to me. Make me love You fully, sacrifice for you, live and give for You alone. Lord, I consecrate this year to You. I deliberately let go of my dreams, craves, and stories. I let ho for this year of searching for Mr. Right, of worrying about [all my specific dreams]. 

As soon as I’d written that, I remembered the theme word and verse that had been laid on my heart for this year: restore, Jeremiah 30:17.

At the time, I’d looked upon the verse as a promise of finding Mr. Right. Now, I saw it differently: a promise of restoration of self-worth. That final giving up of any sliver of “I hope for him this year” was hard. But the peace was immense. 

After having made that momentous decision, I pulled out my Bible to catch up on reading my daily Psalms. And as I read, the verses just kept jumping out at me… speaking straight to me. 

“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.” Ps. 130:5-6

“Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother:” Ps. 131:1-2

And then—

“The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me:” Ps. 138:8

Such hope in those words! 

Then I read Psalm 139 and God started to answer my prayer. 

“O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether.” 

And I wanted someone who was always there to hear me and know all about me! 

“Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me.” 

God-given spiritual hugs? Even better than the physical love I craved. 

“Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?If I ascend up into heaven, Thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, Thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Thy hand lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me.” 

Like, God is literally everywhere with me. In a way no human can. 

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me;’ even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.”

Even my depression and grief doesn’t chase Him away. Instead, He comes sit beside me in the darkness. 

“I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

To think I wanted validation from man about my worth! 

“How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with Thee.”

Then I cried. What more proof of God’s love did I need? Had He not just told me and showed me plainly how much He loved me? 

And as if that chapter of love wasn’t enough, more verses flew out at me while I read on. 

“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto Thee, O Lord: I said, ‘Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.’” Ps. 142:5

“Whom have I in heaven but Thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Ps. 73:25-26

What a powerful reminder that I don’t need someone on my right hand all the time. He is my refuge. And He is my portion—the most important thing I have.

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him.” Ps. 145:15-16, 19

“No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee.” Ps. 84:11-12

Talk about words of hope!

These words don’t confirm God will give me what right now I desire. But they confirm that He will not keep from me ANY GOOD THING. He will not leave me unsatisfied. The closer I get to Him, the more He will realign my desires. The ones He answers may not be the ones I have now. But whatever they are, they will be satisfactory. And whatever I don’t have, WASN’T A GOOD THING FOR ME. 

Does it mean right now I don’t still hope someday marriage is in the plans for me? No. But I do know this: 

“Yes—the Lord could grant her the dreams of her heart—or He could grant her far better. She would wait on Him. He would provide for her family—He would give her life purpose—all in His time.” 

The Tussie-Mussie, chapter 9

Katja H. Labonté is a Christian, an extreme bibliophile who devours over 365 books in a year, and an exuberant writer with a talent for starting short stories that explode into book series. She is a bilingual French-Canadian and has about a dozen topics she’s excessively passionate about (hint: that’s why she writes). She spends her days enjoying little things, growing in faith, learning life, and loving people. You can follow her life journey, find free books, browse her services, and more on her website and blog littleblossomsforjesus.wordpress.com.

Hi folks! Erika here. My novella Fear Not Tomorrows is being published in Wild Blue Wonder Press’s collection Springtime in Surrey along with novellas by seven other authors. (You can preorder the book here or join the blog tour here.) Rachel’s story The Odd Duck Society is one of them, and I’ve been honored to work with her on this collection over the past several months. Today she’s sharing some thoughts on rest with us!

I’m Rachel Leitch, and I’m so honored to chat with you on Erika’s blog! I’m the author of The Odd Duck Society in Springtime in Surrey. Whether it’s in The Odd Duck Society, one of my young adult historicals, or a blog post, I love talking about self-love. The good kind—resting and content in who God created you to be physically, emotionally, and mentally.  

At this point in my life, I balance writing (which will eventually be my full-time career) and working as an elementary school paraprofessional. A couple months ago, a kindergarten classroom taught me something important about that kind of rest. 

One of the interesting things about that job is getting to see how different teachers manage different situations. It’s neat to watch how their unique personalities influence the simplest of things.

Like morning meetings, where all the students gather on the rug and have a little chat first thing.

Some teachers use it to update kids on what’s going on during the day or the week. Some use it as a chance for students to share about their previous week or evening. Some use it as a teaching opportunity to work on behavioral concerns.

And the kindergarten teacher I work with uses it to teach students about mental health.

Every morning, she asks her students to give her a thumbs-up, thumbs-in-the-middle, or thumbs-down to show how they’re feeling that morning. Then they may say one thing they want to say.

When a student gives her a thumbs-down, she doesn’t freak out or demand to know why they feel that way. She simply asks them if they’d like to share why.

Sometimes they do. Other times they don’t say anything at all. And other times they say something completely unrelated.

Their teacher doesn’t push for answers that may not be there. She just lets them share how they feel and listens carefully.

Many mornings, I wish I had a spot on the rug. That someone could ask me how I’m doing, and I wouldn’t automatically jump to the “I’m good” reaction. That I could say I’m not having a good day and not feel as if I have to give the three-hour explanation as to why. But on the other hand, I wish I could honestly say what’s on my mind.

But when I thought about it a little bit more, I realized it’s not that people don’t ask. It’s that I don’t answer. 

Do you ever feel the same way?

Rest in this: it’s okay to not be okay.

It’s okay to give a thumbs-down. Everybody has bad days and it’s time we came out and said it.

In Marissa Meyer’s Alice in Wonderland inspired novel Heartless, the Raven says, “To be all right implies an impossible phase. We hope for mostly right on the best of our days.”

We’ve got this idea that if we’re all right all the time, we’re somehow stronger than the rest. We’ve got this idea that stronger automatically means better. 

We forget so quickly that Jesus didn’t come to save those who were perfectly find and had it all together. He came to save the ones who were lost, who were sick, who were not okay. 

We forget so quickly that God told us outright that we will have trouble, but that in our weakness, He makes us strong. 

I love Marissa Meyer’s quote, because it points out that even the people we think have it all together are really just mostly right, even on their best days. And it’s a reminder that even on our best days, there’s something far better coming. 

We’re living in the beginning of our eternity right now, and what we have coming is going to far outweigh the sorrows we feel now. To be frank, I don’t understand how that will happen, because the now hurts a lot. But I think I can believe it will. 

Author Nicki Koziarz adds, “It’s okay to not be okay, but it’s not okay to never be okay.”

To say that you’re having a bad day, or to allow your friend to tell you they’re having a bad day, isn’t saying that life is all bad or that it always will be. You can’t help a sick person unless they tell you their symptoms. You can’t begin turning a bad day into a little bit better one unless you admit that things are not okay.

Rest in this: It’s okay to not have the reason why.

Some days you just don’t feel good. Other days you know exactly why you don’t feel good, but you wish you didn’t have that reason.

I am very much an internal processor. When something stressful happens, it might take me hours or even days to be able to put into words what I’m feeling.

So often when people know something upsetting has happened and they ask me, all I know is I’m not okay.

In one of those times, a coworker simply gave me a hug when we met at recess. I say simply, as if it were something small. It wasn’t. “Are you okay?” she asked.

She does this every day, so I didn’t see anything different about it. I didn’t realize she was aware of the situation, so I simply said, “I’m good” in a fake cheerful way that I’ve perfected for just such an occasion.

“Really?” she asked.

Something clicked and I realized she knew. But I couldn’t answer her. I didn’t have the words to tell her what was going on, what I was feeling, that it felt like every emotion was colliding at once inside of me. But I felt like I needed to say something, that she expected some answer.

She said exactly what I needed to hear right then. “I don’t know the details. And I don’t need to know. But I’m here if you ever need anything.”

Her response reminded me that I don’t have to have it all figured out. Even when I don’t understand what I’m feeling, God knows perfectly and has had it all figured out from the very beginning. He knows how I got here and exactly how He’ll bring me out. He’s not confused at all. 

Rest in this: It’s okay to explain why. 

Venting is not complaining. While there is a very fine line between the two, there is a difference. 

Sometimes I need to get the words out to understand that they are only feelings. Sometimes you have to get the feelings out before you can see the facts and reconcile the two.

It’s okay to be sad something happened. It’s okay to be angry. It’s what we do with those feelings that defines it.

Earlier this week, a coworker I haven’t seen in a while subbed for a teacher on the playground. We work in different areas of the school, but do similar things, so she asked how I was doing.

I knew her and was comfortable enough with her to tell her that I wasn’t doing okay and to explain some of the stress I’d been under at work.

She didn’t have all the answers. But she listened and she made me feel safe to say that I wasn’t okay with what was going on.

When I experienced the first death in my extended family, someone told me God wasn’t afraid of my feelings. I struggle to remember that sometimes. It’s just so easy to think I have to submit a pretty, polished prayer. That I can’t have questions or hurts. That I can’t ever speak out of turn. 

Prayer is communication with God. And He already knows what you’re feeling and isn’t turned away at all. He is patient. 

So get the words and feelings out, even if they seem silly. Just getting them out is one of the best things you can do, and there is no safer person than Jesus. Lay them before Him and allow Him to help you make sense of them. 

Maybe that will happen quickly. Maybe it will take years. Maybe you’ll never know. 

Maybe today you can start by imagining that you’re sitting on that kindergarten rug. Everybody’s going around the circle sharing how they feel—you’re surrounded by people who love and care about you. Maybe it’s a thumbs up today. Maybe in the middle. Maybe it’s a thumbs down.

Maybe you’re the one that needs to admit you’re not okay. Maybe you’re the one who needs to be vulnerable.

Or maybe you’re the one who needs to listen. To not need all the details and to just be.

Any way it goes, you know you’re going to be listened to and loved.

Because the reason that it’s okay to not be okay is because God loves us. He loved us when we were sinners—when we were definitely not okay. He isn’t afraid of our mess or of anything that we feel or experience. He knows we’re not perfect and He’s preparing a place where everything will be entirely okay, entirely all right forever.

But for now, He listens carefully. He doesn’t push for answers that aren’t there. He doesn’t overreact or need to know all the details.

He just wants to love us.

Kind of like a kindergarten teacher.

I’m excited to explore this rest in my story The Odd Duck Society. I hope that this anthology will be a breath of fresh air, a sigh of relief for you. 

Rachel Leitch lives her own adventure in northern Indiana, with her parents, three sisters, two brothers, and a dog who thinks he’s the hero of her story. She writes young adult historicals with a dash of adventure or a spark of magic. When she’s not hidden away writing, she’s trying to fit all her reads on her shelf in a somewhat organized manner, obsessing over character arcs, drinking chai, daydreaming at the piano, or teaching students to be just as bookish as she is. In all her adventures, she learns how to shine brighter for the Father of Lights.

Happy 4th of July! I’m happy to be part of a sale going on today only with some other awesome authors. All the books are free or $0.99 today only. All these books are patriotic or summer-themed. Perfect for loading up your Kindle for a road trip, staycation, beach read, or by the pool.

I have four books in this sale, including Promise’s Prayer!

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I’ve personally read all but four of these, and I highly recommend them all:

Promise’s Prayer by Erika Mathews (kingdom fiction)

Across the Land I Love by Sarah Holman (Contemporary)

Cookies by Rebekah A. Morris (Historical)

England Adventure by Kelsey Bryant (Contemporary)

Enjoy the Poodle Skirt by Kate Willis (Contemporary)

Gather ‘Round the Fables by Erika Mathews (Short fable retelling collection)

A Good Summer by Rebekah A. Morris (Contemporary)

Honor All Men by Rebekah A. Morris (Contemporary)

Lessons from Liberty by Rebekah A. Morris (Contemporary)

Mystery at Random by Rebekah A. Morris (Contemporary/Mystery)

Oh, The Fallen by Abigail Kay Harris (Contemporary)

Overrun By Your Love by Erika Mathews (Inspirational poetry including 2 patriotic poems)

Prairie Independence Day by Kelsey Bryant (Contemporary)

Summer Light by Rebekah A. Morris (Contemporary)

The Treasure Hunt by Kate Willis (Contemporary)

Treasures from Taerna by Erika Mathews (Kingdom Fiction)

Waltz into the Waves by Sarah Holman (Kingdom Fantasy/Non-Magical Fantasy/Fairytale)

Wherever He Leads by Rebekah A. Morris (Contemporary)

I hope you found some awesome treasures among these. Happy 4th of July!

I have some sales and a big giveaway happening right now!

1. Victory’s Voice is 50% off this week! Go grab it! This works well as a standalone read. It highlights the power of spoken words in the spiritual realm in a gripping family friendly story that deals with spiritual warfare and true victory.
2. If you haven’t started the series yet, Promise’s Prayer is FREE TODAY only.
3. And Resting Life is 50% off also!
4. This week I’ve teamed up with other indie authors of stories with teen girls to give you a BOOKISH BASKET! Enter here.

Please grab the books, enter the giveaway, and share, share, share!

The past two years, my family has participated in the Spring100 Challenge. Over the three months of springtime, we all walked 100 miles together.

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We were looking forward to participating again this year, but the challenge organizers decided to take a break for 2023.

But my online walking accountability group I created in 2022 wanted to walk 100 miles this spring again anyway!

So I’m hosting my own unofficial 100 Miles in Spring challenge! We’re again attempting to walk 100 miles from March 20-June 20.

If you’d like to join us, the signup form is currently open! It’s all online, free, and hosted on Slack, an easy and free platform. There’s also an optional meditation challenge where we’ll be meditating on John 13-17 over the three months of walking.

More information and signup is here.

Let me know if you have any questions! I hope you’ll join us!

Two big pieces of news for you today:

1. It’s Taerna’s birthday! Promise’s Prayer turns 6 and Victory’s Voice turns 2 on March 18. Memory’s Mind and Romance’s Rest also have their first within a month of now – not to mention Resting Life turns 3 on March 20! 
   
   So I’m celebrating with:
   
   – A SALE. Get the whole series for under $9! (Regularly $23!) These prices are only good March 1-8, so don’t wait. Most of the books are just 99 cents apiece. (Years of work are poured into these books. This sale is totally a steal for you. I’m not making any profit off of these. But I am passionate about getting these books and the messages in them out to people to encourage people in their walk with God.) And just for fun, most of my other books are 99 cents as well.
   – FREE BOOKS. Promise’s Prayer is FREE for a few days only. And Treasures from Taerna, my short story collection, is also free here.
   – FUN EXTRAS. Did you know that there are maps of Taerna? Or that Taerna has detailed Pinterest boards with character images, gorgeous landscape photos, and inspirational series-related quotes? Or that you can find out your Taerna title or which Taerna character you are? and more? It’s all here!
   – A BRAND NEW RELEASE! See below…

SHOP SALES ~ Get Promise’s Prayer FREE ~ Get Treasures from Taerna FREE ~ Browse Behind-the-Scenes Extras

2. Everything is published! Before you scratch your head, I will quickly explain that Everything is the title of a story collection – a collection with 21 stories all on the theme “everything.” I edited, formatted, and published this collection with stories from me and from twenty-one other female Christian authors. 

This collection weaves tales both historical and contemporary in a variety of imaginative settings. Everything features lovable characters: a homeless orphan, a reminiscing mother, an agent juggling fatherhood, a wary teenager and his dog, a terrified housebound woman, and a pair of Sherlock Holmes-obsessed orphan twins on a mission. Learn the spiritual lessons of an old car, a mission trip tragedy, a lonely grandmother’s box of Christmas ornaments, and a graphic designer’s work worries. Smile and weep with a wife bereaved by war, a taxi driver and his ministry, a sweet child with a terminal diagnosis, and chronic illness warrior who learns to bless others.

Catch the vision of hope in everything captured in two inspiring poems. Rejoice with a faithful, trusting relative with an uncertain future, sympathize with a health-challenged gardener-wannabe, cry with a family separated by war, and decide who struggles more with birthday party planning: two loyal pixies or a young mother and her mischievous dog.

Warmth, hope, and encouragement pervade the pages, echoing the theme of “everything” from a refreshing plethora of angles equally insightful and entertaining, spiritually profound, and eternally valuable.

GET IT HERE or Add it to Goodreads

Or check out Anything (Book 1) here.

Also, today is the release day for a book by some author friends of mine… 

A VERY BOOKISH EASTER

It’s four stories by four authors. Each story is based on/themed around a classic novel: Heidi, A Christmas Carol, The Secret Garden, Romeo and Juliet. Each story is resurrection themed. 

Check it out here.

If you like reading clean books, don’t miss the Sale of the Year. Every book of mine is either 99 cents or free. That includes 3 of my anthologies! Go here to browse and buy them.

If you’ve been wanting to start my series, Promise’s Prayer is free! And the rest of the books are the lowest they’ve ever been!

All free or 99 cents

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• Resting Life (inspirational nonfiction)
• Truth from Taerna series (Promise’s Prayer, Victory’s Voice, Surrender’s Strength, Sustainer’s Smile, Memory’s Mind, Romance’s Rest – realistic clean kingdom fiction novels)
• NEW! Treasures from Taerna, a Taerna short story collection. FREE here.
• Overrun By Your Love (inspirational poetry collection)
• FREE! Gather ‘Round the Fables (whimsical fables retold in the style of KJV, politically correct, and narrative poetry)
• Happiness Below (historical fiction short story)
• Anything (KDWC short story collection)
• Hope (KDWC short story collection)
• A Homewood Christmas (six stories set in one town over 150 years; historical and contemporary fiction)

But that’s not all! Go browse 600 other 99 cent and free clean books here!

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If 600 books is too many to sort through, here are a few books from that sale I’ve loved (besides my own, of course), sorted by genre:

Christmas

Glad Tidings by Angie Thompson: 25 short stories for Christmas! Besides A Homewood Christmas, this is my favorite Christmas collection (and this might even top Homewood)!

Molly and Anna by Sarah Holman: a cute story themed around Christmas and Pollyanna

Red Boots by Kate Willis: touching short Christmas story

Saving Miss Christmas by Rebekah Morris: a fun small-town Christmas story

Sincerely, Jem by Kate Willis: a secret penpal at Christmastime

Contemporary

Bridgers by Angie Thompson: a powerful parable retelling

Coffee Cake Days by Amanda Tero: great, relatable story with an excellent lesson – and it’s free!

Enjoy the Poodle Skirt by Kate Willis: a fun contemporary story with a mystery

Fanny’s Hope Chest by Sarah Holman: excellent story on contentment and ministry!

Fellowship of Light series by Chelsea Burden: I edited this one and it’s all about community and love and unity and growing and learning and it has such excellent characters and lessons!

Six Cousins series by Kelsey Bryant: such fun cousin stories with excellent spiritual lessons along the way

Wedding Score by Amanda Tero: excellent book for single ladies, but great for all ages!

Fantasy (non-fantasy readers, don’t skip this category. There a lot of non-fantasy kingdom adventure books hiding among the traditional fantasy here)

Tales of Ambia by Alison Tebo: I’ve only read the first one, but it’s whimsical, light, fun, and full of amazing characters and fun plots

Ilyon Chronicles series by Jaye L. Knight: excellent clean non-magical fantasy. Adventures, deep characters, good spiritual message. Bonus: the last book in the series is coming out NEXT YEAR (I’m currently beta reading it!). If you want to catch up before it comes out, this is the lowest price the series has EVER been!

The Blades of Acktar series by Tricia Mingerink: non-magical fantasy without any fantasy elements. A powerful epic story.

The Rizkaland Legends series by Kendra E. Ardnek: fun and colorful yet deep, thought provoking tales.

Historical Fiction

As the Heavens are Higher by Courtenay Burden: I haven’t read this one yet but I can’t wait to! I’ve loved all Courtenay’s other works that I’ve read! Such a gorgeous vintage Christian writing style!

Hymns in the Hills by Rebekah Morris: a historical tale of a young girl

Librarians of Willow Hollow series: fascinating tales of horseback librarians in a historical town

Never by J. Grace Pennington: high stakes, drama, edge-of-your-seat historical Western with a message that stays with you

The Chronicles of Alice and Ivy by Kellyn Roth: such well-written historical stories. I haven’t read them all, but I’ve enjoyed what I have read so far.

Mystery

AKA Simon Lee series by P.D. Atkerson: if you like mystery and high stakes secret spy adventures, you’ll LOVE this series.

Kate’s Case Files series by Sarah Holman: Biblical morals meet detective stories

The Accidental Cases of Emily Abbot series: This series is AMAZING. If you only get one series (besides mine of course ;)), get this one. Fun, funny, great characters, excellent plot, clean, good message… this mystery series is just an enjoyable experience you’ll want to keep revisiting.

The Mrs. Meade Mysteries by Elisabeth Grace Foley: I read the first one and loved it so much I want the rest now!

Romance (sorry, I don’t read a whole lot in this category!)

Kiera: a futuristic story with so much faith throughout the tense and exciting happenings

Sci-Fi

The Firmament series by J. Grace Pennington: Even though I don’t read much sci-fi, this series was pretty amazing. Clean, exciting, with Biblical approaches to tough questions.

One in a Galaxy by Angie Thompson: This book is incredible! It’s a beautiful story with wonderful characters. So well-written and well-told.

Non-fiction

There Was Always Laughter in Our House by Sarah Holman: a fun, true story

Enjoy reading!

• 

Hi everyone! Welcome to October at Resting Life! I have something very special to introduce to you today.

It’s a brand new story of mine! And not only mine, but connected stories from five other authors as well!

Also, it released this week, so you can pick it up today. I definitely want to add it to my Christmas book collection!

A Homewood Christmas

By Courtenay Burden, Erika Mathews, Hannah Gridley, Angie Thompson, Rebekah A. Morris and Hannah Foster

Come home to a small-town Christmas through the ages…

The close-knit community of Homewood, Minnesota might not even be a dot on most maps. But from its earliest settlement to the present day, a warm Christmas welcome and a shining Moravian star have been its hallmarks of the holiday.

Step into the bustle of preparations as a young orphan travels an unexpected path to the Christmas he’s longed for and a boisterous flock of cousins learns the eternal secrets of the Christmas fruit bowl. Follow a wintery road with a widowed mother in the shadow of war and a generous aunt trying her best for her family as they search for a place where they truly belong. Slip into the fire glow next to a lonely stranger with a terrible secret and a hometown girl trying to escape past hurts, and watch Christmas light and love warm even the coldest places.

With so many ways to celebrate the season, one reason undergirds them all—and the Christmas stars of Homewood never tire of telling His story!

This collection of six Christmas novellas is presented to you by the Aunties of the King’s Daughters Writing Camp. We’ve been working for almost a year to put together a volume of Christmas stories set against the backdrop of a nostalgic Minnesota town—and scattered across history from the mid-1800s to the 21^st century.

This week, all of us are excited to be sharing our finished collection with all of you!

The Collection at a Glance

Title: A Homewood Christmas

Authors: Courtenay Burden, Erika Mathews, Hannah Gridley, Angie Thompson, Rebekah A. Morris, Hannah Foster

Genre: Clean Christmas Fiction

Theme: Hometown Christmases with Strong Christian Messages

Page Count: 482

Launch Date: October 24, 2022

Buy it from your favorite retailer: https://books2read.com/u/47g1wg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61530387-a-homewood-christmas

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJV41DM3/

All the Details

A Homewood Christmas is more than just a collection of Christmas tales. It’s also a holiday treasure hunt that will keep you making surprise connections all the way through. Keep your eyes open for recurring characters, locations, and of course, the special Christmas star that pops up in every story!

Star of Bethlehem (Courtenay Burden): As ten-year-old Earnest tries to help his new aunt fit in to the family during the Christmas of 1843, he learns valuable lessons about fitting in himself as he ponders the fact that Bethlehem had no room for his Savior.

The Christmas Fruit Bowl (Erika Mathews – that’s me!): During Christmas 1900, it seems nothing can redeem the holiday for Auntie Beth’s nine nieces and nephew—except perhaps a treasured heirloom that holds eternal lessons about the true Christmas fruit of the spirit.

Room in the Manger? (Hannah Gridley): During World War II, a widowed mother in the big city takes her young children home for Christmas so they can experience a real family Christmas in Homewood, but will they find room in the busy little town?

Home Forever (Angie Thompson): Just before Christmas of 1955, a big-city visitor offers Magda the perfect present for her family—or is it truly what they want after all?

He is Still Emmanuel (Rebekah A. Morris): Aunt Peggy befriends a troubled young woman during the Christmas season of 1985, but can she show her that, no matter what, Jesus is still Emmanuel?

An Auntie for Christmas (Hannah Foster): All seven-year-old Lora wants for Christmas 2013 is for Auntie Jaz to come home–but can old hurts be mended in time for the holiday?

Meet the Authors

All six of the authors who collaborated on A Homewood Christmas are part of the Aunties Team at the King’s Daughters Writing Camp (www.kingsdaughterswritingcamp.com). Here’s a little personal introduction to each of us:

Courtenay Burden is a homeschool graduate, Victorian fanatic, and author of historical fiction. She loves working with yarn, devouring history, playing the occasional game of chess, and discovering new ways to cook the humble potato. She is passionate about good and great literature—writing that embodies both literary and spiritual excellence for the glory of Christ.

Connect with Courtenay: sawpublishing.com

Erika Mathews writes Christian living books, both fiction and non-fiction, that demonstrate the power of God in ordinary people, transforming daily life into His resting life. The author of the kingdom adventure fiction series Truth from Taerna, she’s passionate about encouraging others to intimately know Jesus. She enjoys playing with her children, editing, anything outdoors, being organized, autumn, apple crisp, and sunrises.

Connect with Erika: restinglife.com

Hannah Gridley is a church employee, a music teacher, and a historical fiction author from Arkansas. She loves gardening, online team games, English, and hot tea. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her outdoors in the garden or hiking, reading, or trying to grow something exotic.

Connect with Hannah:  goodreads.com/user/show/17442587-hannah or on Truth Social as @BookwormHannahGardens

An avid reader and incurable story-spinner, Angie Thompson also enjoys volunteering in her church’s children’s program and starting (but not always finishing) various kinds of craft projects. She currently lives in central Virginia near most of her incredible family, including two parents, six brothers, one sister, and five siblings-in-law—plus four nieces, six nephews, and several assorted pets!

Connect with Angie: quietwaterspress.com

Rebekah A. Morris is a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author, and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm, and her bestselling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn’t writing, include reading and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. The Show-Me state is where she calls home.

Connect with Rebekah: readanotherpage.com/blog

Hannah Foster was born and raised in North Carolina where she was homeschooled with her eight siblings. She attended college in Minnesota where she got her bachelor’s degree in literature, learned to survive temperatures of below zero, and became Mrs. Foster. Hannah loves writing small-town Christian romance with spunky, sassy women and strong, protective men. And if you started running as soon as you saw she writes romance, then she hopes you’ll come back and give it a chance. She writes for the ones who think they hate romance because romance as designed by God is good, beautiful, and right. So if you love small towns, families that love, gentle romance, delightful characters, and an imperfect church serving a perfect God, then you’ve come to the right place. If you don’t find Hannah reading or writing a book, you might find her watercolor painting, playing tennis with her husband, or making coffee at a small-town cafe.

Connect with Hannah: hannahfosterwrites.wordpress.com

Hope you enjoy A Homewood Christmas this season! Don’t forget to pick up your copy today.