Blog

How Books Fix Everything

Do Books Fix Everything?

My approach to processing life is books.
God’s teaching me a lesson? Write a book.
Difficult trauma in the world? Put it into a plot.
It’s Christmas? Chances are I’ll give you a book.
Need an escape? Pick up a book.
See an issue in the world that needs fixing? Fix it in the world of the book.
Wish autumn were longer? It is in my book. 

Today is the National Day of Remembrance of Aborted Babies. 

So today I’ve put my pro-life ebook on sale for 50% off. This weekend, grab it for only $1.99

Today I’m also announcing the Honor Life challenge for Instagram and blogs. During the month of October, follow the prompts in the image below and share a post, photo, quote, book, or caption that somehow relates to one of the prompts. If you have a blog or social media account, please join! I have a full, fun launch month planned for Sustainer’s Smile, so stay tuned.

Overrun By Your Love is also on sale today. If you might enjoy an inspirational poetry collection with a mix of fun and serious poems, pick it up today

How do you tend to process life? Is it through books?

Pro-Life Blog/Media Tour

In honor of Respect Life Month in October, Ryana Lynn and I are co-releasing our pro-life novels Sustainer’s Smile and To Save a Life! We are organizing a blog tour to scatter pro-life posts around the internet that month – and we’re aiming for 64 bloggers/social media people to commemorate the 64 million unborn lives lost since Roe v. Wade. If you have a blog or social media account (or even an email newsletter!) or otherwise want to help, please join the Official List here for more information. And please help by spreading the word! 


Glad Tidings Book Release

Maybe you haven’t been thinking about Christmas recently. After all, Christmas isn’t for five more months.

But it’s never the wrong time of year to read a Christmas story–whether from the Bible or from another book.

Angie Thompson, a talented author of multi-genre Christian books, has a brand new Christmas collection out this week: that’s right, twenty-five brand new Christmas stories. I had the privilege of reading them as she was writing them last December, and wow. I was blown away. Every one of them is so good. Every one has so much heart, such true-to-life characters. Every one of them touches emotions. Every one of them points the reader to Jesus and encourages, challenges, or inspires me in my walk with Him. Angie has a unique talent of capturing message, characters, emotions, plot, and setting all in a very few words: just enough to paint a vivid picture without over-explaining. Her style is a delight to read.

And, combined with the theme of Christmas, what more could you want? Run and pick up her new book now to enjoy in the heat of summer, or to have ready for next Advent season.

Book Info

Twenty-five short reads inspired by themes from the Christmas story

Celebrate the true spirit of the season with this collection of five-minute holiday stories. Perfect to pair with your morning coffee or binge-read while curled up with a favorite blanket on a snowy afternoon!

From a stately mansion to a rough barn, from a cheerful fireside to a lonely mountain road, from a chaotic church pageant to the grim aftermath of war, no heart is without its burden. But no trouble is too deep to be touched by the light of love and the warmth of Christmas.

Find the book on Goodreads

Find the book on Amazon

About the Author

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!

Get a FREE short story when you sign up for her author newsletter!

Find Angie on:

Goodreads

Website

Amazon

Newsletter

Visit the rest of the blog tour:

19th: 

Tara | Tower in the Plains

Becky Dempsey | Blossoms and Blessings

Chelsea Burden | Sheep Among Wolves Publishing

Abby Elissa | Abby Elissa’s Writings

20th:

Kelly Barr | Kelly F Barr

Rebekah Morris | Read Another Page

21st:

Abigail Kay Harris | Read Review Rejoice

Rachel Rossano | Rachel Rossano

22nd:

Erika Mathews | Resting Life

Brianna Harpel | Spread the Spark

23rd:

Ebos Aifuobhokhan | Batya’s Bits 

Natalie Claire | Kenmore Pines

Katja | Old-Fashioned Book Love

24th:

Emily Harris | E.J.’s Journal

Kylie Hunt – The Film Director’s Wife

25th:

Ryana Lynn | Life of Heritage Corner

Sustainer’s Smile Cover Reveal

Quick Links: Preorder EBOOK * PreorderSIGNED PAPERBACK * Join the pro-life blog tour

Sustainer’s Smile (Truth from Taerna #4) by Erika Mathews is now available for preorder in EBOOK and SIGNED PAPERBACK! It will be released on October 21, 2021!

Sustainer’s Smile is a kingdom adventure pro-life novel. It’s clean and Christian. And it’s my favorite book I’ve ever written. It addresses topics near to my heart, and the characters! I can’t wait for you to read it.

Also, I LOVE the cover…!

This launch will hold an exciting opportunity! In honor of Respect Life Month in October, Ryana Lynn and I are co-releasing our pro-life novels Sustainer’s Smile and To Save a Life! We are organizing a blog tour to scatter pro-life posts around the internet that month – and we’re aiming for 64 bloggers to commemorate the 64 million unborn lives lost since Roe v. Wade. If you have a blog or otherwise want to help, please join the Official List here for more information. And please help by spreading the word!

ABOUT THE BOOK

A helpless newborn . . . that’s exactly how twenty-four-year-old Liliora Ellith feels in her efforts to speak up on behalf of the youngest members of Taerna’s pleasure-driven society. Her tender heart for the defenseless and deep aversion to conflict throw Liliora’s soul into turmoil when tragedy opens her eyes to the quiet yet heartrending war on Taerna’s babies—both born and unborn. Adon Olam’s word coupled with a secret in her own past fuel her determination, but the challenges ahead of her threaten to send her spiraling into hopeless depression. At the very end of herself, can her own utter insufficiency be anything less than the catalyst for complete disaster?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erika Mathews (square) - Copy-min

Erika Mathews writes Christian living books, both fiction and non-fiction, that demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God through ordinary people, transforming daily life into His resting life. She’s a homeschool graduate with a Bachelor’s in Communications, a Master’s in Biblical Ministries, and a passion for sharing Jesus Christ and His truth. Outside of writing, she spends time with her husband Josh, mothers her little ones, reads, edits, enjoys the great Minnesota outdoors, plays piano and violin, makes heroic ventures into minimalism, clean eating, and gardening, and uses the Oxford comma. You can connect with Erika at restinglife.com.

NOW FOR THE REVEAL!

ISN’T IT GORGEOUS?

I love all the greens that symbolize LIFE! I love the moods indicated on this cover. And I love the little details that complete this cover! What do YOU think of it? Let me know in the comments!

Design credit goes to Megan Mccullough.

If you haven’t discovered the world of Taerna yet, you can start with Promise’s Prayer.

Thank you so much for attending this reveal party. Watch Erika’s Instagram this month for celebrations, or hop over to restinglife.com/signup for all the updates plus a free short story. And don’t forget to preorder the EBOOK and SIGNED PAPERBACK!

 May the blessings of the Lord be upon you today!

Surrender’s Strength is Here!

IT’S RELEASE DAY! My new novel Surrender’s Strength (Truth from Taerna #3), a new Christian kingdom adventure novel by Erika Mathews, is now available! You can pick up the paperback and ebook on Amazon here

JOIN THE FUN

  • Click here to read the first chapter for free!
  • Buy the paperback or ebook here.
  • Join the Bookstagram challenge on Instagram, or catch up on past posts.
  • Read other release posts {scroll down for the list}.
  • Join the cover reveal for Sustainer’s Smile (Truth from Taerna #4) on July 21 – and be the first to see the cover!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Her only ambition is keeping her old familiar identity. 

But she isn’t given that choice.

Ever since her mother’s death, all Laelara wants is to keep doing what she’s good at: managing the household. She definitely isn’t interested in higher education. When she’s sent to the city to further her schooling, Laelara finds herself caught up in a case of mistaken identity that seems like the perfect opportunity to avoid the despised Academy. Amid the whirlwind of new friends, new jobs, and the glitzy social life of the Palace District—particularly the trivia contests—her double life becomes more and more precarious. For the first time in her twenty years, everything spirals out of her careful control: her family’s security, her job, her friendships, and her very identity. With her lifelong purpose and identity stripped away, to what will Laelara surrender, and where will she find the strength to persevere?

Find it on Amazon!

Add to Goodreads

I’m thrilled to release this book. Laelara’s story of surrender, control, and identity is a needed tale, and I can’t wait to see how God touches lives through her story.

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

Madi’s Musings: character spotlight on Ellrick, author interview, and book excerpt
Read Review Rejoice: book excerpt
Old Fashioned Book Love: book review

If you haven’t started the journey into Taerna yet, grab Promise’s Prayer!


Surrender’s Strength Chapter 1

now on Amazon

“Ellisia writes highly of the quality of her education at Academy,” Kelton mentioned at dinner, reaching for another sprouted biscuit and slathering butter inside.

Laelara’s chin lifted. “Of course,” she snapped, laying down her spoon in preparation for the discussion she knew must follow. “She always has her nose buried in a book. She’d love any place that let her read, but especially one with a ridiculously massive BookHall like I hear Academy boasts of. What do you expect?” She tilted her head still higher, ignoring how Kethin set down his cup and Liliora eyed Father.

“An awfully good opportunity for her, I’m thinking,” Kelton stated calmly, methodically setting the top squarely on his biscuit. “For anyone. There’s nothing of the sort anywhere near Frydael. Academy is the only place for an education, and so many people nowadays don’t care to educate themselves at all. But anyone who does can get any job they want.”

“If you want a job, you can find one no matter what.” Laelara emptied her mug into her throat. The sweet­ness of the acai juice was almost overpowering today. She’d have to tone it down a bit more tomorrow. She frowned at the brownish mix still in the pitcher. 

“Still, educated people take priority. They can have literally any job they want,” Kelton pointed out. “Most people who do get educated only do it for the fun of being at the Academy. Ellisia’s serious about her studies, so she has a distinct advantage.”

“So?” Laelara asked. “Good for her.”

“I agree with Kelton,” Father spoke up from the head of the table.

Laelara scowled. If Father cared enough about the issue to speak his agreement, he must be serious. What did he have up his sleeve? She scraped her spoon against her empty bowl, refusing to look at him.

“I’d like to further my learning,” Liliora put in from her end of the table, “but Amadel Academy sounds like a place to get only a biased education.”

“The atmosphere, perhaps,” Kelton agreed, “but Ellisia says many of the classes are pretty good. And you certainly couldn’t get that quality of education in many other places.”

“Other schools weren’t able to support their over­head costs due to a declining student body, Draewyn says,” Father muttered.

“So?” Laelara repeated. “We’re farmers. We make our own living. And we could get jobs anywhere. What do people like us need an education for?”

“Maybe we want one, Lae.” Kelton leaned back in his chair. “Maybe we don’t want to be farmers forever.”

“Why is that so important to you?” she challenged, looking him right in the eyes. “We’ve always been farm­ers. We’re happy here.” 

His gaze escaped, seeking the edge of the table. His hand clasped his napkin, and he unconsciously squeezed it tightly. She waited, but he said nothing.

She shrugged and turned back to the others. “Trivia this afternoon. I’m going. Anyone care to join me?”

As usual, silence met her request. “Very well. I’ll go alone again.” 

The house had been too quiet since Kaelan had married and moved out. The boys—Kelton and Kethin—weren’t the most talkative, and neither was Liliora. Father hadn’t participated much in conversations since Mother had died nine years ago. Kaelan had been the most con­ver­sational of all her family members. Unlike the rest, he’d accompanied her to the trivia contests once in a while.

Father pushed back his chair with a loud scrape, stood, and beckoned to her. “I’d like to speak to you.” 

She wrinkled her nose, sighed, and followed him to the bedroom. There was no way she was going to like what he had to say, right? 

Laelara shut the door behind her and turned to face him. “This is about this school thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Father’s gray eyes searched hers a bit uncom­forta­bly. “It’s time, Laelara.”

“Why now?” She steepled her fingers and stared at him, her eyes unblinking.

“Liliora’s thirteen now. The boys are doing fine on their own. You can’t use them as your excuse any longer.” He paused. “And you aren’t getting any younger. The time is now. If ever.”

“I’d rather never,” she muttered, crossing her arms.

“You know I can’t condone that,” he returned. “We need further income. We can’t live solely on the farm work anymore. It would be very helpful if you could get a good job that—that brings in decent income. You can’t get that without schooling.”

“And so…?”

“I heard that the life skills study lines are scholar­shipped this term. Incentive. Too few students taking those lines. It’s a perfect time for you. Free academy would help us. And they’ll feed you for the year. That doesn’t hurt matters.”

“Why can’t the boys do it instead?”

“I need Kelton and Kethin on the farm right now. You know that.” Father sat down heavily on the bed. “Someday I hope they will have better jobs too. But it’s your turn now.”

“What if I don’t even live here after Academy? You wouldn’t benefit anyway.” She longed to sink into the bedroom chair, but something about that would feel like giving up. She needed the advantage of her height, even though it wasn’t more than average.

“I want this for you, Laelara,” Father replied wearily. “You need a better life. Even if you marry, there just aren’t men with good jobs anymore. I want your wellbeing.”

She sighed. “Can’t I just plan my own life? I hate school. It seems like such a waste. I could be doing some­thing prac­ti­cal. A new garden plot. Knitting winter hats for the chil­dren. Reducing kitchen waste.”

He didn’t answer at first. Then quiet words came. “Your mother wanted this.”

Laelara’s next words died on her lips. Any reminders of her mother always silenced her. She didn’t want to ar­gue with her father, but she wasn’t going to Academy if she could possibly help it. The very thought sickened her. School! Reading! Books! Wasting time listening to some professor drone on and on about entirely impractical sub­jects! Why her mother had wanted her to get an educa­tion was a mystery. It wasn’t as if she didn’t have plenty of other talents that she could use to make money to support herself. And with all the housework she did, she certainly contributed her fair share to the family’s support. Academy was unnecessary. 

Besides, Father himself hadn’t had much education; he’d gained a position as ackerman, working with oxen, and then married Mother. Laelara wasn’t planning to marry any time soon—plenty of time for that later on in her life—but she didn’t want to waste these days in a stuffy schoolroom. She wanted to be doing something that mattered. 

“Laelara, please.” Father was speaking again. “Do it for her. Do it for me.” 

She sighed. Much as she detested the idea, it wasn’t worth arguing with her mother’s wishes. “Fine.” She squared her shoulders and turned toward the window overlooking the vast farm fields. “If I must. But you know how much I’ll hate it.”

“Laelara.” Her father’s hand rested on her shoulder. “It’s only a few years. You’re young. You have your whole life ahead of you. I do want you to live the best life that you can—the one that Adon Olam wants you to live. I truly hope—” His words stumbled. “I hope—I pray that you will find life at Academy to be more enjoyable than you expect. You’ve never truly given learning a chance, you know. It’s not all bad.”

“Father,” Laelara sighed. “You know what I think of that. But I’m willing to give it a try. For you. I’ll go to Syorien, at any rate. At least Ellisia is there, so I’ll know someone.” This last bit was added with a roll of her eyes. Kaelan’s sister-in-law wouldn’t add to her enjoyment of Academy one iota. While Laelara despised all things aca­demic, Ellisia doted on them. Books had been Ellisia’s life since childhood. Would she ever get her life together and accomplish something worthwhile instead of living in a story world? 

“I’m sure you’ll meet new friends,” Father reminded her. “There’s sure to be someone in Syorien that you’ll get along with.” 

“I’m not so sure, after Kaelan’s stories,” Laelara re­plied, inching towards the door and striding out. 

Halfway across the hall, she turned. “When do I have to go?” 

“Perhaps after harvest?” Father asked hesitantly. “You’d still be here to help with the extra harvest work, and then you could do the winter session at Academy.” 

Laelara shrugged. “Just as well.” She might as well get it over with. Wouldn’t the days and nights at Academy be tedious? Sighing again, she tried to picture what her life there might be like. She’d never listened much to Ellisia’s explanations of day-to-day Academy living when Ellisia was home on holiday. Perhaps Laelara would be able to fill most of her days with activities other than school. 

Half-smiling, she imagined smuggling a bit of knit­ting into class, completing her assigned work early…or attending the trivia contests at the Palace Theater! Now there was a thought. Contests at the PT, as the facility was termed even in Frydael, were sure to be far more exciting than those in her small town. Perhaps going to Syorien wouldn’t be all bad.

Humming under her breath, Laelara bounced up the stairs to the bedroom she shared with Liliora. Today’s trivia would be between the old Frydael champions Pelton and Jaems. She smiled into the cracked glass as she rebraided her hair. Surely Pelton would win. 

After a few final touches, she slipped on a cloak and made the brisk walk to the ShowHall alone. Even before she entered, the welcoming hum of voices inside warmed her soul. She’d be able to sit with the regulars tonight. 

Nodding and smiling at the faces she recognized, Laelara wiggled her way forward, headed for her usual front-and-center seat.

For the next few hours, she lost herself in the excite­ment of a trivia contest. The glittering colors, the tension of each question, the breathlessness of waiting for the answers—it was perfectly thrilling. Her cheers joined others as Pelton emerged victorious, and the celebratory party that followed proved just as exciting, especially when she got to shake Pelton’s hand towards its conclu­sion.

But as she walked home in the late afternoon shad­ows, her thoughts flew back to the lifestyle change that quickly approached. By winter, she wouldn’t be here for the contests. Pelton and Jaems wouldn’t be competing in Syorien. No doubt the PT wouldn’t host open compe­titions in which she could join as the Frydael ShowHall did from time to time. Even if it did, she wouldn’t have much of a chance of being able to participate among so many other people. But still…competition there would probably be better. Even though it could hardly get much more fun than tonight. To think that Jaems had stumbled at the question, “What do you call someone who shoes horses?” Laelara smiled. If she’d gotten that ques­tion, she’d have been well on her way to winning. 

Once home, Laelara pulled the door open, removed her hat and cloak, entered her own room, and threw herself across the bed, reaching for a dusty volume on the far shelf. She simply had to look up what one would use to bind the color pigments when making tempera paint. If only the question would have been forced to an answer instead being overridden with a substitute question—oh well, she was capable of research­ing the answer herself. Even if she hated books. At least the encyclopedia was indexed by subject.

Sunset colors streamed in the window by the time that Laelara finally looked up from her musings. The paragraph on tempera paint had been short, but it had provided her with an array of fascinating ideas regarding the art form. She’d have to try it the next time they got eggs—for “egg yolks,” apparently, was the answer to the question. She’d never known that one could make paint with simply egg yolks and coloring. Perhaps she could use the flat, white bark of the yer trees as paper. Then she could paint instructions or recipes or other useful infor­mation on them and sell them and…

Suddenly Liliora stood before her. “It’s suppertime.”

“Oh.” How was it so late already? Hadn’t she just gotten home? She hated wasting so much time. How had she done it again? With a weight in her heart, she followed her sister to the table. 

The stew was bland again. Liliora did the best that she could, but she lacked the experience of an older chef. Laelara wrinkled her nose but held her tongue. She shouldn’t complain; she hadn’t had to cook the meal. Even though she ought to have helped. 

On the other hand, Liliora ought to cook alone more often.

On second thought, maybe just when Laelara wasn’t there to eat it. 

Click here to continue reading.

You Can Buy Surrender’s Strength! (And See its Cover!)

Huge news! My next book Surrender’s Strength (Truth from Taerna #3) is now available for preorder in EBOOK and SIGNED PAPERBACK! It will release on July 19, 2021!

So, click one of those links and preorder it today, and it will automatically appear on your Kindle on July 19, no further steps needed. Or, if you order the paperback, you’ll be the first one to receive your signed copy the moment it’s ready.

Today, to celebrate, I’m revealing it’s gorgeous cover!

If you’re new here, Surrender’s Strength is the third book in a clean Christian kingdom adventure series. Truth from Taerna is a six-book series born from a heart to communicate the truths of God’s kingdom—the spiritual realm hidden from our physical senses—in an engaging story format. Each book focuses on an aspect of spiritual truth that today’s church often downplays. My desire is to demonstrate how the powerful, life-changing truths of God’s kingdom could play out in a fictional setting. My goal is that God will use this series to reveal His kingdom to you as the reader. 

Each book can be read as a standalone. Each book follows a sibling of the family as they learn and grow closer to Adon Olam (a Biblical Hebrew name for God). These books have no violence, no magic, no language, and minimal squeaky clean romance. 

So – you can start the series right here with Book Three! But if you’d like to start at the beginning while you wait for release day, click here.

And now, on to Surrender’s Strength!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Her only ambition is keeping her old familiar identity. 

But she isn’t given that choice.

Ever since her mother’s death, all Laelara wants is to keep doing what she’s good at: managing the household. She definitely isn’t interested in higher education. When she’s sent to the city to further her schooling, Laelara finds herself caught up in a case of mistaken identity that seems like the perfect opportunity to avoid the despised Academy. Amid the whirlwind of new friends, new jobs, and the glitzy social life of the Palace District—particularly the trivia contests—her double life becomes more and more precarious. For the first time in her twenty years, everything spirals out of her careful control: her family’s security, her job, her friendships, and her very identity. With her lifelong purpose and identity stripped away, to what will Laelara surrender, and where will she find the strength to persevere?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erika Mathews (square) - Copy-min

Erika Mathews writes Christian living books, both fiction and non-fiction, that demonstrate the power of the kingdom of God through ordinary people, transforming daily life into His resting life. She’s a homeschool graduate with a Bachelor’s in Communications, a Master’s in Biblical Ministries, and a passion for sharing Jesus Christ and His truth. Outside of writing, she spends time with her husband Josh, mothers her little ones, reads, edits, enjoys the great Minnesota outdoors, plays piano and violin, makes heroic ventures into minimalism, clean eating, and gardening, and uses the Oxford comma. You can connect with Erika at restinglife.com.

AND NOW! THE COVER!!!
ISN’T IT GORGEOUS?

Design credit goes to Megan Mccullough.
As you might guess, candles play a role in this story. And more of it happens in the city than the previous books. Furthermore, much of it happens in winter.

If you haven’t discovered the world of Taerna yet, you can start with Promise’s Prayer.

Thank you so much for attending this reveal party. Watch my Instagram this month for celebrations, or hop over to restinglife.com/signup for all the updates plus a free short story. And don’t forget to preorder the EBOOK and SIGNED PAPERBACK!

 May the blessings of the Lord be upon you today!

There’s a New Book on the Block!

Want to try stories (and a poem!) by thirteen Christian women that will inspire and challenge you in your walk with God? I’m blessed to have one of my stories as a part of this collection – and I so much enjoyed reading each of the other stories!

If you’ve read my Truth from Taerna books, you may be interested to hear that my story in this collection stars Carita’s parents! The collection releases on April 26, but it’s already on Amazon!

About the Book

He was willing to do anything.
Talk about anything, they said.
She hadn’t ever done anything.
You can do anything.

In this heartwarming collection, thirteen Christian authors weave tales both historical and contemporary in a variety of imaginative settings. Anything features characters stretched to their limits: a pencil and a crayon who are best friends, a Tea-Dragon with a mischievous and mysterious habit, a terminally ill child with a lovely wish. In these pages, you’ll discover an eccentric gentleman who never stops reading, a foster boy who makes up in appetite what he lacks in conversational skills, and a single mother with a fault-finding mother-in-law and five rambunctious children who haven’t learned respect for a living room.

Watch as a couple sacrificially prays for a lost and dying sister-in-law, a young lady tearfully talks her best friend through a coma, a courageous brother offers to lay down himself for others, a camera-shy teenager faces her greatest fear, and a music camp applicant struggles mightily with writing an interesting bio. Warmth, hope, and encouragement pervade the pages, echoing the theme of “anything” from a refreshing variety of angles both insightful and entertaining, spiritually profound and eternally valuable. These short pieces will delight and encourage the whole family.

All the Links

Buy on Amazon Kindle

Buy a paperback

Buy on Kobo

Buy on Apple Books

Buy on Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

About the Authors

Rebekah 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 best-selling 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
 
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/music
 
Jaybird Summers lives in a rural town in Southern Tennessee. She enjoys reading, baking, and writing stories that bring joy to others. When not spending time with her friends or reading, she is most likely to be found in her tree where she comes up with all her good (and sometimes not so good) ideas!
Connect with Jaybird: instagram.com/DreamyJaybirdCustoms
 
Jae Fisher currently lives in Upstate South Carolina with her family. She likes to read and write in her free time. She hopes to publish her novel series, The Dares Chronicles.
Connect with Jae: instagram.com/the_sapphire_writer
 
Courtenay Burden is a homeschool graduate, an unconquerable bookworm, and a Victorian enthusiast. She is passionate about good and great literature—writing that embodies both literary and spiritual excellence. She believes that good and great books are a powerful tool in Christ’s kingdom and she seeks to use that tool for His glory in her vintage-style fiction.
Connect with Courtenay: sawpublishing.com

Tiffany Michele fell in love with the written word at a young age. Following God and this passion, the next thing she knew she was writing a book! And another and another. Working from home in the lovely state of Oklahoma, Tiffany is surrounded by three dogs, a flock of chickens, and a small pride of cats. She can be found writing or doing some form of art with a dog at her feet and a blanket or two on her lap.
Connect with Tiffany: TiffanyMichele.com
 
Brianna Burden is a homeschool graduate, graphic designer, part-time teacher, and on-the-side writer. She loves all things musical, and her hobbies focus themselves around friends, singing, chocolate, and creating beautiful things. You’re sure to find a smile on her face if all her hobbies have a chance to converge in one event!
Connect with Brianna: sawpublishing.com
 
Chelsea Burden is a homeschool graduate, a first-generation Anabaptist, and a passionate word-lover who enjoys dabbling in etymology (not entomology!) and routinely adds bona fide words to spellcheck. She loves books, people, and Jesus—and chickadees, hymns, snowflakes, and having a good time with friends. She lives in Canada and spends her days writing and doing whatever else comes to hand in her three-generational home.
Connect with Chelsea: sawpublishing.com
 
Hannah Foster has enjoyed journaling and blogging since her teen years and discovered a love for penning her own stories in her mid-twenties. Hannah’s desire is that the words she writes would bring hope, joy, and light in a dark world. If you don’t find her reading or writing, you will probably find Hannah in the kitchen baking.
Connect with Hannah: instagram.com/coffeebooksandteatime

Sarah Susanna Rhomberg is a young writer who lives in Europe and is fluent in both English and German. When not writing, you will often find her reading or working on the organization of a camp for children—always with a mug of herbal tea at hand. Sarah wants to live her life for Christ and writes to glorify Him.
Connect with Sarah: sarahsusannarhomberg.mailchimpsites.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
 
Born and raised in Texas, Andrea Renee Cox turned her fascination with reading into a career of two varieties: writing and editing. Her articles have been published on her blog, Writing to Inspire, and My Book Therapy’s Weekly Spark, and she’s copyedited for award-winning authors and several publishing companies. Additional short stories may be found on her website.
Connect with Andrea: writingtoinspire.blogspot.com.
 
Mary Polyakov is an extroverted book devourer whose childhood adventures in milking goats, growing whatever fit in a handy container, picking nettles, getting lost in forests and books, and exploring with her siblings gave her a love of story and adventure, which led to a combination of the two. She strives to write what honors God and celebrates the things about sibling relationships and friendship that build up instead of tear down.
Connect with Mary: instagram.com/ive_seen_a_new_world

Surrender’s Strength News!

Surrender’s Strength is ready for beta readers! Apply here. The book will be sent immediately and you will have a month to read it and send me your feedback and thoughts.

Surrender’s Strength is also getting a cover reveal this month! JOIN HERE and be the first to see the cover!