Category: Uncategorized

Wow, what an incredible and powerful tour we’ve had this month! Thanks to more than 30 awesome bloggers, at least 63 pro-life blog posts have been posted during October – one for every one million of the precious lives lost to abortion since Roe v. Wade.

If you missed it, you can check out all the posts here. There’s a list of every post with a direct link to each one.

If you don’t have time to read 63 blog posts, though, I’ve compiled a summary with a quick sentence or two from each one.

But first, the important book links:

• Buy Sustainer’s Smile or leave a review; or add to Goodreads or leave a review
• Preorder To Save a Life (release slightly delayed because God sent the author a baby expected in several months – both book and baby coming soon!) or add to Goodreads

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

…remember how God shaped you and remember how you parents Chose you, and keep living! ~ Autumn, Why I’m Prolife

People like you, who give one dollar, who say one prayer, who give one hug, who loves one child, who repeat one verse, who take one step…one. Just one. Only one can make a difference, and many can make all the difference. ~ Grace, Thank You For Taking a Stand

What was that life going to produce? Do you know? What giggles and sparkles and rainbows were in it? What was it going to give back to life? You will never know. Because death came far too soon. ~ Katja, Why I’m Pro-life

So if you have had an abortion, supported abortion, encouraged someone to have an abortion, worked in an abortion clinic… no matter what you’ve done, the arms of Jesus Christ are open wide for you. – Joy, Because of His Death, We Live

Unborn babies hide from abortion instruments. Tumors and growths don’t. They can’t. An unborn baby can. That alone proves Baby’s humanity. ~ Madisyn, Responses to Abortion Arguments Part 1

I’m SO excited to share this new novel with you because babies are near and dear to my heart, and the value of each and every baby’s life is the heart of this book. ~ Jen Rose, Sustainer’s Smile Spotlight

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” We have the ability to affect a change if we pray for change. Yes, we need to be informed and be able to defend our position. Yes, we should volunteer where we can and vote. But we NEED to be in prayer. God’s power needs to be in this movement. ~ Akira, Five Ways to Get Involved in the Pro-Life Movement

pro-life is more than being against abortion. its being for LIFE. it’s having an open womb. its refusing to give into convivence or fear with a pill. its being pro-foster care and pro-adoption. ~ Autumn, One Life At A Time

Below are some Snippets from the novel! “Liliora shook her head. “If Adon Olam wants it, I will not listen to my fears.” Yet tears welled up even in the words, and she felt her heart failing her.” ~ Kylie, Sustainer’s Smile spotlight

Sustainer’s Smile is book 4 of Truth from Taerna, although it can easily be read as a standalone. (Me? I’mma read the others first…) It’s clean and family-friendly (I wouldn’t be spotlighting it if it weren’t…), though Erika recommended for teens and up due to dealing with the issue of abortion. ~ Grace, Coming Soon: Sustainer’s Smile

Mathews did a wonderful job with this theme, crafting a truly heartrending and impactful story. I believe stories like these can change lives, and I applaud Mathews for addressing the difficult topic of abortion with compassion and discernment. ~ Joy, Sustainer’s Smile review

I was excited about this novel because pro-life books are very important to me—besides the fact that the Truth From Taerna books are epicness personified. And it was just as good as I expected. ~ Katja, Sustainer’s Smile review and character spotlight on Liliora

So it’s okay to murder an unborn baby because of lifestyle, work schedule, or plans being disrupted? Really? When did we become such a selfish, self-centered society that this argument and justification is considered “acceptable” and “reasonable”? When did we begin putting ourselves and our glorified schedules above the immeasurably precious lives of unborn babies? Once more, if you don’t want to care for your baby – a baby you are fifty percent responsible for the conception of – put Baby up for adoption. ~ Madi, Responding to Abortion Arguments, Part 2

I hate abortion because it dishonours God and because of the terrible consequences for the mother and unborn child. With abortion, there’s always more than one victim. 🙁 ~ Lauren, Every Life Counts

I have the pleasure of spotlighting Carita Ellith, one of my favourite characters from the Truth from Taerna series. ~ Jen Rose, Sustainer’s Smile Character spotlight: Carita

This book is now one of my favorite books…Somehow, each of them have a way of dealing with something that either I’m dealing with or that is close to my heart. This book is a good way to deal with the atrocities of abortion without delving into too much detail. ~ Akira, Sustainer’s Smile review

Being prolife means encouraging Christian married couples to have children, and not to be selfish. It means encouraging those that had their children, no disparaging jokes about birth control not working, or about the large size of their family. ~ Rachel, Prolife October

When I pick up a book, I want to be able to gain something from it. I want that book to address real issues, to tackle tough topics, to spread truth. And that’s exactly what this book intends. Abortion is a terrible evil, and I am so thankful to see authors standing up and showing the truth through fiction. ~ Vanessa, Sustainer’s Smile review

 I SO enjoyed reading about characters who are actively seeking, and waiting on, God. What an excellent representation of our faith! ~ Stephanie, Sustainer’s Smile Book review

Being parents isn’t always easy, but it’s always good. My Pastor loves to say that when you get married, it squeezes some of the selfishness out of you. ~ Rachel, How Does God See Children?

I’m SUPER excited to share about this new novel because LIFE is near and dear to my heart and it’s the heart of this book!  ~ Autumn, Sustainer’s Smile spotlight

In telling Liliora’s story, several elements required someone else to be involved. There were things that simply wouldn’t work for Liliora to be directly involved in—and that’s where Rita came in. She proved to have a mind of her own, and her stubbornness and Liliora’s mildness melded together beautifully. ~ Kelsey, Sustainer’s Smile Character Spotlight, Rita

This summer I listened in Sunday school as my teacher told the story of how he and his wife had tried to adopt a little, unwanted baby. They had heard of a bad situation–seen the need–and told the parents that they wanted that baby. The parents went ahead with the abortion. ~ Brianna, You’re Worth It

For you can’t open your mouth for others unless your ears are open to God. When you open your document to write a story, a novel, a devotional, a blog post, a social media post, do you sit with your ears open to hear the voice of the King of Kings regarding the words He would have you write? ~ Grace, Guest Post by Erika Mathews: Writing Pro-Life Fiction in Today’s World

Wow. Just wow. This novel was incredible! Peterson is a wonderfully talented writer, and one that really makes you feel the emotions of the characters. Within the first few pages, this story actually made me cry because of how touching it was – and I’m not the type to cry very quickly or easily at stories… I strongly believe that this is our best weapon against abortion: love and compassion for all people, even those who participate in the slaughter of God’s children. ~ Joy, To Save a Life review

Erika Mathews did a fantastic job making you feel the desperation, the need, the fear, the hope, the pain, the betrayal…it is a beautiful, heart-tugging, inspiring, encouraging book with a message that must be heard. ~ Katja, Sustainer’s Smile Review

My husband and I aren’t planning our family, God is. We want to have as many children as God will give us. ~ Rachel, Old Testament Scriptures About Children

Something you can do. Knit or crochet baby hats or blankets and donate them to a pregnancy center near you. ~ Rebekah Morris, Sustainer’s Smile review

It’s so lovely to hear what your heart behind the writing of this book is. And I agree that we all need to keep these little lives in our thoughts more (and pray for them!). ~ Lauren, Interview With Erika Mathews

We have no right to take away what could be. What could have been… the emergence of a brand-new person, who will experience joys and hardships, delight and disgust, confidence and doubt, and all those things that make life on this earth what it is. I am pro-life. I am pro-babies. And I am not ashamed of it. ~ Martha, Woven Together

Sometimes, Christian fiction authors shy away from Gospel presentations and having characters get saved. I’m so glad Ryana isn’t one of them. Because those scenes were powerful. ~ Kristina, To Save a Life review

This book was sooo good and sooo hard, in a good way! Liliora is such an inspiring young woman and her struggles are so real and relatable and I love her heart for children and babies, born and unborn. ~ Jen Rose, Sustainer’s Smile review

The book was very well-written, the characters were lovable, and the message was clear and challenging. ~ Akira, To Save a Life review

Now, we have a reason why life is precious. Why every child should be loved and given a chance to live, no matter the situation. Because the Creator has ordained life as infinitely precious … and as a gift. ~ Vanessa, Why Are You Pro-Life?

What a blessing to experience firsthand the miracle of unborn life while penning this book. What empathy for those little humans that no physical eye has yet seen but whose hearts beat steadily with the potential of a thousand unknown futures.  ~ Erika Mathews, special author release day post

I loved the pro-life moral! Christian fiction needs more pro-life books because it’s such an important topic! ~ Kristina Hall, Sustainer’s Smile review

My first Book Nations interview with Erika Mathews is by-far my favorite! All of her answers are so powerful and true, resonating within me, and I think y’all will find her advice and her writing to be extremely inspiring! ~ Grace, Interview With Erika Mathews

I did not expect this book to hit me as hard as it did. This book had me in tears for at least three chapters, and some more off and on. It broke my heart, but it was so . . . so meaningful. So impactful. Really. I did not expect it to be as “deep” as it was, but it kind of took my expectations and threw them out the window (in a good way). ~ Martha, Sustainer’s Smile review

Indignant is a strong word, and to know that Jesus felt it because the disciples were rebuking parents from bringing their children to Jesus, encourages me. ~ Rachel, New Testament Verses About Children

…grab yourself a copy of this meaningful book! ~ Kellyn, Sustainer’s Smile spotlight

Ryana’s plan was to release the book this month, but as many of you know, God had a different plan! I suppose he decided that a new child would be a better way to celebrate Honor Life Month than a book. 😍🤗 (Though I am soooo THRILLED and CAN”T WAIT to read this book, I’d have to agree, a baby’s better! *wink*) …the book will be coming out asap! While we wait, lets keep Ryana and baby and hubby in our prayers! 🙏 ~  Autumn, TSAL Spotlight and Author Interview with R.M. Peterson

To Save a Life is one of the most powerful, heart-wrenching, moving books I’ve ever read! I have no doubt that Natty’s story will change a lot of hearts, y’all! ~ Grace, To Save a Life Spotlight

Y’all, I can not speak enough on how valuable children are. I cannot speak enough on how wrong it is to kill a child. And I cannot tell you how scientifically inaccurate it is to say that modern-day abortions do not take the life of a precious baby. ~ Kellyn, To Save a Life Spotlight

To Save a Life is an exemplary novel. R. M. Peterson gave us the most powerful pro-life fiction story I’ve ever heard of, let alone read. ~ Grace, To Save a Life Spotlight/review

William Wilberforce has changed my perspective on the pro-life movement, because he has shown me that evil can be overcome. It has been overcome before. It can be overcome again. Two centuries ago, a Western world without slavery looked like an impossible dream. It wasn’t. ~ Courtenay, William Wilberforce and the Pro-Life Movement

The writing style isn’t epic, but it is REAL. No other characters have ever lived for me like this . The humour is excellent, the message is a must-read… this book shreds my heart and stitches it back up every time… and always leaves me passionate to stand for Life. ~ Katja, To Save a Life review

I was around 4 when she came to me smiling, saying that she was going to have a baby and I’d be a big sister. I remember being so excited and her letting me feel her tummy even though she was no where near far enough along for me to feel anything. Then the next memory I have is of her crying and me asking her why. “I lost the baby.” she said, and I tried to comfort her the best way my 4 year old self could. ~ Tara, Why I’m Prolife

Erika Mathews absolutely nails it with this story, keeping it clean and light in content yet managing to completely tear at your heart-strings. ~ Tara, Sustainer’s Smile review

This story has lovely characters, difficult characters, adorable characters, and characters I’d like to get to know better. It’s a story about life. A story about love and forgiveness, about hope and being willing to open your heart and your home to those who need it. ~ Rebekah, To Save a Life Review

This book has made me stop and think more about what it might be like to be involved in an abortion from many different angles–the mother and father, family, abortion clinic workers . . . ~ Lauren, To Save A Life post

Wow, this story was so moving! It sucks you in and could easily be an all day read! ~ Tara, To Save a Life Review

The second book that is releasing (it was supposed to release last week as well, but life happened and the author wasn’t able to finish the book in time—because she’s expecting a precious child of her own!) is To Save a Life, a pro-life novel whose cover I was honored to design! ~ Kate, Sustainer’s Smile and To Save a Life release post

Pro-life books are so incredibly important, and I’m thankful to see another author pointing to the only final solution to the horror of abortion. Only the Lord can save and renew our hearts and teach us to love one another, no matter how small and helpless our neighbor is. ~ Vanessa, To Save a Life spotlight

Thank you sooo much Erika! These answers are so full of truth! I am loving your your book so far, and I think you all need to get yourself a copy!!!!!! Thanks again Erika! Autumn ~ Interview with Erika

I’m here to spotlight another pro-life novel, To Save a Life, releasing November 6. Life is an important issue to me. ~ Kelsey, To Save a Life Spotlight

To Save a Life is an exemplary novel. R. M. Peterson gave us the most powerful pro-life fiction story I’ve ever heard of, let alone read. ~ Grace, To Save a Life review

Wow! So many wonderful blog posts! A huge thank you to all of our bloggers who took the time to share, to post, to participate – to write for life.

And thank you also to those who have bought and/or preordered our books!

Now for the

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

The giveaway is over, and it’s time to see who won the Promise’s Prayer first edition signed paperback, To Save a Life ebook, and Resting Life sticker!

The Winner IS…

GRACE A. JOHNSON!

CONGRATULATIONS! We’ll be messaging you for your information to send you your prize!

COMING SOON! Stay tuned for the Official Release of To Save a Life by R.M. Peterson on November 6!

And don’t let honoring and respecting life stop here. Keep sharing. Keep fighting. Keep speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves. Keep standing for truth. Keep clinging to Jesus Christ and His Word.

Until next time, keep writing for life.

Surprise! It’s the gorgeous cover for Memory’s Mind!⁠

Isn’t it so PERFECT for autumn?⁠
⁠
I can’t stop admiring it!⁠
⁠
This is the book on meditation I’ve been working on, and it’s both a very personal character journey for Kelton and it has more intrigue than the other Taerna books.⁠

• It releases January 21!⁠
• You can preorder it TODAY! and it’s 50% off right now!⁠
• Today is the LAST DAY you can get all five Taerna books for just $7.96! That’s $11 off the normal price!
• Promise’s Prayer is free today only!

ABOUT THE BOOK⁠
Kingdoms both heavenly and earthly demand his mind. No wonder he disappears for two hours each day.⁠

Nothing escapes Kelton’s notice, and nothing leaves his memory. Yet behind his big brown eyes lurk a lifetime of soul-struggles. At nineteen, Kelton receives Adon Olam’s call to leave everything behind and seek Him in solitude upon a hill belonging to a local hermit. Somehow, the more he fixes his mind upon Adon Olam, the more it wanders. During his years with the hermit, countless lessons and revelations shape his character. Over time, the answer to his biggest dilemma becomes both more clear and more impossible.⁠
Then the sudden death of co-king Daemien throws all Taerna into turmoil, and in the ensuing chaos, Kelton’s memories prove crucial and his hyper-analytical skills essential. But will his quiet, home-loving soul crumble under the pressure of public scrutiny? Will countless but seemingly harmless distractions inevitably win the battle for his thoughts? And will he ever feel like he knows Adon Olam?⁠

If you haven’t discovered the world of Taerna yet, you can start with Promise’s Prayer. It’s FREE today only! Or pick up the whole series today only for just $7.96! (regularly $18.95! That’s $11 saved!)

Thank you so much for attending this reveal party. 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! The ebook is currently on sale for $1.99, but the price will go up to $3.99 soon, so don’t wait!

 May the blessings of the Lord be upon you today!

Oof! Liliora braced herself against the stone building as a solid body collided suddenly with hers. With one hand, she steadied the basket she held, and the other in­stinc­tively sought her stomach.

The brown-cloaked figure straightened, backing away, his head furtively darting back and forth. It was a boy—only a child.

Liliora rubbed her abdomen where his elbow had landed. His skidding around the corner certainly hadn’t done her middle any favors—not that her middle had been cooperating recently anyway. She’d been meaning to do something about these sharp pains.

Shifting the basket to her other arm, she stepped back from the wall as the boy edged towards it. He was whispering now. Liliora made out the murmured word.

“Help.” 

“Do you need something?” She glanced beyond to see if anyone had been following him. “Can I help?”

Startled, his brown eyes met her blue ones for the briefest instant before he vanished back around the cor­ner as quickly as he’d come.

“Strange.” Liliora readjusted the basket and stepped towards the road, pausing with a gasp as the shooting pain gripped her side once more. She needed to get this bread home quickly. Thankfully the Jaelrvens had plenty to spare this week—Mrs. Jaelrven’s small bakery was finally flourishing—so Liliora at least didn’t have to fuss with baking over the fire at home today.

Back in the log-encased living quarters, she thudded the basket down before collapsing onto a chair. “I really need to do something about this. It isn’t getting any bet­ter.”

“About what?” Father’s slate-colored head rose from the couch in the corner. 

“Just my stomach. Pains haven’t gone.” Liliora gritted her teeth. 

“You ought to tend to them, child.” Father’s sigh could be heard clear across the room.

“I know; I will. I have one more errand this morn­ing, then I’ll see what I can do. You know we have to pick up the pepper seeds now before it’s too late, and the Mercantile in town has them just in. I’ll be back before you know it.”

“You sure you can manage?” Kethin poked his head in, an axe swinging gently from his hand and sawdust clinging to his shirt. “I could do it once I finish this wood.”

“No, I’ll manage.” Liliora sucked in a breath. “This is nothing I haven’t handled before. Just see about the noon meal please, would you?”

“Of course.” Kethin disappeared, and the door thumped behind him.

Liliora leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes for a brief moment. If only she could relax…why did these pains insist on intruding at the worst times? Again she vainly scanned her memory: she hadn’t eaten any­thing unusual; she hadn’t exerted herself; she hadn’t been exposed to new smells; her bodily health and functions otherwise remained normal… What could have brought this on? Was something seriously wrong with her? 

Sighing, she rose and quietly slipped out the door. She might as well get this errand over with.

Business bustled more than usual at the Frydael Mercantile as she stepped inside. At the counter, several women chattered merrily about their gardens. Various neigh­bors from the village surveyed the Mercantile’s lat­est stock from the capital city of Syorien. Chickens squawked from cages somewhere out back, and sunlight played across the boarded floors from the A-shaped windows. Behind the counter, Mr. Raeson touched his heart as she entered.

All this she saw in a moment, then focused her gaze upon the pepper seeds at the end of the counter. After removing a small wooden bowl from her pocket, she shook some of the seeds into it, then wordlessly drew up to the counter to pay Mr. Raeson. 

“This be all for you today, Lili?” he asked, setting down the figures on his ledger.

“Yes, please,” she replied almost mechanically. “That is, no.” She pulled herself up, searching the store with her eyes. “One moment.”

Leaving the seeds on the counter, she darted to the medicinal wall. “RELIEF,” one packet proclaimed. “All manner of remedies,” another said. She scanned the rest of the labels: nothing specific, all general. Sighing, she selected three that seemed the most promising and car­ried them to the counter. “Yes, this will be all.” 

She suppressed another sigh and set down the pay­ment. Usually she enjoyed chatting with the townsfolk when she visited, but today every little thing seemed to affect her stomach. His beard—why did he leave it so unkempt? And the floor behind the counter—had it been swept this month? A crust of bread floated in the dusty corner, accompanied by clear signs that a mouse had been at work there. 

Liliora drew her eyes upward—anywhere, every­where but there. She automatically scanned the post board on the wall: announcements of town gatherings, public notices, news clippings from Syorien, the usual. The post board changed less often than Liliora came to town. 

A bright-yellow placard stuck squarely in the corner caught her attention. “Cures for ills and ailments, pains of stomach, troubles, disagreements, intruders, para­sites, unwellness, burdens weighing on your physical being: come visit Madame Togni for complete, simple, and quick relief. Healing for strange indispositions.”

Pains of stomach. The words stood out to Liliora as though written in letters of fire. Could this be what she needed? Could this Madame Togni be a physician who could finally pinpoint the cause of her ailments? 

Liliora sighed again. Who could be trusted these days? Nothing was as it appeared; everyone sought their own pleasure. Living in Frydael for all of her twenty-four years was a blessing: she knew and trusted her neighbors, and they knew and trusted her. Outside of her small social circle, the country beyond teemed with liars, de­ceivers, and criminals who would stop at nothing to further their own pleasures. And Madame Togni wasn’t a name she’d heard before.

“Adon Olam,” she whispered. “You must guide me. Heal me. Cause me to know what to do, whom to trust, what to decide…I just want to get rid of these pains. If this Madame Togni is who I need, lead me to her.”

Read more…

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?

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! 

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

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 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!

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. 

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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?

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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

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Old Fashioned Book Love: book review

“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. 

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