Talkshow Thursday: Meet Julie McDonald Zander

The Reluctant Pioneer 

by Julie McDonald Zander

Nearly two decades ago, while guiding schoolchildren on a tour of our local museum, I saw a small placard telling about the tragic loss suffered by a mother who crossed the Oregon Trail in 1847. My heart broke, imagining her pain and uncertainty, wondering what she would do. How could she survive?

During a lull between my personal history projects, a career through which I’ve published more than 75 nonfiction books, I decided to find out.

Thus began a five-year journey delving into the life of a pioneer who suffered horrific loss but held steadfastly to her faith in God. Through research at the Washington State Library and Oregon Historical Society, I discovered what the late radio personality Paul Harvey would refer to as “the rest of the story.”

This woman, known throughout the Pacific Northwest and even in Washington City for her gracious hospitality and good cooking, entertained Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens and Generals Ulysses S. Grant, George B. McClelland, and Philip Sheridan.

Through my research, I also learned that all her direct descendants had died out, leaving nobody to share the story of this remarkable woman.

Nobody but me.

When I took early pages to Writers Weekend at the Beach, fellow authors told me I needed to add

dialogue. But this woman died in 1901, so how could I put words into her mouth and call the book nonfiction? My five-year labor of love culminated in October 2019 with the publication of Washington Territory’s Grand Lady: The Story of Matilda (Glover) Koontz Jackson, a 364-page book that was a finalist for the Western Writers of America Spur Award and the Will Rogers Medallion.

But Matilda’s story still niggled at me, and I wanted more people to hear it, so I spent the next five years attending two different critique groups to learn how to write fiction. Based on the factual framework of the nonfiction book, I dove into my character’s mind, traveled with her across the Oregon Trail, and suffered the pain of her losses and joy in her victories as I wrote my debut novel, The Reluctant Pioneer, released in September 2024 by St. Helens Press.

I was honored when the Western Writers of America in March declared the novel a finalist for the 2025 Best Western Historical Fiction Spur Award. Here’s the article about the recognition.

About The Reluctant Pioneer

Matilda Koontz cherishes her life as a wife and mother on a Missouri farm, but her hardworking husband wants to claim free farmland in the Pacific Northwest. When he suggests selling the farm to trek two thousand miles across the Oregon Trail, she balks. But in the spring of 1847, Matilda and Nicholas Koontz and their sons embark on a grueling journey westward. Fresh graves testify to dangers of disease, accidents, starvation, and a multitude of hazards threatening her family and her beloved’s dream. With new struggles at every turn, Matilda wonders how she can protect her sons on such a perilous journey. Will they reach the trail’s end? Will the babe growing inside her womb survive? When tragedy strikes, the question changes: How can she possibly continue?

This pioneer woman’s journey is inspired by a true story.

The Reluctant Pioneer is available from your favorite online retailer: https://books2read.com/u/bM87dX.

Because I retraced the Oregon Trail before publishing the nonfiction version of Matilda’s story, I had photos and artwork to complement the novel. The photo booklet, called Retracing the Oregon Trail in Pictures: Following the Journey of Matilda Koontz Jackson, is available on Amazon.com.

An ebook version of the abbreviated book (without spoilers for the novel readers) is available free to people who subscribe to my newsletter at https://mczander2024.ag-sites.net/index.htm. The entire ebook is available as a thank you gift to readers of the novel.

You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, X, and Tiktok.

My second novel, Shattered Peace: A Century of Silence, is a dual-time novel also inspired by true events. It will be released this spring.

I’m a firm believer in what Rudyard Kipling said: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.”

Talkshow Thursday: A Guest Post by Lorri Dudley

The Regency Underworld

by Lorri Dudley

Listed among the Regency underworld of housebreakers, Thames pirates, sneaks (pickpockets), Covent Garden nuns (prostitutes), vagrants, and ruffians are another class of evil-doers called resurrection men, also known as sack-‘em-up men or body snatchers. The dark industry of grave robbing blossomed in the early 1800s and was thrust into the public’s eye by the notorious Burke and Hare murders in 1831. While my story takes place earlier, in 1817, the laws and practices were already in place before Burke and his accomplice were arrested.

In the early 1800s, the academic field of anatomy and physiology started to break new ground with the invention of the stethoscope and the first open heart surgeries (not all successful). Many of these breakthroughs developed as a result of the dissection of human cadavers. Fresh bodies became a hot commodity, but by law, the only bodies legally designated for dissection were those of hung criminals. Demand outweighed the supply, and an underground market for grave robbing grew as academics handsomely paid resurrection men to dig up specimens. The fresher the body, the higher the earnings, which ultimately led to the ugly intent of murder.

Sometimes, researching requires an author to have an iron stomach. If body snatching and resurrection men for wasn’t frightening enough, I needed a way in my most recent release, Relinquishing the Agent, to incapacitate someone before chloroform or anesthesia was invented, and the results from the Regency era were shocking. Surgeries were often performed while the patient was awake and tied down, with only a prior cordial or glass of wine to numb the pain, or if they protested spirits, a wooden stick to bite down on. 

Poisons were often used as sedatives, creating the paradox of what was worse, the injury or the

treatment? Dwale, an old English housewife’s anesthetic, was used to make a man sleep while under the knife or saw. It contained hemlock (a known poison), opium (a highly addictive drug), and mandrake (known to cause severe drowsiness and hallucinations). I can’t imagine how they survived the sedative, much less the surgery.

Why would a Christian author want to write about a horrific topic like body snatching?

While my story doesn’t go into any gory details (I get woozy at the sight of blood), Rebecca and Daniel’s story allowed me to dive into the concept that we all have intrinsic worth. The victims of Burke and Hare were people society had forgotten—people who were expected to go unnoticed if they disappeared. But those victims were image bearers of God. Jesus proved their value by dying for them on the cross. They are not forgotten because God knit them together in their mother’s womb, knows every hair on their heads, and has carved their names into the palms of His hands.

With mystery, espionage, and romance mixed in, Rebecca and Daniel's love story demonstrates how God’s power is made perfect in weakness. The house party hostess, Lady Coburn, her eccentric party guests, and the victims of the villainous resurrection men exemplify that worth isn’t based on works, popularity, or lineage but on the sacrifice Jesus made for them. Readers can learn more about me, my recent release, Relinquishing the Agent, and my other books at http://www.lorridudley.com or http://www.wildheartbooks.org. My books can be purchased from your favorite online retailer here: https://books2read.com/u/bPpyo7

Relinquishing the Agent

Can love bloom between a woman living a lie and a man sworn to uncover the truth?

Bluestocking Rebecca Leah Prestcote would prefer to hide in a library, searching for a cure to her sister’s ailment, over participating in London’s Season. But when her wealthy cousin demands Rebecca attend a house party as her, Rebecca cannot refuse. Her cousin intends to win the affection of the Marquis of Wolston and Rebecca is, after all, a charity case. When the Marquis unexpectedly arrives at the wrong party, Rebecca must uphold the ruse, or be caught in her cousin’s lie.

Daniel Elmsley, Marquis of Wolston, cannot let another target escape, not if he plans to catch the band of body snatchers and prove his worth as a spy. But when people at Lady Coburn’s house party go missing, his mission escalates to stopping a murderer. When he intercepts a letter meant to blackmail Lady Prestcote, he begins to wonder if the beguiling beauty may be involved in the conspiracy.

Singled out for Lord Wolston’s affections, Rebecca must maintain her web of deception and evade the investigation of the captivating marquis even while he ensnares her heart.

Photo Credits:

Author Photo and Book Image: Property Lorri Dudley

Bottles: Pixabay/Nathan Wright

Wartime Wednesday: Factory Conversions

Wartime Wednesday: Factory Conversions

Much is said about the level of production that America achieved during World War II. However, few people realize that industrial manufacturing decreased during the early years of the war. Two prime issues were the cause: 1) plants had to be converted to handle potentially different sized items and new manufacturing processes; and 2) the availability of raw materials was challenging because multiple companies were competing for the same components.

Factories in the 1940s were not automated like today. Most had conveyor belts that moved parts along, with cranes for heavy pieces and stations along the way for manual labor. Seems simple enough to convert. However, every plant had some sort of supply chain, each with a potential for bottlenecks and delays. Material shortages were a common problem, and as manufacturers implemented new processes, efficiencies had to be worked out. Workers, many of whom had never worked in a factory, had to be trained; a time-consuming task for products such as complex aircraft or radar components.

One source indicated that the steel industry was one of the main supply issues. In 1941, production was

projected to fall short unless mills received thirty-two million tons of scrap, but the scrap was not making it was to mills because brokers had hoarded two million tons to force a rice in the price ceiling. Additionally, scrap metal was also being used in other industries. The government stepped in to “iron out a system for managing allocations strategically.” Import of raw materials such as oil, steel, and other metals from other countries also helped ease the burden.

Smaller manufacturers often converted to producing ammunition components. Cosmetic companies whose peacetime products were often small, sealed containers (lipstick, compacts, etc.) could be converted to manufacture similar products for holding ointments or ampules. In addition, their existing expertise in mixing chemicals allowed them to easily produce medical supplies like antiseptic creams and ointments.

Maytag, famous for its clothes washing machines turned to making aircraft parts. Chrysler made fuselages. General Motors made airplane engines, guns, trucks, and tanks. Packard produced Rolls-Royce engines for the British air force. Ford Motor Company manufactured B-24 Liberator long-range bombers. Mattatuck Manufacturing in Waterbury, CT switched from upholstery nails to cartridge clips for Springfield rifles. The American Brass Company produced cartridge cases and mortar shells, billions of small caliber bullets, and toward the end of the war components for the atomic bomb.

One source indicated that Scovill Manufacturing “produced so many different military items, the Waterbury Republican reports that “there wasn’t an American or British fighting man…who wasn’t’ dependent on [the company] for some part of the food, clothing, shelter, and equipment that sustained [him] through the…struggle.””

Despite the time it took to ramp up production; production that didn’t peak until 1943, America out produced the enemy and provided almost two-thirds of the Allied military equipment during the war:

• 297,000 aircraft 
• 193,000 artillery pieces 
• 86,000 tanks 
• 2 million army truck

In four years, American industrial production, already the world’s largest, doubled in size.

__________________

The American WWII Home Front Told in 29 Objects

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Pre-Launch page (be sure to click “Notify me on launch”): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lindashentonmatchett/the-world-war-ii-home-front-in-29-objects-illustrated-book

Photo Credits:

Steel manufacturing: Pixabay

Assembly Line: Deposit Photos

Scovill Building: Library of Congress

Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Donna Schlachter!

The Story Behind the Story . . . 

 New Hope Train By Donna Schlachter

The idea for this story came from a love of a movie and a friend with a great story to share.

The movie was “The Fugitive”, both the original series pilot and the more recent remake. I loved the idea of a train ride leading to a second chance.

My friend had taken a train ride from Denver to San Francisco, and she shared several delightful stories. I wondered if a train ride might be like a cruise in that it would provide an insulated environment where the travelers might do something they’d never done before. If so, this was perfect fodder for a romance, much like the old TV show, “The Love Boat”.

And then I saw “Murder on the Orient Express”, and as a lover of anything Agatha Christie, decided to incorporate a few of the details in my story.

The result? A chance meeting, two characters with integrity, and a way for God to reach both of them.

This is an example of how a couple of ideas gelled into a book. It seems like my mind is always racing, looking at the people and places around me, even snippets of conversation in a coffee shop or a couple kissing at the airport.

I have a friend who is a photographer, and everywhere he goes, he has a camera hanging around his

neck. I watched him at a party one night, studying the people around us. I tried to follow his eye to see what caught his eye, and even though he didn’t always have the camera up to take a shot, I soon realized he was taking pictures in his mind, imagining what the image would look like. Occasionally he actually clicked off a few. A teen girl sitting shyly on the sofa, her legs pulled up, her chin on her knees, picking at her fingernail polish. An older man dozing in a corner, his triple chins resting on his chest. The hostess—but not her really—the tray of appetizers she was carrying.

Where he looks around for film pictures, I look for word pictures. Where he looks for a way to tweak a focus, a focal point, a shadow, the hues, I look for a way to rearrange the events so they make more sense—or less. Perhaps today I’m studying people to combine several to make an interesting character. Tomorrow, maybe I’ll take a mountain from Arizona and set it in southern New Mexico in a fictitious town based loosely on a village I visited in Utah last summer.

And as for story ideas, well, those come from everywhere. Newspapers, magazines, diaries, letters, family stories handed down through the generations—a little here, a little there, and a lot of imagination. I tend to not use specific facts but rather I employ artistic license—because really, some of the things that really happen would be overboard for a book. Readers would protest: “that wouldn’t happen like that!”


1895, Train to California

John Stewart needs a wife. Mary Johannson needs a home. On her way west, Mary falls in love with another. Now both must choose between commitment and true love.

October 1895

Mary Johannson has scars on her body that can’t compare with the scars on her heart. She is alone in the world, with no family, no prospects, and no home.

John Stewart is at his wit’s end. His wife of three years died in childbirth, leaving him with a toddler and an infant, both girls. Theirs was the love of fairy tales, and while he has no illusions about finding another like her, his children need a mother.

Though separated by thousands of miles, they commit to a mail-order marriage. But on their journey to New Hope, they meet another and realize the life they’d planned would be a lie. Can they find their way back from the precipice and into the love of God and each other, or are they destined to keep their word and deny their heart?

Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BBQTD7M
Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BBVKY9W

About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers

www.DonnaSchlachter.com Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive 2 free ebooks simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor
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Photo Credits:

Author Photo/Book Image: Donna Schlachter

Man with Camera: Pixabay/No_Name_13

Diary: Pixabay/Dim Hou

Traveling Tuesday: The History of Train Travel

Traveling Tuesday: 

The History of Train Travel

I love trains! While growing up I visited the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore on countless occasions with my paternal grandfather, and he was a wealth of knowledge. Over the years, I’ve taken numerous trips on scenic railroads with varying levels of luxury – from hard wooden seats and tiny windows to padded reclining seats with glass, domed roofs. I never tire of the clickety-clack as we zoom along the tracks.

Did you know that railways go back as early as the mid-1500s? I was stunned by that fact. Known as wagonways or tramway, they featured wooden rails and were horse-drawn. Steam engines were introduced in England during the mid-1750s and a few years later, plates of cast iron were affixed to the top of the wooden rails. Cast iron is brittle, so it was replaced by wrought iron, then steel. By the nineteen century further improvements were made to the steel and became the standard. (According to author/historian Murat Ozyuksel, the expansion of the railroad industry is one of the main reasons for the success of the steel industry.)

Railroads came to the US in the 1820s and played a large role in the Industrial Revolution. Wealthy

men such as Cornelius Vanderbilt, James J. Hill, Jay Gould, Edward Harriman, and Leland Stanford were among the first to see the possibilities and invest in this new mode of transportation making them even wealthier.

Unfortunately, the American Civil War halted progression of the transcontinental railway, and it would not be completed until 1869. The Panic of 1873 and the subsequent depression stalled growth for several years, but the industry rebounded, and tracks soon crisscrossed the nation carrying goods, immigrants, and travels by the hundreds of thousands.

Initially, there were three classes of travel:

• First class offered upholstered seats, carpet, and curtains, with lots of space between seats. The décor used velvet, brass, and glass to convey luxury. Further luxury was available by purchasing seating in a Pullman sleeper or palace car. Some of the exceptionally rich, purchased a Pullman car and had it attached to the back of whatever train on which they were traveling.
• Second class also had upholstered seats, but they were not as nice, and the cars held more passengers.
• Third class, also known as emigrant class, had wooden benches and passengers were expected to bring their own food.

World War II saw a boom in railroad traffic with troop and hospital transports as well as good and war matériel. Afterwards many railroads were driven out of business with the advent of airlines, the increase in cars, and interstate highways. A rise in the trucking industry also impacted the railroads. Nowadays, passengers may choose first class or economy. According to Wikipedia, the US has approximately 160,000 miles of track and has the largest rail transport network in the world.

Have you ridden on a train?

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The American WWII Home Front in 29 Objects

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Pre-launch page (Be sure to click notify me on launch): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lindashentonmatchett/the-world-war-ii-home-front-in-29-objects-illustrated-book

Photo Credits:

Locomotive on Bridge: Pixabay

Cornelius Vanderbilt: Courtesy Vanderbilt University

Hospital Car: Courtesy Gold Coast Railroad Museum

Movie Monday: Hotel Berlin

Movie Monday: Hotel Berlin

As WWII progressed, Hollywood continued to release a combination of fluffy, “escapism” films and wartime dramas. Hotel Berlin is one of the latter and based upon the 1929 novel Menschen im Hotel (People at a Hotel) written by Austrian author Vicki Baum (no relation to L. Frank Baum of Oz fame) as a WWI story. The novel was published in English as Grand Hotel, then made into a film with the same name three years later starring Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford, and Wallace Beery.

Born January 24, 1888, Ms. Baum had a difficult childhood with a mother who suffered from mental illness and a father, who according to Wikipedia was a “tyrannical, hypochondriac” man. She played harp and played in the Vienna Concert Society where she met and married Max Prels, a journalist. In addition to her music, she enjoyed writing and published her first short story under her married name. She continued to write and found a job as a journalist with the magazine Berliner Illustrirte Zeitung. The marriage didn’t last, and the couple divorced four years later, but she continued with her writing career, and married her second husband, conductor Richard Lert in 1916.

According to the Shalvi/Hyman Encyclopedia of Jewish Women, Ms. Baum sold her harp after the

birth of first son in 1917 to concentrate on her writing career. She published her first novel in 1920 and subsequently published a book a year. Eight years later her book Stud. chem. Helene Willfüer, a story about “the New Woman,” did quite well and sold more than one hundred thousand copies in three years. Then came Menschen im Hotel, which brought her international success.

She traveled to the US in 1931 and remained for seven months. Upon her return to Germany, she realized what was happening, and after the 1932 elections for chancellor, she packed up her family and emigrated to America where they settled in Los Angeles. She found a job as a scriptwriter, and Richard was appointed conductor of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra. Many of her novels written after this time involve the situation National-Socialist Germany.

Hotel Berlin was filmed between November 15, 1944 and January 15, 1945, then rushed into final production so it could be released on March 2, 1945 to coincide with the Russian and Allied drives in Berlin. The plot summarization from IMDb says it best, “in 1945, a strange mix of Germans, military personnel and civilians, pro-Nazi and anti-Nazi, celebrities and escaped prisoners, converges as a lavish hotel in heavily bombed Berlin.”

The movie features Faye Emerson, an actress who did well during the 1940s then transition to television in the 1950s; Helmut Dantine, an Austrian who spent three months in a concentration camp before being released and emigrating to the US; Raymond Massey, a Canadian actor who served in both WWI and WWII in the Canadian forces; and Peter Lorre, a Hungarian-Jew who left Germany after Hitler came to power and became a mainstay in mystery and crime films.

Earning nearly three million dollars on a $940,000 budget, Hotel Berlin received mixed reviews. A fun fact: Elliott Roosevelt (son of President Franklin Roosevelt) married Faye Emerson during the filming which supposedly led to a change giving her top billing. It’s all in who you know!

___________________

The American WWII Home Front in 29 Objects

Unlike Europe the American mainland escaped physical devastation during World War II as it was not subjected to full-scale invasions. However, that didn’t mean the United States wasn’t impacted by the war. The ramifications of large economic, cultural, and societal changes forced Americans to reconsider entrenched beliefs and traditions.

Artifacts collected from across the nation tell the stories of the American people whose lives were shaped by this second “war to end all wars,” World War II.

Project Link (Be sure to click "Notify me on launch": https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lindashentonmatchett/the-world-war-ii-home-front-in-29-objects-illustrated-book

Photo Credits:

Vicki Baum: By Max Fenichel - Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Bilddatenbank., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42391177 

Movie Poster: Public Domain

Movie Scene: Courtesy IMDb/Warner Bros.

Fiction Friday: New Releases for March 2025

March 2025 New ReleasesMore in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Biblical:

The Daughter of Rome by Angela Hunt -- In Nero's Rome, Calandra helps her father, a renowned sculptor, complete the most significant commission of his illustrious career. But then a catastrophic fire nearly destroys the imperial city, leaving Calandra reliant on a group of Christians--unusual individuals unlike any she has encountered before. Intrigued by their worship of the Son of an invisible God, Calandra grapples with her mistrust, only to find herself indebted to these believers as they help her rebuild her shattered world. When Emperor Nero begins constructing his opulent Golden House, the people of Rome grow resentful, suspecting him of starting the fire in order to clear the land for his immense palace. Needing a scapegoat, Nero points at those who follow the Jewish Messiah, forcing Calandra to make an impossible choice between right and wrong, friends and family, love and death. (Biblical from Bethany House [Baker Publishing Group])

Amish Romance:

Green Pastures by Patricia Johns -- When Tabitha Schrock returns to her Amish faith after a painful divorce, she and her sisters must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice to stay true to their own personal dreams and their Amish faith. (Amish Romance from Bethany House Publishers)

Contemporary Romance:

A Hero’s Nature by Sandra Ardoin -- Veterinarian Trey Abbott can’t measure up to his vet tech’s late fiancé, a military hero, so he’s settled for being Reagan's boss and friend. He’s watched as she’s dated and dumped a long line of guys. After nearly losing her in an accident, though, Trey realizes it’s time to man up and take a chance on love before time runs out. She ends her relationships before emotions become involved and lives ruined. Reagan Hartwell’s friends wrongly believe she spends each anniversary of her fiancé’s death mourning him. This year, sick of her pity parties, she chooses to honor his memory and, maybe, ease some of her guilt. But Trey stands in the way of both her goal and her determination to avoid another love that could end in disaster. As they help a grieving show dog breeder, their good, yet conflicting, intentions for his rundown kennel pit them against one another. But will secrets they each hold tear them apart? Get to know the couples who navigate the joys and pitfalls of life and love in their quaint and tight-knit southern hometown of Hidden Veil, North Carolina. (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Tears of a Cowboy by Elsie Davis -- Cowboys who deserve a second chance at love and happiness and the women strong enough to show them the way...Texas style! (Contemporary Romance from Sweet Romance Publishing)

The Farmer’s Marriage Bargain by Heidi Main -- They agreed to a practical marriage. But love never goes as planned…Raising three children alone was never part of the plan, but after losing her husband, Emma Bailey is doing the best she can. Until she discovers that she can’t afford the medication her youngest child needs. Suddenly, her late husband’s best friend comes to the rescue. Carter McCaw promised he’d always watch over the family and the farm. But when he proposes a marriage of convenience, Emma’s not so sure. It seems like the perfect solution…until loves blooms between them and complicates everything. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

An Unexpected Companion by Mindy Obenhaus -- With his dog by his side… Is a second chance within reach? After losing his family and his leg in a car crash, widower Dirk Matthews dedicates his solitary life to woodworking and his mobility service dog, Molly. That is, until a troubled kid steals from his truck. Desperate to reach her grieving oldest son, widow Tessa Wagner agrees to have the boy help Dirk work on her family’s ranch. Only she doesn’t expect her own connection with the carpenter. Soon they’re feeling more than the shared loss of loved ones. But will past heartbreak stand in the way of their future? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

General Contemporary:

The Novel Adventures of Natalie Daughtry by Susan L Tuttle With her twenty-plus-year marriage on the brink of collapse, bookish Natalie Daughtry immerses herself in her new bookstore job. When the mysterious Caspar gathers Natalie and her friends Everleigh and Brooke for the second time, she's ready for an adventure to disperse the turmoil clouding her marriage. Caspar enlists their help in searching for a rumored copy of Lewis Carroll's handwritten and illustrated manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground. Natalie is immediately enticed--this is the perfect distraction. But then Mason joins the team, and suddenly Natalie and her husband are side-by-side on the search for this elusive treasure. Being forced to work together has them tumbling deep into their past, seeking answers to old misunderstandings. When they emerge from the rabbit hole, things aren't the same. Will they rediscover the love that once held the pages of their life together (General Contemporary from Kregel Publications)

Historical Romance:

The Carpenter’s Schoolmarm by Kimberly Burkhardt -- She’s running from her future. He’s hiding from his past. Forced into an arranged marriage by her father, Samantha Baxter flees from the clutches of her fiancé and finds sanctuary in the small town of Cooperton, Kansas, as the new schoolmarm. Although she attracts the attention of some of the single men in town, Samantha remains cautious, knowing any romantic relationship could put that man in danger of her fiancé and his fury if he ever tracks her down. Michael Brooks finally has enough money to purchase the land where he will build his future home. He can put his criminal past behind him and find peace in the solitary life of crafting furniture for the people of Cooperton. That is, until he meets the new schoolmarm. She stirs a dream inside him he didn’t know he wanted. A wife and family to call his own. Despite her efforts, Samantha finds herself drawn to Michael, unable to deny her growing love for the handsome carpenter. But when his past and her future collide, will the two be able to trust in each other and in God’s plan? Or will their secrets keep them apart? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Echoes of Sunrise by Amanda Cabot -- Sophia Carr knows her recurring dreams of an identical twin sister are just that - dreams. She also knows that eventually she will inherit the hotel her grandfather built. When a fire at the hotel kills her mother, Sophia returns to Carr Valley to rebuild and ensure that a planned railroad line chooses a route that will keep the town alive. But her grandfather’s will states that she must be married to inherit, and the only man she can imagine marrying seems to have forgotten her. Up-and-coming architect Gideon Spencer couldn’t say no when his dying friend begged him to marry his widow and raise their baby as his own rather than let a cruel grandfather gain custody. But when the young mother dies, leaving Gideon a single parent, the grandfather poses a new threat unless Gideon manages to marry again. Sadly, the only woman he’s interested in is the one he’s ignored for six months: Sophia. Knowing he needs to protect the baby, Gideon heads to Carr Valley. When he discovers that Sophia needs a husband as much as he needs a wife, he proposes a six-month marriage of convenience. Sophia agrees but adds a stipulation of her own, one that will test his resolve, even as their wedding day reveals that Sophia’s dreams of a twin sister might be more than dreams. (Historical Romance from ByDand Publishing)

Written in Secret by Crystal Caudill -- In the heart of nineteenth-century Cincinnati one woman holds the power to rewrite history. What happens when fiction becomes reality? In the corruption-infested Queen City, danger lurks in every shadow, but Lydia Pelton refuses to stay silent. She writes under a pseudonym, E. A. Dupin, crafting crime novels to exact justice and right the wrongs she sees in society. When a serial killer decides to be the sword to her pen, Lydia is confronted with the consequences of her words. Four men are dead, and the city blames her. With murders on the rise, Officer Abraham Hall's only lead is Lydia's fiction, and he is thrust into an investigation with the "Killer Queen of Romance." Despite his misgivings about the woman, he realizes that even with his reputation for catching elusive criminals, he needs her help. But his unexpected attraction to Lydia proves as difficult to manage as the woman herself. As the mystery unfolds, Abraham and Lydia race to rewrite the ending, not only for Cincinnati's citizens, but for their own hearts too. (Historical Romance from Kregel Publications)

Uncharted Mercy by Keely Brooke Keith -- Lonely bachelor Noah Vestal longs for a family of his own. His inherited farmhouse feels empty, until he befriends his lovely neighbor, widow Bette Owens. When Bette's in-laws try to separate her from her children, Noah offers to marry her in a quick and convenient arrangement. However, their marriage is soon put to the test when someone contests Noah's inheritance and threatens to tear their newfound family apart. Set in the idyllic village of Good Springs, this heartwarming tale follows Noah and Bette as they navigate the challenges of marriage, parenthood, and standing up to the powerful village council. As Noah’s dreams of family and community slip away, Bette is faced with an unimaginable fight for her family—and for love. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Texas Divided by Sherry Shindelar -- Driven by the looming expectation of becoming a suffocatingly proper lady, Morning Fawn is determined to escape the confines of her uncle’s plantation and return to her adoptive Comanche tribe. But with each failed attempt, her hopes dwindle, and she wonders if she'll ever find her way back home or if that world is forever lost to her. Devon Reynolds, disillusioned by the price of affluence and the horrors of war, leaves his privileged life to join the Texas Rangers and later the cavalry. In the military service, he finds purpose . . . until he loses his wife during childbirth while he is away. In an attempt to redeem himself, he takes one last fateful mission to rescue Morning Fawn from the Comanche. But the results force him to question the righteousness of his actions and the cause he serves. When Devon returns to Texas as a Yankee spy, his path crosses with Morning Fawn once more. Determined to save her from the prison of her uncle's house and to recover Texas from the Confederacy, Devon is drawn to her fierce spirit and unwavering resolve. But can two wounded souls, each fighting their own battles, find solace and love amidst the chaos of war? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

Spark of the Revolution by Megan Soja -- Contrary to her name, Patience Abbott has long felt unsettled and anxious to leave behind her painful memories in England for a fresh start in America. But her new life isn’t quite what she expected, and as tension grows in her new home of Boston, so does the distance between Patience and her estranged father. So when Josiah Wagner walks into her life, it finally feels like she’s not alone. If only his patriotic leanings didn’t put him at odds with her father’s loyalties. Josiah Wagner has spent his life yearning for a true home and family, something he works toward each day, forging tools as a blacksmith, and each night, forging plans with the Sons of Liberty. But when the destruction of tea in Boston Harbor lights the spark of the Revolution, Josiah finds himself drawn into its tumultuous wake, pulling the woman he loves along with him. As tensions mount, will their search for belonging lead to each other, or will the obstacles between them be too great to overcome? In a land on the brink of war, can they find the home they seek in the One who calls them His own? (Historical Romance from Wild Heart Books)

No Leaves in Autumn by Terri Wangard -- Marie Foubert grew up in an orphanage and struggles with feelings of rejection. As a Red Cross recreation worker, she interacts with the American men based in Iceland during World War II. Her growing attraction to seaplane pilot Stefan Dabrowski excites and concerns her. Won’t he disappear from her life like everyone else? Stefan hears his commanding officer describe him as exciting as last night’s bathwater. One of his colleagues constantly berates him because of his Polish heritage and his superior flying skill. Despite being the squadron’s most productive pilot, he is threatened with court martial. A showdown approaches to prove who’s the better pilot and the better man. Marie’s cousin, passing through Iceland, tries to see her after spotting her photo in Life magazine. She declines to meet him, but Stefan encourages her to do so and learn why no one wanted her. She may gain a family after all (Historical Romance from Scrivenings Press)

Heart of Courage by Penny Zeller -- A new life awaits her...if she can find the courage. In the spring of 1885, LilyBeth Engel makes the courageous decision to run from everything she's known. She boards a train and goes as far as her meager funds will take her with her young son in tow. With nothing but the clothes on her back, the baby in her arms, her Bible, and a skill for sewing beautiful dresses, LilyBeth determines to succeed with the Lord's help and dogged determination. Barrett MacCallum owns one of the largest ranches in Hilltop in the Montana Territory. He also owns several of the businesses on the main street. When a woman asks to rent one of his businesses for her new dress shop, he's amenable, even if it means charging the woman less rent because she's obviously destitute. When Barrett begins to fall in love with LilyBeth, will she have the courage to allow herself to love again with so much at stake?(Historical Romance from Maplebrook Publishing)

Cozy Mystery:

Home Baked Bribery by Gina Holder -- The annual Rockport bake sale and competition is underway. The stakes are higher than ever for the coveted Golden Whisk Award when a high-profile celebrity chef is brought in as a surprise guest judge. The competition takes a deadly turn when the celebrity suffers an allergic reaction. When Addie’s nemesis, Kennedy Graves is banned from the competition for using almond extract, Addie volunteers to prove Kennedy innocent. As Addie investigates the death, she learns each of the local bakers had a motive to dislike the celebrity. But did one of them kill him? Meanwhile, hundred-year-old twins, Poppy and Marigold, keep Addie hopping, looking for their missing dogs. Will Addie be able to uncover the truth behind the celebrity judge’s death, or will she become the next victim of the mysterious shenanigans going on in Rockport (Cozy Mystery, Independently Published)

Romantic Suspense:

Waylaid by Jerusha Agen -- Someone wants to kill her. She wants the killer to finish the job. Spring Weston will do anything to rise in the ranks of pro cycling and prove she isn’t the one failure of the five Weston siblings. Anything except cheat. When she learns of doping on her cycling team, she’s determined to uncover the truth. But she can’t if she’s dead. Sergeant Torin Cotter may not be the hero the public thinks he is, but he recognizes fear when he sees it. When he takes over the investigation of the collision that landed Spring in the hospital, he’s compelled to protect her from whatever danger she’s in, even though he knows he might fail. Again. Spring’s faith in God isn’t enough to help her face the living nightmare she awakened to after the accident. But neither she nor the handsome sergeant see the greater threat that’s coming until it’s too late. If they’re going to survive, Spring and Torin will not only have to confront their worst fears—they’ll have to find a reason to live. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Break My Fall by Lynn H Blackburn -- Dr. Meredith Quinn always planned to return to Gossamer Falls to practice dentistry. Now that she’s back home, she’s made it a point to offer clinics to children and adults in nearby underserved areas. Unfortunately, those same areas are known to harbor drug traffickers, and Police Chief Grayson Ward suspects that local law enforcement is looking the other way. After too many losses, Grayson has closed off his heart. But when Meredith enters his life, his walls crumble, and he’s left exposed and vulnerable. To keep her alive, he must keep her close, but that makes it impossible for him to retreat and rebuild. Will she be the one who finally helps him emerge from isolation? Or will this force of nature leave him shattered? (Romantic Suspense from Revell)

Traitor in the Scottish Isles by Paige Edwards -- To receive her inheritance and escape a scandal not of her making, wealthy socialite Cairstie Henderson moves to a small town in the Scottish Isles, far from the city lights and runways she frequents. There, she encounters the Irish spy responsible for the public breakup that made her the laughingstock of the Scottish Borders. Sheridan, a hardened MI6 agent, is on an undercover assignment to locate missing operatives and the mysterious traitor passing top-secret information to the Chinese. Unfortunately, there’s one Cairstie Henderson knows his true identity—and she detests him. But when Cairstie surprises an intruder, she seeks the one man who can protect her, Sheridan. Over time, these opposites give way to attraction that eventually blossoms into love, but with a dangerous criminal stalking their steps and intrigue around every corner, will Cairstie and Sheridan obtain their happily ever after, or will they end up dead? (Romantic Suspense from Balquhidder Books)

Two Good Deeds by Luana Ehrlich -- Titus accepts an assignment to get intel on an Egyptian terrorist by posing as an antiquities collector from Dubai, but when an old acquaintance turns up in Cairo, he suddenly finds himself in the crosshairs of an assassin, and he must risk everything to stop him. Two Good Deeds is Book 11 in the Titus Ray Thriller Series, and it continues the story of covert operative Titus Ray as he seeks to perform his duties as a CIA officer while figuring out how to live the Christian life in the midst of chaos. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Justice Denied by Sarah Hamaker -- Jetta Ainsley’s life had been complicated enough as she navigates cleaning out the family home while her mother recovers from a car accident. When her dog is hurt, her next-door neighbor, Seth Whitman, offers his help. Seth would like to do more for Jetta but the walls she’s placed around her heart are unsurmountable. Then she learns her late father had been accused of embezzlement, drawing Jetta into a web of secrets that could prove his innocence—or destroy her. When digging into her father’s past brings danger to their doorstep, Jetta turns to Seth for assistance in uncovering who stole millions before someone gets hurt. Seth tries to protect Jetta and her mother from the increasing danger, while clues lead them ever deeper into a tangled conspiracy. Unraveling the sinister plot will require all their courage, faith, and trust in each other. But will uncovering the truth clear her father’s name—or destroy their growing love for one another? (Romantic Suspense from Seshva Press)

The Mistaken Witness by Rebecca Lake -- When a near-fatal crash forces Harper Ashford and Alek Locke to confront their shared past, their only chance of survival lies in unraveling the deadly web her father wove—that is if they can manage to trust each other before it’s too late. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Discovering Elena: My Mother’s Secret by J. Carol Nemeth -- A tiny baby’s hat, old faded photos and a half of a metal medallion. What did the clues in the little wooden chest mean, and what will Kate find in Wyoming to shed light on her mother’s past? (Romantic Suspense from Winged Publications)

Young Adult Fiction/Allegory:

Liabetes by Shanna M Heath -- She’s got a dream school, a nightmare budget, and she’s headed for a doozy of a rude awakening...Olivia’s goal is within reach. She’s been accepted to her dream school, Vanderbilt University, alma mater of famed comic illustrator Paige O’Donnell. Despite gaining multiple scholarships and grants, Olivia’s just shy of tuition. Desperate, she applies for a $15,000 scholarship offered by the Wonderbrink Foundation, to be awarded to a high-achieving and athletic senior with diabetes. One little problem… Olivia doesn’t have diabetes. In her quest to pull off a whopper of a lie, Olivia attends a diabetes support group meeting, where she meets and befriends Paul Roberts, a smug yet handsome member of the Sugar Shatterers. Her best friends Xavier and Amber aren’t thrilled about Olivia’s new mysterious, one-sided friendship with superstitious, entitled Paul. Xavier may secretly be a *little* jealous, and the scholarship application deadline rapidly approaches. (Young Adult Fiction, Independently Published)

Between You and Me by Melissa Knight -- Meet Colton, the heartthrob of Rayburn High. With his charming smile and flirtatious nature, the girls are wrapped around his finger. As he spends more time with Mia, however - the friend he used to play with on the swings in second grade - he starts to recognize all the little ways she stands out. That girl can make him laugh! As for Mia, her schedule is jam-packed. Between looking out for her sister with special needs and juggling her interests in music, theater, and art, she barely has time for anything else. And romance? It’s a nice dream that has always seemed just out of reach. When Mia and Colton are thrown together in drama class, their relationship deepens, and sparks start to fly. Both begin to dream about something more than just friendship. But with insecurities and lies threatening to tear them apart, will they have the determination to sort out facts from fiction, and the courage to choose faith over fear? (Young Adult Fiction, Independently Published)

 
Plus check out these recent additions to Fiction Finder published within the past month:

Bravo by Jessica Ashley -- A pulse-pounding romantic suspense about trust, redemption, and the kind of love that refuses to let go—even when the past threatens to destroy it. Will they survive the firestorm, or will her secrets bring everything crashing down? (Romantic Suspense)

Circumvent (2nd Edition) by SK Derban -- When perfection turns to panic an isolated couple must learn: “For we walk by faith, not by sight…” (Crime Mystery)

To Capture a Mountain Man by Robin Lee Hatcher -- Bound by circumstance and danger, Amanda and Isaiah must navigate the perils of poachers, rustlers, and a growing affection he is not ready to admit. A romance of courage, love, and an unbreakable bond forged in the wild. (Historical Romance)

A Nurse’s Ambush by Rebecca Hemlock -- How could she trust the police to catch someone they claimed didn’t exist? (Romantic Thriller)

Mary the Missionary, A Kenyan Adventure by Yvonne M Morgan -- Mary the Missionary by Yvonne M. Morgan is a heartwarming story that explores themes of compassion, cultural understanding, and faith. (Children’s Early Readers)

But For These Chains by Jenny Powell -- This fictionalized account of Paul’s journey with Christ highlights this important aspect of his ministry, taking us on a tour of the Roman empire in the first century AD, and brings us closer to the source of our joy and hope. (Biblical)