Author: sandramervillehart

Christmas Tree Veggie Tray

/ sandramervillehart / 2 Comments

by Sandra Merville Hart

When planning a family Christmas party, I decided to create a Christmas Tree as my veggie tray. It’s a popular appetizer with my family and I thought this would be a fun way to serve it.

Chopping and preparing the vegetables was the time-consuming part of this.

Prepare small florets of broccoli and cauliflower.

Slice a cucumber.

Cut celery into 3” inch stalks.

Slice carrots into discs.

Use grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes as they are.

Slice a red pepper into thin strips.

Hint: If you are taking this veggie tray to someone’s home, put it together there as it will not stay as arranged on the car ride over.

I covered a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil as my serving dish.

Arrange broccoli with a few florets of cauliflower in a tree shape.

Possible ornaments are cucumber slices, carrots, and cherry tomatoes. I have a few family members who don’t like cucumbers or tomatoes, so I only used carrots as my ornaments.

Arrange red pepper strips as garland on the tree.

Celery stalks become the tree trunk.

Vegetables that some folks won’t eat can be stacked at the bottom of the tree to emulate gifts.

Tomatoes became the star on the tree.

As folks begin eating it, replenish the veggies to retain the “tree” shape. 😊

This was a hit at our Christmas party. It’s a fun way to encourage children to eat their veggies at a party!

Christmas in Fair Creek by Cathy Shouse

/ sandramervillehart

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Her Billionaire Cowboy’s Twin Heirs

Annie York, a single mother, works at her cousin’s diner to support her daughter. Chloe’s eighth birthday party is a couple of days before Christmas. 

Caleb Galloway doesn’t plan on staying in his hometown very long—until he meets Annie, whom he barely knew in school. He suddenly finds himself as the guardian of his twin infant niece and nephew and is grateful for Annie’s help.

This is a short read. All the action takes place in one day. Everything happens too quickly in the story and I had a hard time getting into it.

I do enjoy stories set during the Christmas holidays. It’s set in a small Indiana town where everyone knows everyone.  

Amazon   

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

/ sandramervillehart

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Freddie and Grace Mysteries – Book 1

I love to read books set during the Christmas holidays. This 1913 book begins in November and ends at Christmas.

Grace Ferguson is more interested in the library at the mansion where her sister Lillias will marry an earl in a week’s time. The arranged marriage will save the earl’s England estate and Lillias is only marrying a man she doesn’t know to please her father.

Frederick Percy is trying to make up for his past by marrying Lillias. When she elopes after meeting him, Grace convinces him to marry her instead.

Attempts have been made on Frederick’s life and soon Grace is also threatened. She dearly loves solving mysteries—and she must solve this one before her new husband is murdered.

I enjoyed the story overall. The growing relationship between the newlyweds is very romantic and perhaps too quick. My interest was snagged by the mysterious attempts to kill Frederick and I tried to solve the mystery along with characters.

Some characters are as full of surprises as the twists and turns. The story left the door open to solve more mysteries in future books!

Amazon

The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry

/ sandramervillehart

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Illustrated by The Fan Brothers

I’m always on the lookout for good picture books for my grandchildren. This book is a wonderful read for children aged 3 – 8.

The scarecrow stands alone in the middle of a field. No friends come to play.

Then one day a bird with a broken wing needs help.

I loved this story about how friendship can heal a broken heart!

Highly recommend this children’s picture book for young elementary grades.

 Amazon

Mama Vada’s Coconut Pound Cake

/ sandramervillehart

I am thrilled that friend and fellow author, Debra DuPree Williams, is sharing one of her delicious Southern recipes from her debut novel. I couldn’t put it down! Welcome to Historical Nibbles, Debra!

By Debra DuPree Williams

One thing that will stand out to you as you read through my debut novel, Grave Consequences, is how often and how much the people within the pages eat. Set in rural south Alabama in 1968, the meals they share are typical of the meals I grew up eating.

From collard greens to fried corn to sliced red-ripe juicy tomatoes so well-known in that part of the great state of Alabama, the love of good home-cooked food is one thing we all share. Just writing this makes my mouth water.

I’m an unusual product of the south in that my Mama wasn’t a good cook. Well, she was, but she didn’t make everyday meals. She made party foods. Mama loved to entertain. Big time. I doubt there were two girls in all of Covington County, Alabama, who cut more crusts from little finger sandwiches than my sister and me. Every time we turned around our home was filled with ladies. Garden club ladies, Sunday School ladies, Altrusa Club ladies. And my teachers, both ladies and gentlemen.

Every Christmas, Mama made fruit cake. I hate fruitcake. Any kind. All that horrible candied fruit . . . and raisins. And she made Lane Cake. I hate Lane Cake. All those nasty little raisins.

But Mama made pound cake. The best, buttery-est, yummiest pound cakes. And she made a gorgeous bright-yellow cake called a Butter-Nut Cake. Y’all! It was sooo good. The frosting is to die for.

But, when my sister got married, she brought to our family her mother-in-law’s oh-so-delicious Coconut Pound Cake. In a scene from Grave Consequences, Charlotte fills plates with Granny’s (known as Miss Marge in the book) Tea Cakes and thick slices of Mama Vada’s Coconut Pound Cake. (She’s Aunt Vada in the book.)

This cake is so good, y’all, that my husband, who cannot stand the taste of coconut, loves it. Our sons, some of whom also hate coconut, love this cake. It’s that good.  Recipes for the Tea Cakes and the Coconut Pound Cake, along with other Southern delights, are in the back of Grave Consequences, but here’s a sneak peek just for you.

Here is the recipe.

Mama Vada’s Coconut Pound Cake

Do NOT preheat your oven!

1 cup butter, unsalted

2/3 cup Crisco (solid shortening)

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups flour (regular, all-purpose)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup whole milk

1 ½ tsp. coconut flavoring

1 cup flaked coconut

Cream together the sugar, butter, and shortening. Add the eggs, one at a time. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add this to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk and coconut flavoring. Stir in by hand, the flaked coconut. Bake in a tube pan at 325 degrees for 1 ½ hours. (I bake mine in a Bundt cake pan. Take out about a cup or so of the batter if you choose to use the Bundt pan, as this will be too much batter for that pan. Bake yourself a little cake as a treat for being so good to your family.)

PUT INTO A COLD OVEN! Don’t turn it on until after you put the cake inside.

Your home will fill with the aroma of this yummy cake. And it is gorgeous. The outside is flaky and crusty. The inside is moist and so good.

This recipe was given to our family by my sister’s mother-in-law, Vada Cross Foshee Grissett. I’ve made this so many times and it is always a hit.

No wonder Mama, Polly Graves, whipped one up for dessert at Rose Haven.

Back Cover Blurb

Sometimes finding the living is more difficult than searching for the dead. 

In 1968, twenty-six-year-old Charlotte Graves wrestles with more than just her decision to return to her hometown, Loblolly, Alabama—she is also fleeing a broken heart, colliding headlong into a second one, and about to stumble onto a deadly secret.

Now settled back in Loblolly, Charlotte is hired to oversee the Woodville County Historical Society, a job she was born for. But no sooner has she banged the gavel to bring order to the first meeting than she is accused of being incompetent to lead the group by her old nemesis, Boopsie Sweets. Later that night, she finds herself arrested by her old beau, the current deputy sheriff, Roan Steele, for killing Boopsie.

After being released on bail, Charlotte uses her skills as a genealogist to leap into the investigation. And when Charlotte goes digging up dirt, she unearths a long-kept family secret. Will it lead to Boopsie’s murderer … or to grave consequences for Charlotte and her family?

About Debra

Debra DuPree Williams is an award-winning author whose work has appeared in Yvonne Lehman’s Stupid Moments, Additional Christmas Moments, Selah Award finalist, Moments with Billy Graham, and Michelle Medlock Adams’s Love and Care for the One and Only You, expanded edition, in addition to other publications. When she isn’t busy writing, you will likely find Debbie chasing an elusive ancestor, either through online sources or in rural graveyards. Debbie is a classically-trained lyric coloratura soprano whose first love is Southern Gospel. She’s been married forever to the best man on earth, is the mother of four sons, mother-in-law of one extraordinary daughter-of-her-heart, and DD to the two most intelligent, talented, and beautiful young ladies ever. Debbie and her husband live in the majestic mountains of North Carolina.

Connect with Debra on her blog.

Amazon

Announcing Angel Book Award Winners 2023

/ sandramervillehart

Here are the Angel Book Award Winners for 2023!

Nonfiction

First place – What Now?: Finding Renewed Life in Christ After Loss by Kaitlyn Odom Fiedler

Second place – From Ignorance to Bliss: God’s Heart Revealed through Down Syndrome by Annie Yorty and Alyssa Yorty

Third place – Northern Roads: A Journey of Life and Leadership Serving on the 60th Parallel by Jeremy Norton

Children’s Ages 2 – 8

First place – Creating Something New                                    by Lacey Langston                                                  Illustrated by Andrew Laitinen

Second place – I Know the Plans                                           by Jennifer Bosma                                                      Illustrated by Beth Snider

Third place – Love Connects Us All                                by Michelle Medlock Adams                                Illustrated by Sandra Eide

Honorable Mention – Guess How Much God Loves You     by Karen Ferguson

Children’s Ages 8-12

First Place – Jeff Pennant’s Field Guide to Raising Happy Parents by Kelli McKinney

Second Place – Abby’s Pony Love, Book 1 in Dream Pony Riders by Susan Count                                                Illustrated by Bev Johnson

Third Place – It’s Not Candy   by Dr. Yolanda D. McElroy                                             Illustrated by M. Rizwan Tufail & Pablo Cafe

Honorable Mention – Perfect: Finding the Perfect Snowflake could Solve the Perfect Crime                       by Kiri Jorgensen      

Young Adult

First Place – The Whisperer’s Wish                                by Janilise Lloyd

Second Place – Inside the Ten-Foot Line                       by Lori Z. Scott    

Third Place – Aivan: The One Truth                              by Kayla E. Green       

Honorable Mention – Unintended Hero                         by Becky Van Vleet     

Historical Fiction

First place – What I Would Tell You                              by Liz Tolsma

Second place – Beyond Wounded Hearts, Book 2 in Wounded Hearts   by Cynthia Roemer

Third place – Beneath His Silence                                 by Hannah Linder

Honorable Mention – Underground Scouts, Book 1 in WWII Rising Hope                                                      by Marie Sontag

Mystery/Suspense

First place – Circle of Vengeance: A Star Cavanaugh Cold Case           by Ramona Richards

Second place – Grace Immeasurable, Book 3 in Shadows over Whitman                         by Gina Holder

Third place – Fallout                                                     by Carrie Stuart Parks

Contemporary

First place – Midnight Blue, Book 1 in Love in Color                                           by Suzie Waltner

Second place – Christmas at Whispering Creek (Christmas Holiday Extravaganza)                                 by Barbara M. Britton

Third place – Love’s True Calling, Book 1 in True Calling                                    by Lori DeJong

Speculative

First place – When Legends Rise, Book 1 in Legends of Light by Daphne Self

Second place – Bentonsport: A Christmas Story             by Lisa Schnedler

Third place – The Deliverer                                          by Jason William Karpf

Congratulations!

Season of My Enemy by Naomi Musch

/ sandramervillehart

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Heroines of WWII series

Fannie O’Brien doesn’t want German prisoners of war helping with the work of her family’s Wisconsin farm. Because of her father’s recent death and her two older brothers off fighting the war in Europe, she accepts her mother’s decision. Fannie and her younger siblings can’t handle the workload. They’ll lose the crop without help.

German POW Captain Wolfgang Klonginger knows that he and seven others soldiers—most of them his former students—could have done far worse. He’s grateful for a chance to put in long days at the farm. As the summer passes, Fannie captures his attention. He admires her work ethic and her compassion.

But one of the soldiers isn’t grateful.

Musch has woven another mesmerizing tale that immersed me into the drama from the beginning. Believable characters tugged at my emotions in this well-written story.

The author dug deeply into the emotions of characters on both sides of the conflict. This page-turner gripped my attention. Well-done!  

This isn’t the first novel I’ve read by this author nor will it be the last. I love her ability to transport readers back in time.

I highly recommend this novel to lovers of WWII novels.

Amazon

November 2023 New Releases

/ sandramervillehart

November 2023 New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website

Contemporary Romance:

12 Days of Mandy Reno by Regina Rudd Merrick — Law student Amanda Reno is stuck in her tiny hometown in Kentucky for Christmas and work part-time at the Clementville Café. Her parents are stuck in Brazil, leaving Mandy to celebrate Christmas without them. Young Sheriff Clay Lacey takes matters into his own hands, devising a plan to take Mandy’s mind off her crushed expectations. She is no longer his classmate’s tagalong kid sister, but a young woman he is increasingly attracted to. How will Mandy react when she finds out Clay is the one working to make sure she has a memorable Christmas? Will she be pleased? Or will she cringe as she thanks the man who may be falling in love with her? (Contemporary Romance from Scrivenings Press)


A Family for the Orphans by Heidi Main — Three little hearts have been broken. Now they must find a way to heal them…Tragedy turned Walker McCaw from bachelor cowboy to guardian of his late best friend’s three children. Now they’re living on a new horse farm—and it’s a disaster. Trisha Campbell’s arrival couldn’t come at a better time. Together, they’ll need to work to save the struggling farm. But it takes more than hard work to make a family. It takes courage and love… (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)


Repairing Hearts by Julie Arduini — Ryan, the independent, brooding second oldest of the Hart sextuplets, can’t enjoy the solitude he craves when he agrees to star on a reality show. The plan is to discover a project manager to renovate his hole of a property. The show reveals that it’s more about Ryan’s dating life. Can he keep his guard up when everything around him is falling apart faster than the shingles on his roof? BJ Wallace loves her quiet life in Wisconsin that she’s created far from her traumatic childhood. Everything changes when she learns she’s competing on Repairing Ryan’s Heart. As the show focuses more on Ryan than the house, BJ falls for him. Will she win the show and destroy Ryan with her secret, or sacrifice her heart to protect Ryan? (Contemporary Romance from Surrendered Scribe Media)


The Cowgirl’s Last Rodeo by Tabitha Bouldin — She left home to chase her dreams. Now she’s back seeking a second chance…When Callie Wade’s horse goes blind, there’s only one man who can save her barrel racing career. Brody Jacobs is the best horse trainer she knows—if he’s willing to help. She broke his heart when she left him behind to go after rodeo stardom. This time, will they put their hearts on the line to reach the championship…and a future together? (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired/Harlequin)


Wooing the Widower by Elle E. Kay — Margie, a successful Colorado realtor, finds herself looking for a change of scenery and a dash of adventure after her only daughter embarks on a missionary journey, so she heads to Redemption Ranch to fulfill a long-held dream: learning to ride horses. Meanwhile, Chaz, having swapped his tailored suits and executive boardrooms for the ‘aromatic’ allure of horse manure, relishes his new life at Redemption Ranch. The retired businessman and former CEO of Freedom Mountaineering now assists his brother on the ranch, his days filled with hard work, peaceful solitude, and bittersweet memories. When Margie arrives at Redemption Ranch, their lives intersect in the most unexpected of ways. Amid horse rides and starlit conversations, they discover companionship and the tender buds of love in their twilight years. As Margie explores this unexpected turn of her adventure, will she find a love she hadn’t planned for? And can Chaz see Margie as a vibrant woman with shared passions and dreams rather than simply his son’s mother-in-law? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Cozy Mystery:
An Unexpected Christmas Gift by Janetta Fudge Messmer — Breanna Snow owns the Snowed Inn B&B outside of Boulder, Colorado. And the city manager, Matthew Jacobson, is irritating the socks off of her. The Go-By-The-Book-Kind-Of-Guy wants to shut her bed and breakfast down. And Bree has no clue why. But she doesn’t have time for Mr. Jacobson’s nonsense. She’s getting married. However, a tiny hiccup occurs while she’s trying on her wedding dress. It literally turns her world upside down. And to her dismay, the city manager is right in the middle of it. Will the mortal enemies find a way to work things out before her B&B closes? Or will they die trying? And can a random act of kindness from years ago change her heart to hear the truth? (Cozy Mystery from Winged Publications)

General Contemporary:
Carol of the Rooms by Diana Leagh Matthews — Driven. Divisive. Dissonant. Terri Neely is propelled by greed and ambition. She refuses to let anyone—except for her beloved Gramps—past her hard exterior. Long ago, her faith waivered, and her love of music turned to hate. That is until an accident forces her to view the soundtrack of her life as she visits her past, present, and future. Can the songs in Terri’s life change her heart and restore her faith before it’s too late? (General Contemporary from Elk Lake Publishing)

General Historical:
Crushed Hopes and Hopeful Beginnings by Carol Ashby — Can God work all things for good if you don’t even think he’s real?
Lusario was content in Cyrene as part of the Philandros household. After he returns from serving the youngest son, Diokles, while he studies in Alexandria, Lusario expects to become a paid tutor for his master, earning the money to buy his freedom. But when Diokles uses him to pay a gambling debt, he must go to Carthago as the slave of a man who hates him. His once-bright future is gone forever. So why does his Christian friend Timon insist things will turn out so much better than he expects? But Carthago brings new people, like Caelus Martinus, and new possibilities into Lusario’s hopeless world. Could Timon be right? When Lusario sees a chance to escape his fate, will going for it give him a future again, or only hasten his death? (General Historical from Cerillo Press)

Historical Romance:
The Lamp by Edwina Kiernan — Beatrice Beckwith is an orphaned young lady living with her aunt. On the brink of her deepest wish coming true, her plans unexpectedly collapse. Then, a startling discovery and an outbreak of cholera set in motion a series of catastrophic events, plunging her into even bleaker darkness. Isaac Taylor is forced to leave Miss Beckwith just as he’s arranged a meeting to propose. His deceased great-uncle’s derelict house needs restoration. But dust is not his only enemy, and a web of secrets soon entangles him. Kept apart against their wills, Beatrice and Isaac must navigate deadly illness, family deception, and scheming neighbors, yearning for the time they’ll be reunited. But as they each face their darkest moments, they’ll endure more devastation than ever before. Can joy once again be found, or will dangerous circumstances extinguish its light—and their very lives? (Historical Romance from Moliant Publishing)

Mystery:
Six Days Spent by Luana Ehrlich — When private investigator Mylas Gray gets a call from the wife of a high-powered Pentagon official, he assumes it’s about her appointment to discuss a possible stalker. It’s not. It’s about her husband – he’s just been murdered. Mylas agrees to investigate the murder, even though he’s supposed to help Whitney find a place to live in the next six days. Can he do both? As it turns out, finding a murderer and finding a house have a lot in common. (Mystery, Independently Published)


True Blue Christmas by Susan Page Davis — New neighbors, cryptic Christmas cards, and jury duty. What next? Campbell McBride is juggling her new role as a private investigator with her slightly wacky personal life. Can she and her dad figure out who stashed a valuable painting in their client’s attic? And is the murder of an egocentric landlord somehow connected? (Mystery from Scrivenings Press)

Romance:
Gifts of the Season by Deborah Raney — THEN: Inspired by a family Christmas tradition of the author’s family, “Circle of Blessings” is set in Dakota Territory in 1864. Stella Bradford is determined to win the love of James Collingwood, her English professor at the university where Stella is studying to be an architect. But the object of Stella’s affection hides a dark secret from his past. And even if Stella could capture James’s attention, she is certain her father would not approve of the match. But neither James nor Stella has an inkling that his secret is woven into her own past in a way that will ultimately bring blessing to them both—if only he dares to reveal it. NOW: “Measured with Love” is a contemporary tale set in a Mississippi River town in Southeast Missouri. Benjie Gabriel believes the chef’s position she’s just taken at an award-winning bed and breakfast is temporary—only a stepping stone to greater things. The B&B’s owner, Trevor Keye, thinks the same and—given the haughty attitude of his new chef—that’s fine with him. Will five months be long enough for them to figure out that what they’ve each been longing for, praying for, is right beneath their noses? (Romance, Independently Published)


The Hope of Christmas by Carol James — Cameron Blake has everything a man could want. Or so it appears. But in the dark of night, the contents of an old manila envelope remind him that the one thing he truly wants is beyond his reach. Kristin Hansen returns home after a messy break-up. While her parents think she’ s returned to recuperate after surgery on a broken arm, she’ s actually escaping from an abusive relationship.
When the pastor of a local church recruits Kristin and Cameron to supervise the building of the church’ s float for the upcoming Christmas parade, their hidden secrets are exposed. Cam sees in Kristin what he truly desires… but knows he can never have. As Christmas nears, can Kristin help him find the thing that’ s eluded him all these years? The one thing his heart truly desires? Hope (Romance from White Rose Publishing/Pelican)

Romantic Suspense:
12 Days by Heidi Glick — Scott Newton retires from the sheriff’s office after a fellow officer is killed. Wracked by sorrow and the need for justice, Scott grows distant from his girlfriend, aspiring crime writer, Lindsay Billings. But, when Lindsay goes missing, and Scott discovers her research on the missing person cases thought to be the work of a serial murderer known as the Christmas Killer, Scott vows to find her at all costs. Police have never found the bodies of the people who went missing many Christmases ago, and Lindsay won’t become just another statistic. Then, someone kills again in Blanchardville. Police locate a corpse atop one of seven inflatable swans on a pond, and another body in a pear tree. Scott receives odd texts from Lindsay’s phone and deduces they’re from the killer.
In order to save Lindsay, Scott agrees to meet the madman and play his game. As time runs out, Scott must learn to trust in God again, no matter what. (Romantic Suspense from Harbourlight Books/Pelican)


Beneath the Surface by Melanie D. Snitker — As the county’s chief medical examiner, many of the bodies coming into the morgue hold a mystery that Genevieve “Eve” Marks is determined to solve. In discovering what happened to the victims in her care, she can be their voice when they are no longer able to speak for themselves. Until one particular body includes a message challenging her to examine the past and solve a puzzle before the killer strikes again. Detective John Paris is leading a murder investigation that’s going nowhere. What he desperately needs is a break in the case. Unfortunately, that break comes in the form of another body that is obviously tied to the first. Even more disturbing than the idea that he may have a serial killer on his hands is the fact that the beautiful Eve Marks seems to be a target. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)


Deadly Sabotage by Elizabeth Goddard — A fatal explosion hides a lethal conspiracy.
After barely escaping a lab explosion that kills her boss, microbiologist Kinsley Langell discovers that the blast was no accident—someone intentionally set off a bomb. With a target on her back and the police compromised, Kinsley must rely on her ex, protection specialist Brett Honor, to help investigate the crime. But someone won’t stop until she’s silenced—this time permanently. Can Kinsley and Brett uncover the culprit before hired killers finish the job? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense/Harlequin)


K-9 National Park Defenders by Sheree Stover and Katy Lee — Peril at Christmas awaits… in these gripping Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit novellas. A Christmas skiing retreat turns treacherous when Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit officer Veronica Eastwood’s sister is kidnapped—and only rival officer Parker Walsh can help her in Katy Lee’s Yuletide Ransom. And in Sharee Stover’s explosive Holiday Rescue Countdown, K-9 officers Dylan Jeong and Brandie Weller must race against the clock when they face a Christmas parade bomb threat…and a killer from Dylan’s past. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense/Harlequin)

Young Adult:
Rise of the Y by Angela D. Shelton — In a world on the brink of revolution, where the iron fist of the Imperium orchestrates every destiny…Seventeen-year-old Lexi refuses to bow to a future with an assigned spouse and a dictated profession. A fiery spirit of defiance burns within her, ready to ignite a revolt. But destiny has other plans. When tragedy unveils a hidden diary—a legacy of secrets and rebellion—Lexi is thrust into the perilous shadows of the elusive rebel group Y. In a whirlpool of danger, deceit, and forbidden alliances, every revelation blurs the lines between friend and foe, making trust the ultimate weapon in a battle for truth. Caught between duty and a yearning for freedom, Lexi navigates a treacherous path where love and loyalty are tested at every turn. Who can she trust in a world where betrayal lurks in the shadows? As the foundations of the Imperium tremble, Lexi battles not only for her world but for the person she is destined to become. (Young Adult, Two Oaks Publishing)

 

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

A Mistletoe Christmas by Davalynn Spencer – When writer Georgia Andrew’s handsome, widowed pastor takes more than a passing interest in her, she wonders if there is hope in her real life for a second-chance romance. (Contemporary Romance)

A Morgan Family Christmas by Ruth Kyser – A Morgan Family Christmas is a peek into the past of Samuel Clemens Morgan, Jackson and Mary Byrd, and the rest of the Morgan family. (General Contemporary)

Beneath a Michigan Moon by Candice Sue Patterson – Will they open their hearts and give in to the stormy attraction brewing between them, or will illuminated secrets tear them apart? (Historical Romance)

Emily’s Trials by Henry McLaughlin – One of the first female attorneys in 1880’s Kanasas chooses justice and fights for her life and the innocent. (General Historical)

Hashtag Hitched at Christmas by Cathe Swanson – Who knew that meeting of their minds would spark a meeting of the lips? (Contemporary Romance)

Julia Monroe Begins Again by Rebekah Millet – It seems inevitable that the man who was hard to forget might just be impossible to resist. (Contemporary Romance)

Offsides by Lori Z. Scott – When an older man seems to be grooming Dani’s neighbor, Dani determines to do whatever she can to keep the girl safe. But she must watch her back, or she could become the next victim. (Young Adult)

Faith & Fellowship Book Festival Schedule 2023

/ sandramervillehart

by Sandra Merville Hart

The Faith & Fellowship Book Festival is a three-evening, online FREE event, with speakers and genre panels. It’s happening on November 1-3, 2023, from 6-8:30 pm Eastern every night.

I’m on the historical author’s panel on Wednesday. Hope you can come!

It’s free but you must register: http://ffbookfestival.com/.

All times are US Eastern.

Wednesday, November 1st

6-7 pm Featured Speaker: Jaime Jo Wright

Jaime Jo Wright is a coffee-fueled and cat-fancier extraordinaire who resides in Wisconsin’s rural woodlands. Her literary vocation involves penning chilling Gothic tales, with a strong preference to the master of dark, Edgar Allan Poe. Jaime’s books will keep you on the edge of your seat, with twists and turns that will leave you breathless. She is a multi-award-winning author, with numerous bestsellers under her belt.

7:05-7:50 pm Stories From the Past (Historical) Panel—Carrie Schmidt, moderator

A Battle Worth Fighting by Sarah Hanks

The Widow’s Cloak by Lynne Basham Tagawa

Loving Lydia by Susan Sloan

Song of the Shepherd Woman by Carlene Havel

A Not So Persistent Suitor by Sandra Merville Hart

The All-American by Susie Finkbeiner (unable to attend)

7:50-8:30 pm Whodunit? (Mystery/Thriller) Panel—Leslie Sherrod, moderator

Muffalettas and Murder by Jann Franklin

Offsides by Lori Z. Scott

Grave Secrets by Elle E. Kay

Ne’er The Twain Shall Meet by Carole Brown

The Gold Doubloons by Suzanne Brachter (unable to attend)

***********************************************

Thursday, November 2nd

6-7 pm Featured Speaker: Michelle Medlock Adams “The Wind is At Work”

In this inspirational and humorous talk, Michelle shares details of her writing journey relating to the story of Noah’s Ark, and encourages writers to keep their eyes on God and trust that He is at work behind the scenes—just like the wind. It’s a boat ride worth taking!

Michelle Medlock Adams is a best-selling author and an award-winning journalist, earning top honors from the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Hoosier State Press Association to name a few.

Author of over 100 books with more than 4 million books sold, Michelle is also a New York Times Bestselling ghostwriter and has won more than 90 industry awards for her own journalistic endeavors.

7:05-7:50 pm Matters of the Heart (Romance)—Paula Peckham, moderator

Forever Home by Hope Toler Dougherty

Six Pack Days of Intention, the “Days of…” Series, Book 3 by Sharon D. Tweet

An Unexpected Gift by Melissa Wardwell

Home Away from Home by Penny Frost McGinnis

New Embrace by Cindy Ervin Huff

7:50-8:30 pm Starting Over Stories (Nonfiction)—moderator Bettie Boswell

Gyspy for God by Yvonne M. Morgan

Letters to My Father by Crissie Ann Leonard

The Choices She Made by Felicia Ferguson

A Spiral into Marvelous Light by Michael Gryboski (unable to attend)

************************************************

Friday, November 3rd

6:05-6:45pm Kids’ Corner (Children’s) Panel—Burton Cole, moderator

God’s ABCs by Joan C. Benson

Roxie, the Traveling Rocker by Becky Troyan Van Vleet

Guess How Much God Loves You by Karen Ferguson

Introducing Joyfull Lee by June Coleman (unable to attend)

6:45-7:25pm Keeping it Real (Nonfiction) Panel—Shannel Taylor, moderator

The Crab Mentality Disease by Wanda Currie

It’s Not My Problem…Or Is It? From Nudge to Nonprofit by Bruce L Blumer

#WhereisJesusRN by Amanda Torre

Can’t You Smell the Smoke? by Sydney Koh (unable to attend)

7:25-8:05pm Speculative Fiction Panel-Julie Dearyan, moderator

Ohio Trail Mix—Betty Kulich’s story in this anthology

The Oasis King by Mark David Pullen

When Legends Rise by Daphne Self

8:10pm Angel Book Awards Presentation

The Rancher’s Want Ad Mix-Up by Megan Besing

/ sandramervillehart

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Della Mae Wagner answers a want ad for a teacher and heads to Missouri, hoping to heal from a broken engagement.

Widower Hank Lamson doesn’t want a teacher for his three young sons, and especially not a wife, as his parents advertised to provide. Women only wanted his money. He was having no part in it.

I enjoyed Della’s interaction with the children, especially the youngest boy. For someone with no teaching experience, she showed lots of wisdom.

The characters were likable. Some scenes and situations dragged a bit. Hank’s parents had corresponded with Della before she came. I was as surprised at their warm welcome at the first meeting as I was at Hank’s continuing unfriendliness, though that was explained. My interest picked up a little later in the story.

I’m happy that Love Inspired Historical Inspirational Romances are being published again!

Amazon