BLESSED ASSURANCE by Lyn Cote

Publisher: Avon Inspire $9.95
LINK TO BUY
Review By Harriet Klausner –

"Whispers of Love" Several years have past since the Civil War made Jessie Wagstaff a single mother. She runs a Chicago boarding house as she raises her young son Linc. A new guest Lee Smith makes her feel uneasy as he seems too interested in her late husband's family and besides she feels attracted to him. However, when the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 threatens mother and daughter, Lee risks his life to
keep them safe.

"Lost in His Love" In 1906 San Francisco social activist Linc
Wagstaff demands the city outlaw child labor. To make his case
stronger he investigates the Dickensian exploitation. During his
inquiries he meets heiress Cecilia Jackson. As they fall in love, he
holds her accountable for practices her trustees are doing to
increase her wealth. Before they can confront one another, an
earthquake devastates the city leaving everyone struggling to
survive.

"Echoes of Mercy" Meg Wagstaff has returned to the States after
spending time as a volunteer in France during the war. Her parents,
Linc and Cecilia are elated she came back safe, but Meg learns her
childhood friend Delman Dubois has been accused of murdering Mitch
Kennedy by the New Orleans police. Meg refuses to believe Del would
kill anyone so she travels to the city to prove her Negro friend is
innocent. As Del faces racism that will gladly lynch him, Meg feels
like a traitor as she is attracted to her opponent New Orleans Parish
Attorney Gabriel St. Clair.

"The omnibus collection of the three superb Wagstaff BLESSED ASSURANCE
inspirational historical tales will elate fans of the genre as each
era comes alive due to the strong lead couple and a deep support
cast."

Also drop by www.shoutlife.com/LynCote and read Lyn's blog about
Chicago 1871.

Shadows in the Mirror
An October release from Steeple Hill/Love Inspired Suspense
SHADOWS IN THE MIRROR

"Never go back to Burlington!" Those were the dying words of the secretive aunt who'd raised orphaned Marylee Simson. Yet to discover who she was, Marylee had to go back, sure the Lord would look out for her. But learning anything about her past was proving impossible. Why were there no records of the accident that claimed her parents' lives? No records of her parents, period? And who was trying to stop her from finding out? Someone whose threats were escalating. Someone close to her, such as Evan Baxter, the handsome photographer she'd entrusted with the one clue she had.

Shadows in the Mirror is the first in a three-book romantics suspense trilogy where these shadows of the past must be accepted, acknowledged and forgiven before one can move onto life and love in the present.

What people are saying about Shadows in the Mirror:

Linda Hall has done an outstanding job. The tension and suspense will engage you from the first page. The fast pace and even flow of the story will keep you turning the pages. I recommend you read this novel to find out the dramatic ending.Romance Reviews Today

In Shadows in the Mirror, Hall has done an excellent job or marrying her skills in character development and suspenseful plots with a strong romance element…. if you love Romantic Suspense, with the October release of Shadows in the Mirror you have cause to celebrate, as another strong Romantic Suspense author has been added to the must read list.The Suspense Zone

About the author:

Linda Hall is the award winning author of fifteen novels and a number of short stories. She is the author of the bestselling Margaret’s Peace and the critically acclaimed Sadie’s Song. She has received The Word Guild award five times for best Christian mystery in Canada, has been short listed twice for a Christy (Sadie’s Song and Steal Away) and once for a Daphne (Steal Away). When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, having coffee with friends and listening to good music. She and her husband also enjoy sailing the New Brunswick and Maine coasts. She invites readers to her website: http://writerhall.com

This bestselling three-book series (Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered) features a different historical romance in each novel. In the late 1860s, Colorado Territory is a wild and untamed land. Nestled within its mountains and sustained by one of its major creeks, three couples find adventure and love on the frontier. Each person will be called upon to stand on nothing more than faith, risk what is most dear, and turn away from the past in order to follow God's plan for the future.


TAMERA ALEXANDER is the bestselling author of Rekindled, Revealed, and Remembered, the three-part Fountain Creek Chronicles historical series with Bethany House Publishers. Alexander’s books have won multiple awards, including Romance Writers of America’s 2007 RITA®, the 2007 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, 2007 Bookseller’s Best, and Library Journal’s Top Christian Fiction of 2006.

Tamera and her husband, Joe Alexander, have two college age children, a seven-pound Silky named Jack, and make their home in Tennessee. Tamera is currently working on her fourth novel, part of another three-book historical series with Bethany House which is set in the Rocky Mountains of the Colorado Territory.


LINKS
Fountain Creek Chronicles

Rekindled

Revealed

Remembered

Tamera’s website

Tamera’s blog

My friend Tricia Goyer is a busy woman and a prolific writer. She has a wonderful new release and she's here to visit with us today!

Introducing
A SHADOW OF TREASON
Book 2 in the Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War series

Sophie discovers that nothing is as she first imagined. When Walt, the reporter who helped her over the border, shows up again after Guernica is bombed, Sophie is given an impossible mission. She must leave behind the man she's fallen in love with and return to the person who betrayed her. Another layer of the war in Spain is revealed as Sophie is drawn into the international espionage schemes that could turn the tide of the war and help protect the soldiers from the International Brigade ... she must find a way to get a critical piece of information to Walt in time.


Q and A with Tricia!

Q: A Shadow of Treason follows A Valley of Betrayal. This is the first time you've written books as a series instead of stand alone. Which way do you like better?

A: I love writing in series. It was great to continue with the same characters. In my stand-alone books I fell in love with these people and then I had to say good-bye after one book. It was wonderful to be able to continue on.


Q: In A Shadow of Treason Sophie must return to the person who betrayed her in an effort to help the Spanish people. It makes the book hard to put down because the reader has to know how Sophie's heart will deal with it. Why did you decide to make this an element of the book?

A: There are very few of us who go through life without giving away a part of our hearts to someone who didn't deserve it. Even though Sophie had the best intentions, she gave away her heart and she was hurt-not only that she must revisit those emotions.

I wanted to include this element-to delve into the topic that emotions are sometimes as big of a trap as any physical cage. Emotions are real and they guide us -- even when we don't want to admit it. Poor Sophie, not only does she have to deal with a war around her -- she also has to deal with a war within herself. It's something I've battled, and mostly likely others have too.


Q: There is an interesting element that arises in this book and that is Spanish gold. I know you can't tell us what happens in this book, but can you give us a brief history of this gold?

A: Sure. When I was researching I came upon something interesting. The Spaniards, as we know, had taken much Aztec and Inca gold during the time of the conquistadors. Well, at the start of The Spanish Civil War much of this gold was still held in Madrid. In fact Spain had the fourth largest gold reserves in the world at that time. The Republican government was afraid Franco would take the city and the gold. They had to get it out of Madrid and this included transporting priceless artifacts. The element of gold does make its way into my story. It was great to include this little-known (and true!) element into my story.


Q: Another historical fact I learned about was the Nazi involvement during this time. Not only were the Germans active in Spain, but they had spy networks busy around the world. How did you find out about this?

A: I love reading tons of research books. Usually I find one little element that I dig out and turn into a plot line. This is what happened with my plot-line for the Nazi pilot, Ritter. I dug up this bit of research of Nazi involvement in Spain -- and the United States -- because a lot of people aren't aware of the Nazi involvement prior to WWII. The truth is they were busy at work getting the land, information, and resources they needed far before they threatened the nations around them. The Germans knew what they wanted and how to get it. And most of the time they succeeded!


Q: A Shadow of Treason is Book Two. When will Book Three be out? Can you give us a hint of how the story continues?

A: Book Three is A Whisper of Freedom. It will be out February 2008. The characters that we love are all still in the midst of danger at the end of Book Two. Book Three continues their stories as we follow their journeys in -- and (for a few) out -- of Spain. It's an exciting conclusion to the series!


Q: Wow, so we have a least one more fiction book to look forward to in the near future. Are you working on any non-fiction?

A: Yes, I have two non-fiction books that will be out the early part of 2008. Generation NeXt Marriage is a marriage book for today's couples. It talks about our marriage role models, our struggles, and what we're doing right as a generation. It also gives advice for holding it together.

I've also been privileged to work on the teen edition of Max Lucado's book 3:16. It was a great project to work on. What an honor!


Meet Tricia:
Tricia Goyer has published over 300 articles for national publications such as Today's Christian Woman, Guideposts for Kids, and Focus on the Family, and is the co-author of Meal Time Moments (Focus on the Family). She has led numerous Bible Studies, and her study notes appear in the Women of Faith Study Bible (Zondervan).

She has written seven novels for Moody Publishing:
From Dust and Ashes (2003)
Night Song (2004)
Dawn of a Thousand Nights (2005);
Arms of Deliverance (2006)
A Valley of Betrayal (2007)
A Shadow of Treason (Fall 2007)
A Whisper of Freedom (February 2008)

Night Song was awarded American Christian Fiction Writer's 2005 Book of the Year for Best Long Historical. Dawn of a Thousand Nights won the same award in 2006.

Tricia has also written Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom (Zondervan, 2004), 10 Minutes to Showtime (Thomas Nelson, 2004), and Generation NeXt Parenting (Multnomah, 2006). Life Interrupted was a 2005 Gold Medallion finalist in the Youth Category.

Also, coming out in the next year are: My Life, Unscripted (Thomas Nelson, 2007), Generation NeXt Marriage (Multnomah, Spring 2008), and 3:16-the teen version of the a book by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson, Spring 2008).

Tricia and her husband John live with their three children in Kalispell, Montana. Tricia's grandmother also lives with them, and Tricia volunteers mentoring teen moms and leading children's church. Although Tricia doesn't live on a farm, she can hit one with a rock by standing on her back porch and giving it a good throw.

Important Links!

First Chapter:
http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com/2007/09/shadow-of-treason.html

Amazon Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Treason-Chronicles-Spanish-Civil/dp/0802467687/

Book 1, A Valley of Betrayal:
http://www.amazon.com/Valley-Betrayal-Chronicles-Spanish-Civil/dp/0802467679/

Tricia's Website:
http://www.triciagoyer.com

Tricia's blogs:
http://triciagoyer.blogspot.com
http://genxparents.blogspot.com
mywritingmentor.blogspot.com
www.myccm.org/triciagoyer
www.shoutlife.com/triciagoyer