Caleb hurried to the post office. He had to get in and out before his sister finished at the general store. “Any mail for the Stuarts?” he asked the postmaster.
The postmaster took a lazy look at him over the top of his eyeglasses and gave a heaving sigh as he turned around to check. “Yep. Somethin’ from Ohio and somethin’ from Montana.”
Tapping his foot, Caleb waited until the large man put the letters lazily in his hand. As he left he wondered why Anna had written someone in Montana and who she knew in Montana. It was really none of his business, but he was still curious. He folded the Ohio letter in half and stashed it in his back pocket. It would get wrinkled, but at least Anna wouldn’t know about it.
As Caleb struggles through some inner battles, he secretly starts a correspondence with a widow and her daughter. Their unabashed faith in God convicts him and increases his inner struggles.
Unable to find a steady job, Maggie places an advertisement to become a mail-order bride. Her daughter, Rachel, is her motivation and encouragement, but if Maggie doesn’t find a job or husband soon, Rachel might not survive through the next year.
Can Caleb learn to trust God despite his past? Can Maggie and Rachel hold onto their faith despite all their trials? What will happen when they meet in person?
Appearance: Brown hair with reddish streaks, tan, tall, muscular, the perfect farmer build
History: Caleb’s mother died in childbirth when he was eleven. His father beat his little brother, Jed, almost daily from age six through fourteen. When Jed was fourteen, he beat up his father and ran away. Since then, Caleb has just been living one day at a time and became more reclusive than he was before.
What was going through your mind when your brother ran away?
After I learned he’d run away, the first thing that ran through my mind was, “Will he be okay? Will he survive? Did he learn enough morals from his limited church attendance to keep him from doing wrong things?” When I tried to find him and failed, all I could think about was if we would ever know what happened to him.
When Da was beating your brother did you want to stop it?
Definitely! I hated the way Da treated Jed. But he threatened Anna and me with the same beating or giving Jed a second beating if we interfered. When I was big enough to actually do something, I didn’t because Da’d threatened us so many times I didn’t question it anymore.
What do you remember and hold dear to your heart?
Any memory of Mama. She was the bright spot in my life. All the stories she told kept me going after she died. Some of the stories were from the Bible and others were made up. Sometimes I wonder if she made them up or if she just retold them.
What do you hope to accomplish in the future?
I’d like to get married and maybe have some kids someday, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to. Between my reclusiveness and Da’s drinking problem, I doubt I’ll be able to. I guess just live the life I’m given and go from there.
Was there a time when you were certain things just were not going to turn out right?
When wasn’t there? When Mama died, I couldn’t imagine how things to turn out right. When Da started beating Jed, when Jed ran away, when we got Jed’s letter. Sometimes I wonder if life is even worth living. But then other times I wonder why it isn’t.
About the Author
An avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, Captaining on the Holy Worlds Historical Fiction Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?).
As a history enthusiast who has been fascinated for years with the Old West, Faith has endeavored to create a clean, fun, and challenging Western story. Faith lives with her family on a hobby farm in the Northern Midwest, where she enjoys the many cats they have.
From the author of The Land Unchartedand Uncharted Redemption comes the third book in the Uncharted series, Uncharted Inheritance. Written like a historical, set like a scifi, and filled with romance, Uncharted Inheritance concludes this suspenseful story of life in a hidden land.
Title: Uncharted Inheritance (Uncharted, #3)
Author: Keely Brooke Keith
Publisher: Edenbrooke Press
Released Date: May 5, 2015
Description: Bethany Colburn finally turns eighteen and Everett Foster is about to confess his love for her. When a new man arrives in the village of Good Springs, he brings charm Bethany has never encountered and illness the Land has never known. While the medicinal power of the gray leaf tree is put to the test and the Colburn family’s strength is stretched thin, Bethany must learn to protect her true inheritance. Uncharted Inheritance weaves heartbreak and hope while delivering long-awaited answers in this suspenseful story of life in a hidden land.
Keely is a bass guitarist and lives on a hilltop south of Nashville. When she isn’t writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antiques stores.
After decades of Elemental Invasions, human civilization has been pushed to the brink of extinction. A band of survivors pulls together in one last attempt to defend their homes and families as the Elementals make a push to wipe them out completely.
Author Bio:
Born in a small town in north central Oregon, H. L. Burke spent most of her childhood around trees and farm animals and was always accompanied by a book. Growing up with epic heroes from Middle Earth and Narnia keeping her company, she also became an incurable romantic.
An addictive personality, she jumped from one fandom to another, being at times completely obsessed with various books, movies, or television series (Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Star Trek all took their turns), but she has grown to be what she considers a well-rounded connoisseur of geek culture.
Married to her high school crush who is now a US Marine, she has moved multiple times in her adult life but believes that home is wherever her husband, two daughters, and pets are.
She self-published her four part fantasy/romance series “The Scholar and the Dragon,” followed by YA Steampunk Fantasy Beggar Magic, and a children’s chapter book. She is now working on an epic fantasy trilogy.
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book.
Author’s name: Annie Douglass Lima
Title of book: The Collar and the Cavvarach
Brief summary of the story:
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire’s most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie’s escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
The story takes place in a world almost exactly like our own. Although most aspects of the culture are just about what they are currently on Earth, a few sports are different, such as the martial art known as cavvara shil (more about that later). The main difference, however, is that slavery is legal there.
Jarreon, where this story is set, is the second-largest city on the continent of Imperia. It’s located on the coast and has a warm climate most of the year, though winter nights are cool enough that you would want at least a light jacket.
What is the political or government structure there?
The Krillonian Empire rules much of the world. An emperor (Geoffrey Kolvar Vandion, though his name isn’t actually mentioned in this book) governs from the capital city, Krillonia, on the continent known as Imperia. Eight separate provinces (independent nations before they were conquered) can be found on nearby continents. Each province, plus Imperia, is allowed to elect its own legislature and decide on many of its own laws, but the emperor reserves the right to veto any of them and make changes as he sees fit. This seldom happens, however, and to most people the emperor is merely a vague and distant ceremonial figure.
If we were to visit Jarreon as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
The city of Jarreon is famous throughout the empire for its martial arts, especially cavvara shil. If you enjoy sports, you will definitely want to attend one of the many local tournaments. I recommend the Grand Imperial Cavvara Shil tourney held in Jarreon every spring. The contest is held on four consecutive weekends at one of the city’s large arenas. Contestants of all ages, both male and female, battle it out for fame, trophies, and large cash prizes. Reserve your seat early, though, as tickets usually sell out months in advance. If you can’t get a ticket, you’ll be able to watch the matches on television on any of Imperia’s sports channels.
What dangers should we avoid in Jarreon?
On the whole, Jarreon is a pretty safe city, thanks in part to the City Watch officers who patrol its streets. (One of them, Officer Kalgan Shigo, plays an important role in the story.) I would recommend not walking around alone at night, however, especially in the bad parts of town.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Jarreon?
Not really. Most foods you might find on Earth are readily available there, including fast food such as pizza and hamburgers. One item often eaten by manual laborers is boxed meals that include rice or noodles with vegetables and meat (how much meat depends on how much you want to pay). Many side-of-the-road eateries specialize in variations of the boxed lunch, which owners will often order for their enslaved workers.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Jarreon?
Firearms very similar to ones we have on Earth are readily available throughout the Krillonian Empire. Watch officers carry them, and they’re legal for citizens to own. However, it is against the law for slaves to use or even touch a firearm.
A number of martial arts are popular in Jarreon. One kind is called kickfighting, which is similar to our kickboxing. Another is cavvara dueling, in which fighters strike at each other with a sword-like weapon called a cavvarach. The cavvarach has a hook about halfway along the top edge of the blade, and you win a duel by disarming your opponent: hooking or knocking the cavvarach out of his or her hand. Contestants wear poncho-like padding that protects their torso and groin.
Cavvara shil is the most widely respected martial art in the Krillonian Empire. It is difficult to master, since it is a combination of kickfighting and cavvara dueling, with a little wrestling thrown in. You can win a duel either by disarming your opponent or by pinning his or her shoulders to the mat for five seconds. In addition to the protective padding, you wear a narrow shield-like guard on one forearm, with which you can block an opponent’s blows or kicks. Bensin, the main character, is particularly skilled at cavvara shil. He and his owner/coach, Steene, each have their own reasons for hoping he will qualify for and eventually win the Grand Imperial Cavvara Shil Tourney. (Click here to read a tournament scene from the book.)
Cavvarachs used by most martial artists are unsharpened and not very dangerous, though minor injuries can and do occur. Only professional gladiators, who live and compete in Jarreon’s four major arenas, use sharpened weapons and fight without the protective padding. While not usually intended to be to the death, these duels can nevertheless end in serious injury, and all gladiators do die on the job eventually. (Barely mentioned in The Collar and the Cavvarach, gladiators and the whole arena system play an important role in book II: The Gladiator and the Guard.)
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to the Krillonian Empire?
Transportation works the same way there that it does on Earth. Steene, Bensin’s owner, drives an old blue pickup truck. When not riding with him, Bensin takes the bus to and from the different places where he works.
What types of sentient races might we encounter in the Krillonian Empire that we don’t see on Earth?
Humans are the only sentient race in this world. There are different races of humans, closely coinciding with races found on Earth, though their cultures don’t necessarily match. Bensin, a Tarnestran, has “light skin, short blond hair, and green eyes” (though hair and eye color can vary). Nelirians, like Bensin’s friend Ricky, have “narrowed eyes and high cheekbones”. Skeyvians, like Officer Shigo, have “dark skin, kinky black hair”, and in his case, “the stereotypical deep voice”. Imperians such as Steene are described with “medium brown skin and straight black hair”.
I should add that race is really not much of an issue to most people in Jarreon. As you might expect in the largest port city on the continent, it is a cultural melting pot, and people from all over the empire can be found there. One character does recall someone making racist remarks to him, but most don’t see others any differently based on their skin color or appearance.
Slavery is not based on race, either. People from any race can be enslaved as punishment for certain crimes. For example, Ricky and his family were sold into slavery after his dad, who worked as an accountant for a government agency, was caught embezzling money. It’s true that more Tarnestrans are slaves than anyone else, but that’s because the nation of Tarnestra refused to submit peacefully to imperial annexation. After the Krillonian Empire eventually conquered it, tens of thousands of Tarnestrans were ripped from their homes and sold into slavery as a warning to anyone else who might be tempted to resist imperial progress.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in the Krillonian Empire? If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Technology is nearly the same there as on Earth, but some of it is used in different ways. For example, all slaves wear a metal collar that locks around their neck and identifies them as a slave. For an extra fee, a slave’s owner can purchase an upgraded version that comes with GPS, making it easy to track the slave if he or she attempts to escape.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in the Krillonian Empire as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The days and months are exactly the same, though the years are based on the time since the empire was founded. The story starts on January 1st of the year 154.
The biggest holiday in Imperia is New Year. People celebrate by buying each other gifts and enjoying a feast with family or friends. As on Earth, it’s common to stay up till midnight on New Year’s Eve. Schools close for two weeks, and families often use the time to go on vacations. In the first few days of the new year, those who can afford it usually buy new clothes.
Are there any other unique cultural practices that we should be aware of if we visit Jarreon?
The prevalence of slavery is probably what would stand out the most to visitors from Earth. There are nearly as many slaves in Jarreon as free people, and they are easily identified by their steel collars. From each collar hangs a tag inscribed with the slave’s name, their owner’s name, and a tiny copy of their owner’s signature. On the back of the tag is their owner’s phone number and a bar code that can be scanned to access additional information.
Owners may choose to send slave children to up to five years of public slave school, which meets only in the mornings and involves reading, writing, and arithmetic. This is considered all that most slaves need to know for their daily tasks, though some owners pay extra for them to receive additional education or specific vocational training.
Many families own one or more slaves who do their housework and yardwork. Businesses often own a large number of slaves, usually for manual labor, though some are trained for more complex tasks. “Green slaves,” or those who were born free and enslaved later in life for one reason or another, are in high demand. Often they have college degrees and the white-collar work experience so hard to find in the enslaved population.
People or businesses who don’t own their own slaves may “hire in” a slave belonging to someone else. The accepted rate for an hourly wage is two-thirds the amount that a free person would earn for equivalent labor (the money goes to the slave’s owner, of course).
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
I’ve based a few details of Jarreon’s culture on the culture in Taiwan, where I live. The convenient boxed meals and the importance of New Year, for example. In addition, people receive award money in red envelopes. As in Taiwan, some in Jarreon’s lower class chew betel nut, a legal drug sold in shops decorated with flashing colored lights.
What, if any, “hot-button” or controversial topics do you touch on in your book?
Slavery is definitely the big one. I wanted to explore the idea of what our world would be like if slavery were legalized in the modern day. It sounds so impossibly wrong that it’s easy to think we could never let it happen in this day and age, but how many other wrongs do we overlook because it isn’t convenient to do anything about them? It’s my hope that this work of fiction will make readers take a second look at some of the practices we accept or choose to turn a blind eye to in our own culture.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase The Collar and the Cavvarach?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to the Krillonian Empire. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the world of Yargon in Realm Explorers Part XLVII!
-Annie Douglass Lima
Just one more week until The Collar and the Cavvarach is available! (Of course, you can preorder it right now by clicking here.) In the meantime, want a sneak preview? Scroll down to read a scene from the book. But first, a quick description of the story.
Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire’s most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie’s escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?
In this scene, fourteen-year-old Bensin is preparing to compete in a martial arts tournament. His coach, Steene Mayvins, is eager to see how his new student will do. Steene’s former prize pupil, Jayce, is competing too.
It was about a quarter to seven that evening when Steene and Bensin pulled into the parking lot of the large park. A cool breeze hit them as they got out of the truck, and they both paused to pull on the light jackets they had brought.
Lively music played from speakers all around, and brilliant temporary lighting illuminated milling crowds in what was almost a carnival atmosphere. Steene sniffed appreciatively; aromas wafted toward them from half a dozen food stalls featuring various local restaurants that offered dinner to the hungry throng.
“Entrance is ten imps per person,” announced an attendant at the gate as they approached.
Steene handed over a ten-imp bill. “Bensin here is a contestant.”
He showed the woman the registration slip, and she compared the name printed on it to the one on the boy’s collar. “All right, your slave gets in free. Good luck!”
Long rows of tables on either side of the entrance sold Springstyle sports equipment of every variety, while other vendors, who had paid well for the opportunity, hawked their wares from around the edges of the park.
In the middle, of course, were the fighting rings. There were six of them: two each for the under fourteen, under sixteen, and under eighteen fighters. Netting hung from poles around each ring to protect onlookers from the occasional flying cavvarach.
Steene checked a nearby sign. “The under sixteen boys’ ring is over on the right there. Come on.” He led the way as Bensin followed him through the crowd on bare feet, carrying the duffel bag with the protective padding, cavvarach, and shil that Steene was letting him borrow for the event.
“Hi, Coach Steene!” A couple of the girls in one of Steene’s intermediate classes waved to him from amongst the crowd.
He waved back. “Good luck this evening! You’ll do great!” He would try to go watch some of their matches if he had a chance, but Bensin was his first priority today.
A cheer went up from somewhere to their left, followed by thunderous applause. The music cut out while an announcer’s voice called over the loudspeaker: “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s hear it for April Levang, our under eighteen girls’ cavvara dueling champion!” There was another cheer, and scattered applause rippled through the park.
They made their way to Bensin’s ring, empty of contestants at the moment, and Steene found the list of pairings for the first round. “So who am I fighting, sir?” the boy wondered from beside him.
I don’t believe this.“You’re going first, and it looks like you’re up against Jayce Torro.” Usually athletes from the same school or training organization weren’t matched against each other in public competitions, at least not unless they both made it to the finals and there was no one else to fight. But Steene had signed Bensin up as his private pupil. He hadn’t mentioned the CSF on the form since the boy wasn’t a paying student there anymore, and so the organizers had had no way of knowing.
“I’m against Jayce, sir? Your former prize student?” Worry crossed Bensin’s face. “I pictured maybe facing him in the final round.”
“Well, now you can beat him at the beginning and get it over with,” Steene replied, trying to sound confident. He wasn’t actually sure which of the two boys was the better athlete, but he wasn’t about to say so now. “Come on, let’s go get you warmed up.” He led Bensin toward the competitors’ tent as another, smaller round of applause went up from the crowd at the other end of the park.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” bellowed a different announcer, “I give you Brock, winner of the boys’ under fourteen cavvara dueling competition!” There were fewer cheers this time. With only one name, Brock was obviously a slave, and people seldom got as excited when a slave won. Not that slaves didn’t have friends who would have been glad to cheer for them, but slaves’ friends were almost always other slaves, and they didn’t usually have the money for the entry fee required at most tournaments.
“And that concludes the cavvara dueling portion of our evening,” the voice went on. “We’ll take a few minutes’ break, and at seven o’clock we’ll start the first rounds of cavvara shil. Check the rings or ask at the information counter for the lists of competitors, and be sure to pick your favorites. Bets can be placed at our betting booth across from the front entrance.”
The competitors’ tent, which was really just a peaked roof on poles, was full of athletes warming up and coaches giving last-minute pep talks. Steene guided Bensin to an empty corner and pulled out the jump rope he had stashed in the duffel bag. “Here. Warm up.” It might look funny, but he had found that jumping rope was the best way to warm up in a small space.
As Bensin began jumping, Steene pulled out the padding and shil that he had worn at so many tournaments in his own teenage fighting days. At the other end of the tent, he could see Jayce’s parents hovering anxiously while their son pulled off his socks and shoes and prepped his custom-designed gear under Markus’ watchful eye.
Steene wove his way over to them, noting the way the boy’s mom and dad sidled away as he approached. They don’t want to have to talk to me about why they pulled their son out of my class.
“Hi, Jayce.”
His former student, who hadn’t seen him coming, started almost guiltily at the sound of Steene’s voice. “Oh, hi, Coach.”
“Ready for your first competition under your new trainer?” He hoped the bitterness he couldn’t help feeling wasn’t too obvious.
“Um, yeah. Listen, nothing personal about switching or anything. It was just, you know ….” His voice trailed away.
“No worries, Jayce. I’m sure you’ll do great with Mr. Brinks.”
Markus smiled toothily at him as he handed Jayce his padding. “Oh, he will. He will.”
“I hear I’m up against a new pupil of yours,” the boy added as he pulled the padding over his head. “Some collar named Bensin.”
“You shouldn’t call him that.” Steene frowned. “Slave or not, he’s a person, and a good fighter too. He’ll give you a run for your money.”
“Well, I’m ready for it!” Jayce grinned and flexed his muscles.
He is ready for it.Steene turned and walked back toward Bensin. Was his new student as good as his old one? He would find out soon, and he had an uncomfortable feeling about this.
Next time I’ll check with Mr. Drogum about mentioning the CSF on the form, Steene decided. Bensin does train there, after all. He should have done that this time.
But he wouldn’t let Bensin see how he felt about this match. “Better start stretching,” he ordered. “They’re going to be calling the two of you out there in a minute.”
“Yes, sir.” The boy coiled the jump rope up. “Was that Jayce you were talking to over there, sir?”
“Yeah.” Steene took the rope, noticing for the first time the holes in the knees of his student’s pants and how threadbare his shirt was. It was quite a contrast to Jayce’s name brand sports clothes and expensive shoes. “Listen,” he began as Bensin pulled one foot up behind himself in a standing quad stretch. “He’s good, but not as good as he likes everyone to think, so don’t let him intimidate you. He’s overconfident. You can beat him if you stay focused.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If you can get him to underestimate you, you’ve got an even better chance. Focus mainly on defense at the beginning while you get a feel for his fighting style. Then attack when he thinks he’s got you intimidated. Try to pin him or disarm him suddenly, before he can come back from his surprise.”
“Yes, sir. Got it.” They said nothing else as the boy finished stretching. Steene wasn’t sure if Bensin really believed he could do it or not.
Finally Bensin stood up, peeled off his jacket, and donned the padding. The loudspeaker crackled to life as he strapped on Steene’s shil. “And now, ladies and gentlemen,” came the announcer’s voice, “we begin the event you’ve all been waiting for. Will the first contestants for the cavvara shil competition in each age group please step into their rings.”
Steene handed the cavvarach to Bensin and led him out of the tent, through the crowd, and over to the ring formed by the circle of netting. Jayce was already stepping into it from the other side.
A different announcer, the one in charge of just this ring, spoke into his microphone from a few yards away. “For the first round in boys’ under sixteen cavvara shil,” he declared, reading from his sheet, “we have Jayce Torro versus Bensin.”
Excited applause rose from the gathering crowd. “You all set?” Steene asked. Out of habit, he double-checked the straps on his student’s padding and shil, even though he knew Bensin knew just how tight to fasten them. “All right. Get in there and make me proud.”
Bensin nodded under the lights. “I’ll try, sir.”
Steene lifted the edge of the netting, and his student ducked under it and into the ring. A whistle blew and the duel began.
Did you miss any of the excerpts or reviews for this tour? There’s still time to check them out and to order your copy of A Love Like Ours by May 17th to have part of your proceeds go to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (more details on the Launch).
Turning, he squinted beneath the brim of his black Stetson and tried to make out who was coming toward him. A small woman with long, wavy blond hair. She wasn’t on the barn staff; that he knew. He angled toward her more fully. And then, very slowly, recognition began to slide over him. The hair on his arms rose. It couldn’t be her. Not after all this time. And yet the rational part of his brain understood that it could be. He knew she’d moved back to Holley. His mom had been nagging him to see her ever since, but he’d wanted no part of that, no part of her. Yet here she was.
“Jake was a marine. The wounds he carries from his time in Iraq are not all visible to the eye. He has a scar on his face, but his real battle is in the PTSD that is a part of his everyday life. I really liked that the book looked into a topic that is the battle that extends long after a soldier leaves the military. The book looks at how everyday situations can impact a person struggling with PTSD.”
Jake’s poor face. His poor, ravaged face, both undeniably handsome and unbearably exhausted. As big and strong as he was physically, he was also wounded. He needed someone to care about him. Following pure instinct, she stepped forward and reached up to place her hands on either side of his face. “No,” he rasped, trying to pull back. “Shh,” she replied, firm. She’d purposely placed her hands in the same position on both sides of his face, favoring neither the perfect side nor the scarred.
“Tackling a serious issue that many in our military face is no easy feat, but Ms. Wade does it well. The story isn’t too heavy, as it’s balanced with romance, fun, family, horses, and religion. I love reading about this Porter Family and can’t wait for more!”
He had only two goals where Lyndie was concerned: to interact with her as little as possible and to keep her safe. Whispering Creek Horses took every precaution with their exercise riders. In the past, a few had sustained minor injuries but none had been seriously hurt. There was no reason to worry about Lyndie. He should be more concerned about himself. He couldn’t afford to let a pretty blonde mess with his head.
“The slow progression for Jake is so satisfying to read. I loved the flow of the book and I loved learning in bits about both Jake and Lyndie. This is one of those “feel good” books leave you so content in the end. It’s a great addition to this Porter Family series. I loved it!”
How long had it been since she’d experienced a stirring of desire for anyone? Ages. A couple of years at least. It was fun and harmless to . . . tingle . . . over someone again. It wasn’t as if Jake was in danger of returning her feelings. Or as if this altered her intentions toward him. She was determined to help him and his horse. The kind of help she had in mind for Jake had nothing to do with Valentine’s Day emotions and everything to do with God’s power to redeem.
Jake stopped at Silver Leaf’s stall. The horse had his head down, chewing hay. It took Jake a moment to spot Lyndie’s small form in the dim space. She sat to one side, her back against the wall, her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them. She must have heard him coming because she was already gazing up at him. Her lips tipped into a gentle smile. For a long moment Jake stared at her. Foolish woman, sitting in a horse stall for hours every day. Even more frustrating, looking at him as if she liked him and trusted him. Looking at him as if she believed he was worthy of her friendship and trust. Raw pain gathered in his chest.
“A Love Like Ours was another special read from Becky Wade. I loved the characters and finally reading Jake’s story…which was such a sad, yet beautiful story.”
“Character-driven, A Love Like Ours was a joy to read — and re-read. As Lyndie and Jake get to know one another again, Lyndie breaks through the walls Jake has built (and those surrounding Silver Leaf) to be an instrument of hope and healing. Wades characters are flawed individuals, ones the reader can relate to and cheer for. Her novel captivates the reader from the prologue.”
Paperback, 368 Pages May 5th 2015 by Bethany House Publishers
Deeply scarred from a day he wishes he could forget during his military service, Thoroughbred trainer Jake Porter has given up on love. He struggles against symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.
When Lyndie James, Jake’s childhood best friend, returns to their hometown of Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake trusts her with his prized racehorse, Silver Leaf, then battles his hopes for his horse against his increasing fear for Lyndie’s safety.
Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake’s will, Lyndie’s sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he’d thought he’d lost returns. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?
During her childhood in California, Becky Wade frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She’s been a fan of all things romantic ever since.
Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky’s passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances for the general market, put her career on hold for many years to care for her kids, and eventually returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She’s delighted to be penning warm, wry, and heartwarming contemporary romances for the Christian market. She’s the Carol Award and Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award winning author of My Stubborn Heart, Undeniably Yours, and Meant to Be Mine.
These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.
Tour Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card (INT) Signed copy of A Love Like Ours (US Only) 1 Kindle ebook (gifted through Amazon) of A Love Like Ours (INT – if available in your area)
I’m excited to announce that my young adult action and adventure novel, The Collar and the Cavvarach, is scheduled to be released next month! Here is the cover, created by the talented Jack Lin:
About the Story: Bensin, a teenage slave and martial artist, is desperate to see his little sister freed. But only victory in the Krillonian Empire’s most prestigious tournament will allow him to secretly arrange for Ellie’s escape. Dangerous people are closing in on her, however, and Bensin is running out of time. With his one hope fading quickly away, how can Bensin save Ellie from a life of slavery and abuse?
What is the Collar for, and What is a Cavvarach? The story is set in a world very much like our own, with just a few major differences. One is that slavery is legal there. Slaves must wear metal collars that lock around their neck, making their enslaved status obvious to everyone. Any slave attempting to escape faces the dilemma of how and where to illegally get their collar removed (a crime punishable by enslavement for the remover). Another difference is the popularity of a martial art called cavvara shil. It is fought with a cavvarach (rhymes with “have a rack”), an unsharpened weapon similar to a sword but with a steel hook protruding from partway down its top edge. Competitors can strike at each other with their feet as well as with the blades. You win in one of two ways: disarming your opponent (hooking or knocking their cavvarach out of their hands) or pinning their shoulders to the mat for five seconds.
If you’re looking for a bargain beach read in the romantic suspense department, the Kindle edition of Don’t You Forget About Me by Erin McCole Cuppwill be on sale for 99 cents through May 1st!
Don’t You Forget About Me
Mary Catherine Whelihan made it out of Walkerville alive once before. Can she pull it off this time? Bullies, sexual harassment, finding a corpse in the local creek… Cate’s childhood in 1980s Walkerville was murder! So what could possibly tempt her to return? A cryptic email from Eugene Marcasian, MD, her grade school crush might do the trick. Can Cate and Gene find the cause of the mysterious illness afflicting nearly all of the girls in their graduating class, including Cate herself? Or will corporate bullies continue to take down anyone who gets in their way? More importantly, can Cate stay alive long enough to get one more slice of tomato pie?
“Doesn’t signing in at the Technology Annex check-in desk blow the whole cloak-and-dagger bit?”
Gene furrowed his brow for a moment. “I’m not looking for cloak-and-dagger. I just want to buy enough time to get some answers and put a stop to whatever is making people sick. But Mary Catherine—I don’t know what kind of wasp nest we might be kicking at here.”
“Nice image.” My stomach knotted.
Gene gently but firmly grasped me by my upper arms. “I’m not kidding. If what our coffee shop friend said is true…”
I picked up where he trailed off, “Then Walkerville wasps carry some pretty wicked stingers.”
Gene nodded. “I’m willing to give it all to find the truth. I’m not sure I want you to.”
He was right. This wasn’t picking up rocks in Quaker Creek and looking for water pennies. This was digging up what two potentially deadly forces—Big Pharma and The Mob—wanted kept buried.
I forced myself to look directly into his eyes. “Search softly,” I said, “and poke with a big stick.”
Praise for Don’t You Forget About Me:
“This book has all the elements that make a book addictive: a compelling story told well with characters who are unforgettable. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll stay up all night reading.”
Sarah Reinhard, author, SnoringScholar.com and A Catholic Mother’s Companion to Pregnancy
<!–[if supportFields]>SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1<![endif]–><!–[if supportFields]><![endif]–>“This captivating murder mystery made me laugh, cry, and crave Italian food; ‘80s pop tunes are still stuck in my head. If you like mysteries that offer a good mix of suspense and science, don’t miss this book.”
“Don’t You Forget About Me…is a rollicking fun and exciting cozy murder mystery.The author’s strong and clever command of the written language makes this book an entertaining page-turner. I recommend this highly-enjoyable, cozy, clean, lively mystery to all readers!”
“A quirky, fun, mystery-romance that will tickle your funny bone while making your hair stand on end.”
AnnMarie Creedon, best-selling author, Angela’s Song
“It’s easy to identify and sympathize with protagonist Cate Whelihan as she returns to her hometown and faces not only the classmates who bullied her in school but also her junior high sweetheart and fellow nerd, Gene.Readers will be chuckling one moment…and biting nails the next as she faces threats, corrupt police, and the business end of a gun.”
Daria Sockey, author, The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours
Author Bio:
Erin McCole Cupp is a wife, mom, and lay Dominican who lives with her family of vertebrates in the middle of Nowhere, Pennsylvania. Her writing has appeared in Canticle Magazine, Parents, The Catholic Standard and Times, and The Philadelphia City Paper, and she is a regular contributor to CatholicMom.com. Her other professional experiences include acting, costuming, youth ministry, international scholar advising, and waiting tables. Her influences include Neal Stephenson, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Jane Austen. Her weaknesses include iceberg lettuce, frozen drinks, and anything labeled “Visitor Center.” Erin is the author of Jane_E, Friendless Orphan: A Memoir (Broken Wheel Media, 2006), Don’t You Forget About Me (Full Quiver Publishing, 2013), and Working Mother (Full Quiver Publishing, 2013), all available on Amazon. You can find more about Erin at erinmccolecupp.com.
Is she the girl her former hometown thinks she is? Or the girl Luke Carter once loved – and maybe still does?
When Hope returns to Canyon Creek, Texas, to honor her father’s last wishes, there’s only one person on her mind: her high school sweetheart, Luke. The boy she lied to when she had to leave Canyon Creek as a teen, finding it easier to hide what she really felt than deal with the grief of loss. Her father’s fortune could make a big difference to Canyon Creek – but Hope finds that the townspeople have a long memory about his misdeeds. With a plan to make amends on his behalf, Hope learns the truth about herself. And the truth about love.
Kate James spent much of her childhood abroad before attending university in Canada. She built a successful business career, but her passion has always been literature. As a result Kate turned her energy to her love of the written word. Her writing has been recognized with a number of awards, including first place honors for Silver Linings in both the First Coast Romance Writers’ Published Beacon Contest and ACRA’s Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Award. Her November Harlequin Heartwarming release, A Child’s Christmas, received first-place honors from Southern Magic, the Birmingham Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, for the 2015 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence!
Kate married her husband, Ken, in an elegant, ocean-front wedding on a tropical island. When they are not traveling, they split their time between their properties in southern and central Ontario in Canada, with their beloved black Labs, Harley and Logan.
Kate’s next novel is the first book in her K-9 Squad Trilogy, and is scheduled for release on October 1, 2015.
Canyon Creek, Part 1
During one of our stays with our friends in Texas, we visited a breathtaking promontory close to their home. I’ve fictionalized it for The Truth About Hope. It is an important setting in the story as the event that precipitates the circumstances related to her departure and her reconnection with her high-school sweetheart, Luke, occur there. Here is the first excerpt from those fateful scenes:
Teenage Hope Before She Leaves Canyon Creek
She followed the road until it intersected with McCullock Street. With no definite plan, she turned left and continued walking until the street started to rise. There she took a right onto Yardley Drive and walked all the way to the end. The road dead ended on a promontory, which had been made into a park and observation area. It was the highest point in Canyon Creek, and it provided a panoramic view of the whole town, Gulch River snaking around its perimeter and, in the distance, the silvered surface of Stillhouse Hollow Lake.
It was early, and the park was tranquil. It would be at least an hour before the chatter of preschoolers and the exuberance of dogs would shatter the quiet. For now, it was just her and a handful of joggers taking advantage of the relatively cool temperatures.
Hope flung her backpack on a wooden bench and sat beside it. The early-morning sun gilded homes, land, river and lake, giving it all an ethereal luminosity. She’d heard that northern California was beautiful, but how could it compare to her hometown? She’d never been outside Texas. She hadn’t wanted to be.
A bubble of panic formed in her belly, and she pressed a hand over it. No, she wouldn’t let herself fall apart again. It was too important to handle her discussions today with a level head. She kept her eyes on the vista before her. The town that was her home, the town that—in one short week—she might never see again.
She blinked back the tears.
No! That couldn’t be.Of courseshe’d see the town again. She’d be back to visit her friends and, as Clarissa had pointed out, in less than a year she’d be an adult and could do as she pleased. She could come home if she wanted, and she did. Everything she knew and cared about was here. She’d just have to get through the next year and, as Clarissa had pointed out, in less than a year she’d be an adult and could do as she pleased. She could come home if she wanted, and she did. Everything she knew and cared about was here. She’d just have to get through the next year.
Welcome to Realm Explorers! In this weekly series, we visit a variety of unique worlds created by talented science fiction and fantasy authors. Enjoy your travels! And don’t forget to read to the bottom of the post to find out more about each author and see how to purchase the featured book.
Author’s name:
Michael M. Farnsworth
Title of book and/or series:
HALADRAS
Brief summary of the story:
When Skylar’s enigmatic uncle warns him to stay away from the mysterious winged insects that have been sighted on other planets, he thinks little of it; no one has seen the insects on their own planet of Haladras. His uncle knows more than he’s telling, though. The creatures are not insects, but machines. And they’re hunting for Skylar. Only after Skylar narrowly escapes capture and flees Haladras with his uncle does he learn the whole truth. What his uncle reveals will shatter Skylar’s world. Torn from the girl he loves and thrust into the center of a conflict that will consume the empire, Skylar must fight for all he cares for, even as he struggles to know who he can trust.
Brief description of the world or location you created for this story:
Haladras is the principle planet for this story—hence the name. It’s a small desert planet, whose entire economy is driven by teryleum mining. Though small, because of its vast production of teryleum, it plays an increasingly vital role in the empire of which it is a part.
If we were to visit Haladras as tourists, what would you recommend that we see or do there?
Haladras is a harsh place. Men do not go there to live long comfortable lives. There is little time for leisure. Its mining units are utilitarian. However, if given the chance to see it, the Gorge of Kaladra is a spectacular sight when it’s lit up at night.
What dangers should we avoid in Haladras?
The sun. The deep desert. Sand storms. Drake Blacksands. Most of all, the Trackers.
Is there a distinct or unusual type of food or meal that we might be served in Haladras?
Like their cities, the people’s food serves one purpose: to sustain life. Food which spoils easily is of little use. They mostly eat grains, legumes, and dried meats.
What types of weaponry or fighting styles are common in Haladras?
The blaster is the most common and efficient weapon. But there are some who still carry swords.
What types of vehicles, animals, technology, etc. are used to travel in or to Haladras?
Few people on Haladras are wealthy enough to own a spacecraft. Most buy passage on large spacecrafts to travel between planets. On Haladras itself, sand rovers and transports are commonly used to get about the desert. Among the younger citizenry, the personal flying devices called jetwings are popular. If you find yourself on one of the planets with a more habitable climate, you might end up riding on the back of a shaggy-haired paqua.
What types of plants, animals, or sentient races might we encounter in Haladras that we don’t see on Earth?
Though you won’t find them on Haladras, paquas do make several appearances in the story. Their most prominent feature is their long shaggy hair, which is often shorn and woven into a coarse fabric. Primarily used as beasts of burden, their gait is slow and lazy.
What role, if any, does magic or the supernatural play in the lives of people in Haladras?
None, practically. Though, the main character will have a few brushes with the supernatural during his adventures.
Is there any advanced or unusual technology in Haladras?If you haven’t described it already, please give some examples.
Yes. Early in the book, synthetic osteoclasts—nanomolecular agents—are used to rapidly mend a cracked skull.
The jetwing utilizes an invisible coupling link which acts as a sort of wing between the two hand-held jet thrusters. This enables an individual to fly with his arms outstretched, as if he were a plane or a soaring eagle.
Tell us about any sports, games, or activities that are available for entertainment in Haladras.
Teenage boys love to play Orb Scram, a game involving jetwings and a levitating sphere. There’s also sand sailing that can be done out on the dunes on a windy evening.
Are the days of the week and months of the year the same in Haladras as on Earth? What holidays or special events are celebrated regularly there?
The measure of years is reckoned by the length of the current monarch’s reign. Months are measured by the phases of its own moons.
Is there a particular religion practiced in Haladras?Please describe what it involves.
Under the current monarch’s reign, religion in the empire has withered. Some still believe in a Spirit King, who rules over the dead. Some believe he also has power in the mortal realm. But there is no active religion practiced on Haladras. The largest contingency of believers are the priests which live isolated on the frozen planet of Kyndoo Yavi.
What is the political or government structure in Haladras?Who is in charge there at the moment, and what kind of leader is he/she?
The Ahlderion empire is ruled by a king. Each official planet of the empire is governed directly by a lord. These lords pledge fidelity to the king, but are bestowed a significant amount of discretion when it comes to operating the affairs of their people. Haladras being a colonial planet, is overseen by a viceroy, who has significantly less power than a lord. The current viceroy of Haladras is Viceroy Aberforce. Generally, he is a prudent leader. Proud, but spineless.
Has anything in your actual life inspired the locations, cultures, etc. in your book?
On Quoryn, one of the nearest planets to Haladras, there are lush forests with towering moss-strewn trees. These were inspired by the magnificent forests of the Pacific Northwest, where I live.
Author Autobiography.
Michael M. Farnsworth holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Texas A&M University. A degree that comes in handy if you’re a software engineer, which he is, but not so much if you’re a writer. As a native Texan, he should know lots about riding horses and herding cattle—but he doesn’t. He does, however, know a good deal about wrangling small children. He has four of them. When he’s not wrangling children, writing code or writing books, he’s probably building something. He lives with his wife and children in Seattle, WA.
Where, and in what formats, can we purchase your book?
I hope you all enjoyed the trip to Haladras. Questions about the world or the book? Ask them in the comments and the author will get back to you! Click here to read other posts in the Realm Explorers series. Please join us again next Monday for a trip to the Krillonian Empire (which is more of an alternate reality than a sci-fi or fantasy world), in Realm Explorers Part XXXXVI!
As Caleb struggles through some inner battles, he secretly starts a correspondence with a widow and her daughter. Their unabashed faith in God convicts him and increases his inner struggles.
An avid reader, Faith Blum started writing at an early age. Whether it was a story about the camping trip that summer or a more creative story about fictional characters, she has always enjoyed writing. When not writing, Miss Blum enjoys reading, crafting, playing piano, Captaining on the Holy Worlds Historical Fiction Forum and playing games with her family (canasta, anyone?).
