Coming in late 2011 from Waterbrook Multnomah

Here's some more books to add to your TBR pile, this time from Waterbrook Press.

Click on the links for more....

The Crossing by Serita Jakes

With emotional resonance and engrossing storytelling, Serita Jakes, wife of Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter’s House in Dallas, weaves together a heart-wrenching tale of brokenness and the secrets that create a wall for guarding shattered souls.

The Crossing is based on a fictional unsolved shooting on a Texas school bus in 2000. The students witness their teacher’s death and 10 years later several are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD). The head cheerleader now lives a secret life that could destroy her marriage. The superstar athlete struggles with anger issues that could land him in jail. Their struggles show only the strongest will survive and only by embracing the grace of God.

September, 2011

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall

Best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall engages readers with one young Old Order Amish woman’s determination to flee from a bad decision and save a farm and the Amish man determined to see that she fails.

When Sylvia Fischer turned down her beau’s offer of marriage, she expected him to give her the bit of time and space she’d requested, believing they would eventually be wed. Instead, he married her sister. When she learns that his betrayal was her father’s idea – a proposition made to save the farm – she knows she’ll never trust another man or will she?

September, 2011

A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner

A house with a turbulent Civil War history becomes home to a new bride and stepmother in Susan Meissner’s richly absorbing tale of a line of women stuck living in patterns of regret.

On a historic Fredericksburg street, Holly Oak stands in quiet elegance. The cannonball wedged between stone and timber is a silent reminder of what the house endured in the Civil War. When Marielle Bishop marries into the Holly Oak family, she soon hears rumors that the ghost of Susannah Page, a Yankee spy, haunts the halls and she uncovers letters written during the Civil War. Adelaide, 83, who also lives there says it’s not her great-grandmother who is the ghost, but the house itself.

September, 2011




The Scroll by Grant R. Jeffrey and Alton L. Gansky

Bestselling prophecy author Jeffrey and acclaimed action-adventure writer Gansky pair up for a novel that reveals pivotal truth about the Middle East conflicts, uncovers secrets lying in wait under Jerusalem, exposes the heart of one man and sets off a series of world-changing events.

Dr. David Chambers is a biblical archeologist of some fame and held in high regard by his peers. But what began as an effort to prove the authenticity of the biblical narrative has become a burden. Angry at his father who was too busy to attend his mother’s death bed, and years later abandoned by the love of his life, Chambers has grown disenchanted until he makes one more dig.

September, 2011

The Christmas Singing by Cindy Woodsmall

Experience the holidays with the Plain folk in this rich, heartwarming novella about everyday gifts and second chances from best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall.

Amish Mattie Eash was the Christmas Eve “precious gift” for her parents, who enjoyed a special moment with carolers shortly before their only daughter’s birth. But at 22, Mattie no longer shares her parents’ love of Christmas songs and singings. Her old beau Eli broke up with her three years before on her birthday and she still feels the sting.

When Mattie returns home to make wedding cakes for her cousin and aunt, she and Eli are thrown together and the Amish man is forced to face both his still-strong feelings for Mattie and the lie he told her to protect her.

October, 2011

Coming soon from Waterbrook Multnomah

Here's a preview of Waterbrook Multnomah's August to October releases this year.

Which ones grab your attention? Click on the links for more....


The Bridge of Peace by Cindy Woodsmall

Love alone isn’t enough to overcome the obstacles between a man and a woman.

From New York Times best-selling author Cindy Woodsmall, comes an invitation into Amish country Lena Kauffman is a young Old Order Amish schoolteacher who has dealt all her life with attention raised by a noticeable birthmark on her cheek. Having learned to move past the stares and whispers, Lena channels her zest for living into her love of teaching. But tensions mount as she is challenged to work with a rebellious young man and deal with several crises at the schoolhouse that threaten her other students. Her lack of submission and the use of ideas that don’t line up with the Old Ways strengthen the school board’s case as they begin to believe that Lena is behind all the trouble.

One member of the school board, Grey Graber, feels trapped by his own stifling circumstances. His wife Elsie has shut him out of her life, and he doesn’t know how long he can continue to live as if nothing is wrong. As the two finally come to a place of working toward a better marriage, tragedy befalls their family.

Lena and Grey have been life-long friends but their relationship begins to crumble amidst unsettling deceptions, propelling each of them to finally face their own secrets. Can they both find a way past their losses and discover the strength to build a new bridge?

August, 2010



The Miracle of Mercy Land by River Jordan

What if you had the power to amend choices you made in the past? Would you do it even if it changed everything?

Mercy Land has made some unexpected choices for a young woman in the 1930s. The sheltered daughter of a traveling preacher, she chooses to leave her rural community to move to nearby Bay City on the warm, gulf-waters of southern Alabama. There she finds a job at the local paper and spends seven years making herself indispensable to old Doc Philips, the publisher and editor. Then she gets a frantic call at dawn—it’s the biggest news story of her life, and she can’t print a word of it.

Doc has come into possession of a curious book that maps the lives of everyone in Bay City—decisions they’ve made in the past, and how those choices affect the future. Mercy and Doc are consumed by the mystery locked between the pages—Doc because he hopes to right a very old wrong, and Mercy because she wants to fulfill the book’s strange purpose. But when a mysterious stranger shows up, Mercy begins to understand she may have to choose between love and loneliness . . . or good and evil . . . for the rest of her life.

September, 2010



Lady in Waiting by Susan Meissner

Love is a choice you make every day.

Content in her comfortable marriage of twenty-two years, Jane Lindsay never expected to watch her husband Brad pack his belongings and walk out the door of their Manhattan home. But when it happens, she feels powerless to stop him and the course of events that follow Brad’s departure. Jane finds an old ring in a box of relics from a British jumble sale and discovers a Latin inscription in the band along with just one other word: Jane. Feeling instant connection to the mysterious ring bearing her namesake, Jane begins a journey to learn more about the ring—and perhaps about herself.
~
In the sixteenth-century, Lucy Day becomes the dressmaker to Lady Jane Grey, an innocent young woman whose fate seems to be controlled by a dangerous political and religious climate, one threatening to deny her true love and pursuit of her own interests. As the stories of both Janes dovetail through the journey of one ring, it becomes clear that each woman has far more influence over their lives than they once imagined. It all comes down to the choices each makes despite the realities they face.

September, 2010



Judgement Day by Wanda L Dyson

Sensational journalism has never been so deadly.

The weekly cable news show Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell promises to expose businessmen, religious leaders, and politicians for the lies they tell. Suzanne positions herself as a champion of ethics and morality with a backbone of steel—until a revelation of her shoddy investigation tactics and creative fact embellishing put her in hot water with her employers, putting her credibility in question and threatening her professional ambitions..

Bitter and angry, Suzanne returns home one day to find an entrepreneur she is investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious on her living room floor. Before the night is over, Sterling is dead, she has his blood on her hands, and the police are arresting her for murder. She needs help to prove her innocence, but her only hope, private investigator Marcus Crisp, is also her ex-fiancé–the man she betrayed in college.

Marcus and his partner Alexandria Fisher-Hawthorne reluctantly agree to take the case, but they won’t cut Suzanne any slack. Exposing her lack of ethics and the lives she’s destroyed in her fight for ratings does little to make them think Suzanne is innocent. But as Marcus digs into the mire of secrets surrounding her enemies, he unveils an alliance well-worth killing for. Now all he has to do is keep Suzanne and Alex alive long enough to prove it.

September, 2010



Dragons of the Valley by Donita K Paul

War threatens the peaceful land of Chiril… can one painter-turned-reluctant-swordsman really help?

With an invasion of her country imminent, Tipper Schope is drawn into a mission to keep three important statues from falling into the enemy’s clutches. Her friend, the artist Bealomondore, helps her execute the plan, and along the way he learns to brandish a sword rather than a paintbrush.

As odd disappearances and a rash of volatile behavior sweep Chiril, no one is safe. A terrible danger has made his vicious presence known: The Grawl, a hunter unlike any creature encountered before.

To restore their country, Tipper, Bealomondore, and their party must hide the statues in the Valley of the Dragons and find a way to defeat the invading army. When it falls to the artistic Bealomondore to wield his sword as powerfully and naturally as a paintbrush, will he answer Wulder’s call for a champion?

September, 2010



Divine Appointments by Charlene Baumbich

With the big 5-0 fast approaching, Josie Brooks begins to question her structured, picture-perfect (mid)life.

Josie Brooks, at the age of 47, thought she was leading an enviable single life. A successful consultant, she calls her own shots, goes where the money is, and never needs to compromise. But her precisely managed world begins to falter during a Chicago contract when an economic downturn, a bleeding heart boss, and the loyalty and kindness between endangered employees ding her coat of armor.

Throw in hot flashes, a dose of loneliness, a peculiar longing for intimacy, an unquenchable thirst—not to mention a mysterious snowglobe with a serene landscape, complete with a flowing river and lush greenery that seems to be beckoning her in—and Josie’s buttoned-up sense of status quo is on the verge of coming completely undone. Maybe her solitary existence hasn’t been as fulfilling as she has convinced herself to believe.

It will take a few new friends, a mystical encounter, and an unexpected journey to set Josie on her own path to “right-sizing” and making the life changes that really matter. Filled with laugh-out loud moments and a gentle dash of inspiration, Divine Appointments is another heartwarming charmer from a master storyteller.

September, 2010



Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball by Donita K Paul

Can mysterious matchmaking booksellers bring two lonely hearts together in time for Christmas?

In a sleepy, snow-covered city, Cora Crowder is busy preparing for the holiday season. Searching for a perfect gift, a fortuitous trip to Warner, Werner, and Wizbotterdad’s (a most unusual bookshop) leads to an unexpected encounter with co-worker Simon Derrick. And the surprise discovery of a ticket for a truly one-of-a-kind Christmas Ball.

Every year, the matchmaking booksellers of the Sage Street bookshop host an enchanting, old-fashioned Christmas Ball for the romantic matches they’ve decided to bring together.

This year, will Simon and Cora discover a perfect chemistry in their opposite personalities and shared faith? Or will the matchmakers’ best laid plans end up ruining everything this holiday?

October, 2010



Tandem by Tracey Batemen

As obsession and loss become dark partners, how far must the people of Abbey Hills go to survive?

Six months ago, brutal murders shook the small Ozark town—murders that stopped after a house fire reportedly claimed the killer’s life. Lauryn McBride's family auction house has taken responsibility for the estate sale of one of the victims—the enigmatic Markus Chisom. Submerging herself in Chisom’s beautiful but strange world, Lauryn welcomes the reprieve from watching Alzheimer’s steal her father from her, piece by piece. She soon realizes that centuries-old secrets tie Abbey Hills to the Chisom estate and a mysterious evil will do anything to make sure those secrets stay hidden. Even the man who grew up loving her may not be able to protect Lauryn from the danger.

When Amede Dastillon receives an unexpected package from Abbey Hills, she hopes it might be the key in tracking down her beloved sister, long estranged from her family. Visiting Abbey Hills seems the logical next step in her search, but Amede is unusually affected by the town, and when mutilated carcasses begin turning up again in the small community, the local law enforcement isn’t sure if they are confronting a familiar evil or a new terror.

Two women brought together by questions that seem to have no answers. Can they overcome the loss and darkness threatening to devour them—or will their own demons condemn them to an emotional wasteland?

October, 2010

The Sound of Sleigh Bells by Cindy Woodsmall & Aussie Giveaway

Publisher's Synopsis:~

Beth Hertzler works alongside her beloved Aunt Lizzy in their dry goods store, and serving as contact of sorts between Amish craftsmen and Englischers who want to sell the Plain people’s wares. But remorse and loneliness still echo in her heart everyday as she still wears the dark garb, indicating mourning of her fiancé. When she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds and she wants to help the unknown artist find homes for his work–including Lizzy’s dry goods store. But she doesn’t know if her bishop will approve of the gorgeous carving or deem it idolatry.

Lizzy sees the changes in her niece when Beth shows her the woodworking, and after Lizzy hunts down Jonah, the artist, she is all the more determined that Beth meets this man with the hands that create healing art. But it’s not that simple–will Lizzy’s elaborate plan to reintroduce her niece to love work? Will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love–or just more heartbreak?

What I thought:

Cindy Woodsmall’s most recent offering of ‘The Sound of Sleigh Bells’ further secures her place as a favoured Amish Fiction author with the gentle tenderness of this beautiful story. This seemingly ‘easy read’ and mere 194 pages belies the depth of the message contained within.

Cindy delicately unfurls the inner turmoil Beth suffers after withstanding deep personal tragedy. I was deeply touched by Beth’s story and was eager to discover the secret that holds her in a state of mourning and inability to move beyond her deep wounds. None of us travel through life unscathed by its difficulties, but throughout ‘The Sound of Sleigh Bells’, Cindy demonstrates the value of people who are willing to be open with us when we’re stuck in those dark places. Lizzy was willing to go to any length, even suffering Beth’s wrath, to see that her niece would experience healing. Beth’s driver, Gloria, was lovingly honest with Beth when dispensing advice. Finally, Jonah was prepared to pursue a relationship with Beth in a manner that went beyond his own desires and provided evidence of his deeper desire also for Beth’s healing and wellbeing.

Throughout ‘The Sound of Sleigh Bells’ I was reminded that God cares even more deeply for our wellbeing and goes far beyond what we are able to imagine for ourselves. Indeed He pours out His abundant mercy, grace and love in ways that we could never dream possible and we experience immeasurably enriched lives.

With thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for the Tracy's review copy



Guest reviewer:~ My friend Tracy from Beyond My Picket Fence

Relz Reviewz Extras

Visit Cindy's website and blog

Enter Cindy's Amish quilt contest for continental US & Canadian residents

Buy Cindy's books at Amazon or Koorong

Giveaway

I have a copy of The Sound of Sleigh Bells to giveaway to one of my Aussie readers ~ my final giveaway for 2009! To enter, please leave a comment by Thursday 31st December, 2009 and be sure you have an Aussie postal address :)

September, 2009 releases from Waterbrook Multnomah

Waterbrook Multnomah has the following books releasing this September.

Click on the title and author links for more :)


The Hope of Refuge by Cindy Woodsmall

Raised in foster care and now the widowed mother of a little girl, Cara Moore struggles against poverty, fear, and a relentless stalker. When a trail of memories leads Cara and Lori out of New York City toward an Amish community, she follows every lead, eager for answers and a fresh start. She discovers that long-held secrets about her family history ripple beneath the surface of Dry Lake, Pennsylvania, and it’s no place for an outsider. But one Amish man, Ephraim Mast, dares to fulfill the command he believes that he received from God–“Be me to her”– despite how it threatens his way of life.

Completely opposite of the hard, untrusting Cara, Ephraim’s sister Deborah also finds her dreams crumbling when the man she has pledged to build a life with begins withdrawing from Deborah and his community, including his mother, Ada Stolzfus.

Can the run-down house that Ada envisions transforming unite them toward a common purpose–or push Mahlon away forever? While Ephraim is trying to do what he believes is right, will he be shunned and lose everything–including the guarded single mother who simply longs for a better life?

Releasing September, 2009


Stray Affections by Charlene Baumbich

The last thing that Cassandra Higgins expects out of her Sunday is to be mesmerized at a collectors’ convention by a snowglobe. She’s enjoying some mommy time, with husband Ken at home tending their brood of four young boys, when she’s utterly charmed by the one-of-a kind globe containing figures of three dogs and a little girl with hair the color of her own. She can’t resist taking the unique globe home– even if means wrestling another shopper for it!

The beautiful snowglobe sparks long-dormant memories for Cassie, of her beloved Grandpa Wonky, the stray she rescued as a child, and the painful roots of her combative relationship with her mother, “Bad Betty” Kamrowski. Life in Wanonishaw, Minnesota is never dull, though, and Cassie keeps the recollections at bay, busy balancing her boys, her home daycare operation, and being a good friend to best pal Margret. But after a strange–flurrious, as Cassie deems it–moment happens with the remarkable snowglobe, Cassie and the people she loves are swirled into a tumultuous, yet grace-filled, and life-changing journey.

With the quirky, close-knit Midwestern small-town feel that made Charlene Ann Baumbich’s acclaimed Dearest Dorothy novels so popular, Stray Affections invites you to experience the laughter and the healing of second chances.

Releasing September, 2009

Coming soon from Cindy Woodsmall

I have had a number of people ask me about Cindy Woodsmall's next book!

When the Soul Mends will release in September, 2008 from Waterbrook Multnomah.

You can pre order from Amazon and Koorong (Australia).

With her heart now in the hands of a new love as well as the two children left in their care, Hannah Lapp finds her Englischer life more than she'd ever hoped for and is actively pursuing a future with Martin and in medicine.

When she receives a call from her sister Sarah, desperate for help, Hannah reluctantly returns to the Old Order Amish community that ostracized her. Once home, she must face her disapproving father and her former fianci, Paul Waddell, and it seems only Paul holds the key to her sister's mental health. When Hannah dares to speak her mind to him, she realizes that a lie separated them--one Paul knows nothing about.

As they work together for Sarah's sake, her feelings for Paul become too strong to ignore and Hannah's faced with choosing between the two men she loves--one an Englischer and one a Plain man. Free to follow her heart's desire, Hannah must discover her true desires and choose between the two vastly different worlds

When the Morning Comes by Cindy Woodsmall & Aussie Giveaway!

My sister is a huge fan of Amish fiction so I know she will enter this outstanding giveaway! Make sure you do too. I have a set of both stories from Cindy Woodsmall to give away and an extra two copies of her latest release, When the Morning Comes, so that will make 3 winners! Here are the requirements:~

1. You must have an Aussie mailing addy;

2. Tell me what it is that attracts you to stories about the Amish people; and

3. Post by midnight on Monday 3rd December, 2007

Happy posting!

Synopsis:~

Her relationship with former fiancé Paul Waddell in tatters, Hannah Lapp has fled her home in hopes of finding refuge with another Amish outcast, her shunned Aunt Zabeth in Ohio. Hampered by limited education and hiding her true identity, Hannah struggles to understand the confusing world of the Englischers and embrace unfamiliar freedoms, but a deepening friendship with the handsome Martin Palmer renews her courage to face the future.

Meanwhile, Hannah’s absence and the distressing events that led to her disappearance create turmoil among her loved ones in Owl’s Perch, Pennsylvania. Her father stubbornly refuses to search for her or to acknowledge increasing signs of instability in daughter Sarah, who suffers secret guilt over her sister’s ruined reputation. Fiancé Paul Waddell is wracked with regret over his betrayal of Hannah’s trust and is concerned with her whereabouts. He befriends Hannah’s remaining allies—brother Luke, best friend Mary, and loyal Matthew Esh—trying to convince them to help search for his love.

Rich with authentic details of Amish community and powerful in its theme of hope beyond measure, When the Morning Comes succeeds as a compelling follow-up to Cindy Woodsmall’s best-selling debut novel, When the Heart Cries.

Author Bio:~


Cindy Woodsmall is an author, wife, and mother of three sons. Her first novel released in 2006 to much acclaim, including a Reviewer’s Choice Award from the Road to Romance website, and became a CBA bestseller. Her real-life connections with Amish Mennonite and Old Order Amish families enrich her novels with authenticity. Cindy lives in Georgia with her husband and the youngest of their three sons.