Monday Musings: New Releases, News, and More 10/11/21
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New Christian Book Releases for October 2021
These are full price, brand new books I didn’t want you to miss out on.
Faith Talk: Christian Women and the Gospel
This is a new release for October. Perhaps you remember the first book in this nonfiction series, Candid Conversations: Real Women. Real Life. Real Faith. The newest book in the series, Faith Talk: Christian Women and the Gospel, contains a chapter from our very own Laura J. Marshall, who ran Christian Book Finds for years.
Here’s the description.
Have you ever struggled to put your faith into words?
Or have you wondered what was up with the whole Jesus thing?
If so, you are not alone.
Grab a cup of coffee and sit down with these Christian women. They are living with Jesus and invite you to come alongside them for a little Faith Talk.
You can purchase this book on Amazon and I’m sure the authors would appreciate a review after you’ve read it.
New Historical Western Series From Clari Dees
Introducing the Taggart Brothers series by Clari Dees, a Christian historical romance set in 1895 Colorado. Book 1, The Pinkerton’s Pursuit of Justice, released in late September 2021. Here’s the description.
He’s searching for justice. He just didn’t expect it to be her.
Pinkerton agent, Tremain Taggart, has dangerous criminals to investigate and apprehend. He doesn’t have time to escort a petty thief to Denver, but the quicker he completes the assignment his superior ordered him on, the quicker he can return to more important cases. However, the straightforward task promptly turns into the most complicated, chaotic chase of his career, and if he ever gets his hands on the elusive Miss Justice, he will be sorely tempted to wring her neck.
All Emmalena wanted was a tiny corner of the world to call her own. But after running away from the circus—the only life she’s ever known—all she’s found is trouble. And now she’s on the run, again. This time with a disturbing Pinkerton hot on her trail. If she can’t outrun or outwit him, she might have to risk her heart and actually trust him.
She’s the assignment he didn’t want. He’s the complication she didn’t need. But together, they might be exactly what they were each searching for.
Clari Dees is a public librarian by day and an inspirational writer by night. She’s authored several novels including The Marshal Meets His Match, published by Love Inspired Historicals.
I asked Clari how she came to write this series and here was her response:
Several years ago, a short scene in an old western movie sparked a "what if" in my head.
What if a lawman who was good at his job was outsmarted by a slip of a girl?
Not much of a plot, but the questions began to grow.
Why was he after her? How was she able to outsmart him? And what if she was actually innocent?
As I began to flesh out the idea, the lawman became a Pinkerton with an almost obsessive need to see justice served against lawbreakers on behalf of their victims.
The slip of a girl became a vagabond circus hand who desperately wants a permanent home of her own.
Unfortunately, her attempts to secure it put her in the path of the wrong people.
When she has to go on the run, the Pinkerton is sent after her.
Emmalena's attempts to escape and Tremain's attempts to bring her in are thwarted by run-ins with outlaws, a horse-thief-hunting posse, and a bounty-hunter--to name a few. But the sometimes-humorous, frequently frustrating, occasionally dangerous escapades cause Emmalena and Tremain to have to start to work together and begin to trust each other, but more importantly, to realize that God is the only true source of justice and when we grow our roots deep into Him, we can be at home wherever He leads us.
Side notes:
Growing up in a circus environment would give a girl a unique set of skills--a set of skills that just might come in handy when trying to escape from a lawman. So, I researched the history of circuses before the turn of the century and found that some circuses were called "Sunday School shows" for their family friendly entertainment and absence of risque side shows and/or rigged carnival-style games. That family-friendly, clean circus environment became the background for my heroine and taught her more than a few tricks. To the chagrin of an unsuspecting Pinkerton agent. :-)
At this time, the plan is for this series to only have two books, with the second being about Tremain's younger brother--who we meet in the first. The first book tells a complete story, has a happy ending, and does not cliffhanger.
You can purchase this book on Amazon.
Discussion Topic of the Week
This has been a crazy day. The power has been out for two hours, my daughter has a friend over, and I’m trying to work while people keep coming in and out of the house. Since it’s almost four in the afternoon already I’ll be brief.
If you’ve been following my recent ramblings on the blog and in the newsletter you know that I’ve made some discoveries about myself and my reading preferences. Now that I know I enjoy nonfiction more than fiction (because I have crazy reading hang-ups where fiction makes me nervous) I’ve been diving in deeper to what makes a good read.
I’ve already written about what makes a good book bargain in my article, How to Save Money on Christian Kindle Books. But what makes a good book? We all have our pet peeves about the books we read. Mine are poor editing, stilted dialogue, and obvious disregard for reality. We have a lot of authors that frequent the site so this is your time to let them know how they can be better.
Let us know in the comment section below. What makes you close a book and never return?
