June 2024 Reading Recap & July 2024 TBR

 My June 2024 Reads: 

1. Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Review available 7/12/24.


2. Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes. - ⭐⭐⭐⭐½  - A moving story of friendship and healing. Read my review.


3. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - My daughters and I enjoyed reading this one aloud!


4. When the Ocean Roars by Charlsie Estess - ⭐⭐⭐ - This book had a gorgeous cover and promising blurb, but needed serious developmental edits.

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Expected July 2024 Reads:

1. The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold - My local book club's July selection.
 

2. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. - Currently reading. This is a LONG book!


3. Saved by the Matchmaker by Jody Hedlund.


4. Think This Not That by Dr. Josh Axe - Currently reading.

What will you read this month?

Book Spotlight: An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder by Dianne Freeman

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Filled with Victorian-era intrigue for readers of Rhys Bowen, Deanna Raybourn, Tasha Alexander, and Julia Seales, Dianne Freeman’s Agatha Award-winning series takes a delightful jaunt to the City of Light as Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, encounters a murder scene at the Paris Exposition.

Frances and her husband, George, have two points of interest in Paris. One is an impromptu holiday to visit the Paris Exposition. The other is personal. George’s Aunt Julia has requested her nephew’s help in looking into the suspicious death of renowned artist Paul Ducasse. Though Julia is not entirely forthcoming about her reasons, she is clearly a woman mourning a lost love.

At the exposition, swarming with tourists, tragedy casts a pall on the festivities. A footbridge collapses. Julia is among the casualties. However, she was not just another fateful victim. Julia was stabbed to death amid the chaos. With an official investigation at a standstill, George and Frances realize that to solve the case they must dig into Julia’s life—as well as Paul’s—and question everything and everyone in Julia’s coterie of artists and secrets.

They have no shortage of suspects. There is Paul’s inscrutable widow, Gabrielle. Paul’s art dealer and manager, Lucien. Julia’s friend Martine, a sculptress with a jealous streak. And art jurist, Monsieur Beaufoy. The investigation takes a turn when it’s revealed that George has inherited control of Julia’s estate—and another of her secrets. While George investigates, Frances safeguards their new legacy, and is drawn further into danger by a killer determined to keep the past buried.

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Excerpt from An Art Lover’s Guide, by Dianne Freeman

Monsieur Allard singled me out with his gaze. “Are you an admirer of Ducasse’s work?”

“Based on this painting, I believe I could be,” I replied. “But I haven’t seen enough of it to be sure. And I must admit, I am no connoisseur.”

“I assume you are a patron, Monsieur Allard,” George said, “since you arranged this tribute. Perhaps you can walk us through this display and show us the finer points of his work.”

Alicia Stoke-Whitney had stepped into view beside Allard. “There is no one who could do it better,” she said. “If anyone knows Ducasse’s particular style, it is Lucien.”

Monsieur Allard smiled fondly at her, then turned back to me. “Paul Ducasse was my dearest friend. I managed all his exhibits and sales, freeing him to devote himself to his art.”

He raised an arm to guide us along the long wall of Ducasse paintings. I let George move ahead with Allard and hung a step behind with Alicia. We listened attentively while Allard described technique and pointed out the nature of light, color, and expression. I simply knew I would have hung any of them on my walls with great pleasure. They were all of scenes the artist must have viewed every day and of people he knew—intimate, honest portraits that made me feel as if I knew them, too.

I tore my gaze from one canvas, only to see that I did indeed know the person depicted in the next painting. It was Lady Julia, but not as I’d ever seen her. No more than twenty-three or twenty-four years of age, she stood behind an easel, applying brush to canvas, wearing a paint-stained smock over her dress, with a paintbrush tucked behind one ear. Her dark brown hair fell from a loose chignon and formed frenzied waves around her face. The artist seemed to catch her as she glanced up from her work.

The look in her eyes was unmistakably one of love.

I couldn’t help but stare. Unless someone had been standing behind Ducasse as he painted her, Lady Julia was obviously in love with the man.

“This is quite . . . something,” George said. He did not seem as surprised as me.

Monsieur Allard gave George a narrow look. “This is an example of his earlier work. Not his best piece, by far.” He shifted his regard from George to the painting and crossed his arms, nodding to himself. “It does show his promise, though, I must admit.”

A woman stepped up next to Allard, oozing elegance, as so many Frenchwomen did. Her blond hair was drawn up with a minimum of twisting and fixed with a jet embellishment that matched the trim on the bodice of her gown. A wide waistband, almost like a cummerbund, separated it from the black silk skirt that swept the floor in a demi-train. She was as much a work of art as the paintings in this room.

Allard angled himself to include her in the conversation. “May I present Madame Ducasse?” he asked, then turned to her. “This is Lady Harleigh and her husband, Monsieur Hazelton, from England.”

So, the artist had left a widow. “Please accept our condolences on your loss, madame,” I said. “Such a tragic accident.”

She gave me a wan smile as she turned from the painting to George. “Hazelton? I see the family resemblance. You are related, are you not?”

Monsieur Allard gasped. “Do you mean to say . . . ?” He let the words drift as he, too, looked from the painting to George and back. “I never knew that was Lady Julia,” he said. “I never knew . . .”

My guess was that the man hadn’t meant to repeat himself. If he had finished the second sentence, I suspect he would have said that he never knew Lady Julia was in love with Paul Ducasse.

“It was many years ago,” Madame Ducasse said, and for a moment, I thought she had read my mind. Then I realized she was speaking to Allard’s comment that he hadn’t recognized Julia. “Perhaps she would like to have this one.”

Allard’s harrumph evoked a chuckle from her. “It is not one of his best works,” she said. “You said so yourself.”

“I can see why my aunt might be interested in purchasing the painting,” George said, “but on the off chance she isn’t, I certainly am.”

Chapter 3, pages 21 to 23.

From An Art Lover’s Guide to Paris and Murder © 2024, Dianne Freeman, published by Kensington Books.

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AUTHOR BIO

Dianne Freeman is the acclaimed author of the Agatha and Lefty Award winning Countess of Harleigh Mysteries, a two-time finalist for the Macavity’s Sue Feder Memorial Award, and a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. She spent thirty years working in corporate accounting and finance and now writes full-time. Born and raised in Michigan, she and her husband now split their time between Michigan and Arizona. Visit her at DiFreeman.com.

Author Interview: Treason Trail by Kit Hawthorne

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Treason Trail by Kit Hawthorne, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Treason Trail
Series: Cape Fear Legacy #3
Author: Kit Hawthorne
Publisher: Independently Published
Release Date: June 18, 2024
Genre: Sweet Historical Romance

A mysterious stranger holds the key to the fate of the nation. 

In the final days of the American Revolutionary War, Nessa Shaw tends to the sick and wounded at the Continental Army camp in Charlestown, South Carolina. When she stumbles upon a man lying unconscious on a forest trail, she quickly realizes he is unlike any patient she has ever encountered. With no memory of his past, his only clues to his identity are his first name—August—and the certainty that he is a Patriot. Against her better judgment, Nessa grows closer to August, trusting him with secrets that could cost her dearly. But when she discovers a deadly plot that could change the course of the war, Nessa must question everything she thought she knew about August and his true allegiances.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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More Books in This Series

 

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Excerpt

Her eyes filled with fresh tears. “What if the war isn’t ending at all? What if the British have been stalling for time for their conspiracy? Can they truly mean to go on fighting? Both sides are exhausted—at least, our side is, and their side appears to be, but maybe that’s part of their plan, to make us think that, when in fact they’re just gathering their strength to strike again.”

She was gripping his hands with both of hers. “I can’t do it anymore, August. I can’t keep changing sheets in the hospital and spoon-feeding broth to men who are never going to get better. I want to leave this dirty, overcrowded camp forever, and go home to my family, and breathe the clean air. I can hardly remember what peace is like. It seems to belong to some mythical past. I want to get up in the morning and make a good breakfast, eggs and porridge and milk, and real coffee, and not a scrap of salt pork in sight. I want to buy dress goods, and make new gowns, and not mend the same shirts over and over until there’s nothing left of them but patches. I want to plant a garden without wondering if British raiders will come and destroy it. I want to see cattle and horses grazing in green pastures, with plenty of flesh covering their bones. I want to lie down at night in a soft bed with a real roof over my head, and hear the wind in the pine trees, and not be afraid.”

He put his arm around her again and drew her to him. She clung to him and wept. He wished he had words of comfort to offer, but what could he say? That everything would turn out all right in the end? That he wouldn’t let anything hurt her? He hadn’t even managed to discover something as simple as his own identity. Nay, he would not insult her with empty promises. Action, not speech, was what was needed.

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About the Author

A lifelong resident of the American South, Kit Hawthorne makes her home on a Texas farm that has been in her husband’s family for seven generations. She spent many years singing, composing, and playing Irish pennywhistle in a Celtic folk band. All those ballads and boat songs awakened in her a love for a Scottish heritage that spans both sides of the Atlantic. She’s an avid reader, especially of history, biography, mystery, theology, and romance, and enjoys logging her reads (and plotting her life) in her Bullet Journal. She also enjoys drawing, sewing, quilting, knitting, and restoring old furniture to beauty and usefulness.

Connect with Kit at kithawthorne.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Author Interview

Q: What inspired you to write Treason Trail? 

Kit: I’d already written the first two books in the series and knew I wanted to write Nessa’s story next. She’s a fun character, very outspoken and proactive and quick to empathize. I thought she’d be a natural as a nurse in a Patriot hospital. At this stage of the Revolutionary War, the fighting was winding down, but a Patriot victory was not quite a done deal. I wanted to explore ways the war could still have been lost, and bring in a hero with memory loss.


Q: Nessa is a unique name. Did you choose it for any particular reason? 

Kit: I wanted all the Shaw siblings to have Scottish names. I liked Nessa because it is feminine and strong, and unusual without being hard to pronounce. It means “miracle” or “wonder” in Hebrew, and is also the name of a legendary Irish princess.


Q: How long did it take you to write this book? 

Kit: I started the research in 2018, took a ton of notes, and had the framework of a plot in place by the end of the year. Then I set the project aside to focus on my books with Harlequin. I picked it up again early in 2024. Because I’d already done so much research, the actual writing took only a few months.


Q: What surprised you while researching/writing this novel? 

Kit: That there are so many fascinating people and incidents in the American Revolutionary War that hardly anyone knows about, especially in the South. I started my research for the series in 2016 and I have only scratched the surface.


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from Treason Trail? 

Kit: “If there were no risk of living to regret an oath, there would be no reason to take one in the first place. That is what oaths are for, to hold the oath-maker to his purpose after the first flush of fervor has passed.”


Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author? 

Kit: When I was nine years old, I learned that being an author was a legitimate job that people got paid for. I went right to work on a Civil War novel (it was terrible), followed by a Star Wars rip-off (slightly less terrible). I never looked back. Eventually my work stopped being terrible, and I did in fact get paid for it.


Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know? 

Kit: I do P90X! I love it because it’s an excellent workout program that I can do at home. I use the old DVDs and they are starting to wear out.


Q:What are you currently reading?

Kit: Pride and Prejudice for about the millionth time.


Q:What is your favorite genre to read? 

Kit: Hard to say. I love biography, military history, business books, historical fiction, and Golden Age detective fiction. When I want comfort I turn to old favorites like the Betsy-Tacy books and anything by Jane Austen.


Q: What is your favorite hobby? 

Kit: Anything productive—gardening, sewing, painting the woodwork. Bonus points if I can listen to an audiobook at the same time.


Q: What is your favorite season and why? 

Kit: Winter. I love fall as well, but where I live, much of fall is really summer part 2. By early winter the colors have mellowed and the dropped leaves are revealing the architecture of the land. I also love the diminished sunlight and overcast skies.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each win print copies of all 3 books in the Cape Fear Legacy series!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 2, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 9, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Author Interview: When Secrets Come Calling by Felicia Ferguson

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for When Secrets Come Calling by Felicia Ferguson, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: When Secrets Come Calling
Author: Felicia Ferguson
Publisher: Salt & Light Publishing
Release Date: July 1, 2024
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Past secrets. A second chance. But can the truth really set them free? 

When former University of Alabama and Titans wide receiver Dax Carpenter learns his father is accused of a forty-year-old robbery and murder, he turns to the only person he trusts to discover the truth: his ex-girlfriend, Caitlin Fitzhugh. 

Caitlin, a cold-case specialist with the Alabama State Division of Investigations, wants nothing to do with the case nor Dax. Not only is the evidence against Dax’s father already condemning, she can’t risk having her heart broken—again. 

Caitlin’s boss, however, ignores her arguments, and she begrudgingly takes the consult, convincing herself she can keep the case and her past with Dax separate. But unlike her, longings and memories don’t follow orders. While she lends her skills to the Gulf Shores Police Department in the search for the truth, Dax fends off a possibly career-ending social media hit—leading him to question everything he knows about his father and himself. 

As the secrets of both their pasts unfold, they discover whether Dax’s father truly robbed and murdered a man forty years ago but also why Caitlin ended their relationship. Secrets that could drive a wedge between them, forever.

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub

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Excerpt

A flurry of movement tugged her gaze from her inbox and through the glass wall dividing her office from the bullpen. Caitlin’s jaw dropped. At six feet, six inches, Dax Carpenter would be hard to miss, however, the years of weight training drew every eye within a hundred yards.

But it wasn’t his height or even his muscled physique that made Caitlin’s heart quicken and her breath stutter. No, that was thanks to the memories flickering across her mind. Their shared moments—of laughter, delight, and yes, of love. Biting her lip, she closed her eyes in a long blink, willing those images back into the deepest recesses of her heart.

By the time he reached her door, she’d nearly succeeded. “Dax.”

His mouth flinched into some semblance of a smile. She studied his face, the pained brackets around his eyes, his tense cheeks, the dark green of his usually hazel eyes. Worry skirted through her. This was not a social call.

“What happened?” Despite her resolve to keep her distance, she rose and stepped around her desk. Her fingers itched to touch him, to soothe his desperation. It had been five years. How could he still have such an effect on her? She pushed the question aside. This wasn’t personal. And she couldn’t let it be.

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About the Author

Felicia Ferguson achieved master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Speech-Language Pathology, but has written since childhood and dreamed of authoring books that teach and inspire others. An award-winning fiction and non-fiction freelance writer, she has previously published devotions with Christian Devotions and Inkspirations, written articles for national luxury lifestyle magazine, VIE, and guest blogged on multiple websites. But her greatest writing love is contemporary Southern women’s fiction and romantic suspense. Her heroines are strong women who work through their spiritual and emotional issues using biblical principles and counseling techniques, finding real hope in their happily-ever-after endings.

As a child, Felicia lived in Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana before her family settled on a horse and cattle farm in Kentucky. As an adult, she’s lived in Tennessee, the Florida panhandle, and now Colorado. When she’s not glued to her laptop, Felicia enjoys hiking, Bible studies with friends, and looking forward to the next story.

Connect with Felicia at feliciafergusonauthor.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Author Interview

Q: What inspired you to write When Secrets Come Calling?

Felicia: With every book, it always starts out with the characters. Once I get a hint about the characters, I just wait to see what story they want told. With When Secrets Come Calling, they decided it needed to be about the ways we find our identities and how digging into our faith and who we are to God is how we create a solid and healthy identity. As the story came together, it also became a question of how we deal with the loss of loved ones and how we either heal or stagnate in the loss.


Q: How long did it take you to write this book?

Felicia: It took two months from start to finish (including edits as I went along). I wrote 28,000 words in 12 days because I was beginning to get bogged down in the middle. So I set a goal of a certain word count for those days and didn’t stop until I achieved it.


Q: What surprised you while researching/writing this novel?

Felicia: I think what ended up surprising me was how much of my previous career as a speech-language pathologist factored into the subplot of Caitlin’s parents. I worked in a number of skilled nursing facilities in the field, and like Caitlin’s mom, my mother was also the in-home caregiver for my father for twelve years after his stroke. So several scenes drew heavily on my work and personal experiences. God uses everything!


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from When Secrets Come Calling?

Felicia: Yes. It’s actually something that Shannon tells Caitlin further into the book. No spoilers, but Shannon has just received dream-devastating news, and this is her response to Caitlin’s questioning Shannon’s continued deep faith: “Bad things happen all the time, Caitie. Yes, this one hurts. And hurts bad. But I can’t, and I won’t let it define me. … What I will do is trust God’s plan and purpose.”


Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Felicia: I knew in the fifth grade that I wanted to be a writer. Long before I’d heard of fanfiction, I was co-writing Sweet Valley High fan stories with a friend of mine. We’d alternate writing chapters, then pass them to each other like other kids passed notes, adding to them until we had a book. Then another classmate would draw the cover picture. In my twenties, I got into writing fanfiction for Star Trek as well as other TV shows. It was a great training ground because the characters and overall storylines were already set up. All I had to do was take them and run. I always challenged myself to stay as close to the characters and canon as possible though—and I still use fanfiction for skill building and writing sprints.


Q: Would you share something about yourself that most readers wouldn’t know?

Felicia: I was born on February 29th, ten days before my due date, and I’ve been early everywhere I’ve gone ever since.


Q: What are you currently reading?

Felicia: I recently finished Dani Pettrey’s One Wrong Move, Lynette Eason’s Double Take, and Eva Marie Everson’s Ahoti. Now, I’m working through my TBR stack four books at a time. Charlsie Estess’s new release, When Oceans Roar, Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse’s Enduring Mercy, Edie Melson’s Soul Care for Writers, and Sol Stein’s Stein on Writing. My current Bible study is Angie Smith’s Seamless.


Q: What is your favorite genre to read?

Felicia: As you probably could glean from my previous answer, I have very eclectic reading tastes. I’m very much drawn to well-written characters, so I can’t say I have one favorite genre. I grew up devouring Star Trek and Star Wars books, and those classics still have a part of my heart. Now, I range from romantic suspense to general, government-service-set fiction (think David Baldacci) to the classics like Jane Austen and the Brontë sisters.


Q: What is your favorite hobby?

 
Felicia: I’m a Bible nerd, so I like Bible studies. But I’m also a nature-lover, so I can also be found hiking, exploring, or just sitting in a park people watching.


Q: What is your favorite season and why?

Felicia: When I lived in the South, spring was my favorite season. The world was waking up from winter, flowers bloomed, birds began migrating, even some butterflies and dragonflies started popping up. But now that I live Colorado, summer and fall vie for my favorite season. The lack of humidity, warm sun, stunning blue skies make hiking and just being outdoors incredible.

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Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will win a 30 oz insulated tumbler and a signed copy of When Secrets Come Calling!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 1, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 8, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Author Interview: Resurgence of Dawn by Brett Armstrong

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Resurgence of Dawn by Brett Armstrong hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: Resurgence of Dawn
Series: Quest of Fire #5
Author: Brett Armstrong
Publisher: Expanse Books
Release Date: December 12, 2023
Genre: Christian, Epic/High Fantasy, Young Adult

Haunted by tragedies and failures, Anargen and Jason each struggle to find their way. Night has fallen in the Lowlands and neither teen has an easy road ahead. In Anargen’s Era, Monarch Ilyron’s powers and influence grow, forcing Anargen and his dwindling list of allies to travel the length of the Lowlands in a desperate attempt to keep the Quest and all they hold dear from falling into ruin. 

Jason meanwhile must find Aria and her grandfather to help unite the Knights of Light from across the Lowlands against his brother, Dorian. But agents of darkness and painful vestiges of his past mix with vindictive new enemies to make the hope of seeing the dawn of the longed-for King’s Day ever so faint. If either teen gives in and surrenders, doom will come swiftly on their world.  

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop | BookBub

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More Books in This Series

     

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Excerpt

Seren’s plea for Anargen to keep the faith

Through the tremors of grief wracking her body, Seren warbled, “Cinaed was devoted to the High King and will be rewarded for his courage and sacrifice. The Lowlands are dark and full of suffering, and we all make mistakes to worsen it. But if you give up, if you forsake your father and me and the Quest and the Great King … that’s the greatest loss. The only one certain to destroy all hope. Don’t abandon me. Above all, don’t abandon the High King.

“Sometimes we must make a stand, and it won’t end in victory as we imagine. But there can be an example, a tower of light for others to see by that draws them to the truth and honor and hope that the High King will renew the Lowlands in his Day. And that is worth clinging to no matter how wretched the Lowlands seem, no matter how deep our mistakes and the dark things that seek to destroy us put us in the mire and gloom. You taught me that, so please, please, please don’t shatter that hope for you and for me by discarding it.”

He looked at her again, and in her eyes was a furious pleading, a longing. Not for him in himself, or even for the Knight he should be, but for a glimmer of the light from the High King that should be burning brightly within him. It was evident in her steadfastly refusing to be quenched. And from its heat and vibrance, he found the assurance that the High King hadn’t abandoned him. Whatever the circumstances may seem.

Like a poultice, it pulled away at the infectious decay ravaging him, not erasing the pain but lessening it. Mending began. He could feel it. Warmth entered his bones, and strength coursed back into his limbs that had been slowly leeched away ever since Cinaed’s death.

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About the Author

Brett Armstrong has been exploring other worlds as a writer since age nine. Years later, he still writes, but now invites others along on his excursions. He’s shown readers haunting, deep historical fiction (Destitutio Quod Remissio), scary-real dystopian sci-fi (Tomorrow's Edge), and dark, sweeping epic fantasy (Quest of Fire). Every story is a journey of discovery and an attempt to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. Through dark, despair, light, joy, and everything in between, the end is always meant to leave his fellow literary explorers with wonder and hope. Always busy with a new story, he also enjoys drawing, gardening, and spending time with his wife and son.

Connect with Brett at brettarmstrong.net to follow him on social media and sign up for email updates.

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Author Interview

Q: What inspired you to write Resurgence of Dawn?

Brett: The whole Quest of Fire series is to an extent a story about how stories can shape us and encourage us. How the actions we take now can reverberate across the years to impact people we'll never meet apart from in Heaven. There are two major timelines and sets of characters, Anargen and Thomas in the Middle Era and Jason in the Modern Era. The two are separated by about 400 years, so all Jason has is the stories of what Anargen and Thomas faced as told by Jason's mentor, Cinaed. Across the series Anargen and Thomas face these awful and impossible situations and are pressed over and over to just give up. To leave the Quest of Fire and go back to normal lives and forsake their oaths to the High King. But they don't, even when it seems like no one is watching and only harm will come to them with no good, they stand firm. And Jason hears these stories as he is faced with trials and doubts and is forced to choose to join the Quest or not. Resurgence of Dawn is where the seeds sown in The Gathering Dark and Shadows at Nightfall really started bearing fruit for Jason. He goes from hearing to acting on what he's heard and learned. You can see it in how the series is structured. In The Gathering Dark the majority of the book is about what Anargen was facing and only a bit about Jason. Shadows at Nightfall it's more balanced but still weighted to Anargen's trials. Now in Resurgence of Dawn there's a shift and it's primarily about Jason's actions now. That's really important to the book and series. There is transformation in Jason as he chooses to follow the High King and learns from those who came before him and is encouraged to stand firm in the faith because others who came before him did as well. I feel like that's something we need so badly in our current world. To not just look back at those who came before us but to also see ourselves as the examples a future generation will have to look back at and see that we stood firm and faithful to the end. So, we can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”*

* 2 Timothy 4:7-8, ESV

Q: How long did it take you to write this book?

Brett: I’ve had the basics of the story for years, but Resurgence of Dawn was undeniably a miracle. For most people things after the COVID pandemic started to calm down pretty quickly after things opened back up. By my work didn’t start to normalize for much longer and I got behind on all of my writing projects. Going into the start of 2023 I had two full length novels set to release later that year with deadlines within the first two months. I tried to work on both books but I was completely overwhelmed in a way I’ve never been. So, I prayed about it and asked God to help. Without His help, the books weren’t going to get done. After that the words didn’t just come, they flowed like they never have in my life and with some grace from my publisher both books were done in four months. Over 200,000 words in less time than it normally takes me do a 40,000 word novella. And, the most incredible thing is that when I went back and read those two books, I really feel like they’re two of the best things I’ve ever been privileged to write. The action and pacing were on point, the world-building was solid and the themes, especially the spiritual ones in each, were solidly woven into the fabric of the stories. Most of my books come together over a year or more, but Resurgence of Dawn, by God’s grace and provision and 100% to His glory, came about in two months.


Q: What surprised you while researching/writing this novel?

Brett: One of the cool things about Quest of Fire is the Modern Era is set in a 1910-1920’s type timeframe. There’s cars and telephones alongside Knights wielding divinely imbued swords. An ancient quest in a much more contemporary world. As part of the research for the book, I had to figure exactly what kind of technology would reasonably be available to a society that mirrors that timeframe in real world history. In particular, how advanced aviation and automobiles had become. It’s also a pretty varied book in terms of localities so I ended up researching history and culture for Turkiye, Persia, Armenia and the Caucasus. Including clothing, drinks, and desserts. Which for history nerd like me was so much fun!


Q: Do you have a favorite quote from Resurgence of Dawn?

Brett: I really like the quote below, because it refers back to a moment in the series that I think personally is one of the coolest and most meaningful pictures of what Christ does when we first believe:

“Do you know the High King of All Realms?”

“Huh?” The question threw Jason. It seemed silly, given the man already knew Jason was newly joined to the Knight Order.

“Do you know the High King of All Realms?” the being repeated.

“I do know him,” Jason replied. Finding the answer too brief, he scoured for something else to add and came upon something intensely personal. “He’s the breaker of my chains.”


Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an author?

Brett: I’m not sure when I first realized I wanted to be an author. I do know when it first became real to me though. Which I should probably explain. Some time ago, I found an old assignment from sixth grade in my parents’ attic where we were asked to write about what we would be doing across the next five decades into the future. Featured prominently in my assignment was the declaration that I would be an author. The years between sixth and college cast doubt for me that I could be an author. I thought I had to pick a profession that wasn’t a dream, one that was stable and would provide for me and the family I hoped to have some day. While I was in college following that plan in the computer engineering and electrical engineering dual major track, I was pretty depressed. Math is great, so I thought I’d enjoy engineering, but it left me feeling kind of hollow. In my junior year I had some space in my schedule that I needed to fill because a class I needed to take was already full, so I took a creative writing class for fun. It was such a breath of fresh air to me I took another the following semester and that’s when I wrote a short story titled, “Destitutio Quod Remissio”. It was about a Roman senator who was a Christian in secret but was betrayed and lost everything. He then had a dilemma: sate his desire for revenge or embrace the call to forgive as Christ forgives. I thought for sure in a secular college class it would get shredded, but my fellow classmates and instructor were incredibly positive and supportive. Several classmates said I should turn it into a novel. I mulled that over for days afterward and on my way home from the class it just hit me. Writing wasn’t just a hobby or fun distraction. It was something I felt the Lord was drawing me to deep within, something I was made to do for His honor. That’s when my journey to becoming an author began in earnest and ever since I’ve prayed to be a brush in the Master Artist’s hand. I’m a rather crude tool, but I’m grateful to be used.


Q:  What are you currently reading?

Brett: Right now, I’m participating in the book launch for a fellow Christian speculative fiction author, CE Stone. I’ve been aware of and interested in reading her Starganauts space opera series for years and as part of the launch I’m reading through each of them. I’m enjoying it so far and its really cool to get to support my fellow author.


Q: What is your favorite genre to read?

Brett: I usually enjoy reading speculative or historical fiction stories most, but am open to pretty much anything. Lately, my wife and I have been listening to audiobooks together and she’s a fan of YA, romance, and mystery books so a lot of my recent reads are in those genres. I often say that as a writer, I tend to write in speculative and historical fiction genres, but am open to writing any the Lord leads me to, because the story and what it conveys matters most. I’d like to say the same is true of what I’m willing to read. If the story is one the Lord puts in my path and can build me as a person and follower of Christ, then I’m all for it.


Q: What is your favorite hobby? 

Brett: I would have to say drawing. By time volume spent, it would look like video gaming, and that is owed a lot to my son. I don't get to draw as much as I would like, but it's so calming for me. It's also one of the special things between my wife and I. Our first Valentine's Day as a couple I was away on my freshman college year and she was finishing her senior year of high school. I wanted to get her something, but was completely clueless about arranging a flower delivery from that far away, so I drew her a picture of her favorite flower and included a personal note and mailed it to her. I had never given away any of my artwork before so it was a really personal gesture from my perspective. Ever since then, I've tried to draw her something around holidays and our anniversary. I don't know if anyone else would find it romantic—probably dorky—but my wife has always treated each one as special.

Drawing has also become really helpful to me as an author for sketching out characters, places, scenes, etc. Details that come out in the drawing invariably end up giving more character and depth to the stories. One quick sketch I did actually ended up so inspiring me that it became a key scene and plot point of the Quest of Fire book preceding Resurgence of Dawn.

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Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each win a $25 Amazon gift card, a print copy of Resurgence of Dawn, and a digital poster of the Lowlands!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight June 24, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 1, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

Author Interview: Not Finished Yet by Sharon Garlough Brown

 About the Book:

Sometimes, you see, Wren and Gran didn't paint flowers or clouds or birds or trees.
Sometimes they painted their feelings.
She and Gran called it "painting prayers."

Gran's art studio is one of Wren's favorite places in the world. Not only is it where Wren and Gran paint, but it's also where they talk about all the good and hard stuff of life—to each other, and to God. Join young Wren as she explores her feelings and discovers that God welcomes our honest prayers.

This gentle story by bestselling Christian novelist Sharon Garlough Brown, paired with exquisite illustrations from Jessica Linn Evans, will be enjoyed by children as well as the adults who read with them. Also included is a note from the author to encourage further conversation about the content.

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Mini-Review:

I love that Not Finished Yet: Trusting God with All My Feelings by Sharon Garlough Brown introduces children to the concept that it is safe and healthy to express any feeling to God, not just the positive emotions. That's something I'm still learning as an adult! The narrative is clever and relatable for young children. The winsome illustrations correlate well with the story. This is a book my kiddos would have loved when they were younger! Five stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided a ecopy of this book by the author or publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

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Author Bio:

Sharon Garlough Brown is a spiritual director, speaker, and cofounder of Abiding Way Ministries, providing spiritual formation retreats and resources. She is the author of the bestselling Sensible Shoes Series, which includes spiritual fiction novels Sensible Shoes, Two Steps Forward, Barefoot, An Extra Mile, and their study guides.

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Author Interview:

Q: What inspired you to write this book?

Sharon Garlough Brown: As a spiritual director and retreat leader, I'm passionate about inviting people to journey deep into the heart of God through practices of prayer and other spiritual disciplines so that we can be healed, transformed, and shaped to become more like Jesus. The more confident we are in the height and depth, breadth and length of God's love for us, the freer we become to bring our honest selves to him in prayer, without fear or shame. In Not Finished Yet I translate some of the work I do with adults for children, encouraging them to find ways to express their thoughts and feelings to a God who loves them and listens to them with care and attention, no matter what they have to say.


Q: Is there a common thread that runs between your novels and this children's picture book?

Sharon: Each of my books contains spiritual disciplines that help us practice being attentive and receptive to God's presence and love. Though I don't use the word lament in Not Finished Yet, this is the spiritual practice at the heart of the story as young Wren learns from her grandmother how to express her honest thoughts and feelings to God. My Shades of Light series, in which Wren is the twenty-seven-year-old protagonist, includes art as a spiritual practice, both in creating art as prayer and in praying with art to open conversation with God, especially during seasons of sorrow and loss.

Q: Are there elements of this story that reflect your own experience?

Sharon: I was twenty-one years old and a relatively new Christian when an older work colleague gave me a copy of Philip Yancey's book Disappointment with God as a college graduation present. Honestly, I remember staring at the title and feeling offended by it. I suspect I silently judged my colleague for a lack of faith or even blasphemy. I'll never forget, though, the words she spoke next: "You may not think you need this book now, Sharon, but there might come a day when you will." I silently took offense at that too. How could I ever feel disappointed with God?

By the time I was in my midtwenties, Yancey's book had become the companion I needed while navigating painful seasons in which it was difficult for me to reconcile the goodness, power, and love of God with his apparent unwillingness to intervene in my life and in the lives of those I loved and longed for. Like the psalmists and prophets, I began asking hard lament questions like, "Where are you?" "If you love us then, why?" and "How long, oh, Lord?"

In the decades since then, I've had the privilege of accompanying many people through seasons of lament, offering them the same invitation and permission God gave me long ago: to express my disappointment, bewilderment, anger, and sorrow directly to him, without being afraid of disappointing or offending him with my honesty. What a generous God we have that he welcomes us to speak our pain to him-and about him-in prayer.


Q: What do you hope children will take away from Not Finished Yet?

Sharon: When my sister's children were young, their family would gather at the dinner table to share "highs and lows" from the day. "What's the best thing that happened to you today?" and "What's the hardest thing that happened to you today?" can become invitations to prayer as we bring to God all our thoughts and feelings and experiences-the things that make us happy and thankful as well as the things that make us angry, scared, sad, or disappointed. I hope children who hear or read Not Finished Yet can experience the same kind of freedom Wren experienced in having a safe place where she could be honest with a grown-up who loved her and encouraged her to express her thoughts and feelings to Jesus without fear.

Q: What do you hope parents and caregivers will take away?

Sharon: I've met many people who, when they became upset or angry as children, were told by grown-ups, "Go to your room. And after you calm yourself down, then you can come out and have a conversation." Such a command can potentially impact our images of God, and we might become adults who believe we need to "calm ourselves down" and tidy up our prayers before we can enter into conversation with him.

I hope adults who read Not Finished Yet will hear the Lord's tender invitation to come to him with unedited thoughts and feelings and experience his love, compassion, and comfort. Lament prayers are bold and courageous prayers, which express deep confidence in God's mercy and kindness. I hope all my readers-adults and children-can practice being bold and brave with God, whether through words or tears or creative expression. Pouring out our pain is a pathway to being renewed in hope and trust in a faithful God who is working to make all things new. He's just not finished yet.

*Author Interview taken from Trusting God with All My Feelings press kit. Used with permission.