Say hello to debut Christian romantic suspense author Angela Carlisle! I met Angela at a conference a couple of years ago. I was so excited to receive an advance reader copy of her book, Secondary Target, which releases May 2024! I asked Angela to share a bit about her upcoming book.
Secondary Target features a storyline with former boyfriend/girlfriend who are reunited. That’s one of my favorite tropes because it makes the relationship feel well-paced and believable—but it’s not seen as often as some of the others! What’s your favorite romance trope?
Friends to more is one of my favorite romance tropes. As with reunion romances, I feel it can make the romance feel better paced and believable because the characters already know (and like) each other, and it’s a great foundation to build a deeper relationship on.
Houston the faithful dog will be a favorite of pet-lovers who read Secondary Target. Do you have pets, and if so, did any of them inspire Houston’s character?
Houston was so fun to write! I currently only have an outdoor cat that seems to think he’s a dog (it cracks me up when he takes a walk with me in the rain). Although Houston isn’t patterned after any of my previous pets, I totally borrowed the antics of a coworker’s dog to give him some extra personality.
What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope readers will come away from Secondary Target with a reminder of the hope available in Christ. We live in a fallen world, and things are truly dark at times, but for the believer, we don’t have to go through it alone. God is trustworthy, despite our situation and despite our feelings.
It has been a month of many books! If you’re a fan of fantastic clean fiction, then you’re in luck–here’s a February 2024 round-up of new and upcoming Christian fiction novels.
Be whisked away the Emerald Isle! The Irish Matchmaker tells the tale of a single father struggling to provide for his daughter and a traditional matchmaker whose cap is set for a rich dandy. Will the village matchmaking festival bring each the satisfactory marriage of convenience they seek? Or will heartbreak tear them both apart?
I loved this book—wish I could be friends with both the main characters! And I might have cried some happy tears at the end. I would happily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys clean/Christian fiction, thanks to the positive messages, engaging story, and compelling setting.
Join the action with a former heist-master-turned-investigator and his partner in solving crime, a disgraced FBI agent seeking to clear her name. These two must prove themselves, stop a string of gallery heists, solve a couple murders, and still find time to figure out if they’re in love.
This story has one action scene after another—no “sagging middle” to slow you down! As a bonus, One Wrong Move has not one…not two…but two and a half romances.
Embers in the London Sky drew me into the terror of living in London as a refugee during the Blitz. I liked that this book, although historical fiction, was also a suspense/mystery book.
The story explored issues that are as relevant now as they were 80 years ago, although manifested in quite different circumstances today—immigration, censorship, and the tension between political worldviews.
As a mother of a preschool boy, this story made me cry. I was left heartbroken at the decisions the main character made in order to choose what she felt was best for her son. It made me realize what a terrible position refugees and London-dwelling parents were in at this time in history—particularly single women. WWII history is certainly gritty and uncomfortable—terrifying actually—and this novel did an excellent job highlighting that.
This beautifully written story of Martha of Bethany was brought scripture alive for me. I never realized how much Jesus’ interactions with Martha’s family figured in the progression of his ministry. Up from Dust ties the scriptural accounts of Jesus’ ministry and sacrifice together with a fictional romance and family drama, all the while showing the culture and struggle of the Jewish people under Roman rule. A wonderful book for anyone who enjoys The Chosen or likes to imagine what life may have been like for those mentioned the gospels.
What would you do if pieces of your forgotten past suddenly appeared? Fatal Witness is a fast-paced story of danger and betrayal. Unpredictable characters draw the reader through a heart-pounding plot with ever-increasing stakes. I enjoyed piecing together the “whodunnit” with clues sprinkled throughout the story. This book is hard to put down! Now I need to read book 1.
This is the perfect book to read alone in the dark if you like to get creeped out. So deliciously scary! I loved this book. The storylines were excellent and the respectful, thoughtful handling of the dead and cold cases uncommon to the genre. I never knew what was coming next and the ending was unpredictable. The spiritual thread spoke to my soul. I could not wait for every chance to open up this book—even though it made me jump out of my skin!
This book releases in April and I’m kind of jealous that you guys still get to look forward to it.
Double Take pulls the reader into hair-raising plot twists from page one! I’m pretty good at figuring out where story lines are going, but this one was a string of surprises. The plot had a scary true-crime flavor with an appealing friends-to-more romance. My husband works at a hospital, so I loved that the protagonist was a PA and gave us a glimpse of behind-the-scenes workplace drama and a realistic medical setting. I also liked that the book didn’t shy away from intense and gritty scenarios. Definitely one of my favorite suspense books ever.
July 15-21, 2024 Prince Edward Island Tour with Liz Johnson Join Christian romance author Liz Johnson on a 7-day/6-night adventure across Prince Edward Island. You’ll explore the places that inspired her books, the beauty of the island, and some of her favorite parts of PEI. You’ll climb some lighthouses, tour the famed Green Gables House, and have a foot-stompin’ good time listening to local music.
Thanks to NetGalley and/or the publishers for copies of these books! I was not required to leave a review.
Greeting thespians! And greetings to those who enjoy a good show. Lately, the bookstore shelves have received some new theater-themed additions…ones you’re sure to love. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or for Christmas gifts, here are some of current top clean books for theater lovers.
Kelsey Ahern has performed at the Victoria Playhouse on Prince Edward Island every summer since she was seven. But when a hurricane destroys the building, it’s not just her memories that are in jeopardy. Her future as a teacher and drama coach are too. She teams up with Levi Ross, the facilities director at the high school, to produce a benefit show to raise money to rebuild the theater. He has a reputation for being able to fix anything, and Kelsey is sure there’s more to the quiet man than meets the eye.
For his part, Levi has admired Kelsey for years, but he can’t seem to find the words to tell her. When a popular weatherman arrives in town to cover the aftermath of the hurricane and takes an interest in Kelsey and her show, Levi realizes that the time has come to speak up–or lose the heart of the woman he longs for.
Join New York Times bestselling author Liz Johnson for a season of rebuilding, restoration, and romance with this final book in the Prince Edward Island Shores series.
Barlowe Theater stole the life of Greta Mercy’s eldest brother during its construction. Now in 1915, the completed theater appears every bit as deadly. When Greta’s younger brother goes missing after breaking into the building, Greta engages the assistance of a local police officer to help her unveil the already ghostly secrets of the theater. But when help comes from an unlikely source, Greta decides that to save her family she must uncover the evil that haunts the theater and put its threat to rest.
Decades later, Kit Boyd’s best friend vanishes during a ghost walk at the Barlowe Theater, and old stories of mysterious disappearances and ghoulish happenings are revived. Then television ghost-hunting host and skeptic Evan Fisher joins Kit in the quest to identify the truth behind the theater’s history. Kit reluctantly agrees to work with him in hopes of finding her missing friend. As the theater’s curse unravels Kit’s life, she is determined to put an end to the evil that has marked the theater and their hometown for the last century.
The world could do with a little more kindness and positivity and random acts of singing, don’t you think?
Dear Reader, My name is Penelope, and while I may not be a real-life princess, I’ve been told I possess a certain fairy-tale heroine quality. I wield optimism as my weapon of choice, don amazing shoes and vintage hats whenever possible, and speak in musical references. All of which perfectly qualifies me to succeed in my new role as a marketing intern at the historic Darling House theater on the island of Skymar.
Only . . . it seems this internship position is going to be a LOT bigger than I thought. The Gray family, who owns the theater, has been stuck in a rut of darkness ever since the loss of their matriarchs. Now all that’s left is a dying theater, a reclusive grandfather, three siblings, and an adorable seven-year-old girl who desperately needs some pixie-dust magic.
So that’s what this story is about. My plans to save the theater! (Plans that, somehow, keep being stolen by a local competitor.) And an anonymous online theater troupe. And two single brothers who may be vying for this American girl’s heart . . . until they’re not (or maybe they just want me for my ideas too). And a dream job offer that will require me to make a truly heart-wrenching decision. I may not excel at finishing stories, but I promise to see this one through to its happily ever after.
All theater romances are tragedies. Ella Blythe knows this. Still, she cannot help but hope her own story may turn out different than most–and certainly different than the tragic story of the Ghost of Craven Street Theater. Yet as she struggles to maintain her tenuous place in the ever-shrinking ballet company, win the attentions of principal dancer Philippe, and avoid company flirt Jack, Ella cannot deny the uncanny feeling that her life is mirroring that of the dead ballerina.
Is she dancing ever closer to the edge of her own tragic end? Or will the secrets that are about to come to light offer release from the past?
Mystery and romance make the perfect dance partners in this evocative story from fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano.
From bestselling author Kristin Canary comes a series filled with laughs, friendship goals, and the swooniest book boyfriends imaginable …
I love three things in this world more than life itself: 1. My family and housemates (both current and former) 2. Musicals 3. My best friend, Eric Moody
The first two are no surprise to anyone who knows me.
The third is a secret I’ll carry to my grave. Because even though Eric fits in well with my crazy family and he’s the outgoing complement to my quiet self, we want different things. I want him. He wants something I can never give. And I refuse to sacrifice his happiness for my own.
Most of the time, I manage to keep my feelings for him under lock and key.
Meet the Authors!
Phoenix area people: you can get some of these clean books for theater lovers signed–and meet the author in person!
Liz Johnson, Kristin Canary, and I will be at Palmcroft Church Christmas Festival Marketplace along with Jennifer Diebel and Ruth Douthitt.
Sunday, December 3 – 3:00-7:00pm Palmcroft Church 15825 N 35th Ave Phoenix, AZ 85053
Do you love the setting of Anne of Green Gables? Then this blog post is for you! Today, PEI romance author Liz Johnson is talking about her latest book, Summer in the Spotlight with me, Breana Johnson–no relation to the author ; )
Liz Johnson at PEI’s Victoria Playhouse, a location featured in Summer in the Spotlight
I love the theater setting of Summer in the Spotlight! What’s your experience with drama, and which play did you see most recently?
I absolutely love theater! I try to see at least a few Broadway shows in Phoenix each year, and it’s been a great way to bond with my nieces, who also love to see shows. My oldest niece has been in a number of high school and community productions, so I love seeing her perform.
My personal experience is confined to audience member. Though one time I auditioned for a role in The Importance of Being Earnest (the same show they’re producing in Summer in the Spotlight). I was terrible and did NOT get a call back. But I had so much fun!
The last production I saw was a community production of Beauty and the Beast. It was wonderful! A couple weeks before that I saw Anne & Gilbert: The Musical on Prince Edward Island. It’s one of my all-time favorites.
Which character from Summer in the Spotlight do you resonate most with, and why?
Oh, man. I don’t know. I think maybe I see myself most in Violet—the older sister, giving counsel character. I’m rarely without words like Levi—though I do enjoy reading like he does. And I’m not one to faint at the sight of blood like Kelsey. But like her, I enjoy organizing events and coordinating things that matter to me.
What do you hope readers will gain from Summer in the Spotlight?
I hope readers will enjoy a fun escape to Prince Edward Island. And I hope they’ll be reminded of the power of the words we say. We can speak life, or we can speak death. I hope Summer in the Spotlight will encourage readers to encourage and uplift others every day.
Liz Johnson at the Anne of Green Gables house in PEI
Would you like to visit Prince Edward Island with author Liz Johnson? Explore the setting of Anne of Green Gables and Liz’s books when you join her PEI tour in July 2024! Find trip details here.
Have you ever wondered what Noah’s Ark really looked like? Well, travel to Kentucky (of all places), and you’ll get a pretty good idea. The Ark Encounter, a project of Answers in Genesis, is a life-sized ark based on the dimensions listed in the Bible.
Using the theory that that each pair of animals represented one “kind,” they filled the ark with models of these creatures based on prehistoric fossils. There are also several displays within the ark, including an exhibit provided by the Bible Museum and one that shares flood legends around the world.
It’s a little bit museum and a little bit theme park, which appealed to my five-year-old who loves science. Our visit to the Ark Encounter was an awesome experience for our whole family, from my parents (who brought us!) to my kids.
Judging by the major crowds at the Ark on the Saturday we visited, this is a popular destination. Perhaps this is, in part, because children’s tickets are free. The venue also hosts conferences and concerts–the day we visited, there was live music by a well-known Christian band included with the price of a ticket. We didn’t attend because there was so much to see!
Definitely a fun trip and one I’ll repeat when my kids get older and mature enough to appreciate new things about the experience.
Today, I’d like to introduce you to the 2022 winner of the romance category of the ACFW Genesis Contest–and her upcoming debut novel! Meet Lori Dejong, author of Love’s True Calling.
It’s so exciting to see Lori’s winning manuscript go from contest entry to published book! Love’s True Calling is being released June 27, but you can preorder now and see why this story captivated the judges of the contest.
1. What inspired you to write Love’s True Calling?
It was actually for a class I took from Laurie Schnebly about plotting a book based on character motivations. We had to come up with two brand new characters and determine what motivated them to achieve their goals, then plot out the book based on those motivations.
I at first thought of a woman going back to college in her late 20’s and finds her professor is the popular guy from high school who made her life miserable. But I couldn’t really get it to work. So I switched them around. She was still the woman coming back to college, but instead I made her the high school Miss Everything and her professor was the high school nerd who had a big crush on her.
It developed from there that they’d been childhood best friends who went separate ways as they entered their teens, and so on. It was really never intended to go anywhere past that class, but I fell in love with the characters and felt a strong pull to write their story. I put it into a couple of contests and won, and that led to my publishing contract with Scrivenings Press.
God always has bigger plans than ours!
2. in Love’s True Calling, your leading lady faces the tough decision between following Jesus’ calling on her life and following her heart. Can you share a time when you had to choose obedience to Jesus over something else that you wanted?
Oh goodness, well, I feel like this happens on a regular basis. In little ways and in big ways. I’ve been battling my weight for years, so I feel that every time I choose to eat when I know I shouldn’t, I’m choosing my will over His. And conversely, I know how good it feels when I have victory over that and choose His will over mine. It may sound frivolous, but on a daily basis, those can be tough decisions when you’re dealing with issues that go way beyond food.
My husband and I have had to make other life decisions where we chose God’s way over something we’d hoped for or planned on. We had really hoped to adopt when our daughter was about five or six, but we didn’t get the feeling that door was opening for us. So we left that dream of having a second child behind instead of pushing through just because it was something we wanted. When we later went through a long season of financial hardship due to job lay-off and the slow recovery afterward, we could see how having a second child through that time would have been very difficult.
3. What do you hope readers will gain, personally or spiritually, from reading your debut novel?
I hope they see the redemptive love of Christ. Harper, my leading lady, made some awful choices in her life, but once she gave her heart over to the Lord, He changed her simply by His grace and forgiveness.
Wyatt, my leading man, is a strong Christian man who has some tragedy in his past that led him to start a student ministry targeting teenagers who yearn to belong. But he comes to understand that even though he’s in ministry, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have issues of his own he needs to give over to God so that he can further his reach.
I hope readers see that obedience to God, no matter the sacrifice, is what brings true joy and peace.
4. You signed a multi-book deal. Can you give us a hint of what’s coming next?
Sure! Book Two, Love’s True Home, (June 2024) is Ally and Zane’s story. As a child to foreign missionaries who moved frequently from one country to another, Ally Kincaid yearns to plant roots in American soil. Zane Carpenter, raised in America’s heartland in the same house until he was eighteen, craves adventure, and if that involves a foreign mission assignment, all the better! But when they fall in love, will she find a home wherever her heart is, or will he find adventure in his own back yard?
Book Three, Love’s True Measure, (June 2025) tells the story of Hunter and Shannon. Raised in a wealthy family by a father who worked too much and a mother who put her value in their position, Shannon Trent only wants to serve God as an adolescent psychologist and student ministry volunteer. Attorney Hunter Cavanaugh, born to an unwed teenage mother who later married a man who couldn’t keep a job, believes his self-made wealth and status is the measure of who he is as a man. When he’s suddenly the guardian of his fourteen-year-old sister, his 80-hour work weeks become a thing of the past, as well as his dream of being made law partner by the age of thirty. But when Hunter’s tasked by his superiors to do something less than ethical, will he measure his worth by man’s standards or God’s? And will Shannon be able to leave the ghosts of her past behind to help a young girl seeking her own value in a new world?
Thanks so much, Lori! I can’t wait to read Love’s True Calling when it arrives on release day!
Have you ever wanted to pet a leopard? What about cuddle a chimp? Or feed a crocodile? Well, if you ever find yourself at Musee Vivant in Burundi, you can do all of those things.
While we were in Bujumbura, Burundi, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law took us and their kids to the local zoo, which features animals from East Africa.
Bujumbura’s zoo, Musee Vivant (“Living Museum”), doesn’t have the red tape or safety precautions of zoos in the States.
Part of that is really fun–nobody at a zoo in the U.S. would allow you to pet a big cat with gigantic fangs.
It also means that you do have to use your own common sense to decide what is or is not a good idea…like maybe if you’re wearing a ponytail, don’t snuggle the baby chimp. If it gets curious and yanks on your hair–well, there goes your scalp and your face.
Fortunately, my nephews don’t have ponytails.
As you can see, there’s a good reason why my sister-in-law calls this “The Petting Zoo of Things That Should Not be Petted.”
The Musee Vivant also offers a cultural element. Our tour guide took us through an exhibit showing recreating a traditional Burundian elder’s home.
There are several of these houses clustered together. One big house would be for the elder, and each of his wives would have a smaller version.
Our three-year-old wasn’t actually that impressed by the animals in the zoo–he’s not much of a predator person and I wasn’t too keen on letting him watch the crocodile hunt down a live guinea pig, anyway. He was more interested in finding sticks and drawing in the dirt with Auntie Joy.
But he did love walking through the houses and trying to climb this gigantic kapok tree with his cousins.
What about you? Which animals would you pet? And would you climb that tree? Let me know in the comments!
On a recent escape to Northern Arizona, I devoured Vivid by Ashley Bustamante, a YA fantasy book about dark secrets at a boarding school for teens with a talent for color magic. The school teaches red and blue magic, but yellow magic, which involves mind control, is banned.
But are the yellow magic people really all as evil as everyone thinks? When precocious Ava Locke runs into an escaped Yellow Magic user, she begins to question everything she’s ever known.
I was also lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy of Book 2, Radiant, which releases May 9! After enjoying these two books, I asked Ashley if she’d share a bit about the world of color magic and what comes next in the Color Theory series.
Your books feature magic that is divided in color categories. What gave you the idea for color magic?
It was actually something I used to daydream about as a kid! I’d see colorful objects and would imagine what it would be like if I could take all that color and turn it into magic.
If you could pick just one color, which type of magic would you like to have and why?
That’s such a tough choice! I think Blue magic would be so useful, so if I’m being practical I’d probably go with that.
Woven into your stories are themes of trust and acceptance. What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
I hope readers will feel inspired to become more unified and maybe seek to understand the who are different. I think so much of the contention among people that arises in today’s world is because of lack of understanding.
Can you share anything about your upcoming projects?
Right now I’m hard at work on book 3 of the Color Theory series, which is due in a few weeks! I’m really focused on that right now because I want to make sure this series finishes strong. It’s bittersweet.
A Christian fantasy series based on adventure board games? Yes, please! Today I had the priveledge of talking to James R. Hannibal, author of the Lightraiders Academytrilogy. The second book in the series, Bear Knight, released in February of 2023 from Enclave.
How has your background contributed to the action scenes in Bear Knight?
I’m always aware of the physics when writing action, whether hand to hand combat or aerial battle.
Having studied multiple martial arts and having trained US troops in hand to hand combat certainly helps with the fight scenes. Having flown fighter and bomber aircraft also helps with visualizing the aerial scenes. Of course, everything must be adjusted for the physics of the fantasy realm.
Bear Knight has some awesome maps! How do you come up with the landscapes you invent?
I had a great foundation to start with. The Lightraiders Realm was first created by Navigators author and Christian counselor Dick Wulf back in the 80s. When he handed the world to me, I had a fairly detailed world map to start with and a few towns or locations that were created for the original game. That became my palette from which to build out other locations and fill in the map.
From there, I develop a landscape or village in my head and then work with fantastic artists and cartographers like James R. Brown and Jog Brogzin to bring them into visual reality for a reference.
What books or series inspired your love of fantasy?
This entire series is based on the original DragonRaid game by Dick Wulf. Our team is grateful he had the opportunity to write the forward for Wolf Soldier, the first book in the series, before he went on to be with the Lord. Both Dick and I have been inspired by Tolkien and Lewis primarily.
What do you hope readers will come away with after reading Bear Knight?
The theme in Bear Knight is courage in the face of our fears. We’re talking about fear of physical danger as well as less tangible but just as frightening fears. The characters deal with fear of being left behind by peers, fear of failure, fear of becoming someone they don’t want to be, etc.
I hope that readers learn that no matter what fears they face, they can always find peace and hope in Christ and His promises, and thus the courage to face those fears head-on.
While in Burundi, East Africa visiting family last summer, my sister-in-law Joy taught me how to screen print!
I’m not sure if Burundi has screen printing shops (I imagine they exist, but probably not many), but this undertaking is an example of the ingenuity embodied by expats (and immigrants) around the world who want to recreate things from their home countries.
The table was built from scratch for the purpose of screen printing, and the other tools were ordered online and brought over by friends. We brought the shirts and the ink in our suitcases, and I’m glad the ink didn’t explode all over our clothes in the plane! At least it’s washable before it sets…
Joy’s vision was to create matching t-shirts for our huge Johnson family reunion, which would take place in Tanzania soon after. So she created a custom t-shirt design and, along with me, her three boys, and some of her employees, spent a couple of days printing about 35 shirts.
I need to stop taking on new hobbies, but this was really fun. I’m resisting the urge to get my own screen printing stuff.
We also ended up tie-dying the white shirts once everyone was together, but that is another fun and messy story for another day.
Please don’t ask me why we look like we’re waiting to be gathered up by a galactic starship in a sci fi B movie
Breana Johnson 