Review: Unbreaking: How Giving Up Saved Our Marriage by Jason and Crystal Crawford

Unbreaking: How Giving Up Saved Our Marriage
by Jason and Crystal Crawford

Jason and Crystal Crawford were trapped in a loveless, hopeless marriage. They each believed that the only path to happiness was to go their separate ways -- until God showed them something even better. This true story chronicles one couple's quick descent from courtship into an unhappy marriage, and how God transformed their marriage, turning resentment into love and their pain into joy. You will experience the real, raw emotion of both Jason and Crystal through alternating journal entries that show how the husband's and wife's separate perspectives evolve throughout the first 6 years of their marriage and beyond. This unique memoir, written by a couple who are also life-coaches, includes a Relationship Guide at the end of the book which provides help and guidance to couples in similar situations.

My Take:
This was a raw, uncut narrative on a very dark period in this couple's life. The pain, anger and dysfunction is laid bare for the reader to see. It takes a brave soul to be willing to air past issues like this, but God works through us by relating our issues to similar struggles in those around us, to promote healing.

Satan is in the battle to destroy marriages, which are the foundation of the family, and families the foundation of society. But scripture tells us that "they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimonies." - Rev 12:11

The testimony of Jason and Crystal is a powerful tool they use to promote healing in shattered marriages, and they have used it as life coaches for years to help struggling couples to achieve the marriage God designed. The back half of the book is a workbook couples can use together to heal their brokenness. saturated with scripture, this workbook contains solid, biblical advice on how to allow God to heal your own past wounds, and become what God intended you to be.

As this is non-fiction, I will simply say on content that there are issues of infidelity, pornography, and divorce discussed frankly, but not graphically. The first half, their testimony, has scripture but does not come across as 'preachy' at all. The second half is a workbook, that undergirds all points with scripture. This would be a good tool for a couple to use to make their marriage stronger, even if it's not in the dark and seemingly hopeless condition the authors experienced. Five Stars!

About the Author(s):


Jason Crawford was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but moved to Florida in 2002 to study Communication at Florida College in Temple Terrace, FL. He then continued on to receive a BA in Communication from the University of South Florida, and is currently working on a Masters in Professional Counseling. Jason met his wife, Crystal, while in college and they married in 2004.

Overcoming serious marriage struggles in their marriage led Jason to discover a passion for counseling and life-coaching. After working multiple retails jobs and spending several years as a Sales Manager, and spending his free hours providing life-coaching for his employees. After his first daughter was born, Jason also found himself drawn to helping new fathers, and began volunteering as a men's life-coach for new fathers at a crisis pregnancy center, Jason decided to make the change and focus on counseling as a career. He left the corporate retail environment, and became an entrepreneur so that he could have the freedom to spend more time with his family and to pursue his calling as a life-coach an counselor.

Jason is now a happy father of 3 young kids, and runs his own company, Fierce, Inc., as well as a not-for-profit company, Fierce Fathers. The two companies function side-by-side as part of Jason and Crystal's overall project, We Are Fierce, which utilizes Jason's talents for graphic design, web design, and marketing to bring in income that is then used to support their life-coaching ministry which helps families, couples, parents and young adults in the Tampa, FL area to improve struggling relationships and discover new direction and purpose in their lives. Jason's goal is to complete his Masters in Professional Counseling and open his own practice, and to expand the We Are Fierce ministry to include scholarship programs that would provide free and low-cost counseling to low-income couples and families.


Crystal Crawford was born in Tampa, FL and received a BA in English from the University of South Florida with a concentration in Creative Writing, and attended graduate courses in English at USF in 2007, where she worked as a Graduate Teaching Assistant teaching Freshman Composition. She is also passionate about working with animals and animal training, and worked for over 2 years as an assistant manager at a live animal show. Now a stay-at-home-Mom to 3 children under the age of 5, Crystal now works from home as a freelance writer and editor, and works part-time as an English and Animal Psychology instructor at Class Source. In addition to all this, Crystal and her husband own their own company, Fierce Inc., which provides web design, graphic design, content generation, and social media management; as well as a not-for-profit corporation, Fierce Fathers, which has now been expanded into the We Are Fierce program and offers free and low-cost life coaching for families, parents, and young adults.

Review: Sapphire Moon by J Oliver Madison

Sapphire Moon
by J Oliver Madison

Between the Sapphire Moon Clan’s assassination attempts, and an evil organization bent on destruction, Karma certainly has her work cut out for her...

Now in her junior year of high school, Carmella must decide how best to handle her secret double-life of a trained ninja. Cheer practice and an internship will have to wait while fending off the deadly shinobi and man-made demons out to kill her and her new boyfriend.

Things take a turn for the worse when the heartthrob ninja from her past returns to Blyton City. With the help of his twin sister, Karma and Akane set out to shine light on the mysterious organization—Arma Deus—before her beloved hometown turns to ashes.

With the villainous intent of Chimera still lingering, it’s up to Karma and company to unravel the truth behind their ultimate weapon. And stop them.

Friends, training, and ninjutsu may not be enough this time.

My Take:
The second in the Karma Chronicles series delivered in a big way with new characters, new ninjutsu, and new enemies. Carmella's confused as her boyfriend overseas, Hanzo, stops contacting her. Is he dead? After a month of no responses to her many texts, her pal Vivian sets her up with a new guy, Raj, who seems to be a perfect companion. At the same time, a trio of ninja assassins from the Sapphire Moon clan show up and notify her that Han is promised to one of them, to join the Sapphire Moon Clan with the Crimson Blade, stopping a deadly feud between the two clans.

Karma is challenged to a fight to the death with Han's intended, and she dare not refuse, or everybody dies. As if this wasn't high enough on the stakes list, There's an evil organization called Arma Deus, that is bent on her destruction and the demolition of Blyton City.

She must pair up with Han's vicious sister Akane to investigate this organization and bring them to justice, if she can just stay alive long enough.

Content:
Violence:
R - This book pushes the boundaries of YA, and I hate to drop the rating at R, but some scenes fell across the line. One scene involves the devouring of a human while still alive. It doesn't dwell on it, but it's a bit graphic. In several scenes characters are being burned alive or bleeding out. Some teens are harvested for science. In one scene a character is beaten nearly to death. Not in a battle, either. Just to make a point.

Language:
PG - As in the previous book, the F-bomb is never dropped, but the D-word shows up a few times, as well as the B-word.

Drug Content:
There's more in this one than the last. For instance, there's an underage drinking party where many people get rather drastically trashed, not including any of the main characters. It's not shed in a positive light.

Adult Content:
PG-13 - There's a scene where two people get rather physical in a bedroom, and it crosses the line toward attempted rape. There are a few innuendos, and a sparring match that appeared headed toward angry sex.

Christian content:
As in the previous book, racism is a key factor. In a couple scenes, a character prays to God for help before going into battle. The main villain organization, Arma Deus, is obviously so named based on the belief that something is a god, probably weaponry. There are themes of dependence on friends and family, and the hollowness of hero worship. As before, there's a bigotry concerning genetics and it is almost laughable considering the amount of gene splicing and tweaking going on.

Final analysis:
Sapphire Moon had its share of plot twists, action, and ninjutsu to keep this reader interested. The quality of writing, if anything, was better than the first one, something that isn't too common, and is refreshing. The envelope was pushed a bit farther toward the high end of YA, to me, but it wasn't enough to drop it down from the Five Star rating it deserves.

About the Author:
Oliver has always loved writing and devouring books by James Patterson and J.K. Rowling. If a story has drama, adventure, and a twist, you can count him in. He’s got a little bit of a dark side too, so you can expect to see that from time to time in his writing and sense of humor. He loves experimenting with characters from all backgrounds with all kinds of quirks. There are so many types of people in this world and only a handful get touched on in mainstream media. That’s what Oliver would like to change.

Check out his author's website, replete with fan art, at http://www.olivermadison.com

Review: Violet Star by J Oliver Madison

Violet Star
by J Oliver Madison


No one at Mitchelstown High has any idea of the double life Carmella Anderson leads. Sure, on the surface, she’s a charismatic and geeky student with a crush on a popular skateboarder. But beneath that, she has a decade of experience as a ninja in training.

After shattering generations of tradition in her family’s way of the mercenary, Carmella’s grandfather began a new tradition – standing up for the few good citizens in her hometown of Blyton. When night falls, she must take on the persona of Karma and bring balance to a corrupt city.

However, her martial arts and arsenal of advanced weaponry may not be enough to track down a beast-like rogue ninja involved in a recent string of murders. Karma will need help from friends, family, and her genetic gift – special abilities unique to her clan – to uncover the mystery behind the killer and bring him to justice.

My Take:
Oh boy, teens, mutants, ninjas... no turtles here. This book Rocked! Carmella Anderson is just an average teen girl by day, struggling to keep up her grades and make a connection with her crush. By night, however, she's Karma, a savvy ninja dressed in high-tech black and violet, with more gadgets than Batman and as many fighting skills as Teen Robin from Teen Titans.

Karma has some serious issues with overconfidence, pride, and listening to instructions, but she has a good heart in there. Keeping her secret identity, well, secret, is one of the hardest things she has to do in this action-packed novel. Between flitting over rooftops, beating up thugs, taking down evil supervillains and keeping her friends from becoming shark bait, she doesn't have a lot of time for keeping her grades up.

Content:
Violence:
PG-13 - There is quite a bit of violence in this book, but it usually doesn't get too graphic. There are a few corpses mentioned that have bites taken out of them, and many get stabbed, ribs broken, choked, etc. Karma makes it a point to not kill anyone, but this isn't a rule her enemies follow, nor some of her ninja friends. In one place a couple helpless policemen are slaughtered.

Language:
PG - The F-bomb is never dropped, but the D-word shows up a few times, as well as the B-word.

Drug Content:
There's a little purple marble the ninja clan uses to go berserk. It's not described as a drug, but the effects put them out of control, like a berserker rage would. Other than that, I don't recall alcohol or even cigarettes showing up.

Adult Content:
PG-13 - One of the people Karma keeps rescuing has a job as a stripper, and is in danger of rape several times. For the most part that's the only sexual content in the book.

Christian content:
The ninja clans run by a relatively strict moral code. Depending on the family, that can be good or bad. For Karma's family, it was bad for a few generations, and she and her grandfather are trying to undo that with a new code to fight to defend the defenseless. There's a strong message about the importance of family and a support team, and friendship. Karma has to make some tough decisions to do the right thing even when it might cost her. Her independence, pride, and lack of trust cause her to go into battle alone, and without help from her friends she would not have come out alive.

Final analysis:
I looked forward to reading this one, and I was not disappointed. A great 'superhero' ninja adventure story with plenty of action, enough plot twists to keep you guessing, and battle sequences that leave you breathless. Fierce family loyalty combined with ninjutsu skills make for a great fantasy novel, and I'm itching to read the next one. Five Stars!

About the Author:
Oliver has always loved writing and devouring books by James Patterson and J.K. Rowling. If a story has drama, adventure, and a twist, you can count him in. He’s got a little bit of a dark side too, so you can expect to see that from time to time in his writing and sense of humor. He loves experimenting with characters from all backgrounds with all kinds of quirks. There are so many types of people in this world and only a handful get touched on in mainstream media. That’s what Oliver would like to change.

Check out his author's website, replete with fan art, at http://www.olivermadison.com

Interview with Jeffrey L. Kohanek - with a Giveaway!

Today I have the privilege of having Jeffrey L. Kohanek, author of the book, The Buried Symbol, for an author interview. If you leave a comment below before the end of July, we’ll put your name in a hat, and one lucky responder will receive a copy of The Buried Symbol, book one in The Runes of Issalia trilogy. So, don’t forget to drop a comment below for a chance to win!

Thanks for joining us today, Jeff! What inspired you to start writing a fantasy novel?

From a young age, I’ve felt driven by an internal desire to create. With an early love for heroes with super powers, I found my childhood-self creating my own comic books. In my adult life, I’ve spent a number of years writing in a business-marketing role, which allows for creativity but not to the extent that I would like. Two years ago, I decided to harness that creativity in a new way and focus on writing novels.

I had ideas in my head about a world, a magic, and a story that I wanted to tell. Inspired by other amazing fantasy authors, I spent the next year writing the first book. Six months later, I signed with a publisher and have been on a wild ride ever since.

I was that way as a kid, too. Bet there's a lot of guys who hoarded comic books, but creating our own, that's a different story. What authors have most influenced your life? What did you like about their work?

Different authors have influenced various points of my life. In grade school and middle school, I first grew to love fantasy novels during my journeys to wondrous lands such as CS. Lewis’ Narnia and J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth. In my teens, my love for epic fantasy grew to a crescendo with David Eddings’ Belgariad and Raymond E. Feist’s Riftwar series capturing my imagination, leaving me enthralled with the idea of discovering magical abilities and learning to harness them. When I finally decided to write The Runes of Issalia trilogy, it was with the desire to instill that same sense of wonder in my readers.

More recently, I would say that my favorite authors are Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss. I consider Jordan to be the king of worldbuilding, Sanderson to be the best at creating interesting magic systems, and Rothfuss to be a grand storyteller. When you read my series, you should see some influence from each of the authors listed as they have all shaped my work in some manner.

I can see some of Jordan in your writing, especially the good/bad magic of Saidin vs. Saidar. I would agree on his worldbuilding, it's amazing. Your Issalia is pretty immersive as well. Not only present day, but it seems to have a very rich history, which I'm sure we'll get a peek at in later books.

Brock is an overcomer, sort of like Aladdin at the beginning. Tell us about him. Was there a real-life inspiration behind him?

I often gravitate toward the underdog, finding their ability to succeed against difficult odds to be extremely compelling. Thus, featuring a protagonist that is the classic definition of an underdog was as easy choice for me to make.

Brock is the embodiment of the human spirit, refusing to give up though he has little history of success in his past. As the story progresses, things become easier for him partly because of his dramatic status change and partly because he finds himself in a position that takes advantage of his natural abilities.

I modeled Brock after myself, but a better version of myself. While he certainly isn’t perfect, I wanted a protagonist is likable and perhaps even inspirational. He is small of stature, but has a big heart. He has good intentions, but is willing to break the rules when necessary. He is selfish enough to look out for himself, but shows compassion toward others whenever possible. Brock wants to do the right thing because that where his moral compass points him, even if doing the right thing is against the law or against popular opinion.

The plight of the Unchosen in The Buried Symbol is similar to several people groups in our world today who are discriminated against, treated as a bit less than ‘people’. The Untouchables in India comes to mind. Was there something that inspired this facet of your novel?

The evils of discrimination is definitely an underlying theme in the book. By placing the reader behind a main character who is treated like a social outcast, it provides perspective that I hope will have positive impact. However, I cannot lie and say that was my only goal. The existence of Unchosen is a critical plot element for the series, leading to a number of secrets that come to light during the story. The first reveal occurs near the end of book one, but there is more to come as the plot unfolds.

I know what you mean, but of course saying more would be introducing spoilers. :-)

The idea of Runes being a source of power, or a way to identify or harness power, is new to me. Was there something that gave you the idea, or was that something you dreamed up on your own?

Rune magic in various forms exists in other fantasy works. However, the particular approach I took is something that I dreamed up while reading book two of The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson. Having an engineering background, I gravitate toward magic systems that are logical, considering magic to be a kind of science that we haven’t yet discovered. When readers follow the story, I want them to feel as if they know how to work this magic and can put themselves in Brock’s position as he discovers the limits of his abilities.

Is that common to engineer authors? Magic 'mechanics' or science, is intriguing to me as well. 

What was your favorite chapter (or part) in the book, and why?

Three specific chapters jump out at me, but they likely aren’t what you think.

1.       I love the chapter where Brock has a flashback dream of his childhood, drawing tears every time I read it.

2.       I also really like the chapter where Brock and Ashland first kiss because it stirs memories of how it felt to be seventeen and fall in love for the first time.

3.       However, my favorite chapter is the morning after Brock’s first experience drinking wine at The Quiet Woman inn. Fantasy books often feature dark taverns filled with rude men groping pretty waitresses. I created The Quiet Woman to be the opposite of that trope, filling it with women drinking coffee or wine and feeling welcome and empowered. Since it rarely has male patrons, Brock’s gregarious nature quickly makes him a favorite of the women who frequent the inn. When Tipper describes Brock’s antics from the previous evening, Brock groans in embarrassment at what he did while under the influence of too much wine. In addition to making me laugh, I see the chapter as a good lesson for all ages as to what can happen when you abuse alcohol. I wrote the chapter from experience, knowing that I need to keep the lesson in mind as well. As a side note, I’m known to take my shirt off and do some acrobatics from time to time, so you know where that part of the story came from.

Is there a message in your novel that you hope your readers will grasp?

I don’t want to sound preachy, nor make my book seem that way. However, if my writing can influence some readers to be a bit more compassionate, I’ve made the world a better place. I also hope to inspire others to overcome the obstacles in their life.

I’d love to read more of Brock and Tipper and their friends at the Academy. When will the sequel be out, and how can readers nab a copy?

Book 2, The Emblem Throne, is releasing on October 6, 2016. Readers will be able to pre-order signed print copies from my website in early September. It will also be out in print and ebook formats with major book retailers after the release date.

How can readers get in touch with or follow you?

Website:              http://jeffreylkohanek.com

Facebook:           http://facebook.com/JeffreyLKohanek  

Twitter:                http://twitter.com/JLKohanek  

Goodreads:        https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29910761-the-buried-symbol  

Amazon:              http://www.amazon.com/Buried-Symbol-Jeffrey-L-Kohanek/dp/1612966926/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8  

B&N:                     http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-buried-symbol-jeffrey-l-kohanek/1123737047?ean=9781612966922  

Review: Coach Dave Season Two: All Stars by Al Ainsworth

Coach Dave Season Two: All-Stars
by Al Ainsworth

Coach Dave Rivers has been named coach of the twelve-year-old Southburg All-Stars. His team has the talent and versatility to compete for championships. However, his fellow All-Star coach is his nemesis, Fletcher Brandt. Will their very different philosophies be able to mesh in time for the team to play to its capacity? Or will their inability to find common ground be the downfall of the team? Join some of the players, coaches, and dads from Coach Dave: Season One as they meet new team- mates and dads to learn about life through the game of baseball. Enjoy the gripping game action and wrestle with issues that threaten the integrity of youth baseball.

My Take:
Coach Dave has his hands full trying to ride herd on a team of twelve-year-old baseball players, but that's simply the least of his worries. He can manage the boys, but when it comes to the parents... And Coach Fletcher sizes up to be the biggest thundercloud in the gathering storm, as Coach Dave guides his team to win State.

Can the differences in Fletcher's and Dave's coaching styles mesh to create a formidable team that can win the championship? All this oil-and-water mix needs is a match to blow the team to pieces.

Coach Dave: Season Two All-Stars is a good book for dads to read with their sons. Especially when there's baseball in the family. Several times, strategy and sacrifice win the game, when aiming for the fences would end the game in a loss. Teamwork and sacrifice are emphasized over glory and favoritism, and these life lessons play well off the field as well.

The interaction of the boys, coaches, and Dads in this whimsical look at youth baseball make for an entertaining and thought-provoking read. The play-by-play action of the tournament gives the feel of being behind the chain links watching the game. The Point Of View for the entire story is Rob's dad, and he gives an accurate description of each game as it plays out, and the conflicts in the stands.

Content:
Violence:
G - There's no blood, and only a minor sports injury. There's some minor veiled threats from some angry dads about what should be done with a wayward coach or a blind umpire, but that kind of talk is quickly shut down. I think at one point a baseball cap might have been thrown down in anger. I can't imagine that's a common scene in baseball... :-)

Language:
G - I don't recall any curse words at all in the book. Unless you count 'dadgum', which I certainly don't.

Adult Content:
PG - There are several discussions about divorce, and a dad shows up at one game with a new girlfriend on his arm, causing an unfortunate scene in the stands. At twelve, the boys aren't thinking much about girls, so much as they are about ball.

Christian content:
Coach Dave seems to be a solid father figure, to boys from a broken home or not. God is mentioned a few times, and one of the dads is a preacher who finds it a bit difficult to attend the Sunday games. That's an issue quite a few Christian parents face periodically with youth sports, and was explored briefly. The preacher invites one of the dads to church with him, but the dad politely declines.

Final analysis:
I've been that kid that was picked last for a ball team, or the odd man out that held the fence and watched while others played. I've also been on a Corporate Team where I rode the bench the entire season, and only got to play one game, when a player was sick. So I understood the role of the Alternate well, and the pain that can go along with it. I felt that Rob handled it much better than I did, even as an adult. The life issues that came up in this book speak to many a young man faced with divorced parents, being the odd man out, or the disappointment of being the reason the team didn't win the game.

All-Stars was a well-written sequel to Coach Dave: Season One, and put you right in the game along with the boys, and the Dads living vicariously through their sons. I found it immersive, entertaining, and thought-provoking; a lighthearted dive into youth baseball with a dash of off-field lessons thrown in. Five Stars!

About the Author:
I tell stories with ingrained values. I began with a collection of my own childhood stories. Called Lines in the Gravel, the book's stories collectively tell a bigger story, that story is a primary vehicle in passing our values from one generation to the next.

Stories from the Roller Coaster was my second book. It tells the story of how God changed the plans I had for my own life over and over again...and how He shaped me through those changes.

I am currently working on a series of sports books, the Coach Dave series. Centered around a new young coach in a town set in its baseball ways, the Coach Dave books help youth baseball players, parents, and coaches find the values that sports can teach...if we will intention to find them. 

You can get in touch with Al on his website at http://alainsworth.com/

Interview with Katheryn Maddox Haddad

Today, I'm taking a break from the Review circuit to interview one of the authors in my reading list. She is Katheryn Maddox Haddad, the author of Paul the Unstoppable, one of her Intrepid Men of God series.

Katheryn, thanks for joining me today. You seem to be quite a prolific writer. I’m interested to know how you got started writing. 
I was first published at age 10 in 1950 when I showed my school teacher a poem I had written about Abraham Lincoln. A couple weeks later she said, “look in the newspaper when you get home tonight.” And there was my poem!
I began my eight-volume life of Christ, “Soul Journey With the Real Jesus” when I was 17 years old and finished it when I was 60.

That's quite a span! I'm sure a lot of work went into that series. What books, other than the bible, have most influenced your life?  
“Christ of the India Road” by E. Stanley Jones taught me to adjust to whatever circumstance I am in, to respect what other people say and do, and be willing to go where living is inconvenient.

“The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck about three generations in China (she lived there). The first generation went from rags to riches, the second generation remembered growing up poor and enjoy their father’s riches, the third generation took it for granted and squandered it and ended up poor.  I think it is a typical scenario that I often take into consideration when around someone who is rich or poor.

“Mere Christianity” by C. S. Lewis who was a philosopher in England who argued himself from atheism to a strong faith in God.

Mere Christianity has had an impact on so many lives. You seem to have a very strong faith. Often faith like that is forged in the fire. Is there a story from your past that you’d be willing to share, about when that faith was challenged or tested?
Believe it or not, though I was “raised in the church” with faithful parents, I have always had to fight for my faith ~ whether God existed. The first time it happened was in college in the 1950s, so I took a course about it; that’s when I learned about C.S. Lewis. 

The second time it happened was when I was around 28 years old and had just begun a very successful all-summer VBS in a little town of 597 people, enrolling 80 kids.  I read David’s Psalm 42 where David’s logical mind has a debate with his doubting soul. Often he said, “Why are you so downcast, oh my soul?” then he would answer himself, “Hope in God and you will yet praise him.” I would get out my C.S. Lewis notes and read and reread them.  

I guess it hits about every ten years. It has hit me again recently. It seems to always hit when I am the strongest. When it happens, I let my logic take over because logic tells me there has to be a God, and I pray to the God I am doubting, “I cannot find you. Please do not let me go.” That is why I wrote my 8-volume “Soul Journey With the Real Jesus”.  I dedicated it “To Everyone Who Has Ever Doubted”. It is about 100 people Jesus met and struggled with. 

Doesn't it seem that Satan attacks us when we're on a spiritual high point, often after some victory? How many of us have cried out with the epileptic's father, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!"
We all need a hero, and you’ve written about quite a few from the bible. Tell us which biblical hero most inspired you?
Esther.  Mordecai told her “Who knows but that you were put in the kingdom for such a time as this?”.  Since I learned that at an early age, I have always asked myself when needs came up around me, “Who knows but that you were put in this spot for such a time as this?”.



Concerning Paul The Unstoppable, what was the hardest part of writing this book? 
First, I want to say that the easiest parts were where I described the emotions he was feeling at different parts of his life. I always go into slow motion in my writing when describing strong emotions or life-threatening events.

The hard parts were two fold. First, I needed to make sure it was historically accurate. I researched all day every day for two months. I have two 3” notebooks full of my research.  I knew he had to be strong to have been able to tread water “in the deep” for a day and night, and in his writings he often spoke of fighting the good fight. So I made him as a young man an Olympian hopeful in boxing, requiring of course, that I research bare-knuckle boxing. I researched what it was like to live in the desert of Arabia and what the Bedouins were like. Because he was beaten nearly to death so many times and apparently needed a personal physician the last ten years, I researched the effects of beatings and scar tissue, as well as medical techniques needed then. I researched which roads existed then. I researched each city and province he went to (there were soooo many) ~ who was ruling at the time, their language, their religions, what the people normally looked like, and an outline of their city if possible so I could tell where the streets and buildings were. And other things I researched.

Second, it was difficult for me to write the in-between times. It’s easy for me to write about exciting things going on. But what was it like for Paul walking and walking and walking down a lonely road to get to his next destination? I knew I needed to include those boring parts of his life and not make them boring.

I suspect you have lived a full life, one with plenty of God moments. Tell us about one of the times when God stepped in and you saw His hand at work in your life.
No one special moment. But I can recall three seemingly mundane things that have influenced me.

First, starting from the time I was 7 or 8 years old and we would be standing around in the lobby before church, my mother would say, “See that new child who just came in the door? Go over and welcome him/her.” So at an early age I learned to reach out to people, including strangers.

Second, I had a friend during the Viet Nam War whose husband was “over there” in the fighting just like mine was. We encouraged each other. She knew about my writing beause I had showed her short things I had written. She told me one day, looking sternly in my eye, “Katheryn, you must write. For you not to write is a sin.”

Third, my husband passed away 2-1/2 years ago. Although I wrote a few books while he was still alive and put them away in a closet, after he died, I turned to my writing to fill my days. At first it was good therapy for me, but now it is my life.

Just reading your bio, you are amazingly busy! When do you find time to write? Is there a particular place or time that is most comfortable for you to write?
Because I live alone, I have my choice what to do with my days. I could be out in the community doing all kinds of things. But I choose to stay home and do the two things closest to my heart.

First, I set aside four hours a day to teach English over the internet to Muslims using the Bible as a text book.  I have taught nearly 6000 so far, and have converts to Christianity in hiding in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, and Uzbekistan. I also wrote a small book contrasting Christianity to Islam, just quoting from the Qur’an and quoting from the Bible on the same subjects, so it is not biased. There are other things in the book. Toward the end are anonymous statements from nearly 100 of my Muslim students who have decided Jesus truly was the Son of God and not just a prophet, and it ends with “An Open Letter to Our Muslim Friends”. It can be given to a Muslim without offending them.

Second, I set aside twelve hours a day to write. I can usually write three chapters of ten pages a day. However, if I have to stop and do a little more research on something (did people of that nationality wear beards then, etc?) I write two chapters a day. 
I start out the day on my patio with a comfortable chair throw rug and pictures. I have a ceiling fan for the summers and an electric fireplace for the winters. When it becomes too hot or too cold out there, I come in and sit in my livingroom with my laptop and my feet propped up.

I imagine, like Paul, you are a bit ‘Unstoppable’. I doubt you are done writing, so tell us, what writing project are you currently working on?
I wrote ten non-fiction books on topics like Revelation, the Holy Spirit, good works, church history, etc. and they got good reviews, but not many sales. So I switched to historical novels. That’s when things took off and usually stay in the top ten in Amazon ranking in their category. Then I knew that’s what would reach out to the masses.  My INTREPID MEN OF GOD series includes “Lazarus: The Samaritan”, “Paul: The Unstoppable”, “Luke: Slave & Physician” and “Mefiboset: Crippled Prince”. 

I am now working on “Joseph: The Other Father”.  What an immense responsibility was placed on this man’s shoulders! Did you realize God appeared to Mary one time, but to Joseph four times. This is something I wrote when Jesus was four years old, they were still in the desert leaving Egypt and it was night:

Joseph looks down at the innocent Jesus and cradles him in his big arms as he walks over to a nearby boulder. He sits and watches the boy in his slumber, taking smooth, even breaths.
“Oh, my son, my son,” Joseph says softly. “What is ahead for you where we are going? Will there be others that rise up and try to kill you?”
He sways back and forth and looks up at the stars.
“What awaits you there, little boy? What challenges? How long will you be able to stay happy and carefree? How long will you be able to laugh easily and chase the squirrels and wiggle your little toes?”
He stares at an especially bright star, and sways still.
“I feel so inadequate, Father. I do not think I will ever understand why you chose me. Help me. Never leave me. You promised you never would. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed.”
Silence as he watches Jesus’ little chest rise and fall, and his breathing come easy and soft and smooth.
“It is going to be dangerous for him again, I fear. Oh, I know you said King Herod is dead. But now the fight for power begins as people rise up to take his place. Will little Jesus be in on that fight? Don’t let him be, Father. He is still too young. Oh, I realize you know that. But, I have to talk to someone and explain what I am feeling.”
He looks off into the darkness.
“How will he do it? How will he rise up to be the beloved divine king of the world? I do not understand. But I do not guess I need to understand.” Joseph pauses momentarily, looking back at Jesus’ lovely little face.
“Does he know yet? That he is your Words on earth? Sometimes I think he senses it, the way he is with animals—even the little ants and crickets and butterflies. He really loves them. Sometimes I think he feels he needs to protect them.”
Joseph rocks little Jesus awhile, then stands and walks in a large circle. He hums. Sometimes he draws the little boy close to his chest as though trying to protect him from the whole evil world, then goes back to rocking him.
“Sleep on, my little boy. Sleep and dream and grow up to be as good and innocent as you are now.”
Joseph sits back down and leans against the same boulder. He leans his head back and hums a song of strong tenderness. Then it is dawn.

What is your preferred method to have readers get in touch with or follow you (i.e., website, personal blog, Facebook page, here on Goodreads, etc.) and link(s)?
My website is www.inspirationsbykatheryn.  It shows all my books by category. Followers also received an inspirational message from me in their mail box every day. Readers can reply to those daily inspirations, or there is a “contact me”. Readers get information about each book including reviews, and a convenient buy-now button that takes them directly to Amazon.

I have a Facebook page but have nearly 4000 in my profile page, so only respond to comments about whatever inspirational message I send. https://www.facebook.com/katheryn.haddad.author?fref=ts
I have another Facebook page that is not very conducive to conversation, though I will respond to comments on an inspirational thought. Also, a person can order a book directly from that website.   https://www.facebook.com/KatherynMaddoxHaddad
If anyone wants the inside scoop on what I have recently written, they can sign up for my monthly newsletter which is colorful and not very long. http://bit.ly/1xKBK4B
My email address is haddad1940@yahoo.com  Be sure to put something in your subject line so I don’t think it is spam.

Review: Paul the Unstoppable by Katheryn Maddox Haddad

Paul the Unstoppable
by Katheryn Maddox Haddad


The Apostle Paul is strong. And unstoppable. He walks thousands of miles. He is driven by one goal: Tell everyone about Jesus, their new king. He allows nothing to get in his way.

Dare to experience with him every rod slamming into his bones, every whip lashing through his skin, every breath struggled for when treading water a day and night. Survive with him through all the ship wrecks, going days without food, a snow storm in the Taurus Mountains, being robbed on the highway. Listen as, each time his body is mercilessly attacked, he calls out, “Jesus! This is for you!”

Discover what makes this man tick. In this present-tense book, you will walk with him over twenty years of crisscrossing the often hostile Roman Empire, challenging pagan priests and trying to convince Jewish rabbis to listen to him. Understand what Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and Dr. Luke go through to keep this man alive to do what he has to do. With Paul, it is never enough. What drives him? Why can he not stop?

My Take:
Saul the Pharisee was an up-and-coming zealot whose thirst for religious excellence led him to the Sanhedrin. But the unlikely and dangerous prophet Jesus of Nazareth threatened everything he was working for, and questioned the very ideals Saul upheld. Saul worked to see the man put to death, expecting that would be the end of the story. But it was only the beginning.

Travel with Saul on a journey to destroy this new sect following Jesus, and experience with him the 180 he took on the road to Damascus, as Jesus gives him a wake-up call he would never forget. Saul's new task is to spread the gospel to the ends of the world, and no one ever took that task more seriously. Nothing stopped him, not stoning, being beaten half to death, receiving 49 lashes repeatedly, threat of sword or shipwreck, nakedness and starvation.

This tome chronicles Paul's life from shortly before the crucifixion, to his last days in a Roman dungeon. I spent a significant amount of time fact-checking, and found only one thing that didn't line up with scripture. Even that would be open to conjecture. Paul's adventures as he shares the gospel around the known world is simply amazing. I was brought to tears by the remorse and shock Paul went through when he found out he was wrong about Jesus, and Erastus who nailed Him to the cross, when he came to faith. So many places in this story where I wept with the saints over joy or sorrow, and raged over the horrible treatment of the Christians, and Paul in particular, by those opposed to the Christian faith.

Content:

Violence:
PG-13 This story starts out with a brutal boxing match, and chronicles stonings, bludgeonings, floggings, and crucifixions. By the end of his life, after five floggings of 49 lashes each, Paul's back is nothing but scar tissue and muscle tissue. The physician Luke treats him for many of his varied injuries and punishments, and some of the treatments, and descriptions of his injuries, are graphic. Nero torching the Christians to light his amphitheater is discussed briefly.

Drug Content:
PG - Opiates are used to treat Paul, and alcohol is consumed with relative frequency, but it's often referred to as 'new wine', which may mean grape juice.

Language:
G - There's none at all that I can recall. Even with the torture, floggings, angry outbursts, and calls for death, it is squeaky clean.

Adult Content:
G - No romance, no adultish themes. Even the Corinthian debauchery is glossed over, and the role the priestesses play in prostitution in the various Roman and Greek temples is hidden from view.

Christian content:
This book is the story of the apostle Paul's conversion and life as an evangelist. It covers his missionary journeys, and clearly presents the gospel message in countless places. Much of the epistle content of the New Testament is condensed and presented. All books of the New Testament attributed to Paul or Luke are discussed and depicted. Spiritual warfare and demon possession are covered. Spiritual gifts are depicted well.

Final analysis:

The book was immersive, gripping, moving. It captured Paul's unbelievable tenacity and determination, and the people around him and their struggles and triumphs very well. No doubt this work of 'fiction and non-fiction' would make an incredible addition to the library of a biblical scholar. The work transported the reader deeply into the culture of the first century and the trials Paul faced in getting the Word out to the known world. Five Stars!

About the Author:
Katheryn Haddad hails from Arizona with palm trees and cacti in her yard, and a computer with the key names worn away.

With a bachelor’s degree in English, Bible and social science from Harding University and part of a master’s degree in Bible, including Greek, from the Harding Graduate School of Theology, she also has a master’s degree in management and human relations from Abilene University.

Her newspaper column appeared for several years in newspapers in Texas and North Carolina ~ "Little Known Facts About the Bible" ~ and she has written for numerous Christian publications.

Currently she teaches English over the internet every morning, using the Bible as a text book. Most of her students are Muslims. She has taught some 5000 thus far, and has former students, now Christians, in hiding in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Uzbekistan, Jordan, and Palestine. "They are my heroes" she declares.

She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Christian Writers of the West, and is also an energetic public speaker who can touch the heart of audiences.

Review: Trial of Injustice by T.K. Ware

Trial of Injustice
by T.K. Ware

On a Thursday morning in Banker, Alabama the body of a twenty-one year-old woman was discovered murdered. After the police and forensics inspected, with the help of eyewitnesses and fingerprints, the man responsible for the heinous crime was identified as Pastor Thaddeus Ganvis.

Charles 'Esquire' Everson, a man gifted with determination and an avenger of truth, became the most prestigious and sought after lawyer in the state of Alabama, due to his unwavering litigation skills. After finishing another victorious case, he returned to his office. As the day continued, he found himself logging into Facebook, and nearly dropped his phone when he discovered that his former pastor was arrested for first-degree murder.

Without a second thought, he flew to Banker, Alabama to prove the innocence of a godly man. Along the way he discovers the opposition that threatens.

My Take:
Corruption runs deep in the small town of Banker, Alabama, and with millions of dollars at stake, the pastor of a small church is about to take the fall for adultery and murder.

Charles Everson takes a case to save his old pastor, Thaddeus Ganvis, who seems to have been framed for adultery and murder. The more he digs, however, the more threads unravel in the small town of Banker Alabama and its corrupt legal system and police force. Through veiled threats, vandalism, kidnapping and attempted murder, Charles continues to uncover the truth, but as he does, he begins to wonder just how innocent his client actually is.

Content:
Violence:
PG - This book has a lot of suspense, kidnapping, and vehicular attacks that hospitalize victims. Beatings, hatred, and thinly veiled racism run deep in this southern-fried legal thriller. But the violence is not gratuitous or graphic.

Language:
G - the language is pretty clean, almost squeaky clean.

Adult Content:
PG - The victim is a convicted prostitute, and there's some language to that effect concerning the pastor. The sheriff of the town has been involved in running prostitution rings in the city, or has plans to run one from the city. There is a little bit of interest between some of the main characters, but it's not pursued.

Drug Content:
PG - Drug running is mentioned, and is active in the small rural town. One character is given a bottle of crack, and her fingerprints on the bottle are used as a threat. One person is given pills that nearly destroy his mind. Alcohol and alcoholism are  mentioned, and some of the characters meet in a bar. Alcohol and drugs are portrayed in a negative light, and one character has recovered from alcoholism.

Christian content:
Quite a bit of it exists in the book. Scripture is quoted in several places, without being forced or seeming 'preachy'. Angels and demons make appearance, unseen and seen, in the book, and prayer is demonstrated as the vehicle for rescuing several people in trouble. The pastor exhibits faith, that wavers between very strong to weak and back. The gospel message is presented to one character. Others revile the faith. There is a lot of good vs. evil and faith vs. unbelief in the book.

Final analysis:
The southern city of Banker is depicted well, from an author who has lived in the south and knows its character. It's fading but racism exists in these small southern towns, on all sides of the racial lines. The main characters are pretty believable and the action is intense. The plot, setting, and characters are solid and it makes for a nice legal thriller with high stakes, enduring faith, and fast action. If the reader can look past the editing issues the story is an uplifting page turner. The main character would do well in a series of legal battle novels like this one. Four stars.


About the Author:


Tshombye Kentrell Ware was raised in Albany, Ga. In his earlier years, signs of the gift emerged through various arts. As the years progressed, so did his creativity, whereas he moved to the city of Macon, Ga. A few years later, following graduation of high school, everything changed when Christ entered his life. As if the lock to a rare treasure was opened, Kentrell launched forward in the spiral of inspiration, fueled by a burning passion of the gospel. This leading to the creation of a Christian CD entitled "L.O.C" The Love of Christ. As the door to inspiration continued to open, Kentrell became drawn toward writing; which led to his inspired creations.

T.K. Ware’s style of writing brings a fresh perspective of faith-based books, in which he calls, Suspense with Soul. His inspired writings weave together reality with the supernatural, in hope to plant a seed of the gospel.

www.tk-ware.com
www.insightfulcp.com
Facebook: TK Ware
LinkedIn: Tshombye Ware
Instagram & Twitter: @GospelWriter8

Upcoming Reviews for July

As the Summer hits its peak I'm looking forward to relaxing in the air conditioning curled up with a good book or two or ten. I have a pile of books to review, and the list of books is off to the right in the upper widget.

Here's a preview of the ones I expect to complete in July: (here's hoping!)

Trial of Injustice
by T. K. Ware
On a Thursday morning in Banker, Alabama the body of a twenty-one year-old woman was discovered murdered. After the police and forensics inspected, with the help of eyewitnesses and fingerprints, the man responsible for the heinous crime was identified as Pastor Thaddeus Ganvis.

Charles 'Esquire' Everson, a man gifted with determination and an avenger of truth, became the most prestigious and sought after lawyer in the state of Alabama, due to his unwavering litigation skills. After finishing another victorious case, he returned to his office. As the day continued, he found himself logging into Facebook, and nearly dropped his phone when he discovered that his former pastor was arrested for first-degree murder.

Without a second thought, he flew to Banker, Alabama to prove the innocence of a godly man. Along the way he discovers the opposition that threatens. 

Paul The Unstoppable (Intrepid Men of God #2)

by Katheryn Maddox Haddad

The Apostle Paul is strong. And unstoppable. He walks thousands of miles. He is driven by one goal: Tell everyone about Jesus, their new king. He allows nothing to get in his way.

Dare to experience with him every rod slamming into his bones, every whip lashing through his skin, every breath struggled for when treading water a day and night. Survive with him through all the ship wrecks, going days without food, a snow storm in the Taurus Mountains, being robbed on the highway. Listen as, each time his body is mercilessly attacked, he calls out, “Jesus! This is for you!” 

Discover what makes this man tick. In this present-tense book, you will walk with him over twenty years of crisscrossing the often hostile Roman Empire, challenging pagan priests and trying to convince Jewish rabbis to listen to him. Understand what Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, and Dr. Luke go through to keep this man alive to do what he has to do. With Paul, it is never enough. What drives him? Why can he not stop? 

Dare to walk with Paul. 

Violet Star (The Karma Chronicles)

by J Oliver Madison

No one at Mitchelstown High has any idea of the double life Carmella Anderson leads. Sure, on the surface, she’s a charismatic and geeky student with a crush on a popular skateboarder. But beneath that, she has a decade of experience as a ninja in training. 

After shattering generations of tradition in her family’s way of the mercenary, Carmella’s grandfather began a new tradition – standing up for the few good citizens in her hometown of Blyton. When night falls, she must take on the persona of Karma and bring balance to a corrupt city. 

However, her martial arts and arsenal of advanced weaponry may not be enough to track down a beastlike rogue ninja involved in a recent string of murders. Karma will need help from friends, family, and her genetic gift – special abilities unique to her clan – to uncover the mystery behind the killer and bring him to justice. 

Sapphire Moon

by J Oliver Madison

Between the Sapphire Moon Clan’s assassination attempts, and an evil organization bent on destruction, Karma certainly has her work cut out for her... 

Now in her junior year of high school, Carmella must decide how best to handle her secret double-life of a trained ninja. Cheer practice and an internship will have to wait while fending off the deadly shinobi and man-made demons out to kill her and her new boyfriend. 

Things take a turn for the worse when the heartthrob ninja from her past returns to Blyton City. With the help of his twin sister, Karma and Akane set out to shine light on the mysterious organization—Arma Deus—before her beloved hometown turns to ashes. 

With the villainous intent of Chimera still lingering, it’s up to Karma and company to unravel the truth behind their ultimate weapon. And stop them. 

Friends, training, and ninjutsu may not be enough this time.

Unbreaking: How Giving Up Saved our Relationship

by Jason and Crystal Crawford

Jason and Crystal Crawford were trapped in a loveless, hopeless marriage. They each believed that the only path to happiness was to go their separate ways -- until God showed them something even better. This true story chronicles one couple's quick descent from courtship into an unhappy marriage, and how God transformed their marriage, turning resentment into love and their pain into joy. You will experience the real, raw emotion of both Jason and Crystal through alternating journal entries that show how the husband's and wife's separate perspectives evolve throughout the first 6 years of their marriage and beyond. This unique memoir, written by a couple who are also life-coaches, includes a Relationship Guide at the end of the book which provides help and guidance to couples in similar situations. 

Review: The Hidden Soul by Reagan Colbert

The Hidden Soul
by Reagan Colbert

“The iron scales of the breastplate clattered together as he pulled it over his shoulders.
A sound he would hate until his dying day.”

The worst day of Marcus' life was the day his father enlisted him in the Roman legions. Five years later, his commanders have big plans for his career, but Marcus fears becoming a Centurion. He has a soul, his friend, Justus, says. When he loses that soul, he will finally accept his fate as a soldier.

When he is assigned to an execution, Marcus must face his soul in a way he never has before. He wants to believe that he will become the hardened officer his father once was, but when he encounters a strange man claiming to be the Son of God, his soul is stirred once more, and he sets out to find answers.

From the rocky hill called Golgotha, to a mysteriously empty tomb, and a hidden group of disciples in Jerusalem, the days that follow will change his life forever.

My Take:
Oh. My.

What can I say? This story, the story of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, speaks to every Christian in resonating tones. In this retelling, it is from the perspective of Marcus, an unlikely soldier in the Roman army, stationed at Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion. He is present for the crucifixion, and is one of the soldiers stationed at the tomb at the time of His resurrection. He knows he saw this man Jesus die. Yet here he sees Him alive again. This flies in the face of everything the soldier has ever believed. How he comes to terms with his own part in the killing of God's Son makes for a powerful testimony to the grace and forgiveness shed abroad to all who come.

The struggles that Marcus has are ones we all have had. Several scenes in this novella made me cry. In one, Marcus declares in despair that he was the one that killed Jesus. And in that, he was wrong, because I killed Him. Ever been there? And even that is wrong, because He willingly laid that life down. And He did it for us.

Content:

Violence:
This is the story of Jesus' crucifixion. Blood is mentioned, and that there's a lot of it. But it's not gratuitous, and mentioned in passing rather than dwelt on. Threats of death are everywhere, the constant fear of punishment from soldiers, their leaders, or God Himself.

Language:
G - There's none at all that I can recall.

Adult Content:
G - No romance, no adultish themes.

Christian content:
This book is a retelling of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The only thing in it that is non-Christian is the non-beliefs of the Romans. The fatalistic feeling that they have lost their soul to Rome.

Final analysis:

In such a short work it would seem difficult to get a good solid dimension to Marcus and to those around him. But each character in the novella - Justus, Marcus, even Jesus and His disciples, are fairly well-defined. Marcus is as real and poignant as the man in the mirror. His fear, his despair, his anguish are real and raw, as are his hope and joy in the end. A well-written retelling of the turning point of time. Five Stars!

About the Author:
Reagan Colbert is a fiction author with a driving passion to bring glory to the name of Christ. When she was fourteen years old, the Lord gave her the call to be a writer, and she has followed her calling with a passion ever since.

In 2015 she finally started her author blog, www.fiction4hisglory.com, but could not have predicted where God would bring her. In just six months her blog was picked up by other Christian bloggers, and that was when the Lord decided (much to her amazement) to hand her a book. Through unbelievable obstacles, that book, "The Hidden Soul" was published on Amazon in April of 2016, two days after her nineteenth birthday.

She is currently working on the sequel, "Soul Set Free", which she hopes to have published by the summer. Her life's mission is summed up in the one verse that she always comes back to: "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men." ~ Colossians 3:23

Review: Indiana Belle by John A Heldt

Indiana Belle (American Journey #3)
by John A Heldt

Providence, Rhode Island, 2017. When doctoral student Cameron Coelho, 28, opens a package from Indiana, he finds more than private papers that will help him with his dissertation. He finds a photograph of a beautiful society editor murdered in 1925 and clues to a century-old mystery. Within days, he meets Geoffrey Bell, the "time-travel professor," and begins an unlikely journey through the Roaring Twenties. Filled with history, romance, and intrigue, INDIANA BELLE follows a lonely soul on the adventure of a lifetime as he searches for love and answers in the age of Prohibition, flappers, and jazz.

My Take:
Cameron purchases private papers from the 1920's for a dissertation on American History, and finds much more than he expected. Mingled among the papers are a photograph of a lovely young lady and pages from her diary discussing time travel. More digging uncovers a relative of the girl in the photograph, who reveals that time travel is indeed possible, and he can send Cameron back in time to the twenties for his research paper.

Although ordered not to save the lovely lady in the photograph from her untimely and grisly death, Cameron Coelho has plans of his own, and they definitely involve the girl in the photo, Candice Bell, an up-and-coming saucy editor for a local paper in Evansville, Indiana. But changing the past is never easy and any change made there could remove your very existence.

Content:
Violence:
PG - Though it is discussed that Candice Bell was bludgeoned beyond recognition, there is very little actual violence in the entire novel. Mostly the book contains a lot of tension, risk, and veiled threats.

Language:
G - I don't recall any curse words at all in the book.

Adult Content:
PG - There is a scene where a girl comes into a room wearing only a shirt, and it's implied what happens next. The couple are engaged at the time, not married, and end up pregnant. They get married not more than a month later, but there's a discussion of the mother of the bride 'doing the math'.

Drug Content:
PG - There is quite a bit of drinking in the novel, which is interesting in light of the time - it's during the Prohibition days, but alcohol flows pretty freely under the covers in 'speakeasies', and there's a conversation about the police turning a blind eye to it. One of the villains in the novel is selling narcotics on the side.

Christian content:
There is some banter back and forth about papists, Catholics, and protestants, and there is a visit to a revival. The KKK is alive and well and composed of church goers. There is also a brief discussion about attending service on Sunday, but there's no real spiritual element apparent in the book. Conversely, there's not much negative about faith in general, although the revival seems to be depicted in a tongue in cheek light.

Final analysis:
I was unaware during the reading of this book that it was third in a series. The first two time traveler groups in books one and two are mentioned only in passing and all three books probably stand alone. Certainly this one can.

Cameron and Candice make a lively combination, their interactions make this story what it is. The tension and interest between them carries the reader from the moment they meet. The research the writer did on the twenties was extensive, and the world there immersive. There were several plot twists to keep me guessing, and the characters were quite likable. A time travelling love story set in the time of gangsters and Tommy guns. Five Stars!

About the Author:

John A. Heldt is the author of the critically acclaimed Northwest Passage and American Journey series. The former reference librarian and award-winning sportswriter has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports on baseball heroes in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, Heldt is an avid fisherman, sports fan, home brewer, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life at johnheldt.blogspot.com.

Review: The Lady of Foxdale by Malcolm Cowen

Lady of Foxdale
by Malcolm Cowen


Reeling from a dark past and jilted by the man that took her there, Mary took a stroll into the park and reread the letter ending the relationship. She wished for a new life, somewhere, anywhere, else. When she lifted her head, she was somewhere else. A new world, poised on the brink of war.

Could she find a new life here, amid a struggle for survival against a ruthless, depraved empire?

My Take:
Mary began the story disillusioned with her life and ready to turn her back on the life she'd lived. She becomes a person of character and exhibits a lot of depth. Her resourcefulness and courage surprise even herself. Joni, the man she rescues in the new world, is a brilliant strategist and has his own darkness buried deep in his past. He has come to grips with his past and helps Mary to deal with the demons haunting her past as well. The characters surrounding these two are all given depth and character, and the descriptions of the mountainous region they live in, and the battles to defend it, are engrossing.

The main antagonist, Moy-ni-Tan, is relatively one-dimensional and completely unlikable and unrepentant. His mind is eternally in the gutter and he considers everyone around him, even his own minions, as little more than cattle, to be used and cast aside. A more selfish beast I haven't discovered in text. There was, however, significant dimension to several of the men on his side, including an admirable general and a lieutenant forced to fight for Moy-ni-Tan.

Content:
Violence:
PG-13 - Like Lord of the Rings, this book is about a war, and people die left and right. There are a few pillage scenes and people are killed. Their deaths are described but not gratuitously.

Language:
PG - I don't recall many curse words at all in the book, but i believe there were a few leaked out by the bad guys.

Adult Content:
PG-13 - There is no invasion of the bedroom at all, and the marital bliss in the book is squeaky-clean. This book is a romance, but it's very clean from that perspective. What gives the book this rating is the multiple attempted rape scenes in the book. These are not described in any detail, but also involved the repeated sodomy of a young boy. The obvious intent of these occurrences are to underline the 'crossed the line' status of the unrepentant Moy-ni-Tan, who considers himself a Prince but proves himself nothing but a murderer and worse.

Christian content:
In many places in this romance, scripture is quoted obliquely - that is, wisdom from Proverbs, the Book of Ruth, and other places are paraphrased but would not be recognized unless you knew the verses. The only god referred to in the new world is He Who Is, a clear reference to the I AM. The character of this God aligns with the character of YHWH. The people of the mountains clearly worship He Who Is, while those of the plains do not seem to, and the leaders of the empire are obviously atheists. In one poignant scene Moy-ni-Tan, on trial for his crimes, reviles Mary and Joni for their faith, revealing some knowledge of their darkness and asking whether He Who Is would accept them, flawed as they are? Would he make weregeld, or sin payment, for them? While Jesus is not mentioned, Mary's response indicates that they will trust He Who Is to make it right somehow.

Final analysis:
I thoroughly enjoyed Lady of Foxdale. It is a story of transformation, a redefining of the main character and those around her in the midst of death and war. The characters are likable, believable, the setting and world-building are immersive, the action gripping and engrossing. Edge of the seat action in a clean romance. What could be better? Five Stars!

About the Author:
Malcolm Cowen is a freelance software designer living in Manchester, UK. He’s spent most of the last 5 decades writing everything from operating systems (GEOrge 3) to games (Colossal Cave for Dragon 32). He currently does database backends for website designers. They make it look pretty, he makes it work, which clearly qualifies him as a 5 anorak nerd.

Over the years he’s picked up German, Welsh, a bit of French and is currently learning Anglo-Saxon.

He started writing about 19 years ago and had some 30 or so stories published, mainly by a now defunct trade magazine, Freelance Informer. You can find more about him at www.ebook.cowensw.co.uk, together with some poetry and translations from Welsh. His translation of the Welsh Song Calon Lan has appeared on the BBC and on a Russell Watson Album.

More recently Malcolm has had 2 novels, "Lady of Foxdale" and "Daughter of the King", published on Kindle, several short stories published both on paper and electronically and a couple of scifi whodunit audio scripts which have been broadcast on local radio, see www.levenshulmeplayers.co.uk.

Malcolm's preference is for hard sf with detailed alternative cultures. It matters to get the scientific details right, or at least to get them credible. Then the story should follow, and if it's a good story, it should grow naturally out of the world and the culture it's set in.

If it's fantasy, then similar rules should apply. Build a consistent world, with a believable culture, and then tell a story of real people living in that world. That's far more fun than space opera or yet another Dracula ripoff.

It's almost more fun than should be legal.