About the Book
In 1943, Movie producer Henrik Zoltan approaches Amelie Blake under the guise of offering the Hollywood star a leading part in his upcoming film, but he has a more meaningful role in mind. Amelie’s homeland of Sweden declared neutrality in the war, but Stockholm has become the ‘Casablanca of the North.’ When top-secret atomic research goes missing in Sweden, the Allied forces scramble to recover the files before they fall into Nazi hands.
The United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS) needs someone who’s subtle enough to spy on the Swedish elite without triggering suspicion. Who better than the “all beauty, no brains” Scandinavian starlet? Fluent in three languages and possessing a brilliant memory, Amelie loathes being labeled witless but uses the misconception as her disguise. She’s tasked with searching for the crucial files, but Finn Ristaffason keeps getting in her way. Is the charming shipping magnate after the missing research? Or does he have other reasons for showing up at her every turn?
With the Gestapo on her heels, Amelie must rely on her smarts in addition to her acting skills to survive a world of deadly spies and counterspies.
My Thoughts
About the Book
Author: Liz Tolsma
Series: Heroines of WWII
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Release Date: October, 2021
A Photojournalist Risks Her Life to Save Children
Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this new series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.
Journalist Nellie Wilkerson has spent the bulk of the war in London, photographing pilots taking off and landing—and she’s bored. She jumps at the chance to go to France, where the Allied forces recently landed. She enlists Jean-Paul Breslau of the French underground to take her to the frontlines. On the journey, they come upon an orphanage where nuns shelter children with disabilities. Can they help save them before the Nazis come to liquidate it?
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Liz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a US Marine, and her oldest daughter is a college student. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.
More from Liz
Why Another WWII Novel Set in France
You may well read the back cover of my latest release, A Picture of Hope, and wonder why on earth we need another WWII novel set in France. After all, Kristy Cambron just had one. Melanie Dobson and Sarah Sundin will be coming out with theirs in 2022. So why did I feel the need to write my novel with the same setting?
First of all, I’m a Francophile. I love all things French. It started when I took French in high school. Everyone else was learning Spanish, but I wasn’t into being part of the crowd. There were only a few of us in the class, and it was great fun. We had a wonderful teacher. Being able to pull out some of that French, refine it a bit, and use it in the book was a blast. But I also love French food (who doesn’t?) and everything else.
Secondly, I hadn’t written about France before. When I wrote this proposal at least five or six years ago, I didn’t know France would be so hot. God did, and the book came about in His perfect timing. I’d explored the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and the Philippines. Such a shame that I was leaving out France, so I set about to write a novel located in that country.
Thirdly, there was so much good material to pull from. The French resistance, while small, did good work and sacrificed a great deal to get Jews out of the country and into Switzerland or Spain. The books that Kristy, Melanie, Sarah, and I write are all so different. Only the setting is the same. And when I found out that the famous mime Marcel Marceau was part of the resistance, I couldn’t help but giving him a cameo. Be on the lookout!
Along the way, I discovered some truly heartrending incidents that took place in France. They also compelled me to write this book. I long for the world to remember what happened so that we will never forget. And so that the atrocities committed there will never be repeated.
Fourthly, this was originally the third book in a series. Don’t worry – it’s a stand-alone. Maybe someday I’ll get to publish the other two. The women in the series are all American journalists in Europe. One is a reporter, the other is a broadcaster, and so I decided to make Nellie, the heroine in A Picture of Hope, a photojournalist. And where better to take pictures than on Omaha Beach soon after D-day. How she gets there is based on a very interesting true story, so be sure to read to the end for that one.
There are so many stories about WWII to be told and so many countries that participated in the conflict in one way or the other. The ground is so rich that we aren’t plowing the same parcel. You’ll find all of these books to be very different from each other, each with its own message, its own voice, and its own plot.
The focus in my book is on children with Down syndrome. I have a background in special education, and my husband and I adopted a child from the Philippines with an intellectual disability, so I’ve always had a heart for people with special needs. My daughter brings us so much joy that I wanted to share a glimpse into what these remarkable people are truly capable of.
So that is why I wrote a WWII novel set in France. Make yourself a cup of café au lait, butter up a croissant, and enjoy A Picture of Hope!
Blog Stops
A Baker’s Perspective, October 28
Life of Literature, October 28
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 28
Genesis 5020, October 28
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 29
The Book Chic Blog, October 29
Blogging With Carol, October 29
Texas Book-aholic, October 30
Sodbuster Living, October 30
Spoken from the Heart, October 30
Elly Gilbert, October 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 31
Inklings and notions, October 31
Labor Not in Vain, October 31
CarpeDiem, October 31
Splashes of Joy, November 1
Reviewingbooksplusmore, November 1
Life, love, writing, November 1
For Him and My Family, November 1
deb’s Book Review, November 2
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, November 2
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, November 3
Betti Mace, November 3
Worthy2Read, November 3
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, November 3
Daysong Reflections, November 4
Locks, Hooks and Books, November 4
Vicky Sluiter, November 4
Southern Gal Loves to Read, November 4
Older & Smarter?, November 5
By the Book, November 5
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, November 5
Connie’s History Classroom, November 6
For the Love of Literature, November 6
Bigreadersite, November 6
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, November 6
Rebecca Tews, November 7
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, November 7
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, November 7
She Lives To Read, November 8
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, November 8
Where Faith and Books Meet, November 8
Pause for Tales, November 9
Christian Bookaholic, November 9
Through the Fire Blogs, November 9
To Everything There Is A Season , November 9
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, November 10
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, November 10
Mary Hake, November 10
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Liz is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of A Picture of Hope!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/12b83/a-picture-of-hope-celebration-tour-giveaway
About the Book
Author: Jennifer Uhlarik
Series: True Colors Series, Book 12
Genre: Christian Historical Suspense
Release date: July 2021
Engaged to a Monster
Book 12 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History
Enjoy a tale of true but forgotten history of a 19th century serial killer whose silver-tongued ways almost trap a young woman into a nightmarish marriage.
In 1876, Emma Draycott is charmed into a quick engagement with childhood friend Stephen Dee Richards after reconnecting with him at a church event in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. But within the week, Stephen leaves to “make his fame and fortune.” The heartbroken Emma gives him a special pen to write to her, and he does with tales of grand adventures. Secret Service agent Clay Timmons arrives in Mount Pleasant to track purchases made with fake currency. Every trail leads back to Stephen—and therefore, Emma. Can he convince the naive woman she is engaged to a charlatan who is being linked a string of deaths in Nebraska?
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a preteen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a BA in writing, she has won five writing competitions and was a finalist in two others. In addition to writing, she has held jobs as a private business owner, a schoolteacher, a marketing director, and her favorite—a full-time homemaker. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and is a lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenage son, and four fur children.
More from Jennifer
Hello, Readers! For all who might never have read one of my stories or come across me, it’s great to meet you! I’m a wife, a mom, a (young!) grandma, and an author—among many other things. My author tagline is “Where Grit Meets Grace.” If you’re familiar with my writing at all, you’ll know that most of my stories at least touch on a bit of the difficult side of life. Death, abandonment, war, addiction, or who knows what else you might find. The Scarlet Pen is no different.
Given that this novel is the final installment in Barbour’s True Colors series, the story revolves around a true crime from history—in this case, the murders of serial killer Stephen Dee Richards—AKA the Nebraska Fiend. Anytime you’re dealing with someone so depraved as he, you’ll find plenty of “grit” to write about. But that’s only half of my tagline. Remember, it’s “Where Grit Meets Grace.”
While I love a story that delves into difficult topics and, in some cases, pushes the characters right to the edge of what they can handle, I also love a truly redemptive story. When I was asked to write for this series, the ideas that drew me the most were the ones that had something redeeming in the actual history. There were plenty of interesting historical killers I could’ve chosen where I could have manufactured a positive, even happy ending through the fictional characters in the book. In the case of Stephen Dee Richards, there was no manufacturing needed. The “grace” part was already written. The end of Stephen’s story is precisely why I chose to write about him. I hope you’ll find it as though-provoking and compelling as I did. Happy reading!
Blog Stops
lakesidelivingsite, July 29
Genesis 5020, July 29
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 29
For Him and My Family, July 30
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, July 30 (Author Interview)
Christian Bookaholic, July 30
Southern Gal Loves to Read, July 31
Inklings and notions, July 31
Britt Reads Fiction, July 31
Remembrancy, August 1
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 1
Betti Mace, August 2
Rebecca Tews, August 2
deb’s Book Review, August 2
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 3
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, August 3
Blogging With Carol , August 3
Older & Smarter?, August 4
Connie’s History Classroom, August 4
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, August 4
Tell Tale Book Reviews, August 5
Bigreadersite, August 5
Godly Book Reviews, August 6
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 6
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 6
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, August 7
Back Porch Reads, August 7
Mary Hake, August 7
Through the fire blogs, August 8
sodbuster living, August 8
Connect in Fiction, August 8
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 9
Texas Book-aholic, August 9
KarenSueHadley, August 9
Pause for Tales, August 10
For the Love of Literature, August 10
Blossoms and Blessings, August 10
Little Homeschool on the Prairie, August 11
Spoken from the Heart, August 11
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a copy of The Scarlet Pen!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/110e0/the-scarlet-pen-celebration-tour-giveaway
About the Book
Series: Doors of the Past, Book 3
Author: Kimberley Woodhouse
Genre: Christian Historical
Release Date: June 2021
Repairs on the Golden Gate Bridge Uncover a Century-Old Murder
Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.
Underwater archaeologist Kayla Richardson is called to the Golden Gate Bridge where repairs to one of the towers uncovers two human remains from the late 1800s and the 1930s. The head of the bridge restoration is Steven Michaels, who dives with Kayla, and a friendship develops between them. But as the investigation heats up and gold is found that dates back to the gold rush, more complications come into play that threaten them both. Could clues leading to a Gold Rush era mystery that was first discovered during the building of the bridge still ignite an obsession worth killing for?
Click here to get your copy!
My Thoughts
About the Author
Kimberley Woodhouse is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than twenty fiction and nonfiction books. A popular speaker and teacher, she’s shared her theme of “Joy Through Trials” with more than half a million people across the country at more than 2,000 events. Kim and her incredible husband of twenty-five-plus years have two adult children. She’s passionate about music and Bible study and loves the gift of story.
You can connect with Kimberley at: www.kimberleywoodhouse.com and www.facebook.com/KimberleyWoodhouseAuthor
More from Kimberley
BRIDGE OF GOLD was a blast for me to write. Not only do I love writing dual-timeline stories, but the present-day hero and heroine are named after my daughter and her husband. Steven and Kayla in the book are fictitious, but there are a few things in the book that do mimic their real-life namesakes.
One of them is food.
My son-in-law Steven in real life is six-foot-four and active military. The man can eat. It’s amazing to me how many calories it takes just for him to survive! Then there’s my daughter, Kayla. She was an elite swimmer for many years along with her brother. I could never keep them fed when they were at the height of their swimming careers. In fact, I joked that all I did was cook and load the dishwasher during those years.
To celebrate the release of BRIDGE OF GOLD, I’m going to give out a recipe that I created almost thirty years ago. It went through many revisions the first few months as I perfected it and now you get a special treat because I do not give this recipe out. In fact, one of my dearest friends begged for it when our kids were little. I gave in but made her promise to close her eyes while she made it (LOL) and to never, ever give it to anyone else.
Enjoy! And thanks for joining us on the tour for BRIDGE OF GOLD. I hope you love it.
Kim’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies – recipe by Kimberley Woodhouse
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup melted/browned butter (this is important! Don’t skip this step)
2 Tb. Hot chocolate mix
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
1 – 12 ounce package mega morsels (I use Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips)
Directions: combine the first three dry ingredients and mix well. In a small saucepan on the stove, melt and brown the butter. Medium heat is recommended but you’ve got to watch it so it doesn’t burn. You want a beautiful caramel color. Set aside and allow to cool to around 100 degrees F before continuing. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Once the browned butter is cool, add the hot chocolate mix to it. Transfer to a stand mixer and blend the butter mixture with the sugar. Whip it until well combined and frothy about 2 mins. Gradually add eggs and flour mixture, beating on low just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Using a cookie scoop, drop heaping TB scoops 2 inches apart on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 325 degrees for 12-14 minutes, watching carefully. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to cooling racks. Enjoy!
For other fun tidbits about BRIDGE OF GOLD make sure you check out my blog at – kimberleywoodhouse.com
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, June 24
The Sacred Line, June 24
The Write Escape, June 24
lakesidelivingsite, June 24
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 25
HappyWhenReading, June 25
Reflections From My Bookshelves, June 25
Through the Fire Blogs, June 25
Texas Book-aholic, June 26
Bigreadersite, June 26
Pause for Tales, June 26
Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, June 26 (Author Interview)
Inklings and notions, June 27
Christian Bookaholic , June 27
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, June 27
For the Love of Literature, June 28
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, June 28
All-of-a-kind Mom, June 28
Where Faith and Books Meet, June 28
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, June 29
Bliss Books and Jewels, June 29
Lis Loves Reading, June 29
For Him and My Family, June 29
deb’s Book Review, June 30
Simple Harvest Reads, June 30 (Guest Review from Marilyn Ridgway)
Livin’ Lit, June 30
Remembrancy, June 30
Older & Smarter?, July 1
Lighthouse-Academy, July 1
Tell Tale Book Reviews, July 1
Genesis 5020, July 1
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 2
Betti Mace, July 2
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 2
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 3
Inspiration Clothesline, July 3
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, July 3
Live.Love.Read., July 3
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, July 4
Mamma Loves Books, July 4
A Good Book and Cup of Tea, July 4
Mary Hake, July 4
Blossoms and Blessings, July 5
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 5
Blogging With Carol, July 5
Connie’s History Classroom, July 6
Life of Literature, July 6
A Baker’s Perspective, July 6
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 7
To Everything There Is A Season , July 7
KarenSueHadley, July 7
Splashes of Joy, July 7
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kimberley is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/10e03/bridge-of-gold-celebration-tour-giveaway
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