HOPE Release Tour

Today I am over the moon excited to announce to you I am a PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!

That’s right! I had a poem published before in a poetry anthology but this is the first time a story of mine has ever been published!!

The amazing girls from The King’s Daughters’ Writing Camp created a new short story & poem anthology called Hope (My Theme in Glory Book 1), and it is now available for purchase!

“Hope,” I thought. “What a small word for such a big thing.”

The broken world groans. Oh, for a beacon of light! Where is something to live for—to kindle the spark of excitement, to calm the heart, to impart love, joy, and peace—and perhaps to shine the light of God’s glory on earth as in heaven?

Hope.

In these twenty-two sweet stories and poems, experience the dawning of a sure, unfailing hope. Join a plethora of relatable characters young and old in their journey through the heights and depths of suffering—a cancer diagnosis, a shocking accident, the loss of a dear family member. Wrestle with the agony of a missing loved one, an unavoidable mortgage, or a tough move. Experience the ache of rejection and loneliness, misunderstanding and oppression, and illnesses both physical and mental. Yet in the midst of each heartache winds a strong, undying cord of hope—that light in the darkness, that beacon, that anchor of the soul. As you smile, cry, and sigh through each heartfelt piece, perhaps you too will grasp ahold of your own hope again.

For our God is our glorious Hope.

Book Review

5+ stars & 6/10 hearts. Oh my heart. This book is just gorgeous and so, so filled with hope!! It was such a wonderful, encouraging read, full of wonderful characters + families. I teared up over several of these stories! It’s just such a peaceful and hopeful and happy collection… As someone who struggles constantly with anxiety and depression, I found this book full of little nuggets of hope. It’s definitely a book I’ll be pulling out sometime when I feel blue. 

A Personification of Hope by Jae Fisher
4 stars. A lovely poem, full of imagery and delicacy… I enjoyed it.

She is always there
Even when you least expect it
And can give you reason
To Hope again.

Missing, Not Dead by Karlissa R. Mattson
4 stars. Aw, this story is so sweet and funny! I loved the children; they were all so real. The story made me chuckle. 😉

Only God could instill that hope and faith.

Hope’s Treasure by Kearra R. Mattson
3 stars. A cute little story, with some delightful characters. I particularly liked Cody. 😉

“Hope: A feeling that what is wanted will happen; desire accompanied by anticipation or expectation.” Hope Winters muttered the definition she had had memorized ever since she was barely six.

A Man & a Brother (Quiet Valor #1.5) by Angie Thompson
5 stars. Ahh, another lovely addition to the Quiet Valor books! This one comes right after A Threat & a Promise and it was delightful. Inger was a wonderful woman; and I liked Althur; and I enjoyed seeing Eben & Rolfe! 😉 😉 There was a lovely message too ❤

“Hope can’t die, Inger. Not truly. Not—forever. Don’t—let it—go.”

Choices by P.D. Atkerson
4 stars. Pastor Jonathan’s perspective of an important happening set after Exploit… 😉 I enjoyed seeing Gregory from another POV!

After everything the boy had been through, if their moving there brought hope into his life, Jonathan would gladly do it again.

Sing a Song Again by Katja H. Labonté
I won’t rate this one because it’s mine, but I love it. This story is a very personal one with a good deal of my own experiences and feelings in it. It still makes me cry… I hope it can be a blessing and an encouragement to someone!

“But we don’t walk by sight, we walk by faith. We choose to believe that He cares, that He will never fail us. We choose to believe in the sunshine. We choose to hope…. and that, my dear, is hope—the belief that good will come no matter what. I challenge you to immerse yourself in the Scriptures. You will find the hope, the sunshine you need… and that is a promise that cannot fail you.”

What Matters Most by Aurora Currier
3 stars. This is a very short story but sweet and hopeful ❤ 

He turned away, starting slowly for the rickety porch steps. He’d just go…where? There wasn’t any place for him to go.

Keeping Up Hope by Rebekah A. Morris
4.5 stars. This is an abridged version of Keeping Up Hope. It’s very sweet and old-fashioned and encouraging, just delightful! Jolie & Ellianna are adorable and Stephen is such a wonderful big brother 😉 And their town!! So lovely!

“Mama! Hope makes not ashamed. I won’t give up hope yet. God hasn’t forsaken us and He won’t forsake us now! Keep your hope up, Mama.”

On the Wings of Hope by Deigan Marie
4 stars. Such a sweet little story, very real and encouraging! I love how it included Emily Dickinson’s “Hope” poem ❤ and how it included writing! 

It was true though. I would never give up hope in Jesus. Or my story.

Wordless Hope by Martha Abilene
5 stars. Ohhh, I loved this story! I downright cried over it. It was so encouraging and beautiful and full of HOPE… ahhh, so good, so GOOD. I identified with Nora… and her sister was amazing ❤

“It’s not disheartening to look at,” Livi continued, watching Nora’s reaction. “It gives me hope to remember what happened that day.”

Have Hope by Jovey L.
4 stars. A lovely little story about friendship & hope & writing. ❤ Olivia + Jessie’s friendship was so sweet, and I loved watching them together! 

“Hope.” I thought. What a small word for such a big thing.

Sea of an Unknown Future by Savannah Dawn Marie
5 stars. What a beautiful poem… one I really identified with and cried over 😉 I think a lot of young adults would appreciate this one…

And cling to the truth You told:
That You will bring me peace,
That You will help me cope,
That I would be released,
And You will bring me hope.

His Embrace by Clarissa Choo
4.5 stars. Another lovely poem, encouraging poem… ❤ No other words really… 

Please hug me.
You didn’t.
Instead,
You gave me something to cling to.
Hope.

Dare to Hope by M. L. Milligan
3 stars. A fun fantasy story with a good message, and quite well done for such a tiny format! 

It was times like this one when he dared to dream of the impossible…. It was when his heart dared to hope.

Her Name was Hope by Jacie T.
3 stars. A very short story, but sweet, and with a sweet message. 😉 

“I have hope in Jesus, and with that hope I know I will see [him] again and I don’t have to wish him back…”

Looking Up by Olivia Godfrey
4.5 stars. I loved the message of this story… it was so good. Dane & Penny were great characters and I was inspired by the grit and resolution they displayed in such a hard time!

“Dane, it’s not a matter of knowing when things get better, just trusting that they will. Maybe you don’t want to hear this right now, but that’s what faith is all about. That’s what hope is. When life looks bad, that’s what we lean on. That’s Who we lean on, Who established those things.”

Whose Hope He Is by Erika Mathews
5 stars. It’s no secret I love the Truth From Taelis books, and this one, set five years after Promise’s Prayer, isn’t an exception. I loved it so, so much… It was just so full of encouraging truth and hope!! 

“Just because there’s a dead branch on our tree doesn’t mean we can just lose hope and wither away ourselves… I choose to. I make Him my hope, right now. I trust in Him. No matter what.”

The Meaning of Resurrection by Chelsea Burden
5 stars. I cried over this one shamelessly. THE POEM. Oh, the poem. That is one of my favourites now. It is so good, so beautiful, so well done, so full of truth… The message of this story is wonderful.

And with them I lift my witness,
Breathing hope to all who crave: 
“There can be no resurrection
Where there never was a grave!”

A Hope to Trust by Courtenay Burden
5 stars. Courtenay Burden is the only modern author I know whose books feel exactly like they were written two hundred years ago—and I don’t say that lightly. I loved the voice of this story, the characters, the message… ❤

He had lost his belief in hope, and with it he had lost his real belief in the power of truth. Truth is a tenacious plant—it will blossom and flourish in many an unlikely soil. But it cannot live without hope. The two, like life and breath, must go hand in hand.

Hope Assured by Brooklyn O’Brennan
3.5 stars. This was a very realistic story, portraying very well the depths of despair one can fall in… and how important Hope is… and how to find it again. ❤

I want to laugh at the irony of hoping. What was left to hope for? …
God is my Hope.
He is the Hope that will keep me going.
Hope that I’ll one day wake in His presence and be gone from this world of pain.
… Its rays gently touch my cheeks, and my smile widens as I whisper, “Lord, be my Hope.”

Look to the Wildflowers by Tiffany Michele
4.5 stars. Such a funny, sarcastic, light-hearted, yet deep story with excellent characters and a great message… 

“Well. Most of the time she figured that her lack of inspiration was linked to one thing.”
“What?”
“Hopelessness.”

Redeemed by Brooklyn Kramer
5 stars. This story reminded me of Avalon and The Sword, the Ring, and the Parchment, two of my favourite allegories. It was beautiful, so beautiful! Reminded me again how full of HOPE salvation is…

As the darkest hour of the night arose, her body trembled and her soul longed for something more. Taking a shaky breath, she opened her lips and spoke one final plea.
“Save me.”

Links

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1592419616 

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KF5WTNG/ 

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09KM26ZYP/ 

Kobo: https://kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hope-227 

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940161137888 

PubShare: https://pubshare.com/books/hope

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59472740-hope 

About the Authors

Jae Fisher currently lives in Upstate South Carolina with her family. She likes to read and write in her free time. She hopes to publish her novel series, The Dares Chronicles. Connect with Jae: instagram.com/the_sapphire_writer

Karlissa R. Mattson is a young woman who is striving to live for the Lord. In her life and writing, she may not always use Bible verses or constantly “preach.” Still, her goal is to write books that strengthen Christians in their faith, help non-Christians find their Savior, and add a little humor and adventure to the whole thing! CAUTION! She is an emphatic horse and dog lover, so they may be present in every story!

Outdoors, indoors, basements, swimming in rain, screaming at bees, talking in fans, teasing boys at baseball, and last but not least…writing books! Did I mention her obsession with elephants? Kearra R. Mattson is dubbed the craziest sis in the whole family. Her books reflect her life. She strives to make you laugh till your side hurts and to watch your eyes pop at her tactically savvy book ideas.

An avid reader and incurable story-spinner, Angie Thompson also enjoys volunteering in her church’s children’s program and starting (but not always finishing) various kinds of craft projects. She currently lives in central Virginia near most of her incredible family, including two parents, six brothers, one sister, and five siblings-in-law— plus four nieces, six nephews, and several assorted pets! Connect with Angie: quietwaterspress.com

P.D. Atkerson is a homeschooled writer living in Montana. She spends almost as much time in the worlds she creates as she does the real one. When she’s not reporting the stories of Simon Lee and other heroes, she’s making cakes, learning Russian, or traveling to different worlds through the portals of books. She has a black belt in sarcasm and a master’s degree in useless facts. Connect with P.D.: pdatkerson.blogspot.com

Katja H. Labonté is a Christian, an extreme bibliophile who devours over 365 books in a year, and an exuberant writer with a talent for starting short stories that explode into book series. She is a bilingual French-Canadian and has about a dozen topics she’s excessively passionate about (hint: that’s why she writes). She spends her days enjoying little things, growing in faith, learning life, and loving people. Connect with Katja: littleblossomsforjesus.wordpress.com

Aurora Currier is a Christian teenager with a deep love of words. She lives in the woods of Virginia, where she can be found writing, reading, practicing tin whistle, or clicker-training her rabbits—that is, when she’s not exploring the country with her family in their oversized RV.

Rebekah A. Morris is a homeschool graduate, an enthusiastic freelance author, and a passionate writing teacher. Her books include, among others, Home Fires of the Great War, The Unexpected Request, Gift from the Storm, and her bestselling Triple Creek Ranch series. Some of her favorite pastimes, when she isn’t writing, include reading and coming up with dramatic and original things to do. The Show-Me state is where she calls home. Connect with Rebekah: readanotherpage.com/blog

A homeschooled author from the Silver State of Nevada, Deigan Marie has a passion for reading, writing, and horses. She will usually be found curled up with a good book and a mug of tea, or a notebook and a pen. She loves traveling to different worlds through the magic of book portals and creating her own with the stories she writes. When she isn’t reading or writing, she’ll be sitting outside, talking with her sister, or plotting out her next and newest novel. Connect with Deigan: goodreads.com/user/show/134376028- deigan-marie

Martha Abilene is an ailurophile, bibliophile, and daughter of the One True King. Though she dabbles in various book genres and tends to find her plot inspirations through random observation, her primary goal is bringing glory to her Lord and Savior through any world she creates on page. A few things she delights in are coastal breezes, period dramas, sunsets, cuddly babies, interesting conversations, and brand-new stories she’ll probably never finish. Connect with Martha: https://seeingbeyondtheliteraryhorizon.wordpress.com.

Jovey L. is a homeschooled teen and amateur writer. She loves art, science, and spending time with her family. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her doodling, annoying her big sister, or playing videogames with her twin brother. Connect with Jovey: joveysjournal.blogspot.com

Savannah Dawn Marie is a small town, Christian writer from Missouri who loves horses, classic cars, and good old- fashioned Coca-Cola! She enjoys drawing, jewelry making, and being girly. When she’s not writing you will likely find her reading historical fiction (maybe with a touch of romance!) or playing with her six younger siblings.

Clarissa Choo is a vessel used for Christ’s glory. Although she has lived in four countries, Heaven is her only Home. She desires to sow His seeds and to serve third-culture kids, teens, and writers. Besides writing, she loves to wash dishes, chop ingredients into smithereens, and record hymns on her piano. Connect with Clarissa: ClarissaChoo.com

A bookworm at heart and a desert girl by choice, M. L. Milligan is a lifelong horse lover with a passion for Jesus, rainy days, and long chats with her characters. She’s always up for a bowl of popcorn and a movie, or a long trek through uncharted territory, provided someone supplies the coffee. She makes her home in the Sagebrush state with a small gaggle of hens, an array of dogs, and a cat, all proudly rescues. Connect with M.L.: goodreads.com/user/show/122060960- m-l-milligan

Jacie Testi is a Christian teenage girl who loves writing, photography, horses, and anything nature. Writing since she was eight, she has a real passion for creating imaginary characters and worlds. She has moved several times and now calls East Tennessee her home. On top of reading and writing, she spends her days playing with the puppy and helping her family build their house. Connect with Jacie: thebiglifechange.blogspot.com

Olivia Godfrey was raised on a farm in the Arkansas River Valley. She and her husband are thankful to be able to create the same lifestyle for their little ones. Only recently has Olivia returned to writing and this is her first finished work. She loves taking walks, card games, odd bits of history, and Italian food. You’ll usually find her pushing her kiddos on swings, reading historical fiction or fantasy, and attempting to keep up with housework. Connect with Olivia: goodreads.com/user/show/87910387- olivia

Erika Mathews writes Christian living books, both fiction and non-fiction, that demonstrate the power of God in ordinary people, transforming daily life into His resting life. The author of the kingdom adventure fiction series Truth from Taerna, she’s passionate about encouraging others to intimately know Jesus. She enjoys playing with her children, editing, anything outdoors, being organized, autumn, apple crisp, and sunrises. Connect with Erika: restinglife.com

Chelsea Burden is a homeschool graduate, a first- generation Anabaptist, and a passionate word-lover who enjoys dabbling in etymology (not entomology!) and routinely adds bona fide words to spellcheck. She loves books, people, and Jesus—as well as chickadees, hymns, snowflakes, and having a good time with friends. She lives in Canada and spends her days writing and doing whatever else comes to hand in her three-generational home. Connect with Chelsea: sawpublishing.com

Courtenay Burden is a homeschool graduate, Victorian fanatic, and author of historical fiction. She loves working with yarn, devouring history, playing the occasional game of chess, and discovering new ways to cook the humble potato. She is passionate about good and great literature— writing that embodies both literary and spiritual excellence for the glory of Christ. Connect with Courtenay: sawpublishing.com

Brooklyn O’Brennan has a passion for writing stories that show both the real and beautiful aspects of life. She is a quiet introvert living in Wisconsin with her big family and abundance of squirrels. Her hobbies are writing, reading, and re-watching all her favorite TV shows. When she isn’t daydreaming inevitable torture for her characters, Brooklyn is procrastinating, hanging out with her family, or being a nut with her friends.

Tiffany Michele is a twenty-something author. With words being one of her loves, she frequently daydreams about her universe. When she isn’t absorbed in somebody else’s world or helping around the family acreage, she can usually be found with a blanket on her lap and her iPad in her hands. Connect with Tiffany: TiffanyMichele.com/blog

Brooklyn Kramer is a daughter of the King who has been writing stories ever since she traveled overseas for the first time. That experience awakened a desire in her to write based on the places she’s traveled, and what started out as a love for storytelling soon turned into her lifelong passion. Connect with Brooklyn: fiveshekels.wordpress.com