Ruth’s Redemption Moody Publishers/Lift Every Voice (February 1, 2012)

by Marlene Banks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marlene Banks has worked 30+ years combined in nursing and the business arena. Her goal as a writer is to create inspiring, gripping and realistic stories with an emphasis on African American literature. She believes her gift and desire to write is from God and desires to use it to fulfill His purposes. Marlene lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she is a member of Bethel Deliverance International Church.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Set in the 1800s, Ruth’s Redemption, is an unusual depiction of the lives of slaves and free blacks in pre-Civil War America. Bo, a main character, was educated while a slave. He was given his freedom and now owns a farm buying slaves for the sole purpose of giving them their freedom.

Bo is also a man of God and widower whose life is destined to change when he meets the proud and hard-hearted slave girl, Ruth. Ruth has known nothing but servitude and brutality since being separated from her mother at age thirteen. Purchased and sold primarily for breeding, Ruth struggles to adjust to life outside of bondage. She wants no part of Bo’s Godly devotion. Yet Bo is unlike any man she’s known and her experiences with him will leave her forever changed.

A gripping slave era novel, Ruth’s Redemption is a story of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of the Nat Turner Rebellion in Tidewater, Virginia, this novel shines the light of God’s unconditional love in the darkness of a culture’s cruel socially accepted inhumanity.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ruth’s Redemption, go HERE

Sally Says: What piqued my interest in the book was the story set during the Nat Turner slave revolt and the viewpoint of freed slaves. Ruth has been through a lot and has that hardened shell that, while understandable, has her keeping everyone good and bad at bay. So I expected the love of Bo Peace, the freed slave who bought her to give her her freedom, to soften her.

While the dialogue, written to reflect the character’s dialect, made the book hard to read at times, the plot was nothing like I expected, and that was the highlight of the book. Readers who enjoy historicals set around the Civil War will find Ruth’s Redemption an enjoyable read.

The Maid of Fairbourne Hall

Bethany House (January 1, 2012)by Julie Klassen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie worked in publishing for sixteen years (first in advertising, then as a fiction editor) and now writes full time. Two of her books, The Girl in the Gatehouse and The Silent Governess won the Christy Award for Historical Romance. The Girl in the Gatehouse also won a Midwest Book Award and The Silent Governess was a finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA awards.

She graduated from the University of Illinois and enjoys travel, research, BBC period dramas, long hikes, short naps, and coffee with friends. Julie and her husband have two sons and live near St. Paul, Minnesota.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt–and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an “invisible” servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of “serve one another in love.”

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Maid of Fairbourne Hall, go HERE

Sally Says: I have yet to open this book. Which annoys me. Julie Klassen has quickly become one of my favorite writers, right up there with the best in historical fiction. Her books are on my must-read-now list.

The book came right before Christmas, and even in the week after, my schedule didn’t allow me to open it up. But without reading it, I know it’ll be a good one and one you should read. Why? Because I read Julie’s first book The Lady of Milkweed Manor. Really good. Then I read her second book The Apothecary’s Daughter. Even better. Then I read The Silent Governess — very good! — and The Girl in the Gatehouse which so far is my favorite.

My point is that each book of hers has gotten better and better. And she takes a well-loved era and finds new angles and story lines. The premise for The Maid of Fairbourne Hall hooked me right away.

If you haven’t read anything by Julie Klassen yet, go buy all her books now. You’ll enjoy time spent with a talented writer.

When April Love signs on to be an in-house chef at an old lakeshore mansion in Canoga Lake,Wisconsin, she comes face to face with her long-lost love, the drop dead gorgeous Marc Thorne. It doesn’t take long for their old magnetism to recharge, but how can she trust the guy who left her nearly at the altar eight years earlier? Her gut tells her something happened to Marc in between — something he’s reluctant to reveal.

When April’s boss is murdered, Marc is accused of the crime. Unless April can find out who really killed Ramon Galvez, her chances for love will end up at the county jail. But someone else is just as determined she not solve the mystery . . . and will go to any length to stop her.

Pam, what made you want to write this book?

Pam: I’ve always loved romance and mysteries and decided to write a story that married the two elements. I grew up in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and have always been fascinated by the many twentieth century mansions that dot the lake’s shoreline. I toyed with the idea of setting the story in one of those homes, but decided to create a smaller lake and village just to the east of Lake Geneva to gain more freedom with some of the details of the story.

Is there a sequel to Thyme for Love?

Pam: I’m so glad you asked. Thyme for Love is the first in a three-book series called “On the Road to Love.” Books two and three involve April and Marc, and both are set in Canoga Lake. In Love Will Find a Way, April moves into an old Victorian home with plans to turn it into a restaurant and catering business. It isn’t long before a discovery made while renovating the home threatens to hijack plans for the grand opening. In book three, Love’s Reward, April and Marc’s wedding plans are in full swing, until it becomes apparent there is someone who doesn’t want them to marry.

Uh-oh. Spoiler alert there! Have you written any other novels?

Pam: My first novel languishes in my computer at the moment. Authors seldom publish their first written work as that often turns out to be a practice project. I’m very excited to have a second novel coming that is set in my hometown of Lake Geneva. Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin comes out in June 2012 from Summerside Press. It’s a 1933 historical romance, and I had a blast researching for the story.

Which leads me to ask — how do you get your story ideas?

Pam: There’s an old adage to write what you know. I might add to always keep your eyes and ears open for a possible storyline. That first novel I wrote was sparked by something someone said to me when she showed me a picture of my great-grandfather’s grave. Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin grew out of wanting to know the history behind the beautiful recreational building that has become an icon of the area. And just today a newspaper article sparked an idea I’d like to develop into a proposal.

Sadly, though, I hear there’s more to life than writing. Not sure I agree, but whatever. (Just kidding, everyone!) What do you do when you’re not writing?

Pam: I volunteer at my church in the multicultural ministry, helping Japanese women learn to speak English and lead a women’s small group Bible study. I’m also chapter president of my local ACFW chapter which meets monthly. Also, I enjoy reading (surprise, surprise) and movies. Love to cook and find new ways of making things. You’ll find an adaptation of a recipe someone gave me called Chicken George at the back of Thyme for Love. I loved having April prepare it in the novel and look forward to experimenting with more recipes for the sequels.

You can buy Thyme for Love at here at Amazon or here at cbd.com. Thanks for stopping by, Pam.

Wonderland Creek Bethany House (October 1, 2011)

by Lynn Austin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband’s work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she’d earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women’s roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve’s Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn’s lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. And two of her inspirational fiction books were chosen by Library Journal for their top picks in 2003, and 2005. One of Lynn’s novels has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she’s planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated–not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and myster–and especially romance–are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wonderland Creek, go HERE.

Sally Says: Wonderland Creek may be Lynn Austin’s best book in recent years. I know I certainly loved it, and while it was a still a historical, it had a bit of a different flavor than her other books in recent years. Maybe it was the setting — what we’d all refer to a redneck community in the hills of Kentucky. Or maybe it was the heroine who was a bit ditzy, yet likable. Or maybe it was both of those things with two mysteries and a number of unique characters sprinkled throughout. Whatever the reason, I found Wonderland Creek to be a very fun, lighthearted page-turner. I think this is one book that you don’t have to be a historical fiction fan to enjoy.

Dancing on Glass B&H Books (August 1, 2011)

by Pamela Ewen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Until recently retiring to write full time, Pamela Binnings Ewen was a partner in the Houston office of the international law firm of BakerBotts, L.L.P., specializing in corporate finance. She now lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband, James Lott.

She has served on the Board of Directors of Inprint, Inc., a non-profit organization supporting the literary arts in Houston, Texas, as well as the Advisory Board for The New Orleans Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Tennessee Williams Festival in New Orleans; Pamela is a co-founder of the Northshore Literary Society in the Greater New Orleans area. She is also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.

Pamela’s first novel, Walk Back The Cat (Broadman & Holman. May, 2006) is the story of an embittered and powerful clergyman who learns an ancient secret, confronting him with truth and a choice that may destroy him.

She is also the best-selling author of the acclaimed non-fiction book Faith On Trial, published by Broadman & Holman in 1999, currently in its third printing.

Although it was written for non-lawyers, Faith On Trial was also chosen as a text for a course on law and religion at Yale Law School in the Spring of 2000, along with The Case For Christ by Lee Stroble. Continuing the apologetics begun in Faith On Trial, Pamela also appears with Gary Habermas, Josh McDowell, Darrell Bock, Lee Stroble, and others in the film Jesus: Fact or Fiction, a Campus Crusade for Christ production.

Pamela is the latest writer to emerge from a Louisiana family recognized for its statistically improbable number of successful authors. A cousin, James Lee Burke, who won the Edgar Award, wrote about the common ancestral grandfathers in his Civil War novel White Dove At Morning.

Among other writers in the family are Andre Dubus (Best Picture Oscar nomination for The Bedroom; his son, Andre Dubus III, author of The House of Sand and Fog, a Best Picture Oscar nomination and an Oprah pick; Elizabeth Nell Dubus (the Cajun trilogy); and Alafair Burke, just starting out with the well received Samantha Kincaid mystery series.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the steamy city of New Orleans in 1974, Amalise Catoir sees Phillip Sharp as a charming, magnetic artist, unlike any man she has known. A young lawyer herself, raised in a small town and on the brink of a career with a large firm, she is strong and successful, yet sometimes too trusting and whimsical. Ama’s rash decision to marry Phillip proves to be a mistake as he becomes overly possessive, drawing his wife away from family, friends, and her faith. His insidious, dangerous behavior becomes her dark, inescapable secret.

In this lawyer’s unraveling world, can grace survive Ama’s fatal choice? What would you do when prayers seem to go unanswered, faith has slipped away, evil stalks, and you feel yourself forever dancing on shattered glass?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dancing on Glass, go HERE.

Sally Says: Dancing on Glass is not an easy summer read but more of a psychological thriller. The book dives into the topic of relationship manipulation and has dark overtones throughout because we know from the beginning that Phillip is not a good guy.

Ewen does a great job of showing the slow process that leads to Amalise being trapped. At first I found Amalise’s naivette a bit much, but as the book developed, I realized how sometimes we ourselves can miss signs that seem so evident to everyone else. The plot also deepened, and once I reached the halfway mark I couldn’t put the book down to the point where I found myself cooking dinner with one hand and holding the book with the other.  Dancing on Glass is a well-written literary novel that will leave readers flipping pages one after another.

Shadows on the Sand

Multnomah Books (July 19, 2011)

by Gayle Roper

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Gayle is the award winning author of more than forty books. She has been a Christy finalist three times for her novels Spring Rain, Summer Shadows, and Winter Winds. Her novel Autumn Dreams won the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance. Summer Shadows was voted the Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Book of the Year (tied with fellow author Brandilyn Collins).

Gayle has won the Holt Medallion three times for The Decision, Caught in a Bind, and Autumn Dreams. The Decision won the Reviewers Choice Award, and Gayle has also won the Award of Excellence for Spring Rain and the Golden Quill for Summer Shadows and Winter Winds. Romantic Times Book Report gave Gayle the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Her Amhearst mystery series, Caught in the Middle, Caught in the Act, and Caught in a Bind, originally published by Zondervan, was reprinted in 2007 by Love Inspired Suspense with a fourth original title added, Caught Redhanded. Another original single title, See No Evil, was also released. Caught in the Middle has been optioned for film.

For her work in training Christian writers Gayle has won special recognition from Mount Hermon CWC, St. Davids CWC, Florida CWC, and Greater Philadelphia CWC. She directed St. Davids for five years and Sandy Cove CWC for six. She has taught with Christian Leaders, Authors and Speakers Services (CLASS), serving for several years as their writer in residence. She enjoys speaking at women’s events across the nation and loves sharing the powerful truths of Scripture with humor and practicality.

Gayle lives in southeastern Pennsylvania where she enjoys her family of two great sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, and the world’s five most wonderful grandchildren. When she’s not writing, or teaching at conferences, Gayle enjoys reading, gardening, and eating out.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Carrie Carter’s small café in Seaside, New Jersey, is populated with a motley crew of locals although Carrie only has eyes for Greg Barnes. He’s recovering from a vicious crime that three years ago took the lives of his wife and children—and from the year he tried to drink his reality away. While her heart does a happy Snoopy dance at the sight of him, he never seems to notice her, to Carrie’s chagrin.

When Carrie’s dishwasher is killed and her young waitress disappears, Greg finds himself drawn into helping Carrie solve the mysteries … and into her life. But Carrie has a painful past, too, and when the reason she once ran away shows up in town, the fragile relationship she’s built with Greg threatens to implode from the weight of the baggage they both carry. Two wounded hearts struggle to find a way to make one romance work. Failure seems guaranteed when Carrie locates her waitress but is taken hostage…

If you would like to read the first chapter of Shadows on the Sand, go HERE.

Sally Says: Nobody writes normal people better than Gayle Roper. My fiction tends to run to things I could never be or do (like the last few books I’ve reviewed–be a homicide detective, a female gladiator, live in wealthy Atlanta during the Depression). And Gayle writes about normal, everyday people, but their story still fascinates me, still keeps me flipping pages.

Shadows on the Sand takes us back to Seaside, New Jersey, where she had four other books set. One unique thing about the book is the cult aspect. Cults have been done, but for the first time in books that I’ve read, I saw it brought out that not only the leaders of the cults are the evil, perverted ones. Sometimes the people that join the cult and seem to be duped were far more aware than we give them credit for. And I liked that she brought that out.

If you’re looking for a great summer read for these last few official summer weeks, buy Shadows on the Sand. There’s nothing like spending time with Gayle’s fascinating, realistic characters.

Pattern of Wounds by J. Mark Bertrand

Bethany House (July 1, 2011)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.

ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman’s brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat — or did March convict the wrong man?

Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Pattern of Wounds, go HERE.

Sally Says: I love J. Mark Bertrand. So far I’ve read all three of his books, and every one has been great. He’s now on my must-read list.

Back on Murder is the first book following Roland March, Houston homicide detective. But if you’re new to Bertrand and Roland March, you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy Pattern of Wounds.

And Pattern of Wounds is enjoyable. It’s everything that’s right with Christian fiction. For those who like life as it is and like a realistic crime novel, this is it. The characters, the setting, the mystery — it’s a pleasure to read, and I sure hope there are a lot more Roland March books coming. Whether you’re going on vacation or staying home, Pattern of Wounds is a book you’ll want to pick up for an entertaining read.

Bridge to a Distant Star

David C. Cook; New edition (June 1, 2011) by Carolyn Williford

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carolyn Williford has authored seven books, including Jordan’s Bend, Devotions for Families That Can’t Sit Still, and Faith Tango, as well as numerous articles. She and her husband, Craig, live in Deerfield, Illinois, where he serves as president of Trinity International University. They have two children and four grandchildren.

ABOUT THE BOOK

It All Comes Tumbling Down

As a storm rages in the night, unwary drivers venture onto Tampa Bay’s most renowned bridge. No one sees the danger ahead. No one notices the jagged gap hidden by the darkness and rain. Yet when the bridge collapses vehicles careen into the churning waters of the bay below.

In that one catastrophic moment, three powerful stories converge: a family ravaged by their child’s heartbreaking news, a marriage threatened by its own facade, and a college student burdened by self doubt. As each story unfolds, the characters move steadily closer to that fateful moment on the bridge. And while each character searches for grace, the storms in their lives loom as large as the storm that awaits them above the bay.

When these characters intersect in Carolyn Williford’s gripping and moving volume of three novellas, they also collide with the transforming truth of Christ: Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Bridge to a Distant Star, go HERE.

Sally Says: I chose to read this book because I guessed the author came up with the idea after the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. I was wrong — she  was thinking of another disaster years ago.

The book begins with the accident that causes the collapse, but before we know what happens, we’re whisked back in time a few months, and we know someone we’re reading about will be on the bridge when it collapses.

As I read, I wondered how these people were going to survive, how their stories were all going to intersect once they hit that water. But the ending was nothing like I’d imagined, which was both good and bad.

If you’re looking for something different than the usual novel, this may be the one for you. There are three completely separate stories in the book, all connected because of people in the story being on the bridge. While there were some writing techniques that distracted me a bit, I kept reading because I had to know what happened to these poor people.  Having the three short stories in the book made it easy reading, easy to pick up from right where I’d last put it down.

the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing

She Makes It Look Easy

David C. Cook (June 1, 2011)

by Marybeth Whalen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marybeth Whalen is the wife of Curt and mom of six children. The family lives outside Charlotte, NC. Marybeth is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries writing team and a regular contributor to their daily devotions. Her first novel,The Mailbox was released in June 2010. Her next novel, She Makes It Look Easy, will be released in June 2011. Additionally, she serves as director of She Reads, Proverbs 31 Ministries’ fiction division.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Ariel Baxter has just moved into the neighborhood of her dreams. The chaos of domestic life and the loneliness of motherhood, however, moved with her. Then she meets her neighbor, Justine Miller. Justine ushers Ariel into a world of clutter-free houses, fresh-baked bread, homemade crafts, neighborhood play dates, and organization techniques designed to make marriage better and parenting manageable.

Soon Ariel realizes there is hope for peace, friendship, and clean kitchen counters. But when rumors start to circulate about Justine’s real home life, Ariel must choose whether to believe the best about the friend she admires or consider the possibility that “perfection” isn’t always what it seems to be.

If you would like to read an excerpt of She Makes It Look Easy, go HERE.

Sally Says: She Makes It Look Easy is women’s fiction at its best. If this is characteristic of Whalen’s writing, then sign me up! I’m a fan.

What woman hasn’t looked at another who seemed to have everything together and wondered how she did it, who tried to copy her? This book addresses that, giving us a peek into that perfect world and reminding us that things aren’t always what they appear.

She Makes It Look Easy is a fast-paced enjoyable read, perfect for summer. I’m going back to get Whalen’s first book and eagerly watching for her next one.

Pompeii

B&H Books (June 1, 2011) by T.L. Higley

Sally Says: T.L. Higley does ancient historical fiction well, and she doesn’t disappoint in her latest book Pompeii: City on Fire.

There are a number of unique elements in Pompeii — a female gladiator, a Roman politician with a moral heart, and a deeper look into life in Roman times. The characters were fun people to spend time with, easy to root for, and throughout the plot, I kept waiting for Vesuvius to erupt which lent a great ticking clock element to the story.

One thing Higley did very well was capture the dark, twisted morality of the times without being graphic. I knew the main character had fled horrible circumstances, but I never knew the details. When they did come out, it was very subtle without making the reader live through it but just enough where I found myself angry with the villain and feeling terrible for the character.

I hope you’ll pick up Pompeii and enjoy it as much as I did. Whether you like contemporary or historical fiction, I think you’ll find Pompeii a great way to spend a few relaxing hours.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A fiction aficionado since grade school, T.L. Higley, author of Pompeii: City on Fire (B&H Publishing House, June 2011) started her first novel at the age of eight.

Now the author of nine historical fiction novels, including the popular Seven Wonders series, Higley isn’t just transporting readers: She’s transporting herself, too.

“My Iifelong interest in history and mythology has taken me to Italy, Greece, Egypt, Rome, Turkey, Jordan and Israel, where I’ve gotten to study those ancient cultures in rich detail,” says Higley. “It’s my desire to shine the light of the gospel into the cultures of the past, and I figure what better way to do that than to visit the cultures themselves?”

In addition to her accomplished novelist career, Higley is a business entrepreneur and a mother. In fact, for Pompeii, she brought her daughter along with her to Italy for the research trip.

“We gave it to her as a graduation present, not only because Italy is terrific, but because I believe in exposing children to global cultures,” says Higley, who became a student herself again this year. She’s now a graduate student at American Public University, earning her master’s degree in Ancient and Classical Studies.

When Higley isn’t traveling on research trips, writing her novels, or studying for class, she operates four online retail companies, including KoolStuff4Kids.com – a family-run business that began as a way for her oldest daughter to make some extra money for camp. Today, it is a go-to site for parents, children and teachers all over the country, looking for beads and other kid-friendly craft supplies.

Higley lives with her husband and her three other children (aforementioned daughter now in college) just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pompeii, a city that’s many things to many people. For Cato, it’s the perfect escape from a failed political career in Rome. A place to start again, become a winemaker. But when a corrupt politician wrongfully jails Cato’s sister, he must oust the man from power to save her.

For Ariella, Pompeii is a means to an end. As a young Jew, she escaped the fall of Jerusalem only to endure slavery to a cruel Roman general. She ends up in Pompeii, disguised as a young man and sold into a gladiator troupe. Her anger fuels her to fight well, hoping to win the arena crowds and reveal her gender at the perfect time. Perhaps then she will win true freedom.

But evil creeps through the streets of Pompeii. Political corruption, religious persecution, and family peril threaten to destroy Ariella and Cato, who are thrown together in the battle to survive. As Vesuvius churns with deadly intent, the two must bridge their differences to save the lives of those they love, before the fiery ash buries Pompeii, leaving the city lost to the world.

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the Prologue of Pompeii, go HERE.