#SaturdaySpotlight: Paula Mowery and The Crux of Honor

Hello Again Friends and Welcome.....

Well it goes without saying we are already on the first Saturday of May....SERIOUSLY?

Today is the Kentucky Derby...wonder if we'll have another Triple Crown Winner this year or if it'll be 37 more years until the next one?

Guess we'll find out soon enough!    

Meanwhile, enjoy this week's Saturday Spotlight with fellow Pelican Book Group author, Paula Mowery and her newest release, The Crux of Honor.

Chelsea Wilson’s life is a constant reminder of what living dishonorably looks like. At every turn she continues to prove her mother’s shunning must be deserved.

Dr. Kevin Alley returns to the old home place to establish his medical practice. After running into Chelsea, he knows his love for her is still strong.

Chelsea is ousted from her small rented room when her mother bursts in, proclaiming Chelsea’s pregnancy.

Kevin takes Chelsea in, giving her space to live on the upper level of his house.

When Chelsea’s baby displays life-threatening symptoms, Chelsea must face her mother. Secrets unfold about Chelsea’s parents. Can Chelsea and Kevin uncover the secrets linked to Amish heritage in time to save the baby? Can the two find love together despite their history? 

Excerpt:

Chelsea Wilson stared at Samuel’s face as he repeated his apology. The small town campus bustled in the background.

“Chelsea, I’m sorry. I’m ready to go back and join the Amish church and be baptized.”

She nodded as tears slid down her cheeks. Her pulse strummed in her ears.

He grasped her hand and leaned closer. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be together. Come back with me. It’s not unheard of...”

“No.” Her voice was low, almost a whisper. She studied his plain clothes. “Samuel, I think down deep we both knew this day would come. You never fit here, and I would never fit there.”

“You will hate me, ja?” His Amish accent crooned.

“No. I respect your heart-felt decision. I can see it in your eyes. It’s what’s right for you.”

“And you? What is right for you?” Honesty poured from his big brown eyes.

“I’m not sure.”

“You will find your way. Trust God.” He pulled her head to his chest and wrapped his arms around her back. She leaned into his embrace for a moment and then backed away. He replaced his black felt hat atop his head, nodded, and marched toward the junior college parking lot.

A stream of tears blurred his silhouette. Chelsea planted her face in her hands, thankful for the concrete bench under her to keep her from sinking to the ground. How could she be so stupid? Her mother had warned her to stop fraternizing with a young man on Rumpspringa. When she refused, her mother had kicked her out of the family home. Chelsea couldn’t help chuckling at her mother’s rich vocabulary. Fraternizing and banished. Why did her mother have to be right? As small as the town of Integrity, Tennessee, was, Mother would discover the news of her break-up by nightfall.

She wrapped her arms around her waist. I can’t sit here feeling sorry for myself. She swiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands and rose to her feet. Draping her book bag over her shoulder, she shuffled toward the library. She would focus on studying for her final exam. There was plenty of time to cry her eyes out later, alone, in her tiny rented room. 

The Crux of Honor can be found at Amazon.

Paula Mowery is a published author, acquisitions editor, and speaker. Her first two published works were The Blessing Seer and Be The Blessing from Pelican Book Group. Both are women’s fiction, and their themes have been the topics of speaking engagements. Be The Blessing won the Selah Award in 2014 in the novella category. In November of 2013 her first romance released in the anthology, Brave New Century, from Prism Book Group. This book went to number five on Amazon’s bestseller category, historical Christian romance. Legacy and Love was her first solo romance and was a finalist in the Carolyn Readers Choice Awards in 2015. Her other titles include a Christian romantic suspense called For Our Good, a Christmas romance called Love Again, and a romance inspired from the Love Chapter called The Crux of Honor. 

Reviewers of her writing characterize it as “thundering with emotion.” Her articles have appeared in Woman’s World, The Christian Online Magazine, and the multi-author devotional blogs, Full Flavored Living and Putting on the New. She wrote a section for Join the Insanity by Rhonda Rhea. She has devotionals included in several collaborative books.

Having been an avid reader of Christian fiction, she now puts that love to use by writing book reviews. She is a member of ACFW and also on the faculty for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference.

Paula is a pastor’s wife and mom to a college student. She homeschooled her daughter through all twelve years, and they both lived to tell about it. Before educating her daughter at home, she was an English teacher in public school.

Learn more about Paula at her blog as well as find other links to connect with her at www.paulamowery.blogspot.com.

Sounds like another great book, don't you think friends?

Hope to see you next week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and another Saturday Spotlight!

Until later...take care and God Bless.
PamT

Saturday Spotlight: Paula Mowery & Brave New Century

Good Morning and welcome to the first Saturday Spotlight of 2014!

Today's guest, Paula Mowery is a pastor's wife and former home school mom. She is a Christian writer whose articles have appeared in Woman's World and her ongoing column on The Christian Online Magazine. Paula also debuted into Christian fiction with her novella, The Blessing Seer, and it's sequel, Be the Blessing, both through Pelican Book Group.   Today, we are spotlighting her story, Forgiven, in the anthology Brave New Century.

BRAVE NEW CENTURY

Four young women each brave challenges at the dawn of the 20th century. Will they overcome their hardships and find love? Three Rings for Alice Love and respect in 1899 Milwaukee is as close as a phone call. Forgiven When Henry and Jessie meet, it seems to be love at first sight until a shocking revelation tears them apart. The Pocket Watch Looking for the past, an orphan and a young doctor find love and hope for the future. Flames of Hope Love ignites in the midst of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Excerpt for Forgiven:
Father’s brow wrinkled in apparent confusion. “Whatever is the trouble, Jarnigan?” His father joined the man near the saloon entrance, gesturing to his three sons to stay put. Words were exchanged, but Henry couldn’t understand any until Jarnigan’s voice raised. He swore. “… liar and a rascal.” He shook a pointed finger in Father’s face.

John Smith would never stand for a person questioning his honesty. Father reared his fist back and punched Jarnigan square in the nose. Jarnigan stumbled backwards but quickly righted himself. He rubbed his nose and then studied it. Henry supposed he was checking for blood. In a flash he pulled a Derringer pistol and shot. Henry had no chance to warn his father in time. Father winced and grabbed his shoulder. Jarnigan spun around and ran toward the hotel.

Father sprinted to the car, threw open the driver-side door, and ducked out of sight for a split second. He reappeared handing a gun to Taylor and one to Jake. He waved for them to follow with his own weapon. The foursome jogged toward hotel, Father leading and Henry bringing up the rear.

Henry’s heart pounded not from their sprint but from fear of how this would play out. Before he could raise his voice in protest; His father, Jake, and Taylor had disappeared through the hotel’s entrance.

Henry had barely slid through the entrance behind them when bullets began to fly. He ducked low to the floor and slipped behind a chair. He peeked out in time to see Jarnigan peer over the tall wooden check-in counter across the room. As the man aimed his Derringer toward a set of stairs on the other side of the lobby, Henry spotted Taylor racing his way, gun waving in his hand. Taylor’s eyes were wide, filled with fear, and trained on the hotel doors when Henry stood and caught his brother’s shoulder. “Taylor.” His brother glanced at him for a split second. The weapon trembled in his grasp. Henry snatched the weapon from him. Taylor burst through the front doors and outside.

Henry followed, standing on the sidewalk watching Taylor’s retreating form head toward their motorcar. Out of nowhere, he saw a man wearing a light brown uniform chased after Taylor. The man screamed, but Henry couldn’t make out his words. Taylor continued to run and threw his arms above his head.

A gun fired and Taylor fell face-down to the ground. Henry’s legs wouldn’t budge.

His breath came in gasps. A bystander rushed to his brother’s side and slowly flipped him over. “He’s dead.”

Brave New Century is available now through Amazon in Paperback & on Kindle!

Well friends, hope you enjoyed this spotlight. Stay tuned for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights!