Saturday, April 19, 2025

"Our Trustworthy God" by Sarah K. Howley -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Our Trustworthy God: How Much God Loves You, Joyfully Engages with You, and Trusts You

Author: Sarah K. Howley

Genre: Bible Study

Release date: March 28, 2025

Have you ever felt like in life’s most challenging moments, trusting God can be a struggle—even impossible? What if you knew that God not only invites you to trust him but is trustworthy himself and trusts you in return? Our Trustworthy God warmly welcomes you into a deeper understanding of the mutual relationship he longs to have with you, one built on love, trust, and active engagement.

With your guide, Sarah K. Howley—founder of InspiritEncourage, author, and speaker—you will walk through those difficult moments when trust feels scary, discovering how God’s faithfulness shines brightest in your darkest times. Through rich, Scripture-based insights, Sarah unpacks why God is always trustworthy and how his boundless love continually works for your good.

Through this study, you’ll find:

A deeper awareness of God’s active love and trust in your everyday life
Confidence in God’s unwavering faithfulness, even when challenges arise
Practical steps to strengthen your relationship with God, built on mutual trust
Encouragement to openly confront doubts and questions about your faith
Guidance on how to live as a trustworthy person, reflecting God’s faithfulness in your life

Our Trustworthy God explores the incredible truth that God trusts you, reminding you that your relationship with him is neither one-sided nor blind but vibrant and deeply mutual. You’ll be invited to reflect on what it truly means to live in faithful connection with your loving God despite the pains of life and evils of the world.

Approachable yet deeply rooted in Scripture, this study is perfect for individuals or groups seeking to strengthen their faith and experience the joy of walking in a two-way relationship with the God who loves and trusts you.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. Why did you choose to write about this particular topic?
When I got the idea for this book, I was reading about God trusting us. For some reason, I had
always focused on trusting God – but never the reciprocal. When I truly understood that God
trusts me, it changed the way I viewed challenges and my mission. I knew God trusted me in
what I was doing and how I was doing things. That gave me such confidence and drew me
closer to Him like never before. I hope readers have the same response to this book!

2. What is your writing area like?
I have a pretty typical desk set up in an office area at home. I also have lighting and a
microphone for any teaching calls and video companions that I need to work on. To the left of
my desk is a big bookcase with lots of my research texts and materials. I use a lot of online
references now but still like to have books at hand if I can.

3. How long does the researching stage usually take?
Once I get an idea, it usually marinates for a while, up to 6 months or even a year. During the
marinade, I usually read other things around the same topic to expand my understanding. I am
not actively researching in this stage, but let ideas come together. Usually, the idea starts with
something that I have read. That may be from the Bible, or it may be from another author or
theologian.
When I am actively planning and researching a book or series, I begin with all research. That
may be a week, it may be two or three.
Once I set aside the time to write the book, I start with an outline and continue to research
chapter by chapter as I write. Some chapters take me a day to research and write, others take
three or more. It depends on how well I can articulate the ideas as well as the imagery or stories
that I include.

4. Do you have any usual writing habits?
I often hear people say to write first thing in the morning, before doing anything else. That
doesn’t really work for me or my family. I do best when I start with doing simple tasks that I can
tick off the list, the more the merrier! Once I have ticked several things off my list that have been
on my brain (no, I can’t just make the list and do it after my writing time), I get to work with the
writing and research for the day. This usually means that I write in the afternoon.

5. Do you think reading helps you with writing?
I absolutely believe that reading helps with writing. Reading offers us ideas about how to
explain, how to engage readers, how to craft better writing! Even when the writing is terrible, if
we can see why, we can apply the “fix” to our own writing as well.

About the Author

Sarah K. Howley is the founder of InspiritEncourage and author of several Bible studies. She is a certified counselor by the Chiesa Apostolica in Italia and holds a master’s degree in education. Sarah often travels the world, usually with espresso in hand. Follow her at inspiritencourage.com to keep in touch.

More from Sarah

Our Trustworthy God is the result of years of seeking. I knew I was supposed to trust God… but. I struggled with the buts of trusting God. There are too many to name, and they usually start with “why?” Some examples are when good people have bad things happen to them, why? When someone we love has died too soon, when our best friend gets cancer, when a hurricane strikes and whole towns are lost. For me, it was cancer in the family and even starting my own business. I couldn’t really understand, or “feel” that everything was working out for my good. Trusting God wasn’t exactly an on-command reflex when I thought of these things. It was easier to wonder where God was rather than trust that he IS and will always be here.

But I wanted more than to believe he was here, I wanted to know deeply that God was working for my good, even when all I saw was destruction and evil. So, I spent a year dedicated to digging in and seeking to understand what trusting God really means. I wanted to know how trustworthy God is, all the time. I didn’t want that knowledge to remain in my head, but I wanted it in my heart. I wanted it to be the automatic reflex when bad things happen that I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was in that situation and working for my good.

What I found surprised me. Don’t misunderstand, more than ever before, I know God IS with me in every circumstance and he IS working for my well-being. He loves me deeply. What surprised me was that God trusts me as well and his power is unlike anything I could imagine.

A deep discussion of relationship and trusting God is what came out of that search to understand how I could trust the unseen God in an evil world, and I had to share it. Because I know my God is good and he is trustworthy. He is working for your good. He loves you, joyfully engages with you, and he trusts you.

Blog Stops

Vicky Sluiter, April 11 (Author Interview)

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, April 11

Texas Book-aholic, April 12

Simple Harvest Reads, April 13 (Author Interview)

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 14

For the Love of Literature, April 15 (Author Interview)

She Lives To Read, April 16

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 17 (Author Interview)

The Sacred Line, April 17

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 18

Blossoms and Blessings, April 19 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 20

Artistic Nobody, April 21 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 21

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 22

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, April 23 (Author Interview)

EmpowerMoms, April 24

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Sarah is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54197

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

"Meow Meow Milks the Cow" by Allen Brokken -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: Meow Meow Milks the Cow: A Towers of Light Read to Me

Author: Allen Brokken, Illustrated by Reace Erbe

Genre: Christian Fable

Release date: March 15, 2025

When disaster strikes the family farm, Lauren gets a big job. She has to milk their cow, Clarabelle, all by herself! Her only help might come from her new feline friend Meow Meow, but how can such a little kitten help with such a big job?

This read-aloud will help you share the timeless truth from the Bible that God can use the least of us to solve big problems.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1. What is your least favorite part about writing?
Time on my hands. When I have no deadlines or far away deadlines, I just
end up with fanciful ideas bouncing around in my head with no outlet. Give me
a deadline, even a self-imposed deadline and words fill the page.

2. When did you become a writer?
As a kid, I always had an active imagination and took to writing as soon as I
learned how. I began the Towers of Light Series as a story for my kids. I
traveled for work 4 days a week and spent a lot of lonely nights in hotels
across the country. I started writing a story about them in a fantastic setting
and then shared it on the weekends. They loved it.

3. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
A couple of years ago I hired a family friend, Heather Freeman, to be my virtual
assistant. In our first official business meeting, she told me she thought Towers of
Light needed stuffies and picture books. While I thought it was a fun idea there’s a
huge difference between writing novels and picture books. Plus, I was working on
book 4 in a series of 6 and didn’t see how I would ever get to write a picture book.
However, there was a scene that I really liked in my first book, Light of Mine that my
editor made me cut out because it didn’t flow well from a storytelling perspective. It
basically pulled all of the intensity from the story, so she insisted that I pull it. But it
always bugged me. One day I was talking to a picture book author, Pam Halter and
she said she could help me adapt that scene to a picture book format all I needed was
an illustrator.
Well, my soon-to-be daughter-in-law had just drawn a nice set of characters depicting
the children in the Towers of Light series and I thought, WOW that style would be
perfect for a picture book. So, I had my story and my illustrator!

4. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
I was in the Military, so I write between 5:30 and 7:00 a.m. before I start work
at my full-time job.

5. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
The main characters are based on, and named after, my three children. There are even
characters that show up in the books who were friends of my children in real life.
Also, their favorite stuffed animals make an appearance. In this case, Meow Meow
was my daughter’s stuffed tuxedo kitty. He’s still around, but nowhere near as cuddly
and fluffy 20+ years later.

About the Author

Allen Brokken is a teacher at heart, a husband and father most of all. He’s a joyful writer by the abundant grace of God. He began writing the Towers of Light series for his own children to help him illustrate the deep truths of the Bible in an engaging and age appropriate way. He’s dedicated 15 years of his life to volunteer roles in children’s ministry and youth development. Now that his own children are off to college he’s telling stories and sharing clean humor on social media and through his blog.

More from Allen

Sometimes, a story just HAS to be told. When I first wrote the book that became Light of Mine, book 1 of the Towers of Light series, there was a scene in which the main character, Lauren, and her newly found kitten are trying to milk the cow. It was a sweet moment in a chaotic story, and I had fun writing it as an homage to my kitten squeaker, who made trying to work around home very challenging at times. However, my editor was pretty clear that as cute as the story was, Meow Meow’s interlude with the milk cow Clarabelle just didn’t fit the story’s action. So, unfortunately, that scene found its way to the cutting room floor.

After a few years, I started having mothers of children who loved the Towers of Light Series ask the same question over and over….”But what about my littles?” Do you have a story for me to read to my younger children? After thinking about it, I realized Meow Meow’s adventure might be a perfect read-aloud. So I reached out to a fellow Realm Maker, Pam Halter, who has a really fun series of books with Willougby the Dragon, to see if she could help me turn my 2500-word novel scene into an 800-word picture book…and she did a fantastic job! So now we have Meow Meow Milks the Cow.

Another fun fact is that the character Ethan in this book is all grown up now and engaged to be married to Reace Erbe, and this is her first illustrated work in print. So we all hope you enjoy this Tower of Light read to me.

Blog Stops

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 9

For the Love of Literature, April 10 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, April 10

By the Book, April 11

For Him and My Family, April 12

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 13 (Author Interview)

Vicky Sluiter, April 14

Hannahbandanarama, April 15

Blossoms and Blessings, April 16 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, April 17

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 18

Labor Not in Vain , April 19

Texas Book-aholic, April 20

Pause for Tales, April 21

A Reader’s Brain, April 22 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, April 22

Giveaway

To celebrate his tour, Allen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54199

Saturday, April 12, 2025

"Embergold" by Rachelle Nelson

About the Book

Book: Embergold

Author: Rachelle Nelson

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release date: March 18, 2025

Fire dreamed of water, but the first sip would be its last.

Gilde has spent her life isolated in the wild marshlands, a place too wet for the dragon to go. She’s safe there, according to her father. So why is he asking her to leave with him now that she has come of age? There is more to Gilde’s family than she knows, and debts need to be paid.

Betrayed and shattered, she wakes in a crumbling mountain castle with the beast of her nightmares. Except this dragon speaks like a man and reads books. His kindness confuses her and opens a forgotten longing in her heart, all while Gilde plans her escape from a mountain full of secrets.

This place can unveil her past and why she was sacrificed to the beast —truths that may put both their lives in danger if they can’t learn to trust each other. But how can Gilde ever trust again? Especially after she discovers what dragons truly are.

Click here to get your copy!

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed reading this book. I haven't read much in the fantasy genre but I loved this and want to read more! I found the book to be easy to read and kept me reading. I had some theories of what was going to happen and some were correct to varying degrees. There is a subtle biblical faith thread. I liked Gilde and Wil and their interactions. I look forward to reading more books by Rachelle Nelson.

About the Author

Rachelle Nelson grew up reading fantasy novels and getting her clothes muddy in the pine forests of Idaho. These days, she still loves hiking through forests and libraries, though she’s a bit less fond of mud. Her debut novel, Sky of Seven Colors, released through Enclave Publishing, and won both the Carol Award and Christy Award. Rachelle doesn’t write true stories, but she does write about truth. When she’s not doing that, she sings in a band with her husband who makes her happier than should be legal. If you like good food and honest conversations, you’re her favorite kind of person.

More from Rachelle

For the past decade or so, I have been a volunteer youth leader for teen groups. Some of my favorite memories have come from that position. Camp pranks, hilarious games involving edible mealworms, scavenger hunts, singing together at the top of our lungs, and speaking life into the lives of young women. When a girl sees herself through the eyes of Jesus, everything changes.

Some of my hardest moments have come from being a youth leader, too. There’s a kind of hurt that happens when we watch someone suffer, and we cannot take the suffering away. I have cried tears with teens who have been wounded by betrayal, carelessness, and abandonment. Those wounds go deeper when they come from a parent.

The truth is, God is the only perfect father, and we’re meant to be parented by Him. Learning to trust Him is a process, even if we had a pretty great (if imperfect) example of an earthly dad. But we live in a fatherless generation, when so many have experienced separation and pain in their family from divorce, or addiction, or generational cycles of pain. I’ve seen what that kind of pain can do to a heart, and how trusting others becomes almost impossible.

Almost.

Embergold is a story about betrayal and abandonment. It’s about two young people who never expected to find kindness in a harsh world. It’s about the healing of hearts.

I wrote it for myself, to remember what is possible. I wrote it for the young people I have loved. And for the parents who are still recovering from their childhoods.

Sin and brokenness happen in community. But, the amazing thing is, God designed the healing to happen in community too, among people. We need each other.

Blog Stops

Fiction Book Lover, April 8 (Author Interview)

CeCe Reads and Sings, April 8

Texas Book-aholic, April 9

MinReads and Reviews, April 9

Wishful Endings, April 10

The Lofty Pages, April 11

Blossoms and Blessings, April 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, April 13

Blogging With Carol, April 14

Tell Tale Book Reviews, April 15

Devoted Steps, April 16

Madi’s Musings, April 17

Labor Not in Vain, April 18

Guild Master, April 19

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 20

Simple Harvest Reads, April 21 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachelle is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card, a hardcover copy of the book,and an envelope of fun goodies, including a signed bookplate and a pewter dragon bookmark!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54195

I got a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and given voluntarily. No compensation was received for my review.

Sunday, April 6, 2025

"His Unforgettable Bride" by Patti Stockdale

About the Book

A pickpocket turned lady and a prince with a forgotten past find love in the most unexpected place…

Juliet Dash, orphan and former pickpocket, yearns to leave her troubled past behind. So when she arrives in British Columbia and takes a respectable job working for a pair of society sisters who offer to give her etiquette lessons, she’s one step closer to that dream. But when an unexpected encounter with an unconscious man turns her world upside down, Juliet must choose between her heart and her aspirations.

Weary of the pressure of royal life, Prince Henry Graighton longs for solace and anonymity. But when tragedy strikes and his brother winds up dead, Henry finds himself thrust into the role of heir apparent, leaving him to struggle with the weight of his grief and unwanted responsibility. And when Henry is kidnapped, he narrowly escapes with his life...but loses his memories in the process. In his darkest hour, a beacon of hope emerges in the form of Juliet, his savior and the key to unlocking his forgotten past.

With danger lurking at every turn and the weight of Henry’s royal duties looming over them, can their budding romance withstand the trials that lie ahead, or will Juliet be forced to sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of Henry’s kingdom?

Amnesia
Royalty
rags to riches,
fish out of water
orphan
fairy tale.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed reading this book and seeing Juliet get her happily ever after. It was fun to see some of the characters that we met in the previous books in the series and see where they were now. Livy and Tabitha were fun and quirky characters that added interest to the story. I liked Juliet and her straightforwardness but also her desire to learn new things. It was interesting seeing Henry discover himself when he didn't even know who he was. There is a nice biblical faith element woven through the story and the characters learned lessons and grew and changed. I look forward to reading more books by Patti Stockdale.

About the Author

Patti Stockdale writes sweet romance full of hope, history, and a good happily ever after.

Thursday, April 3, 2025

"63 Hours in Hell" by Susan L. Davis -- Author Interview

About the Book

Book: 63 Hours In Hell

Author: Susan L Davis

Genre: Fantasy/Speculative Fiction

Release date: March 4, 2025

To reach the kingdom of Heaven, they must unlock the gates of Hell.

Discover the Journey. Rediscover Your Faith.

On their journey to Jesus’s crucifixion, Hannah and her brother perish in a tragic accident, plunging into the enigmatic afterlife of Paradise. Jesus sends them, along with the “good thief” Dismas and a mysterious angel, on a perilous quest to retrieve scattered fragments of the key to Hell.

This ragtag team races through the epochs of biblical history, trying to outwit Lucifer’s forces at every turn. Can they restore the key in 63 hours? Or will Lucifer destroy them all

Experience the power of the Christ’s resurrection in a way you never imagined.

Click here to get your copy!

Author Interview

1) What is your favorite part about writing?
My favorite part of writing is taking a blank page and watching the words spring to life. I
especially love writing dialogue—it’s so much fun! When I’m in full writing mode, I often find
myself mentally working out the dialogue, even mid-conversation with someone else. Sometimes
I just want to say, “I can’t talk to you right now because I’m busy talking to people who don’t
even exist!” Of course, I don’t say that, but it’s proof of how alive the characters feel during the
writing process.

2) What is your least favorite part about writing?
Writing descriptive scenes is the most challenging part for me. I tend to skim over setting
descriptions while reading, so I easily leave them out of my writing. After drafting, I always go
back to ask myself, “What does this setting look like?” and then layer those details into the
scene. My goal is for the setting to feel like an authentic part of the story instead of an
afterthought.

3) What is your writing space like?
I write at the dining room table. Writing is such a solitary activity, so I enjoy being in the heart of
the house, surrounded by the energy of daily life. I have a basement office, and it was my main
writing space for a time. But after we got our mischievous husky puppy, I moved to the main
floor, where I could monitor him.
I’m surrounded by stacks of books, my Bible, and writing resources. My favorite tool is The
Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression. It’s a fantastic resource for
crafting believable characters and their emotions.

4) When did you become a writer?
I didn’t become a writer until later in life. Growing up, I always dreamed of being a writer,
inspired by characters like Harriet the Spy in my favorite childhood books. But instead, I
followed in my mom's footsteps, first working in banking and later becoming a real estate
appraiser for 18 years.
When I had my children—one with special needs—I left my job to focus on raising my children.
It was during this time that everything changed. I found Jesus at a funeral, picked up the Bible,
and dove into scripture. I became intrigued by the question, what did Jesus do during those three
days between His death and resurrection? That curiosity sparked the beginning of my book, and I
started writing and blogging. Now, after years of dreaming, 63 Hours in Hell is finally out in the
world.

5) What is your work schedule/routine like when you write?
I’m an early riser, so I write at 5:30 in the morning and work until about 8. After that, I take my
dogs for a walk, have breakfast with my son, and work for a couple more hours before heading to
the dog park. At the park, I meet up with a group of retired friends and their dogs—we laugh,
chat, and watch as the pups chase squirrels up trees.
After lunch and errands, I might squeeze in another hour of writing before dinner. Another dog
walk in the evening helps clear my head, and then I relax on social media—or, if I’m working
under a deadline, I’ll jump back into writing. Even when I’m not writing, I’m always thinking.
There’s a lot of staring into space and turning story ideas over in my mind—that’s just part of the
creative process!

About the Author

Susan L. Davis is an author, speaker, and blogger whose journey from skepticism to faith began unexpectedly at a funeral. Her debut novel, 63 Hours in Hell, explores the three days Jesus spent in Hell, offering a fresh perspective on biblical events. Susan lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband, two children, and their mischievous dog.

More from Susan

Thank you so much for being part of this incredible journey. I am grateful for your support in helping to share my debut book!

I’m thrilled to introduce readers to more than just a novel—this is a journey into God’s love and mercy, reaching even the darkest places. Rooted in scripture, infused with traces of Jewish folklore, and written with the utmost respect for Jesus, 63 Hours in Hell examines themes of faith, forgiveness, redemption, and the healing of broken relationships.

If you’re a fan of The Chosen series, this book will resonate with you. It imagines what happened during Jesus’ three days in the depths of hell. The story follows a jilted bride, her brother, and the good thief on a quest: finding key fragments, freeing hell’s prisoners, fighting the devil, and facing their own inner demons.

A Special Message

Readers have shared how they found a personal message within its pages—something they needed to hear at just the right moment. I pray 63 Hours in Hell offers encouragement to you as well.

An Inspired Journey

As you can see in the photo, my furry companions have been a steady source of joy throughout my writing journey. (Fun fact: my majestic, wolf-like dog even inspired the demon dog in the book!)

An Invitation

I didn’t truly discover Jesus until later in life, which makes me even more in awe of His boundless love, sacrifice, and resurrection—and His patience throughout my personal transformation. This book is more than a story; it’s an invitation to understand why Jesus’ death and resurrection remain pivotal—yesterday, today, and forever.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and for sharing this book with others. Your support means the world to me!

Happy reading,

Susan L. Davis