As an author writing stories featuring Muslims yielding to Christ, Um Daoud provides a unique perspective to contemporary Christian fiction. Listen in and learn how that looks in the life of a Muslim!

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Writing about Muslims in different Islamic predominant nations, Um Daoud shows the vast differences between different schisms and cultures.

I think I was most fascinated by the way Muslims will return to the faith of their childhood for a time before finally yielding to Christ. As I told her, it's almost the opposite of an Amish rumspringa.

The Life I Now Live by Um Daoud

Forced to take responsibility for the family business after his brother's sudden immigration to Europe, Ahmed feels trapped under his father's watchful eye. What would he or other family members say if they knew that he'd forsaken Islam to follow Christ? How could he be a dutiful son while wanting to live his new-found freedom as a Christian?

As Ahmed learns he's not alone on the journey, Um Daoud introduces readers to a wide variety of characters who reflect the multi-dimensional issues confronted by Muslim-background believers. The Life I Now Live is an inspirational story that will give hope and encouragement to those seeking Christ in the Muslim world, while helping Christian believers to better understand and pray for those who daily live out their faith in Christ despite the struggles.

In her fourth novel set in the Muslim world, Um Daoud provides an insider's view into the culture and complexities of life for those who consider stepping outside the bounds of religious norms. Writing from decades of experience in the Middle East and North Africa, Um Daoud gives us a glimpse of how Christ-followers from Muslim backgrounds can grow in their new faith and find fellowship with others in countries that prohibit conversion from Islam to Christianity.

Learn more about Um/Carol on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads. (Don't miss "Carol's" GoodReads as well.)

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!

Sometimes authors have to to extreme lengths to share their stories with their readers. Liz Tolsma learned about a part of her family history she'd never known, traveled to Poland, learned more, and then braved a horrible cold to come on the podcast to tell us all about it. Listen in and learn more about What I Left for You.

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

Book three in the Echoes of the Past Series, What I Let for You offers a look into the little-known history of the Lemko people of the Carpathian mountain ranges. From their persecution, the way they were driven away from homes and land, and then the near extermination during and after WWII Poland, their rich and heartbreaking history is the foundation for Liz's most recent release.

What I Left for You by Liz Tolsma

A Family’s Ties Were Broken in Poland of 1939

1939
Helena Kostyszak is an oddity—an educated female ethnic minority lecturing at a university in Krakow at the outbreak of WWII. When the Germans close the university and force Jews into the ghetto, she spirits out a friend’s infant daughter and flees to her small village in the southern hills. Helena does everything in her power to protect her family, but it may not be enough. It will take all of her strength and God’s intervention for both of them to survive the war and the ethnic cleansing to come.

2023
Recently unengaged social worker McKenna Muir is dealt an awful blow when a two-year-old she’s been working with is murdered. It’s all too much to take, so her friend suggests she dive into her family’s past like she’s always wanted. Putting distance between herself and her problems might help her heal, so she and her friend head on Sabbatical to Poland. But what McKenna discovers about her family shocks everyone, including one long-lost family member.

Also in the Echoes of the Past Series:
What I Would Tell You
What I Promise You

Don't forget to watch out for When the Sky Burned.

Learn more about Liz on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!

What do you get when you take inspiration from Edgar Allen Poe and mix it into a contemporary romance? Finding Nevermore by Kelly Jo Wilson (which I just typed as Jelly Ko... great!). Anyway, Listen in to learn more and see the exciting Kickstarter that's coming!

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

We talked about so many cool things (and laughed even more!) What did we talk about? Well, how about how Revelation 1:18 and Psalm 121: 7-8 inspired the title?

Where the series should be going in the future?

Maybe... I don't know? The cook Kickstarter she's got set up for it? I know I'll be backing the minute I can put my hot little fingers on the keys!!! Go HERE to learn more and be notified when it's live!

Finding Forevermore by Kelly Jo Wilson

When Raven Cunningham’s grandmother dies, a hidden letter reveals her father didn’t abandon her as she always believed—lies kept him away. Determined to uncover the truth, Raven sets out to find the reclusive author J.C. Nevermore, the man she suspects is her estranged father.

Cole Walker, a former Army Ranger medic, is back in town, haunted by his recent past and the guilt of not saving his best friend. The last thing Cole expects is to reconnect with Raven, but when she shares her discovery, he feels compelled to help her on this journey. As they dig for answers, both Raven and Cole must confront their deepest fears.

Together, they embark on a journey of faith, love, and healing, but will they find the courage to embrace the future and the love waiting for them?

Join Raven and Cole’s story of hope, second chances, and finding the truth that changes everything in Finding Forevermore. Follow and support now on Kickstarter!

Again, here's a link to be notified when the Kickstarter starts!

Learn more about Kelly on her WEBSITE.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!

I have a special place in my heart for debut authors... especially when their novels sound like something I can't possibly put down. Jayna Breigh ticks all the boxes with her legal thriller, The Hunted Heir. Listen in to how Jayna used her legal experience and her love for Los Angeles to craft this story!

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

I had a BLAST chatting with Jayna. We bonded over our love of books, our shared experiences in Los Angeles, and our total differences (she liked to live there... I never would!).

Drawing on her experience in and knowledge of the world of legal complexities, she draws readers into a world of danger, intrigue, and faith. You won't want to miss this book!

The Hunted Heir by Jayna Breigh

After a tragic loss, private investigator Nona Taylor swore off romantic entanglements and distanced herself from the world. Once a year, on New Year's Eve, she attends church to beg God for forgiveness, haunted by the guilt of driving her twin sister to her death.

Attorney DeMarcus Johnson is determined to climb the ladder to partnership by winning high-profile cases at his Los Angeles law firm, harnessing his ADHD hyperfocus to excel. He's everything Nona knows to steer clear of--an overconfident ex-jock willing to do anything for success.

Their worlds collide when Nona's pastor receives a mysterious letter claiming he's the sole heir to a substantial estate. Desperate for answers, Nona infiltrates a lavish charity ball, only to be found out by a suspicious stranger--so she latches onto DeMarcus and concocts a fib about being his fiancée.

Now bound by a false engagement, the pair reluctantly join forces to discover the truth about the inheritance. But when an unseen enemy strikes, they realize the stakes are higher than they thought. Can Nona and DeMarcus overcome their differences to keep the pastor safe, secure DeMarcus's partnership, and preserve a future for themselves?

"Jayna Breigh delivers a debut that is on fire!" --Jaime Jo Wright, ECPA best-selling author of The Lost Boys of Barlowe Theater and The Vanishing at Castle Moreau

Learn more about Jayna on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!

When I heard about Laurie Christine's Dragon Slayer Bible series, I was so excited. I mean, Bible stories retold as fantasy elements? Listen in and learn what happens with Seth, the third named son of Adam and Eve goes on a quest to find out more about this Chosen One and how to defeat this dragon.

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

My brain is going into over-drive as I consider all the things that Laurie Christine could do with this series. The lineage of Christ's stories told as fantasy as the world falls further from Eden and needs their Savior more each day. All in a world of beasts and dragons and... Oh, my! Buckle up, it's going to be a great ride... um, read!

And Christmas is coming, so if you've got a kid on your list who has "everything," I bet this is something he didn't know he wanted or something she didn't know she needed.

Garden of Mysteries by Laurie Christine

An ancient curse. An invisible dragon. A mysterious prophecy.

Seth’s parents have secrets they won’t share with him. Why did the King kick them out of the garden and curse the land? And can the curse be broken? Finding answers to Seth’s questions will prove more dangerous than he imagined. Can he discover the truth before the dragon destroys him?

Frank Peretti meets The Jesus Storybook Bible in this action-packed biblical fiction story that will inspire readers to identify lies of the dragon and to put their trust in the dragon slayer.

Seth's story takes place in a post-fall world where ferocious beasts lurk in the darkness and thorns and thistles cover the land. When Seth learns of an ancient prophecy about the Chosen One, he sets off on a quest to find the one who will break the curse. But the evil dragon also has a mission—to deceive Seth and turn his heart from the King.

On his quest for truth, Seth learns what it means to trust the King and to resist the lies of the evil dragon.

Learn more about Laure on her WEBSITE or at Dragonslayerbible.com and follow her on GoodReads.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!

When I heard about Karen Witemeyer doing fairy tales in 19th-century Texas, I knew this would be genius. But when I heard about Cloaked in Beauty, a mashup of Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty, her genius took on new proportions. Listen in to see why.

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

A girl with a fortune and someone eager to kill her to get it? That might sound familiar, but nope... Witemeyer has taken a whole new take on both fairy tales, and I love it. EEEP!

Not only that, but we're looking at at least one more book--based on Beauty and the Beast.

And... we got a sneak peek at her next series... The Secret Society of Spinsters. Is that not the most genius idea ever? I can't wait!

Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer

In the heart of the Piney Woods of Texas, Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit.

Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to Letty grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping her out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his heart.

"Little Red Riding Hood" and "Sleeping Beauty" entwine for a romantic fairy tale retelling that explores the power of true love conquering even the darkest of nights.

You can learn more about Karen Witemeyer and her books on her WEBSITE. Don't forget the book is 40% off with FREE US shipping until 12/16/24 on BakerBookHouse.com.

Follow Karen on BookBub and GoodReads.

And don't forget her Posse Group on Facebook.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!

Beloved Biblical and historical fiction author, Tessa Afshar has a new series beginning, and wow! Persian history comes to life as we get to know Roxannah and how she became not only a cook in Queen Esther's house but also... the queen's friend! Listen in to learn more.

note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.

This new series focuses on fictional women who could have interacted with Queen Esther and even has "excerpts from the queen's journals" which is a really cool way for readers to get to see Persian culture of the time through a lens that Esther could have had.

I don't know about you, but I'm already looking forward to the next book. #BecausePottery!

The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar

In the heart of ancient Persia, the empire's Jewish citizens face an ominous edict that threatens their very existence. Roxannah, the daughter of an impoverished Persian lord, is devastated by the news but feels helpless to come to the aid of her Jewish friends. Desperate to support her family, Roxannah approaches the royal physician, Adin--the man whose kind eyes haunt her--and seeks his help to find employment in Queen Esther's kitchens.

In the opulent palace of Susa, Roxannah tries to survive the spiteful ploys of the other cooks as she ascends through the ranks. Her loyalty earns her the trust and friendship of Queen Esther, who is navigating dangerous politics with wisdom and grace. When Roxannah and Adin uncover a sinister plot against Amestris, the king's most powerful wife and Esther's archenemy, they find themselves tasked with the impossible job of discovering the culprit. As secrets unravel and alliances are tested, the fate of Esther's reign hangs in the balance.

Learn more about Tessa on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Don't miss the book at 30% off with FREE shipping from BakerBookHouse.com.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

• Apple
• Castbox
• Google Play
• Libsyn
• RSS
• Spotify
• Amazon
• and more!