THE MAIL-ORDER STANDOFF ~ Susan Page Davis ~ Giveaway

 Hi, Whispers readers. It's What's New Wednesday and I'm pleased to bring you multi-published author

Susan Page Davis

and her

Featured Book: The Mail-Order Standoff 

(Collection that released February 1)

And a Giveaway!

My latest book release (February 1) is a novella in a new collection of romance in the wild West.

The Mail-Order Standoff is about mail-order brides who have second thoughts. How will their grooms win their trust? The four novellas in the book are:

Right on Time, by Angela Breidenbach: Could two people be less suited than an English gentleman and a western gal who is used to giving the orders? From the wild Montana Territory to the refined Kentucky horse farms, can Timothy prove worthy of Tara’s heart?

Pistol-Packin’ Bride, by Margaret Brownley: Attorney Ben Heywood didn’t expect to get shot on his wedding day—and certainly not by his mail-order bride.

The Bride Who Declined, by Susan Page Davis: Rachel Paxton turns down a mail-order proposal, but a few months later she learns the man she rejected has died—and left his ranch to her in his will.

Twice the Trouble, by Vickie McDonough: When Connor McLoughlin and his cousin Brian send for a pair of mail-order brides, they think they’re getting two sweet Irish lasses. But what they get is a stagecoach load of shenanigans.

 In my novella in this collection, “The Bride Who Declined,” Rachel is heir to an unexpected bequest—and she’s not sure she wants it. Here is a short excerpt for your enjoyment.

Jack leaned on the fence and watched Rachel fire his repeating rifle at the target he’d set up fifty yards away. When she’d emptied the gun, she turned toward him with her eyebrows raised.

“Looks pretty good,” he yelled, knowing both the shock of the blasts and the cotton in her ears would deaden the sound of his voice. She’d hit the target with four of the six bullets he’d given her.

She smiled and walked over to him, holding out the rifle.

“Now I think you should learn to handle a revolver.”

The smile drooped. “Do I have to?”

“I think it would be good for you to have one close by in the house.”

She said nothing, looking down at the ground. She scuffed the dirt with the toe of her riding boot.

“What?” Jack asked.

“I just. . .I’m not really comfortable with it.”

He cocked his head to one side. “Were you comfortable with riding the first time you got on Patch?”

“No.”

“Same thing. You’ve shot the rifle twice now, and you’re hitting more than you’re missing. Seems like you have a good eye for it, and a feel for the gun. But the rifle isn’t much good if the enemy is up close. You need to be able to grab that revolver when you need it.”

“You think he’d assault me personally?”

“Why wouldn’t he? You’re the big threat. Let’s say he shoots Ol’ Grumps. What good does that do him?”

“It would scare us,” she said. “Well, me, anyway.”

Jack nodded. “It might even drive you away, but I doubt it. What it would do for sure is decrease the value of the estate. You know his cousin spent a pile of money on that bull. That would be lost if the bull was destroyed. You, on the other hand. . . If you were out of the picture, he gets half the estate. Period.”

She stood very still. “You think he’ll shoot me?”

Jack just looked at her for a long moment then said softly, “I’m not trying to scare you, Rachel. At least not more than I think is necessary. This man means business, and the surest way for him to get what he wants is for you to be unable to claim it.”

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than ninety published novels. She’s a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award and the Will Rogers Medallion, and also a winner of the Carol Award and a finalist in the WILLA Literary Awards. A Maine native, she now lives in Kentucky. Visit her website at: https://susanpagedavis.com , where you can see all her books, sign up for her occasional newsletter, and read a short story on her Freebies tab.

Website: https://susanpagedavis.com

Twitter: @SusanPageDavis

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanpagedavisauthor

Newsletter: https://madmimi.com/signups/118177/join

Buy The Mail-Order Standoff at:

Amazon

Christian Book

About Susan's Giveaway:

Susan is offering a print (paperback) copy of Mail-Order Bride Standoff to one of this blog's readers who leaves a comment below with name and email address (so we can notify you if you win). Giveaway runs for one week, ending on March 11, 2020, at Midnight, Central time. Winner will be notified vis email sometime on the 12th. Thanks for taking part and supporting Susan.

FAITHFUL FRIDAY GUEST BLOGGERS NEEDED

Faithful Friday

Hi, everyone, Whispers in Purple's faithful, Faithful Friday contributor, Alexis A. Goring, is taking a hiatus from posting her wonderful devotions here for an indefinite period of time.

And I don't write devotionals.

So, I'm putting out a call for some of you who DO write them to step up to the plate and help me out.

If you're interested, just click on the orange and white Signup Box on the left sidebar and pick a Friday that works for you.

I would be forever grateful to host you.

Thanks so much for considering this opportunity. And God Bless You!

THE DUKE'S REFUGE ~ Lorri Dudley ~ Book Spotlight ~ Giveaway

Oak tree - Image supplied by Lorri Dudley

Danger, plot twists, and reversals, we love them in books. It’s what keeps us turning the pages, even though, we should have turned off the light and gone to bed an hour ago. What’s a book without tension? In The Duke’s Refuge, Georgia Lennox must wrench a proposal from a titled aristocrat, or her mother will marry her off to the reprehensible Viscount of Ashburnham. Georgia has an earl on the verge of proposing when her mother sends her to the Leeward Island of Nevis to care for her dying father. Tensions mount when her sister writes that, in Georgia's absence, another woman vies for the earl’s affections.

 

Authors aren’t malicious, but we do spend hours creating overwhelming problems for our characters. Will Georgia find a way to avoid marrying the viscount? Will she return to England or stay with her dying father who abandoned her as a young girl? And what about the unwanted feelings she has toward a handsome but frustrating island schoolmaster? Even the relaxed beauty of the tropical setting seems contrary until Georgia realizes she might have more in common with the island of Nevis than she’d originally imagined. “The isle’s beauty was alluring, but upon closer inspection, it was conflicted, untamed, and misunderstood.”

While it’s great to have conflict in a romance novel, in my own life, I prefer a peaceful, stress-free existence. Do I have it? Nope. Jesus said in John 16:33 (NIV), “In this life you will have trouble...” not may or might, we will have trouble. So how then, when problems arise, do we keep them from shaking us to our very core?

We need to remember to be like the palm tree.

Picture supplied by Lorri Dudley

In the beginning of The Duke’s Refuge, Georgia’s self-reliant countenance is like that of a mighty oak tree. During storms, the oak relies on its own strength to face fierce winds and high water. Yet when a hurricane comes, the oak can be completely uprooted, and its branches broken.

The palm tree, on the other hand, remains flexible. It bends but doesn’t break. It folds its palms so that the wind passes through and doesn’t tear it apart. The palm also sends down deep and wide roots for a sturdier base.

Let’s look at the second part of what Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” but then He states, “But take heart, I have overcome the world.” By the end of the book, when all seems lost, Georgia grasps the need to bend like the palm tree. She bows to God’s will and entrusts her life to Him. Whereas the palm folds its leaves, she folds her hands and cries out to the One who has overcome the world.

When life’s hurricanes sweep through our lives, like Georgia, we get to choose if we’re going to be a mighty oak and rely on our own strength or be like the palm tree and draw down deep from the true source of strength, God Almighty.

Psalm 92:12 (NIV) “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree...”

Synopsis for The Duke's Refuge:

When love comes in a tempest, who knew it would wear pink?

Georgia Lennox has traded in her boyish ways for pink gowns and a coy smile to capture the eye of the Earl of Claremont. However, on the day she's convinced the earl will propose, Georgia is shipped off to the Leeward Islands to care for her ailing father. But when she arrives on Nevis, the last thing she expects is to learn that her abrupt departure was not at her father's bidding but that of the infuriating, yet captivating, island schoolmaster. And now her plans may well be shipwrecked.

Harrison Wells is haunted by the memories of his deceased wife and hunted by the subsequent women who aspire to be the next Duchess of Linton. Desiring anonymity, he finds sanctuary in the Leeward island of Nevis. He's willing to sacrifice his ducal title for a schoolmaster's life and the solace the island provides. That is until unrest finds its way to Nevis in a storm of pink chiffon—Miss Georgia Lennox.
​
As Georgia and Harrison's aspirations break apart like a ship cast upon the rocks, a new love surfaces, but secrets and circumstances drag them into rough waters. Can they surrender their hearts to a love that defies their expectations?

Words from Lorri Dudley:

"Why I write...
I believe readers should be led on a heart journey. Romance should allow for an escape from everyday life. It should also lead us to a better understanding of the human condition and how God views us. I believe readers, like the heroines and heroes of stories, are not static creatures and can discover different aspects of themselves through empathizing with characters' comical mishaps and dramatic misunderstandings. I believe romance novels can depict a fallible human heart that can be made whole again by a merciful creator and remind us of the hope for the same." 

Lorri Dudley has been a finalist in numerous writing contests and has a master's degree in Psychology. She lives in Ashland, Massachusetts with her husband and three teenage sons, where writing romance allows her an escape from her testosterone-filled household.

Connect with Lorri at:

Website: http://LorriDudley.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Lorri-Dudley-106417244214488/posts/?ref=page_internal

Purchase links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dukes-Refuge-Leeward-Island-Book-ebook/dp/B07XWRK345/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=The+Duke%27s+refuge&qid=1581100112&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dukes-refuge-lorri-dudley/1133549500?ean=9781942265146

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-duke-s-refuge-by-lorri-dudley

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48346026-the-duke-s-refuge?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=mwT3lQGXkF&rank=1#other_reviews

Lorri is offering a giveaway – a paperback copy of The Duke’s Refuge. To enter, simply leave your name and email address in the comment section below. Giveaway runs for one week from this post date, ending at Midnight, March 4, Central Time. Winner will be notified via email on March 5. Watch your inbox!

Peg here: Thanks, Lorri, for being my guest this week. I used to devour Regency novels, most notably those of "The Grand Sophy" Georgette Heyer. Ever read any of her works?

STRENGTH FOR THE JOURNEY ~ Alexis A. Goring ~ Devotional

Strength For The Journey

Image courtesy Pixbay.com

A Faithful Friday devotional by Alexis A. Goring

One bright and sunny morning, I woke up with my issues on my mind.

As the minutes of what was otherwise a beautiful morning, ticked by, I felt more upset and depressed.

I opened my True Identity Bible and prayed to God, asking Him to be with me as I read the texts. At first, I couldn’t focus. So I was honest with God, telling Him what was on my mind. Then I returned my focus to Bible study. And then I saw it: My handwritten, blue ink colored note in the margin of a page in my Bible where I commented on the boxed text. Previously, I had written, “beautiful thought, could be a devotional!”

Inspired, I closed my Bible and asked God to guide me as I turned that thought into a devotional. Less than an hour later, I had written a devotional about how believers in God need to show people Jesus Christ, not just preach about Him.

After I finished editing my devotional, I realized that I felt so much better. The heaviness on my heart and sadness in my mind were lifted. I felt refreshed. And I knew why: Instead of reaching out to a friend or family member as I had so many times before, I went straight to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

There’s a beautiful SONG by Byron Cage called “There is A Name.”

The song basically says that the precious name of Jesus brings healing. It is a holy Name that we are to praise and revere. And what really stands out to me is a practical application he makes toward the end his song when he stops singing and starts preaching. He says:

“You can’t really get the victory until you call on the name of Jesus. You can talk to your girlfriend on the phone all night long. You can talk to your mother and to your father, but it’s not until you call the name of Jesus that demons have got to tremble. You can cry about it, you can talk about it but until you open up your mouth and begin to bless the name of Jesus and begin to rebuke the adversary in the name of Jesus: I speak healing in my body, in the name of Jesus. I speak deliverance in my spirit, in the name of Jesus! I speak peace in my mind, in the name of Jesus! It’s in the Name of Jesus!”

Finally, not only did I learn my lesson of going to God before you go to people; I also experienced the peace and freedom that results in consulting God first! Taking my concerns to Jesus Christ before speaking to anyone else has greatly blessed me.

I am encouraged to, from now on, go to God first.

Just like the preaching at the end of the song says: You can talk to anyone here on Earth, but complete and true deliverance doesn’t come until you talk to God! Calling on the Name of Jesus sets you free. His name brings healing. His name brings peace. Only Jesus truly understands you and only He knows what’s on your heart before you find your voice to express it.

The older I become, the more I realize what a blessing it is to have Jesus as my Savior and my Best Friend. He understands me completely and sees my flaws, yet He loves me unconditionally.

Growing up, I wanted what people called a “forever friend” who was loyal and true and whom I could call upon any time of the day or night. As an adult, when God blessed me with a few forever friends, including one who said I can text her “anytime” as often as I need to. She assured me that I’m “not exasperating” her at all. God also blessed me with a few other God-fearing, true friends who share her sentiment and want to be there for me. I treasure their friendship, kind words and prayer support.

However, I realized that though I am grateful to have true friends who want to be there for me any time of the day or night, the only one whose love for me is unfailing and whose patience in hearing me endures forever, is Jesus Christ. He is my Forever Friend for life.

Jesus is the only one who has the power to give me a peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7). He is the only one who understands me and knows how to help me before I begin to ask. Even the most helpful humans can become exhausted in dealing with other humans because we’re only human. But our Heavenly Father (God) and His Son (Jesus Christ) never become exhausted! The Bible says that they never sleep (Psalm 121:2-4), nor do they become exasperated from hearing from us whenever we call, even if it’s more than once a day. And as for comfort, they send their Holy Spirit to comfort us in ways that mere mortals (humans) cannot. Read John 14:26.

As an adult, I realized how blessed I’ve always been to have the Savior of the world Jesus Christ (1 John 4:14) on my side. The Bible says that God formed us and knew us before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5). He knows us more intimately than our mamas who carried us for nine months and gave birth to us. Only He is perfectly capable of helping to meet our every need.

The older I become, the more I realize that I always need to go to God first in order to get strength for my journey through life on this Earth. God places His people on this planet in all professions to help us, and He orchestrates friendships and relationships between humans that are a beautiful blessing. However, we should never place any human before Him. And no human should ever be one who we rely on for strength. Just like the song by Byron Cage says, only the Name of Jesus has the power to set us free. Calling on Him is a game changer!

As I close this devotional, I’d like to encourage you always to remember that you have a Friend named Jesus Christ who loves you with His life (John 3:16). Ask Him to be your life coach and best friend. He’s already cheering you on because He loves you!

Jesus wants to encourage your heart as you go through the human experience here on Earth. He says not to let your heart be troubled (John 14:1) because He has overcome the world (John 16:33), and He can help you overcome it too!

Author Bio: Alexis A. Goring is a passionate writer with a degree in Print Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing. She loves the art of storytelling and hopes that her stories will connect readers with the enduring, forever love of Jesus Christ.

A HOME FOR FRITZ JUNE FOSTER ~ GIVEAWAY

Hey, everybody! It's

Throwback Thursday here on

Whispers in Purple!

Please Welcome author June Foster as we

 spotlight a book from her backlist ...

A HOME FOR FRITZ

(There's a GIVEAWAY , too! Details below.)

All Brooke Cantrell wants is two weeks to live Brooke Radcliff's life. But the one person who knows the truth resides in the room next to hers at Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch. When Brooke falls in love with the handsome wrangler who works on the ranch, will her employer's daughter tell him the truth Brooke hides?

Garrett Bowman has finally found peace under Wyoming skies at Sunrise Peaks Guest Ranch. Never again will he return to the demanding corporate life in Seattle, Washington. But will the guests recognize him from the incriminating newspaper and magazine articles eighteen months ago??

                                                                          

Excerpt from the book:

At the clearing near a forest of towering Douglas fir, Brooke Cantrell drew in a long breath of Wyoming air and slowly exhaled. Bushes with red spindly flowers grew in clumps, dotting the open space where she stood. On the northern horizon, the Big Horn Mountains ascended high into the sky, more imposing than any Dallas skyscraper.

A howl charged the air.

Dog? Or wolf? She held the next breath and stood as still as the Indian Paintbrush on the windless day, listening. Had she imagined it?

Rowff. Rowff. Yap. Oww.

A swell of pain pummeled her chest. Only a wounded animal could vocalize such a woeful pitch. What if it was dying? No. She gripped a strand of hair and yanked.

Driven by childhood memories of loss, she crept forward, ignoring all caution. Death had won too many rounds in her life.

Where had the sound come from? The left, the right, straight ahead? She stopped.

Yow, yap.

She darted toward the cops of evergreens. Over another rise in the landscape, a pungent odor, like turpentine assaulted Brooke's nose. She sidestepped the sagebrush growing close to the ground as she skulked toward the mournful cries. She skirted the pond, complete with beavers' dam, then scaled the rising countryside to the forest.

The wail grew more desperate.

What if a dangerous animal waited within the trees? Brooke's knees locked. She had no self-defense skills. Moose and savage wolves didn't exactly roam big-city neighborhoods. She should scramble to safety.

No, what if a wounded pup needed help? One of the working dogs at Sunlight Peaks Guest Ranch? Yet, no amount of help could've saved Rowdy all those years ago—her dog Daddy brought home when Mama died. His furry presence and warm cuddles had seen her through many a lonely day. Rubbing her eyes didn't erase the stinging.

Now at the tree line, she navigated around a couple of fir trees, guided by the sound's source then gasped.

A short distance into the forest, a golden doodle, its paw in an iron trap, writhed and wiggled, then whined and gawked with pitiful eyes.

"Oh, doggie. I'm so sorry." What should she do? She angled a desperate glance in the direction of the ranch, but no one strolled the path. She dared a few cautious steps nearer the dog. In an instinctive urge to comfort the creature, she reached to ruffle its fur then jerked her hand away. The dog might not understand and bite her.

Instead, she lifted her palm in a stop signal. She had to take action. "Just hang on, little guy. I'll find someone to help."

Brooke raced toward the clearing, heart pounding. Not because she dashed in and out of the dense trees but anguish gripped her insides. A suffering animal would continue in pain until she found aid. 

Link for purchase: https://amzn.to/2KzzWdm

Author Bio:

An award-winning author, June Foster is also a retired teacher with a BA in Education and a MA in counseling. She is the mother of two and grandmother of ten. June began writing Christian romance in 2010. She penned her first novel on her Toshiba laptop as she and her husband traveled the US in their RV. Her adventures provide a rich source of information for her novels. She brags about visiting a location before it becomes the setting in her next book.

To date, June has written twenty-two contemporary romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. She loves to compose stories about characters who overcome the circumstances in their lives by the power of God and His Word. June uses her training in counseling and her Christian beliefs in creating characters who find freedom to live godly lives. She's published with Winged Publications. Visit June at www.junefoster.com to see a complete list of her books.

About the Giveaway:

Who doesn't love a story with a dog in it? Of course there's a little romance involved, too.

June is offering a free eBook copy of A HOME FOR FRITZ to one of my readers who leaves a comment below with your name and contact information. This giveaway runs for one week from today, ending on Thursday, Feb 27, 2020, at MIDNIGHT Central Time. 

Thank you, June, for being my guest once again. You're always welcome here!