APRIL 2025 Book Day

 RAINING BOOKS

 

 

TITANIC: VOYAGE OF INTENT

By Mary Davis

Will trying to save her brother's life cost Brenna her own? Brenna Kelly's brother has been accused of a murder he didn't commit and sentenced to die. Brenna follows the real murderer aboard the luxury liner Titanic to find the proof to save her brother from the gallows. Little does she know that her fate is as tenuous as her brother’s. Cliffton Statham is charmed by Brenna and sets out to help her and win her affections. But his flimsy relationship with his uncle puts his future in jeopardy, and he must decide between Brenna and saving himself. Can Brenna find the proof she needs in time? Will love be a help or a hindrance? Will the icy waters of the Atlantic be the end of them all?

 

 

 

SWORD OF FORGIVENESS

By Debbie Lynne Costello

When her father died, she had promised herself no man would own her again, yet who could defy an edict of the king? After the death of her cruel father, Brithwin is determined never again to live under the harsh rule of any man. Independent and resourceful, she longs to be left alone to manage her father’s estate. But she soon discovers a woman has few choices when the king decrees she is to marry Royce, the Lord of Rosencraig. As if the unwelcome marriage isn’t enough, her new husband accuses her of murdering his family, and she is faced with a challenge of either proving her innocence or facing possible execution.

 

 

 

SONORAN STAR

By Nancy J. Farrier

She’s come to Tucson for a new start. He believes she’s a criminal in disguise. All her life, Kathleen O'Connor's flaw has isolated her. Even her mother is ashamed of her, and Kathleen fades to the background. Still, she longs for a husband and children. Deputy Quinn Kirby mistakes Kathleen for a criminal but discovers his error. He recognizes this veiled woman's beauty, and he's more than ready to stake his claim. The only problem is, she won't have him. Will God work a miracle to bring these two hearts together?

 

 

 

TITANIC: LEGACY OF BETRAYAL

A Time-Slip Novel

By Kathleen E. Kovach, et al.

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection. Follow two intertwining stories a century apart. 1912 - Matriarch Olive Stanford protects a secret after boarding the Titanic that must go to her grave. 2012 - Portland real estate agent Ember Keaton-Jones receives the key that will unlock the mystery of her past... and her distrusting heart. Review: “I told my wife to move this book to the top of her reading list... This titanic story is more interesting than the one told in the Titanic movie... She will absolutely love it.”

 

 

 

THE HEALER'S TOUCH

By Amber Schamel

Aaliyah's last chance at winning her husband's love is destroyed when she is banished from her home as an 'unclean' sinner, exiled to the leper colony. When a chance at being cured comes in the form of a rumor, she must risk her life to appear in public, or die a leper.

 

 

 

PERFECT

HEARTS ON DISPLAY, Book 1

By Kimberly Keagan

When the perfect life unravels, can love turn the page to a new beginning? In 1895 New York, department store heir William Walraven must prove himself by opening Denwall’s newest store before Christmas—until a chance encounter with a lovely bookseller throws him off course. Ivy King is barely keeping her family’s shop afloat and has no time for distractions, especially not a charming man whose emporium threatens her livelihood. But when an attack on Will’s brother draws them together, Will and Ivy must decide what matters most—expectations, ambition…or an unexpected love that just might be perfect.

RELEASES MAY 6^th

 

 

 

WHEN MEMORY WHISPERS

By Johnnie Alexander

Marie Wyatt longed for fame and fortune and found herself in wartime London working as an Allied courier. But when a routine mission turns deadly, a mysterious German agent becomes her unlikely savior. Yet the line between duty and loyalty blurs when the German agent is imprisoned in a Florida POW camp with Axis soldiers who consider him a traitor. Marie embarks on a desperate mission to save him before he’s fatally injured. Plummet into a heart-wrenching tale of courage, treachery, and a love that defies all odds.

 

 

 

THE GIRL FROM THE PAPERS

By Jennifer L. Wright

A riveting tale set during the public enemy era of the Great Depression. Beatrice Carraway has dreams. But as the Great Depression drags the working class further and further under, Beatrice struggles just to keep herself and her family afloat. But then, in walks Jack Turner. It isn’t long before Beatrice is swept into an exciting and glamorous life of crime beside the man she loves. Yet as their infamy grows, Beatrice starts to long for something deeper. And when the danger of Jack’s schemes ratchets up, Beatrice fears her dreams―and her future―will end up going down in a hail of bullets.

 

 

 

THE CURATOR'S SECRET

By Denise Weimer

It’s taken six years for Lacey Colbert to escape the heartbreak that caused her to disappear from Golden Isles Christian Camp and the life of her summer sweetheart, Trent Stevenson. Then a museum curator job at a Gilded Age resort lures her back to Georgia’s Jekyll Island. Lacey finds Trent a director of landscaping right in her historic district. Winter Haven cottage’s century-old mystery of a vanished fiancé compels Lacey to settle her own past with Trent. Just one thing stands in the way … the fact that someone else likes uncovering secrets, too—Lacey’s. And her unknown foe won’t hesitate to use them against her.

 

 

 

THE ANGEL AND THE SKY PILOT

Selah Finalist!

By Naomi Musch

In COURTING THE COUNTRY PREACHER

4 STORIES OF FAITH, HOPE, AND FALLING IN LOVE

Everett thought his past was forever buried, until he learned he’d have to prove himself to the lumberjacks—and until he met the woman who lived with her father in great northern forests near the camps. Angel smiled at Everett, but now the look in his eyes said that he believed his rudder had somehow broken loose. And at the end of the day, no matter how he came to the decision to fight Mick, she was the one battering his hull.

 

 

 

CHERISHING HER HEART

By Cindy Ervin Huff

After being falsely imprisoned in an asylum, Susan escapes and assumes the identity to a simple valet’s daughter. Once she starts a new life in Kansas she vows to never be under a man’s thumb again. But Monty’s presence makes her heart race and his care and kindness under different circumstances might win her heart. When her ex-husband puts a bounty on her head for her return, Monty steps up to help. Can she trust this handsome rancher to protect her and not control her?

 

 

 

EVEN IF WE CRY

By Terrie Todd

Nina’s one task is to keep her family together while a world war threatens to rip them apart. Warned they “mustn’t cry,” British teenager Nina Gabriel and her two siblings board a ship bound for Canada as part of the WWII child evacuee program. Nina’s mischievous brother and seasick sister test her limits on the voyage—but her burden of responsibility grows still heavier in Canada. When a telegram arrives after a London bombing, will Nina find a way to fulfill her promise for the brother she’s never met? Will the Gabriel siblings learn they are loved, even if they cry?

 

 

 

WILTED DANDELIONS

By Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

Rachael is eager to leave her life of luxury in Boston to share the gospel with Native Americans in the west. The only problem is the missionary alliance won't let her go unless she's married. When Dr. Jonathan, another missionary hopeful learns about the restrictions, he is desperate to find a wife. They agree to a marriage of convenience and learns God doesn’t create coincidences—He designs possibilities. “…one gripping, compelling read. Wilted Dandelions by Ms. Brakefield had me eagerly turning pages and sighing over the love story premise as well as taking comfort in the spiritual message…” ES Amazon Reader

 

 

 

IVY'S INHERITANCE

By Linda Shenton Matchett

Ivy Cregg’s father is a gambler, but this time he’s gone too far. He loses his mining fortune and her along with it in a high-stakes poker game. Unwilling to go along with the deal, she hides out with a friend who tells her about Ms. Crenshaw, owner of the Westward Home & Hearts Mail-Order Bride Agency who is in town. The prospective groom is a wealthy man which seems like an answer to prayer until Ivy discovers he made his fortune in mining. Is he as untrustworthy as her father?

 

 

 

EL JIREH - THE GOD WHO PROVIDES

Compiled by Living Parables of Central Florida

Mary Dodge Allen, contributor

In A Mother’s Desperate Prayer, Mary Dodge Allen shares her struggle with guilt and despair after her son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh shows His hand. God doesn’t always give us what we want or when we want it, but He perfectly provides all we need at the right time. The stories, poems, devotions, and essays in this collection demonstrate the various and mysterious ways God is El Jireh—the God who provides—to His children.

 

 

 

MONTANA GOLD

By Janalyn Voigt

Strike it rich with Montana Gold! Escape into six heartfelt inspirational Western historical romances that will affirm your faith in love. Follow the lives and loves of an Irish family in the Wild West. Travel the Oregon Trail to Montana's gold camps and fledgling cattle ranches. Experience each vibrant story and revel in the beauty and resilience of the American West. Here's your chance to savor new love, rousing adventure, and spiritual renewal on every page. Read the Montana Gold series.

Music For Our Souls - Joseph M. Scriven - "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"

 

THE HYMN

One of the best things I was taught growing up—in school, no less—was that Jesus was my friend. Not only did he know everything I did, thought, said, heard, and felt, but He knew my deepest troubles and sorrows. We learned this hymn in grade school, and it is one of many that have stayed with me through the decades.

Some weeks ago, I found it coming to mind in the wee hours of the morning, and the very next day we sang about the friendship God offers us through Jesus our Savior in our Sunday morning church service. We hadn't sung it in AGES!

I felt God using the hymn to speak to my heart, and of course, His timing was perfect to meet my need.

Later, I learned that there’s an interesting story to share about the life of the Hymn’s writer, Joseph Scriven. First, enjoy and sing along with this lovely acoustic version:

SCRIVEN'S STORY

Joseph Scriven was born at Ballymoney Lodge, Banbridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, on September 10, 1819, the son of Captain John Scriven of the Royal Marines and Jane Medlicott, sister of a Wiltshire Vicar, Rev. Joseph Medlicott whom her son was named after. Having come from a comfortably well-off family, Joseph was educated at Trinity College in Dublin and Addiscombe Military Academy near London.

Joseph Medlicott Scriven

During his years at the academy, Joseph came under the influence of the Plymouth Brethren, a fundamentalist group that rejected teachings of most mainline denominations of the day, believing strongly in the “priesthood of all believers” as spoken of in 1 Peter 2:5-9. They also believed in earnestly living out a life of Christian service.

Scriven graduated in 1842 and planned to marry the following year. Tragically, on the night before he was to be married, his fiancée accidentally drowned.

In 1844, at the age of 25, Scriven felt God was calling him to serve in Canada. He migrated but became ill after only being there a short while before returning to his homeland. Nevertheless, he eventually did make Canada his permanent home, coming back to live there in 1847.

Pray Without Ceasing

The beginning lyrics of his most famous hymn came in a letter he wrote to encourage his mother in 1855, after learning she was gravely ill. He had been living in the home of the Pengellys, in Bewdley Ontario, where he was engaged as a private tutor. There he penned his mother a poem of only two verses which he then titled after the entirety of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which says, “Pray without ceasing.”

He also became engaged to the Pengelly’s niece, Eliza Roche. Scriven encouraged her to be baptized by immersion. The baptism was performed in April, 1860, in Rice Lake. If you know anything about northern climes, April is a very chilly month, still torn between winter and spring. Eliza developed pneumonia and died. Scriven was so grieved by her death, that he left teaching.

Nevertheless, he lived out the next twenty-five years fulfilling his calling to Christian service by performing hundreds of acts of charity. He was known to give his clothing to the needy as well as giving money and his own labor. He was sometimes seen walking the streets of Port Hope, where he lived during the summer months of the year, carrying a saw and sawhorse. He cut wood for the destitute, deliver milk for his landlady, and care for the sick without payment.

Scriven always shared his faith and what drove him to carry out such Christian principles. He could quote scripture for any occasion, and he even preached on Port Hope’s business thoroughfare.

In 1869 Scriven published a collection of 115 Hymns and other verses which did not include "What a friend".

It was in the Sackville home in Bewdley, where he spent his winters, that he wrote the rest of the words to his famous hymn. His hymn was published abroad and in the Port Hope Evening Guide shortly before his death in 1866, although publication doesn’t appear to have been his aim.

As it turned out, Joseph Scriven died at the Sackville home under, what some have called, mysterious circumstances in 1886. He had fallen very ill with a fever, and brought to the Sackville home to recover. The night had grown sultry. At some point during that long, hot night, Joseph M Scriven drowned. He was sixty-six.

He may have gone down to the nearby lake to cool down, or even to get a drink of cold water from the spring. His friend testified:

"We left him about midnight. I withdrew to an adjoining room to watch and pray. You may imagine my surprise and dismay when upon visiting his room I found it empty. All search failed to find a trace of the missing man, until a little after noon his body was discovered in the nearby river, lifeless and cold in death."

He was buried next to his second fiancé in her family cemetery near Bewdley, overlooking the beautiful lake. He left behind one of the world’s most beloved hymns and a legacy of Christian service toward others.

A tall obelisk was built upon his grave with the words from the song and the following inscription:

This monument was erected to the memory of Joseph M. Scriven, B.A., by lovers of his hymn, which is engraved hereon, and is his best memorial.

Born at Seapatrick, Co. Down, Ireland, 10 Sept. 1819, emigrated to Canada 1844. Entered into rest at Bewdley, Rice Lake, 10 August 1886, and buried here.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Now that I know about the life and hardships Scriven, I am even more deeply touched when I sing this marvelous hymn.

What a friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge—

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised

Thou wilt all our burdens bear;

May we ever, Lord, be bringing

All to Thee in earnest prayer.

Soon in glory bright, unclouded,

There will be no need for prayer—

Rapture, praise, and endless worship

Will be our sweet portion there.

__________________________________________________

The Angel and the Sky Pilot is a Selah Award finalist

in the novella category!

Meet Everett Shepherd, a man with a past, called of God to the lumberjacks in the wilds of northern Minnesota, at the turn of the 20th century.

“A preacher!” The guy nearly shouted. “You hear that, Joe?

We got us a preacher all the way up here.”

A wiry man with scraggly gray whiskers, who must be Joe,

sniffed. “I reckon they got to find a man wherever he goes. Can’t

leave well enough alone.”

Don't miss this rollicking story along with three other stellar novellas of first-time preachers in the Courting the Country Preacher historical collection. Also on Kindle Unlimited and Audible.

4.4 Stars on Goodreads!

On this Day – April 28, 1630 – Charles Cotton by Donna Schlachter with giveaway

Charles Cotton, by Alexander Carsgill, 1897 -- Wikipedia

The subject of my research into people born on the 28th of each month, which is the theme of my blog posts for 2025, is one who, for most folks, remains obscure in the pages of history.

Born in England in 1630 to Charles Sr., he lived during a time of great unrest in the British Isles. Little is known of his family, apart from the fact they were Royalists (loyal to the King Charles 1 and the Monarchy). Charles didn’t attend university, which, in itself wasn’t unusual, as few young men and no young women did at the time. However, the nugget of information that he was tutored at home by Ralph Rawson, who had been expelled from Brasenose College, Oxford. Why, we aren’t certain, but it probably had something to do with “behavior unbecoming”.

Cotton was born into a prominent family, and so enjoyed travel in France and Italy following his tutelage. When he was 18, his father died, and he inherited the family estate. Unfortunately, by that time, about the only thing left were multiple lawsuits which his father had accumulated over the years.

He served in Ireland in the army during the War, achieving the rank of captain. Following the English Civil War, which the Royalists lost once the king was killed, Charles spent the rest of his life in quiet country pursuits, mainly in Staffordshire.

He married Isabella Hutchinson, daughter of Thomas Hutchinson, a Member of Parliament for Nottingham, in 1656. They had one daughter, Catherine, who later married a baronet. Isabella passed away in 1670, and he remarried a wealthy woman of the times, Mary Cromwell, Countess of Ardglass, following her husband’s death. However, Cotton had no access to her money, as it was enjoined to her late husband’s estate. But there is no mention that the couple were unhappy in any way as they lived out their remaining years.

Cotton's fishing hut -- Wikipedia

 

 

It was while enjoying the role of country gentleman that he befriended Izaak Walton, and the two worked together on various writing projects over subsequent years. One of the first, The Compleat Gamester, published in 1674 was a compilation of card games and the many iterations of those games with a variety of rules in common usage of the time. The book, long considered the go-to English language book on gambling games including billiards, dice, horse racing, and cock fighting, finally succumbed to the popularity of Hoyle’s Games Complete almost a hundred years later.

As a result of his friendship with Walton, Cotton contributed a section to The Compleat Angler entitled, “Instructions on how to angle for a trout or grayling in a clear stream”. At that time, accessibility to good fishing spots in England was restricted physically and legally, with most land under private ownership.

Cotton made most of his own flies, and kept a large inventory of materials with which to construct these lures. An interesting note is that in Montana, his Stonefly lure is still in use to this day, although in his native England, are rarely used.

Charles Cotton also translated a number of works into English, including a practical book on trees, a biography, and poetry.

Another interesting connection to the United States, which, at the time of his death, was a colony of England that had recently welcomed its first European settlers, is that the Catskill Fly Fishing Museum Hall of Fame has honored him for his contributions to The Compleat Angler, saying, “an angler in his own right, Cotton contributed…12 chapters on fishing, mainly fly fishing” and that “some of his advice is still useful, such as casting away from a fish, and using smaller, neater flies rather than large, bushy ones.”

Wikipedia

 

 

When Cotton died in 1687, he left his insolvent estates to his creditors, and is buried at St. James’s Church, Piccadilly.



Leave a comment to enter a drawing for a free ebook, Dianna’s Dilemma. A talented female journalist tracks down a mystery in eastern Colorado. Remember to include your cleverly-disguised email address so we can let you know if you’re the winner. For example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com

About Dianna’s Dilemma: In 1881, a female journalist travels to La Junta, Colorado, for one story, but finds another even more intriguing. Will she break her promise and reveal a man in hiding—or will she stay true to her word—and her heart? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3SCZFTZ

About Donna:
A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers.

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Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Cotton

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/1231

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Cotton

https://cffcm.com/hall-of-fame/2021/7/14/charles-cottong?srsltid=AfmBOopEc0Fzng3HuGEcMPJbluG37cMXResfWQPEEDUl-_lmZ-FikpnN