BOOK DAY August 2025

FIND A NEW READ FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

 

 

THE DAUGHTER’S PREDICAMENT

The Quilting Circle (Book 2)

By Mary Davis

Can a patient love win her heart? As Isabelle Atwood’s romance prospects are turning in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams. A handsome rancher, a stranger, and an unseen suitor are all waiting for an answer to his proposal. Isabelle loves her sister, but will she really allow herself to be manipulated into a marriage without love? Will Isabelle capitulate and marry the man her parents wish her to, or will she rebel and marry the man they don’t approve of? Or will the man leaving her secret love poems sweep her off her feet?

BRIDE BY BEGUILEMENT

By Debbie Lynne Costello

Kirsten father’s last will and testament stipulates that she must either marry, lead the plantation into a first year profit, or forfeit it to her uncle. Thefts are hurting the profit and marriage is proving no easy option. Every suitor seems more enamored with the land than with her. Silas’s last year at veterinary school ends abruptly when he is called home to care for his young orphaned sisters. Troubles compound when he finds an insurmountable lien on the family home and an unscrupulous banker is calling in the loan. How will the two overcome pride and distrust to find real happiness?

 

 

CRAZY ABOUT CAIT

By Nancy J. Farrier

Cait Sullivan can’t believe her father had the temerity to hire Jonas Hall to take over her job—training their famed horses. Cait understands the importance of selling their horses to offset the cattle loss during the drought, but to hire Jonas after the way he broke her sister’s heart? That’s wrong. Jonas has to hide the fact he’s always loved Cait, and that he’s asked her father’s permission to win her hand in marriage. Now he must convince the fiery-tempered lass he isn’t the villain she thinks he is, and she is the bride God has for him.

 

JOURNEY OF THE HEART

By Johnnie Alexander

To her neighbors, Charity Sinclair is the charming daughter of a small-town Ohio postmaster. But behind her smile lies a dangerous secret: she’s an abolitionist aiding the Underground Railroad and writing fiery pamphlets under a false name. Architect Tavish Dunbar is commissioned to redesign the post office, but his plans are thwarted by the cagey postmaster and his beguiling daughter. As Tavish and Charity are drawn into the perilous escape of a fugitive slave, they’re forced into an uneasy alliance. Pursued along the Ohio-Erie Canal, they must risk everything for justice, freedom—and a love neither expected to find.

 

 

A LESSON IN LOVE

By Linda Shenton Matchett

He thinks he’s too old. She thinks she’s too young. Can these teachers learn that love defies all boundaries? Born and raised in London, Isobel Turvine knows nothing about farming, but after the students in her school evacuate during Operation Pied Piper, she’s left with little to do. Her friend talks her into joining the Women’s Land Army, and she finds herself working the land at a manor home in Yorkshire that’s been converted to a boys’ school. A teacher at heart, she is drawn to the lads, but the handsome yet stiff-necked headmaster wants her to stick to farming.

 

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.

 

 

LAST LIGHT OVER GALVESTON

By Jennifer L. Wright

"Amid the 1900 Galveston hurricane, one woman’s perseverance is tested in this story that Lisa Wingate calls 'beautifully written' and Donna Everhart describes as a 'lyrical, uplifting novel.' As troubling news about a storm crossing the Gulf from Cuba swirls in the Weather Bureau offices, nineteen year-old Kathleen McDaniel, on the run from her horrific past, must gather her courage and reach for a strength beyond her own if she―and those she loves―are to survive."

 

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.”

 

 

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?

 

 

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 Goldseries.

 

TESTING TESSA

By Donna Schlachter

In 1868, Tessa, a Mennonite nurse graduates from nursing school and is assigned to the Amana Colonies in Iowa because of her expertise in treating asthma and other breathing problems. Seth, a widower in Amana, is still nursing a broken heart from his sweetheart's passing two years before. His invalid son Caleb has been afflicted with the same form of asthma that killed his wife, and Seth stands by helplessly as his son fades away. Can he trust God and trust medicine, or is faith in one mutually exclusive of faith in the other?

 

 

DESTINY OF HEART

By Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

Confusion and uncertainty hover around Ruby McConnell Meir's skirts like the dust storms and droughts, weakening her faith. Will her husband live—or die? The Roaring Twenties dive into the Great Depression. The McConnells battle for survival. Collina faces insurmountable odds to rescue Shushan. Rough Rider Franklin Long loses what money couldn’t buy. Is it too late to make right his failings? “…I read it on my Kindle but bought copies in paperback for gifts. My friends loved it… A great book historically and a great testimony of God's faithfulness… Catherine's books just keep getting better and better.” Amazon Reader

 

 

CHERISHING HER HEART

By Cindy Ervin Huff

Dianna Pilson escaped from the asylum with the help of her mother, after being forced there by her unsavory ex-husband. She heads west with Fredrick, her late father’s valet, taking on the role as his daughter, Susan Sullivan. Monty Summerfield, a wealthy rancher is drawn to Susan. When her past comes calling he will do whatever it takes to protect her.

 

TEXAS FORSAKEN

By Sherry Shindelar

Maggie Logan (Eyes-Like-Sky) lost everything when a raid tore her from her family. She adapted—marrying a Comanche and rebuilding her life. But the U.S. Cavalry destroys that life. Forced into a world she wants nothing to do with, Eyes-Like-Sky’s only hope may be an engagement to the man who killed her husband. Plagued by guilt, Captain Garret Ramsey seeks redemption by taking responsibility for the woman he widowed and her baby. Though he is determined to do whatever it takes to protect them, is he willing to risk everything for a woman whose heart is buried in a grave?

 

 

 

 

The Unusual Island of the Colorblind

The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago of tiny islands in the western Pacific Ocean, to the north of New Guinea. On the eastern side is a tiny atoll called Pingelap. (An atoll is a group of islets connected in a ring by a coral reef. Atolls nearly or completely enclose a lagoon.)

Satellite Image of Pingelap Atoll

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Pingelap, a municipality of the Federated States of Micronesia, consists of three of these tiny islets, only one of which is inhabited. About 250 people live on Pingelap, but that was not always the case. Pingelap has an amazing history, and even more so, it has a unique claim to fame.

The part of the world where 455 acre Pingelap is located has never been a stranger to typhoons, but in 1775, while western parts of the world were caught in the throes of revolution, Pingelap was struck by a devastating typhoon. The typhoon named Lengkieki nearly wiped its civilization out. Only about twenty people survived. One of those who survived the typhoon and the famine which followed was the atoll's king, Nahnmwarki Mwanenised. 

But after years of research, it was discovered that the king was the source of a recessive gene, an inherited trait, that due to the geographic and cultural isolation of Pingelap, was bred into future generations of the tiny population. The gene began showing up about four generations later. By the sixth generation, about 5% of the population was affected. 

The trait was "rod monochromatism", also called achromatopsia--to the layman, complete colorblindness. 

People with the condition see in shades of black, white, and gray. "Color" is only a word to them. Oftentimes their vision is blurry, and they are very sensitive to light, so they have trouble seeing in sunlight. Their night vision, however, is much stronger than people who do not have achromatopsia. They can often easily spot faint light. Sometimes the use of eyeglass lenses in dark, red, or blue can aid them in filtering the bright light of day.

On Pingelap, the island king seemed to have been the only person to carry the trait after the time of typhoon Lengkieki, but he passed the gene along. Island lore says that the gene was actually introduced into the populace before King Nahnmwaarki Mwanenised's time by a marooned Irish sailor. Nowadays, approximately 250 people live on the tropical paradise of Pingelap, and amazingly, 10% of them are monochromatics. Meanwhile, world-wide, the condition is extremely rare, with only 1 in 30,000 people having this complete form of colorblindness. In the United States, that's only around 10,000 people of the nation's more than 343 million.

Pingelap became known as the Island of the Colorblind and as a living case study of the condition (see the book below). The small atoll has also played important roles in both world wars. The Peace Corp and U.S. Air Force have a presence there today.

The Island of the Colorblind, a 1997 book by neurologist Oliver Sacks about achromatopsia on the Micronesian atoll of Pingelap.

For more on the island's history, it's beauty, and it's unique population, here is a video that delves further into this interesting atoll of the Pacific: 

Pingelap, the Village of Colorblind

____________________________________________

I began researching achromatopsia while working on my upcoming novel The Girl from Tomorrow's Town, book five in Barbour's Enduring Hope series, releasing in Spring of 2026. One of my story's protagonists who works as a roustabout with a famous circus has the condition. I hope you'll join my newsletter to catch the upcoming cover reveal and to learn more about this exciting story, as well as discover some of the further nuances surrounding the lifestyle of those with total monochromatism.  

Northwoods Faith & Fiction Newsletter

On This Day… in 1826 – Walter Cecil Macfarren by Donna Schlachter

The only known portrait of Walter Cecil Macfarren (Wikipedia)

When we think of great musical composers in history, likely names such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach jump instantly to mind. And while it is unlikely that the name of our featured guest would spark any connection with these legendary greats, he does hold a special place in the hallowed halls of musical composition.

Walter Cecil Macfarren was born August 28, 1826 in London, the youngest son of dramatist George Macfarren, and the less-famous brother of musician George Alexander Macfarren. At the age of four he showed some musical promise, and by age ten he was serving as a choir-boy at Westminster Abbey. He sang at the coronation of Queen Victoria when he was 12, in 1838.

However, soon after, his voice changed as he entered puberty, and he briefly considered becoming an artist, even taking painting lessons. When that didn’t suit him, he worked as a salesman for pianos in Brighton.

Not finding that to his liking either, he entered the Royal Academy of Music in 1842, studying piano and composition. On his graduation, he remained on staff at the Academy, first as a sub-professor of the pianoforte, and eventually as a full professor. Macfarren served for 57 years, lecturing six times a year and teaching piano.

In 1852, at the age of 26, he married Julia Fanner, the daughter of an artist. The story goes that “her mind gave way” in 1878, which implies she suffered from some form of mental illness. She died in their 50th year of marriage. The couple had no children.

In 1862, he was appointed musical critic to The Queen newspaper, and later he edited Popular Classics and Mozart’s complete piano works and Beethoven’s sonatas.

During this time, his classical education inspired his composition of many small but solid piano pieces, always pleasing to the ear and stylistic, reminiscent of Mendelssohn. He also conducted concerts at the Academy, and served as treasurer of the Royal Philharmonic Society for three years, before turning his attention back to composition. In 1881, he wrote a concert piece for piano and orchestra, proving his ability and skill at writing for more than one instrument at a time. As if he wasn’t busy enough, he also released his Scale and Arpeggio Manual in 1862.

On his 70th birthday, Macfarren founded two prizes for pianoforte playing at the Academy. He retired in 1904 from all other work apart from remaining as a contributor to The Queen, and he published his autobiography in 1905, Memories. He lived his remaining days in Osnaburgh Terrace, London, usually spending his vacations at Brighton. He died later that year and is buried in St. Pancras and Islington Cemetery in East Finchley, London.



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 eager to tell their story.

www.DonnaSchlachter.com

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Sources:

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

https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Walter_Cecil_Macfarren Includes a list of his works

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1912_supplement/Macfarren,_Walter_Cecil Includes more about his earlier life

 

Nineteenth Century Destination Wedding

by Kimberly Keagan 

When we think of nineteenth-century weddings, we imagine lace gowns, horse-drawn carriages, and church bells pealing across the countryside. But some couples weren’t satisfied with a walk down the aisle—they wanted a flight into the clouds.

Hot-air balloons had captured the public imagination since the late 1700s, and by the late nineteenth century, balloon ascensions were the must-see attraction at fairs and celebrations. Aeronauts often drew crowds of thousands, and newspapers eagerly reported their daring exploits. In a culture fascinated by invention and spectacle, it was perhaps only a matter of time before someone decided to turn a balloon ride into the ultimate wedding adventure. 

 

 

The wedding party for Margaret Buckley and Edward T. Davis 

with aeronaut James Allen, Sept. 27, 1888. 

National Air and Space Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution

On July 12, 1890, the British magazine The Gentlewoman poked fun at American extravagance with this tongue-in-cheek report:

“It is possible, perhaps, even in this realistic age, that there still exist unsophisticated folk, who believe that matrimony is, figuratively speaking, the gate to the seventh heaven of bliss. This was, however, actually realized in a literal sense the other day when Mr. C.G. Stowell was united to Miss Lottie Anderson in an anchored balloon. After the ceremony was over, the bridegroom, who is a professional aeronaut, cut the cords which bound them to earth, and they have not since been heard of!”

According to the article, 10,000 curious onlookers had witnessed this “interesting experiment” somewhere “on the other side of the pond.” To British readers, it was a perfect example of American showmanship—bold, brash, and more than a little reckless.

Truth Behind the Tale

As entertaining as the story was, it wasn’t entirely accurate. A Washington State newspaper, the Tacoma News Tribune, provided the more down-to-earth version:

“Mr. and Mrs. Christopher J. Stowell, who made their wedding tour in a balloon under the guidance of Professor J.K. Allen, of Providence, R.I., from Lowell, at the fair grounds July 4th, landed after an hour and 40 minutes in the clouds at what is known as Breakneck Hill in the town of Byfield, Mass. The adventurous couple had an uneventful tour, but a decidedly eventful arrival on terra firma…”

The “eventful arrival” was almost disastrous. Heavy rains had soaked the balloon, weighing it down until it bobbed dangerously close to the ground. When the basket brushed the earth, the gallant bridegroom tried to help his new wife out. The moment she stepped onto solid ground, however, the balloon suddenly shot upward, lightened of its precious cargo. Only the quick thinking of aeronaut James Allen saved the day—he grabbed Mrs. Stowell and hauled her back in. With everyone safely aboard again, Allen took charge of the landing, and the wedding ended with cheers rather than tragedy.

Balloon Weddings: A Late 19th Century Spectacle

While the Stowells’ midair nuptials raised eyebrows, they weren’t the first to take marriage vows in a balloon. Two years earlier, on September 27, 1888, Margaret Buckley and Edward T. Davis were wed with aeronaut James Allen present in the balloon’s basket. A remarkable photograph of the occasion, preserved in the Smithsonian Institution’s archives, shows the couple and their wedding party posing proudly before their unusual “venue.”

Balloon ascensions had become wildly popular by the late nineteenth century. Crowds flocked to fairs and festivals to watch aeronauts rise into the sky, and balloonists became celebrities in their own right. Adding a wedding to the spectacle was the natural next step.

Why Wed in the Air?

For adventurous couples, a balloon wedding offered more than novelty: 

*Adventure: What better way to begin a life together than “on a high note”?
*Modernity: Balloons were symbols of progress, invention, and exploration.
*Spectacle: A midair wedding guaranteed headlines and bragging rights.

And perhaps, for some, the idea of starting married life by literally “taking off together” carried its own romantic symbolism.

The Legacy

Balloon weddings never became common, but the handful that occurred captured the imagination of the press and the public alike. They remind us that Victorians weren’t always as staid and serious as we picture them—they loved novelty, daring displays, and celebrations that pushed the boundaries of tradition.

So while most brides of the era dreamed of walking down the aisle, a few chose to soar into matrimony, quite literally, on cloud nine.

Would you dare say “I do” in a balloon, or would you prefer to keep your feet firmly planted on the ground? 

 

Kimberly Keagan is a former corporate financial writer (not very romantic) who now crafts historical romances filled with strong heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, faith, and a touch of humor. Her Gilded Age romance, Perfect, is her debut novel. 

Unexpected

Hearts on Display, Book 2 

Coming September 23, 2025!

In a world obsessed with appearances, can they risk everything for a love that’s real?

A story of romance, resilience, and the power of faith, Unexpected is filled with heart, wit, and the courage to step into the light.

Perfect for fans of:

• grumpy/sunshine dynamics
• hidden identities
• workplace rivals-to-lovers
• maternal matchmakers
• fiercely competent heroines