I grew up in the small picturesque town of Woodbury, Connecticut. After graduating from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, I returned to Connecticut and found employment in manufacturing. “Just a job” turned into a professional career, much of which was spent working for a Swiss machine tool company. In 2000 I started my own business to provide services to manufacturing clients across the USA. This change also allowed time to develop my writing craft.
From youth I’ve been a serious student of the Civil War. The draft of An Eye for Glory took ten years from conception to completion. Thousands of hours were spent researching every detail through copious reading, Internet research and personal visits to each battlefield so the novel might be as historically accurate and believable as possible. I live in Naugatuck, Connecticut with my wife of thirty-three years, Jackie.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Michael Palmer is a good man, a family man. But honor and duty push him to leave his comfortable life and answer the call from Abraham Lincoln to fight for his country. This ‘citizen soldier’ learns quickly that war is more than the battle on the field. Long marches under extreme conditions, illness, and disillusionment challenge at every turn. Faith seems lost in a blur of smoke and blood…and death.
Michael’s only desire is to kill as many Confederate soldiers as he can so he can go home. He coldly counts off the rebels that fall to his bullets. Until he is brought up short by a dying man holding up his Bible. It’s in the heat of battle at Gettysburg and the solemn aftermath that Michael begins to understand the grave cost of the war upon his soul. Here the journey really begins as he searches for the man he was and the faith he once held so dearly. With the help of his beloved wife, Jesse Ann, he takes the final steps towards redemption and reconciliation.
Using first-hand accounts of the 14th Connecticut Infantry, Karl Bacon has crafted a detailed, genuine and compelling novel on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Intensely personal and accurate to the times, culture, and tragedy of the Civil War, An Eye for Glory may change you in ways you could have never imagined as well.
To be totally honest, I have to admit I didn’t read the entire book. It was not the fault of the author or because it was a bad book. At the time it came up on my reading schedule, I just could not drum up enough interest on its subject matter to be able to stick with it until the end. In actuality, the author’s writing style is very readable and I can tell that at some other time and in the proper mood, I would probably enjoy An Eye For Glory very much.
So – from the first several chapters that I did read, I would venture to say that anyone who enjoys Christian fiction and reading about the Civil War would most likely find An Eye For Glory a welcome addition to their library.
I am always pleased when I get the chance to check out a new author so I quickly requested a copy of Fairer Than Morning when it was offered by BookSneeze. I am so glad I did – now I have another author to add to my ‘watch’ list.
Fairer Than Morning takes place in the early nineteenth century, primarily in Pittsburgh and Ohio. Although it is a historical romance, the book is also filled with plenty of drama, suspense, mystery, and action to keep those pages turning. Interesting facts about the workings of the Underground Railroad, life in Pittsburgh and on an Ohio farm during that era, and life as an indentured man under a cruel master are woven seamlessly into the story. The fact that Fairer Than Morning is based on actual historical characters adds to the realism of the tale.
Although Ann Miller is pursued by two suitable young men, one of whom she is certain she will eventually marry, she finds herself curiously drawn to the entirely unsuitable Will Hanby. Although there are numerous hints as to the eventual conclusion, there are multiple roadblocks along the way. Will Ann and Eli ever get back together or will she fall for Allan’s charms? What about Will – can he ever escape his harsh and abusive master Jacob Good or is he doomed to a life of hopelessness?
A story that promotes character and forgiveness, Fairer Than Morning is a not to be missed novel. I look forward to Sweeter Than Birdsong, the next installment of The Saddler’s Legacy by Rosslyn Elliott.
This book was provided for review by BookSneeze.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor—until she meets a runaway apprentice who knows what a truly noble man is.
In 1826, Ann Miller travels to Pittsburgh with her widowed father and two young sisters, only to find that a mysterious man has pursued them all the way from Ohio. Is Ann’s father just a circuit minister, or is he hiding something that may endanger them all?
Will Hanby indentures with a Pittsburgh saddler maker, only to discover that his master is a cold-hearted tyrant. After years of abuse, Will becomes a prisoner of his own mind. But then lovely Ann Miller comes to stay next door and her compassion lights a long-dark part of Will’s soul. His renewed courage puts his life in jeopardy as he begins to assist fugitive slaves.
Will’s murderous master and Ann’s questions about her family may keep both of them bound in the shadows forever. Or will they find freedom—together?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR (from her website):
As the child of a career military man, I lived in four states and two foreign countries before I graduated from high school. I attended nine schools during that time. My frequent relocation into new social scenes encouraged me to become a close observer of other people, for my own survival.
With the help of some excellent teachers, I bootstrapped my way into Yale University, where I earned my BA in English and Theater Studies. Vowing never to return to school, I spent five years working first in corporate New York City, then as a schoolteacher. School started to look pretty good again. I entered the Ph.D. program in English at Emory University and finished my dissertation in 2006.
My study of American literature spurred me to pursue my lifelong dream of writing fiction.
I’ve always loved history, and because of my dissertation research, it was natural for me to start by setting my novels in nineteenth-century America.
I’m the homeschooling mom of a second-grader, and wife to a creative and talented salesman.
Learn more about Rosslyn and her books on her website.
Raised in a “tribe” of New Orleans street urchins after the death of her parents, Maddie Grande was well trained in the arts of lying and stealing. After the death of the tribe’s leader, the gang disbanded and Maddie moved to an isolated cabin in the bayou with twin brothers who were fellow tribe members. Plagued by recurring nightmares, Maddie was determined to put her dishonest life behind her. That dream came to an abrupt halt when the twins brought home a young kidnapped girl and forced her to care for her while they went back to the city to await the ransom.
Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott was close to finding the young woman he had been hired to located when he suspected a connection between her and the kidnapping and became involved in the investigation. Even though he was certain Maddie was guilty, he found himself irresistibly attracted to her. However his dedication to the law forced him to follow through even if it meant her imprisonment.
Excellent setting descriptions made me feel as though I were with the characters both in the bayou and on the streets of New Orleans. Characters were well-rounded and realistic with little Penelope a precocious charmer. The plot moved at an agreeable pace and held my attention until the end. I found myself awake well past bedtime in order to see how it ended.
With a message of hope and forgiveness, Heart of Lies shows that it is never too late to turn your life around and do the right thing. I recommend this book to all who enjoy historical novels.
This book was provided for review by the Amazon Vine Program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Raised in a tribe of street urchins, Maddie Grande was taught to be a thief and beggar on the streets of New Orleans. But Maddie doesn’t know her real name or where she came from.
Raised by Dexter Grande, Maddie and her twin “brothers” have recently left New Orleans and moved to the bayou. The twins are rarely there, but Maddie has come to love the swamp. She has learned to fish and trap and sell pelts at the local mercantile.
Maddie longs to change her life but knows that her brothers will never give up their lawless ways. When they kidnap the daughter of a wealthy carpetbagger, the twins force Maddie to hide the precocious eight-year-old while they return to New Orleans to wait for notice of a reward.
Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott is assigned to the kidnapping case in which Maddie has become an accomplice. In a journey that takes them to Baton Rouge, a mutual attraction becomes evident, but Tom and Maddie cannot trust each other.
Will Maddie ever discover who she is? Will her real family ever find her? Will Maddie and Tom listen to their hearts? Or will they choose honor over love?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Marie Landis is the bestselling author of over twenty novels. Jill has won numerous awards for her sweeping emotional romances, such as Summer Moon and Magnolia Creek. With her toes in the sand and head in the clouds, Jill now lives in Hawaii with her husband, Steve. Visit Jill Marie at www.jillmarielandis.com.
Ginger Garrett is the author of the Chronicles of the Scribes series (In the Shadow of Lions, In the Arms of Immortals, In the Eyes of Eternity), Dark Hour, and Beauty Secrets of the Bible. Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther was recognized as one of the top five novels of 2006 by the ECPA.
Focusing on ancient women’s history, Ginger creates novels and nonfiction resources that explore the lives of historical women. A frequent media guest and television host, Ginger has been interviewed by Fox News, Billy Graham’s The Hour of Decision, The Harvest Show, 104.7 The Fish Atlanta, and many other outlets.
A graduate of Southern Methodist University with a degree in Theater, she is passionate about creating art from history. Ginger resides in Georgia with her husband and three children.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
This richly imagined tale takes readers to a tiny German town in the time of “the burnings,” when pious and heretic alike became victims of witch-hunting zealots. When a double murder stirs up festering fears, the village priest sends for help. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers the call brings a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under his influence, village fear, guilt, and suspicion of women take a deadly turn. In the midst of this nightmare, a doubting priest and an unloved wife—a secret friend of the recently martyred William Tyndale—somehow manage to hear another Voice…and discover the power of love over fear.
Dinfoil, Germany, 1538. In a little town on the edge of the Black Forest, a double murder stirs up festering fears. A lonely woman despairs of pleasing her husband and wonders why other women shun her. An overworked sheriff struggles to hold the town—and himself—together. A priest begins to doubt the power of the words he shares daily with his flock. And the charismatic Inquisitor who arrives to help—with a filthy witch in a cage as an object lesson—brings his own mix of lofty ideals and treacherous evil. Under his influence, ordinary village fears and resentments take a deadly turn. Terror mounts. Dark deeds come to light. And men and women alike discover not only what they are capable of, but who they are…and what it means to grapple for grace.
As I began reading The Damascus Way, the third and final book in the Acts of Faith trilogy, I soon found myself immersed in the richly detailed account of life among followers of The Way during the turbulent era after the death of Christ. As I walked along beside these early believers in my imagination, I experienced both the hardships and the joys of their lives. There were brief encounters with disciples Phillip, Peter, and John as well as the tangible fear of Saul that the early followers lived with daily. I witnessed multiple miracles and experienced the joy of seeing both strangers and family members become fellow believers. I experienced and survived a violent dust storm and encountered bandits. And I was there when Saul had his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus.
Yes, The Damascus Way has been written so skillfully that the reader almost becomes a part of the story. Although many of the characters are fictional, everything about them and their lives is realistic and believable. Actual biblical events have been portrayed in a manner that remains close to actual scriptural accounts. Once again I have been challenged to look at my own life in contrast to those of the early believers. I am convinced that I would fall far short of their example.
As I have expressed in my reviews of the earlier books in this series, I believe that The Damascus Way would be an excellent resource in the study of early Christian history. I highly recommend all the books in the Acts of Faith trilogy.
This book was provided for review by Laura Christianson with Blogging Bistro, LLC.
Book Synopsis:
The Damascus Way, by Davis Bunn and Janette Oke
Book 3 in the Acts of Faith series
BethanyHouse Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-7642-0866-9
ISBN-10: 0-7642-0866-7
Young Julia has everything money can buy—except for acceptance by either Gentiles or Judeans in Tiberias. When she discovers the secret her beloved Greek father has kept all these years, she is devastated. Julia and her Hebrew mother are indeed less than second-class citizens. Her future is dark with clouds of uncertainty.
Jacob, Abigail’s brother, is now a young man attempting to find his own place among the community of believers. Does it mean trading away the exhilaration and adventure of his current profession as a caravan guard?
Hired by Julia’s father to protect a wealthy merchant’s caravans on the secretive “Frankincense Trail,” Jacob also reluctantly takes on the perilous responsibility of passing letters and messages between communities of believers now dispersed across the land. He is alarmed to discover that Julia, hardly more than a girl, is also a courier. Can their initial mistrust be put aside to accomplish their mission?
Davis Bunn is an award-winning novelist whose audience spans reading genres from high drama and action thrillers to heartwarming relationship stories, in both contemporary and historical settings. He and his wife, Isabella, make their home in Florida for some of each year, and spend the rest near Oxford, England, where they each teach and write.
Extended bio:
“Wise teacher.”
“Gentleman Adventurer.”
“Consummate writer.”
“Renaissance Man.”
Reviewers, readers and friends use those phrases to describe Davis Bunn. An internationally-acclaimed author who has sold more than six million books in sixteen languages, Davis is equal parts writer, scholar, teacher, and sportsman.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.
Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.
A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.
The Christy Award
The Meeting Place (co-authored with Janette Oke) – Best North American Historical fiction, 2000
The Great Divide – Best Suspense Novel, 2001
Drummer in the Dark – Best Suspense Novel, 2002
Q & A with Davis Bunn
What inspired you to write Acts of Faith, a series of three books set in the earliest days of the church?
Janette Oke and I have wanted to do a Bible-based series for years. Then health issues forced her to retire, and it looked like we would never have that opportunity. Three years ago, she came out of retirement, specifically so that we might do this final trio of books together. It has been an answer to a prayer for us both. We have so enjoyed this project.
How do you come up with the trials a character will face in growing in their faith? Do you draw on your own experience or similar situations that maybe you or friends have been through?
Each book was based around a specific portion of the Gospels and the Book of Acts. In our initial discussions, we winnowed down the lessons we personally gained from the passages to one specific issue. One core component that we felt truly represented the eternal theme. A good novel can only have one such message. This is a crucial difference between fiction and non-fiction. Stories require a weaving together of theme and tale, and having more than one theme results in a weak structure. Distilling our personal lessons down to this lesson was a great learning process for us. It really brought us closer to each other, and to God.
Many – in fact, most – of the characters in the Acts of Faith series are not believers. Why did you focus the books on them?
Janette came up with this idea. We wanted to get away from an inspirational book where all the characters were either of faith or moving in this direction. Life then, and now, was very different for a lot of families, and we wanted to reflect that in our characters.
What is the biggest personal lesson you have learned from writing the Acts of Faith series?
The greatest lesson I personally have gained from this series is how our world is reshaped through the vision of Jesus. This is a truth revealed time and again through the Book of Acts. We hope this same truth will shine within our pages. Our hope is that each of these stories will ignite in the reader a new hunger to enrich themselves through the treasures found in the Book of Acts.
Our first book, The Centurion’s Wife, dealt with the forty days between the resurrection of Jesus and the arrival of Pentecost.
The key component of our second book in the series, The Hidden Flame, was what I called the passing of the torch. Jesus left, and his disciples took over. They moved from the position of followers to leaders. What an enormous challenge that must have been, and yet how similar it is to the challenge any leader faces today.
In The Damascus Way, the third book of our trilogy, we create a story based upon outreach. We look at what it means to engage in evangelism, and seek a clearer understanding of the challenges and mysteries faced by those earliest believers. And we seek to enrich the glorious moment when Saul, the early church’s greatest enemy, was called to faith by our Lord.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
My website, blog, and interactive discussion group are at www.davisbunn.com
It took me a bit to get into A Trail of Ink but once my mind became acclimated to the customs and terminology unique to its medieval setting, the pace accelerated and I found it to be an enjoyable experience. This story had it all. The mystery contained plenty of puzzling twists and seemingly unrelated events to keep this reader guessing. The plot was infused with the perfect balance of action, drama, wit, and even a romantic rivalry. Complete with well rounded and interesting characters, both good and bad, this tale kept me intrigued until the end. I hope to continue the journey with Hugh in a future volume.
I was thankful for the glossary included at the beginning, especially when it came to food descriptions. I could not imagine eating egg leaches until I discovered it was probably much the same as an egg custard which I do enjoy. However, I still don’t think I’d like eels. I also liked the way Hugh expressed himself by wondering if God had arranged just the right circumstances for him to discover new clues. His faith was so naturally human.
Overall, I would definitely recommend A Trail of Ink as a delightfully different tale of mystery and intrigue. You can purchase your own copy of A Trail of Ink HERE.
This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
An excellent medieval whodunit by the author of The Unquiet Bones and A Corpse at St Andrew’s Chapel
Some valuable books have been stolen from Master John Wyclif, the well known scholar and Bible translator. He calls upon his friend and former pupil, Hugh de Singleton, to investigate. Hugh’s investigation leads him to Oxford where he again encounters Kate, the only woman who has tempted him to leave bachelor life behind, but Kate has another serious suitor. As Hugh’s pursuit of Kate becomes more successful, mysterious accidents begin to occur. Are these accidents tied to the missing books, or to his pursuit of Kate?
One of the stolen books turns up alongside the drowned body of a poor Oxford scholar. Another accident? Hugh certainly doesn’t think so, but it will take all of his surgeon s skills to prove.
So begins another delightful and intriguing tale from the life of Hugh de Singleton, surgeon in the medieval village of Bampton. Masterfully researched by medieval scholar Mel Starr, the setting of the novel can be visited and recognized in modern-day England. Enjoy more of Hugh s dry wit, romantic interests, evolving faith, and dogged determination as he pursues his third case as bailiff of Bampton.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mel Starr was born and grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. After graduating with a MA in history from Western Michigan University in 1970, he taught history in Michigan public schools for thirty-nine years, thirty-five of those in Portage, MI, where he retired in 2003 as chairman of the social studies department of Portage Northern High School. Mel and his wife, Susan, have two daughters and seven grandchildren. www.melstarr.org
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A word from the author:
Michael Palmer is a good man, a family man. But honor and duty push him to leave his comfortable life and answer the call from Abraham Lincoln to fight for his country. This ‘citizen soldier’ learns quickly that war is more than the battle on the field. Long marches under extreme conditions, illness, and disillusionment challenge at every turn. Faith seems lost in a blur of smoke and blood…and death.
