September 2018 New Releases

All Made Up by Kara Isaac (Bellbird Press, 28 September 2018) 

Everyone thinks Katriona McLeod is living the dream. Her professional career as a make up artist sees her traveling the world working with the stars and she's got no shortage of men wanting her affection. Only problem is she's never gotten over Caleb Murphy, the one guy she's ever loved. When she accepts a job on the latest looking-for-love reality TV show, Falling for the Farmer, she discovers to her horror that Caleb is the leading man and she's cast as one of his harem. But she hides a secret that means that even if she wanted a second chance with the guy who broke her heart she could never have it.

Caleb Murphy couldn't care less about C-Class celebrity fame or reality TV and he certainly doesn't believe it could lead him to love. The one thing he does care about is fulfilling his mother's last wish. Kat's presence on the show seems to offer up a solution that will make both the network and his mother happy. It might have been almost ten years since they split but he knows he can trust her with his plan. Just as long as he doesn't fall in love all over again with the woman who will never stay.

Amazon link

For The Joy Edited by Miriam Chan & Sophia Russell  (Anglican Aid, September 2018) 

From the desert to the mountains, from remote far-flung places to some of the most populated cities in the world, For the Joy brings together 21 unique perspectives on what it’s really like being a mother on the mission field. Stories include:

home-schooling while living in a bus

giving birth in a foreign hospital

navigating the toddler years as a ‘third culture mum’

raising a child with special needs

recovering from anxiety on the field

the grief of losing your family to persecution

… and more.

Honestly written, raw in emotion, sad and joyful in equal measure, this collection of stories offers insight into the complexities of parenting children while serving God far from home.

“I found myself enormously challenged while reading this collection of missionary mums’ stories. I am grateful for the opportunity, through this book, to engage with my heavenly Father about my commitment to His mission to take the good news of Jesus to a lost world…. no matter the risk, the hardship, the suffering, the tears. I am also thankful that I now have a much greater understanding of what the missionary mums that I regularly partner with in prayer are experiencing on the field.”

Lesley Ramsey

editor of What Women Really Need

“Whenever I visit Bible colleges where missionaries train, women want to know what it is like to be a mother on the mission field … this a set of stories that need to be told.”

Evelyn Hibbert

Leading Multicultural Teams

“For the Joy is a powerful compilation of honest hearts. Be prepared to cry some, to be comforted, affirmed in your calling and challenged to continue on in Great Commission living. I highly commend it to you.

Robynn Bliss

Expectations and Burnout: Women Surviving the Great Commission

Website link

Forgiven by Alison Smallwood (Spiritual Milk, August 2018) 

Could all our wrongs be forgiven simply by the things we believe?

Christians think so.

Discover the essence of what Christians believe through this richly illustrated telling of the Ancient “Apostles’ Creed” - a statement of faith that Christians have been declaring for over a thousand years.

Evocative imagery and smatterings of scripture help simplify the key concepts of the life-changing story of Jesus Christ.

Even today, in our darkest moments, God’s promises can give us hope and assurance that forgiveness is possible for all who believe.

Koorong link

A Wells Landing Christmas by Amy Lillard (Kensington Zebra, 25 September 2018) 

As the most joyous of seasons comes to the Amish community of Wells Landing, Oklahoma, one young woman gets a chance to start again—and rediscover the gift of true love . . .
 
Families rejoicing together, caroling parties full of cheer, and church get-togethers brimming with delicious cooking and warm fellowship. Ivy Weaver would give anything to be a part of Christmas in Wells Landing. But one reckless mistake made her an outsider, and it's all she can do now to tend to her ailing grandfather and make a living. She sure doesn't need Zeb Brenneman returning to help after he abandoned her for no reason. He's working hard to make amends, but Ivy isn't sure there's enough faith—or still-sparking love between them—to stir her forgiveness . . .
 
Zeb knows leaving Ivy was the biggest mistake he's ever made. Even though she won't hear him out, he's determined to prove he's become the trustworthy, steadfast man she truly deserves. But bright new chances and surprising revelations will give him and Ivy choices they never imagined. And finding their way back to each other will be the most 
challenging—and precious—Christmas gift of all . . .

Amazon link

Book Recommendation - Then There Was You by Kara Isaac

Book Description:

RITA Award 2018 Winner - Romance with Religious or Spiritual Elements

Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic. Her boyfriend can’t even commit to living in the same country, her promised promotion is dead on arrival and the simultaneous loss of her brother and her dream of being a concert violinist has kept her playing life safe and predictable for six years. Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself, against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner for one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss’s son.

Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over the world. But, in the past, his failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He's determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.

When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?

Narelle's Thoughts:

I finished reading Then There Was You with a smile on my face after shedding a few tears toward the end of the story. We first meet Paige McAllister in Chicago at her nineteen year old sister's wedding. Paige's absent and commitment phobic long term boyfriend shows up late to the wedding and she takes the bold step of breaking up with him. She impulsively declares that she's moving to Australia and staying in Sydney with her cousin, Kat.

Josh Tyler is the lead guitarist and singer in an internationally successful Sydney megachurch worship band. His parents are the founding church pastors and the media delight in giving his family bad publicity by creating fake news. Josh is aloof and wary of strangers, especially women. He's over thirty, living at home with his parents, and single for a reason after making bad relationship decisions in the past.

Paige and Josh first meet when they catch the same flight from Chicago to LA, en-route to Sydney. Josh's first impressions of Paige stay with him and give him an interesting perspective on her character. His belief that his parents always make wise decisions as leaders of their church is challenged when his mother employs Paige as a logistics manager for their upcoming women's conference.

Josh and Paige are forced to work together on the church campus in suburban Sydney. Josh comes across as a bit full of himself and entitled. He lives in a tight knit megachurch bubble where he spends his time recording music and travelling the world with the worship team. He makes some big assumptions about Paige without checking his facts.

Paige is seemingly on a mission to make decisions that will make her life more miserable. For example, she picks the job at the megachurch despite her horrendous past experiences as a volunteer worker at a US megachurch. A few Google searches could also have made Paige's life easier. Paige is carrying a truckload of emotional baggage that's hinted at early on in the story but not fully revealed until later.

Josh and Paige develop a sort-of-friends romance where the emotional barriers stay up for a large chunk of the story. Once I got to know Josh and Paige and understood why they behaved in certain ways, I wanted to see them overcome all the obstacles in their romance to achieve their happily-ever-after. They are both challenged to take risks and grow in their faith during the story.

Then There Was You also has a connection to Kara's previous books. Paige's cousin, Kat, who travels the world as a makeup artist, is Allie's best friend who we first meet in Close To You. I recommend Then There Was You to contemporary romance readers who enjoy the movie 10 Things I Hate About You style of romantic comedies with poignant moments.

Celebrating June Book Birthdays

Congratulations to Kara Isaac and Carolyn Miller who are celebrating Book Birthdays in June!

Then There Was You by Kara Isaac (independent release, June 2017) 

Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic. Her boyfriend can’t even commit to living in the same country, her promised promotion is dead on arrival and the simultaneous loss of her brother and her dream of being a concert violinist has kept her playing life safe and predictable for six years. Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself, against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner for one of Australia’s biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss’s son.

Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over the world. But, in the past, his failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He's determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he’s ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.

When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band’s next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?

Amazon link

The Captivating Lady Charlotte by Carolyn Miller (Kregel, June 2017) 

Her heart is her own--but her hand in marriage is another matter

Lady Charlotte Featherington is destined for great things on the marriage market. After all, as the beautiful daughter of a marquess, she should have her pick of the eligible nobility when she debuts. She, however, has love at the top of her list of marriageable attributes. And her romantic heart falls hard for one particularly dashing, attentive suitor. Sadly for Charlotte, her noble father intends her betrothed to be someone far more dull.

William Hartwell may be a duke, but he knows he was Charlotte's father's pick, not the young lady's own choice. And the captivating Lady Charlotte does not strike him as a woman who will be wooed by his wealth or title. While she has captured his heart, he has no idea how to win hers in return--and the betrayal and scandal his first wife put him through makes it difficult for him to believe that love can ever be trusted. His only hope is that Charlotte's sense of responsibility will win out over her romantic notions.

Can a widowed duke and a romantically inclined lady negotiate a future and discover love beyond duty? Will they be able to find healing and hope from the legacy of grace?

Poignant and charming, this is another beautifully written, clean and wholesome Regency romance from Carolyn Miller in the tradition of Georgette Heyer and Julie Klassen. Fans of The Elusive Miss Ellison will meet compelling new characters--and a few old friends.

Amazon link

Does Online Book Advertising Even Work? Part Two - Kara

Every week tens of thousands of new books are released onto Amazon. How to get a book seen by readers when you are literally competing with hundreds of thousands of others is a never-ending challenge for authors and publishers. Last month in Part One of my posts on online book advertising I looked at Facebook boosts/ads and GoodReads ads and giveaways. This month I'm going to talk about email promotional lists and Amazon ads :)

Email Promotional Lists

Those of us who are avid readers will probably belong to many email promotional lists that notify readers of cheap books and/or free deals. The most well known is BookBub but there are thousands of smaller genre specific lists. In Christian fiction the most popular include ones like Christian Book Heaven, Spirit Filled eBooks, and Faithful Reads.

Pros: Will get your book cover/description in front of readers who would otherwise never see your book. Pretty much guaranteed to result in at least some sales.
Cons: Can be expensive (a BookBub ad in the Christian fiction category for a $1.99 deal will cost over $500 USD). There is no guarantee you will make your money back in sales.

Since the three month "new release" window for Then There Was You has finished it now just trundles along selling 1-2 eBooks a day. So I decided it was time to try and get it in front of some potential new readers by trying a couple of email promotional lists. Last month I dropped Then There Was You to $1.99 (USD) for a week and ran ads with Spirit Filled Kindle and Christian Book Heaven. As you can see from the graph above, they both definitely had an impact. October 24 was when my ad ran with Spirit Filled eBooks and October 28 was when it ran with Christian Book Heaven.

In both instances they made enough sales to pay for the ad but little more than that. Given the expense of some of the larger lists like Bookbub I would only consider going there if I ever have more than one indie book and there is the chance that I will also benefit from a uptick in sales in my other (non-discounted) titles.

Amazon Advertising

If you've spent any time traveling around Amazon you've no doubt stumbled across "sponsored" product placement. These are almost always either in the list returned from your keyword search or on one of the product placement bars on the page of the book you're looking at.

Their appearance is not random. When an author of publisher sets up an advertisement they can include up to 1, 000 keywords or phrases that they want their word associated with. For me I've got a list of about a hundred comparable authors and titles to my books. But others get a lot more creative than I do!

So for those of you who have ever searched for a Christian book and suddenly found yourselves with an eyeful of a bare chested man wrapped around a voluptuous lady, that was not a mistake by Amazon. For reasons I've never been able work quite a few "steamy" romance writers put things like "Christian romance" in their advertising keywords!

The lingo in the reporting table...

Impressions: The number of times your add has appeared (note - this doesn't mean it's been seen! It could have "appeared" on a list but the browser never scrolled down far enough to actually see it!)
Clicks: The number of times someone has actually "clicked" on your ad
ACPC: Average cost per click. The average of how much it has cost you every time someone clicks on your ad.
Spend: How much your cumulative clicks have cost you
Total Sales: The $ amount of sales you've made as a result of those clicks (it can take up to three days for sales to show up here)

Pros: Unlike GoodReads, you don't have to pay anything upfront. Amazon charges you retrospectively for clicks in your advertisement/s. The keyword reporting is good and allows you to see which keywords are resulting in sales and which ones aren't so you can adjust your "per click" bids accordingly.
Cons: Now that every man and his cowboy have caught onto Amazon ads they are becoming less effective and you are having to be prepared to pay more "per click" just to get your ad somewhere where it can be seen.
Tip!: If you see a book with the tag "sponsored post" while trawling Amazon and the ad really appeals to you you can save the author from having to pay for your "click" but just searching for the book or author directly in the search bar :)

So there you have it, my foray into paid advertising for Then There Was You! So, in a nutshell, my assessment from most effective to least (purely in my experience and bearing in mind that this is my first crack so I'm a total amateur at all of these!)...

1) Email promotional lists (requires discounted book)
2) Amazon ads
3) Facebook boosts
4) Goodreads Giveaways
5) Facebook ads
6) Goodreads ads

And, if you're a reader, tired of being bombarded with ads for books that you have no interest in reading, hopefully this will give you an idea of what authors are up against trying to get their stories in front of anyone who might like them :)

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She is the author of Close to You, a RITA Award Double Finalist, and Can't Help Falling, an RT Review Top Pick. Her latest book Then There Was You released in June. When she's not chasing three adorable but spirited little people, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connect on her website, on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Author and Twitter @KaraIsaac

Does Online Book Advertising Even Work? + Giveaway - Kara Isaac

Ads, ads, ads. They're on buses, billboards, in your letterbox and always wherever you go on the internet. But do they provide results for the people paying for them? 

In June, I independently released my third book, Then There Was You. There are many pros to indie publishing but one of the challenges is that you, the author, are solely responsible for trying to create "buzz" around your book and get it in front of readers. No small feat when a new book is published on Amazon every three minutes and the odds of it being "discovered" by a new reader purely by chance are slim to none. 

As a result, I've had to delve into the wonderful world of paid online book promotion. So, over my next two posts I thought I would chat about the different types of promotion that I have tried and my thoughts/experiences! 

This post I'm going to talk about Facebook Ads/Boosts and GoodReads ads and giveaways. Then next post I will be talking about Amazon ads and email promotional lists. 

Facebook Ads/Boosts
Anyone who is on Facebook will have seen sponsored ads or "boosted" posts show up in their newsfeed. The reason for this is because even if you like the page for your favourite author/speaker/restaurant Facebook still won't show you anything and everything that person/organization posts. Instead, clever Facebook, makes people pay if they really want a post to be seen.

Pros: When well targeted, boosted posts and ads can get you back in front of your target audience with important news or announcements. They can increase engagement with your page (and when someone engages with a post it makes it more likely FB will show them more things from you in the future) and Facebook provides good metrics on the results you have gotten for each promotion.

Cons: No ability to see if a paid promotion has directly resulted in sales. Facebook can be very picky about the content/format of a boosted post. For example, if they think you ad has too many words then the algorithm will limit how may people it will be distributed to but if you are running something like a giveaway you have to have a lot of words to set out the terms and conditions!

Thoughts: Know what your goals are for each boosted post or ad so you know whether your investment has delivered the outcomes you want. Do you want more page likes? If so how many? A certain reach? A certain number of entries or comments? If you don't meet your goals analyse the results and try and work out why rather than shrugging your shoulders and putting it down to the Facebook algorithm having it in for you.

Be strategic about what you choose to boost.  The truth is that most of my posts are only of interest to my really committed readers and Facebook will usually show them my posts organically because they have a history of engagement with my page. If you want to reach a broader audience then boost posts that will appeal to them. For me this is giveaways, sales and big announcements (book contracts, cover reveals etc). Also, the Facebook algorithm is smart so if you boost often it will know that it doesn't need to offer you a good reach to get your money. Whereas if you boost sporadically it will offer you a bigger reach to try and get you to spend more money, more often :)

GoodReads Advertisements
GoodReads offers the ability to create advertisements that appear in members' newsfeed and sidebars. You pay "per click" and can target you advertisements to specific readers (for example people who have read books by other authors you nominate and rated their books 3* or higher)

Pros: To date I haven't found any.
Cons: Unlike most other providers who charge you retrospectively per click, GoodReads requires upfront payment (minimum of $50 USD) which then acts as a credit that they deduct your clicks against. I have run six different ads across my three books and, after a year and many attempts at rewriting and retargeting the ads, have spent $12.30. At that rate it will take me until 2020 to spend the $50!

Thoughts: Don't bother. Amazon ads (which I'll cover next time) are a far better spend for your money.


GoodReads Giveaways

With GoodReads there is an option to give away paperback copies of your books. You nominate the number of copies, the dates the giveaway runs and the countries it is available to.

Pros: Gets your book in front of readers who may otherwise never see it. You can see a direct correlation between the giveaway and people adding your book to their "to-read" shelves.

Cons: No way of knowing if it is directly responsible for any sales.

Thoughts: You don't seem to get any greater benefit/visibility from giving away a heap of books versus a smaller number. I personally think the sweet spot is 5-10. It's enough to make people feel like they have a chance at winning one but not so many that it's going to cost you a fortune to fulfil it. (Obviously this only matters if you are having to fulfill the winners yourself. If you have a publisher who will deal with the costs of books and postage then even better!)

Writers - have you tried any of these activities or are you intending to? What was your experience? Readers - what are your thoughts/reactions when one of them shows up on your screen? I've got a Kindle copy of Then There Was You for one commenter!

*Entries close Wednesday, 1 November, midnight CST*

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She is the author of Close to You, a RITA Award Double Finalist, and Can't Help Falling, an RT Review Top Pick. Her latest book Then There Was You released in June. When she's not chasing three adorable but spirited little people, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connect on her website, on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Author and Twitter @KaraIsaac

What Books are you Looking Forward to Reading? (And a Giveaway)

By Iola Goulton

This is a repost from my author website, where I post a Bookish Question every Monday. This week: What books are you looking forward to reading in the rest of 2017?

It’s the end of June (already!), which means we’re halfway through the year. I’ve read a bunch of books, but there are still more books to read. There are always more books to read.

Here are the books I’m looking forward to reading (click on the covers to buy on Amazon):

Books from Debut Authors

Count Me In by Mikal Dawn

An accountant as a heroine? I don't think I've seen that before, so I'm looking forward to finding out Allegra's story.

Someplace Familiar by Teresa Tysinger

I've heard good things about Someplace Familiar. It's a debut novel, and the start of a series. Well, it's best to start at the beginning, right?

Books I Own But Haven’t Read Yet

(Don't judge me. You have a mile-high to-read pile as well. Don't you?)

Finders Keepers by Sarah Monzon

Finders Keepers has just won the Selah Award, and I’ve read (and reviewed) the sequel, but somehow haven’t managed to read this yet.

 The Whys Have It by Amy Matayo

I love Amy Matayo's writing and the way she shows authentic faith in a real world. And the cover ...

My Unexpected Hope by Tammy L Gray

My Unexpected hope is the sequel to My Hope Next Door, which is a RITA finalist, and was one of my top picks for 2016. So I have to read it, right?

The Wayward Heart by Nerys Leigh

The Wayward Heart is the third book in Nerys Leigh’s unique mail order bride series—unique in that each of the stories in the series is happening at the same time, so you can read the series in any order.

Books I’m Waiting For

Ghost Hunter by Lisa Harris and Lynne Gentry

Ghost Hunter is a suspense novel set in Tanzania and the United States. That’s all I know about it. But it’s by Lisa Harris, which pretty much guarantees a winner.

Ghost Hunter releases in August 2017.

The Captivating Lady Charlotte by Carolyn Miller

Regency romance is one of my favourite romance genres, and it's great to see more Christian authors in this space.

The Captivating Lady Charlotte releases tomorrow! I can't wait! Well, I can. Because I have to. But you know what I mean.

A Dangerous Legacy by Elizabeth Camden

I love the way Elizabeth Camden melds new-to-me historical research with faith and romance.

A Dangerous Legacy releases in October 2017.

An Inconvenient Beauty by Kristi Ann Hunter

More Regency romance, from award-winning Kristi Ann Hunter. I've read and enjoyed every one of her books so far, so I have no doubts about this one. And the cover is gorgeous.

An Inconvenient Beauty releases in September 2017.

Deadly Proof by Rachel Dylan

Legal suspense. What more do I need to know?

Legal Proof releases in September 2017.

What book or books are you most looking forward to reading in the second half of 2017?

You might look at this list and wonder why I haven't included Then There Was You by Kara Isaac. 

That's because I've already read it—and if you haven't, I definitely recommend you add it to your list. 

Or comment below—I'll choose one commenter to win a Kindle copy of Then There Was You, or the Kindle book of their choice from my list above.

Comment by 7am on Friday 30 June 2017 (Australian Eastern Time) for a chance to win.

About Iola Goulton

I am a freelance editor specialising in Christian fiction. Visit my website at www.christianediting.co.nzto download a comprehensive list of publishers of Christian fiction. 

I also write contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist—find out more at www.iolagoulton.com.

You can also find me on:
Facebook (Author)
Facebook (Editing)
Instagram
Pinterest
Twitter

Three Things In Publishing That Have Changed in Two Years - Kara Isaac

In January 2015, I signed my first traditional publishing contract. I was recently thinking back on the things that have changed between then and now and thought I'd share a couple of thoughts :)

The rise (and rise) of indie publishing 

Two years ago indie publishing was gaining acceptance as a legitimate business decision by talented authors, as opposed to the "Plan B" of writers that weren't good enough to attain a traditional publishing contract. However, the hybrid author scene (authors publishing both traditionally and independently) was limited.

Two years later, the hybrid author scene is huge. Of all the traditionally published authors that I know almost all of them are publishing independently. Some reissuing backlist titles whose rights have reverted back to them, some writing novellas to complement series they are having traditionally published and some releasing full-length novels themselves between traditionally published novels.

Having lost almost all of the stigma previously associated with indie publishing, there are many things about it that are attractive to authors. These include the ability to control everything from cover design to price, a much shorter lead in time between finishing a book and getting it in the hands of readers and the ability to try new things in their writing.

Some previously traditionally published authors have found indie publishing so attractive that they've made the transition across. Others have been forced to take the jump because of...

The continuing shrinking lists of Christian publishers

In 2015, it was no secret that Christian fiction publishers were facing challenges. Changing reader demographics, closing brick and mortar bookstores, the proliferation of free and 99c indie books conditioning consumers to baulk at what were realistic sustainable prices for a traditional publisher. But there was still a reasonable number of medium-large houses doing Christian fiction.

In the last two years we've seen Abingdon and Harvest House discontinue their fiction lines. A number of other houses have further reduced their fiction titles leaving a number of authors without a publishing home. Two years ago it was hard for a debut author to get their foot in the door, today it is that much harder.

The influence of readers in place of marketing budgets
As bottom lines have continued to be squeezed one of the first things to get continually trimmed are marketing budgets. Where word of mouth has always been important to generate buzz about a book these days it it vital. Without a decent marketing budget and with thousands of books being released onto Amazon alone every week without any reader buzz a book can sink without a trace. Every author that I know is serious about cultivating relationships with their readers. Not just because it's fun (!) but also because, unless you're a bestseller with a huge existing audience, without readers who are committed to spreading the word about your books the chances of it getting found and read are slim.

As with all industries things are changing at a rapid pace. Authors, like other professions, are being forced to adapt or no longer be in the game. The one thing that hasn't, and will never, change is there will always be room for great stories. Now there are also ever expanding ways to get them into the hands of readers :)

What about you? What changes have you noticed in publishing over the last few years?

Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. Her debut romantic comedy, Close To You, was recently named a RITA Award 2017 double finalist. When she's not chasing three adorable but spirited little people, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connnect on her website, on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Author and Twitter @KaraIsaac  

Reading Beyond Our "Comfort Zone" - Kara Isaac

As a contemporary romance writer, I read (and buy!) a lot of inspirational contemporary romance. Firstly, because I love it and want to support other authors in my genre and secondly because it's important for me to be knowledgable about my fellow authors' latest releases.

Unfortunately, between chasing a young family, working on my own projects and keeping up-to-date with the stories being released in contemporary romance, there isn't really any time left to explore unfamiliar genres.

However this summer, with the arrival of a new addition, I took a break from my own projects and decided it was the perfect opportunity to try out the grass on the other side of a couple of fences! So I picked up Intermission by Serena Chase, a young adult story that I'd seen a few blogger friends raving about and Unblemished by Sara Ella, a young adult dystopian that I'd heard good things of.

I was so glad I did!

To be honest, I tend to avoid YA because I often find the main characters too self absorbed and self indulgent for my liking. However, I adored Intermission. So much so that I ran a giveaway for a copy to my newsletter subscribers. It was funny, poignant, charming and so well written. It was the first book I've read by Serena Chase but it definitely won't be my last.

While I haven't finished Unblemished yet (the "alternate worlds" aspect combined with a large cast of characters mean I need to be very awake to keep track of what's going on which doesn't happen too often with a new baby!) I am also really enjoying it.

When was the last time you ventured beyond your reading "comfort zone"? What books have you discovered on the other side of the fence that you loved?

Kara Isaac is the romantic comedy author of Close To You and Can't Help Falling and lives in Wellington, New Zealand. When she's not chasing around two little people or trying to convince the third to nap (documentary evidence to the left to prove she was successful once!), she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connnect on her website, on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Author and Twitter @KaraIsaac

Iola's Top Ten Christian Novels of 2016

By Iola Goulton

I had a lot of trouble writing this list last year—it’s no small feat to narrow over 150 books read into a top ten list for the year.

This year, I decided I’d get sneaky. I’ve been writing monthly posts of my favourite books for my author blog, www.iolagoulton.com. So coming up with this list should have been easy, right?

No.

But after some arguing with myself (I won. And I lost), I’ve managed to come up with a list of my Top Ten for the year. I stuck to novels published this year—cutting non-fiction and novellas was the only way I could do this … but I must cheat and give a shout-out to the excellent Aussie Summer Christmas romance novella collection. Click here to read my review.

So here are my Top Ten Christian Novels published in 2016 (in alphabetical order. It was enough trouble to narrow them down to ten without having to rank them!):

Since You’ve Been Gone by Christa Allan

Since You’ve Been Gone starts with a twist on a cliché: a groom who doesn’t show up to the wedding, and a bride-to-be who is left to work out why. The obvious is soon discovered (he’s dead in a car wreck), but that doesn’t answer the important questions … Click here to read my review.

Waves of Mercy by Lynn Austin

An excellent dual timeline story from Lynn Austin, showing the difficulties faced by early American settlers, and their determination to succeed. And their faith. Click here to read my review.

The Cautious Maiden by Dawn Crandall

This is the fourth novel in The Everstone Chronicles, and it’s as good as the rest. Don’t worry—you don’t have to read them all. But you’ll want to. Excellent historical romantic suspense. Click here to read my review.

Intermission by Serena Chase

Intermission isn’t Serena Chase’s first novel, but it’s the first one I’ve read—an excellent Young Adult novel with some valuable lessons about God and obedience. Click here to read my review.

Can’t Help Falling by Kara Isaac

Kiwi author Kara Isaac has actually released two books this year: Close to You, and Can’t Help Falling. While I’ve read and enjoyed both, Can’t Help Falling is definitely my favourite. Click here to read my review.

A Heart Most Certain by Melissa Jagears

A Heart Most Certain looks like a typical romance novel set in the American West in the late 1900’s—a sweet romance between two almost-perfect characters. Bland, predictable. But it’s anything but, and that’s what makes it so good. Click here to read my review.

No One’s Bride by Nerys Leigh

I love a good mail order bride story, and this one was excellent. Even better, it’s the start of a series and I’m already holding the date to review book two. Click here to read my review.

The Thirteenth Chance by Amy Matayo

Everyone has been telling me I need to read Amy Matayo’s work. I finally did, and everyone was right. She’s brilliant—real characters with real strengths and failings. I’ll certainly be reading more. Click here to read my review.

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L Rubart

No, I didn’t include this simply to include a token male author (although I do read a lot more female authors than male). James L Rubart is an excellent writer of almost-speculative fiction. I say ‘almost’ because we serve a God of miracles, so who is to say these things couldn’t happen? Click here to read my review.

On the Edge by Theresa L Santy

On the Edge won the FaithWriters 2013 Page Turner Contest … and it certainly was a page turner. I’ll be watching for more from this debut author. Click here to read my review.

Although my choices are a mix of contemporary and historical, American authors and authors from England and New Zealand, they all have one thing in common. No, they’re not all romance novels (although yes, most are).

No, the one thing they all have in common is flawed characters doing their best to become better people.

Just like we all do in real life.

Some of my favourite 2016 reads: Part 1 - fiction

Photo courtesy of Stuart Miles/
FreeDigitalsPhotos.net

It’s that time of year when we start seeing the “Best ofs” across multiple media platforms so I thought I’d add to the discussion with my own. A number of other ACW authors will be contributing their own selections during December so watch out for those ones as well.

Most of the books I read are good and it’s often hard to distill a shortlist of the best ones hence, the title of my post: Some of my favourites. These are ones I recall with much fondness for various reasons.

I read more non-fiction than fiction so I thought I’d bring you a sample of both. Let’s start with the fiction and I’ll share the non-fiction ones in my Book Review post on 15 December. In no particular order, here goes:

The Harbinger Series. Four authors, each take one character, and take turns to write an episode each month. I love the episodic style (ala a TV series). As a reader I know the story is “live”, the next episode is being drafted as I read the latest one.

Presently there are 16 episodes and the series has been running now for 18 months, I guess. It’s speculative fiction with lots of craziness but some very clever storylines as one comes to expect from authors of the calibre of Bill Myers, Angie Hunt, Frank Peretti (now succeeded by Jeff Gerke) and Alton Gansky.

The series has now been picked up by Bethany House (previously self-pubbed) which will enable wider distribution.

AD 30 (Ted Dekker) The first in his two-part Biblical fiction series where we meet Maviah who is unexpectedly called to rescue her people. She goes on a daring adventure crossing multiple lands until she comes to Israel where she provides a unique perspective to the ministry of Jesus.

One of Dekker’s best. I’m feeling very guilty that I haven’t got to the sequel AD 33 yet but plan to very very soon.

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer (Jim Rubart) Jim’s stories just keep getting better and better. As I wrote in my review:

"The writing, the depth of insight in his characters and his ability to weave the mystical, spiritual and natural together is simply outstanding. I loved this novel. You can't not read this novel and not be impacted by the themes of healing, discovery of identify, where we place our significance and the absolute desire our Creator has for us to know Him."

This is probably the best novel I’ve read this year.

The Curse of Crow Hollow (Billy Coffey) This was a great surprise for me. I’d never read any of Coffey’s until this one. Known for his “Southern Spirituality” this story oozes with a voice from the deep south. What I particularly appreciated about this novel besides the voice was Coffey’s portrayal of good and evil within a small town. Excellently written with a brooding creepiness.

The Occupied (Craig Parshall) Another new author for me. I just finished this one. Classic detective story told in the first person with a supernatural twist which was a lot of fun to read.

My Dabble in Romance

I continue to read quite a lot of romance. Contemporary, historical, biblical, suspense, you name it. It’s not a great surprise to me having read Pride and Prejudice more times than I can remember (and all of her collection).

A few to mention:

Herringford and Watts Series (Rachel McMillan) – this series is simply delightful. Rachel’s voice is sophisticated and witty. Yes, witty. And her two detectives: Merinda Herringford and Jemima Watts are fabulous creations. Sample one of the novellas if you want to give it a try.

Close to You (Kara Isaac) – wow. First novel. Wow. Such a fun premise, the whole Hobbit-tour thing where romance blossoms. Two well developed characters. I’m running hard trying to get to Kara’s second one which everyone tells me is even better.

Thirteenth Chance (Amy Matayo) – Amy’s stories have many admirers down under and so I decided to sample her latest. Oh wow. Can this girl write. And Olivia Pratt! What a creation. I was awe of how Amy developed such a complex character: her insecurities, her weirdness, her dagginess (hey, I’m a dag too) and her meekness. A relatively simple story so well written and two great leads.

Too Pretty and All is Bright (Andrea Grigg) – our own Andrea creates marvellous characters. These were both a delight to read simply because her leads are so relatable and fun to watch.

That’s it from me. I’ve gone on for too long. I hope you found something of interest here.

What one author did you discover this year that you’ve now become a raving fan of their work? I’d love to read in the comments below.

Till 15 December for the non-fiction Part 2.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Angelguard won the 2013 Selah Award for the Best Speculative Fiction novel. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter