Spotlight and Giveaway: My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss . . . and Life by Ladonna Shanks

About the Book

Book: My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss    . . . and Life

Author: Ladonna Shanks

Genre: Memoir

Release Date: June 23, 2026

Do you find yourself overcome while living in the darkness of loss? Do you wonder if it will ever end . . . or if you will even survive?

In My Grief Shared: A Tiny Book of Essays on Death, Loss . . . and Life, Ladonna Shanks shares a message of hope while chronicling her persornal experience with grief. The essays, written in the midst of her grief journey, are bare, raw, open, and honest. Woven throughout these insightful anecdotes, however, is the fact that death is not the sole source of loss and ensuing grief, making this a relatable read for all. The book can minister to anyone who deals with grief and loss.

A light at the end of the tunnel exists. There is hope.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Octogenarian Ladonna Shanks has published two other books of personal essays: Tidbits and Pearls: A Book of Essays on Living Everyday Life with God, A Cascade Award finalist, and Sermons from a Soapbox. My Grief Shared was also a finalist in the Cascade Awards Contest. She strives in all she does to honor God and encourage others.

 

 

 

 

More from Ladonna

I did not plan on writing another book after publishing Sermons From a Soapbox. However, when my partner passed away three years ago, I began writing as a means of comfort and solace. I tossed my essays into a drawer and, after two and a half years, realized I had made it through the dark tunnel of grief back into the “land of the living.”

 

Death is not the sole source of grief and loss. My heart’s desire is to share with others that “You are not alone,” and “If God did it for me, He can do it for you.”

 

It’s a “tiny” book, only 10,000 words, but it is “mighty.”

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 15

Simple Harvest Reads, October 16 (Author Interview)

Artistic Nobody, October 17 (Author Interview)

Guild Master, October 18 (Author Interview)

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 19

Fiction Book Lover, October 20 (Author Interview)

The Bookish Ledger, October 21 (Author Interview)

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 21

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 22 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, October 23

Books, Books, & More Books, October 24 (Author Interview)

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 25 (Author Interview)

Books Less Travelled, October 26 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 27

History, Hope & Happily Ever After, October 28 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, October 28

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Ladonna is giving away the grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card, a copy of my book, and a variety set of 6 handmade floral photo note cards, (including birthday, sympathy, and thank you)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

 https://gleam.io/98wTW/my-grief-shared-celebration-tour-giveaway

Book Blast and Giveaway: Me, Mom & the Monster by Corinne Brown

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Corinne Brown will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Corinne Brown will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

"The results of your predictive testing are here, and they show that you did inherit the gene for Huntington's disease."

Those words, delivered by the neurologist to 57-year-old Mae Brown, forever changed her life and the lives of her family. Me, Mom & the Monster is a soul-stirring memoir that follows the path of this farming wife, businesswoman, mother and grandmother who lived a life with a monster of a disease. Interwoven with Mae's story is that of her third child, Corinne, whose life is intrinsically connected to her mother's diagnosis. Told from alternating voices of Corinne and her mother, this is a candid account of the harrowing effects of living with a fatal, genetic disease. Me, Mom & the Monster captures the authenticity and vulnerability of a mother and daughter who find themselves entwined in a long dance with a neurodegenerative disease.

Read an Excerpt

MOM

I remember hearing stories of distant aunts and uncles who were afflicted with the Devil’s Dance—a colloquialism used in some circles to refer to those who were afflicted with HD. They were said to have the Devil’s Dance because of the chorea—a movement disorder causing involuntary spasmodic movements—that looked like an awkward, uncontrolled dance. Chorea is a primary symptom of HD. The Devil’s Dance was whispered about because of the shame, stigma and fear of this disease no one knew much about.

Times were different back then. There was no genetic testing or genetic counselling. Families just waited to see if symptoms would appear in them or in loved ones. Not much was known about the genetics of this disease or what the probabilities were of being affected if a parent had the disease. All I knew was what I heard about family members being sheltered and, in some instances, locked up so they wouldn’t harm themselves. They were deemed to have the Devil’s Dance, and not everyone behaved the same way. There was shame among afflicted families. There was also incredible fear.

This was in the early to mid-1900s in a remote community in northeast Newfoundland, where not many people talked about HD. Partly because there wasn’t much known about it, and no one in these small towns knew what to do anyway, especially if the afflicted person had rage tendencies and dramatic outbursts. My aunt Edna, who, along with my aunt Marg, helped in raising me after my own mother died, often became quite violent and would hit her husband, and hit him hard. She was sent away periodically for shock therapy because that was the preferred “treatment” of a disease that no one knew much about. I had an uncle who took his own life after he started exhibiting symptoms.

I suppose they call it the Devil’s Dance because those who are afflicted can’t keep still, legs going, feet going, torso bending. And the devil part? Well, that probably doesn’t need much explanation or observation. Only the devil could conjure such a tragic infliction. Some days I do feel like I’m in hell, to be honest. Fitting, I suppose. Not like I have a choice to dance with anyone else except with this devil of a disease.

About the Author

Corinne was 10-years old when she told her teacher that when she grew up, she was going to be an author. A few decades may have passed since then, but the author dream was realized with the publication of her debut novel, Me, Mom & the Monster in the summer of 2026.

Corinne, a native Newfoundlander, grew up surrounded by books, newspapers and magazines. Her environment must have had some impact since she graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Arts and then went on to pursue a Journalism diploma at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta.

Although her initial intention was to write fiction, Corinne says the story of Me, Mom & the Monster needed to be told first. She says sharing the intimate story of being part of a Huntington’s disease family opened the space for other ideas.

When she isn’t creating characters, and envisioning scenes and scenarios, she finds comfort in being outside. She lives in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada where she is continuously adding to her To Be Read stack and where she is currently writing her second book.

Website: https://corinnebrown.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinneiswritingabook
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61590646317904
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/71361751.Corinne_Brown

Amazon: https://us.amazon.com/Me-Mom-Monster-Through-Huntingtons-ebook/dp/B0H3NWHCJS/ref=sr_1_10

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Bible Companion Book 10 Matthew–John The Gospels by Karen Westbrook Moderow

About the Book

Book: The Bible Companion Book 10 Matthew–John The Gospels

Author: Karen Westbrook Moderow

Genre: Bible Study

Release Date: May 29, 2026

What do you think about Jesus?

The Bible Companion Book 10 Matthew–John explores the gaps between our view of Christ and who Bible says He is. A simple one-chapter-a-day format lets you engage with Scripture without the pressure of schedules, homework, or heavy reading loads. Short daily readings and thought-provoking questions connect your story to God’s Word. For personal, group, or homeschool Bible study.

After four hundred years of silence, when Israel has nearly given up hope of a messiah, God sends Jesus. The four Gospels introduce us to this long-awaited Savior but also chronicle the profound disappointment Jews feel when they realize He has not come to restore their nation. Jesus refuses to be boxed in by our limited view of Him. As Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John reveal a Savior who redefines power and love, we discover that our expectations are not too great but too small.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

KAREN WESTBROOK MODEROW is a Bible teacher and author who brings a storyteller’s perspective to Scripture. She holds master’s degrees in theology and creative writing and loves introducing others to Jesus through the stories told in God’s Word.

 

 

 

 

 

More from Karen

Bread is a big deal in the Gospels. After feeding thousands with just a few barley loaves and two fish Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). The night of His arrest He takes a loaf of bread and says to His disciples, “Take and eat. This is my body” (Matt. 26:26). Bread. Jesus makes this simple food a symbol of Himself because it represents what we must have to live. I think about this often now that I’ve started baking my own bread.

Bread-making is the next logical step in my quest for a healthier lifestyle. Years ago, I cut out fast foods. Sodas. Processed foods (except for Fritos which I still enjoy with a sandwich on occasion J). But despite the many health gurus who say we should cut bread out of our diets my family has bread every day.

I’m from Texas. My grandparents had biscuits for breakfast, cornbread for dinner (noon meal) and yeast rolls for supper. If my grandmother didn’t have time to make rolls (which happened more often as she aged), she served Wonder Bread stacked high on a plate. In those days, we all bought the hype—“Wonder Bread builds strong bodies 12 ways!” We sometimes commented on the wonder of it all—no pun intended—that science had improved on a staple mankind has eaten for centuries. Only it didn’t. Our taste buds told us that the bread my grandmother made was infinitely better but other voices won out.

I make my own bread now to assure that what I take into my body is as clean as I can make it. I use flour without glyphosate and the best organic ingredients I can find. But do I succeed in making a bread that is free of all contaminants? No. There’s not a plot of ground or a man-made product on earth that is 100% pure. But every loaf of bread I bake is a revolution of sorts—a rejection of a system I don’t think has my best interest at heart. My efforts are imperfect but they’re a sign I see the problem and want to address it.

Spiritually, the path is similar. We’re hungry. We want and need to eat. We crave bread. But God’s Word warns us that what the world offers is not good. Whatever nutrition it offers can be saturated with things not easily seen—a distorted view of Christ, a subtle twisting of the truth, a self-focused gospel that appeals to our pride and greed. If we are spiritually discerning, we will recognize that these things can hurt us. But once we know it, what do we do? The danger is that our response is to “make our own bread” thinking that our improved spiritual resources and knowledge can create a life-giving loaf. But our best intentions and efforts to live like Jesus will always fall short. Just as we cannot eliminate all contamination from our food, we cannot eliminate sin’s influence in our lives. But wanting to be holy—to be like Jesus—is a step forward. It’s like me deciding that I don’t want to eat the bread found on the grocer’s shelf and choosing to do something about it. But that’s where the analogy ends. I can make better bread, but not perfect bread. I can make bread that satisfies my physical body for a time but not one that fills my deepest needs or gives me eternal life.

Sometimes when I make bread, I fail massively. The bread doesn’t rise. It’s too dense. Too doughy. Too dry. Other times, it is delicious, crusty, and fragrant. But every time I make it, I think of Jesus’s words, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:51). I use my bread-making time to think on the One who is Himself the bread of life. If that sounds good to you, try making one of my favorite recipes and enjoy both the bread and your time with the Lord.

1 Hour Yeast Rolls  – 2 Dozen

To Begin:

Turn oven onto lowest temp (around 170 degrees)

Crack 1 egg in a bowl (to reach room temperature)

Set out a 9” x 13”plus an 8” x 8” pans. Grease or line with parchment paper

You can substitute a cookie sheet OR (2) 12-cup muffin pans.

In a stand mixer bowl:

Whisk together

3 ¾ to 4 cups BREAD FLOUR

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 pkg rapid rise/ yeast (4 ½ tsp)

1 tsp salt

In microwave-proof glass measuring cup:

    Heat to 100–115 degrees (90 sec.)

1 ½ cups whole milk

2 TBS unsalted butter

    Add (whisk) into warm milk mixture

1 egg (room temperature)

2 TBS olive oil

Place dough hook on mixer.

     Slowly add warm milk mixture to dry ingredients on low speed. 

(Confirm temp is still at 100–115 degrees)

Increase speed slightly and knead for 6-8 minutes.

Dough will be smooth and sticky.

If too sticky, add 1 tsp flour at a time and knead until dough holds together.

COVER tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for 5–10 minutes.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.

Flour hands and using a scraper, divide the dough in two.

Shape one portion into a log and divide into 12 equal pieces.

Close the ends of each piece together at the top then turn it over and roll into a smooth ball on the counter.

Place pinched side down into the greased dish or muffin pans

Repeat with the second log.

Cover bread with a clean kitchen towel. You should have 24 rolls total.

TURN OFF THE OVEN you’ve preheated to 170 degrees and place bread in oven.

Let dough rise until double in size (approx. 20 minutes).

REMOVE ROLLS FROM OVEN

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Just before placing in oven a second time, brush tops of rolls with an egg wash (1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water).

BAKE 16–18 minutes.

Brush baked rolls with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 13

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 14

She Lives To Read, October 15

Lots of Helpers, October 15

lakesidelivingsite, October 16

Fiction Book Lover, October 17 (Author Interview)

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 18

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 19

Texas Book-aholic, October 20

Artistic Nobody, October 21 (Author Interview)

Writing from Walsh Mountain, October 21

Simple Harvest Reads, October 22 (Guest Review from Donna)

Mary Hake, October 23

Cover Lover Book Review, October 24

Guild Master, October 25 (Author Interview)

Lights in a Dark World, October 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/XhgP0/the-bible-companion-book-10-matthewjohn-the-gospels-celebration-tour-giveaway

Spotlight and Giveaway: Dockside Secrets by Terry Overton

About the Book

Book: Dockside Secrets

Author: Terry Overton

Genre: Christian Cozy Mystery

Release Date: October 17, 2025

When Finley Burke moves to the peaceful lakeside village of Sunset Cove, she’s looking for a fresh start-not a mystery. But when a violent storm washes a strange tackle box onto her dock, she discovers more than fishing lures inside. Hidden within are antique jewels and secrets that link to a long-buried family feud and a suspicious death. As Finley digs deeper, she finds herself tangled in a web of

lies that threaten the calm of the cove- and her own safety.

With the help of her quirky but loyal neighbors, a sharp-eyed detective, Finley must uncover the truth before the past catches up to her.

Full of Southern charm, close-knit friendships, and suspense that keeps you turning the pages. Dockside Secrets is a heartwarming cozy mystery that proves it’s never too late to start over or to solve a mystery.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Terry Overton is a retired university professor of educational and school psychology. She has an Ed.D. in Special Education and a Ph.D. in Psychology.

Her professional experience includes teaching public school, teaching at the university level, and being a college dean.

She has two children, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Her previous writing and publication experiences include textbook and journal articles in the fields of special education and school psychology. She now seeks to answer God’s call to share the good news and grow the church by writing Christian books and devotionals.

Over the years, Terry’s books have won the Mom’s Choice Award, Christian Indie Award, Firebird Book Awards, American Writing Winner Awards, Bookfest Winner Awards, Pencraft Award, Reader Views Silver Reviewers Award, and International Book Award Finalist. Her writing examines real world events with a Christian worldview. She enjoys writing for young children, middle grade readers, YA fiction, and adult level novels.

More from Terry

I must admit I have probably watched and read just about every Hallmark cozy mystery I have come across! I have become addicted to mysteries lately! I don’t limit it to just the cozy mysteries. Lately, I have been watching plenty of true crime. The attraction for me is the puzzle. I mean, really, who can resist a “whodunit?” I prefer more of the gumshoe approach, but I also watch several crime scene investigations.

It started out with a curiosity about why people do such actions. What motivates people to commit these crimes and then try to cover them up? In many cases, criminals just aren’t that bright. But there are some cases that remain puzzling.

I decided to give it a go. Dockside Secrets is my first cozy. It was fun to write this mystery in the little community outside of a big city. We moved to this new little cove on a lake, Sunset Cove, and this is where the characters live. The large city in the book, Sagebrush Bend, is in reality, Fort Worth, Texas. Plenty of changing landscapes here, and these appear in the story.

Grab this cozy and meet the quirky cast of characters: a retired forensic psychologist, a very proper southern lady, a nutty and loud best friend, and a middle-of-the-road peacekeeper join a fumbling local sheriff and a handsome detective to discover what really happened at Sunset Cove.

Blog Stops

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 7

Holly’s Book Corner, October 8

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 8

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 9

Texas Book-aholic, October 10

Lights in a Dark World, October 10

For Him and My Family, October 11

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 12

She Lives to Read, October 13

Sylvan Musings, October 13

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 14

The Avid Reader, October 14

Fruitfully Planted, October 15

Vicky Sluiter, October 16

Avid Reader Nurse, October 17

Book Looks by Lisa, October 18

Simple Harvest Reads, October 19 (Guest Review from Donna)

Mary Hake, October 19

Leslie’s Library Escape, October 20

Lily’s Corner, October 20

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Terry is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/55lW2/dockside-secrets-celebration-tour-giveaway

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Marquess’s Masked Archer by Abbey Downey

About the Book

Book: The Marquess’s Masked Archer

Author: Abbey Downey

Genre: Christian Historical Romance

Release Date: September 15, 2026

A hidden identity. A relentless marquess. And a summer where love could expose everything.

When Cleveland society parades debutante Sylvie Bryce before another string of unsuitable suitors, she secretly claims the one thing no one can arrange for her—a life of her own. Hidden beneath a green velvet hood and emerald mask, she becomes the mysterious Lady Robin, a daring trick-shot archer who captivates the crowds at Cedar Point resort. It’s the one place where Sylvie answers to no one. The last thing she needs is a charming English marquess threatening to unravel everything she has worked so hard to build.

Miles Wentworth didn’t come to Ohio looking for love. He came to study insects, escape the shadow of a devastating scandal, and prove that a man can build a life on his own terms. But a chance encounter with a boldly independent woman—first in a glittering ballroom, and then behind the mask of a legendary archer—upends every carefully laid plan. Determined to protect her, even from himself, Miles steps into a dangerous game of secrets and deception—one that draws them closer with every anonymous letter and stolen moment…even as the truth has the power to ruin them both.

A richly atmospheric Gilded Age romance brimming with wit, hidden identities, and the tender courage it takes to love without pretense—a tale of a sharp-shooting socialite, a science-minded lord, and the summer of secrets that will change them both forever. Perfect for fans of Jen Turano and Roseanna M. White.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 

About the Author

Abbey Downey started writing inspirational romance stories during naptime when her kids were babies and found she couldn’t stop. A life-long Midwestern girl, Abbey lives in central Indiana with her husband, two kids, and one rather enthusiastic beagle. She loves watching her middle schoolers in all their activities and fixing up a 125-yar-old farmhouse with her husband.

 

 

 

 

More from Abbey

“Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be impressed and entertained by the marvelous skill of Lady Robin, our own famed archer. Reminiscent of Robin Hood of old, she performs feats with a bow that are only dreamed of by most masters. Now, please, sit back and enjoy the show.” – The Marquess’s Masked Archer

 

Why do fictional characters hide? They might keep their entire identity hidden under a costume, their face covered with a mask, or just parts of who they are kept behind a confident act, but secrets are often an element of the conflict in books we love. And it’s for the same kinds of reasons all of us have tried to hide aspects of ourselves at one time or another. Fear. Shame. Protection. Freedom. Survival.

Characters in fiction reflect the truth of our human existence. Most of us probably aren’t dressing up as a female Robin Hood to perform archery trick shots or writing secret admirer letters to win a love interest, like my characters do in The Marquess’s Masked Archer. But the reasons Sylvie and Miles choose secrecy are all too relatable.

Sylvie’s goal in hiding behind a green hood is to give herself a taste of freedom. Her high society world is prescribed and controlled. There are very few opportunities for her to make choices in life. And while she longs to have more freedom, she also worries that if she were to get the independence she so desires, she would fail miserably and be forced to return to her parents in shame. Isn’t it relatable to want something desperately but at the same time be terrified that we can’t actually handle getting it?

In a different way, Miles hides behind a new life for protection. After false accusations in his youth left him disgraced in England, he wrestles with his purpose. His passion for medical entomology has given him hope for a normal life, but he also feels the constant weight of expectations due to his noble title. He’s certain people only see what they want to when they look at him, so he hides away doing his research, hoping no one will look at all. How truly human is that? We hide so much of ourselves out of worry that people won’t understand or will immediately jump to conclusions about who we are based on one glimpse.

But God didn’t create us for secrecy. The tension of hiding makes it difficult for Sylvie and Miles to fall in love, in spite of their interest in each other from the beginning. Every step forward brings new worry that they’ll be found out and their plans will be destroyed. Each romantic moment comes with the discomfort of knowing they aren’t being completely genuine with each other. Even Sylvie and Miles’s first kiss is shrouded in questions about whether the other knows that they meant it.

In the end, Sylvie and Miles’s story is also about what happens when they’re forced to take off the masks. It takes trust in each other and in God for them to finally get to the moment of happily ever after that we all love so much. Just like in fiction, when we trust God with those secret parts of ourselves, we can start to see how living in truth offers more freedom than hiding.

Do you enjoy a hidden identity or secret admirer trope? What’s your favorite book that includes one of those?

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 26

Texas Book-aholic, September 27

Pause for Tales, September 28

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, September 28

Madi’s Musings, September 29

For Him and My Family, September 30

Book looks by lisa, October 1

The Vine and The Branch, October 1

Devoted Steps, October 2

Leslie’s Library Escape, October 2

Lyssa Loves Books, October 3

Devoted To Hope, October 4

Books You Can Feel Good About, October 5

Blossoms and Blessings, October 6

Holly’s Book Corner, October 7

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 8

Lily’s Corner, October 9

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Abbey is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://gleam.io/GCnUr/the-marquesss-masked-archer-celebration-tour-giveaway

My Review

I have to admit that as soon as I saw the beautiful cover of The Marquess's Masked Archer by Abbey Downey, I knew I had to read it. It starts off the Headliners and Heartstrings series and I thought it was a great way to start the series. I adored meeting the duo of Sylvie and Miles. Their story was full of action, adventure, and romance. I loved it and had no problem reading it fully in a short time.

I am going to give The Marquess's Masked Archer five stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read clean historical romance. I can not wait to find out what happens next in the second installment from Abbey Downey's Headliners and Heartstrings series.

I received a paperback copy of Abbey Downey's The Marquess's Masked Archer from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion. 

Book Tour: Soldier's Joy by M F Jones

Book Details:

Book Title: Soldier's Joy: Book II of The Sentinel Heart Trilogy by M.F. Jones
Category: Adult Fiction (18 yrs +)
Genre: Romance: historical, supernatural, military​
Publisher: Fieldwood Books
Release date: Sep 28, 2026
Content Rating: PG-13 + M: Soldier's Joy contains wartime violence, the suicide of a minor character, two slightly explicit sex scenes though without gratuitous detail, and profanities like s**t, a**hole, and God damn it, though no f-words.

Book Description:

Avery Gowan is barely home from Iraq when a ghost appears to him—one that looks disturbingly like him. The apparition says that Jessie Gibbs, a woman he’s just met, can help him escape the guilt of the mission that killed three of his friends and maimed another.

A few days earlier, at a service honoring his family’s Civil War relative, Lemuel Sanders, Avery was drawn to Jessie’s quiet strength and calm presence. Jessie, a musician, had been camping with her Civil War-style band the previous year when she discovered Lemuel’s unmarked woodland grave, leading to his identification and proper burial after 145 years.

Jessie and Avery begin a relationship, but his anger, recklessness, and self-doubt threaten to tear them apart. When the ghost saves him from a deadly motorcycle crash, Avery hides the truth about his spectral guardian, afraid Jessie will see him as broken beyond repair.

But Jessie is hiding something too—a secret about her true connection to Lemuel Sanders that may cost her Avery’s love.

The sequel to the award-winning Stones River, Soldier’s Joy nonetheless stands alone as a haunting, emotionally charged story about how the past refuses to stay buried, how healing demands facing it, and how love gives the courage to do so.
Buy the Book:
Amazon
B&N ~ BAM ~ Bookshop.org
add to Goodreads


Meet the author:

M. F. JONES is a former editor for Viking Press book publishers, and Redbook, Family Circle, and Reader’s Digest magazines. When not writing, she can be found reading, knitting (while listening to audiobooks), singing in a choir, or hiking in the beautiful Tennessee woods near the home she shares with her husband, composer Douglas Hedwig. ​

Connect with the author: Website ~ facebook ~ goodreads

Guest Post:

Now Hear This! 

By M. F. Jones 

I’m a huge fan of audiobooks, and as an avid knitter I always have a book playing as I wield my needles (unless I’m working on a pattern that demands complete concentration). So it was natural for me to want to have audio versions of my two books (so far) in The Sentinel Heart Trilogy.  But the cost of producing an audiobook is exorbitant -- $2500 and up.  And I knew I wouldn’t be happy with the more economical option of an AI-voiced reading. 

Thankfully my local library has a state-of-the-art recording studio and allows patrons to use it for free, with the help of an engineer, for 6 hours a month. I began recording the first book in the trilogy, Stones River, in September of 2025, and released the finished book on Audible.com in February of this year. 

In the studio, doing my best to channel my

favorite audiobook narrators

It was an amazing experience and incredibly labor-intensive, first with doing the approximately 40 hours of recording, and then learning how to edit, splice in corrections, adjust volume, and add music, using the GarageBand program. The only thing I had to pay for was the final mastering. (To hear a sample of the finished product, click here https://a.co/d/098RWgoV and choose “Preview Audio” under the cover image.)  

Now I’m recording Soldier’s Joy. I hope to have it finished, mastered, and available by Christmas, but that’s going to be a push. Out of the 34 chapters, plus intro, acknowledgments, and author’s note, I’ve completed 17 chapters, with much editing still to be done. 

To add to the excitement, I’m working on my next book, Bright Canaan, the third book in the trilogy, which I hope to publish in September 2027. It’s presently in first draft form, a solid base to build on but requiring much cutting, editing, and revision. On a retreat in January with my writers’ group I hope to get it into shape. Then will come the final editing by a developmental editor, a copy editor, and a proofreader, and the extended process of production into book form. And I’ll start a new recording. 

As I think all the foregoing makes clear, the independent publishing path is one of constant work, considerable expense that there’s little assurance of earning back (true for most authors, whether self- or traditionally- published), and a steep learning curve to master the different technologies required. For most writers it has to be a labor of love. And I do love it. It gives me joy to be doing what I feel I was born to do. 

Not the least of the expense—of money, time, and emotional energy—comes in the marketing. For many of us introverted writers, promoting ourselves and our books requires a major venture out of our comfort zone. That’s why I’m so grateful to reviewers like you who spend your own resources reading my and other writers’ offerings and letting readers know about them. Thank you!

My Review:

Stones River: A Civil War Story of Courage, Sacrifice, and an Otherworldly Love was among one of my favorite books I had read in 2025. I was excited to find out that it was start of a series called, The Sentinel Heart Trilogy. As soon as I had the chance to read the second installment, Soldier's Joy, I jumped for that opportunity. I was far from being disappointed. M F Jones really knows how to craft a believable paranormal story that collides the past and present. I loved catching up with Lem and Jessie again, being introduced to Avery. I loved how characters living century and a half apart can bring healing and how to deal with horrific traumas they had faced in their lives. I adored Stones River, but surprisingly I believe I adored this one even more. I loved it so much.

I am going to give Soldier's Joy a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who love to read romance with a paranormal and historical twist. I can not wait to get my hands on the third and final book from The Sentinel Heart Trilogy to see what happens next, as well as, how it all ends. I am definitely a fan of M F Jones and their books. 

I received a paperback copy of M F Jones' Soldier's Joy from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.