Welcome to my Book Review Blog. My goal is to connect readers with the wonderful and amazing books I am blessed to reveiw. And to introduce you to the talented and wonderful authors responsible for writing these books. May my love for books show through my reviews on this site.
Choices her father made before she was even born reached a bony finger into her life, clouding her future with hopelessness. Her father’s cold heart had no room for her. He easily cast her aside when the Law permitted it. Defined as an outcast because of a physical infirmity, Priscilla was told death was her destiny. Despite the limited perspective brought about by years of adversity, Priscilla fought to keep hope alive and wait for the Lord’s timing.
Aquila lost his father at the most critical time in his life. Battling against grief and bitterness, Aquila uncovers a secret about his father’s death that undermines his faith in a religious system that once defined him. Driven from his homeland, Aquila becomes someone he no longer recognizes.
Two people whose perspectives are skewed by adversity become divinely intertwined in mysterious ways. As they wait upon the Lord for His timing, would Priscilla and Aquila ever find the truth that would lift their eyes to the hills so they could see the purpose of life, not only between a man and a woman but between God and His creation? A poignant story about how God uses adversity for good in the lives of those who truly love and trust Him.
Now enjoy an interview with author D.M. Griffin and writing The Crooked Daughter.
1. Do you like music or silence when you write?
Answer: I definitely prefer solitude when I write, but that doesn’t translate to silence. It is just harder for me to write when people are around. Interruptions are difficult to handle when I am drafting a novel. I enjoy background ambient music that matches the mood of the story I am writing.
2. Do you enjoying writing stand alone stories or series? And Why?
Answer: I enjoy writing series rather than stand-alone books. Other than my prayer books and devotionals, the novels are all series-based. I think that is because I like reading series of books rather than stand-alone. I tend to write an entire series before I publish even one book in the series. This was a bit of a challenge for the longer series that had twelve books. I had to wait four years before publishing them. Four book series are much easier to write. Once I get the series done and edited, then I focus on publishing.
3. Which scene, character or plotline in The Crooked Daughter changed the most from first draft to published book?
Answer: I ended up changing the main characters in the story from the first draft to the published edition. I started with the intention of writing separately about the crooked woman in the gospels and Priscilla and Aquila in Acts. I was going to have them meet one another and weave the story together that way, but it was too splintered. So, I ended up taking creative liberty in combining the two characters mentioned in the Bible into one person. It was risky for Biblical Fiction, but the core of The Crooked Daughter isn’t a historical narrative. It is a thematic one about healing, the purpose of suffering, and how pain can distract us from recognizing our Healer. I think the story flows better by connecting Priscilla’s backstory with that of the crooked woman.
4. Your favorite thing about writing?
Answer: I think my favorite thing about writing is getting to know my characters. I am an introverted person by nature. When I write, I am surrounded by so many characters that it can feel a little overwhelming. As an only child, I often feel as if they become like brothers and sisters as I craft a novel. Writing Biblical Fiction immerses me in Scripture with a depth that chisels my imagination and brings me to new levels of devotion in studying and reading my Bible.
5. What are your hobbies besides writing?
Answer: Besides writing, I love to read. I also take daily walks around the lake by my house. I work part-time. I crochet prayer shawls. I like to draw and journal. I work on my website. I design my own book covers which I have fun doing. I really like having lunch with friends when I can. I also travel to visit my son and his family while they are stationed across the country.
6. If you had one piece of advice for new writers, what would it be?
Answer: One piece of advice for new writers is: Don’t give up. Someone told me that when I first started out, and it has been an anchor for me. The process can be extremely discouraging. (Negative reviews are hard on the heart) But with every novel, even with every review, a writer can become better at the craft. The key is to fight through the discouragement.
My thanks to D.M. Griffin for taking the time to answer my questions. I enjoyed your answers very much and I know my followers and visitors will as well.
About the Author
D.M. Griffin is the author of several Biblical Fiction novels as well as devotionals, prayer journals, and Bible studies. She will be releasing a Christian Fantasy series in 2025. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband. They met in middle school a few days after she was transplanted to the West Coast at the tender age of twelve. She has three adult children who have been an endless source of delight and inspiration. She also has a precious new grandchild who brings her joy.
As a native New England girl, she fondly remembers spending her summers there as a child. Thick accents, small towns, and fascinating weather stirred the imagination of a young heart. She has always had a fondness for stories thanks to her imaginative mother who would make up wild, adventurous tales to tell when tucking her into bed as a child.
She truly believes that a book that sits on a shelf unread is like a planted seed that never blossoms. Nothing delights her more than sharing a story.
More from D.M.
My inspiration for writing The Crooked Daughter is multi-faceted. First of all, I was intrigued by the unnamed characters in the Bible who had a single extraordinary encounter with Jesus. The woman who was bent over for eighteen years was one of the four that I selected for The Encounter Series.
Though there were few verses dedicated to this woman, I felt the deeper pull of a story tucked inside the folds of those verses describing Jesus healing her on the Sabbath. I wondered what her story was. What led her there that day? Did she go searching for Him or did Jesus pick her out of the crowd?
Reading that the woman was in that condition for eighteen years is worthy of pondering. I think a lot of times when we read Scripture, we miss the impact of time’s passage. As someone who has suffered from back pain for many years, I could relate to the crooked woman’s story. Eighteen years is a long time to be bent over. The longest I had to remain in a bent position was three weeks. It is extremely difficult to move through the world when the only thing you can see is the ground. Pain is bad enough to endure. Pain for eighteen years must have been excruciating. I know when I am in pain my mood and attitude definitely need adjustment. I would have been a monster after eighteen years!
Developing Priscilla’s character challenged me as a writer. As someone who suffered an early rejection in life only to endure physical infirmity on her own, I didn’t want her to become embittered the way most would after enduring such a trial. There was a delicate balance between lamenting her fate and holding onto hope as it slipped away. Therefore, I introduced the playful, furry character – a dog named Patch.
Aquila’s character was complex and layered. While he was physically able-bodied, his heart was agonizing with grief, responsibility, and disillusioned faith. He was a man who could stand straight even while his soul was bent over.
I have always been intrigued by Aquila and Priscilla in the Bible. As an inspirational couple who served the Lord together, I enjoyed weaving the threads of their story into the fictional account about the crooked woman. I believe that love soothes the wounds of suffering. Falling in love straightens the crooked perspectives of circumstances. Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story that culminates in a strong, enviable marriage?
In The Crooked Daughter, the main character’s condition is symbolic of the political climate of those days. The religious leaders were the ones who were bent over, their perspective about God’s acceptance of people horribly skewed under the heaviness of pride. They could not lift their eyes to the heavens to recognize the Messiah in their midst. Their hearts were hunched under the weight of selfish ambition and prejudicial attitudes. Condemnation was the chain that kept them bound, unable to see the horizon of eternity.
Physical infirmities are horrible to endure. Even worse are the infirmities of the soul. So many things can truly bend us away from God – rejection, selfishness, anger, grief, regret. Thankfully, Jesus is more than a healer. He is our Savior. I truly enjoyed exploring these themes throughout The Crooked Daughter. I hope that readers come away from the story with hope as an anchor for hard times. God truly uses all things for good when we trust in His plan.
A ruthless murderer. A deadly secret. An unbreakable love.
After the brutal murder of her mother and brother twelve years ago, Corina Roberts built a new life in Kentucky. But when strange things begin to happen, she is thrust into a perilous game of life and death. With nowhere else to turn, her best hope of survival depends on her ex-boyfriend, army veteran Bryce Jessup.
Recently returned from service, Bryce has every intention of staying away from Corina, but when threats close in around her, he isn’t willing to leave her safety to chance. As their search for answers uncovers lethal secrets her detective father kept hidden, Bryce and Corina must untangle the mystery of the merciless killer intent on terrorizing and eliminating Corina’s family before it’s too late.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
Secondary Target is an action packed fast paced thriller that grabs your attention from the very first page. This debut book from author Angela Carlisle will keep you turning the pages until the very end of the book.
Corina Roberts is being targeted and didn’t know why. She turns to her ex-boyfriend, army veteran Bryce Jessup, though this is not the ideal situation Corina wanted. As they search Corina’s dad, Will’s office, hopefully they will find what is going on. But things start happening before they can completely finish their search. When Will goes missing, it’s time to get the police involved and see who is doing all of the attacks on Corina and her dad.
Author Angela Carlisle writes a fabulous debut read in Secondary Target. I always enjoy a reading a good action packed, fast paced thriller and this is why I love loved reading this book. This one will get a second read from me. Corina and Bryce were my favorite, by far. I enjoyed their interactions as the attacks on Corina forced them together to go after the one who is responsible. I was scared for them several times, but I knew they would more than likely make it to the end. It’s was just scary getting there. I was stumped for the entire book on who was after Corina. I was in total shock, which I loved. Again, Carlisle does an amazing job keeping readers guessing throughout the story. I will be watching for book two in this series. I can’t wait to read more from this fabulous author.
I’ll not tell any more of the story, you need to read it for yourself. I’m giving Secondary Target Five Stars, and it is well deserving of each star.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Praise for Secondary Target:
“A thrilling debut that pulled me in from the first scene and kept me enthralled until the final page.” LYNN H. BLACKBURN, bestselling and award-winning author
“Carlisle’s debut is a fast-paced thrill ride.” JESSICA R. PATCH, award-winning author of The Garden Girls
“Angela Carlisle weaves action-packed suspense that keeps the reader turning pages.” LIZ BRADFORD, author of the Knoxville FBI series
“A riveting debut novel from Angela Carlisle guaranteed to intrigue you from page one to the very end.” JAIME JO WRIGHT, bestselling and award-winning author of Night Falls on Predicament Avenue
Book Details:
Genre: Romantic Suspense Published by: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: May 7, 2024 Number of Pages: 336 ISBN: 9780764242502 (ISBN10: 0764242504) Series: The Secrets of Kincaid, Book 1 Book Links:Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Baker Book House
Read an excerpt:
1
Security alarms shattered the autumn morning’s tranquility.
The mechanical shrieks pierced Corina Roberts’s consciousness, dissipating any lingering fog of sleep.
Not again.
She threw back the covers and rolled from the bed, revolver drawn from the nightstand before her feet touched the polished oak floor. She shoved the holster into her pocket but didn’t bother searching for her phone. Her dad’s security system was configured exactly like her own and would send a notification to the police within thirty seconds of being triggered if they didn’t shut it off. Help would be here soon enough. In the meantime, she’d be prepared to protect herself if necessary.
As she reached for the bedroom door, her German shepherd howled, creating a dissonant chorus with the wailing alarm. Shivers chased themselves up her spine. Her hand tightened around the revolver’s rose–wood–and–steel grip, and a fraction of her tension melted away. The .38 Special LadySmith fit her hand perfectly.
Hopefully, she wouldn’t need it.
She sucked in a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder. “Houston. Quiet.”
The howling broke off abruptly, but agitation continued to radiate from him. Before she had the door fully open, he burst through it, nearly knocking her off–balance in the process.
She slipped into the darkened hallway after him and caught sight of her father already standing at the front door, his own gun held in a ready position as he peered out the peephole. He would have checked the security monitor as soon as the alarms started. Whatever triggered them must be somewhere along the front of the house. The bright glow of motion–sensing lights beyond his position confirmed it.
“What is it?” She raised her voice to be heard over the alarm.
“I don’t know yet. Stay back.” He didn’t look her direction as he crept from the peephole to the edge of a nearby window and parted the blinds with his finger. Seconds passed. They were well past the requisite thirty now. “Turn the alarm off.”
Keeping to the perimeter of the entryway, she did as he asked. Sudden silence engulfed the home, but her eardrums still pulsed with the electronic rhythm of the previous few moments.
She glanced at her dad, and he signaled her to wait. Together they listened, but no sound carried through the door. Whoever had set off the alarm had probably been frightened away. Or were they merely biding their time?
Her dad bent down until his lips were close to her ear. “I’m going out the back to have a look around.”
She latched onto his arm as he started to turn away. “Wait for the police, Dad.”
“If anyone’s still out there, the police will scare them off.”
“Then let them get scared off.” Her voice rose on the last words, and he pressed a finger to her lips.
“Shh. I know what I’m doing. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He extracted himself from her grasp as he spoke.
Something akin to panic wrapped around her chest as he strode down the hallway. She had to stop him from doing something reckless. Something that could get him killed.
She followed him to the spare bedroom and found him unlocking a window. Even with the alarm off, he couldn’t use the back door without setting off the motion sensors. A window was his only option. But a window wouldn’t do much good if he needed to make a quick reentry.
“Don’t go out there, Dad.” Corina tried to still the slight tremble in her voice. She hated sounding weak, but more than that, she knew it would only feed her dad’s protective instincts.
“I need to, Corina.”
“Why? So you can play hero?” She refused to cringe at the implication of her words or take them back. Her dad didn’t play hero—-and they both knew it. But she never understood why he was always adamant about investigating threats on his own. Almost as if he didn’t trust the police to do their jobs.
He didn’t answer her. Just started easing the window upward. He wasn’t going to listen, so she said the first thing she could think of. “Fine. I’m going with you.”
Her wild shot hit its mark. Her dad stopped midmotion and turned back to face her. Even in the near darkness, she could see the steel in his gaze.
“No. You’re not. Stay here and keep Houston close.” Quiet finality rang in his words, but she lifted her chin in defiance, tamping the fear that threatened her control.
“I’m not a child, and if you’re going, so am I.”
“Corina, I know you’re not a child, but I don’t have time to argue with you. Stay. Here.” He fixed her with a look that had once made hardened criminals sweat.
She met it. Matched it. And waited.
The faint sound of a quickly approaching vehicle interrupted their glaring match and saved her further argument. The car stopped at their house, strobing lights announcing the police had arrived.
Her dad frowned and brushed past her to let them inside. He wasn’t happy, but he was safe. She’d stalled him long enough.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Corina leaned back against the wall as red and blue lights bounced around her. She slipped her revolver into her pocket holster, then clasped her arms across her chest to hide the trembling in her hands.
Buried memories surfaced, and she fought a wave of nausea. Not now. She clenched her fists and forced herself to focus on the present until the feeling subsided. She’d dwell on the past another day. Maybe.
***
Bryce Jessup’s hands stilled in the middle of his fifty–third rep. Police lights flashed outside his front window, and they weren’t just passing by. Not normal for sleepy Kincaid, Kentucky, especially at four in the morning. He lowered the barbell to its resting place and removed the headphones pumping upbeat music into his ears.
He tossed a towel around his neck before moving to peer outside. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of a cruiser parked across the street. Corina doesn’t live there anymore, he reminded himself. His sister had assured him of that.
Her father hadn’t moved, though.
Concern for the overly private man prompted him to step outside. He ignored the midforties temps and focused on the two officers from the local PD standing on the Robertses’ porch. With their backs to him, he couldn’t identify them. Truth was, he might not know them anyway. It had been several years since he’d spent more than a week or two in his hometown. Change in a small town might be stilted, but it was still inevitable.
Will Roberts stepped into view, leaving the door open behind him. Okay, so he was safe. Bryce held his breath, trying to hear the low voices, but he was too far away.
A flash of fur caught his eye as a familiar—-though now fully grown—-German shepherd pushed around Will to investigate the officers and the mess littered about the porch. A mess Bryce hadn’t noticed until now. He eyed the upturned trash can.
“Houston. Inside.” The command came from somewhere behind Will. The feminine voice was one Bryce knew all too well. His gaze settled on a shadow in the darkened doorway. His jaw tensed. So Corina was there after all. Why would Allye tell him she’d moved if she hadn’t?
When his mom had offered to rent him their old home upon his return from active duty, he’d put her off with excuses, not caring to voice the real reason behind his hesitation. Allye wasn’t fooled, though. At least she’d had the decency to wait until their mom was out of earshot before flatly informing him that Corina had moved. She hadn’t called him a coward, hadn’t even insinuated it. But he’d felt like one just the same as he took his mom up on her offer.
Now he just felt like a fool.
He truly intended to seek Corina out at some point—-try to make things right. But he had no intention of seeing her day after day in the neighborhood where they’d shared so many memories. That was asking too much.
Far too much. He cleared his throat, and Houston’s head shot up. Now you’ve done it, Jessup.
“Houston.” Corina’s call was slightly louder this time.
Houston glanced at the doorway. Back at Bryce. Back at the door-way. In an instant, he was off the porch and making a beeline for him. Bryce braced himself for the impact of paws against his chest. “Oof!” Houston had definitely grown since the last time he’d seen him.
He grunted and pushed the excited animal off him. “Down.” Without taking his eyes off the scene across the street, Bryce bent to ruffle the fur on the dog’s neck. “So you remember me, huh, boy?”
One of the officers turned, and he recognized Mike Broaddus, a senior member of their small department and one affectionately dubbed “Officer Mike” whether on or off duty. Although Mike was the type to keep a bag of candy in his patrol car just in case he had a chance to treat the neighborhood kids, he could also hold his own against any criminal likely to show up in this town.
As the man began walking toward him, Bryce straightened and pointed at the Robertses’ house. “Go home, Houston.” The dog sauntered off, taking his time but headed in the right direction.
“Well, if it isn’t Bryce Jessup. I’d heard you came back.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Bryce nodded, then gestured to the Robertses’ home. “Some excitement this morning?”
“Yeah.” Officer Mike scratched his head. “Something triggered his alarm system. You didn’t happen to see anything, did you?”
“Sorry, no. I was up but didn’t look outside until just now.”
“Figures. Eric’s taking a look around, but there’s no evidence anyone made it inside—-or even tried to, if you discount the alarms.” The man sighed. “I’d better get back over there.”
“You mind if I come with you?” Bryce could have kicked himself the instant the request popped out of his mouth.
Officer Mike quirked an eyebrow. “You and Corina back together?”
“No.” His lips firmed, and he was thankful for the darkness that hid the heat rising in his neck. Officer Mike and everyone else had been aware of their previous relationship. And why it ended.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to hit on a touchy subject.”
Bryce waved him off. “Not touchy. That ship sailed a long time ago.” Five years ago next month to be exact.
“Understood.” Officer Mike turned away. “I suppose it won’t hurt. Just don’t touch anything.”
“Thanks.” Bryce followed the officer across the street, still trying to figure out why he’d asked to come. He paused at the edge of the Robertses’ porch and glanced at the still–open door. No Corina. He wasn’t sure whether he was more relieved or disappointed. As much as he dreaded their inevitable meeting, he couldn’t help wondering how the last five years had treated her.
Will had his back to him and didn’t seem to notice his presence, but the other cop who’d arrived with Mike caught his eye and nodded. Eric Thornton. Of all the guys he’d attended high school with, Eric was the last one Bryce would have expected to hang around Kincaid this long. Maybe things had changed even less than he’d thought.
Bryce returned the nod, then allowed his gaze to travel the area. Might as well be useful while he was here. His eyes landed again on the upturned trash can. This was garbage day, so it had probably been full—-hence the mess. But he saw nothing that should have set off the alarm. Nothing unless . . .
On a hunch, he circled the outside perimeter of the porch, paying careful attention to a muddy patch near one corner. Yep. There they were. He motioned to the men. “Hey, I have some footprints over here.”
2
Corina surveyed what she could of the front porch from her position just inside the doorway. It wasn’t much, and she couldn’t see the impressions Bryce Jessup was chuckling about, but a raccoon had apparently been a recent visitor.
Why is Bryce even here? She peeked around the corner and caught a glimpse of him in an undershirt and sweats. His shoulders were broader than she remembered. Her already racing heart hit the accelerator, and she promptly wrote it a speeding ticket. She’d prefer to revoke its license. The traitorous thing. Hoping he hadn’t noticed her, she ducked back out of sight.
Last she’d heard, Bryce was stationed out of the country. She tried to recall how long it had been since that news. Six months—a year, maybe? She shook her head. No matter. But it was strange that Allye, his sister and her semi–housemate, hadn’t mentioned his return. Not that Corina had asked about him, but if she’d known he was in town, she might have done things differently. Like schedule a vacation in Florida while her side of their duplex was being renovated instead of arranging to stay with her father.
“How likely is it for a raccoon to set off an alarm?” The skepticism in her dad’s voice pulled her attention back to the present.
Eric released a laugh so brief it was barely more than a breath. “I don’t know how likely it is, but it’s entirely possible. One broke into my attic through a loose window once and made it through more than one closed door in its search for food. They can turn a knob almost as easily as a human.”
And her dad’s system was purposely wired to respond to even the slightest provocation. He’d chosen the specifications with care.
“I still want to take a look around.” Her dad was clearly unwilling to pin their wake–up call on a woodland creature until he’d exhausted every other possibility. And as a former PI, he had to be part of the investigation.
“No problem. We’ll do the same.” Eric didn’t sound bothered by her dad’s interference. The local police were used to it by now.
Corina breathed a sigh of relief as the voices faded and the group moved to the backyard. Despite what her dad thought, she was convinced any other evidence would confirm the raccoon theory. It had all been a false alarm, as it always was.
Her dad would be fine.
She started to close the door, then realized Houston was still outside. Without a fenced–in front yard, she couldn’t leave him out there running loose. Why hadn’t he come when she called? Usually he was better behaved, but if there was a raccoon to track, there was no telling how far he’d go before coming home.
She muttered under her breath as she opened the hall closet and snatched a dark denim jacket from its hanger. Houston would choose to run off at a time like this. Without taking the time to retrieve socks, she slipped on a pair of boots and stomped outside.
And almost into Bryce’s muscular arms. Sidestepping to avoid him, she tripped over the garbage can lid. His reflexes saved her balance but not her pride.
“Sorry if I scared you,” Bryce said as she pulled away. A tight smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, hinting at the familiar dimple in his left cheek.
Straightening, she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets and ignored his comment. And the dimple. She wasn’t about to explain her reaction. “I’m looking for Houston. Have you seen him?”
The smile disappeared. “A few minutes ago, but he was headed this way.”
“Well, he didn’t come back inside.” She pushed past him, careful this time to avoid the obstacle course on the porch. Unsure which way to go once she reached the street, she paused beneath a tree and cupped her hands around her mouth. Just as quickly, she dropped them. It was still early. If any of the neighbors had managed to get back to sleep after the ruckus they’d caused, she didn’t want to wake them now by yelling her dog’s name. Again.
A whistle pierced the air, and she turned a sour look on Bryce.
“What?”
Before she could say anything, she heard Houston’s bark—-immediately followed by the crack of a gunshot and a pained yelp.
“Houston!”
***
Bryce tackled Corina as the cry tore from her lips. Covering her with his body, he scanned the area. At this hour, not even the faintest tinge of amber colored the horizon. Motion–sensing lights still shone on the Robertses’ house, but their glow didn’t penetrate this area of the yard. Good.
But that meant he couldn’t see anything close to them either. And he had no idea where the single shot had originated. Canine whimpering indicated its destination, though.
“Get. Off.” Corina struggled beneath him.
He shifted his weight so he wasn’t squashing her and received an elbow to the chest as thank–you. Corina’s only response to his grunt was to push him farther away and stand.
“Wait.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
“Houston’s out there,” she hissed.
“I know, and so is someone with a trigger–happy finger.”
She pursed her lips, then focused on something behind him. He turned to follow her gaze. Nothing more than darkened houses met his eyes, but Corina took advantage of his shifted attention. With a quick twist, she broke his grip on her arm and took off at a run.
He stood and puffed out a breath as he headed after her. They should have waited for Officer Mike and Eric to join them. That’s what he would have told her if she’d taken the time to listen. Now no one would know their position when they came to investigate.
It was too late for that now. He couldn’t let Corina go off alone with an active shooter on the loose. At least she had sense enough to keep to the shadows as she searched for her pet. With her dark clothing, only her long blond ponytail stood out against the blackness surrounding them.
When she disappeared around a bend in the road, Bryce quickened his pace to catch up and almost bowled her over when he made the turn himself. Crouching next to Houston under a dim streetlight, Corina murmured soothingly in the German shepherd’s ear. Her fingers probed his fur, searching for wounds.
Bryce ran his eyes over the dog, evaluating him as best he could in the light they had. Houston was standing—-shaky, but standing. And the blood on the pavement appeared to be minimal. Maybe he wasn’t hurt badly after all. Please, God. It would crush Corina to lose her dog.
“How is he?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Houston yelped as Corina moved to his back legs. Blood marked the hand she snatched back. “Found it,” she muttered.
“Can you tell how bad it is?”
She shook her head. “I think just a graze, but I can’t be sure in this light.” She yanked off her jacket and reached for the injured leg again. “Hold still, Houston.”
Bryce arrested her hand. “Wait. Use this.” He pulled the towel from his shoulders and offered it to her. He’d almost forgotten it was there.
She hesitated only a second before accepting it. With gentle quickness, she wrapped it around the wounded limb, securing the ends together with an elastic band pulled from her hair.
“Thanks.” She slipped back into her jacket. “Who would do this?” Disgust coated her words as she surveyed the surrounding houses. The homes of their longtime neighbors.
Bryce followed her gaze. Who indeed? And why? There weren’t many good reasons to fire a gun within city limits. Did the shooter hate dogs? Mistake Houston for a coyote? Or did he have something to hide? Like an attempted break–in.
Maybe they’d been too quick to blame everything on the foraging raccoon.
One thing he was sure of. Whoever it was hadn’t gone far in the last couple of minutes. The three of them needed to get out of the open. Besides, the cops would be searching for the shooter by now, maybe even calling in backup. And they didn’t know he and Corina had left the house. Dodging friendly fire was not something Bryce wanted to do ever again.
And as soon as Corina’s dad noticed her absence, he’d work himself into a protective frenzy. The man’s temper was volatile when it came to his daughter. That overbearing protectiveness was the only thing Bryce hadn’t missed after he and Corina broke up. He understood it to a degree—-he’d be protective himself if he had a daughter, especially one like Corina—-but Will took things a little too far.
They needed to get back. The sooner the better.
Bryce looked at Houston. “We need to get him back to the house and get a better look at that wound.”
“I know, but I’m not sure how well he can walk.” Corina reached into a pocket, then frowned. “And I don’t have my phone. You don’t happen to have yours, do you?”
Bryce shook his head. There had been no need to grab it before leaving the house. He hadn’t planned on going anywhere.
“Why don’t you head back and get my dad to drive up here and get us?”
And leave her alone in the meantime? Did she not realize the shooter might still be close by?
“I don’t think so.” Without waiting for a response, Bryce bent and lifted Houston onto his shoulders, taking care not to touch the wounded area. The dog whined but didn’t fight him. Good thing too. He wasn’t a small animal—-probably weighed close to eighty pounds. At least they only had a quarter mile or so to go.
Corina stood with him. As they turned back the way they’d come, a tingling feeling settled on his back—-the unmistakable sense of being watched.
He spun and stared into the darkness.
“What’s wrong?” Corina’s voice barely reached his ears. Her hand inched toward a slightly bulging pocket. Was she carrying? Probably.
He wished he were.
He shook his head and held his position a moment longer. Nothing moved, and only Houston’s heavy breathing disturbed the predawn quiet. But the feeling didn’t go away.
“Something’s off,” he finally said. “We need to go. Now.”
His jaw twitched as he turned his back to the potential threat and ushered Corina around the bend. Back toward the safety of her home. If he were alone and armed, he would investigate. But he wasn’t alone, nor did he own a gun. And he wasn’t foolish enough to walk around in the dark while the cops were searching for an active shooter.
He blew out a breath.
“You okay?” Corina asked, glancing at him.
“Fine.” He didn’t expound further. They didn’t have far to go now and were close enough to see the increased activity around Will’s property. A third police car had joined the pair already parked at the curb, and another was just pulling onto the opposite end of the street.
As they neared the house, a bright light suddenly switched on, partially blinding them.
“Freeze. Police.” Eric’s voice rang out from behind the light.
“It’s just us,” Bryce said, complying with the demand.
“Bryce? Corina?” Eric grunted and lowered his flashlight. “What are you doing wandering around? You could’ve gotten yourself shot.”
“Somebody shot Houston,” Corina blurted before Bryce had a chance to respond.
“Houston?” The officer turned his light to the dog, who still rested on Bryce’s shoulders. “How bad is it?”
“Leg wound. Probably not too bad, but he’ll need a vet to check him out.”
“Where’d you find him?”
“Up the road a bit. Let me drop him off, and I can show you.”
“All right.” Eric let them continue on to the house.
When they arrived, Corina held the front door open and directed him to place Houston on a towel in the large master bathroom.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
“You’re welcome.” He wanted to tell her how risky it had been to go after the animal, but watching her retrieve a first aid kit and tend to her pet, he didn’t have the heart to.
He headed for the porch, where Eric waited. As he exited the house, he heard a frantic voice behind him.
“Where have you been?”
Will.
Bryce winced and glanced over his shoulder at the nearly shouted words. The question hadn’t been aimed at him. The man was focused on the bathroom.
Bryce almost turned back to defend her actions, even though he didn’t agree with them, but it wouldn’t do any good. Corina was Will’s only living child, and she’d put herself in danger.
Eric caught his eye and gestured toward the road. “Show me.”
Bryce nodded, tuning out the argument behind him. Corina could hold her own. She always did.
Right now, it was more important for the police to figure out what happened this morning, and taking them to the spot they’d found Houston was the best thing he could do to help. The dog might have moved after the shot, but if he had, the police could follow the blood trail to find his original position. Then they could work on determining where the shot had come from.
And who fired it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt from Secondary Target by Angela Carlisle. Copyright 2024 by Angela Carlisle. Reproduced with permission from Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:
Angela Carlisle (AngelaCarlisle.com) resides in the hills of northern Kentucky and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and The Christian PEN. Angela is an editor by day and prefers to spend her free time reading, baking, and drinking ridiculous quantities of hot tea. Her unpublished works have won awards in ACFW’s Genesis and First Impressions contests and placed in the Daphne du Maurier contest. Her shorter fiction works, including the prize-winning flash-fiction piece “Mansion Murderer,” have appeared in Splickety and Spark magazines.
Book: Do You Have the Courage to Be You? 10th Anniversary Edition: A Guide to Discover Your Unique Identity and World-changing Destiny
Author: Jenny Williamson
Genre: Nonfiction Christian Living: Personal Memoirs/Personal Growth
Release Date: September 30, 2023
There is no one else like you.
You are an exceptional work of art.
You are special, unique, and original.
If all this is true, then why do we strive so hard for most of our lives to look and act like everyone else? We spend more time trying to reinvent ourselves than we do getting to know ourselves. It is critical to knowyou, love you, and value you so that you can be and do all you were created for.
Did you know there is somebody on this earth waiting for you to be you? When you are being you . . . the you God created you to be . . . lives will be changed, history will be made, and prayers will be answered. If you don’t dream it, create it, write it, tell it, sing it, or build it, it will never be done. Lives are literally at stake.
Part memoir and part self-help book, Do You Have the Courage to Be You? tells the story of Jenny Williamson and how she left her ordinary, comfortable life to start an international nonprofit that creates safe homes for children being sold for sex. Her journey of purpose guides readers to find their unique identity and uncover their passion, calling, and mission for life. What does it mean to have the courage to be you? What thought patterns or belief systems keep you stuck? What will you need to face the challenges? Jenny answers these questions in this revised edition of this powerful book. Reading it might just set you on the path to fulfilling your destiny.
Now join me for a unique interview with the author.
Today author Jenny Williamson answers questions about her writing.
1. What do you like best about writing non-fiction?
A. That I can draw on how God works and has worked in my life and the life of others. Our story is His story, and it is worth sharing with others.
2. What do you hope readers will take away from this story?
A. My hope is that readers will come to know that this book is all about them and for them. They were created on purpose for a water-walking, giant-slaying, history-making purpose! I hope they will also desire to find their purpose and be inspired to move forward into what God has for them. I wrote a 10-week study to help them do just that called Uniquely You: A Faith-Driven Journey to Your True Identity and Water-Walking, Giant-Slaying, History-Making Destiny.
3. Do you prefer writing in silence or to music? A. Total silence with a view of nature!
4. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? A. A mom and a missionary to faraway places.
5. Your favorite pastime or hobby? A. Hiking, and I just started playing Pickle Ball!
6. Do you have a favorite vacation spot? A. Anywhere there are both mountains and the ocean.
7. Give us 6 things your readers may not know about you. Answer: 1. I have ridden a camel. 2. I started a nonprofit for minor female victims of sex trafficking. 3. I became a foster mom. 4. I am from Mississippi but live right outside Lake Tahoe in California. 5. I love to hike and snow ski. 6. I am a grandmother.
8. Anything you would like to say to your readers and fans? A. In my experience as a speaker, speaking on the topic of identity and destiny, I have found that the vast majority of individuals I meet do not believe they were created on purpose for a purpose and have no idea who God created them to be! This book not only tells my story of how I started Courage Worldwide and conquered some very deep-seated fears, but it addresses God-given identity issues and much more, hopefully inspiring readers to step out and pursue the calling God has on their lives.
Thank you to the author for answering these questions. I hope you all have read them and you now know a little more about Jenny Williamson. Don’t forget to check out her other book she mentions in this interview, A 10 week study, Uniquely You: A Faith-Driven Journey to Your True Identity and Water-Walking, Giant-Slaying, History-Making Destiny.
About the Author
Jenny Williamson is the Founder and CEO of Courage Worldwide, an international nonprofit that builds Courage Houses for children recovered from sex trafficking around the world. Jenny is known for her contagious energy, her motivational speeches, and her passion for changing the world. She is an international speaker and courageously is and does all God created her for and absolutely refuses to settle for less. She encourages everyone she meets to do the same. Jenny and her family live in Northern Nevada.
More from Jenny
I wrote this book because, for most of my life, I believed I was created without talent, gifts, or any special ability to offer this world. Growing up, I was told I was too loud, too bossy, too stubborn . . . and too much! I didn’t believe God had created anything special in me, and I certainly didn’t believe I had a water-walking, giant-slaying, history-making destiny. I so wanted to matter—to make a difference in this world, but I didn’t believe I had anything special to offer . . . until I began reading my Bible—for myself!
Though I was raised in the Bible Belt of the South, went to church five times a week, am a seventh-generation Christian, and have a mother who speaks King James (any question you ask my mother about anything, she will answer you with a Bible Verse), I never had read the entire Bible cover to cover. I didn’t have to. I knew all the stories. They start teaching them in “Sunday School” every year and then repeat them the next. These stories didn’t “wow” me because I knew how they all ended. Abraham does have a son. Joseph does get out of the pit and prison. David does become King. Daniel doesn’t get eaten by lions, and Jesus doesn’t stay in the grave.
However, in my search for meaning and purpose, I picked up my Bible and started reading it from the beginning—word for word. In that search, I found the most astonishing thing: God uses the most ordinary people, often dysfunctional, without great talent, to literally change the world! In that journey of reading, a tiny spark was lit inside of me that turned into a burning flame of desire to be and do all God created me to. It was then I heard the whisper, “Do you have the courage to be you—you I created?” I embarked on the life-changing journey of discovering first who I was and what I was created to do. When I discovered those two things, I wanted to share this truth with everyone who crossed my path!
You, too, have been created on purpose for a water-walking, giant-slaying, history-making purpose. Mine led me to help children who were being sold for sex. I wonder where yours will lead you? I pray this book encourages you on that journey!
Cross the grid. Survive the storms. Let your destiny burn.
When mankind’s attempts to control nature backfire, Texas descends into a wasteland. Storms rage and ravenous beasts roam the Outer Grid. The only safe havens rest inside the tech-obsessed domed cities. But when her parents are murdered inside the Plex City dome, seventeen-year-old Juniper Conway wants revenge.
Ties to her extended family threaten to pull her back as she runs from city to city. The Plex is endangering its citizens by legalizing a deadly nano drug, and Juniper’s family needs her help to deliver the counteragent. Saving the city who orphaned her goes against everything she stands for. The only way out is to brave the wasteland.
Juniper joins a shipping crew fearless enough to transport food across the Outer Grid. But when a string of bad luck turns lethal, she fears something, or someone, is dragging her back to the Plex. As her world sinks into chaos, Juniper must decide if revenge is worth the lives of the crew she has come to love.
Now,I encourage you to read this unique interview with author Lyndsey Lewellen.
1. Why choose the genre you are writing?
Answer: When I was on vacation to my Grandparent’s house as a child, I would stay in my Grandpa’s downstairs living room to sleep. It had a nice comfy couch and a Grandpa who loved staying up till the wee hours watching the SyFy channel. Sometimes I wished he would go to bed and let me sleep, other times, I wanted to scoot next to him while we watched another episode of Star Trek. My love of science fiction was born, and I never looked back.
2. How long did it take to publish your first novel?
A. My first novel took eleven years to publish. Two of those years were spent not writing a single word. I had given birth to my twins and gave up writing for good. But God had other plans for me. Even though I said no to His calling, he remained faithful to what He put in my heart to do.
3. Which scene was most fun to write? Why? I always love writing big reveal scenes. This is the punchline to a good book. The whole novel, or at least the past few chapters, has been leading up to this point. Why is this character acting this way? What secret are they hiding? What will the other characters think of them if they know the truth? Whose side are they really on? I just love it. Reveals are why we enjoy well-timed jokes. They pay off.
4. What are your hobbies besides writing?
I need silence to write while I am at home. Otherwise, I get too distracted in the music. Especially if that music has lyrics. When I am at a coffee shop, I like to listen to ambient mood music. Sometimes I’ll just listen to futuristic space noises or rain falling on a cyberpunk city. But once I hit the climax, I might listen to some epic soundtrack songs to get me in the right frame of mind.
5. How did you go about developing the setting(s) for this story?
The Chaos Grid takes place in a futuristic Texas wasteland where storms rage and mutant beasts roam the lands between domed cities. The thought of a chaotic world came to me while I was stuck in Dallas traffic. I remember looking out the window wondering what it would be like if everything I saw became uninhabitable and what kind of people would travel that world if they had no choice.
6. Which scene was most fun to write? Why?
A. I always love writing big reveal scenes. This is the punchline to a good book. The whole novel, or at least the past few chapters, has been leading up to this point. Why is this character acting this way? What secret are they hiding? What will the other characters think of them if they know the truth? Whose side are they really on? I just love it. Reveals are why we enjoy well-timed jokes. They pay off.
About the Author
Lyndsey Lewellen grew up on a healthy dose of comic books, punk music, and sci-fi. She infuses all three loves into novels written for young adults. Inside her “what if” worlds, her characters take risks, grow, and fight for what matters. When she’s not writing or whittling down her endless TBR, she designs novel covers and paints on shoes. She lives on a small Texas farm with her best friend/husband, five children, and what some might call a zoo of animals (especially after meeting the peacocks).
More from Lyndsey
“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.” – Matthew 21:29
No. It’s a word I’ve heard many times over in my early days of parenting five children. In fact, after mama and dada, no was one of their earliest exercises of the English language. My eldest son held the word on the tip of his tongue like a cowboy during a high-noon showdown. Clean your room. No. Do your homework. No. Say you’re sorry. No. My children’s fondness of the word no is not a fluke, they come by it honestly. When something seems too difficult or overwhelming, I let loose the word no without giving it a second thought. At least in my heart I do. Yet, these days, I find myself saying yes while the no lingers on. Which, unless I actually do it, I’m sure is worse.
I think it is easier to follow a no with a yes when you can clearly see your wants are wrong. But what if the no seems justified? Then what?
In The Chaos Grid, Juniper Conway runs into this problem. Growing up in a domed city with all the comforts of weather regulation and short distance teleportation, on the surface, Juniper seems to want for nothing. Nothing except revenge. After her parents are murdered in the city that was supposed to keep her safe from the wasteland outside, she vows never to lift a finger of help for anyone under the Plex City dome.
Her plan goes well at first, bouncing from domed city to domed city, never returning to the Plex. But one day, she is plagued with visions calling her to either help those who took away her family or watch Plex City burn to the ground. Deep emotional wounds cloud Juniper’s judgement. She could never rescue people who caused her such trauma. So, out comes the no.
Only, to say no, Juniper chooses a path through the dangerous Texas wasteland, known as the Outer Grid, filled with mutated beasts, wild storms, and vicious nano drug smugglers. Her only hope of survival rests in the shippers, truck drivers who deliver natural food from the protected farms to the domed cities. But becoming a shipper carries its own costs. Unfortunate events rain down on her as she crosses the Outer Grid, spilling over onto the crew. Eventually, she can no longer write the chaos off as bad luck and must face what it really is—discipline.
It’s in those realizations that we come to a crossroads. When we know our parents, bosses, or especially God disciplines us for what we do wrong, do we change course? It’s a humbling action, I know, specifically when you feel so strongly that you were in the right. But we humans don’t live in a vacuum. The actions we choose today tend to splash consequences onto others, whether good or bad. When that happens, it may cause us to look at ourselves with more of a critical eye. Am I being refined during this difficult time? Or is there a no I’ve said when I should’ve said yes?
For this reason, I believe the Psalmist writes, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” – Psalm 139: 23-24
As far as my children go, I’ve noticed wonderful changes as they grow. My son, for instance, now in high school, still answers my instructions with no at times. But more and more, he stops, assesses the situation, and comes back with a yes, doing what was asked over simply telling me he’d do it. And while I’d like to say his corrective behavior is due to my parenting skills, I know it comes from the Holy Spirit urging him to follow the commands God set up in the beginning. But I think it also comes from watching those in his church community do the same. When we do what we should do, others see it. The practice of doing God’s will over simply saying you’ll do it, whether anyone sees you do it or not, can greatly change our culture. Because God sees it. And His discipline is loving.
Sometimes it takes a good smack upside the head for us to recognize His loving discipline. For Juniper, a wild ride through the post-apocalyptic wasteland might just do the trick. I hope you will follow her down a road of twists, turns, and the journey to do what’s right when every fiber of you being tells you not to.
splashesofjoy 