One little boy's dream becomes a sister's determination in this beautiful historical romance. Listen in as Amanda Cabot talks about her Sweetwater Crossing Christmas Novella, One Special Christmas.

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Readers couldn't get enough of Sweetwater Crossing, and Amanda didn't disappoint. Drawing new characters into familiar scenes, she gives us a beautiful look at new hope and joy at Christmastime.

One Special Christmas by Amanda Cabot

It will take a miracle to salvage her dreams, but Christmas is the season of miracles, isn't it?

Fearing this may be her young brother's last Christmas, Greta Engel is determined to make Otto's dream of spending it at the foot of Pikes Peak come true. She'll do anything, even selling a priceless family heirloom, to get them away from Houston and the man who threatened both of them. But the trip to the fabled mountain is more arduous than she'd anticipated and a crisis leaves them stranded in the Texas Hill Country.

Even though it's only a temporary stay, Greta finds much to like about Sweetwater Crossing, including the opportunity to manage the town's tearoom. And then there's Matt Nelson, the all too handsome man who's running for sheriff. She wants to trust him when he proposes they serve as chaperones to help his brother win the woman of his dreams, but what if she's making a mistake like the one she did in Houston? What if the rumors are right and there's more to Matt's request than he's admitted?

Greta's head tells her she and Matt can be nothing more than friends, but her heart has other ideas.

Learn more about Amanda on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

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Christian fantasy takes a new twist in Trail to the Lonely Tree. I chatted with Kurt Mahler about his series recently--all the way from the other side of the world. Listen in and see what he did with a story about animals remembering the names that Adam gave them... and what that means!

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I love the idea of animals remembering the names Adam gave them--and how that would affect mankind. And taking place in Texas? Yes, please!

A totally new fantasy idea is perfect for book lovers in your life, so don't forget about them for the upcoming holidays.

The Trail to the Lonely Tree by Kurt Frederick Mahler

Friendship, courage, and destiny meet in this whimsical magic realism journey.

Oracle, a jaguar from the Yucatán, arrives in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas because a lost monarch butterfly tells him the story of the last jaguar there. Oracle remembers Eden and the original word Adam spoke to the first of his kind, but others in the Valley have forgotten their names—including Man himself. Oracle begins his quest of restoring the Valley from the perils of loss while searching for the Lonely Tree, the location of the prophetic prayer of the last jaguar from seventy years before. But the path to the Lonely Tree is part of the realm of Man and riddled with “ironthorn” fences. Can Oracle help the animals remember their names given by Adam? Will he become the new Lord of the Valley in answer to the last jaguar’s prayer?

This poetic and hopeful tale about the mystical jaguar Oracle will stay in readers’ hearts even after the last page and provide clues for navigating life's complexities.

Learn more about him on his WEBSITE and follow him on GoodReads.

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Feel like kids need a picture of what Spiritual warfare looks like? R.M. Ruiz shows it in this family saga of missions from God to thwart evil beings and how He prepares them for it. Listen in to learn what's up in Iowa!

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The cornfields of Iowa may not seem like a place for battle, but don't tell the Chosen Kids that! Amid dealing with troublesome monsters, they also have to work through their own relationships in the process.

Ruiz has such a heart for children and what they read as well as an obvious love of the Lord and His word.

Encounter at Ambrose by R.M. Ruiz

SOMETHING IS LURKING IN IOWA...

​​For their third mission, the Chosen Kids find themselves in the Corn State where an evil being carries out a sinister scheme. The family tracks down the creature right away. But when they can’t get close enough to identify the species or figure out its plan, they devise a risky strategy. The day goes from bad to worse when someone calls the cops. Are the kids in over their heads?

Caiden teams up with big brother Caleb to save the mission. But if things go wrong, is it wise to have a known bully by his side? After a wild ride of shenanigans and mishaps, the siblings make an important discovery. Will they follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance or take their own path?

When the Chosen Kids set their trap—in the last place Caiden wants to be at nightfall— they may have overlooked one key detail.

Encounter at Ambrose came out on September

Don't miss the story of book two and the icy slopes in Episode 234

Learn more about the series, the characters, and Rosemary at TheChosenKids.com and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub.

Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at:

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