Happy Summer and a belated Happy Fourth of July for those who celebrate it!
Fairly frequently, Substack sends out emails with the subject line “Great work! You’ve published _____ weeks in a row!” As I am 26 years old and we have just reached 26 consecutive weeks on this newsletter, I thought this would be a good time for some updates!
Life Update
I have transitioned from the classroom to working as an ophthalmic assistant at a local clinic! It’s been quite the change but I’m loving the more laid-back atmosphere and the ability to leave work at work. Stay tuned to see if the remaining mental energy turns into more books.
In random news, I purchased and assembled a new bookshelf, discovered a love for a salsa chicken recipe, and have petsat quite a bit. I also finally emptied the storage on my phone, which contained well over 7,000 photos from the last few years.
Reading Update
I have been reading quite a bit over the last few months! A few highlights:
Eve in Exile and the Restoration of Femininity by Rebekah Merkle is a study on feminism that asks the question, “what did God make real women for?” After watching the documentary, I’ve recently begun the book and love her dry sense of humor. The book itself is very informative! (also - obligatory shoutout to Rebekahs who spell the name correctly, haha!)
How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman MD has been a fascinating read on the thought patterns behind diagnoses and the importance of advocating for oneself in medical settings.
Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry is essentially a spoken word poetry memoir of a lesbian turned Christian. Something both her and Rosaria Butterfield’s books made me realize is that leaving behind the LGBTQ lifestyle does not come without great loss.
Surviving Religion 101 by Michael J. Kruger is a book I needed when I faced faith crises a few years ago. Written in the form of letters from the author to his college-age daughter, this book addresses all the common objections about Christianity. A well-researched, intellectual book, it is still full of heart and something I would 100% recommend to young people today.
In the Shadow of the King by Melissa Rosenberger has been a fun historical fiction read from the point of view of Jesus’ sister. Similar to shows like The Chosen, the book gives a historical and cultural context to familiar stories. The main character is the kind of person I love to hate and hate that I love, and it makes the story that much better.
Water Horse by Katie Hanna - I was part of the editing team so I am a wee bit biased but this has been one of my favorite books this year. Louis L’Amour meets fantasy in the best kind of way… check it out here!
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree… the books in this duology were my first introduction to cozy fantasy and have already started informing my writing style. The basic premise is an orc who decides to give up adventuring and start a coffee shop… the vibes are immaculate and the characters are endearing. It’s a far cry from my usual swords-and-murder type of fantasy but I found myself enjoying very much.
Writing Projects
When Healing Fails
Temporary Cover
Status: my writing critique group is going through the last few chapters of the third draft, which means I’ll soon have to make some decisions regarding next steps (hire an editor and self-publish? begin querying publishers?)
Summary:
To hide a Healer is to die, but to live as a Healer is a curse.
Ruled by Queen Bruna and led by a royal council, the medieval city of Eneas appears perfect. Under the surface, however, conflict brews. Their religion has become a lie, and rebel groups are rising. Eneas desperately needs change.
After Elyza’s healing gift is discovered, her father sells her to the palace to be trained. Ten years of isolation and torture later, she takes her place as a royal Healer, a rare individual gifted with the ability to share her god Rapha’s Light from within herself to heal others.
Corrupted healer Anselmo enters a council meeting, demanding unconditional surrender and the end of the Healing profession. When his demands are refused, he drains the Light from Queen Bruna, leaving her comatose. Elyza finds herself in a city under siege, torn between her duty to prolong the queen’s life and her desire to restore relationships with her estranged family.
Though evil people claim to speak for Rapha, the god seems silent and absent, uncaring about her family’s plights. With the pain and politics of the city’s government threatening to destroy her, Elyza discovers that the enemies outside the city walls are less dangerous than those within.
With the fate of her city, her family, and her own soul hanging in the balance, Elyza must find a path forward. How can she heal others when she is not whole herself?
A Little Magic Coffee Co.
Temporary Cover
Status: very early planning stages. I hope to be writing a first draft by the end of this month.
Summary:
After their eccentric estranged father dies, sisters Uma and Thalia return to their tiny hometown to sell his life’s work - A Little Magic Coffee and Books. But books and coffee beans are piled high, and frequent semi-magical interruptions reveal their father was up to more than they expected.
This story is essentially a Hallmark movie set in the Shire from the Lord of the Rings and I am loving it very much already. :)
Newsletter Update
At the end of the school year, we transitioned from “Classroom Chronicles” to “Called by Name,” a series on the unnamed women of the Bible. I am considering adding another series on a different day of the week, although most likely this would not be flash fiction. Let me know if there is something in particular you would be interested in hearing from me.
This newsletter grows almost entirely through word-of-mouth! If you know someone who would be interested in the current series or the above writing projects, please share and encourage them to sign up.
Until next time!
Rebekah