The Because Fiction Podcast

Christians are fond of saying that Christ has already defeated Satan, but sometimes, it sure doesn't seem like it. Listen in as I chat with Paul Headworth about his novel exploring this in his book, Prophetic Redemption. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Headworth focuses on the difficulties of cases and what happens when things go wrong. By the time we got done talking, I knew I'd have to read it. Prophetic Redemption by Paul Headworth This special novel is geared for the believer and nonbeliever, providing an engaging murder mystery while sowing many positive and possibly life-changing messages. A judge from the 32nd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Publishing Book Award cited, "The masterful use of suspense is key to maintaining reader engagement and greatly enhances the story's captivating appeal. Additionally, the rich character motivations and development, especially evident in Charlie's relentless pursuit of justice for his wife and son, alongside Paul's transformative journey, render these characters both believable and relatable. Moreover, this book defies the stereotype that inspirational works lack depth. Instead of burdening readers with recipes, it proves that such books can be emotionally resonant and deeply thought-provoking." Learn more on Paul's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

 Don't know about you, but an allegory about the Armor of God?  That's right up my alley. Listen in as I talk with Glenn Patrick O'Turner about his Armatura! note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  I really enjoyed this conversation, but even more, I love the premise of the story. I have a copy here that he sent me, and I can't wait to read it. Armatura by Glenn Patrick O'Turner Armatura is a gripping Christian allegory that pulls back the curtain on the unseen war described in Scripture. Through intense trials, brotherhood, and moments of revelation, it challenges readers to reconsider the nature of the struggles they face—and what it truly means to be prepared. This is not just a story. It is a wake-up call. Through a progression of symbolic drills and demanding exercises, the story mirrors the journey of faith itself; what it means to be called, what it costs to follow, and how we are shaped along the way. As Vic and his platoon are pushed beyond their limits, they begin to understand who they were before the call, who they are becoming, and why their past trials were never wasted. Each lesson builds toward a deeper purpose, revealing not only how to wear the armor, but why it matters and what it truly means to stand when the final battle comes. More than an adventure, this is a story that is meant to challenge, sharpen, and prepare those who are ready to see the battle for what it truly is.  Learn more on Glenn's YouTubeChannel and follow on Goodreads and BookBub. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

If you love a good mystery, you don't want to miss JPC Allen's Rae Riley Mystery series. Listen in to learn about the next book, A Threat at the Feast! EEEP! note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  JPC Allen has a great mind for mystery, and this series is proof of that. A Threat at the Feast by JPC Allen How can you trust when you don't understand? In November, amateur sleuth Rae Riley can be thankful for many things but not the media attention brought by a couple of recent cases she and her dad, Sheriff Walter "Mal" Malinowski solved in rural Marlin County, Ohio. When the publicity also brings the estranged grandfather and mother of her sort-of boyfriend, Deputy Chris Kincaid, he wants nothing to do with his family. Chris says his actress mother and movie director grandfather have only come to bask in the publicity from the high-profile cases. But Rae notices that his grandfather carries a gun and seems afraid when a producer and his son, superhero movie star Talon Moore arrive in the county. When Chris's grandfather is found murdered outside the library where Rae works, and someone attacks Rae's friend Devon and searches the library, Chris becomes the main suspect for Chief of Police Simcox. Rae and Mal race to bring Chris home for Thanksgiving before he's prosecuted for first-degree murder. Visit Threat's landing page to learn how to pre-order, earn a free bonus Rae Riley short story, and get Rae Riley #3, A Riddle in the Lonesome October, on sale. Here's the link: https://jpc-allen-sfkgbd.subscribepage.io/ Learn more about JPC Allen on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

Few people tackle the topic of hell in Christian fiction, so I was curious to see what Frank McKinney would do with it in his Hell's Heaven. Listen in as we talk about his inspiration and what made him tackle this tough topic. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Hell's Heaven by Frank McKinney Once damned to Hell, it's forever…or is it? Three "good and godly" people die in the same instant on December 19, 2037: 94-year-old Alexander in Germany, 29-year-old Carolina in Brazil, and 64-year-old Eddie in Butte, Montana. Eagerly, they find themselves in line together outside the Pearly Gates, expecting to be recognized for their sanctified lives and then welcomed into Heaven. Instead, they are violently plucked out of line by angels-turned-demons and cast down into Hell, where they are met at one of the three fiery gates by Judas, Jesus's betrayer. What lies on the other side of Hell's gates is beyond comprehension: a sprawling, stench-filled, cavernous realm with a low ceiling of opaque, thick, colorless glass. The voices of the damned release a chorus of everlasting despair. It's said that no one ever wakes up in Heaven surprised that they are there. Well, Alexander, Carolina, and Eddie are shocked and dismayed that they have been condemned to Hell after the exceptional lives they believe they have led. This must be a mistake! Is this really their fate – forever? Even as they are subjected to Satan's diabolical and unrelenting mental and physical torments, Alexander, Carolina, and Eddie discover cryptic signs they believe are sent from their loved ones in the heavenly realm. Then when they witness rare bolts of brilliant light wherein a few condemned seemingly disappear, they start to wonder … During the three days between His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus went to Hell and freed countless condemned sinners. Could there be a way out of Hell for Alexander, Carolina, and Eddie? Learn more on Frank's WEBSITE. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

"Be careful what you wish for, you might just get it."  Mom always said that, but if I ever doubted her (you don't doubt Mom!), This Strange Sight by L. J. Long would convince me. Listen in and see what the Year of Jubilee series is all about! note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  One of the things I'm most excited about is the Asian element in this series. There's not enough Asian-infused stories in Christian fiction, and now L. J. Long has added to the mix with a fabulous series that I can't wait to dive into. This Strange Sight by L. J. Long Some pray their whole lives to see the spirit realm. They don't know what they're asking for. Jubilee Li never asked for this gift. After a near-death experience takes her to hell and then heaven and back, she flees from her regrets—and the law—to start over on the other side of the world in Beijing, China. Under a concealed identity, she hopes to heal old wounds and live a normal life. But that isn't easy now that she sees angels and demons everywhere she goes. When Jubilee spies a girl talking with a demon, she impulsively follows—and captures the attention of a private detective investigating a series of strange deaths. Determined to free the girl, Jubilee agrees to work undercover for him. But will working together expose her secrets? And is the girl tailed by a demon really a victim…or a murderer? This Strange Sight is the first book in The Year of Jubilee, a nobledark duology filled with faith, grit, and ultimately, hope for what is lost. Readers who enjoy: Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness and its supernatural intrigue Death Note's high-stakes investigation & psychological edge C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters and its spiritual dynamics ...will love this blend of edge-of-your-seat suspense with a side of slow-burn romance, humor, and heart. Learn more on WEBSITE and follow on Goodreads and BookBub. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

Nothing says Christmas novel like a second-chance romance unless maybe a historical Christmas romance WITH children. EEEP!  Listen in as Alison Treat and I chat about her new release, When Sleigh Bells Ring. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. I loved chatting about Alison's new book. I knew the minute we started talking that this was my kind of book. And yes, I will be reading it on my flight on Tuesday. EEEP!!!  Annie and Willie's Prayer.  When Sleigh Bells Ring by Alison Treat With the glitter of the Gilded Age and the timeless appeal of a second-chance, homespun romance, When Sleigh Bells Ring delights from the opening page. Tender, heartfelt, and beautifully nostalgic, it's a reminder of what truly matters at Christmas and always. A delightful holiday escape. —Laura Frantz, Bestselling Author It's November of 1879, and New York socialite Maggie Lawrence has lost her beau to a wealthy heiress. When her parents leave to spend the entire Christmas season on a European tour, she takes refuge at Brook Haven, her aunt and uncle's farm, where she summered as a child. She soon discovers that her old flame, Walter Jenkins, has lost his wife in childbirth. Walter's eighteen-month-old twins find their way into Maggie's heart. Perhaps there's room for Walter there as well, if Maggie can rebuild her shattered dignity and accept the winding road that has brought them together again. Walter is finally rebuilding his life after becoming a widower. He's taken over his father's mercantile, and the twins are happy with their aunt caring for them while he works. At least, that's what he tells himself. Nosy neighbors think he needs another wife, but there's nobody in town he'd even think about marrying…until Maggie comes back to Brook Haven for Christmas. Still, he lost her once before. Should he risk his heart again? Find out what happens in this second-chance historical romance. Learn more on Alison's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

What is it about orphan stories that grab your heart and hold it fast? Listen in as I chat with Kathleen Rouser about her Wounds and Rescues and the couple who are trying to unite two children with an unknown grandfather--if he's worthy of them. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Okay, so there might be a bit of a romance in here as well.  That's how it tends to work, and honestly, with all the pain of loss and trying to care for hurting children, you want someone like Rose Sinclair to find love and support.  Even someone as romance-averse as I can be can see the need for that support.  WOOT! Wounds and Rescues by Kathleen Rouser A nurse with a wounded heart. A former lawman haunted by loss. An attraction neither can afford. Rose Sinclair has built a careful new life in Stone Creek, hiding her painful past beneath a high lace collar. When private investigator Caleb Ellis arrives claiming he's found a grandfather for two orphans she's grown to love, she's determined not to trust him—or let him take the children she's come to cherish. Caleb needs Rose's cooperation to reunite the children with their family. But as questions begin to surface and shadows from Rose's past reappear, it becomes clear someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the truth buried. Forced to travel west posing as husband and wife, Rose and Caleb must protect the children while outrunning a past determined to destroy them. As danger closes in, Caleb must confront the faith he abandoned, and Rose must decide if she can risk her heart again. Because this time, trusting the wrong person won't just break them—it could cost them everything. Perfect for fans of Karen Witemeyer and Mary Connealy, this faith-filled historical romance features a forced-proximity journey, blending danger, redemption, and a road that leads two wounded hearts toward love. Learn more about Kathleen on her WEBSITE and follow her on GoodReads and BookBub. Don't miss her previous episode chatting all about Stone Creek Brides HERE. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

 Have you ever had to choose between saving one life or twenty? Fifty? Listen in as Jeremiah Friedli and I chat about his Core Decipher and whether his character Seth should save one life at a time or if he risks his life to save many. note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  This Core series is so timely--with the way surveillance becomes more intrusive every day, ummmm.  Yeah. Core Decipher by Jeremiah Friedli One hacker. One impossible mission. Zero margin for error. Seth Alvarez has the ultimate power in a surveillance state: cyber invisibility. Using stolen tech that makes him a ghost to the all-seeing CORE system, he's the resistance's most valuable protector. But when CORE prepares a deadly upgrade that will crush all hope of freedom, Seth must make an impossible choice: stay hidden and keep saving lives one at a time, or risk everything by going undercover inside CORE's fortress for a chance to liberate thousands. Allying with a former enemy, Seth must pull off the most dangerous hack in history—one that will either liberate an entire nation or destroy everyone he loves. Learn more about Jeremiah on his WEBSITE and follow him on GoodReads. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

If you love a good royal romance, you won't want to miss the third Royals of Andelar book, The Promise of a Princess. Listen in as Joy and I chat about this third book (and wait'll you hear about the second half! EEEP!). note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  Don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure I'd never want to be royalty. The stuff they go through. That said... I sure do like watching authors torture them on the page.  All the drama, none of the real strain. The Promise of a Princess by Joy Crain  The Royals of Andelar, Book 3 Princess Genevieve's life seems like a dream. She has a loving family, a devoted fiancé, and a future set in stone. But beneath the perfection lies a secret she has guarded for years, one that could shatter everything if it were ever revealed. When an ancient doctrine resurfaces and threatens the very foundation of the monarchy, Genevieve is forced to face a choice that will cost her more than she ever imagined. Learn more about Joy on White Crown's WEBSITE and follow on Goodreads. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!

The best stories have a strong ring of truth. So when I heard about Through Many Dangers by Thomas Goodman... I knew I wanted to know more. Listen in and learn about the "pistol packin' preacher." note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you.  And don't miss The Last Man. You'll regret it if you do! Through Many Dangers by Thomas Goodman "Thomas Goodman again shows why he is one of the finest historical fiction authors we have. His vision of East Texas, both the place and the people, is as accurate as it is spellbinding." —James Wade, Western Heritage Award-winning author ofNarrow the Road Inspired by a remarkable true story,Through Many Dangerstakes readers to 1905 East Texas, where a young preacher arrives to lead a church—and finds himself drawn into a war for the soul of a town. Rick Burleson expects his first pastorate in the timber boomtown of Groveton to test his preaching. He does not expect murder, illegal whiskey, and a criminal operation protected by a corrupt sheriff, an indebted lumber baron, and a cold-blooded enforcer known as the Blade. When Rick begins challenging the lawlessness from his pulpit, threats turn to violence. His church and home become targets. The danger reaches his congregation, his wife, Sarah, and their children. Rick believes in prayer, patience, and the rule of law. But what happens when the law refuses to act? Soon the young Methodist preacher is carrying a holstered Colt and setting the loaded pistol on his pulpit every Sunday. Yet possessing a gun is one thing. Deciding whether he has the resolve to use it is another. Sarah, his steady and clear-eyed wife, faces the danger with him as the threats close around their family. Through Many Dangers is a historical crime novel of corruption, courage, marriage, and faith tested under fire. When evil has taken hold of a town, how long can good people wait for someone else to stop it? Learn more on Tom's WEBSITE and follow on GoodReads and BookBub. Like to listen on the go? You can find Because Fiction Podcast at: Apple Castbox Google Play Libsyn RSS Spotify Amazon YouTube and more!