Ambassador International’s book Blood Moon Redemption by Judy DuCharme, published in October 2018, has finaled in the Selah Award for mystery/suspense fiction. These prestigious awards are given out for a variety of genres by the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference each year.
We’re thrilled to be a part of bringing our readers quality Christian fiction that magnifies Jesus while promoting His gospel through the written word.
Congratulations, Judy!
The reader-driven literary award, Grace Awards, calls itself “the little engine that could” of Christian fiction awards. The Grace Awards is now in its eighth year. Learn more about the Grace Awards HERE.
We are excited {and honored} to announce that the following three Ambassador’s 2017 releases are finalists in the 2018 Grace Awards:
WOMEN’S FICTION/GENERAL FICTION:
Where the Sky Meets the Sand by Chris Loehmer Kincaid
The story of Jenny Neumeyer and Ole, a homeless boy she befriends while she and her husband are on vacation in Kenya. As she comes to terms with a secret in her past, two missionaries to Africa discover discover Ole and are determined to lead him home. Along the way, they realize that the boy is not the only one who is lost.
Learn more about Chris Loehmer Kincaid and Where the Sky Meets the Sand HERE.
ACTION-ADVENTURE/WESTERN/EPIC FICTION
The Reliant by Dr. Patrick Johnston
When the dollar collapses, widespread rioting and looting threaten the peace of a family in Zanesville, Ohio. Eight children tragically lose their parents in the chaos. The oldest, 19-year-old lovesick Sophie, is forced to care for her defenseless and hungry siblings in a stretch of woods surrounded by lawless anarchy. Their father has been killed, and their mother and Adam, Sophie’s fiancé, have gone missing. Running out of food and facing threats from encroaching marauders, they are tempted to doubt God’s love.
Learn more about Dr. Johnston and The Reliant HERE.
YOUNG ADULT:
Mission of a Lifetime by Priscilla J. Krahn
A missing airplane . . . Hostile tribes . . . Mysterious kidnappings . . . Responsibility falls upon twenty-one-year-old William Rodriguez when his missionary parents disappear in the hostile jungles of Colombia. Willie knows that he has to go find them, but what will it cost him? When Willie finds himself in the midst of a drug smuggling ring, difficult decisions are thrust upon him. Can he escape his captors before his family is killed? Can he find forgiveness in his heart for the very people who ruined his life or will it only bring back more painful memories? Will he be able to survive the mission of a lifetime?
Learn more about Priscilla J. Krahn and Mission of a Lifetime HERE.
Winners to be announced in June.
Learn more about your favorite Ambassador authors with our “Five Things” series. Author Sheila Ingle wrote the memorable “Tales of a Cosmic Possum” which shares the long-forgotten stories of eight hard-working Appalachian women. Here are Sheila’s Five Things:
I love movies! Whether it is Disney, James Bond, a romance, a musical, a mystery, or a history, movies entertain me. Going to a theater or watching on TV, I become mesmerized into the story. There have been times that I have wanted to become part of the fantasy, because it deeply touched my emotions. My preference is for happy endings, but the reality check of those with unresolved conflicts or some form of estrangement is also thought-provoking. Though identifying with the characters is fun, movies also stretch my mind/world view to see life through someone else’s lens.
When I was around four, I met President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In a long line of people, my parents and I were outside a church in Augusta, Georgia. (Since then, I have found out that it was the Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church, where the President attended in that city.) I can still remember that it was Daddy, then Mother, then me. As the President walked by, he shook Daddy’s hand and then smiled and patted me on the head. It makes no sense that I can still visualize this occasion, but I do. I guess I am supposed to have this one in my memory bank.
My grandmother Lulu used to regale my brother and me with stories of our relatives, both the unknown and the infamous. Over and over, we would ask for her version of our cousin, Jesse James. He was the son of a Baptist minister, but he robbed banks and trains. Supposedly, his crimes were payback for the way he and his family were treated during the Civil War. (Perhaps this scenario was similar to the legends of Robin Hood.) Jesse James had staunch friends and family that protected him during his life of crime. So interesting now as an adult that I was enamored with the romanticized thoughts of a cousin that chose to be a thief, so he could provide for his impoverished family.
Both my grandmothers and mother made jelly and preserves every year. They started the spring season with strawberry preserves, following that with peach and blackberry preserves, and ending with apple jelly in the fall. It saw that it was hot work, as they all dealt with the steam from the jars boiling and the fruit being brought to a boil. But it wasn’t long after I married that I chose to follow in their footsteps. There really isn’t much enjoyment from the process, but there certainly is in eating the finished product. I, also, enjoy sharing them with friends and watching their eyes light up with anticipated pleasure. If I could only bake biscuits, like those three ladies, to go with those preserves, I would be truly following in their footsteps.
Crime or mystery novels have always been a favorite of mine. Patricia Cornwell, Louise Penny, Ken Follett, Robert Ludlum, John Grisham, John Hart, and Tom Clancy are some of my favored authors through the years. To go along with this choice of reading, one of my uncles worked for the CIA. Somewhere it became part of my outlook that I would make a worthy agent. In my imaginings, I would capture Russian spies, save America, and never be taken prisoner. Traveling from one exotic place to another, I would make friends on every continent, but remain savvy as I found traitors and enemies. No, this never happened. In real life, I research to find truth about my characters and and use my creativity to construct and shape the worlds they live in, that I will never see.
Learn more about Sheila Ingle and Tales of a Cosmic Possum by visiting sheilaingle.com.
A handsome husband, a dream job, and plenty of money- so why wasn’t Juana Mikels happy? In a desperate attempt to find the peace and happiness she craved Mikels left it all behind. In Choosing Him All Over Again:A Story of Romance & Redemption, Mikels offers an intimate account of her search for Mr. Right, a journey that ended up leading her into the arms of Jesus, and ultimately back home to her husband.
Catch Juana’s two part interview with Focus On The Family October 25th & 26th — you can listen HERE
Can’t wait for the interview, Choosing Him All Over Again is available in print, ebook and audio format. You can also enjoy a FREE or $.99 Kindle edition Study Guide.
Learn more about your favorite Ambassador authors with our “Five Things” series. Author Brett Parks wrote the incredible true life story “Miracle Man: A Bullet that Ignited a Purpose-Filled Life.” Here are Brett’s “five things”:
I was an actor In New York. I don’t like to tell many people this, but, yes, I tried my hand in acting. I even went as far as going to New York and pursue my dream of being the next Marlon Brando (who is my favorite actor). I’d love to say that I made it to Broadway and later starred in a Blockbuster, but, sadly, that wasn’t in the cards for me at that juncture of my journey. But I WAS in a few Off-Broadway shows and 
later was cast in a leading role as a “Kung Fu Vampire” in an independent film in Bermuda (The only reason I took the role). The film was left unfinished after “the money” pulled out of the project. I wasn’t upset at all. All the following week, I went fishing and swimming. Not a bad way to make a living.
I hate cutting my fingernails and toenails. I don’t know why, but I’ve always hated cutting my finger and toe nails. It’s not that I’m afraid of cutting my nails; it’s just the tediousness of it. I feel like my nails grow super fast and I’m so busy, that I can’t stand taking 10 minutes out of my day to clip them. I think God heard my complaints though when he took my right foot. Now, it doesn’t take NEARLY as long to clip my nails! Come on, guys, that’s funny.
I’m an International athlete. I was pulled out of a pool in Houston, Texas and thrown onto a volleyball court. I didn’t know it at the time, but that would change my life. I am now on
The USA Sitting Volleyball A2 team and looking to compete in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan. In 2014, I competed in the first annual Invictus Games (17 Nations with over 500 wounded/ill athletes) in London and will be competing in this year’s Invictus Games located in Orlando, Florida. I’m excited to bring the Gold home.
My wife and I are expecting our THIRD baby. My wife was seven months pregnant with our little girl (Stella) when I was shot and nearly died. Stella was born while I was still in the hospital and I felt robbed of her birth. For a while after, I wanted to try for a third but didn’t want to push my wife until she was ready. Well, she brought it up and I was ready to go. We prayed to The Lord and asked Him to have His hand in the decision. We set on a six-month timeline t
o get pregnant. If, after 6 months, Susan wasn’t pregnant, we would take it that The Lord didn’t see fit that we have another. First, second, third and fourth months went by with no result. We were feeling as if another baby wasn’t in the cards for us. At month six, we were taking one last pregnancy test just so we could move on (we figured there wasn’t going to be a baby). I was so surprised when my wife ran out of the bathroom and jumped on me, knocking me onto the bed (don’t be too hard on me, I only have one leg) and yelled that she was pregnant! We didn’t hesitate holding each other and praising God for His perfect timing. We are very excited to announce that we are having a little boy! His name is John Rockefeller Parks (Johnny Rocco for short) and we are expecting him in July. Our kids are SO happy!
I’ve had dreams of being a professional wrestler. As early as I can remember, I have been in love with wrestling. I never really thought it was “Real”. I kind of always knew that it was a form of theater and entertainment. I’ve always appreciated the athleticism and choreography behind the storylines. Upon leaving New York in 2006, I was going to enlist myself in a wrestling school in Atlanta, Georgia. At the time, I was 190 lbs. and I told myself that if I could get myself to 200 lbs., I would register for school. After a few months, I got to 200 Lbs., but I was having knee problems at the time and the extra weight was really wearing my knee down. So, I decided to forgo a wrestling career. As of right now, I am 225 lbs. and my knees feel great! Maybe I still have a shot to get into the squared circle! I’m sure there is a good storyline for an amputee, if you smell what The Rock is cookin! Maybe that could be the follow up to Miracle Man!
All That Glitters is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for author Lisa Flickinger. She says this is one of her favorite scenes from her new novel. Check back Thursday to find out how you can score Lisa’s new book at an incredible price!
Grabbing their drinks, Willy led Ben toward the window, and they sat down at one of the crude wooden tables. Willy lifted his glass to his lips, and his Adam’s apple dipped several times before he returned the glass to the table and wiped his hand across his mouth.
Ben realized he’d have to try and get some information while Willy could still think clearly. “So, why’d you invest in blankets, Willy, instead of heading out for the gold itself?”
“Believe me, I would have done so, but my wife said if I did, she’d chase me down and bring me back by the scruff of my neck. And she’d do it, too. No one fools with Esther.” He took another swig. “She went on about how a man with seven kids has no business chasing the end of some stupid rainbow. I guess I agree with her. Besides, I ain’t meant for all that privation stuff. I can’t see going that long without my creature comforts.”
“I know what you mean. I don’t plan on getting into the gold rush myself.”
Willy’s chin snapped up, and his beady eyes focused on Ben. “Whadya talking about? I thought you were needin’ some wool blankets to go up North?” He fidgeted with the empty glass on the table; his eyes darted toward the window.
“How about I get you another drink, Willy. You still thirsty?” Ben hoped it would be enough to settle the fellow down and keep him talking. Willy rotated the glass in his fingers and nodded. “Bartender, could I get another couple of drinks for my friend?”
The two men visited for several minutes talking about the crazy antics of the gold rush. Now that Willy had figured out he wasn’t going to make a sale, he seemed happy enough to get himself some free drinks.
Ben’s mind raced to find a way to bring the conversation around to Willy’s earlier comment about women. His eyes strayed to the window, and he saw Bender driving down the road with an empty wagon.
“Excuse me, Willy,” Ben said as he stood up and then ran to the door. “Bender!” he yelled out into the street.
Bender turned and raised his hand to Ben, and then he pulled the horses to a stop and tied them to a hitching rail across the street. A moment later he stepped through the double doors. Squinting through the thick cigar smoke, he said, “Willy, are you trying to swindle my friend Ben here?”
Willy looked up at Bender and fiddled with his glass again, his hand shaking.
“You know I wouldn’t do that, Bender. We were havin’ a friendly conversation. Besides, he’s the one who pretended to be interested in some blankets. I ain’t swindling nobody.”
“You best not be, or you’ll be answering to me. Is Jacob up to his tricks again? You know what we told him last time. He tries that once more, and we’ll run him out of town on a rail.”
Willy scrambled to his feet. One of the glasses tipped over, and a stream of amber liquid flowed across the table.
Returning his cowboy hat to his head, Ben pushed his chair back and stood. There was no way he’d give Willy the opportunity to bolt.
Bender clenched his teeth and spoke across the table. “You tell us what we want to know, or I’ll make sure you never work in Seattle again. Even worse, I’ll tell your dear, sweet wife how you really make your money.”
“Ah, come on. You wouldn’t do that.” Willy raked his hand back through his hair, and it stood up on end. “Besides, I don’t even know what you wanna know.” . . .
Author Brett Parks shared his miraculous story of how God used a bullet to strengthen his faith on HIS Radio. Brett writes about the medical battle that included a 20-day coma, multiple surgeries, and an unexpected amputation in his book Miracle Man. Brett talked about his athletic career, his service dog Freedom and if he ever wishes he’d minded his own business. You can watch the full interview here:
Recently, Ambassador International author Jennifer Ross posted on her author Facebook page about her oldest son, Caleb, reaching a great achievement at his 8th grade awards ceremony. Though he was one of a few students who maintained at least a 3.5 GPA during his middle school years, Caleb’s name was accidentally not called during the ceremony. “We hold no ill feelings—we all make mistakes,” Jennifer wrote on a follow-up post about the school and the individual calling out the names. To help give her son the recognition she felt he deserved, Ross encouraged her fans to “like” her post and leave encouraging comments. Boy, did her community deliver! With nearly 300,000 comments, 86,000 shares, and over one million “likes,” Caleb has received much love and appreciation over the last few days.
Victories such as this are wonderful things to celebrate for a mother, especially Ross. When Caleb was just 6 and a half years old, doctors found a large tumor in his brain. In this dark time, Ross wondered if she would ever have these kinds of victories with Caleb. Through many tears and much prayer, Jennifer watched her oldest son undergo intense surgery and recover beautifully. About a year later, Caleb again underwent surgery to correct his eye, which was slightly damaged when the brain tumor was removed. This boy is a fighter! Ross says, “The dedication that he puts into his studies is absolutely amazing to me. I could not be more proud of the fine young man that he is becoming. He’s my hero.”
Ross would tell you she has five sons, though you would only see four boys’ heads in the back of her car. Her fourth son, Isaiah, only survived for fifteen minutes after being born at just nineteen weeks in 2008. Caleb faced the pain of losing a brother and the fear of almost losing his mother in addition to his own challenges. Ross said that Caleb “stood strong” during the time after Isaiah’s death. In her book Ross chronicles the challenges she faced while pregnant with Isaiah up through the moments the doctors explained she would die if she did not deliver her son early. Isaiah’s Story is a touching book that Ross hopes will comfort other parents who have lost a child. Her sincere words speak volumes of the sovereignty of God and His perfect plan.
Isaiah’s Story
Synopsis: On August 3, 2008 at nineteen weeks and three days pregnant Jennifer and her husband said a heartbreaking goodbye to their son Isaiah. Jennifer suffered from a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation. With only a thirty percent chance of survival, Jennifer was instructed to have labor induced due to this life-threatening condition. Jennifer shared fifteen priceless minutes of life with her newborn son in her arms before he was delivered into the arms of his Heavenly Father. Isaiah’s Story chronicles Jennifer’s emotionally traumatic journey through the personal struggles that she faced, mixed with the beautiful hope that she clings to. Take the journey through this mother’s eyes, heart, and soul as she brings to life a little boy who was here for a short time but who has touched many lives with the telling of Isaiah’s Story. BUY NOW
Clear clutter in all areas of life– from closets to careers, finances to feelings– with the help of Lindon and Sherry Gareis. They’re the authors of Declutter Now! Uncovering the Hidden Joy and Freedom in Your Life, as well as the Declutter Now! Study Guide and the Declutter Now! Devotional. They’ve inspired countless people declutter their hearts, minds, bodies, souls and homes. Now you can pass on some of Lindon and Sherry’s best advice to others by pinning, posting or sharing these quotes with your friends and family. Be sure to include the hashtag #aiAuthors!
