More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website. Contemporary Romance: The Butterfly Recluse by Therese Heckenkamp — Lila finds solace in her sheltered world by raising butterflies and surrounding herself with their gentle beauty. They’re all she needs—until a motorcycle-riding stranger roars up her driveway, invading …
The words punctured my mom like a pin deflating a balloon. Her shoulders slumped, and she suddenly looked every inch of her nearly six decades. “Emily,” Mom’s voice broke on a harsh sob. “Oh, my darling daughter. No, it wasn’t worth it. Not at all. I didn’t read the Bible. I merely thought if I …
My hand flew to my throat. I could nearly hear the squeal of breaks, the screams of passengers, and the crunch of metal at the collision. Her voice dropped even lower. “The man next to me was covered in blood. Clearly, he was gravely injured, probably dying. But he focused not on himself, but on …
I eyed the desolate landscape, then looked at my mother, who I’d never seen shed a tear. “What are you talking about?” “How do I even begin? I know I’ve not been a good mother to you. And part of the reason has to do with that cross.” Her voice steadied as she told me …
by Sarah Hamaker This is part one of a short story I wrote a few years ago. Enjoy! It’s always startling to find out your mother has a secret, especially when it’s not an ordinary, run-of-the-mill secret, but an I’ve-never-told-a-living-soul secret. My mother, Norma Jane Brookings, began unburdening this secret with a simple phone call. …