Novelists in November (Paperback)

$18.00

Description

Novelists in November is a Christian short story collection featuring eleven emotional tales of authors finding their calling in Christ and pursuing hope, joy, and inspiration. This anthology contains touching stories from contemporary and historical fiction authors with a mix of romance, women’s fiction, and mystery!

About the Stories …

Melting-Pot Thanksgiving by Andrea Renee Cox

Can she create the Imperfect Perfect Thanksgiving?

Sarah Jones has many responsibilities on her plate, but Thanksgiving wasn’t supposed to be one of them. When asked to host the holiday, she can’t push aside the task, even if it means dealing with her mother’s interference. As Sarah juggles meal preparations, a tight writing deadline, and guiding her two foster children through difficult life events, she must also find the courage to buck high expectations and family traditions.

Will the trials of strained communication, disappointment, heartache, and altered plans strengthen Sarah’s God-given novelist dreams? Will this imperfect yet dutiful daughter find a way to craft the perfect Thanksgiving dinner?

And As She Talked by Bethany Willcock

Nestled deep in the English countryside, Mossfern Lodge promises quiet and rest. After World War Two tore apart her family a few years ago, author Autumn Greenwood is searching for inspiration and peace. She’s eager to spend time with her brother and nieces at their picturesque inn, while at the same time being able to lose herself in writing and illustrating her historical fiction novel. Her young nieces love having her read aloud her book to them every day after she writes, but Autumn’s peace is soon shattered into terrifying reality when suddenly her novel starts seemingly coming to life around her. To make matters worse, she’s apparently the only one able to see it …

Reasons to Be Thankful by Hannah E. Gridley

Josie doesn’t know what her purpose is anymore, since a tragic accident ripped her away from everything she loved most.

All Josie has left of her old life is her husband Frank; even her little son wasn’t able to enter witness protection with them.  As she struggles to find something meaningful to do as a homebound disabled woman, she’s distraught when her second novel is plagued by unexpected crippling writer’s block.  Her deadline looms and her agent threatens to end her career for good if she can’t fulfill her contract.  Worse yet, Frank has to go on an extended work trip just before Thanksgiving, leaving a stranger to come into her home to help her do the cleaning, driving, and other tasks she can no longer do herself.  Will Josie be able to get past her fear of rejection and open up to letting Tabitha befriend her?  Will the shakeup of her home life ruin or mend her broken story?

Act in the Living Present by Katja H. Labonté

Myriam Carey is searching for a purpose. She has no interest in the cold, shallow world of her fashionable parents. Writing a novel sounds like a good use of her time, but the creative juices have stalled, and now she has all the time in the world to face and question her future. When her brother returns from university and suggests a walk, Myriam agrees, and presently finds herself visiting his old nursemaid. Perhaps the wise old Québécois woman holds the key to true success in life… if only Myriam can find it.

In a short story reminiscent of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, explore 1934 Québec and the conflicting questions of young adulthood.

My Heart Still Sings by Faith D. Cox

Seventeen-year-old Kaylee McKenzie has her heart set on winning a Summer Olympics gold medal—not creating a fake protagonist for a writing contest with a bunch of geeks. However, during an afternoon adventure, her lifelong swimming dream is ripped away. As she struggles with physical limitations and grief, will her friends remain by her side? Will she become a swimmer-turned-novelist or hide in her wheelchair as the world passes her by?

Tollemache House by Kellyn Roth

Newlywed Effie Harriot needs to write a novel. However, with no ideas and even less motivation, she struggles to put pen to paper. This inspirational drought is made worse by the fact that her romance-authoring endeavors are supposed to help support her family … and keep them off the path to ruination.

Already behind on her deadlines, and afraid her upper-class London audience will soon grow bored with her, Effie needs to finish her next novel by the end of November. With that kind of pressure, how could anyone write? When her new brother-in-law suggests she retreats to his estate with his prickly wife, Effie agrees. Perhaps writing in the misty, rainy countryside will be just the thing to spark her creativity and bring forth a novel this November.

Finding Beauty in the Suffering by Katie Zeliger

When Rowena’s father passed away, her heart turned cold toward God, and she abandoned the one thing they both cherished—writing. But when her best friend, Laney, books a surprise trip to a NaNoWriMo retreat in the heart of Germany, Rowena finds herself at Chateau Chambéry, a cozy yet haunting castle filled with strange artists and writers.

Amidst writing workshops and lessons on healing through storytelling, Rowena is confronted with her unresolved pain. As tensions rise with fellow creatives, can Rowena face her inner turmoil and the God she ran from, or will the conflict force her to run further from the God she knew?

The Lost History of Lavender Lockbourne by Shira J. Rodriguez

It’s November 20, 1984, and Lavender Leoni’s time is running out.

A bestselling romance author struggling with social anxiety, she’s been diagnosed with terminal leukemia just  two weeks shy of her twenty-sixth birthday. Or what she assumes to be her birthday. Her only hope of ever tracing her lost family hinges on a single locket left in the box where her adopted parents found her while on a trip to Yorkshire, England. As her fate ticks down, she sets out on a journey back to her birthplace to unearth her lost history, where the answers—or the lack of them—may haunt her for the rest of her life.

Pages of Grace by Heather Flynn

Emilee Claymont may be a modern working woman, but she feels empty inside. Her passion for writing, her creativity, and just her energy in general are feeling drained these days. She feels like a ship lost at sea without a purpose anywhere in sight. As she challenges herself to write for National Novel Writing Month, she is faced with romance surprises and work decisions. With the help of friends, will Emily begin the journey of rediscovering her joy in writing again? Will she grow deeper in her faith in God?

The Sound of Healing by Avrie Swan

Rebeka Wagner is haunted by memories of the past, desperate to forget the things that linger at the back of her mind. There is only one way to escape the shadows, and that is through writing. Rebeka spends her days putting pen to paper, determined to win a contest being hosted by her favorite radio station. However, it will take more than fairytales to gain the peace she desires. Will Rebeka find a way to put the memories to rest, or will she forever be trapped in the events of one past November?

Between Moor and Mountain by Kelsey Bryant

Leslie Fraser believes she will never write again.

At thirty years old, she feels like her life is going nowhere. Six months ago, she broke out of an emotionally abusive relationship, but not in time to save her dreams or her once deep friendship with God. With her family’s help and insistence, she follows through on just one longtime desire—going to Scotland to stay with a family friend for three weeks in late autumn. Can two special people, the mystical landscape, and a famous painting draw her back to a life she thought she’d never return to?

2 reviews for Novelists in November (Paperback)

  1. Faith Aquino

    Melting-Pot Thanksgiving by Andrea Renee Cox:
    This sweet story about a writer dealing with family problems had me in its grasp til I finished the last sentence. I loved how Sarah’s family was formed from different cultures, how relatable her mother’s wishes for her was, and just the family conflict itself is well written.

    And As She Talked by Bethany Willcock:
    I couldn’t put this story down until I found out how it ended. What makes this story so interesting is the fact that poor Autumn doesn’t know how on earth she is seeing things that come out from her own imagination for her stories, and we readers are pulled into her head to experience the fear and wonder of every event that just convinces her even more of how much she ought to take a rest from writing. A wonderful mystery story to read.

    Reasons to Be Thankful by Hannah E. Gridley:
    Can I just say I love how this ended? But obviously you’d want to at least get the gist of the story which is a struggling writer in the midst of wanting a child so much. The ending, though slightly sad, was satisfactory.

    Act in the Living Present by Katja H. Labonté:
    Myriam’s character and struggles to find her purpose in life was so relatable. And though the story came more slowly than I would like to have read, it was well done that this was one of the most memorable stories.

    My Heart Still Sings by Faith D. Cox:
    Oh, wow… This story had me in tears. I plunged into this book, expecting a calm, sweet story. But no, this one drove me on a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving me with a theme I’ll hold on to during dark hours. I love how Kaylee went from hating writing to finding her voice in the end, and how much writing matters.

    Tollemache House by Kellyn Roth:
    Effie’s relationship with her sister-in-law was so interesting to read. Even though Alexandra seemed a little aloof at times, I really like her bluntness and how she pushed Effie to write.

    Finding Beauty in the Suffering by Katie Zeliger:
    Rowena is a character that practically steps out from this short story. It was fun traveling with her to Germany and encountering strange people and the pain that often comes with writing yourself into your stories.

    The Lost History of Lavender Lockbourne by Shira J. Rodriguez:
    What a sweet short story. Though also sad and true-to life, I loved how Lavender found who she was and loved “recklessly” even when she wouldn’t be loved back.

    Pages of Grace by Heather Flynn:
    I was surprised to find this quite romantic, yet it contained its novelist theme. Though Winnie only appeared briefly, she must be the character I liked best.

    The Sound of Healing by Avrie Swan:
    Out of all the short stories, besides My Heart Still Sings, I probably liked this one best. To quote, “Tell me one of your stories. A nice one, where the hero defeats the villain and rises up in a cloak of glory.”

    Between Moor and Mountain by Kelsey Bryant:
    This last short story was a perfect close to the whole anthology. Leslie finding that every imperfect word she writes could also lead to healing was so heartfelt.

    All in all, Novelists in November is an anthology I believe every struggling writer and artist out there needs to read. Filled with sadness, loss, hope, faith, love, and finding God’s purpose for you in life, this eleven short stories are sure to bring you tears, laughter, and strength to keep on writing even when writing is hard.

    *FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this anthology from the publisher. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

  2. Sharon Hughson

    This collection of Christian short stories grants insight into the world of writers. It might surprise you to find real life interferes with deadlines and inspiration.

    As with any collection, some stories engaged me more than others. My favorites happened to be the first and last ones in the anthology. Overall, it gets 3.5 to 4 stars from me.

    I love sibling stories. And the main character in the first story was a single woman who was also a foster mom and full-time novelist. How? You’ll have to read to discover the answer.

    The final story has a woman taking a dream trip to Scotland and finding the inspiration she lost thanks to a destructive romantic relationship. I felt like I was there. It almost made me want to try haggis.

    Each story weaves spiritual truth with plot lines and character growth. Whether you prefer historical, mystery, or romance, this book has something for everyone.

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