Friends, I’m not going to lie—it’s been crazy around here (think: having twins, except 2 months apart)—but allow me to introduce you to my latest published book: The Lighthouse Baby. I’m currently somewhat exhausted yet exhilarated after just launching The Glass Bottom Boat in March, but I’m now ready to proudly pull back the book baby blanket and show off this second novel in my “Flight to Freedom” series. Isn’t she pretty? Here’s the story behind the story…

 

 

“Life on the run is all Bella King knows. But after letting down her guard and opening her heart in a charming small town along the Oregon Coast, a chilling revelation forces her to make desperate decisions. Local architect, Adam Lexington, longs to protect Bella and secure their future together, but he’s hiding a tragic secret of his own.

The draw of a lighthouse, the dream of a family, and the determination to unlock the shocking reality of Bella’s heartbreaking past leads them both into grave danger. Will the truth set Bella free before it’s too late?”

 

I have a thing for lighthouses. I’ve always loved the romantic notion of lightkeepers of yesteryear bravely battling the elements as these stoic structures stand like soldiers on rugged coastlines as beacons of hope, saving lives, offering comfort and safety.

And then a few years ago, my family and I visited the stunning Oregon Coast, where a plethora of lighthouses grace the length of the shore. So, OF COURSE, we had to take a lighthouse tour—and then I knew. The moment I touched the rough, rounded walls and imagined what may have transpired within them over the years—I had to write a story. With chilling suspense, warm romance, and a good dose of hope.

“By God’s design, I believe our hearts and minds are shaped by Story. It’s how we learn. It’s how we make sense of the world. Characters, situations, moral consequences are all around us.” Liz Curtis Higgs

My stories are often inspired by places I visit, and so once The Lighthouse Baby started taking root, my longsuffering husband drove me back to tour more lighthouses, eat copious amounts of seafood, and find the exact spot I needed for a setting. The area around the tiny town of Florence was perfect:

 

 

In this “Flight to Freedom” series, the stories connect with characters, allowing the reader to enjoy beloved familiar faces with fresh storylines. Each book follows the journey to freedom made by three very different women with three very different reasons to flee.

In The Lighthouse Baby, my protagonist, Bella, is a fictional character desperate to find freedom from her past. Like Bella, even as Christians, how many of us are STILL not living our best life because we need to be freed from our past? An incident, an upbringing, a bad decision, a trauma, be it major or minor, inflicted upon us or by us. Dealing with the past is a decision. For Bella, she needed to seek out the truth in order to be free from a life lived in fear.

“Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.”  Galatians 5:1 (TPT)

There is One who offers freedom “not partially, but completely”—and it’s my prayer that readers will be moved to consider their own truth and freedom and that John 8:32 will resonate with the love of Jesus: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

 

So here is The Lighthouse Baby. It’s brand new as an ebook version on Amazon right now, and next week it will be available in paperback for those who love the smell of a good read! I’ve been told it’s a page-turner and the reviews are coming in:

 “…a romantic suspense story that had me reading, non-stop, until I was finished. It was too good and too full of suspense to put down.” (Goodreads)

I hope you’ll check it out along with the book trailer and all the things HERE! Thanks so much for coming along on my writing journey… if you need me, I’ll be finishing book 3. Happy reading to you!

P.S. In case you missed book 1, here’s The Glass Bottom Boat.

 

Linking up with some fabulous encouragers! Check them out: