My newsletter subscribers heard about this a while ago, but early this year I started working on a story for a very special anthology. Back in January someone (CW Briar, actually) just randomly tossed out the suggestion of a speculative anthology based on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 and/or the Woes in Luke 6. Volunteers stepped up (an editor, and several writers), and work started.
Now, nearly 6 months to the date, the anthology is ready to come out into the world!
(This post contains affiliate links.)
Drumroll please!
Explore the Beatitudes and Woes of the Bible through the stories of thirteen Christian authors in this unique anthology.
Courage in the face of suffering, persecution, unexpected loss, self-sacrifice, joy in spite of circumstances, tears suppressed and expressed, love from the heart, kindness shown to friends and strangers, a monster slain, an alien plague, high adventure, a comedic hero finally taking a stand, a lost love found, and much more are featured in these tales.
Each story ends by quoting Jesus–from either one of the nine “blessed are” statements in Matthew chapter five or one of the four “woe to” sayings in Luke six.
My story, The Path of Mercy, takes place in my Undoing Chronicles universe. Those of you who have been following me long enough to know some about Catalyst, the first (long needing revisions) novel in that series, should enjoy this glimpse into another portion of that world, where we see the plight of the Rishka from a new angle.
About The Path of Mercy:
Rillaph has lost nearly everything once before–her parents, her noble rank, her inheritance… her betrothed. Everything except her younger brother, Taphak. But now, the Order of the Mountain Gods wants them both. The Elevated One demands Rillaph as his concubine, and Taphak as a sacrifice to the gods.
Just as Rillaph’s noble status is restored in the worst possible way, she is reunited with her former betrothed, and finds an ally she never dared hope for. He helps her and Taphak seek refuge with the Rishka. The Rishka are renowned smugglers, because their very survival hinges on their ability to hide themselves. But just when when she thinks they might be safe, Rillaph finds herself forced into the position of betrayer.
Who will she save? The Rishka, or the man she loved?
Sounds fascinating, right? If you’re an ebook reader, you should definitely go reserve your Kindle copy – it’s already up for pre-order! Both the ebook and the print copy will be available on Saturday, July 13th!
And to celebrate release day, there will be a Facebook party on the 13th! Most of the anthology authors will be there for questions and fun, and there’s going to be a LOT of fantastic giveaways, including The A-Zs of Worldbuilding!
And that’s all for now, folks!
(Psst, be sure to stop by Andra Marquardt’s blog tomorrow, because she’ll be sharing something about the anthology too!)
Credit for the lovely header image goes to Rachel Kimberly Hastings, another of the anthology contributors!
