Showing results by author "Lynn Austin" in All Categories

In this sweeping saga, three Swedish sisters endure an 1890s Atlantic crossing, an Ellis Island detention, and various other trials as they struggle to find love, faith, and home. First came their mother's death. Then their father's suicide. For orphans Elin, Kirsten, and Sofia, life stretches on like an endless winter. When circumstances become unbearable, they write their Chicago relatives, desperate for a safe haven.

Fans of inspirational fiction eagerly devour historical novels from Christy Award winner Lynn Austin. In All Things New, the acclaimed author weaves a tale set in the aftermath of the Civil War. Josephine Weatherly and her mother, Eugenia, return to their Virginia plantation, but their once-grand home has lost its lustre. Jo’s father and brother are dead, and the war has left her remaining brother broken and embittered. Bonding with Lizzie, one of the few remaining servants, Jo struggles to rebuild her life....

"Thank goodness you're such a plain child. You'll have to rely on your wits." So went the words of Grandma Bebe. And for all of my growing-up years, I scoffed at the beauty of my sister and what I saw as her meaningless existence. But my wits hadn't served me well in this instance, for here I was, in jail. And while I could have seen it as carrying on the family tradition (Grandma Bebe landed in jail for her support of Prohibition), the truth is, my reasons for being here would probably break her heart."

God has blessed Hezekiah; his kingdom is flourishing. The people are prospering and the city of Jerusalem is safe from invaders. But the king worries that his beloved wife may be barren. After all his hard work in preserving the faith and protecting the faithful, the thought that one of his pagan-worshiping nephews will become ruler is upsetting. But he suffers greater anguish when he stumbles upon the secrets of his queen.

In one life-changing moment, the lives of the Jewish exiles in Babylon are thrown into confusion and despair when a decree arrives from the king's palace in Susa. It calls for the annihilation of every Jewish man, woman, and child throughout the empire on the 13th day of Adar, in less than one year. Ezra, a quiet Jewish scholar and teacher, is suddenly called upon to lead the community as they seek God for a reason for this catastrophe.

The king's sudden death leaves his son Manasseh as the new ruler. Overcome with sorrow, Manasseh is angry toward God and begins a reign of terror that shocks the kingdom. His own insecurity prompts the death of his closest advisors, dividing the faithful in two. Barely escaping the carnage, his best friend Joshua suffers the excruciating loss of his family and plans revenge.

After a devastating loss, Hannah Wagner never imagined she’d leave her comfortable home for the harsh, unfamiliar wilderness near Lake Michigan. But when Henry Abernathy, a friend of her husband John, offers them a fresh start in a booming lumber town—where John’s skills as a doctor are sorely needed—Hannah reluctantly agrees. There, she meets Kate Abernathy, Henry’s spirited, much younger wife. Kate’s sharp tongue and outsider status have made her unwelcome among the town’s elite.

The year is 1901, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays is descending on New York's Fifth Avenue. For the first time in her privileged life, Adelaide Forsythe couldn’t be happier about the prospect of a quiet Christmas. That’s not to say her transition from Missto Mrs. has been without challenge. Though she doesn’t regret marrying for love instead of wealth, she feels woefully unprepared to run her own household. Then, on the first Sunday of Advent, winter winds bring surprising change, first through a young orphan boy and then a seasoned housekeeper who seems too good to be true.

You can’t see them. You can’t hear them. You won’t know they’re coming until no one can hear you. Like having your head plunged underwater. Kaycia has trained for the chance to fight back—to gain sight of the foul creatures wreaking havoc on the world. She was destined to become among the greatest of hunters…up until the moment her ceremony fails. Now she finds herself powerless—her companions days from civilization. A dangerous secret lies hidden within the darkness. And she’s about to lose a lot more than her dreams.

Best friends Audrey Barrett and Eve Dawson are looking forward to celebrating Christmas in postwar America, thrilled at the prospect of starting new traditions with their five-year-old sons. But when the 1951 Sears Christmas Wish Book arrives and the boys start obsessing over every toy in it, Audrey and Eve realize they must first teach them the true significance of the holiday. They begin by helping Bobby and Harry plan gifts of encouragement and service for those in their community, starting by walking an elderly neighbor’s yellow Lab.

The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. My weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt as dry and stale as last year's crackers. I'm ashamed to confess the malaise I've felt. I have been given so much. Shouldn't a Christian's life be an abundant one, as exciting as Christmas morning, as joyful as Easter Sunday?

Wilhelmina Brewster has been a college music professor for 41 years, devoting her life to her career and never marrying. Widower Mike Dolan is a pilot and World War II veteran who has always lived life to the fullest. When medical tests confirm that his cancer has returned, he makes plans to take a final flight in his airplane rather than become a burden to his family. Wilhelmina accidentally learns of Mike’s final plans, and when she discovers that he isn’t a believer, she knows it’s her Christian duty to talk with him about her faith. But she feels totally inadequate for the task.

While 20-year-old Harriet is behind bars, she reviews the history of her great-grandmother’s fight against slavery, her grandmother’s crusade against “demon rum,” and her mother’s struggle for women’s suffrage. Now she longs for the courage to leave her own legacy.

When news that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burned with fire, Nehemiah, Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes in Persia, seeks God's guidance. After fasting and prayer, he's given leave to travel to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall, not anticipating all the dangers that await him on his arrival. The leaders of the surrounding nations become his fierce enemies, plotting to assassinate him and halt the work.

Sisters Rebecca and Flora Hawes are not typical Victorian ladies. Their love of adventure and their desire to use their God-given talents has brought them to the Sinai Desert, on a quest to find an important biblical manuscript. As the journey becomes more dangerous and uncertain, they sift through memories of their past, recalling the events that shaped them and the circumstances that brought them to this time and place.

Lynn F. Austin, MBA, is a business school professor, AI in education strategist, author, coach, and keynote speaker with a passion for inspiring growth through purposeful innovation. With over 15 years of experience spanning Fortune 100 companies, higher education, and community leadership, Lynn brings a unique voice to every conversation, blending industry insight with transformational coaching. She teaches business and global human resource management at Strayer University and previously taught marketing, buyer behavior, and innovation at Grand Canyon University. Lynn is currently ...

Hallmark Movie Drafts is pure Hallmark—with a twist! A rotating guest panel of enthusiastic—and opinionated—Hallmark fans and insiders face off to create/draft ultimate Top 10 lists of Hallmark movies by theme, trope, or featured actor. This isn’t a review show: movies are drafted, defended, and ultimately ranked 10th-1st via spirited debate. Join producer/host Lynn Austin, HMD co-hosts and panelists for lively sessions of rating, ranking & list-making. Vetoes fly, points are tallied, & one panelist is crowned winner. HMD is your favorite podcast for Top 10 Hallmark movie lists! Buckle...

Die zurückgezogen lebende Musikprofessorin Wilhelmina Brewster ist ihr ganzes Leben auf Nummer sicher gegangen. Risiko, Abenteuer und Spontaneität sind Fremdwörter für sie. Doch dann lernt sie den lebenshungrigen und unternehmungslustigen Piloten Mike Dolan kennen. Eigentlich will sie ihm nur einen frommen Flyer zustecken, um sich dann wieder in ihr geordnetes Leben zurückzuziehen. Aber es kommt ganz anders: Plötzlich findet Wilhelmina sich in einem Heißluftballon-Wettbewerb wieder, sie geht mit Mike angeln und lässt sich auf allerlei andere verrückte Ideen von ihm ein.

Collective Tales Publishing presents 101 new dreadful lessons. Each trimmed down to exactly 101 appalling words for your repulsive reeducation. Depicting a wide range of subjects, we visit the classics, such as vampires, mummies, and werewolves, but we also venture into the darkness and shockingly horrific. Like an absurd Aesop’s Fable, you’ll study the failings of students who were unwilling to learn. You’ll see victims get their payback. You’ll experience tangles and knots on a whirlwind of misbehavior. We guarantee lessons will be learned, whether you want them to or not.