Cover Reveal! Yesterday’s Tides

Cover Reveal! Yesterday’s Tides

It’s one of my favorite days in the life of a book–the day I get to share the cover with the world! And I am SO, SO excited to share this one with you!

Yesterday’s Tides is a book that has been with me since the summer after I graduated college (so, you know…a little while. Ahem.) I’d originally written it as a contemporary, but as I dove into my historical world, my best friend/critique partner suggested I rewrite it in “my era,” and I loved the idea so much that I planted my hero, Rem, into my world of Room 40 in The Codebreakers series. =)

Then I got the idea for making it not only a story set in the First World War, but one that also included a storyline set in World War 2. I absolutely adore how the two lines worked together, and I was very curious as to what they’d decide to focus on for the cover. The answer: the World War II line, which doesn’t surprise me at all.

So whenever I get an email with a cover, I have to click to download the file before I can see it, and on this one, I literally squeezed my eyes shut and prayed, “Please be gorgeous, please be gorgeous, please be gorgeous.” And oh…oh my. Prayer answered.

Are you ready to see it?? Here it is, then scroll down to get my reation and share yours! Ready?

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Voila!

Isn’t it beautiful?!?!

The first thing that struck me, of course, was the color. I love that shade of teal! And the sea grass and dunes leading out to the water is absolutely PERFECT for the setting of Ocracoke, North Carolina, in the Outer Banks. I love seeing the 1940s heroine, Evie Farrow, from behind like that. And her dress! Perfect! She runs an inn so always makes sure she looks nice, but that she can still work in whatever she’s wearing. And of course, we have the ship and plane there to nail the era at a glance.

Overall, I am just in love with this cover and hope you’re as excited for the book as I am! This is the one that meshes ALLLLLLLL my story worlds! We’ve got the Culpers AND my English world in here. Codebreakers, spies, nobility, Southern charm, all rolled up into two storylines and one book. Gah! Just so excited!

Here’s the official blurb:

In 1942, Evie Farrow is used to life on Ocracoke Island, where every day is the same–until the German U-boats haunting their waters begin to wreak havoc. And when special agent Sterling Bertrand is washed ashore at Evie’s inn, her life is turned upside down. While Sterling’s injuries keep him inn-bound for weeks, making him even more anxious about the man he’s tracking, he becomes increasingly intrigued by Evie, who seems to be hiding secrets of her own.

Decades earlier, in 1914, Englishman Remington Culbreth arrives at the Ocracoke Inn for the summer, but he doesn’t count on falling in love with Louisa Adair, the innkeeper’s daughter. When war breaks out in Europe, and their relationship is put in jeopardy, will their love survive?

As Evie and Sterling work to track down an elusive German agent, they unravel mysteries that go back a generation. The ripples from the Great War are still rocking their lives, and it seems yesterday’s tides may sweep them all into danger again today.

Bestselling and award-winning author Roseanna M. White whisks you away to two periods fraught with peril in this sweeping and romantic dual-time tale.

Journey Through Prayer

Journey Through Prayer

One of my goals for the year was to spend more dedicated time in prayer. So every morning, I’ve been doing my Bible reading and then taking about half an hour to focus on communing with God. Not just the on-the-fly prayers I send up through the day, but time when I’m really focusing, really listening.

Every other time in my life when I’ve tried this sort of thing, I’ve ended up so distracted, my thoughts flying a million different directions, that it hasn’t lasted long. A couple days, maybe a couple weeks, and then I forget one day, and the next day, and so on.

This time, though, has been different. This time I’ve been feeling anchored. This time, I’m keenly aware of the blessing of time spent with the Lord.

It was during one of these prayer times a few weeks ago when I found myself contemplating the process of prayer itself, and this idea came to me–the sort that brought with it instant excitement.

Prayer journals.

Not just blank or lined notebooks, mind you…and not the sort of journals I saw on Amazon with a couple designed pages for listing prayer requests and Scripture that repeated over and over. No, I wanted to create journals to guide us in contemplative prayer. The sort of prayer where you’re focusing first on Scripture and then diving deep into the questions about it that lead us to deeper understanding, with a new one each day. The sort of prayer that is all about drawing closer to God through new depths of understanding, and working daily to align our will more fully with His.

I was so excited that I took a few minutes to design covers for these journals, to choose sizes, and then to work up a gorgeous interior design. I took two days to work on the guided contemplation and get a file together, and then I sent it to my Patrons & Peers ladies for their feedback.

Their excitement convinced me this really was a good idea. I uploaded the first file to Amazon, ordered a proof, and then went about editing and fine-tuning.

This is the result.

What you see here is a series of journals called The Life of Christ. Let me walk you through it.

First, the concept is that each day we focus on a different part of Christ’s life, from His conception all the way up through His reign in Heaven, glimpsed in Revelation. There is so much to learn by studying and dwelling on some of the momentous events of His life! There are certainly many more that I could have included, and I may do a second series on His life in the future, but for now, these. =)

Each day begins with an announcement of that day’s theme. (Isn’t it pretty? Siiiiigggghhhh.)

When you turn the page, you’ll see a traditional prayer and then a Scripture selection about that theme.

Why a traditional prayer? Well, a few years ago my family decided to start doing a family prayer time, and we bought a common prayer book that aimed at ecumenism between the different branches of the Christian faith–Catholic and Protestant, High church and low, liturgical and free-form. Some of these old, traditional prayers were in there, and I was dumbfounded by their beauty. I’d never attended a High, liturgical church, but I found myself not only loving the structure, but loving the thought and care and profound insights of these prayers that had been written by believers so many centuries ago, and which were still in use because they were so…true. So beautiful. So real.

One of the things I love most about this though isn’t the prayers themselves–it’s the fact that by praying them, we are linked with other Christians, around the world and throughout history, who are praying and have prayed and will pray those same prayers. I believe in a God of eternity, one who is outside of time. I love the fact that we can partake of that eternity here in our linear time, in these small, crucial ways.

So I included a traditional prayer with each day.

The Scripture passage is often abbreviated, but if I’d “edited for space” I indicate that by saying it is from that passage. I also list see also references to where the same story is told in other books.

When you flip the page again, you’ll see the “Things to Consider” page.

Here I begin with a short reflection of my own on the passage. Then I give you four writing prompts. Choose 1 or 2 to write about that day, whichever spark your thoughts or resonate most deeply in your heart. The idea isn’t to cover it all. The idea is to dive deep into whatever the Lord is whispering to your spirit that day.

As you can see, the right-hand page begins your writing pages. Date it, and then start journaling!

I did a bit of trial and error to decide on how many pages of writing space to include, how wide to make the lines, what style of lines to use…all that fun stuff. I’m quite pleased with the style and feel that I came up with–I printed them out and tried them before deciding!–and I hope you’ll find them condusive to your writing too!

In terms of number, I settled on 3 of these lined pages–the one beside the “Things to Consider” page, and a full spread of them too.

One more flip, and you’ll find another lined page, but for prayer requests and your notes on other Scripture passages that either came to mind or which you’ve recently read and want to make note of.

That is the end of that day, assuming you do one theme a day. The next one then begins with a new announcement.

The journal has 21 entries and 176 pages, which will fill about a month of weekday journaling. But you’ll notice that there are four designs. Why?

Because one of the most beautiful things about contemplative prayer is what happens when you repeat the cycle.

What jumped out at you this time will now be the foundation you’re standing on when you go through the material again. New questions or thoughts or ideas will demand your attention when you read through the same passages next time.

With this in mind, these journals are created to be repeated. You’ll find several different designs in the same series; the interior material is largely the same, only with new prompts for writing and a design to match the cover. The cover and design do change as well, to differentiate them on your shelf or in your drawer. They’re each designed with space to write your own numbering system and date span on the spine and back cover for easy reference. Repeat the series as many times as you desire!

Sections in The Life of Christ series include things like:

  • Jesus Is Coming
  • Magnify the Lord
  • Jesus Is Here
  • In His Father’s House
  • True Communion
  • King of the Curse
  • He Is Risen!
  • Christ Reigns

And of course, many more. =) The journals are available in paperback, eBook, and hardcover as well. All versions are available on Amazon and will soon be on other retailers. And of course, you can order the print versions all here on my website! (I’m happy to sign these if you want me to, but as they’re not really about the words I wrote in them, but rather the words you will write in them, the default for these will be NO SIGNATURE, like a regular product. To request a signature, simply put it in the order notes, and I’ll write you a little note and sign it on the first page, where otherwise you write your name and date.)

If these prove to be a hit, I have quite a few other ideas for more contemplative prayer journal themes for this JOURNEY THROUGH PRAYER series, all with unique designs and focuses, including:

  • The Psalms
  • Be Not Afraid
  • Advent
  • Lent
  • The Lord’s Prayer
  • Peace

And I’m also very interested in what themes YOU would like to explore, so I do have contact information in there, so you can tell me your ideas!

Please note that as of the posting of this,
I’m still waiting for my stock copies to arrive.
Thanks for your patience!

Shadowed Loyalty Release Day!

Shadowed Loyalty Release Day!

Welcome to the launch celebration for Shadowed Loyalty!

 

I’m so excited to be welcoming Shadowed Loyalty into the world and so excited to be welcoming YOU into the world of Sabina and Lorenzo! This book has been many years in the making. I first wrote it when my son, Rowyn, was a baby. As in, in his bouncy seat while I was up at 5 am, typing away with my fingers and bouncing him back to sleep with my foot, LOL. Rowyn is now 14…so, you know. A bit of time for the characters to really develop in my mind!

What the Book Is About

Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s leading mob boss until bullets tear apart her world and the man she thought she loved turns out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Ambushes, bribes, murder, prostitution—all her life, her father sheltered her from his crimes, but now she can no longer turn away from the truth. Maybe Lorenzo, the fiancé who barely paid her any attention in the last two years, has the right idea by planning to escape their world. But can she truly turn her back on her family.

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All his life, Lorenzo’s family assumed he would become a priest, but he has different ideas—marrying Sabina and pursuing a career in the law. Despite his morals, he knows at the core he isn’t so unlike his mafiosi father and brothers. Has he, in trying to protect Sabina, forced her into the arms of the Prohibition agent bent on tearing her family apart? How can they rebuild what has so long been neglected and do it in the shadow of the dark empire of the Mafia?

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Shadowed Loyalty, set amid the glitz and scandal of the Roaring Twenties, examines what love really means and how we draw lines between family and our own convictions, especially when following one could mean losing the other.

 

What Readers Are Saying

“With a setting both gritty and glamorous and characters who shine with authenticity, Shadowed Loyalty pits the bonds of family against the beauty of faith. Roseanna M. White has written a story that wrestles with spiritual convictions and examines how we live and love in a broken world.”

~ Stephanie Landsem, Author of In A Far-Off Land

“I can’t even begin to tell you what Shadowed Loyalty did to me, my faith, my heart.” ~ Mel F.

“Once again, Roseanna wrote a story with wonderfully deep characters and remarkable insights. I pondered the many facets of the story for days afterward.” ~ Lynn Squire

This is an intriguing, complex tale that probes the disreputable times, where the characters wrestle with unsettling choices between loyalty to family and doing what is morally right.” ~ Paula S.

What a roaring story! Roseanna M. White has written a thrilling narrative of family, love, and loyalty set in 1920’s Chicago.” ~ Anna

“A book set in Chicago during the roaring 20’s with the main characters being members of leading Mafia families might not at first glance be expected to be historical Christian fiction. Roseanna White, however, seems to be able to take just about any historical situation and produce a rip-roaring good story that is also full of spiritual depth and challenging insights into living a Christ-honoring life no matter what the circumstances.” ~ Margaret N.

Love Roseanna Whites books and I couldn’t put this one down. My favorite book so far!” ~ Carol

“The depth of Roseanna White’s characters in Shadowed Loyalty, as well as her ability to illustrate 1920’s Chicago, allowed me to immerse myself into this compelling story of love, family, and God’s amazing provision and grace. A fantastic read!” ~ Laura H.

Celebrate with Me!

I’m celebrating the release for the next month with a giveaway! But, no, not of the book. 😉 Instead, I want to share in YOUR celebration of the book with some glam and some tastiness. So here’s what you do:

Over the next month, as you read, share an image of Shadowed Loyalty to some social media platform. This can be a beautiful Bookstagram style photo of the paperback or your ereader with the digital cover on there, or just a quick snapshot on your phone with, “Look what I’m reading!” Any platform is good–just make sure to tag me! I’m on all major platforms with the handle RoseannaMWhite. And you’re welcome to do this multiple times for multiple entries!

OR

Post a picture of YOURSELF dressed in 1920s glam–ready to read or inspired by the book–and tag me!

THEN, I’d also love to know what scene or theme or part of the book you most enjoyed! Just tell me in the form below for another chance to win.

Win what?

One lucky winner, to be drawn on June 3, 2022, will receive:

A set of the art deco dangling earrings featured on the book cover
A tin of Italian pastries
A seat at the July Tea Party Book Club where we chat about the book!

Enter between now and June 2 using this form!
(If the form isn’t displaying properly for you, just visit this page.)

Giveaway – To Treasure an Heiress Release Day!

Giveaway – To Treasure an Heiress Release Day!

Happy New Year! To Treasure an Heiress is NOW AVAILABLE! I’m thrilled to be kicking off the new year with this book, the second in the Secrets of the Isles Series! This story picks up chronologically right where book 1 ends, but the focus is now on the “other Elizabeth,” Beth Tremayne…and the hilarious houseguest who inadvertently started the whole series of adventures, Lord Sheridan.

Working together, Beth and Sheridan start to piece together a story of tragic love and piratical adventure. But the true surprise is the treasure they discover in one another.

The Treasure Hunt Is On!!

I had so many people tell me that they enjoyed the Hunt through the Pages of The Nature of a Lady, that of course I had to create a second one for To Treasure an Heiress!

It works like this:

  1. Visit the Hunt through the Pages page
  2. Download the Hunt clues to keep on hand as you read
  3. Answer the questions as you go!
  4. Return to the page once you’ve finished and input your answers into the form
  5. Get entries to the GIVEAWAY!! Any entry (even if it’s totally blank) will get you ONE entry into the giveaway, and each CORRECT answer will get you another.
  6. Submit the form for access to the SECRET PAGE too!

What’s in the giveaway? And on the secret page?? Well, the giveaway is going to be a true treasure-hunt-style surprise…I’m not revealing WHAT will be included, but I can promise you there’s something shiny, something related to the book, something tasty, and that FIVE of you are going to win! The drawing will be on March 1, which means you have all of January and February to read, hunt up the answers, and get those entries in!

The Secret Page will remain live forever, even after the giveaway draws to a close, and you’ll gain access to it as soon as you submit your answers! (It’ll direct you to a page with both the link and the password for the page.) This time around, the Secret Page has a travel journal for both places you’d like to visit in life and in literature that I’ve dubbed “The Wanderlist,” a new recipe and tour booklet, the prologue and first two chapters of book 3, Worthy of Legend, and even a place to chat about the places you’d love to visit someday!

Are you a non-US reader? If so, you can certainly play along with the Hunt and gain access to the secret page! But instead of the secret treasure giveaway, you’re instead eligible for a book giveaway that will run from today until 1/18. The book will be shipped via the Book Depository. Entry form is at the bottom of this post.

Live Event

Join me for a LIVE chat TONIGHT, Tuesday, January 4th at 7pm EDT! I’ll be telling you all the fun behind-the-scenes tidbits, reading an excerpt, answering your questions, and telling you about the new Patrons & Peers system I’ll be launching later this week! Join the event HERE.

Missed it live? Don’t worry, you can still watch it at the link above!

Tea Party

Join me on Friday, March 4th to discuss To Treasure an Heiress!
Reserve your seat now!

International Giveaway

Please ONLY enter this giveaway if you have a non-US mailing address! US addressees are eligible for the main Hunt through the Pages giveaway, which you can enter via the link above.

Cover Reveal ~ Shadowed Loyalty

Cover Reveal ~ Shadowed Loyalty

Back in August I shared the announcement about Shadowed Loyalty, my 1920s Chicago story, that will be coming from Chrism Press in May of 2022. Well, not long after that, I had the joy of working on the cover for it!

It isn’t often that I get to design my own book covers, and while Chrism Press is a branch of WhiteFire Publishing (the company my husband and I own), the designs are all done by the amazing Rhonda Ortiz, so I was fully prepared to come, hat in hands and eyes wide, to beg her to let me do this one, LOL. But she beat me to the punch by saying, “You’re going to do yours, right? You do ‘Roseanna covers’ better than I could.” To which, of course, I said, “YES, PLEASE!!!”

Honestly, I’d already been searching for images. I thought I’d do a “pretty dress” cover with that iconic 1920s style…an authentic era gown, even. So I went to my usual sources for genuine era gowns with public domain photos…and I found nothing. Nada. So by the point that the task was officially handed to me, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Until Rhonda said, “We totally need something with the same vibe as Stephanie Landsem’s In a Far Off Land.”

To which again I said, “YES!!!!”

I absolutely adore this cover of Stephanie’s (and the book is amazing too!), and while it’s set a decade after mine, in Hollywood rather than Chicago, the vibe is allll kinds of right.

So off I went, searching for 1920s styled models. And hilariously, I found the exact one they used on In a Far Off Land. At first I thought I’d better avoid her for that very reason–I don’t want it to look too much like hers, after all. But then I thought, “Well, let’s see what I can do to make it unique.” So I chose a different position…I darkened her hair…I changed her lip color…I added a hat. And of course, I put a historical Chicago background behind her.

When I announced the book, I had quite a few comments that mentioned how much they liked the feel of the image we used in the blog–dark and mysterious, with a gangster flair (this is about the Mafia, after all). So I wanted to make sure I captured that air of mystery, of the underworld. And when I showed it to a few people, I got some great reactions.

Are you ready to see? I hope so! Here it is, and be sure to scroll down to the text afterward to get more info or pre-order a signed copy!

 

Ready…

Set…

Voila!

So as you can see, I went with some deep shades, toned in blue. I focused on the headshot, but we still get a glimpse of her fabulous beaded dress and her era-signature cloche hat. I use an Art Deco accent and font, but not a full frame, the better to leave room for her lovely face.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

When I showed it to the Chrism editors for approval, one of the first questions was, “Are you going to be selling those earrings in your shop? They’re fabulous!”

I do totally agree. I also love the matching bobby pins…and I found a necklace from the same jeweler that matches the description of one that plays a key role in the story too! So I’m excited to offer all three items in my store. (As of this posting, I have the items ordered from the jeweler, though they’re not in hand yet. I will fulfill any orders that come in as soon as I get them from the acclaimed Sweet Romance Jewelry shop!)

And of course, if you’d like to pre-order, you can do that EXCLUSIVELY from my store right now! It will begin appearing elsewhere in the new year, but why wait to reserve your signed copy? 😉 Pre-order pricing will only last until release!

As a reminder, though, placing the order now will charge your card now but the item will not ship until May, when I have them in hand.

Pre-Order Now

About the Book

Sabina Mancari never questioned her life as the daughter of Chicago’s leading mob boss until bullets tear apart her world and the man she thought she loved turned out to be an undercover Prohibition agent. Now she sees how ugly the underworld can be. Ambushes, bribes, murder, prostitution—maybe Lorenzo, her straitlaced fiancé, had it right when he said it is better to stay far removed. And maybe, if she can understand him and his baffling faith, he will give her another chance.

But Lorenzo isn’t sure he’s ready for that. All his life he has loved Sabina, only to realize she had never felt the same about him. While he’s relieved to see her pursuing God, the Prohibition agent is pursuing her father just as intently, and it falls to Enzo—and his legal skills—to keep trouble at bay. He wants to believe that Sabina can change…assuming they can stay alive until their wedding day.

Shadowed Loyalty, set amid the glitz and scandal of the Roaring Twenties, examines what love really means and how we draw lines between family and our own convictions, especially when following the one could mean losing the other.

Announcing My Next Series ~ The Imposters

Announcing My Next Series ~ The Imposters

I’m so excited to tell you a bit about my next series from Bethany House, which will begin in summer 2023. I know that sounds like a long way away, but in the publishing world, that’s how far ahead we plan, LOL. I just signed the contract a few weeks ago, and though I have three other books coming out in the meantime, I’ll start working on this one in just a few months. I’ve had a lot of people asking where I was going next, and the answer is finally here!

Here’s the idea for the series that I sent to my editor:

T H E   S E R I E S   C O N C E P T

The business cards can be found floating all around the most prestigious ballrooms and theaters, handed quietly from one gloved hand to the next. Whenever someone has a need to look into a fellow peer and doesn’t want to turn to the rabble of ordinary private investigators, the same name is whispered over and again: The Imposters, Ltd. Everyone assumes that this mysterious company of investigators must be talented actors who can, at least for a limited time, blend in among the ton while they find the sought-after secrets of the crème of society.

Little do they know that the Imposters are in fact two of their own—the esteemed brother and sister duo, Yates Fairfax, ninth Earl Fairfax, and his sister, Lady Marigold. Much like they don’t know that the Fairfaxes have turned to this work because of desperation—their father had squandered their wealth so completely with his constant seeking of diversions that they’re not only forced to earn money, but they’re even cooking their own food and dusting their own furniture. Only the four members of the Imposters know the truth—Yates, Marigold, and their friends Gemma and Graham. And no one else ever can.

Because knowing secrets can be just as dangerous as gathering them…especially when hearts become involved.

 

T H E   F I R S T   B O O K

Lady Marigold Fairfax is known throughout London for her audacious and seemingly endless collection of hats that grab the eye wherever she goes—the perfect cover for her clandestine work. She’s gained such a reputation that now only her hats have to appear somewhere, and everyone just assumes she’s with them; and “Lady M’s” whereabouts are reported in the gossip rags accordingly. Which means that her co-conspirator, Gemma, can make an appearance with a hat in one location while Marigold is in another, providing her with an alibi any time she does something risky. She’s completed countless jobs over the last five years, learning secrets about her peers that both sadden and enrage her. She and Yates are certainly not the only ones who wear a mask, and most are far more sinister than theirs. Then a new client hires them, and this time it’s personal. This time she and Yates have been tasked with digging into a good friend’s father.

She wants to believe that their client, Sir Merritt Livingstone, is only prying because he wants to make sure Livinia is a good match for him. But the more she learns, the more she wonders what the gentleman—himself rather mysterious—is really up to. Is he trying to join her friend’s father in his shady endeavors or stop them? And why does she begin to hope Sir Merritt has no interest in Livinia after all and that it’s Marigold he’s seeking out? But surely that’s a true fool’s errand. Because though she wears many hats—sister, friend, investigator, housekeeper, maid, and any disguise she has to don for her work—she knows better than to think wife will ever join the list, given their family’s fall from prosperity. But when the investigation takes a dangerous turn and her life is threatened, Sir Merritt proves why he was knighted with a streak of heroism that makes her believe once more that some well-kept secrets are noble. Will that be enough to bridge the gap between them?

The next books will follow her brother, Yates–Lord Fairfax–and then their friends Gemma and Graham. And they are going to be SO MUCH FUN. The means by which their father plunged them into debt–seeking entertainment and diversions–means that they grew up around actors and acrobats and circus performers, and of course these eager children picked up on the talents and skills of their constant guests. as well as their cast-off costumes and Edwardian era special effects. There will be hijinx and dering-do, acrobatics and theater gimmicks. There will be funny, clever excerpts from the dossiers they put together on their subjects and clients. And of course, there will be faith and romance.

This idea actually began years ago as a dream I had! I got up and wrote it down and have been letting it simmer for nearly three years now. I’m so excited to get to work on it in 2022, and I hope you’re excited to see what comes of it!

And because this is me, you’ll want to keep an eye out for some Easter eggs too…because you never know when some familiar faces and names may pop up among the society these new siblings are a part of! Who would you most like to see make a cameo appearance?