The Release!

Today the print edition of Valley of the Shadow officially releases! I’m delighted to finally get this installment of the story out to the readers I left hanging on a pretty steep precipice at the end of Crucible of War. The story is complex, the pace is tight, and there are a number of twists and turns that I suspect will keep you guessing. For those who have been following the adventures of Elizabeth Howard and Jonathan Carleton, I believe you’re going to gain a few deep new insights into these two compelling characters—and also into Charles Andrews’s story. Many clouds rise on the horizon for the Shawnee as well, portending a troubling future for the native peoples and for the new nation.

I couldn’t have completed this book if it hadn’t been for the encouraging feedback I received from many of my fans and the truly helpful advice of several people who took time out of their busy schedules to read the first draft of this volume. My deepest thanks go to Linda Allen, who corrected my faulty French translations; Lori Benton, whose critiques are always on target; Rachel Leigh Smith, who offered an astute assessment of the original ending and prodded me to find the right one; Louise Gouge, Jocelyn Green, Susan Craft, and Patricia Riddle Gaddis, who gave me lovely endorsements; Regina Fugitani and Amber Goos, whose comments and corrections helped me to root out a number of errors; and Beverly Duell-Moore, who is the bane of typos and other mistakes. I have an equal obligation to too many others to list, but you all know who you are, and I thank each of you with all my heart.

Most of all, I thank the Lord who continues to renew these characters in my imagination, add new chapters to their story, and enable me to capture on paper a shadow of the vision he provides. May he use this series to bless many readers for his glory!

Valley of the Shadow Now Available in Ebook Editions!

Book 5, Valley of the Shadow, is now available on Kindle and Nook for the introductory price of only $1.99 and releases in print September 1. Books 1-4 also on sale for a limited time, so if you are missing volumes in this thrilling saga of the American Revolution or haven’t started the series yet, get your copies now and be swept away to the turbulent times of our nation’s founding!

Valley will soon be up on Christianbook.com and from iTunes as well. I’ll post the links as soon as they’re available.

Northkill INDIEFAB Book of the Year!

I learned yesterday that Northkill, coauthored with Bob Hostetler, has received ForeWord Reviews’ 2014 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Bronze Award in historical fiction. Needless to say, both of us are excited!

ForeWord Reviews’ INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards honor the best independently published books. In 2014 more than 1,500 entries were submitted in 63 categories from hundreds of independent and university presses of all sizes. The winners exemplify the best work published by today’s indie authors and publishers.

ForeWord Magazine, Inc., is a media company headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan. Their FOLIO: award-winning quarterly print magazine, ForeWord Reviews, features reviews of the best new titles from independent publishers, university presses, and noteworthy self-published authors. Their website is devoted to independently published books and features daily updates and reviews along with in-depth coverage and analysis of independent publishing from a team of more than 100 reviewers, journalists, and bloggers.

You'll find more information about Northkill at our blog and website.

Progress Report

Book 5 has taken longer to get ready for print than any of the previous volumes, but at last we’re making real progress. The text has been finalized and combed through for errors, with the help of several very gracious readers. My illustrator, Jim Brown, is working on the final versions of the 2 maps for this volume: one of New York Harbor in 1777 (the one to the left is the original we’re working from), and one of the Philadelphia area from the same period that includes Valley Forge.

Marisa created the preliminary full cover so I can run a proof to see how the color is going to turn out. It should print very well because we have a very large high-res image of the painting featured on the front. I just ordered the proofs this morning and can’t wait to see how they look. Then I’ll do one last careful read through the book to catch any errors that were missed, and it’ll be ready for the printer. And also to be converted into the various ebook formats we offer, which may publish in August, ahead of the September 1 print-edition release date.

This past week I received the first endorsement for this volume from Louise Gouge, and also some wonderful feedback from one of my readers, Patricia Gaddis. You’ll find those below. My thanks to both ladies for their very kind words and encouragement!

“Reading J. M. Hochstetler’s The American Patriot Series is like watching a thrilling historical television mini-series. With each new season, something new enthralls the reader and keeps her coming back for more. In the long-awaited Book Five, Valley of the Shadow, Hochstetler maintains her gripping action, suspense, and star-crossed romance. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend this latest installment in a very fine, meticulously researched American Revolution series.” —Louise M. Gouge, author of Then Came Love

“I adore the way you portray the emotions of your characters while keeping the historical aspect pure. I love the delicate balance of the romance, and how you managed to keep the tension going without it driving the reader (me) over the edge. This is really a powerful book and I can hardly wait to read the next installment.” —Patricia Riddle Gaddis

Ta Da! We have our winners!

Abby Breuklander wins a print copy of Wedded to War, which she requested. And Elaine Cooper wins the Kindle edition of any of Jocelyn’s novels in the Heroes Behind the Lines Series.

Congratulations, ladies! I’ll email both of you right away to get your information so the books can get to you.

For anyone who didn’t win, please remember that this series is on sale through Sunday in all the ebook formats. I hope you’ll take advantage of the sale to add these fantastic stories to your TBR pile!

And thank you, Jocelyn, for your informative post, and for offering this drawing! It’s an honor to have you on the blog.