Authors I Can't Wait To See At The ACFW Conference

In two days I'll be in San Antonio for the American Christian Fiction Writers conference—something I have been looking forward to all year! I'm so excited, both as someone early in their own writing journey and as a longtime fan of many authors who will be gathered together. Due to this, I'm going to skip this week's topic over at That Artsy Reader Girl and instead tell you who I'm excited to see this week.

Please note that this is by no means an exhaustive list. If it were, you'd be here all morning scrolling through it. 😉 

Some I've never met before...

Sarah Sundin
I just love Sarah's books, and she is always so genuine, interesting, and sweet when we've interacted online.

Cynthia Ruchti
I've been on a few of Cynthia's launch teams, and her heart for her readers really shines through.

Allen Arnold
Speaking of heart, Allen's goal is to unite the creative heart with the heart of God. I'm excited to attend some of his workshops.

Frank Peretti
Frank is one of the OGs of Christian fiction! It's going to be awesome to hear his keynote addresses.

Pepper Basham
Only two books that released in 2018 made it to my "personal favorites" shelf on Goodreads, but Pepper's was one of them!


I'm excited to see all the friends from ACFW's Novel Track and Scribes programs who will be there! It will be great to put faces with the names I so often pray for. 🙂

And some who I have met before...

Regina Jennings
Regina's books are so much fun, and she's also been a huge encouragement to me as I've started writing myself.

Karen Witemeyer
One of my "read for comfort" authors, Karen's stories always touch my heart and bring a smile to my face.


MozArks Friends
There are four of us from our local ACFW chapter who will be in San Antonio, and it will be fun to see them outside of our monthly meetings at Panera. 🙂 There's Julia Kay and Cynthia Herron, as well as Carol Moncado, with whom I'm roadtripping home. 🙂

BONUS! 
Next week I'm headed to northeast Oklahoma for a teacher's convention, and while I'm there I hope to see...

Tracy Joy Jones
Tracy is such a sweetheart, and I've truly enjoyed reading her stories and getting to know her via e-mail. 😊

If you're going to be at conference this week and you happen to see me, be sure and say hello! It would be my pleasure to meet you and maybe get a picture together! ❤️️

"Foremost" by Jody Hedlund

Jody Hedlund's Lost Princess series continues with the story of Maribel, who was raised in an isolated convent alongside a few other orphaned children. Never knowing she was the daughter of the late King Francis, Maribel has trained in the art of an apothecary and loves using herbs to heal others. Because it is acceptable for nuns to practice medicine, Maribel is almost counting down the days until she is old enough to take vows and fulfill the dreams of her heart.

Edmund grew up alongside Maribel, and while she views him as brother, he certainly sees her as more than a sister. He would never ask her to give up her desire to become a nun, and he aches at having to hide his feelings. A skillful Fera Agmen, Edmund can communicate with most animals and call on them for help in various circumstances.

When an old nun stumbles to the abbey and tells Maribel of her true identity, she also tasks Edmund with transporting the young princess to the nearby country of Norland to meet her elder sister, the Crown Princess Adelaide, whom we met in Evermore. Plans quickly go awry and Edmund and Maribel are forced to rely on each other as they face an array of foes, both two-legged, four-legged, and even eight-legged. (Note: People with arachnophobia may wish to avoid this title!)

One of the highlights of this book is Edmund's Fera Agmen skill. I enjoyed reading about his interaction with the various kinds of animals. He and Maribel also have very strong character journeys.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fairy tales or medieval YA fiction. As long as they don't mind spiders. 😉

I received my copy of the book from the author. All opinions in this review are my own.