Thank you to my editor, H. A. Pruitt for this review/endorsement of my new book ‘How We Love Them’ releasing next week!
I enjoyed working with her on this project and nits grest to hear she got so much not of the expirience herself.
Pre-order is available!
The second book in the Hope Is Here Collection is officially available for per-order!
Scroll to the end of the post for the pre-order links.
I’m so excited to be releasing this second book to you, my readers. It’s been a labour of love with the whole process of drafting, revising, and editing, taking much longer than I expected, but it’s finished and almost ready to be placed on shelves.
Are you ready to dive in to a continuation of Rose and Amy’s stories from the first book?
Back Blurb
A family is in tatters. Still, God is in control.
While his two daughters, Rachel and Amy, struggle for freedom from the expectations of a pastor’s family, Arthur Grill is forced to step down from his position as senior pastor at Hope Is Here Church. Then Rose, Arthur’s wife and the family’s pillar of support, is crushed when her health rapidly declines under the stress of so much upheaval. Each of the girls search for freedom in their own ways. Anxiety and fear, stalking them as they strain against their upbringing. When the family pushes against one another and the help from their friends, their lives are rocked by tragedy in the form of a missing daughter.
Will the Grills accept help from each other, friends, and God? Or will they break and lose hope of healing?
Haven’t read the first book yet?
No problem. The Hope Is Here Collection can all be read as stand alones!
Enjoying the story may be enhanced by reading ‘Our Road to Trust: Interlocking Short Stories of Faith’ first. But it’s not necessary to understand the story of ‘How We Love Them’.
The first book, or book 0.5 in the collection, is written in short story format and takes you through the viewpoints of ten different characters.
The characters are raw and written in first person point of view for the closeness that it brings to shorter formats.
Amy and Rose’s points of view are given in the fourth and fifth stories.
How We Love Them starts about a year and a half after Our Road to Trust.
Arthur, Rose’s husband is front and center in chapter one. As the story unfolds you will experience the points of view of all four members of their family.
Because of this, I chose to write the story in third person instead of first.
Each book in the Hope Is Here Collection features deep and sometimes heavy stories. They wont be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those looking for depth and realism in their Contemporary Christian Fiction, they might be the perfect fit.
Do you have questions about ‘How We Love Them’ or the Hope is Here Collection? Don’t hesitate to ask. You can find more information about both books on the FICTION page of this website, or use the contact page to send an email.
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!
Calculated Hesitation is now available at Amazon, Kobo, Google Books, Barnes and Noble, OverDrive and more!
Back Blurb:
Calculated Hesitation is a collection of poems exploring the hesitation of a questioning soul, and the way life and art intertwine to birth defiance and strain for the resolution of that hesitation. In this collection, you will find a mix of poetic styles. Come and pause with the author, take part in the questions and explore their answers.
Early Reviews Excerpts:
“Calculated Hesitation (isn’t that a great title?) is a collection of poetry centered around themes of modernity, contentment, and art/creating.
Van der Kroef mostly uses everyday language and syntax to express her thoughts, so her poems are deceptively accessible while her themes are deep. She’s not afraid of rhymes, but her rhyme schemes are gentle and don’t take away from the joy of each poem as a whole. Because of her rhymes and use of alliteration, van der Kroef’s poems are fun to read out loud.” – From Priscilla’s Review on GoodReads –“This is a lovely book of poems and really touching ones in it. It is hard to play favourites as some will touch you right when you need it most. These poems are often for the right occasion and touch in the most loving ways. I will be sharing this book with friends as they will be helpful in their ministries and also in general life.” – Tianne’s Review on GoodReads –
Thank you to the reader who asked this question.
Do YOU have any questions about my new release ‘Our Road to Trust’? Don’t hesitate to ask and I will do my best to answer.
It’s here! ‘Our Road to Trust’ was officially released this morning across all online retailers.
I am so grateful for the support of my friends and family, as well as those of you who have followed my blog from the beginning, and joined my newsletter as well as those who follow me on social media. Indie Authors do not succeed without you. I do not succeed without you.
Thank you for celebrating with me!
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Book Description:
Ten women struggle to find connection in their home church as they walk through personal suffering. Can they learn to trust God and each other, or will they choose to remain in their brokenness?
Words That Pierce:
Can Mary trust God and find the courage to confront a church friend about hurtful words?
The Letter:
While Tina’s whole world begins to crumble, will a letter harden or soften her heart?
Power Off:
Will Harmony trust her mother after committing an act of deception?
Apology:
Can Amy learn to see past her anger and pain to apologize and find peace?
Broken China:
Can Rose overcome the pressure to appear as the perfect pastor’s wife, face her own failings, and find help for her troubled daughter before they both fall apart?
Just Forget It:
Beth’s long expected battle with forgetfulness has arrived; can she trust others for help as well as hold on to joy?
The Pill Cabinet:
Hillary’s world has become a cloud of pain. Can she walk past her pride and reach out for help, or will she begin down a dark path?
Her Choice:
Will Debora’s battle with depression and grief push her to a breaking point?
Scary Things:
At only four years old, Gloria faces one of life’s deepest losses, and when the shadows that once followed her mother notice her, can she defeat the darkness?
Prayers and Pencil Crayons:
Will Abigail step out of the shadows and into the new leadership role God has opened for her?
Early Reader Reviews: from goodreads.com
For anyone who’s ever suffered from church hurt, this one’s for you. Ms. Van der Kroef has excellently woven several stories of women who love Jesus but have a hard time loving each other. She’s gracious and gentle when exploring their lives but still convicting in assessing the areas they need to “let go and let God” in order to commune as the Church.
– Ericka Clay –
A wonderful read and thought-provoking for sure. I can guarantee you’ll see yourself in this book, prompting a request for God to lovingly search your own heart.
This story was really fascinating and it got under my skin. What I found special was that the plot is gradually narrated by all protagonists- women who live their lives within one church community. Their stories follow and evolve with each conversation and interaction they have. It was quite playful and exciting for me to guess and realize who the narrator was and how connected she was to the previous narrator.
– Katarina Celkova –
The climax of the book is the deadly sin of one of the women.
I got Goosebumps when reading the story.
The final scene is prodigious. It is an absolute act of humility and may be the symbol of a new start in the community.
I did not purchase the book and I read it as an early reader.
Our Road To Trust by Mary Grace Van der Kroef, Mary Grace. I extend thanks to the author and publisher for the Advanced Reader Copy that was gifted to me.
– Lisa –
This is a wonderful book full of inspiring faith based stories. The author did a good job of covering many different aspects and providing a little something for each and every reader. They were bite size nuggets of information all captured together between the covers. I highly recommend this book.
I received this as an ARC reader. My opinions are my own.
– Jen Dodrill –
This book got me from the very start. I understand ‘words that pierce’ and I’m sure I’ve said them many times. Each woman’s story wove within the others in a way that shows how completely the author understands the inner workings of how we as women think, feel, struggle, hope.
The depth in the book is amazing. Deep and complex, beautifully but sincerely written. It shows and teaches what true trust can be.
Thank you to my ARC Team for your support! You can find all of their reviews on Goodreads.
I have been waiting for months to be able to share this publication with you. I am so thrilled and excited to announce that on October 31st my short story ‘Underground United’ was published in the Wayward and Upward anthology of stories and poems.
I am honoured to stand alongside so many other talented and hard-working writers and poets. The diverse backgrounds of the writers who were selected is exciting, the content is stunning, and the hard work by the publishers to make this project happen will not be forgotten.
The forty pieces in this book unite two creative endeavours at the heart of humanity: making music and telling stories. Each writer took inspiration from one of the ten tracks on the Wayward & Upward album by Spinoza Gambit. This anthology collects one short story and three poems for each track, showcasing the variety of interpretations a single piece of music can evoke.
– Wayward and Upward description –
Off Topic Publishing has played an important role in my personal growth as a writer, and now as well in my published career. The staff and Editor are all amazing individuals and I am so grateful to them for their hard work, and dedication to Canadian literature and excellence. I encourage any writers out there to connect with them and enjoy the community they are growing around the written word.
They have a monthly contest that is worth checking out and entering if you are a growing writer. The entry fee continues to be affordable and each entry receives feedback from the judges. I have never won this contest but several of the pieces I entered have gone on to see publication elsewhere. The feedback I received was encouraging, as well as important to my later success. Thank you to those judges!
Wayward and Upward is available for purchase directly from the publisher, as an ebook or in print form. Find it by clicking one of the links above or by visiting my own bookshop and following the links provided there.
Mary Grace van der Kroef
Have you read ‘Words of Weight’? Please leave us a review on Goodreads, Amazon, or in the comment section of this post. All reviews are welcome and appreciated, whether one star or five. All we ask is that you are kind in your word choice. THANK YOU!
“Poetry that seeks to marry words and their definitions to the emotional responses they bring us in the walking world.”
– from Words of Weight back blurb
Original Review from Amazon.ca
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Original Review from Amazon.co.uk
Original Review from Amazon.com
Original Review from Amazon.ca
Original Review from Amazon.ca
Original Review from Amazon.ca
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Original Review from Amazon.in
Original Review from Amazon.co.uk
Original Review from Amazon.com
Original Review from Amazon.com
Original Review from Amazon.com
Today is the day! ‘Words of Weight’, is now available for all regions on Amazon. If you preordered an ecopy, they have delivered it to you.
I have uploaded and released the paperback version as well.
A HUGE thank you to my readers for sending in prompt words and helping me write this collection. It stretched me, it was fun, it game me purpose in a time I was feeling low. We create better when we create together. You are all a blessing to me. I hope you enjoy the finished product.
In celebration of this release and my birthday that is today, I am offering a SALE on my first poetry collection ‘The Branch that I Am’. Both the ebook and paperback version are discounted for 3 days only!
Visit my book shop to purchase the ebook directly or use the buttons below to choose your preferred retailer.
Note: because of Canadian shipping costs, I cannot offer a signed paperback for the SALE price. But the discounted paperback is available at Amazon.
I am excited to officially announce my forthcoming poetry collection Words of Weight.
I asked for prompt words that held meaning for my readers and they answered the call. In doing so they helped me sculpt a unique collection filled with vivid imagery and thoughtful connections.
The poems included are as follows:
1. Words of Weight
2. Hug
3. Be Kind
4. Impact
5. Forgiveness
6. Growth
7. Amid
8. Understanding
9. Spill
10. Trust
11. Pause
12. Grief
13. Glimmer
14. Truth
15. Layers
16. Conversation
17. Quiet
18. Reason
19. Punishment
20. Resurrection
21. Portion
22. Sustain
23. Virtue
24. Guilt
25. Worth
26. Conscience
27. Gratitude
28. Conviction
29. Compelled
30. Bewilder
31. Covered
32. Doubt
33. Persnickety
34. Misunderstood
35. Progress
36. Weeds
I will be offering an eCopy of this collection for FREE to anyone who signed up for my monthly newsletter before October 14th, 2022. Not on my mailing list yet? Don’t worry, if you are reading this before October 14th there is still time to get this free gift by signing up! I look forward to connecting with you.
Are you reading this post after October 14th? I have chosen to make this collection available to read on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited shortly after publication. If you are a subscriber, visit Amazon to find it on their website, or find it in the Kindle Library on your device of choice.
Not a KU subscriber? You sill still be able to enjoy this 36 poem collection by purchasing the eBook or paperback edition on Amazon.
Thank you to my readers for supporting me, and coming along with me on this journey called writing.
Mary Grace Writing 