Hope, Redemption, and Second Chances

I love multi-author series…love the planning, the interaction, the camaraderie that happens when a group of authors get together to bring readers hours upon hours of reading pleasure.

A Tuscan Legacy was the first of such series I’ve taken part in. The Potter’s House the second. And there are more planned for next year and beyond.

The Potter’s House is the brainchild of Juliette Duncan, and I was honored when my name was put forward to join The Potter’s House authors. Each author will write three books, the first round of books publishing two weeks apart. With rounds two and three, the books will release three weeks apart. I have three books planned for this series—Restoring Faith, Recovering Hope, Reclaiming Charity. My books are due for release in June and November 2018, and the final one in April 2019. Restoring Faith went on pre-order this Tuesday, May 22nd. As most of you are aware, my stories are all set in places like Europe, Africa, Australia, the UK. My Potter’s House books are the first stories I’m setting in the USA—book one in Colorado, book two in Florida, and book three in Kansas.

Unlike A Tuscan Legacy which was tied together by characters, The Potter’s House books are bound by theme. Each book is a stand-alone, but some, like my books, could be a mini-series. They all promise a message of hope, redemption, and second chances offered by God, the Potter, and only available through salvation, of being made whole through Christ. It is our prayer that these books will be God-inspired and reach the hearts of many for His Kingdom.

Why not join The Potter’s House Readers Group and follow all the interesting happenings there.

These are The Potter’s House books that are now available.

I’d love to introduce Restoring Faith to you through the blurb and first scene. Enjoy! 

When love grows cold and vows forgotten, can faith be restored?

Charles and Faith Young are numbers people. While Charles spends his days in a fancy Fort Collins office number-crunching, Faith teaches math to the students of Colorado High. Married for sixteen years, Charles and Faith both know unequivocally that one plus one should never equal three.

When blame becomes the order of the day in the Young household for their failing marriage—blaming each other; blaming themselves—Charles and Faith each search for answers why the flame of love no longer burns brightly. In their efforts, one takes comfort from another a step too far. One chooses not to get mad, but to get even.

Dying love is a slow burn. Is it too late for Charles and Faith to fan the embers and make love rise once again from the ashes of their broken marriage? Can they find their first love again—for each other, and for God?

Friday, June 27, 2003

WITH HER FINGERS HOLDING TIGHT to the remnant of what was earlier a lengthy piece of chalk, Faith Young drew a line on the greenboard. The chalk screeched across the hard surface with a grating sound, and a chorus of groans from the handful of summer school students taking extra math rose behind her. She turned around and smiled.

“And that, class, is how you do a linear equation.”

A book slammed closed, and Faith raised her gaze to the back of the small class. Without a word, she strolled between the desks, stopping at the farthest one.

Dark brown eyes stared back at her from the good-looking grade eleven student. Faibian Walker. He raked his fingers through his wavy, shoulder-length brown hair, the tips already sun-kissed from the arrival of summer. There was something so hauntingly familiar about this young man, but Faith couldn’t put her finger on exactly what it was.

“Is there a problem, Faibian?”

When it came to math and Faibian, there was always a problem. Sometimes Faith wondered if numbers were his issue, or due to his home situation. A single mom raising him, no father figure to look up to, to guide him, to help him with his homework…

At least Michael, her son, had that. Not only a father who was always there for him, but one who excelled at numerics. And with a high school math teacher for his mom to boot, certainly a win-win for their thirteen-year old. No disadvantages like Faibian Walker.

“I still don’t get it. I’ll never get it. I hate math!” Faibian’s chair toppled over backward as he shoved to his feet. He grabbed his books and fled the classroom.

“Faibian, come back!” Faith called after him, but the troubled boy’s footsteps could be heard pounding down the passageway.

She wished she could help him more. Frankly, she’d been rather surprised to see him sign up for her summer class, nevertheless disappointed that he hadn’t really seemed to want to be there. Then again, what teenager wouldn’t prefer to be on vacation, enjoying the outdoors, than spending an extra month at school…learning math?

Maybe in the new school year she’d schedule a meeting with his mother—see what could be done to help Faibian not fail math in his final year of high school. She could offer to tutor him over weekends or after school for free, or something like that.

She strode back to her desk and addressed the students. “Class dismissed. Have a good summer vacation everyone.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Young. You too,” the students chorused as they filed out of her classroom.

Faith gathered her teaching material and stuffed it into her briefcase, thankful these extra few weeks of teaching were over. Now to get home and prepare for her guests. Her older brother, Brody, and his family were arriving tomorrow afternoon for a short visit. She couldn’t wait to see them.

At least with visitors in the house, Charles would be more affectionate toward her. Heaven forbid the world knew their marriage was in trouble.

I hope you’re as excited to read all The Potter’s House books as we’ve been to write them. And once you’re done with books 1-7, here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming in round two.

Marion Ueckermann (70 Posts)

USA Today bestselling author, MARION UECKERMANN’s passion for writing was sparked when she moved to Ireland with her family. Her love of travel has influenced her contemporary inspirational romances set in novel places. Marion and her husband again live in South Africa and are setting their sights on retirement when they can join their family in the beautiful Cape.