Today I welcome author Laurie Larsen as she shares her latest release that contains stories set in and around lighthouses. She has also generously offered to gift one lucky reader with a FREE print copy -- anywhere in the world!

I am excited to share with you a collection of stories that are guaranteed to fill your heart with inspiration and warmth. It’s called "Charleston Light: Stories Inspired by Sullivan’s Island Lighthouse".

Inside, you will find eight individual novellas written by authors who belong to the same writers group: The South Carolina Lowcountry Chapter of the national organization, American Christian Fiction Writers. We’re a fairly new chapter (just starting our fourth year) and relatively small (a dozen members) but we are all convinced that we’ve got something really special going on. 

Last year, someone brought up the idea of publishing an anthology. After some brainstorming, we decided to all write stories inspired by the nearby lighthouse on Sullivan’s Island. It’s … well, how do I say this … you know what you think of about lighthouses? Beautiful, majestic, scenic? Well, this one is not that. It’s awkward. It’s a little ugly. It’s triangular, instead of spherical, and it serves an important purpose; it’s just not exactly beautiful while doing it!

But we were inspired to write stories about it – there was a lot of material there to explore. Not to mention that literary celebrity Edgar Allan Poe was stationed in the Army on Sullivan’s Island in 1827 and wrote his story The Gold Bug there. Several of our stories threw that angle in too!

As we worked on our stories, we decided to select a charity to donate all our proceeds to. We didn’t have to look far before we found the right one. Our chapter member, and anthology contributor Dianne Miley is the Founder of SOUL: Sanctuary of Unborn Life. Sanctuary of Unborn Life is a 501(c)(3) faith-based non-profit in Charleston, South Carolina that provides support, mentoring, and housing assistance for local pregnant and new mothers in need.

We are thrilled to be donating our proceeds to such a loving and worthy cause!

All eight stories feature the lighthouse, and all the stories have faith-based themes. They range from contemporary romance to mystery/suspense to time travel. 

My own story is Looks Aren’t Everything, a retelling of the classic fairy tale, The Ugly Duckling: Pediatric nurse Wanda Byrd feels an instant kinship with ten-year-old cancer patient Kendall, and it’s not just because of their matching scars. But a surprise encounter with Kendall’s Uncle Mark immediately ignites her long-held insecurities due to his good looks and confident demeanor. Can an awkward-looking lighthouse, the wisdom of a little girl, and a confession from the man himself teach her that true value comes from within?

The ebook is available for your Kindle and is available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. It’s also available in paperback for those who love the feel of a book in their hands!

What’s your favorite lighthouse that you’ve visited? Do you have any lighthouse art hanging in your house? Would you want this “Ugly Duckling” lighthouse to join your collection?

Giveaway: I will select one random commenter to receive a paperback copy of the anthology (US or international!) Good luck! Remember to cleverly disguise your email address so the 'bots don't get ya! for example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com

Links:

Purchase link: https://www.amazon.com/Charleston-Light-Inspired-Sullivans-Lighthouse-ebook/dp/B0BY3F4N7K

Laurie Larsen website: www.authorlaurielarsen.com

Laurie Larsen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlaurielarsen

About Laurie:

Heartwarming, life-changing Christian fiction. An award-winning author, Laurie is living her dream life at the beach, writing novels. Laurie writes beachy inspirational romance that takes place in the South Carolina Low Country. She retired from the big day job and now focuses on writing full time. Strolls on the sand, soaking up the sun and riding the waves can be considered the best kind.