13 Reasons Why || Release Day + Review of Beloved

*grins nervously* Folks... it's time. Release day is here.

And I am frEakiNg oUt. Freaking out. Freaking out. 

Just sayin'. But, regardless, here we are. We made it. Things are mostly in order. We're both still alive and well. The tour is going strong. And today, World Suicide Prevention Day, both of our books are releasing to the world. To say I'm stoked would be a slight understatement.

In honor of the release, Kate and I are reviewing each other's books! Find her review of Freedom as well as all the information on how to get YOUR copy of Beloved at the link below. :D

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

|| Release Announcement

Having just returned to American soil from the desert sands of the Middle East, James Greene is done with his life. 'Double amputee' doesn't seem like a strong enough phrase to label the physical and emotional pain he bears. Add the lack of love and communication with his family members, the demons that haunt him day and night, and he can find nothing worth living for. Ending it all is the only way out.  

Alexandria Lorance is a not-so-ordinary physical therapist, content with aiding in her patients' recoveries. Her work gives her fulfillment, but alone in the silence, she still endures the hidden scars of a past, unhealthy relationship. Reminding herself that true healing is found in Christ alone, she seeks to show kindness and love to everyone she meets. 

When these two broken ones' paths intersect, the spark of friendship is ignited, bringing hope and joy to both. Can they step out of the darkness of suffering and into the freedom of grace?  

A Marine, broken by war. A therapist, scarred by words. A chance meeting in a parking lot bonded them together. But can love grow in these two hurting hearts? Or are they truly too broken to ever find lasting happiness?

Goodreads || Amazon Kindle || Amazon Paperback

If you're contemplating buying a paperback, I have two things to say. First, thank you. I'm so honored that you want to hold my little story in your hands! The paperback is definite #eyecandy. And secondly, would you consider not purchasing from Amazon? Would you choose instead to purchase through this form?

I would love to be able to donate $100 to Cover Me Veterans at the end of the month. This non-profit organization makes custom gun skins for veterans at no charge. Donating $100—which will cover the costs of 5 gun skins—means selling 10 more copies of Freedom through the special preorder offer.

Can we make it happen? Can we beat the statistics and have a positive influence in this world? More details are on the form, and I'll be around as much as I can to answer any questions. I believe God has great plans for this venture. Prayers always appreciated. <3

|| Review of Beloved

Oh…my…goodness…gracious…

After I read this book the initial time, I literally sat there for about five minutes, just trying to breathe and collect myself over that ending. Then, I made sure I was still breathing and proceeded to pick up my phone and yell at the author for 8.94 minutes about how amazing she is. Because that’s what good friends are for.

Jokes aside… I don’t think I can adequately put into words how special and amazing this story is. But I shall try.


// The Characters 

Cara: The main character. The girl who is so very beloved, and doesn’t even know it. From page one, there was something about Cara’s humorous snarkiness that drew me in and made me love her. Her feelings of being unloved and worthless was just… <3  She was a darling, beloved dearie. (And, goodness, let’s not forget Martha.)

Erich: Um, I like this guy. Like, HELLO, he rescued a total stranger from suicide (something he has a past with) and then made a joke about resuscitating her with mouth-to-mouth. Total winner. Like, how amazing of a dude can this authoress create? Pretty epic, obviously.

Kade: From the moment this dude stepped on the ‘set’, I knew he was special. And once he left that scene, I had a feeling we hadn’t seen the last of him. And I’m quite partial to his return. (If that's a spoiler...forgive me.)

Allllll the bros: I loved them. I loved the camaraderie of the foster/adopted family. They were precious and lovable; they just needed Jesus. For the sake of time, I won’t comment on all of them, but they were all adorbs and funny and THOSE BACKSTORIES. <3 (Side note – I thought the author did an epic job of giving the reader all the backstories at times that made sense, instead of dumping all the info into like one scene. *nods and beams*)

A last note on the charries: Peter is mine. That is all. Hands off, gals.


// The Theme 

Gracious, don’t even get me started. A book that shows girls (well, anyone really) that they are loved, and cherished, and treasured by the God who created them is something I’m going to love, anyway. And Miss Krispense pulled it off quite flawlessly. It wasn’t cheesy. It wasn’t preachy. It was gold and relatable and endearing. <3


// The Writing 

I had read some stories by this author—all of which were good—but this book is BY FAR her strongest and clearest creation. Kaitlyn is a dear girl with a heart for letting others know that they are beloved. And I'm so, so glad she chose to publish during this special week with me. <33

5 stars!

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: freedom. True freedom is found in Jesus Christ alone—He is our freedom and we should never take that for granted. As Americans, we're also blessed with freedom in the US—freedom to live and love in this country of prosperity. As someone pointed out to me the other day, if someone was so willing as to die for our freedom (whether it be Jesus Christ or the American Soldier), why shouldn't we be willing to live for it?

|| Today on the Tour

Tuesday, September 10th

Rebekah @ RebekahAshleigh — Review of Beloved
Abigail @ Books, Life, and Christ — Interview w/ Kate

Remember to enter the giveaway, and the Q&A form is still accepting entries! 

who else is stoked?! *raises hand* 

13 Reasons Why || Author Q&A Collab

*sets off rockets filled with confetti*

The day has arrived! Together, Kate and I answering the questions that all of you submitted through the Q&A form. Kate's answers are in teal and mine are in purple, because these are the colors (along with yellow) that represent suicide prevention and awareness. Teal is also the color of the PTSD awareness ribbon.

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

|| Q&A

Who was your favorite character to write? 
All of the siblings. So fabulous. But particularly Eddie.

James. I love Alex—well, and everyone else—and I always will. But James is my favorite. 


What is one essential piece of advice you'd give to new indie authors?
Get yourself a writing partner. Get someone to whom you can scream about plot twists, sob about inconsistencies, and complain about editing, all without worrying about them getting annoyed with you.

Not to intentionally create an oxymoron, but don’t follow all the advice you receive. When I first started writing, I was overwhelmed by the amount of advice I got. And, because I’m a rule follower, I tried to do everything that everyone said. I quickly decided that a lot of it wasn’t going to work for me. 
For example, there’s this age-old line that says: “write what you know.” Ehh, nope, not a fan of that one. The whole concept implies that you should only write about what you know well—whether that’s knowledge of specific countries, cultures, or workfields, or experience in certain hardships—which is a really close-minded perspective when you think about it. If we only write what we know, then we’re not learning anything new. And isn’t that half the point to any endeavor? 


What part of the story touched you the most?
The whole thing . . . ? I mean, each part of the story touched me differently. But if I had to pick just one scene . . . the second one with Erich & Cara on the boulders (if you’ve read the book, you know what I mean!)

I’m going to go with the scene that I affectionately refer to as the “In Christ Alone part.”  Some of you already know what I’m talking about, but for those who don’t, it’s a church scene in the second half of the book where the song plays an important role. Those paragraphs still give me chills. 


How long did it take to write your book?
Little over a month, actually.

*squints* Like two years? I wasn’t working only on this project during that time, though. Obviously. 


What inspired you to write about the topic of suicide?
Uhhh . . . Pinterest? It was pretty much the first thought and I never really thought of going any other direction, honestly.

Originally, Pinterest for me, too. But then further into the project, I was encouraged and inspired by the constant reminder of the many lives who’ve already been lost to suicide. I can’t tell all of their stories, but I can tell this one. 

What did God show you while writing these novels? How did you grow closer to Him while writing them?
No matter how many times I doubt, He’s always there to love me. <3

Every life has a purpose. It’s something I’ve always known, something you hear all the time in places like church and Sunday School and Bible study. But it’s a truth that I didn’t fully comprehend until I placed myself inside the mind of someone who’s lost all hope. 


How do you figure a book cover to wrap around and fit the spine?
Algebra. *shudders* Since I don’t have a special app that tells me what size to make everything, I make the front cover, then take the number of fully formatted pages and plug ‘em into an online calculator that tells me how many inches wide the spine will be. Convert that to pixels, then calculate the size to fit with the rest of the file, then make the back cover, then put ‘em all together and pray they all fit. If that all makes sense. XD

*coughs awkwardly* I ask Kate to do it for me. That’s how I do it. 

Or that . . .


What’s one big lesson you learned from writing this book? 

I can write coherently . . . ? Also that God will make a way. He loves us. <3 And that how we treat others makes a huge difference. Shall I go on?

Suicide is so much worse and happens much more often that I realized. It deserves more attention, awareness, and understanding than it gets. Let’s show some grace and love, and get rid of the contemptuous mindset. 

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: purpose. No matter how burdened, alone, or unwanted you feel, God has a plan. In every aspect of your life, He has a plan. Even right here in this very moment, He has a plan. I love the words of Jeremiah 29:11. "For I know the plans I have for you..."  He doesn't have to specify that He has a plan for us, because it's a given. Instead, this verse seeks to instill in us that His plans are good and they are of a peace-filled future.

|| Today on the Tour

Monday, September 9th

Alyssa @ Alyssa N —Review of Freedom + Interview w/ Faith
Victoria @ Victoria Paige — 2x Review

be sure to hop over to Kaitlyn's blog to continue reading the Q&A collab! 

13 Reasons Why || Interviewing My Release Buddy

Happy Sunday, lovelies!

I hope y'all have/are having a marvelous day, rejoicing in the Lord's goodness. <3 As for me, I'm out of town visiting some friends this weekend—and consequently writing this post from their couch at nearly midnight last night, haha.

Today's post is another fun interview. This time, Kaitlyn and I did "author interviews" of each other, almost as if we don't know each other and the stories behind each of our works. So that was cool. Read on for my interview of Kate, and visit her blog for her interview of me.

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

|| Interviewing My Release Buddy

Hello, my dear! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey. 
Hello! I'm Kaitlyn, a farmer's daughter that loves books, writing (obviously), music, and going barefoot. I'm a born-again believer in Christ, and it's Him that gave me the inspiration for this story. I'd dabbled with creative writing for a few years (even wrote a novelette that'll never see the light of day, thank goodness), mostly with fan fiction for my favorite book series. But then in 2016 I saw a pin on Pinterest that inspired the story of what is now Beloved. When I first started it, I wasn't planning on publishing it. I mean, there was always that tiny hope in the back of my mind, buuuuut I didn't really take it further than that until my writing partner read it and was like 'YES YOU'RE PUBLISHING.' She more or less got me hooked on the idea. And now we're here. #mindblown


I understand that Beloved is your first completed novel. How long did the writing process take and what was your favorite and least favorite parts? 
Yep! And hopefully not the last! ;) I started this baby in July of 2016, and finished it that September . . . I think? I'd have to go look through one of my notebooks to be sure, haha! So, yeah, it took just over a month. My favorite parts . . . Anything with the brothers. I love these guys so much. Though *cough* Erich is probably my least favorite? *cringes* Even though he's the heartthrob, he's just . . . too perfect. And yes, I'm aware that I'm the author saying this. It just . . . happened. But I love those couple scenes between him and Cara. No spoilers, ya know. ;) My least favorites . . . anything with Mrs. C. She drives me nuts. And that scene in the middle of the book (I can't give any spoilers *cries*) with Erich and Cara . . . while I love it and it's precious, I rewrote it and edited it and reread it and I still feel like it's the weakest part of the book. *sigh* I hope that's just because my eyes were tired of looking at it.

From Beloved, which character do you relate to the most and why? 
Cara, hands-down. I mean, I basically created her as mini-me. I'd been struggling with depression and insecurity and self-worth when I wrote it, so I wanted Cara's path to redemption to reflect what I knew was true, but was having a hard time getting myself to really believe and live out. Her struggles, her sarcasm . . . yep, Cara is definitely the one I can relate to the most. ;) Though, I don't have conversations with my conscience . . .


Your debut novel is releasing in two days—how does that make you feel? 
Uh. AHAHAHA. NOT READY. NOT. READY. *coughs* I honestly feel soooo unprepared for this, even though we've been planning this thing since . . . January? Yeah. Anyway. I'm super excited to take this step, I'm freaked out at the idea that my book baby might not be good enough (I wrote this for God's glory, not my own, but what writer doesn't want her stories to be loved?), I'm overwhelmed by God's grace that allowed everything to get this far. I hope my book touches someone for Him. <3

Thanks for being here today! Any parting words or advice for new writers? 
Thank you so much for hosting me! Ahh, there's so much I could say here . . . for one, write what God's put on your heart. Let His hand guide your words, and when you're doing His will, don't let the outcome scare you. Also, get yourself a writing partner! They're so amazing, and encouraging, and they don't get tired of you screaming about random plot twist ideas! ;)

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: sunlight. There's something about sitting out in the sunshine, lifting your face to it's warm beams, and letting the sunshine-y glow seep into every fiber of your being. My worries become more bearable, my heart fills with joy, and no matter what's going on, I can't help but smile a little. It's just one of those simple, every day occurrences that makes life worth the living. <3

|| Today on the Tour

Sunday, September 8th

Rebekah @ RebekahAshleigh — Interview w/ Faith
Rose @ Adventurous Bookworm — 2x Spotlight
Hannah @ Elizabeth’s Corner — Review of Freedom

We'll be answering questions from the Q&A in tomorrow's post, so get your questions submitted! Giveaway is open through the 13th, and the paperback sale/fundraiser is open through the 30th! 

is Kate a dear or what? what's your R2L of the day? 

13 Reasons Why || 13 Random Facts

The weekend is here! Buuuuutttt we're still in full-blown party mode, so stick around, eh?

Today I'm going to be sharing 13 random facts about Freedom. And, of course, the lovely Miss Krispense is sharing her 13 facts about Beloved at the link below. :D

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

|| 13 Random Facts

1. Pinterest was the original inspiration for the story. Don't discredit the perks of the endless scroll, y'all.

2. I battled over the title of this baby from the beginning. I could probably spout of discarded titles ideas for hours...

3. This book utterly wrecked me. And the only thing that kept me from being destroyed was the #snark.

4. Through multiple edits, Freedom grew from 63,000 words in the first draft to 75,000 words in the final, published version—making it my longest published work by over 25,000 words.

5. I learned more about the United States Marine Corps than I ever thought I'd know.

6. I now own a "22 a Day" t-shirt and hoodie, as well as some semicolon jewelry, thanks to the impact the themes in this book made on me.

7. Early on, I planned to pursue traditional publishing with this book. But, clearly, God had other plans.

8. This book had approximately 217 mock covers before I figured out what I wanted. And settled on the perfect choice.

9. Freedom is the first book I've published with plans for a series.

10. I cried more over this book than any other book or story I've written to date.

11. It's also the first book I've written in which the main girl character doesn't have an amazing best friend who she's super close with and tells everything to.

12. This book is the first story I've written in which neither main character has parents that are good role models.

13. The final version of Freedom has 22 chapters in honor of the 22 veteran lost to suicide each day.

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: you are unique. I know, I know...you've heard that dozens of times before. But it's SO true, my friend. There is only one uniquely perfect you. Embrace your identity in Him. You have a place in this world that no one else can fill. And I don't want that special place to be left empty. <3

|| Today on the Tour

Saturday, September 7th — Three interviews and three reviews, it's a full day!

Angela @ The Peculiar Messenger — 2x Author Interview
Laura @ Beautiful Things — 2x Review
Molly @ Qadash - Set Apart, for Him — Review of Freedom
Hannah @ Elizabeth’s Corner — Interview w/ Faith

You know the drill...  Submit your questions for the Q&A, enter the giveaway, and claim your special preorder copy! <3 

did you already know any of these facts? which one surprised you the most? 

13 Reasons Why || Storyboard + Playlist

How on earth is it the fifth day of the tour already? Literally cannot believe that's possibly. It's been nearly a year since the idea of this tour first sprang to life, although I can't believe that much time has passed.

Kaitlyn and I are being creative today, with a fun and laid-back type of post. We're sharing images from the books' storyboards (basically pictures and/or quotes relating to the books) and songs from the playlists!

As usual, Kate's post can be found through the link below. <3

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

Don't forget! You can claim your copy of Freedom today and support veteran suicide prevention. <3

|| Storyboard

|| Playlist

Someone I Used to Know // Zac Brown Band

Someone I used to know, ran himself in the ground...

Come to the Table // Sidewalk Prophets

To the thief, to the doubter

To the hero and the coward

To the prisoner and the soldier... 

Semper Fi // Trace Adkins

Semper Fi, do or die

So gung ho, to go and pay the price

Heres to Leathernecks, Devildogs, and Jarheads

Parris Island in July, Semper Fi

Scars // I AM THEY

My brokenness brought me to You and these wounds are a story You'll use...

A Soldier's Memoir // Joe Bachman

Part of me is here at home and part of me's back there

Why // Rascal Flatts

Who told you life wasn't worth the fight?

They were wrong

They lied

And now you're gone

And we cried

Call It Grace // Unspoken

It knows your deepest secrets, but it never looks away...

Stand // Rascal Flatts

When push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of

You might bend till you break because it's all you can take

Dress Blues // Zac Brown Band

Mamas and grandmamas love you, American boys hate to lose

You never planned on the bombs in the sand

Or sleeping in your dress blues

Drowning // Chris Young

All I think about is how you were taken way too soon

It ain't the same here without you

I gotta say, missing you comes in waves

And tonight I'm drowning

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: music. There's nothing quite like soaking up the notes of a slow, thoughtful song. Or dancing and jazzing out to a loud, lively, and upbeat song. There's nothing quite like words put to music that are able to express how your feel and allow you to relate like nothing else can. Music is a gift. Music is therapy. Music is pain and joy and sorrow and beauty and love—assigned to a tune. Music is a reason to live.

Maybe it seems like a "small thing," but honestly, if you overlook the little things, what do we have left?

|| Today on the Tour

Friday, September 6th

Rebekah @ RebekahAshleigh — Review of Freedom
Amanda @ With a Joyful Noise — Spotlight
Kaitlyn @ Maidens for Modesty — Review of Freedom

Reminder: There's a Q&A to take part in and a giveaway to enter! 

which song do you think best fits the story? which day of the tour has been your favorite so far?

13 Reasons Why || Snippets

Welcome to Day Four, lovelies!

Today's theme is story snippets! Kaitlyn and I are each sharing snippets from our imminent releases. Make sure you visit her blog for snippets of Beloved. <33

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

|| Snippets of Freedom

“I just don’t know,” James murmurs, eyes averted. “I tried reading a Bible that was in my hospital room. I guess becoming someone you never thought you’d be makes you do things you said you would never do. But… I just couldn’t make the connection. This Jesus wasn’t even mentioned.”  

Kellon frowns. “Where in the Bible did you start reading?”  

“The beginning,” James replies, as if that’s the only logical answer.  

“Well, assuming you didn’t get very far—”  

“About five pages.”  

“—that’s probably why you didn’t find Jesus. He comes on the scene in the New Testament, over halfway through.”  

“Figures.” 

Eyes lighting with realization, Alex continues to watch me for a long moment, lips pressed. “Oh my… I never even knew. Bless your heart.”  

Swallowing, I look away—I can’t keep looking into her eyes. I reach for my fork and return to my meal. “Well, aren’t you just a typical southern belle.”  

Batting her eyelashes, Alex flips her hair over her shoulder, adeptly taking the hint to drop the topic. “Just call me Georgia.” 

Once I get James started on an exercise machine for a leg workout, I prop my arms across the top of the front. “So how was Cardini’s last night?” 

His head jerks up from watching his progress on the digital screen. “How did you know about that?”  

I shrug, struggling to keep a straight face. He acts like I caught him smoking at the responsible age of nine. “Word gets around.”  

Forehead wrinkling, he eyes me with suspicion. “Not funny. ‘Fess up, Lil’ Miss Therapist.” 

I twist in my seat, drawing my leg up under me until I face James. Except, I don’t face him. I keep staring down at the faded, worn seat between us. It doesn’t serve as a very accurate metaphor. 

There’s a lot more than two feet of tattered cloth spanning the gap between us. 

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: the effect you'll have on those around you. Here's some food for thought... The pro-life movement gains everyone's attention, whether in a good or bad way. But pro-life isn't just about the unborn, y'all. What if, by taking your own life, you killed the one who would discover the cure to cancer? What if you killed the world's greatest musician, most influential author, or most decorated service member? Your effect on someone else's story is enough reason to stay and choose life. <3

|| Today on the Tour

Thursday, September 5th

Abigail @ Books, Life, and Christ — Review of Freedom
Michaela @ Tangled Up In Writing — 2x Review + Spotlight
Abigail @ Read Write Breathe — 2x Review

|| Reminders

• Preorders! Remember that you can preorder your copy of Freedom in Kindle or paperback. All profits go to veteran suicide prevention!

• The Q&A form is still open! Make sure you get your questions sent in for me and Kate.

• And, as always, don't forget to enter the giveaway!

favorite snippet? are you excited to read the rest of the book now? 

13 Reasons Why || Beloved - Character Interview

Happy hump day, friends!

I cannot believe we're already to day three of the tour. It feels like it's going by so quickly—I can hardly keep up with everything that's going on!

Today's theme is character interviews! To make it especially fun, Kate and I decided to interview each other's characters instead of our own. So my interview of Erich Carlos, a main character from Beloved, is below. And Kate's interview with James from Freedom is up on her blog!

Kaitlyn Krispense, Author

|| Interview w/ Erich from Beloved

Welcome to the blog, Erich! Why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Thank you Faith! My name is Erich, i’m a born-again Christian, and i’m also a bachelor living with my brother, Peter. What else am i supposed to say? I work at a waffle joint, i hate roman candles (those things are freaky, man!), and i’m striving to be like Christ more every day.


How do you feel about your and your family’s story releasing in just a few days?
Not like i rly had much choice in the matter, lol. i mean, i guess i’m ok with it. For once i’m actually being portrayed as a good guy, so i can’t complain. Not real thrilled at the prospect of people reading all about me, but Cara’s the one whose mind everyone’s gonna see, so i guess it’s ok.

Was your first impression of Cara positive or not so much?
Uhhhhh . . . can i plz plead the fifth on this one? There’s rly no good way to answer this one. She was an annoying brat and i wanted to pound her thru the wall, but other than that, she wasn’t too bad.


If you could go back and change one thing about your past, what would it be?
Oh no, plz not this question. Srsly Faith, why do you have to pick this one?!
Ok, fine. Kaitlyn says I have to answer. *clears throat awkwardly* there’s a lot of things i could mention here, but . . . i’m not too proud of the way i first treated the Carloses when i first came to their house. i mean, there i was, their 2nd foster son, and of course i had to be a real idiot. Not exactly days i’m proud of. If i could go back and redo those days, live them with gratitude . . . man i wish i could.


And lastly, because I just have to know… which Carlos sibling is your favorite?
Lol wouldn’t you like to know. They all have their shortcomings, whereas i, on the other hand, am everyone’s favorite. i mean, just ask Kaitlyn. She says i’m a heartthrob.
In all seriousness tho, i can’t just pick one like a lock (my apologies, i’m not as good at analogies as Cara). I live with Peter, so i guess that means i have to like him. Fergus is obnoxious but funny in his own right. Eddie is . . . well . . . something else. Titus has the ego typical for boys his age, but his heart is good. Cara . . . i guess i’m not supposed to give away any spoilers, so nvm. But i can’t pick just one.


Thank you for hosting me, Faith! I greatly appreciate it.

Thanks for joining us, Erich! And readers, don't forget to preorder your copy of Beloved in Paperback or Kindle! :D

|| R2L

Today's reason to live is: laughter. It's a beautiful sound, isn't it? The magical melody of shared laughter with a friend. The giggle of a small child. Laughs circling around the family dinner table. Maybe you're in a season right now where the tears majorly outweigh the laughs. That doesn't mean you can't hold on until the return of the days of laughter. Because they are coming. The joy will return. No drought or famine or storm can last forever. And the wait is worth it. <3

|| Other Stops on the Tour

Wednesday, September 4th

Abby @ Photos by Abby Rose — 2x Review
Brooklyne @ Showers of Blessing — 2x Interview
Faith @ Faith Lane Author — Interview w/ Kate + Spotlight of Beloved
Kassie @ Soldier Girl Stories — 2x Review

Don't forget to enter the giveaway and submit your questions to the Q&A! 

what would you ask Erich, if you had the chance? do you have an R2L of the day?