A talented runner fully committed to Olympic dreams, Sabrina Rice’s future was shattered by a devastating diagnosis. One forfeited scholarship and several years later, she has new goals and dreams that have nothing to do with running–something that’s become far too painful to think on.
Until the day she sees Brandy Philip running across the community college campus, easily outpacing security. Sabrina immediately recognizes world-class speed, and it’s all the more painful that it belongs to a teenage graffiti artist.
When a chance encounter brings the two young women together, Sabrina becomes Brandy’s best hope for staying out of juvenile hall. Soon, Sabrina begins to feel an uncomfortable nudge that her new life is just about to be toppled…that God may be calling her to minister to this talented but troubled girl.
Julie Charlton is at the breaking point. She’s overwhelmed and burned out, and in today’s unrelenting society, her kids are, too. When her sister-in-law Susan, a Martha Stewart-in-training, lands the chance to participate in a reality TV series promoting simple living, and needs another family to join her, it seems like the perfect opportunity.
The location is an idyllic farm outside an Amish community in Tennessee. Julie, with her two children, joins Susan and her teenage daughter for a summer adventure. Susan needs to succeed in order to become self-sufficient after an ugly divorce, Julie needs to slow down long enough to remember what her priorities are and regain a sense of purpose and meaning. It becomes clear from the start that “living simple” is no simple matter. With the camera watching every move, Susan’s drive for perfection feels a lot like what they left behind, while Julie suddenly finds herself needing to stand up for slowing down. With each new challenge, their season of “going Amish” gets more and more complicated, as each woman learns unexpected lessons about herself and her family.
Reviews and Endorsements for Almost Amish:
“Cushman crafts strong characters that are easy to connect with.”–Romantic Times
“In this heartwarming story of Plain living, Kathryn Cushman creates a simple–yet inconvenient–life. Lessons are learned and timeless truths applied to the challenges of modern culture, making Almost Amish a delightful, impossible-to-put-down read.” –Leslie Gould, co-author of the #1 bestseller, The Amish Midwife
Grace Graham returns to Shoal Creek, Tennessee with her four-year-old son on a short unpaid leave from work. Her goal: help her father recover from surgery, and spend some quality time with her sister.
But Shoal Creek seems more backward than ever after her years in California, and it’s hard to find organic food anywhere. When the unthinkable happens and her son is diagnosed with measles, Grace’s fears over modern medicine take a dangerous turn.
Worse, the town has fallen into quarantine and its residents focus their anger and blame on Grace. She is alone and scared, until one brave woman chooses to reach out a hand of forgiveness and mercy. But when the outbreak takes a life-threatening turn, will Grace be able to forgive herself?
Angels eagerly watch over Annie Fletcher’s every move. She just doesn’t know it yet.
When Annie Fletcher returns to Charleston to see her younger sister, Sarah, receive her master’s degree, she finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, watching helplessly as Sarah fights for life. During the ride, Sarah appears to talk to someone who is not there, humming a melody Annie has never heard before.
Neighbor Ethan McKinney is there to lend a shoulder when Sarah unexpectedly dies. And as a carpenter, Ethan volunteers to help Annie get the Fletcher family home into shape for selling. Ethan’s presence is distracting, but what troubles Annie is her neighbor Tammy’s 12-year-old son. Keith has Down Syndrome and the guile to believe he can see and hear angels.
God begins to reveal Himself to Annie – both in her new found friends and through heart-rending and clearly supernatural events. Annie discovers faith in God, finally experiencing the comfort that His angels really do surround us.
Alisa Stewart feels like she’s lost two sons: her youngest to a terrible tragedy and her eldest, Kurt, to a life ruined by addiction. But now Kurt has checked himself into rehab and found a healing faith that seems real. It’s like he’s been raised from the dead.
Then a detective arrives at Alisa’s door asking questions about a murder–the death of a drug dealer before Kurt entered rehab. Alisa fears losing her son again, and when she finds evidence linking him to the killing, she destroys it. Her boy is different now. He’s changed and deserves a second chance.
But when another man is charged with the crime, Alisa finds herself facing an impossible choice: be silent and keep her son or give up everything for the truth.
Reviews and Endorsements for Leaving Yesterday:
“Cushman’s latest faith-based novel begins with a jolt. As a police officer arrives on the doorstep of Alisa Stewart’s home, she fears that her only living son, Kurt, has been killed in the course of his dark lifestyle, living on the streets and using drugs. Her terror is calmed when she learns her son is only needed for an investigation into the beating death of a local dealer, and she’s further assuaged when Kurt himself calls to say he is now in rehab.
Latching onto this unexpected and desperately needed ray of hope, Alisa is deceived by her own optimism. As past secrets are revealed, she is forced to consider justice and mercy’s conflicting demands. Though Kurt’s struggle dominates the novel, Alisa faces additional personal crises— her husband threatens divorce and she’s tempted by the possibility of an affair. The number of crises facing her is overwhelming and at times distracts from the power of the central conflict. However, the novel offers a denouement that will satisfy evangelical Christian readers with its resolution while maintaining its reality.” —Publishers Weekly
“Cushman’s novel is a profoundly moving portrait of a mother’s quest to protect her son at all costs. You won’t soon forget this page-turner.” —Chandra McNeil, Romantic Times Book Reviews
“Alisa Stewart is a woman on the edge, barely holding herself together for the sake of 10-year-old Caroline after one son is murdered, his younger brother Kurt turns to drugs and is kicked out of the house, and her husband moves out. When a detective turns up looking for Kurt as a person of interest in the beating death of his supplier, Alisa’s carefully constructed façade of lies and concealed truths begins to crumble. And her faith, never as strong as she led others to believe in the church where she works and during the motivational speeches she delivers in public, wavers until she is faced with an ethical quandary of life-and-death proportions.
Cushman’s forty-something protagonist matter-of-factly narrates her struggles with her conscience and her maternal instinct to protect her offspring in this introspective, deeply personal, and often emotionally painful contemporary Christian novel, which is sure to appeal to many readers.” —Lynne Welch, Booklist
Paige Woodward is a woman without choices. Her destitute mother’s only hope for a cure isn’t covered by insurance. When a dream opportunity arises at a brand-new pharmacy, Paige is willing to keep quiet about her past to make sure she lands the job.
For Clarissa Richardson, the dream of running her own pharmacy comes to a screeching halt when her grandfather hires a too-perfect new girl who seems to be hiding something. How far will they go to protect their dreams for tomorrow?
What will happen when one woman’s last hope means ruining another woman’s greatest dream?
Reviews & Endorsements for Waiting for Daybreak:
“This story is full of multidimensional characters, including two women desperately trying to regain control of their lives. Fans of Kingsbury and Picoult should enjoy this emotion-filled tale.” —Romantic Times Book Reviews
“Deep, complex characters are fast becoming Cushman’s trademark. Paige and Clarissa drew emotional responses from me like few books do. Even the secondary characters are fascinating. Combine those with a riveting storyline and you have a novel you’ll not put down until you turn the last page. Novel Reviews and I give it our highest recommendation: a 5-star read!” —Ane Mulligan, NovelReviews.blogspot.com
“I love Kathryn Cushman’s writing style; her books have a smooth flow that makes for quick reading, but she tackles tough themes…. Cushman does a great job of creating characters who are Christian without pushing an agenda…. Waiting for Daybreak is a good story. I’m looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with in the future.” –bookfoolery.blogspot.com
Andie Phelps is the envy of Santa Barbara. A devoted mother with a loving son and a successful husband, her greatest joy comes from reaching out to others.
Melanie Johnston is the envy of no one. A single mom who works long hours to pay the bills, and her greatest joys relate to her teen daughter and son.
Then the accident that changes everything. When opposite worlds collide, the impact reaches far beyond these mothers’ personal losses.
Two wounded women…Two families seeking hope…A community torn apart… How far will they go to fulfill A Promise to Remember?
Reviews & Endorsements for A Promise to Remember:
“The plot is lively and complex. Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse they did, and this problem-heaped-upon-problem style made for a captivating and fast-paced read. All the story’s loose ends are finally pulled snug, but not until the last pages. All in all, A Promise to Remember is an impressive debut for Cushman. After this strong introduction, fans of contemporary Christian fiction will no doubt await her next book with anticipation.” –Violet Nesdoly, BlogCritics.org
“A beautifully written and heartfelt novel about loss, love and forgiveness… Christian fiction has a radiant new voice in Katie Cushman.” —James Scott Bell, best-selling author of No Legal Grounds
“I’d recommend this book to anyone who has heart enough to read it, because once you start reading there is no way you won’t be affected in some way by the time you reach the ending. To me, Kathryn Cushman is bestseller material!” —Crystal Johnson, ArmchairInterviews.com
