This page contains a synopsis of each of my ongoing book projects for adults. If you would like to see a complete proposal with samples, please contact me at donna@livebytheword.com 

"A Woman of Substance" and "A Woman of Substance, Too"

God has a plan for each of us, and to achieve that plan, we must arrange our desires to be in accordance with His desires for us, and His priorities must be our priorities. For this, we need to understand the proper order that God wants for each of us, for our God is a God of order. 

Using Proverbs 31 as our template, we will see that each of us is validated, or confirmed, by God. Being a God of order, the portion of Scripture we commonly refer to as 'The Proverbs 31 Woman' rounds out or completes the design (intention, function) of the preceding work, namely the Book of Proverbs. This book of wise sayings was written by Solomon.  Proverbs 31 sets the pattern for the first book, 'A Woman of Substance'. 

Chapters will be set out in sections which include: benefits to the Kingdom of God; drawing others to follow God; ministry; lifestyle; talents and giftings; and blessings. This book takes a closer look at each verse in Proverbs 31, and considers its literal and spiritual meaning. Each chapter will end with several suggested verses for further study, allowing the reader the opportunity to expand their understanding on topics of their own choosing. 

The second book, 'A Woman of Substance, Too', uses women in the Bible to teach
specific life lessons, including: spiritual covering; prayer; obedience; submission; hospitality; and others. Each chapter will end with three Life Lessons drawn from the chapter, which will highlight the key topics for the reader. This two-book series can be marketed as individual product, or as a set. It would make an ideal gift for any woman. 


"A Book of Uncommon Prayer"
There are three main types of prayer that are included in the Bible: worship,
intercession, and supplication. Do you know what kind is used exclusively in Psalms? Do you know how many prayers are included in the text of the Bible? For answers to these and many other questions about prayer, "A Book of Uncommon Prayer" is your source. 

This book will look at the prayers in the Bible, those spoken by the eloquent and the ordinary. Those prayers that healed a nation, that birthed a child, that vanquished an enemy. And they all had one thing in common - they were spoken from the heart, not from a written psalter.

'By the Numbers' series
Book 1 - "Just the Fax, Ma'am"
Something sinister is going on in Bear Cove, a quiet little town on the east coast, but no one will talk about it. When Carly Turnquist starts looking into it, she receives a job offer that turns into a threat. A large sum of money goes missing, her daughter is blamed for it, and then Carly is nearly run off the road after her brake lines were cut. When a mysterious man shows up in town and the one person who knew all the answers dies a questionable death, Carly knows she can't just give up. Backed into a corner when her family is threatened, she sets out to solve all the mysteries. Carly, with the help of her programmer husband, Mike, and the local sheriff, faces threats, death, and an angry civil servant, as she delves into the dark world of numbered companies and nudist colonies in a small town on the East Coast. 

Subsequent novels in series

1. There Was a Crooked Man - Mike is hired to write a program for a ranch to control stock and supplies; on a family working vacation to the ranch, the foreman is found dead, and Mike's son is suspected, after they fight over his treatment of a horse; later it comes out that the foreman dated son's girlfriend in the past.

2. Unbalanced - Carly witnesses a bank robbery, but doesn't realize it until later; Mike's
brother, who has a gambling problem, is on the run from some people he owes money to, and leaves his son with Carly and Mike; a friend's son is engaged to a woman with a less than spotless past. 

3. Broke, Busted, and Disgusted - Carly's ex-husband, who abandoned her over ten years before, shows up again; claims he 'borrowed' something from some people who want it back; wants Carly's help to initiate blackmail on these people to get him out of the jam; Mike's mom is being courted by a shady character who may just be after her money;
Mike's last client is having problems with people breaking into their computer system,
and Mike is the chief suspect.

4. Hidden Assets - Mike is hired to write a program for a telemarketing group, and
discovers they really want him to use the program to move money from inactive bank
accounts; Carly is hired to help a friend prove her ex-husband is trying to hide assets so
as to not pay child support; Carly and Mike have problems with communications
regarding Mike's friend.

5. 5 and 20 Blackbirds - at Mike's 25th college reunion, tempers flare when old rivalries are revived; a college professor is found dead, and Mike's archenemy is suspect; Carly's
credentials are called into question when one of her clients goes to court and case falls
apart - is Carly being set up?


"For Such a Time as This"
This book is a narrative re-telling of little-known characters in the Bible, who did
something important, even if it didn't seem that way at the time. We all know the big stars of the Word of God, bigger-than-life people like Abraham, Moses, David, and Paul. They did things that changed history. They lived exemplary lives for God. They were called 'good and faithful servant', 'a man after God's own heart', and 'righteous'. Some made some heinous mistakes, and were still looked on with favor by God because of where their heart was. God sees the beginning from the end, and He knows who is going to be useful for His kingdom. We all look to these heroes of the faith for our examples on Christian living. But what about those people who didn't get the same coverage? Some of the people in this book were mentioned only a few times in Scripture. Several were mentioned in only one book of the Bible. But when you examine that part of their life that is recorded in Scripture, you will find that each one made a hard choice, and made a difference. 

"Generational Blessings: Woman to woman, heart to heart"
Women love to read encouraging and affirmative stories about other women. Case in
point: romance novels, romance-historic novels, and gift books are amongst the biggest selling books for most publishers. We like to be taken out of our own lives, and transported into another time and place, where we can share our common experiences, celebrate our accomplishments, and cry without condemnation. This book celebrates the relationships that women hold dear - family. Mothers, sisters, and grandmothers are the core of the stories, and each story is a sweet peek into their lives and relationships. 

"Counting the Days: a devotional for accountants and other financial professionals"
God didn't create anything boring, and especially not accounting and financial professionals. However, if you asked people in general to give a one-word description of accounting and financial professionals, the word they are most likely to come up with would be 'boring'. This devotional is intended to: - encourage and edify accounting and financial professionals, that as part of God's creation, they are not only not boring, they are, in fact, a demonstration of God's orderly nature, His quantifying Spirit, and His
creative design.
- provide a tool for sharing God's Word with non-believing colleagues in a
non-threatening way.
- to show others that accounting and financial professionals are not boring,
and do not lead boring spiritual lives

"The Second Time Around"
A devotional for couples in their second marriage, this 30-day devotional is packed full of wisdom and activities designed to help those in their second marriage, written from a Biblical viewpoint, made relevant by experience.