Jennifer Osufsen, Author

Tonight, in the middle of chapter 1 of the new book, my esteemed writing assistant decided to hop on over and give me some support.  I think I may have to work a rabbit into this next installment. What do you think? Oh, yeah.  That's Napoleon, and he's a French Angora.

Hello Friends! A Reckoning of Fire is now available for purchase on Amazon, both for Kindle and in paperback.  Pick up your copy today! Click here to order!

Hear ye, hear ye!  The first draft of "A Reckoning of Fire" is finished!  The second book in the Republic of Texas series will be released in March.  I have been hard at work telling Jo and Cullen's story in this next installment.  Now I get to focus my writing on fine-tuning their tale, and making it the best it can be.  Bear with me for just a few more weeks.  I promise, it will be worth the wait!

Many times I find similarities between my relationship with my children, and my relationship with my Father in Heaven.  Today was no exception. My two-year old stomped his chubby little feet over to me, and asked in his sweet little way for a pear.  Sounded more like, "Pay-ah."  Knowing his hunger after waking up from a nap, I obliged, hopping up and grabbing a pear from the basket. But in his wee mind, pears were in the refrigerator for some weird, irrational reason.  And when I closed the fridge door and told him to wait, he commenced Toddler Tantrum 2000.  Threw his cup, stomped his feet, cried and shrieked at the top of his lungs.  I repeated, "Jed, Mommy's cutting the pear.  It will be ready in a minute."  Nope.  He was having none of it. Until a minute later, when I handed him the bowl with cut pear slices.  Then he wiped away the tears, and toddled off, happy as he could be. While I was cutting the pears (and trying to...

This Five Questions interview features Alicia Roque Ruggieri, author of the novel The House of Mercy .  I met Alicia online in a Goodreads group, and was struck by her fervent and sincere Christian faith. I asked Alicia to tell us a little about herself.  Here's what she had to say: "Born and raised on the New England coast, I grew up breathing in the salt air, pretending I stood on the balcony of Cair Paravel. The youngest of three sisters, I’m married to a fun and furry Italian-Frenchman, and I’m also the mother of a second-hand pug with more physical and emotional problems than I have fingers! I love playing hymns and classical pieces on the piano (quite badly, I’m afraid!), sewing by hand, baking, and walks through the woods and on the beach. My two nieces and two nephews have captured my heart, and so I relish spending time with them as well. I graduated from Rhode Island College (B.A. in Mass Media Communications and History) and have had the privileg...

I find it incredibly painful to be pruned.  To work so hard in my faith, to grow and produce fruit that will please my Father, only to experience something that knocks me off my feet.  I have to think that's what Jesus meant in John 15:1-2.  "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful." As a follower of Jesus, my King of Kings, I continually strive to remain close to Him in all things.  And, of course, I fail miserably because I'm still a sinful and willfully disobedient child.  But for the most part I attempt to live my life in a way that is pleasing to God, and will somehow further His kingdom. Many times, during trials in my life, I find myself asking God why this is happening to me.  What have I done to deserve this?  Haven't I been good and faithful?  (I promise, this is th...