Life is Full of Unlikely Blessings and Surprising Grace

 Author Judy Baer entertains and delights

readers with stories of small town life

and an amusing cast of characters

Life is more than just a series of experiences. It is the people we meet along the way that make life more interesting and teach us the most important lessons. City dweller turned country pastor Alex Armstrong learns this first hand in Judy Baer’s Forever Hilltop (Guideposts/May 1, 2012/ISBN: 978-0824945299/$16.99).

Forever Hilltop is a 2-in-1 book that includes Baer’s An Unlikely Blessing along with the previously unreleased sequel Surprising Grace. The charming and often hilarious Forever Hilltop series follows the adventures of protagonist Alex Armstrong as he settles into his role as a pastor of a Scandinavian community in rural North Dakota much like the one in which Baer grew up. While Alex is sometimes baffled by his parishioners and their colorful ways, he comes to appreciate their simple wisdom. It may be a small town, but life in Hilltop Township is never dull!

The second half of Forever Hilltop is brand new, featuring Surprising Grace, the continuation of Alex’s adventures. While he is settling into life on the prairie, and even starts to understand the strange ways of his new neighbors, Alex also finds that his flock needs help and counsel like he never imagined. He also finds himself having to choose between the woman he planned to marry and the home he’s come to love.

In the debut release of the series, An Unlikely Blessing, readers are introduced to Alex as he experiences a bit of a culture shock when he moves from his home in the big city of Chicago to the tiny community of Hilltop Township in the wilds of North Dakota. Hilltop Township blooms from the prairie like a wild pink rose—lovely and prickly all at once, much like the quirky residents who live there. Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he has to teach them.

“God often allows us to be in new circumstances or relationships that stretch us and make us grow.  He wants us to be more Christ-like in our everyday lives and often the people we meet or the situations in which we land are great tools for that,” explains Baer.

Within the context of the story, Forever Hilltop presents enduring lessons about how people should treat each other and live their lives. “I find life to be like that,” says Baer. “The lessons learned over the years—like the benefits of kindness, respect, sound judgment, faith, loyalty or honesty—come in bits and pieces.  A little lesson here, a realization there, and eventually you have a big awareness about something.”

A writing coach, personal life coach, faculty advisor, quilter, mother, wife, and daughter, Baer uses the experiences and imagination at her disposal to create stories that amuse, entertain, and delight her readers. No matter where they grew up, readers are sure to identify with the cast of characters and the situations they find themselves in.

About the Author

Judy Baer was born and grew up on a farm on the prairies of North Dakota, experiencing many of the same things as her Hilltop characters.  An only child, she spent most of her days with imaginary people—either those she read about or those she made up in her head.

Baer graduated from Concordia College with majors in English and education and a minor in religion. While at the time, she was simply studying what interested her, Baer later realized that she was educating herself for her future career as a Christian writer. She certainly put her education to use as she is the author of more than 75 books.

A certified professional life coach now certified in three coaching disciplines, Baer coaches primarily professional and aspiring writers. She is also a faculty advisor in the Department of Human Development at St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, MN. Baer has two daughters and three step children. She and her husband live in Minnesota.

Learn more about the author and her books at www.judykbaer.com.

Judy Baer is available for interviews to promote the release of Forever Hilltop. To request a review copy, schedule an interview or for more information, please contact Audra Jennings, audra@litfusegroup.com.