Real, Not Perfect is the first book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires girls and young women to deepen their relationships with God and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Tessa has lived a trouble-free life as the only child of two loving parents--she is well-liked, gets straight As, is on the competitive swim team, and is active in her church youth group. It's a pretty perfect life! That is, until she comes home from swim practice one day to find that her parents are divorcing. Along with that, her BFF has moved to Florida, and Tessa gets stuck in Intro to Drama--possibly the worst class ever!

Soon Tessa's mom sinks into despair and Tessa struggles with her anger and hurt. Meanwhile, her BFF posts fabulous pictures of her new life on Instagram. Tessa thinks that everyone's posts show lives that are way better than the one she has. Why does it seem like everyone else's life is more perfect than hers? Find out how Tessa's new friends from Intro to Drama and Alex, her true-blue friend, help her discover that real is better than perfect.

In the fictional Diary of a Teenage Girl, sixteen-year-old Caitlin O'Conner reveals the inner workings of a girl caught between childhood and womanhood ... an empty life without Christ and a meaningful one with Him. Through Caitlin's candid journal entries we see her grapple with such universal teen issues as peer pressure, loyalty, conflict with parents, the longing for a boyfriend, and her own spirituality.

Follow Caitlin O'Conner, a girl much like yourself, as she makes her way from New Year's to the first day of summer -- surviving a challenging home life, changing friends, school pressures, an identity crisis, and the uncertainties of true love.

You'll cry with Caitlin as she experiences heartache, and cheer for her as she encounters a new reality in her life: God. See how rejection by one group can -- incredibly -- sometimes lead you to discover who you really are...

In My Own Way is the eighth book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. This novel inspires young women to deepen their relationships with God as they face real-life issues and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

There is a certain expectation for how characters look, don't you agree? Why do casting directors start with headshots?

Amelia Bryan has heard it before. Of course. Doesn't the pretty girl always win?

But there may yet be some surprises in store for Amelia. The summer is behind her . . . just a bad dream she's trying hard to forget. She has the kindness of her friends, the guidance of God. And then there is that sweet note from the nice boy she met at theater camp.

Chin up, Amelia. You can do this. Your way.

Today's girls can relate to Amelia's struggles with appearance and identity. Amelia frequently compares herself to others at school and in her community and feels like she doesn't quite measure up to the perfect standard that is expected of her. The Riverbend Friends series addresses these topics from a healthy Christian perspective and helps parents have important conversations about tough topics with their teens.

Running on Empty is the seventh book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires young women to deepen their relationships with God as they face real-life issues and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Who is the real Isabella Valadez? Izzy has been spending the summer trying to find that out. She's tried all sorts of hobbies, games, and sports--even golf. She still loves art and showing off her baking creations, but is there something unexpected there?

Speaking of something unexpected, she's been growing closer to her cute neighbor, Cody. Could that friendship morph into something more? Maybe, but she's starting to question everything. School is starting up again, and it's time to choose where she'll invest her energy, and who she'll be doing it with. It seems everyone that she's close to has something dark lurking beneath the surface. Daniel, Shay, and now Cody?

When everyone has a smartphone, access to inappropriate or hurtful content can affect mental health and damage relationships. Gossip and misinformation spreads quickly in the age of technology, can anyone be trusted?

Chasing the Spotlight is the fourth book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires girls and young women to deepen their relationships with God and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Amelia's feeling a bit lost these days. Her parents are very involved (make that over-involved) volunteering as marriage counselors with their church. Her big brother Josh, the only one who truly understands her, just got married. And her big sister, Maggie? Let's just say they don't exactly get along. Maggie is perfectly pretty, perfectly smart, and dates the perfect guy.

On the other hand, everything about Amelia feels big--her hair, her weight . . . and her personality. Amelia's refuge, her passion, her place of belonging is theater. Someday she's going to be on Broadway, but this year, she'll settle for the lead in the spring musical. And she'll do whatever it takes to make it happen. She's committed, she's motivated, she's talented--and she's completely confident about her abilities. Really, she is!

But somehow, despite her best efforts, reality is playing out a little differently than how she dreamed. Will chasing the spotlight lead to the fame and fulfillment she's longed for, or will it cost her the friends she's made this year?

Riverbend Friends: A girl's best hope for surviving high school is her friends. Join Tessa, Shay, Izzy, and Amelia as they laugh together, lean on each other, and discover that God is a Friend who's always got their back.

Life in the Middle is the fifth book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires girls and young women to deepen their relationships with God as they face real-life issues and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Tessa feels as if every part of her life is falling to pieces. She finds out that her mom and dad are officially getting divorced. Then, Alex, her boyfriend, starts working at a camp where she barely gets to see him. Now Tessa's dad wants her to watch her half-brother every week, and he also has some news that makes her feel sick. On top of that, her mom is wanting to move out of the house she has lived in since the time she was born.

No one seems to understand what Tessa is going through, what she is thinking and feeling, and she's not sure anyone will ever understand. With everything changing, no one seems to care what she thinks. Will there ever be a group of people she can trust to be there for her and love her unconditionally?

Searching for Normal is the second book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires girls and young women to deepen their relationships with God and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Six months ago Shay Mitchell's life changed forever. Now she's just trying to survive school bullies, drama class, and living with her Aunt Laura above the bookstore. No one, not even her new friends, knows her real story or the reason she's living with her aunt in the first place.

When Shay learns the truth about her biological father, she jumps at the chance to meet him. This could be her chance! Maybe she'll finally find the normal life she's longed for―a life where she feels loved and wanted―you know, part of a real family.

The Me You See is the third book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires girls and young women to deepen their relationships with God and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Winter break is usually Izzy's favorite time of year, but this year all it does is make her feel lonely. She adores her brother Sebastian, but she's stuck at home taking care of him ALL. THE. TIME. And her squad--her friends from Drama I--are too busy with their own exciting plans to get together with her. So of course her phone is her lifeline!

Izzy creates and posts videos of her amazing, to-die-for cupcake creations on her Instagram account. AND she stays connected with her squad. At least she would . . . if any of them bothered to text her back. Seriously, how hard is it to text back? But then school starts up again and Zac, the dreamy senior she's been crushing on for months, starts texting her. But her friends are less than thrilled. If they could only see Zac like she does--he's really a great guy! Then everything would be perfect.

Riverbend Friends: A girl's best hope for surviving high school is her friends. Join Tessa, Shay, Izzy, and Amelia as they laugh together, lean on each other, and discover that God is a Friend who's always got their back.

Romance. Revenge. Redemption.

A crusading congressional candidate, Marcus Blanchard, is framed for an election-night murder. Three powerful foes - his entrenched opponent, a drug lord, and a racist political boss - all want him dead. Accused of killing the woman hired to kill him, Marcus turns to the only man he can trust.

Brilliant but struggling with the ravages of age, Edward Mead takes the case while nursing his wife through the merciless treatments for stage-four breast cancer. Mead is thrust headlong into Cleveland's gritty underbelly, colliding with drug dealers and thugs, race riots and protests, and an all-pervasive political corruption that enslaves its citizens in poverty while sowing the seeds of division and hatred.

John Grisham meets Agatha Christie in this fast-paced legal thriller murder mystery that grapples with the urban unrest in communities across the country. This book will leave you exhilarated and entertained, but most of all it will make you think.

With suspense on every page, Amazon #1 Best-Selling author Michael Swiger demonstrates why he is a favorite among mystery, suspense and thriller fans.

Fans of Creston Mapes, Robert Whitlow, Scott Pratt, John Grisham and James Patterson will love this thriller from award-winning and bestselling author Michael Swiger.

Reader praise for Lethal Ambition

★★★★★ Great Legal Thriller - Excellent legal read. Kept me totally intrigued. Great character development and book moved at a great pace. I highly recommend it if you like legal thrillers.

★★★★★ Better than James Patterson - In the past year I have read several James Patterson books, several John Grisham books...this is by far the best book I have read this year.

★★★★★ A real page turner! - This book grabs you from the get-go and doesn't let you leave for even a minute! The characters are great, you love them, you hate them, and you feel sorry for some of them...ok two of them. Just like a fine meal the ones you hate get their just-deserts! This is a must read!

★★★★★ Marvelous book - Rarely do I read a book so quickly and effortlessly. Never have I seen a book written without fluff. This could not have been an easy task ....to edit and tell the story without so much detail that the reader loses the story and gets sidetracked. All the characters were fully developed, and you got to like them and hate them because the details told you their story.
I have 2 more of your books and am putting them at the top of my TBR pile.

★★★★★ Excellently conceived and skillfully delivered - Lethal Ambition introduces us to Edward Mead, happily married to the love of his life for 52 years, and now on sabbatical from his position as a revered law professor. However, a negative prognosis of his wife's cancer sets in motion a powerful underlying personal conflict; very real, so poignant - so touching. Further tension, produced by political aspirations and intrigue affecting one of Professor Mead's former students is the vehicle that embroils the plot. Author Michael Swiger creates characters with distinct personalities and unique character traits that you grow either to love or loathe. Page by page, he skillfully sets the scenes that come alive, drawing the reader into the surroundings. He leads you through complex turns and plot twists that keep you drawn to the characters and riveted to the action.

All of this excitement, intensity and complexity is offered without one instance of trashy language that some popular authors feel obligated to include. Swiger's solid moral foundation is just that. It does not awkwardly interfere with the characters or overpower the plot - a beautifully crafted story, excellently conceived and skillfully delivered.

Heart of Belonging is the sixth book in a series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires young women to deepen their relationships with God as they face real-life issues and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Shay desperately wants to feel loved and wanted--to be part of a real family. She thought that finally meeting her real father, a famous horse trainer, might change her life for the better. And it did. Sort of. She's more inspired to work with horses now, for sure, but a normal family--like her friends talk about--doesn't seem like it's in her future. Living with her aunt and working with horses every day doesn't seem to give her the love and acceptance that she longs for.

So Shay finds looks herself looking for acceptance elsewhere--on the internet, looking at stuff she doesn't think she can ever tell anyone about. She's ashamed of where this takes her, and she suspects her friends, especially Izzy, would reject her if they found out.

Can Shay begin to recognize the blessings she already has--that God's true love, the acceptance of her friends, and the kindness of her aunt might just be enough?

It's senior year, and Whitney Richards is tired of the constant pressures to be perfect. When she gets a D in Calculus, her mother immediately hires a tutor, worried Whitney won't get into the right college--her alma mater--with imperfect grades. Her tutor, Taylor, is a quiet, mysterious boy who is unlike anyone Whitney has met before. But Taylor's rougher upbringing has her mother and friends discouraging any type of relationship.

Tired of having to play a part for everyone else, Whitney quits the cheerleading squad that once defined her social identity, and begins spending more time with Taylor. Her mom and friends worry Whitney is making a huge mistake, and even Taylor begins to show concern for some of her choices. But for the first time, Whitney is in the driver's seat of her life. Will she be able to find her identity--and God's plan for her life--before she throws everything away?

QUEEN IN THE MAKING

30 Week Bible Study for Teen Girls

It is hard to be a girl. Truly. There is no manual on how to be a girl or what to do to build the best character or how to avoid the biggest tragedy. But God made you a girl.

Queen in the Making is one such tool, using the Bible and its characters to illuminate the path that God had prepared for His girls.

Queen in the Making is a comprehensive resource covering all aspects of girl life. From abstinence to perseverance, Queen in the Making offers Biblical solutions.

This powerful and impactful 30--week study is designed to help you as a girl get a Biblically based perspective on what God desires for your life. This can be used individually or as a church, home or school group.

Queen in the Making is designed to bring our girls closer to God, into a better understanding of herself, and how she fits into the life God created first for her.

Study and immerse yourself into the study. Be prepared to be transformed.

QUEEN IN THE MAKING

Lydia's life is turning upside down. Her family has converted to Orthodox Christianity without her, she's just about to leave home for college, one of her friends is pregnant, and soon she'll be facing all the trials and temptations encountered by every young adult who's on her own for the first time. Lydia needs a friend badly-and she finds one in the most unexpected place: an icon of St. Lydia. Young Lydia pours out her troubles in letters to St. Lydia, who (invisibly to Lydia) answers, guiding her through her time of troubles with deep love and compassion.About the author: Melinda Johnson took Saint Lydia's name as an adult convert to the Orthodox Christian faith. The desire to know her patron saint better watered the roots of this book. Melinda is a freelance writer and editor, a priest's wife, and a mother. She lives with her family in the Northeastern United States.

An Orthodox Christian young adult book from Ancient Faith Publishing.

This Christy Award-winning series follows Owen Edmonds in a coming-of-age paranormal thriller as he becomes an eyewitness to unseen forces of terror provoking his classmates to self-destruct. Readers are drawn to the page-turning suspense, supernatural and mysterious elements, and the relevant social themes such as mental-emotional health, suicide, addictions, and strained relationships. Despite the heavy themes, the power of choice, faith, and hope make for an inspiring story with the potential to transform the way readers view themselves and others.

This set includes the three books in the Delusion series:

• The Delusion: By March of Owen Edmonds' senior year, eleven students at Masonville High School have committed suicide. Owen dismisses the deaths as coincidences--until a near-death experience makes him an eyewitness to unseen forces of terror provoking his classmates' deaths. Owen's heart-pounding journey forces him to reconsider everything he believes as dangers loom too large to ignore.


• The Deception: A supernatural visitor tests Owen's ability to discern between truth and lies as the community is rocked by abductions and disappearances. Forced to choose between the people he loves and trusts most, Owen must fight to discover what is real while uncovering the ultimate culprits in his town--human and otherwise--despite their determination to stay hidden.


• The Defiance: Owen Edmonds's crucial mission to save lives escalates when seven Cosmic Rulers of darkness close in to decimate his town―and nation. As the battle between good and evil culminates in an epic standoff, Owen and the love of his life must make the decision of a lifetime: will they face their fears or run?

Pressing Hard
Book 2

Perry Skky Jr.'s about to discover that temptation can be very hard to resist. . .

Perry Skky Jr. has his whole life ahead of him--and so does his boy, Damarius. Which is why he can't understand why Damarius is wasting his time with weed. But then one night Perry is tempted into having a few drinks too many--and suddenly he's the one caught in a very compromising position. Worried about the consequences, he admits his mistake and turns his attention to the beautiful Savoy. The only problem is that there are quite a few people who'd like to keep Perry and Savoy apart--including Tori, Perry's ex-girlfriend.

Perry thinks he can take the heat--until tragedy strikes his close-knit circle of friends. And suddenly he finds himself rethinking everything. Everything, that is, except his faith. Because when things fall apart, Perry knows the only way to come out strong is to rely on his relationship with God. But is he strong enough to do what's right?

Includes a guide on how to start your own book club

Promise Kept
Book 5

Perry Skky Jr. is at the point in his life where he has to decide if he is truly willing to keep his word to God...

Between managing his short time during the Christmas holidays, the pressure to win the college National Championship football game, and the demands of having a steady girl, Perry is feeling the burden of being torn in more directions than he can handle. And when a night out clubbing ends with his teammate, Saxon, in the hospital, the New Year is not starting off on the right track. Unfortunately, the challenges are just beginning. From a run-in with a violent gang, to Perry's beloved grandmother falling ill, to a flirtation that turns into a temptation, Perry finds himself tested like never before.

Stressed out and frustrated, Perry can't help wondering how he can put God first when so many forces seem to be working against him. Though deep down, Perry knows that his glory only lies with God on his side, he feels drawn to let his flesh lead. Can he get past his weaknesses, learn how to truly embrace God's love, and be an example that will make others want to know God...or will he screw up his life for good?

Includes a guide on how to start your own book club

A school project goes terribly wrong in this middle-grade thriller about ex-homeschooler and Christian teen Hudson Sutton and his experiences in his new school. When he makes two friends and attempts to take on an established hierarchy of bullying, he doesn't realize he's taking a risk he never expected--becoming a bully himself.

From the same author who wrote the suspenseful fiction Code of Silence series, this is a realistic look at the extent and reality of bullying, especially through social media, with a Christian protagonist who learns that relationships, bullying, and doing the right thing are a bit more complicated than he realized. It also touches on the subject of suicide.

Thea Fenton's life looks picture-perfect, but inside, she is falling apart. Wracked by anxiety no one seems to understand or care about, she resorts to self-harm to deflect the pain inside.When a local teen commits suicide, Thea's anxiety skyrockets. Unexplainable things happen, leaving her feeling trapped within her own chaotic mind. The lines between reality and another world start to blur, and her previously mundane issues seem more daunting and insurmountable than ever.Then she meets Khi, a mysterious new boy from the coffee shop who seems to know her better than she knows herself-and doesn't think she's crazy. His quiet confidence and unfounded familiarity draw her into an unconventional friendship. Khi journeys with her through grief, fear, and confusion to arrive at compassion for the one person Thea never thought she could love. A deeply transformational novel from an authentic new voice in Christian young adult fiction.

NO ONE'S ADOPTING SCARFACE. I'M NOT THAT DUMB.

Abandoned by everyone in his life and scarred from a failed abortion attempt, Miri struggles to believe his new foster family could really want him. When a devastating accident changes everything, all hope seems gone-until a young woman once equally unwanted starts visiting him in hospital. Can 'Little Margaret' teach Miri that his life is still worth living, now more than ever?

The third book in the Friends in High Places series, Child, Unwanted can be read as a standalone. The series is Parental Guidance since it contains some mature themes.

Friends in High Places is a short fiction series that presents saints' biographies in the context of imaginary teenagers' lives. The stories are written primarily to entertain, with inspiration and education thrown in for free!