Whispers of a Southern Moon by Priscilla Bettis is this week’s Reader Friday. Here’s the first line of this amazing collection of short stories and poems. “Emma Jean and me were fraternal twins, but we was nothing alike.”
I can’t wait to talk about this amazing book, but first the photo that was taken by Priscilla Bettis back in June of this year. It is the Omega Centauri globular cluster, and I have no idea how she got such an awe-inspiring photo! Maybe she’ll tell us in the comments. 🙂 And I thought the verse was perfect for it.
Now for Whispers of a Southern Moon by Priscilla Bettis. Here’s the cover and back copy:
An artistic, new collection of inspirational fiction and poetry by Priscilla Bettis.
Includes the award-winning story “Fix Your Face,” a “wonderful Southern Gothic piece akin to the work of Flannery O’Conner!”—Brooke Dr
eger, Editor, Solid Food Press
A simple man in rural Alabama risks his sanity to keep his sister alive. Lines of poetry celebrate the symphony of a Southern night. A sentient house deep in Virginia’s Great Dismal Swamp lures those it seeks to protect.
In Whispers of a Southern Moon, Priscilla Bettis intertwines short stories and poetry to create an inspirational collection of literary fiction and verse. Bettis explores questions about faith, love, and our perceptions of reality, and she does so with an elegant but fierce grip on the reader. This collection spans everything from Southern Gothic prose to Biblically inspired haiku. By the end of the collection, readers will be encouraged that even in the most twisted circumstances, God is present, and we are loved.
My take:
Oh my goodness! Priscilla Bettis is a literary genius. I picked up her book one night after I went to bed, thinking I’d read one of the short stories, maybe two. That turned out to be impossible–Three hours later, I wanted more of her stories, but the book had ended! Her lyrical style and the way she captured the heart and soul of each character had kept me reading until I finished the book.
Bettis has a gift for writing characters we all know, but with twists you never see coming. This collection of short stories and poems is one the reader will not soon forget. Well done!
Whispers of a Southern Moon by Priscilla Bettis can be purchased here. Or you can read it for free in KU where I read it, but I enjoyed it so much, I ordered a print copy.
Okay Readers, what book are you into this week? Leave the first line or just say hi in the comments, and I’ll enter you in a drawing for one of Steve Hooley’s fine pens! (value $60) Steve’s Hand-crafted pens are made from antique and historic wood dating back to the 1700s. Check out my friend’s pens at his website. (Due to shipping costs, winner must have a US address.) You can see his other pens here.
Now for this Friday’s song. I thought it went well with Priscilla’s book!
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Comments 45
Love the song Church in the Wildwood
Author
Me, too, Crystal! Your book should arrive soon. 🙂
You disrespect me. The Blood of Heaven by Bill Myers. Loved the picture and verse.
Author
Thanks, Sharon!
For your contest the book I’m into this week is Chicken Soup for the Soul: Pets, Pets, Pets: 101 Entertaining Stories by Amy Newmark
Author
Awesome, Crystal!
SQUEEEEEE! What a lovely surprise to see that you’ve read my book. Thank you. I’m thrilled that you liked it.
As for the nighttime sky picture, if you take a picture through a telescope every 8 seconds for 30 minutes then stack the images, the faint lights in the sky (like a faraway globular cluster or a distant galaxy) appear brighter/more distinct.
I’m reading a nonfiction book called The Storied Life: Christian Writing as Art and Worship by Jared Wilson. The first line: The very nature of story itself is a reflection of a theologically Christian understanding about creation.
Yes I love pets except snakes and love this Chick Soup for the Soul book
Priscilla, the photo Pat is featuring today is different from the one she posted on July 8. The July 8 photo is definitely the globular cluster. Today’s photo looks a lot like the Dumbbell Nebula (M27) in the constellation Vulpecula (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbbell_Nebula). Can you clarify, please?
Hi Tim, yes this is the apple core (or dumbbell) nebula. (Pat has several pictures from me, so I’m sure it’s hard to keep them straight!) But no matter what the spacey image is, it’s pretty.
Author
I’ll leave the nighttime sky pictures for you, Priscilla! And yes! I loved your book. I totally captured the voices of the South. 🙂
I love that photo. Great work, Priscilla, and I will check out your book. That’s a good verse to go with it, too,
I’m reading “Defending You” by Robin Patchen. It’s part of the great series “The Wright Heroes of Maine”. While the first couple of lines aren’t real grabbers, the action starts pretty quickly when jewelry appraiser Cici Wright discovers a stolen ruby neckless that connect to murder in her home town years ago
, and witnesses the murder of the jewelry store owner where she finds it, she begins the run for her life. When the geeky kid from her high school days gets assigned to protect her shows up, what a surprise. He’s all grown up and is a former Navy SEAL! The chases are great, and the banter between them is so much fun.
Thanks, Tim. Isn’t God’s handiwork in the night sky amazing?! Thanks also for checking out my book. I hope you like it.
Author
Robin writes a great action-packed thriller, Tim. I love the Wright Heroes of Maine series!
I am reading The Red Cottage by Hannah Linder.: “We shall get murdered for this”
Awesome picture!
Author
Yes, Priscilla did a great job, Paula. And I love your first line.
That is a fabulous photo and after your accolades, you can be sure I’ll be finding the book–wonderful. And even as a young kid, I loved The church in the wildwood song–there’s just something about it that grips the heart.
Hi Delores! I hope you like the book if you decide to read it. Yes, God’s nighttime sky is amazing!
Author
Delores, there is definitely something about The Church in the Wildwoods that grips your heart.
Spectacular photo, Priscilla! Amazing!
It sure make the cloud of witnesses, as you wrote, Pat, come alive. God is awesome.
“A little before midnight, a small Jon boat skimmed across the lake located just outside of Logan Point.” This is the first line in Gone Without a Trace, by none other than our Pat. This is book three of the Logan Point Series. I am so enjoying rereading the series.
Thanks, Barbara! God’s nighttime sky is so beautiful!
Author
Barbara, I seemed to have missed your comment! I thought the photo made the verse come alive, too! And it thrills me to know you are rereading the Logan Point series.
That is an interesting picture, but Priscilla’s description of how she created it blows my mind. If I calculated correctly, that is a compilation of 225 stacked images. I didn’t realize you could even do that. The verse fits so well.
I am proofreading a book that won’t be released until sometime next year. In between that and all the other daily tasks, I am reading Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart. It was published about 15 years ago, which was probably about ten years before I was introduced to her books. The setting for most of her books is Kentucky, which is the only other state besides Virginia that I have ever lived in. The book opens:
Something woke Kate Merritt. Her eyes flew open and her heart began to thump in her ears.
Yes, Edward, over 200 pictures. It helps if you use astronomy-specific software to compile the pictures. (I like SharpCap, but I’m sure others work just as well.)
Author
Hi Edward. I thought I replied to your comment last night. Priscilla’s description blew my mind, too! Ann Gabhart’s book sounds intriguing.
I thought I saw a response last night as well, but I guess I was mistaken or simply dreamed it. We just returned home from the Gaither Homecoming 2025 at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg about an hour ago. Wow, what great concerts! The format was basically what you see when you sit down in front of your TV and watch a Gaither Homecoming video. We were so far back in the sanctuary that we had to watch most of it on the huge monitors on either side of the platform – a lot like watching a video on TV, except the sound was much better than any TV I ever owned. Of course, the various artists had their product booths set up in the foyer and we got the opportunity to speak to some of them.
Author
I would love to see a Gaither Home Coming!
PROLOGUE
SHELBY
Would I ever learn? I’d spent too many years looking our for someone else, and here I was doing the same thing again. TRACE OF DOUBT by DiAnn Mills
Happy Fri-YAY! Enjoy your weekend!
Author
DiAnn Mills’ book sounds intriguing, Caryl. I’ll check it out. Hope you have a great weekend, too!
Evan held my bandaged hand as we crossed the lot to Dr. Bright’s office.
A Wonderful Christmas Crime by Jacqueline Frost
Cool photo!
Author
Thanks to Priscilla, Gloria. I can’t imagine capturing a photo liken that!
interesting book
Author
It’s very interesting, BN!
This comes from Texas Ranger Defender by Laura Scott: Run. Don’t stop. Run! The light glowing in the darkness from the window looming in the distance seemed too far away. She feared she’d never get there in time. She’d been running for what seemed like forever.
Author
Diana, Texas Ranger Defender sounds like a book I would love!
Fantastic photo, Priscilla, and Pat, the verse you chose fits so well!
Church in the Wildwood is another oldie but goodie!
Although I know none of you personally, Pat any time you review a book written by one of our “friends”, if possible I try to get it from KU or the library. Therefore, Priscilla’s book is now on my TBR list.
I just finished reading Lynette Eason’s book, Final Approach – an excellent read! and next up is Irene Hannon’s book, Out of Time which was delivered today. Both of these ebooks were obtained thru the library and with people on the wait list, I place them at the top of my TBR, and I try to return them ASAP.
Blessed weekend everyone!
Yes, isn’t God’s nighttime sky spectacular?!
Thank you, Mary, for putting my book on your TBR. That warms my heart. I, too, look forward to Pat’s reviews and grab as many as possible!
Author
I’m glad you liked the verse with the photo, Mary G. I liked Priscilla’s book so well I ordered the print copy. 🙂
“These mountains hid countless secrets—what was one more?” from When Stone Wings Fly by Karen Barnett. We’ll discuss this at book club next weekend.
Author
Sounds really good, Pam!
Verse & song❤️
I love the group Alabama and their voices blended beautifully in that song.
I just started a new book today, On the Edge of Trust by Patricia Bradley. “A ding from her phone jerked Jenny Tremont from a sound sleep on her den sofa.”
Author
🙂 I’m glad you’re enjoying it, Gail! And Alabama has long been a favorite of mine!
I’m still stuck on The Fellowship of the Ring and haven’t been reading every day like I used to. I really need to get back into it so I can finish the series and move on to something that’s not as heavy.
Author
I never could finish The Fellowship of the Ring, Kelly. It just got too heavy.