In the quaint college town of Bradbury, change doesn’t come often, and it certainly doesn’t come easily. So when Pastor Fletcher hires Emily Duke as the new choir director at Zion Lutheran Church, he unknowingly sets in motion a chain of events that turns the life of his congregation upside down.
Concordia Publishing House returns to the adult Christian fiction market after a lengthy hiatus with a beautifully written and incredibly relatable story about small-town life, the dangers of misconceptions, and the power of forgiveness from author Katie Schuermann.
Her debut novel, House of Living Stones is a charming story centered on the many personalities living in Bradbury. From the crusty church secretary and the pompous organist, to the new choir director and the young pastor, Schuermann introduces her readers to a delightful and amusing cast of characters familiar to us all.
“Katie Schuermann’s venture into fiction breathes a breath of fresh central Illinois air as her pen travels along a road less traveled,” says Rev. Mark A. Miller, president of the Central Illinois District of the LCMS. “Her tale of life and love, meddling and music, rebellion and reconciliation in the fictional college town of Bradbury, Illinois, is entertaining and insightful.”
An accomplished musician and a pastor’s wife with strong roots in the Midwest, Schuermann writes about what she knows and loves.
She says, “The point of the story is to celebrate our rich Lutheran doctrine and practice, relish the quirky personalities and idiosyncrasies of our smaller congregations, geek out a bit on the choral arts, point out how gossip kills the reputations of our neighbors, and encourage readers to rejoice in Christ’s forgiveness of sins.”
With its host of lovable and relatable characters, House of Living Stones will find a special place on readers’ bookshelves and in their hearts.
To request a review copy of House of Living Stones, please contact Lindsey Martie, Public Relations, at 314-268-1303 or Lindsey.Martie@cph.org. Visit cph.org/hols to learn more.
About the Author
A writer, speaker, and singer, Katie Schuermann is the author of He Remembers the Barren (Lutheran Legacy) and Pew Sisters: Real Women, Real Lives, Real Stories of God’s Faithfulness (Concordia Publishing House).
