It's almost a book!

On the Fringes - Book 1: Expecting and Encountering the Messiah is almost a book! I plan to launch the novel on September 15. Please let others know about this novel and its launch date. The ebook will be available at Amazon on September 15. I should have paperbacks in stock, too, on that day or shortly thereafter.

Here is the final cover reveal:

Here is a teaser from the book:
   Before the sun rose the next morning, I left my small house with my satchel at my side, ready to walk to the synagogue. A five-year-old student waited for me near my yard. He shuffled his feet, with his head down and the frown of his lower lip hiding his upper lip.
“What has happened, Asher?”
   His tears fell freely on his already stained tunic while he tried to sniff mucus back into his nose. He wiped away the rest with his sleeve. “Our nanny goat is not giving milk. Please pray for her, Rabbi Buni. We need her milk. My father said if the nanny is dry, he will have to”—Asher struggled to hold back his tears—“butcher her.”
   “Oh, Asher! How old is your doe?”
   “She is much older than me. I have been drinking her milk since I was a baby.” His tears flowed freely as he admitted, “She is my best friend.” He leaned against me and sobbed.
   I patted the boy’s back with one hand. With my other hand, I rested my satchel on the short stone fence. Reaching into the satchel, I found a square of soft cloth. I handed the cloth to Asher, and he used it to wipe his eyes and nose.
   When Asher was more in control of himself, I asked, “Can your doe have more kids?”
   “No. My father said she is too old.”
   “Where does your family live?”
   The boy rubbed his nose and eyes some more and vaguely pointed to the edge of town. “On the ledge, this side of the big stone road.”
   Roads, built of stones several layers thick and angled for drainage, linked several important landmarks. One such road went from the southwestern coastal port of Ashkelon through the Valley of Elah about twelve miles from Bethlehem, then nine miles north to Jerusalem. Another significant road connected Ashkelon with the city of Hebron in the mountains south of us, down the valley nearest the ridge of Bethlehem, and uphill to Jerusalem. Asher was referring to the road from Hebron, which continued farther uphill through the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, and to the summit of Moriah, where the Holy Temple stood.
   “We have seven date palm trees,” the boy finished.
   I could find the right place since some of the date palms were visible from where I stood. Sitting beside my satchel on the fence, I moved my hand to Asher’s shoulder and prayed aloud for Asher’s family and their goat.
   When I stood, I patted the boy’s head. “Come on, Asher, walk to school with me.”
   He nodded his head, sniffed, and blew his nose. “I will walk with you, Rabbi.”
   After classes, I found Pharisee Choni gardening and asked for a moment of his time. “How much do you know about goats?”
   Choni dusted off his tunic and robe as he stood. “What does a Pharisee need to know about goats? I know there are plenty of them in the fields and pastures around here. Why do you ask, Buni?”
   “A young boy in my class has a nanny goat that no longer lactates. His father plans to butcher her. The lad is distraught and says the goat is his friend.”
   “Goats and sheep are part of the economy here. I am surprised the boy’s parents let him think of a goat as his pet.”
   “His mother was ill for a couple of years before she died. The boy is only five now. Perhaps the boy’s father allowed Asher to love the goat to help him deal with the loss of his mother.”
   “And now, Asher must deal with more loss.” Choni shook his head. “I will pray for him and his family. Perhaps the father needs to find a new wife, and Asher would love her more than the goat.”
   As I went home, I continued thinking of Asher and his family. Prayer is a commitment, the foundation of our faith, our first act, constant thought, and last resort. But perhaps I can help young Asher in another way, through action. I changed into an older tunic and robe and put on my well-worn but most comfortable sandals. Then I energetically set out to locate a goat herd in the pastures near Bethlehem.
   Many nearby shepherds kept watch over Temple sheep, but I needed to find a doe, a young female goat. The mountains were majestic, with green grasses, bushes, streams, and ample forests. The colorful flowers of Israel were plentiful and filled the air with sweet scents. The birds sang as if they were having a contest for which of them could make the most melodic song.
   I walked downhill and uphill for over two hours. My stride shortened and my pace slowed. I ceased to experience the beauty of nature and began to think my idea to help Asher was foolish.
Over the next hill and ahead in the valley grazed a herd of what might be sheep and goats mixed together. Finally, thank God. 
   Energized again, I went downhill to the stream, got on my knees, and cupped my hands to drink the fresh water. Nothing is sweeter than cool water from a gurgling stream. After drinking my fill, I stood and walked to the nearest herder and bowed politely. “Peace to you.”
   “And to you, Rabbi.” The herder leaned on his crook, a staff used to rescue sheep or goats, a necessity for herding. One of his hands rested easily on the crook’s curved top ...

Presently, it is getting its final edit. I have formatted the book size, font size, spacing, chapters, and organized the front and back matter. Next I will get the ISBN numbers for both the paperback and ebook. In the ebook, I will make links from the table of contents to the correct page or location within the ebook. I plan to record the audiobook as soon as possible, but I already know it will be a few more months before it is completed. 

I should have copies of the novel in time for the second New Frontiers in Writing Mini-Conference in Amarillo hosted by the Texas High Plains Writers, September 18 and 19, 2026. The Mini-Con is shaping up nicely and will begin with A Novel Affair Grown-up Book Fair on Friday, September 18, 5 pm – 8 pm. The conference will continue on Saturday, September 19, 8 am – 5 pm, at the Arts in the Sunset Center, 3701 Plains Blvd, Amarillo. Please visit https://newfrontiersinwriting.com/ for more information, and a link to register today. Our speaker lineup includes Mike Akins, Aubrey Green, R.J. Hanson, Shannon Iwanski, Williamaye Jones, B.J. Sloan, Rick Treon, and Pat Tyrer. Use the code "New Frontiers in Writing" at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Amarillo for conference rates. 
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As Rabbi Buni often says at the end of his prayers, "With faith and trust."

May God bless you,
Betty