Sheep Among Wolves Publishing

By This Shall They Know—Book Release!

By Chelsea September 27, 2021 By This Shall They Know, SAWPublications

When the Hall and Matthews families take on the challenge of the Desperate Experiment, they know that change is inevitable. Yet questions still abound. What makes Maple Creek different? Is it possible to truly belong? And what does brotherly love have to do with changing the world?Well—it’s that time again! Book release day!

I suppose it’s pretty cliché to talk about it having been a “long journey” to this point . . . when is writing a book ever NOT a long journey after all? But cliché though it be, my first sensation on sitting down to write this post is: Wow! We’re finally here!

When I think back to the first roots of this series in the random stories, games and imaginings of a crazy teenager a good eight to ten years ago, I shake my head at how far we’ve come! The wild combination of the believable and unbelievable—the absurdly old-fashioned and ludicrously modern—I kind of wonder how it ever condensed into the story I’m so excited to introduce to you today.

But here we are, and I’m just so excited to share with you the story of my heart, By This Shall They Know!

When the Hall and Matthews families take on the challenge of the Desperate Experiment, they know that change is inevitable. Yet questions still abound. What makes Maple Creek different? Is it possible to truly belong? And what does brotherly love have to do with changing the world?By This Shall They Know (Fellowship of Light, #1)​

When the Hall and Matthews families take on the challenge of the Desperate Experiment, they know that change is inevitable. Just what that change will be remains a mystery. Caught between their desires and their fears, they decide to take the plunge. Surely Maple Creek will answer their deepest longings and bring them fulfillment, belonging, and hope.

Yet after eight months in their new home, questions still abound. What is it that makes Maple Creek different? How can they make sure the Desperate Experiment succeeds—and what does success even look like? Is it even possible to truly belong?

And what does brotherly love have to do with changing the world?

By This Shall They Know is Book 1 in the Fellowship of Light series. It is important to read Book 0.5, A Desperate Experiment, before beginning By This Shall They Know.

​The Birth of By This Shall They Know

​This is perhaps the most painful part of the story—but then, that’s kind of what birth is about, right? New life coming through the hard and painful.

If I’m honest with myself, the only reason this book was written at all is because of the hardest thing I ever faced as an author.

When I was eighteen, I wrote a Christmas novella (which I didn’t know to CALL a novella back then!) about a family of characters I’d loved dearly for a long time. I loved their story too, and I was so excited to introduce it to the world.

BUT—during the editing stage, I found out that there were a lot of things people didn’t like about my story. Some of them were well-founded—some of them were just the wrong person at the wrong time—most of them were really only subtle tweaks away from being just fine. But the whole experience was absolutely crushing and devastating to a sensitive young author who just wanted everyone to love her characters and story as much as she did.

So I set it aside—for years. Literally. And while Finding Blessing (coming November 22nd!) was waiting for rebirth in a much better form much later, I decided to write another story. A story that would avoid the problem areas and allow me to get my confidence back.

That story became By This Shall They Know.

​A Desperate Experiment for FREE?!

​In addition to launching By This Shall They Know in paperback and kindle versions today, we also have a special offer for anyone who signs up for our updates and releases newsletter! Newsletter signups will receive a complimentary e-copy (MOBI, EPUB or PDF) of A Desperate Experiment (Fellowship of Light, #0.5), the prequel to By This Shall They Know! Yes, you read that right! A Desperate Experiment will be FREE for newsletter subscribers, until October 4th!

A tiny church struggling to keep its doors open, a pair of girls only wanting to belong, two determined enthusiasts on a mission to change the world, and a young cynic who doesn’t believe it can be changed—how will Mr. Meadows’s Desperate Experiment affect their hopes and dreams?

Sign up here for our newsletter and to receive a free copy of A Desperate Experiment:

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To purchase By This Shall They Know in paperback or kindle, click here.

And don’t forget to check out the other stops of our launch tour below!

Launch Tour Stops

September 20th

Book Review and Behind the Scenes: 5 Key Conversations shared by Joy Adewumi | D’JoyGene

September 25th

Book Review by Kylie Hunt | The Film Director’s Wife

September 29th

Book Review by Esther Jackson | Neath the Hackberry Reading Club

October 1st

Book Review by Katja Labonté | Old Fashioned Book Love

Behind the Scenes: Hymns and Songs shared by Katja Labonté | Little Blossoms for Jesus

Behind the Scenes: Thunderstorm Scene shared by Abigail Harris | Read Review Rejoice

Author Interview by Kylie Hunt | The Film Director’s Wife

For more information about the A Desperate Experiment, see my launch post:

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