Happy spring! The grass is growing, the birds are singing, and new books are flying off the presses. I had the honor of doing developmental edits on two of the following three titles, and love being friends of all three authors. I am always so relieved when my friends write great books and I can wholeheartedly endorse and publicize them.

A Delightfully Short Stress Relief Guide for the Busiest Women is written by stress relief expert Dr. Susan Harrison. The shortest of my three recommended reads, it is packed from cover to cover with creative and easy-to-implement ways to deal with the stress in your life. Whether you are a businesswoman, stay-at-home-mom, political activist, or community volunteer, this book is for you. Susan addresses thought patterns, habits, and the stress we allow other people to create for us. The numbered format makes it easy to read in short bursts and also to refer back to for reminders and reinforcement. Susan is a good friend of mine and one of the funniest and warmest souls you’d ever want to meet. Take a peek at her hard-earned and wise advice and reduce your stress today. And for a regular dose of stress relief advice, follow her on Facebook.

I must admit, with the advent of easily accessible ebooks, I chew through novels so quickly I can rarely recall much about them the next day. However, Jane M. Tucker’s does such a skillful job of making her protagonist Lottie Braun come to life that I could not wait to get my hands on her second installment, Lottie’s Hope. This is sequel to Jane’s first novel, Lottie’s Gift, which introduces a midwestern musical prodigy caught up in a very complicated adult world. Lottie’s Hope includes many of the same fun elements of the first book, including that twist at the end. Really looking forward to the third and final installment of Lottie’s story!

Last, but certainly not least, is the life-changing book Three Weeks to Forgiveness: God’s Redemption in the Dark Places of Addiction by Kimberly Dewberry. Getting to know Kimberly and working with her on this poignant book has been a joy. Her transparency and courage to share her struggles as the adult child of an addict and alcoholic has been amazing to watch. She lays it all out there–everything from her childhood pain to adult shame, culminating with the reconciliation with her father just weeks before he died of cancer. Three Weeks to Forgiveness is not only a memoir, but each chapter includes a mini self-help/Bible lesson which explores the truth of where God is when bad things happen. I was also pleased to do some line edits on her insightful new devotional, Transforming Normal: A Devotional for the 12 Steps of Recovery. Kimberly maintains an active online recovery community through her blog and Facebook page. If you or someone you know is an adult child of an alcoholic, please do not pass up the opportunity to find healing through Kimberly’s story.

Traci Matt is the author of two best-selling homeschooling books and devotionals for the mother of the groom and the mother of the bride, all available at Amazon.