The Bartered Bride Collection: 9 Historical Stories of Arranged Marriages

Cathy Marie Hake is a Southern California native. She met her two loves at church: Jesus and her husband, Christopher. An RN, she loved working in oncology as well as teaching Lamaze. Health issues forced her to retire, but God opened new possibilities with writing. Since their children have moved out and are married, Cathy and Chris dote on dogs they rescue from a local shelter. A sentimental pack rat, Cathy enjoys scrapbooking and collecting antiques. “I’m easily distracted during prayer, so I devote certain tasks and chores to specific requests or persons so I can keep faithful in my prayer life.” Since her first book in 2000, she’s been on multiple bestseller and readers’ favorite lists.

JoAnn lives on the Minnesota prairie which is a setting for many of her stories. Once a full-time CPA,  JoAnn now spends most of her time researching and writing. JoAnn has published historical nonfiction books for children and several novels with Barbour Publishing in the Heartsong Presents line as well as the American Adventure and Sisters in Time series for children. Several of her novellas are included in CBA bestselling anthologies by Barbour Publishing. JoAnn’s love of history developed when she worked at an historical restoration in North Carolina for five years. She enjoys researching and weaving her fictional characters’ lives into historical backgrounds and events. JoAnn believes that readers can receive a message of salvation and encouragement from well-crafted fiction. She captures and addresses the deeper meaning between life and faith.

Kelly Eileen Hake received her first writing contract at the tender age of seventeen and arranged to wait three months until she was able to legally sign it. Since that first contract a decade ago, she’s fulfilled twenty contracts ranging from short stories to novels. In her spare time, she’s attained her BA in English literature and composition, earned her credential to teach English in secondary schools, and went on to complete her MA in writing popular fiction.

Writing for Barbour combines two of Kelly’s great loves―history and reading. A CBA bestselling author and member of American Christian Fiction Writers, she’s been privileged to earn numerous Heartsong Presents Reader’s Choice Awards and is known for her witty, heartwarming historical romances.

Amy Rognlie is an author and teacher, who, like the characters in her book, has traveled many unfamiliar and unexpected paths in the course of her life. She has seen God's faithfulness every step of the way, and wants her readers to know that no matter what circumstances look like, God is good.  Amy and her family live in Central Texas, where she teaches language arts and Latin, writes Bible studies and Sunday School curriculum, and is involved in ministry in her local church and community.
 

Janelle Burnham Schneider has published six novels with Heartsong Presents. After thirteen years as a Canadian military family, she and her loved ones are now settled in Manitoba, Canada, near the geographic center of North America. In addition to being an author, wife, and mother, she has also worked as an administrative assistant, catalog delivery person, school bus driver, and Starbucks barista.