5 Terrific Things for Harvest of Rubies [Video Trailer!]

Posted on May 3rd, by rivernorthfiction in 5 Terrific Things for Tuesday. 55 comments

May 1 marked the release of Harvest of Rubies, a book we’re really excited about around here! (Who are we kidding? We’re excited for all our books!)

You’ll be hearing more about Tessa and her books next week. To introduce you to the book today, we welcome you to watch the trailer for Harvest of Rubies, plus we have 5 copies of the book to give away! Now if 5 giveaways don’t count as 5 terrific things, what does?!

To enter, comment below and tell us the Bible story you’d most like to live through yourself. (This giveaway is U.S. & Canada only – sorry!)

Also, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter here!

Jennifer Lindsay

I absolutely loved Pearls in the Sand and cannot wait to read Harvest of Rubies. I don’t know that I’d love to live through her experience, but I would live to see the life of Leah unfold. How did she feel when she was given in marriage to a man expecting her sister (and how did she feel always being overlooked)? The continuing conflicts between her sister, and her desire to be loved by her husband, should have crushed her, yet in what little we see of her we get an incredible glimpse of her quiet and growing faith in the God of Abraham.
- tessa afshar
  
  Hi Jennifer. So glad you enjoyed Pearl. Leah has always intrigued me too. How could she willingly deceive Jacob, knowing he loved her sister? Fascinating woman.
deonva

I can’t wait to read this! I would like to have lived through Esther.
MerryMary

Thoroughly enjoyed Pearl in the Sand and plan to read Harvest of Rubies as soon as possible! I love the story of Martha. My name may be Mary, but I am a Martha! I would love to know how her life and character changed after Jesus.
Sharon Moore

Loved “Pearl in the Sand” and after watching the trailer can’t wait to read “Harvest of Rubies”. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.

Interesting question – guess I would say the creation in Genesis. To see the world as God created it, before sin entered, would be truly amazing.
- Tionee Veira
  
  Hi Mrs. Moore!! It’s Tionee. I was on here posting my comment and saw your name! How’re you? How’s everyone? It’s so uncanny how we both love Tessa’s books. Just wanted to say hi . Take care!
http://Gardenofedengoods.com Kindra

I would love to live out Sarah’s life. I am so impatient…story of true patience even when it seemed impossible.
http://magenmyshield.blogspot.com Lisa H

I can’t wait to read this book! I loved Pearls in the Sand and have this one on my wish list

I think I would like to be Rahab. Not that her profession was/is a draw, but rather (knowing how her story ends) the strength she showed in hiding the Hebrew spies. And that she could “make a deal” to save her life.
- tessa afshar
  
  Lisa, I know what you mean. Sometimes knowing the end of a story makes all the hard parts tolerable. Which is probably why God has told us the end of our story. While we contend with the difficulties of this life, we can hold on to the fact that like Rahab, we will enjoy a glorious ending.
http://cdeesbookshelf.blogspot.com Clari

I, too, thoroughly enjoyed Pearl in the Sand and am excited about Harvest of Rubies. Tessa Afshar is an incredible writer. It’s very rare for me to pick up a fictionalized Bible story, but I was hooked from the first chapter of Pearl in the Sand. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Afshar does in her next book.

I think it would be interesting to have been a fly on the wall as Ruth and Boaz’s story unfolded.
- tessa afshar
  
  Thanks for your sweet words, Clari. So glad you enjoyed Pearl.
  Tessa
jennifer

I have not had privilege of reading Pearls in the Sand yet. It is in the stack of books I am determined to read by end of the summer.

I would have say that my favorite Bible stories are Ruth and Ester.
Cierra LeVan

Pearl in the Sand is litteraly my favorite book. The message God was downloading to me through Tessa’s hand in this book, hit me like a brick wall. Whatever message you take from this book, I believe you can’t help but love it. I fell from God and into the broken and messy world of lustful temptation when I was only fourteen. God has pulled me out of the mess and has been healing me ever since. And especially because of that, Rahab, is a woman that I not only look to, but someone I feel linked to. I wouldn’t say that her life was glamorous in the least, but I wouldnt mind living in her story, feeling Gods hands reach down and pluck her from the hot mess that was her life in Jericho seeing the Jordan stop flowing and the walls tear down, we unknowingly see miracles everyday, but seeing that live, would rock my world…. Tessa Afshar has not only deeply touched my heart, but thousands of woman across the world, Gods hand is surely in her work, and I can not wait to read Harvest of Rubies.
- tessa afshar
  
  Wow, Cierra, I am so touched by your words. And so grateful that God has drawn you back to Himself.
  Thank you!
  Tessa
Lena

I so enjoyed Pearls in the Sand and can’t wait to get my hands on this one. I would live the story of Ruth. She had so many hardships but she sought and found God through them and he richly rewarded her for it. I love the romance in Ruth’s “happy ending”.
http://www.rivernorthfiction.com/?p=1658 Mimi Christensen

I would love to hear more about Naomi and Ruth in fictional form. Seems to have so many ways to take it. Blessings.
http://www.rivernorthfiction.com/?p=1658 Mimi Christensen

I loved Pearl in the Sand and am really looking forward to reading “Rubies”. I’d enjoy a fictionalized story of Ruth and Naomi written by Tessa, please.
- tessa afshar
  
  Mimi, if you pray, it might come to pass – only because I know what a great prayer warrior you are!
lizzie mace

I have ravished Tessa’s first jewel of a book,and am so looking forward to hearing Tessa’s ministry through this next instalment.
- tessa afshar
  
  Thanks Lizzie! What a great compliment.
Lois Hudson

I’m looking forward to reading Harvest of Rubies, and, of course, would love to win a copy.

I, too, would like to read a fictionalized account of Rahab. After all, she raised Boaz, who is the epitome of any woman’s hero. She must have had a lot of character.
Michele Schlapfer

I loved Pearls in the Sand, and I’m excited to read Harvest of Rubies. I’d like to have lived to see some of the miracles that Jesus performed such as the fish and bread, and the healing of people. That would have been so amazing.
http://www.kcbphotography.com Kelly Bowie

I have read Pearls in the Sand multiple times. It makes my heart glad to read a biblical story that inspires and makes me hunger to read God’s word. I would love to have met up with Michael the Archangel in the desert. To know what it is to be on Holy Ground, in awe of the presence of God and witness such a mighty warrior of God. Seriously.
- http://www.tessaafshar.com/?page_id=2 tessa afshar
  
  Dear Kelly, thanks for your sweet words about Pearl. What a unique and creative choice. Everybody else picked people!
Catherine neptin

Our bookclub enjoyed the blessing of having a lovely discussion with Tessa about Pearl. An amazing book and I remember her discussing the beginnings of her new book. One bible story I would have liked to live through is the woman who bled for years and touched Jesus cloak and was healed. Imagine a struggle or illness or addiction you may have struggled with for years to no avail…and you touch Jesus and are healed. Great faith, great Grace!
Julie Barnes

The Bible story I would most like to live through myself would be that of Mary the mother of Jesus. Although it would be the most challenging, I think it would also be the most rewarding. So many times it was said that she pondered it all in her heart. What was she thinking and feeling? I can’t imagine watching Jesus go through what Mary witnessed. Did she know what would happen from the beginning? Did she ever want to stop it? Seems like when she went to get Jesus from the Pharisees house she may have been going there to stop him from preaching. So many more questions – would make a good book right Tessa???
Kristen Lathrop

Great question! I think I’d want to be one of the women who encounter Jesus personally. One of my favorite stories is of the woman at the well. To experience directly the love of Jesus like that…the powerful freedom from shame, pain…that’s what I would like to experience over and over again! I have experienced it through the power of the Holy Spirit, but I don’t think I would ever get tired of that.
Sondra McNelley

I loved your book Pearl in the Sand, and loved the life lesson you revealed there! It made me immediately look for more books by you — and I was so disappointed when there weren’t any available yet. I am so looking forward to Harvest of Rubies!

To choose one Bible story to live through would be almost impossible, I think. I think my top two choices would have to be Ruth and Esther. I know a lot has been done with both stories, but I would love to see what Tessa would do with them.

And then there is Noah’s wife — what was her life like? She would have had to live with ridicule all during the years Noah was building the ark, but how heart-breaking it must have been to be on the ark and know that everyone else she ever knew was going to perish in the flood.

I could go on with others that intrigue me… but I will enjoy whatever Tessa writes about next — and I’m sure that it will give me new insight and ways of looking at the stories we all love and think we know so well!
- tessa afshar
  
  Sondra, sorry to keep you in suspense after Pearl! But I am delighted that you hung in there and waited for my next book. And I am already working on the sequel to Harvest of Rubies.
  - http://dyed4you.com Meghan W
    
    Yay! Excited to hear there will be a sequel
John Wieder, III

I’d like to spend some time with Paul on his travels – could not have been easy – on so many levels. Wonder what Tessa Afshar might do with that?
Angela Laird

I loved Pearl in the Sand!!
To choose one Bible story to live thru is hard. BUT…I think to have lived and seen in action would be Deborah. To be a woman in that day with that kind of power given to her and how the people came to her…she must have been so fair in her justice and of sound mindedness. Wow! What she must have been like for God to call her and use her in that special way. But it must of been difficult as well.
Jean Koenig

I would love to see a book about Leah and her long-suffering over the years with being the wife less favored. However it would be too sad for me to want to live through that. So the woman I would most like to be is Esther. I admire her courage. There are so many times I want to step out in faith and do that which is scary and uncertain, but I shrink back in fear. I want to be bold and daring for God and Esther is that role model that I need to follow.
Ruth Ellsworth

I learned so much from “Pearl in the Sand”. I am now reading “Harvest of Rubies”. Tessa is my favorite author. I would like to read the story of Ruth, for obvious reasons!
tessa afshar

Ruth, it’s an honor to be your “favorite author”. Thank you so much.
Tessa
Liz Riggs

I can’t wait to read this book! It sounds so wonderful! I’ve always loved the the Story of Prince Jonathan and would have loved to see it played out in real life. I also would like to live through Rachel and Leah’s story.
http://dyed4you.com Meghan W

This is not an easy question because many of my favorite stories (like Rahab) are ones where I love the LORD’s redemption but wouldn’t necessarily want to walk through it myself! LOL

That said, I think I would like to be Ruth. Though yes, her story begins as a sad one. I think I have the loyalty and steadfastness to make it through the rough portion and she gets to end her story being the ONLY wife of a husband who honors and loves her

I don’t think I could’ve handled sharing my hubby LOL – God didn’t make more than one Eve, I don’t think we were intended to share regardless of what the patriarchs did

LOVED Pearl in the Sand – busy recommending it to anyone who will listen Bless you!
Mandy

Wow! I feel like it was just by the grace of God that I ended up here. I have seriously picked up the book, Pearl in the Sand, every time I have been in Barnes and Noble in the past three months, but somehow ended up leaving without it. I ended up on this site just by chance today, and there is Pearl in the Sand featured as a free book this week. Sometimes when God wants to get a message across, He makes it very clear.
That said…although I have never been a prostitute and hope to never need to resort to a place of such desperation, I have always felt a strong unity with Rahab. I would love to see her strength in those times, and to realize how her character was passed through the generations of her family right up the family tree to Jesus.
http://www.marcellaspencer.com Marcella Denise Spencer

Awesome! I’m glad “Harvest of Rubies” has been released. I loved “Pearl in the Sand.”

I think I would’ve like to live in Devorah’s time. A woman commanding an army? That would have been great to see.
Karishma

I would love to have lived the Esther story from the Bible.
Carol Gehringer

I have only read the first chapter of Pearls of Sand on my nook — but I am captivated and can’t wait to read more! Thank goodness, Mother’s Day is coming — I’m looking forward to some solitude in my favorite chair with this book.

I would choose Hannah or Elizabeth because they dealt with infertility issues and God answered their prayers.
Sandra Genke

I loved Pearl in the Sand and am looking forward to Harvest of Rubies! So glad it is finally out.

Joseph is one of my absolute favorite people, although the Bible doesn’t speak much regarding his wife if you are looking for a woman’s story.

I think the story of Ruth would be wonderful to read. I love the choices she made and the redemption of the Lord is placing her in the lineage of David and Jesus.
Vicki Jones

Pearl in the sand is one of my favorite books. I learned so much thru reading that book and it made me hunger to read my Bible. You taught so much without leacturing in a really entertaining way. i couldnt put the book down. And now I can’t wait for Harvest of Rubies. I sometimes wish I could meet or live thru the life of Abigail. The way she handled a difficult husband intrigues me. And then what was life like for her as one of many of King David’s wives.
- Vicki Jones
  
  oops-Sorry for all the typos. Guess I depend on spell check too much.
  Vicki
  
  <
- http://www.tessaafshar.com/?page_id=2 tessa afshar
  
  Hi Vicki. How wonderful that Pearl in the Sand led you back to the Word of God.
  Friends and I were just talking about Abigail the other day. She was extraordinarily winsome in the midst of a very stressful situation. Not only did she manage to live with a difficult husband, but she also managed to turn David’s hand away from murder.
Tionee Veira

I am BEYOND excited about the release of the new book! My Mom found Pearl in the Sand in a bookstore on the tiny island of St. Thomas in the Caribbean (where I’m from . I’ve read it about 4 times now and each time I am totally captivated by the way God’s love and redemption is translated through the story.

The bible story I’d choose is Gideon’s. I identify with Gideon’s meek and timid heart, and I LOVE the fact that God was patient enough with him to reveal Himself to Gideon each time he asked. God saw how much Gideon and His people had suffered at the hands of their enemies. I genuinely understand Gideon’s need for constant reassurance. In my own life, after going through difficult seasons, sometimes I lose my ability to believe in God’s power and the power He’s given to me to live an awesome, overcoming life. To me, Gideon’s story is an encouraging example of how patient God is with me…He understands the profound effects of suffering and pain and is gracious and willing to prove Himself mighty on our behalf.

I think that’s absolutely beautiful!
http://www.tessaafshar.com/?page_id=2 tessa afshar

Wow, Tionee, I am delighted you liked Pearl so much, you read through it FOUR times. That puts a smile on my face. I wished I could visit the bookstore where your mom bought her copy of Pearl in the Sand!
BTW, I love Gideon too. He gives me hope.
Tessa
linda hodnett

Hi Tessa, i loved your last book, made me feel so warm inside to see such a strong love between and man and woman. Wish I had experienced such love in my life. Anyway I think i wouldve loved t live with Mary and Joseph as they raised their son Jesus.
Ginny Linklater

I absolutely loved Pearl In The Sand and have shared it with other friends. The life you brought to the characters and the truth that came through your story are life changing. I would like to have lived through Mary Magadelen… I think I am thinking of the right woman…. I only know this: I love my Lord much because I have been forgiven so very much. Too much past to relive, (I am 63 now), but just to say that God, in His mercy and through our Lord, has freed me from the guilt and shame and given me such a love for Jesus and for others, and such a compassion for young women who might have followed the path I did. It did/does my heart so much good to hear the truth spoken through Pearl, that there is no one for any reason that God does not care about and does not offer mercy to; and, that when He does reach our hearts, and through the Holy Spirit, we are truly new and valuable to Him… just like the earrings in Pearl. Thank you, Tessa, for such a gift in that book. I look so forward to reading the new book. Bless you, my dear, and all who are touched by you. Of course I’d love to have a free copy of your new book, but even more than that I am praying for the ones who will receive the free books, that your message will be shared with many. In His Love, Ginny
Leah

I loved Pearl in the Sand. It was so incredibly interesting and amazing! I have always liked Rahab so reading more about her was really fun.
I would like to have lived through the woman at the well. The one who met Jesus. Her story is intriguing, I would like to know more about her.

Thanks for this giveaway. I am really looking forward to reading this book!
Pingback: Behind-The-Books with Tessa Afshar, author of Harvest of Rubies | River North Fiction
rivernorthfiction

Thanks to everyone who commented for a chance to win Tessa’s newest book, Harvest of Rubies! Check your emails later today to see if you’ve won!
Rosa Schaffer

I read Pearl in the Sand, when I started reading it caught my interest immediatly. The story was depicted so vividly that I was transported to each and every scene in the story.
It is a wonderful love story base on research done on the culture, customs of the times. Beautifully narrated, I can’t wait to read “Harvest of Rubies. I would like to read a novel base on Ruth, also on the life of Jesus Christ from his teen years to the time he began his ministry. In addition a novel base on Mary the mother of our Lord.

Thank you, and God bless.
Karen C

I love the Book of Ruth so I would want to live thru her life. I’m also looking forwarding to purchasing Tessa’s 2 books to read.
Christina Hurley

I would like to look into Jesus’ eyes at different points in his life (knowing who He was), as an infant, a youngster, and as an adult.

5 Terrific Things for Harvest of Rubies [Video Trailer!]

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