Kevin J. Shawda's latest book, Tales of Hope and Faith, assembles five distinct narratives that share a common thread: individuals confronting uncertainty, sacrifice, and loss, only to discover deeper meaning in faith, family, and second chances. The collection, released in October 2026, offers historical adventure, spiritual questioning, and emotional family drama within a single volume, appealing to readers who value inspirational fiction grounded in Christian themes and historical settings.
The opening story, "Valley of Hope," follows fifteen-year-old Patrick Kavanagh as he arrives at Ellis Island from Ireland, carrying ambition, loneliness, and anger toward the father who sent him away. His journey westward introduces him to rail riders and a Nebraska family, the Pratts, who employ him in a printing business and nurture his artistic talent. After a violent assault leaves him badly injured, Patrick experiences a spiritual awakening that leads him to Salt Lake City, baptism, missionary service, and a long-delayed reckoning with his feelings about home and his father.
In "…just because they've never spoken to you," a stranger named John arrives in a small town with an unusual purpose: to spend time with its animals. Residents initially find him peculiar, but skepticism turns to admiration as animals respond to him with extraordinary calm. His influence also reaches people, encouraging service and unity. The story builds toward a wildfire where deer, elk, and other wildlife gather near a pond. John appears among the fleeing animals, seemingly guiding them to safety before disappearing into the blaze. Authorities later report few wildlife casualties and no human deaths, but John is never seen again, leaving his fate open to interpretation.
"Jerry Saw an Angel" explores a grieving family after Rebecca Coolidge dies following an eighteen-month battle with advanced ovarian cancer. Her young son Jerry struggles deeply with the loss. His connection to the Book of Mormon, a pond near the family chapel, and pages he sends across the water form a gentle depiction of childhood mourning. During an extraordinary gathering of fireflies, Jerry believes he encounters his mother and later reveals details he could not reasonably have known, including the location of Rebecca's own Book of Mormon. The experience does not erase the family's sadness but gives them a new way to carry it.
"Brother Sully, Little Sister" introduces a hard-drinking drifter who appears to have squandered his life. His accidental meeting with orphaned Madeleine "Maddie" Sinclair gradually reveals another identity beneath his abrasive exterior. Sully has a military past, unresolved grief, and an instinct for duty that resurfaces when he promises to escort Maddie safely to Wyoming. Their difficult trip creates an unlikely sibling bond and ultimately reveals Sully as Brevet Colonel Sully, a decorated Civil War veteran selected to receive the Medal of Honor for extraordinary bravery at Chancellorsville.
The collection closes with "As Fate Would Have Us," in which brothers Bobby Lee and Willie Hathaway find themselves wearing uniforms from opposing sides of the Civil War. Their reunion at Fredericksburg forces a choice wider than politics. Brotherhood wins, and the pair leaves the battlefield together. Joined later by Lillie Waltrop, they undertake a hazardous journey home filled with patrols, hunger, injury, strangers willing to help, and the persistent hope that something worth rebuilding still waits for them.
Tales of Hope and Faith presents five separate casts, settings, and conflicts, giving the book the scope of an anthology while maintaining a shared focus on faith, family, forgiveness, and renewal. Shawda's characters do not escape hardship untouched. They emerge carrying scars, new relationships, changed convictions, and a clearer understanding of where they belong. For readers drawn to inspirational fiction with historical settings, Christian themes, and characters searching for another chance, the collection offers five distinct journeys united by faith in the possibility of renewal.
