Benediction of Paul

Karl Mackenzie Knows the Song became a Benedictine monk in Montana by default after a drunk driver took the lives of his wife and children. Now known as Father Jacob, he hasn't quite forgiven God and is not ready to love again. When an orphaned boy, Paul Warner, is adopted by St. Alberic's Monastery, he and his best friend, Father Joannicus, find themselves face to face with a job neither of them is ready for. God and their contemplative life are overshadowed by headstrong women and the raising of a child.

Counting Coup, the prequel to the Benediction of Paul series, is a powerful coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of the Apsalooke reservation in 1948 Montana. Rebecca, a determined and resilient young girl, faces the harsh realities of life as she assumes the responsibility of protecting her newborn brother, Karl, rejected by their mother and seen as an outcast for his striking blue eyes. Navigating a world of familial turmoil, cultural traditions, and a community grappling with change, Rebecca embodies the spirit of a warrior as she fights to ensure her brother's survival and belonging.Through Rebecca's journey, Counting Coup explores themes of identity, resilience, and the unbreakable bonds of family. The story paints a vivid portrait of life on the reservation, blending the spiritual richness of Apsalooke traditions with the stark challenges faced by its people. With evocative prose and deeply human characters, Counting Coup captures the enduring strength of love and the fierce determination to protect one's own, no matter the odds.