Open Book

King of the...

2012-01-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Matthew 2:1-3

It's easy to think Herod would be disturbed by Jesus' arrival. An evil tyrant doesn't want anyone to usurp his power. Rumors of a Messiah's impending takeover were NOT good news to Herod. He had it good as the king--way better than most of the other poor Jewish people under Roman oppression. Of course he wouldn't want another King in town. But wait...what's the rest say?

"And all Jerusalem with him."

When I read that yesterday morning, I stopped mid-text and read it again, parsing every letter. All of Jerusalem? They weren't anticipating their Rescuer? The promised redeemer?

A few days before Christmas, I was listening to a Christian radio talk-show host interview an atheist. He was trying to explain why he actively sought to remove Nativity scenes from the public square at Christmas. The host (whose name I didn't catch because I tuned in mid-interview) became so exasperated that she finally blurted, "What is so threatening about a little baby in a manger?"

"It's a tiny infant," she continued. "A baby placed in a trough where animals drink, for crying out loud!" (My paraphrase.)

But maybe that atheist understands the impact far more than the radio host or most other Christians do. That little baby in the manger rocks our world when He enters it.

Or, He should.

Not to sound ungrateful for all the amazing ways God has helped me grow, but I might be able to relate to Herod a little more than I first thought. True, I have been transformed by an amazing God who adores me as I am AND loves me too much to let me stay that way. But there are areas in my heart still ruled by a tyrant. A tyrant that doesn't want to let Jesus in.

Faults easily explained away by the world but conscience-pricking for a mature Christian aren't easily identified from the outside. Motives, thoughts, and priorities can even look great on the outside. But like many of you, I've still got my *stuff*.

My prayer is that in 2012, I'll continue to be transformed. Through Bible study and prayer, fellowship with believers and the power of the Holy Spirit, I'll be a much more Christ-like person in 2013.

Where Are You, Christmas?

2011-12-19T13:15:00.000-08:00

Normally about this time, I'm asking this question, but I hadn't thought about it this year until I heard Faith Hill's version while out shopping the other day. Indeed, I've been pretty cheerful about Christmas this year, despite the usual long lines, grumpy shoppers, hellacious traffic, and rude cashiers.

In fact, most of the time I'm looking for reasons to smile, like when fellow customers at the PO rushed to open doors for me before my Whoville-like stack of packages tumbled to the ground.

We stood in line for an hour (those of us fortunate enough to get there at opening, anyway--the rest stood there longer, I'm sure.) After being spurred on by those willing to help, I decided to keep a positive attitude. Each new customer who came in began to complain about the length of the line. In turn, I countered (nonchalantly and unobtrusively) with a positive comment. "So glad it's not raining today; all these packages would be soaked!" Or, "It's nice to be out of the cold." I ended up telling the story of my last line lingering visit to the PO, where a little girl had us all grinning with her unstoppable giggles. The hour passed and I was on my way. If you have to wait in line, you have two choices: miserably or pleasantly.

At times I've forgotten to look for Christmas and had to rein in my thoughts. The other day I was pulling out from a shopping center parking lot and having to wait for a long line of cars streaming by. I finally edged my way up to the road, and the break in cars was too short to pull out. An angry honk behind me had me glaring through slitted eyes in the rearview mirror. A well-coiffed woman was actually pounding on her steering wheel and mouthing words you'd edit out of a family-friendly movie. Normally I'd think, "Um, Einstein, if you want to go home and explain to whomever pays for your car why you've got to have major bodywork done the week before Christmas, that's your call. I have better things to do on my Saturday!" But my newfound resolve to keep my eye on Christmas tugged at me and I breathed in and out...focused on the relaxing Christmas music on the radio instead. Again, I have to wait my turn in traffic--am I going to do it miserably or pleasantly? It's a process we can all practice.

According to dictionary.com, Christmas etymology originated in Old English from Cristes mǣsse, meaning Mass of Christ. Literally, the celebration of the Eucharist of Christ. If Eucharist means thanksgiving, then Christmas means being thankful for Christ, God's son who came to dwell among us.

So, when we're looking for Christmas, we're looking for Christ. Is he here among the throngs of busy shoppers and grumpy drivers? Is He here with the extra financial and family pressures that arise during the holidays? Is He with those who aren't with those they love, for whatever reason?

That question leads me to a stark realization. We who are believers don't need to look for Christmas (thankfulness that Christ came to dwell among us); we are to SHOW it so that others will SEE it.

(From SearchGod'sword.com)

Ephesians 2:4-10 - [Verse 7 in Original Greek]

4 But God, being rich ^R81 in mercy, because of His ^R82 great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead ^R83 in ^F30 our transgressions, made us alive together with ^F31 Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised ^R84 us up with Him, and seated ^R85 us with Him in the ^R86 heavenly {places} in Christ ^R87 Jesus, 7 so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches ^R88 of His grace in kindness ^R89 toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by ^R90 grace you have been saved through ^R91 faith; and that ^F32not of yourselves, {it is} the ^R92 gift of God; 9 not ^R93 as a result of works, so that no ^R94 one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created ^R95 in Christ ^R96 Jesus for good ^R97 works, which God prepared ^R98 beforehand so that we would walk ^R99 in them.

The way we wait in line, the way we drive, the way we refrain from using curse words and pepper spray...all of those things can SHOW our gratitude for Jesus' incarnation. I pray that God would continue to work in me, His workmanship, so that others will find Christmas in me.

Thankful in all things

2011-11-24T07:26:00.001-08:00

"I hate Thanksgiving."

How many times have I uttered those words since 1990? More than I can count. The first time was to shock my husband into silence after he wondered aloud one too many times why I was so morose every year. The last time was driving home from Bible study last week. Too many mentions of shotguns juxtaposed with Thanksgiving dinner, I guess. Not an unnatural thing for a bunch of hunting guys to discuss in the fall, but a stark reminder to me of something I'd rather forget. Unexpected tears flowed.

I know I'm not the only one with bittersweet memories on a holiday. Over the years, I've tried hard to make Thanksgiving celebratory for my family and sometimes I've even forgotten the loss of 1990 for long enough to enjoy the day. But every year, someone or something serves to remind me. You'd think that after twenty-one years, the pain would lessen. And it has, to a degree. But not enough.

No matter how many good memories pile on, the bad ones still claw their way to the top. Even when we forgive, we cannot forget. Especially on this day. But we can learn anew that our peace doesn't have to come from circumstances. We're at peace when we're truly grateful.

Being truly thankful means gratitude for what has been given and what has been taken away. If those we loved had not meant so much, the hurt of their loss would not exist. We can react in two ways: embrace the losses with the gains, or lose both.

To love is to risk pain. To hate is to perpetuate it.

Image: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Christmas in Sugar Creek

2011-11-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Christmas In Sugarcreek Avon Inspire (October 25, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold over thirty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal.

Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.

Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.

When she’s not writing, Shelley often attends conferences and reader retreats in order to give workshops and publicize her work. She’s attended RWA’s national conference six times, the ACFW conference and Romantic Times Magazine’s annual conference as well as traveled to New Jersey, Birmingham, and Tennessee to attend local conferences.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK

Judith Graber has always been the obedient daughter. When her older brother Josh struggled with his love life, she offered wise counsel. When her younger brother Caleb flirted with the idea of leaving their order, she firmly told him he was wrong. Over the years, she’s watched her younger siblings, helped around the house, and worked in her family’s store during her spare time. Judith feels overworked, overlooked, and underappreciated this holiday season.

But everything changes when her father hires Ben Knox.

Ben Knox is the “bad boy” of Sugarcreek. Though he’s never considered jumping the fence, he’s certainly never tried to be anything close to dutiful. Two years ago he left Sugarcreek under a cloud of shame. Rumors circulated that his rumspringa had been filled with more than the usual harmless explorations.

Now he’s back and working side by side with Judith.
As the chaos of the holiday season threatens to sap all joy, sparks fly between Ben and Judith. But Judith steels herself to ignore her infatuation. The last thing she wants to be is just one more girl who falls under Ben’s spell. Ben, on the other hand, wants Judith to realize there’s more to him than his bad reputation. When he fled Sugarcreek, he was running from a disruptive home life. Now that he’s back, he wants a fresh beginning.
Could this Christmas season bring love and a new life for the unlikeliest pair in Sugarcreek?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Christmas In Sugarcreek, go HERE.

Life in the Show Me State

2011-11-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

People in Missouri sure are friendly. Like the other day, when I was driving through there on my way home to Tennessee from Wyoming, out of nowhere, this lady flags me down and signals me to pull over. I was in a big hurry to get to the Mark Twain Museum before it closed that night, but she seemed awful insistent, so I did.

And they aren't kidding about that "Show Me" thing, either. First thing she wanted was for me to show her my drivers' license and proof of insurance. Okay, then...I've got nothing to hide, right? State Farm has insured me for the last twenty years. And the photo on my driver's license isn't all that bad this time, either.

My new friend, Officer Hoover, informed me that I was driving 79 MPH in a 65 MPH zone.

"I didn't think I was going *that* fast!" Honest, I didn't. I thought I was only going 75. And Mark Twain's Museum is only a little bit up the road in Hannibal. No harm done, right?

"You're welcome to come on back and look at the radar." Oh, I've never seen the inside of a state trooper's car before! Cool! By this time, I'd come to the sad conclusion that we weren't going to make it to the fair town of Hannibal in time to see the boyhood home of Samuel Clemens by the Mississippi River.

We talked for quite awhile in her police car, with her asking all kinds of questions. I mean, she all but offered me a Doctor Pepper. They even said our names over the radio. We're famous!

She wanted to know all about where I was coming from and what I was doing, traveling in a crammed pack car with two teenagers. I explained that we were on our way home from Wyoming and we'd been there to see family and friends.

"Oh, that's a Wyoming accent. You didn't sound like you were from Tennessee." Um, thanks? I think.

I thought about explaining that I wasn't the one with the accent. It's everyone else down here that has a Southern accent. But she was busy typing and I got distracted by the awesome color of purple she'd painted her nails.

Anyway, Trooper Hoover was insistent that I stay in touch. She even gave me a yellow, self-addressed envelope and a little form to sign and send back to her. Talk about prepared! She must have lots of friends, since she works at it so hard.

She walked me back to my car and told me to drive very safely. I was really under the impression that she meant it. Like I said, very friendly caring folks in Missouri!

Baker's Wife

2011-11-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

I'd never heard of this author before, but I'll be sure to look for more of her books! Click on the links below for a chance to win the book and a whole slew of other kitchen-related gifts. Make sure you attend the Facebook party today. It's your chance to check out a fabulous book!

Here's the excerpt from Litfuse, who graciously provided me with a review copy:

To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.

Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey.

Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.

With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.

Read an excerpt here.

You can buy it here.

About Erin:

Well-known to critics and reviewers, Erin Healy has established herself as an award-winning editor and a best-selling co-author with Ted Dekker. Healy received wide acclaim for her two debut novels Never Let You Go and The Promises She Keeps. Her work focuses on the psychological and spiritual, driven by high moral stakes. She lives and writes in Colorado with her family.

For more information please visit www.erinhealy.com.

And here's more about the contest:

Let the flour fly! Beginning October 24th, Erin's celebrating the release of her latest page turner, The Baker's Wife, with an outstanding KitchenAid baking prize package giveaway that includes a brand new KitchenAid Mixer, cook books, and all you need to whip up some fabulous bread or sweets! Then and on November 10th she'll be wrapping up the release of The Baker's Wife with an Author Book Chat Party on Facebook! Don't miss a minute of the fun!

One grand prize winner will receive:

Empire Red 4.5 QT Ultra Power KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Black & White Kitschy Apron
Black Silicone Oven Mitt
Black OXO Rolling Pin
Wilton 9X5 loaf pan
At My Grandmother's Knee Cookbook by Faye Porter
Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel Cookbook
The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 9th. Winner will be announced at The Baker'sWife Author Book Chat Facebook Party. Erin will be wrapping up the The Baker's Wife celebration with a book club chat and giving away a bunch of "sweet treats"! So grab your copy of The Baker's Wife (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might win one!) and join Erin on the evening of November 10th for a book chat, some "baking" trivia and lots of "sweet" giveaways (books, and Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!

Enter to win a KitchenAid Mixer and RSVP for Facebook Party on 11/10!

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Attracted to Fire

2011-10-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

I just began reading this book, but I can hardly wait to see what happens! I already love the characters.

Here's the official press release:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Attracted to Fire Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. (October 1, 2011)
by DiAnn Mills

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010. DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops. DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website at: www.diannmills.com or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills

ABOUT THE BOOK

Special Agent Meghan Connors’ dream of one day protecting the president of the United States is about to come true. Only one assignment stands in her way. After the vice president’s rebellious daughter is threatened, Meghan is assigned to her protective detail on a secluded ranch in West Texas. Unfortunately, working with Special Agent in Charge Ash Zinders may be as tough as controlling her charge. Ash has a reputation for being critical and exacting, and he’s also after the same promotion as Meghan. But when the threats escalate and security on the ranch is breached, it becomes clear this isn’t the work of a single suspect—it’s part of a sophisticated plan that reaches deeper and higher than anyone imagined. And only Ash and Meghan can put the pieces together before it’s too late.

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the first chapter of Attracted to Fire, go HERE.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

2011-10-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

Snuggle up this winter with Susan May Warren's latest!

What a perfect book to get into the Christmas spirit! Susan May Warren's depth and heart are woven throughout this touching story about lonely, broken spirits who need each other, if only they can learn to come in out of the cold.

Set in post-World War II Frost, Minnesota, Baby, It's Cold Outside is sure to warm any reader's heart. This is a must-read for your Christmas break list!

About the book: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Hope finds the hopeless when a storm hits.

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Violet's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance.

Read an excerpt here and find out the story behind the novel.

About Susan: Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia, Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota, where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

Link to buy the book:

Warm up to Christmas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

(enter giveaway graphic here.)

One festive winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire
Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

www.susanmaywarren.com

Wonderland Creek

2011-10-19T04:26:00.000-07:00

You can always count on Lynn Austin's stories to have memorable characters and to bring out some little-known element of history. Wonderland Creek does not disappoint! In fact, I think it's my favorite Lynn Austin story so far.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Wonderland Creek Bethany House (October 1, 2011) by Lynn Austin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. And two of her inspirational fiction books were chosen by Library Journal for their top picks in 2003, and 2005. One of Lynn's novels has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and myster--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Wonderland Creek, go HERE.

Heiress

2011-10-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

Heiress, by SusanMay Warren

In theearly 1900’s, citizens of New York City scraped a living as servants or in factories,working their fingers to the bone for meager wages. However, the elite set ofFifth Avenue enjoyed all the finest money could buy—new motor coaches,sprawling homes, servants to tend them, and the latest imported fashions fromParis and London. Dinner parties could cost as much as $250,000.

Jinx andEsme were born to August Price, powerful and rich newspaper publisher, duringthe Gilded Age. He could afford to buy them everything their hearts desired,except love. Marriages were forged by family fortune and social standing, andas debutantes, they were expected to fetch someone who would deliver both.

Warren’s characterspractically walk off the page and into the reader’s heart in this first book ofthe Daughters of Fortune series. Jinxand Esme both demonstrate that no matter how much money one has, happiness can’tbe purchased. At the beginning of the book, none of the main characters areChristians, nor do they act likeChristians. Their choices demonstrate lives lived solely for themselves, andtherefore reap the consequences. Alcohol, infidelity, and betrayal all wreakhavoc in their lives.

This storyis about redemption and the value of love; it shows the difference Christ canmake in one’s life. I’d especially recommend it to historical fiction fans. Forthose who already love Susan May Warren’s books, this one will not disappoint. Sheis gifted with the ability to write well in multiple genres.

This review also appears in Winds of Praise October 2011 POST

The Mercy

2011-10-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

Simple lives, few distractions, and close family ties. On the outside, it seems idyllic. But the Amish have their struggles too. Beverly Lewis has become synonymous with Amish novels. Her latest, The Mercy, doesn't disappoint longtime fans.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Mercy Bethany House (September 6, 2011) by Beverly Lewis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, The Heritage of Lancaster County, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

Booksellers across the country, and around the world, have spread the word of Beverly's tender tales of Plain country life. A clerk in a Virginia bookstore wrote, "Beverly's books have a compelling freshness and spark. You just don't run across writing like that every day. I hope she'll keep writing stories about the Plain people for a long, long time."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and spending time with their family. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rose Kauffman pines for prodigal Nick Franco, the Bishop's foster son who left the Amish under a cloud of suspicion after his foster brother's death. His rebellion led to the "silencing" of their beloved Bishop. But is Nick really the rebel he appears to be? Rose's lingering feelings for her wayward friend refuse to fade, but she is frustrated that Nick won't return and make things right with the People. Nick avowed his love for Rose--but will he ever be willing to sacrifice modern life for her?

Meanwhile, Rose's older sister, Hen, is living in her parents' Dawdi Haus. Her estranged "English" husband, injured and helpless after a car accident, has reluctantly come to live with her and their young daughter during his recovery. Can their marriage recover, as well? Is there any possible middle ground between a woman reclaiming her old-fashioned Amish lifestyle and thoroughly modern man?

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mercy, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

Happy Labor Day...

2011-09-05T06:41:00.001-07:00

To all the hard-working Americans out there!

Especially to those of you (the backbone of our country) who have to work today:

Firefighters

Police officers

EMT's

Doctors

Nurses

Grocery store clerks

Food service workers

Teachers (prepping tomorrow's lesson plans and/or their classrooms for the first day of school)

Who did I forget? Add your favorites in the comments...

Photo courtesy of nokhoog_buchachon

Image: nokhoog_buchachon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thunder in the Morning Calm

2011-08-30T06:23:00.000-07:00

What an eyeopener! If you want to know what really goes on in North Korea, this book is for you. It's an action-packed military story with lots of patriotism and hope thrown in.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Thunder in the Morning Calm Zondervan (August 2, 2011) by Don Brown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DON BROWN, a former U.S. Navy JAG Officer, is the author of Zondervan’s riveting NAVY JUSTICE SERIES, a dynamic storyline chronicling the life and adventures of JAG officer ZACK BREWER. After TREASON, his first novel in the NAVY JUSTICE SERIES, was published to rave reviews in 2005, drawing comparisons to the writing style of John Grisham, Don Brown was named as co-chairman of national I LOVE TO WRITE DAY, an event recognized by the governors of nine states to promote writing throughout the nation, and especially among the nation’s schools.

Paying no homage to political correctness, Don's writing style is described as “gripping,” casting an entertaining and educational spin on a wide-range of current issues, from radical Islamic infiltration of the military, to the explosive issue of gays in the military, to the modern day issues of presidential politics in the early 21st Century.

Don graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1982, and after finishing law school, continued his post-graduate studies through the Naval War College, earning the Navy’s nonresident certificate in International Law.

During his five years on active duty in the Navy, Don served in the Pentagon, was published in the Naval Law Review, and was also a recipient of the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lieutenant Commander 'Gunner' McCormick is assigned as an intelligence officer to Carrier Strike Force 10, being deployed to the Yellow Sea at the invitation of South Korea for joint exercises with the US Navy. During his pre-deployment briefing, he discovers a TOP-SECRET MEMO revealing rumors that the North Koreans may still be holding a handful of elderly Americans from the Korean War in secret prison camps.

As it happens, Gunner's grandfather, who was a young marine officer in the Korean War, disappeared at Chosin Reservoir over 60 years ago and is still listed as MIA in North Korea. Sworn to silence about what he has read, the top-secret memo eats at him. Gunner decides to spend all his inheritance and break every military regulation in the book to finance his own three-man commando squad on a suicide mission north of the DMZ to search for clues about the fate of his grandfather.

Risking his career, his fortune, and his life, Gunner will get his answers, or he will die trying.

Don Brown is building a loyal fan base by writing what he knows best: thrillers with heart. A former Navy JAG officer and action officer in the Pentagon, Brown pens action-packed plots and finely-drawn characters that are credible and compelling. Thunder in the Morning Calm is a novel of bravery, duty, and family love that will keep readers of all ages reading straight through to the last page.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Thunder in the Morning Calm , go HERE

Beowulf

2011-08-23T11:00:00.000-07:00

This year we're getting a hearty dose of British Literature in our home. Starting with this epic poem, we'll trek through the ages with Shelley, Austen, Shaw, Bronte, Joyce and Chaucer, to name a few.

This particular translation has the Old English and modern side by side for comparison. Because the beauty of this poem lies in the alliteration and rhythm rather than rhyme, it still works as an epic narrative tale.

Surprisingly, Mariah says she really likes the story. I find that I enjoy it much better than I did as a junior in High School. That may have been my friends' influence back then, or the availability of this celebrated translation now. Or both! Either way, I'm learning a ton more than I did last time.

I think Mariah is learning something too. At least I hope she is.

Book Heaven

2011-08-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

People passing by me in the Kroger must have thought I was nuts, stopping to whip out my cell phone to take this picture. But how many people are pushing a grocery cart full of food through the pet food aisles and come across their own book? Okay, it's my own and a hundred other contributors, but still. There it was, next to the pet deodorizer and below the Purina One cat food--Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Cat. I was so happy that I skipped the produce aisle and selected some cherry cordial ice cream instead. (Hmmm...maybe I should read Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You again.)

I've always said you can never have too many books or flip flops. This is a shot of McKay's used bookstore in downtown Nashville. I don't usually battle the traffic and the confusing roads to go there, but I've been there twice in a week. (And yes, it renewed my intense covetousness for an iPhone, if you want to know what a sinner I am.)

I plunked down a wad of cash for stacks of books. It might take me all school year to get through them, alongside the rest of my reading list. Most of them will be great curriculum for our little one-room schoolhouse. British literature for Mariah and lots of Americana novels for Katie.

The older the book, the better. I love flipping through the yellowed pages; you can't beat that smell. Bargains and books, all in the same place! Good thing it's not in Cool Springs--I'd be in big trouble!

Safe from the Past

2011-08-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

Mauro shares how she overcame obstacles to get a college degree, revolutionizing her family legacy. If you're looking for a book inspire you to get over your current hurdles, check out Safe from the Past.

About the Giveaway!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about Safe From the Past or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy. (All Litfuse bloggers who post a review are automatically entered and do NOT need to email us.)

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea:

TWEET THIS: Safe From the Past by Patricia Mauro - inspiring tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA #litfuse

FACEBOOK THIS: Don’t miss Patricia Mauro’s Safe From the Past - inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA. Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, the author's life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.

About Safe From the Past:

A kidnapping, the divorce of her parents, the loss of her father, temporary abandonment and extreme poverty are just some of the issues the author dealt with as a young child.

Her mother finally tells her she must go to college so she can break out of this cycle of poverty and hopelessness. But how can she when she has no money and absolutely no confidence or self esteem?

Read this true story to discover what hope, faith and determination can do to change a life.

A truly inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships, Safe from the Past makes clear the restorative power of an education.

Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, the author's life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.

No matter how helpless you feel, everyone has the power to shape their own life.

Link to buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Past-Story-Faith-Determination/dp/1933651849/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1310054112&sr=sprightly-20

About the Patricia Miller Mauro:

Patricia worked in New York City's financial district for thirteen years in the field of securities operations. At that time, she went on to obtain an MBA from New York University. She and her husband moved to Dallas, TX in 2001 where they are raising their two children.

During her time in NY, Patricia wrote an article entitled "A Tribute To My Mother" which was published in "The Recovery Journal" in 1999. Her book is a continuation of that tribute and serves to spread the message to those in similar situations that good news is on its way to children considering a higher education but who are afraid to dream. For more information please visit, www.patriciamaurobooks.com.

Blog Tour Schedule: (Please include this LINK not the LIST in your blog tour post: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13380085)

Fitness Friday: week 8

2011-07-29T13:06:00.000-07:00

I did it! I finished week eight. Only one more to go.

When you're in the midst of a tough situation, mustering up gratitude is one of the best ways to pull through. I've come to realize that no matter what the circumstance, you can always find reason to be grateful.

I've listed eight here:

1) Young girl in the gym below practicing her baton twirling didn't give up. At first, she more tosses than she caught. At the end of my half hour, she was catching more than she dropped. Perseverance.

2) Father on the other side of the gym teaching his young son to catch a football. He kept saying, "There you go!" and, "Nice one!" Encouragement.

3) My iPod didn't lose its juice. On the way to the rec center, I noticed it was low so I charged it during the ten minute drive. It lasted long enough to get me through my run. Providence.

4) Very little pain. Since I've been working with a chiropractor, it's diminished almost to nothing. Comfort.

5) Lady in the pink who smiled at me as she joined the circular motion on the track. I love pink, and smiles are bonus! Kindness.

6)Vitamin water zero—blood orange and mixed berry today. My favorite so far is acai-blueberry. Yummy-ness.

7) Tennis shoes—good ones!—some would consider a necessity, but I don't ever want to take them for granted now that I've found my faves. Fashion.

8) Twenty-eight and three quarters laps today! That's an improvement from Wednesday's 28 and a half, which is an improvement from Monday's 28. Three all-time personal bests in one week. Success!

Picture courtesy of Chaiwat at digitalphotos.net.

It Begins with Me!

2011-07-26T12:14:00.000-07:00

I used to whine a lot about the state of the world. Politicians, hypocrites, mean people, bad drivers--you name it; I can grouse with the best of them. Sometimes I'd think, "What a wreck! Why bother?"

I still whine, but I'm catching myself more often and retraining my brain. Grumbling in my spirit only makes me grouchy, and doesn't do anything to solve the world's problems.

What can one person do, you ask?

Well, one person can do--what they can do!

Whatever my hands find to do, that's what I should be doing at any given moment. Even tasks that seem futile because they are endless (e.g, laundry and dishes) have eternal value (i.e., loving your family). Whether it's something "big" or trivial, as long as I'm doing my best with a willing spirit, I'm fulfilling my purpose.

As I mature, I see the value God places on life and especially human existence more and more. If the world is a wreck, I can't complain about it if I'm not doing what I'm called to do. And if I'm doing what I'm called to do, I don't have room in my heart for grumbling.

Well, I'm off to find my gloves and head back out to the rubble pile for more cleanup. Join me, if you're so inclined! And if you catch me complaining, do me a favor and ask: "What are you *doing* about it?"

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, NASV).

Why I Run

2011-07-25T08:46:00.001-07:00

Wanna know a secret? There's a reason for my Couch to 5K madness. It's this lady, standing next to me. Well, this lady and about 6 billion other people on the planet. But Margaret is in this picture, so I'll just focus on her.

Margaret's family owns several acres around Holt, Alabama. They rented several trailers out to families, who have now had to relocate because of the tornado. Thankfully, no one died--that miracle is for another story! Most of the houses on the property sustained a lot of damage, and the trailers were completely destroyed. One man still lives on the property in a tent.

Margaret and her daughter Freddie were two of the people we got to help on our mission trip to tornado victims last month. We spent two days at her place, cutting and hauling away the trees that had fallen, plus repairing the roof on one of the houses. Let me tell you, Extra Strength Tylenol was my best friend!

But what does this have to do with running? Great question.

I believe everything is done for one of two reasons: either from selfishness, or out of love. Each task I undertake (or don't undertake) is motivated by one of those two options.

Because I want to love (and therefore serve) other people better, I'm taking better care of my body and getting into shape. Walking, as I had done for years, was just not cutting it for cardio anymore, so I decided to up the intensity. I figured I could call myself a real runner if I completed the couch to 5K program. So, every time I run around that track, I think of Margaret and all the other hurting/needy people out there who could benefit from my help. Love ultimately drives me around that track and further from selfishness. (Oh, and you don't need to remind me—I'm fully aware that I have such a long way to go!)

Obviously, I hope no other disasters occur, but if we're realistic we have to admit it's when and not if. I am expecting a call from God anytime, whether it's to my next door neighbor or a far-off land. I want to be as ready as I can be when it happens. That means being physically fit as well as spiritually and mentally. I'm thanking God for the strength and endurance.

And by the way, I ran exactly two miles today. That's 28 laps in 28 minutes! I know it doesn't exactly qualify one for the Olympics , but for me it's a huge victory. Not only is it a personal best, it's the longest I've ever run. Ever. In my life.

Upward and onward!

Fitness Friday (On a Tuesday, even)

2011-07-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

I am now in week 7 of C25K. Three times this week, I'll run 25 minutes straight. Sounds hard, doesn't it?

Actually, only the first five minutes was hard. That last five minutes, when I knew I could wear myself out, I pushed harder than I have ever run before. (Not faster, because it takes some strength to pull a rhino around the track at the speed of a cheetah, but in terms of pure effort, I was on it!)

The first 25 min run was actually Saturday. I ran 22 laps (which is a mile and a half, plus one lap). Monday I ran 23 laps. Tomorrow, I shoot for 24!

Whatever Dr. Mark is doing must be helping my hip flexors (and a few other muscles I can't remember, but especially the hip flexors) stretch out. I have more range of motion and comfort now when I run. (Comfort is relative. Don't get me wrong; it still doesn't feel anywhere near good.) I'm guessing the shooting pains as I sleep are an indication that I still need more work.

Since giving up isn't an option, I've decided to take Dr. Mark's advice after the nine week challenge is done. I'll still run 5k once per week, and then alternate with other cardio like swimming and biking. Until then, bring on the chiro visits and extra strength Tylenol!

Pattern of Wounds

2011-07-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Another great summer read. I hope Mr. Bertrand is frantically typing the sequel to this one, because I need more Roland March!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Pattern of Wounds Bethany House (July 1, 2011) by J. Mark Bertrand

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Mark Bertrand lived in Houston, where the series is set, for fifteen years, earning an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. But after one hurricane too many he relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota. Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of one hung jury and served on another that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead.

ABOUT THE BOOK

It's Christmas in Houston, and homicide detective Roland March is on the hunt for a killer. A young woman's brutal stabbing in an affluent neighborhood bears all the hallmarks of a serial murder. The only problem is that March sent the murderer to prison ten years ago. Is it a copycat -- or did March convict the wrong man?

Alienated from his colleagues and with a growing rift in his marriage, March receives messages from the killer. The bodies pile up, the pressure builds, and the violence reaches too close to home. Up against an unfathomable evil, March struggles against the clock to understand the hidden message in the pattern of wounds.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Pattern of Wounds, go HERE.

Vigilante

2011-07-12T10:57:00.000-07:00

How many of us haven't wanted to right all the injustices in the world, and save all the good people from those who would harm them? We can live vicariously through Nolan Gray, elite soldier with a passion for righting wrongs and a plan to rid the world of crime.

Vigilante is like Batman, only with more teeth-clenching action and gut-wrenching losses. Author Robin Parrish has invented several techno-gadgets that even Bruce Wayne would envy. And he's added a level of morality that Bob Kane never dreamed of.

This is a very well written, gripping story. I couldn't stop turning the pages and finished it in a day and a half. It's a must read if you're up for an adventure!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Vigilante Bethany House (July 1, 2011) by Robin Parrish

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Parrish wants to take you on a ride.

A wild ride -- which is exactly what you're in for when you pick up one of his books. And he's adamant that it will never be the same kind of experience twice.

Robin's stories mix, mingle, and meld various genres together to create thoroughly original suspense/thrillers. His Dominion Trilogy, for example, mashed up superhero action, secret societies, ancient myths, and an apocalyptic setting to create an entirely new take on the classic "hero's journey." Offworld mixed science fiction and an end-of-the-world scenario with high-octane action. Nightmare, his 2010 novel, is a spine-tingling examination of the world of the paranormal, paired with can't-put-it-down mystery. His 2011 novel, Vigilante, is an action-packed story about a soldier who sets out to change the world. Later this year, he's releasing his first ever Young Adult novel, titled Corridor.

Always pushing the envelope, ever on the edge of where modern storytelling is going, Robin Parrish will gladly and unapologetically tell you that he's an entertainer, a weaver of stories that ignite the mind and delight the heart. Defying labels and refusing pigeonholes, his imagination is fueled by the possibilities of asking "What if…?", and as anyone who's read his work knows, he has a very big imagination.

His influences as a novelist range from television and film storytellers like Joss Whedon and J.J. Abrams, to masters of the modern myth like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Akin to Philip K. Dick's search for the meaning of identity, most of what Robin writes about boils down to his own ponderings and examinations of just what this thing we call "existence" is.

Robin is a full time writer. He and his wife Karen and two children live in High Point, NC.

"Robin Parrish is a keen-eyed, passionate pop cultural savant,

whose writing is as incisive and insightful as it is entertaining."

- Allan Heinberg, Executive Producer, Grey's Anatomy

ABOUT THE BOOK

Nolan Gray is an elite soldier, skilled in all forms of combat. After years fighting on foreign battlefields, witnessing unspeakable evils and atrocities firsthand, a world-weary Nolan returns home to find it just as corrupt as the war zones. Everywhere he looks, there's pain and cruelty. Society is being destroyed by wicked men who don't care who they make suffer or destroy.

Nolan decides to do what no one else can, what no one has ever attempted. He will defend the helpless. He will tear down the wicked. He will wage a one-man war on the heart of man, and he won't stop until the world is the way it should be.

The wicked have had their day. Morality's time has come. In a culture starving for a hero, can one extraordinary man make things right?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Vigilante, go HERE.

Fitness Friday: Week 5

2011-07-08T09:58:00.000-07:00

"There are a lot easier ways to get cardio, girl." This from my chiropractor, while I lay on his table. I was there because running causes a pain in a certain muscle (which I learned were hip flexors and mine are especially tight) and I wanted help figuring out what to do about it.

Well, it's true. There are easier ways. But if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. I'm not everyone. I am a reformed couch potato. In a month, I'll be running 5K. I'm going to enter at least one race. Not for speed, but just to say I did it. As an additional bonus, I'll get to help a charity.

This is the end of week 5. Today I ran 20 consecutive minutes. I am now officially past the point we had to run in the Air Force to graduate basic training. (By five whole minutes and a half a mile!)

Twenty minutes straight is a long time. My earbud friend Laura had some great encouraging words, but those were few and far between today.

My mind wandered back to my chat last night with Sandy. She's one of my biggest fitness cheerleaders. I got through today thinking of all the fun we'd have running a half marathon together someday. (We will, we promise!) I just need to get fit first.

Look at her over there, though. Isn't she fun?

This memory of us getting pedicures together got me through at least five minutes. Maybe people thought I was nuts, smiling like a dork around the track, but I didn't care. I was in the zone.

No happy memory could have gotten me through the last five minutes, though. I wanted to quit. Every leg muscle burned and I started thinking that maybe just one little quick stop for a drink wouldn't hurt.

I slowed down, but then Sgt. Conway, my Basic T.I., showed up. At least in my head. "Give me a break, Olson! Are you gonna quit?" (A few choice words deleted to make this post rated G).

"No sir!" (Hopefully I didn't say it out loud at the gym.) I resumed my speed and thanked that loud man who-wore-the-oh-so-wonderful-cologne once more for all the times he yelled at me.

I didn't quit. I blazed through the last few minutes, knowing at the end I would have accomplished something new. And it feels good. At least, mentally. Physically, well...Dr. Mark has his work cut out for him.

Lion of Babylon

2011-07-06T20:09:00.001-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Lion of Babylon Bethany House (July 1, 2011) by Davis Bunn

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in North Carolina, Davis left for Europe at age twenty. There he first completed graduate studies in economics and finance, then began a business career that took him to over forty countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

Davis came to faith at age 28, while living in Germany and running an international business advisory group. He started writing two weeks later. Since that moment, writing has remained both a passion and a calling.

Davis wrote for nine years and completed seven books before his first was accepted for publication. During that time, he continued to work full-time in his business career, travelling to two and sometimes three countries every week. His first published book, The Presence, was released in 1990 and became a national bestseller.

Honored with three Christy Awards for excellence in historical and suspense fiction, his bestsellers include The Great Divide, Winner Take All, The Meeting Place, The Warning, The Book of Hours, and The Quilt.

A sought-after speaker in the art of writing, Davis serves as Writer In Residence at Regent’s Park College, Oxford University.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Marc Royce works for the State Department on special assignments, most of them rather routine, until two CIA operatives go missing in Iraq--kidnapped by Taliban forces bent on generating chaos in the region. Two others also drop out of sight--a high-placed Iraqi civilian and an American woman providing humanitarian aid. Are the disappearances linked? Rumors circulate in a whirl of misinformation.

Marc must unravel the truth in a covert operation requiring utmost secrecy--from both the Americans and the insurgents. But even more secret than the undercover operation is the underground dialogue taking place between sworn enemies. Will the ultimate Reconciler between ancient enemies, current foes, and fanatical religious factions be heard?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Lion of Babylon, go HERE.

God and Stephen Hawking

2011-07-01T05:45:00.000-07:00

Lennox's review of Hawking's assertion in The Grand Design that the laws of the universe created the universe are spot on. Basically, it comes down to, "Who created the laws of the universe?" He also points out that it is incorrect to assume that God is a created being.

Hawking's admission that something had to create the universe contradicts his opposition to intelligent design. Lennox's short book outlines the flaws in Hawking's book, and offers an alternate view of science vs. religion. Hawking and other atheists dogmatically assert that one must choose rationality or faith in God. Lennox does a great job of countering that with several examples of science progressing because of faith.

He says, "Indeed, the very reason that science flourished so vigorously in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, under men like Galileo, Kepler and Newton, had a great deal to do with their conviction that the laws of nature reflected the influence of a divine law-giver

Lennox's book explains in layman's terms the Christian (and Jewish and Muslim) position on the origin on the universe and the understanding of God's eternal existence. He also explains how perception of the origins comes from one religious point of view or another, whether humanist or deist.

Below is the official press release for the book:

Is God Really Dead?
Stephen Hawking's logic faces a mathematician's scrutiny in God and Stephen Hawking
SEATTLE - Eminent scientist Stephen Hawking's latest contribution to the so-called New Atheist debate The Grand Design claims that the laws of physics themselves brought the universe into being, rather than God. In this swift and forthright reply, John C. Lennox, Oxford mathematician and author of God's Undertaker, exposes the flaws in Hawking's logic in his latest book, God and Stephen Hawking (Kregel Publishers, September 2011,ISBN: 9780745955490, $5.99).

Science has immense cultural and intellectual authority in our sophisticated modern world. With this kind of cache, it must nevertheless be pointed out that not all statements by scientists are statements of science. Therefore such statements do not carry the authority of authentic science, even though it is often erroneously ascribed to them.

Commonly written off as the inevitable clash between science and religion, the God debate is actually one between theism and atheism, where there are scientists on both sides. With a remarkable surge of interest in God that defies the so-called secularization hypothesis, it could well be that it is precisely the perceived failure of secularization that is driving the God question ever higher on the agenda. Book after book is being published on the subject by prominent scientists, as Francis Collins, Richard Dawkins, Robert Winston, etc. But were Galileo, Kepler, Newton and Maxwell, to name a few, really all wrong on the God question?

With such a lot at stake we surely need to ask Hawking to produce evidence to establish his claim. Do his arguments really stand up to close scrutiny? Has the Grand Master of Physics checkmated the Grand Designer of the Universe?

In lively, layman's terms, Lennox guides us through the key points in Hawking's arguments-with clear explanations of the latest scientific and philosophical methods and theories-and demonstrates that, far from disproving a Creator God, they make His existence seem all the more probable. Lennox's book is a great resource for Christians, churches and those in ministry who seek to educate themselves and open authentic dialog with those who question.

Praise for God and Stephen Hawking:

"A brilliant response to Stephen Hawking's The Grand Design. Make sure you hear both sides of the argument."
-Alister McGrath, author of The Dawkins Delusion

Meet John:

John C. Lennox is Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science at the University of Oxford, and author of the bestselling God's Undertaker. He lectures on faith and science at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. He has lectured around the world, including in the United States for Ravi Zacharias; in Austria; and in the former Soviet Union. For more about John C. Lennox, please visit Lennox's web site.

Reflections on a covenant

2011-06-30T05:21:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago, Doug and I stood at the altar of Newport Church of the Nazarene and made a marriage covenant. It hasn't been all roses and cake with creamy icing, but we have been blessed more than we could have ever imagined. Even amidst the most difficult circumstances, that commitment kept us together by God's grace.

Doug's love for his family and spiritual leadership have grown over the years, as we've learned to follow God and not trust in our own way. We've learned "calling over comfort" brings us more joy than seeking our own pleasure ever could. Along the way we've made some wonderful friends and some great memories with our families. We owe much of this to the prayers of those who loved us along while we were at the bottom.

We have much to learn, and a long way to go. Everything we've built thus far is only a step to the next leg of our journey. But we'll walk into it hand in hand, eyes on Jesus.

Thank you, Doug Smith, for a wonderful ten years. I love you, Sweetheart!

The Protector

2011-06-29T05:33:00.001-07:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Protector Avon Inspire; Original edition (June 28, 2011) by Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the beloved author of the Sisters of the Heart series, including Hidden, Wanted, and Forgiven. Before writing, she was a teacher in both Texas and Colorado. She now writes full time and lives in southern Ohio with her husband and two children. When not writing, Shelley volunteers at church, reads, and enjoys walking her miniature dachshund on her town's scenic bike trail.

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page

ABOUT THE BOOK

Everyone needs a safe place to call home

When her mother passes away, Ella's forced to auction off her family's farm. Her father died years ago, and she could never manage the fifty acres on her own. But after she moves to town, she can't deny the pain she feels watching the new owner, Loyal Weaver, repairing her family's old farmhouse—everything Ella had once dreamed of doing.

What Ella doesn't know is that Loyal secretly hopes she will occupy this house again...as his wife. He begins inviting her over, to ask her opinion on changes he wants to make. As their friendship blooms, Ella starts to wonder about Loyal's intentions, especially when her best friend, Dorothy, hints that Loyal is not who he seems. There's no way the golden boy of their close-knit Amish community could be interested in Ella, long the wallflower, hidden away caring for her ailing parents.

Should she trust the man she's always yearned for, or the friend who's always been by her side? When one of them threatens to disrupt the independence she's finally achieved, Ella is faced with a choice. She can protect her heart and keep things the way they've always been. Or she can come out of her shell, risk everything for the love she's always wanted, and finally have a place to call home.

If you would like to read an excerpt from The Protector, go HERE.

Branded

2011-06-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

What does evangelism look like in our consumer culture? What should it look like?

Gone are the days of flannel graphs in Sunday school. Evangelism has become a scary word to those who really aren't sure how to share their faith.

Tim Sinclair's book opened my eyes to obeying the 2000 year-old Great Commission in an era where 140 character tweets are becoming the norm in communication. I learned a lot about how to relate to those who don't know Christ, why some of them are hostile, and how to go about building the relationships with them.

Tim's marketing background includes helping such companies as McDonald's and Word Records. He also works as a radio personality on a top morning Christian show.

Instead of my usual summary, I'll let Tim tell you in his own words what the book is about. If you want to understand more about the last question, you'll just have to read the book. Here's my interview with him:

Why aren't old methods of evangelism working anymore? For the same reasons that many parenting, teaching, and marketing styles aren't working: we have shorter attention spans and more options than ever before. (Those two are likely connected by the way.) It used to be that simply sharing information with people was enough to lead them to Christ...but, today, it's more about application. People need to see how Jesus can impact their life right now just as much as they need to know how He can save them from hell when they die.

You equate evangelism with marketing. Why is it important to make that distinction in our culture? Most Christians have an extremely negative view of the word 'marketing', while most have an incredibly positive view of the word 'evangelism.' By definition, however, they're almost exactly the same thing. "Marketing" Jesus is simply showing and sharing him with the people in our spheres of influence. And, frankly, there is no other option. Those around us are getting a perception of Jesus one way or the other based on how we live our lives. The important question is, "What kind of perception are they getting?"

In your book, you say that our product (Jesus) isn't the problem. It's His marketing team. What would you like readers to take away from your book as far as market strategy changes go? In both marketing and evangelism, it's all about relationship. You and I have tremendous impact on the people who are in our natural spheres of influence: friends, co-workers, neighbors, family members, etc. Relationship allows others to know that we care about them as people, not as evangelism projects. The mass-marketing days are dying...primarily because you can't have a relationship with a t-shirt or a billboard or a bumper sticker.

You mention hypocrisy in your book as one of the obstacles blocking people from getting to Jesus. What ways can we stop being hypocrites and live authentic Christ-following lives? Christians and non-Christians have different definitions of the word 'hypocrisy.' Christians think it means "claiming perfection without achieving it." Non-Christians think it means "accepting grace without giving it." Followers of Jesus can never avoid being a hypocrite if we're intent on showing the world a "perfect" life. However, by living openly and honestly...by admitting our faults and flaws...we can show those around us how God is moving and working in our imperfect lives, and those stories are incredibly powerful. At the same time, we must be willing to extend grace to others just as freely and willingly as we are to accept it ourselves.

Did your friend Alan read the book yet? Did he share his thoughts on it with you? Alan got a pre-release copy of the book a few months ago and, knowing him, I'm sure he read through it with a fine-toothed comb. Maybe twice. However, I haven't gotten his definitive review yet. Perhaps he's waiting to surprise me with a glowing review on Amazon. :-)

Thanks, Tim, for writing such a needed and informative book!

Tuscaloosa Twister

2011-06-20T09:04:00.001-07:00

This is some of the destruction I witnessed on my trip to Tuscaloosa, AL last weekend.

Everywhere, tall metal towers were twisted up, laying on the ground. I haven't been through a tornado, so I cannot imagine how intense it might be, but standing in the aftermath, I was amazed at how much damage occurred.

The pictures can't do it justice...you really have to be there.

This was the saddest part of all for me, a playground in the midst of a rubble pile. A poignant symbol of all the children affected.

I'll be taking a blogging break later this week to head down and work with some of our Newport Nazarene friends, doing some disaster relief clean up. Our whole family is going, actually. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.

Friday Fitness: Week 4

2011-06-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

I'm developing an affinity for someone named Laura, whom I've never met and lives halfway around the world. Or at least, I presume she does, based on her lovely British accent.

Her voice is on my C25K program podcasts, which have spurred me on to finish my last four weeks. She captured my affection when I felt like quitting during the last interval when she said, "This is where you can really gain fitness by pushing yourself to the end when you're really exhausted."

I wanted to gain fitness, so I willed my concrete slab legs to keep moving, one foot in front of the other. Each week, the amount of running basically doubles from the week prior. I am now running for longer than I'm walking during each session. (Me!! Little miss "I hate to exercise.")

You, my loyal readers also spur me on, perhaps without even knowing it. Each encouraging word propels me one step closer to the finish line. Besides, I can't quit on you now, can I? You're all expecting me to complete the program and I can't let you down.

What about you? What challenges are you overcoming at the moment? Leave a comment and share what race (not necessarily physical) you're running.

Pompeii

2011-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

This is a page turner! If you love historical fiction, this is a great read.

But it's not your run of the mill historical novel. For example, I've never read a scene from the point of view of a volcano before, but it was a clever way to show the reader all of the geological brewing underground.

Definitely a winner, and perhaps it will become part of my world history curriculum for homeschooling next year.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Pompeii B&H Books (June 1, 2011) by T.L. Higley

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A fiction aficionado since grade school, T.L. Higley, author of Pompeii: City on Fire (B&H Publishing House, June 2011) started her first novel at the age of eight.

Now the author of nine historical fiction novels, including the popular Seven Wonders series, Higley isn’t just transporting readers: She’s transporting herself, too.

“My Iifelong interest in history and mythology has taken me to Italy, Greece, Egypt, Rome, Turkey, Jordan and Israel, where I’ve gotten to study those ancient cultures in rich detail,” says Higley. “It’s my desire to shine the light of the gospel into the cultures of the past, and I figure what better way to do that than to visit the cultures themselves?”

In addition to her accomplished novelist career, Higley is a business entrepreneur and a mother. In fact, for Pompeii, she brought her daughter along with her to Italy for the research trip.

“We gave it to her as a graduation present, not only because Italy is terrific, but because I believe in exposing children to global cultures,” says Higley, who became a student herself again this year. She’s now a graduate student at American Public University, earning her master’s degree in Ancient and Classical Studies.

When Higley isn’t traveling on research trips, writing her novels, or studying for class, she operates four online retail companies, including KoolStuff4Kids.com – a family-run business that began as a way for her oldest daughter to make some extra money for camp. Today, it is a go-to site for parents, children and teachers all over the country, looking for beads and other kid-friendly craft supplies.

Higley lives with her husband and her three other children (aforementioned daughter now in college) just outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Pompeii, a city that's many things to many people. For Cato, it's the perfect escape from a failed political career in Rome. A place to start again, become a winemaker. But when a corrupt politician wrongfully jails Cato's sister, he must oust the man from power to save her.

For Ariella, Pompeii is a means to an end. As a young Jew, she escaped the fall of Jerusalem only to endure slavery to a cruel Roman general. She ends up in Pompeii, disguised as a young man and sold into a gladiator troupe. Her anger fuels her to fight well, hoping to win the arena crowds and reveal her gender at the perfect time. Perhaps then she will win true freedom.

But evil creeps through the streets of Pompeii. Political corruption, religious persecution, and family peril threaten to destroy Ariella and Cato, who are thrown together in the battle to survive. As Vesuvius churns with deadly intent, the two must bridge their differences to save the lives of those they love, before the fiery ash buries Pompeii, leaving the city lost to the world.

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the Prologue of Pompeii, go HERE.

My Foolish Heart

2011-06-13T08:16:00.000-07:00

Back to Deep Haven! I love to visit there, with its quirky characters and small town charm. Her residents mean well, but sometimes it's hard for the new guy to fit in.

Caleb Knight wants to be the new coach of the high school football team. The people of New Haven don't think of football as any old game; they eat, breathe, and live football. They're not sure if Caleb can do the job. He rarely gets on the field to demonstrate technique, and he keeps to himself a lot.

Besides, why do they need him when the star of the team from the glory days was back in town?

Not to mention, Issy, his neighbor, is put out with him for parking on her grass. What's more, the dog that hangs around his porch has destroyed many of her prize garden plants, and her back door.

As always, Susan May Warren weaves heartbreaking truths into stories so real you start to feel like the characters are friends by the end. At just the right moments, the most comical thing will happen, causing laughter through tears. New Haven is so inviting, I feel like I could go live there. Plots get complex when painful elements of the past emerge. Issy and Caleb must help their friends through tough times while they are healing their own hurts.

I couldn't put this book down. I've read all the other New Haven stories, with the same characters, but this is a look at New Haven from a newcomer's eyes. Risking love and forgiving past hurts are the themes of this book about renewed hope.

Fitness Friday: C25K week 3

2011-06-11T03:18:00.000-07:00

I did it! Week three is officially in the books.

After yesterday's run, I threw my bags in the car and drove down to Tuscaloosa, which is still reeling from heavy losses after the tornado, for a writers conference. The church where it's held is also hosting Samaritan's Purse, a disaster relief organization. In two weeks, I'll be back here for some disaster relief work of my own.

Tuscaloosa is one of the reasons I'm doing Couch to 5K. I want to be able to go wherever and whenever to help people in need, but storm clean up is back-breaking labor. To be more effective, I want to be in the healthiest condition possible. This is no easy feat for someone who has told herself all her life she hates to exercise.

I'm learning to run. But more importantly, I'm learning to discipline myself. I recently read a definition of self-discipline in Andy Andrews' wonderful book, The Final Summit. To paraphrase, it goes something like this: doing something you don't want to do to get something you want.

And now, a word from a founding father

2011-06-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

"The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God." ~John Adams

Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Mariah!

2011-06-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

Now you can legally have...

Tabasco Sauce!

Old School Readers

2011-06-07T15:15:00.000-07:00

Can I remain old school and only read printed books for the rest of my life? The whole world is going digital. I love the feel of the pages pressed between my fingers, love the smell of the binding and the look of the glossy covers. I love being able to clutch a book as I drift off to sleep, knowing my husband will come along and put the bookmark in my place before he clicks off the lamp. My fondest childhood memories are reading aloud to my dad before bed, and ripping open the package of my latest book-of-the-month club arrival just come in the mail. (Danny the Dinosaur, anyone?)

But there are gadgets and gizmos out there, being invented for those high-techies that love them. I admit, I covet an iPhone and have for a long time. But, I still love my books printed Gutenberg-style, thank you very much!

For those navigating the publishing maze, our cheese has been moved. Publishing has become more and more digitized, and if we're to make an influence as word smiths, we have to learn new ways of marketing our work. We have to put it out where readers will buy it. Who am I to stand in the way of progress?

As for me, I'm still going to hoard my personal library. When my great-grandkids come to my house, we'll sit in the rocking chair together and read real books, like Sammy the Seal and Moe Q. McGlutch, He Smoked Too Much.

One of my favorite treasures is The Riverside Sixth Reader, published in 1912, given to me by my great-grandma, for whom I was named. I must have been in the sixth grade at the time. I have no idea how it survived so many moves and life changes, but I cherish it. No way could a Kindle edition compare!

What's your personal preference? Printed page, or digital gizmo?

Keep Reaching!

2011-06-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
~Harriet Tubman

I'm off to another writers conference this weekend. After twenty years of sweat and labor, I'll be an overnight success!

Are you reaching for your dreams today?

Fitness Friday: C25K week 2

2011-06-04T06:05:00.000-07:00

Whew! I did it! I completed the second week. It was 90 seconds of running with two minute walk intervals.

Here's what I learned this week:

Nutrition is important. When I eat healthy whole grains, lean proteins, and fruits & veggies, I feel way better than I do on days I eat processed foods. (You're thinking, "duh!" right?) Maybe it's more that I became motivated rather than learned this.

Temperature matters. The hotter it is, the less stamina I seem to have. Even inside the rec center, on days I wear shorts, I don't tire nearly as quickly as when I wear long pants. Maybe I haven't acclimated to the South's climate as much as I thought I had.

Good shoes are crucial. Even though I've been walking for quite some time, running uses a whole new set of muscles. My new(ish) pair of Nikes probably isn't going to cut it long-term. I need to get back to the Asics gel running shoes for optimum comfort. (Is that a nice way to complain that my feet were killing me after today's run?)

Have you ever tried Couch to 5K? Did you get all the way through the program?
Comment with your thoughts!

Gonna leave a mark

2011-06-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

"Ouch!" Yep, that's what I said when log I was carrying slipped and rammed into my leg. (I was thinking a few other things, but I did not say them out loud.) Thankfully, I was wearing boots or I might have been sporting a few bruises on my foot too. We were fortunate to get by without any serious injuries on our work trip to Alabama.

It's getting better, day by day. It doesn't hurt anymore, except when you touch it.

It's also getting hot outside--in the upper 90's and not gonna cool off anytime soon. So, I wore shorts to the bank yesterday. In Spring Hill. A town where you don't get through the grocery checkout line without telling your life story.

So, naturally, the bank teller asked me what happened. My tale quickly segued into all the amazing things that happened this weekend. The teller, a sweet girl, was in tears at some of the stories about the beautiful people of Cullman Co. Alabama and the tornado that ripped through their community.

As I left, I joked that I might be telling my story a few more times, on all the errands I needed to run.

She said, "Definitely. Wear those shorts all summer!"

We all leave marks wherever we go. I left a positive mark on the bank teller by sharing stories of restoration. I left a positive mark on my youngest daughter by working through some challenging pre-algebra problems with her in a patient way. (She responded by saying, "This math is turning out to be fun!")

You know where I'm going with this. I'm not so eager to point out where I left the negative marks. A careless word, a disdainful look, a terse reply. Every action leaves a mark, whether good or bad.

Grace erases the bad marks; I serve a loving God who forgives. He also uses the bad marks, like my bruise, to inspire good marks, like my story. Best of all, when I'm abiding in Him, I want to go leave more and more good marks all over the place.

What was once dead

2011-06-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

Meet Saunty, Katie's moth. For months she slept in a cocoon in our garage. She started out as a black and white striped caterpillar and soon built for herself a brown sleeping bag. It turned into a brown hard-as-a-rock mass and I was sure she'd died.

Katie wasn't sure. She maintained for months that Saunty would emerge with wings any day now. So, I banished the jar to the garage. You could literally shake it and the cocoon would bounce off the walls.

When my husband and I were cleaning out the garage, he wanted to throw her away.

"It's dead. Let's just get rid of this," he said, holding the jar.

I agreed, but I was too chicken to face Katie after throwing away her beloved pet. It was better to let her come to the realization herself.

"Let's just keep it until spring. After she forgets about it, we'll toss it."

So, Saunty slept for a few more months.

On the first beautiful day of the year, I heard our doorbell. When I answered the door, there stood Katie all giggles and smiles. With a white moth perched on her finger.

"What's this?"

"Saunty!"

"Nuh huh, you found that outside!"

"Yes, it is! I can prove it!" She jetted for the garage and brought back the jar to show me.

The cocoon was still a hard brown mass. With a hole in the end of it.

"You found her flying around the jar?"

Katie nodded vigorously. "Isn't she beautiful, Mama?"

Indeed she was. But not as gorgeous as Katie's joyous face.

And to think I almost threw it out. This life that brought so much joy to my Katie.

So many times I have counted things dead. Relationships. Opportunities. My writing career. My walk with God.

Too many times I have seen what I thought was dead come to life...renewed relationships, meetings with editors, long-forgotten stories published at just the right time. God's hand stretched out to mine, a scared 27-year-old single mother, when I thought He was too angry with me to ever forgive.

Shows you how much I know about moths. Shows you how much I knew about God. (I still know very little, but I know Him more all the time).

I have no idea what a moth's lifespan is. Saunty was last seen in the tree of our backyard right before dinner that night. Katie uncharacteristically wolfed her food down and rushed outside. When she came back in awhile later, I asked her how Saunty was.

With a bittersweet smile, she said, "Saunty flew away."

I hugged her and said, "Well, she's got to find a husband and start her family."

Wherever she is, Saunty will always be alive and well in my mind--as a reminder to not lose hope in things I now consider dead. After all, God's in the business of bringing dead things to life.

Darkness Follows

2011-05-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

If you're a suspense novel connoisseur like me, you're going to love Mike Dellosso's new book, Darkness Follows. If you also happen to be a Civil War buff, then you get double for your money.

Sam Travis is a fascinating character. The story reveals parts of his past as he moves through his present, bit by bit. Just enough to keep the reader dying to know what happens in both time periods. Sam, a man going insane, must reconcile his past to his present in order to save his future.

It's a well-written page turner. Just don't read it alone at night.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Darkness Follows Realms (May 3, 2011)

by Mike Dellosso

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Mike now lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Jen, and their three daughters. He writes a monthly column for Writer . . .Interrupted, was a newspaper correspondent/columnist for over three years, has published several articles for The Candle of Prayer inspirational booklets, and has edited and contributed to numerous Christian-themed Web sites and e-newsletters. Mike is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, the Relief Writer's Network, the International Christian Writers, and International Thriller Writers. His short stories have appeared with Amazon Shorts and in Coach's Midnight Diner genre anthology. He received his BA degree in sports exercise and medicine from Messiah College and his MBS degree in theology from Master's Graduate School of Divinity.

Mike Dellosso writes novels of suspense for both the mind and the soul. He writes to both entertain and challenge. In addition to his novels, Mike is also an adjunct professor at Lancaster Bible College and a faculty member at the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writer's Conference.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sam Travis lives in a Civil War era farmhouse in Gettysburg, PA, where he awakens one morning to find an old journal with an entry by a Union soldier, Lt. Whiting…written in Sam’s own handwriting. When this happens several more times, both at night and during waking “trances,” Sam begins to question his own sanity while becoming obsessed with Lt. Whiting and his bone-chilling journal entries. As the entries begin to mimic Sam’s own life, he is drawn into an evil plot that could cost many lives, including his own.

Can the unconditional love of Sam's daughter, Eva, break through his hardened heart before a killer on the loose catches up with them and Sam’s past spurs him to do the unthinkable?

If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of Darkness Follows, go HERE

Watch the book video:

And the walls blew down

2011-05-30T06:32:00.000-07:00

I took this Saturday morning, driving in downtown Cullman, AL. I'd seen tornado pictures before, but nothing prepares you for seeing the devastation in person.
I heard from many different residents of the county: "It's really great that you're here to do the work. But what means most to us is that you care." Big, tough, chainsaw-wielding men said this to us in tears.
Ironic, isn't it? Even the insurance companies needed insurance.
This was one of several towers twisted down to the ground in the tornado's path through downtown Cullman. It damaged churches, the courthouse, and lots of houses. You can see all the damaged windows boarded up in the pictures.
Here's part of our group. About 25 of us from Tennessee traveled down to help a retired couple, Mr. and Mrs. Thrasher.
These wonderful people had a gorgeous place with big, old trees and a pond. Thirty-two of their 40 trees toppled during the storms. They were fortunate because they only had minimal damage to their home. This tree had fallen on their neighbor's shed.
I can't say that I've ever worked with a greater group of people. Four guys with chainsaws cut off branches and sawed the logs into firewood-sized pieces. The rest of us hauled and stacked and raked and pulled and loaded and unloaded it.

It was hot. I had blisters and bruises. I could barely keep my eyes open on the drive home. I want to do it again.
The lady in the red shirt is Mrs. Thrasher. I wish I had been able to catch Mr. Thrasher. Sweetest people you could ever meet. Retired band teachers and master gardeners. I hope I get to spend time with them again.

The man on the log, surrounded by children, calls himself Cowboy. He was a professional rodeo rider before he became an independent missionary. Now he works with local Alabama and international folks (like Haiti). He coordinated our work day and labored in the hot sun with the rest of us.

He's a great storyteller. The day the tornado came through, he'd been working outside and had just sat down in front of the news. He saw the tornado heading straight for his neighborhood on a web cam and sent his wife and kids down to the basement. Outside, his neighbors were standing around unaware. He called to them to find cover and 20 people crammed into his basement, praying and watching the same debris swirl around his basement window several times. His house was one of the few left standing in their neighborhood. One young man prayed for Christ's forgiveness and salvation afterward.

The tornado destroyed a lot of things that day. "But," Cowboy said, "It also blew down some walls between us and the people we've been trying to minister to since we got here."

Fitness Friday: C25K

2011-05-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

This week I started week 1 of Couch to 5K. The first two days I was crazy and chose the afternoon (heat of the day, high 80's) to do it.

I took Twix, my Boston Terrier, out for his morning walk as usual, but he still sat expectantly, cocking his head and looking at me with irresistible brown eyes when I sneakered up and slipped out the front door.

"Not this time, buddy," I said. It was just me, my iPod, and 50 million cicadas.

After coming home drenched in sweat the second day (Wednesday), I decided to run in the morning today. It figures that it's now past noon and the temperature is no more than 65. Anyway, today was much easier than the other two.

In my story, "Diving In," published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Shaping the New You, described me as an athlete in a couch potato's body. While I do exercise (walking, swimming, light weights) three or four times a week, I am at a very beginning level for running.

Inspiration for this came during Jeff Struecker's keynote at the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. When I posted my tongue-in-cheek desire to reenter the Air Force a few weeks ago, I really meant to say that I want to be fit to fight. Whatever battles may come, be they spiritual or literal, I want to be mentally and physically prepared. Becoming fit and trim is a big part of that.

Couch to 5K is supposed to be a nine week program, but I won't complain if it takes me longer. If ever I do not finish the prescribed running/walking times, I'll just repeat that week. However long it takes me, it's okay--as long as I don't give up.

One week down, and at least nine more to go. I am determined. Especially now that I've put it out on the blogosphere for the world to read.

We've come a long way, baby!

2011-05-26T06:30:00.001-07:00

I remember these days...Bug's Life was on our VHS player daily. (Katie's preschool favorite) Mariah was attending first grade at a Salem, OR public school. I was attending my second year at Chemeketa.

We were too poor to pay attention. Exhausted, broke, and war-scarred...I spent many nights asking God for a way out. But I also spent many nights thanking God for these two precious ones. I hadn't lost everything. In fact, I had everything I needed at the time.

I just didn't know it then. I thought I was an inadequate provider, an inadequate mother, and a very inadequate Christian.

Know what? I still am.

Thankfully, God is adequate. He fills the spaces we can't fill. Where I fail, His mercy covers. Where I'm weak, He's strong.

Looking at these two happy, sweet faces, I realize that He was there, filling us up the whole time.

Just like He does now.

Inspiration Wednesday

2011-05-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

"Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it…that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear” ~Dale Carnegie

Ever get a message from many different sources? I read this quote this morning and immediately connected it with the messages I heard at BRMCWC. The theme was "write with courage." During my quiet time, I'm reading about Nehemiah building a wall, despite heavy opposition. I'm starting to see a trend here.

If only I had a few hundred thousand extra bucks!

2011-05-24T07:03:00.000-07:00

Then I could buy Jane Austen's unfinished manuscript.

Up on the Mountain

2011-05-23T07:42:00.000-07:00

Sit and rest a spell, as they say. And who wouldn't, with all these rocking chairs and such a gorgeous view?

A cell phone company tried unsuccessfully for a long time to get permission to build a tower on the mountain behind Ridgecrest. Lifeway tried unsuccessfully for a long time to get funding for a cross for the hill behind Ridgecrest. Put 'em together, and what have you got? A cross-shaped cell phone tower. And Lifeway earned money instead of spending it.

This is what the mountains in front of the motel look like before everyone else gets up. Couldn't for the life of me figure out how everyone else could be sleeping instead of enjoying this. Rocking chair, Bible, this view...sounds a little like Heaven.

I participated in a super-intense Nonfiction Practicum.Here's me with some of the other students and Eva Marie Everson, our teacher (far left).

I had the honor of meeting this delightful lady, Louise Looney. Everyone should be so lucky! She and my Great-Grandma Rubye could have been close friends.

This is where I stayed. Comfortable rooms, friendly staff, wonderful food, and spectacular views. I can't wait to get back there next year! Thanks again to all my writing cheerleaders/prayer warriors—none of it would have been possible without you. Now, let's see what God will do!

Over the Edge

2011-05-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Want a can't-put-it-down-until-it's-done book? This is the one! I know I say that with every Brandilyn Collins book, but she never lets her writing stay in the status quo. With every story, you can see her commitment to improving her craft shine through. This book is her best yet, and her passion flows through every line. If you're a suspense lover, definitely read this book. Be warned, though—don't even open the front cover unless you have a huge block of time to finish the book.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Over the Edge B&H Books (May 1, 2011) by Brandilyn Collins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Brandilyn Collins is an award-winning and best-selling novelist known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. These harrowing crime thrillers have earned her the tagline "Don't forget to b r e a t h e..."® Brandilyn's first book, A Question of Innocence, was a true crime published by Avon in 1995. Its promotion landed her on local and national TV and radio, including the Phil Donahue and Leeza talk shows. Brandilyn is also known for her distinctive book on fiction-writing techniques, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors (John Wiley & Sons). She is now working on her 20th book.

In addition, Brandilyn’s other latest release is Final Touch, third in The Rayne Tour series—young adult suspense co-written with her daughter, Amberly. The Rayne Tour series features Shaley O’Connor, daughter of a rock star, who just may have it all—until murder crashes her world.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Torn from the front lines of medical debate and the author's own experience with Lyme Disease, Over the Edge is riveting fiction, full of twists and turns—and powerful truths about today's medical field.

Janessa McNeil’s husband, Dr. Brock McNeil, a researcher and professor at Stanford University's Department of Medicine, specializes in tick-borne diseases—especially Lyme. For years he has insisted that Chronic Lyme Disease doesn't exist. Even as patients across the country are getting sicker, the committee Brock chairs is about to announce its latest findings—which will further seal the door shut for Lyme treatment.

One embittered man sets out to prove Dr. McNeil wrong by giving him a close-up view of the very disease he denies. The man infects Janessa with Lyme, then states his demand: convince her husband to publicly reverse his stand on Lyme—or their young daughter will be next.

But Janessa's marriage is already rocky. She's so sick she can hardly move or think. And her husband denies she has Lyme at all.

Welcome to the Lyme wars, Janessa.

“A taut, heartbreaking thriller. Collins is a fine writer who knows how to both horrify readers and keep them turning pages.”

--Publishers Weekly

“Tense and dramatic. Holds its tension while following the protagonist in a withering battle.” –NY Journal of Books

“A frightening and all-too-real scenario. Very timely and meaningful book.” –RT Reviews

“If you know someone who suffers from Lyme, you need to read this compelling novel.” –Lydia Niederwerfer, founder of Lyme-Aware

If you would like to read the Prologue of Over the Edge, go HERE

Watch the book video:

BRMCWC, Day 2

2011-05-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

Jeff Strueker, our wonderful keynoter today, said, "Unless you live courageously, you'll never write courageously." That quote has stuck in my head all day long. If you ever get a chance to listen to him speak, jump on it!

I started early. It was still dark when I hiked my way up the mountain to the prayer garden and for a beautiful walk. I saw the sun top the Blue Ridge Mountains and it took my breath away.

Then, a day of networking, learning, networking, appts. with editors, and more networking. I have met so many wonderful people here. You'd think this was a "super nice friendly person" conference! I'm excited about the contacts I'm making and the prospect of selling an article or two.

Our class with Eva Marie Everson was delightful. She is a wealth of information and imparts it with such charm. We sit soaking it in like sponges.

I also got to hear a wonderful keynote by Vonda Skelton, a delightful little lady. She is a hoot. And the annual faculty "talent" show was...well, I'm wordless. And I thought I was silly! Bless their hearts.

God's hand is on this place. It's beautiful and peaceful here. Many a saint before me has prayed here, and I'm blessed to be among them. More tomorrow!

Day one, Blue Ridge Mountain Christian writers conference

2011-05-09T20:09:00.000-07:00

After saving for two years, stuffing all of my writing earnings into a drawer, I had finally arrived! I made it to Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference, so excited to check in. I was standing in line, with my Dave Ramsey envelope full of cash, and talking to a very nice lady named Peggy. Then it all came crashing down.

First, I felt weak in the knees, then I was lightheaded. All of a sudden I got that feeling right before you faint--you know, the one where you realize you either need to lay down or fall down. Squatting in line didn't help. Somehow I made it to a bench and lay down. I vaguely remember thinking I should be embarrassed by the smiles of pity I received, but I was too busy hoping I wouldn't pass out. Now that I think about it, it's the most humiliating thing that's happened to me in a long time. Deb Raney was standing in the lobby, for goodness' sake!

After a couple tries of standing in line, a nice man named Bruce took pity and let me get off the bench and go directly in front of him so I could get to my room. After a brief rest, he happened to catch me on my trek back up the hill and offered to help bring my luggage. What an angel! I'm truly indebted to him and so grateful. Actually, everyone here is super nice.

Laying on that bench, I could only pray. I don't even remember the words I said, but I do remember being quite humble. God brought me through, though, like He always does. I know I have a team of prayer warriors (my writing cheerleaders!) who are praying for me this week. One big one answered, thank you!

From the depths of despair, within a couple hours I was launched to seventh heaven--the praise and worship portion of our meeting was so amazing! Such a sweet spirit about this place, and it was extra evident with a choir of 300 writers singing.

Then, there was the speaker. My, oh, my! That reminds me, I'm considering rejoining the Air Force. But, I'm jumping ahead of myself...more on the message tomorrow.

Beside Still Waters

2011-04-19T08:24:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of meeting Tricia Goyer earlier this month at the Memphis homeschool conference. She had some great wisdom to share about parenting, schooling, and writing. I've used several of her books as "school" already. Life Unscripted is a must read for every teen girl. Her WWII novels are delightful stories and well researched--what a great way to learn "how it was back then." (And all the while they don't know it's "school" ha!)

Tricia's latest novel, Beside Still Waters, is her first Amish novel. Being a devout Beverly Lewis fan, I was intrigued. It is every bit as good as Tricia's other historical novels, and unlike any other Amish novel I've read before. Instead of focusing on a particular community, the story centers around a family that uproots their lives to go live in a different state.

Click here to see the book trailer.

Tricia's ability to connect with people, like WWII vets or Amish, is what makes her stories so lively. Beside Still Waters was inspired by a real Amish couple who had moved away from their community.

I highly recommend this book to all lovers of Christian historical fiction.

Lazarus Awakening

2011-04-07T02:24:00.000-07:00

Joanna Weaver’s Lazarus Awakening is the third in her series about Jesus’ relationship with the three siblings from Bethany. Weaver brings truths about our relationship with Jesus to light, based on what we learn about Lazarus’ life and interactions with Jesus.

She reminds us that the Bible doesn’t record a word that Lazarus spoke. (And who doesn’t want to know what he said after he emerged from the tomb? I can’t wait to ask him in Heaven someday!) Yet, he is described as the one Jesus loves. When Jesus heard of his death, He wept.

In a wonderful illustration about Christ’s love for us, she talks about a yardstick used to measure worthiness. Jesus took that yardstick, broke it in half, and shaped it into a cross. Now I have a mental picture reminding me that we don’t have to live up to religious standards; we can look to the cross as our standard.

Weaver spells out how we can step out of our own tombs and live the abundant life that God has for us. She talks about the art of waiting, unwinding our grave clothes, and living the resurrected life. Appendixes include a study guide, a list of resources to go deeper on the subjects she mentions, a list of Bible verses detailing who we are in Christ, tips for identifying strongholds, and hints for unwinding grave clothes.

Many other Bible stories are woven throughout the story of Lazarus and Weaver’s insights. She ties in the Good Samaritan, the man possessed by a legion of demons, and others to demonstrate Christ’s love and goodness.

If you or someone you know doubts God’s love for them or His goodness, then you must read this book. Weaver’s detailed research and prayerful teaching in this book make it a highly valuable resource for those who want to have the glorious spirit-filled life God intends for His people.

Vicious Cycle

2011-03-23T10:31:00.000-07:00

Terri Blackstock does it again! Vicious Cycle is another one of her page-turning, engrossing stories. I highly recommend it for Christian suspense fans.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Vicious Cycle Zondervan (February 22, 2011) by Terri Blackstock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers’ online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope. Vicious Cycle, Book Two of the Intervention Series, releases February 22, 2011. She’s currently working on Book Three.

Other recent books include a stand-alone novel called Double Minds, as well as Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light (from her acclaimed Restoration Series). She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 Series and Cape Refuge Series. Terri makes her home in Mississippi, where she and her husband Ken are enjoying their empty nest after raising three children.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she's the newborn daughter of a meth addict he's been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.

His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan---the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.

In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Vicious Cycle, go HERE.

Watch the Book Video:

In The Shadow of Evil

2011-03-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Suspense lovers will definitely love this book--it's a page turner from the first chapter. All of the characters are well developed and the spiritual message, though subtle, rings through loud and clear.

Here's the media release:

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing In The Shadow of Evil B&H Books (March 1, 2011) by Robin Carroll

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born and raised in Louisiana, Robin Caroll is a southerner through and through. Her passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others. Robin’s mother, bless her heart, is a genealogist who instilled in Robin the deep love of family and pride of heritage—two aspects Robin weaves into each of her books. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends time with her husband of twenty years, her three beautiful daughters, one precious grandson, and their four character-filled pets at home—in the South, where else?

Robin gives back to the writing community by serving as Conference Director for ACFW. Her books have finaled/placed in such contests as RT Reviewer's Choice, Bookseller's Best, and Book of the Year. An avid reader herself, Robin loves hearing from and chatting with other readers. Although her favorite genre to read is mystery/suspense, of course, she’ll read just about any good story. Except historicals!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Informed by the real-life fallout of the U.S. economy plus devastation caused by multiple hurricanes along the southern coast, In the Shadow of Evil casts the modern day story of a building rebound scam exposed. It begins when the body of a property inspector is found among the ashes of a burnt out Homes of Hope house. Wrapped up in this mounting case of unethical practices, supply shortages, and murder, top Louisiana homicide detective Maddox Bishop is losing his heart to a charitable contractor, Layla Taylor, whose own sister is under suspicion. He’s also about to discover a deep secret about his tragic past.

If you would like to read the first chapter of In The Shadow of Evil, go HERE.

Watch the trailer:

Made to Crave

2011-01-29T10:13:00.000-08:00

Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst

Halfway through the first chapter of this book, I thought, “Has this woman crawled inside my head and written this book just for me?” It deals so plainly with an issue I’ve struggled with for years and have finally seen some victory in recent months. The issue I’m talking about is food.

As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, a speaker and author of 14 books, Terkeurst has had a lot of experience helping other women. But her experience with this topic comes directly from her heart. In Made to Crave: Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food, she shares how God convicted her of going to food for fulfillment instead of Him.

Her candor in treating this issue cuts straight to the heart of the reasons people overeat, and shares her journey into letting God be lord of her life, instead of the brownies and chips. By her example, she shows that it is possible to live as an overcomer. She no longer sees her struggle with weight as a curse, but as a means of growing closer to God. Losing the weight is only half the battle. Once at her goal weight, she realized that fitting into skinny jeans did not equate to instant happiness.

Our souls long to be filled; God created us that way so that we would crave Him. Sometimes we mistakenly go to other sources such as success, wealth, material goods, accolades or food to fill it when we need to be filled with God’s grace and love. In this book, Terkeurst shares how to have a fulfilling relationship with God and to keep food in its proper function. In short, she says, “You are supposed to consume the food. Food shouldn’t consume you.”

Full of practical and biblical advice, Made to Crave and the accompanying DVD Bible study set is sure to set you on a path to seeking God on a deeper level in 2011 than ever before. I highly recommend this book to anyone who struggles with food or eating issues.

Watch the book trailer here:

Nightingale

2010-12-01T06:25:00.000-08:00

Esther Lange is a scarlet woman. She is waiting for her fiancé to return from fighting in the war so she can marry him; and, finally, her daughter can meet her daddy. When she doesn’t hear from him for months, she fears the worst; and yet, she is oddly relieved. Perhaps their misguided passion before he shipped out wasn’t love at all.

When she receives a letter from a medic named Peter explaining how he cared for her fiancé through a long, cold night but that he couldn’t have possibly survived transport to the hospital, her fears are confirmed. She begins writing Peter and develops a connection with him that she can’t explain. He is like no other soldier she’s ever met, even though he seems to put a little too much faith in a God that wouldn’t give her a second thought. But Peter has a secret—one that could rip them apart.

So begins the trip back in time to war-time rationing, victory rolls, and big band swing. Esther’s love for her daughter and hope in the future depends on keeping her would-be in-laws from finding out their son is dead. She is sure they’d boot her out of their lives forever, and she doubts if she’ll be able to keep both her daughter and her job when they get the telegram. Even worse, she knows that God could never forgive a wayward woman like her.

Susan May Warren’s penchant for writing spiritually deep stories is evident in this book, capturing many layers of the grace of God. She drives home the point that one mistake doesn’t define us in God’s eyes. Through flawed characters, she demonstrates God’s yearning for a relationship with His creation, imperfect as we may be.

For historical fiction lovers, this book is a must-read. Nightingale surpasses the average war-torn romance scenario and broaches a subject most Christians shy away from. God’s mercy is a timeless theme, a thread that runs through the entire story, wrapping the characters in grace when they need it most. I highly recommend this book to anyone needing a reminder that God’s grace is bigger than all our imperfections.

While We're Far Apart

2010-10-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Another great read by Lynn Austin!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing While We're Far Apart Bethany House (October 1, 2010) by Lynn Austin

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published twelve novels. Five of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.

ABOUT THE BOOK

In an unassuming apartment building in Brooklyn, New York, three lives intersect as the reality of war invades each aspect of their lives. Young Esther is heartbroken when her father decides to enlist in the army shortly after the death of her mother.

Penny Goodrich has been in love with Eddie Shaffer for as long as she can remember; now that Eddie's wife is dead, Penny feels she has been given a second chance and offers to care for his children in the hope that he will finally notice her and marry her after the war.

And elderly Mr. Mendel, the landlord, waits for the war to end to hear what has happened to his son trapped in war-torn Hungary. But during the long, endless wait for victory overseas, life on the home front will go from bad to worse.

Yet these characters will find themselves growing and changing in ways they never expected--and ultimately discovering truths about God's love...even when He is silent.

If you would like to read the first chapter of While We're Far Apart, go HERE.

Mayan Apocalypse

2010-09-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Mayan Apocalypse Harvest House Publishers(September 1, 2010)

by Mark Hitchcock & Alton Gansky

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Mark Hitchcock is the author of more than 17 books related to end-time Bible prophecy, including the bestselling 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World. He earned a ThM and PhD from Dallas Theological Seminary and is the senior pastor of Faith Bible Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. He has worked as an adjunct professor at DTS and has served as a contributing editor for the Left Behind Prophecy Club for five years.

Alton Gansky is the author of 30 books—24 of them novels, including the Angel Award winner Terminal Justice and Christie Award finalist A Ship Possessed. A frequent speaker at writing conferences, he holds BA and MA degrees in biblical studies. Alton and his wife reside in Southern California.

ABOUT THE BOOK

On the heels of Mark Hitchcock’s prophecy bestseller 2012, the Bible, and the End of the World comes a suspenseful novel (coauthored with bestselling novelist Alton Gansky) about the supposed expiration date of planet earth—December 21, 2012.

Andrew Morgan is a wealthy oil executive in search of the meaning of life. In his quest for answers he encounters the ancient Mayan predictions that the world will end in 2012. That the claims seem supported by math and astronomy drives him to check on them. Then he meets Lisa Campbell, an attractive Christian journalist also researching the Mayan calendar. When he learns that she is a Christian, he quickly dismisses what she has to say.

As the time draws closer to December 21, 2012, a meteorite impact in Arizona, a volcanic eruption, and the threat of an asteroid on a collision-course with earth escalate fears. Are these indicators of a global apocalypse? Will anyone survive? Does Lisa’s Christian faith have the answers after all? Or has fate destined everyone to a holocaust from which there is no escape?

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Mayan Apocalypse, go HERE.

Judgement Day

2010-09-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Judgment Day WaterBrook Press (September 21, 2010)

by Wanda Dyson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Wanda Dyson – "a shining example of what Christian fiction is becoming..." (Christian Fiction Review). She's been called a "natural" and a "master of pacing," but her fans know that whether it's police thrillers, suspense, or bringing a true story to life, Wanda knows how to take her readers on a journey they'll never forget.

Wanda is a multipublished suspense author, currently writing for Random House/Waterbrook. Her one attempt at a nonfiction book was picked for an exclusive release on Oprah. In addition to writing full time, she is also the appointment coordinator for the CCWC, Great Philadelphia Christian Writers, and ACFW conferences.

Wanda lives in Western Maryland on a 125 acre farm with a menagerie of animals and when she's not writing critically acclaimed suspense, or away at conferences, you can find her zipping across the fields on a 4-wheeler with Maya, her German Shepherd, or plodding along at a more leisurely pace on her horse, Nanza.

With the release of her newest hit, Judgment Day, Wanda is heading back to the keyboard to start on her next high-octane thriller, The Vigilante.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sensational journalism has never been so deadly.

The weekly cable news show Judgment Day with Suzanne Kidwell promises to expose businessmen, religious leaders, and politicians for the lies they tell. Suzanne positions herself as a champion of ethics and morality with a backbone of steel—until a revelation of her shoddy investigation tactics and creative fact embellishing put her in hot water with her employers, putting her credibility in question and threatening her professional ambitions.

Bitter and angry, Suzanne returns home one day to find an entrepreneur she is investigating, John Edward Sterling, unconscious on her living room floor. Before the night is over, Sterling is dead, she has his blood on her hands, and the police are arresting her for murder. She needs help to prove her innocence, but her only hope, private investigator Marcus Crisp, is also her ex-fiancé–the man she betrayed in college.

Marcus and his partner Alexandria Fisher-Hawthorne reluctantly agree to take the case, but they won’t cut Suzanne any slack. Exposing her lack of ethics and the lives she’s destroyed in her fight for ratings does little to make them think Suzanne is innocent. But as Marcus digs into the mire of secrets surrounding her enemies, he unveils an alliance well-worth killing for. Now all he has to do is keep Suzanne and Alex alive long enough to prove it.

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of Judgment Day, go HERE.

In Every Heartbeat

2010-09-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

In Every Heartbeat Bethany House (September 1, 2010)

by Kim Vogel Sawyer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kim Vogel Sawyer is the author of fifteen novels, including several CBA and ECPA bestsellers. Her books have won the ACFW Book of the Year Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, and the Inspirational Readers Choice Award. Kim is active in her church, where she leads women's fellowship and participates in both voice and bell choirs. In her spare time, she enjoys drama, quilting, and calligraphy. Kim and her husband, Don, reside in central Kansas, and have three daughters and six grandchildren.

ABOUT THE BOOK

As three friends who grew up in the same orphanage head off to college together, they each harbor a cherished dream.

Libby Conley hopes to become a famous journalist. Pete Leidig believes God has called him to study to become a minister. And Bennett Martin plans to pledge a fraternity, find a place to belong, and have as much fun as possible.

But as tensions rise around the world on the brink of World War I, the friends' differing aspirations and opinions begin to divide them, as well. And when Libby makes a shocking discovery about Pete's family, will it drive a final wedge between the friends or bond them in ways they never anticipated?

If you would like to read the first chapter of In Every Heartbeat, go HERE.

Immanuel's Vein

2010-09-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ted Dekker's newest novel treats the subject of sacrificial love. Essentially, Immanuel's Vein asks the question, "What is sacrificial love?" As I contemplated the meaning of sacrificial love, I reflected on how much has been sacrificed for me, so that I can be free from various prisons. Ultimately, Christ willingly gave up everything to redeem me, a sinner who could do nothing in return. That is sacrificial love.

Ted Dekker's imagination is one of the most unique I've ever encountered. I never know what I'm going to run into in one of his story worlds. If you're looking for something different, something thought-provoking, then this novel is for you. It's a classic good vs. evil tale, but with a surprising victory at the end. If you're into speculative fiction, this is a must read.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Immanuel's Veins Thomas Nelson (September 7, 2010)

by Ted Dekker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ted Dekker is a New York Times best-selling author of more than twenty novels. He is best known for stories which could be broadly described as suspense thrillers with major twists and unforgettable characters, though he has also made a name for himself among fantasy fans.

Early in his career he wrote a number of spiritual thrillers and his novels were lumped in with ‘Christian Fiction’ a surprisingly large category. His later novels are a mix of mainstream novels such as Adam, Thr3e, Skin, Obsessed and BoneMan’s Daughters, and fantasy thrillers that metaphorically explore faith. Best known among these is his Circle Series: Green, Black, Red, White and The Paradise Books: Showdown, Saint, and Sinner.

Dekker was born to missionaries who lived among the headhunter tribes of Indonesia. Because his parents’ work often included extended periods of time away from their children, Dekker describes his early life in a culture to which he was a stranger as both fascinating and lonely. It is this unique upbringing that forced him to rely on his own imagination to create a world in which he belonged.

After leaving Indonesia, Dekker graduated from a multi-cultural high school and took up permanent residence in the United States to study philosophy and religion. Upon earning his Bachelor’s Degree, he entered the corporate world and proceeded to climb the proverbial ladder. But his personal drive left him restless and, after many successful years, he traded corporate life for wide range of entrepreneurial pursuits that included buying and selling businesses, healthcare services, and marketing.

In the early nineties while visiting a friend who had just written a book, Dekker decided to pursue a long held desire to be a novelist. Over the course of two years he wrote two full length novels before starting from scratch and rewriting both. Now fully enamored by the the process and the stories, he realized that storytelling was in his blood and a new obsession to explore truth through story gripped him anew.

He sold his business, moved his family to the mountains of Western Colorado and began writing full-time on his third novel. Two years and three novels later his first novel, Heaven’s Wager, was published.

Now, Dekker’s novels had sold over 3.4 million copies worldwide. Two of his novels, Thr3e and House, have been made into movies with more in production. Dekker resides in Austin, Texas with his wife Lee Ann and two of their daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK

This story is for everyone--but not everyone is for this story.

It is a dangerous tale of times past. A torrid love story full of deep seduction. A story of terrible longing and bold sacrifice.

Then as now, evil begins its courtship cloaked in light. And the heart embraces what it should flee. Forgetting it once had a truer lover.

With a kiss, evil will ravage body, soul, and mind. Yet there remains hope, because the heart knows no bounds.

Love will prove greater than lust. Sacrifice will overcome seduction. And blood will flow.

Because the battle for the heart is always violently opposed. For those desperate to drink deep from this fountain of life, enter.

But remember, not everyone is for this story.

If you'd like to read the first chapter of Immanuel's Veins, go HERE.

Watch the book trailer:

The Thorn

2010-09-08T05:33:00.000-07:00

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Thorn Bethany House (September 7, 2010)

by Beverly Lewis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Not until her own children were well into middle school did Bev seek to publish her work, first in magazines such as Highlights for Children, Dolphin Log, and Guideposts for Kids. Her first book followed in 1993—Mountain Bikes and Garbanzo Beans—presently retitled Big Bad Beans (book #22 in the popular CUL-DE-SAC KIDS series of chapter books—see list of Bev's children's books).

Beverly's first venture into adult fiction is the best-selling trilogy, THE HERITAGE OF LANCASTER COUNTY, including The Shunning, a suspenseful saga of Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman drawn to the modern world by secrets from her past. The book is loosely based on the author's maternal grandmother, Ada Ranck Buchwalter, who left her Old Order Mennonite upbringing to marry a Bible College student. One Amish-country newspaper claimed Beverly's work to be "a primer on Lancaster County folklore" and offers "an insider's view of Amish life."

Booksellers across the country, and around the world, have spread the word of Bev's tender tales of Plain country life. A clerk in a Virginia bookstore wrote, "Beverly's books have a compelling freshness and spark. You just don't run across writing like that every day. I hope she'll keep writing stories about the Plain people for a long, long time."

A member of the National League of American Pen Women, as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of Evangel University, Lewis has written over 80 books for children, youth, and adults, many of them award-winning. She and her husband, David, make their home in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking, biking, and playing with their three grandchildren. They are also avid musicians and fiction "book worms."

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lancaster County, with its rolling meadows and secret byways, may seem idyllic, but it is not without its thorns. THE ROSE TRILOGY is the stirring saga of two Amish sisters on the fringes of the church, and the unforeseen discoveries that change their lives.

Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good, Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings.

Meanwhile, Rose keeps house for an English widower but is startled when he forbids her to ever go upstairs. What is the man hiding? Rose's older sister, Hen, knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man. Unable to abandon her Amish ways, Hen is soon separated from her very modern husband.

Mattie, their young daughter, must visit her father regularly, but Hen demands she wear Amish attire--and speak Pennsylvania Dutch, despite her husband's wishes. Will Hen be able to reestablish her place among the People she abandoned? And will she be able to convince Rose to steer clear of rogue neighbor Nick?

Watch the book trailer:

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Thorn, go HERE.

Pearl in the Sand

2010-09-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered how Rahab, a prostitute, could possibly have ended up married to a leader of Judah and been in the line of Christ, this book is for you! Although a fictional account, Tessa Afshar does a fine job of making a plausible story. It's a beautiful portrayal of how God loves his people, despite how often they turned their backs on Him, and how He is no respecter of persons. Anyone who wants to be His--is!

Highly recommended, especially for those who like historical Christian fiction.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Pearl In The Sand Moody Publishers (September 1, 2010)

by Tessa Afshar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tessa Afshar was born in a nominally Muslim family in Iran and lived there for the first fourteen years of her life. She survived English boarding school for girls before moving to the United States permanently. Her conversion to Christianity in her mid-twenties changed the course of her life forever. Tessa holds an MDIV from Yale University where she served as co-Chair of the Evangelical Fellowship at the

Divinity School. She has spent the last twelve years in full and part-time Christian work and currently serves as the leader of Women’s and Prayer ministries at a church in Connecticut.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Can a Canaanite harlot who has made her livelihood by looking desirable to men make a fitting wife for one of the leaders of Israel? Shockingly, the Bible’s answer is yes. At the age of fifteen Rahab is forced into prostitution by her beloved father. In her years as a courtesan, she learns to mistrust men and hate herself. Into the emotional turmoil of her world walks Salmone, a respected leader of Judah. Through the tribulations of a stormy relationship, Rahab and Salmone learn the true

source of one another’s worth in God and find healing from fear and rejection.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Pearl In The Sand, go HERE

Watch the book video:

Licensed for Trouble

2010-08-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

PJ Sugar is back at it again, and this time she’s in even more trouble than ever. After being tossed out of her sister’s house, she’s taken up residence on Jeremy’s office couch. She’s come a long way since she braved facing her old hometown. Or has she?

After inheriting a mansion from an elderly widow, PJ Sugar embarks on her greatest adventure yet. It’s run down, ancient, and not at all functioning. Then again, it beats borrowing her boss’s couch, her residence since her sister booted her out.. As with most home improvement projects, once opened, it’s a can of worms--and not just in the construction sense.

PJ’s escapades land her in deep water, in every sense of the word. To her, everything is a mystery, and she needs to solve one on her own to get her PI license. Can a mysterious handyman, an ancient mansion with a box of mementos left behind, and the other two men in her life (Jeremy Kane, boss and possible romantic interest and Boone, police officer and high school flame) help her achieve it? Or will the whole situation be a recipe for disaster?. Sometimes a case has to be solved as only PJ Sugar can.

As always, Susan’s humor and suspense fuse with timeless truths that remind us God uses imperfect people to accomplish His perfect plan. PJ’s antics will have you smiling long after the book has been closed, but her honest introspection will have you thinking about your own inadequacies and endless value as God’s child.
Enter PJ Sugar's "Sweet" Giveaway

Licensed for Trouble, Susan's brand new PJ Sugar novel, is in stores now! To celebrate the release, we’re giving away a Kindle!! You can enter using Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail using the icons below.
One Grand Prize winner will receive a A SWEET Kindle prize package that includes:

A brand new Kindle (Free 3G, 6”, Latest Generation)

The entire PJ Sugar series by Susan May Warren

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest.

Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on September 2nd.

Be sure to check out the blog tour here or purchase a copy of Licensed for Trouble here!

Malacca Conspiracy

2010-08-16T05:57:00.000-07:00

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Malacca ConspiracyZondervan (June 4, 2010)

byDon Brown

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DON BROWN, a former U.S. Navy JAG Officer, is the author of Zondervan’s riveting NAVY JUSTICE SERIES. a dynamic storyline chronicling the life and adventures of JAG officer ZACK BREWER. In 2003, Don began writing Treason, his first novel in the NAVY JUSTICE SERIES.

Paying no homage to political correctness, DON BROWN’S writing style is described as “gripping,” casting an entertaining and educational spin on a wide-range of current issues, from radical Islamic infiltration of the military, to the explosive issue of gays in the military, to the modern day issues of presidential politics in the early 21st Century.

In November of 2009, four years after it was released, and in the wake of Fort Hood, TREASON rocketed to the top-selling in the nation on the Amazon.com bestseller list for fiction, and remained there for over a week. On Thanksgiving Day of 2009, all four of Don’s novels were ranked in the top 5 on the Amazon bestseller list for fiction!

DON BROWN graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1982, and after finishing law school, continued his post-graduate studies through the Naval War College, earning the Navy’s nonresident certificate in International Law.

ABOUT THE BOOK

A rogue Indonesian general and his army of terrorists attack oil tankers in the Strait of Malacca in order to profit from oil futures and buy nuclear weapons to establish an Islamic superpower.

Navy JAG officers Zack Brewer and Diane Colcernian race against the odds and a 24-hour deadline before nuclear attacks hit the United States. Departing from the sea of books barely better than soap opera romance and using the frantic pacing of suspense fiction, Brown glides flawlessly among global hotspots of terrorism--including the United States--and the book's principal settings in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

The President of the United States orders ships of the U.S. Seventh Fleet towards the Malacca Straits to reassert control over the sea lanes, but with time quickly ticking away, will they arrive in time for Zack and Diane to survive this dangerous and final high-stakes drama of life and death?

Nightshade

2010-07-28T02:55:00.000-07:00

I haven't even gotten a chance to crack this book yet, but I'll be sure to update this post with a review when I finish it.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Nightshade Barbour Books (July 1, 2010)by

Ronie Kendig

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ronie has been married since 1990 to a man who can easily be defined in classic terms as a hero. She has four beautiful children. Her eldest daughter is 16 this year, her second daughter will be 13, and her twin boys are 10. After having four children, she finally finished her degree in December 2006. She now has a B.S. in Psychology through Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Getting her degree is a huge triumph for both her and her family--they survived!!

This degree has also given her a fabulous perspective on her characters and how to not only make them deeper, stronger, but to make them realistic and know how they'll respond to each situation. Her debut novel, Dead Reckoning released March 2010 from Abingdon Press. And her Discarded Heroes series begins in July from Barbour with the first book entitled Nightshade.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After a tour of duty in a war-torn country, embattled former Navy SEAL Max Jacobs finds himself discarded and alienated from those he loves as he

struggles with war-related PTSD. His wife, Sydney, files a restraining order against him and a petition for divorce. Max is devastated.

Then a mysterious a man appears. He says he's organizing a group that recycles veterans like Max. It's a deep-six group known as Nightshade. With

the chance to find purpose in life once again, Max is unable to resist the call of duty and signs on.

The team handles everything with precision and lethal skill...until they're called upon to rescue a missionary family from a rebel-infested jungle and

avoid a reporter hunting their identities.

Will Max yield his anger and pride to a force greater than him...love?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Nightshade, go HERE.

Watch the trailer:

Stars in the Night

2010-07-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

This is the book I took with me on the plane, so it's ironic that the main character is afraid to fly! But then again, that was back in the Golden Age of Hollywood. People from Indiana didn't usually just take off and fly to Southern California.

As soon as I have access to a computer, I'll post photos and a description.

*Update: I'm back from vacation, where I had no opprtunity whatsoever to update my blog or facebook. Like I said, I took this book on the plane, and it was absolutely a perfect pick for a summer vacation read. I'd like to tell you I read it on the beach, but I finished it before we even made it to Newport :-)

I traveled with Audra Schaefer to Hollywood, then across the country in a train in 1942. It was a perfect combination of interesting characters and tense plot, but not too heavy for a lighthearted vacation novel. Being a theatre nut, I'm always amused by the drama behind the drama, and Cara's characters did not disappoint. I could certainly feel for Audra, whose job was to manage all of the performers on a nation-wide tour. I highly recommend this book, whether you've got a vacation scheduled or not.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Stars In The Night Summerside Press (July 1, 2010)

by Cara Putman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word From Cara:

I graduated from high school at sixteen, college at 20, and completed my law degree when I was 27.

My writing journey started in 2005 when I decided to write my first novel. Now I have eleven books published with more on the way.

People say I've accomplished a lot and that I must have life by the proverbial tail. Hardly! I grew up as a home schooled kid when home schoolers were misunderstood and oddities.

I struggle with balancing my writing and law career, plus being a good mom and wife.

I often fear people won't like my books.

I've walked through the deep pain of miscarriage.

Really, I'm just like you – I don't have it all together and have gone through tough times. But in His strength, I've discovered a strength I never knew I had. A strength I want you to discover, too.

In the end I'm just an ordinary mom who has seen God do some wonderful things as I've been obedient to step into the calling He's led me into.

Stars in the Night Background

Stars in the Night was an idea that had begun to percolate in my mind. I’d written two World War II series and was actively looking for my next setting. My husband, a huge World War II history buff, and I were kicking ideas around, and I’d decided Hollywood was probably the next place for me. I’d gone to the library and gotten a stack of research books when I got the call. An editor I knew but had never worked with wanted to know if I might be interested in a new line they were starting. As we talked, I got so excited. And then she emailed me their guidelines, which listed that Hollywood was a location they were interested in setting books.

Only God could have known ahead of time. But because I followed His prompting I was ready to run with an idea. Stars in the Night is the result.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Hollywood 1942. When attorney Audra Schaeffer's sister disappears, Audra flies to Hollywood to find her.

Any day Audra might have been flattered by the friendly overtures of Robert Garfield, a real-life movie star. But on the flight from Indianapolis to Hollywood, Audra can think of little else than finding her missing sister. When Audra arrives in the city of glitz and glamour, and stars, and learns her rising starlet sister has been murdered, all thoughts of romance fly away.

Determined to bring the killer to justice, Audra takes a job with the second Hollywood Victory Caravan.

Together with Robert Garfield and other stars, she crisscrosses the southern United States in a campaign to sell war bonds. When two other women are found dead on the train, Audra knows the deaths are tied to that of her sister.

Could the killer be the man with whom she's falling in love?

If you'd like to read an excerpt of Chapter 1 of Stars In The Night, go HERE.

Contest: Lots of opportunities to win and great prizes, and the grand prize contains some of Cara's favorite classic movies as well as all of her WWII novels: Launch Contest!

The Sister Wife

2010-07-14T02:58:00.000-07:00

Another great summer read! I found it to be an honest look at what it would be like to be a woman in Mormon pioneer history, whose husband was called to take another wife. I'm looking forward to book 2 in the series.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

The Sister Wife Avon Inspire (June 22, 2010)

by Diane Noble

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Diane Noble is a former double finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for Best Inspirational Fiction, a finalist for the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award and the Reviewers' Choice Award, and a three-time recipient of the Silver Angel Award for Media Excellence.

With more than a quarter million books in print, Diane feels incredibly blessed to be doing what she loves best—writing the stories of her heart.

For the last three years Diane has been honored to be lead author for the popular Guideposts series, Mystery and the Minister’s Wife (Through the Fire, Angels Undercover), and has recently returned to writing historical fiction. She is currently writing book two of her new historical series, The Brides of Gabriel. Book one is The Sister Wife.

Diane’s hometown is Big Creek, California, a tiny village nestled in the rugged Sierra Nevada back country. As a child, Diane’s older brother Dennis fueled her creative streak by entertaining her with his own gift of storytelling. Growing up without TV and iffy radio reception, Diane became an avid reader, inhaling more than one hundred novels—both YA and adult—in a single

year by the time she reached seventh grade. Her passion for reading continues to this day.

Now empty nesters, Diane and her husband live in the Southern California low desert, near a place known for the lush and beautiful gated communities of the rich and famous.

ABOUT THE BOOK

What if the man you loved told you God wanted him to take another wife? What if that woman was your best friend?

Set in the heart of the earliest days of a new nineteenth-century sect known as the Saints, The Sister Wife is a riveting account of two women forced into a practice they don't understand, bound by their devotion to Prophet Joseph Smith.

When Mary Rose marries Gabriel, neither of them could foresee how quickly the community would turn to the practice of plural marriage. Devastated when Gabe is faced with an order from the Prophet to marry her best friend, Bronwyn, Mary Rose tries to have the faith to carry through with the marriage.

But can she really be married to the same man as her very best friend? Can Mary Rose and Bronwyn face betraying both their husband and their God to do what they feel is right?

If you would like to read the Prologue and first chapter of The Sister Wife, go HERE.

Watch the book video!

Back on Murder

2010-07-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

I admit I have a penchant for detective stories and gritty crime novels. I love to see the bad guy get his due, and all the better if the detective has personal hurdles to jump. Back on Murder doesn't disappoint. Roland March is a memorable character, and despite his gruffness has a heart for doing noble things for the good of all. Along the way, He might just meet the One who made all things good.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Back On Murder Bethany House (July 1, 2010)

by J. Mark Betrand

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Mark Bertrand has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Houston. After one hurricane too many, he left Houston and relocated with his wife Laurie to the plains of South Dakota.

Mark has been arrested for a crime he didn't commit, was the foreman of a hung jury in Houston, and after relocating served on the jury that acquitted Vinnie Jones of assault. In 1972, he won an honorable mention in a child modeling contest, but pursued writing instead. Besides his personal website, visit his Crime Genre website at http://www.crimegenre.com/.

The next book in this series, Pattern Of Wounds will come out in the summer of 2011.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Det. Roland March is a homicide cop on his way out.

A missing girl. A corrupt investigation. They thought they could get away with it, but they forgot one thing:

Roland March is BACK ON MURDER...

Houston homicide detective Roland March was once one of the best. Now he's disillusioned, cynical, and on his way out. His superiors farm him out on a variety of punishment details. But when he's the only one at a crime scene to find evidence of a missing female victim, he's given one last chance to prove himself. Before he can crack the case, he's transferred to a new one that has grabbed the spotlight--the disappearance of a famous Houston evangelist's teen daughter.

All he has to do? Find the missing teenage daughter of a Houston evangelist that every cop in town is already looking for. But March has an inside track, a multiple murder nobody else thinks is connected. With the help of a youth pastor with a guilty conscience who navigates the world of church and faith, March is determined to find the missing girls while proving he's still one of Houston's best detectives.

Battling a new partner, an old nemesis, and the demons of his past, getting to the truth could cost March everything. Even his life.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Back On Murder, go HERE.

Tomorrow We Die

2010-07-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

Excellent book. Simply excellent. You won't want to miss going along for the ride with Jonathan Trestle, paramedic and Death Angel chaser. You'll get a look into the emergency services world that might change your view of the profession completely.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Tomorrow We Die Bethany House (July 1, 2010)

by Shawn Grady

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shawn Grady signed with Bethany House Publishers in 2008. He was named “Most Promising New Writer” at the 39th Annual Mount Hermon Writers Conference. He is the author of the novels Through the Fire & Tomorrow We Die.

Shawn has served for over a decade as a firefighter and paramedic in northern Nevada. From fire engines and ambulances to tillered ladder trucks and helicopters, Shawn’s work environment has always been dynamic. The line of duty has carried him to a variety of locale, from high-rise fires in the city to the burning heavy timber of the eastern Sierras.

Shawn attended Point Loma Nazarene University as a Theology undergrad before shifting direction to acquire an Associate of Science degree in Fire Science Technology as well as Paramedic licensure through Truckee Meadows Community College.

Shawn currently lives in Reno, Nevada, just outside of Lake Tahoe. He enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his wife, three children and yellow Labrador.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Chase the Angel of Death and You Might Catch Him

Jonathan Trestle is a paramedic who's spent the week a few steps behind the angel of death. When he responds to a call about a man sprawled on a downtown sidewalk, Trestle isn't about to lose another victim. CPR revives the man long enough for him to hand Trestle a crumpled piece of paper and say, "Give this to Martin," before being taken to the hospital.

The note is a series of dashes and haphazard scribbles. Trestle tries to follow up with the patient later, but at the ICU he learns the man awoke, pulled out his IVs, and vanished, leaving only a single key behind. With the simple decision to honor a dying man's last wish, Jonathan tracks the key to a nearby motel where he finds the man again--this time not just dead but murdered. Unwilling to just let it drop, Jonathan is plunged into a mystery that soon threatens not only his dreams for the future but maybe even his life. He must race for the truth before the Angel of Death comes calling for him.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Tomorrow We Die, go to HERE.

Nightmare

2010-07-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Robin Parrish's books can only be described as out of this world. As science fiction plots go, he is unequaled in coming up with fascinating new ideas. Nightmare doesn't disappoint. While intense and gripping, it's also got a subtle message for those who are curious about the paranormal.

Caution! This is a "can't put it down even though it's three AM" sort of book.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

NightmareBethany House (July 1, 2010)

byRobin Parrish

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Parrish is a journalist who's written about the intersection of faith and pop culture for more than a decade. Currently he serves as Senior Editor at XZOOSIA.com, a community portal that fuses social networking with magazine-style features about entertainment and culture.

He had two great ambitions in his life: to have a family, and to be a published novelist. In March of 2005, he proposed to his future wife the same week he signed his first book contract with Bethany House Publishers. They contracted him for the rights to The Dominion Trilogy: Relentless (2006), Fearless (2007), and Merciless (2008). His science fiction thriller, Offworld came out in 2009. This summer debuts Nightmare, and he's working on another for 2011. Robin and his wife and children live in North Carolina.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Nightmare is Coming...

Ghost Town is the hottest amusement park in the country, offering state-of-the-art chills and thrills involving the paranormal. The park's main ride is a haunted house that promises an encounter with a real ghost.

When Maia Peters visits during her senior year of college, she's not expecting to be impressed. Maia grew up as the only child of a pair of world-renowned "ghost hunters," so the paranormal is nothing new and to her most of the park is just Hollywood special effects. In fact, the ride feels pretty boring until the very end. There, a face appears from the mist. The face of Jordin Cole, a girl Maia knows who disappeared from campus a few months ago.

Convinced what she saw wasn't a hoax and desperate to find answers to Jordin's disappearance, Maia launches into a quest for answers. Joined by Jordin's boyfriend--a pastor's kid with very different ideas about paranormal and the spirit realm--Maia finds herself in a struggle against dangerous forces she never expected to confront on the edge of the spirit realm that try to keep the truth from emerging.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Nightmare, go HERE.

Scars and Stillettos

2010-06-23T09:19:00.001-07:00

Most Christians would never dare darken the door of a strip club, let alone befriend a stripper. Harmony's story--about her rescue from a dark place--defies traditional religion and gets to the heart of what Jesus was talking about when He said, "If you've done it unto the least of these, you've done it unto Me."

Harmony's childhood was marked by apathy and poverty, scarred by an abusive mother. Her ambition to get out of it led her right into the lucrative business of stripping. Even though she hated it, she was trapped. Her choices were poverty or lasciviousness.

Reading this book opened my eyes to a whole new way of viewing "those" sorts of people, the people who need my concern and compassion the most.

This is one of the few books with that "self-published" feel to it that I'll recommend. I usually shy away from them personally. However, the content is some of the most important material Christians who are concerned about the culture will read this year.

Check out the website here:

Maid to Match

2010-06-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

A dream job opportunity she's waited for all her life, with a dream family in a dream house. Everything's perfect for Tillie Reese, top candidate for the Vanderbilt's Lady's Maid position. That is, until Mack Danvers charms his way into her heart. Their romance could ruin everything she's worked her entire life to gain.

Deeanne Gist's story is obviously well-researched and takes place near where I live--two pluses for me! Her characters are also delightful and the Biltmore Mansion sounds amazing. Kudos to one of her marketing ideas for the book as well: she is hosting a weekend getaway for some of her fans to spend time enjoying a tour and taking part in some of the traditions of the day.

Maid to Match is a wonderful, well-written story that will please every historical romance lover (and also readers like me who don't ordinarily love historical romance).

Here's the official release:

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Maid to Match Bethany House (June 1, 2010)

by Deeanne Gist

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

After a short career in elementary education, Deeanne Gist retired to raise her four children. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she ran a home accessory and antique business, became a member of the press, wrote freelance journalism for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel, and acted as CFO for her husband’s small engineering firm--all from the comforts of home.

Squeezed betwixt-and-between all this, she read romance novels by the truckload and even wrote a couple of her own. While those unpublished manuscripts rested on the shelf, she founded a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that would reinforce family values, teach children responsibility and provide character building activities.

After a few short months of running her publishing company, Gist quickly discovered being a "corporate executive" was not where her gifts and talents lie. In answer to Gist’s fervent prayers, God sent a mainstream publisher to her door who licensed her parenting I Did It!® product line and committed to publish the next generation of her system, thus freeing Gist to return to her writing.

Eight months later, she sold A Bride Most Begrudging to Bethany House Publishers. Since that debut, her very original, very fun romances have rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere. Add to this two consecutive Christy Awards, two RITA nominations, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you’ve got one recipe for success.

Her 2010 books, Beguiled and Maid To Match are now available for order.

Gist lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-seven years and their two border collies. They have four grown children. Visit her blog to find out the most up-to-the-minute news about Dee.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Falling in love could cost her everything.

From the day she arrived at the Biltmore, Tillie Reese is dazzled, by the riches of the Vanderbilts and by Mack Danvers, a mountain man turned footman. When Tillie is enlisted to help tame Mack's rugged behavior by tutoring him in proper servant etiquette, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie's efforts to be chosen as Edith Vanderbilt's lady's maid, After all, the one rule of the house is no romance below stairs.

But the stakes rise even higher when Mack and Tillie become entangles in a cover-up at the town orphanage. They could both lose their jobs, their aspirations...their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Maid to Match, go HERE.

Join this SPECIAL GETAWAY (Click on the Button):

Finding Jeena

2010-06-10T20:33:00.000-07:00

I met Miralee many years ago at a writers conference in Eugene and immediately loved her sweet spirit and her passion for her stories. She was a not-yet-published writer, but determined to find a way into the market. Through the years I've gotten to hang out with her occasionally, though not recently because we moved from Oregon. But I'm thankful she's a friend! Now, I'm proud to say she has four novels published. Finding Jeena, her latest, was a delightful book. If you enjoy women's fiction, this one is for you.

Here's the official release:

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Finding Jeena Kregel Publications (March 8, 2010)

Miralee Ferrell

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In October 2007 Kregel Publications published The Other Daughter with excellent reviews. The Romantic Times Review magazine gave it Four out of Four and a half stars, with a very strong review. Two different major motion picture studios are currently considering the book as a possible family movie, and my second book in the series (Past Shadows) is on my publishers desk being reviewed for a possible contract offer now.

In February of 2009, Love Finds You in Last Chance, California was published by Summerside Press and Finding Jeena released in March 2010 from Kregel Publications.

Miralee Ferrell lives in Washington with Allen, her husband of more than 37 years, ans has two grown children. She serves on staff at her local church ans is actively involved in ministry to women.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Jeena Gregory thought she’d made it. She has everything a woman could ask for and a budding career promises more. But when rumors around town cast her boss in a shady light, Jeena starts to question her employer’s integrity. Was she wrong to trust this man and this job?

When the boss disappears, salaries go unpaid, and Jeena overhears several hush-hush phone calls, she realizes her carefully crafted world is crumbling. Shaken to the core at the threat of losing everything, Jeena is suddenly confronted with her prejudices─and with a God she had long forgotten.

If you would like to read an excerpt of Finding Jeena, go HERE.

Deceit

2010-06-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

The long anticipated book by Brandilyn Collins is here! Her trademark zips and zings through the plot will leave you just as breathless as ever. Skip Tracer Joanne Weeks is a fun new character to meet. She's outraged at the injustice in her town, so a "chance" encounter with an anonymous stranger emboldens her to take an investigation into her best friend's death into her own hands.

As always, Brandilyn's message is solid and edifying without even a hint of preaching. A MUST READ for all suspense lovers.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Deceit

Zondervan (June 18, 2010)

Brandilyn Collins

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In addition, Brandilyn’s other latest release is Final Touch, third in The Rayne Tour series—young adult suspense co-written with her daughter, Amberly. The Rayne Tour series features Shaley O’Connor, daughter of a rock star, who just may have it all—until murder crashes her world.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Skip Tracer Joanne Weeks knows Baxter Jackson killed his second wife---and Joanne's best friend---seven years ago. But Jackson, a church elder and beloved member of the town, walks the streets a free man.

The police tell Joanne to leave well enough alone, but Joanne is determined to bring Jackson down. Using her skip tracing skills, she sets out to locate Melissa Harkoff, now twenty-two, who lived in the Jackson home at the time of Linda Jackson's disappearance.

As Joanne drives home on a rainy winter night, a hooded figure darts in front of her car. In her headlight beams she glimpses the half-concealed face of a man, a rivulet of blood jagging down his cheek. She squeals to a stop but clips him with her right fender. Shaking, she gets out of her car in the pouring rain. The man will not let her see his face. Before he limps off into the night he warns her not to talk to police.

As Joanne tries to find Melissa, someone seems to be after her. Who was the man she hit on the road. Is Baxter Jackson out to silence her? Or is some other skip she's traced in the past now out for revenge?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Deceit, go HERE

Broken

2010-05-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

Thrasher's latest novel is extremely well written. It's obvious that he didn't rest on his laurels but took his writing to an even deeper level. Broken has a deep impact on the message of God's grace, but without all the Christianese and sermon-y dialog. Loved it and would recommend it to anyone who reads suspense.

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Broken

FaithWords (May 25, 2010)

Travis Thrasher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

It was during third grade after a teacher encouraged him in his writing and as he read through The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis that Travis decided he wanted to be a writer. The dream never left him, and allowed him to fulfill that dream of writing fulltime in 2007.

Travis Thrasher is the author of numerous works of fiction, including his most personal and perhaps his deepest work, Sky Blue, that was published in summer of 2007. This year he has to novels published, Out of the Devil’s Mouth, and a supernatural thriller, Isolation.

Travis is married to Sharon and they are the proud parents of Kylie, born in November, 2006, and Hailey, a Shih-Tzu that looks like an Ewok. They live in suburban Chicago.

Stop by and visit Travis at his Blog where you can sign up to follow him on Facebook and Twitter!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Laila had it all--love, family, wealth, and faith. But when her faith crumbles, her world falls apart and Laila finds herself living an empty, dangerous life as a call girl in Chicago.

When she is threatened, Laila shoots and kills a client in self-defense, sending herself into a spiral of guilt and emptiness. Six months later, she is trying to move on, but she's haunted by the past. She hasn't told anyone about the man she killed, and she's still estranged from her family.

When she is approached by a stranger who says he knows what she did, Laila has no choice but to run. But the stranger stays close behind, and Laila begins having visions of the man she killed. Little does she know she's being hounded by something not of this world, something that knows her deepest, darkest secret.

Scared and wandering, will Laila regain her trust in God to protect her from these demons? Or will her plea for salvation come too late?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Broken, go HERE.