Pamela S. Meyers

ACFW January New Releases Are Out!

2012-01-03T14:38:00.003-06:00

ACFW authors bring many exciting new reads to start the new year. Feast your eyes and find yourself a good book for a cozy winter's night.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Halflings by Heather Burch -- One girl. Three half-angel guys. And the fate of the world. (Young Adult from Zondervan).

Summer of Promise by Amanda Cabot -- Stagecoach robberies and a certain lieutenant make Abigail Harding's summer at Wyoming's Fort Laramie unforgettable. (Historical Romance from Revell).

The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Camden -- Libby Sawyer's quiet, respectable life in Colden, Massachusetts is shattered when a bold stranger from Romania invades her world. Fascinated by this enigmatic man, Libby uncovers layers of mystery surrounding Micahel Dobrescu's amazing past...and his plans for the future in which she plays a startling role. (Historical Romance from Bethany House).

Injustice for All by Robin Caroll -- Who can you turn to when everything you believe in is shattered? (Romantic Suspense from B&H Publishing).

A Life of Joy by Amy Clipston -- Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County. As each woman's story unfolds, you will share in her heartaches, trials, joys, dreams ... and secrets. (Romance from Zondervan).

An Amish Family Reunion by Mary Ellis, -- As Phoebe embarks on a new romance and an unlikely career choice for someone Amish, the Miller family tries to put aside differences long enough to attend a joyous family reunion. (Contemporary Romance from Harvest House).

The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher -- Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. (Contemporary Romance from Revell).

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter -- Two high-school sweethearts, a wedding reenactment, and one absent-minded preacher. Is it a recipe for disaster or a chance for a new beginning? (Contemporary Romance from Thomas Nelson ).

All Roads Lead Home by Christine Johnson -- An orphanage agent must drive her car across the United States to save a boy from a disastrous placement with the man who claims to be his father, but she needs the assistance of a mechanic, and the only one willing to help is the man she jilted two years ago. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired).

Firethorn by Ronie Kendig -- Explosive Conclusion to Ronie Kendig's Discarded Heroes series. Blown and dismantled, Nightshade is ready to repay the favor. (Romantic Suspense from Barbour Publishing).

Tomorrow's Sun by Becky Melby-- Faith reaches across the centuries when Emily Foster finds old letters in the 160-year-old house she's remodeling, but Jake Braden, the contractor she's just hired, doesn't share her vision. (Contemporary Romance from Barbour Publishing).
Cherry Blossom Capers by Cara Putman, Lynette Sowell, Gina Conroy, and Frances Devine -- The lives of four neighbors are irrevocably changed amid mystery and romance. Assistant chef Tara Whitley is seeking a state dinner saboteur. Attorney Ciara Turner is tracking down a murderer. Budding archeologist Samantha Steele encounters a forger. Shop owner Susan Holland is someone's target. Will God protect them in life and love? (Romance/Mystery from Barbour Publishing).
The Secret Heiress by Terri Reed-- An adopted woman discovers she's heir to a fortune, only someone doesn't want her to live long enough to inherit. So she must hire a bodyguard to keep her safe but soon realizes her heart's in danger as well. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense).

Amelia's Journey by Martha W. Rogers-- When young rancher Ben and socialite Amelia meet again after six years, they are attracted to each other immediately, but Amelia's parents have other ideas for their daughter and forbid the relationship. (Historical Romance from Realms).

Winter Promise by Martha W. Rogers-- Abigail Monroe comes to Porterfield, Texas to open a library and to join her brother, Daniel and best friend, Rachel Reed with no thoughts of marriage, but young Doctor Elliot and Deputy Sheriff Cory Muldoon are both smitten and vie for her heart. (Historical Romance from Realms).

Where Wildflowers Bloom by Ann Shorey-- Will Faith Lindberg follow her heart, or marry the wrong man to achieve her goal? (Historical Romance from Revell).

Addison Blakely: Confessions of a PK by Betsy St. Amant-- Sixteen-year-old Addison Blakely has tirelessly played the role of PK-preacher's kid-her entire life. But after Wes Keegan revs his motorcycle into town and into her heart, Addison begins to wonder how much of her faith is her own and how much has been handed to her. (Young Adult from Barbour Publishing).

Words of Wisdom from Agent Chip MacGregor

2011-12-28T11:52:00.003-06:00

I just read Chip MacGregor's blog for today and for writers he has a lot of great words of wisdom. I can't post it here, but I can post the link.

http://chipmacgregor.typepad.com/main/2011/12/whats-your-best-writing-advice.html

Glory to God in the Highest This Christmas Day!

2011-12-25T10:40:00.000-06:00

Christmas greetings!

In the Chicago area, we are having abrown Christmas this year. Beautiful clear blue sky and not a cloud in sight.The temp is about 30 degrees, due to rise to the upper 30s before the day isover. And nary a flake of snow to cover the brown grass.

Yesterday, as I was reading Luke 2 in the Bible andreflecting on the night Christ was born, I paused at the part where the angelsappeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus. I don’t use the KingJames Bible but Luke 2:14 in that version reads:

“Glory to God in the highest, andon earth peace good will toward men.”

Back when I was about age six or seven, I attended Sundayschool at a Congregational church that was only a half block from our home. Itwasn’t the church denomination either of my parents were raised in, but when wefirst moved to that house we didn’t have a car, so that neighborhood churchbecame our church for those years.

As in most churches, the children put on a Christmas programeach year where the Christmas story was acted out according to Scripture. Oneyear, I was chosen to be an angel. I remember my mom sewing my costume out oflots and lots of gauze, and on top of my blonde curls sat a tinsel halo. I’msure I must have had wings as well. God has a sense of humor, I’m sure, becauseI was anything but an angelic child. To top it off, I was given one speakingline. You guessed it. Luke 2:14 in the King James Version, which back then wasthe only version people used.

I remember saying it over and over and on the night of theperformance, I quoted it in the same strong voice I still have, at the top of mylungs. I nailed it. The very first Bible verse I’d ever memorized.

If only back at that tender age I truly understood the meaning behind the words. Like a river, lots of years had to flow under the bridge before myspiritual heart would awaken from its slumber. Not on Christmas, but on a GoodFriday afternoon as I sat in a far different church listening to the biblicalaccount of the crucifixion.

That Christmas back in my childhood I celebrated baby Jesus,not really understanding the significance of His coming and probably morefocused on what would be under the tree for me Christmas morning. Littlerealizing that God’s gift to us at Christmas is far more valuable than a bikeor a doll.

When I gave my heart to the crucified and risen Jesus onGood Friday over thirty years later, I came to finally understand the words I’d memorized as a child.Because of God’s good will in sending His Son Jesus to earth as a man, I couldcome to faith in Jesus my Savior and have eternal life with God the Father.

Now I can say loud and clear and with great joy,

“Glory to Godin the highest and on earth peace, good will to men!!”

Merry Christmas to All!!!

2011-12-21T17:19:00.000-06:00

The busyness of December has gotten away from me. I've been plotting and starting the first draft of Book 2 in my On The Road to Love Series (more adventures of April and Marc!), preparing to coordinate ACFW's Genesis writing contest for unpublished writers which opens January 2nd, and doing Christmas things like baking pumpkin bread to give away, hosting a Christmas dinner and gift exchange for the ladies in my small group, and dealing with a car battery that was being drained by an errant amplifier.

Despite it all, I have been careful to remind myself of the Reason for the Season. It's not about presents or food or parties, although that's what many seem to think. I read an article in the paper recently on the Christian significance of Christmas, and the author said he wanted to stab a candy cane through the heart of the person who made up a department store ad campaign for this year which says simply "Believe." It made me laugh, but really ... What does any store that places that word in their ads want the consumer to believe? That they have the best deals in town? The most choices? What? I'm sure it's not to believe that Jesus is the Reason for the Season.

But wait! Maybe whomever developed the campaign does believe Jesus is the Reason for the Season and that's their subtle way of making a statement.

Regardless, I choose to believe the way I want to believe.

Merry Christmas!

Through His Eyes: From Dreams to Reality - Part 2

2011-12-14T10:05:00.000-06:00

Through His Eyes: From Dreams to Reality - Part 2: For the 2nd installment of From Dreams to Reality I'm featuring the following talented authors: Pamela S. Meyers Lisa Grace Max Anderson...

From Ane Mulligan's Southern-fried Fiction: Is Your Wallet Empty This Christmas?

2011-12-08T09:39:00.000-06:00

My good friend and writing buddy, Ane Mulligan, posted this on her blog this morning. It's worth repeating. Click on the link to read the whole thing

Southern-fried Fiction: Is Your Wallet Empty This Christmas?: When my pastor, Chuck Allen , talked about giving this last Sunday, it struck a chord in me. We'd already decided since...

Featuring Author S. Dionne Moore and Her New Release!

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Today it is my pleasure to feature my good friend Sandra Moore who writes under the name S. Dionne Moore. Sandra is also one of my critique partners, and I can attest to her ability to spin a good story.

Her latest release, Promise Brides, is a compilation of three novels, and is published by Barbour Publishing.

Anyone who has written historical fiction knows the countless hours of research that is required for any story. Sandra is going to discuss some of the things she learned as she researched for her novels.

***

One of the most interesting elements of my research for Promise of Time, one of three historical romances in newly released Promise Brides, was discovering that Abraham Lincoln was not the featured speaker at the Gettysburg National Cemetery dedication ceremony. Edward Everett was so honored, and he was scheduled to speak before the president on that cloudy day in November of 1863. Everett was a man noted for quality speeches and deliveries, his reputation for excellence in speech-making already established, as well as his tendency toward being long-winded. President Lincoln must have known this, for he planned his speech to be short, coming in at about two minutes compared to Everett’s two hours!

Even with two hours of talk time, Abraham Lincoln’s speech became the most well-remembered of the two, probably in great part because of its brevity.

The only known photo of Lincoln at Gettsyburg, the president is shown in the circle. His bodyguard is on his right.

In my past blogs for my books, I’ve talked at great lengths about the historical facts used to make stories come to life. But what about my characters? Who are they and how do I develop them? Evolve might be a better word. My characters generally develop traits based on what will be happening in the plot and what hurdles they will have to jump in order to reach a satisfying ending.

In Promise Brides, specifically for Promise of Time, the idea of two people falling in love across the lines that divided our nation in 1863 fascinated me. Ellie is a Northerner, Theo a Southerner, but Theo is first and foremost a man. A young man thrust into the atrocities of war because of the things he saw his family and friends suffer at the hands of the Yankees. He had watched the North wreak havoc on everything in the South and he wanted to fight to protect what was left.

From this I delved deeper into who I wanted this man to be. How did the realities of war affect him? Theo would, like many, be unprepared for the stark realization that it had become his job to shoot at a men just like himself, but labeled his “enemy”.
But what if he months of war, of death and destruction became too much and he couldn’t take it anymore? What if, on the eve of watching yet another friend die, he also saw a man who was his “enemy,” but also a relative, murdered. . . ?

You can see the mire of questions I used to develop Theo into the character he became for Promise of Time. I wanted Ellie to be understanding of his mental anguish, thus she had experience working with the wounded in the aftermath at Gettysburg. But in spite of her compassion, wouldn’t the idea of falling for a Rebel be repugnant to her. . .or could she see what others could not. That Theo was a man first, then a soldier.

Promise of Time is available now on line at Christianbook.com, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble as well as at your favorite retailer.

Sandra Moore writes as S. Dionne Moore, and was named Favorite New Author in the 2011 18th Annual Heartsong Awards. A compilation of three historical romances released in November 2011, titled, Promise Brides. Stories include: Promise of Tomorrow, a 2011 Carol Award Finalist, is set in Johnstown, PA, Promise of Yesterday, is set in Mercersburg/Greencastle, PA, and Promise of Time, in Gettysburg, PA.

Winter of 2012 watch for A Shepherd's Song, the first in her Wyoming Historical Romance series, followed by The Cattle Baron's Daughter (summer 2012) and Valley of the Heart (winter 2012).

Sandra resides in the rolling hills of Cumberland Valley, PA--a transplanted city girl and glad of it! She enjoys ferreting out little-known historical details and crafting a story around them. To learn more about Sandra and her work, visit her athttp://www.sdionnemoore.com/.

2011-12-01T10:11:00.001-06:00

As 2011 comes to a close, ACFW authors are finishing out the year in grand style with more offerings for your reading pleasure. It's not too late to include a few of these for the readers on your Christmas shopping list!

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

An Amish Wedding by Beth Wiseman -- Romance from Thomas Nelson; Pricilla's upcoming wedding is stirring up trouble - and romance - in Paradise.

Christmas Pearl by Robin L. Bayne -- Romance from White Rose Publishing (Pelican). Joe Gardner never expected to see Elizabeth again, not after the part she'd played in ruining his life. Refusing to believe she now shares his faith, Joe tosses aside her efforts to apologize. But when they are forced to work together in the midst of the Christmas season, Joe has to face the truth about Elizabeth, and himself.

Daddy’s Little Matchmakers by Kathleen Y'Barbo -- Romance from Love Inspired -- Wanted: Wife And Mother. Veterinarian Eric Wilson is confounded by the classified ad his three young daughters have placed. The handsome widower is not in the market for a bride!

Death in Dahlonega by Deborah Malone -- A Mystery from Lamp Post Inc.. A vacation with a friend should never include murder and mayhem.

Gold, Frankincense, and Murder by Barbara Early -- Romance/Mystery from White Rose Publishing (Pelican); A missing coworker. A brawny sidekick. Sometimes the holidays can be murder.

His Holiday Family by Margaret Daley, -- Romance from Love Inspired. In the aftermath of a hurricane, will Kathleen Hart and Gideon O'Brien, two scarred people, find hope and love?

Love Finds You in Annapolis, Maryland by Roseanna M. White -- Romance from Summerside Press. In 1784 peace has been declared, but war still rages in the heart of Lark Benton.

Polar Bear Plunge by Linda Glaz -- Romance from White Rose Publishing (Pelican). Aleni Callan can’t accept that God allowed her husband to die in Afghanistan while war hero, Brice Taylor, returns from Iraq to cheers and fame and feelings that he somehow failed. Neither can accept that one man lived and one man died.

Replication by Jill Williamson -- Young Adult from Zondervan; A girl discovers her biologist father is covering up multiple secrets—all of which are named Jason.

Savanna’s Gift by Camille Eide -- Romance from White Rose Publishing (Pelican); When Savanna gets a second chance at the love of her life, will her dream that once divided them get in the way?

Small-Town Sweethearts by Jean C. Gordon-- Romance from Love Inspired; With the help of God and the love of Drew Stacey, a down-sized Wall Street analyst turned church camp manager, NYC assistant art director and former town misfit Emily, ne Jinx, Hazard finds the thing she wants most in the place she least wants to be — Paradox Lake.

Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt -- Romance from Thomas Nelson; When a failed logging company threatens their town's survival, four friends devise a plan to turn Smitten, Vermont, into the country's premier romantic getaway.

The Christmas Witness by Susan Sleeman-- Thriller Suspense from Love Inspired; Can a former FBI agent let go of the devastating loss of his wife to cancer in order to save a critically ill child and her mother from a ruthless criminal?

Tracks in the Snow by Sandra Hesch-- General Fiction from Lamp Post Inc.; Jo Bremley feared losing her husband to World War II, but when a snowstorm rips apart her storybook world, how can she heal her broken heart, and move on?

Celebrating My Book Launch!

2011-11-23T10:32:00.001-06:00

I want to wish each of you a very Blessed Thanksgiving!

As for me, I have much to be thankful to God for this year as He has blessed me with the release of my debut novel, Thyme for Love.

My friend Kim spelled out the title in coffee beans

This past Saturday, my friends helped me celebrate the book launch with a wonderful gathering at a nearby Panera Bread. People from where I worked before I retired, church friends, my Bible study friends, and writing friends all came to the party.

My Books Sat Waiting for the Guests

Is this really me?

It felt weird to be on the other side of the signing table. What was I supposed to say? I'd picked out a scripture (Is. 30:18) to include with each signature, but what else should I say? It was kind of like signing a yearbook at the end of the school year.

The room quickly filled with my friends and as they noshed on cookies and drinks, I signed and celebrated. I don't have any idea how many actually came, but I sold 25 books!

About halfway through, I said a few words about my writing journey and how God had led me every step of the way. Then I read a couple excerpts from the book before we drew the winning ticket for the gift basket I put together which included a copy of my book (of course!) and two other books by ACFW authors, a clip-on reading light, a beautiful mug with coffees and teas, and dark chocolate. No gift basket is complete without chocolate!


My good friend Karin & her new husband won the basket!

Soon the two hours were over. It was a beautiful blessed day.

The gorgeous roses came from ACFW member Jane Steen.

Lake Geneva, My Hometown & Setting for my Novels is in the News!

2011-11-20T08:40:00.001-06:00

This morning I ran across an article about Lake Geneva, Wisconsin in my local paper that was syndicated from the Washington Post. The writer did a wonderful job describing the town and lake as it is today. This is the town my characters in Thyme for Love visit for meals and hanging out by the lake.

It is also the same setting in my upcoming novel, Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin which is scheduled to release in June. Included is a picture of the largest mansion on the lake called Stone Manor. I mention this home in my 1933 LFY story as "Younglands," the name it was called back in the 30s.

If you go to the article you'll see why I'm so blessed to be from such an historical and lovely area.

Here's the link to the article. I've reduced it at Tiny URL because of it's original length:

http://tinyurl.com/7yfgtbh

Thyme for Love is Available at Amazon!

2011-11-12T10:11:00.001-06:00

This Monday is the official release date of my debut novel Thyme for Love and as of right now it's available for immediate purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Amazon states that the book will be available in 5-7 weeks and this is erroneous information. My publisher OakTara is working with Amazon to get this corrected, but it is taking some time.

I just don't want anyone being misled if you choose to purchase the book at Amazon. They do have it in stock right now!

Dry As Rain is Anything But Dry!

2011-11-10T10:16:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite novels of last year was Gina Holmes’sdebut novel Crossing Oceans. When I heard she had a new book called Dry As Rainout from Tyndale I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

I just finished it the other day, and the night I read thelast page I had a problem falling asleep because I couldn’t get her charactersout of my mind. That to me is the sign of a good story.

Dry As Rain is written from the male protagonist’s point ofview which is very difficult for a woman to do well. I know, because I’ve triedit and have been told by critiquers that my character sounded too girly. Not sowith Eric Yoshida, Gina’s POV character. Gina nailed the male POV expertly. Although this is a romance story, it is not a boymeets-girl-and-lives-happily-ever-after-kind of romance. This novel is about a marriage that hasgone south and how Eric and his wife Kyra have to learn to forgiveeach other as the Lord has forgiven them.

The tagline for Dry As Rain is “Behind every broken vow liesa broken heart.” Rather than write a new summary of this story, I think the back of the bookdescription does the job well.

When Eric and Kyra Yoshida first met, they thought theirlove would last forever. But like many marriages, theirs has graduallycrumbled, one thoughtless comment and misunderstanding at a time, until theultimate betrayal pushes them beyond reconciliation. Though Eric longs toreunite with Kyra, the only woman he has truly loved, he has no idea how torepair the damage that’s been done.

Then a car accident erases part of Kyra’s memory—including her separation fromEric—and a glimmer of hope rises from the wreckage. Is this a preciousopportunity for the fresh start Eric has longed for? Does he even deserve thechance to find forgiveness and win back Kyra’s heart . . . or will the truthblow up in his face, shattering their last hope for happiness? A richlyengaging story of betrayal and redemption, Dryas Rain illuminates with striking emotional intensity the surprising truthof what it means to forgive.

About the Author: Gina Holmes is the President and founder of Inspire a Fire and Novel Rocket and award-winning author of Crossing Oceans and Dry as Rain. In 1998, Gina began her career penning articles and short stories in Ten years, and a stack of rejection letters later, she held her first published novel. She holds degrees in science and nursing and currently resides with her husband and children in southern Virginia. She works too hard, laughs too loud, and longs to see others heal from their past and discover their God-given purpose. To learn more about her, visit www.ginaholmes.com, www.novelrocket.com or www.inspireafire.com

You can order Dry As Rain at Amazon in either book format orfor Kindle.

I highly recommend it!

Thyme for Love is Here!!!

2011-11-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning and immediately went to the UPS website. A very special package had made it's way up I-65 from Louisville to Indianapolis to Chicago overnight and had arrived at my suburban UPS distribution center around 4:00 a.m. It was now loaded on a big brown truck and out for delivery. Woo hoo!!

At about 2:45 p.m. the brown truck pulled up out front and I grabbed my iPhone camera and ran to the hall to wait, and wait, and wait. More waiting. Finally I heard the front door to the entry way open and he came up the stairs. It was like Christmas morning, only Santa is wearing brown this year.

He set it down inside my door and I stared at the box.

OakTara said it all. The publisher of my debut novel. And inside ....

My books! All seventy of them. I wanted to pinch myself, savor the moment, just look at them a moment, but I also wanted to hold one in my hand and so ....

I did ... I cried, I thanked the Lord, and I screamed "YAAAA HOOOO!

Utter Joy ... a moment that I will savor for a long, long time.

Check Out Stop One on My Blog Tour!

2011-11-04T09:28:00.001-05:00

Today marks the first stop of my blog tour that will run into December. Kathy Harris has an awesome blog and she had me answer three questions, one of which was not your ordinary author interview question. So check it out at Divine Detours.

Also a big carton of books is on a brown truck headed my way today!!! It'll be like Christmas morning except Santa is wearing brown this year :-)

November New Releases from ACFW Authors!

2011-11-01T21:15:00.000-05:00

Lots of good reading abounds for November with these selections from ACFW authors. Think Christmas shopping perhaps???

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander -- Historical Romance from Bethany House; To create something that will last is Claire Laurent's most fervent desire as an artist. It's also her greatest weakness. All that Sutton Monroe holds dear lies in ruin. He's determined to reclaim his heritage and to make the men who murdered his father pay. But what he discovers on his quest for vengeance reveals a truth that may cost him more than he ever imagined.

Bound by Grace by Amber Stockton -- Historical Romance from Barbour. When Charlotte Pringle’s father disrupts her idyllic relationship with Richard Baxton by announcing he’s been working on a marriage arrangement to secure her future, Richard despairs over the loss of the woman he’s come to love, until his niece persuades him to fight.

Fatal Reality by Jonathan Wakefield -- A Thriller/Suspense from OakTara -- In this race only the winner will be allowed to live.

Gateway Weddings; Romancing America by Myra Johnson -- A Romance from Barbour. Three Missouri women enter the gateway to life, love, and longing.

Hope and a Future by Betty Arrigotti -- Romance from OakTara; Will Marjorie Gloriam overcome her fear and trust God to be a Friend with plans to give her Hope and a Future?

I Can Do Better All By Myself by E. N. Joy, --Biblical Fiction from Urban Fiction (Kensington). The singles ministry at New Day Temple of Faith is beginning to unravel, and the pastor is considering dissolving the ministry. Some members believe the only way to hold it together is by getting their pastor to join. And why shouldn't their leader show support by joining, considering the pastor's own single status?

Katie’s Way by Marta Perry -- Romance from Praise (Penguin). A quilt shop brings Amish and Englisch together, and trouble follows...

Lonestar Angel by Colleen Coble -- Romance from Thomas Nelson. Five years ago Eden and Clay Larson's baby was stolen and never found. Eden blamed herself, Clay lost himself in work. Their young and rocky marriage ended. Or so Eden thought.

Mind Over Madi by Lynda Lee Schab -- General Fiction from OakTara; All men cheat. At least, that's what Madi's mother has always told her.

Peril by Suzanne Hartmann -- Thriller/Suspense from OakTara; A top-secret agent must trust God to protect her many secrets when she accepts high-profile assignments but can she trust Him when He leads her to reveal her secrets and takes her to death's doorstep?

Promise Brides by S. Dionne Moore-- Historical Romance from Barbour; Love is the same, no matter when, no matter where-it never comes without sacrifice.

Protection for Hire by Camy Tang-- Thriller/Suspense from Zondervan; Tessa Lancaster’s skills first earned her a position as an enforcer in her uncle’s Japanese Mafia gang. Then they landed her in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Now, three months after her release, her abilities have gained her a job as bodyguard for a wealthy socialite and her three-year-old son. But there’s a problem or two … or three ….

The Land of Darkness; The Gates of Heaven Series by C.S. Lakin-- Speculative Fiction from Living Ink (AMG); Jadiel is twelve and things couldn’t get much worse—or could they?

The Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough-- Historical Romance from Moody Publishers; When Riley Morgan returns home after fighting in the War Between the States, he is excited to see his parents and fiancée again. But when he arrives he learns his life will never be the same again.

The Merchant’s Daughter by Melanie Dickerson-- Historical from Zondervan; An unthinkable danger. An unexpected choice. Annabel, once the daughter of a wealthy merchant, is trapped in indentured servitude a recluse. She must decide whether to follow the plans she has cherished or the calling God has placed on her heart.

The Rancher’s Courtship by Laurie Kingery-- Romance from Love Inspired; Though Caroline Wallace can’t have a family, she can still have a purpose. Becoming Simpson Creek’s new schoolmarm helps heal the heartache of losing Pete, her fiancé, to influenza. Then Pete’s brother arrives, trailing a herd of cattle and twin six-year-old girls.

Thyme for Love by Pamela S. Meyers--Romance & Mystery from OakTara; April Love has always dreamed of being a chef. But she didn’t expect a former fiancé or murder to be part of the recipe for her new job.

Turnabout’s Fair Play by Kaye Dacus-- Romance from Barbour; When Maureen O’Connor begins scheming to match her grandson Jamie with Flannery McNeill, the last thing she has in mind is a romance of her own.

Thyme for Love Book Trailer!!

2011-11-01T05:52:00.000-05:00

At long last I am pleased to share the book trailer for Thyme for Love! Please feel free to share this!

A Newly Traveled Road Between Contract and Book Launch

2011-10-29T12:14:00.003-05:00

I've often heard that once a book is contracted is when the real work begins, but until I started living it, I couldn't fully fathom the meaning.

I wrote here a few weeks ago about how I suddenly found myself sitting at my desk in front of the computer from early morning until supper time most days. I hadn't done that much intense work in a 7-8 hour stretch since I left my "day job" back in '05. Oh, I've spent many a day writing for long stretches, but even then there wasn't any pressure--no deadlines to meet, no window of time in which to get everything done before the book releases.

If I felt like reading a book instead of writing that day ... or maybe

.....taking a nap ...

... I felt like I could. But, now things are different. I've moved into my new home office now, lock, stock and barrel. Or should I say computer, desk and file cabinet. And this is my new normal!

In two weeks and two days, Thyme for Love releases, and three weeks from today I will host my book launch party! My books are ordered for the celebration, as are refreshments, but there is still much more to do before then.

I never knew this could be so much fun!

My Book Cover for Thyme for Love!

2011-10-22T12:52:00.000-05:00

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Busy Hands Make Happy Hands

2011-10-20T17:04:00.000-05:00

Did someone tell me that I would be busier after signing a book contract than before? I think they did, but somehow it didn't sink in.

As the release date for Thyme for Love comes closer (November 14th!), I'm racing to get my blog tour set up, write up interview questions and answers for those who want them, answer interview questions bloggers have sent me, design an invitation for my book launch celebration, develop an email list to send said invitation to, and so forth.

But despite the to-do list longer than my arm, I can say one thing.

I'm loving every moment!

If you're a regular visitor to this site you've noticed that I've changed the name of the blog from A Writer's Journey to my author name of Pamela S. Meyers, and added a new background and header, as I morph this site into a full website. My addy for this site will change to www.pamelasmeyers.com, but don't worry if you forget to change your bookmark, because the old addies for both my website and blog will forward to the new address.

In between all this, I'm editing Love Finds You in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin which needs to be turned into the editor by mid-November.

Then I start plotting my next story and writing it!

The busier I become, the more I love what I'm doing, and I realize this is what God has called me to do during this season of my life. He is blessing my socks off and in turn, I want to do what gives him pleasure.

Kind of reminds me of that line from the movie Chariots of Fire, when the lead said that he felt God's pleasure when he ran. I thought to myself at the time how cool it would be to feel that way about something you are doing.

Now I know what he meant!

My Debut Novel Thyme for Love Coming Soon!!!

2011-10-10T10:20:00.001-05:00

My life as a writer is reaching a new normal for me. Published author!

I am excited to finally have a release date for my debut Novel Thyme for Love.

NOVEMBER 14th!!

Over the past several days, I've been pouring over the proofs (galleys) and noting tweaks for the editors. The other day when the PDF file arrived and I saw it in the format of an actual book, beginning with the title page, right on through to the author bio at the end, I totally lost it.

Seeing those opening words on the first page of Chapter 1, words that I first wrote a number of years ago, now actually in book format ... well, I can't begin to describe all the emotions I felt. Most of all thankfulness for God's blessings on me along with joy.

Things are moving rapidly. I'll get another set of proofs later this week with the tweaked changes to review for one final time. Then after I send those back, it will be off to the printer.

I'll soon be putting out the call for influencers and reviewers. As soon as I have a picture of my cover I'll post that. In the meantime here's a blurb to whet your appetites!

April Love applies for the job of her dreams as in-house chef in an oldlake shore mansion. But when she discovers Marc Thorne, her ex-fiance, workingfor the same organization, and her new boss is found dead before he tastes hercooking, she questions if she misread God's intent for her life.

It doesn't take long for April and Marc to realize the love they held for each otheris stronger than ever, but before they can begin a life together they must close thedoors on the past. When the only man she ever loved is falsely accused of murder, she has no choice but to turn sleuth to expose the truth.

Tainted capsules, a collection of lovable and not-so-lovable staff members, aretired show parrot named Pedro, and a seventy-year-old aunt who has moreenergy than a room full of preschoolers makes this a fast-paced romance with atwist of mystery to keep the pages turning.

Janice Thompson's Hello Hollywood -- A Fun Read

2011-10-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

The back cover of Janice Thompson's latest fun read, Hello Hollywood says:

When it comes to love, one thing's for sure--it doesn't follow a script!
Athena Pappas is the head writer on Stars Collide, one of the most popular sitcoms in television history. But when Vegas comedian Stephen Cosse is brought in to beef up the show's suddenly sagging ratings, she starts to worry about her job. Sparks fly as the competition--and attraction--between the two writers heats up. Athena has never had a problem writing the romances of her characters. So why is her own love life so hard to script?

With humor and a Hollywood-insider viewpoint, Hello, Hollywood! delivers lots of laughs as Athena and Stephen discover that not being in control of the plot of their lives might just be the best thing that ever happened to them.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book which is a fun way to get a peek at how a group of writers for a television show work together. In some ways, much the same way as we authors of fiction write, except they are constantly brainstorming and deadlines come up weekly.

But the fun doesn't stop there. Athena belongs to a My Big Fat Greek Wedding kind of family, and she often spends time at the family deli where a delightful cast of characters and dogs entertain and delight the reader.

For those that remember the old Dick Van Dyke Show from back when sitcoms were in black and white (you can catch reruns of the show even now) you will enjoy how the writing team our heroine belongs to uses that show, about a similar comedy writing team, as role models. It made me want to flip on the television and find some of those reruns.

If you are looking for a fun romantic comedy written by one of the masters of the genre, look no further than Hello Hollywood. For more information about Janice Thompson, check out her website!

Note: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book for purposes of review. All opinions expressed are my own.

ACFW New Releases for October Promise Lots of Good Reading

2011-09-30T17:22:00.000-05:00

October Brings More Great Reads from ACFW Authors - Check Out Our New Releases!

With October comes chilly nights, perfect for curling up with a good read. The ACFW New Release list is sure to have something to meet all genre preferences!

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Wedding Invitation by Alice Wisler -- General Fiction from Bethany House; When Samantha Bravencourt receives an invitation to a wedding in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she looks forward to reconnecting with her college friend. Instead her life collides with Carson, a fellow teacher and the man who broke her heart.

Attracted by Fire by DiAnn Mills -- A Thriller/Suspense from Tyndale. When a Secret Service Agent is assigned to the Vice President's rebellious daughter, danger lurks in every corner - and her heart.

Deeply Devoted: A Novel; The Blue Willow Brides Series by Maggie Brendan -- A Historical from Revell -- She is staking her future on a man she's never met. Can she learn to love him?

Freezing Point by Beth Goddard -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired. Casey Wilkes didn't realize her simple human-interest story would put her life at risk—again.

Lethal Remedy by Richard L. Mabry M.D. -- A Thriller/Suspense from Abingdon; A doctor discovers that the experimental "wonder drug" that offers the only hope of cure for a universally fatal infection can be attacking more than just bacteria.

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist, -- Historical Romance from Bethany House. Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Maggie's Journey by Lena Nelson Dooley -- A Historical from Realms (Charisma Media). Near her eighteenth birthday, Margaret Lenora Caine finds a chest hidden in the attic containing proof that she's adopted and her journey begins.

Recipe for Deceit by S. Dionne Moore -- Mystery from Barbour. The third LaTisha Barnhart mystery finds the sassy diner owner trying to figure out who put the hit on a hitman.

Rodeo Dust by Shannon Vanatter -- Romance from Barbour Heartsong; Can they rely on God to find their common ground or will they draw a line in the rodeo dust that neither will cross?

Southern Fried Sushi: A Novel by Jennifer Rogers Spinola -- General Fiction from Barbour; Ride the roller coaster of Shiloh Jacobs’s life as her dreams derail, sending her on a downward spiral from the heights of an AP job in Tokyo to penniless in rural Virginia.

Ten Plagues by Mary Nealy-- Thriller/Suspense from Barbour; A demon possessed serial killer pits himself against a former ego driven cop, who's found peace as a mission pastor and a tough lady cop with the spiritual gift of discerning spirits.

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy-- Thriller/Suspense from Thomas Nelson; To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

The Chair by James Rubart-- Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing; If you were given an ancient looking chair and told Jesus Christ made it, would you believe them?

The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight-- Romance from Love Inspired; When a battle weary cop and a Christmas crazy teacher join forces to care for an abandoned, mute boy in a small town, neither is prepared for the shocking revelations waiting...just in time for Christmas.

The Lady's Maid by Susan Page Davis-- Romance from Barbour; As a lady's maid, Elise will follow her mistress anywhere, even into the Wild West.

The Wishing Pearl by Nicole O'Dell-- Young Adult from Barbour; Join conflicted sixteen-year-old Olivia Mansfield on her journey to hope and healing as she leaves her messed-up life behind and moves into home for troubled teens

There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones-- Young Adult from Thomas Nelson; Grief brought Finley to Ireland. Love will lead her home.

When Love Gets in the Way by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Straight from the heart of the Old West, the Colorado Runaway series is full of adventure, humor, and romance.

When Two Hearts Meet by Janelle Mowery-- A Historical from Harvest House; Rachel Garrett finds that attaining her dream of becoming a nurse is fraught with peril, and a deputy sheriff with a wall around his heart doesn’t help matters.

CFBA Blog Tour - Here's to Friends by Melody Carlson

2011-09-19T13:24:00.002-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Here’s to Friends David C. Cook (September 1, 2011) by Melody Carlson

Melody Carlson fans will not be disappointed with her newest release. I love the premise of four girls all having the same first name choosing to go by their middle names and staying friends for many years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the years, Melody Carlson has worn many hats, from pre-school teacher to youth counselor to political activist to senior editor. But most of all, she loves to write! Currently she freelances from her home. In the past eight years, she has published over ninety books for children, teens, and adults--with sales totaling more than two million and many titles appearing on the ECPA Bestsellers List. Several of her books have been finalists for, and winners of, various writing awards. And her "Diary of a Teenage Girl" series has received great reviews and a large box of fan mail.

She has two grown sons and lives in Central Oregon with her husband and chocolate lab retriever. They enjoy skiing, hiking, gardening, camping and biking in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Once upon a time in a little town on the Oregon coast lived four Lindas—all in the same first-grade classroom. So they decided to go by their middle names. And form a club. And be friends forever.

Decades later, they're all back home in Clifden and reinventing their lives, but the holidays bring a whole new set of challenges. Abby’s new B&B is getting bad reviews and husband Paul is acting strange. Still grieving for her mom, Caroline is remodeling the family home, but boyfriend Mitch keeps pressuring her to go away with him. Artist Marley, distracted by a friend's family drama (and a touch of jealousy), can't find her creative groove. And Janie’s drug-addicted daughter has just appeared up on her doorstep! When a long-planned New Year's cruise turns into a bumpy ride, they learn once again that, in your fifties, friends aren’t just for fun—they're a necessity!

You can buy it at Amazon!

If you would like to read the first chapter of Here’s to Friends, go HERE.

Note: I was provided a complimentary copy of Here's to Friends for the purpose of review. I was not asked to give only favorable comments.

A Heart Revealed - Another Great Read from Julie Lessman

2011-09-18T12:12:00.000-05:00

Lately every September I look forward to two things, theACFW National Conference and author Julie Lessman’s latest release from Revell.

This year is no exception. With A Heart Revealed, the second book in the Winds of Change series, Lessman continues the story of the O’Connorfamily. The first three-book series called TheDaughters of Boston involves daughters, Faith, Charity, and Beth(Elizabeth), and the first book in the current series focuses on Kate, theyoungest daughter.

With A Heart Revealed,gears shift as Sean O’Connor, one of the two brothers in the family, comesfront and center for his story.

And what a story it is. As much as I’ve loved the women'sstories, I loved reading about Sean who is all man. The story begins in 1931when the country is reeling from the big crash that sent the economy intoturmoil. Even so, self-proclaimed bachelor Sean has escaped loss of employmentas manager of a large hardware store—until now.

Emma Malloy fled Dublin and her abusive husband for Bostonyears earlier and, over time, even as her emotional wounds healed, she has neverregretted not seeking a divorce. Now, there's only one problem—she’s falling in love.

The back of the book asks, “Could Sean and Emma ever have afuture together? Or is Emma doomed to live out the rest of her life, denyingthe only true love she’s ever known?”

If you are looking for drama, passion, raw human emotion,love and romance, this novel will not disappoint you. Lessman has a knack oftapping the deepest of human frailty and weaving a love for God and God’ssteadfast love for His people into dynamite stories you can’t put down.

I highly recommend this book.

About the Author:

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 13 Romance Writers of America awards and was voted by readers as “Borders Best of 2009 So Far: Your Favorite Fiction” at http://www.borders.com/online/store/ListView_best2009favefiction. Chosen as #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also awarded #1 Series of the Year in that same poll and #3 Author of the Year, #5 Novel of the Year and #4 Historical Fiction Author of the year. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son and daughter-in-law. You can read more about Julie and her books at www.julielessman.com

Note:A complimentary copy of A Heart Revealed was provided to me by Revell for the purpose of review. I was not asked to provide only favorablecomments. All opinions expressed here are my own.

CFBA Blog Tour - The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund

2011-09-14T11:26:00.001-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Doctor's Lady Bethany House (September 1, 2011) by Jody Hedlund

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jody has written novels for the last 18 years (with a hiatus when her children were young). After many years of writing and honing her skills, she finally garnered national attention with her double final in the Genesis Contest, a fiction-writing contest for unpublished writers through ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers).

Her first published book, The Preacher’s Bride (2010 Bethany House Publishers), hit the CBA Best Seller list on two different occasions and has won multiple awards.

Her second book, The Doctor’s Lady, released this September. She has completed a third book which will be released in 2012. She’s currently busy researching and writing another book!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Priscilla White knows she'll never be a wife or mother and feels God's call to the mission field in India. Dr. Eli Ernest is back from Oregon Country only long enough to raise awareness of missions to the natives before heading out West once more. But then Priscilla and Eli both receive news from the mission board: No longer will they send unmarried men and women into the field.

Left scrambling for options, the two realize the other might be the answer to their needs. Priscilla and Eli agree to a partnership, a marriage in name only that will allow them to follow God's leading into the mission field. But as they journey west, this decision will be tested by the hardships of the trip and by the unexpected turnings of their hearts.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Doctor's Lady, go HERE.

You can buy it at Amazon!

Watch the book trailer:

Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins - Don't Miss This One!

2011-09-12T11:12:00.001-05:00

I didn’t know what to expect when I opened the latest bookfrom Jerry Jenkins called Betrayal.Yep, the author is the same guy that with Tim LaHaye wrote all those Left Behind books.

Other than Left Behind,what I know about Jerry Jenkins are varied and sundry tidbits of information.He used to live in my neck of the woods, the Chicago burbs. He’s a very goodfriend of some people from my church, and a writer friend of mine used to seehim at family reunions. He worked for Moody Publishers for a long while andwrote many biographies about sports figures. A few years ago he purchased theChristian Writers Guild, a correspondence school for writers, and has built itinto a premiere go-to place for writers of both fiction and non-fiction tolearn the craft. Then soon after that left Chicago for Colorado Springs. Now whowould want a visual of Pike’s Peak out one’s window to inspire their muse whenyou can have the Midwestern plains?

Betrayal is apolice story set right in the heart of the Chicago Police Department and CookCounty Jail. Fast paced with short chapters that keep you turning pages.

As a resident of the area affectionately known asChicagoland, I loved have the story set right here and being able to visualize thesettings. Jerry knows the city well and he writes it well. Although I had notread the first book in this series called District 11, I had no problem pickingup the storyline. It works very well as a stand-alone book.

Detective Boone Drake has just pulled off the most massivesting in Chicago history, bringing down the heads of not only the biggeststreet gangs in the city but also the old crime syndicate. The story is thebiggest in decades, and the Chicago Police Department must protect the keywitness at all costs. Yet despite top-secret plans to transfer the witness aheadof his testimony before the grand jury, an attempt is made on his life.

It soon becomes apparent that someone inside the Chicago PD leaked informationto the shooter. As evidence mounts and suspicion points too close to home,Boone doesn’t know whom he can trust. An investigation reveals that theturncoat might be someone very close to him, even someone he loves—or is theguilty party just trying to cover up corruption at the highest level of thepolice department? Trusting the wrong person could prove fatal.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves detective,cops and robbers type of stories. The genre is not my first choice of a goodread, but when I find a good one I enjoy it. This one is a keeper.

Note: I was provided a complimentary ARC of this book from Tyndale Publishers for the purposes of review. All opinions expressed here are my own and none were provided by the publisher.

CFBA Blog Tour - To Have and To Hold by Tracie Peterson & Judith Miller

2011-09-07T17:44:00.001-05:00

In To Have and To Hold, multipublishedauthors Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller have brought their combinedstorytelling talents to craft a story their fans will love.

WhenAudrey Cunningham's father proposes that they move to Bridal Veil Island, wherehe grew up, she agrees, thinking this will help keep him sober and close toGod. But they arrive to find wealthy investors buying up land to build a grandresort on the secluded island--and they want the Cunninghams' acreage.

ContractorMarshall Graham can't imagine why the former drinking buddy of his deceasedfather would beckon him to Bridal Veil Island. And when Boyd Cunningham askshim to watch over Audrey, Marshall is even more confused. He has no desire tobe saddled with caring for this fiery young woman who is openly hostile towardhim. Butwhen Audrey seems to be falling for another man--one who has two little girlsAudrey adores--Marshall realizes she holds more of his heart than he realized. Whichman will Audrey choose? And can she hold on to her ancestral property in theface of overwhelming odds?

Asyou can tell from the description above this is a good story, full ofsurprising twists and lots of vivid descriptions of Bridal Veil Island which islocated off the Georgia Coast. From a wary heroine whose fears are founded inher deep love for her father to a shotgun-toting-elderly aunt who hasn’t quitegotten the message the War Between the States is over, this novel brings a goodSeptember read to fans of late 19^th Century romance.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 85 novels. She received her first book contract in November, 1992 with Barbour Publishings' Heartsong Presents. She wrote exclusively with Heartsong for the next two years, receiving their readership's vote for Favorite Author of the Year for three years in a row. In 1995 she signed a contract with Bethany House Publishers to co-write a series with author Judith Pella. Tracie now writes exclusively for Bethany House Publishers. She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. Tracie was awarded the Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for 2007 Inspirational Fiction and her books have won numerous awards for favorite books in a variety of contests. Making her home in Montana, this Kansas native enjoys spending time with family--especially her three grandchildren--Rainy, Fox and Max.

Judith Miller's first novel, Threads of Love, was conceived when she was commuting sixty miles to work each day. She wanted to tell the story of a pioneer girl coming to Kansas and the faith that sustained her as she adjusted to a new life. Through a co-worker, she was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from her. Having never met Tracie, Judith was totally unaware of her writing career, but God intervened. The rest is, as they say, history. Since that first encounter many years ago, Judith has been blessed with the publication of numerous books, novellas and a juvenile fiction book. Joyously, she and Tracie had the opportunity to develop a blessed friendship. In fact, they have co-authored several series together, including The Bells of Lowell, the Lights of Lowell and The Broadmoor Legacy.

You can order it from Amazon!

ACFW Authors New Release List - A Banquet of Many Choices

2011-09-01T12:19:00.000-05:00

September brings a feast for fiction fans. Survey this buffet and choose what tempts you. There are a number of Christmas-themed novella collections which are always popular for gifting and getting yourself into the spirit. They might even help cool you down from this late summer heat! Enjoy!

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Biltmore Christmas by Diane Ashley and Rhonda Gibson -- A Historical Romance from Barbour; Explore the luxuries of America’s largest home through the eyes of the fictional Bradford sisters

A Bride’s Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas by Erica Vetsch -- A Romance from Barbour. Hoping to leave the shadows of her shady yesteryears behind, Adeline Reid is focusing on her photography career. But when her ex-boyfriend’s compatriot in crime shows up in Dodge City her entire past is threatened by exposure.

A Harvest of Hearts by Laura V. Hilton -- Shanna Stoltzfus thought nothing could make her return home to her Amish family. She was wrong. But can anything make her give up her dreams and stay?

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman -- A Historical Romance from Revell. Her heart is tied to a youthful vow . . . but can true love set it free?

A Log Cabin Christmas Collection by Margaret Brownley, Wanda Brunstetter, Jane Kirkpatrick, Kelly Eileen Hake, Liz Johnson, Liz Tolsma, Michelle Ule, Debra Ullrick, and Erica Vetsch-- General Fiction Historical from Revell. In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?

A Marriage for Meghan by Mary Ellis -- Romance from Harvest House; An engaging story of one girl’s quest for independence and true love as social prejudice tests a community’s faith in a simpler world.

A Quaker Christmas by Laura Lee Bliss, Rachael Phillips Ramona Cecil, and Claire Sanders -- Romance from Barbour. Christmas is a simple matter among the Quakers of the historic Ohio River Valley, but can it be a a special time to welcome love into four households?

A Whisper of Peace by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- Historical Romance from Bethany House. Will Clay Selby be forced to choose between his desire to minister to the natives and the quiet nudging of his heart to spend his life with a quiet, independent Indian woman who is not a part of the tribe?

Ashes to Honor by Loree Lough -- General Fiction from Abingdon. If only he'd answered that last call from the World Trade Center....

Belonging; Where the Heart Lives Series by Robin Lee Hatcher -- Historical Romance from Zondervan; Can two bitter pasts make one sweet future?.

Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis-- Historical General Fiction from Moody Publishers; A girl has become a woman while in captivity, and a stagecoach driver longs to take her to the home she barely remembers.

Christmas at Barncastle Inn by Lynette Sowell, Susan Page Davis, Darlene Franklin, and Janelle Mowery -- Romance from Barbour; Each Christmas the Barncastle family transforms its sprawling Victorian bed and breakfast into a fantasy world through time. Will its guests also discover that forgiveness is timeless?

Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon-- Thriller/Suspense from Revell; A woman who protects children. An ex-Navy SEAL turned police detective. A stalker with deadly intent.

Deep Cover by Sandra Orchard-- Romance from Love Inspired; Undercover Cops: Fighting for justice puts their lives--and hearts--on the line.

Dry As Rain by Gina Holmes-- General Fiction from Tyndale; Undercover Cops: Behind every broken vow lies a broken heart. A richly engaging story of betrayal and redemption, Dry as Rain illuminates with striking emotional intensity the surprising truth of what it means to forgive.

Falling to Pieces; A Quilt Shop Murder by Vanetta Chapman-- A Cozy Mystery from Zondervan; Not your usual Amish buggy ride!

Finding Angel by Kat Heckenbach-- Speculative Fiction from Splashdown Books; Angel doesn’t remember her magical heritage…but it remembers her.

From This Day Forward; American Tapestries by Margaret Daley-- Historical Romance from Summerside Press; Following the War of 1812, an Englishwoman, stranded in South Carolina, pregnant and recently widowed, struggles to make a life for herself. Can a disenchanted American physician heal her wounded heart?

Hailee by Penny Zeller-- Historical Romance from Whitaker House; Can this unlikely pair come to terms with their pasts and face the future together?

Hidden in the Everglades by Margaret Daley-- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired; Michael Hunt needs Kyra Morgan's help to keep his sister safe. It will take everything they have to escape the Everglades alive.

Love Finds You on Christmas Morning by Debby Mayne and Trish Perry -- Romance from Summerside Press; Two women receive marriage proposals in the same house— 85 years apart. Love finds a home on Christmas morning in two heartwarming holiday stories.

Love Finds You in Sundance, Wyoming by Miralee Ferrell-- Romance from Summerside Press; While war rages in Europe, Rebekah Hendricks dreams of life far beyond the family farm in Oklahoma. And when a telegram arrives in October of 1918, she believes God has provided her way of escape.

Naomi’s Gift-An Amish Christmas Story by Amy Clipston-- Romance from Zondervan; Take a trip to Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, where you'll meet the women of the Kauffman Amish Bakery in Lancaster County.

Pirate of My Heart by Jamie Carie-- Historical Fiction from B and H Publishing; Forced to flee the only home she's ever known, Lady Kendra Townsend risks everything for a chance at finding true love in the wilds of a new America.

Remembering Christmas: A Novel by Dan Walsh-- General Fiction from Revell; Can one Christmas change a person's life forever?

Shadowed in Silk by Christine Lindsay-- Historical Romance from Whitefire Publishing; Neglected by family, Abby travels to India after WWI with her small son, only to be abandoned by her husband, a cruel stranger, and to fall in love with a man who can never return her love without offending God.

Surrender the Dawn by Mary Lu Tyndall-- Historical Romance from Barbour; You’ll be swept away in this seafaring romance between a plucky damsel-in-distress and a nefarious rake who’s selling out his country amid the War of 1812.

The Aristocrat’s Lady by Mary Moore -- Historical from Love Inspired; She was resigned to a life without love-until she met him...

The Christmas Belles of Georgia by Debra Ullrick, Jeanie Smith Cash, Rose Allen McCauley, and Jeri Odell -- Romance from Barbour; They were sisters once—identical quadruplets—given up for adoption at birth. Now each receives a letter advising her to claim her inheritance and the family she never knew. . .at Christmas.

The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund-- Historical Romance from Bethany House; Priscilla White knew God wanted her to be a missionary, not a wife. But the only way she can serve is to be married. Married in name only, her new journey will test her spirit. . . and the new longings of her heart.

The Healing; Kentucky Brothers Series by Wanda Brunstetter-- Romance from Barbour; Can Esther Beiler win Samuel Fisher’s heart, or has she already lost it to an English woman? How will God untangle star-crossed lovers when jealousies and misconceptions threaten to tear them apart?

The Wounded Heart; An Amish Quilt Novel by Adina Senft-- General Fiction from Faith Words (Hachette); When she's diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a young Amish mother must choose between obedience or following her heart.

To Have and To Hold; Bridal Veil Island Series by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller -- Historical Romance from Bethany House; Amid a time of growth and change for Bridal Veil, can Marshall and Audrey find a foundation on which to build a love to last forever?

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer-- General Fiction from Bethany House; While war rages in Europe, Rebekah Hendricks dreams of life far beyond the family farm in Oklahoma. And when a telegram arrives in October of 1918, she believes God has provided her way of escape.

Great World War II Read by Sarah Sundin

2011-08-21T19:00:00.003-05:00

World War II stories are becoming more and more popular everyday. Having already written onehistorical romance myself that’s set in 1933, I’ve become intrigued with boththe 30s and 40s, and for that reason, I excitedly opened author Sarah Sundin’sBlue Skies Tomorrow. I did not read the first two books in her three-book Wingsof Glory series, but the story presented well as a stand alone, and anyone whoenjoys WWII romance stories will love this story.

Evidence of Sundin’s extensive research into setting andWWII, both at war and on the home front, is very evident in this book. Fromdetailed descriptions of hero, Ray Novak’s war experience as a bomber pilot tothe home front where heroine, Helen Carlisle, lives in Antioch, California, theentire time period and the characters come alive to the reader.

The only drawback I found with this novel, is that the pacing of approximately the first third of the book to be abit slow. During this time, Ray’s army assignment is at nearby Port Chicago, andeven though he and Helen, a war widow with a toddler son, knew each othergrowing up, they've gone their separate ways. They become reacquainted toy with the idea of pursuing romance, but the emotional baggage they both carry prevents them from acommitted relationship before Ray ships out to England.

At that point the pacing picks up and the story seamlesslymoves forward at a fast clip between Ray’s war experiences and Helen’sstruggles at home during which they both grow in their faith walks and overcomemany obstacles. So much so, I couldn’t put the book down until I finished it!

I highly recommend this book, for the complexcharacterizations and the realistic depictions of life during WWII. For thosewho read the first two books in this series, you will especially want to readthis as the storyline includes Ray’s two brothers, Walt and Jack, who were the heroesin books one and two, to catch upon their lives.

You can find Blue Skies Tomorrow on line and at yourfavorite brick and mortar bookstore.

I will definitely be looking for more from Sarah Sundin.

About the Author: Sarah Sundin is the author of A Distant Melody and A Memory Between Us. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during World War II. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.

Note:I received a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review from Revell Publishing. Allopinions expressed in this review are my own and no one else’s.

Author Pam Hillman Guest Blogs About Stealing Jake - You Can Win a Free Kindle!

2011-08-17T01:00:00.015-05:00

Today, I'm very excited to have debut author, Pam Hillman, guest blogging here. I've known Pam since the first ACFW conference nearly ten years ago in Kansas City. Later, we both served on ACFW's operating board. She was the treasurer and I, the secretary. Good thing because I'm much better with words than numbers. But Pam is blessed to be exceptionally good with both!

Her debut novel, Stealing Jake, is published by Tyndale Publishers and is one of five books Tyndale has chosen to publish in a digital ebook format before publishing in print. This is a new approach by Tyndale and is a reflection of the changing landscape of e-book publishing.

Be sure to read to the bottom for exciting news on how you can sign up for a drawing to win a free Kindle!

Welcome Pam Hillman! The floor is yours.

Thanks, Pam. I'm excited to be here.

With ebook salesrocketing skyward, established publishers, authors and readers alike are takinga second look at electronic publishing. Tyndale House Publishers answer is the DigitalFirst Program.

Tyndale HousePublishers is a Christian publisher that publishes Bibles, fiction, andnon-fiction. They’re probably best known for publishing the Left Behindseries by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, along with a host of amazingly talentedand prolific authors. I am very blessed to have been picked up by them becausethey are one of the most established and well-respected publishing houses inthe industry.

This pastspring, Tyndale decided to offer a new model of publishing called “DigitalFirst”, which is just what it implies, digital first with print books to(hopefully) follow. With ebooks quickly surpassing print books in sales, theyasked a select group of agents to send proposals from their unpublished authorswho had completed manuscripts ready to go. My agent sent one of mine, and I,along with four other unpublished authors, was offered a contract. My book, StealingJake, released July 1, 2011 as an ebook. Generally, it takes 12-18 monthsfor a print book to hit the shelves, but Tyndale put these ebooks on a fasttrack to publication and had them available in about six weeks.

Tyndale launchedthe program in July 2011 with four fiction titles and one non-fiction title. DigitalFirst’s initial ebooks include Delivery by Diana Prusik, Cash Burn byMichael Berrier, Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman, The Reinvention ofLeona Harper by Lynne Gentry and a non-fiction title, 40 Days withoutFood: Divine Goodness to a Starving Soul by Russ Masterson.

Right after the announcements came out, someone asked me this burning question,"Why did you through Tyndale to do an ebook, when you could have gonedirectly to Amazon?"

Seriously?

First reason,because Tyndale launched a Digital First Initiative, and I was blessedenough to be one of the 5 debut authors chosen to launch the program.

Next, areyou ready for this?

My publisher is TyndaleHouse Publishers!

Oh.My.Lucky.Stars!

I could stopright there, because that's reason enough in and of itself, but if you wantmore, here you go:

My book wasedited by Tyndale editors. They were awesome! The entire process was assmooth as silk. My cover was designed by Tyndale cover designers. AndI love it! My book is backed by Tyndale's good name. Whoa! Tyndalehas marketing and publicity power. That I don't have... Tyndale didall the work to get my book listed on Amazon, CBD, B&N, and Mobipocket.

And finally, I am a Tyndale author, not just another name on Amazon.

How much is that worth to me? I can't even begin to measure that. I have noclout or pull with readers. Sure, some of my friends and family would havebought my book if I put it up on my own, but then that would have been the endof it, unless I got lucky as a few do. (And more power to them!)

And if this Digital First Initiative is as successful as it's shaping up to be,I might even see Stealing Jake in print next. This is a win-winsituation for the Digital First authors and for Tyndale, and I'm over-the-moonexcited to be partnering with one of the most respected publishing houses inthe industry on this new venture.

Here are threewonderful articles that shed more light on Tyndale’s Digital First Initiative:

http://www.christianpost.com/news/tyndale-house-launches-ebook-publishing-initiative-50771/

http://writerinterrupted.com/2011/07/05/whats-direct-to-ebook-publishing/

http://writerinterrupted.com/2011/07/07/direct-to-ebook-author-pam-hillman/

When Livy O'Brien spies a young boy jostling a man walkingalong the boardwalk, she recognizes the act for what it is. After all, she usedto be known as Light-fingered Livy. But that was before she put her past behindher and moved to the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, where she's helping torun an orphanage. Now she'll do almost anything to protect the street kids likeherself.

Sheriff's deputy Jake Russell had no idea what he was in for when he raninto Livy--literally--while chasing down a pickpocket. With a rash of robberiesand a growing number of street kids in town--as well as a loan on the familyfarm that needs to be paid off--Jake doesn't have time to pursue a girl. Still,he can't seem to get Livy out of his mind. He wants to get to know her better .. . but Livy isn't willing to trust any man, especially not a lawman.
Interwoven throughout is a group of street kids arrested in Chicago and soldas child labor. Leading this band of ragamuffins is young Luke, a scared,determined orphan intent on rescuing his little brother at any cost.
Stealing Jake was offered for alimited time on Amazon, B&N & CBD. It was #1 on the top 100 Free Kindlelist at Amazon for 7 days! Mind boggling and a testament to Tyndale’s clout asa publisher of quality fiction.
To celebrate the release of StealingJake, I’m giving away a Kindle. Deadline to enter the contest is September30^th.

Award-winning author Pam Hillmanwrites inspirational fiction set in the turbulent times of the American Westand the Gilded Age. Her debut book, Stealing Jake, won the American ChristianFiction Writer’s Genesis contest and was a finalist in Romance Writers ofAmerica’s prestigious Golden Heart contest. She lives in Mississippi with herhusband and family. www.pamhillman.com,www.calicotrails.blogspot.com,www.seekerville.blogspot.com

Pam Meyers again: I have read Stealing Jake and thoroughly enjoyed the story. I can fully understand why Pam has placed high in so many writing contests. The girl can write!

As Pam said in her post she is sponsoring a Kindle giveaway at her blog. To enter the contest for the drawing for a free Kindle loaded with some of your favorite authors' books:

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman
Courting Miss Adelaide by Janet Dean
Sushi for One by Camy Tang
Love by the Book by Cara Lynn James
Rocky Mountain Hero by Audra Harders
One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson

Click on the button below to get your name in the drawing for the free Kindle!

August ACFW New Releases -- Some Awesome Reads!

2011-07-31T17:41:00.002-05:00

These late summer releases promise some good reading from ACFW authors. Check out the list. There's bound to be something to meet anyone's taste in reading.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Horseman’s Heart by Myra Johnson -- Romance from Barbour/Heartsong. When Kip Lorimer shows up with a horse to donate to the family's equine therapy program, Sheridan Cross can't help but be suspicious. A cowboy a thousand miles from home and living out of a horse trailer? What's wrong with this picture?

A Most Unsuitable Match by Stephanie Whitson -- A Historical from Bethany House. They are opposites in every way. . . except how neither one can stop thinking about the other.

Agent Undercover by Lynette Eason -- Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired. A little boy with a secret, a killer with a vendetta, and a man and a woman who will stop at nothing to protect the child while catching the killer.

Aquasynthesis by Grace Bridges, Fred Warren, Caprice Hokstad, P.A. Baines, Adam Graham, R.L. Copple, Travis Perry, Mike Lynch, Keven Newsome, Kat Heckenbach, and Ryan Grabow. -- Fantasy from Splashdown Books. From classic-style fantasy and science fiction stories, through speculative tales that delve deeper into motivations and meanings, we move from humor to sacrifice by a linking story that connects many very different themes.

Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin -- General Fiction Historical from Revell. In a time of peril, can they find the courage to confront their fears and embrace a love that lasts?

Edge of Grace by Christa Allan -- General Fiction from Abingdon. Unable to cope with her brother’s news that he is gay, Caryn Becker rejects him. But when he is attacked and nearly killed, she is forced to make hard choices that take her to the very edge of grace.

Lost in Dreams, Book Two; Altered Heart Series by Roger Bruner and Kristi Rae Bruner -- Young Adult from Barbour. Eighteen-year-old Kim Hartlinger discovers the victory Jesus provides during the most trying of circumstances as she learns to lean on other Christians.

Marrying Miss Marshall by Lacy Williams -- Romance from Bethany House. Her job is to protect the town... but who will protect her heart?

Out of Control by Mary Connealy -- Romance from Bethany House. Rafe Kincaid controls everything in his life . . . until he meets Julia.

Ransome’s Quest by Kaye Dacus -- Historical Romance from Harvest House. Romance, intrigue, and swashbuckling leaps of faith create a wonderfully heroic close to this beloved series.

Something Old by Dianne Christner -- Romance from Barbour. Love is rarely plain and simple.

Surrender the Dawn by Mary Lu Tyndall -- A Historical from Barbour. You’ll be swept away in this seafaring romance between a plucky damsel-in-distress and a nefarious rake who’s selling out his country amid the War of 1812.

The Matrimony Plan by Christine Johnson -- Historical Romance from Love Inspired. A rich girl falls in love with a poor boy -- until the tables are turned.

Looking for a Fun Read? Look No Further than Kathleen Y'Barbo's Latest Book.

2011-07-22T12:03:00.004-05:00

I've known Kathleen Y'Barbo for a long time, but have never read one of her books before. After hearing rave reviews for her historical romances over the years, I knew I had to read one for myself. I wasn't disappointed.

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck is the first of what I'm sure will be many pleasant moments reading Kathleen's work. Don't you just love that title? A title like that raises my curiosity. Why was the marriage inconvenient and who is Charlotte Beck?

The story opens in England during the late 1800s when a coming-of-age American young lady by the name of Charlotte Beck turns London society on its ear. It seems there is nothing Miss Beck is afraid to do and whatever she does, it seems to put her in the midst of trouble, even when she isn't looking for it.

Enter her nemisis, astronomer Alex Humbly, and her troubles only seem to mount. The only answer is to return home to Colorado and convince her father that she indeed is ready for college. Little does she realize that Alex also has his sights on Colorado as a way to save his family from financial ruin.

Her father provides a solution. One that neither Charlotte or Alex saw coming. If they marry, her father will save Alex's family from financial devastation, and Charlotte will be free to attend college. Being married to the man she despises more than anything is not Charlotte's idea of a good time, and Alex feels exactly the same about her. Or does he?

Y'Barbo has skillfully taken a plot that involves serious issues and crafted a story that is entertaining and fun to read. In fact, I could easily see this translated to a romantic comedy for the silver screen. I highly recommend the book for a long summer afternoon's reading, but it can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere.

This may have been my first Kathleen Y'Barbo read, but I can say for sure it won't be my last. You can get your own copy at your favorite book store, either on line or on a street in your neighborhood. Don't miss it!

Kathleen Y'Barbo is a best-selling author of more than thirty books. In all, over 950,000 copies of her books are currently in print in the US and abroad.

She is a member of the Romance Writers of America, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Words for the Journey Christian Writers, and is also a paralegal specializing in criminal and family law. A native Texan with a BA from Texas A&M's Mays Business School, Kathleen and her hero husband have a blended family that stretches across two states and two foreign countries. Read more about Kathleen at www.kathleenybarbo.com.

Note: I was provided with a free copy of the book for review purposes by Waterbrook Publishers, but was not asked in any way to write a favorable review. The opinion expressed here is strictly my own.

My New Writing Journey Begins

2011-07-13T07:45:00.002-05:00

My writing journey is heading down a brand new road, and I've been busy. The contract with OakTara Publishing has been signed, and my editor has been sent my tweaked manuscript, the dedication and acknowledgment pages, stock photos of how I visualize the main characters for the cover artist to use, plus a few more other items.

Most recently, I've been working with a good friend who is developing a book trailer for me. Similar to movie previews/trailers, book trailers are becoming more and more popular. They are another way of getting the word out there about a book and can be posted most anywhere on the Internet. It's fun going through stock photos and taking some pictures of my own, each picture seemingly bringing my story to life.

These days most authors, well-published or new, have to build a platform and work at marketing their books. And you don't start doing that the day the book is released. I've already been working on building my platform, which essentially is how many people do I have the ability to reach through this blog, FaceBook, Twitter, and other social networks. Also through organizations I belong to like ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), my church, etc.

I've been working on updating my website to announce the news that Thyme for Love will soon be coming out (probably after the first of the year). I'll know more about the release date in a couple months. My next step is to develop an author page on FaceBook. It's often been said that the real work begins AFTER you write the story and contract with a publisher. I'm learning that real fast.

I am depending more and more on God to give me wisdom in prioritizing and how to develop my areas of influence to get my author name and book title out there. Funny, I've been working so much lately on humility and the right attitude of mind. None of this writing gig is my own doing. It is God who gave me the talent and desire to write, and it is He who enables me now to be published, and it is He who will bless me with book sales when the time comes. It is so important that I keep this in mind as I go forward.

Below is a blurb about Thyme for Love. Can't wait for everyone to be able to meet April Love and Marc Thorne, the main characters in this romance with mystery.

ACFW New Releases for July - Great Summer Reads!

2011-07-01T15:14:00.000-05:00

Below are July New Releases from ACFW Authors. Take a gander as you'll likely find something that suits your tastes for a hot summer afternoon read.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

Dandelion Summer by Lisa Wingate -- General Fiction from Penguin Praise. J. Norman, recently widowed, aging and a retired space program engineer, eventually warms up to part-time caretaker Epie, an at-risk teen, as they search for his long forgotten roots when old, buried memories of a different home, a fire, red-headed children, and a black housekeeper surface.

Dangerous Reunion by Sandra Robbins -- Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense. A woman deputy sheriff on a small barrier island off the coast of North Carolina struggles to stop a crazed killer's vendetta while battling her renewed attraction to the man who broke her heart years ago.

Love Finds You in Lancaster County by Annalisa Daughety -- Romance from Summerside Press. When Amish-born Lydia Ann Raber and Southern belle Caroline DeMarco discover a shared history of loss, the unlikely duo decides to open a gift shop in beautiful Lancaster County. There each woman finds friendship, a fresh start, and a second chance at love.

Odd Little Miracles by Fred Warren -- Fantasy from Splashdown Books. Follow the twists and turns of twenty-two bizarre tales, where odd is commonplace, little things make all the difference, and miracles are everywhere, if you know where to look...

Pursued by Lillian Duncan -- Thriller/Suspense from White Rose. Reggie Meyers has spent her life pursing the American Dream, but now she’s the one being pursued— by an unknown killer. Putting her trust in Dylan Monroe, a man she barely knows, will either be the best decision she ever made or the last.

Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry -- General Fiction from Tyndale. Residing in a parsonage is not for sissies, but living anywhere else scares the pastor’s widow spitless.

The Blessed by Ann Gabhart -- General Fiction from Revell. After being pushed into marriage to her preacher husband, Lacey Bishop follows her husband to a Shaker village. A community that believes marriage is a sin. And to make matters worse, she finds herself drawn to Isaac Kingston, a man who came to the Shakers after his young bride died. But of course any notion of love between them is only a forbidden dream. How will Lacey ever find true happiness?

The Nanny’s Homecoming by Linda Goodnight -- Romance from Love Inspired. After her fiancé calls off their wedding, Brooke Clayton has nowhere to go but home.

Wolfsbane by Ronie Kendig -- Thriller/Suspense from Barbour. Former Green Beret Captain Canyon Metcalfe is unnerved when Nightshade is sent to a South American jungle that holds an eerie similarity to a dark tragedy from his past.

Being a Teenager Can Be Dangerous

2011-06-22T10:38:00.001-05:00

Over the past weekend, four teens in my area went for a joy ride in the middle of the night. The car ended up colliding into a tree at an estimated 90 mph and literally split in half. Three kids were killed, the only survivor a boy who used his seat belt. A tragic accident that will forever be graven in that young man's memory.

According to news reports the car was stolen (by the girls who came by in the car and invited the boys to go for a ride) According to the survivor, the driver had been drinking (and it's presumed the others were too). The boy also said that when he told the driver (one of the girls) to slow down, his buddy said something to the effect of "Lighten up. If we die, we die." And he did, along with the two girls. Chilling.

I remember back when I was 16 and how I thought I was invincible. I'd get behind the wheel of my dad's car and roar through my small town at speeds well above the limit. Why the police never observed my less-than-stellar driving and put a stop it it, I have no idea. But friends of my dad did see me zooming down Main Street at high speed and told him. I think getting stopped by the cops would have been a less painful experience LOL.

I may not have stolen the car I was driving, and I wasn't drinking beer. But the mindset I had at the time wasn't too much different than the kids who died in that awful crash. The survivor said he didn't think his friend really meant the words "If we die, we die," that he was only joking. Some joke.

Why do teenagers think nothing is ever going to happen to them? Today, not only do many drink and drive drunk, a lot are doing drugs. They start out thinking they'll only try it to see what it's like and become addicted so fast they don't know what hit them. They pop pills, snort cocaine, and smoke pot, among other things. And now there's a product on the market called Bath Salts. Believe me, the powder in those little containers has nothing to do with taking a bath. Many states have started to ban the sale of these so-called bath salts, but for many, it's too little too late. Some have already died from the effects of ingesting this powder with it's rather innocent-sounding name.

Is there any way to protect our teens from being teens save locking them in their rooms until they reach their twenties? I have no concrete, fool-proof answer, except one - PRAY.

Pray for the teens you know personally. Pray for the leaders of your church's youth groups. Pray for the parents of the teens you know. I wonder if everyone started praying in this vein, what would happen.

Are you willing to find out?

Story In The Stars--A Story You'll Love Even if you Never Read Science Fiction!

2011-06-18T13:15:00.000-05:00

A number of months ago, Yvonne Anderson, one of my critique partners, signed with Risen Books to publish her space fantasy novel, Story in the Stars. I have to admit that because I don't read sci fi, or fantasy I opted to not critique her work. Yet week after week, as submissions for the chapters of her book showed up in my crit group folder, I'd soon see the critiques coming back from my other crit partners with exclamations of how good the story was and that they couldn't wait for the next chapter. I wondered if I wasn't missing something special. But, by then the story was half done, and I hate jumping into the middle of a story. So I abstained.

A few weeks ago, Story in the Stars released, and I agreed to read it and put a review up on Writer's Journey. Once I began reading, I hated to put the book down. It is that good.

The storyline is set sometime in the future where interplanetary travel between fictional planets is the norm. That is the backdrop, but the real draw is the story about relationships, good and bad, as well as a well-crafted yarn that has the reader wondering if they are going to survive at all.

Anderson's characters are unforgettable, from Dassa, the only survivor from the planet Gannah, who as heir to the headship of the planet, becomes its leader; to Pik a tall, gangly guy from the planet Karkar whose emotions are expressed through his ears. There is also a supporting cast of characters that add color to the story. The message of the Gospel, told through the constellations, is presented and done so in a very organic way that neither preaches nor beats the reader over the head. It is the kind of book you could give to someone who doesn't follow Christ but loves fantasy.

I asked Yvonne to join me today to answer a few questions about her story and how it came to be.

I see you call your book a space fantasy. What does that mean, exactly?

I’ve been told that if a story involves space travel, it should be called Science Fiction. But another definition of Science Fiction says that it’s fiction based on existing science. That is, where the writer takes current concepts and technologies and extrapolates how they might play out in the future. But that doesn’t describe my story. Stars is completely unrealistic, has no basis in scientific fact whatsoever. It’s more of a fantasy in a space setting.

Risen Fiction is a new publisher with an unusual model and a unique focus. Is that why you decided to go with them?

There were several reasons, actually. They’re a very new house and don’t have much of a track record yet. But I’ve read everything they’ve done, and I’m impressed. A lot of Christian publishers have a list of controversial subjects they won’t touch for fear of offending someone. I’d been afraid my book was doomed, being too secular for a Christian publisher but too Christian for the secular market. But Risen Books has the courage to venture out of the cushioned pews and out into the world, and I respect that about them.

As far as their model goes, you’re right. It’s POD and ebook, and not quite traditional. But as I don’t need to tell you, the publishing industry is in flux right now, and “traditional” is soon to be redefined in ways no one can yet foresee. Risen’s model is less risky, more flexible, more efficient. Since they’re willing to take a chance on me, I’m happy to take my chances with them. In fact, I’m excited about working with them to make a name for both them as a publishing house and me as an author.

How did you pitch your project to them? Do you have an agent?

Second question first: no, I don’t have an agent. And, of course, that limits my options, as none of the major houses will accept submissions from unagented authors. But the pitching process with Risen Books was so quick and painless, my head’s still spinning.

I have a friend who signed with them in December, and she gave me the good news as soon as they offered her the contract. She writes speculative fiction, too. I thought, Risen Books? Never heard of them. So I checked them out, and, as I mentioned before, I was impressed with their offerings. I sent them a proposal as per their submission guidelines, and right away, they requested a complete MS. I didn’t get too excited though – I guess I’d become a little jaded by then. But when they contacted me a couple weeks later and asked about my vision for the series… now, that got my hopes up.

I didn’t realize this was part of a series.

Neither did I. In fact, in 2007, the first time I ever pitched this story, I was asked more or less the same question by an acquisitions editor from Zondervan. I told him it was a one-shot deal, I didn’t see myself as a sci-fi writer. But later, after spending more time on the planet Gannah, I realized it needed to be further explored, so in 2009 I went back for another visit. That second book was drafted and in the process of revision when Risen asked me about the series; and when I considered the matter, I came up with a total of seven possible storylines (including the two that were already written) in about as many minutes.

So I take it they liked your vision?

I guess so. A week later, they offered me a three-book contract, with the possibility for more depending on the success of the series. I’m calling the series Gateway to Gannah because I like alliteration.

You say you first pitched your Story in the Stars in 2007. Is it first novel you ever wrote? Had you been trying for four years to get published before you were offered this contract?

No to both questions. Stars is actually the fifth novel I’ve completed. The first two, I fed to the burn barrel long ago. I thought the third had potential, and maybe it did – but I went about pitching it all wrong, and eventually got burned out on it. The fourth was an offshoot of the third, and that contributed to the burn-out. I wrote The Story in the Stars on the rebound. It’s completely different from anything I’d ever written before, and, as I said, I figured it was a one-shot deal. I just did it for fun, and at first I never had any intention of trying to get it published. But it started begging me for an audience, and I eventually had to give in.

What were your other books?

The first was historical, and the rest, I guess you’d say “women’s fiction.” I find that an irritating term but I guess it’s appropriate. It describes stories with strong female protagonists in contemporary settings that have more appeal to women than to men.

So what made you write something so different this time?

For one thing, I was mad. Mad as in, not in my right mind, but also the angry kind. Mad at myself for wasting so much of my life writing books that no one would ever want to read. You know how they ask what titles your book is comparable to? Well, toward the end of my unrequited love affair with my third novel, I went into a bookstore and studied the shelves, trying to find titles comparable to mine. Not only did I fail to find any, but I also failed to find any I’d want to spend my money on. I was so angry with myself, I wanted to start tearing books from the shelves and throwing them across the room. What did I think I was doing? How could I expect someone to buy the garbage I wrote, when I wouldn’t buy it myself? So I swore off writing altogether for a while, and started drowning my sorrows in nonfiction.

Somewhere in my meanderings, I stumbled across an old book, originally published in 1882 but reprinted in the 70s, called The Gospel in the Stars. The premise is that the constellations proclaim the message of the gospel of salvation for all the world to read. But the language was archaic and it was hard to follow. It also probably didn’t help matters that I know nothing about the stars, so what I was reading was altogether unfamiliar right from the start.

But the idea intrigued me. As I tried to make sense out of it, it occurred to me that it might be fun to write a story based on the concepts. Sadly, though I’d been straight and sober for several months, I hadn’t quite kicked the fiction-writing habit. And that idea was all it took to make me fall off the wagon.

So is your book, then, a novelization of that old non-fiction reprint?

Though reading the Gospel in the Stars was the inciting incident, my book soon developed a life of its own. The Story in the title is, in fact, the gospel. But, though the gospel is truly “the greatest story every told,” it’s incidental to the novel’s plot.

You mention extraterrestrial societies. Are there earth people in your story too, or are they all ETs? And who’s your favorite character?

Though the primary characters are ETs, many others are Earthers, or Terrestrials as they’re sometime referred to. My favorite character, though, is a doctor named Pik from the planet Karkar. Though he’s seven feet tall and has twelve fingers and toes, he’s kind of an Everyman. Or maybe I should say, he’s the Everyman we are on the inside even when we put on a good front. He’s vain, arrogant and self-serving, he complains constantly, and he’s afraid of change. But somehow he ends up doing the right things for the right reasons despite his flaws, and he brings a little self-deprecating humor into the story.

Who do you think your book will most appeal to?

Anyone who likes light sci-fi, like Star Trek or Star Wars. Fantasy fans should like it too, since I was a rabid Tolkien fan as a kid, and he was a big influence on my style. But some of my friends who write romance say, “I don’t read sci-fi, but I love this story!” So I think it should have a fairly wide appeal. I just hope the non-SF reader isn’t put off by the girl in the spacesuit on the cover.

You can purchase Story in the Stars on line at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. It comes both in paperback and e-book formats.

Expect the Unexpected at the ACFW Conference

2011-06-15T06:00:00.015-05:00

Once upon a time, a writer with high expectations, boarded a plane for Kansas City, Kansas and the very first conference for American Christian Fiction Writers. (Back then the organization was called ACRW, the "R" standing for Romance.)

The excited newbie writer hungered to learn all she could about writing fiction and to meet other fiction writers--some of whom were published, while many others aspired to be contracted. The conference did not disappoint. Only 100 attendees, including the presenters, but they made a mighty impression on that rather small hotel and its staff.

What the writer didn't expect was a call a couple days later from Andrea Boeshaar, who was then agenting, saying, "I want to represent you." The writer had already been rejoicing over the wonderful experience in Kansas City that included a conversation with Andrea, and the call was like a cherry on top of the dessert. Totally unexpected.

As you may have realized, that writer was me.

I've had the blessing of attending each and every ACFW conference. What kinds of unexpected things happen at the ACFW Conference?

Margaret Daley announcing the Service Award Winner at the Denver Conference in '09

For some, having your name called out as Mentor of the Year or recipient of the ACFW Service Award which is given to an outstanding volunteer. Two awards the recipients have no idea about since there isn't a slate of finalists.

Every year someone has been blessed to have their name called out by a Barbour Publishing editor to receive their very first fiction contract. It's never expected and comes as a complete and awesome surprise.

"Chance" meetings go on every day of the conference. Someone sits at an editor's meal table and by dessert they have a request for a proposal, while out in the lobby another settles into a cushy chair to kick off her heels and happens to sit next to an agent. Soon she's being asked to send a proposal. Back in the dining room, someone is chatting with people at the dinner table and before long, they agree to become a crit group. Are these meetings chance? I like to think of them as "God Appointments." Opportunities don't all happen in editor/agent appointments.

Last year, one of our sponsors gave away an Ipad through a drawing. The winner was volunteering in the bookstore and someone had to get her. A very surprised woman came into the room to receive her prize. A totally unexpected moment.

One of the most unexpected moments for me came several years ago at a Dallas conference. Because Andrea had decided to stop agenting, I had gone to conference determined to find a new agent. The agent with whom I requested an appointment canceled due to a health issue, and all other appointment slots were filled. I found myself in the prayer room, pouring out my heart to God and opened to Psalm 37: 3:

Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. (NKJV)

The part about feeding on His faithfulness prompted me to look back on how God had been faithful to me in so many ways up to that point. Truth be told, I didn't have a manuscript ready for any agent to present. God impressed that at the right time, I would have a new agent. And a year later I signed with Terry Burns. That was also unexpected, but has been the greatest of blessings.

I encourage anyone reading this who has not yet decided whether to attend conference this year, if it is at all possible, go. You never know what unexpected thing may happen while you are there!

Below are some candid shots of attendees at Denver in 2009 and Indianapolis in 2010.

My First Sale!!!!

2011-06-14T09:59:00.000-05:00

About a month ago I received a call, known among the publishing industry as THE call, from my agent Terry Burns. The conversation started out like this:

Terry: Hi, Pam, how are you?
Me: Fine. How are you?

All the while I'm thinking that he never calls for casual conversations, especially when he's at a conference, so why is he calling me in the middle of the morning? The conversation continued.

Terry: "She wants the book!!!"
Me: "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Are you serious?"
Terry: "Yes. She wants it."
Me: (sniffling and wiping my nose) "I am so amazed."

He then turned the phone over to Bonnie Calhoun, one of my crit partners who is also a client of his. She was at the conference and insisted she be with him when he called me. She screamed with me again and gave me my first congratulations.

Ramona Tucker, my editor & me signing the contract!

Then, outside of my closest friends, I could not tell the news until the contract was signed. I had to wait a few more weeks until last Saturday. Both Terry and the editor, Ramona Tucker, were at the Write to Publish Conference a short drive away from me. I drove there for lunch and after we ate, Ramona handed me my contract. Terry took our picture and now I can announce that my book, "Thyme for Love" has been contracted with Oak Tara Publishing. Release date to be announced later. I have not yet come down from the cloud I'm floating on.

But it's true! I'm sitting here with a copy of the signed contract in front of me along with a to-do list to get everything ready to roll on production later this summer or fall.

I give God all the glory for this. I've been writing for a long time and had some close calls, but never THE phone call I wanted. But God knows what is best for us, and His timing is perfect all the time. At the right time He allowed all the pieces to fall into place.

I'll keep everyone posted as to the release date. What fun. As ACFW's New Release Coordinator, I'll get to announce my own book!

Chasing Sunsets by Eva Marie Everson - A Must Read!!!

2011-06-12T16:39:00.002-05:00

If you are ever looking for the perfect summer read, look no further than Eva Marie Everson's Chasing Sunsets.

Years ago, a dear friend who lives in Florida talked about a small island off the Gulf side of the state called Cedar Key. The way she described the place, I wanted to jump on a plane and go there. But I haven't yet made it to Cedar Key. HOWEVER... through Chasing Sunsets, I have been transported there every time I sit down to read the book! And now I want to go even more.

But the setting isn't the only reason I have enjoyed this book. Everson has woven a wonderful story of God's grace and second chances. It's a tale of one woman's battle to not let the heartbreak of the long ago past, as well as not-so-distant past, have power over her life in the here and now.

Kimberly Tucker spent her seventeenth summer on Cedar key falling in love with a boy she'd known since childhood. Then Steven Granger went off to college, and as often happens with summer romances, all her dreams soon fell apart. Now she's back on Cedar Key at the family summer home, fresh off a painful divorce. Can old loves be reunited? Can she forget her pain long enough to find out?

Run, don't walk to you favorite bookstore, or let your fingers do the walking to one of the on-line retailers and get Chasing Sunsets. Then pour yourself some sweet tea, find an Adirondack chair under a beach umbrella, and you can pretend you are in Cedar Key while you read this gripping story!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eva Marie Everson is a speaker, a popular radio personality, and the award-winning author of Things Left Unspoken and This Fine Life. She is coauthor of the Potluck Club series and the Potluck Catering Series. She lives in Florida.

It's Graduation Time: A Time for Looking Ahead & A Time for Looking Back

2011-06-06T12:06:00.002-05:00

I'm writing this on June 6, 2011. Many years ago on another June 6th (I'll spare you the year) I graduated from Badger High School in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. My grandparents came from Ohio to sit in a very hot and sticky gym and watch me walk across the stage. At the end of the ceremony, we grads moved our tassels from one side of our caps to the other. I can't remember which side you start on and which you end, but I remember the feeling that with that act, my childhood was truly ending.

After most of us had escaped the hugs and slobbery kisses from our moms and grandmas, we converged at the Rivera (the building that figures prominently in my yet-to-be-published novel currently titled Dream and Little Dream of Me) and boarded one of the large excursion boats that ply the lake during summer. It was a unique way to celebrate and one most appropriate, since the lake and the boats figured greatly in my growing up years.

To me that night was bittersweet. Like any kid that age, I was anxious to get on in life, and ready to take on the world. But, my senior year had been a difficult one for me socially, and that figured strongly in my eagerness to get out of Dodge. To that end, I was set to attend a state college a half-hour's drive away, but I'd never admit to anyone that I was scared. Scared because I didn't think I had the chops to make it in college, but also scared not to give it the "old college try" because I didn't want to be different from my friends. To me waiting wasn't an option.

I was right. I didn't make it. Truth was, I had no business going on to college until I matured a couple more years. Staying at home and working and saving for school would have been a much better choice for me.

So home I came, and the next year found me working at a local bank and saving money to return to school to learn some office skills. The academic track I'd been on during high school did me no good in the real world without that diploma.

Fast forward about ten years and two cross-country moves later, I was working in an office, using those skills I learned at secretary school. At my roommate's urging, I finally ventured back into a college classroom, taking a course here and there. I actually received A's! Funny what ten years of maturing will do. Fast forward another couple decades and another cross-country move back to the Midwest. There, on a May morning, with my proud papa sitting in the audience, I received my Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree.

I may have accomplished the degree much faster, had I made a different choice years earlier. But, between the time I would have graduated from college and when I finally did get that degree, a lot had changed in my life. Most of all, God came into it in a huge way. By the time I got serious about school, I knew that through Christ I can do all things, and He gives me the strength to face all conditions. Through the accelerated adult program I was in, I learned that He had gifted me to write, quite possibly for publication.

Would I have figured out the writing angle if I'd done college way back when? Maybe. But I might have pursued a far different direction with how to use my writing ability. From the beginning of this endeavor I have always sought to give God the glory for the gift and the inspiration, because He truly is the source of who I am and what I am to become.

If someone had told me that warm June night as I was handed my diploma in it's red leatherette case, that on that same date many years later I'd be writing fiction stories for others to read, I'd have laughed, thinking no way. But my ways aren't His ways and He had a plan for me that I would never have believed if I hadn't experienced it for myself.

This is true for all of us. All we need to do is turn to God and say where You lead I will follow.

ACFW New Releases for June - Lots of Good Summer Reading!!!

2011-05-31T17:11:00.001-05:00

Around where I live we're finally getting some hot summer weather. A perfect time to settle in with a glass of iced tea and a good read. Check out these wonderful-sounding new titles and get yourself over to your nearest bookstore or find them at your favorite Internet book site.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Vision of Lucy by Margaret Brownley -- Romance from Thomas Nelson. Trouble may follow Lucy wherever she goes, but with the help of God and the rugged, reclusive David Wolf, she'll never face adversity alone.

Behind the Badge by Susan Sleeman -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense. Can a rookie sheriff's deputy find a killer before the killer takes the lives of the people she loves?

Beyond All Measure by Dorothy Love -- General Fiction from Thomas Nelson. Unless she can let go of her fears and learn to trust again, Ada may lose the heart of a good man.

Broken Wings: A Novel by Carla Stewart -- General Fiction from Faith Words (Hachette). One woman clings to her memories. The other wants to erase hers. A story of an unlikely friendship birthed in providence and bathed in grace.

Forever After (A Hanover Falls Novel) by Deborah Raney -- General Fiction from Howard (Simon & Schuster). A series of arson fires at Hanover Falls rebuilt homeless shelter threatens its residents and casts new suspicions about the original fire.

Home Sweet Home by Kim Watters -- Romance from Love Inspired. Finding a home is all Abby dreamed about, until she discovers the man she falls in love with has a less permanent agenda.

Idaho Brides by Erica Vetsch -- Romance from Barbour. Experience the Wild West through the eyes of the three McConnell brothers who long to overcome their troubled childhood as drunkard’s sons.

Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa by Melanie Dobson -- Romance from Summerside Press. As the rest of the nation is embroiled in the Civil War, the Amana Colonies have remained at peace—until now.

Protecting Her Own by Margaret Daley -- Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired Suspense. Protecting her own father when an assailant targets him, bodyguard Cara Madison with Connor Fitzgerald, an ex-boyfriend, searches for a would be killer while fighting her feelings toward Connor.

Purple Knot by Raquel Byrnes -- Romance from White Rose. With her faith shaken and her world cast in shadows, can Reyna trust the God she believes abandoned her?

Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond -- Romance from Thomas Nelson. How could a marriage possibly work when the couple has only exchanged a few letters?

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo -- Romance from Waterbrook/Multnomah (Random House). Unlikely romance is sometimes just an inconvenient marriage away

The Irresistible Earl by Regina Scott -- A Romance from Love Inspired Historical. If Chase Dearborn, the powerful Earl of Allyndale, found Meredee Price's family in Scarborough, surely he'd continue his quest to challenge Meredee's stepbrother to a duel. Meredee is determined to avoid the earl at all costs.

The Story in the Stars, Gateway to Gannah, Book 1 by Yvonne Anderson -- Fantasy from Risen Books. The inhabitants of the planet Gannah are known as bloodthirsty savages who once tried to conquer the galaxy. Now a plague has ravaged the planet and only one survivor remains.

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser -- General Fiction from Bethany House. The Sweetest Thing is the story of two girls--opposites in every way--fighting for the same thing: survival amidst tumultuous change.

The Wedding Season: The Gentleman Takes a Bride by Louise M. Gouge -- Romance from Love Inspired Historical. Surely Elizabeth Moberly was born to be a nobleman's bride. She can't possibly be attracted to the untitled stranger who interrupts her cousin's wedding.

Under a Desert Sky by DiAnn Mills -- General Fiction from Summerside Press. A race from danger...straight into the arms of love.

Even a Blog Needs a Makeover

2011-05-30T16:47:00.001-05:00

Anyone who has visited my blog regularly will know that it was only a few months ago I changed the appearance of my blog. But after living with the design for a while, I decided I didn't like it all that much.

For one thing, the background picture was of an open book written in German! I do have some German blood in me, but I don't know one word of the language. Also, the heading font colors were difficult to read. I could have changed the colors, but I couldn't do anything about the German.

I found this template on line and as soon as I saw it I thought it looked like me. I love coffee, I'm almost never without my cell phone (which is my only phone now), and I'm always writing something. It also kind of matches my website design. I think this one is a keeper, at least until I can afford to pay a professional to design my website and blog to sync together.

Susan Boyle's Makeover is on the left.

Sometimes adopting a new appearance is good. For men it may be growing a beard or shaving one off, and for women a new hair do can make a world of difference in how we feel about ourselves. There is nothing like a good haircut to lift one's spirits.

There are other times a makeover isn't so noticeable on the outside. That's the change God makes in us when we acknowledge that we can't live without Him and ask Jesus to come into our hearts and lives. The change may be subtle at first, all done within our souls, but soon it can't help but spill out.Some things within me God changed right away, and other things are taking a while. But He is faithful and He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. That's from Phillippians.

1st Corinthians 5:17 says: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Now there's a makeover we all should want! What about you?

2011-05-23T17:31:00.000-05:00

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

I've known Brandilyn Collins a long time. A few years after we first met at an ACFW conference, I heard she'd contracted with Lyme Disease. I knew it came from being bitten by a tick, but that was about it. Through the years she battled this disease until God did a miraculous healing on the same day that many of her friends at ACFW were praying around the clock for her. I learned a lot about the disease from what she told us. But never, until I read this book, did I realize how dibilitating a disease this is, nor did I fully understand the conflict about its treatment that exists in the medical community, commonly known as lyme wars.

This is more than a book on Lyme. Although having dealt with the disease herself, Brandilyn takes the read deep inside her POV character in a way one who has never suffered from the disease could ever do. I felt like I was Janessa, feeling her discomfort, her pain, her frustration. In Brandilyn's usual style of weaving a story that keeps you turning the pages, Over the Edge is a book you won't be able to put down, and when you do finish it, it is a book that will keep you thinking long after the read is over.

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:

CFBA Blog Tour - Undaunted Faith by Andrea Boeshaar

2011-05-18T10:16:00.000-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Undaunted Faith Realms (May 3, 2011) by Andrea Boeshaar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar has been married for more than 30 years. She and her husband, Daniel, have three adult sons, daughters-in-law, and two precious grandchildren. Andrea's educational background includes the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, where she studied in English, and Alverno College where she studied in Professional Communications and Business Management.

Andrea has been writing stories and poems since she was a little girl; however, it wasn't until 1984 that she started submitting her work for publication. Eight years after that, she was convicted about writing for the Christian market. She read books in her genre (Inspirational Romance & Women's Fiction), studied the market, and worked hard to hone her craft.

Finally her first novel was published in 1994. Since then she's written numerous articles and devotionals. Andrea has also published inspiration romance novels, women's fiction, and novellas.

In 2003, Andrea joined the Hartline Literary Agency and worked for Joyce Hart as a literary agent. She saw much success. But then in 2007, Andrea realized she was more of a teacher/encourager than a sales person. She left the agency and became a certified Christian life coach. Now, in addition to her writing, Andrea enjoys encouraging others to use their God-given talents and gifts to their fullest.

Andrea Kuhn Boeshaar is a certified Christian life coach and speaks at writers’ conferences and for women’s groups. She has taught workshops at such conferences as Write-To-Publish, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Oregon Christian Writers Conference, Mount Hermon Writers Conference, and many local writers conferences. Another of Andrea’s accomplishments is cofounder of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) organization. For many years she served on both its Advisory Board and as its CEO.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Pastor Luke McCabe begins paying extra attention to her, Bethany takes his fine-sounding words with a grain of salt. She's heard sweet talk before. This time she is going to keep her mind on the Lord and on her new teaching job in the Arizona Territory.

But when her reputation is accidentally soiled by the rakish town sheriff, Luke steps in with a marriage proposal to save Bethany's good name. Luke is certain their marriage is God's will...but Bethany is just as certain God must have someone else in mind to be Luke's wife.

Someone sweet and spiritual, who knows the Scriptures better than Bethany does. Someone like Luke's old friend from home.

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

You can order it from Amazon!

Watch the video trailer:

CFBA Blog Tour - Fade to Blue by Julie Carobini

2011-05-16T15:50:00.000-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Fade to Blue B&H Books (May 15, 2011) by Julie Carobini

I lived in California for about seven years a long time ago, and always enjoy stories set along the California coast. When I saw that Julie Carobini's new book was set at Hearst Castle I just had to reaad it. I only received my copy last Thursday and Friday began a very busy weekend for me. I have read about five chapters so far and I am loving the voice, the setting, and the characters. I feel like I'm on a mini vacation back to the blue Pacific and the awesome sunsets.

I will post a more personal review on this book when I've finished reading it, but in the meantime I hope the information here will whet your appetite to get yourself a copy and start reading it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A word from the author:

I grew up as Julie Navarro, in a family of truly right-brained individuals. Among us you’ll find writers, artists, and musicians, all of us willing to talk about the arts at a moment’s notice.

Over the years, I’ve published several hundred articles and stories in magazines and books, including Aspire, Decision, Expecting, Focus on the Family, Key Magazine and God’s Abundance: 365 Days to a Simpler Life. As I wrote, I found a common theme cropping up: my family, the sea, and God’s timely work in the lives of those around me.

Maybe it was time to incorporate those interests into novels, I thought.

And so I did. Not once, but twice. Both times, God shut both doors and windows. So I continued to write and dream and raise my kids with Dan. Eventually I decided to write romantic seaside novels, and that’s where I found my voice.

When I’m not writing, marketing, or editing for others, I’m driving my kids around town, imagining that my mid-sized SUV is actually a sleek sailing yacht.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Suz Mitchell is the determined dreamer we should all be and won't allow her ex-husband Len's jail sentence to ruin their young son Jeremiah's life. An accomplished artist, she moves with her child across the country to California's central coast and lands a sweet job restoring priceless paintings at the historic Hearst Castle overlooking the ocean.

To her utter surprise, a serious old flame, Seth, is also now working at Hearst and jumbles the dreams inside Suz's heart. While sorting out the awkwardness of their past split and current spiritual differences, a repentent Len shows up eager to restore his family.

Suz must learn to let God be the true restorer of all that once seemed lost.

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

You can buy it at Amazon!

Blog Tour - A Heart Divided by Kathleen Morgan

2011-05-15T15:43:00.000-05:00

“I can’t, Papa, I just can’t.”

Thus begins Katherine Morgan’s latest release from Revell, A Heart Divided. This 1878 historical romance, set in the beautiful Colorado Rockies, involves a new twist on the family feud theme.

No love has been lost between the Caldwells and the Wainwrights. When Sara Caldwell’s father wants her to use her feminine whiles to distract the Wainwright’s hired hand while her brothers and their dad steal money they think is rightfully theirs, everything about the plan goes against her grain. But if the money will help fund medicine for her asthmatic younger brother she’ll do it.

When Sarah discovers this is no hired hand but Cord Wainwright, son of the ranch’s owner, she wants to die on the spot. And when he discovers the identity of the attractive young woman who had sidetracked him while the family’s cash reserves were lifted, he is furious and intends to teach her a lesson.

Sparks fly between them as well as a few of Cupid’s proverbial arrows. Caught in a huge misunderstanding that happened before either of them were born, they are faced with making decisions about their future that will likely cause the rift to deepen further.

Morgan’s writing, including her characterizations brings the reader in deep and close until you almost feel as though you are in the same room with Cord and Sarah. The author also has a wonderful ability to word paint, drawing the reader into the setting until you almost taste the dust and smell of the barn or the tart taste of apple cider right out of the barrel.

The back of the book says: Against the beautiful and wild backdrop of the Rocky Mountains in 1878 comes this sweeping saga of romance, betrayal, and forgiveness from beloved author Kathleen Morgan

This story has romance, the Wild West, a beautiful setting all placed in a fast-paced novel that will keep you turning pages. I really enjoyed reading it and I think you will also.

Available May 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

About the Author:

Kathleen began her career writing contemporary romances and soon moved to historical and futuristic romances. She sold her first book, a futuristic romance, in April 1990 while stationed in Korea as an Army nurse. Additional romances soon followed, until she had sold a total of fifteen books in the general market, establishing a loyal readership along the way.

Since that time, she has received numerous awards for her work, including a Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice award and Career Achievement award, and The Literary Times award for Literary Excellence in the Field of Romantic Fiction. She was also a Romance Writers of America RITA finalist.

Kathleen now focuses her writing talents in the area of inspirational fiction, offering readers characters who struggle to redefine their growing faith in everyday life.

Kathleen's website can be accessed here.

And the Winner of To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer is .....

2011-05-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

.....Ta Da!!!!

Drum roll, please!!

COURTNEY at
kcmelone at yahoo dot com!!!!!

I will be in touch with Courtney with the good news and to get her mailing address. Thanks to all who entered the contest. I hope you will plan to purchase Karen's book anyway. You won't be disappointed.

Free Book!! CFBA Blog Tour - To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

2011-05-04T09:38:00.001-05:00

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing To Win Her Heart Bethany House (May 1, 2011) by Karen Witemeyer

If you haven't yet discovered Karen Witemeyer and you love historical romance with a bit of sass and humor, as well as a poignant message of redemption, hope, and love, now is your chance. I'm giving away a copy of Karen's latest book To Win Her Heart. So be sure to leave a comment with your contact information at the end of this review so that you name will be thrown into the hat.

Just like her other novels, from the first page of this story you are drawn into the characters who both struggle with issues that threaten to keep them apart forever despite their attraction. An attraction that neither wants but cannot resist. Karen has a way of writing conflict between the heroine and hero that is both believable and entertaining. You find yourself rooting for both of them to get past all the roadblocks and declare their love, for heaven's sake! And when they do you want to cheer out loud. I hope Witemeyer is around a long while, churning out these wonderful stories.

ABOUT THE BOOK

After completing his sentence for the unintentional crime that derailed his youthful plans for fame and fortune, Levi Grant looks to start over in the town of Spencer, Texas. Spencer needs a blacksmith, a trade he learned at his father’s knee, and he needs a place where no one knows his past.

Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the lending library she runs in the town her father founded. When a mountain-sized stranger walks through her door and asks to borrow a book, she's reluctant to trust him. Yet as the mysteries of the town’s new blacksmith unfold, Eden discovers hidden depths in him that tempt her heart.

Eden believes she's finally found a man of honor and integrity. But when the truth about Levi's prodigal past comes to light, can this tarnished hero find a way to win back the librarian’s affections?

If you would like to read the first chapter of To Win Her Heart, go HERE.

Buy it at Amazon!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Witemeyer is a deacon's wife and mother of three who believes the world needs more happily-ever-afters. To that end, she combines her love of bygone eras with her passion for helping women mature in Christ to craft historical romance novels that lift the spirit and nurture the soul.

After growing up in California, Karen moved to Texas to attend Abilene Christian University where she earned bachelor and master's degrees in Psychology. It was also there that she met and married her own Texas hero. He roped her in good, for she has lived in Texas ever since. In fact, she fell so in love with this rugged land of sweeping sunsets and enduring pioneer spirit, that she incorporates it into the pages of her novels, setting her stories in the small towns of a state that burgeoned into greatness in the mid- to late1800s.

Karen is living her dream by writing Christian historical romance novels for Bethany House. When she visited her publisher back in January of 2010, she was interviewed by the staff. If you'd like a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how she develops her story ideas and a description of her bumpy journey to publication, click here to listen to a podcast of that interview.

Don't forget to leave your comment with contact information so I can include you in the drawing for a
FREE BOOK! The drawing will take place on Wednesday, May 11, 2011.

Note: I did not pay for the book I am reviewing and giving away. It was provided to me by the publisher, but I was not influenced in anyway as to what I could write about the story. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

May ACFW Authors New Releases For Your Reading Pleasure!

2011-05-01T16:53:00.002-05:00

With the first of each month new releases from ACFW authors continue to abound. As we head toward summer, now is the time to stock up on new beach reads.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Great Catch by Lorna Seilstad -- General Fiction from Revell. She wants to change the world. He wants to change her mind.

A Killer Among Us by Lynette Eason -- A Thriller/Suspense from Revell. Kit Kenyon is a first-rate hostage negotiator. Noah Lambert is a good detective with excellent instincts. The new partners have hardly had time to get used to each other when they are thrown into a grisly murder case.

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy -- A Romance from Barbour. Gabe Lasley finds Shannon Dysart stranded in a mountaintop cave and saves her. She is on a quest to prove her father’s research isn’t the work of a madman, that he really did find a treasure in the wild west.

Died in the Wool by Elizabeth Ludwig -- A Mystery from Barbour. Can Monah and proven sleuth Casey Alexander find the real killer before this librarian is booked for murder?

Fade to Blue by Julie Carobini -- A Romance from B and H Publishing. When confronted with her most painful, past decisions, will Suz Mitchell second guess herself? Or will she learn to let God restore all that once seemed lost?

Journey's End by Dora Hiers -- A Romance from White Rose. When Chelsea Hammond is snatched from her home, can she put aside her fear, and trust Trey Colten with her life? Can she forgive him for destroying her past and let him help to rebuild her future?

Montana Marriages Trilogy by Mary Connealy -- Romance from Barbour. The complete Montana Marriages series all under one cover. One volume encases three acclaimed novels by Mary Connealy.

Over The Edge by Brandilyn Collins -- Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing. 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.

Promise of Time by S. Dionne Moore -- A Romance from Barbour/Heartsong. Time promises to heal all wounds, but will Ellie and Theo allow God to work His timing in their lives and bring a new promise of love?

Revealing Fire by Connie Stevens -- A Romance from Barbour/Heartsong. Two people in their September years are blessed with a second chance at happiness, but unexpected arrivals of a long-estranged son and a long-forgotten former admirer threaten to unravel the cords that bind two hearts.

Secrets of the Heart; Ravensmoore Chronicles, Book One by Jillian Kent -- A Romance from Rhelms. When Lady Madeline Whittington rescues a runaway from a nearby lunatic asylum her life will be forever changed.

The Art of Romance by Kaye Dacus -- A Romance from Barbour. Two artists are drawn together by matchmaking matriarchs.

The Unexpected Bride by Debra Ullrick -- A Romance from Love Inspired. Haydon Bowen has no intention of marrying. Unfortunately, his brother has other plans. Even when beautiful, cultured Rainelle Devonwood learns she's a mistakenly ordered bride, she won't let Haydon drive her away.

Threat of Exposure by Lynette Eason -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired. In book 5 of the Texas Ranger Justice series, DEA Brock Martin and Texas Ranger Gisella Hernandez must work together to decipher codes, uncover clues and protect themselves from a killer who doesn't want his secrets known.

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer -- A Romance from Bethany House. A blacksmith with a criminal past. A librarian with pacifist ideals. Do they have a fighting chance at finding love?

Undercurrent by Michelle Griep -- A Science Fiction/Time Travel from Risen Books. People go missing every day--many meet with foul play, some leave the social grid by choice, but others are never accounted for...where do they go?

When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley -- A Romance from Waterbrook/Multnomah. When an isolated home-schooling widow makes a stealthy bid to escape a cultic group, an outspoken professor encourages her to stand up to her abuser but brings his own set of complications.

Wyoming Weddings by Vickie McDonough, Susan Page Davis, and Diana Brandmeyer -- Romance from Barbour. Three modern Wyoming women face mountains on the road to love.

Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman - A Must Read!

2011-04-26T15:13:00.000-05:00

The back of the book cover of Kathryn Cushman’s recent release, Another Dawn, asks, “What would you give for a second chance to make things right?”

What wouldn’t most of us give for that chance?

Grace Graham, a single mom, battles her worse fears by going home to Tennessee to help care for her widowed father as he recuperates from knee replacement surgery. The last thing she wants to do is spend two weeks with a cranky man she hasn’t gotten along with for years. Life in Ventura, California offers so much more. Or does it? She’s just broken up with her fiancé and her best friend and boss is about to learn some news that will devastate her.

Every time Grace runs into problems she’s tended to run away. But this trip home doesn’t offer that option. A decision she’d made long ago has put her son's and other children’s lives in danger, and there is no escaping the consequences.

I absolutely loved this book. As it begins on the California coast, I was taken back to when I lived there for a spell, and then the setting moved to Grace’s idyllic hometown, and I was equally charmed by that setting. Made strong through circumstances, she protects her son like a mother hen, but has she gone overboard and put him into danger? Arguments waiver from both sides of the questions until the final pages when she comes to the decision that is right for her.

Cushman has woven a tale that is about how a decision made selfishly or in haste can sometimes have a long reach in its effects. It’s also about families and long-held resentments and forgiveness. I couldn’t put this book down until I’d read the last page.

It's from Bethany House Publishers and can be obtained on line at Amazon.com or Chrisianbook.com. Or, head out to your favorite bookstore and ask for it!

Kathryn Cushman, was a practicing pharmacist, until she turned to writing full time. She’s authored three other novels, including Leaving Yesterday and A Promise to Remember, both of which were finalists for ACFW’s Carol Award in Women’s Fiction. She and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California.

Although I received this book free for the purpose of review, all comments and opinions are my own and were not supplied by the publisher.

How Great Thou Art - Carrie Underwood & Vince Gill - Happy Easter!

2011-04-23T14:36:00.002-05:00

I've heard from several people today that Carrie Underwood's performance last night of the beautiful, much loved song "How Great Thou Art" was awesome, amazing, and so worshipful. I just found it on You Tube and thought it deserved being shared here on this day before Easter.

Thirty years ago. on another Good Friday afternoon, I sat in a church pew listening to the biblical account of the trial of Jesus and His going to the cross to be crucified. That was an "aha moment" for me as my spiritual eyes were opened, and I realized for the first time that Jesus did that for me. Until then, I knew in my head what He had done, and I always looked at it as a corporate thing. He did it for everyone. This is true, but He did it for me, and you, and you, and you. At that moment I felt so humbled. He didn't deserve what I deserved and yet, He took it for me. From that point on I became a Jesus follower. A Christian.

Yesterday was my spiritual birthday of when I became reborn in Jesus. As we prepare to celebrate Resurrection Sunday, it is my prayer that you would make this weekend your spiritual birthday too, if you don't already have one.

Please enjoy How Great Thou Art.

ACFW Authors New Releases for April!

2011-04-01T15:14:00.027-05:00

ACFW authors are celebrating Spring with a bouquet of new releases.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

A Family for Faith by Missy Tippens -- A Romance from Love Inspired. Even though Faith Hagin thinks she’s content being just friends with Gabe Reynolds, spending time with him and his daughter Chelsea starts to feel like a fresh start at having a family. And their love may be the answer to everyone’s prayers.

A Place to Belong by Linda Goodnight -- Romance from Love Inspired. Faith and warm memories have helped widow Kitty Wainwright endure the loss of her husband. That's all she's ever needed…until she hires contractor Jace Carter to repair her motel.

Abigail's New Hope by Mary Ellis -- A Romance from Harvest House. As an Amish midwife, Abigail Graber loves bringing babies into the world. But when a difficult delivery takes a devastating turn, she's is faced with some hard choices.

At the Captain's Command by Louise M. Gouge -- A Historical from Love Inspired. A heroic British naval captain, son of an influential earl, dares to fall in love with a provincial American girl. Then he discovers her family's devastating secret.

Canyon Walls by Julie Jarnagin -- A Romance from Barbour Heartsong Presents. Sunset Camp changed Cassie’s life, and she is determined to keep it alive.

Chosen Ones by Eileen Rife -- General Fiction from Oak Tara. While Maggie and Gavin Munsfield adjust to a new baby, missionary friends, Dan and Yvonne Pratt, experience the heartbreak of infertility and miscarriage. Will they find it in their hearts to accept an outcome so different than what they expected and hoped for?

Dare to be Different; From the Scenarios Series by Nicole O'Dell -- Young Adult from Barbour. Each book in the series follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

Delivered With Love by Sherry Kyle -- General Fiction from Abingdon. An old love letter found in the glove compartment of a young woman's inherited 1972 Volkswagen propels her to leave her life in Los Angeles and go to the small town of Capitola, California. There her dream of finding the writer of the letter leads her on an unexpected journey that changes her life forever.

Diagnosis Death by Richard Mabry M.D. -- A Thriller/Suspense from Abingdon. When Dr. Elena Gardner's comatose husband dies in the ICU while on life support, the whispers begin. More deaths turn the whispers into a shout: "Mercy killing." What is the dark secret that keeps Elena's lips sealed when she should be defending herself?

Fairer Than Morning by Rosslyn Elliott -- A Romance from Thomas Nelson. A young woman and man haunted by the past seek love and freedom as they assist fugitives on the Underground Railroad.

Finally a Bride by Vickie McDonough -- A Romance from Barbour. Will reporter Jacqueline Davis uncover his secrets before Noah Jeffers can capture her heart?

From Darkness Won; Blood of Kings Book 3 by Jill Williamson -- A Fantasy from Marcher Lord Press. Achan and Vrell seek out their place in the coming war to push back Darkness for good.

Griselda Takes Flight by Joyce Magnin -- General Fiction from Abingdon. Now that her sister, Agnes Sparrow, is comfortably dieting at the Greenbrier Nursing home, Griselda has time to fly—literally.

Kaydie by Penny Zeller -- A Romance from Whitaker House. Kaydie Worthington builds a protective wall around herself that won't be easy to tear down. There's something about Kaydie that draws Jonah Dickenson to her and makes him question his decision to remain a bachelor.

Love Finds You on Prince Edward Island by Susan Page Davis -- A Romance from Summerside Press. Molly Orlund is honored to serve as a maid where the Prince of Wales will be a guest. Peter Stark, an understeward in the royal party, is attracted to Molly, but an uncovered secret could change everything.

Oregon Weddings by Kathleen Kovach -- A Romance from Barbour. An alpaca, a lost family treasure, and an ornithophobic actress all take center stage in these three stories of love and faith that are as eclectic as the state of Oregon itself.

Patchwork Dreams by Laura V. Hilton -- Romance from Whitaker House.Becky Troyer has committed the ultimate sin, and finds herself on the edge of her Amish community; Jacob Miller believes he was sent to the Old Order Community in Missouri to help out a distant cousin--instead, he discovers he was part of an arranged swap.

People of the Book; Book 4 in the Extreme Devotion Series by Kathi Machias -- General Fiction from New Hope. Farah lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with her family, and wants nothing more than to develop a deeper devotion to her Muslim faith. All goes well until the prophet Isa—Jesus—appears to her in a dream and calls her to Himself.

Risky Business; From the Scenarios Series by Nicole O'Dell -- Young Adult from Barbour. Each book in the series follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

Swept Away; From the Scenarios Series by Nicole O'Dell -- Young Adult from Barbour. Each book in the series follows a character up to the point where she has to make an important, life-changing decision—then it’s your turn to choose. Will your choices lead to a happy ending?

Tea for Two, Book 2 of the Tea With Millicent Series by Trish Perry -- Romance from Harvest House. Zack Cooper tries his best to raise his children, but he's losing his grip on them. Tea Shop owner Milly Jewel has the perfect woman in mind to help Zack.

The Daughter's Walk by Jane Ann Kirkpatrick -- General Fiction from Waterbrook/Multnomah. Based on a true story of a mother and daughter who walk across the country in 1896 and the consequences of the journey to both of their lives.

The Dawn of a Dream by Ann Shorey -- General Fiction from Revell. She’s embarking on a new life—but can the past truly be left behind?

The Deepest Waters by Dan Walsh -- General Fiction from Revell. Inspired by a true story, The story weaves a tale full of action and suspense, and yet it is also an amazing love story that could only happen if miracles do come true.

The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble -- Olivia Stewart’s sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation’s wealthiest men, who has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor’s fiancé.

The Sheriff's Sweetheart by Laurie Kingery -- A Romance from Love Inspired. A down-on-his-luck gambler on the run from a dangerous enemy meets the richest girl in a small Texas town and turns his life around to become worthy of her.

The Unforgivable; Wounds of South America, Book 1 by Tessa Stockton -- A Thriller/Suspense from Risen Books. Accused of the worst war crimes in the history of Argentina, Carlos Cornella is despised by a wounded nation…

Tomorrow's Garden by Amanda Cabot -- Romance from Revell. Can Harriet Kirk and Lawrence Wood ever truly put the past behind them in order to find happiness?

Trail of Lies by Margaret Daley -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired. As the mother of a beautiful daughter and the wife of a wealthy entrepreneur, Melora Hudson seemed happy. No one knew about the secrets hidden behind closed doors—secrets Melora was forced to keep.

Yukon Wedding; Book 1, Alaskan Bride Series by Allie Pleiter -- A Romance from Love Inspired. Widow Lana Bristow won’t abandon the only home her son has ever known, even if it means wedding Mack Tanner, the man she blames for her husband’s death.

CFBA Blog Tour - Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

2011-03-23T09:26:00.003-05:00

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

Terri Blackstock is always an auto-buy for me. Her suspense stories are riveting, fast-paced, relevant and definite page-turners. Whenever I start one of her books, I know I'll have the entire book read within a day or two. Vicious Cycle is no exception!

The plot picks up where Blackstock's recent novel, Intervention, left off. But if you haven't read Intervention, you will have no problem following the storyline of Vicious Cycle. Mostly suspense with a romantic subplot between Barbara Covington, Lance's mom, and Kent Harlan, the Atlanta detective who figures strongly in Intervention, the story kept me turning pages as fast as I could read them.

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:

Blog Tour - Love Amid The Ashes by Mesu Andrews

2011-03-20T19:17:00.001-05:00

Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews is a fictional account of the life of Job just prior to and during the time he experienced great suffering.

The biblical account begins with a dialogue between God and the devil. Satan challenges God that Job, a very wealthy, righteous and devout man, will rebel against God if he suffers enough. Thus begins the sufferings of Job. Of course, Job never knew that he was the object of a challenge between the devil and God.

In her debut novel, Mesu Andrews, has coupled her deep research through rabbinical and ancient Jewish writings with her creative fictional imaginings as to what went on in Job’s life prior to the suffering and during it.

Mesu Andrews

Dinah, the daughter of the patriarch, Jacob, is commanded by her dying grandfather Isaac to travel with Job and his caravan to Job's home, to marry his son. But before she can meet her intended, all of Job’s adult children are wiped out in a horrible accident which is one of the first incidents of suffering for him. As his world falls apart, Dinah is drawn more and more to the integrity of Job, especially in the days of grief, illness, and confusion, and she finds herself in a position to help him physically and emotionally get through the ordeal.

I do not read a lot of biblical fiction, but was intrigued to see how Andrews treats this captivating story of Job. She does an admirable job by weaving fictional characters and actual people mentioned in the Bible together. However, even with a family tree diagram at the beginning of the story, I sometimes became confused over who was who, especially at the beginning of the story when so many characters were introduced all at once.

I recommend this book to anyone, but caution those who have not read the Old Testament to be careful not to confuse what is fictional and what is true. It would be very easy to do that unless you are well familiar with the book of Job and the patriarchal period of time.

As a student of the Bible, I thoroughly enjoyed the way Andrews wove his words as recorded in the Bible into the dialogue, displaying his incredible faith in God, questioning but never faltering.

Love Amid the Ashes is a tension-packed story including intrigue, jealousy, romance that will be enjoyed by any fan of biblical fiction. You can purchase it on line or at your favorite brick and motor store.

About the author: Mesu Andrews is an active speaker who has devoted herself to passionate and intense study of Scripture. Harnessing her deep understanding and love for God's Word, Andrews brings the biblical world alive for her readers in this debut novel. She lives in Washington.

CFBA Blog Tour - In the Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll

2011-03-14T11:24:00.003-05:00

Today’s stop on the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Tour is In The Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll. Robin’s books are auto-buys for me, and she didn’t fail my expectations this time.

Layla Taylor is a general contractor, an occupation not heavily populated by women. She and her sister Alana are both heavily involved in their small town community in Louisiana, Layla working with Homes of Hope, a group of volunteers who build houses for those who lost their homes to the recent hurricanes. Alana works with an addiction recovery ministry, using the family home as a retreat center for the organization.

When the body of a property inspector is found among the ashes of a burnt out Homes for Hope house, Layla and her sister become a targets of suspicion and one of the two detectives working the case, Maddox Bishop, is sure she’s involved somehow. She has to be because he is falling hard for her and he doesn’t want to. Not willing to wait for more murders to take place, Layla begins an investigation of her own.

Carroll expertly weaves this tale of suspense and romance in a way that you cannot put the book down. Her characters go deep and move the reader’s heart as you laugh and cry with them. As I turned the last page of this one, I reached for a tissue. A satisfying ending, but I was sad to see the story end.

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!

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

Watch the trailer:

Don’t miss this one! You can buy it at Amazon or your favorite bookstore at the mall.

ACFW Author New Releases for March 2011

2011-03-01T11:25:00.000-06:00

Flying in on March winds are a bunch of new and exciting books from ACFW. Take a gander at this list and head out to your favorite place to buy books and gather a few in for great reading.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

1. A Bond Never Broken by Judith Miller -- A Historical from Bethany House. For many years, Ilsa Redlich has helped her parents run a hotel in South Amana, but as the United States enters the Great War, she can feel her world changing.

2. A Cowboy's Touch by Denise Hunter -- Romance from Thomas Nelson. Will the secrets Abigail Jones brought with her to Moose Creek, Montana separate her from Wade Ryan, the cowboy who finally captured her heart?

3. A Gentleman's Homecoming by Ruth Axtell Morren -- A Historical Romance from Love Inspired (formerly Steeple Hill). It's been six years since Luke Travis has seen his native England...and his son, Sam. But his hopes for a joyful reunion are shattered when he learns that Sam wants nothing to do with him. There's one ray of hope--Luke's former sister-in-law, Bobbie Gardner.

4. A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell -- A Historical from Bethany House. Three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.

5. Among the Magnoilias by Diane Ashley and Aaron McCarver -- A Historical from Barbour Heartsong Presents. In spite of the love she sees between her parents, Abigail LeGrand is determined never to marry. Nathan Pierce is desperate to hide his past. Will Abigail and Nathan accept each other's love and respect, or will they stubbornly cling to the fears that threaten to keep them apart?

6. Bathsheba: A Novel; The Wives of King David Series, Book 3 by Jill Eileen Smith -- General Fiction from Revell. Will one night of unbridled passion destroy everything Bathsheba holds dear? Can she find forgiveness at the feet of the Almighty? Or has her sin separated her from God—and David—forever?

7. Blood Ransom by Lisa Harris -- A Thriller/Suspense from Zondervan. Deep in the heart of Africa, two American lives are about to change forever.

8. Code of Justice by Liz Johnson -- A Thriller/Suspense from Love Inspired (formerly Steeple Hill). Heather Sloan is willing to risk her life to find her sister's killer—but her code of justice could cost her the chance to win Jeremy Latham's love.

9. Face of Danger by Valerie Hansen -- Mystery from Love Inspired (formerly Steeple Hill). Giving murder victims a face is forensic artist Paige Bryant's speciality. She can always put the pieces together. But her work turns dangerous when Texas Ranger Cade Jarvis brings her a special project related to the notorious Lions of Texas gang.

10. In The Shadow of Evil by Robin Caroll -- A Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing. Amidst the layers of unethical practices, supply shortages, and excess murders, a top Louisiana homicide detective loses his heart to a charitable contractor while uncovering a secret about his tragic past.

11. Jersey Brides by Laurie Alice Eakes -- A Romance from Barbour. Riches Become the catalyst for love in New Jersey. Issues of wealth and status have three nineteenth-century women tied in knots.

12. Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews -- General Fiction from Revell. When scandal and murder rock Dinah’s life, the daughter of the great patriarch Jacob is sent away to Job’s household. After Job’s own world comes crashing down, Dinah finds herself drawn to this great man brought low. What will she risk to fight for his survival?

13. Secret Place by Leslie J. Sherrod -- General Fiction from Urban Christian (Kensington). When desperation leads to homicide, can healing, freedom - and faith - be found?

14. Springtime of the Spirit by Maureen Lang -- A Historical from Tyndale House. The winter of an unjust war is over. A springtime of the spirit awaits.

15. Surrender the Night by MaryLu Tyndall -- Romance from Barbour. A timid American farm girl at the mercy of the enemy. . . A wounded British sailor driven into hiding. . . Both are about to change the course of history forever.

16. The Artist's Grandmother by Robin Bayne -- General Fiction from White Rose. When Megan bids on her grandfather's painting, the last thing she expects is to be outbid by Michael Kirk, her first love.

17. The Map Across Time; Book 2, Gates of Heaven Series by C. S. Lakin -- Fantasy from AMG-Living Ink Books. An epic fairy tale that shows how God uses the simple, weak, inconsequential of the world to accomplish his great purposes.

18. The Proper Wife by Winnie Griggs -- A Historical from Love Inspired (formerly Steeple Hill). Eli Reynolds knows what he wants in a wife, and the flighty Texas girl couldn't be further from the mark.

19. Yesterday's Tomorrow by Catherine West -- Romance from Oak Tara. Set in the backdrop of the Vietnam War, Kristin Taylor and Luke Maddox must decide if they’re willing to set aside selfish ambition for the love that seems to have ambushed them and captured their hearts.

Ann Tatlock's Promises to Keep Revisited

2011-02-26T09:21:00.000-06:00

To get a review up during a scheduled blog tour, a couple weeks ago I posted a
review for Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock before I'd finished reading the book. At the time I raved about this book even though I'd only read a portion of it. By the time I finished reading, my opinion had not changed. In fact, if anything, I'd grown to love this story, its characters, the setting, and the exquisite writing even more!

"Promises" delivers all of that and more, and I felt as though it was presented to me as a special gift. I thought about the characters days after closing the book and putting it down. And, as a writer, I have gone back to it again and again to study technique. Because Ann Tatlock epitomizes the kind of writer I want to be when I grow up.

If you read my review of a couple weeks ago, you may want to go back and refresh your memory. And if you haven't read my review of February 11th, go read it now. You can get this book at Amazon.

You won't be disappointed!

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

Ann can be reached through the Contact link on her Website

CFBA Blog Tour - Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

2011-02-11T08:36:00.000-06:00

For a long time now a good friend has raved to me about the writings of author Ann Tatlock. Why I had never read any of Tatlock's work I have no idea. But you can be sure that will not happen again!

Tatlock's newest release, Promises to Keep, is so far a winner. I say so far because having received the book in too short a time to finish reading it before the blog tour, I am only 2/3 of the way through the story. And I love it!!!

I will write a full review of the story when I've finished it. Meanwhile read this about the book. Don't hesitate to pick up your own copy.

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Promises to Keep Bethany House (February 1, 2011) by Ann Tatlock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy Award-winning novel All the Way Home. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association "Book of the Year" in fiction for both All the Way Home and I'll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her "one of Christian fiction's better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories." Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Eleven-year-old Roz (Rosalind) Anthony and her family have just moved to Mills River, Illinois, to escape an abusive situation. Only days after settling into their new home, they are surprised to find the previous owner, Tillie Monroe, on their front porch reading the newspaper.

Though her sons have sold the house and sent her to a facility for the aged, she is determined to die in the place she lived her life, and somehow manages to find her way "home" day after day. Feeling sympathy for the elderly woman, Roz's mother allows Tillie to move back in.

Mara Nightingale becomes Roz's first friend in Mills River. In spite of their many differences, the girls discover they have something in common that binds them together--both are hiding secrets. So they make a promise--"cross my heart and hope to die"--never to tell anyone else. When danger stalks the Anthonys, Tillie exhibits unimaginable courage and selfless love in her determination to protect the family she has adopted as her own.

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

Watch the book trailer:

Book Review: Found in Translation by Roger Bruner with Kristy Bruner

2011-02-03T18:13:00.004-06:00

Found in Translation is a Young Adult debut novel by Roger Bruner with his daughter Kristi Bruner. The story may be written for the younger set, but this woman of a certain age found the story engaging, entertaining, edifying and encouraging. I highly recommend it.

When Kim Harlinger - 18 and spoiled - arrives on a mission trip to Mexico and discovers to her chagrin that she'll be doing construction in a remote village without plumbing and electricity, rather than evangelism in a medium-sized town with a fast food joint...she has only two choices. "Rough it" (which isn't exactly what Kim had in mind when she signed up for this trip) or turn around and head home.

Well, Kim stays and the Kim that returns home is not the same Kim who arrives in the small Mexican town that has been totally destroyed by a tornado.

The book is masterfully written, and from a writer's perspective I was awed by the prose. One example that really impacted me comes toward the end of the story. Kim has been on site for almost two weeks and will soon be going home. God has done a powerful work in her through a small daughter of one of the surviving villagers and an awesome African American girl who is part of the mission team and Kim's best friend since the first day on the mission field. Speaking about her suitcase Kim says:

I got it (her Bible) out and laid it on my sleeping bag, and closed and latched the suitcase. Most of the other things in the suitcase didn't look familiar. They'd belonged to a different Kim Harlinger in a different world, and I didn't know if the new Kim would ever need them again.

I think this tale will be greatly enjoyed by the young people it's targeted to. The first person voice is funny at times, serious at times, and profound a lot of the time. Kim Harlinger will make an excellent role model for any teen reader.

There are some places in the book I feel could have been tightened, such as several dream scenes. Also there is a letter at the end of the book written by one of the villagers that someone translates into English for Kim. I found the cognitive thinking of the letter writer to be higher than I would expect for someone who had been characterized as an uneducated woman. But those are two very small bones to pick in this excellent book.

You can purchase Found in Translation on line at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, or at your favorite Christian book store at the mall. However you buy it, I highly recommend that you do!

February 2011 ACFW Author New Releases

2011-02-01T17:27:00.002-06:00

February is starting out with good reading weather in my neck of the woods. What else is there to do but snuggle up with a good book when there's a blizzard outside? Here's the latest new releases from ACFW authors!

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

1. Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart -- General Fiction from Revell. It is 1936 and Kate Merritt, the middle child of Victor and Nadine Merritt, works hard to keep her family together during the Great Depression. Who could imagine that a dirty, abandoned little girl named would be just what the Merritts need?

2. Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman -- General Fiction from Bethany. What would you give for a second chance to make things right? When life gets complicated, Grace Graham runs. But now her sister, Jana, is giving her once last chance.

3. Blood Covenant by Lisa Harris -- A Thriller/Suspense from Zondervan. Paige Ryan and Nick Gilbert must put their own lives in the hands of God as they fight for the safety of the refugees under their protection.

4. Deadly Ties by Vicki Hinze -- A Thriller/Suspense from Waterbook-Multnoma. Her enemy will stop at nothing for control. She will risk everything for freedom.

5. Hometown Dad by Merrillee Whren -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. A pair of rowdy boys would be exhausting for two parents—little wonder single mom Melanie Drake feels overwhelmed. Enter Nathan Keller—respected banker, descendant of the town’s father...and baseball coach.

6. Journey to Riverbend by Henry McLaughlin -- A Western Historical from Tyndale. A chance for redemption was something they never expected. A chance for love was something they never dreamed of. Sometimes the journey is only the beginning . . .

7. Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes -- A Romance from Revell. By virtue of her profession as a midwife, Tabitha Eckles is the keeper of many secrets. Dominick Cherrett is a man with his own secret to keep: namely, what he, a British aristocrat, is doing on American soil working as an indentured servant.

8. Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate -- General Fiction from Bethany House. Adventure is the last thing on Andrea Henderson's mind when she moves to Moses Lake. But when a little girl is seen with the town recluse, Andrea and the new game warden are drawn together in the search for her identity. The little girl offers them both a new chance at redemption and hope--and may bring them closer than either ever planned.

9. Letting Go; Healing Hearts Series, Book 1 by Michelle Sutton -- General Fiction from Sheaf House. From an early age Diane Simmons was trained by her parents in the art of seduction, but she hates that about herself and wants to be loved for who she is, not what she looks like.

10. Raider's Heart by Marcia Gruver -- A Romance from Barbour. Dawsey Wilkes wakes up deep in the Carolina swamps, the prisoner of a rowdy family who support a vigilante intent on bringing justice to the poor. Wooed by the competitive McRae brothers and shunned by their sister Ellie, Dawsey remains intent on getting back home to her ailing father. But has it been God's plan all along to unite these two very different families?

11. Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones -- A Romance from Thomas Nelson. You’re invited to the engagement of the most unlikely couple of the year.

12. The Outlaw's Return by Victoria Bylin -- A Historical Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical. J.T. Quinn would know Mary Larue's beautiful voice anywhere. He just never expected to hear her singing in a Denver church.

13. Turbulance by Dana Mentink -- A Thriller/Suspense from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Romantic Suspense. Someone wants to ensure that the flight bringing Maddie Lambert and a transplant organ to her father never reaches its destination. Someone who's desperate enough to sabotage the plane.

14. When All My Dreams Come True by Janelle Mowery -- General Fiction from Harvest House. An adventurous novel of faith, hope, and love in the Wild West.

15. Words by Ginny Yttrup -- General Fiction from B&H Publishing. Brought together by Divine design, Kaylee and Sierra will discover together the healing mercy of the Word-Jesus Christ.

The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy - CFBA Book Tour is On!!!

2011-01-26T09:44:00.000-06:00

What would happen if you thought your deepest, darkest secret that you have kept from your husband and the rest of your church family and the world was suddenly yanked into the light by a single phone call? Without warning, you are forced to remove the mask you've worn for years. Do you embrace the freedom of truth finally being exposed or do you cower and shrink into a corner?

This is what happens to Sheila Franklin in Patti Lacy's latest offering from Kregal.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Sheila Franklin has masqueraded as the precocious daughter of avant-garde parents in colorful 1940s New Orleans, a teen desperate for love and acceptance, and an unwed mother sent North with her shame.

After marrying Edward, Sheila artfully masks her secrets, allowing Edward to gain prominence as a conservative pastor. When one phone call from a disillusioned Vietnam veteran destroys her cover, Sheila faces an impossible choice: save her son and his beloved…or imperil Edward’s ambitions.

Inspired by a true story, The Rhythm of Secrets intermingles jazz, classical, and sacred music in a symphony trumpeting God’s grace.

Endorsements:

“A vibrant journey across time in search of the greatest truth of all: grace.”—Tosca Lee, author of Havah: The Story of Eve and Demon: A Memoir

“No longer a ‘well-kept secret,’ Patti Lacy is a master storyteller who speaks to the soul with a powerful and unique rhythm, weaving a tale so emotionally rich that story and reader become one.”—Julie Lessman, author of The Daughters of Boston series and A Hope Undaunted

“Patti Lacy pens another beautifully written story in The Rhythm of Secrets. I couldn’t put it down!”—Melanie Dobson, award-winning author of The Black Cloister

“The Rhythm of Secrets is a stirring story of faith and endurance that will keep readers turning the page until every last secret is revealed.”—Tina Ann Forkner, author of Ruby Among Us and Rose House

If you would like to read an excerpt of Rhythm of Secrets, go HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patti Lacy, Baylor graduate, taught community college humanities until God called her to span seas and secrets in her novels, An Irishwoman's Tale and What the Bayou Saw. She has two grown children and a dog named Laura. She and her husband can be seen jog-walking the streets of Normal, Illinois, an amazing place to live for a woman born in a car. For more information, visit Patti's website at www.pattilacy.com, her blog at www.pattilacy.com/blog, and her Facebook daily Artbites.

Does this whet your appetite? I hope so. You won't be disappointed. You own your own copy of Rhythm of Secrets by going to Amazon.

Note: I was provided a free copy of this book for the purposes of review. I was not asked to provide only favorable comments in my review.

Fatal Judgment - A Page Turner Extraordinaire

2011-01-24T09:53:00.000-06:00

If you want a gripping romantic suspense to read by the fire on these chilly winter evenings, look no further than Irene Hannon's latest novel, Fatal Judgment, which is the first in a new series called Guardians of Justice.

I had not read any of Hannon's books until now, but I look forward to catching up on her backlist. The story is that good!

U.S. Marshal Jake Taylor has seen plenty of action during his years in law enforcement. But he'd rather go back to Iraq than face his next assignment: protection detail for federal judge Liz Michaels, his best friend's widow. Although his job had kept him from personally socializing with the couple before his friend died, he'd heard plenty about the cold-hearted workaholic who drove her husband to possible suicide. As danger mounts and he observes Liz as she truly is, he's forced to revise his opinion of her. When it becomes clear someone wants her dead, her life and his heart are in peril.

I don't want to give anymore away because you will want to read this for yourself.

One note of caution. Like me, you may find the first quarter or so of the book to be slower paced than a lot of suspense books as the foundation for the storyline is established. Hang in there, because all at once the tension pushes into overdrive and you will not want to put this book down until you read the last page and enjoy the satisfying ending.

I look forward to reading the books to come in this new series.

Irene Hannon has written more than 35 romance and romantic suspense novels. Her books have been honored with a RITA award—the “Oscar” of romantic fiction—and she is a four-time finalist for that prestigious honor. Her books have also won a Daphne du Maurier award, a HOLT Medallion and two Reviewers’ Choice awards from RT BOOKreviews magazine.

Irene, who holds a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in journalism, juggled two careers for many years until she gave up her executive corporate communications position with a Fortune 500 company to write full-time. She is happy to say she has no regrets!

In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, gardening and singing. A trained vocalist, she has sung the leading role in numerous musicals, including “South Pacific,” “Brigadoon,” “Oklahoma” “The King and I” and “Anything Goes.” She is also a soloist at her church.

January New Releases by ACFW Authors!

2011-01-01T13:16:00.002-06:00

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW FictionFinder website.

1. Alaska Weddings by Susan Page Davis -- A Romance from Barbour. In this three-novel collection, love has come looking for the Holland family of Alaska. But new challenges to their faith lie around every bend.

2. Banda Mission: Kidnapped in Ghana by Ruben Schwieger -- A Thriller from Warner Press. Coup leaders unexpectedly kidnap a missionary who, like the Apostle Paul, is able to share his faith with his jailors and others in unusual and dangerous situations.

3. Book of Days by Jim Rubart -- A Thriller/Suspense from B and H Publishing. God’s Book of Days. A record of the past, present, and future of every soul. Some say it’s fable. Others are sure it’s real, hidden somewhere on Earth...If Cameron Vaux can’t find it, he will lose everything..

4. Caroline's Choice; Haynes Famiiy Series, Book 3 by Martha Rogers -- A Historical from Realms (Strang Book Group). When God sends forgiveness to the hearts of His children, they learn the true meaning of love.

5. Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer -- A Historical from Bethany House. Edythe Amsel is ready for her first teaching assignment, but is Walnut Hill ready for her?

6. Digitalis; Discarded Heroes, Book 2 by Ronie Kendig -- A Thriller/Suspense from Barbour. Deep in heart of the Holy Land for a snatch-n-grab to save her father, Colton Neeley and Piper Blum must make the treacherous trek out of hostile territory before they’re caught.

7. Faith's Reward by Tammy Barley -- A Historical from Whitaker House. The year 1865 starts out as a nightmare come true for Jessica Bennett. The cattle she and her husband, Jake, fought to save from drought the summer before now face the threat of freezing to death. Her fears worsen when Jake contracts pneumonia.

8. Found in Translation by Roger Bruner and Kristi Rae Bruner -- A Young Adult from Barbour. God can do the humanly impossible through a thoughtless teen once she learns to be faithful, obedient, and forgiving.

9. Jewel of Persia by Roseanna White -- A Historical from White Fire Publishing. How can she love the king of kings without forsaking her Lord of lords?

10. Lily of the Field by Rose Zediker -- A Romance from Barbour Heartsong Presents. Marriage isn't on Caroline’s or Rodney’s minds...but their minds are not God's and He is busy taking care of the lilies of the field-and His children.

11. Missing by Lynette Eason -- A Suspense from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Her daughter is the most important person in Lacey Gibson's world. So when the girl disappears, Lacey will do anything to find her. Even track down a man she hasn't seen in sixteen years.

12. Night Prey by Sharon Dunn -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Romantic Suspense. Injured birds of prey, late night trespassers, and threatening note lead Jenna and her childhood friend Keith into more danger than could have imagined in the ranch country of Montana.

13. Rocky Mountain Hero by Audra Harders -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. Can a single mother desperate to make ends meet find love with a rancher too busy to fall in love?

14. Sharp Shooters in Petticoats by Mary Connealy -- A Romance from Barbour. You didn't think Sophie McClellen's daughter would grow up to be a quiet little thing, did you?

15. Softly and Tenderly; Songbird Series by Sara Evans with Rachel Hauck -- A Romance from Thomas Nelson. Emily and David each come to terms with a past that follows them, testing their faith and resolve.

16. Tennessee Brides by Diane Ashley & Aaron McCarver -- A Romance from Barbour. Romance, adventures, and dangers--including the war with Britain, discrimination against the Cherokee, and organization of the Underground Railroad--lurk at the fringes of three Tennessee women's lives.

17. The Baby Promise by Carolyn Aarsen -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. A soldier determined to fulfill a promise and a woman determined to forget.

18. The Rhythm of Secrets by Patti Lacy -- General Fiction from Kregel. Inspired by a true story, The Rhythm of Secrets intermingles jazz, classical, and sacred music in a symphony trumpeting God’s grace.

19. Touched by Mercy by Tina Pinson -- A Historical from Desert Breeze. The west seems to hold all the answers to Samantha Northam's dreams, but is it far enough away to protect her from her nightmares?

20. Unexpected Love; Seasons of Redemption, Book 3 by Andrea Boeshaar -- A Historical from Realms (Strang Book Group). Nurse Lorenna Fields is drawn to a blind patient searching for his past. But as his memories return, will there be a place for her in his future?

Video for Today - Awesome

2010-12-17T10:56:00.000-06:00

A Really Clever Video

2010-12-16T18:28:00.000-06:00

Got the link to this off Twitter, but I was able to embed it here. Imagine if there was Facebook back when Jesus came to earth as a baby.

Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce

2010-12-11T16:13:00.000-06:00

I picked up Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce, impressed by its beautiful cover, and anticipating a great read because the protag, Amy Gallagher, is a writer. I am a writer. I could relate. And relate I did, but not often enough.

Try as I might, I had difficulty getting into the book and staying there. I’ve seen other reviews on this book where the reviewer said he/she didn’t know how to review the book. And I concur. There were moments I really enjoyed what I was reading and times when I struggled to get to the end of a chapter.

Amy, who is the one and only POV character in this first person tale, teaches English at a small Ohio college and is a struggler. She struggles with her fundamental Christian upbringing which leads to struggling when she doesn’t feel comfortable not ordering a beer in a tavern despite the fact she doesn’t drink beer. She then struggles when she doesn’t have the courage to ask a visitor to not smoke in her own apartment. And she struggles when she and her platonic live-in male roommate, Eli, and she share a mattress one night without doing anything but sleep. The next day she berates herself for what she did, despite what they didn’t do, and carries the guilt over the bad decision for quite a while. Some readers will likely squirm at this scene, but I think what happened after that night was more effective than if Amy had stopped it before it happened. Pierce effectively used this to show consequences for doing something that is against God's moral code despite the fact that in the world's point of view, it would be much ado about nothing.

I think this entire story would have read better if it were tightened. Copious sections are taken up with excerpts from her students’ essays and short stories. I found it difficult to justify so much of this as there seemed to be no purpose to their being there. They did not move the plot along, nor did they do anything to deepen Amy’s characterization.

Having said all that, there are moments of humor that made me chuckle and smile. The reviews on line include quite a few who thoroughly enjoyed it and gave it a high score. Check it out and decide for yourself!

Note: I received this Book from Bethany House Publishers for purposes of review. The opinion expressed is strictly my own. I was not asked to give only a favorable review.

2010-12-01T11:35:00.004-06:00

Some great new reads for December from ACFW authors! What a way to round out 2010. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the Holidays and read a good book!

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW website.

1. Aloha, My Love by Deborah Kinnard -- A Romance from Desert Breeze. A second chance at love mixes with trade winds in a winter vacation.

2. An Amish Love by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Long-- A Romance from Thomas Nelson. Two of today's most popular genres--Romance and Amish fiction--together in one volume.

3. Christmas Bodyguard; Gardians Series, Book 1 by Margaret Daley -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. Slade Caulder, a businessman, hires bodyguard, Elizabeth Walker, to protect his daughter, but can Elizabeth save both Slade and his daughter from a killer and keep herself from falling in love with him?

4. Cowboy Daddy by Carolyn Aarsen -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. When a woman calling herself the aunt of his nephews comes to try to take them away, Kip learns a lesson in love and letting go.

5. Driven by Shellie Neumeier -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Risen Books. Robyn can't help but notice the new guy at school, but what she misses could cost her dearly--a demon has been sent to destroy her.

6. Love Finds You in Sun Valley, Idaho by Angela Ruth -- A Romance from Summerside Press. Emily Van Arsdale returns home to film a movie and falls for the rafting consultant who has a grudge against celebrities ever since his fiancee left him for fame and fortune.

7. Maggie and the Maverick; Book 3, Idaho Brides by Erica Vetsch -- A Romance from Barbour Heartsong Presents. Maggie goes undercover to break up a ring of thieves, but finds herself falling for her prime suspect.

8. Michigan Brides by Amber Stockton -- A historical from Barbour. Relive Michigan's industrial boom alongside three women who must change their way of viewing the world before they can realize love.

9. Mail Order Cowboy; Simpson Creek Brides by Laurie Kingery -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. An enterprising miss in a bachelor-less post-Civil War Texas town organizes the unmarried ladies to bring mail-order grooms to town.

10. Praying for Rayne by Elizabeth Goddard -- A Romance from Barbour Heartsong Presents. Rayne Fleming loves her job designing water fountains, but when Jack Kostner joins the company all her plans for success struggle to survive, including the blossoming love between them.

11. Singing in Babylon by Ann Gaylia O'Barr-Breedlove -- General Fiction from Oak Tara. Life in the "enchanged kingdom" is nothing like she thought.

12. The Camera Never Lies; Hometown Mysteries by Elizabeth Goddard -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Barbour. When Polly Perkins’ camera finds a murder victim, her ability to read emotions through a camera lens could prevent another murder while giving her reason to hope in lasting love.

13. The Lawman’s Christmas Gift; Alaskan Bride Rush, Book 6 by Linda Goodnight -- A Romance from Steeple Hill Love Inspired. Love, faith, and a Christmas miracle come to a dying Alaskan town just in the "Nick" of time.

14. Touched by Mercy by Tina Pinson -- A Romance from Desert Breeze. The west seems to hold all the answers to Samantha Northam's dreams, but is it far enough away to protect her from her nightmares?

15. Wasatch Love by Lauralee Bliss -- A Romance from Barbour Heartsong Presents. The Wasatch Mountains of Utah holds the key to a young woman's unhappiness and a man's desperation.

16. Yuletide Defender by Sandra Robbins -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense. A determined reporter, a protective cop, and a threatening gang war are headed for a showdown, just in time for Christmas.

Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler - A Great Read for a Cold Day

2010-11-20T14:37:00.001-06:00

I've never been to the Carolinas, but I've always thought a beach vacation along the shore in either North or South Carolina would be wonderful. I'd take my laptop, plenty of suntan lotion, and rent one of those beach houses you see--the one's on stilts that always seem to survive the threat of hurricanes. I'd sleep on a screened in sleeping porch, and rise in time to brew coffee and watch the sun rise over the ocean. Then hunker down and write till noon before spending the afternoon on the beach. Evenings I'd go into town and have fresh seafood in one of the many hangouts. Ahhh. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

Well, right now I can't afford such a vacay, but what any of us can afford to do is buy a copy of Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler and be transported instantly to the seaside community of Cape Hatteras NC. Each time I picked up the book to read, I was instantly sucked into life in the small community through the eyes of Jackie Donovan, the book's POV character.

All Jackie wants to do is own the Baily House, an old home situated on the ocean. The antique building holds a lot of wonderful childhood memories, mostly created by the elderly couple who lived there than the building. But, her job as a writer for a village paper can hardly pay her rent, let alone the gigantic mortgage she'd have to incur to own the now-empty structure. Then she meets Realtor Davis Erickson and it appears God is answering her prayers. As the heir apparent of the Baily House estate, he's willing to rent her the house, and all seems to be falling into place until she finds out he has a few skeletons in his proverbial closet.

Wisler's easy going story, written in first person present sucks the reader in so much you are sure you are sniffing the salt air and feeling the sand between your toes. I love this POV because you cannot get any closer to the character than this. You are Jackie as you go through her highs and lows, hitting the speed bumps of her life and doing cartwheels when she is joyous. As a single woman, I could relate to her watching the phone and willing it to ring while she waits for Davis's call. Yep. I've been there, done that in the past, and then, like Jackie, made my best attempt to act nonchalant when the phone finally rang.

I highly recommend this book. You can pick it up at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Christian Book on line, or at your favorite Christian book store down the road. Do it. You won't be disappointed.

Please note that I was provided with a free copy of Hatteras Girl in order to write this review, but I was not asked to write only a favorable review. All comments in this review are my own and they are my own personal opinions.

Just In Time for Christmas! Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson

2010-11-13T13:27:00.000-06:00

There's something about anticipating the coming of Christmas that remains in all of us long after we've grown to adulthood. For many, part of their anticipation is reading the bevy of Christmas-themed novella-length stories that come out this time of year. These stories have carved a way into many peoples' Christmas traditions the same as Christmas movies.

Christmas at Harrington's by Melody Carlson promises to be one of those feel-good kind of stories that will be around for a long, long time.

Just before Christmas Lena Markham has an opportunity to restart her life in a new place. The only problem is that she has little money and no friends. But when she lands a job playing Mrs. Santa at Harrington's, her new town's department store, she starts to really believe she is getting a second chance at life for real -- until her boss learns the dark secret she'd worked so hard to keep hidden.

This 167 page story is a perfect accompaniment to a cozy chair and a cup of hot coffee or cocoa on a chilly day. I read this in an afternoon and loved every minute of it. I think you will too!

Published by Revell you can find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your favorite brick and morter store if that's what you prefer!

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, THE CHRISTMAS BUS. She also writes many teen books, including JUST ANOTHER GIRL, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series and the Carter House Girls series. Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon. Visit Melody's website at www.melodycarlson.com.

Note: Although this book was provided me by Revell for review purposes, I was not asked to make only favorable comments on the book. What I have written here is my own personal opinion and no one else's.

November New Releases from ACFW!

2010-11-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW website.

1. A Daughter for Christmas; Helping Hands Homeschooling Series by Margaret Daley -- A Romance from Steeple Hill. Can Dr. Max Connors make his dream of a family come true when he must tell the widowed mother of the daughter he never knew he had who he really is?

2. A Suitor for Jenny; Rocky Creek #2 by Margaret Brownley -- A Historical from Thomas Nelson. Jenny Higgins is determined to find husband for her two younger sisters and nothing, not even a handsome marshal, will stand in her way.

3. Behind the Scenes; Tabor Heights, Ohio Series by Michelle Levigne -- A Romance from Desert Breeze. Surrounded by crises, best friends transition to life partners, to their own surprise and the amusement of those who love them most.

4. Betrayal in the Badlands by Dana Mentink -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Steeple Hill. Isabel Ling and Logan Price must battle an enemy more deadly than the mighty Badlands.

5. In All Things, Sequel to “No Other” by Shawna K. Williams -- A Historical from Desert Breeze. Jakob and Meri never imagined that the tragedies of their past would one day be transformed into something wondrous and beautiful.

6. Lassoed in Texas by Mary Connealy -- A Romance from Barbour. A three-in-one of romantic comedy with cowboys.

7. Long Time Coming by Vanessa Miller -- Women's Fiction from Abingdon. Two women from different worlds find hope together in this heart gripping story of faith, forgiveness and reconciliation.

8. Mail Order Cowboy; Simpson Creek Brides by Laurie Kingery -- A Historical from Steeple Hill. A small-town Texas spinster finds love with an unlikely mail order groom.

9. Masquerade Marriage by Anne Greene -- A Historical from White Rose. When Lady Megan MacMurry chooses a husband from a secret list, she opens her broken heart to a Highland warrior's fight for life.

10. Soaring Home by Christine Johnson -- A Romance from Steeple Hill. A small-town girl plans to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic.

11. Tales of the Dim Knight by Adam Graham and Andrea Graham -- A Sci-fi/Fantasy/Futuristic from Splashdown Books. Mild-mannered janitor and superhero fanboy Dave Johnson gets all his wishes at once when an alien symbiot gives him supernatural powers.

12. The Blacksmith's Bravery; #3, Ladies' Shooting Club
by Susan Page Davis -- A Historical from Barbour. A former saloon girl proves she can drive a six-horse hitch--and drive her boss crazy.

13. The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson -- A Historical from Summerside Press. A Cleveland detective pursues the Mafia family responsible for murdering the woman he loved until he meets an Amish woman with a secret that changes his life.

Waiting -- An Exciting Place to Be

2010-10-30T09:23:00.001-05:00

I think I've written about waiting on this blog before, but it's been a long while.

Last August on a very hot and humid day, a friend and I stepped into a very crowded doctor's waiting room. Since most everyone who comes to this doctor has to have eye drops, they come with a designated driver which, of course, means two seats for every patient.

The doctor had to cancel appointments a couple weeks earlier because of a trip to Haiti to assist earthquake victims. Now, it appeared they'd doubled up on that day's appointments to catch up. A "catch-22" in the making.

So there we were, squeezed into this warm, stuffy room for three hours. At least part of my time was spent doing a field test and being seen by the doctor, but my friend finally had to step out for some air.

God has had me in His waiting room for a long while as I await publication in fiction. But unlike the stuffy doctor's office I experienced last summer, His waiting room is exciting because I have learned that God doesn't waste time even while we are waiting.

This past year, He revealed to me through books by Henry Blackaby and Francis Chan that the Spirit of the living God is within in me in a profound way, ready to lead me through all of life's challenges. That those nudges I feel at times are more than just intuition, but God Himself guiding me to make good choices. Of course I've believed, ever since coming to Christ, that the Holy Spirit is within me, but this took my concept of that to a whole new level.

Then, over the summer, I went on a C.J. Mahaney binge, reading his books on humility, worldliness, and living the cross-centered life. I also read another book by Francis Chan called Crazy Love. And, from that, I've dealt with pride in a huge way.

I begin every morning now, as Mahaney, suggests, acknowledging that God is my Creator and He is the one on whom I depend for the very air that I breathe and for everything in my life. He is the one who equipped me with the desire and talent to write, and in His due time I will reap a harvest. That without Jesus going to the cross for me, I wouldn't even be able to stand before God and pray to Him and know that He hears me and that He loves me unconditionally. That my life in His hands is the best thing in the whole wide world.

So I'm still waiting in that place God has for me at this moment. While here I continue to do what He has called me to do--write! And learn to write better. I attend conferences, listen to teaching on MP3's, participate in on-line courses, and read a lot of fiction. Reading is for enjoyment and entertaining, but for a writer like me, it's also learning by the example of authors who have gone before me.

I think I ended my last blog about God's waiting room saying I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I still feel the same way.

For more on C.J. Mahaney check out his website. To purchase books by C.J., you can get them here.
For more on Francis Chan, go to his website. To purchase books by him, you can get them here.

I have not been asked by either C.J. Mahaney or Francis Chan to promote their books or ministries.

Don't Look Back by Lynnette Eason -- A Real Page Turner!

2010-10-17T00:10:00.002-05:00

This past week I had the pleasure of reading DON'T LOOK BACK by Lynette Eason. This book is the second in Lynette's Women of Justice series. I did not read the first book in the series, but that did not detract from my enjoyment of this fast-paced Romantic Suspense story.

Aside from one or two occurrences that seemed a bit too coincidental I found this story to be powerful and riveting. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

The tag for DON'T LOOK BACK aptly describes this story.

One man lives to see her dead -- The other is fighting to keep her alive.

From the Back Cover

Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself--though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself believe that she can have a close relationship with a man, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact--her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those years ago.

Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love?

Filled with heart-stopping suspense, gritty realism, and a touch of romance, Don't Look Back pulls you into its twists and turns to hold you there until the very last page.

Praise for Lynette Eason and the Women of Justice series
"My friend Lynette has a hit on her hands with this romantic suspense. I enjoyed every minute."--Dee Henderson, bestselling author, the O'Malley series

"Nonstop action. No chance to catch your breath!"--Irene Hannon, bestselling author, the Heroes of Quantico series

"An exciting ride with characters you will care about."--Margaret Daley, award-winning Steeple Hill romantic suspense author

I will add my own rave review for this story. From the moment I picked it up I couldn't put it down. Just as I thought I had things figured out, a new twist caused my thinking to go another direction. Eason has woven an intricate plot and kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire read. You can purchase it on line and it is also available in Kindle format.

About Lynette Eason

Lynette Eason is the author of ten novels, including Too Close to Home, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Lynette and her husband and their two children make their home in South Carolina.

Note: I received a free copy of Don't Look Back from Revell Publishing. I was not asked to report only positive things about the book and my thoughts expressed here are strictly my own.

ACFW New Releases for October - Some Great Fall Reading!

2010-10-01T12:00:00.004-05:00

With October the nights start early and have a chill. It's a good time to cozy up with a cup of coffee or tea and read a great book. ACFW authors can provide you with some wonderful reading.

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW website.

1. A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman -- A Romance from Abingdon. Will Annie find acceptance in the Amish community she left behind?

2. Brides of Arkansas by Janet Lee Barton -- A Romance from Barbour. Thwarted by mystery and mayhem, three women in historic Arkansas are roused by love when and where they least expect it.

3. Embers of Love; Striking a Match Series by Tracie Peterson -- A Romance from Bethany House. Deborah Vandermark desperately wants to fit into God's plan and 1880's Texas, but can the two coexist?

4. Emily's Chance; The Callahans of Texas, Book 2 by Sharon Gillenwater -- A Romance from Revell. Will cowboy and builder Chance Callahan be able to convince Emily Rose Denny that she can have love and a career?

5. First Love; Tombstone Treasures, Book 2 by Michelle Sutton -- A Romance from Desert Breeze. Two former high school lovers play the roles of socialite and preacher as Tombstone actors and are reunited after four years of separation; but can they rebuild their love on a new foundation, this time around without falling into past behavior?

6. Legacy of Lies by Jill Elizabeth Nelson -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Steeple Hill. When a cop's widow discovers the bones of an infant buried in her grandparent's back yard, she teams up with the local police chief to help clear her family name.

7. Love Finds You in Silver City, Idaho by Janelle Mowery -- A Romance from Summerside Press. Whoever said trouble comes in threes has never been to Silver City, Idaho, where peace and acceptance face off against chaos and rejection, and the winner is not always clear.

8. Love is Grand; Walk in the Park, Book Three by Annalisa Daughety -- A Romance from Barbour. National Park Ranger Ainsley Davis returns to her job at the Grand Canyon, a widowed mother who has become fearful of everything, including love.

9. Mirrored Image by Alice K. Arenz -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Sheaf House. The uncanny resemblance of a murder victim to eccentric newspaper columnist Cassandra Chase gives Detective Jeff McMichaels the haunting suspicion there is a link between the two women . . . a link that may only exist in the murderer's mind.

10. Mistletoe Prayers by Betsy St. Amant and Marta Perry -- A Romance from Steeple Hill. Two heartwarming Christmas tales from your favorite authors.

11. Nipped in the Bud; Hometown Mysteries by Susan Sleeman -- A Suspense/Mystery/Thriller from Barbour. After Paige Turner finds a dead body on her construction site and the police think she killed him, can she prove her innocence and stay out of jail?

12. Pearl in the Sand by Tessa Afshar -- A Historical from Moody Publishers. Rahab vowed never again to trust a man. God had other plans. Salmone was a man of faith, honor, and an enemy. An impossible marriage: an unforgettable journey of healing.

13. Prairie Courtship by Dorothy Clark -- A Historical from Steeple Hill. Emma Allen never knew, until she joined Zachary Thatcher's wagon train to Oregon country, what being a doctor really meant---or how much it could cost.

14. Seek Me With All Your Heart; Land of Canaan Series by Beth Wiseman -- A Romance from Thomas Nelson. Emily and David each come to terms with a past that follows them, testing their faith and resolve.

15. Seeking His Love: Love Inspired Series 593 by Carrie Turansky -- A Romance from Steeple Hill. Haunted by false accusations, a former teacher tries to build a new relationship without revealing her troubled past.

16. The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund -- A Romance from Bethany House. A young Puritan maiden determined to save a motherless baby... and a grieving preacher who doesn't want another woman in his life.

17. Whisper on the Wind; Great War Series, Independent Read by Maureen Lang -- A Romance from Tyndale. Isa Lassone sneaks into occupied Belgium to rescue the man she loves; when he refuses to go, she joins his secretive work˜praying it won't cost both of their lives.

18. Wrangler in Petticoats: Sophie's Daughters Book 2 by Mary Connealy -- A Romance from Barbour. When the two of them see an elk, she reaches for her rifle, he reaches for a sketchpad, the word DRAW means completely different things to them.

Strength in Adversity is Necessary for Life and Writing

2010-09-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

I'm reading a chapter a day in Deuteronomy since that is the book of the Bible my pastor is preaching from right now. Today, it wasn't the scripture that contained a take-away for me, but the study note in my John MacArthur NASB Study Bible regarding Deut. 13:3 that says God was testing the Israelites to see how much they did love Him in the face of temptation. The study note states: "...while temptation was dangerous, the overcoming of that temptation would strengthen the people in their love for God and obedience to His commandments."

Temptations can be strength-builders when we overcome. I pondered this , but the lesson didn't hit full-force until I went to the gym and decided to increase the weights on some of the machines I use. The increase was only five pounds, but it made a huge difference in how easily I was able to do the reps. What had become fairly easy was suddenly more difficult. Yet I pushed on, straining at times, and accomplished my goals. Why? Because it's been proven that without increasing the resistance, my muscles will never strengthen. They need that extra weight in order to become stronger.

That got me thinking about adversity and trials beyond the temptations that I face every day. They provide increased weight to my inner soul, strengthening it like a muscle when I don't give up and stop resisting the temptation to climb on my pity pot. The harder I work at resisting and rising above the disappointments, the setbacks, the trials of life, the more I will depend on God to get me through. And the more my love for Him will increase as I realize He gives me EVERTHING I need for life.

How does that translate to my writing journey? Every rejection I receive (and there have been dozens over the years), every hard crit that points out flaws in my story, every time someone points out a typo that slipped past me before I posted my blog, or every bad interview I have at an editor appointment (and there have been very few), those times can benefit my strength and determination the same way increasing the weight on the leg press machine I use, similar to the one like the guy is using in the picture.

This morning I grimaced like him through most of the exercises, but I am now a bit stronger for having endured. And each disappointing experience I have with my writing will only make me stronger and more determined to grow from the experience, trusting God that He is in charge and is equipping me to better my craft. At the proper time I will reap a harvest if I don't give up. (See Galatians 6:9)

Bring on the weight!

A Hope Undaunted By Julie Lessman - Blog Tour!

2010-09-19T00:04:00.012-05:00

Ever since Julie Lessman's first book in her Daughters of Boston series, I have been a fan of hers. She actually first drafted A Passion Most Pure, the first book, when she was 12 years old! In that series she focused on each of the O'Connor daughters who belong to a comfortably well-to-do Irish-American family living in Boston at the beginning of the 20th Century.

What I love about Julie's writing is her way of conveying the authenticity of human emotions and passions, but keeping them within the boundaries of a life lived for God. That doesn't mean that every Christian in her story is perfect--none of us are. She portrays the weaknesses and strengths both, but always through a filter of a Redeemer God who is ready to forgive when we repent.

At the close of the third book in the first series, there was yet one daughter who had not had her story told. I was thrilled when I heard that Julie was writing a new series and the first book of that series would be Katie's story. Thus A HOPE UNDAUNTED was conceived.

Katie O'Connor comes of age in 1929, just before the big crash that led this country into the Depression. As the baby in the family, she is precocious, spoiled and cunning, while at the same time beautiful with a soft heart for women's needs. As a child, she often crossed paths with a scrappy, puny street kid who has now grown into a strapping, hunk of a lawyer named Luke McGee.

As punishment for not obeying her curfew, her father forces her to spend the summer before she is to enter law school working as a volunteer at the same agency where Luke works. She finds herself coming face-to-face with a choice. Does she follow her well-laid-out plans to marry Jack, the man who meets every criteria on her list as what would make a good husband, or will she follow the man who she swore to despise forever?

I picked up this rather thick book and wondered how I would ever finish it in time for the blog tour. I needn't have worried. Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. You will love this book!

Note:

Although you can read this book out of sequence, if possible to start with Book One of the Daughters of Boston series, A PASSION MOST PURE, it's recommended that you do so.

ABOUT JULIE:

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her white-hot passion for both God and romance. Winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and 2009 Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational, Julie is also the recipient of 13 Romance Writers of America awards. She resides in Missouri with her husband and their golden retriever and is the author of The Daughters of Boston series, which includes A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied.

Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

This Crazy Love God Has for Me (And You!)

2010-09-15T10:38:00.002-05:00

While at Sam's the other day I picked up a book I've been hearing a lot about called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Last year while studying the Holy Spirit I'd used Chan's book on the subject called Forgotten God and thought him to be insightful and thought-provoking. So I bought Crazy Love.

Before I even got through the first chapter the author directs the reader to go to his website for the book and view a video called Stop and Think. I watched it this morning and was struck by a couple things. In the clip he is walking down an embankment to a cove on the California coast. Behind him the blue Pacific stretches out to the horizon.

A number of years ago before I surrendered my heart and life to Jesus, I lived in CA for about seven years. And the last several years I was there I lived within a mile of the Pacific, but I'd grown accustomed to that and hardly ever went there just to ponder creation and how a Master Creator had blessed us with such vast beauty. I was too busy living a self-centered life and knew not my Creator.

I'd grown up going to a mainline church and had quickly disposed of the God of my childhood for another god. Myself and the care and feeding of self was all that mattered. I made bad choices and that led to more bad choices. Toward the end of my seven years out there I felt a pull to return to the Midwest, not in particular to my small Wisconsin hometown.

At the same time I put in for a transfer at my office to the Chicago sales office in the Northwest burbs of Chicago, I was going through a personal crisis in my life. My roommate of the past four years and I had separated on not so pleasant terms and were embroiled in a small claims court action. It was then that a coworker shared with me a new Bible version she'd discovered called The Living Bible. I don't think either one of us realized that it was actually a paraphrase. I was drawn to it because amazingly all the thees and thous of the Bible I'd grown up on had disappeared and this one was written in a way I could relate to.

Long story short, I intended upon seeking out a church once I moved back to the Midwest, but almost as soon as I arrived between Thanksgiving and Christmas of that year I came down with a horrible flu that was going around and then right after the first of the year my mom was diagnosed with emphysema. We thought we were going to lose her and I found myself on my knees in tears, begging God to not let her die and promising to seek a church.

I still wasn't going the direction He wanted me to, but it was a start. Over time I came to know God in a personal way, but He first had to get me out of a part of this country where His creative beauty is so evident to the place where I grew up without a mountain or ocean in sight.

Then this past year I was compelled to write a story set in my hometown of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, just an hour or so north of where I live. How much my heroine is like me didn't immediately jump out at me until I was reviewing the ms. for final submission. It was then I realized that that this 21-mile-around lake in Southern Wisconsin contained just as much of God's creativity as a vast ocean or the highest mountain.

This little lake carved out by a receding glacier has charmed old and young, rich and poor, saved and unsaved, for many many years. And there it was ... God's testimony to me of His presence in my life. The very lake where I learned to swim at age three, learned to water ski at age 15, and still enjoy at age....nevermind LOL.

At the top of my one-sheet for the story is a quote from Margaret Sanger that says: There is nothing half so pleasant as coming home again.

This is so very true, and God has caused my lot to fall in pleasant places as a psalm says.

I am truly blessed!