This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Any Minute
FaithWords (June 30, 2009)
by
Joyce Meyer and Deborah Bedford


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A #1 New York Times bestselling author, she has written more than seventy inspirational books, including The Confident Woman, I Dare You, the entire Battlefield of the Mind family of books, her first venture into fiction with The Penny, and many others. She has also released thousands of audio teachings as well as a complete video library. Joyce's Enjoying Everyday Life® radio and television programs are broadcast around the world, and she travels extensively conducting conferences. Joyce and her husband, Dave, are the parents of four grown children and make their home in St. Louis, Missouri.


Deborah Bedford is a career fiction writer who began her professional life as a journalist in a Colorado mountain town.

A Rose By The Door, Deborah's first with Warner Book (name changed to FaithWords in 2006), hit bookstores in November 2001. A Morning Like This was released by Warner Books in 2002. Deborah's short story, “Connor Sapp's Baseball Summer,” is included in Multnomah Publisher's The Storytellers' Collection, Tales From Home, alongside stories by Chuck Colson, Terri Blackstock, Randy Alcorn and Karen Kingsbury.

Deborah and Jack have two children, Jeff and Avery. When she isn't writing, Deborah spends her time fly-fishing, cheering at American Legion baseball games, shopping with her daughter, singing praise songs while she walks along the banks of Flat Creek, and taking her dachshund Annie for hikes in the Tetons where they live.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Sarah Harper is driven to achieve success no matter what the cost. She wants to do good and not hurt the people she loves--especially children and her husband, Joe--but her desire to succeed in her career too often leaves little time for family.

One cold, autumn afternoon, all of that changes when Sarah's car plunges off a bridge and into a river. She is presumed dead by those on the "outside," but Sarah's spirit is still very much alive. What she discovers on the other side transforms everything about Sarah's view of life--past, present, and future.

When Sarah is revived, she is a changed woman. And the unsuspecting world around her will never be the same again.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Any Minute, go here!

Goals

My friend Cara posted about the ACFW conference and all she has to accomplish in the next few months. I was tired just reading her post. Anyway, I thought it might be a good time to think about my goals for the next couple months.

I need to finish Rock Bottom. I'm almost done with the rough draft. Then I'll send in my proposal and start the editing. Figure that way I'll be working while I wait.

Once I submit the finished book (if they request it) then I'll start on the book I started last year. Inn for a Penny. I put it away but when I reread what I have so far I still like the premise so I'm looking forward to seeing where that goes.

I need to finish saving for Tanner's braces. He has a really bad problem where they're doing it in two phases. It's going to cost about $7000 and we need a couple thousand down. So that will take some budgeting to accomplish.

I have an idea for a short story contest that's going on and I'm thinking of entering. I just need to write the story. LOL. Only 3500 words so shouldn't be too tough, but still, butt in chair time is needed.

I'd also like to get my house organized. It's not bad, but I feel a need for some order lately. It's bugging me that I have photo's in a Rubbermaid container instead of filed away nicely or a stack of papers that needs to be shredded. That kind of stuff makes me uncomfortable. I don't like people to stop over and see a messy or cluttered house. I shouldn't care so much, but I do. :0/

Vacation...ahhh, good to be home!

Last week was vacation for our family. This year we chose to do the whole amusement park thing and go to Kings Island and the water park. For the last few years we've done calmer, more relaxing vacations and I thought since Tanner was 10 this year he might enjoy the rides and stuff. Hmmm maybe not...

So we go to KI the first day and it's a nice day. Hot but not too hot. Since I know all too well how boring it can be as an only child, we took along his favorite cousin. We all rode a couple things. The stunt coaster and the racers and the boys rode the scrambler a few times. By this time it's early afternoon and Tanner, who hasn't smiled more than once or twice all day, looks up at me and asks "Can we leave and go to the hotel yet?" Hmmm... Okay. When I was little we'd stay until they closed and be so bummed we had to leave. I told him we couldn't check in to the hotel until 3:00 so we might as well stay and have some fun. However, I couldn't even get him to ride the bumper cars with me so we might as well left.

I must have asked him a dozen times if he was okay--if he was having fun. Finally I realized I was making him uncomfortable (you'd think I'd be quicker than that) and I quit asking. It occurred to me that he was overwhelmed and probably over stimulated.

I've mentioned before he's a little quirky. We've never labeled him Aspergers because we don't want to limit him in any way. However, as I was watching him at the park I was sad that he wasn't happy. He wasn't enjoying himself. Too much music. Too much commotion. Too many people. It was too much. I'm a firm believer that it's good to stretch our kids and take them out of their comfort zones a little, but I hated that he was miserable on his vacation. A time that's all about quality family time. Needless to say, next year we're going back to Traverse City. He loved it there and it was a fun relaxing time for all. I think from now on I'll stretch him throughout the year. Not vacation. :-/

Things Left Unspoken...

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Things Left Unspoken
Revell (June 1, 2009)
by
Eva Marie Everson
I read Things Left Unspoken during vacation last week. Not sure why, but I’d expected to sit down and have an easy read. Not so. :) I started the book and immediately I knew this story was going to draw my in and not easily let me go.

I was right. Between the flawed characters (exactly like real life) and the mysterious plot I was hooked. I don’t know why, but I expected a typical southern story with some wacky off the wall characters that were hiding some family secret and they’d all find out in the end and all would be well. I was pleasantly surprised with the depth of this story.

Jo-Lynn is asked by her aunt to come back home and fix up the “Big House” The timing is perfect since her marriage is a rut and she could use some time away. But as she starts her renovations, she unearths some secrets that someone would rather she leave buried. These aren’t just some little fly by the night secrets. This family has bones, people. Seriously dark secrets that aren’t always easy to read about, but definitely thought provoking and interesting.

This was overall a great read that kept me guessing. I’ll definitely look for this author in the future.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Eva Marie Everson taught Old Testament theology for six years at Life Training Center in Longwood, Florida and has written numerous articles for Crosswalk.com (including the acclaimed Falling Into The Bible series), and has had articles featured in numerous publications, including Christianity Today, Evangel, Christian Bride, Christian Retailing, The Godly BusinessWoman and Marriage Partnership magazines. Eva Marie has been interviewed by radio, television, newspaper, and Internet media outlets. In 2002Eva Marie was one of six Christian journalists sent to Israel for a special ten-day press tour.

Eva Marie’s work includes the award-winning titles Reflections of God's Holy Land; A Personal Journey Through Israel, Shadow of Dreams, Sex, Lies and the Media, and The Potluck Club series.

She is married, has four children and five grandchildren, and lives in Central Florida.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Every family--and every house--has its secrets. Jo-Lynn Hunter is at a crossroads in life when her great-aunt Stella insists that she return home to restore the old family manse in sleepy Cottonwood, Georgia. Jo-Lynn longs to get her teeth into a noteworthy and satisfying project. And it's the perfect excuse for some therapeutic time away from her self-absorbed husband and his snobby Atlanta friends.

Beneath the dust and the peeling wallpaper, things are not what they seem, and what Jo-Lynn doesn't know about her family holds just as many surprises. Was her great-grandfather the pillar of the community she thought he was? What is Aunt Stella hiding? And will her own marriage survive the renovation? Jo-Lynn isn't sure she wants to know the truth--but sometimes the truth has a way of making itself known.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Things Left Unspoken, go HERE

Book giveaway!!!

Just back from vacation. Leave me a comment and I'll draw a name for my copy at the end of the week. :)

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Who Made You a Princess
FaithWords (May 13, 2009)
by
Shelley Adina


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages.

Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes.

The All About Us book series has its own home over on the Hachette website. Stop by and see what the five fabulous girls at Spencer Acadenmy are up to! Series Website.

Her other books in this series includes book one, It's All About Us, oook Two, The Fruit of my Lipstick, and book three, Be Strong & Curvaceous. This present book is book four.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Shani Hanna returns to SpencerAcademy for her senior year after an amazing summer spent with her friends Lissa, Gillian, and Carly. But the best part about summer was meeting Danyel Johnstone. Danyel is cute, smart, cool, and super nice. All Shani has to do is get him to see her as more than just one of the gang.

But when the girls return to school, they find a new addition to the distinguished student body: Prince Rashid al Amir of Yasir, an oil-rich desert kingdom in the Middle East. Prince Rashid moved to California to prepare for an eventual MBA at Stanford...and to romance his future wife: Shani Hanna!

It turns out, Shani's family and the prince's go back for generations, entwined in tradition, obligation, and family honor. In each generation, members of the two families have expanded their business interests through arranged marriage. Will Shani put aside her feelings for Danyel to pursue her family's wishes? Or will God answer her prayers for an intervention?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Who Made You a Princess , go HERE

I finished Exposure...

I finished this book a few minutes ago. Would have finished it yesterday had I not had something else on my calendar to interfere.

This book was fabulous. For those that love a fast paced suspense, you must pick this up. I admit I liked it better than Dark Pursuit. Not sure why I didn’t click with Dark Pursuit but it was a little harder for me to get into. This book was different. Like the Hidden Faces series along with the Kanner Lake series, I was hooked after the first page.

It was also a fun book to read because about halfway through I was thinking I might’ve figured something out and I love those suspense books that make you think and work hard to figure out the plot twists and turns. This is definitely one of those books.

Exposure was so fast paced I found myself a little panicked along with Kaycee Raye, the main character. I could feel her anxiety as I was reading and a couple times I put the book down to relax. LOL. I know that sounds silly, but seriously, you’ll see what I mean as soon as you read it.

The book isn’t heavy on the romance. Most of Brandilyn’s books aren’t, but there’s a little hint of a romantic interest within the pages for those of you that must have it.

Exposure is an example of Brandilyn Collins at her finest. You. Must. Have. This. Book. As soon as I pick up another copy of this book I’ll run a contest so be watching. Otherwise, get yours on order. You won’t be sorry.

I tried to finish this book before the tour was over and have just a couple chapters to go. Wowser! Brandilyn does it again with this thrilling tale. I originally thought it would be a continuation of her last book Dark Pursuit and was pleasantly surprised to meet someone new--, syndicated newspaper columnist Kaycee Raye. As soon as I finish this I'll post a review and even though this is an Advanced Reader Copy, I plan to pick up another one to give away. Brandilyn is one of my favorite authors and I love sharing her books with others. So keep watching for that giveaway!

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Exposure
Zondervan (June 1, 2009)
by
Brandilyn Collins


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



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

In addition to Exposure, Brandilyn’s other latest release is Always Watching, first 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

When your worst fear comes true.

Someone is watching Kaycee Raye. But who will believe her? Everyone
knows she’s a little crazy. Kaycee’s popular syndicated newspaper
column pokes fun at her own paranoia and multiple fears. The police in
her small town are well aware she makes money writing of her
experiences. Worse yet, she has no proof of the threats. Pictures of a
dead man mysteriously appear in her home—then vanish before police
arrive. Multisensory images flood Kaycee’s mind. Where is all this
coming from?

Maybe she is going over the edge.

High action and psychological suspense collide in this story of terror,
twists, and desperate faith. The startling questions surrounding Kaycee
pile high. Her descent to answers may prove more than she can survive.


To read the first chapter, go HERE.

“More twists and turns than a Coney Island roller coaster! Highly recommended.” ~CBA Retailers

“Mesmerizing mystery…authentic characters…a fast-paced, twisting tale of desperate choices.” ~TitleTrakk

“Brandilyn Collins is a master of suspense, and Exposure is her best book yet!” ~Dianne Burnett, Christianbook.com