The Divine Appointment by Jerome Teel

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

THE DIVINE APPOINTMENT

(Howard Books June 5, 2007)

by

Jerome Teel

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jerome Teel is a graduate of Union University, where he received his JD, cum laude, from the Ole Miss School of Law. He is actively involved in his church, local charities, and youth sports.

He has always loved legal-suspense novels and is a political junkie. He is also the author of The Election, another political thriller that we reviewed November of '06.

Jerome and his wife, Jennifer, have three children...Brittney, Trey, and Matthew...and they reside in Tennessee where he practices law and is at work on a new novel.

You could visit Jerome at his Website, or at his blog Christian Political Blog.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

"They aren't hiding just one something, but a bunch of somethings..."

Small town southern lawyer Elijah Faulkner is a dying breed...an attorney that actually takes pleasure in fighting injustice by working hard for the little guy. But when he takes on a case to defend a philandering doctor with a pregnant wife in a seemingly open-and-shut murder trial, Eli is not so sure he is on the 'right' side.

Back in Washington D.C., supreme Court Justice Martha Robinson has died, presenting an unprecedented opportunity for conservative President Richard Wallace to impact the direction of the highest court in the land. He believes God put him in the presidency for just such a time as this...to make a Divine Appointment. Not everyone is thrilled with the president's nominee, however. And some will stop at nothing, including murder, to prevent his confirmation by the Senate.

A lobbyist with a vendetta, a small-time Mafioso, an investigative reporter with a Watergate complex, and a powerful Washington political machine combine to create a fast-paced suspense novel that explores the anatomy of a murder, and the ripple effect that it creates across the country.

"Jerome Teel has crafted an intriguing political thriller...nice twists and turns to keep you reading. he paints vivid mental pictures that bring characters and locales to life."
--Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee's 7th District

Reluctant Runaway by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing

RELUCTANT RUNAWAY

(Multnomah - March 2007)
by

Jill Elizabeth Nelson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Elizabeth Nelson is a member of the CFBA. Her blog, Artistic Blogger, addresses issues about art, art theft, antiquities preservation, and the art of fiction writing. She takes art seriously - when she's not having fun with it, that is. The To Catch a Thief Series combines her love of the written word with her love of other art forms.

The first in the series was Reluctant Burglar , second is Reluctant Runaway. In January 2008, she will reveal the third book, Reluctant Smuggler. Jill is thrilled if the adventures that spill from her imagination can raise awareness about art theft - deemed "a looming criminal enterprise" by the FBI. Jill and her husband, Doug, have four children and live in Minnesota.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Stolen Indian artifacts...A murdered museum guard…

A missing woman…A baby in danger…

Only Desiree can unearth the horrifying secret that links them all.

Museum security expert Desiree Jacobs doesn’t mean to get in danger’s path. Really she doesn’t. But when a friend is in trouble you don’t just walk away. No matter what your overprotective FBI agent boyfriend says! So when Desi and Tony’s date at a presidential ball is interrupted by a frantic Maxine Webb, Desi doesn’t hesitate to jump in.

Soon Desi is neck-deep in a confusing array of villains. Did Max’s niece run away or was she taken? Is she still alive or the victim of a perverse ritual? And who wants her infant son–and why?

Then Tony’s organized crime case collides with Desi’s investigation, throwing them both into the path of something dark and sinister. Something that craves blood...

From the streets of Desi’s beloved Boston to the mountain desert of New Mexico, Desi and Tony must rely on God to thwart unseen forces–and save a young woman and her baby from a villain more evil than any of them can imagine.

"A fresh voice, strong heroine, and unique plot make Reluctant Runaway a can't-put-down read. Jill Elizabeth Nelson is an author to watch in the realm of romantic suspense!"
----SUSAN MAY WARREN award-winning author of In Sheep's Clothing

As I Have Loved You by Nikki Arana

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

As I Have Loved You

(Revell - June 1, 2007)

by

Nikki Arana

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nikki Arana is an award-winning author of highly-acclaimed inspirational women's fiction who weaves today's social, political, and spiritual issues into her novels. She has received numerous awards, including the Excellence in Media 2007 Silver Angel Award for The Winds of Sonoma.

The book was based on the true love story of how Nikki met her future husband Antonio as he was cleaning the stalls of her parents' Arabian horses. Nikki and Antonio have been married for over thirty years, have two grown sons, and live in Idaho.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Contemporary Struggles...
...A Single Mom and College-Aged Son.

Leigh Scott is a widowed, single mother who wants the best for her son Jeff. She would like him to graduate from college, land a secure job, and start a family. However, Jeff, who was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) at a young age, has a God-given compassion for people. And his non-judgmental acceptance of all has unintended consequences.

Jeff starts dating Jessica, a girl with a questionable past and seemingly non-existent future. Soon, Jeff's grades drop as quickly as his sober determination to achieve the goals he's worked toward all his life, and Leigh finds herself caught in a relational tornado.

To complicate matters further, Leigh is an author with a looming book deadline, a father battling cancer, and her former boyfriend and first love, a strong Christian Native American, coming back in her life.

Arana weaves a multi-layered, emotional family saga that brings the peril of judgment, the need for forgiveness and the gift of love to light.

"Nikki Arana wrings the heart and exalts the soul."

---Romantic Times

Diva NashVegas by Rachel Hauck

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

DIVA NASHVEGAS(Thomas Nelson - May 8, 2007)
by

Rachel Hauck

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rachel is the author of many books. Her current release, Diva NashVegas is the second in a series which began with Lost in NashVegas. She is also a Blogger and a CFBA member! She lives in Florida with her husband. Visit her great profile and learn more.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Even if you are not a lover of country music, you can enjoy this fun look at the Nashville entertainment industry.

What do you do when the past you’ve been skirting shows up at your door with cameras rolling?

Aubrey James ruled the charts as the queen of country for over a decade. She’d rocketed to fame in the shadow of her parents’ death - both of them pioneers in Gospel music. But while her public life, high profile romances, and fights with Music Row execs made for juicy tabloid headlines, the real and private Aubrey has remained a media mystery.

When a former band member betrays Aubrey’s trust and sells an "exclusive" to a tabloid, the star knows she must go public with her story. But Aubrey’s private world is rocked when the Inside NashVegas interviewer is someone from her past - someone she’d hoped to forget.

All the moxie in the world won’t let this Diva run any longer.

"Hauck once again takes us into the country music world, this time through the experiences of mega-star Aubrey James. Aubrey's life journey is filled with flaws, as well as a great deal of joy, and real life locales makes this highly original story authentic. The extra tidbits - from Aubrey's liner notes to quotes from the "media" at the beginning of the chapters - add extra sparkle to the plot."

- 4 Stars, Melissa Parcel, Romantic Times Book Club

These Boots Weren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

These Boots Weren't Made for Walking

(WATERBROOK Press - June 19, 2007)

by

Melody Carlson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melody Carlson has published over 100 books for adults, children, and teens, including On This Day, Finding Alice, the Notes from a Spinning Planet series, and Homeward, which won the Rita Award from Romance Writers of America. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, make their home near the Cascade Mountains in Central Oregon. Melody is a full-time writer as well as an avid gardener, biker, skier, and hiker.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Willing to make the necessary sacrifices–even skipping the occasional latte–to ensure career success, 31-year-old Cassidy Cantrell "invests" in a chic pair of boots, certain they’ll make a spectacular impression and help seal the deal on a long-anticipated promotion from her Seattle employer.

But reality tromps all over her expectations. Cassie’s job is abruptly eliminated–and her love life obliterated, when her longtime boyfriend dumps her for a "friend." Her self-esteem in tatters, Cassie limps home to the resort town she once so eagerly fled–only to find her recently divorced mother transformed into a gorgeous fifty-something babe with a thriving social life. Cassie wrestles with envy and apathy as she considers the dismal shape of her own physique and romantic prospects. What will it take for her to jump back into life and regain her stride?

This sassy and hilarious novel leads readers on a romp through the wilds of relationships, romance, career, and spirituality, revealing that, while God’s plans may look drastically different than our own, it’ll always be a perfect fit.

Tagged

I've been tagged by my pals Rel and Jen. Sorry it's taken me forever to get to this ladies.

Post your responses.
Tag anywhere from 1-5 friends.
Leave comments to let them know they've been tagged.
Come back and leave a comment when your post is up.

Ok, here goes:

Next 5 books on your to be read shelf:

The Latest Mrs. Furst by Susan Martins Miller
Snitch by Rene Gutteridge
Freedom of the Soul by Tracey Bateman
Promise Me Always by Christine Lynxwiler
Petticoat Ranch by Mary Connealy

(Not necessarily in that order and definitely subject to change ;) )

Last 4 books you've read:

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling by Neta Jackson
Skin by Ted Dekker
Where Willows Grow by Kim Vogel Sawyer
Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury


Last 3 books you've borrowed (library or friend):

The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Rolling by Neta Jackson
Skin by Ted Dekker
Where Willows Grow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Last 2 non-fiction books you've read:

Breaking News by Harris Faulkner
Bible

The 1 book you wish everyone would read:

The Debt by Angela Hunt

The Spirit of Sweetgrass by Nicole Seitz

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS

(Integrity/Thomas Nelson - March 6, 2007)

by

Nicole Seitz

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

NICOLE SEITZ is a South Carolina Lowcountry native and freelance writer/illustrator published in South Carolina Magazine, Charleston Magazine, House Calls, The Island Packet and The Bluffton Packet.

A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Journalism, she also has a bachelor's degree in illustration from Savannah College of Art & Design. Nicole is an exhibiting artist in the Charleston, South Carolina area where she owns a web design firm and lives with her husband and two small children.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Essie Mae Laveau Jenkins is a 78-year-old sweetgrass basket weaver who sits on the side of Hwy. 17 in the company of her dead husband, Daddy Jim.

Inspired by her Auntie Leona, Essie Mae finally discovers her calling in life and weaves powerful "love baskets," praying fervently over them to affect the lives of those who visit her roadside stand.

Relations are strained with her daughter Henrietta, who thinks Essie belongs in a retirement center. If Essie can't pay $10,000 in back taxes to save her home, she may have no choice. More tensions: her grandson EJ wants to marry a white girl, Essie discovers that a handsome man she's trying to find a girl for is gay, and her daughter carries a hidden secret.

When she's faced with losing her home and her stand and being put in a nursing home, Daddy Jim talks her into coming on up to Heaven to meet sweet Jesus-something she's always wanted to do.

The SPIRIT OF SWEETGRASS shifts less successfully to the afterlife, where her Gullah-Creole ancestors surround her; but soon, her heavenly peace is disrupted, for she still has work to do. Now Essie Mae, who once felt powerless and invisible, must find the strength within her to keep her South Carolina family from falling apart. Together, with Daddy Jim, they team up to return to Earth and battle two spirits conjured up by Henrietta's voodoo that threatens to ruin an attempt to save the sweetgrass basket weaving culture.

Snitch by Rene Gutteridge

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

SNITCH
(The Occupational Hazards)

(WaterBrook Press - May 15, 2007)

by

Rene Gutteridge

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rene Gutteridge is the author of several novels, including Ghost Writer (Bethany House Publishers) The Boo Series (WaterBrook Press) and the Storm Series, (Tyndale House Publishers. She will release three novels in 2006: Storm Surge (Tyndale) My Life as a Doormat (WestBow Press, Women of Faith)Occupational Hazards Book #1: Scoop (WaterBrook Press).

She has also been published over thirty times as a playwright, best known for her Christian comedy sketches. She studied screenwriting under a Mass Communications degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude from Oklahoma City University, and earned the "Excellence in Mass Communication" award. She served as the full-time Director of Drama for First United Methodist Church for five years before leaving to stay home and write. She enjoys instructing at writer's conferences and in college classrooms. She lives with her husband Sean, a musician, and their children in Oklahoma City.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Old School meets New School meets Homeschool

Just shy of retirement and a well-earned pension, Las Vegas Police Department Sergeant Ron Yeager's definition of "active duty" involves shifting his bad leg into a more comfortable position. But when he's requested from his mind-numbing desk job to head an undercover auto theft task force, the former narcotics officer determines to prove he's still got the right stuff.

That is...until he meets his unlikely team of officers.

As Yeager soon finds out, not all the crazies are on the street. An undercover rookie, the audaciously honest Mackenzie "Mack" Hazard sends Yeager's blood pressure skyrocketing by wearing her faith like an ever-present badge. Then there's Jesse Lunden, a maverick undercover officer who refuses to learn anything from an old guy with a cane. Can this tangle of egos and eccentrics be trained into a lean, mean, crime-fighting machine...even while they are being drawn into something much bigger and more dangerous than anyone imagined?

In her trademark style, Rene Gutteridge blends zany, original characters, sincere faith, and surprising plot twists into one hilariously addictive read.


Endorsements:

"Snitch is an engaging crime novel, balanced between sheer whimsy and genuine human drama."
....CHRIS WELL, author of Tribulation House

"A wonderful, fully developed ensemble cast makes Snitch an entertaining, engaging read. Rene's flair for a comedic, well-turned phrase shines here. Snitch is worth snatching."
...SUSAN MEISSNER, author of Widows and Orphans

Defiant Heart by Tracey Bateman

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Defiant Heart

(Avon Inspire - May 8, 2007)

by

Tracey Bateman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracey Bateman lives in Missouri with her husband and four children. Their rural home provides a wonderful atmosphere for a writer's imagination to grow and produce characters, plots, and settings.

In 1994, with three children to raise, she and her husband agreed that she should go to college and earn a degree. In a freshman English class, her love for writing was rekindled, and she wrote a short story that she later turned into a book.

Her college career was cut short with the news of their fourth baby's impending arrival, but the seeds of hope for a writing career had already taken root. Over the next several years she wrote, exchanged ideas with critique partners, studied the craft of writing, and eventually all the hard work paid off.

She currently has over twenty-five books published in a variety of genres. Tracey Bateman believes completely that God has big plans for his Kids and that all things are possible to anyone who will put their hope and trust in God!

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Will Fannie be able to keep her family...and her heart, safe and find a new life on the frontier?

Book One of the Westward Hearts series, orphans Fannie Caldwell and her two young siblings have spent the last three years as indentured servants under a cruel master. Desperately wanting a better life for her brother and sister, Fannie devises a plan to secretly join a wagon train heading west.

Her plan immediately runs into trouble when the handsome yet bullheaded wagon master Blake Tanner refuses to allow an unmarried woman on the train.

But Fannie's determined...she'll escape and go west with or without help!

As life on the trail tests everyone's endurance and faith, Fannie soon realizes the perils of being a single woman on the frontier. Witnessing Fannie fending off one scare after another, Blake slowly recognizes how much he cares for this alluring young woman.

Will Blake sacrifice his own dreams and guide Fannie to safety?

Or will Fannie's stubborn independence keep her from finding true love?

Where Willows Grow by Kim Vogel Sawyer

About the book: (from KimVogelSawyer.com)

Where Willows Grow -- Life in 1936 Kansas is filled with hardship on the farm--the drought and low produce prices are enough of a challenge without struggling with why God allows hard things to happen to good people. For Anna Mae and Harley Phipps, the biggest challenge is staying united. When Harley makes the decision to trek across Kansas to join a WPA project of building a castle, Anna Mae seethes with resentment. How can he just leave her to run the farm? Then her neighbor--and old beau--Jack Berkley makes himself available to help. Anna Mae must look deep into her soul to find the inner strength to emerge triumphant over the forces that try to pull her heart away from the commitment she's made to love and honor her husband...



As a Kansas native, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read Where Willows Grow by Kim Vogel Sawyer, especially when the book includes references to real places and happenings. Kim includes memorable characters, interesting plot turns, and the resolution at the end was not what I expected.

By the way...here's a picture of the castle that was referenced in the book.

Orchard of Hope by Ann Gabhart

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

ORCHARD OF HOPE

(Revell - March 1, 2007)

by

Ann Gabhart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Ann H. Gabhart has published a number of adult and young adult novels with several different publishers. The author of The Scent of Lilacs, Ann and her husband live a mile from where she was born in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky. She is active in her country church, and her husband sings bass in a southern gospel quartet.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Nothing will be the same after the summer of 1964.

Drought has gripped the quiet Kentucky town of Hollyhill, and the town seems as if it is holding its breath--waiting. Jocie Brooke is nervous about starting high school. Her sister Tabitha is experiencing the weariness of waiting for a new baby. Her father David is feeling the timidity of those first steps toward true love. All of these pivotal steps in life are awaiting the Brooke family.

Into this cloud of tense anticipation, a black family from Chicago, the Hearndons move here to plant an orchard outside of town. Fresh off the Freedom Train, Myra Hearndon is sensitive to what the color of her skin may mean in a Southern town. Her family will have to contend with more than the dry ground and blazing sun as they try to create their ORCHARD OF HOPE.

Jocie finds herself befriending a boy that some townspeople shun. Due to unspoken racial lines in this southern town, the presence of these newcomers sparks a smoldering fire of unrest that will change Hollyhill..and Jocie...forever.

In this close-knit community, everything is about to change.

Let this riveting novel take you along to experience unexpected love, new life, and renewed faith amid life's trials.

Christy Award Nominees

The Christy Awards 2007 Nominees (Winners will be announced July 7, 2007)

CONTEMPORARY (STAND ALONE)

Dwelling Places by Vinita Hampton Wright (HarperOne)
Straight Up by Lisa Samson (WaterBrook Press)
Winter Birds by Jamie Langston Turner (Bethany House, a division of Baker)

CONTEMPORARY (SERIES, SEQUELS AND NOVELLAS)

The Brethren by Beverly Lewis (Bethany House, a division of Baker)
Escape from Fred by Brad Whittington (B&H Publishing Group)
The Proof by Austin Boyd (NavPress)

HISTORICAL (includes four titles due to a tie)

Glastonbury Tor by LeAnne Hardy (Kregel)
Grace in Thine Eyes by Liz Curtis Higgs (WaterBrook Press)
Madman by Tracy Groot (Moody Press)
Pieces of Silver by Maureen Lang (Kregel)

ROMANCE

The Measure of a Lady by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House, a division of Baker)
Monday Morning Faith by Lori Copeland (Zondervan)
The Redemption by M. L. Tyndall (Barbour)

SUSPENSE

The Begotten by Lisa T. Bergren (Berkley)
The Hidden by Kathryn Mackel (Thomas Nelson)
Plague Maker by Tim Downs (Thomas Nelson)

LITS

The Cubicle Next Door by Siri Mitchell (Harvest House Publishers)
Everything’s Coming Up Josey by Susan May Warren (Steeple Hill Café)
Sisterchicks in Gondolas by Robin Jones Gunn (Multnomah)

YOUNG ADULT

Bad Idea by Todd and Jedd Hafer (NavPress)
The Way of the Wilderking by Jonathan Rogers (B&H Publishing Group)
William Henry Is a Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke (Moody Press)

FIRST NOVEL

Watching the Tree Limbs by Mary DeMuth (NavPress)
Where Mercy Flows by Karen Harter (Center Street)
William Henry Is a Fine Name by Cathy Gohlke (Moody Press)

Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In preparation for their long-awaited wedding day, Dayne and Katy are determined to keep the ceremony a secret from the paparazzi. Their relationship grows closer and stronger as they plan together, but in the end it takes the help of the Baxter family and many of the CKT kids so that they will even have a chance at a private wedding. John Baxter is thrilled that his oldest son will be settling down a few miles away, but he's not sure how any of his kids will handle a situation he can no longer run from--the feelings he is having for his friend Elaine. In the meantime, the Flanigan family is struggling with their young boarder, Cody Coleman, Jim Flanigan's star receiver. After an alcohol overdose, Cody fights for his life. Only the grace of God and a miracle can bring him back from the brink of death--physically and spiritually.

** ** My thoughts ** **

I don't usually buy Karen Kingsbury's books (I usually wait until they come to my local library), but our local bookstore had a great sale on them so I went ahead and picked one up. Sunrise was a really good read, as Karen is a great author. She can bring out the emotions of a reader better than a lot of fiction authors. But, although I think she is great author who writes great books, I do find them somewhat predictable and drawn out. She's already presented some dilemmas in this first book that weren't resolved and I could probably tell you right now what the solutions to the problems will be and I doubt they've even been written yet.

I am okay with the initial Redemption series being five books as we were being introduced to a handful of Baxter siblings, but I think the story of Dayne and Katy in the Firstborn series could have been reduced to three books and had the same effect without feeling drawn out. I feel that this new series may be the same way. So my take is that while I enjoy her stories for the journey I take in them, I just wish I'd reach the destination sooner.

Stay tuned as well for the next book, Summer, due out August 21st.

Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

RANSOMED DREAMS
(Multnomah - April 16, 2007)
by

Amy Wallace

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Wallace is a member of the CFBA and an avid Blogger. A self-confessed chocoholic, this freelance writer is a graduate of the Gwinnett County Citizens Police Academy and serves as the liaison for the training division of the county police department. Amy is a contributing author of God Answers Moms' Prayers, God Allows U-Turns for Teens, Chicken Soup for the Soul Healthy Living Series: Diabetes, and A Cup of Comfort for Expectant Mothers. She lives in Georgia with her husband and three daughters.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Drama. Tragedy. Thriller. Romance. Can these four actually go together? Amy Wallace's meaty first book of the Defenders of Hope Series, RANSOMED DREAMS, has successfully united these genres.

It is one of those books that after you read a little and put it down, the desire to see what will happen next is so strong that it will occupy your thoughts, compelling you to make the time to finish. But watch out! It is best consumed where no one will hear you cry because, if you have children, it will hit you like a stab in the gut and wrench you with a twist of the knife.

Although the subject at first depresses, the characters are so real and likable that you need to see what will become of them.

This book will NOT bore you.

BACK COVER COPY:

Chained To Yesterday

When tragedy struck and Gracie Lang lost everything, her faith crumbled, and nothing but the drive for justice propelled her forward. But after two years of dead-end searching, the truth Gracie seeks is the very thing her stalker will stop at nothing to hide.

Forgiveness Unlocks the Future

An FBI agent in the Crimes Against Children Unit, Steven Kessler spends his days rescuing other people’s children and nights caring for his son. He’s through with God, embittered by his ex-wife who abandoned them both, and definitely doesn’t expect what’s coming next.

The Past Is the Key

A plot to kidnap a British ambassador’s daughter dangerously intersects Steven and Gracie’s worlds–a collision that demands a decision. But are they willing to pay the high ransom required to redeem dreams and reignite hope?

ENDORSEMENTS:

Steeped in police intrigue and rich characters, Ransomed Dreams entertains, educates, and captivates. Amy Wallace is a fresh, vibrant voice in the Christian market

~Mark Mynheir, Homicide Detective and Author of The Void

Ransomed Dreams had me hooked from the start and didn't let go until the deeply satisfying ending.

~Kristin Billerbeck, Author of What a Girl Wants

I guess I'm "IT"...

My lovely, dear, sweet, wonderful, fabulous friend Rel (am I laying it on too thick here *wink*) has decided to tag me so you all can find out that my life is as exciting as a bowl of Rice Krispies without milk. So here goes...prepare to be impressed...NOT! And since all the folks I may have tagged have been tagged by Rel, I guess I'll skip the rules...hehehe...


8 random facts/habits about me ...


1. I have never had a broken bone, although I've had one of my middle fingers jammed twice and one of my thumbs pulled out of socket.

2. The boy I sat by in the fifth grade was born on the same day in the same hospital as me and I never met him before he showed up in my class. (the school we attended was not in the same town as the hospital we were born in)

3. I was voted "Most Likely to be a Lifetime College Student" by my senior class. (I hit my 20 year mark this year...eek!) Fortunately it didn't come to pass as I met my husband during my junior year of college and got married instead of completing college.

4. I got married on Groundhog's Day so my hubby would never forget our anniversary. He's on a roll and hasn't forgotten in the 16 years we've been married.

5. Some of my favorite things...
Food: Pumpkin pie with whipped topping, taco pizza, mellocreme pumpkins (you don't want to know how many bags of those I bought and ate last Halloween)
Drink: Orange Juice, Dr Pepper
Color: Orange
TV Shows: The Andy Griffith Show, Jeopardy
Movie: Hoosiers

6. When I was younger, I collected baseball cards (still have them) and wanted to be a professional baseball player.

7. My husband is an identical twin (as is his mother and aunt) and my last ex-boyfriend before I got married is an identical twin. And for those of you who wonder if I can tell the difference between my hubby and his brother, I can, since my husband is muscular and his brother is skinny as a rail. ;)

8. I used to have a major fixation with all things "cow" and decorated my house with bunches of them. I had decided if I ever had boy/girl twins I would name them Angus Charles and Agnes Charolais.


OKAY...you can wake up now. Told you my life has been pretty boring. ;)

Tribulation House by Chris Well

This week
the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Tribulation House

(Harvest House 2007)

by

Chris Well

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chris Well is a fellow member of the CFBA and founder of its sister organization, FIRST. He is an acclaimed novelist and award–winning magazine editor and has previously written the “laugh–out–loud Christian thrillers" Deliver Us from Evelyn and Forgiving Solomon Long (one of Booklist’s Top 10 Christian Novels of 2005). He has also contributed to 7ball, Infuze, and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. Chris and his wife live in Tennessee, where he is hard at work on his next novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

IT’S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD—WHICH COULD BE A PROBLEM...

Mark Hogan has it all. The job. The family. A position on the board at church. All he’s missing is a boat. Not just any boat—a 2008 Bayliner 192.

When Reverend Daniel Glory announces that the Rapture is taking place on October 17 at 5:51am, Hogan realizes his boat–buying days are numbered. So he does what any man in his situation would do—he borrows a load of money from the mob.

Not that there’s any risk involved: After all, when the Rapture comes, Hogan will be long gone. The mob will never find him.

But when Jesus fails to come back on schedule, Mark Hogan finds the mob is in no mood to discuss the finer points of end–times theology...

Chris Well’s laugh–out–loud Christian thrillers appeal to the millions of readers who gobble up the rollicking crime fiction of Janet Evanovich and Elmore Leonard. TRIBULATION HOUSE does not disappoint!

I have not escaped the confines of gravity...

...and fallen off the planet. I am currently finishing up a few books that I am judging for a contest and my reading time has slacked off considerably since my 9 month old daughter has gone mobile!

I was just looking over the logs I've kept for the last couple of years on the books I've read and my loss of reading time is really starting to depress me. As of April 30th I've only read 21 books this year, as compared to 39 in 2006 and 47 in 2005. If only I were a speed reader... : (

The Heir by Paul Robertson

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

THE HEIR

(Bethany House March 1, 2007)

by

Paul Robertson

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and former independent bookstore owner in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is his first novel.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jason Boyer Just Got an Inheritance to Die For
The fortune wasn't supposed to befall him. Jason Boyer had known all along his father's business empire would pass to different hands. Which suited him just fine. The money was crooked and the power corrupt. But when an accident claims the old man's life, everyone is stunned by the unveiling of the will. With the passing of the Boyer crown, power-hungry politicians and shady business partners all try to force Boyer's hand. Fighting the temptation of influence and riches, he simply wants to be a better man than his father--but attempting to stand for what’s right soon brings murderous consequences. As those closest to him are endangered--and news emerges that his father's accident may be something more sinister--Boyer finds himself fighting for his soul…and his life!

Is There Any Escape for The Heir?
All the money he could ever crave. In the splintering crash of a car plunging through a railing, Jason Boyer's life is changed. All the fame he could ever desire. But the last thing he wanted was the throne of his father's corrupt business empire. All the power he could ever wield.
The estate should have gone elsewhere, but the will was changed. And now everything is Jason's. But gaining the whole world just might cost him his life.

THE HEIR is a Grisham-like tale of intrigue and murder with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters.

Endorsement:

"In THE HEIR, Paul Robertson serves up politics, privilege, and murder with a side of acerbic wit. What a fabulous book--a great mix of angst, humor, and ultimately, hope."
T.L.HINES--author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On

A Bigger Life by Annette Smith

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

A BIGGER LIFE

Navpress Publishing Group (January 15, 2007)

by

Annette Smith

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

In 1997, Annette was working as a home health nurse. She traveled the back roads from house to house, caring for ill and injured, homebound people. Because of her unique position in the lives of relative strangers, she often found herself bearing solitary witness to intimate behind-the-scenes situations full of grace and meaning. The desire to honor both a particular patient and a poignant scene involving the woman and her husband prompted Annette to write a fictionalized story, The Anniversary.

That first story appeared as a column in the Houston Chronicle newspaper and as an essay in Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Later it became a chapter in Annette’s first and best-selling book of short stories, The Whispers of Angels, that has sold more than 100,000 copies

Since then, Annette has penned four more books of stories, two volumes on parenting, and the Coming Home to Ruby Prairie trilogy.

Annette and her husband Randy, a High School teacher and coach, make their home on a wooded lot in Quitman, Texas. They are the parents of two young adult children, Russell and Rachel, both out on their own. Wally, a grateful, rescued mutt provides warmth and entertainment and keeps the Smith’s empty nest from feeling too lonely.

In addition to writing, Annette continues to serve part-time as a registered nurse. She finds the people she works with and the patients she cares for provide great inspiration for her fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Joel Carpenter did not plan for his life to turn out like this. He never meant to be a single dad, working at a hair salon in Eden Plain, Texas. But after making a careless choice four years ago, his marriage was permanently shattered. Now at twenty-seven, he finds himself juggling custody of his preschool son with Kari, the ex-wife he still loves, and sharing Sunday dinners with a group of other single dads.

Joel regrets the choices that brought him to this place, but it's not until the worst happens that he learns how much he still has to give. In the midst of deep tragedy, he learns that forgiveness is way more important than freedom. Hopefully it's not too late!

A BIGGER LIFE is a story of love in the midst of heartache, and friendship in the midst of real, everyday life.


My thoughts: Although quite a departure from her previous Ruby Prairie series, the book is just as enjoyable and thought-provoking.

Coral Moon by Brandilyn Collins

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

CORAL MOON

Zondervan (April 27, 2007)

by

Brandilyn Collins

I am a BIG fan of Brandilyn's books - the scarier the better! (No nightmares here). If you enjoyed Violet Dawn, I'm sure you're like me and can't wait to get your hands on Coral Moon. And for those of you who are a bit timid when it comes to "seatbelt suspense", my guess is you'll probably want to sleep with the lights on after reading this one as well.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The figure remained still as stone. Leslie couldn't even detect a breath.

Spider fingers teased the back of her neck.

Leslie's feet rooted to the pavement. She dropped her gaze to the driveway, seeking...what? Spatters of blood? Footprints? She saw nothing. Honed through her recent coverage of crime scene evidence, the testimony as last month's trial, the reporter in Leslie spewed warnings: Notice everything, touch nothing...

Leslie Brymes hurries out to her car on a typical workday morning...and discovers a dead body inside.

Why was the corpse left for her to find? And what is the meaning of the message pinned to its chest?

In Coral Moon, the senseless murder of a beloved Kanner Lake citizen spirals the small Idaho town into a terrifying glimpse of spiritual forces beyond our world. What appears true seems impossible.

OR IS IT?

And as Brandilyn would say...

Presently this Kanner Lake Series of books has its own character blog called Scenes and Beans . Stop by and visit the folks from Kanner Lake!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brandilyn Collins' is the bestselling author of Violet Dawn, Web Of Lies, Dead of Night, Stain of Guilt, Brink of Death, and Eyes of Elisha just to name a few.

Brandilyn and her family divide their time between the California Bay Area and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

She also maintains an informative blog called Forensics and Faith where she daily dispenses wisdom on writing, life, and the Christian book industry.

Jacques and Cleo - Cat Detectives

How many of you enjoy a good mystery? I know I do - and I'm pleased to report that the first book in this newest series by Gilbert Morris didn't leave me disappointed.

The first book, What the Cat Dragged In, combines likable characters, a whimsical menagerie, and nefarious goings-on which makes for a read you can't put down. The plot moves along nicely, and "who-dun-it" is not who you'd expect.

About the book: Jacques the Ripper is a toughminded "Savannah" breed of feline fierce, enormous, and with a mind of his own. And...then theres Cleo: A multicolored Rag Doll with long silky hair. Cleo is as affectionate as Jacques is tough and her favorite mode of transportation is draped over the shoulder of the nearest human. In their debut mystery, Jacques and Cleo and their owner...or rather the human they own, Kate Forrest, and her son, Jeremy, move to a beautiful beach house in Gulf Shores, Alabama, left to Kate by a distant relative.

The catch is that another distant relative, wannabe novelist (and bonafide cathater) Jake Novak, has also inherited an interest in the house. Undeterred, Kate and Jeremy move in the downstairs quarters and Jake takes the separate apartment upstairs. Then, when a murder occurs...everyone is stumped, but feline sleuths Jacques and Cleo come to the rescue and reveal the identity of the killer.


If you enjoy this first offering in the series as much as I did, be sure to check out the next two. The Cat's Pajamas, is currently out and is up next for me, and When the Cat's Away, which releases around the first of July.

No Legal Grounds

Just finished reading No Legal Grounds by James Scott Bell. I have read a number of his books and this one, in my opinion, ranks near the top. The Christian message doesn't seem quite as strong in this book as it has in some of his prior titles, and some of the scenes in the book are somewhat gritty, but for it's suspense element I give it a thumbs up. It's definitely a page turner.



About the book:

How far will a man go to protect his family? Attorney Sam Trask will go farther than he ever dreamed, even in his worst nightmare. Because his worst nightmare is about to come true...
At age forty-seven, attorney Sam Trask finally seems to have his life in order. The dark years of too much drinking and all-consuming ambition have given way to Christian faith. His marriage is strong again. Everything seems finally on the right track.

Then a voice from the past comes back to say hello.

Suddenly Sam faces a danger more real than he ever imagined--danger from someone who will not rest until Sam's life comes crashing down around him. Desperate, Sam seeks protection from the law he's served all his life. But when the threats are turned on his family, and the law seems powerless to protect them, Sam must consider a choice that strikes at the heart of his life and faith--whether to take the law into his own hands.

Be sure to visit James Scott Bell's website for info about all of his other great books as well.

In High Places by Tom Morrisey

This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

IN HIGH PLACES

(Bethany House - March 1, 2007)

by

Tom Morrisey

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tom Morrisey is the author of four previous novels and numerous short stories, a world-renowned adventure-travel writer whose work has appeared in Outside, Sport Diver (where he serves as Executive Editor) and other leading magazines.

He holds an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Toledo and an MFA in Creative Writing from Bowling Green State University. He lives in Orlando, Florida.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

For Patrick Nolan, every climb tells a story. And now maybe it's his own …. He's right at the rim, staring over the cliff's knife edge and wondering how things went wrong so quickly.

It all started after arriving home from a weekend climbing trip with his father, Kevin. That's when word reached them. In a silent moment, they'd lost the person most important to them—her death raising unanswerable questions and dangerous doubts.

Launching a new life in a new town to escape their pain, son and father find themselves in danger of being torn apart forever. As his father seeks a route to solace on the dangerous high face of the rock, Patrick finds a path to hope with the unlikeliest of allies—a pastor's daughter. Together they must discover the one answer that can bring Patrick and Kevin back from the brink of the precipice.

Endorsements:

"It is rare to find a 'man's man' who knows the human heart, much less one who can write with such a well-balanced combination of sensitivity and adrenaline-charged adventure."
—Athol Dickson, Christy-Award-winning author of River Rising

"Beautifully exciting, haunting, and satisfying. Morrisey leaves you hanging by your fingertips."
—Lisa Samson, award-winning author of The Church Ladies and Straight Up

"Tom Morrisey is a master wordsmith and an expert at weaving gripping stories. If I pick up a book with his name on it, I know I'm going for gold."
—Angela Hunt, author of Uncharted