2012 Christy Award Nominees

Congratulations to all the Christy Award nominees for 2012.

The nominees will be recognized and winners of the 13th annual Christy Awards for Excellence in Christian fiction announced at a dinner to be held at 7:00 p.m. on July 16, 2012.

Contemporary Standalone



Dry as Rain - Gina Holmes (Tyndale House)
Promises to Keep - Ann Tatlock (Bethany House)
Words - Ginny Yttrup (B&H)

Find out more on the web:
Gina Holmes
Ann Tatlock
Ginny Yttrup

Contemporary Romance



My Foolish Heart - Susan May Warren (Tyndale House)
Larkspur Cove - Lisa Wingate (Bethany House)
Wolfsbane - Ronie Kendig (Barbour)

Susan May Warren
Lisa Wingate
Ronie Kendig

Contemporary Series/Sequel/Novella



The Amish Midwife - Mindy Starns Clark/Leslie Gould (Harvest House)
Dancing on Glass - Pamela Binnings Ewen (B&H)
The Touch - Randall Wallace (Tyndale House)

Mindy Starns Clark
Leslie Gould
Pamela Binnings Ewen
Randall Wallace

First Novel




An Eye for Glory - Karl Bacon (Zondervan)
Southern Fried Sushi - Jennifer Rogers Spinola (Barbour)
Words - Ginny Yttrup (B&H)

Karl Bacon
Jennifer Rogers Spinola
Ginny Yttrup

Historical



Forsaking All Others - Allison Pittman (Tyndale House)
Mine is the Night - Liz Curtis Higgs (Waterbrook Multnomah)
Wonderland Creek - Lynn Austin (Bethany House)

Allison Pittman
Liz Curtis Higgs
Lynn Austin

Historical Romance



A Lasting Impression - Tamera Alexander (Bethany House)
The Maid of Fairbourne Hall - Julie Klassen (Bethany House)
To Die For - Sandra Byrd (Howard)

Tamera Alexander
Julie Klassen
Sandra Byrd

Suspense



Over the Edge - Brandilyn Collins (B&H)
The Queen - Steven James (Revell)
Pattern of Wounds - J. Mark Bertrand (Bethany House)

Brandilyn Collins
Steven James
J. Mark Bertrand

Visionary


The Chair - James Rubart (B&H)
Forbidden - Ted Dekker/Tosca Lee (Center Street)
Veiled Rose -Anne Elisabeth Stengl (Bethany House)

James Rubart
Ted Dekker
Tosca Lee
Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Young Adult



How Huge the Night - Heather Munn/Lydia Munn (Kregel)
The Merchant's Daughter - Melanie Dickerson (Zondervan)
Waterfall - Lisa T. Bergren (David C. Cook)

Heather Munn/Lydia Munn
Melanie Dickerson
Lisa T. Bergren

Find out more on the web:
Christy Awards
B&H Publishing
Barbour Publishing
Bethany House - A Division of Baker Publishing
Center Street - A Division of Hachette Publishing
David C Cook Publishing
Harvest House Publishing
Howard Books - A Division of Simon & Schuster
Kregel Publishing
Revell Books
Tyndale House Publishers
WaterBrook Multnomah Press
Zondervan Publishing

The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Fiddler
(Bethany House Publishers - April 10, 2012)
by
Beverly Lewis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Come home to Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania--the beloved setting where Beverly Lewis's celebrated Amish novels began--with new characters and new stories of drama, romance, and the ties that draw people together.

A wrong turn in a rainstorm leads Englisher Amelia Devries to Michael Hostetler--and the young Amishman's charming Old Order community of Hickory Hollow. Despite their very different backgrounds, Amelia and Michael both feel hemmed in by the expectations of others and struggle with how to find room for their own hopes. And what first seems to be a chance encounter might just change their lives forever.

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

Watch the book video:

Always the Designer, Never the Bride by Sandra D Bricker

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Always The Designer, Never The Bride
(Abingdon Press - April 2012)
by
Sandra D. Bricker

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

For more than a decade, Sandra D. Bricker lived in Los Angeles. While honing her chosen craft of screenwriting in every spare moment, she worked as a personal assistant and publicist to some of daytime television's hottest stars. When her mother became ill in Florida, she walked away from that segment of her life and moved across the country to take on a new role: Caregiver.

The Big 5-OH! was released by Abingdon Press in the Spring of 2010, and the novel was very well-received, garnering a couple of nibbles from Hollywood.

Always the Baker, Never the Bride was released by Abingdon Press in September 2010. With its phenomenal reviews, the novel spawned a series of three more books based on the popular cast of characters at The Tanglewood Inn, a wedding destination hotel in historic Roswell, Georgia. The series cemented Sandie's spot in publishing as a flagship author of Laugh-Out-Loud romantic comedy for the inspirational market.

"Being allowed to combine my faith and my humor with my writing dream," says Bricker, "well, that's the best of all worlds, as far as I'm concerned!"

ABOUT THE BOOK:

It’s taken Audrey Regan years to establish herself as a wedding dress designer, and to date she’s been roped into creating dresses for nine of her girlfriends. Request #10 follows her vow to “Just say no!” and comes from her very best friend. She can hardly turn Carly down!

Audrey arrives in Atlanta early to perform all of her maid-of-honor duties along with final fittings for a one-of-a-kind dress. But Carly’s wedding is nothing short of an event, complete with Prince Charming, and the festivities make Audrey question whether there’s a prince of her own anywhere in her future.

Enter the groom’s brother and best man. Shaggy-haired, tattooed bad boy J.R. Hunt couldn’t be any more different from Prince Charming if he rode in on a Harley Davidson. Oh, wait. He actually did ride in on a Harley!

MY THOUGHTS:

Let me just start by saying I *absolutely* love Romantic Comedy. I have read a few of Sandra's other books, and she definitely ranks high as one of my favorite Rom-Com authors. Sandra has such a natural touch with the humor in Always the Designer, Never the Bride...and the romance has more spark than the plugs on JR's Harley! So, if you're looking for a book that is a seamless creation of romantic sizzle accessorized with chuckles and grins...then this is the book for you! I loved it and highly recommend the whole series.

My thanks to CFBA and Abingdon Press for providing a copy for review.

If you would like to read an excerpt of the first chapter of Always The Designer, Never The Bride, go HERE.

Cooking the Books by Bonnie Calhoun

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Cooking The Books
(Abingdon Press - April 2012)
by
Bonnie S. Calhoun

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As the Owner/Director of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Bonnie has helped use the 220+ blogs of the Alliance to promote many titles on the Christian bestseller list. She also owns and publishes the Christian Fiction Online magazine which is devoted to readers and writers of Christian fiction. She is the Northeast Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). At ACFW she was named the ‘Mentor of the Year,’ for 2011, and she is the current President of (CAN) Christian Authors Network. Bonnie is also the Appointment Coordinator for both the Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference.

In her spare time she is an avid social media junkie, and teaches Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and HTML as recreational occupations. She also has a novel coming out in the Abingdon Quilts of Love series. Her novel Pieces of the Heart will publish August of 2013.

Bonnie and her husband Bob live in a log cabin on 15 acres in upstate area of Binghamton, New York with a dog and cat who consider the humans as wait-staff.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

After her mother dies from a heart attack, Sloane Templeton goes from Cyber Crimes Unit to bookstore owner before she can blink. She also "inherits" a half-batty store manager; a strange bunch of little old people from the neighborhood who meet at the store once a week, but never read books, called the Granny Oakleys Book Club; and Aunt Verline, who fancies herself an Iron Chef when in reality you need a cast iron stomach to partake of her culinary disasters. And with a group like this you should never ask, “What else can go wrong?”

A lot! Sloane begins to receive cyber threats. While Sloane uses her computer forensic skills to uncover the source of the threats, it is discovered someone is out to kill her. Can her life get more crazy?

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

Watch the book video:

If you'd like to read interviews with Bonnie, try these:
Everbody Needs A Little Romance
A Christian Writers World
Novel Rocket
ACFW - Fiction Finder

The Chase by DiAnn Mills

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Chase
(Zondervan - March 27, 2012)
by
DiAnn Mills

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

DiAnn Mills believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” She is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. Her books have won many awards through American Christian Fiction Writers, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005, 2007, and 2010. She was a Christy Award finalist in 2008 and a Christy winner in 2010.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and is the Craftsman Mentor for the Christian Writer’s Guild. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops.

DiAnn and her husband live in Houston, Texas. Visit her website or find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/diannmills

ABOUT THE BOOK:

To the FBI it's a cold case. To Kariss Walker it's a hot idea that could either reshape or ruin her writing career. And it's a burning mission to revisit an event she can never forget. Five years ago, an unidentified little girl was found starved to death in the woods behind a Houston apartment complex. A TV news anchor at the time, Kariss reported on the terrifying case. Today, as a New York Times bestselling author, Kariss intends to turn the unsolved mystery into a suspense novel. Enlisting the help of FBI Special Agent Tigo Harris, Kariss succeeds in getting the case reopened. But the search for the dead girl's missing mother yields a discovery that plunges the partners into a witch's brew of danger. The old crime lives on in more ways than either of them could ever imagine. Will Kariss's pursuit of her dream as a writer carry a deadly price tag? Drawing from a real-life cold case, bestselling novelist DiAnn Mills presents a taut collage of suspense, faith, and romance in The Chase.

Watch the book video!

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

Missing by Shelley Shepard Gray

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Missing
(Avon Inspire; Original edition - March 20, 2012)
by
Shelley Shepard Gray

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

Check out Shelley's Facebook Fan page.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In the first book in her new Secrets of Crittenden County series, Shelley Shepard Gray delivers another page-turning romance set in Amish country.

Perry Borntrager had been missing from the quiet Amish community of Crittenden, Kentucky, for months when his body was discovered at the bottom of an abandoned well. Everyone had assumed Perry left Crittenden on his own, seduced by the wider world he discovered during his rumspringa, but now the truth has thrown this once-peaceful town into chaos. The first death from mysterious circumstances in Crittenden in more than two decades has invited the scrutiny of the outside world: a police detective arrives to help their local sheriff with the investigation. His questioning begins with Lydia Plank, Perry’s former girlfriend, and Perry’s best friend, the Englisher Walker Anderson.

Lydia and Walker know they didn’t have anything to do with Perry’s death, but they both hold secrets about his final days. Do they dare to open up about the kind of man Perry had become? In the oppressive shadow of these dark times, they discover strength in a most unlikely companionship that offers solace, understanding, and the promise of something more.

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

Stuart Brannon's Final Shot by Stephen Bly

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Stuart Brannon's Final Shot
(Center Point Pub; Lrg edition - March 2012)
by
Stephen Bly

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Stephen Bly (August 17, 1944 – June 9, 2011) authored 106 books and hundreds of articles and short stories. His book, The Long Trail Home (Broadman & Holman), won the prestigious 2002 Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction in the category western novel. Three other books, Picture Rock (Crossway Books), The Outlaw’s Twin Sister (Crossway Books), and Last of the Texas Camp (Broadman & Holman), were Christy Award finalists. He spoke at colleges, churches, camps and conferences across the U.S. and Canada. He was the pastor of Winchester Community Church, and served as mayor of Winchester, Idaho (2000-2007). He spoke on numerous television and radio programs, including Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family. He was an Active Member of the Western Writers of America. Steve graduated summa cum laude in Philosophy from Fresno State University and received a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary. The Blys have three sons: Russell (married to Lois) and father of Zachary and Miranda (married to Chris Ross and mother of Alayah); Michael (married to Michelle); and Aaron (married to Rina Joye) and father of Keaton and Deckard. A third generation westerner, Steve spent his early years working on California farms owned by his father and an uncle.

Janet Chester Bly received a B.S. degree in Literature & Languages and Fine & Performing Arts from Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, Idaho. She speaks at women’s luncheons and retreats and does writers’ workshops. She is a member of Winchester Community Church where she serves as music director. She has authored eleven nonfiction and fiction books and co-authored twenty others, as well as contributed to five books. Janet’s hobbies include decorating her home in “country clutter,” reading almost all genres of fiction and mall walking. She lives in Winchester, Idaho–elevation 4,000 feet, population 300– situated on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1905, at 58 years old, legendary lawman Stuart Brannon - now a rancher and widower - had no intention of leaving his beloved Arizona Territory to attend the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland, Oregon, nor to participate in the celebrity golf tournament for the Willamette Orphan Farm. Even an emotional appeal for his longtime friend didn’t persuade him. His life no longer consisted of bloodthirsty men to track down . . . people trying to kill him . . . lawless gangs preying on the innocent.

Then the telegram came: Stuart, I need you in Portland. Tim Wiseman is missing. I think there’s a cover-up going on. Tell folks you’re going to the Exposition. Nose around. Find out how a U.S. Marshal can disappear and no one knows why. I’ll contact you there. T.R.

How could he refuse a request from the President of the United States?

MY THOUGHTS:

Review coming soon...

If you would like to read the first chapter of Stuart Brannon's Final Shot, go HERE.

The Dog That Talked to God by Jim Kraus

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Dog That Talked To God
(Abingdon Press - March 2012) by
Jim Kraus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jim Kraus grew up in Western Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. He attended the Paris-American Academy in 1971 and has spent the last twenty years as a vice-president of a major Christian publishing house. He has written more than 20 books and novels (many with his wife, Terri). His book, The Silence, was named as one of the top five releases in 2004 by the Christian Book Review website. He is also an award-winning photographer. He and his wife and 14-year-old son live outside of Chicago with a sweet miniature schnauzer and an ill-tempered Siberian cat.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

A wonderfully quirky, heart-breaking, heart-warming and thought-provoking story of a woman's dog who not only talks to her, he talks to God.

Recently widowed Mary Fassler buys a miniature schnauzer, Rufus, and her world is turned sideways in the midst of her grief. It seems that Rufus speaks. And not just to her. He also talks to God.

Mary has no choice except to believe Rufus, the miniature schnauzer, who claims to speak to the Divine.

The question is: Will Mary follow the dog's advice, and leave everything she knows and loves? Is this at the urging of God? Or is it something else?

Will Mary risk it all or ignore the urgings of her own heart?

If you would like to read a chapter excerpt from The Dog That Talked To God, go HERE.

Spring Reading Thing 2012

It's that time of year again...the arrival of spring. Does everyone know what that means? SPRING READING THING!

Katrina at Callapidder Days has got things all ready to go. If this is your first time (or you need a bit of a refresher) just head here for all the pertinent info. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's lists...and hopefully not adding too many books to my already buckling bookshelf.

I've gotten my list categorized in hopes of making progress in a number of areas this time around. I set a goal for myself at the beginning of the year to read at least ten books a month. I'm a bit behind, but I'm hoping to catch up during SRT.

Review Books:

Stuart Brannon's Final Shot - Stephen Bly and family
Missing - Shelley Shepard Gray
The Chase - DiAnn Mills
Cooking the Books - Bonnie Calhoun
Always the Designer, Never the Bride - Sandra Bricker
The Fiddler - Beverly Lewis
Her Restless Heart - Barbara Cameron

Series Books: I'd like to read a series (or more) of books that have been waiting on my shelf...some waiting longer than others.

Mercy Hospital Series - Candace Calvert
Critical Care
Disaster Status
Code Triage

Harmony Series - Nancy Mehl
Simple Secrets
Simple Deceit
Simple Choices

Library Books:

The Half-Stitched Amish Knitting Club - Wanda Brunstetter
Relentless Pursuit - Kathy Herman
Theodore Boone: The Accused - John Grisham
The Discovery - Dan Walsh

Kindle Books:

Diagnosis Death - Richard Mabry
Medical Error - Richard Mabry

Young Adult Books:

The Wishing Pearl - Nicole O'Dell
Roadside Assistance - Amy Clipston
Wreath - Judy Christie

Random Books Off My Shelf:

Accused - Janice Cantore
Protection for Hire - Camy Tang
Red, White, and Blue - Laura Hayden
Ten Plagues - Mary Nealy
The Wedding Dress - Rachel Hauck
Southern Fried Sushi - Jennifer Rogers Spinola
Like Sweet Potato Pie - Jennifer Rogers Spinola
Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride - Sandra Bricker
The Key on the Quilt - Stephanie Grace Whitson

*BOLD titles means the book is read*

HAVE A GREAT SPRING
...AND HAPPY READING!

The Last Plea Bargain by Randy Singer

About The Last Plea Bargain:

Plea bargains may grease the rails of justice, but for Jamie Brock, prosecuting criminals is not about cutting deals. In her three years as assistant DA, she’s never plea-bargained a case and vows she never will. But when a powerful defense attorney is indicted for murder and devises a way to bring the entire justice system to a screeching halt, Jamie finds herself at a crossroads. One by one, prisoners begin rejecting deals. Prosecutors are overwhelmed, and felons start walking free on technicalities. To break the logjam and convict her nemesis, Jamie must violate every principle that has guided her young career. But she has little choice. To convict the devil, sometimes you have to cut a deal with one of his demons.



My thoughts:

A murdered mother is the springboard to Jamie Brock's goal of becoming a prosecuter, and her experience compels her to be merciless in her pursuit of justice. The price must be paid for wrong-doing. But when that pursuit is clouded by the man convicted of killing her mother's still claiming his innocence, the killer's attorney being charged with the murder of his own wife, and a logjam in the courts caused by the defiance of the incarcerated to accept plea bargains, Jamie starts to waver in her belief in the justice system. Will she hold on to her long held convictions or will she be persuaded that sometimes justice and mercy must walk hand in hand to bring about vindication?

Randy Singer has once again penned a novel that dives deep into the legal system in ways many of us only read about in the papers. This story seamlessly ties an array of criminals, evidence, and unexpected allies into a story that will leave you spellbound at its startling and jaw-dropping conclusion. Definitely a must-read for any fan of legal thrillers.

About Randy Singer:

Randy Singer is a critically acclaimed author and veteran trial attorney. He has penned nine legal thrillers, including his award-winning debut novel "Directed Verdict." In addition to his law practice and writing, Randy serves as a teaching pastor for Trinity Church in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He calls it his "Jekyll and Hyde thing"--part lawyer, part pastor. He also teaches classes in advocacy and ethics at Regent Law School and serves on the school's Board of Visitors. He and his wife, Rhonda, live in Virginia Beach. They have two grown children. Visit his Web site at www.randysinger.net.

Please note: My thanks to Tyndale House Publishers & Debbie Lykins/Side Door Communications for providing an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Find out more on the web:
Tyndale House Publishers
Side Door Communications

Coming Soon: Spring Reading Thing 2012

It's that time of year again...the arrival of Spring is just a couple of weeks away. Does everyone know what that means? SPRING READING THING! Katrina at Callapidder Days is getting things prepped and ready to go on March 20th. You can get the scoop here. So get your lists together...and lets get ready to read!

Growing Up Ziglar by Julie Ziglar Norman

About Growing Up Ziglar:

Julie Ziglar Norman often says her dad is the king of 'doing life right' and she is the poster child for 'doing life wrong.'
For over a quarter of a century she lived every day with regret, shame, guilt, and depression. But she was the daughter of the motivator's motivator, Zig Ziglar, and knew that she needed to be positive. So she gathered up all her negative self-talk and squashed it deep down inside where it couldn't ruin the bright and practiced smile she presented to the world.

'People might assume Zig Ziglar's daughter would automatically grow up to have a positive attitude,' Julie says. 'For a large portion of my life, I was just positive I was miserable!'

Her powerful and heartwarming story will move readers to laughter and tears. Mostly it will renew their faith in God's power to redeem all the wrong choices and bring them full circle to hope and healing. Julie urges readers not to settle for okay when God has true joy waiting for them. She shares tools to equip them to make the changes needed to find true freedom in every area of life.

MY THOUGHTS:

This book came out of the blue to my mailbox, and while it may not have been a book I would have plucked off the shelf at my local bookstore, I have to admit I really enjoyed it.

Most people in America know the name Zig Ziglar...the motivator's motivator...and would assume that everything about him and his family would be near perfect. Enter Julie, his youngest daughter, who through the course of her life made choices, many of them unbeknownst to her parents, that would shatter that 'perfect' image. She relates many of those choices and their consequences in the pages in this book.

Julie is candid about the choices she's made and the lessons she's learned...and many of those lessons are ones that you and I can learn from as well. God wants us free, not just for ourselves, but for others that may have walked in our shoes. He wants us to make choices based on wisdom and not on fear. He wants us to be who He created us to be...people who understand His expectations and want His will above our own. He doesn't want us to be the right person in the eyes of others...He wants you and me to be the RIGHT person in His eyes, because His opinion of us is the only one that counts.

I was greatly encouraged by this book, and even though I've made different choices than Julie, they were detrimental in my keeping strong fellowship with the Lord. She reminds us that Jesus loves us right where we are, and He was willing to give His all for us to find Him. A "Challenge List" is included at the end of the book to help us do our part to get to know Him...read His word, pray, be in a local church to be fed and encouraged...all practical things that can benefit a newborn to a mature Christian.

If you've struggled with receiving the free gift of God and His forgiveness for the choices you've made, Julie's story is proof that it's never too late to choose wisely and BE the RIGHT person!

My thanks to Guideposts/Summerside Press for providing a copy of GROWING UP ZIGLAR in exchange for an honest review.

Find out more on the web:
Julie Ziglar Norman
Guidepost Books

Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Blue Moon Bay
(Bethany House - February 1, 2012)
by
Lisa Wingate

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Wingate is an award-winning journalist, magazine columnist, popular inspirational speaker and a national bestselling author of sixteen books. Her first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, is in its eighteenth printing from Penguin Putnam. Tending Roses is a staple on the shelves of national bookstore chains as well as in many independent bookstores.

Recently, Lisa’s Blue Sky Hill Series, set in Dallas, received national attention with back-to-back nominations for American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award for A Month of Summer (2009) and The Summer Kitchen (2010). Pithy, emotional, and inspirational, her stories bring to life characters so real that readers often write to ask what is happening to them after the book ends.

Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and mainstream markets, writing for both Bethany House, a Christian publisher, and NAL Penguin Putnam, a general market publisher. Her bestselling books have become a hallmark of inspirational fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader's Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Doubleday Book Club, the Literary Guild, Crossings Book Club, American Profiles and have been chosen for numerous awards.

When not busy dreaming up stories, Lisa spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteer mentors teach adults to read. Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa along with Bill Ford, Camille Cosby, and six others as recipients of the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Heather Hampton returns to Moses Lake, Texas, to help facilitate the sale of a family farm as part of a planned industrial plant that will provide the area with much-needed jobs. Heather's future fiance has brokered the deal, and Heather is in line to do her first large-scale architectural design--if the deal goes through.

But the currents of Moses Lake have a way of taking visitors on unexpected journeys. What was intended to be a quick trip suddenly morphs into Valentine's week--with Blaine Underhill, the handsome banker who just happens to be opposing Heather's project. Spending the holiday in an ex-funeral parlor seems like a nightmare, but Heather slowly finds herself being drawn into the area's history, hope, and heart.

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

Shakespeare's Lady by Alexa Schnee

About Shakespeare's Lady:

In Shakespeare's Lady, Emilia Bassano is one of the most dazzling ladies at court when she meets the little-known playwright William Shakespeare. Shakespeare sees the world like no one ever has before, and despite everything -- his wife in Stratford-Avon, Emilia's husband and young son, and the will of the fiery and unpredictable queen -- they fall in love. But the course of true love never did run smooth, and the Virgin Queen does not take lightly to her ladies straying. These star-crossed lovers must fight for their love -- and, eventually, their lives. Meanwhile, William, courting the queen's favor for his new theater, pens some of the most memorable stories ever written, and encourages Emilia to write; he helps her compose, and eventually steals, a little bedtime story she calls A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In the tradition of Jane Austen Ruined My Life and The Other Boleyn Girl, this is a breathtaking, emotionally rich story spun out of historical fact. From the plague-ridden streets of London to the throne room of Greenwich Court to the stage of The Globe Theater, this is a meticulously researched and gorgeously written story about grace, forgiveness, and the forbidden love between the greatest poet the world has ever known and the woman who inspired him.


My Thoughts:

Alexa Schnee won the Mount Hermon Writers Conference "Most Promising New Writer" at the age of 18 and debuts with this novel. The strength of the writing and character development, the extensive research that is well used to captivate the reader rather than bore them, and the mystery surrounding William Shakespeare's Dark Lady sonnets, all come together for a novel that rivals that of well-established authors in the industry. I really enjoyed this book and this is undoubtedly a stellar beginning to what looks to be a bright future ahead for this young author.

I am only marginally knowledgeable about the Elizabethan Era and was quite captivated by the wealth of history I gleaned from the pages of this book. Delving into The Royal Court during the reign of Elizabeth I, with all its mystery and behind the scenes machinations, was fascinating and I found it both compelling and appalling. How lives were changed for better or worse at the whim of the Queen is almost beyond what I can fathom, and makes me more than thankful that I live in the 21st century and miles away from any monarch.

While the subject of adultery was prevalent throughout the book and central to the story line, and there are scenes which we "know" things are going on, they are written with a very light touch and are done in good taste. That being said, I don't in any way condone adultery, but I don't think the focus of the novel is just the issue of adultery itself, but with the internal anguish that Emilia struggles with as she is involved in two adulterous relationships - one out of duty to the Queen and one of her own choosing - and the regrets that those choices caused. I wouldn't necessarily call this "Christian Fiction" because while Emilia did have those regrets, unfortunately it didn't seem like she was very sorry for the choices she made.

If you're looking for an historical novel that is light on romance and a Christian message, but strong on the history behind the Elizabethan Court and its link to William Shakespeare, then look no further than this intriguing debut novel by Alexa Schnee.

Side note: Be aware that there were two mild profanities in the uncorrected proof...which may or may not be in the final published copy.

An uncorrected proof was provided by Guideposts/Summerside Press in exchange for my honest review.

Find out more on the web:
Alexa's Blog
Guideposts/Summerside Press

Song of My Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Song of My Heart
(Bethany House - February 1, 2012)
by
Kim Vogel Sawyer

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Sadie Wagner has always been devoted to her family. So when her stepfather is injured and can't work, she decides to leave home and accept a position as a clerk at the mercantile in Goldtree, Kansas. Goldtree also offers the opportunity to use her God-given singing talent--though the promised opera house is far different from what she imagined. With her family needing every cent she can provide, Sadie will do anything to keep her job.

Thad McKane comes to Goldtree at the request of the town council. The town has been plagued by bootlegging operations, and Thad believes he can find the culprit. After he earns enough money doing sheriff work, he wants to use it to pay for his training to become a minister.

Thad is immediately attracted to the beautiful singer who performs in Asa Baxter's unusual opera house, but when he hears her practicing bawdy tunes, he begins to wonder if she's far less innocent than she seems. And when Sadie appears to be part of the very crimes he's come to investigate, is there any hope the love blossoming between them will survive?

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

In Too Deep by Mary Connealy

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
In Too Deep
(Bethany House - February 1, 2012)
by
Mary Connealy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Christy Award Finalist, a Carol Award Finalist and an IRCC Award finalist.

The Lassoed in Texas Series, Petticoat Ranch, Calico Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist. Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist. These three books are now contained in one large volume called Lassoed in Texas Trilogy.

The Montana Marriages Series, Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose was a Carol Award Finalist.

Cowboy Christmas—the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.

The Sophie's Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats.

She is also the author of; Black Hills Blessing a 3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a 3-in-1 collection of cozy romantic mysteries and she's one of the three authors contributing to Alaska Brides with her Carol Award Winning historical romance Golden Days.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

In 1866 Colorado, Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter. And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they'd planned.

Ethan doesn't expect Audra to affect him so profoundly, and when she begins to, he's terrified of the pain he's felt before when someone he loved was seriously injured on his watch. He's determined that his new wife will do as he says so he can keep her safe from the dangers that lurk on their ranch. Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another--and they've done a poor job of it. Now she's planning to stand up for herself. And her new husband had better agree or get out of her way!

What will it take to transform two wayward hearts fearful of getting in too deep into two trusting hearts ready to risk falling deeply in love?

MY THOUGHTS:

My mother loves Mary's writing and has told me numerous times that I need to read some of her books. I finally gave in and signed up to read this book through CFBA. I will have to tell my mother she should have nagged me much more incessantly.

The story was quite a page turner...with it's engaging story line that includes a hunky set of brothers, ladies who can hold their own when things get tough, humor, intrigue, and romance that sizzles so much your fingers will be warm just turning the pages. I also liked that the title carries a double meaning...with both the caverns being central to the story and a newlywed couple who aren't sure about what they've gotten themselves into.

This is definitely a winner of a story...and I believe I'm Mary Connealy's newest fan!

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for providing a copy for review through CFBA.

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

Watch the book trailer: