Thursday, November 29, 2012

A Wild Goose Chase Christmas

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This week, the



Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


A Wild Goose Chase Christmas


Abingdon Press (November 2012)


by


Jennifer AlLee





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:






A Word from Jennifer:



As I look back on my life, it's interesting to see where God's taken me, and where I took myself that God pulled me out of. I finally got back to writing, the dream of my heart. Since 1996, I've published numerous short stories, devotions and plays. I've also been active in church drama ministries, another passion of mine. My first novel, The Love of His Brother (November 2007, Five Star Publishers), was followed by The Pastor's Wife (February 2010, Abingdon Press) and The Mother Road (April 2012). A Wild Goose Chase Christmas is book two in the new Quilts of Love series.



Besides being a writer, I am a wife and mom. Living in Las Vegas, Nevada, my family has learned how to enjoy the fabulous buffets here without severely impacting our waistlines. God is good!







ABOUT THE BOOK





Upon her grandmother's death, Izzy Fontaine finds herself in possession of a Wild Goose Chase pattern quilt that supposedly leads to a great treasure.




Of course, once the rest of the family finds out about the "treasure map," they're determined to have a go at the treasure themselves. And, if that weren't enough, Max Logan, a local museum curator, contacts Izzy and says that Grandma Isabella promised him the quilt.




What is it about this quilt that makes everyone want it? Is Izzy on a wild goose chase of her own, or a journey that will lead her to the treasure her grandmother intended?





If you would like to read the first chapter of A Wild Goose Chase Christmas, go HERE.
My Thoughts:  Izzy has inherited a beautiful quilt from her grandmother that she is named after. She no sooner receives this quilt then Max Logan the local museum curator insists that her grandmother promised him the quilt.
While she is teaching her students, Izzy discovers that the pattern of the quilt is that of flying geese. Soon her family wants the quilt and she is on a chase, and fending off her family.
Filled with mystery, and family history, Jennifer has written a book that is sure to make you cherish your family and the memories you have with them.







Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Preview: Razed

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books.  A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured.  The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between!  Enjoy your free peek into the book!




You never know when I might play a wild card on you!









Today's Wild Card author is:







and the book:





Mindstir Media (July 12, 2012)




***Special thanks to Paula Wiseman for sending me a review copy.***




ABOUT THE AUTHOR:







 After working several years as research chemist, Paula Wiseman was blessed with the opportunity to stay home with her children and follow the writer’s path. Her bestselling Covenant of Trust Series, including Contingency, Indemnity and Precedent was recognized by Indie Excellence Awards, a Readers Favorite Gold, and Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and featured on Lifetime Television. When she isn’t working on new projects, Paula blogs on matters of life and faith at www.paulawiseman.com.





Visit the author's website.





SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:



Doug Bolling lost his wife of twenty years just as their stormy marriage was beginning to thrive, and he bitterly blames God. He tries to reconnect with his son, but it seems Mark is only interested if the relationship comes wrapped in religion. Mark claims he's just following God when he moves his family, including Doug's grandsons, further away, first to pastor, then to attend seminary. With frustrated resignation, Doug turns his attention to building a new life and a new home for himself and interior designer, Cassandra Grayson. The conflict erupts as Mark is preparing to leave for the mission field in Kenya. He delivers an ultimatum, cutting off all contact between his kids and their grandfather. God may have ripped away his wife and his son, but Doug draws the line at his grandchildren. Mark's attempt to force him to choose between the woman he loves and the grandkids he adores, drives Doug to one fateful desperate act, even if it means destroying his relationship with his son.









Product Details:

List Price: $15.99

Paperback: 390 pages

Publisher: Mindstir Media (July 12, 2012)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0985365099

ISBN-13: 978-0985365097







AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:







SIXTEEN YEARS AGO



Thursday, July 29



Doug Bolling clutched the small bag of cookies in his left hand. His right hand rested on the door handle to his wife’s hospital room. No matter how many times he’d done this, it never got any easier.



He took a deep breath, pushed the door open slowly, and stepped inside. Images flickering across the screen of the muted television gave the room its only light. Judy’s eyes fluttered open as he got closer, and she gave him her best smile. “Hey, Babe,” he whispered, and leaned down to kiss her, wishing her cheeks were still full with the almost babyish roundness they used to have.



“You just missed the doctor.” She pulled at the bedrails and managed to prop herself up.



“There was a line at Schnuck’s.” He held the bag up for her to see.



“What’d you bring?” She stretched her arm forward, revealing her narrow wrists. Would she have enough strength to hold the bag?



“Those cookies. The white chocolate and macadamia nut ones.”



“Bless your heart.”



She labored to open the bag, and he fought the urge to do it for her.



She inhaled deeply. “They smell wonderful. I can’t wait to have one.”



“Why can’t you have one now?”



“I’m not hungry yet. I’d rather be hungry.”



“You want me to set them on the table?”



“No, I want them close.” She held out her hand, and he cradled it in his. “Almost as close as I want you.”



“So what’d the doctor say?”



Her smiled faded and she hesitated. Not good. “He’s sending me home, Doug.”



Home. Not “home” home. Home to die. “There’s not anything—?”



She shook her head. “He suggested some, uh, some hospice care providers.”



“How, how much—” He swallowed and tried again. “How much time?”



Her gentle smile returned. “He’s too slippery to give me anything definite. Christmas is probably, I mean, Christmas was his best-case estimate. He said I should think in terms of weeks . . . not months. I’m sorry.”



The grief in her eyes tore at him most of all. “Don’t be sorry.”



“I hate for you to have to go through this.”



“Me? Don’t worry about me. I’m a tough guy.”



“The toughest,” she said, and he felt the slightest squeeze. “I have a request.” She raised her eyes to his. “I want to be the one to tell Mark.”



He nodded. She’d do it better than he would anyway. He hooked his boot around the leg of the bedside chair and dragged it closer without ever letting go of her hand. Home. Hospice. Christmas. They knew it was close. But hearing it, having a doctor pronounce that . . .”Are you afraid?” He hoped she’d say yes, because he was terrified.



“No. I don’t have any pain, really.”



“I mean to die.” He regretted the words as soon as he heard himself say them. He shifted in the chair. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he mumbled.



“It won’t be as frightening if we talk about it.”



Which meant she knew he was terrified, so she would pretend she was, too. “But you’re not scared.”



“You remember when you asked me to marry you?”



“Like it was yesterday. I think it was just yesterday.”



“Seems like it. My parents were so worried. All they could see was this punk who barely graduated high school.”



“They still see that.”



She smiled and squeezed his hand again. “They never heard you say that you’d take care of me, and that you’d never, ever leave me.” She twisted and pulled herself up a little straighter. “I know this makes no sense to you, but God’s made those same promises to me, so I’m not afraid. I trusted you. I trust Him.”



He dropped his head and hoped she couldn’t see his jaw clench in the low light. The God she trusted was a fairy tale, a happy story to help her sleep better at night. A real God, a good God wouldn’t kill a wife and mother in the prime of her life.



“I see that line of discussion is a dead end.”



He smiled at the spark of attitude. “I’m glad your, uh, your faith helps you.”



“I wish it helped you.”



“It does. When I see you optimistic and brave and—” He had to look away again. If he didn’t shut up, he’d lose it in front of her. “So where’s that doctor? I need to get you out of here.”



*******



For Mark Bolling, three-thirty was the best part of the day, and his favorite thing about working for Bolling Developers. He didn’t hate construction work exactly, even though he missed the air conditioning at his grandfather’s car dealership. His dad was rarely on-site and the guys were okay to work with. He liked being able to see progress when he left every day.



His mother smiled with quiet approval any time he mentioned working for his dad. That was the main reason he was doing it. Plus, it was her idea. Right after she got sick last summer, she suggested—no, insisted—he ask his dad for a job. His father said, “So help me, if you pull an attitude and embarrass me, you’ll wish you were shoveling horse barns for a living. Am I clear?”



“Crystal.”



“You need work boots. Pack your own lunch and be ready to leave by six-thirty in the morning.”



That was his orientation talk.



The first two days she was in the hospital this time around, it looked like this was her last trip, but she rallied once more. He planned to grab a quick shower then spend the evening there with her.



His father’s truck was in the driveway. That meant his parents were home—both of them. They’d sent her home. Great!



The stillness in the house sucked that optimism right out of him. He walked as carefully and quietly as his clunky, steel-toed boots would allow, checking the living room and the kitchen. Outside? He peeked out the back door and saw his dad fussing with the charcoal grill.



Charcoal. The guy was a million-dollar-a-year homebuilder, but he was too cheap for a gas grill. Not only that, they still lived in the same three-bedroom place he built the first year Bolling Developers was in business, and he still drove the pick-up truck he bought that year.



Mark slipped off his boots and left them by the back door, then he took the stairs two at a time, doubly anxious to talk to his mother. He heard the television. Hopefully that meant she was awake. He knocked gently as he pushed the door open. “Mom?”



“Mark? Is it that late already?” Her voice was soft, but her eyes shone. She reached for the remote and clicked off the television set. “Come and sit with me and tell me about your day.”



“I’d rather hear about yours.” He eased himself down onto the edge of the bed.



“Oh, it was about what I expected.” She tugged at the sleeve of her warm-up jacket, pulling it toward her wrist. The sicker she got, the more athletic her preferred attire became. She thought the bulky clothes hid things better. She was mistaken.



Her eyes fluttered, hardly daring to rest on his. “I shouldn’t have to go back.”



“No more treatments?” he asked, knowing exactly what that meant.



She shook her head. “The doctor said . . . well . . . his primary concern from here on out . . . is that I’m comfortable.”



Here on out. The death sentence. The air in the room thickened until it was like trying to breathe syrup. Hot, smothering syrup.



She put a hand on his knee and winked with an impish grin. “I can have all the morphine I want.”



He had to smile at her. “How did . . . ?” Mark swallowed hard and wiped his eyes. “How’s Dad?”



Her smile faded. “That’s what hurts me. Watching him.” She smoothed the comforter. “He’s so lost. He needs you more than he will ever admit, more than he understands even.”



His father didn’t need anyone, least of all him. “Excuse my cynicism.”



She took his hand and spoke with urgency. “I want you to remember this when I—” She shook her head gently. “Your dad, he carries everything inside, and he’s going to need someone he can vent to. Someone who can take it.”



“You mean someone to yell at?”



“Yell at, yell to. It’s all the same to him.”



“Then I’ve been there for him for years.”



“I’m not explaining this right,” she said. “There’s much more to your dad than the blustering guy in the hardhat. Give him a chance. Be patient and he’ll come around. Promise me you will.”



“Have you given him this speech?” he asked, carefully avoiding the promise.



“Not yet. He’s on my schedule.” She smiled. “If only I could have a few more years with him.” She blinked away her own tears. “He just needs someone who will love him.”



She wanted, expected, him to be the one—a worshipful son to take the place of the smitten wife. He was in so much trouble.



*******



Doug sat at the kitchen table sorting through the latest stack of bills. Doctor, doctor, hospital, ambulance, radiology. What a mess. He wrote check after check, stuffed them in the envelopes, and dropped the keep this portion in the box at his feet. He didn’t have time for this. He should be in there with Judy. Christmas. Christmas was only five months away. He couldn’t be ready in five months.



If she didn’t eat any more than she did today, he didn’t see how she could last that long. She used to have this metabolism most people would give anything to have. She could eat whatever she wanted, and still keep a cheerleader’s figure. He teased her about out-eating him.



She was never what anyone would call beautiful. Judy was cute. Petite and youthful, she never seemed to age. She’d never let herself get old, she said. Terminal cancer took care of that for her.



Mark strode into the kitchen and pulled a glass from the cabinet. “She’s asleep.” The teenager got a two-liter bottle from the refrigerator and it hissed loudly when he twisted off the cap. “You want a Coke or something?”



“No.” Doug laid down his pen and pushed his chair back from the table. He’d dreaded this conversation all day, especially the part where he’d ask the center of the universe to relinquish his position. “Listen, I think you need to sit out this semester coming up.”



“Why?” Mark gulped the Coke, then set the glass on the counter, clinking it against the sink.



“Really? I have to explain this to you? Your mother is dying, Mark. It’ll be a miracle if she lives past Christmas. Don’t you think you belong here with her instead of some frat house somewhere?”



“I’m not even gonna respond to that.”



Doug had seen the same condescending sneer on Judy’s face more times than he cared to remember.



“Mom specifically said not to drop out of school. She told me to go on with my life.”



“I bet she did,” Doug muttered.



“Fine! You want me to stay home? I’ll stay.”



“Oh no. I’m not taking the blame for bullying you into dropping out of college.”



“You bully me into everything else.”



“And Mommy always rescues you, doesn’t she?”



“Again, I’m not going to respond. You’re just ranting at me, and I’ve learned not to try to reason with you when you’re like this.”



“I’m unreasonable?”



“Right now, yes.”



Doug jerked himself out of the chair and stood inches away from his son. The boy, the man now, straightened himself until he stood half a head taller than Doug, with a look of annoyed indifference he inherited directly from Judy’s father.



Then Doug stopped himself. He waved his hand and stepped back. Mark couldn’t understand, and he didn’t have the strength or the words to explain it.



“Go ahead and say it, Dad.”



This time it wasn’t a challenge. Mark was inviting him, the way Judy did. Maybe the long talks with his mother were paying off. Maybe he was listening.



“Just . . . you better pray to that God of yours that you never have to stand by and watch your wife . . . watch her go through something like this.”



“He’s your God, too.”



“I have no God.”



“That’s your problem.”



*******



Tuesday, August 3



“What do you think you’re doing?” Doug leaned against the kitchen doorframe, his arms crossed against his chest as he watched his wife rummage through the kitchen cabinets.



“Making your dinner.” Judy hugged a skillet close to her body.



“You have no business—” He gently took the skillet from her hand and set it on the counter.



She huffed like an angry teenager. “Will you please, please, let me do as much as I can for as long as I can?”



“But you shouldn’t be wasting your energy—”



“It’s not wasting it if I’m doing what I enjoy.”



“You enjoy making my dinner? Since when?”



She pulled the skillet toward the stovetop. “All right, all right. There have been times when making dinner was not my favorite thing.”



“Like the first nineteen years of our marriage,” Doug teased.



“Get out the spaghetti, smart aleck.”



“That’s more like it.” He handed her the box of pasta and watched her brown the ground beef. He wasn’t joking, though. She had begrudged everything she did for him until she got sick.



“You know, this reminds me of the time we were at Disney World and Mickey or Goofy or somebody sat down beside Mark and begged for his spaghetti.” She smiled as she stirred. “He wouldn’t walk close to the characters any more after that. Do you remember?”



“No.”



“Oh, sure you do. Mark was about . . . five . . .”



“Judy, I wasn’t there. You and your parents took Mark. I couldn’t get away.”



“Or wouldn’t.”



“That’s not fair.”



She sighed with a heavy sadness. “Why did we treat each other that way for so long?”



“We were young. We didn’t know what we were doing.”



“I was selfish, Doug.” She struggled to pull a heavy pot from the cabinet, so he steadied it for her. “I married you because it infuriated my father.” She slid the pot into the sink and turned the water on. “You deserved a woman who loved you for you.”



“I have one.”



“But I’m not gonna be around to finish the job.” She turned off the faucet and held out a hand. He slipped in beside her and put an arm around her waist. She was so thin now. “Can you forgive me?”



“For what?”



“For being such a horrible wife.”



“That’s crazy.” He dropped his hand and stepped away. “You were, I mean, are, you are a perfect wife.”



“Now who’s crazy.” She arched an eyebrow at him, and he smiled. “I know better.”



“At least we had the last couple of years when things were good. Some people don’t have that.”



“It has been good, hasn’t it?”



He nodded and lifted the pot from the sink, then set it on the stove for her. “I think we both learned what was really important.”



“I learned what love was. I couldn’t give you what I didn’t have.”



Doug braced himself. He recognized the set-up for another Christianity commercial from her.



She wrinkled her brow at him. “All right. I won’t say anything else.”



“No, say it. I don’t want to leave anything unsaid between us.”



She faced him and spoke with urgency. “You’re a good man, Doug. You’ve made your own way. You work hard, and you have great integrity. I love all those things about you.”



He smiled, trying to diffuse the heaviness in the moment. “Tell me more.”



“Those things aren’t going to be good enough. The only thing, the only thing that scares me is an eternity without you. Mark finally came around, and I pray every day you will, too . . . and I pray I’ll get to see it.”



He saw the tears in her eyes, and guilt washed over him. Why couldn’t he simply say he believed whatever she wanted him to, make her happy, let her have peace these last few months?



Because he couldn’t lie to her.



“Babe, here’s how it looks to me. God . . . I don’t trust Him. He could fix all this and He won’t. He’s holding out.”



“But He’s not like that!”



“Not to you.”



“Let me find somebody who can explain things better than I can—”



“I don’t want to talk about it with somebody else. I only talk about it with you because—”



“Because I’m dying. You’re patronizing me.”



“I’m not patronizing you. I’m trying to be supportive.” He sighed deeply at the hurt in her eyes. “Just save your religion talk for Mark.”



“You hate that, too.”



“I don’t. ” He turned his back to her, paced away, and took a deep breath. If she saw his eyes, she’d know he was lying.



“You resent every minute I spend with him.”



It was a soft declaration, not an accusation, but she still knew how to cut into his very soul. He faced her again. “Can we compromise on this?”



“Can we?” The light in her eyes faded, and her hair seemed to gray before his eyes. She’d spent all her energy on him.



“Talk about your religion, your faith. Tell me all about it, but I don’t want to hear how much I need it. No hard sells, no sob stories, nothing.”



“And you won’t give Mark a hard time?”



“Mark and I will be fine.”



*******



Wednesday, September 22



Mark met his father at the top of the stairs outside his mother’s room, and to his utter surprise, his dad held out a hand. Mark shook it as grieving fear took hold of him. “Is she . . . ?”



“They said it was a matter of days now.” His father glanced back toward the door. “She’s on a lot of medication. She’s kind of in and out.”



Mark nodded. “You tell her I was coming?”



He shook his head. “She didn’t want me to call you. Afraid your schoolwork would suffer.”



As if he had anything more important to do.



“I’m gonna grab her a glass of water and throw a load of her things in the laundry. Did you get the mail on your way in?”



“It’s on the table.”



“Thanks.” His dad stepped around him and headed down the stairs.



“Dad?”



“What?”



“We’ll get through this.”



His father shook his head and shuffled into the kitchen.



Mark pushed the bedroom door open, and his breath caught when he saw his mother, ashen-faced and motionless, propped up against a pillow. “Mom?”



“Mark? It’s not Friday, is it?”



“No, it’s Wednesday.”



“Your dad doesn’t listen.” She managed a smile.



“I’m glad he called me.”



She reached for his hand. “Your dad, he reads my Bible to me. I wish you could hear him.” Her eyelids drooped until they were only half open. “It’s the most beautiful thing. Mark.” She let out a dreamy sigh. “Would you let him read at your wedding?”



“My wedding?”



“You’re still dating the preacher’s daughter, aren’t you?”



“Well, yeah.”



“You love her?”



“I do.”



“See, you’re already practiced up on the ‘I do.’” She smiled again and rolled her eyes to look at him. “Don’t wait, Mark. Don’t wait until you’re older . . . or you’re more settled . . . or you have more money. There are no guarantees.”



“Mom, it’s a little—”



She managed another smile. “Your dad doesn’t know about her, does he?”



“It’s not like I’m trying to keep it a secret. It just never seemed like the right time to bring it up.”



“Practice then. Tell me about her. Tell me what you love about her.” She settled back against her pillow, her eyes drooping shut again.



“Um, well . . . She’s, uh, she’s pretty, of course, and smart. She listens to me.”



His mother nodded slightly. “Mmmm. You need that. Men need that. They need someone who believes in them . . . then they can do anything.”



“Did you believe in Dad?”



“Not like I should have. Look what’s he’s accomplished in spite of it. What if I’d been what he needed? What could he have done?” She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. Her fingers were soft and cool. “With, uh, tell me her name again.”



“Julie. Julie Hammell.”



“With Julie behind you, there’ll be no stopping you. I wish I could have met her. I’m sure she’s wonderful.”



Mark smiled and nodded. “She is.” Julie Hammell was his ticket to respectability, acceptance, and purpose, and it didn’t hurt that she was crazy about him. “Does Dad know you want him to read?”



“He promised me today.”



“You pick out the passage?”



“First John, chapter four. Where it talks about love, God’s love for us. He read it today.” She sighed and closed her eyes. “‘There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.’ It was beautiful. He has a beautiful voice . . . and he read it slow so he didn’t stumble.”



“Are you getting tired? I should let you rest.”



“No, stay. I have one for you too.”



“Something to read at my wedding?”



“No, a promise. I want you to make me a promise.” She squeezed his hand weakly again. “Promise me you won’t give up on him. Promise you’ll make sure your dad becomes a believer.”



“Mom, I can’t. He has to make that decision.”



“You have to tell him. You have to. It’s like in Ezekiel. You’re the watchman. If you don’t tell him . . . if he dies in his sins, Mark, we’re accountable. Maybe not responsible, but . . . Please tell me you won’t let that happen. I have nightmares—”



“I won’t, Mom. I’ll take care of it.” How could he not promise?



She relaxed against her pillow, apparently exhausted, and guilt closed off his throat. He couldn’t make his dad become a believer. He’d just lied to his mother on her deathbed.



“Talk to me,” she said without opening her eyes. “I love hearing you. I’m listening.”



Mark talked about his classes, his homework, the drive home, whatever he could think of, but the promise hung in the back of his mind. I’ll take care of it. How?



The more he talked, the more each word came with a keen awareness of every breath she took. If she passed without his father there at her side . . . God help them all.



*******



Friday, September 24



Doug rubbed his eyes and shifted in his chair. In the pale early morning light he squinted, trying to make sure Judy was still breathing. Finally, he reached his hand to her chest. It rose and fell in a slow, shallow rhythm. That reassurance was costly. Now he was afraid to pull his hand away for fear he’d miss the last one.



Ellen and Russell Carson had passed the night with him here, hovering over their only daughter. Of course they belonged here, had a right and a need to be here, but Doug hated it. When Ellen slipped out to get a quick shower, at least Russ left to make coffee, giving Doug these precious few moments alone with Judy.



“You’ve never answered anything I’ve ever asked,” he whispered. “But . . . I’ll do . . . anything. Or take me instead . . . Just . . . Don’t . . . You can fix this. I read those stories to her, I know what You can do . . . I need her. Take anything else of mine . . . Just not—”



Judy drew in two quick breaths and opened her eyes. “Doug?”



“I’m right here.” He slipped his hand around hers. “Right here.”



“I love you.” She labored to draw the corners of her mouth into a smile. “Mark . . . ?”



“He’s down the hall. He’ll be right here.”



“Were Mom and Dad . . . ?”



He nodded. “Your mom’s down in our bathroom getting a shower and your dad’s making a pot of coffee. They’ve been here the whole time.”



She closed her eyes. “You need . . . that.”



“Need what? Coffee?” he asked, daring to tease her in this moment.



She blinked slowly in place of a smile. “I heard . . . you pray.”



He felt himself flush with the shame of desperation. “I don’t think it did any good.”



“I pray . . . for you . . . and Mark. You need . . .”



You, he wanted to say. I need you, Judy.



“You need someone . . . someone who deserves to have you.” She squeezed his hand. “You . . . I love you. We will meet again. I have that peace.”



“What are you talking about?”



“I can let go. You’ll . . .” Her hand relaxed, and everything inside Doug Bolling died.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Preview: Shattered Silence




This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Shattered Silence


Abingdon Press (September 2012)


by


Margaret Daley





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:






Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. One of her romantic suspense books, Hearts on the Line, won the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year Contest. Recently she has won the Golden Quill Contest, FHL’s Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest, Winter Rose Contest, Holt Medallion and the Barclay Gold Contest. She wrote for various secular publishers before the Lord led her to the Christian romance market. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines, romantic suspense for Abingdon Press and historical romance for Summerside Press. She has sold eighty-three books to date.




Margaret is currently the President for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), an organization of over 2300 members. She was one of the founding members of the first ACFW local chapter, WIN in Oklahoma. She has taught numerous classes for online groups, ACFW and RWA chapters. She enjoys mentoring other authors.




Until she retired a few years ago, she was a teacher of students with special needs for twenty-seven years and volunteered with Special Olympics as a coach. She currently is on the Outreach committee at her church, working on several projects in her community as well as serving on her church’s vestry.




On a more personal note, she has been married for over forty years to Mike and has one son and four granddaughters. She treasures her time with her family and friends.








ABOUT THE BOOK





A serial killer is targeting illegal aliens in southern Texas. Texas Ranger Cody Jackson is paired with a local police officer, Liliana Rodriguez, to investigate the murders.



While the case brings Cody and Liliana ever closer, the tension between Americans and Mexican Americans heightens. As Cody and Liliana race to discover who is behind the murders and bring peace to the area, what they uncover isn't what they expected. Will Cody and Liliana's faith and love be strong enough to survive the storm of violence?


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

Sunday, November 25, 2012

ATTENTION, ATTENTION!!!!!

To my readers, and to all those I review for and potential publishers and authors I may review for. This is MY BLOG!!!! I have the right to give my honest opinion about a book, CD, or product I am asked to review. I will not be harassed into removing a blog post because an author, musician, or distributor is unhappy with my review.

I think it is really sad when book influencers, reviewers are put in a position to be harassed by someone because they can't handle a review. My advice, get thick skin . . . not everyone is going to like what you write. It's open to interpretation, and that can be good or bad depending on the person who is reading it.
Take what is said and apply it to make what you wrote better.

Free From Guilt




This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Free From Guilt


Lift Every Voice; New Edition edition (September 20, 2012)


by


Pat Simmons





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:






Pat Simmons is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth. She is passionate about digging up the dirt on her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She has been a genealogy enthusiast since her great-grandmother died at the young age of ninety-seven years old.




She has won numerous awards for her previous novels and was voted the Best Inspirational Romance for 2010.  She was also a nominee for the African American Literary Award’s best Christian fiction award.  Pat is best known for her Guilty series. The Jamieson Family Legacy trilogy: Guilty by Association, Guilt Trip and Free From Guilt is a continuation of first three Guilty Series books and the of the story of the much-loved Grandma B.B character and her new sidekick, Mrs. Valentine.




Pat and her husband live in Missouri and have two children.








ABOUT THE BOOK





The Jamieson Family Legacy series follows the lives of the two Jamieson brothers in Boston, Kidd and Ace and their cousin Cameron from St. Louis.  Kidd, the older brother, is struggling with anger and resentment issues toward his absentee father who never married his mother, but had the audacity to demand his illegitimate sons carry his last name Jamieson. Ace, on the other hand, is on a collision course with disaster as he shows how much a "chip off the old block" he is when it comes to women. Their highly educated MIT graduate cousin, Cameron Jamieson, is all about saving his family from self-destruction. Through genealogy research, Cameron's mission is to show his cousins their worth as eleventh generation descendants of a royal African tribe and give them a choice: to be angry black men or accept the challenge to become strong successful black men.




In Free From Guilt the third book in the Jamieson Legacy, Cameron, cousin to Kidd and Ace, has it all: the looks, money and tbrains. An MIT double degree graduate and lecturer, he is a genius. No amount of knowledge or wisdom however can convince him of the simplicity of God's love and the gift of salvation.  He believes it's much more complicated than those men preaching from an outdated book lead others to believe. It's simply going to take more to make a believer out of him. And, he's not alone in this thinking.



Beatrice "Tilley" Beacon, aka Grandma BB is a seventy-something, childless widow who is young at heart and full of life. Her antics are legendary among her surrogate family, the Jamiesons, her five hundred facebook fans and the local law enforcement, to whom she is known as the neighborhood one-woman militia crime task force.
The Jamieson's always thought they were a unified front to draw Grandma BB to Christ. But when Cameron, her surrogate grandson and the youngest of their clan, returns to spend time with the family in St. Louis, he immediately takes Grandma BB's position that life is to be enjoyed to the fullest. There's always time to repent ...later.



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

Judge

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This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Judge


Bethany House Publishers (November 1, 2012)


by


R.J. Larson





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:














R. J. Larson is the author of numerous devotionals featured in publications such as Women's Devotional Bible and Seasons of a Woman's Heart. She lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with her husband and their two sons. Prophet marks her debut in the fantasy genre.







ABOUT THE BOOK





Kien Lantec, you will bear witness to my followers in ToronSea.




The last thing Kien Lantec expects on his first day of military leave is to receive marching orders from his Creator, the Infinite. Orders that don't involve destroyer-racing or courting the love of his life, Ela. Adding to Kien's frustration, his Infinite-ordained duties have little to do with his skills as a military judge-in-training. His mission? To warn the people of ToronSea against turning their backs on the Infinite to worship a new goddess.




Tell them I see they are beguiled. Tell them I seek their hearts. The wise will hear Me.




But why Kien? Isn't this the role of a true prophet, such as Ela of Parne? Seeking answers, Kien visits Ela and finds her stricken by a devastating vision of her own. Her birthplace, Parne, has forsaken their Creator and will soon suffer judgment. Pulled in separate ways, each must seek to follow the Infinite's leading...and hope He will reunite them again soon.




Child of dust, will you be My servant?



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

Monday, November 19, 2012

Preview: Starflower




This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Starflower


Bethany House Publishers (November 1, 2012)


by


Anne Elisabeth Stengl





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:










Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she enjoys her profession as an art teacher, giving private lessons from her personal studio, and teaching group classes at the Apex Learning Center. She is married to the handsome man she met at fencing class and lives with him and a gaggle of cats. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. Heartless is her debut novel.



Anne Elisabeth is also the author of the Tales of Goldstone Wood, a series of fantasy adventure novels told in the classic Fairy Tale style.







ABOUT THE BOOK





The Black Dogs Are on the Hunt, But Who Is Their Prey?




When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps fairest Lady Gleamdren, the Bard Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.




But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?




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



Christmas Roses - Reviewed



















Book Blurb:

Celia Anderson doesn't need anything for Christmas except a few more boarders, which are hard to come by in this small mining town. She certainly doesn't have a husband on her Christmas wish list. But when a wandering carpenter finds lodging at her boarding house, she admits that she might remarry if she found the right man--the kind of man who would bring her roses for Christmas. It would take a miracle to get roses during a harsh Wyoming winter. But Christmas, after all, is the time for miracles . . .

Amanda Cabot invites readers to cozy up with a romantic, heartwarming tale of the greatest gift of all--love.


My Thoughts:

Celia Anderson is a widow praying for a miracle to save her baby girl Emma. She wasn't expecting the miracle to be Mark Williams. Mark is a carpenter looking for his father, he is told that Celia has a room for him to rent. When he arrives Celia is no where to be found, but Mark hears terrible wailing and coughing so he follows the sound. He finds Celia rocking sick Emma and believes that Emma has croup. He immediately goes to work to create a vinegar steam for Emma to make her well. 
Celia believes he is a Christmas angel sent to save Emma's life and her's as a border. 
In Amanda's classic style she has written a story that will capture your heart and put you in the mood for Christmas. So grab your favorite holiday drink, a warm blanket, and snuggle up to the fire and enjoy this great romantic read.


*Available September 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.*

Unexpected Christmas Hero

































Homelessness is a tough topic for Christmas. What inspired you to use that as the basis for your annual Christmas novel?

I’ve been involved in homeless ministries, to one degree or another, for decades, so I’m not new to this area of ministry. But I’ll admit that I had never considered writing a novel about it until someone in my family, who had personally experienced homelessness at one time in his life, suggested it. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed the perfect theme for a Christmas novel. After all, at Christmas we celebrate the birth of our Savior, who was pretty much homeless at that particular point in time and was born in a stable because there was no room for them at the Bethlehem Motel 6.

Despite having previous ministry and even personal experience with the homeless, were there still some difficult times for you as you researched and wrote this novel?

Absolutely! I always try to climb inside the skin of my characters, and when I thought of myself as the young mother Josie, attempting to care for and protect her two small children while living on the streets, I wept. There were times when my own children were little that we didn’t have a lot of material things and almost never had enough money at the end of the month, but we always had a roof over our heads and never wondered where we would find our next meal. When I consider that approximately 25 percent of the homeless in America are families (either single or dual-parent) with small children, it breaks my heart.

Can you give us a brief synopsis of Unexpected Christmas Hero?

This is a story about a young family—husband, wife, two small children—who seem to be living the American dream. But when the husband dies unexpectedly, the wife (Josie) not only has to deal with that loss but quickly discovers that they are destitute. Her husband had lost his job some months earlier but didn’t want to worry her, so he hid it from her, hoping to find another position. He didn’t, and eventually ran up all their credit cards, took out a second mortgage on the house, emptied their savings, and even cashed in his life insurance policy. It doesn’t take long until Josie and her children lose their home and find themselves living on the streets, depending on the charity of others to survive. Then they meet Rick, a homeless Vietnam vet who takes them under his wing and, in a most surprising and sacrificial way, becomes their unexpected Christmas hero.

Tell us about the “story behind the story,” which involves the man on the front cover.

When the publisher sent the designer out to find someone to pose as Rick, the homeless vet in the book, he spotted a man on the street who looked amazingly like him. He asked the man—whose name is Willard Parker—if he would pose for the book cover. The man readily agreed and then explained that he truly was homeless and hoped having his picture on the cover would somehow help him find his family, particularly his grown daughter. We are doing our best to stay in touch with Mr. Parker and also to spread his story across the Internet and on radio/TV in hopes of fulfilling his dream to be reunited with his family. If anyone looks at the picture on the cover and/or recognizes the man’s name (Willard Parker) and knows the whereabouts of any of his family, we would truly appreciate it if they would contact me at ezyrtr@ca.rr.com so we can take the necessary steps to try and make this reunion happen.

Where can people find your book?

It’s available on any of the main online venues (Amazon, ChristianBooks.com, Barnes & Noble, etc.) and many stores nationwide.

Can you give us your website info?

Sure! You can find me at www.kathimacias.com or www.boldfiction.com. I’d love it if people would stop by there and check out all my books, as well as the video trailers that go with them. They can also sign up to receive my weekly devotional, or check out where I’ll be speaking in the near future. Above all, click on “contact” and send me an email. I’d love to hear from them, and I promise to answer.



About the Author: Kathi Macias

Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored nearly 40 books and ghostwritten several others. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi has taught creative and business writing in various venues and has been a guest on many radio and television programs. Kathi is a popular speaker at churches, women’s clubs and retreats, and writers’ conferences. She won the prestigious 2008 member of the year award from AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) at the annual Golden Scrolls award banquet. Kathi “Easy Writer” Macias lives in Homeland, CA, with her husband, Al.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

No Safe Harbor - Kindle Fire Giveaway & Facebook Party 12/6



















About No Safe Harbor

 
She came to America searching for her brother. Instead all she's found is a web of danger.
Cara Hamilton had thought her brother to be dead. Now, clutching his letter, she leaves Ireland for America, desperate to find him. Her search leads her to a houseful of curious strangers, and one man who claims to be a friend-Rourke Walsh. Despite her brother's warning, Cara trusts Rourke, revealing her purpose in coming to New York.
She's then thrust into a world of subterfuge, veiled threats, and attempted murder, including political revolutionaries from the homeland out for revenge. Her questions guide her ever nearer to locating her brother-but they also bring her closer to destruction as those who want to kill him track her footsteps.
With her faith in tatters, all hope flees. Will her brother finally surface? Can he save Cara from the truth about Rourke... a man she's grown to love? 
 
Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/f8pXm  















Meet Elizabeth:  
  
Elizabeth Ludwig is an award-winning author and an accomplished speaker and teacher. Her historical novel Love Finds You in Calico, California earned four stars from Romantic Times. She is the owner and editor of the popular literary blog The Borrowed Book. Along with her husband and two children, Elizabeth makes her home in Orange, Texas.

Blog Tour Schedule
Landing page: 
 
 
Elizabeth Ludwig is celebrating her new book with a Kindle Fire Giveaway and connecting with readers at a Facebook Author Chat party on 12/6.








One winner will receive:



  • A Kindle Fire

  • No Safe Harbor by Elizabeth Ludwig


Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 5th. Winner will be announced at the "No Safe Harbor" Author Chat Facebook Party on 12/6. Connect with Elizabeth, get a sneak peek of the next book in the Edge of Freedom series, try your hand at the trivia contest, and win some great prizes—gift certificates, books and a Book Club Prize Pack (10 copies for your book club or small group)!






So grab your copy of No Safe Harbor and join Elizabeth on the evening of the December 6th for a chance to connect with her and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)




Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!



My Thoughts:

Cara Hamilton comes to America from Ireland to find her brother Eoghan. Up until she received a letter from him she believed him to be dead. He tells her to speak to no one until he gets to her. When she arrives at Ellis Island her brother is not there, and she is alone. In looking for a boarding house she believes she has met a nice man who will help her find the boarding house she is looking for. Little does she know this man Rourke Turner is looking for her brother, Eoghan to avenge his father's death.

Elizabeth has woven a tale full of twists and turns that keep you turning pages, and just when you think you can trust Rourke she has you think again. Cara is someone you fall in love with. Her innocence and determination are endearing, at the same time they become frustrating. I found myself wanting to shake some sense into her for fear something would happen to her.

This is the first book in the Edge of Freedom series, I highly recommend this book!
 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Too Far To Say Far Enough




This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


Too Far To Say Far Enough


David C. Cook; New edition (October 1, 2012)


by


Nancy Rue





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:






In 1980, Rue took a leave of absence from teaching and took on writing as a nine-to-five job. Although it quickly became apparent that she could starve to death that way, that didn’t stop her: she spent fifteen years getting up at 4:00 a.m. to write before going off to teach school, until she was finally able to pursue freelance writing full-time in 1995.




“I am living a God-directed life,” says the author: “doing what I was meant to do, what I love to, what allows me to give what I’ve been given. I spend as much of my time teaching, filling my well, hanging out with the people I love, as I do writing, and that has made all the difference."




Rue has become a successful, best-selling author of books for ‘tweens and adults. Over her career she’s written more than 100 books. For a complete list of adult fiction, click here. For ‘tween books, click here.




Nancy travels the country speaking and teaching at schools, churches, home school groups, and for groups of ‘tween girls and their moms. She lives in Tennessee with her husband, Jim. Their daughter, Marijean, son-in-law, Brian, and baby granddaughter Maeryn, live in nearby Nashville. The Rues’ two yellow Labs share (and eat) Jim and Nancy’s home.








ABOUT THE BOOK





Allison Chamberlain has done everything God required of her—but as He continues to nudge her in the third and final book of The Reluctant Prophet series, she is ready to say, “Enough!”




Even with two Sacrament Houses open, the Sisters’ second hand clothing boutique making its debut, and the orphaned Desmond legally adopted, Allison Chamberlain receives the divine Nudge to Go another mile. Eventually responding with her usual reluctant obedience, she finds herself caring for a very young prostitute and facing the deepest roots of evil. Despite the adversaries who threaten those closest to her, Allison finds that she has not gone far enough until she conquers hate and learns to love as God does. No matter what the consequences.    








If you would like to read the first chapter of Too Far To Say Far Enough, go HERE.




Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Change of Fortune




This week, the


Christian Fiction Blog Alliance


is introducing


A Change of Fortune


Bethany House Publishers (November 1, 2012)


by


Jen Turano





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:







Jen grew up in the small town of St. Clairsville, Ohio, where she spent an idyllic childhood riding her purple spider bike, ice-skating on a little pond and reading Nancy Drew and Trixie Beldon books in her tree house. High School was, surprisingly enough, fabulous as Jen spent time with her girlfriends. She headed off to college with no idea of what she wanted to be when she grew up, but settled on pursuing a career in fashion because she thought it sounded glamorous. Her parents thought she’d lost her mind, but they resigned themselves to her choice and after earning a BA degree in Clothing and Textiles, Jen set off to take the fashion world by storm, only to discover retail was certainly not the glamorous career she’d imagined it would be. She moved to Buffalo, New York to take a job in the buying office of a large department store, learning all there was to know about cookware, which again, was hardly glamorous, especially to a girl who did not have a knack for cooking. She met her future husband, Al, a few months after taking this job and eight months later, they were married. After moving into management at another department store and working that for a few years, the company went out of business and Jen decided she’d had enough. One year later her son was born and Jen hung up her heels for good and concentrated on being a mom.




She began dabbling in writing when her son, then in elementary school, said he liked her made up stories as much as those in his books. It was then that she  fired up the computer and never looked back.




Jen loves to write humorous stories with quirky characters and a dash of intrigue and finds historical romances especially appealing, seeing as how she’s been reading them since she was a teenager. Her mother gave her a copy of Kathleen Woodiwiss, The Flame and the Flower, and Jen was hooked on the genre. When not reading romance, she loves to read mysteries, young adult and her favorite series of all time, Harry Potter.




Besides writing, Jen enjoys spending time with her family and friends.








ABOUT THE BOOK






Lady Eliza Sumner is on a mission. Her fortune was the last thing she had left after losing her father, her fiance, and her faith. Now, masquerading as Miss Eliza Sumner governess-at-large, she's determined to find the man who ran off with her fortune, reclaim the money, and head straight back to London.




Mr. Hamilton Beckett, much to his chagrin, is the catch of the season, and all the eyes of New York society--all the female ones, at least--are on him. He has no plans to marry again, especially since his hands are full keeping his business afloat while raising his two children alone.




Eliza's hapless attempts to regain her fortune unexpectedly put her right in Hamilton's path. The discovery of a common nemesis causes them to join forces and, before she knows it, Eliza has a whole retinue of people helping her. Eliza's determination not to trust anyone weakens when everyone's antics and bumbling efforts to assist her make her wonder if there might be more important things than her fortune and independence.




When all of Hamilton's and Eliza's best-laid plans fall by the wayside, it will take a riot of complications for them to realize that God just might have had a better plan in mind all along.



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



The Christmas Pony - Reviewed


















Book Blurb:

Eight-year-old Lucy Turnbull knew better than to wish for a pony that Christmas in 1937. Her mother had assured her in no uncertain terms that asking for a pony was the same as asking for the moon. Besides, the only extra mouths they needed at their boarding house were the paying kind. But when an interesting pair of strangers comes to town, Lucy starts to believe her Christmas wishes might just come true after all. 

My Thoughts:

Lucy has fallen in love, and not with a boy, with a pony. Smoky is a grey pony that is for sale and Lucy wants him in the worst way. Her mother has told her that asking for a pony for Christmas is pointless as they need mouths to feed, the paying kind. When Lucy runs into George and Veronica at the mechanic's shop she believes her prayers have been answered and Smoky is within reach.
I fell in love with Lucy. Her childlike heart is what we all long for especially at Christmas, dreaming and hoping for the impossible.
I highly recommend this book!  


“Available Sept 2012  at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Thursday, November 8, 2012

THANKSGIVING GIVEAWAY



For Thanksgiving I will be doing a Thanksgiving Giveaway. I will be giving away three books from my own collection.












Book Blurb:

Ingrid Larsen, a young Swedish immigrant, arrives in Michigan in 1871 to search for her brother who has disappeared into the woods to work the dangerous lumber camps. Destitute and barely hanging on to hope, she encounters a newly-widowed farmer who is struggling to raise five children on his own. Marriage would solve both of their problems, and so Ingrid proposes to a man she barely knows. She will fight to protect her new family--but the hardest battle of all will be winning the heart of her new husband.
Readers who loved "The Measure of Katie Calloway "will be pleased to find more of Miller's emotive and descriptive writing here--and to discover that love is more than words.













When Amish farmer Pete Treger moves to Paradise Township, Pennsylvania, seeking a better life, he meets sisters Cate and Betsy Miller. Both are beautiful, but older sister Cate is known more for her sharp tongue and fiery temper than her striking appearance. Betsy, on the other hand, is sweet and flirty--and seems to have attracted most of the bachelors in Lancaster County
However, the sisters' wealthy father has made one hard and fast rule: elder sister must marry first, before the younger can even start courting. Unfortunately for poor Betsy, and for the men who want to court her, her older sister, Cate, doesn't have any suitors--until Pete comes to town, that is.
Though he finds both sisters attractive, something about Cate's feisty demeanor appeals to him. Soon the other bachelors in the district convince Pete to court Cate. She hardly seems receptive to his overtures, though. Instead, she's immediately suspicious of his interest.













Fall in love with this cozy story about two people from different worlds. Franny Martin is an Oklahoma farm girl who's preparing to spend the holidays alone...again. Then Charlie Landau shows up one day, all wealth and polish, and offers to buy Franny's farm. Franny has no money to speak of, but she is clever and spirited, and she's more than happy to sell the farm and move to the city. As Sinatra croons from the radio and Christmas descends upon her charming farm, Franny teaches Charlie the curious and sometimes comical ways of country life. In the process, they unearth some discoveries of the heart--that sometimes love comes when you're least ready for it. Will the holidays bring their most impossible dreams within reach?

  To enter you must be a follower of my blog. 
Leave a comment with your email address. (at) and (dot) com are okay.

To receive extra entries you can tweet about this giveaway and then return and leave a comment with the tweet URL, and blog and leave a comment with the blog URL.

If you are not a follower, and do not leave a comment with your email address your comment will be deleted and your entry null and void.

This giveaway starts today, Thursday, November 8th and I will draw a winner on Thursday, November 29th.
I will draw the winner using a randomizer. The winner will have 48 hours after I contact them to email me their mailing address. If I don't hear from them within that time frame I will choose another winner.

Good luck!!!!
 

First Line Friday Featuring Riot (A Breed Apart: Legacy #3) by Ronie Kendig and JJ Samie Myles

  Happy Friday!! Welcome to the weekend!!! Today I am featuring one of my favorite authors, Ronie Kendig. I loved A Breed Apart series and I...