Hidden Affections by Delia Parr

I have really enjoyed the books offered by Delia Parr for a long time. This one as well.  Hidden Affections is on par with her other novels. It starts out with a bang, almost literally with Harrison and Annabelle handcuffed together in a shotgun wedding for her reputation's sake. It takes a while to unravel all the intricate details of the plot, but it is a rather satisfying journey.

I enjoyed the historical aspects of it, and I believe Parr has done a good job with the details of how the poor lived during the period. She captures the squalor as well as the elegance of turn of the century era.

The characters were developed very well, and the cousin was a nice surprise. Parr also does a nice job with depicting just how far apart the rich are from the servants. Storyline drags just a bit in the middle, but it picks up quickly after that so the read is a good-paced piece of fiction.

I give it 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Hidden Affections Bethany House (May 1, 2011) by Delia Parr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Delia Parr, pen name for Mary Lechleidner, is the author of 10 historical novels and the winner of several awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book. She is a full-time high school teacher who spends her summer vacations writing and kayaking. The mother of three grown children, she lives in Collingswood, New Jersey.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Betrayed by her husband, Annabelle Tyler wears the burden of legally being a divorcee, a difficult position for an upstanding young woman to find herself in.

While attempting to start a new life for herself, an unexpected turn of events once again has Annabelle married--this time to Harrison Graymoor, the most eligible, yet elusive, bachelor in Philadelphia. Harrison assures her that he will secure an annulment immediately, unaware that the constable has sent word of the marriage to the press in Philadelphia. And here things continue to go awry.

Harrison's past, a philanthropic cousin with his eye on Annabelle, and the appearance of Annabelle's ex-husband threaten the tentative relationship growing between Harrison and his "wife." For two individuals set against marriage, there are certainly a lot of second thoughts regarding the one forced upon them.

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

Marketing: Writing a Killer Product Description by Randy Ingermanson

So far this year, more than 25 percent of the e-books on Amazon's Kindle Top 100 list have been self-published. That's a remarkable percentage, and it means that writers now have a shot at the big time without needing a major publisher to take them there.

If you want to make that Top 100 list, you're going to face stiff competition. Every part of your book needs to work. Your writing needs to be top notch. You need a great cover. You need to price your book competitively.

And you need a strong Product Description. (When you self-publish a book, Amazon lets you enter a Product Description, which is similar to the back cover copy on a printed book. Traditionally published books usually don't have Product Descriptions on Amazon; instead, they have Editorial Reviews, if any are available. If not, then they make a Product Description from the back cover copy.)

Let me give you my own thoughts on what makes a killer Product Description. I've identified four basic principles that can guide you. These aren't strict rules that you must follow to succeed. They're rules of thumb.


The first principle is that less is more. You only have a few paragraphs to catch the interest of your prospective reader. Keep them short, and pack the good stuff up near the top.

If you can summarize your story in a sentence or two, you might want to lead off with that.  Here's an example from the Product Description for Amanda Hocking's novel SWITCHED:

"When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy discovers her mother might have been right."

The first sentence grabs the reader's attention right off the bat. Who wouldn't empathize with a six year old kid whose mother tried to kill her?

The second sentence jolts the reader with a surprise.
Is Wendy really a monster? If so, what kind? And . . .
how come she's lived to the age of 16 without knowing?


The second principle is that you need to lead with your strength. Is your book plot-oriented? Then lead with the plot of your story. If your book is character-oriented, then lead with character.

Here's a plot-oriented lead from the product description for John Locke's novel LETHAL EXPERIMENT:

"What if someone offered you $100,000 with the only stipulation being that a murderer would be killed if you accept the money? Would you take it? The people who choose to take it are about to find out the ramifications of their decisions to be part of this Lethal Experiment!"

That strong "what if" is intriguing, isn't it? It tells us absolutely nothing about the lead character (Donovan Creed). It tells us only the story premise. That's enough.

Notice that this Product Description simply assumes you'd take the offer. If you wouldn't take the money, then this isn't your kind of book. Then the Product Description sets the hook -- apparently, there are "ramifications." If you want to know what they are, you have to buy the book and find out.

Here's a character-oriented lead taken from the author's comments on THE PARIS WIFE, a novel about the first wife of Ernest Hemingway:

"Most of us know or think we know who Ernest Hemingway was -- a brilliant writer full of macho swagger, driven to take on huge feats of bravery and a pitcher or two of martinis -- before lunch. But beneath this man or myth, or some combination of the two, is another Hemingway, one we’ve never seen before. Hadley Richardson, Hemingway’s first wife, is the perfect person to reveal him to us -- and also to immerse us in the incredibly exciting and volatile world of Jazz-age Paris."

If you love character-oriented fiction, then this is your book. The above intro tells you nothing about the plot, everything about who the lead character is.


The third principle is that your product description should raise a "Story Question."

The Story Question is the question you want to raise in your reader's mind: How will the story end? The ideal Story Question is a "will she or won't she" kind of question. Here's an example from an Editorial Review on the Amazon page for THE HUNGER GAMES, by Suzanne
Collins:

"Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place."

Will Katniss survive, or won't she? That's the Story Question of THE HUNGER GAMES. Of course, the book is much deeper than that, but at it's core, it's about survival.

A good Story Question is phrased so that the reader knows it'll be answered by the end of the book. The above Story Question is elemental. Either Katniss will be alive or dead at the end.


The fourth principle is to use "social proof" whenever possible.

What is "social proof?" It's any evidence you can give that lots of people think your novel is good. Some examples of "social proof" are the phrases "award-winning author" or "New York Times best-selling novel."

One of the strongest pieces of social proof I've seen is this one, taken from the Amazon page for several of John Locke's novels:

"Every 7 seconds, 24 hours a day, a John Locke novel is downloaded somewhere in the world!"

That's strong social proof. If you do the math, that works out to sales of over 12,000 books per day.

Social proof means that you don't have to decide if the book is good. Somebody else has already figured that out. All you have to decide is whether you like this kind of book. If you do, then you know that it'll be good because all those other people can't be wrong.
That's the psychology of social proof.



Now it's your turn. Try your hand at writing a Product Description for your novel. Keep it under 200 words if you can, bearing in mind that many readers aren't going to read more than the first 50.

Remember the four principles that I outlined above:

* Less is more
* Lead with your strength
* Raise a "Story Question"
* Provide "social proof"


It's not as easy as it looks, is it?

Here's a homework assignment for you: Read the Product Descriptions of every self-published novel on the Kindle Top 100 list. You can do it in less than an hour, and you'll learn what you like and what you don't like.

Bear in mind that writing a Product Description is an art, not a science. You'll notice that some of the Product Descriptions on Amazon ignore all the principles I outlined above. Could you write a better one if you tried?

Your mission is to do exactly that for your own book.

The reason is simple.

If you self-publish your novel, the job of writing the Product Description falls on you.

If you work with a traditional publisher, you are almost certainly going to hate the back cover copy written by the marketing team. If you can do a better job, your publisher will usually be smart enough to take most of your suggestions. If you can't do better, then all you can do is grumble about what a hash your publisher is making of your marketing.

You might as well get started thinking about writing Product Descriptions now, because one way or another, you'll need to do it someday.


At the moment, there is one place to subscribe to this terrific e-zine:
http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 25,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Buy		Read

This book is quite a revelation and there is so much the little boy reveals that is entirely Biblical. It is so hard to fathom Colton experienced so much in just three minutes in Heaven. I know there are a lot of people who need affirmation as well as deep assurances that Heaven is absolutely for real, just as Jesus is for real, and the Bible is for real.

My faith is such that I do not need this kind of assurance because I have gotten all my assurances from Scripture. After all my God created the heavens and the earth. My God calmed the sea and walked upon it. I do not need the experiences of a little boy to assure me that Heaven is real for I have received that knowledge through the Holy Spirit.

I do not think we will have wings because John tells emphatically  that we will be like Jesus. He did not sport wings when He appeared to the 500 witnesses or even to the disciples in the locked room. However, I won't let that minor detail influence my awe at the knowledge of a little boy who died on the operating table for a few minutes especially when he is so strident in insisting a person MUST know Jesus before he/she dies. I agree heartily.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now I Walk On Death Row by Dale S. Recinella

I have read a lot of nonficition, and Christian nonfiction. I have not read something so moving or so compelling as this book since "Held Hostage" by Ken Cooper. Dale actually mentions Ken Cooper's ministry and the impact it had on those he was ministering to in his own ministry.

I have always known there are saved Catholics just like there are saved Baptists; and there are unsaved Catholics just like there are unsaved Baptists. Dale Racinella portrays the epitome of  a full blood, true blue Christian, saved by grace and doing the work Jesus had prepared for him to do before the foundation of the world.

When I read of those who minister to prisoners, I always think of Jesus teaching "When I was hungry, you gave Me to eat; when I was thirsty, you gave Me drink; when I was sick you visited Me, and in prison you came to Me..." loose paraphrase.

Dale Recinella had the courage to ask, "Did Jesus really mean what He said?" After a long walk, he received his answer which was an emphatic, "Yes!" He has been blessed through so many sacrifices as he and his family strive to do what Jesus said do.

I highly recommend "Now I Walk On Death Row". It will make you cry, it will make you laugh, and it will jump start you into believing Jesus meant exactly what He said, and deeply desires you to do what He said to do. I shall pray for this man because Jesus is using him in a mighty way to offer hope to the dying, and help to those who desire to meet Him. It takes great courage to do what Dale and his family are doing. I'm wondering if you have that same courage to ask, "Did Jesus really mean what He said?"

Five of Five Stars

ABOUT THE BOOK--

Inspiring Memoir in the Tradition of Born Again

As a high-powered finance lawyer, Dale Recinella was living the American dream. With prestige, power, and unthinkable paychecks at his fingertips, his life was perfect...at least on paper. But on the heels of closing a huge deal for the Miami Dolphins, Dale's life took an unfathomable turn. He heard--and heeded--Jesus's call to sell everything he owned and follow him. Thus began a radical quest to live out the words of Jesus--no matter what the cost.
In this quick-paced, well-written story, Recinella shares his amazing journey from growing up in an ethnic neighborhood in Detroit to racing through "the good life" on Wall Street to finally walking the God's path for him of ministry on death row.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR--

Dale S. Recinella has served for twenty years a volunteer chaplain and for thirteen years as a lay chaplain for Florida’s death row and solitary confinement. A licensed Florida lawyer for over thirty years, Dale also serves as vice president finance and planning for Christian Healing Ministries. He and his wife, Susan, have five children and live in Macclenny, Florida.

Marketing: The B-Word by Randy Ingermanson

This is an excerpt from Randy's newsletter which I HIGHLY recommend...

4) Marketing: The B-Word

Recently, I did an interview on the blog of Larry Brooks at http://www.StoryFix.com. One of the questions he asked was this one:

If you had an elevator ride with an aspiring writer who recognized you, what would you tell him is either the biggest and costliest mistake newer writers make ... or the best thing they can do for their skill-set and career ... or both?

That really got my neurons firing. Here's the answer I

gave:

______

New writers often fail to understand the importance of branding. When you attach your name to a novel and publish it, that's an implicit contract you're making with your reader: "I promise to produce more fiction like this in the future."

If you violate that contract, then your reader feels cheated. Even if your next book is fantastic, it's not what the reader was expecting.

This has nothing to do with being "typecast" as an author. It has everything to do with setting expectations and then meeting those expectations.

Let's say you go to a Chinese restaurant and order their "Buddha's Delight Vegi Plate." The meal is amazing. You tell all your friends about it. You come back a month later with your buddy and . . . that plate is no longer on the menu. In fact, all the Chinese food items are gone. Instead, you've got a choice between an incredibly tempting "Eggplant Parmesan" or an equally inviting "Chile Relleno."

Those are great dishes, both of them. But you came to the restaurant to have Chinese food! And that's exactly what you didn't get. No matter how good the actual menu is, the restaurant violated its implicit contract with you. And you're mad as heck. Rightly so. You won't go back to that place and you'll tell all your friends to give it a skip.

Consistency matters. Quality and consistency.

When we talk about an author's brand, we mean the set of expectations the reader has when they see your name on the cover.

If you don't want to meet those expectations, that's fine. Do the right thing and use a different pen name for that new, cool category you want to write.

Treat your readers the way you want to be treated.

They'll reward you for it.

______

That's a pretty long answer. Many authors hate the "B-word" -- branding -- because they don't want to be "typecast."

That's understandable. That's common, in fact.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes because he felt that his "literary energies should not be directed too much into one channel."

Eventually, public clamor forced him to bring Sherlock back for many more adventures.

Conan Doyle worried that the time he spent writing the Holmes mysteries "may perhaps have stood a little in the way of the recognition of my more serious literary work."

Can anyone remember what that more serious literary work actually was? Sherlock Holmes has trained several generations of young people to think logically. What could be more serious than that?

But what if you really can't be bottled up in one single brand? Then what do you do? Are you doomed?

Not at all. If you're running a successful Chinese restaurant and you desperately want to start cooking Italian food, the solution is simple: Open an Italian restaurant under a different name and sell some pasta.

Ditto if you want to open a Mexican restaurant.

The one thing you don't want to do is call them all the same thing. "Lotus Garden" would be a fine name for a Chinese restaurant. Not so much for Italian or Mexican.

A brand is a fairly squishy thing, but I like to think of it as a combination of three things:

* Your name.

* The associations people think of when they hear your name.

* The advance decision your fans make that "I want that author's next book, whatever it is" COMBINED with the advance decision your non-fans make that "I have read that author's work and I won't buy it again because it's just not for me."

If people don't know your name, then you have a weak brand.

If people know your name, but they really don't have any strong associations with it, then you have a weak brand.

If people know your name and if when they see your name on the cover of a book, they INSTANTLY know what that book is going to be about AND they know whether they want that book or not, then you have a strong brand.

So if you want to split your brand, the simple solution is to write under one or more pen names. You can make a big secret out of this or you can be totally open.

Either way, nobody will really care.

What your readers care about is that when they see your name on the cover, they know right away whether they want the book or not. Life demands enormous numbers of decisions from us every day. A strong brand is one fewer decision that your fans have to make.

If you write under multiple names, this will certainly mean that some of your fans are going to LOVE one of your names and HATE one of your others.

This is good. This means that you won't lose readers who don't happen to like everything you write. Your separate brands may lead to widely separate fan bases.

Have you defined your brand (or brands) yet? If not, you can get started right now. Bear in mind that branding is a life-long process, so you'll never really finish, but it's one of the most important things you can do in your writing career.

Here's how to start. For each category of fiction that you want to write, answer these questions:

* What author name will I use for books in this category?

* How many books do I intend to write in this category?

* What three things do I want people to think INSTANTLY when they see this author name in large letters on the cover of a book?

I strongly recommend that you use a different author name for each category.

The number of books that you intend to write in a given category will determine how much work you want to put into promoting the brand for that category.

The associations that you want people to make with your author name will define the length of your books, the quality of your writing, the type of art on your covers, and the publishers you choose to work with.

Branding is a painful process. It forces you to examine yourself closely, and that can be scary.

You can always soothe the pain of that self-scrutiny by going out to eat at your favorite Chinese-Italian- Mexican restaurant

_______________________

8) Reprint Rights

Permission is granted to use any of the articles in this e-zine in your own e-zine or web site, as long as you include the following 2-paragraph blurb with it:

Award-winning novelist Randy Ingermanson, "the Snowflake Guy," publishes the Advanced Fiction Writing E-zine, with more than 25,000 readers, every month. If you want to learn the craft and marketing of fiction, AND make your writing more valuable to editors, AND have FUN doing it, visit http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com.

Download your free Special Report on Tiger Marketing and get a free 5-Day Course in How To Publish a Novel.

The Alarmists by Don Hoesel

Here is a suspense novel that is written from a sociologist's POV, no wait, it's from the villain's POV, no wait, it's from the POV of a scruffy henchman who roams the desert. In other words, this is a bird's eye view of a story about the Mayan calendar ending on 2012 with a diabolical villain who actually wants the world to end; and it's up to Brent Michaels to figure out how it's going to happen.

Typical professor submerges himself in facts and details from seemingly random violent acts because the elite military group can't do it without him. The story traces across continents which is fun.

Hoesel does a great job with character development. The evil guys are evil and the good guys behave, but there is a quality within the characters that make them breathe the same air you do. You feel the desert heat, you feel the concussion from explosions, and you can taste the tea.

I seriously hate stories that jump from one character's Point of View to another character's POV. It is irritating to me and interrupts the story flow for me. However, this story kept me turning pages and that is a very good sign of a good tale told well. You won't be disappointed in it. I give it three stars out of five.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Alarmists Bethany House (April 1, 2011) by Don Hoesel


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Don Hoesel is a Web site designer for a Medicare carrier in Nashville, TN. He has a BA in Mass Communication from Taylor University and has published short fiction in Relief Journal. He was born and raised in Buffalo, NY but calls Spring Hill, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. The Alarmists is his third novel.


ABOUT THE BOOK

The 2012 phenomenon that's going viral around the globe has led sociology professor Jameson Richards to study the impact on society when, like the Y2K scare, 12/21/12 comes and goes with hardly a wrinkle.


This is the date that, according to the Mayan calendar, the doomsayers predict the world will end. Richards teams up with General Michaels, a scientist stationed at the Pentagon whose job it is to monitor the world's fanatics, keeping an eye out for potential terrorists. Together they uncover something sinister going on beneath the surface, linked to billionaire and media mogul Jeremy Maxwell, who also happens to be a huge manufacturer of weapons systems.


The 2012 date has captured Maxwell's attention too, and he's looking to cash in on the public's fear and paranoia. And what he instigates--along with his corrupt partners--nearly starts another war in the Middle East, while also bringing the world to its knees economically. It's up to the professor/general team to blow the whistle on Maxwell, hopefully in time to avert a major catastrophe.


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

Wolves Among Us by Ginger Garrett

The premise of this novel is intriguing and thought-provoking. We are embroiled into the middle ages' society of piety and witch-hunting zealots who are blinded by evil and malicious innuendo.

The characters are very well developed and completely believable. The hovels, the dirt, the plain food and clothes illustrate a world far beyond what we know today. The beliefs are so cursory the priests just say the words without reading the Bible everyday. How can one know God, if one doesn't visit Him, or read His word, or hear His voice in prayerful conversation?

The insights of this novel are still true today. We behave in the same manner as man did during the Dark Ages with suspicion, accusation without proofs, and the deep, underlying desire to "follow the crowd for approval". This story could have been contemporary, although the historic background is incredibly interesting. It's a keeper and I give it four stars out of five.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Wolves Among Us David C. Cook; New edition (April 1, 2011) by Ginger Garrett


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Ginger Garrett is the author of the Chronicles of the Scribes series (In the Shadow of Lions, In the Arms of Immortals, In the Eyes of Eternity), Dark Hour, and Beauty Secrets of the Bible. Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther was recognized as one of the top five novels of 2006 by the ECPA.


Focusing on ancient women's history, Ginger creates novels and nonfiction resources that explore the lives of historical women. A frequent media guest and television host, Ginger has been interviewed by Fox News, Billy Graham's The Hour of Decision, The Harvest Show, 104.7 The Fish Atlanta, and many other outlets.


A graduate of Southern Methodist University with a degree in Theater, she is passionate about creating art from history. Ginger resides in Georgia with her husband and three children.


ABOUT THE BOOK

This richly imagined tale takes readers to a tiny German town in the time of “the burnings,” when pious and heretic alike became victims of witch-hunting zealots. When a double murder stirs up festering fears, the village priest sends for help. But the charismatic Inquisitor who answers the call brings a deadly mix of spiritual fervor and self-deceptive evil. Under his influence, village fear, guilt, and suspicion of women take a deadly turn. In the midst of this nightmare, a doubting priest and an unloved wife—a secret friend of the recently martyred William Tyndale—somehow manage to hear another Voice…and discover the power of love over fear.


Dinfoil, Germany, 1538. In a little town on the edge of the Black Forest, a double murder stirs up festering fears. A lonely woman despairs of pleasing her husband and wonders why other women shun her. An overworked sheriff struggles to hold the town—and himself—together. A priest begins to doubt the power of the words he shares daily with his flock. And the charismatic Inquisitor who arrives to help—with a filthy witch in a cage as an object lesson—brings his own mix of lofty ideals and treacherous evil. Under his influence, ordinary village fears and resentments take a deadly turn. Terror mounts. Dark deeds come to light. And men and women alike discover not only what they are capable of, but who they are…and what it means to grapple for grace.


If you would like to read the first chapter of Wolves Among Us, go HERE

False Pretenses by Kathy Herman

MY REVIEW

The characters are fairly well developed, and except for two are believable. Kathy Herman has a terrific way of designing scenes where you can hear the dishes clinking, and smell the coffee and bacon or the gumbo and fresh bread. It brought back so many good memories for me. She draws a small town community in a loving way, and it is clear that somewhere along the way Herman has experienced small town living, and small town characters. Her descriptions capture the scenery and the mugginess of south Louisiana. It is definitely a vivid  experience.

However...

The back cover promises a terrific read; and Herman has written and published numerous novels, so you'd think this would be a "wowser", and yet somehow this particular novel falls a little flat. Perhaps I was expecting too much, or perhaps because this Cajun-flavored storyline doesn't ring true. The storyline doesn't flow well. Something happens--an event--then all the characters must talk about the event for a few pages and even a chapter or two, then another event, and the characters talk about it, and so on. It is studiously plodding in some parts, but other parts move along quite briskly. For the most part, to me it reads more like a soap opera drama rather than a suspense or finely crafted mystery. However, the end is completely unbelievable for me because I was expecting so much more from this novel.

The first part of my life was spent in Texas, and then we moved to Louisiana where I grew up. For twenty-six years I lived in Cajun country, so my saturation in the culture perhaps has clouded my judgment.

In Louisiana, I spent decades living with, being friends with, and conversing with Cajuns. There is no way a person who is born and raised in Texas can suddenly shed the Texas accent, Texas thought process, and Texas loyalty and suddenly change their name and become Cajun: a believable Cajun with a Cajun accent, and mentality. It would be like someone who grew up in Germany, speaking German trying to become a Southern Bell and speak Southern. Can't be done.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing False Pretenses David C. Cook (March 1, 2011) by Kathy Herman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suspense novelist Kathy Herman is very much at home in the Christian book industry, having worked five years on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and eleven years at Better Books Christian Center in Tyler, Texas, as product buyer/manager for the children’s department, and eventually as director of human resources.


She has conducted numerous educational seminars on children’s books at CBA Conventions in the U.S. and Canada, served a preliminary judge for the Gold Medallion Book Awards of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association , and worked as an independent product/marketing consultant to the CBA market.


Since her first novel, Tested by Fire, debuted in 2001 as a CBA national bestseller, she's added sixteen more titles to her credit, including four bestsellers: All Things Hidden, The Real Enemy, The Last Word, and The Right Call.


Kathy's husband Paul is her manager and most ardent supporter, and the former manager of the LifeWay Christian Store in Tyler, Texas. They have three grown children, five almost-perfect grandchildren, a cat named Samantha. They enjoy cruising, deep sea fishing, and birdwatching—sometimes incorporating these hobbies into one big adventure.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Zoe Broussard loves the life she and her husband Pierce have built in her beloved Louisiana hometown. She owns a thriving Cajun eatery in South Louisiana and is married to the love of her life.


But it’s about to become hell. One day, out of the blue, she receives a series of anonymous notes that sends her life into a tail spin. Five simple words, “I know what you did.” Zoe has a secret so terrible it could leave the business in shambles and tear her marriage apart. Unbeknownst to anyone, even Zoe’s husband, Pierce, she has a past—a past she had covered so well she never thought she would have to confront. How could anyone know what she did? Can she find the courage to face her past?


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

Vicious Cycle by Terri Blackstock

MY REVIEW

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times bestselling author, and she has tackled one of the leading problems our teenagers face today, actually two of the leading problems. Teen pregnancy and teen drug addiction.

Her sensitivity and love for those caught in this vicious cycle makes this story shine. I found myself praying for the young girl even though I knew this was "just a story". However, I know that so many girls fall into this trap and the web tightens until they strangle. Blackstock also brings home the point that anyone caught in addiction must actually want to be free from it before they can do anything about it; and that it is not just possible but doable when the outstretched hands of hope and help are grasped.

Blackstock also delves into the realm of environment shaping the behavior. I'm not convinced it is solely environment, although I strongly resist the thought environment never influences behavior. I've seen it too often the results the smoking parent, the alcoholic parent, the abusive parent create in their children. Not that it cannot be overcome or the lifestyle is not rejected, that happens very often as well. The psychology of it is extremely interesting to me, although Blackstock only subtly touches on it, so never fear that it interferes with the storyline because it only enhances it greatly.

Excellent read. I give five out of five stars.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Vicious Cycle Zondervan (February 22, 2011) by Terri Blackstock



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.


Besides entertaining her readers, Terri tackles issues that she hopes will change lives. Her recent book, Predator, was inspired by her experiences on Facebook and Twitter, and her concern that people posted too much personal information about themselves. The book deals with an online predator who uses social networks as his playground. She hopes the book will change readers’ online habits. Her New York Times best-seller, Intervention, was inspired by her own personal struggles with a daughter on drugs. In the book, a mother hires an interventionist for her drug-addicted daughter. But on the way to treatment, the interventionist is murdered, and the daughter disappears. Barbara, the mother, sets out to search for her daughter. Terri modeled Barbara after herself, and poured many of her own emotions and experiences into that character. As a result, many families experiencing drug addiction have written to thank her for telling their story and giving them hope. Vicious Cycle, Book Two of the Intervention Series, releases February 22, 2011. She’s currently working on Book Three.


Other recent books include a stand-alone novel called Double Minds, as well as Last Light, Night Light, True Light and Dawn’s Light (from her acclaimed Restoration Series). She is also known for her popular Newpointe 911 Series and Cape Refuge Series. Terri makes her home in Mississippi, where she and her husband Ken are enjoying their empty nest after raising three children.

Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.


ABOUT THE BOOK

When fifteen-year-old Lance Covington finds an abandoned baby in the backseat of a car, he knows she's the newborn daughter of a meth addict he's been trying to help. But when police arrest him for kidnapping, Lance is thrust into a criminal world of baby trafficking and drug abuse.


His mother, Barbara, looks for help from Kent Harlan---the man whom she secretly, reluctantly loves and who once helped rescue her daughter from a mess of her own. Kent flies to her aid and begins the impossible work of getting Lance out of trouble, protecting a baby who has no home, and finding help for a teenage mother hiding behind her lies.


In this latest novel of suspense and family loyalty, bestselling author Terri Blackstock offers a harrowing look at drug addiction, human trafficking, and the devastating choices that can change lives forever.


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


Watch the Book Video:

The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley

I admire Andy Stanley as much as I admire his dad. What an amazing understanding he has of godly principles.

The major problem I had with this book is the "getting to where you want to be" factor. Stanley words this in such a way that I'm arguing with him, "But what about trust? What about faith? What about wanting what God wants instead of what I wanted when I was sixteen?"

As he slowly explains what this discovery is all about and that it includes much more than a little trust in God (think David cutting Saul's prayer shawl zit zit), I finally understand the bottom line of this principle is letting go and letting God do His thing in your life and you will ultimately be exactly where God intended you to be all along. Embracing the principle helps you to avoid wrong turns and dead ends.

The trouble with this principle is that is makes perfect sense to mature Christians, but to the newbie Christians, or the immature Christians probably won't get it because trusting God is not as easy as it sounds.

I give it four out of five stars. A worthy read for teens and adults. Great life principles study.

We Be Big by Rick Burgess & Bill "Bubba" Bussey

MY REVIEW

I absolutely adore hearing stories about grown men getting right with God, listening to Him, doing bonehead things and finally bending their knees to the LORD God Almighty. That is what this book is all about.

Good writing, leaving in the aroma and flavors of real Southern talk. You walk with them through each step of success and each hard lesson learned. There is just something good about that. The back cover blurb is right on target and sets the scene very well for what you'll find inside the red covers.

I can just see the pretend radio station Rick Burgess set up when he wasn't even knee-high to a grasshopper. I can hear him doing a DJ thing, and I can hear his heart sing for Jesus.

This one is a five-star out of five. Well worth the money, and you can't go wrong with this one.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The story of two unlikely radio hosts and what happened when they followed their faith and instincts.

Rick & Bubba are the most unlikely broadcast stars imaginable, yet hundreds of thousands of loyal listeners start their day with them every morning. Beyond that, they break the biggest no-no rule for secular radio as they openly share their faith in Christ and their common-sense way of looking at the world. Now, in We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How We Became Rick & Bubba, readers learn how this unlikely pairing came about. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, this is also the highly personal story of two men who—like most of us—resisted stepping through the doors God opened for them, opting for the easier path when tested. When they finally decided to follow their instincts and their faith, though, not only did they became amazingly successful, but also a truly powerful platform became theirs.

A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell

MY REVIEW

Frankly, this isn't one of Siri Mitchell's best efforts. It does have charm and excitement as well as being an excellent period piece, but when an author has multiple character stories, character development is difficult to weave into an excellent plot and story line.

Mitchell takes the time to develop each character and to develop each plot, then weaves each plot line into the whole. However, just as you begin to care about the characters in one story line, you are drawn into another which takes considerable time to get all the ends tied together before the story can actually move forward. This results in a bit of confusion as to who the protagonist actually is, the one character which is the catalyst for the story in the first place. The story begins with one character and ends with a completely different character. For most readers, that doesn't matter, but for me it is not a completely satisfying ending. It is much like singing a cantata for Easter or Christmas that is beautiful through out most of the songs then the last note is sour. It just isn't as satisfying as it could be, nor what previous performances have promised.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Heart Most Worthy Bethany House (March 1, 2011) by Siri Mitchell


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.


But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.


Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.


Her ninth novel, A Heart Most Worthy, follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart (October 2008), Love's Pursuit (June 2009), and She Walks in Beauty (Apr 2010). She Walks in Beauty won the inaugural INSPY Award for Historical Fiction in Dec 2010. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.


Publishers Weekly proclaimed, "Mitchell delivers the historical goods."


ABOUT THE BOOK

The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.


Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.


Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?


If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heart Most Worthy, go HERE.