Finding Hope Through Fiction

2 Book GIVEAWAY - CHERRY BLOSSOM CAPERS by CARA PUTMAN

2012-02-23T09:27:00.001-05:00

CARA PUTMAN is a CAN AUTHOR that We are Featuring - Her new book CHERRY BLOSSOM CAPERS - She is giving away (2) Books.

I know that you are a lawyer by trade. As I read about the courtroom scenes and how your main characters were preparing for their cases I couldn't help but wonder how much of your experiences are included in your books? Are there certain areas of your job you can't talk about in novels? Do Tell!

Nora, that’s a great question. In Cherry Blossom Capers, Daniel and Ciara are both attorneys in Old Town Alexandria, VA. I spent my first eight years out of undergrad in that area. Ciara actually lived in my old townhouse :-) I didn’t practice law in Old Town, but I did clerk for a federal judge, so I used that for their backstory. And I incorporated the close relationship you build with fellow clerks and the judge into their story. I also incorporated my awesome paralegal as Ciara’s wiser mentor. Linda gets some great scenes and it was a delight to dedicate the novella to her. And I’ve had some domestic cases, like those that Daniel and Ciara were involved in though theirs weren’t too similar to any of mine.

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

I hope they get a sense that we can build community, no matter how big the city or busy your life. I also hope they leave the book with an “ahhh, what a satisfying romantic mystery.” They’ll get touches of what I love, too: Classic movies, Washington, D.C., and a great romance.

Can you give us a peek at what you are working on now? When will it be out?

I’m working on marketing for my books that release in April (A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island — a full-length romantic mystery from Barbour set on that beautiful Island) and May (a novella in Rainbow’s End, geocaching in the Ozarks with a twist of suspense.) I’m also working on a proposal with good writing buds Tricia Goyer and Sarah Sundin for a novella series set in the Heartland during World War II. I also have a World War II proposal I’m letting percolate before going over it one more time.

Thanks for stopping by Cara and sharing some book club experiences with us. Love hearing about your new book. I did enjoy reading your story in the Cherry Blossom Capers, it's definitely fun!

Thanks for having me here Nora!

-- Cara C. Putman
http://www.caraputman.com --- http://www.facebook.com/caraputman
Releasing in 2012: Cherry Blossom Capers, A Wedding Transpires on Mackinac Island, & Rainbow's End (all Barbour)
ACFW Publicity Officer Http://www.acfw.com

MANDATORY - You need to Answer Cara's Question to be entered into the drawing.

BELOW IS LINK TO DRAWING
CLICK HERE TO ENTERhttp://www.bookfun.org/group/tbcnfeaturedauthors/forum/topics/2-book-giveaway-cherry-blossom-capers-cara-putman

Last Day to enter Drawing is FEB 25th

********DISCLAIMER: Entering the give away is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws. Void where prohibited; odds of winning depend on number of entrants.

This giveaway is open USA only!! This giveaway is sponsored by the PUBLISHER and is in no way affiliated with Facebook or Twitter.
Winner will have 3 days to respond to email with your name and address - If we haven't heard from you another winner will be picked. LAST DAY TO ENTER DRAWING FEB 25th****

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org

10 BOOK GIVEAWAY - BLUE MOON BAY by Lisa Wingate

2012-02-23T09:07:00.000-05:00

THANKS to Bethany House Publisher for Sponsoring this TEN BOOK GIVEAWAY

LINK TO GIVEAWAY
http://www.bookfun.org/group/bethanyhousepublishers/forum/topics/10-book-giveaway-blue-moon-lisa-wingates-new-novel

LISA WINGATE BIO: Lisa is an award-winning journalist, magazine columnist, popular inspirational speaker and a national bestselling author. Lisa is one of a select group of authors to find success in both the Christian and general markets in mainstream fiction. Her works have been featured by the National Reader's Club of America, AOL Book Picks, Women’s World Magazine, Family Circle Magazine, and have been short-listed for various awards, including the American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Award, which her book Never Say Never won in 2011.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lisawingate

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Wingate-Readers-Circle/132187520154779

Blogging Mondays at: http://www.southernbelleview.com/

My website: http://www.lisawingate.com/

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

Booklist called Blue Moon Bay "A warm and expressive modern twist on the parable of the Prodigal Son, or, in this case, Prodigal Daughter." That's a pretty good nutshell for this story (I just found out that the book got a starred review from Booklist, by the way. If you heard squealing from Central Texas last week, that was me).

When Heather Hampton’s family falls into conflict over the sale of the family land, she is forced to return to the family funeral home in tiny Moses Lake, Texas to sort things out and deal with the unresolved wounds of her past. There, she meets a local guy, finds herself embroiled in a family mystery, and reconnects with the plain faith of her family’s Mennonite neighbors.

The last place Heather ever wanted to find herself turns out to be the place where she might reconnect with her family and find out where she’s meant to be. In addressing the ongoing mystery and working toward the sale of the land, she learns what we all have to learn in life—that we can’t hold back our love until people fit our pre-defined parameters. We can either love people the way they are or not love them at all. That is especially true among families. I hope that Blue Moon Bay will be a healing story for some families, and for others that it will strengthen the bonds that are already there.

On a larger scale, with every book, I hope to change people, to lift them up, to leave readers better off than I found them. I never want a reader to leave one of my stories feeling down, depressed, or hopeless. I want readers to leave with a sense of God’s grace. For me, if a story doesn’t bolster faith and create hope, it hasn’t done its job.

Every once in a while, I’ll hear from a reader who says, “Your stories make me want to be a better person.” That’s my goal in writing a story—to reinforce the belief that it is possible to reject the bad and cling to the good, that good is ultimately stronger. It’s not just my goal for the reader, it’s my goal for myself as a writer. Every story is an opportunity to grow and refocus the spirit, and show God working in both worlds—the one we imagine within a book, and the one we live in beyond the pages.

Contest starts Feb 23rd- 25th

ALL ENTRIES are at THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK. LINK ON TOP of this post.

Lisa has a Fun question for you to answer. You must answer the question to be entered into the drawing.

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

www.bookfun.org

http://www.bookfun.org/

2012-02-23T08:27:00.005-05:00

5 COPIES WILL BE GIVEN AWAY AT THE END OF THE MONTH - THANKS to B & H PUBLISHERS

Book Blurb: A federal judge lies bleeding on his office floor, betrayed by a most unlikely source—people who helped him bring criminals to justice. Now, why would someone working for the FBI need to disappear after witnessing this crime?

When Remington Wyatt sees her godfather’s murder, she recognizes the killers and knows it’s only a matter of time before they come to silence her. She must do the only thing possible to stay alive . . . run.

FBI agent Rafe Baxter is serious about his career, and solving a cold case involving a federal judge’s death puts him in line for the promotion he so desires. But the case leads him to the small town of Hopewell, Louisiana, where some secrets seem inextricably hidden deep within the bayou.

Injustice for All explores what happens when everything a person believes in is utterly destroyed. Who can you trust?

INJUSTICE FOR ALL
By Robin Caroll
Publisher: B&H Books (January 1, 2012)
Paperback: 352 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1433672125

Why write Christian Fiction? What is the draw for you?

The hope. I want to write stories that fill people with hope again. Hope that comes with eternal salvation that only comes through Jesus Christ.

Nora: I have enjoyed reading your books for many reasons but one of the main reasons is how you naturally weave a spiritual thread into the stories. It’s not preachy but very natural. I Like that so did the ladies in my book club. We also liked your well timed humor in the middle of suspenseful situations.

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

Nora: Oh, Robin. I’m in the middle of INJUSTICE FOR ALL – I really love this book. It’s suspenseful, fun and I like how you’ve written it. It’s not like your others but I like it. I can’t wait until the other books come out. They sounds just as good as this one.

THANKS ROBIN for stopping by and letting us know about your new series JUSTICE SEEKERS and about your book club experience!! Thanks for writing Christian Fiction have enjoyed your writing journey! Hope you can stop by again!!

EXCITING NEWS!

B & H is giving away FIVE COPIES of INJUSTICE FOR ALL!! You’ll want to mark your calendars for this giveaway FEBRUARY 23^rd – 25^th AT THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK.

This is the FIRST book in this series. Wow, what a start!! I highly recommend it. I do like suspense.

ROBIN HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU TO ANSWER TODAY!! MANDATORY - NEED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION TO BE ENTERED IN THE DRAWING for INJUSTICE FOR ALL!!

LINK TO ENTER CONTEST AT THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK http://www.bookfun.org/group/bhpublishers/forum/topics/robin-caroll-5-book-giveaway-injustice-for-all

********DISCLAIMER: Entering the give away is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws. Void where prohibited; odds of winning depend on number of entrants.

This giveaway is open EVERYONE!! This giveaway is sponsored by the PUBLISHER and is in no way affiliated with Facebook or Twitter.

Winner will have 3 days to respond to email with your name and address - If we haven't heard from you another winner will be picked. LAST DAY TO ENTER DRAWING FEB 25th****

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

www.bookfun.org

FREE EBOOK by JANICE THOMPSON - HURRY! GRAB IT WHILE YOU CAN

2012-02-23T08:11:00.001-05:00

This Ebook is FREE For a Few More days!!

Janice Hanna Thompson, Freelance Author

Announcing a New E-Book!

Happy mid-February, when all of those dieting promises you made on January 1st seem like a distant memory! I'm popping in today to tell you about the release of my light-hearted Christian dieting book, I MUST DECREASE, which is free on kindle for the next five days. Below, you will find a Q&A telling you all about it. Snag it while you can, and feel free to use the Q&A on your blog to help me spread the word. May HE truly increase as we decrease together!

Janice, can you tell us a little about your non-fiction e-book book, I MUST DECREASE?

Sure! As a comedic author, I usually write light-hearted stories. I'm known as the funny girl. I get the giggles and chuckle my way through most situations. Not everything is funny, however. When it came to my weight, however, I had very little to laugh about. Most of my readers didn't realize the health crisis I was facing as a result of the added pounds. I needed to get things under control, so I started counting calories and watching what I ate. Out of that came my non-fiction book, I MUST DECREASE (which released in paperback in 2005). The book is set up in a daily devotional format and it meant to bring humor (as well as dieting tips) to Christians who need/want to lose weight.

Can you tell us about the layout of the book?

Each day's devotion offers the following:

Ticklers: A humorous quote or "thought for the day" to tickle your funny bone.

Tidbits: A "Did You Know?" area offering tidbits of information from multiple sources.

Traps: Common misconceptions and/or food "traps" we often fall into

Tricks: "Tricks of the trade" to help you stick with your plan

Treats: Clever snack and food ideas for the healthy eater

Testimonies: Personal testimonies of others who've faced the weight loss challenge and won (including some prominent personalities)

Treasures: Daily scripture reference

Tips: Devotional for the day, based on the daily scripture above

Turning Your Focus: A variety of ways you can reach out to others

Today's Food Choices: A reminder to write down your daily food choices

Thoughts on Paper: Encouragement to keep a daily journal entry

Why did you choose the title I MUST DECREASE?

The title came as a result of a prayer time at church. I'd gone up for prayer and the gentleman praying for me used the scripture (John 3:30) as he prayed for me:

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

For whatever reason, it got me tickled. I'd never thought about that particular scripture having anything to do with dieting before, but it suddenly felt right as a title for the book.

Why did you choose the humorous approach?

Being overweight is nothing to laugh at, but most people who want to lose weight are tired of the serious, "Thou shalt not" approach. Many are ready for a lighthearted look at weight loss, so I created a practical but fun devotional that offers scriptural advice in a way that encourages and never condemns. I decided to share light-hearted ways that dieters could lose weight and still keep their humor intact. This way I could keep my funny bone engaged while losing weight.

I MUST DECREASE contains tips and testimonies from several well-known (and much-loved) Christian authors, including Mary Connealy, Lena Nelson Dooley, Martha Rogers, Kristin Billerbeck, Laurie Alice Eakes, Carrie Turansky, Marcia Gruver, Deb Ulrich, Gina Bishop, Pam Hillman and Lynette Sowell. I adore these ladies and am so grateful for their input.

Who can benefit from this book?

I would say that anyone concerned with his or her weight (or the weight of a loved one) could benefit from reading. Whether you want to drop five pounds or 150 pounds, this is the book to help you achieve that goal.

Can you tell us about the special feature?

This e-book version of my devotional contains a few of my favorite low-cal recipes. Bon Appetite!

What do readers think about I MUST DECREASE?

Here's what one Amazon reader had to say: "This Book Works! I loved this book. As soon as I started reading I was not only motivated to lose weight, but inspired that I actually could this time. I lost 39 lbs and feel free from the bondage that food can put you in. This is a lite-hearted book with biblical principals as well as helpful hints to rid yourself of unwanted pounds without "Dieting" or "Dieing" to eat. The journal pages have been so instrumental to my progress, do not read the book without using the journal section daily!" May 26, 2011 (by megamomma)

Why did you decide to offer the book for free for the first five days?

I love the kindle select program and thought it would be fun to jump-start the process by giving away the book from February 22nd - February 26th. Readers can download the book for free by following this link to I MUST DECREASE.

Can you tell us about your I MUST DECREASE Facebook group?

I would love to! More than a year ago I started a private group on Facebook for a handful of ladies (like myself) who wanted to have the camaraderie of fellow Christian dieters. The group has since grown! Men and women are welcome to join us, but if you do, be prepared to share recipes, fun tips and tidbits from your personal journey. What happens in I MUST DECREASE stays in I MUST DECREASE! That's why the group will always remain private. To apply to the group, follow this link to I MUST DECREASE.

What happens when the "freebie" days end?

The book will still be available for purchase on Amazon (and eventually on Barnes and Noble).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Award-winning author Janice Thompson also writes under the pseudonym Janice Hanna. She has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children's books and more. She particularly enjoys writing light-hearted, comedic tales because she enjoys making readers laugh. In addition, she enjoys public speaking and mentoring young writers. Janice is passionate about her faith and does all she can to share the joy of the Lord with others, which is why she particularly enjoys writing. Her tagline, "Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever Afters!" sums up her take on life.

Thanks so much everyone! To stay in touch with me, check out the following:

Connect with Janice!

Website: www.janicehannathompson.com

Facebook: JaniceHannaThompson

Twitter: booksbyjanice

I Must Decrease Facebook page

Forward this email

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Janice Hanna Thompson, Freelance Author | 1423 Laura Hills Ln. | Spring | TX | 77386

386

BOOK CLUB TALK WITH LISA WINGATE

2012-02-22T06:46:00.003-05:00

Lisa also spends time on the road as a motivational speaker. Via Internet, she shares with readers as far away as India, where her book, Tending Roses, has been used to promote women's literacy, and as close to home as Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the county library system has used Tending Roses to help volunteers teach adults to read.

Recently, the group Americans for More Civility, a kindness watchdog organization, selected Lisa for the National Civies Award, which celebrates public figures who work to promote greater kindness and civility in American life.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/lisawingate
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Wingate-Readers-Circle/132187520154779
Blogging Mondays at: http://www.southernbelleview.com/
My website: http://www.lisawingate.com/

BOOK CLUB TALK BEGINS

What have been the benefits to you in having relationships with reading groups?

I’ve enjoyed building relationships with many reading groups, and each of those connections has been a special blessing. In the ten years since my first book, Tending Roses, came out, I’ve even become an “honorary member” of a few clubs, meeting with them each year, as new books have been released. It’s a joy to see how those groups have grown and changed over time. Amazing connections form between people as they talk about stories. Friendships deepen, life happens, birthdays are celebrated, members join, members move away, members pass away and join the circles of book angels in heaven. It’s such a special blessing to spend time within those tight-knit groups, seeing firsthand how story bonds people together.

Where would you like to see your relationship with reading groups grow? How do you think your goals can be met?

I enjoy phone chatting with groups, and I’d love to do even more of that. It’s not always possible to meet with every group in person because of distance, and phone-in visits are a great substitute. Some days, I can be in Nevada for lunch and in Florida for dinner, via phone or Skype, and talk with readers who come from all sorts of different backgrounds.

Do you have a set size a reading group has to be before you'll talk to them on the phone or in person? What do you feel most comfortable doing?

For phone-in visits, I typically talk to groups of any size, as scheduling allows. In-person visits that require travel vary, depending on the distance and time commitment involved. In general, this is true for speaking engagements of any kind. If it’s local, I may drop by a meeting of fifteen to twenty people or so. When travel is involved for a book group meeting or a speaking event, we generally ask that the hosting group gather around fifty people or more. Having an author visit is sometimes a good excuse for the club to invite friends or potential new members.

Which type of book club meeting do you prefer? Why?

I really do enjoy both kinds of book club meetings. I guess if I had to pick one or the other, I’d say that in-person meetings are the most fun. Over the years, I’ve traveled to some wonderful locations for speaking engagements and book discussions, and been blessed to sit in on discussion nights filled with laughter, tears, amazing personal stories, and wonderful conversations that went late into the night.

What have you learned about your book and yourself from book club meetings?

Never Say Never won the 2011
American Christian Fiction Writers Carol award

I’ve learned that, as much fun as living in a story really is while you’re writing it, the story really isn’t complete until someone reads that story. Stories begin with the writer, but they take flight with the reader. I’ve learned how much writers really need readers and how much the reader’s interaction with the story causes that story to grow in new directions. Sitting in on book club discussions, you can’t help but realize that, as twelve different readers combine their own experiences with a story, it becomes twelve different stories. I love the stories that come back to me when one of the books travels out into the world.

Did you learn more about your characters than what you had originally intended? If so what?

I’ve learned that characters aren’t really just characters. For any imaginary life you can create, there’s someone out there who has lived it, at least in part. By extension, when we’re discussing stories, we’re not just discussing stories—we’re sharing bits of ourselves and our own lives. We’re rolling out our own issues, examining them, and gaining the perspectives of others in the group. Sometimes that’s easier to do, in the context of discussing a character in a book than it is in discussing our struggles in real life. I think this is one of God’s most beautiful ways of using characters. They really do walk us through an experience and show us what life looks like on the other side.

Have you been surprised by readers’ reactions to one of your books? Characters? If so, which ones?

Many times! I’m always surprised and humbled by readers’ reactions to the characters and their stories. I’ve been amazed at how invested readers have become in various characters. After my first book came out, readers emailed me for years asking what happened to the little girl in the book, Dell. Because of those letters, Dell became a background character in several more books, growing up little by little, until she could have a coming-of-age story of her own. After her coming-of-age story, people wanted to know if she would get married, and if she would have children, and so on. By the time it was all over, Dell was fully raised, and she had become the daughter I never had. I’m a boys-only mom, so for me, that was kind of a thrill.

I’ve also been surprised and blessed by readers’ reactions to the older characters in many of the books, like the spunky senior ladies in the Daily, Texas series, and Grandma Rose in Tending Roses. I love when people write to me and say, “That reminds me of my grandmother.” or “That made me realize that I need to write down my grandmother’s stories.” It means so much when readers send emails that say things like, “Thank you for helping me to see the fleeting of time, missed moments, and opportunities wasted. I pass a picture of my daughter, many line my hallways, wishing I had not felt the need to clean, when we could have played more, or squandered her in front of a television so I could rest. I have all the time in the world to rest now and I don't want it. So, now I do as your characters do; I pass my wisdom on to young girls I meet in book chatrooms who are young, frazzled mothers. I encourage them to rock the baby in their arms for that extra hour........dust waits; time does not.”

When you realize that you books are having an impact in the real world, that God has used one of your stories to change the life of someone you’ve never met, you can’t help but be awed by the marvelous attention to detail in every little life.

Has your book club experience - getting feed back from reading groups - helped you in writing future books? If so, how has it helped you?

Very much so! Not only is it valuable to know what readers enjoyed about one of my books, it’s helpful to know about other books the club has read and enjoyed. I find some of my favorite reads that way, and I learn more about what makes a book suitable for group reading and discussion. Ultimately, the stories that invite and foster discussion are the ones that live long lives in the reading world.

These days, many of my story ideas are inspired by readers and reading groups, as well. Often when I’m talking to readers, someone will ask about a character and want to know “What happened next?” Those “What if…” questions set my mind to wondering, especially when someone asks about a minor character in one of the books. Before I know it, I’m stepping into another story, and the process starts all over again.

What would you like to see in reading groups that you haven’t experienced yet?

benefit booksigning for the Gospel Cafe in Waco TX

That’s a tough question! I’m not sure there’s anything I would add to the reading groups I’ve visited. I’ve been blessed to sit in on all sorts of reading groups, from clubs that were formed in homeless shelters, to clubs for at-risk teens, to city-wide reading clubs who had their final meeting at an elaborate banquet. Each of those meetings was amazing in its own way. I guess if it were possible to bring dozens of readers’ groups together in one place and have a read-a-palooza, that would be wonderful!

What was your most memorable reading group experience? What made it so fun?

One of my favorite reading group experiences began when I received an email inviting me to be the speaker at the inaugural meeting of the McGregor Tiara Literary Society, ten years ago. I replied to the email that I would be delighted to come, and received a return mail giving me the time and place, and asking a simple, but slightly odd question—Will you be bringing your own tiara, or will you need a loaner?

Tiara Society founder's Day Float at the Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend book festival

I opted for my own tiara, because I was a little worried about what the loaner might be like. Arriving at the meeting of the Tiara Literary Society, I was greeted by a couple dozen lovely ladies in tiaras, and I was honored to participate in the founding of the club, including the election of various princesses required to keep such an organization running smoothly—including the Princess of Email, and the Princess of the Potluck list, and the election of the Queen Mum, the eldest member of the group, Miss Frances, who’d taught piano in town as long as anyone could remember.

My tiara and I actually became repeat attendees at the McGregor Tiara Literary Society, and I was even given the honor of being their celebrity rider on a float at Founder’s Day. I wasn’t informed ahead of time that I would be wearing an antique pink prom dress and singing Zippety-do-dah, but it was all worth it, because we helped to raise money for a new bulldog statue for the school AND gave the red-hat society’s float a run for their money!

Why write Christian Fiction? What is the draw for you?

Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend bookfest, 2012.

I’ve always written stories about spiritual journey. When I started writing mainstream fiction, the dividing line between ABA and CBA fiction was more defined than it is now. In 2001, when my first book was released by Penguin Putnam, faith-based stories in ABA fiction were a rarity, which made it an exciting, and sometimes challenging, place to be. Over the years, the markets have changed, and when I was given the opportunity write for Bethany House as well as Penguin Putnam, I jumped at the chance. My greatest desire as a writer is to create books that have the potential to bring Christian and secular readers together and generate discussion. I strive to create stories that will appeal to veteran Christian readers, but have the potential to bring in readers who have never tried Christian fiction, as well.

I believe that the written word, above all other media, has the ability to let us live into the mind, and body, and soul of another person. Story transports us—allows us to see through another’s eyes, think another’s thoughts, experience the world through the glass of another’s experiences. When we know how it feels to live within the mind, and heart, and body of someone else, we realize that everyone hurts, everyone struggles, everyone breaks down and gets up, then tries to put the pieces back together. We’re all products of our own experiences. When we feel the suffering and the triumphs of others, we’re better able to look at each other with the sense of grace God intends.

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

Here's a link to the video, a link to a "How to" blog post I did about how to do your own book club premier, and I'll attach a photo of all of us during the premier night:

The video:

Blog post about how to do your own book club premier:

http://southernbelleview.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-hold-your-own-book-club-premier.html

Picture of the group that met that night

THANKS SO MUCH LISA!! It's great to get to know you better and hear your hearts cry. Love your passion for Christian fiction and book clubs. Also enjoyed video of your book club experience. Exciting!

Thanks for taking the time to share and thank you for all the fun pictures. I'm excited about the book events you have coming up in the next few months listings of Lisa's schedule and other book events are at The Book Club Network.

If anyone is interested you can go to The Book Club Network http://www.bookfun.org/ and see Lisa and other book events listed on the front page.

BETHANY HOUSE will be giving away 10 copies of her New Book BLUE MOON BAY. Contest starts Feb 23rd and will end the 25th at TBCN http://www.bookfun.org/

I'm SO EXCITED about Lisa's New Book, the 10 book giveaway, and Book Clubs. I'm doing the Snoopy dance. Good thing you all can't see me!! Grin!

Until Next time!

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

http://www.bookfun.org/

IN TOO DEEP by MARY CONNEALY - FEATURED

2012-02-21T06:32:00.002-05:00

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingIn Too DeepBethany House (February 1, 2012)byMary Connealy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

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

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

ABOUT THE BOOK

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

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

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

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

Watch the book trailer:

NOTE: If you haven't read a book by Mary Conneally now is the time to do so. Her books are action packed and full of fun!! Check this one out!! I haven't read it yet but it looks like lots of fun!!

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

www.bookfun.org

FREE TODAY ONLY - CHASING MONA LISA - GRAB IT NOW!

2012-02-20T14:18:00.001-05:00

TODAY ONLY!!!
GRAB this book by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey HERE IS THE LINK
http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Mona-Lisa-ebook/dp/B005PQUWVG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1329688359&sr=8-3

FREE ON KINDLE TODAY ONLY!! ENDS AT MIDNIGHT!!

BOOK BLURB:

It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?
With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

AMONG FRIENDS CONFERENCE - ATLANTA THIS WEEKEND

2012-02-18T15:33:00.001-05:00

A friend asked me to attend the conference the AMONG FRIENDS CONFERENCE Friday night and Saturday. Wow, what a surprise I had. I thought I was just I was going to hear Kathy Troccoli in concert. I had no idea the WONDERFUL weekend the Lord planned for me. Not only did I hear Kathy Troccoli speak and sing but we heard Anita Renfroe speak, sing and make us hysterical laugh. OHMYGOSH!! I had heard her do the Mom song to classcial music but I hadn't heard her stand up and talk before. Oh, my, I haven't laughed that hard in a very long time.

Saturday was precious. It started out with Lisa Harper speaking about the Song of Solomn and what that passage means to her and a peek at what it could mean for us if we let it. I'll never forget the beginning part of that passage. Lisa has a unique way of talking about the bible. She brings it up to current time so you can connect with it.

Then Kathy sang and talked some more and prayed in preparation for Dr. Jeanne Porter to speak to us. Her talk was about the four men who ripped open the roof and lowered their friend down to meet Jesus. What a powerful message. I especially liked the fact that they left time for us to listen to God and pray for one another in the program. Kathy ended the session singing the song Take your Candle and Light your world!

It was a powerful and restful weekend. One I'll be replaying over and over as God once again showed me now much He loves me. He will never stop being there for me and Gives me surprises like this weekend. It's just the thing I needed!!

Two More Surprises - it was a treat to meet Jamie Grace and Victoria Jackson. Victoria Jackson has a new show she is doing on-line and Jamie Grace's CD out that is amazing. I LOVE it and so do my kids. It was fun to meet them. Anita Renfroe asked both of her friends to join her in a NEW MOM song she wrote. This time it's to Rap music!! Funny! Anita debuted her CLEAN Music video. HYSTERICAL!!

I highly recomment these Among Friends Conferences! Below are the women whospoke, prayed and were real with me this weekend. They let down their guard and shared from the heart. I found clips of some of the speakers on youtube. Enjoy!

Kathy Troccoli is celebrating 30 years of music and ministry in 2012! With numerous accolades and record sales reaching two million, Kathy has enjoyed 19 recordings, 17 number-one radio hits, 19 Dove Award nominations, 2 Dove Awards, and 3 Grammy nominations. Her last four recordings are self-produced including her newest release Hope’s Alive and her beloved worship CD, Draw Me Close.

A highly sought-after conference speaker and singer, Kathy has ministered to millions of women through various national conferences and was selected as one of the “Most Influential Christian Women in America” by Today’s Christian Woman magazine readers. Kathy is an award-winning singer, songwriter, speaker and author of numerous books including the bestselling Falling in Love with Jesus bible study series co-authored with Dee Brestin, Spaghetti for the Soul co-authored with Ellie Lofaro, Am I Not Still God? and Live Like You Mean It.

Kathy Troccoli holds a unique combination in the music and publishing fields. It is the diverse talents and circumstances in Kathy's life that stirs and captivates her audiences. She has allowed both successes and trials to shape her over the years, equipping her for a multi-faceted career. Kathy is intelligent, funny, and raw. She bears scars that have produced a powerful and insightful communicator.

Kathy has never been more fulfilled than she is now. “I am exactly where I am supposed to be. There is such freedom in that. Now I truly understand that my singing is just a part of what God has created me to do.” And what is that? “Encouraging, motivating, and inspiring – what a privilege.”

Featuring: Dr. Jeanne Porter

Dr. Jeanne Porter is passionate about the Word of God and helping women and men to discover and unlock their leadership potential. She is a Bible teacher, preacher, educator, author, consultant, and a popular conference and retreat leader. Currently serving on Pastoral staff for ministry development of a mega-church in Chicago, Dr. Porter has a heart for God and for people as she draws upon over twenty five years of ministry leadership and organizational consulting to bring her unique style and godly wisdom to churches and corporations.

Her writings focus on leadership and leadership development, especially as it relates to women and churches. She is the author of Leading Ladies: Transformative Biblical Images for Women’s Leadership and Leading Lessons: Insights on Leadership from Women of the Bible. Dr. Porter received both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, the Master of Arts of Theological Studies (with an emphasis on spiritual formation and leadership) from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and the Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Communication from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Featuring: LISA HARPER

Rarely are the terms hilarious storyteller and theological scholar used in the same sentence, much less used to describe the same person…but then again, Lisa Harper is anything but stereotypical! She has been lauded as a gifted communicator, whose writing and speaking overflows with colorful pop culture references that connect the dots between the Bible era and modern life. Her style combines sound scriptural exposition with easy-to-relate to anecdotes and comedic wit.

Now a sought-after Bible teacher and speaker, Lisa is currently featured on the Women of Faith tour and speaks at many other large multi-denominational events – such as Moody Bible, Women of Joy and Focus on the Family conferences – as well as at hundreds of church retreats all over the world. She’s been on numerous syndicated radio and television programs and was featured on the cover of Today’s Christian Woman.
She’s written nine books including Holding Out For a Hero and A Perfect MessShe also served as a key contributor to the Becoming Devotional Bible for Women and as a columnist for Today’s Christian Woman magazine.
Yet in spite of her credentials, the most noticeable thing about Lisa Harper is her authenticity. When recently asked about her accomplishments she responded with a grin saying, “I’m definitely grateful for the opportunities God’s given me; but don’t forget, He often uses donkeys and rocks!”

FEATURING: Anita Renfroe

Comedian and author Anita Renfroe became an overnight Internet sensation when her YouTube video of her singing everything a mother says to her children in a single day to the tune of “The William Tell Overture” in just two minutes and fifty-five seconds was viewed by millions. Renfroe was featured on morning and late night entertainment and news programs and resulted in her becoming a comedy contributor for Good Morning America.
With her unique brand of estrogen flavored musical comedy and blend of sass, edge and slightly offbeat takes on All Things Female, audiences at her comedy concert tours, viewers of her TV appearances and the YouTube masses would say she just says what everyone is thinking, but won't say out loud.

Anita is author of Hyperion release DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU: Kids, Carbs, and the Coming Hormonal Apocalypse. Anita has been featured in The New York Times, Readers Digest, Women’s Day and The Washington Post.

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THESE CONFERENCES AND THE AMONG FRIENDS CRUSE GO TO THEIR WEBSITE http://amongfriendsconference.com/

FREE Ebook - HURRY WON'T LAST LONG

2012-02-17T15:13:00.002-05:00

GREAT NEWS!!

Wanted to let you know Creston Mapes', book,
Nobody is a FREE download this weekend

on Kindle--

Yes, FREE! Make sure you download your copy. I just did!

Thanks all--oh, and tell your friends---you know, so they can tell their friends, and then they

can tell their friends! :)

Here's the link--
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006BG4QAC/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=wwwcrestonmap 20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B006BG4QAC&adid=0R9S2VFK4R5VZDGMV3D7

BOOK BLURB: They said, “He’s a nobody.”
They were dead wrong.

When reporter Hudson Ambrose hears an early morning call on his police scanner about an injured person at a bus stop on Las Vegas Boulevard, he rushes to the scene to get the scoop.

His world is blown off its axis when he discovers a murdered homeless man with a bankbook in his pocket showing a balance of almost one million dollars. Should he wait for the police, knowing the case will get lost in reams of red tape, or swipe the bankbook and take the investigation–and perhaps a chunk of the money–into his own hands?

With sirens bearing down on the scene, Hudson makes an impulse decision that whisks him on a frantic search for answers, not only about the mysterious dead man, but about the lost soul lurking within himself.

Uncovering bizarre links between a plane crash, a Las Vegas pit boss, a dirty cop, and a widowed Atlanta business mogul, Hudson is forced to find out: who was Chester Holte, what was he doing on the streets, and why are his homeless friends convinced he was an angel in disguise?

**NOTE**
This is a powerful and moving read. One you won't soon forget. It also makes a GREAT Book Club Selection. There was so much in this book to talk about.

HAPPY READING

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

THE WINGS OF MORNING by MURRAY PURA - SNAPSHOTS IN HISTORY

2012-02-15T06:24:00.001-05:00

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:

Murray Pura

and the book:

The Wings of Morning (Snapshots in History)

Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Murray Pura earned his Master of Divinity degree from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia and his ThM degree in theology and interdisciplinary studies from Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more than twenty-five years, in addition to his writing, he has pastored churches in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Alberta. Murray’s writings have been shortlisted for the Dartmouth Book Award, the John Spencer Hill Literary Award, the Paraclete Fiction Award, and Toronto's Kobzar Literary Award. Murray pastors and writes in southern Alberta near the Rocky Mountains. He and his wife Linda have a son and a daughter.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Lovers of Amish fiction will quickly sign on as fans of award-winning author Murray Pura as they keep turning the pages of this exciting new historical romance set in 1917 during America’s participation in World War I.

Jude Whetstone and Lyyndaya Kurtz, whose families are converts to the Amish faith, are slowly falling in love. Jude has also fallen in love with flying that new-fangled invention, the aeroplane.

The Amish communities have rejected the telephone and have forbidden motorcar ownership but not yet electricity or aeroplanes.

Though exempt from military service on religious grounds, Jude is manipulated by unscrupulous army officers into enlisting in order to protect several Amish men. No one in the community understands Jude’s sudden enlistment and so he is shunned. Lyyndaya’s despair deepens at the reports that Jude has been shot down in France. In her grief, she turns to nursing Spanish flu victims in Philadelphia. After many months of caring for stricken soldiers, Lyyndaya is stunned when an emaciated Jude turns up in her ward.

Lyyndaya’s joy at receiving Jude back from the dead is quickly diminished when the Amish leadership insist the shunning remain in force. How then can they marry without the blessing of their families? Will happiness elude them forever?

Welcome a powerful new voice to the world of Amish fiction!

Product Details:
List Price: $13.99

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (February 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736948775
ISBN-13: 978-0736948777

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Lyyndaya Kurtz straightened her back and looked up at the blue and bronze evening sky. It was that strange sound again, like a large swarm of bees at their hive, and it grew louder and louder. She leaned the hoe against the picket fence her father had built around the garden. Her mother, whose hearing was no longer very good, continued to chop at weeds between the rows of radishes and lettuce. She glanced at her daughter as Lyyndaya shielded her eyes from the slowly setting sun.
“Was ist los?” she asked, using Pennsylvania Dutch.
“Can’t you hear them, Mama?” Lyyndaya responded. “There are aeroplanes coming.”
Her mother stood up, still holding the hoe in her brown hands, and squinted at the sun and sky. “I don’t see anything. Is it a small one?”
“No, it’s too loud for just one aeroplane. Do you see, Mama?” Lyyndaya pointed. “Coming out of the west. Coming out of the sun.”
Now her mother shielded her eyes. “All I am seeing is spots in front of my eyes from looking into the light.”
“Look higher. There are—three, four, six—there are half a dozen of them.”
The planes were not that far from the ground, Lyyndaya thought, only a thousand feet, not much more. Each with two wings, the top wing longer than the bottom one, each plane painted a yellow that gleamed in the sunlight. As she watched, one of them broke away from the others and dropped toward them. It came so low that the roar of the engine filled the air and children ran from their houses and yards into the dirt road and the hay fields. They were soon followed by their mothers and fathers and older brothers and sisters.
Lyyndaya laughed as the plane flew over their house. A hand waved at her from the plane’s open cockpit and she waved back with all her might. “Can you see the plane now, Mama?” she teased.
Her mother had crouched among the heads of lettuce as the plane flashed past. “Ach,” she exclaimed with a cross look on her face, “this must be your crazy boy, Jude Whetstone.”
“He’s coming back!”
The plane had banked to the left over Jacob Miller’s wheat field and was heading back over the farmhouses while the other five planes carried on to the east. Its yellow wings dipped lower and lower. Lyyndaya’s green eyes widened.
“He’s going to land in Papa’s field!” she cried. “Where the hay was cut on Monday!”
She lifted the hem of her dress in both hands and began to run. The black kaap that covered her hair at the back, left untied, flew off her head.
“Lyyndaya! This is not seemly!” her mother called after her.
But the young woman had reached the old gray fence around the hay field, gathered the bottom of her navy blue dress in one hand, and climbed over, and with strands of sand-colored hair unraveling from their pins, she was racing over the stubble to where the plane’s wheels were just touching the earth. Others were running toward the plane from all directions, jumping the fence if they were spry enough, opening the gate to the field if they were not.
The aeroplane came to a stop in the middle of the field and when the propeller stopped spinning a young man in a brown leather jacket and helmet pushed his goggles from his eyes and jumped from the cockpit to the ground. He was immediately surrounded by the several boys and girls who had outrun the adults in their rush toward the craft. He mussed the hair of two of the boys who came up to him and tugged the pigtail of a red-headed girl.
“Jude!” Lyyndaya exclaimed as she ran up to him, the tan on her face flushed. “What are you doing here?”
“Hello, Lyyndy,” the young man smiled, lifting one of the boys up on his shoulders. “The whole flying club went up and I convinced them to come this way to Paradise. I wanted to see you.”
“To see me? You fly a plane from Philadelphia just to see me?”
“Why not?”
“But you were coming back on the train in a few days.”
“A few days. I couldn’t wait that long.”
Lyyndaya could feel the heat in her face as neighbors looked on. She saw one or two frown, but most of the men and women smiled. A very tall man in a maroon shirt wearing a straw hat laughed. She dropped her eyes.
“Bishop Zook,” she murmured, “how are you?”
“Gute, gute,” he responded. “Well, Jude, what is all this? Why has a pigeon dropped out of the sky?”
Bishop Zook was not only tall, at least six-foot-nine, but broad-shouldered and strong. He shook Jude’s hand with a grip like rock. The young man pulled his leather helmet off his head so that his dark brown hair tumbled loose. Lyyndaya fought down an overwhelming urge to take Jude and hug him as she had done so many times when they were nine and ten.
“I wanted the children to see the plane, Bishop Zook,” said Jude.
“Only the children?”
“Well—” Jude stumbled. “I thought perhaps—I might ask Miss Kurtz—”
“Ah,” smiled the bishop. “You want to take her up, as you flying men say?”
“I thought—”
“Are you two courting?”
“Courting?”
“You remember what is courting, my boy—you have not been among the English in Philadelphia that long, eh?”
Everyone laughed, and Lyyndaya thought the heat in her face and hands would make her hair and skin catch on fire.
Bishop Zook put an arm like a plank around Jude’s slender shoulders. “You know when there is the courting here, we let the boy take the girl home in the buggy after the Sunday singing. You remember that much after a week away?”
“Yes—”
“So your horse and buggy are where?” the bishop said.
Jude continued to hunt desperately for his words. “In the barn, but I wanted—” He stopped, his tongue failing him as the whole colony stood watching and listening.
The bishop waited a moment and then walked over and touched the top wing of the plane. He ran his hand over the coated fabric and nodded. “A beautiful buggy. Pulled by horses with wings, eh? How many, Master Whetstone?”
Jude was trying not to look at Lyyndaya for help, but did anyway, and she was making sure she did not look at him or offer any by keeping her eyes on the stubble directly in front of the toes of her boots.
“There are—” Jude stepped away from the crowd pressing in on him and Lyyndaya and turned around to look at the plane behind him as if he were seeing it for the first time—“there are—” He stood utterly still and stared at the engine as if it did not belong there. Then he looked at Bishop Zook’s thick black beard and broad face. “Ninety. Ninety horses.”
The bishop nodded again and kept running his hand over the wing. “More than enough. There is the problem however—if God had meant us to fly, Master Whetstone, wouldn’t he have given us wings, hm?”
He took his hand from the plane and looked at Jude directly. Several of the men and women murmured their agreement with the bishop’s question and nodded their heads. Most remained silent, waiting for Jude’s answer. Jude stared at the bishop, trying to gauge the look in the tall man’s blue eyes. He thought he saw a flash of humor so he went ahead with the answer he had used a hundred times in their own Amish colony as well as in dozens of the ones around it.
“Bishop Zook,” he responded, “if God had meant us to ride a buggy he would have given us wheels and four legs.”
“Ah ha!” shouted the bishop, slapping his huge hand against his leg and making most of the people jump, including Lyyndaya. “You have it, Master Whetstone, you have it.” He clapped his hands lightly in appreciation and a smattering of relieved laughter came from the small crowd. “So now take me up.”
“What?”
“As bishop, I must make sure it is safe for Miss Kurtz, ja? After all, who has ever had such a horse and buggy in our colony, eh?” He gave his hat to one of the men and climbed into the front of the two cockpits.
“I only have a little time before I must head back to Philadelphia—” Jude began, again glancing at Lyyndaya for help, who had gone so far as to raise her gaze to stare fixedly at the bishop and the plane, but still refused to make eye contact with the young man.
“Five minutes,” said the bishop with a gleam in his eye. “That is all I ask. I am not the one you are courting, eh?”
The people laughed again. The thought passed through Jude’s head that the bishop was enjoying a lot of laughter at his expense. Then he shrugged and climbed into the rear cockpit. He saw his father in the crowd and gestured with his hand.
“Papa, will you give the propeller a turn?” he asked.
“Of course, my boy.”
As Jude’s father, a tall, slender man with a short beard and warm brown eyes, walked toward the plane, Bishop Zook leaned his head back and asked, “Now, before the engine noise, tell me, what is the name of this aeroplane and where do they make such things?”
Jude handed the bishop a leather helmet and goggles. “It’s a Curtiss JN-4, the Jenny, and they’re usually made in Buffalo, New York. But our flying club outside of Philadelphia was able to purchase these at a very good price from our Canadian friends just across the border. They are built there by Curtiss’s Canadian associate, the Canadian Aeroplane Company, so we call them the Canuck.”
“But they are the same as the New York ones?”
“Almost. They have one great advantage. I use a stick, a joystick, to control the aeroplane in these. The old American ones have a wheel that is not as good.”
“Why don’t we put the stick in ours then?”
“We will. The next model has the stick, the JN-4D. But they have only brought it out this month. There are not enough of them. Besides, it’s 1917 and they are all going to the army. Civilian clubs will not be able to purchase them while the war is on.”
Jude’s father, in his brown summer shirt and straw hat, was standing in front of the plane and smiling. Jude played with a switch on the control panel in his cockpit. Then he pulled down his goggles and smiled back at his father and made a circle in the air with his hand. His father nodded, put both hands on the top blade of the wooden propeller, and swung it downward. The engine coughed twice and roared. His father’s hat went spinning into the sky with the prop wash.
“Contact,” Jude said loudly. “Please buckle on your harness, Bishop Zook.”
“Ah. So we truly do have something in common with the horses.”
Jude’s father had caught up with his hat. He looked back at his son and pointed east. Jude turned the plane in that direction.
“What is your father telling us?” shouted Bishop Zook.
“The direction the wind or breeze is coming from. We take off into the wind.”
“Why?”
“It gives us lift to help get the aeroplane off the ground.”
The craft moved ahead, slowly bouncing over the field, then gathering speed and rising into the air. Jude took it to a thousand feet and made sure he flew over the entire town of Paradise and especially the bishop’s dairy farm on the west end. The sun was still an hour or two over the horizon and covered the plane in light. The bishop began to laugh and slapped one of his hands against the side of the Jenny.
“Too beautiful, too beautiful,” Jude heard him call out. “Mein Gott, what a gift you have given the birds, such a gift, such a world.”
When they landed again and the propeller had spun down to a stop, Bishop Zook climbed out, pumped Jude’s hand like an excited boy, and then beckoned to Lyyndaya.
“Come, come, my dear,” he smiled, “your buggy awaits.”
Feeling every eye on her, the skin of her face burning, she stepped up to the plane and the bishop helped her into the front cockpit. She used one hand to manage her dress and the other to grab onto parts of the plane. When she was finally in her seat, the bishop gave her the helmet and goggles and showed her how to tighten the buckles of the shoulder harnesses. Then he walked to the front of the plane and bent his head at Jude’s father.
“May I?”
Jude’s father stood back from the propeller. “Of course.”
“I just pull it downward?”
“Ja, just a sharp tug and then let it go. Do not hold on.”
“Yes, yes, all right—when?”
“My son will tell you.”
Lyyndaya sat in her cockpit feeling an odd mixture of embarrassment, excitement, and fear. Suddenly Jude’s hand squeezed her left shoulder from behind.
“You will be all right, Lyyndy Lyyndy Lou,” he said.
She could not turn all the way around to see him, but she knew he would be smiling just as his use of the childhood nickname had made her smile as well. Now, ten years later, without having had a chance to discuss it between themselves, the plane ride had become a buggy ride and they were courting, thanks to Bishop Zook. Well, it would give them something to talk about besides the weather and the crops when he came back to Lancaster County from Philadelphia in a few days.
She could not see what Jude was doing, but the bishop all of a sudden nodded, swung down on the propeller with his enormous hands and arms, and the engine burst into life. They began to roll across the ground faster than she had ever traveled in anything before, faster than galloping her mare, Anna, bareback. She felt her heart hammering and her mouth go dry.
“Hang on!” shouted Jude.
The wind was rushing against her face and body. The earth streamed past brown and green. The sky was a streak of blue and silver. Then the plane lifted into the air and her stomach seemed to turn inside out and upside down. She looked down and the men and women and children were like dolls and the wagons like toys and the houses like tiny boxes. Suddenly the plane banked to the right and she felt herself falling out of her seat. The leather flying helmet, unfastened, was torn from her head, her hair exploded in the rush of air, and as her arms dropped over the side into empty space she could not stop herself and started to scream.

***NOTE** I didn't sign up for this tour but this book has caught my eye and by the sounds of the first chapter I might have new boook added to my wish list!! I wanted to share my new find with you all!!

Blessings

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org

MORNINGS WITH JESUS DEVOTIONAL REVIEWED

2012-02-14T07:03:00.000-05:00

MORNINGS WITH JESUS 2012

Daily Encouragment for your soul
366 Devotions

by Judy Baer
Gwen Ford Faulkenberry
Tricia Goyer
Sharon Hinck
Heri Wyatt Kent
Erin Keeley Marshall
Camy Tang

Book Blurb: “Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 365 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives.

JUDY BAER

Judy was born on a farm and grew up in the prairies of North Dakota. She graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, with majors in English and education and a minor in religion. At the time, she was simply studying what interested her but now realizes that she was educating herself for her future career as a Christian writer. Judy is married, lives in Minnesota, and has two daughters and three stepchildren. She is the author of more than seventy-five books.

GWEN FORD FAULKENBERRY

Gwen lives and writes in the mountains of Ozark, Arkansas. She and her husband, Stone, have three children. Gwen teaches English at Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus and is the author of two novels and three devotional books. Gwen loves to connect with her readers, so check out her Facebook page at Gwendolann Adell Ford Faulkenberry.

TRICIA GOYER

This best-selling and award-winning author has written more than twenty-seven books. Tricia’s intention is to serve ordinary women by encouraging extraordinary things with God’s help. In addition to writing, she enjoys sharing Jesus’ love through volunteering as a mentor for teenage moms in her community and ministering in the Czech Republic on regular missions trips. Tricia and her husband, John, have four children and live in Arkansas. You can find out more about Tricia at http://www.triciagoyer.com/

Sharon is a wife and a mother of four with a master of arts in communications. She loves spending mornings—and all day—with Jesus. Her award-winning novels explore ordinary women on extraordinary faith journeys. She welcomes visitors to her Web site at http://www.sharonhinck.com/.

KERI WYATT KENT

Keri is the author of many devotionals, including Simple Compassion and Oxygen. She writes and speaks to help people slow down, simplify, and rest so that they can listen to God. She’s a member of Willow Creek Community Church, where she has taught, led groups and volunteered in a variety of ministries for more than two decades. She and her husband, Scot, live with their teenage son and daughter in Illinois.

ERIN KEELEY MARSHALL

Erin is the author of Navigating Route 20-Something and The Daily God Book. She was raised in Chicago’s western suburbs and graduated from Taylor University in Indiana. In her spare time, Erin enjoys exercise, outdoor activities, lake living, decorating, traveling, reading and hanging out with her husband, Steve, and their two children, Paxton and Calianne. You can find Erin on Facebook, Twitter and at her blogging home http://www.erinkeeleymarshall.com/

CAMY TANG

Camy grew up in Hawaii and now lives in San Jose, California, with her husband and her rambunctious mutt, Snickers. She is a staff worker for her church youth group and leads one of the Sunday worship teams. Camy has authored many novels. Visit her Web site at www.camytang.com to read short stories and to subscribe to her quarterly newsletter.

Get to know our Mornings with Jesus 2012 writersShare.These thoughtful writers are mature in their faith and are sincere about sharing their reflections, struggles and joys with you as you draw even closer to Jesus!

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"Like" today's devotion and get FREE shipping when you order Mornings with Jesus 2012!

REVIEW: Mornings with Jesus

Daily Encouragement for your soul

By Judy Baer, Gqen Ford Faulkerbery, Tricia Goyer, Sharon Hinck, Keri Wyatt Kent, Camy Tang, and Erin Keeley Marshall
366 Devotionals

Book Blurb: “Be still and know that I am God.” is one of the most beautiful verses from the Bible, but it’s not easy to practice in this busy world. Mornings with Jesus will help you do just that—“be still” in Jesus’ beautiful and powerful presence. For those who are seeking a deeper experience in their relationship with Christ, Mornings with Jesus offers a fresh perspective of who Jesus is (the Healer, the Son of God, the Comforter, the Good Shepherd) and what that means for day-to-day life. With a warm and friendly voice, 365 short devotional writings on the character and teachings of Jesus encourage readers to greet each day by drawing near to Him and inviting His presence into their day. Spend time with Jesus at the beginning of each day and experience His nearness and peace in a new way throughout the year. Each day’s selection includes: • a Bible verse • an entry based on Jesus: His words, miracles, and parables; His wisdom, compassion, and comfort; His mystery, power, divinity, and humanity • a “faith step” that will inspire and challenge readers to apply the day’s message to their lives

Review: I’ve really enjoyed this devotional book for a couple of reasons. First it’s a compilation of writers whose books I’ve read. I’ve enjoyed their Christian Fiction books very much.

Each devotional starts out with a scripture passage. A storm, funny event, or thought from the authors’ life that brings home the message of the scripture and how they saw it in their life or someone else’s life or situation they encountered.
At the end of the message there is a Faith Step – it’s a little something the reader can do to take a step closer in their journey with Jesus. It helps the reader make the journey personal and real.

I’ve enjoyed getting to know the heart of these authors and at the same time the devotion hits at the heart of scripture and has been what I needed to start my day focusing on Jesus and the word. I was pleasantly surprised at how much each author packed into a one page devotion. Wow! It’s encouraging, honest, thoughtful and real. I love it. I’m thankful for the review copy of this book. I highly recommend it.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org

SIXTY ACRES and a BRIDE by REGINA JENNINGS

2012-02-13T06:29:00.000-05:00

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingSixty Acres and a BrideBethany House (February 1, 2012)byRegina Jennings

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A Word from Regina:
See me laughing. That’s what I do when someone calls me an author. Yes, it’s always been my dream, but I still can’t keep from giggling over it.

Other things I am – a Christ-follower, a wife, a homeschooling mother of four, a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University, and a voracious reader.

Getting reading time isn’t easy. Seems like my family does more than our share of traveling. My husband is an insurance adjuster (I know, save the hate mail) and travels with the catastrophe team often. That’s allowed us to see a lot of the United States. True many times it’s in the middle of a hurricane or blizzard, but after spending three weeks in a hotel room with six people, you’ll brave anything to get out and see the sights – no matter how damaged they might be.

We also serve on the Missions Team at an amazing church, so we break out the passports frequently. Highlights include singing at a leper colony in India, holding church inside a Mexican prison and showing the Jesus film to a tribe in Senegal who’d never heard the gospel.

But I don’t have to go far away for unusual. My family provides plenty of colorful material with their love for practical jokes, pithy observations and strong agricultural roots. Because of the family business, a significant chunk of my life has been spent at sale barns and auctions – often behind the scales where I weigh pigs. I like to think of myself as a “redneck bluestocking” but I brought an entire marketing team’s discussion to a screeching halt when I said those words, so you didn’t hear it from me.

When I have spare time I love to talk books and quirky characters (real and fictional).

ABOUT THE BOOK

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa can't keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can't help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Sixty Acres and a Bride, go HERE.

NOTE:; I'm not quite done with this book yet. I didn't want to rush to post a review. But so far so good. I'll have a full review soon.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

INSPIRED DESIGN by Roxanne & Hannah Parkham REVIEWED

2012-02-12T15:30:00.002-05:00

INSPIRED DESIGN
By Roxanne Hughs Parkham and Hannah Parkham

Mark Lohman Photographer
Publisher Inspired Design Publications, Inc.
ISBN# 978-0984456307
150 Pages

Book Blurb: Drawing from the highly-published designs she's created for hundreds of clients, Packham will inspire you to create a home that touches the souls of those within. Amid Stunning photography, stories of treasured family traditions and poignant observations by 16 year old daughter Hannah, she shares ideas that will help you create beauty, warmth and passion in your home, and make it an inspired design

Written by Grand daughter of Allan Adler, noted American silversmith, and Great Granddaughter of Porter George Blanchard, also known as "silversmith to the stars", Packham's history and knowledge of silver and flair for table settings prove to be a winning combo.

Ideas for Sentimental Parties, and occasions’ for teenage girls, and mothers & others, Celebrating friends & friendship. Inspirational for incorporating family history, talents, and passions into the design of the family home.

REVIEW: Decorating! So many things come to mind when you say that word. Overwhelming is the word that hits me most when I hear it mention. I’m very thankful to have received a review copy of Inspired Design, a book that breaks down the process of decorating a house to make it a home, stress free and creatively.

Roxanne Packham is an acclaimed interior designer whose classic designs grace 100’s of California homes from San Francisco to San Diego. Roxanne and her daughter Hannah have blended their talents together to create a book that will inspire you to create “a feeling of warmth and love that touches the soul of those within, as well as all who walk through your doors….Beautiful heart-beautiful home.”

Roxanne shares her family traditions and how they have been in the design business for generations. Hannah shares her feelings about how setting a table for special events has meant so much to her and many guests they’ve entertained.

Mark Lohman does an amazing job of illustrating and taking pictures of houses and tables Roxanne has designed. The book is filled with ideas to create beauty, warmth and passion in your home. She also goes into detail about how to have your home fit your personality, radiate who you are and make it uniquely yours.

Both Hannah and Roxanne have said, “ Do not underestimate the power of your home, nor the ability to change lives…A welcoming smile, a cup of hot tea and a hour in a cozy nook spent listening to a friend can be life altering.” So, true.

I liked how they view life, “when you find what you love in life, it’s more enjoyable.” You can tell these ladies love design, family and creating.

This book is about design and so much more. Roxanne takes the time to explain the value of things we can’t buy that make people feel welcome and loved. This is so important. We are in an age where it seems everyone is plugged into a computer, ipad, Iphone or some other electronic devise playing in their virtual world not noticing the beautify around them. People have lost the art of face to face interaction or never new it in the first place.

Roxanne hits on something very simple and powerful when she says, “Touching all of the 5 senses sends the message that you have eagerly awaited your guest’s arrival and that they are truly welcome in your home.” She describes some basic things everyone can do and it doesn’t cost a lot of money. Her motto is “Keep it Simple.”

This helped me not feel overwhelmed with the topic of decorating when Hannah said, “Designing and decorating a home is not an overnight project. Textured layering is the process.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it so well, “The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it!”

While creating this book together this mother/daughter team started a ministry called Inspired 31. This ministry inspires teenage girls and their mom’s to find and follow God’s path for their life.

Not only is this book beautiful to look at its very inspirational for the mind and the soul. We live life on high speed and don’t often take the time to enjoy the little things. Roxanne and Hannah show you how to create a gorgeous home, keep it simple and how to cherish time with family and friends. I’m inspired to create a home that is beautiful and a home filled with warmth and beauty I can’t buy.

I highly recommend this book as an inspiring gift book and also to someone who wants ideas for decorating. ALL the proceeds of this book go to an organization near and dear to the authors’ hearts! The ministry is in Romania, and it’s called Heart of Hope Ministry. This group helps orphans and the area food pantries in Romania. This is a book you’ll be sharing with friends and family. I’m sure. I know I will!

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY - INJUSTICE FOR ALL ROBIN CAROLL

2012-02-11T07:25:00.005-05:00

5 COPIES WILL BE GIVEN AWAY AT THE END OF THE MONTH AT THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK http://www.bookfun.org/

INJUSTICE FOR ALL
By Robin Caroll

Publisher: B &H Books (January 1, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1433672125
Paperback: 352 pages

Book Blurb: A federal judge lies bleeding on his office floor, betrayed by a most unlikely source—people who helped him bring criminals to justice. Now, why would someone working for the FBI need to disappear after witnessing this crime?
When Remington Wyatt sees her godfather’s murder, she recognizes the killers and knows it’s only a matter of time before they come to silence her. She must do the only thing possible to stay alive . . . run.

FBI agent Rafe Baxter is serious about his career, and solving a cold case involving a federal judge’s death puts him in line for the promotion he so desires. But the case leads him to the small town of Hopewell, Louisiana, where some secrets seem inextricably hidden deep within the bayou.
Injustice for All explores what happens when everything a person believes in is utterly destroyed. Who can you trust?

What have been the benefits to you in having relationships with reading groups?

I LOVE connecting with other readers. For me, the biggest benefit is hearing how readers connected with my characters and the story. Sometimes, their perceptions surprise and truly move me.

Where would you like to see your relationship with reading groups grow? How do you think your goals can be met?

I would like to encourage groups to understand how accessible I want to be to them. I call in to book clubs, will Skype with them, try to visit them when possible. If I can't, I try to send some bookmarks and items beforehand.

Do you have a set size a reading group has to be before you'll talk to them on the phone or in person? What do you feel most comfortable doing?

I don't have a set size because I like to chat with readers period. Sometimes because of my location or schedule, visiting in person is impossible, but I've called in, Skyped, even online chatted.

Which type of book club meeting do you prefer? Why?

The book club I most enjoy meeting are ones who truly enjoy reading inspirational fiction, although, I've had several fun connections from groups where I was their first inspirational selection.

What have you learned about your book and yourself from book club meetings? If so, what?

I've learned to be more relaxed with book club members as a whole. I much prefer the casual setting where we are literally visiting than a "classroom" style bookclub.

Did you learn more about your characters than what you had originally intended? If so what?

My characters are constantly surprising me. I do very in-depth interviews prior to writing, but even then, I've been surprised.

Have you been surprised by readers’ reactions to one of your books? Characters? If so, which ones?

I've actually had a reader tell me that one of my characters who became saved despite the past I'd created, helped her accept God's forgiveness. THAT's the best part of writing to me.

Has your book club experience - getting feed back from reading groups - helped you in writing future books? If so, how has it helped you?

I've had a lot of suggestions of what they'd like to see in a "sequel" come up. LOL

Nora: It was a blast talking to you at Finding Hope Book Club. You spoke to both groups separately – what different conversations we had. Grin! I know that a few of the Monday night book club had plans for a whole series you could write! Grin!

It was also great fun learning about your and how you know so much about guns and things. Seems a few ladies in my group like to go shooting with their husbands too! As a book club member having the author speak to the group brings richness to the story and a depth to the writing that always pleasantly surprises me! Grin! Thanks for doing what you do!!

What would you like to see in reading groups that you haven’t experienced yet?
One thing I'm working on implementing in the future are video discussions of my books available for download off my website. We're working to get that in place before the end of 2012.

Nora: Oh, Robin let us know when that is available. I’d love for you to post a few of those at The Book Club Network so the books club members and leaders could tape into how much fun you are at book club and how suspenseful and fun your books are. Grin!

What was your most memorable reading group experience? What made it so fun?

One group planned a "theme" meeting for the night I was scheduled. They had finger foods and decorations and all sorts of really cool things of Louisiana, where my story was set. We had a blast!

Why write Christian Fiction? What is the draw for you?

The hope. I want to write stories that fill people with hope again. Hope that comes with eternal salvation that only comes through Jesus Christ.

Nora: I have enjoyed reading your books for many reasons but one of the main reasons is how you naturally weave a spiritual thread into the stories. It’s not preachy but very natural. I Like that so did the ladies in my book club. We also liked your well timed humor in the middle of suspenseful situations.

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

I hope they realize that everyone is human and sinners, even the ones we hold in higher esteem.

Can you give us a peek at what you are working on now? When will it be out?

I just turned in the last book in the Justice Seekers series. It's about Maddie Baxter...and Nick Hagar. The second book in the series, TO WRITE A WRONG, releases in September and STRAND OF DECEPTION releases in February 2013.

Nora: Oh, Robin. I’m in the middle of INJUSTICE FOR ALL – I really love this book. It’s suspenseful, fun and I like how you’ve written it. It’s not like your others but I like it. I can’t wait until the other books come out. They sounds just as good as this one.

THANKS ROBIN for stopping by and letting us know about your new series JUSTICE SEEKERS and about your book club experience!! Thanks for writing Christian Fiction have enjoyed your writing journey! Hope you can stop by again!!

EXCITING NEWS!

B and H is giving away FIVE COPIES of INJUSTICE FOR ALL!!

You’ll want to mark your calendars for this giveaway FEBRUARY 23^rd – 25^th AT THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK http://www.bookfun.org/

This is the FIRST book in this series. Wow, what a start!! I highly recommend it. I do like suspense.

Until later

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

READ IN THE BATHTUB DAY

2012-02-09T20:47:00.006-05:00

February 9th is "Read in the Bathtub" Day

Take a Break
By Linda Gilden

I held the dripping book by one corner. Water poured from between its pages. How could that have happened? Until this moment I had never even gotten a cover wet.

For years the bathtub has provided my favorite literary getaway. Preparation for bath time means gathering the essentials: a glass of cold water, one towel for drying, a small one for drying hands occasionally, a flashlight, eyeglasses (a fairly recent addition to the list), and a good book.

You may not be a bathtub reader but finding a daily time for yourself is important and reading enhances that special, individual time. Making the effort to have personal time each day has great benefits.

1. Keeps you grounded. The best way to start every day is with a personal time of devotion. Making a connection with God when you first get up gives you a solid foundation for the day. This time may include Bible reading, your favorite devotional book, and a time of meditation and prayer.

2. Recharges your “batteries.” We were not created to go and go and go. We need a break. Life is busy if not frantic for most of us and burnout lurks just around the corner. A few minutes away from the family, workplace, and the demands that go along with them gives you new strength, energy, and perspective to face your day.

3. Provides a time for enjoyment. Everyone needs to have a little fun every day. Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. So relaxing with a good book, whether in the bathtub, under a tree, or wrapped in a blanket in the recliner gives me a few minutes of enjoyment and entertainment.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Linda Gilden is an author, speaker, editor, and writing coach. She has written hundreds of articles as well as the Love Notes series,Mommy Pick-Me-Ups, and has ghostwritten or contributed to over three dozen books. Directing the CLASS Christian Writers Conference in Abiquiu, NM, she encourages others to clearly communicate God’s love to the world. Linda lives in SC with her family – a great source of speaking and writing material!

In March, the CLASS website will release news of the 2012 Christian Writers Conference: http://www.classeminars.org/ . Come meet Linda and the rest of the CLASS faculty there!
Gerry Wakeland, President
CLASSEMINARS

February is Library Lovers Month

At Home in the Library

By Gerry Wakeland

If you asked me to describe my dream home, without pause I'd respond, "My dream home would be an old vacant library where I would remove all the fixtures except the bathroom and the bookshelves and then I'd move my bed and desk into the center and start filling the shelves with my books." At which point you would stare at me quizzically.

My love affair with books and the library began as a child and continues to this very day. I remember as an elementary student begging my mother to take me to the library. She'd pull up to the curb in front and let me out, reminding me she would be back in an hour. Every time, I'd race up three sets of steps, fling open the double doors, run inside and stop. I would stand perfectly still and inhale the fragrance of the books. True love.

The library was my refuge. It provided a safe and silent haven from the noise and chaos of my home. But more than that, it opened doors for me, doors to the past, doors to the future, doors of adventure, and doors of romance, most importantly doors of wisdom.

I learned so much at the library. I learned that as a woman I could be brave and bold like Amelia Earhart or save lives like Florence Nightingale or Clara Barton. I could write poetry like Elizabeth Barrett Browning or books like Jane Austen. The library gave me hope!

Over the years I have continued to be a library patron. Sometimes I take my laptop and head to the library to work on a project. With the world at my fingertips, both digitally and in hard copy, I can research any topic to my heart’s content. Hardly a Saturday goes by that you cannot find me at some point in the day at the local library, perusing the new arrivals for the week.

Or sometimes I just sit quietly in one of the easy chairs wishing that the books could talk and wondering what they would say if they could tell the stories behind the stories.

I may never have the unusual, almost bizarre, home of my dreams. But the library is still my refuge, affording me a place that’s safe and silent, where dreams are born and hope exists.

Gerry Wakeland is the President and CEO of CLASSEMINARS, Inc. She loves helping Christian communicators identify their passion, clarify their vision and define their mission so that they can articulate God’s message effectively. Gerry is the mother of two grown daughters and grandmother to three precious grandsons. She makes her home in the land of enchantment, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her favorite pastime is reading and one of her favorite places is the public library. In March, the CLASS website will release news of the 2012 Christian Writers Conference: http://www.classeminars.org/ http://e2ma.net/go/11648392129/4194439/113660858/14449/goto:http://www.classeminars.org .

Come meet Gerry and the rest of the CLASS faculty there!
_______________________________________

This article content is provided free of charge by the authors, sponsored by CLASSEMINARS. You are welcome to place either article on your site or in your publication as long as 1) it’s used in its entirety, 2) the full bio is also used, and 3) you previously request permission through KCW Communications at kathy@kathycarltonwillis.com . All other standard copyrights apply.

http://e2ma.net/go/11648392129/4194439/113642116/14449/goto:http://classeminars.org/

BLUE MOON BAY by LISA WINGATE W/INTERVIEW

2012-02-08T06:16:00.001-05:00

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingBlue Moon BayBethany House (February 1, 2012)byLisa Wingate

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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

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

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

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

ABOUT THE BOOK

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

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

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

**NOTE** This book is on My TBR stack next to my night stand. Love the cover of this book. Lisa Wingate has an interview up on the Front Page of The Book Club Network. BETHANY HOUSE will be giving away 10 Copies of her New book at TBCN from FEBRUARY 23rd - 25th

CHECK IT OUT Lisa's Interview and giveaway here Click Link http://www.bookfun.org/

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

THE HARBINGER by JONATHAN CAHN - CHECK IT OUT!

2012-02-06T08:35:00.001-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Jonathan Cahn

and the book:

The Harbinger

Frontline Pub Inc (January 3, 2012)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jonathan Cahn leads Hope of the World ministries and the Jerusalem Center/Beth Israel, a worship center made up of Jew and Gentile, people of all backgrounds, located in Wayne, New Jersey. His teachings are seen on television and radio throughout the nation and are known for their prophetic significance and their revealing of deep mysteries of God’s Word.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Is it possible…

That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future?

That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?

That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?
That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?
Before its destruction as a nation, ancient Israel received nine harbingers, prophetic omens of warning. The same nine harbingers are now manifesting in America—with immediate ramifications for end-time prophecy.

Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretold recent American events down to the exact days. The revelations are so specific that even the most hardened skeptics will find it hard to dismiss or put down. It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller – with one exception… IT’S REAL.

The prophetic mysteries are revealed through an intriguing and engaging narrative the reader will find hard to put down. The Harbinger opens with the appearance of a man burdened with a message he has received from a mysterious figure called The Prophet. The Prophet has given him nine seals, each containing a message about America’s future. As he tells of his encounters with The Prophet, from a skyscraper in New York City, to a rural mountaintop, to Capitol Hill, to Ground Zero, the mystery behind each seal is revealed. As the story unfolds, each revelation becomes a piece in a greater puzzle – the ramifications of which will even alter the course of world history.

Product Details:
List Price: $16.99

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Frontline Pub Inc (January 3, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 161638610X
ISBN-13: 978-1616386108

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

An Ancient Mystery
An ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future.”
“Yes.”
“What would I think?”
“Yes, what would you think?”
“I’d think it was a plot for a movie. Is that it? Is that what you’re presenting . . . a movie manuscript?”
“No.”
“A plot for a novel?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
He was silent.
“Then what?” she repeated.
He paused to carefully consider what he was about to say and how to say it. Her reputation among those in media was that of a woman who neither wasted her time nor indulged those who
did. She was not known to suffer fools gladly. The discussion could meet an abrupt end at any given moment and there would be no second chance with her. The fact that there had even been a
meeting in the first place, that she had even agreed to it, and that he was now sitting in her office, high above the streets of Manhattan, was nothing short of a miracle—and he knew it. He had only one concern—the message. It didn’t even occur to him to remove his black leather overcoat, nor had anyone offered to remove it for him. Leaning forward in his chair, he gave her his answer, slowly, cautiously, carefully deliberating every word.
“An ancient mystery . . . that holds the secret of America’s future . . . and on which its future hangs. And it’s not fiction—it’s real.”
She was quiet. At first, he took the silence as a positive sign, an indication that he was getting through. But then she spoke and quickly dispelled the notion.
“An Indiana Jones movie,” she said. “An ancient mystery hidden for thousands of years under the sands of the Middle East . . . but now revealed . . . and upon it hangs the fate of the entire world!”
Her flippancy provoked him to become all the more resolute.
“But it’s not fiction,” he repeated. “It’s real.”
“What would I say?” she asked.
“Yes, what would you say?”
“I’d say you were crazy.”
“Perhaps I am,” he said with a slight smile. “Nevertheless . . . it’s real.”
“If you’re not crazy, then you’re joking . . . or you’re doing this all for dramatic effect . . . part of a presentation. But you can’t be serious.”
“But I am serious.”
She paused for a moment, staring into the eyes of her guest, attempting to ascertain whether he was sincere or not.
“So you are,” she said.
“So I am,” he replied, “and you have no idea how much so.”
It was then that her expression changed. Up to that point it had suggested a trace of amused interest. It now turned to that of total disengagement.
“No, I guess I don’t. Listen, I believe you’re a sincere man, but . . . I’m really . . . I’m really very busy, and I don’t have time for . . . ”
“Mrs. Goren.”
“That’s Goren. The accent’s on the last syllable. But Ana is fine.”
“Ana, you have nothing to lose by listening. Just go on the slight possibility . . . ”
“That you’re not crazy?”
“That too,” he said. “But the slight possibility that what I’m saying could actually be true, even the slight possibility that there could be something in what I’m telling you, even for that slightest
of possibilities . . . for just that . . . it would be important enough to warrant your time. You need to hear me out.”
She sat back in her chair and stared at him, making no attempt to hide her skepticism.
“You still think I’m crazy.”
“Fully,” she said.
“For argument’s sake, let’s say you’re right. I am crazy. Indulge me, as a public service.”
She smiled.
“I’ll indulge you, Mr. Kaplan, but there’s a limit.”
“Nouriel. You can call me Nouriel.”
At that, she got up from her chair and motioned for him to do likewise. She led him away from her desk to a small round conference table where the two sat down. The table was situated in
front of a huge glass window through which one could see a vast panorama of skyscrapers with similar windows, each reflecting the light of the afternoon sun.
“All right, Nouriel. Tell me about your mystery.”
“It’s not my mystery. It’s much bigger than me. You have no idea how big, or what it involves.”
“And what does it involve?”
“Everything. It involves everything, and it explains everything . . . everything that’s happened, that’s happening, and everything that’s going to happen.”
“What do you mean?”
“Behind September 11 . . . ”
“How could an ancient mystery possibly have anything to do with September 11?”
“An ancient mystery behind everything from 9/11 to the economy . . . to the housing boom . . . to the war in Iraq . . . to the collapse of Wall Street. Everything in precise detail.”
“How? How could an ancient mystery possibly . . . ”
“Affect your life? Your bank account? Your future? But it does. And it holds the key to America’s future . . . to the rise and fall of nations . . . to world history. And it’s not only a mystery, it’s a message, an alarm.”
“An alarm?” she asked. “An alarm of what?”
“Of warning.”
“To whom?”
“America.”
“Why?”
“When you hear it,” he said, “you’ll understand why.”
“All this from a mystery that goes back . . . how far did you say?”
“I didn’t say.”
“So how far back does it go?”
“Two and a half thousand years.”
“A two-and-a-half-thousand-year-old mystery behind what’s happening in the twenty-first century from politics to the economy to foreign affairs—all that and you’re the only one who knows about it?”
“I’m not the only one.”
“Who else knows about it?” she asked.
“There’s at least one other.”
“Not the government? The government has no idea, even though it’s behind all that?”
“As far as I know, no government, no intelligence agency, no one else.”
“No one but you.”
“And at least one other.”
“And how did you happen to discover it?”
“I didn’t discover it,” he answered. “It was given to me.”
“Given? By whom?”
“A man.”
“And who was this man?”
“It’s hard to say.”
At this she leaned forward and spoke to him in a tone both intense and slightly sarcastic.
“Try me,” she said.
“You won’t understand.”
“What was his name?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” she replied, with a trace of amusement in her voice.
“No, he never told me.”
“So this earth-shattering mystery is known only by you and this one man who gave it to you but doesn’t have a name.”
“I didn’t say he didn’t have a name. He just never told it to me.”
“And you never asked?”
“I did, but he never told me.”
“No phone number?”
“He never gave me one.”
“No business card?”
“No.”
“Not even an e-mail?”
“I don’t expect you to believe me yet.”
“Why not?” she replied, making no attempt to hide her skepticism.
“It sounds so plausible!”
“But hear me out.”
“So this man with no name gives you this mystery.”
“That’s correct.”
“And why to you?”
“I guess I was the right one.”
“So you were chosen?”
“I guess so,” he replied, his voice trailing off.
“And where did he get the mystery from?”
“I don’t know.”
“A mystery on which the nation’s future is hanging, and no one knows where it came from?”
“From where do prophets get their messages?”
“Prophets!” she said. “So now we’re talking prophets?”
“I guess we are.”
“As in Isaiah . . . Jeremiah?”
“Something like that.”
“The last time I heard about prophets I was in Sunday school, Nouriel. Prophets don’t exist anymore. They’ve been gone for ages.”
“How do you know?”
“So you’re telling me that the man who gave you this revelation is a prophet?”
“Something like that.”
“He told you he was a prophet?”
“No. He never came out and said it.”
“And you believe all this because it came from a prophet?”
“No,” he answered. “It wouldn’t have mattered who said it. It’s not about the messenger; it’s about the message.”
“So why are you telling me all this? Why did you come here? I’m not exactly known for dealing with anything remotely like this.”
“Because the stakes are so high. Because the future is hanging on it. Because it affects millions of people.”
“And you think I have a part in this?”
“I do.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
She leaned back in her chair and stared at him for a moment, intrigued, amused, and still trying to figure him out.
“So, Nouriel, tell me how it all began.”
He reached into his coat pocket, laid his closed hand down on the table, then opened it. In the middle of his palm was a small object of reddish, golden-brown clay, circular and about two inches in diameter.
“It all began with this.”
He handed it to her. She began examining it. The more she looked at it, the more intrigued she became. It was covered with what appeared to be ancient inscriptions.
“It all began with this.”
“And what is it?”
“It’s a seal,” he answered. “It’s the first seal.”

***NOTE*** I didn't sign up for this tour but I wish I had. I was swamped at the time and couldn't commit to read the book and review it by the aloted time. But I have to say that this book is flying off the shelf. People come in and ask for it by name. They say they've heard him speak and he's captivating. Heard the book was as captivating that's why they want to read it.

I'm starting a Co-Ed book club at the Christian Store I work at and my boss wants us to read this book for our first book club pick. I'm in. This does sound fascinating. When I get a copy and finish reading it. I'll get back with you with my review.

Just wanted you all to be aware of a book that is climbing up the charts!! Grin!

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

THE JERK MAGNET by MELODY CARLSON - REVIEWED

2012-02-04T22:31:00.004-05:00

What if beauty is more than just skin deep?

Book Blurb: When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. Oh, and stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't exactly make her BFF material for the girls.

Finally a great guy catches her eye. But he's the only one around who doesn't give her a second glance. Can Chelsea come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will her new image ruin everything?

Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of more than 200 books, including Never Been Kissed and Double Take. She recently was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. Melody and her husband live in Oregon.

REVIEW:
THE JERK MAGNET
By MelodyCarlson
Published by Revell (Jan 1, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0800719623
Paperback: 218 pages

Book Blurb: When Chelsea Martin's future stepmother helps her transform from gawky and geeky into the hottest girl at her new school, Chelsea is pretty sure it's the best thing that ever happened to her. But her hot new look has a downside. She's attracting lots of guys who all have one thing in common: they're jerks. And stealing the attention of all the guys in school doesn't endear her to the girls either.

Chelsea finally finds a true friend in Janelle Parker, and a non-jerk, Nicholas, catches her eye. Janelle keeps telling her to be herself, but Nicholas is the only guy around who doesn't give her a second look. Can Chelsea and Janelle come up with a plan to get his attention? Or will Chelsea's new image ruin everything?

Teen favorite and bestselling author Melody Carlson helps girls uncover the real source of beauty in this true-to-life story of young love, friendship, and being yourself.

REVIEW: I love Melody Carlson’s writing no matter who her audience in this case it’s novel for the youth. Chelsea Martin has just found out her dad has a girlfriend and it’s serious. Surprise to her.

Chelsea was still dealing with her mother being dead, ok, it had been 5 years but she wasn't ready to move on to having a step-mother. Chelsea doesn’t have much time to process the news before her dad hits her with another boom, they are moving. She’s loosing her dad and the only home she’s ever known in the same year.

Chelsea meets Kate, her dad’s girlfriend and sees how well put together she is, she’s nice too. Kate offers to help Chelsea with her clothes, hair and make-up. Her Dad's new bride to be has some bonding time with Chelsea as they talk about beauty. It reminded me of when Julie Andrews talked to Mia about how she dressed, wore her hair and have good table manners. They were grooming her to be the princess and she had to have a certain look in the Princess Diaries movies.

Before they start Chelsea says, “I don’t see the point in all this you can dress me differently but I’m still the same on the inside!”

Kate then talks to Chelsea about her interior dialogue, “You need to change your interior dialogue Chelsea.” What you think about yourself shows on the outside.

Chelsea resisted in her head the things Kate had told her to think, “I am an attractive, intelligent girl. I have a lot to offer other people. People want to get to know me.”

Kate says, “I think the exterior is hurting the interior – I see you becoming as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside. Just think of it, you’ll be going to a new school this fall, and who knows how great your last two years of high school might be.”

But when Kate gets Chelsea all dolled up to perfection - male heads turn and she gets attention she never had before. It feels strange. Is this what she wants? All this attention may not be a good thing.

Had Kate gone too far with Chelsea’s new look? She thinks so when a friend says to her, “Look at yourself. Just like Dalton said, you look like a hot babe, and to a jerk like him, a hot babe is like dangling raw meat in front of a hungry bear. Or in other words, a jerk magnet.” (The guy will say and do anything to be with you – not in a good way)

Chelsea was baffled. Her friend went on, “In the same way you attract guys who are jerks, you repel the guys who aren’t- at lease the ones who are trying not to be jerks,”

Chelsea and Janelle try an experiment at the youth group retreat and get surprising results. Chelsea then starts to think about whom she is dressed up to be and who she really is and/or wants to be. Great stuff!

I enjoy Melody Carlson books. I was so thankful for the review copy of such a fun and honest book about the pressures girls have in high school and how you discover who you are. That's what my daughter and I loved most about the Diary of a Teenage Girl series by Melody, we could read them separately and talk about the content. We could talk about the book and characters and not have to bring up specifics about our lives if we didn't want to at that time. Melody's books open up a dialogue between your daughter and yourself that is safe.

She also puts things in the book you're glad your child heard from someone else because maybe, just maybe they might listen to it. In the teen years it's hard to listen to your parents when you are trying to figure out this whole big world and where you fit in.

I liked how the author dealt with the subject of beauty. Chelsea was hot and the guys were all over her but is that what she really wanted to be known for? Is this the thing she wanted to be known for her body and looks alone? There are so many feelings and situations to deal with in High School, I like the way Melody shows how Chelsea navigates through her transition from one school to another and from one look to another.

I enjoyed this book very much. I highly recommend it for any age group, but especially the middle schooler/early high school age. It's a keeper!!

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

RUTH'S REDEMPTION by MARLENE BANKS - REVIEWED

2012-02-01T11:30:00.000-05:00

This week, theChristian Fiction Blog Allianceis introducingRuth's RedemptionMoody Publishers/Lift Every Voice (February 1, 2012)byMarlene Banks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marlene Banks has worked 30+ years combined in nursing and the business arena. Her goal as a writer is to create inspiring, gripping and realistic stories with an emphasis on African American literature. She believes her gift and desire to write is from God and desires to use it to fulfill His purposes. Marlene lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she is a member of Bethel Deliverance International Church.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Set in the 1800s, Ruth's Redemption, is an unusual depiction of the lives of slaves and free blacks in pre-Civil War America. Bo, a main character, was educated while a slave. He was given his freedom and now owns a farm buying slaves for the sole purpose of giving them their freedom.

Bo is also a man of God and widower whose life is destined to change when he meets the proud and hard-hearted slave girl, Ruth. Ruth has known nothing but servitude and brutality since being separated from her mother at age thirteen. Purchased and sold primarily for breeding, Ruth struggles to adjust to life outside of bondage. She wants no part of Bo's Godly devotion. Yet Bo is unlike any man she's known and her experiences with him will leave her forever changed.

A gripping slave era novel, Ruth's Redemption is a story of love, forgiveness, and redemption. Set against the backdrop of the Nat Turner Rebellion in Tidewater, Virginia, this novel shines the light of God's unconditional love in the darkness of a culture's cruel socially accepted inhumanity.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ruth's Redemption, go HERE.

REVIEW

Ruth’s Redemption

By Marlene Banks

Published by Lift Every Voice; New Edition edition

ISBN# 978-0-8024-0217-2

304 Pages

Book Description: Set in the 1800s, Ruth's Redemption is an unusual depiction of the lives of slaves and free blacks in pre-Civil War America. Bo, was educated while a slave. He was given his freedom and now owns a farm buying slaves for the sole purpose of giving them their freedom. Bo is also a man of God and widower whose life is destined to change when he meets the proud and hard-hearted slave girl, Ruth.

Ruth has known nothing but servitude and brutality since being separated from her mother at age thirteen. Purchased and sold primarily for breeding, Ruth struggles to adjust to life outside of bondage. She wants no part of Bo's Godly devotion. Yet Bo is unlike any man she's known and her experiences with him will leave her forever changed. A gripping slave era novel, Ruth's Redemption is a story of love, forgiveness, and redemption.

Set against the backdrop of the Nat Turner Rebellion in Tidewater, Virginia, this novel shines the light of God's unconditional love in the darkness of a culture's cruel socially accepted inhumanity.

REVIEW: Freedom. The dictionary defines FREE as: not under the control or power of another; independent, able to move in any direction; to release from bondage or power. Freedom is the reason people left their homeland and sailed to America. They wanted freedom to worship and live the way they wanted. They were tired of being controlled by the government.

This book talks of another Freedom. Freedom to be who God created you to be. Not a slave to man. While reading this incredible and disturbing account of Ruth, a breeder slave, I realized just how much I take my freedom for granted and how much I didn’t know about slavery. This author gives you a peek into what it’s like to a slave of the worst kind for a woman. She also shows that there is hope even in the most horrible of situations.

Marlene Banks takes the reader into the life of a breeder and also the life of Bo Peace a free black man. Ruth finds herself sold to Bo, who claims to be free. This didn’t give Ruth hope or joy. ALL men were alike. They forced themselves on her. They didn’t care for her, no one did.

Bo Peace was given land by his former Master. He lived on the land with other freed slaves, working and making a living. Bo tries to explain this to Ruth, “We’re a village in our own right. Your free to stay here or go as you please…It’s what God meant for me to do with this blessing – to build a village of African men and women who love the Lord and live with dignity being examples of God’s freedom.”

“Freedom?” Ruth shouts. Hope fo’ what? Mo hard work and whippins?”

“Hope for freedom. Hope in Christ for enough grace to endure slavery and for an eternal life as free men and women, where no man will take a whip to them. …I don’t set you free Ruth, God does. You were legally free the moment I paid the price Harvey wanted.” But you can also be free inside of the pain, worry and fear that can also hold you in bondage. How was he to get her to understand all that?

A friend reminds Bo, “Dontcha see? She wounded. Ya know how wounded creatures be. We was wounded befo’ or did ya forgit? We had time ta heal, en all she needs is time ta heal. She mo’ wounded den we ever was. She was used inside and out. Bein’ used for breedin’ leaves a hole in the soul. Give her time.”

Bo realizes the friend is right. Ruth was hollow inside and filled with pain. She was the most complicated women he’d ever encountered also the most abused. The Lord helps him show her she can be healed of the pain of the past. That she can be made whole in her heart, mind and soul, but it isn’t easy.

Who was this Bo? Ruth wonders. He talks like a preacher. If God was so great why did we suffer? Why the pain? Why all the killings? But there was something about what Bo was saying that struck her heart and made her listen. All this talk of freedom inside and out, easy for him to say. She was also fascinated about this gentle man. “How was it Bo could make her feel so cherished when he knew her past?”

The author showed the struggle and strong emotion not only in the community of slaves’ but that of the whites as well. One white woman argues with another.

“Ownership of another human being for monetary procurement is an atrocity, no exceptions.”

The slave owner responds, “But our slaves are happy!”

“I beg to differ. How can an imprisoned subservient man or woman possibly be happy under such conditions? Would you be happy as a slave? The idea is absurd. You people tell yourself that to justify what you’re doing but you should know better.”

This author helps the reader see all sides to this mess. It wasn’t easy to read in parts but she doesn’t get so graphic I couldn’t continue reading. Marlene did show how God worked in everyone’s life as they struggled to make sense of it all. Bad things happen to good and faithful people. Can the faithful still believe and not turn their back on God?

This novel is an eye opener to the reader that is unfamiliar to how slaves were treated in America in the 1800’s and also an eye opener to how God was at work in slaves lives and that of their owners as the battle raged on around them. God’s ways are not our ways. He is faithful to be with us no matter what comes our way. He never promised that there would be no trouble. This is a story of hope, love and redemption. It’s also a beautifully touching love story between Bo and Ruth and of God’s love for us. I highly recommend it.

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

www.bookfun.org

MELODY CARLSON TALKS ABOUT BOOK CLUBS

2012-01-30T06:33:00.001-05:00

MELODY CARLSON'S BIO: Melody has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com

What have been the benefits to you in having relationships with reading groups?

Again, it’s about connecting with people. Being a writer can feel lonely and isolated at times. But when I get a chance to participate in a reading group (via phone, skype, or in person) I get the satisfaction of an immediate personal response. And it’s fun to answer readers’ questions and tell some of the back-story to the story.

Where would you like to see your relationship with reading group grow? How do you think your goals can be met? If so, how?

For starters I’d like to carve more time into my schedule to get involved in more reading groups. My goal is to spend less time writing and more time interfacing, but that’s hard with a writing schedule like mine. Also, I need to get more comfortable with some of the handy electronic tools like skype. And I’d like more free time to travel and visit various book groups. It’s been a goal for a few years now (and getting closer to reality) to do a cross country tour in our motorhome where we visit books stores, schools, libraries and reading groups.

Do you have a set size a reading group has to be before you'll talk to them on the phone or in person? What do you feel most comfortable doing?

I don’t have a ‘set size.’ I’ve done groups as small as four and up to around sixteen. But I think a group around eight is probably my favorite. Enough people to get varied opinions, but not so many that it’s overwhelming. Also, I think being there in person is the most fun…unfortunately it’s not usually practical. Being on the phone is always easy for me. And skype probably feels more personal to the readers. One of the most memorable reader group meetings was arranged by a publicist and because my book setting was a wedding, the publicist provided wedding-like refreshments and created a bridal shower sort of atmosphere that the readers just loved. Really fun!

What do you think about ebooks and future sales of your book? How will authors do book signings with an ebook reading crowd?

I know that many of my readers are getting hooked on eBooks and I’m glad that my books are available electronically (I have about a 100 titles now). However, I’m not using my kindle much and I still like the feel of a “real” book in my hands. But I get it—and it’s a greener way to live. However, it would be difficult to sign an eBook. Maybe I’d take bookmarks or postcards to sign for readers.

Which type of book club meeting do you prefer? Why?

I think it’s fun to meet in a person’s home. That’s probably the writer in me—I like to see where and how people live. Also, like I mentioned, I prefer groups with around 6-10 readers. More intimate and friendly. But I’m open to whatever setting is best. Mostly it’s nice when the members of the group are good friends—a happy sort of energy happens and I leave feeling good about the time spent.

Do you learn about your book and yourself from book club meetings? If so what?

Absolutely. One time I did a group that had read my novel Finding Alice (about schizophrenia). It was a very interesting and intelligent group of women, and some of their observations about the book pleasantly surprised me. As a writer, I’m not always aware of things I’ve tucked ‘between the lines’ and sometimes it takes a savvy reader to illuminate it for me. Metaphor is subjective and it’s fun to see how others react to what you’ve created—and how it touches them in totally unique ways.

Did you learn more about your characters than you original wrote about? Have you been surprised by readers reactions to one of your books? Characters? If so, which ones?

One thing that’s surprised me is when a reader personalizes the story—so much so that she perceives a character in a much different way than I wrote it. And then someone else in the group might see it completely differently. It reminds me of how our personal experience plays into the way we view the world and others around us. It’s like the story my grandma used to tell about three blind men describing something they just felt of, but didn’t know what to call it. One was certain it was a rope. Another felt sure it was a tree trunk. The third knew it was a giant palm leaf. It was an elephant, but they all felt different parts of it.

Has your book club experience - getting feed back from reading groups - helped you in writing future books? If so, how has it helped you?

What might help me most is being reminded that I’m writing for real readers. People with real problems and real relationships and real lives…and that makes me want to keep my writing as real as possible. Whether it’s for teens or adults I like to be sure that my fiction is believable, lifelike and relevant.

You write for very different audiences. Which do you prefer writing the best children's, young adult or adult books?

My favorite book to write is usually what I’m presently working on. Right now it’s teen nonfiction. But fiction is my first love. And I really do like writing for young adults because of the amazing response I get from the readers. Also it’s a different kind of writing—like in my TrueColors series (Nav) I got to write the kind of stories that just don’t do that well in the adult market. I love getting into the head of a teen character and taking her through all sorts of things that reflect real life.

THANKS for stopping by Melody. It was wonderful to catch up with you at the ICRS Conference this summer in Atlanta. I enjoyed Double Take and my book club will be reading Christmas at Harrington's this year. I enjoyed that book too.

Until Next Time

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

www.bookfun.org

JUICE LADY'S WEEKEND WEIGHT-LOSS DIET - REVIEWED

2012-01-28T09:19:00.001-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Cherie Calbom, MS

and the book:

The Juice Lady's Weekend Weight-Loss Diet: Two days to a new dress size

Siloam (December 13, 2011)

***Special thanks to PUBLICIST'S NAME of PUBLICIST'S COMPANY for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cherie Calbom, MS, is the author of The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet, The Juice Lady’s Living Foods Revolution, and Juicing for Life, which has nearly two million books in print in the United States. Known as “The Juice Lady” for her work with juicing and health, Cherie has worked as a clinical nutritionist and has a master’s degree in nutrition.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Jump-Start Your Diet…
Detox Your System…
Lose a Dress Size…
Shrink Your Love Handles . . .

…with this two-day diet program that helps you get healthy for life.

Start Friday night with a juice or green smoothie dinner. Then have an all-liquid Saturday and Sunday breakfast and lunch, followed by a raw food dinner Sunday night. It’s easy, delicious, and requires only a weekend commitment!

Look and feel great for a special event
Motivate yourself for continued weight loss
Cleanse your system after a stressful week
Jump-start your living foods lifestyle!

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Siloam (December 13, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1616386568
ISBN-13: 978-1616386566

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Weight Loss on a Mission
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2015, there will be more than 1.5 billion overweight consumers, incurring health costs beyond $117 billion per year in the US alone.1 It’s obvious that we need to do something differently. We need a new way of life—a revolution in how we eat, one that we adopt for the rest of our lives.
What if you found a weight-loss program that could help you lose weight more effectively than anything you’ve ever tried? And what if that program didn’t involve expensive meals you had to order, pills you had to buy, or anything other than great whole foods you prepare in your kitchen? What if that program helped
you look and feel better than ever? And what if it was such an energizing way of life that you wanted to follow it for the rest of your life? Are you interested?
The Juice Lady’s Weekend Weight-Loss Diet is a fast track to just such a program. This two-day jump start can lead you into a transformative lifestyle that is helping thousands of people lose weight, keep it off for good, and completely revolutionize their health. This is what I call weight loss on a mission—the mission is
to help you become healthy, happy, and filled with life, as well as slim and fit. (You’ll find a complete weight-loss juicing program in my book The Juice Lady’s Turbo Diet.)
Freshly made vegetable juices are at the center of the weekend weight-loss diet. They provide concentrated sources of very absorbable nutrients. They are low in fat and calories, so replacing higher-calorie foods with fresh juice is a shoo-in for weight-loss success.
But the benefits of juicing don’t stop there. Vegetable juices help curb cravings because they satisfy your body’s nutrient needs. They’re alkaline, which is very helpful to balance out a system that’s most probably too acidic. They’re also high in antioxidants that are antiaging and immune enhancing—that means you’re giving your body the things it needs to start looking and feeling younger.
Fresh Juice—a Cornucopia of Nutrients
Every time you pour a glass of juice, picture a cornucopia of nutrients cascading into your body, promoting health, revving up your metabolism, balancing weight, and increasing vitality. This melange of nutrients can change your life—completely change your life—as it completely changed mine! Here’s what every glass of juice provides.
Amino acids
Did you ever consider juice to be a source of protein? Most people would say no. Surprisingly, it does offer more amino acids than you might think. We use amino acids to form muscles, ligaments, tendons, hair, nails, and skin. Protein is needed to create enzymes, which direct chemical reactions, and hormones, which
guide bodily functions. Fruits and vegetables contain lower quantities of protein than animal foods such as muscle meats and dairy products. Therefore they are thought of as poor protein sources. But juices are concentrated forms of vegetables and so provide easily absorbed amino acids, the building blocks that make up protein. For example, 16 ounces of carrot juice (2–3 pounds of carrots) provides about 5 grams of protein (the equivalent of about a chicken wing or 2 ounces of tofu). I don’t recommend drinking that much carrot juice because of the sugar content, but that’s an example.
Vegetable protein is not complete protein, so it does not provide all the amino acids your body needs. In addition to lots of dark leafy greens, when you finish your weekend weight-loss kick start, you’ll want to eat other protein sources, such as sprouts, legumes (beans, lentils, and split peas), nuts, seeds, and whole grains. If you’re not vegan, you can add eggs and free-range, grass-fed muscle meats such as chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef along with wild-caught fish.
Carbohydrates
Most vegetable juice contains good carbohydrates. The exceptions would be carrots and beets, which have higher sugar content. They should be used in small quantities and diluted with low-sugar vegetable juices such as cucumber and dark leafy greens. Carbs provide fuel for the body, which it uses for energy, heat production, and chemical reactions. The chemical bonds of carbohydrates lock in the energy a plant takes up from the sun and soil, and this energy is released when the body burns plant food as fuel.
There are three categories of carbs: simple (sugars), complex (starches and fiber), and fiber. Choose more complex carbohydrates in your diet than simple carbs. There are more simple sugars in fruit juice than vegetable juice, which is why I recommend you juice primarily vegetables, use low-sugar fruit for flavor and a little sweetness, and in most cases drink no more than 4 ounces of fruit juice a day.
Both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber are found in whole fruits and vegetables—both types are needed for good health. It’s amazing how many people still say juice doesn’t have any fiber. It contains the soluble form—pectin and gums, which are excellent for the digestive tract. Soluble fiber also helps to lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, and improve good bowel bacteria and elimination.
Essential fatty acids
There is very little fat in fruit and vegetable juices, but the fats juice does contain are essential to your health. The essential fatty acids (EFAs)—linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids in particular—found in fresh juice function as components of nerve cells, cellular membranes, and hormonelike substances called prostaglandins. They are also required for energy production.
Vitamins
Fresh juice is replete with vitamins, but heat and processing destroy vitamins. We need these organic substances because they take part, along with minerals and enzymes, in chemical reactions throughout the body. For example, vitamin C participates in the production of collagen, one of the main types of protein found in the body that keeps your skin looking fresh and youthful rather than sagging and aging. Fresh juices are excellent sources of water-soluble vitamins such as C, many of the B vitamins, and some fat-soluble vitamins such as E and K, along with key phytonutrients like beta-carotene (known as pro-vitamin A), lutein, lycopene, and zeaxanthin. They also are coupled with cofactors that increase the effectiveness of each nutrient; for example, vitamin C and bioflavonoids work together synergistically to make each more effective.
Minerals
There are about two dozen minerals that your body needs to function well, and they’re abundant in fresh juice. They make up part of bones, teeth, and blood, and they help maintain normal cellular function. The major minerals include calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. Trace
minerals, which include boron, chromium, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and zinc, are those needed in very small amounts.
Minerals occur in inorganic forms in the soil, and plants incorporate them into their tissues. As a part of this process, the minerals are combined with organic molecules into easily absorbable forms, which makes plants an excellent dietary source of minerals. Juicing is believed to provide even better mineral absorption than whole vegetables because the process of juicing releases minerals into a highly absorbable, easily digestible form.
Enzymes
These living molecules are prevalent in raw foods, but heat, such as cooking and pasteurization, destroys them. Enzymes facilitate the biochemical reactions necessary for life. They are complex structures composed predominantly of protein and usually require additional cofactors to function, including vitamins; minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron; and other elements. Fresh juice is chock-full of enzymes. Without them we would not have life.
When you eat and drink enzyme-rich foods, these little molecules help break down food in the digestive tract, thereby sparing the pancreas, liver, and stomach—the body’s enzyme producers—from overwork. This sparing action is known as the “law of adaptive secretion of digestive enzymes,” which asserts that the body will adapt or change the amount of digestive enzymes it produces according to what is needed. According to this law, when a portion of the food you eat is digested by enzymes present in the food, the
body won’t need to secrete as much of its own enzymes. This allows the body’s energy to be shifted from digestion to other functions such as repair and rejuvenation.
Fresh juices require very little energy expenditure to digest. That is one reason why people who start consistently drinking fresh veggie juice often report that their digestion and elimination improve and that they feel better and more energized right away.
Phytochemicals
Plants contain substances know as phytochemicals that protect them from disease, injury, and pollution. Phyto means plant, and chemical in this context means nutrient. There are tens of thousands of phytochemicals in the foods we eat. For example, the average tomato may contain up to ten thousand different types of these nutrients, with one of the most famous being lycopene. Phytochemicals give plants their color, odor, and flavor. Unlike vitamins and enzymes, they are heat stable and can withstand cooking. Some of them, such as lycopene, appear to be more effective when cooked.
Biophotons
There’s one more substance abundant in raw foods that is more difficult to measure than the others. It’s known as biophotons, which is light energy that is found in the living cells of raw plant foods. These photons have been shown to emit coherent light energy when uniquely photographed (Kirlian photography). This light energy is believed to have many benefits when consumed, such as aiding cellular communication and feeding the mitochondria and the DNA. They are believed to contribute to our energy, vitality, and a feeling of vibrancy and well-being.
Now that you’ve learned about the powerful nutritional punch packed inside each glass of juice you drink, let’s consider how this applies to weight loss.
Power Foods That Give Your Weight Loss a Big Boost
In addition to some of the basic steps you can take to achieve weight loss success, there are specific foods you can add to your weight-loss program that will make a huge difference in assisting your body in burning fat. These super foods can help you succeed and give you super-size health dividends at the same time. Be sure to add them to your weight-loss program.
Green juice: the number one fat cure. In honor of his hundredth show, Dr. Oz served on the set his favorite green juice drink to one hundred people who had lost thirteen thousand pounds combined. This blend of cucumbers, apple, and leafy greens started a new wave of interest in green juices for weight loss. So why do green juices work so well? Dr. Oz cites the fact that they compensate for the fact that most of us are simply not getting sufficient nourishment from standard diets. He says, “We know we have to have at least five fistfuls of leafy green vegetables and fruit every day, so we make a morning green drink.”2
There’s evidence to suggest that even if we took the time to chew up five cups of green veggies each day, we wouldn’t get as much benefit from them as we would from juicing them. The mechanical process of juicing the vegetables breaks apart plant cell walls and makes absorption better than even when the best “chewers” chew their food at least thirty times before swallowing. It has an effect like throwing marbles at a chain-link fence rather than tennis balls; their contents are going to go through in a way that tennis balls can’t.
The juices contain easily absorbed micronutrients that will do more than slim you down—they’ll optimize your overall health and wellness. There’s science behind the green juices transformative powers and a number of reasons why the juices, along with a high intake of living foods, energize your body, fire up your metabolism, speed slimming, and overhaul your health. Here’s the evidence as to why it works.
Green Veggies Help Lower the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Because of their high magnesium content and low glycemic index, green leafy vegetables are also valuable for persons with type 2 diabetes. One study revealed that an increase of just one and onehalf servings a day of green leafy vegetables was associated with a 14 percent lower risk of diabetes.3
Magnesium-rich greens ramp up your energy. A British study comparing the metabolism of female twins found that magnesium intake was the most important dietary variable that determined adiponectin levels.4 Adiponectin is a fat cell hormone that promotes insulin sensitivity. This hormone has recently gained attention from researchers because of its regulation of glucose and fat metabolism. Elevated levels of adiponectin are associated with increased insulin sensitivity and fat burning. Adiponectin also seems to work closely with leptin—a hormone that helps control the appetite. As you lose weight, this hormone gets a boost. Fresh fruit and vegetables have a positive influence on this hormone, which is made in fat cells. It boosts metabolism and helps regulate inflammation, which, consequently, helps to prevent weight gain, becoming a type 2 diabetic, or developing heart disease.
This new study shows very clearly that adequate magnesium is imperative to maintaining adiponectin levels. This means that a deficiency of magnesium, which is common in America, is a clear contributor to the problems people have with weight management. Magnesium also plays a key role in fighting off stress and anxiety, supporting restful sleep, preventing restless leg syndrome, and boosting energy.
Further, magnesium helps prevent fat storage. When magnesium is low, cells fail to recognize insulin. As a result, glucose accumulates in the blood—and then it gets stored as fat instead of being burned for fuel. Green plants, which are rich in magnesium, are far superior to magnesium supplements because the supplements’ particles are a bit large for the body to entirely absorb. (I’m in favor of taking magnesium supplements, if they are needed, but as an adjunct to a magnesium-rich diet.) Green plants take inorganic minerals from the soil through their tiny roots and incorporate them into their cells. They become organic particles that are much smaller and easier for the body to absorb. It is estimated that more than 90 percent of a plant’s minerals is delivered to the cells when you juice the greens. So juice up those leaves—chard, collards, beet tops, parsley, spinach—the five highest in magnesium, plus kohlrabi leaves, kale, dandelion greens, lettuce, and mustard greens.
Here’s the good news—you’ll increase your energy with this highoctane fuel! That means you’ll get more done and feel more like working out, so you’ll burn more calories and build more muscle.
Enzymes Speed Fat Burning
Our bodies produce enzymes that are used in digesting the food we eat. They can be found in the saliva, small intestine, stomach, liver, and pancreas. These hardworking little catalysts break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into fatty acids, amino acids, and forms of glucose that feed your cells.
Enzymes are responsible for a host of reactions in the body. All the minerals, herbs, vitamins, and hormones we take can’t do their jobs without enzymes. When your diet is deficient in enzymes from live foods (uncooked, not processed), your body has to work harder to produce the enzymes it needs. If you’re deficient, you may experience weight gain, depression, and many other maladies that plague modern society.
Enzymes are truly weight-loss supermen. But these magic bullets start decreasing as we age—by age thirty-five most people see a decline in their enzyme production. Still, we need them for weight loss and good digestion. It’s enzymes that assist in the breakdown and burning of fat.
This is where juices come to the rescue—as I mentioned earlier, they’re packed with enzymes. Eating a high percentage of raw food is important because cooking and processing our food destroys enzymes. When you drink fresh, live juices and eat plenty of living foods, the enzymes they contain kick your metabolism into gear by helping to spare your liver and pancreas from working so hard. Then these organs can focus on their metabolic tasks of burning fat and producing energy. And your digestion will improve. This affects your whole life, your whole being.
Three Super-Hero Enzymes
• Lipase. Lipase is a fat-splitting enzyme that is abundant in raw foods. It assists your body in digestion,
fat distribution, and fat burning. However, few of us eat enough raw foods to get sufficient lipase
to burn even a normal amount of fat, not to mention any excess fat. Without lipase, fat accumulates.
You can see it on your hips, thighs, buttocks, and stomach. Lipase is richest in raw foods that contain
some fat, such as sprouted seeds and nuts, avocado, and fresh coconut meat.
• Protease. As your body burns flab, toxins are released into your system. This can cause water retention and bloating. Protease is a digestive enzyme that helps to break down proteins and eliminate toxins. Eliminating toxins is essential when you’re burning fat. If your body is storing toxins, it’s very difficult to burn fat. But protease comes to the rescue and attacks and eliminates toxins. So, as you can see, it’s crucial to have plenty of protease during weight loss. Protease is richest in the leaves of plants. So juice up those
green leaves and burn fat. Plus, the greens are also rich in antioxidants that bind up toxins and carry them out of your system so they won’t hurt your cells. That means you’ll get double action with green juices.
• Amylase. Amylase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. It’s also present in saliva. So while we chew our food, it goes to work on carbs. That’s why it’s recommended that you chew each mouthful of food about thirty times. The pancreas also makes amylase. And amylase is plentiful in seeds that contain starch. (You can juice most seeds of fruits and vegetables.) Its therapeutic use is in regulation of histamine, which is produced in response to recognized invaders to the body. Histamine is a responder in allergic reactions such as hay fever and is what causes hives, itchy watery eyes, sneezing,
and runny noses. Amylase breaks down the histamine produced by the body in response to allergens like pollen or dust mites. Some health professionals believe it may help the body identity the allergen as not being harmful so it doesn’t produce the histamine in the first place. This is one reason that people on a high raw plant diet often experience improvement in their allergies. For the most effective approach to increasing
enzymes, you may also want to take an enzyme supplement. I especially like an enzyme formula that
is taken between meals—it cleans up any undigested particles of food floating around the system and
greatly improves digestion. A popular side benefit is that your hair gets thicker and your nails grow
stronger. (For more information on these enzymes, see Appendix A.)
Greens Alkalize Your Body and Promote Weight Loss
Many people eat a high-sugar breakfast consisting of foods and drinks such as orange juice, toast, jam, honey, sweetened cereal, sweet rolls, doughnuts, muffins, waffles, or pancakes. All this sugar and simple carbohydrates (which turn to sugar easily) promote acidity and cause yeast and fungus to grow. They also produce a lot of acid. Traditional high-protein breakfast foods such as omelets, cheese, bacon, sausage, and meat promote elevated acid levels in the body as well. Add to that highly acidic drinks such as coffee, black
tea, sodas, alcohol, and sports drinks, and acidic foods for lunch and dinner, and you’re consuming loads of acid-forming foods throughout the day. Keep in mind that acid-forming food does not mean the state of the food when you eat or drink it but the final ash residue after it is metabolized. As a result of this style of eating, along with not eating enough green veggies and other living foods, many people suffer from a condition known as mild acidosis, which is an out-of-balance pH leaning toward acidity. This means that the body is continually fighting to maintain pH balance.
One of the symptoms of acidosis is weight gain and an inability to lose weight. That’s because the body tends to store acid in fat cells and to hang on to those cells to protect your delicate tissues and organs. It will even make more fat cells in which to store acid, if they’re needed. To turn this scenario around, it’s important to alkalize your body. Greens are one of the best choices you could make because they’re very alkaline. And juicing them gives you an easy way to consume a lot more than you could chew up in a day.
To give your body a great start in rebalancing your pH, make 60 percent to 80 percent of your diet alkalizing foods such as green vegetables, raw juices, grasses such as wheatgrass juice, fresh vegetables and fruit, raw seeds, nuts, and sprouts. Greatly limit or avoid your consumption of acid-forming foods such as meat, dairy products, chocolate, sweets, bread and all other yeast products, alcohol, carbonated drinks, sports drinks, coffee, and black tea. When pH balance is achieved, the body should automatically drop to its ideal, healthy weight unless you have other health challenges. (But those should heal too over time.) As the acidic environment is neutralized with mineral-rich alkaline foods, there will be no need for your body to create new fat cells for storage of acid. And since the remaining fat is no longer needed to store acid wastes, it simply melts away.
This is also a great way to restore your health. Many diseases such as cancer thrive in an acidic state. Take away the acid, and they don’t do as well. An alkaline diet also boosts your energy level, improves skin, reduces allergies, sustains the immune system, and enhances mental clarity.
Thermogenic Foods Rev Up Your Metabolism
Thermogenesis means the production of heat, which raises metabolism and burns calories. Thermogenic foods are essentially fat-burning foods and spices that help increase your metabolism. This means that with some of your kitchen staples, you can burn off fat during or right after you eat and increase your fat-burning potential just by eating them. So include these super foods often in your juices and recipes.
Hot peppers. Imagine eating hot peppers and revving up your metabolism enough to lose weight. A study in 2010 found that obesity was caused by a lack of thermogenic response in the body rather than by overeating or lack of exercise. “The animals developed obesity mainly because they didn’t produce enough heat after eating, not because the animals ate more or were less active,” said Dr. Yong Xu, instructor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and co-lead author of the study.5 Another study found that hot peppers turn up the internal heat, which helps in burning calories.6 You can add hot peppers or a dash of hot sauce to many juice recipes or almost any dish and make it taste delicious.
Garlic. When it comes to weight loss, garlic appears to be a miracle food. A team of doctors at Israel’s Tel Hashomer Hospital conducted a test on rats to find out how garlic can prevent diabetes and heart attacks, and they found an interesting side effect—none of the rats given allicin (a compound in garlic) gained weight.7
Garlic is a known appetite suppressant. The strong odor of garlic stimulates the satiety center in the brain, thereby reducing feelings of hunger. It also increases the brain’s sensitivity to leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells that controls appetite. Further, garlic stimulates the nervous system to release hormones such as adrenalin, which speed up metabolic rate. This means a greater ability to burn calories. More calories burned means less weight gained—a terrific correlation.
Ginger. Ginger contains a substance that stimulates gastric enzymes, which can boost metabolism. The better your metabolism, the more calories you’ll burn. It has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory—
inflammation is implicated in obesity. Ginger helps improve gastric motility—the spontaneous peristaltic movements of the stomach that aid in moving food through the digestive system. When the digestive system is functioning at its best, you’ll experience less bloating and constipation. It has also been found to
lower cholesterol. And ginger is the top vegan source of zinc, which gives a big boost to your immune system. Top that off with the fact that it tastes delicious in juice recipes, and you have a super spice. I add it to almost every juice recipe I make.
Parsley. This dark green herb offers a great way to make your dishes and juices super healthy. Parsley helps you detox because it’s chock-full of antioxidants, like vitamin C and flavonoids, and it’s loaded with minerals and chlorophyll. It’s also a natural diuretic, which helps you get rid of stored water. That means thinner ankles, feet, and fingers. And it improves digestion and strengthens the spleen as well. You can add a handful of parsley to almost any juice recipe and you won’t even know it’s there.
Cranberries. Studies show that cranberries are loaded with acids that researchers believe are useful in dissolving fat deposits. When fat deposits settle in the body, they are hard to get rid of, so it’s best to get them before they get “hooked on” you. Some studies point out that the enzymes in cranberries can aid metabolism, which gives a boost to weight loss.8This tart little fruit is a natural diuretic, helping you get rid of excess water and bloating. Of all the fruits, cranberries rank number two for antioxidant content, which helps detoxify the body. And they promote healthy teeth and gums, fight urinary track infections, improve heart health, and keep cancer at bay.
Kathy, who was featured in my “Holiday Fat Buster” article in the December 27, 2010, issue of Woman’s World, issue, lost 5 pounds in seventy-two hours drinking a cranberry, pear, cucumber, and ginger
cocktail along with the rest of the Turbo Juice Diet Program. Within a week Kathy’s tummy was down 5.5 inches—she said she had to keep measuring to make sure it was right. Regarding the juice diet program, she said, “Overall, I had a lot of energy and no hunger.”9 You can add cranberries to many recipes for a delicious enhancer to your juice drinks and a boost to your weight loss at the same time. If you buy these berries when they’re in season, you can freeze a few packages to have on hand for seasons when they aren’t available.
Blueberries. A 2010 study found that blueberries can help you get rid of belly fat, thanks to the high level of phytochemicals (antioxidants) they contain. The study also showed that blueberries are helpful in preventing type 2 diabetes, and the benefits were even greater when the blueberries were combined with a low-fat diet.10 Moreover, blueberries can also help fight hardening of the arteries and improve the memory.
Lemons. Adding just a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to your water, salad, or soup will help ward off cravings, alkalize your body, and keep your insulin levels in check. Hot lemon water with a dash of cayenne pepper is a great way to start your day—it gets the liver, your fat-burning organ, moving in the morning. It’s also a natural diuretic and helps clear out toxins from your system. Further, it aids the digestive process and prevents constipation. It can also help alleviate heartburn—just add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to water and drink with your meal. Limonene, a compound in lemons, helps short-circuit the production of acid in the stomach—lemons are very alkalizing. Meyer lemons, my favorite, are sweeter and are available in the winter.
The Low-Glycemic Benefits of Juicing
The glycemic index has become a popular weight-loss tool based in part on the fact that high-glycemic foods raise blood sugar levels, cause the body to secrete excess insulin, and lead to the storage of fat. Originally developed to help diabetics manage blood sugar control, the glycemic index has become popular in the weight-loss market largely because it works so well. Researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that patients who lost weight with a low-glycemic diet kept the weight off longer than patients who lost the same amount of weight with a low-fat diet.11
The glycemic index (GI) diet refers to a system of ranking carbohydrates according to how much a certain amount of each food raises a person’s blood sugar level. It’s determined by measuring how much a 50-gram serving of carbohydrate raises a person’s blood sugar level compared with a control.
Virtually all carbohydrates are digested into glucose and cause a temporary rise in blood glucose levels, called the glycemic response. But some foods raise it more than others. This response is affected by many factors, including the quantity of food, the amount and type of carbohydrate, how it’s cooked or eaten raw, and the degree of processing. Each food is assigned an index number from 1 to 100, with 100 as the reference score for pure glucose. Typically, foods are rated high (greater than 70), moderate (56–69), and low (less than 55). Low-glycemic foods, especially raw carbohydrates, can help control blood sugar, appetite, and weight. Though helpful for everyone, they are especially helpful for people with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.
Low-glycemic foods are absorbed more slowly, allowing a person to feel full longer and therefore be less likely to overeat. Raw food experts such as Dr. John Douglass have found that raw carbohydrates such as the raw juices are better tolerated than cooked carbs. They don’t elicit the addictive cravings that cooked foods cause. Douglass believes, as does the Finish expert A. I. Virtanen, that the enzymes in raw food play an important role in the way they stimulate weight loss as they do in the treatment of obesity.12
When you get to chapter 6, “Beyond the Weekend,” you will be encouraged to choose most of your carbohydrate foods from the low-glycemic index and a large percentage of those foods as raw. The foods I recommend eating after you’ve completed your weekend weight-loss diet (see Appendix B) are for the most part low glycemic and are nutrient-rich, not refined, and higher in fiber—like whole vegetables, fruit, and legumes (beans, lentils, split peas).
Not All Carbs Are Created Equal
Different carbohydrates take different pathways in the body after digestion. For example, some starchy foods are bound by an outer layer of very complex starches (fiber) like the legumes (beans, lentils, split peas), which increases the time it takes for them to be digested. So even though legumes are relatively high in carbohydrates, they have a lower glycemic response because of their complex encasing.
There is also the antioxidant potential of foods to consider, meaning the amount of antioxidant nutrients a food contains, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C that are abundant in many fruits and vegetables. In Chinese culture, carrots are often used as cooling medicine. Carrots, beets (both very rich in beta-carotene),
and other brightly colored vegetables are especially important to include in our diet to prevent disease. These days many health professionals suggest we eliminate carrots and beets because of their glycemic rating, but the weekend weight-loss diet does not exclude them because of their high nutrient and fiber content. But I do recommend that you use them in small amounts because they are higher in sugar.
Also, please keep in mind that not all low-glycemic foods are healthy fare. Low-glycemic foods include candy bars and potato chips. These foods are very nutrient depleted, contain sugar or turn to sugar easily,
and lack fiber. You need to get the best nutrition for your choices. With this plan, there’s no obsessing over the glycemic index either, just a basic understanding of the principles. Keep in mind that certain factors can change a score, such as the riper the fruit, the higher the glycemic index score. But always choose ripe fruits and vegetables over unripe; they are healthier by far. Adding good fat to foods can lower the GI score. And keep in mind that the GI response to any given food also varies widely from person to person.
It can even vary within the same person from day to day. So it’s important to listen to your body and determine how the foods you are eating are affecting you.
More Than Weight Loss
Years ago when I was taking prerequisites for my master of science program in whole foods nutrition at Bastyr University, I worked for a weight-loss center part time as a nutrition counselor. I noticed that a number of people who entered the program looked healthy, meaning they had good skin color and tone and vibrancy—they were just overweight. Soon into the program, I noticed that though they were losing weight, they weren’t looking healthier. I observed a loss of skin tone, skin color turning a grayish pallor, and a loss of energy and vitality. I was alarmed. Even as a student I knew that it was not just about dropping weight; it was about getting healthier. I quit the job, unable to promote something that I felt did harm.
When you embark on a weight-loss program, it should be about getting healthier along with losing weight. Whether you want to lose 10, 20, 50, 100, or even 200 pounds, it isn’t just about getting the weight off any way you can. I know people who have lost weight through drastic means and ruined their health in the process.
Losing weight with vegetable juices and kicking off your program with the Weekend Weight-Loss Diet is the first step in choosing a weight-loss regimen that doesn’t sacrifice your health. That’s why I’m excited about introducing you to the Weekend Weight-Loss Diet. I know what it can do for you. So many people have praised this program and my other juice diets because of the increased health and energy they experienced. And if they can experience these great results, you can too. You’re off to a great start and a
lifetime of fitness!

REVIEW:

I really liked this book. I LOVE JUICING!! This is a way to Jump-Start your Weight Loss program. She's right when she says it's quick and easy. She talks a little bit about nutrition in the beginning in simple terms and not so complicated that you lost interest! Then inside she lays out the weekend plan. What to drink and what times to do it!! She has a weeks eathing plan! I like that she helps you pick out the best in the produce isle!! I never know for sure how to pick out rip fruit and veggies. She makes it simple. Then she talks about beyond the weekend, how to keep losing weight and feel great! I really enjoyed this balance of juice and regular food.

At the end she has delicious receipes I'll use way beyond the weekend. If you like juicing or just wanted to give it a try for the weekend. I highly recommend this book.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
www.bookfun.org

GIVEAWAY 10 COPIES - JULIE KLASSEN'S NEW NOVEL

2012-01-27T18:33:00.002-05:00

BETHANY HOUSE GIVING AWAY 10 COPIES

BOOK DESCRIPTION:Pampered Margaret Macy flees London in disguise to escape pressure to marry a dishonorable man. With no money and nowhere else to go, she takes a position as a housemaid in the home of Nathaniel Upchurch, a suitor she once rejected in hopes of winning his dashing brother. Praying no one will recognize her, Margaret fumbles through the first real work of her life. If she can last until her next birthday, she will gain an inheritance from a spinster aunt--and sweet independence. But can she remain hidden as a servant even when prying eyes visit Fairbourne Hall?

Observing both brothers as an "invisible" servant, Margaret learns she may have misjudged Nathaniel. Is it too late to rekindle his admiration? And when one of the family is nearly killed, Margaret alone discovers who was responsible. Should she come forward, even at the risk of her reputation and perhaps her life? And can she avoid an obvious trap meant to force her from hiding?

On her journey from wellborn lady to servant to uncertain future, Margaret must learn to look past appearances and find the true meaning of "serve one another in love."

THE DRAWING is AT THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK

Here is the Link to OUR NEW DRAWING

http://www.bookfun.org/group/bethanyhousepublishers/forum/topics/the-maid-of-fairbourne-hall-by-julie-klassen

ALL ENTRIES MUST BE MADE @ TBCN for the Drawing!! Winners will be Announced TUESDAY!!

Blessings

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

F.A.I.R.I.E.S. by M.C. PEARSON - REVIEWED

2012-01-26T06:00:00.003-05:00

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
M. C. Pearson graduated from San Jose State University with a B. A. in art, served as a multi-media illustrator in the United States Army, earning the rank of sergeant, and spent four years as a house parent for at-risk youth. Now married over 20 years, she homeschools her two children, volunteers with her church youth group, and runs a book review blog alliance (FIRST Wild Card Tours) while writing and drawing. F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire is her first novel.

Visit the author's website. http://www.fantasticalsquads.blogspot.com/

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.
By M.C. Pearson
Published by First Wild Card Press

Back Cover: Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.

Review: Have you seen the movie Tooth Fairy or The S.A.N.T.A. Clause? Read the book Hinds Feet in High Places? F.A.I.R.I.E.S. reminded me of parts of these movies and book. I’m thankful to have received a review copy of such an imaginative book. This author combines fantasy with reality like the two movies I mentioned and is an allegory like the book Hinds Feet in High Places. Mellie is the only human in the story. She is surrounded with mystical characters like Lord of the Rings has with fairies, elves, gnomes, gremlins, dragons, dwarfs just to name a few and she’s trying to make sense of this new world she has just entered, like Lucy in C.S. Lewis’s book Narnia.

M.C. Pearsons is not only the author of this youth fantasy but she is the illustrator as well. Her pictures are scattered throughout the book. They illustrate for the reader her imaginative characters

Mellie is a disgruntled human who wishes to escape the home life she has with her dreadful sisters. “Just once she wanted to do something that would make her sisters see that she wasn’t stupid, awkward, ugly, and a little baby.” She wanted to live in a family where she was loved and accepted. Maybe she could runaway and find a better place to live.

Suddenly Mellis finds herself deep into the forest unsure of where to go next, then she runs into the strangest sight, a walking stick that talks.

Is this a dream she wonders? Then suddenly the walking stick ushers her into the labyrinth of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. She doesn’t know what to think. Everything was quite magical. Just like in the Santa Clause and Tooth Fairy movies she sees everyone working together as a team for a common goal, she’ll learn later.

The walking stick finally introduces himself to her, his name is Regnans. He says, Welcome to the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. it stands for

F – Fantastical

A – Aerial

I – International

R- Reasonably

I- Inconspicious

E- Emancepation

S – Squads
They have accepted her into their organization. Regnans goes on to tell she has been “chosen” by the One. He tells her, “You made a choice to run away from a miserable life and asked to be set free?..... Right? You asked – we answered – you are accepted.”

Mellie is surprised and says, “But I don’t believe in fairies….”

“Follow-Me. I’ll enroll you for training. We are at war.” Move quickly.

She replies, “I’m not at war with anyone”

Regnan says, “You are at war. The darone wants to stamp out the light.”

This is where the story reminded me of the Tooth Fairy and how he goes into training. He learns all he can and then makes the mission his own.

Mellie embarks on a magical adventure as “chosen” by the One to be trained as a soldier of the light to fight the shadow whose set on fighting humans.

She also is in search of the One who truly loves and accepts her for who she is and was created to be.

I enjoyed this journey into the F.A.I.R.I.E.S. training and beyond!! It was fun, entertaining and yet there was a depth to this story I enjoyed. I also like the surprising twists and turns Mellie takes in her search to find the One and her mission in life.

Are you looking for a story that will whisk you into a magical land and help you not think about the worries of this world; at the same time bring comfort and joy to your soul? Then search no more F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is the book for you and the young people in your life. It will spark great conversation for you and any book clubs that would like to read it.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

GIVEAWAY - (5) COPIES - RACE AGAINST TIME

2012-01-25T20:08:00.000-05:00

Book Description:

Anesia Naltsiine has made mistakes that have cost her-and her 13-year old daughter, Zoya-dearly. But no more. She will prove her worth as a mother and as a breeder of champion sprint racing dogs. Her kennel is so successful that buyers come from all over the world. So why does she still feel so worthless?

Zoya misses the dad she never knew. All she wants is to follow in his footsteps as a champion sprint dog racer. But when she witnesses a murder in their town of North Pole, Alaska, she finds herself thrown into dangers and emotions she can’t begin to understand.

Enter Sean Connelly, a new employee at the kennel with demons of his own. When he discovers macrochips bearing military secrets implanted in the Naltsiine's dogs, a puzzle tracing back to the murder unfolds. Then strange "accidents" start happening; clearly someone wants Zoya silenced. Anesia tells her daughter it's not safe to race, but Zoya, angry with the world- and God-takes off across dangerous Alaskan terrain alone. Anesia and Sean must race against time to save the girl-and themselves.

LINK TO THE CONTEST @ THE BOOK CLUB NETWORK

http://www.bookfun.org/group/bhpublishers/forum/topics/race-against-time-by-kimberely-kayla-r-woodhouse

Drawing ends Thursday night - Winners announced Friday

You must answer the question to be entered into the drawing @ The Book Club Network - Not here

HAPPY READING!!

Nora St.Laurent

The Book Club Network

http://www.bookfun.org/

WILD CARD TOUR FIRETHORN by RONIE KENDIG - REVIEWED

2012-01-22T20:24:00.001-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Ronie Kendig

and the book:

Firethorn, Discarded Heroes #4

Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)

***Special thanks to Ronie Kendig for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

An Army brat, Ronie Kendig grew up in the classic military family, with her father often TDY and her mother holding down the proverbial fort. Their family moved often, which left Ronie attending six schools by the time she’d entered fourth grade. Her only respite and “friends” during this time were the characters she created.

It was no surprise when she married a military veteran—her real-life hero—in June 1990. Married more than twenty years, Ronie and her husband, Brian, homeschool their four children, the first of whom graduated in 2011. Despite the craziness of life, Ronie finds balance and peace with her faith, family and their three dogs in Dallas, TX.

Ronie has a deep love and passion for people, especially hurting people, which is why she pursued and obtained a B.S. in Psychology from Liberty University. Ronie is an active member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and has volunteered extensively, serving in a variety of capacities from coordinator of a national contest to appointment assistant at the national annual conference.

Since launching onto the publishing scene in 2010, Ronie and her books have been gained critical acclaim and national attention, including:

Finalist in Christian Retailing’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards (Nightshade)
RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love’s 2011 Inspirational Readers’ Choice Awards in Romantic Suspense (Nightshade)
Named one of the Top 25 Christian Fiction Suspense, Mystery, and Thriller Writers by FamilyFiction (Sept 2011)
2011 FamilyFiction Readers’ Choice Awards – 3^rd place as New Favorite Author, 8^th place with Nightshade for Novel of the Year.
INSPY Award Shortlist final in Mystery/Thriller (Dead Reckoning)
The Christian Manifesto’s 2010 Lime Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Nightshade)

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Blown and dismantled, Nightshade is ready to repay the favor.

Former Marine and current Nightshade team member Griffin "Legend" Riddell is comfortable. So comfortable he never sees the set up that lands him in a maximum security prison, charged with murder. How can he prove his innocence behind bars?

Covert operative Kazi Faron is tasked with reassembling Nightshade—the black ops team someone dissected. Breaking Griffin out of a federal penitentiary amid explosive confusion may turn out to be her last assignment. What will it take to convince the fugitive that whoever set him up has also dissected the Nightshade team? As Kazi and Griffin race to rescue the others and discover the traitor,
love begins to awaken in their hearts.

Can a covert operative and the felon she's freed overcome their mutual distrust long enough to save Nightshade? Will anything prepare them for who—or what is coming?

Product Details:

List Price: $12.99

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Discarded Heroes edition (2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1602607850
ISBN-13: 978-1602607859

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

To all American military heroes

At home and abroad,

Those who have gone before

and those serving today—

THANK YOU!

Because of you, we are FREE!

RECON CREED

Realizing it is my choice and my choice alone to be a Reconnaissance Marine, I accept all challenges involved with this profession. Forever shall I strive to maintain the tremendous reputation of those who went before me.
Exceeding beyond the limitations set down by others shall be my goal. Sacrificing personal comforts and dedicating myself to the completion of the reconnaissance mission shall be my life. Physical fitness, mental attitude, and high ethics—The title of Recon Marine is my honor.
Conquering all obstacles, both large and small, I shall never quit. To quit, to surrender, to give up is to fail. To be a Recon Marine is to surpass failure; To overcome, to adapt and to do whatever it takes to complete the mission.
On the battlefield, as in all areas of life, I shall stand tall above the competition. Through professional pride, integrity, and teamwork, I shall be the example for all Marines to emulate.
Never shall I forget the principles I accepted to become a Recon Marine. Honor, Perseverance, Spirit, and Heart.
A Recon Marine can speak without saying a word and achieve what others can only imagine.

Swift, Silent, Deadly

Chapter 1

The Shack
“It’s sad, really.” Marshall “The Kid” Vaughn trudged away from the thumping rotors of the helo that had deposited them back at the Shack, his pack almost dragging the ground. “Ya don’t realize how much a person adds until he’s gone.”
“Legend’s not gone.” Max “Frogman” Jacobs hoisted his rucksack into a better group, his mind locked on Sydney and their two sons waiting for him at home. Poor woman had to be going out of her mind with two of his Mini-Me’s running around.
“Yeah.” John “Squirt” Dighton hit the light breaker, then waited for the six-man team to clear the door. “He’s just temporarily detained.”
Lights sizzled and popped to life. Groaning bounced off the grimy windows as he hauled the door closed, locked it, then started toward the showers.
The Kid grunted. “Forty-years-to-life temporary.”
In the locker room, a depressive gloom hung over the team. They’d been on countless missions, hit just about every terrain and environment imaginable, but none had taken the toll the last couple had. And there was one reason—they were down a man. Griffin “Legend” Riddell. If Max could write the playbook, they wouldn’t do another mission without the guy. But with the man in federal prison for murdering a congressman, it’d be a long wait.
It was quiet. Too quiet. Max looked around the Spartan room. Walls of lockers, most unused. A few benches. A giant once-white bin for dirty duds. And the team. Six men, now. All very skilled. Good men. Even the one missing. Every man here knew Legend had been set up—he didn’t murder that congressman. But nobody could prove it. The evidence was damning. Justice—injustice was more like it—came swiftly. Lambert, ever the puppeteer, couldn’t pull the right strings to get Legend off.
“I’m heading up to visit him tomorrow. Anyone game?” Colton “Cowboy” Neeley slumped on a bench and ran a hand over his short, dark hair. His blue eyes probed the group.
“Nah, man. I’ve got a date,” the Kid said.
Squirt beaned him with a towel. “What girl would go out with you, mate?”
The Kid snapped the terry cloth back at the former Navy SEAL. “Your sister.”
Squirt froze. His jaw went slack. Then his eyes darkened.
Laughing, Canyon “Midas” Metcalfe rose to his feet from the corner. “You just proved his point by thinking your sister would actually go out with him.”
Squirt swallowed, his face drained of color. “I introduced them at a New Year’s party.”
Midas laughed harder. “Your mistake, mate.”
Shuffling closer, Squirt pointed a finger at the Kid. “I swear, you touch her, I’ll shove a fist full of witchety grubs down your gullet.”
“Give me credit, dude.” The Kid raised his hands. “I’m a gentleman.”
Max grunted. “Right.” As he strode around the lockers to the shower well, he heard more threats and much more laughter from the Kid. Max shook his head. Would the Kid ever grow up, learn when to leave things alone?
As he tossed his oily, grimy duds on the bench, Max paused, thinking maybe he should send his report to Lambert now so he wouldn’t have to mess with it tomorrow. The mission had been simple enough, a snatch-n-grab of an Iranian doctor. It’d been nice and clean, in and out. The report wouldn’t take long. Then he could shower, bug out, and know he had the whole weekend with Syd and the boys.
Max jogged up the iron stairs, which creaked and groaned beneath his weight. Down the hall to the right. He punched in the code and entered the secure hub, the door hissing shut behind him. The most high-tech part of this dump-of-a-warehouse.
Shouts drew his attention to the blinds. He jabbed two fingers between a couple and spread them to peeked down into the main area. Squirt and the Kid raced into the bay and back the way they came. Squirt looked ready to kill. The Kid’s face revealed his fear. Max shook his head again. Man, he wanted Griffin back. The guy seemed to bring balance to the team. Badly needed balance.
Max powered up the computer. Hand propped on the warped wood, he waited for the system to boot.
More shouts. Loud thuds.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. Would they never—?
Tat-a-tat! Tat-tat-a-tat!
Instinct drove Max to his knee at the sound of gunfire. He scrambled to the window. Through the slanted blinds, he peered down into the slab of cement. His brain wouldn’t assemble what he saw. Gunmen. A dozen or more. Rushing into the Shack from the parking bay. Moving swiftly, as if. . .
They know the layout.
Max darted to the door and jerked it open. He sprinted down the hall toward the stairs. As his boot hit steel, he froze. A shadow emerged. Floated into the hall.
Too late.
Max jerked back. Pressed his spine against the wall.
By the showers, the Kid looked up. Max signaled to him. Then made his best and loudest Nightshade whistle, hoping it would penetrate the building, give the men warning to take cover.
The Kid threw himself back into the locker room.
Men swarmed the corner. One looked to his left, one right. His weapon slowly rose as he traced the stairs with his M16.
Max leapt backward into the darkness and into office. He closed the door. As the lock clicked, darkness dropped like an anchor over the entire building. Behind him, a glow screamed his location. The monitor!
Max spun. Lunged across the desk. Stabbed the power button. And paused with his hand still near the monitor. If someone was coming after them. . .accessing this computer. . .
On his knees, Max yanked the cords free. With the box, he moved to the window and reassessed the parking bay. Another van with a half-dozen men with AK-47s. They streamed into the warehouse.
Max’s gut wound into a dozen knots. They were screwed.
Think! Hand on the door, he considered going back downstairs. But that would get him captured. Killed. Yet he’d rather be with his guys than running like a chicken.
No, not running. Considering options, gaining the advantage. Planning. The invasion force was armed to the teeth. They knew who they were coming after. They’d brought weapons. And those guys moved with precision. Swift, deadly precision.
Though Nightshade had a stellar ops record, perhaps they had finally met their match. Still. . .two to one? Nightshade had faced worse.
A large black Suburban screeched to a halt in the middle of the parking bay. Two men emerged, both wearing trench coats.
Max cursed his luck to be up here, away from his gear, his weapons. Up here, without firepower. Thus, powerless.
Okay, enough. He was going down there. He eased the door open and slid across the hall. Bathed in darkness, he crouched at edge of the landing, using the wall for cover. A dozen men so far, rushing here and there. Quick, quiet chatter between the men.
A smirk slid into Max’s face. His team had taken cover and these goons couldn’t find them. If he could just get a weapon. . .
“Can’t find them.”
“They’re here. I saw them go in,” the man nearest the SUV shouted. “Find them! Lights!”
Light rushed through the building as headlamps from the vehicles stabbed the dusty, damp building. Max yanked back, out of sight. He needed to get down there, defend his men. His boot hit the landing.
Shouts erupted. A shot bounced off the steel rafters, taunting as it echoed through the Shack. Stilled, Max waited. More shouts. The sound of a scuffle. The half-dozen men waiting by the SUV lifted their weapons to the ready.
The locker room door swung open. A man walked backward, his AK-47 aimed at a large form filling the doorway. Cowboy. Arms raised, dressed only in his jeans, he stalked forward. Someone shoved him from behind, which barely moved the big lug.
Spine pressed against the wood, Max peered down into the bay.
“You move one wrong muscle,” the one in front of Cowboy growled, “and so help me God, I’ll kill you.”
“No you won’t.” Cowboy lowered his hands. “If you wanted me dead, I wouldn’t be out here.”
Ride ’em, Cowboy.
From the side entrance to the showers, three men dragged a shouting, cursing Kid into the bay. Max smirked that it took three tangos to wrangle the Kid.
Hand clenched, Max’s mind went into overdrive. What could he do? God. . .I need. . .something. What could he pray for? Intercepting the team was impossible. Twelve, fifteen armed tangos against one unarmed man?
He latched on to the hope that they’d only found Cowboy and the Kid. No Midas, Squirt, or Aladdin. Good. Maybe they could regroup and—
A man flew through the bay door from the showers and landed with a thud a yard from the others. Midas flipped over, scissored his legs, and swept the thug off his feet. The Kid seized the confusion to attack the men guarding him. And impressively. With a hard right, he dropped the first and used that weapon to disable the second.
Cowboy took a step back and rammed his elbow into the gut of the nearest guard. The gunman bent forward—straight into Cowboy’s meaty fist. The big guy pivoted, slapped the interior of the gunman’s wrist, effectively seizing the weapon and flipping the muzzle around. He fired at the guy.
Crack!
In the split second it took for Max to realize the sonic boom that rent the air wasn’t the report of Cowboy’s .45 MEU but of a rifle, Max saw the man in the black trench coat drop to the ground. A circle spread out like a dark halo.
“Sniper!” someone shouted.
The dead guy had fallen backward. Most likely shot from the front. Which meant. . . Max’s gaze rose to the rafters. With no light, it’d be the perfect hiding spot. But. . .who? Squirt? Aladdin?
Crack!
The man guarding Colton stumbled forward, then went to his knees before hitting the cement.
The man in the black trench coat nearest the SUV dropped. A pool of blood spilled out.
“There!” One guard swung and fired his fully automatic at the ceiling. Four others followed suit, firing at the bank of grimy windows on the southeast wall of the building.
Max followed their direction and watched. Waited, his breath caught at the back of his throat. Cracks and shattering glass blended with the staccato punches of the guns to create a wild cacophony of noise. Max tuned it out, praying whoever—Aladdin or Squirt—wouldn’t be hit.
But then he saw it. A shift of a shadow. Like someone rolling. . .
The gunfire petered out as a body plummeted the eight feet to the ground.
The thud seemed to have supernatural powers as it pounded Max’s chest and pushed him back. Away from the window but not far enough that he lost line of sight.
Silence dropped on the Shack.
“Where’s Max Jacobs?”
As the question streaked through the warehouse, Max registered a red glow in the far corner. Even as he noticed it, he heard a beep. Another. His gaze darted to the source of the noise. Two men were walking the perimeter, their M16s dangling as they raised their arms and pressed something against the supports. Arms lowered and the men stepped back revealing gray bricks with wires.
Explosives.
Gotta stop this. Do something. His gaze collided with Cowboy’s. The big lug gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
Max’s nostrils flared as he wrestled with what to do.
“Where’s Dighton?”
How do they know our names?
“Dead,” someone answered.
Pulled back into the shadows, Max clenched his eyes and bit down on his tongue. Dighton was dead. What about Aladdin—had he survived the fall?
Sirens wailed in the distance.
“Load ’em up.”
“What about Jacobs?”
“Outta time.” The leader left as the gunmen dragged the team out of the building.
Stealthily, Max held on to the box and sprinted the length of the hall to the side of the Shack. In the conference room, he plunged toward the window. Craned his neck to peek out. Three vehicles—twin white vans and a black town car.
The guys were loaded into the van and one into the car.
The leader shifted, held something out, then it wavered.
Detonator.
Max spun around, searching for an out. Doors. Only one way down—the stairs. But they led to the bay, which would be engulfed.
Windows. Overlooked the dock. The canal. It was January. The water would be brutal cold. His split-second assessment told him no matter what route he took, it’d be deadly. Despite his training, if he didn’t find shelter out of the water once he broke surface, he’d die an ice cube. If he stayed, he’d die a fireball.
Good thing SEALs are insulated against cold water.
Max vaulted toward the window, hurtling the computer through the window. The glass shattered as a violent force blasted through the air. It lifted him. Up. . .up. . . Flipped him. Searing pain sliced through his arm. Heat stroked his back and legs. Fire chased him out of the building. Into the night.
Boom!
Another wave slammed into him. Threw him backward. Toward the water.
Something punched his gut. Knocked the breath from his lungs.
Bright white lit the night. Blinded him. Then—almost instantaneously—black. Pure black. And he was falling. . .down. . .down. . .

Ro n i e K e n d i g

Firethorn

Discarded Heroes # 4

OTHER BOOKS BY RONIE KENDIG

Nightshade (Discarded Heroes #1)

Digitalis (Discarded Heroes #2)

Wolfsbane (Discarded Heroes #3)

ISBN 978-1-60260-0785-9
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental.

For more information about Ronie Kendig, please access the author’s Web site at the following Internet address: www.roniekendig.com

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683,

www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

FIRETHORN REVIEWED

By Ronie Kendig
Published by B & H
ISBN# 978-1-602060-785-9
348 Pages

Back Cover: Don your tactical gear and enter the world of black ops and espionage within the pages of Ronie Kendig’s thriller Firethorn. Former Marine Griffin “Legend” Riddell, a fugitive from injustice, finds it difficult to trust anyone. Covert operative Kazi Faron, the woman sent to free him, has a dangerous secret that may jeopardize her life, mission, and the only man she respects. As Griffin and Kazi race around the globe to save Nightshade, the danger mounts. Will they find the culprit sabotaging their black ops team? Can their newfound feelings and trust survive when Griffin and Kazi face truth and terror?Show More Show Less

Review: Ronie’s passion and understanding of soldiers and war tactics is evident in her rapid-fire fiction. She says “Thank you for journeying with the Nightshades team, for opening your minds and hearts to the great toll war/combat takes on our men and women in the U.S. Armed forces.” I’m thankful for the review copy I received of this book and the awareness this author has brought to my attention about what goes on in the hearts and minds of our soldiers. Along with the thank you note, Ronie tells readers about ways to get involved in supporting our troops.

This amazing series highlights one team member per book during some incredible black ops missions. The reader gets to know them, their personal struggles and their background. In this book finale things are done a little different. We get to know Griffin Riddell up-close alright (code name “Legend” in Nightshades) as things heat up on all fronts. “Legend” is set free by Kazi and begins an unbelievable journey. Along the way he learns his team is picked off and taken down one by one. This couldn’t be happening!

The question on Griffin’s mind is, “Who did this? Who went after Nightshades? Someone who had a powerful need to die, because he and the others, once back together, would ensure their attacks kissed the grave-fast.”

Kazi has helped Griffin face some pretty remarkable circumstances and all the while acting as a Lone Ranger. Griffin tries to explain to her about his faith and being a team player. He says, “God will help us Kazi, He will.”

Kazi replies, “I need someone I can touch-or punch, not a God who hides out in Heaven while we run a muck on this planet.”

Kazi rubbed Griffin the wrong way. He was trying to be patient. Griffin tries to explain about being loyal to the team. “Now, I don’t care what sort of business you’re trying to protect or if you’re trying to protect yourself Kazi, but you need to understand – these are my boys..I will do whatever it takes to get them back, and part of that includes protecting you when and if I have to. …You’ve never worked on a team have you? …See, me and my boys are a team. We talk to each other, depend on each other. That keeps us alive, know what that means? Makes us friends…more than friends-brothers.”

I loved how real Griffin and Kazie were with each other in and out of combat! I also liked the authors well timed humor. I really had to keep track of what was happening and where. This was a riveting read. Ronie has an explosive, unbelievable conclusion to a very memorable and moving series. This was one wild ride. This book reminded me of a Mission Impossible movie. It’s big, its rapid-fire action drama, real and revealing on so many levels. It has surprises for the reader with so many twists and turns. I know I wasn't sure what was up until the dust settled at the end. Ronie left the story with a satisfying ending. I can’t wait to read the next book by her. I highly recommend this book and this Discarded Heroes series.

Nora St.Laurent
The Book Club Network
http://www.bookfun.org/

LOVE BLOOMS IN WINTER (THE DAKOTA DIARIES by LORI COPELAND

2012-01-21T10:21:00.001-05:00

Today's Wild Card author is:

Lori Copeland

and the book:

Love Blooms in Winter (The Dakota Diaries)

Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lori Copeland is the author of more than 90 titles, both historical and contemporary fiction. With more than 3 million copies of her books in print, she has developed a loyal following among her rapidly growing fans in the inspirational market. She has been honored with the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. In 2000, Lori was inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame. She lives in the beautiful Ozarks with her husband, Lance, and their three children and five grandchildren.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This new romance from bestselling author Lori Copeland portrays God’s miraculous provision when none seems possible. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more adventure than Tom Curtis is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter with God in charge.

1892—Mae Wilkey’s sweet next-door neighbor, Pauline, is suffering from old age and dementia and desperately needs family to come help her. But Pauline can’t recall having kin remaining. Mae searches through her desk and finds a name—Tom Curtis, who may just be the answer to their prayers.

Tom can’t remember an old aunt named Pauline, but if she thinks he’s a long-lost nephew, he very well may be. After two desperate letters from Mae, he decides to pay a visit. An engagement, a runaway train, and a town of quirky, loveable people make for more of an adventure than Tom is expecting. But it is amazing what can bloom in winter when God is in charge of things.

Product Details:

List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (January 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736930191
ISBN-13: 978-0736930192

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Dwadlo, North Dakota, 1892

The winter of ’92 is gonna go down as one of the worst Dwadlo’s ever seen,” Hal Murphy grumbled as he dumped the sack of flour he got for his wife on the store counter. “Mark my words.” He turned toward Mae Wilkey, the petite postmistress, who was stuffing mail in wooden slots.

“Spring can’t come soon enough for me.” She stepped back, straightening the row of letters and flyers. She didn’t have to record Hal’s prediction; it was the same every year. “I’d rather plant flowers than shovel snow any day of the week.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Hal nodded to the store owner, Dale Smith, who stood five foot seven inches with a rounded belly and salt-and-pepper hair swept to a wide front bang. “Add a couple of those dill pickles, will you?” Hal watched as Dale went over to the barrel and fished around inside, coming up with two fat pickles.

“That’ll fix me up.” Hal turned his attention back to the mail cage, his eyes fixed on the lovely sight. “Can’t understand why you’re still single, Mae. You’re as pretty as a raindrop on a lily pad.” He sniffed the air. “And you smell as good.”

Smiling, Mae moved from the letter boxes to the cash box. Icy weather may have delayed the train this morning, but she still had to count money and record the day’s inventory. “Now, Hal, you know I’d marry you in a wink if you weren’t already taken.” Hal and Clara had been married forty-two years, but Mae’s usual comeback never failed to put a sparkle in the farmer’s eye. Truth be, she put a smile on every man’s face, but she wasn’t often aware of the flattering looks she received. Her heart belonged to Jake Mallory, Dwadlo’s up-and-coming attorney.

Hal nodded. “I know. All the good ones are taken, aren’t they?”

She nodded. “Every single one. Especially in Dwadlo.”

The little prairie town was formed when the Chicago & North Western Railroad came through five years ago. Where abundant grass, wild flowers, and waterfalls had once flourished, hundreds of miles of steel rail crisscrossed the land, making way for big, black steam engines that hauled folks and supplies. Before the railroad came through, only three homesteads had dotted the rugged Dakota Territory: Mae’s family’s, Hal and Clara’s, and Pauline Wilson’s.

But in ’87 life changed, and formerly platted sites became bustling towns. Pine Grove and Branch Springs followed, and Dwadlo suddenly thrived with immigrants, opportunists, and adventure-seeking folks staking claims out West. A new world opened when the Dakota Boom started.

Hal’s gaze focused on Mae’s left hand. “Jake still hasn’t popped the question?”

Mae sighed. Hal was a pleasant sort, but she really wished the townspeople would occupy their thoughts with something other than her and Jake’s pending engagement. True, they had been courting for six years and Jake still hadn’t proposed, but she was confident he would. He’d said so, and he was a man of his word—though every holiday, when a ring would have been an appropriate gift, that special token of his intentions failed to materialize. Mae had more lockets than any one woman could wear, but Jake apparently thought that she could always use another one. What she could really use was his hand in marriage. The bloom was swiftly fading from her youth, and it would be nice if her younger brother, Jeremy, had a man’s presence in his life.

“Be patient, Hal. He’s busy trying to establish a business.”

“Good lands. How long does it take a man to open a law office?”

“Apparently six years and counting.” She didn’t like the uncertainty but she understood it, even if the town’s population didn’t. She had a good life, what with work, church, and the occasional social. Jake accompanied her to all public events, came over two or three times a week, and never failed to extend a hand when she needed something. It was almost as though they were already married.

“The man’s a fool,” Hal declared. “He’d better slap a ring on that finger before someone else comes along and does it for him.”

“Not likely in Dwadlo,” Mae mused. The town itself was made up of less than a hundred residents, but other folks lived in the surrounding areas and did their banking and shopping here. Main Street consisted of the General Store, Smith’s Grain and Feed, the livery, the mortuary, the town hall and jail (which was almost always empty), Doc Swede’s office, Rosie’s Café, and an empty building that had once housed the saloon. Mae hadn’t spotted a sign on any business yet advertising “Husbands,” but she was certain her patience would eventually win out.

With a final smile Hal moved off to pay for his goods. Mae hummed a little as she put the money box in the safe. Looking out the window, she noticed a stiff November wind snapping the red canvas awning that sheltered the store’s porch. Across the square, a large gazebo absorbed the battering wind. The usually active gathering place was now empty under a gray sky. On summer nights music played, and the smell of popcorn and roasted peanuts filled the air. Today the structure looked as though it were bracing for another winter storm. Sighing, Mae realized she already longed for green grass, blooming flowers, and warm breezes.

After Hal left Mae finished up the last of the chores and then reached for her warm wool cape. She usually enjoyed the short walk home from work, but today she was tired—and her feet hurt because of the new boots she’d purchased from the Montgomery Ward catalog. On the page they had looked comfortable with their high tops and polished leather, but on her feet they felt like a vise.

Slipping the cape’s hood over her hair, she said goodbye to Dale and then paused when her hand touched the doorknob. “Oh, dear. I really do need to check on Pauline again.”

“How’s she doing?” The store owner paused and leaned on his broom. “I noticed she hasn’t been in church recently.”

Dale always reminded Mae of an owl perching on a tree limb, his big, dark blue eyes swiveling here and there. He might not talk a body’s leg off, but he kept up on town issues. She admired the quiet little man for what he did for the community and respected the way he preached to the congregation on Sundays.

How was Pauline doing? Mae worried the question over in her mind. Pauline lived alone, and she shouldn’t. The elderly woman was Mae’s neighbor, and she checked on her daily, but Pauline was steadily losing ground.

“She’s getting more and more fragile, I’m afraid. Dale, have you ever heard Pauline speak of kin?”

The small man didn’t take even a moment to ponder the question. “Never heard her mention a single word about family of any kind.”

“Hmm…me neither. But surely she must have some.” Someone who should be here, in Dwadlo, looking after the frail soul. Mae didn’t resent the extra work, but the post office and her brother kept her busy, and she really didn’t have the right to make important decisions regarding the elderly woman’s rapidly failing health.

Striding back to the bread rack, she picked up a fresh loaf. Dale had private rooms at the back of the store where he made his home, and he was often up before dawn baking bread, pies, and cakes for the community. Most folks in town baked their own goods, but there were a few, widowers and such, who depended on Dale’s culinary skills. By this hour of the day the goods were usually gone, but a few remained. Placing a cherry pie in her basket as well, she called, “Add these things to my account, please, Dale. And pray for Pauline too.”

Nodding, he continued sweeping, methodically running the stiff broomcorn bristles across the warped wood floor.

The numbing wind hit Mae full force when she stepped off the porch. Her hood flew off her head and an icy gust of air snatched away her breath. Putting down her basket, she retied the hood before setting off for the brief walk home. Dwadlo was laid out in a rather strange pattern, a point everyone agreed on. Businesses and homes were built close together, partly as shelter from the howling prairie winds and partly because there wasn’t much forethought given to town planning. Residents’ homes sat not a hundred feet from the store. The whole community encompassed less than five acres.

Halfway to her house, snowflakes began swirling in the air. Huddling deeper into her wrap, Mae concentrated on the path as the flakes grew bigger.

She quickly covered the short distance to Pauline’s. The dwelling was little more than a front room, tiny kitchen, and bedroom, but she was a small woman. Pauline pinned her yellow-white hair in a tight knot at the base of her skull, and she didn’t have a tooth in her head. She chewed snuff, which she freely admitted was an awful habit, but Mae had never heard her speak of giving it up.

Her faded blue eyes were as round as buttons, and no matter what kind of day she was having, it was always a new one to her, filled with wonders. Her mind wasn’t what it used to be. She had good and bad days, but mostly days when her moods changed as swift as summer lightning. She could be talking about tomatoes in the garden patch when suddenly she would be discussing how to spin wool.

Mae noted a soft wisp of smoke curling up from the chimney and smiled. Pauline had remembered to feed the fire this afternoon, so this was a good day.

Unlatching the gate, she followed the path to the front porch. In summertime the white railings hung heavy with red roses, and the scent of honeysuckle filled the air. This afternoon the wind howled across the barren flower beds Pauline carefully nurtured during warmer weather. Often she planted okra where petunias should be, but she enjoyed puttering in the soil and the earth loved her. She brought fresh tomatoes, corn, and beans to the store during spring and summer, and pumpkins and squash lined the railings in the fall.

In earlier days Pauline’s quilts were known throughout the area. She and her quilting group had made quite a name for themselves when Dwadlo first became a town. Four women excelled in the craft. One had lived in Pine Grove, and two others came from as far away as Branch Springs once a month to break bread together and stitch quilts. But one by one the women had died off, leaving Pauline to sew alone in her narrowing world.

Stomping her boots on the porch, Mae said under her breath, “I don’t mind winter, Lord, but could we perhaps have a little less of it?” The only answer was the wind whipping her garments. Tapping lightly on the door, she called, “Pauline?”

Mae stepped back and waited to hear the shuffle of feet. Pauline used to answer the door in less than twenty seconds. It took longer now. Mae made a fist with her gloved hand and banged a little harder. The wind howled around the cottage eaves. She closed her eyes and prayed that Jeremy had remembered to stack sufficient firewood beside the kitchen door. The boy was generally responsible, and she thanked God every day that she had him to lean on. He had been injured by forceps during birth, which left him with special needs. He was a very happy fourteen-year-old with the reasoning power of a child of nine.

A full minute passed. Mae frowned and tried the doorknob. Pauline couldn’t hear herself yell in a churn, but she might also be asleep. The door opened easily, and Mae peeked inside the small living quarters. She saw that a fire burned low in the woodstove, and Pauline’s rocking chair sat empty.

Stepping inside, she closed the door and called again. “Pauline? It’s Mae!”

The ticking of the mantle clock was the only sound that met her ears.

“Pauline?” She lowered her hood and walked through the living room. She paused in the kitchen doorway.

“Oh, Pauline!”

NOTE: I have enjoyed so many of Lori Copeland books. I'm looking forward to reading this one. It's on my TBR pile.

Nora St.Laurent
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OTHER BOOKS BY RONIE KENDIG

Nightshade (Discarded Heroes #1)

Digitalis (Discarded Heroes #2)

Wolfsbane (Discarded Heroes #3)

© 2011 by Ronie Kendig

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LOVE BLOOMS IN WINTER (THE DAKOTA DIARIES by LORI COPELAND